Riho changed into her formal clothes. Today she had an interview at a local convenience store. She was reluctant to settle down, but as she hadn't tracked down the Mazoku yet she would need the funds to survive.

She entered the building and was immediately greeted by a dreamy voice.

“Helloo～! Welcome to Dawson!”

Riho flinched, then coughed timidly before approaching the register. Behind the counter was a girl around her age.

“I'm here for the interview...I heard you're hiring...”

The girl looked ecstatic, “Oh! That's lovely! Let me go get the manager!”

She then dashed off through a doorway behind the counter.

Riho blinked slowly, then looked around as she waited. There were several customers, but they didn't seem upset or in a hurry. Adding to that the total absence of any other employees made Riho wonder about her decision. Was this convenience store okay?

Well, it wasn't as though she had been hired yet so there was a chance she would need to look somewhere else, she naively thought.

A moment later the girl reappeared, with a beaming smile, followed by an older woman. The older woman had sharp eyes, but under them were deep dark circles and despite the service smile on her lips, Riho could practically feel gloomy energy oozing out of her. Riho herself put on a service smile and offered politely.

“I saw your help wanted poster outside so I thought I would apply...”

Riho didn't have time to react, suddenly the woman was in front of her, and had her hands tightly in her own.

“You're just in time, come along!” there was a kind of frenetic tone to her voice that made Riho's hair stand on end.

She was lead into the back and to the manager's office.

“I don't know why, but everyone we've hired lately but Akiho-chan has quite within the week...” her eyes were bloodshot.

Riho laughed nervously, “Th-that's too bad...”

“RIGHT!?” the woman leaned over the desk until their noses almost touched, she leaned back and continued, but her tone was low and Riho could barely keep up with her pace, “Corporate'spushingallthesesillydeadlinesonproductswecan'tsell, thentheytellustorearrangetheshelvesaccordingtoTHISlayout AHAHA,thatlayoutdoesn'tevenmatchourfloorplan,it'sliketheydon'tevencarewhothey'resendingthesethingsto-”

Riho interrupted her, “Um, about the interview...?”

The woman snapped back to reality, “Oh! Yes, of course, I'm sorry dear! Ahem, my name is Ikue Airu...nothatanyoneremembers...Ah, ahem. So, what's your name and do you have any skills you're proud of?”

“Er, right! My name is Funano Riho,” she paused, a drop of cold sweat dripping down her cheek. She had prepared for an interview, not whatever was happening now. All of the plausible things a normal human might need in an interview had flown from her head thanks to this odd lady's outbursts. Then again, thinking about it rationally, if she were hired here that would mean she would have to get further involved with this 'Ikue Airu,' in fact she would be lowest on the food-chain here. That was something her pride as a Pririponian Magical Girl wouldn't allow.

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“Um as for skills, I guess I don't really have any. I've just got four limbs and working brain,” she said, trying to be as pathetic and unconvincing as possible.

However, she misjudged her opponent. Airu was immediately over the desk grasping her hands wildly shaking them up and down.

“Perfect! You're hired!”

There was something else her Pririponian pride wouldn't allow: failing to live up to someone's expectations, and failing a mission. She had now been hired, and her objective in coming here was to obtain a stable job. She fell to her knees as Airu turned and rummaged around some cabinets and her desk, presenting the humiliated Magical Girl with the necessary documents to begin work.

Fighting back tears, Riho signed the paperwork, while Airu watched on without a clue.

“Welcome to the team! Akiho-chan will show you the rest,” Airu said, pushing Riho towards the office door. It slammed behind her. What had she gotten herself into?

“Weeell, how'd it go?” the dreamy voice of the girl working the register reached her.

Riho laughed hollowly, “A pleasure to be working with you...You must be 'Akiho-chan,' then?”

“That's right, that's right! Wow a girl my age is coming to work here! I'm so happy!”

Riho started to feel a little better in spite of herself. This girl seemed sweet, being her junior might not be so bad.

“You can call me Riho, i-if you want,” it came out more awkwardly than she had expected, leading her cheeks to flush.

“A pleasure to meet you, Riho-chan! As you've heard I'm Akiho, Habiro Akiho!”

Riho felt a chill down her spine, and turned to look at the door behind them, it was open a slit and through the crack a familiar set of sharp eyes was watching them.

“Hoo-wha!?” Riho made an odd noise in spite of herself.

The manger Airu then opened the door fully, and held out a uniform like the one Akiho was wearing to Riho.

“You two are getting along already! That's great!” her smile looked sincere, but her tone was all over the place. Is this what stress could do to a person? Riho shivered.

“This is your uniform. I'll text you to tell you which days we'll need you to work, if you'll give us your information.”

“Ah...I don't have a cellphone yet, that's why I decided to work..” Riho replied cautiously, afraid she might set off another sudden mood swing from the overworked manager. Instead she was met with a smile.

“Oh I see, in that case come in tomorrow. I'll have a schedule printed by then.”

“Yes ma'am!”

“See you tomorrow～!”

Riho left the Dawson convenience store and sighed heavily. She had still been feeling full when she left, but after what she had just gone through she was famished.

“I'll just get a light snack,” she said and made her way towards the shopping district. She walked down the road, looking for somewhere inexpensive, when she noticed a familiar face. She did a double take, it was the Mazoku girl, but she was with Nagi, the landlord! That meant the Mazoku girl must live in one of the other properties Nagi owned! She had thought it was possible given what Nagi had said before, but given the situation she couldn't be sure.

She thought about following when she noticed her quarry's midsection under the boxes she carried. A pang of guilt and memories of her ramen feast rose immediately to mind. She nearly rethought her snack as well, but her current fatigue overruled that. Fine, she could get away today. It's not like she could attack her now anyway. Nagi was there too.

She chose to ignore how much she was rationalizing and making unnecessary excuses for herself.

She stopped in front of a shop selling fried croquettes, entranced by the aroma. She sighed at her pathetic remaining funds and limited herself to one, then set out for her room.