Izuku POV

After changing my clothes at the dorm, I went back out to explore the area more. The sun still shining in bright light. The sound of chattering people fills my ears. The smell of air, warm and earthy, fills my nose. As I walk, feeling the pavement underfoot, I have come across a coffee shop, just a few blocks away from the campus. Conveniently, a bookstore is located just a few buildings away.

'Huh. I guess I know what I'm going to be doing for the rest of the day.' I thought.

I make way to the bookshop, the entrance not too extraordinary. At least, it doesn't look that different from a regular bookstore; some books displayed at the front are labeled from romance, to drama books, to a few best-sellers. The inside, I discovered, is anything but.

As I step into the bookstore, a soft glow suffuses the air, lending the space an otherworldly charm. Sunlight filters through large windows, dappling the shelves with warm, inviting light. The shelves themselves seem to whisper secrets, each book holding a hint of mystery and wonder.

The scent of old paper mingles with the faint aroma of cinnamon, adding a cozy warmth to the atmosphere. Dust motes dance lazily in the sunbeams, creating a gentle, mesmerizing spectacle.

Perhaps there's a faint shimmer around the edges of some of the books, hinting at the possibility of something more than meets the eye. A particularly ancient tome might emit a subtle, pulsing energy, drawing you closer with its silent invitation to uncover its secrets.

"Welcome to Rambling Rascal, the premium bookstore on Mustafu. If you're looking for the esoteric, the exotic, the exciting, and extraordinary, look no further," a beautiful lady with a short dark pixie-bob haircut with chestnut eyes, says. She's slightly taller than the average Japanese woman, dressed in black casual cotton shirt with no sleeve.

"Intriguing," I say. "Any good books you recommend to read while drinking coffee?" I asked, briefly considering if I should flirt with her and dismissing the thought. It doesn't feel right. At least, not yet.

"We have many books in this store, Midoriya Izuku. Some more urgent than others, but this place always has what you need," she said, gesturing at the rows of books around her.

'Wait a minute.'

"How did you know my name?" I asked, while subtly looking around for any signs of danger. She doesn't feel dangerous, but you can't go wrong with being a little cautious.

"The books know all things, Midoriya Izuku. Including your name. The name's Diana...welcome to my humble shop," she says while extending her hand. No signs of spells being woven in either her words or the handshake so I shook it.

"So, Diana. I take it you're an Esoteric?" I asked her. Esoterics are the Mages with neither Spark nor Voices in their head, but are blessed with talent outside of it like bending spoon with their mind, talking to animals, and other stuff. Talking to and Hearing the books fits the bill. One other guy I knew has the ability to know any and all combinations of every lock and he's thriving in this digital age.

"Indeed I am, Winter Child. What the books both know and share with me is limited, but I know enough," she said with a mysterious smile.

"And what do you know?" I asked, ready to fight if it's come down to it. The last time someone called me 'Winter Child,' it was a bloody dog corpse.

"I know that if you don't buy a book now, it's going to cost you an opportunity," she told me, dodging the question. I'll play along for now.

"So, what book do you recommend?" I asked her.

She smiled and said, "Books are our wife, our mother, our sister, our daughter, our boss or secretary, our whore, our landlady, flatmate, and childhood best friend. Are you ready to find ecstacy?" she said while gesturing me to follow.

'She's weird and that's something coming from me.'

"Sure. What have you got?" I asked her, ready to just get it over with.

"For you? Right now..." she said this while walking through the aisles of books. Occassionally, she would pause, and continue the search again. "Oooooohhh. Yes. That's the book for you. There you go," she said, handing me a grey book. The cover shows a picture of the back of a naked woman, titled The Exquisite Art of Domination, by Victoria Ashcroft.

"Are you totally sure this is what I need right now?" I asked, incredulously. My face must've been very strange right now.

I mean, I like the ass dimples on the cover as much as the next guy, but calling it what I need seems over-the-top. I already have someone I dom for and it's going well as far as I can observe.

"Oh, yes. Very. Trust me, there's a wonderful opportunity just waiting for you to open its doors," she said this seriously.

'Eh. What's the harm?' I thought.

"I guess. How much is it?" I asked her, reaching for the bills in my wallet. Meanwhile, she's standing by the cash register.

"All books are equal in worth, and equal in value. That would be 20,000 Yen," she answered which made my eyes bulge almost out of its socket.

'What the fuck?! Is this made out of gold or something?!'

"That's just highway robbery!" I told her.

"You came here for books you can find nowhere else. I simply charge accordingly," she answered.

'So I'm more paying for the exclusiveness of the shop rather than the book itself? Is that it?'

I looked at her for several seconds, waiting for someone to jump out and say I'm featured in some kind of gag show that'll be shown in primetime. After nobody did, and I saw no jest in her expression, I sighed. Deeply.

"There you go," I said as I handed over 20,000 Yen for a book. A single book. About something I'm already sure I'm good at. Good thing I have saved up money from my constant training in Elsewhere. I'm not loaded or anything, but I have enough that it won't really be a problem.

"Always a pleasure. I know you will enjoy it," she told me as she took the cash and handed me the receipt.

I walked out, feeling the breeze in my skin, I headed over to the coffee shop I stumbled upon a couple of minutes ago.

Daily Grind

As I enter the establishment, I was greeted with a sight not unlike the regular cafe, except maybe for the ropes hanging from the ceiling, acting as support for some of the chairs in it. Looks homey and stylish. The scent of coffee and something earthy fills my nose as I walk to the barista.

Her green hairs are made up of thorny vines. Her eyes dark, almost black, green. She's medium height for a Japanese teen. She's wearing a white toga dress.

*Insert "Control" by High Rule here*

"Welcome to the Daily Grind, I'm Shiozaki Ibara. How can I help you today?" she asked with a slight gasp.

"Hi. I'm honestly more used to Starbucks coffee, but do you serve something delicious like that?" I asked her, looking at the menu. It's familiar. If I didn't know better, I'd mistake it for a Starbucks branch.

"No, sir," she replied, her face looking at the ground while her eyes upturned to me.

"What do you mean, 'no'? At least you can serve coffee, yes? It says so on the menu you have."

"Oh, we serve excellent coffee, sir. But no to everything else," she replied.

"And which part is that?"

"Well, I disagree that we're serving the same coffee, sir. We have standards. I would also strongly disagree that their coffee is delicious," she says this a little more indignant than before.

"Really? I thought it tasted quite nice," surprised, I told her.

"This placed used to be a Starbucks branch and speaking as someone who completed the Starbucks Elite Barista course, it's pretty crap," she told me. I guess it explains the selection.

"Come on, Starbucks always tasted pretty nice," I told her. I have zero idea why I'm defending it to this degree, but fuck it.

"It's the McDonald's of coffee, Sir," she said in a flat tone. "Anyway, how may I call you, sir?" she asked.

"I'm Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku," I introduced myself, reaching out a hand and she shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Midoriya-san. Continuing on, having freed ourselves from our corporate overlords, we've embarked on a journey to partner with the best single-origin, fairtrade-certified, indigineous community-supporting, radically conscious coffee beans, sourced from sustainable low-impact farms," she said.

'So...in other words...'

"You just buy them online, don't you?" I told her.

"Pretty much," she admitted quickly. "But please don't tell anyone or the boss will be really pissed off at me."

"Okay. Let me have a coffee. What's available?" I asked.

"Well, you've got a variety of beans. Some more acidic, some are more buttery. Then you get to pick the type and amount of drink. We only do espresso beverages here, so that's all." she answered.

"I want something bitter. Columbian beans would be good. No need for the milk." I told her.

"Okay. Here you go," she handed me the coffee and I sat in a corner somewhere, her eyes following me throughout.

I started reading the book while drinking my coffee. Thankfully, practically nobody's here, otherwise, even I'd be conscious of reading this in public. It's an interesting read, at least.

'I want to touch the parts of you no one else has touched. I want to own the piece of you that has yet to be discovered. So stop resisting. Let go. Let it happen.'

While I'm reading this, I can't help but notice the barista, Shiozaki, is looking surreptitiously at me. When I tried to meet her eyes, she looked away immediately. I went back to my reading.

'I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enourmous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive nor innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman.'

Shiozaki is now struggling to conceal her interest in the book. She walks up to me and says,

"S...how's the coffee?"

"Fantastic. You weren't kidding when you said you serve great coffee here," I answered.

"Okay. Well. Yeah. Thanks," she mumbles, her eyes darting everywhere.

"Was that really what you wanted to ask about?" I asked with a knowing smile. I won't miss the fact that she's trying too hard not to look at the book I'm reading.

"Er...yes? I guess," she told me. Unable to resist the temptation, her eyes now stuck to the book like glue.

"You've been eyeing the book I'm reading, haven't you?" I asked, which made her silent. Her blush was pronounced on her face. Her eyes were dilated and misty. Her breath rate slightly increased. "Does it excite you?" I asked.

"I've had this dream for years. Of being dominated. There's this man in my dream...tall and dark, and intense," she explained.

"Like me?" I asked.

"Y...yes," she said.

"And in these dreams, what do you call me?" I asked her, which she only returned silence, looking at me. "I didn't hear you, Shiozaki," I asked again, this time in a firm stern tone.

"My Lord. In...in my dreams, I call you...My Lord," she answered, looking to the floor. "This...this can't be real. The perfect black rose...it's not a thing? You're...you're not really My Lord. Right?" she asked, uncertain of what it all meant.

"We'll see. You may go, Ibara."

"Yes. I'll...I'll see you later My...I mean, Midoriya-san." she said, stumbling on her words as she made her way to the counter again.

I finished my drink and walked out of the store, with a goal in mind.

'A perfect black rose, huh? I think I know just where to find them,' I thought as I made my way to a portal to Elsewhere in the basement of The Crowley.

There you have it folks. A pretty short chapter, just a tiny bit more than 2k words. Just one of the setups for the events that will happen in the future and introduce a crucial member of the harem. Can't wait to get to those parts myself.

Thanks, as always, for reading the chapter. Any feedback and questions are appreciated.