Today, after the morning meeting, Mika’s task was to retrieve items from Warehouse No. 4.

“Could you handle about four boxes today? The things you pick always sell so well! Even if I went in there, I’d never find coins or leather goods like you do. Mika, you’re amazing!”

The store manager made her usual adorable request, making Mika doubt whether this woman was really older than her.

As usual, Mika entered Warehouse No. 4 with a cart loaded with empty cardboard boxes, cleaning supplies, and insecticide.

The inside was dim, but she always made sure to close the door behind her. One reason was that keeping out the harsh outside light actually made it easier to see inside. The other was something the manager had told her when handing over the key.

“This key with the green ribbon was used by the manager before last. If you ever have to use it, make sure not to leave the door open. Be careful when going in and out, Mika. I doubt anyone would peek into such a shady warehouse, but my grandpa was always a worrier.”

Looking back now, Mika figured it was probably to prevent things from getting out. But why was the warehouse completely normal when the manager opened it? Apparently, the manager didn’t even know about the cave-like state of Warehouse No. 4. Mika always came here during the busy hours around opening or closing time, so she never found the right moment to ask.

“Well, I doubt I’d figure it out even if I thought about it. Anyway, what’s in store for me today?”

As she headed deeper inside with the rake and insecticide, a gray shadow darted out from a crack in the dimly lit wall.

Shoo!

Her usual strategy was to slow it down with insecticide first.

“A rat today, huh? What a pain.”

Slightly smaller than a volleyball, this giant rat was vicious—insecticide alone wouldn’t be enough to finish it off. Unlike the adorable dogfolk or lizardmen, who would run away if threatened, these rats never backed down and would attack relentlessly until the end.

Getting bitten hurt quite a bit, and disease was also a concern, so Mika swung her rake and smacked the leaping rat out of the air. Injured, the rat screeched in a high-pitched voice, its fur standing on end. A faint glow began to shimmer across its fur—if left alone, it would start scattering crackling static electricity.

“It’s been pretty dry lately… I hope it doesn’t catch fire.”

As she muttered this, she sprayed the paralyzed rat with insecticide—

Zap!

A spark flew with the sound, and the insecticide spray turned into a flamethrower. Mika hurriedly stopped spraying, but the rat was instantly engulfed in flames and soon stopped moving.

“…Wow. Static electricity is scary.”

Whether or not static electricity was truly the thing to fear here, Mika used the rake to drag the giant rat’s corpse onto a dustpan and tossed it into the usual trash bin.

And so, she had once again dealt with something that wasn’t quite a black demon. But when she glanced deeper into the cave, she spotted a shadow approaching. Gripping the rake and readying the insecticide, she waited for it to enter range, as usual.

However, the moment its form became clear, an unprecedented shock ran through the unflappable housewife—Takana Mika, 38 years old.

There, walking hand in hand in perfect harmony, were a lizardman, a bipedal Chihuahua, and a birdfolk.

“So… so cute…”