Chapter 3

The bar I work in was the quietest place I could think of in Polarity. Sadly, I still wasn't the right age to drink yet even though I already knew how to make a stellar dry martini. This bar was owned by the Gouldy's so it would make sense that I would work here too. I tend to go here a lot for the atmosphere too. Nobody goes here besides some older business men that just want an old fashioned before going home.

Wooden floors, stellar chandeliers on a high ceiling, harp music by the corner, and a custom mahogany bar to hold liquor. This place just silently screamed classy. The Resting Sheep was just the optimal place to do my editing work.

This is also the place I work part time in too, no surprise. I looked at the mirror to see myself in a stylish black and white female bartender outfit. Brushing my short bangs away, I couldn't help appreciate my simple charms allowing me to wear any outfit. Someday, I won't have to worry about wearing outfits like these.

After putting on the final touches, I headed out onto the empty bar along with the old bar keep. His gray hairs were already sticking out but I don't think he cared anymore. I've worked here for quite some time and I kind of just forgot his name because I keep calling him old man but I'm pretty sure it's Zeke. He was mostly in charge of the place while I was slacking off doing something else. Old man knew that there wasn't a lot of people going here anyway so he couldn't scold me about it.

Zeke: Just another peaceful night hmmm, Mako.

Mako: I hope so. I have lots of things to do by tonight. Also we might have a guest tonight.

Zeke: A guest? I would not have expected someone like you to have bring a friend over, Mako.

Mako: A friend? Hell no. That would mean that I would need company in my life. She's more of a co worker. I'm getting paid just to be with her.

Zeke: Please be honest with me that you're not in trouble. I'm concerned that you're being payed for company.

Mako: No, I'm sure of it.

Just like on cue, Mera opened the entrance with a bang! It scared Zeke that I could have sworn he grew a couple more gray hairs. Her eyes darted all over the place, sparkling wonder that only an innocent kid has. Mera didn't even bother changing before she came here even when I told her to! She just kept looking all over the place as if she had never been to a bar before. I just wanted to punch her so bad...

Mera: Wow! This place is a lot cooler than I thought! Why is it all the way up here though?

Zeke: Ah! Mistress Mera. It's been a while.

Mera: Who's this old man?

Zeke: Ouch…

Mako: And I thought I was the mean one. Anyway, since no one is here. I'll be taking my break.

Zeke: You just arrived though.

Mako: No one is going to be here anyway. And if you need help just tell me.

Zeke: The usual…

I leapt over the bar then towards the blue velvet chairs. Zeke just gave out another sigh as he returned to tending the bar. There's usually not much to do besides restock the ice, check if the liquor is filled on the hot tab, and make sure the garnishes are cut. Now it's time to deal with this girl.

We sat by the window showing the city of Polarity. The view was good for the first few times I've worked here but now it's pretty boring. However, Mera's face was plastered all over the glass. Part of me wanted to break the glass so she could fall off but that was illegal. Reaching over to my school bag, I dropped the multiple stacks of papers that sir Morris gave me to work with.

Mera: What's that?

Mako: Papers that I need work on. None of your business.

Mera: Aren't we supposed to interact or something?

Mako: No. I'm just here to babysit.

Mera: I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself! I trust sir Morris so don't destroy his expectation! You wouldn't want to be disappointed in him.

Mako: I'm more disappointed by the fact that he gave me this chapter.

Mera: Chapter?

Mako: Uh… It's just a paper that a student wrote! Reading it makes me feel like vomiting. Don't worry about it.

Mera: Then why don't you stop reading it?

Mako: I'm getting paid to read and change things up. That's how a fucking job works you little shit.

Mera: I just don't understand why you have to be so rude. I remember the first time we've met you even tried to crush my hand!

Mako: I didn't try, I did. I didn't want to shake a hand so soft. It pissed me off.

Mera: You don't like smooth hands?

Mako: I'm saying I don't like your hands.

Mera: Hmph! You're just so! Annoying!

Mako: Preach it…

As I started to read some of the pages that I was given, Mera did the same. Her expression started to look a bit disgusted as she sifted through them. I guess that was an appropriate response to how people like me respond to these kinds of light novels. As I flipped through more pages, my frustration started to build more and more. My hands were moving faster with each red mark I've placed.

Mera: You seem… Mad.

Mako: I'm not mad! I'm frustrated! Who the hell even reads this shit! Who wants to read about the same protagonist do the same shit over and over again just to sprinkle character development at the end of it. What's worse is that people still eat it up!

Mera: It's a bit… raunchy? Is that the proper word?

Mako: For once, you actually got that right. But yeah, this is basically what harem novels basically lead up to. Just people wanting to see the perverse scenes. In a way, you could say that they're just softcore porn.

Mera: Softcore? Porn?

Mako: Nevermind… I should've known I was talking to a kid.

Mera: No! Please! Keep talking about it! That was probably the only interaction I've had with you where you weren't actively making fun of me!

Mako: If I talk more about this crap with you then I'll get annoyed by it even more.

Mera: But I really want to make this work. Please Mako, just talk to me about this.

Mako: Hmmm, this doesn't feel right to me...

Mera: Please!

Mako: Fine! but it's only because I don't like bottling this stupid ass energy and you'll just whine all the time.

Mera: This will help me out too! I'm pretty bad at grammar anyway hehehe.

I gave another skeptic look to this shiny girl. She wants to be closer to me? Isn't that a bit strange? Why would she want to get closer to me? As I looked back and forth to the papers and her, I was weighing how to do this. Talking about my frustrations on my work could work, it'll also make her believe that I'm being friends with her. After giving it another minute, I lit up a cigarette then puffed it at her face again. Guess I'll do it then. Fuck this work!

Mako: Fine. Here, look at this bit. What do you think about it?

Mera: It's a scene where the guy accidentally falls on top of the girl and gets groped… Don't you think the appropriate response to that would be to get off right away and report him then never talking to him ever again…

Mako: Well scenes like these are common. Getting groped by some dude is apparently comedy in these types of genres.

Mera: Wait what!?

Mako: These are harem genre novels. Most of the time, harems are a subgenre to many multiple stories. For example, fantasy harem, slice of life harem, or just simple harem.

Mera: Eh?! People actually like reading those kinds of things.

Mako: Well, the appeal certainly is supposed to be the female characters personalities. However, it's not the case with the newer novels being released! What bothers me is that the fucking multiple fetishes in the novel!

Mera: Well there's going to be perverts for sure in these kinds of novels, I guess…

Mako: Another thing that bothers me is that sexual harassment is a personality!

Mera: Huh? How does that work?

Mako: You tell me! It's actually fucking gross. It's even much more infuriating when I have to read these stories where all the girls are just being stupid because they're horny. How do people even like this stuff, I'll never know. Real girls aren't like this.

Mera: I guess that's the point of writing fantasy novels.

Mako: People just like to have an outlet to their sexual urges and pretend to be these helpless protagonists. Just reading this makes me have an idea of what type of people actually want to be in these kinds of situations. It's degrading especially for women.

Mera: Mako, you're quite the big thinker huh.

Mako: Just think of the implications harem actually novels do. They show what kind of fucking creeps are out there that want to see women in vulnerable situations. If only it wasn't so explicit I would be fine with it. Harem's aren't necessarily meant to be perverse but they always want it to be. Fuck these people!

Mera: When you put it that way, it's really something huh. The way you said it, made it feel like harems shouldn't exist.

Mako: I don't mind harems. It's just that I hate it when people execute it the way they do. They have no idea how to develop their characters properly so they just fucking use provocative scenes to make up for the lack of content! They're popular for all the wrong reasons!

Mera: I see…

I could feel my face getting flushed from explaining my thoughts. Mera was already looking confused because I think I used too many words trying to explain it. Kind of forgot that she's still a dumbass on the inside. Though it does feel nice to finally have my pet peeves about editing these kinds of works. Is it so hard to make a harem novel that doesn't rely on fan service? I started to lean back on my seat and look back to the view of the city. But even then, people who do these kinds of things still gain money. In the end, sex sells.

Mako: Even so, this is actually so stupid. But money is money anyway. They know how to sell their shit well.

Mera: Mako… Do you really need money that much?

Mako: Huh?!

Mera: I mean… You have these jobs. I just wanted to know a bit… Tutoring, editing, and on top being a bartender.

Mako: That wasn't part of the deal. You mind your own fucking business about what I want to do with my life. You're just a posh doll, you have no right to talk about money.

Mera: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything! Please, Mako don't be mad.

Mako: Just shut up already and let me work in peace.

Mera: Mako...