The Witch and Her Companion: I'm Just a Normal High School Student, but I Became the Familiar of the Highest-Ranked Witch. Also, It Seems I'm the Only Guy in the Witch Organization I Joined - Chapter 102: Sponsors and Commercials

Chapter 102: Sponsors and Commercials

[Rachel Poker]

—After school, we VCU members were summoned to Vivian’s office.

The last time I saw Vivian was when I skipped school to hear Ibis’s stories. That got cut short because of some urgent business, so I never heard about the other three Great Witches.

I don’t know why we’ve been called today, but if there’s time, I’d love to hear the rest—

“Hmph, glad you came! Today, I have a major announcement for you all!!”

Vivian said this while enthusiastically smacking the same whiteboard as before. Just like last time, her short height makes the writing cluster weirdly low on the board.

“Sponsor contracts!! How’s that for a sweet sound!? Smells like money, doesn’t it!!”

The whiteboard already had “Sponsor Contracts” written in huge letters when we climbed in through the window, so it’s not exactly a shock. But now that I think about it, I vaguely recall Hikari or someone mentioning this before. Got lost in the daily chaos, though.

“By the way, who exactly are the sponsors?”

“Tch, probably some shady connections of Vivian’s, right?”

“Maybe a tomato juice company or something~?”

Everyone lounging on the office sofa chimes in with whatever pops into their heads. Vivian’s used to standing in front of us, but she always gets teased like this.

“Hah, seems you’re underestimating my power… Very well, I’ll announce it! The first sponsor is ‘Seraph Witch Association’!!”

“…Straight-up nepotism, huh?”

All that big talk, and it’s just this. She even said she borrowed money from them to start the company. Poor Rose, always dealing with this stress.

“Connections or not, you use what you’ve got! And there’s more! The second sponsor is ‘Treasure Johnny’!!”

“…Who’s that?”

Never heard of it. Then again, I don’t watch much TV, so maybe it’s just me.

“Treasure Johnny? Ain’t that the company selling kids’ toys or something?”

“Yeah~ I think I bought a Masked Rider Transforma-Garter-Belt from them once~”

“…Karuta, that’s probably a knockoff from another company.”

“I’ve at least heard the name. Surprisingly, a big company’s backing us, huh?”

If Kanon says so, it must be a well-known company. Not bad, Vivian.

“There’s more to come! Onward! The third sponsor is ‘Kapikon’!!”

“…K-Kapikon!? Kapikon’s our sponsor!?”

“…Gah, that scared me… Karuta, don’t yell out of nowhere!”

The moment the name dropped, Karuta shot up from the sofa, shouting. Her speech flipped into arcade mode.

“Kapikon’s a mega-famous major game company! Known for home consoles and all, but their real bread-and-butter is arcades! Especially ‘Strip Fighter,’ which has a massive fanbase, and a new release is coming soon…”

“Alright, alright, we get it’s awesome, sit down, game nerd.”

Apparently, another big-name company. I thought Vivian was just acting busy lately, but she’s actually been hustling.

“Still, toys and games aren’t really my thing. I’d prefer a company I know better.”

Says the rich girl who skips school to hit the arcade.

“As expected of the spoiled princess! But the next one’s impressive too! The fourth sponsor is the wildly popular French fashion brand ‘DINO’!!”

“Oh, that’s amazing! I own a few of their pieces!”

“So do I. This is getting exciting!”

Emilia and Kanon chat eagerly. I’ve never paid much attention to clothes, so I’m totally lost.

“President, I get that sponsors are great news, but does this actually involve us directly?”

“Oh, it involves you plenty, Sakurako! Some of you will star in commercials for the sponsor companies I just mentioned!”

Vivian smacked the bottom of the whiteboard, and it spun around to reveal the other side.

“Oi, Vivian, the writing’s upside down.”

“And now it’s weirdly high up.”

Still hasn’t figured out how to use a whiteboard, huh? The spun board had upside-down text that apparently read, “Commercial Shoot Slot Battle!!”

“Huh, that’s odd… Oh, who cares about the details! Anyway, we’ve got commercial shoots lined up! So! Let’s decide who’s starring in which one… with our fists!!”

“Nah, can’t we just talk it out?”

For some reason, Vivian was clenching her fists tightly. Is she planning to join in? I mean, for a toy company commercial, her little-girl look might actually be perfect.

“Well, I figured you might say that, so I’ve prepared my own proposed assignments to announce first!”

“Just do whatever, honestly.”

Hikari-chan doesn’t seem too interested in the commercial shoots. She got a lot of TV coverage when she took down that beast at the mall, so maybe she’s used to it.

“Now, for Treasure Johnny’s ‘Magical Girl Pretty Cherry, Magical Lovely Stick Version 2.2.7’ commercial…”

“Whoa, that’s got some hardcore vibes.”

Probably a toy from some anime, but I’m clueless. Also, a stick? With that many version numbers?

“This one goes to Sakurako!!”

“Ehhh!?”

Me, of all people!?

“Hahaha, nice one, Sakurako! I gotta see you as Pretty Cherry!!”

Hikari’s cracking up next to me. She thinks this is someone else’s problem, that jerk. No way I’m doing this!

“By the way, this is what Pretty Cherry looks like~”

Karuta’s phone screen shows an illustration of a pink-haired girl in a frilly, all-pink dress. No way I’m doing this!!

“And next, for Kapikon’s new arcade game ‘Strip Fighter 2 ΩBURST’ commercial… Well, Karuta’s fine, right?”

Vivian said that kind of halfheartedly. Games = Karuta, which, honestly, makes sense. Even I’d probably pick her.

“Oh, nice one, Karuta! Isn’t this the game you were just talking about?… Karuta?”

For some reason, Emilia’s more excited than Karuta, who’s just sitting there, stone-faced.

“…She’s crying.”

Kanon, sitting on Karuta’s other side, peeked at her face and said that. How happy is she…?

“Also, the Seraph Witch Association asked for a disaster relief fundraiser commercial, and Emilia’s fine for that, right?”

“W-What, I’m in a commercial too!? That’s so embarrassing…”

Emilia’s face went beet red, all flustered. Meanwhile, I’m stuck with Pretty Cherry!

“Lastly, DINO’s commercial has three slots, so Kanon, Hikari, and yours truly will do nicely. Done, decided!”

“No, not decided! I’m absolutely not doing Pretty Cherry!”

And she’s casually included herself too! Vivian should just do Pretty Cherry instead!

“Not satisfied? Fine, Hikari or Kanon, one of you swap with Sakurako.”

“Alright, rich girl, swap with her!”

“I decline.”

“Hmph, no choice then. Sakurako’s Pretty Cherry it is.”

What was that pointless back-and-forth just now…?

“No, no, I’m way too old for that outfit!”

“What’re you saying? You’re still in your teens, aren’t you? All perky and perfect for a perky Pretty Cherry!”

I’m over five hundred years old, you know! I want to scream it, but I can’t.

“Come on, Sakurako, it’ll totally suit you. Just give it a shot, yeah? I think it’s great—Pretty… Cherry, pfft!”

Hikari put a hand on my shoulder and burst out laughing. I thought she’d help, but she’s on the enemy’s side! She just wants to see me humiliated, that jerk…

“—Hey, why doesn’t Hikari just do Pretty Cherry~?”

Surprisingly, it was Karuta, who’d been bawling her eyes out earlier, who threw me a lifeline.

“Huh? Why the hell should I wear something that embarrassing!? I’d rather go naked than wear that!”

You’re the one who said I should wear it!!

“Why? It’s not a suggestion, it’s an order~”

“Oi, Bakaruta, what right do you have to order me around!?”

“Hmm~? How about that ‘One-Day Absolute Command Right’ I won at the arcade~?”

…Come to think of it, there was something like that. Hikari challenged Karuta—no, Muteking—to a game and got utterly crushed.

I think the winner got the right to order the loser around for a whole day. Hikari was crying so much it got swept under the rug, and I forgot about it.

“Tch, Bakaruta! Why’re you using that now!?”

“‘Cause I wanna see Hikari trembling in shame~”

“Karuta, that’s straight-up vile.”

Either way, it’s a ray of dawn for me. Let’s watch Hikari tremble in shame together!

“Tch, whatever, it’s just cosplay! Wasting your command right on something so stupid, idiot, idiot!”

She just said she’d rather go naked than wear it, but now she’s acting all childish.

“Hmph, I don’t quite get it, but it’s settled!! Shooting’s tomorrow, so be ready!!”

“Tomorrow!? Isn’t that way too sudden?”

“Is it? That’s about normal, right? It’s not like I forgot or anything, okay?”

Yeah, she totally forgot.