“Senior, are you asleep?”
The sudden silence made Lucia unable to resist asking.
Clara, who had drawn all the “fire” onto herself and was attacked by Chessia, quickly stopped moving. At this moment, Chessia was holding her like a doll, rubbing against her.
……………
As for Clara, her eyes were tightly shut, her brows slightly furrowed, and she was groaning as if having a nightmare.
“She’s asleep~ won’t wake up until tomorrow morning.”
Chessia, completely burrowed under Clara’s blanket, answered with a small tentacle in her mouth.
Lucia wanted to say something but was afraid the president would keep making moves on her. Although Chessia looked like a little kid, her actions gave off a repulsive, sleazy vibe……………
Chessia continued, “Fran’s still awake, right? Let’s chat some more?”
“President, it’s already midnight.”
A lazy voice came from the other side of the bed.
“You’re a night owl, so we can’t keep up with you……”
Fran said that, but Lucia spoke up, “Miss Fran, you and President Chessia knew Senior Clara longer than I did…… How do you see her?”
“Hmph~ She’s obviously a very interesting toy~”
Chessia answered with that mischievous grin, her naughty little hand still massaging Clara’s belly. That soft little tummy seemed to have some kind of magic—delicate, smooth, tightly gripping her palm……………
It wasn’t that she wanted to touch her, but Clara’s body was tempting her.
Of course, no one would believe that excuse.
Chessia went on, “Just kidding, but I haven’t spent as much time with Clara as you have. You should ask Fran… Clara owes her a life debt, you know?”
“A life debt?”
That wasn’t a lie.
But Chessia’s way of putting it was a bit misleading. At least, the picture Lucia imagined was totally different from the scene of the incident in the Modification Department.
Fran, who had intended to sleep, tugged at the corner of her mouth and pulled a tentacle from Clara’s hair, holding it in her hand as she said, “I haven’t had much interaction with Clara either. If we’re talking about who’s spent the most time with her, in every sense, it’s you, Lucia.”
After all, they had grown up together like siblings, but Lucia wouldn’t think of it that way.
“So before the company officially opened, you all hadn’t known each other long?”
“Yeah, Clara hadn’t met the president before the official opening……”
Fran followed Lucia’s train of thought, while the latter sighed, “I thought Miss Fran liked Senior Clara too?”
“……Huh? Why would you say that?”
Fran was a little embarrassed and didn’t quite understand what Lucia meant.
“Hmm, just a feeling? Miss Fran always seems very concerned about Senior Clara’s matters, right?”
Lucia’s answer wasn’t very helpful.
Though she thought so, Fran couldn’t help but recall.
Back then, that petite squid girl stood protectively in front of her, refusing to back down even when facing the towering gorilla-like department head. That had stirred some complicated feelings inside her………………
“Yeah, I do like her~”
Hearing Fran’s straightforward reply, Lucia couldn’t help but prop herself up and look over.
“She’s so small but always reliable. I don’t think anyone would dislike her…… Her—”
“……No, that’s not the kind of ‘like’ I meant~”
Lucia flopped back down.
“I have a secret deal with Clara. She helps me out, and in exchange, I assist her with various things……”
The answer was vague—after all, Fran couldn’t reveal anything about the mechanical angel.
Lucia asked again, “Are you just colleagues? Partners?”
Fran remained thoughtful.
Clara was a comrade to her. But how did Clara see her?
Probably as a clumsy little girl scientist?
Fran only replied, “I guess we’re friends?”
Lucia and Fran chatted through the two people between them, while Chessia, who was squeezed in the middle holding Clara, gradually felt her eyelids grow heavy and unknowingly drifted off to sleep.
After all, she also had the body of a child.
“……So, the one who suggested a late-night chat fell asleep first?”
Fran yawned as well.
“Lucia, we should get some rest too.”
“Good night, Miss Fran.”
Although she didn’t burrow into Clara’s blanket like Chessia did, Fran still held that small tentacle in her hand…………
The next morning, the barely conscious Clara couldn’t get out of bed, even though she usually got up early to make breakfast for Lucia.
“Being a girl is really fun~ Livestock, let me teach you~”
President Chessia had said this last night, dragging Clara into a terrible dream………
And then forcing her to play dress-up all night long.
“I’m already not clean anymore.”
The squid girl lay on the bed, eyes blank.
“It’s just a dream. What’s unclean about that?”
“That outfit…… isn’t it basically the same as wearing nothing?!”
“You obviously enjoyed it, didn’t you? Weren’t those clothes all ones you changed into yourself? Weaving sweet dreams is my specialty; it used to be a paid service back in the day.”
Chessia sat on the bed, puffing an electronic cigarette like an old patron.
Clara couldn’t help but retort:
“Granny, what exactly is your old job?”
“Helping people have good dreams, of course with a fee and a little bit of energy~”
No wonder she was so exhausted—her energy had been drained!
Wait, that sounds just like the legendary succubus!
“Get up quickly! Eat breakfast and get to work!”
Chessia said that as she was the first to get out of bed, warning:
“It’s almost nine! Little Lucia has breakfast ready. If you dawdle, I’ll count you as late and dock your pay!”
“Huh? You think who’s the reason I’m this tired?!”
Transforming into a magical girl consumed a lot of magic power, which also caused mental fatigue. Add Chessia’s inappropriate, peachy dream, and Clara’s spirit was as fragile as a dried leaf.
Though she grumbled, Chessia’s threat was effective for Clara.
She sluggishly got up, washed up, and then left the bedroom.
“Good morning, Senior Clara!”
Lucia, her hair tied in a ponytail, stood behind the kitchen island, in the spot where she usually stood. Of course, she didn’t need a stool now for her height.
“Good morning……”
Rubbing her eyes, Clara sat at the dining table and, seeing the frying pan in Lucia’s hands, mumbled drowsily:
“Oh, scallion egg pancakes? Mom used to make these a lot……”
Halfway through the sentence, she sensed something was wrong. Lucia looked up in surprise, and Clara, whose head had been a bit fuzzy, suddenly became alert. Cold sweat broke out on her back.
“Senior Clara’s mom also made this?”
“What a coincidence! My mom used to make a few pancakes before work for me and my brother as breakfast. Later, it was my brother who made them……”
It seemed she didn’t suspect anything?
Lucia placed the previously cooked pancakes in front of Clara.
Clara slightly relaxed. After all, scallion egg pancakes weren’t exactly a secret family recipe, and they weren’t difficult to make……
Taking a bite, the saltiness was a bit much for Clara.
But she still replied, “Mm, very tasty.”
“Senior Clara, you really are just like your brother……”
Still going to doubt it!
Vaguely guessing the “impostor” came from a dream created by President Chessia………
Maybe she should ask her for help again?
The content was mistakenly sent in the morning, so here is an apology and an extra chapter.
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