The sound of knocking echoed through the office, shattering the ambiguous atmosphere between Jun Hao and the two girls.
Although Jun Hao wanted to experience new sensations, he couldn't continue any longer and released the girls with an awkward smile.
Akagi wasn't happy either and clicked her tongue.
'Who is it? Which blind idiot chose this exact moment to interfere? Just as I was about to get what I wanted!' Her thoughts burned with the desire to punish whoever had dared interrupt them.
While she gritted her teeth, a terrifying blood-red aura leaked from her entire body. She then turned to look at Belfast beside her.
| Was this your doing, Belfast? Did you deliberately send someone to disrupt us? |
These words weren't spoken aloud but conveyed through her eyes. Yet Belfast clearly understood what she meant.
As the perfect Head Maid, she revealed not even a hint of displeasure, at least not on her face. Then, she returned Akagi's gaze with a look that held a deeper meaning.
| Miss Akagi, as I mentioned earlier, please refrain from using your narrow perspective to question the honor of a Royal Maid. Furthermore, who's to say whose reinforcement this might be? |
Belfast raised her eyebrows slightly, glancing deliberately at the door.
| Perhaps it's your sister, Miss Kaga? After all, in the port, you two are practically inseparable. |
| Oh, so now you're flipping this on me! |
Akagi was stunned for a moment. She clearly hadn't expected Belfast to be this thick-skinned.
But she was right. If it were someone from the Royal Maid Corps, they certainly wouldn't be so rude.
As for Kaga, that was even more impossible. Though that child looked a bit cold, she was actually quite gentle.
Moreover, Kaga was currently with Lady Shinano, listening to the "Prophetic Dream" she had experienced yesterday.
Since it wasn't Kaga, and it wasn't someone Belfast had arranged, then who could it be?
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
The knocking came again. This time it was way louder than before, full of impatience and even some barely hidden anger.
Every bang made the bad feeling in Akagi's chest worse.
She knew this crude, aggressive style of knocking, as though someone intended tear the door down, and an utterly detestable figure surfaced in her thoughts.
Akagi clenched her teeth even tighter, her knuckles turning white as she suppressed the rising fire in her chest.
She adjusted her voice to make it sound as pleasant as possible.
"Who's outside?" Akagi called out toward the door.
However, no response came from outside. After a brief, deathly silence, what followed was an even more violent barrage of banging on the door.
It was as if the person outside had been provoked after hearing Akagi's voice.
The polite knocks transformed into aggressive blows, causing the entire door and its frame to shake violently.
This disturbance left Akagi certain it was that woman.
'Dammit! How did she get here so fast? She clearly said she would be resting in the dormitory!'
Jun Hao stared at the wobbling door, looking just as confused. The commanding presence he'd held moments ago had been obliterated by this sudden assault.
Inwardly, he lamented the timing. Though he didn't know who was outside, it seemed today's "secret date for three" couldn't continue.
As the Commander, he couldn't just leave his shipgirls banging on the door outside, right? What if there was really an emergency?
Thinking of this, Jun Hao straightened his collar.
"I'll open the door," he announced, moving forward.
No matter who it was outside, he should probably let them in first. But before he could take even one step, a hand suddenly grabbed onto his clothes.
Jun Hao looked back, surprised to see Akagi holding onto him tight. Her face showed nothing but pure panic.
She appeared far more anxious than when he had cornered her against the wall earlier.
"What's wrong, Akagi? Why are you stopping me?"
Facing Jun Hao's question, Akagi bit her lip, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.
She naturally couldn't let him open the door. If that woman saw the Commander, there was no telling what outrageous things she would do.
That woman spent her days declaring, "The Commander is mine" and "I want to hide the Commander away."
Even with the previous "Stickman" Commander, she would frequently lock him up.
Eventually, when the situation became unbearable, New Jersey, who was also involved in the Dormitory Project, had to be dispatched to retrieve the Commander from confinement.
If she were permitted to see the Commander in his current state, if she witnessed this living, breathing, moving, smiling, and even wall-pinning Commander, the consequences could spiral beyond control.
Additionally, Akagi harbored a slightly selfish reason. She hadn't observed him enough or felt him enough yet. Just as the Commander mentioned, this was their "privilege."
How could she possibly let that irritating woman claim a share so effortlessly? She refused to accept it and had to keep them from meeting.
At the very least, it needed to be postponed until she'd had her fill.
Countless excuses raced through Akagi's mind. After a brief moment, she lifted her head to look at Jun Hao, her expression extremely sincere, almost solemn, as though she were bearing the weight of a greater cause.
"Commander! You can't go!" Akagi's tone left no room for argument.
Jun Hao was caught off guard by how serious she looked.
"Why?" he asked, wanting some kind of answer.
"Because... because the way you look right now is far too dangerous!"
Akagi spouted this absurdity without breaking her serious expression.
"Dangerous?"
Jun Hao was totally lost after that random statement.
"Yes! Super dangerous!" She nodded hard.
While talking, Akagi elbowed Belfast pretty hard and shot her a desperate look.
| Help me! Do you want that woman to come in and snatch the Commander away? |
Belfast's ribs hurt from the nudge, but she got what Akagi was trying to say.
Though they'd been locked in a heated dispute moments earlier, their interests now converged. Specifically, she, too, wished to safeguard her own privilege.
So Belfast quickly straightened up her face and stepped forward, standing on Jun Hao's other side.
She addressed him in a professional manner that didn't leave room for questions.
"Master, Miss Akagi is correct. Your current situation is indeed not suitable for immediate public disclosure."
Jun Hao grew even more confused at what she said.
"What are you two talking about? I only changed back to my original appearance. It's not that big of a deal."
"It is precisely because of that that it becomes even more serious."
Belfast continued the deception without batting an eye.
"Master, consider this carefully. The sisters throughout the port have grown entirely accustomed to your 'stick figure' appearance. If, without any warning, you suddenly appear before everyone as a living person of flesh and blood..."
She let the words hang in the air momentarily before finishing.
"What kind of consequences would such a massive visual impact and cognitive contrast cause?"
Jun Hao blinked twice, still confused.
"What... exactly would happen?"
-+ + +-
-> To have access to more than 15 extra chapters, go to:
[-p -a -t -r -e -o -n . com/DysFiction.]
-> To make a don@tion go to:
[ ko - fi .com /dysfiction ]
-+ + +-
Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original)
-+ + +-