A Moment's Rest

"Mm, this should be good enough."

Mazumi Mami surveyed the carefully arranged room and nodded in satisfaction.

For this first team dinner after enrollment, he had specially bought a low table of suitable size and placed it in the center of the living room.

On the table, various washed and prepped hotpot ingredients were neatly laid out—fresh beef rolls, lamb rolls, fish balls and shrimp paste, assorted mushrooms and vegetables, tofu and bean curd sheets...

A dazzling array, colors tempting.

Beside them sat a few cans of drinks and juice, along with some snacks.

A clear circular gap was reserved in the center of the table, waiting for the soon-to-arrive "main character"—the hotpot itself.

All the preliminary work was done, only awaiting Runa Inoue, who was responsible for bringing the "heavy equipment."

"Checking the time, it's about right."

Mazumi Mami pulled out his phone; the screen showed [18:30].

He had already informed the three girls of his room number in the group chat.

"Knock knock—"

Almost as his words fell, a crisp knock sounded at the door, its rhythm light.

"Coming." Mazumi Mami got up and opened the door.

The moment the door swung open, a golden figure burst in with a gust of air.

"Ah—Master! I'm so tired, give me a hug to recharge—"

Chisato Nishikigi, utterly disregarding her image, pounced on Mazumi Mami like a koala, wrapping her arms around his neck and practically hanging from him.

She carried the warm scent of outdoor activity, mixed with her usual shampoo fragrance—a hint of sunshine and citrus—washing over him.

"Really... such a clumsy act, Chisato."

Runa Inoue, following behind, deadpanned, though a hint of helpless amusement flickered in her violet eyes.

"You were the liveliest one on the way back, chattering nonstop. With our transcendent bodies, this little walk is nothing."

As she spoke, she gracefully bent down to take off her shoes. Her slender fingers deftly unlatched the buckles of her calfskin short boots, revealing her long, shapely legs wrapped in fine-textured pure black over-the-knee socks.

The stockings clung to her skin, outlining elegant leg lines, the cuffs tightening slightly above her knees, contrasting sharply with the pale absolute territory.

Her bare feet lightly pressed onto the soft mat at the entrance, the black soles meeting the light-colored mat in silence.

"Yeah, even if you want to act spoiled, at least wait until you're inside and have taken off your shoes."

Walnut followed in, adjusting her signature headband.

She slipped off her flat, soft-soled leather shoes, revealing feet wrapped in clean, pure white cotton mid-calf socks.

The white socks encased her delicate ankles and calves, the cuffs neatly stopping mid-calf, exuding a sense of tidiness befitting a technician.

She too stepped onto the mat barefoot, her movements lighter than Runa's, almost catlike.

"Hehe, you two just don't get it, do you?"

Chisato, still hanging on Mazumi Mami, twisted her head and made a face at Runa and Walnut.

"Sure, I look full of energy on the surface, but that's all fueled by burning 'Master Energy'! I need an urgent refill! This is the most efficient charging method!"

She declared her twisted logic with utter confidence.

"What kind of energy theory is that..."

Mazumi Mami was amused by her nonsense. Steadying her with one hand, he raised the other out of habit and gently ruffled her fluffy golden short hair, his tone carrying indulgent helplessness. "Alright, alright, come in first."

"As you command, Master~"

Having received her "charging permit," Chisato Nishikigi immediately felt satisfied and nimbly slid off Mazumi Mami.

She kicked off her brown calfskin shoes, designed for easy running, with a somewhat casual air.

What appeared were feet wrapped in short pure white athletic socks.

The white socks only reached above her ankles, with simple ribbed edges, faintly hinting at the graceful arch of her feet.

She too stepped barefoot onto the floor, her toes wiggling playfully, feeling the coolness of the ground.

Three girls, each with a distinct style yet all youthful and radiant, had now shed their footwear, adopting the most relaxed, homey posture, gathered together in this dorm room belonging to Mazumi Mami.

Socks of different colors wrapped around ankles and calves of varied charm, becoming silent yet moving details in this warm scene.

"Alright, everyone, sit down and rest for a bit. I've prepped all the ingredients. Once we catch our breath, we can start."

Mazumi Mami led them to the low table.

The four sat around the small table, the atmosphere instantly growing more intimate.

The abundant ingredients on the table whetted their appetites.

"Then, I'll leave the hotpot preparation to you, Runa."

Mazumi Mami looked at the violet-eyed girl, most skilled in "spatial transport" and fine operations.

"No problem, leave it to me."

Runa Inoue nodded, her expression serious.

She reached out, her slender fingertips lightly tracing the empty space left at the center of the table.

The next second, with a faint shimmer of light, a bronze hotpot with an antique and elegant design, featuring a duckweed partition, materialized out of thin air and landed steadily on the table.

Along with it came a small pile of alcohol-soaked cotton for ignition, several pieces of high-quality smokeless charcoal, and a matching pair of tongs.

Snap—

A soft sound rang out as a match appeared in Runa Inoue's hand from somewhere, striking across the phosphorus strip, igniting an orange-red flame.

She deftly tossed the lit match into the furnace chamber at the bottom of the hotpot. The flame quickly caught the alcohol cotton, then spread to the charcoal.

The orange-red glow of the charcoal fire faintly seeped through the bronze hotpot's openwork patterns, casting a warm light and a gradually rising heat.

Next, she methodically poured the two broths Mazumi Mami had prepared—a rich bone broth and a spicy beef tallow base—into each side of the duckweed pot.

Soon, the broth began to heat over the charcoal, a faint gurgling sound rising, and a rich aroma started to spread.

Meanwhile, Walnut had already set her laptop on a corner of the table, her fingers occasionally tapping on the keyboard as data streams scrolled across the screen. Clearly, even during this moment of relaxation, part of her attention remained on intelligence analysis.

In contrast, Mazumi Mami and Chisato Nishikigi seemed somewhat "idle."

"So, young master—"

Chisato Nishikigi suddenly drew out her words, her amber eyes turning slyly. She shifted her body sideways and naturally rested her calf on Mazumi Mami's lap.

"Time to fulfill your promise! You said you'd give me a massage! I walked so, so much today, and my calves feel so sore!"

She demanded with righteous confidence, her sock-clad foot nearly brushing against Mazumi Mami's hand.

"Chisato!"

Walnut looked up from her screen, pushed up her glasses, and complained with a look of disgust, "Don't shove your feet, which have been walking outside and might even be sweaty, into the young master's lap! That's so rude!"

"My feet aren't stinky at all!"

Chisato immediately retorted, even deliberately lifting her calf to shake it. "They're fragrant! Soft and fragrant! Don't you think so, young master?"

"I think you're just jealous, Walnut!"

She grinned, looking at Mazumi Mami.

Walnut's face flushed slightly, and she snorted, turning away. "Who would be jealous of something like that... boring."

"Really?"

Mazumi Mami chuckled lightly, his gaze sweeping over Walnut's ears, which were slightly red despite her seemingly focused stare at the screen, then over to Runa, who, though still sitting upright, kept glancing this way. "I don't think so."

Walnut's fingers paused on the keyboard, her voice dropping. "...If, if the young master insists, I'm not opposed to... reluctantly agreeing."

"Tsundere is out of style now, Walnut-chan!"

Chisato immediately exposed her with glee.

"Sh-shut up! I'm not a tsundere!"

Walnut's voice rose a bit, carrying the embarrassment of being caught out.

"Ahem," Runa Inoue, who was adjusting the heat, suddenly cleared her throat. She sat up a little straighter, her violet eyes calmly fixed on Mazumi Mami, her tone as serious as ever.

"Young master, objectively speaking, I also covered a considerable distance on foot for my investigation today, and there is indeed some accumulated fatigue in my leg muscles. From the perspective of maintaining optimal operational readiness, appropriate relaxation is necessary."

Her words were perfectly proper, but the slight redness at the tips of her ears and her slightly evasive gaze betrayed her.

Mazumi Mami looked at the three girls before him, each with a distinct personality yet equally adorable. Warmth surged in his heart, and his smile deepened.

"Alright, alright, all of you, one by one."

His tone was gentle and indulgent, as if soothing little animals vying for attention. "Everyone worked hard today. It's only right to relax a bit."

"Yay!"

Chisato Nishikigi cheered, her triumphant smile radiant.

Walnut's lips couldn't help but curl up slightly, and even the motion of pushing up her glasses seemed lighter.

Runa Inoue, though still maintaining her elegant posture, had a faint smile ripple in her eyes as she continued to focus on the bubbling hotpot broth.

Outside the window, the setting sun cast its last rays into the room, gilding this warm scene with a golden edge.

The charcoal fire glowed faintly red, the aroma of the broth filled the air, and the relaxed chatter of the young people mingled with the gurgling sound of the soon-to-boil pot.

On this first day of infiltrating the mystery-laden school and carrying out a difficult mission, this small dormitory room was filled with a genuine and precious sense of peace and warmth belonging to them.

At this moment, there was no burden of the empire, no hidden crises—only four companions sharing secrets and trust, enjoying a simple yet beautiful time before dinner.