Erii

"Hey, if we slip that card to Little White Rabbit, will he really go to Akihabara?" Jiu De Mai asked Su Enxi, who was wrapped in a bath towel beside her.

"Just trust the boss. The boss said that a homebody like Lu Mingfei is bound to go." Su Enxi stuffed handfuls of chips into her mouth.

"Got it. Let's hope he doesn't catch us this time. Last time, he said he wouldn't go easy on me if he caught me following him again!"

Jiu De Mai said brazenly.

"Anyway, he was talking about you, not me." Su Enxi munched on her chips, watching Jiu De Mai with gleeful amusement.

Looking at Su Enxi wrapped in a bath towel, Jiu De Mai gave a mischievous grin and pounced on her. "Let's see if you still dare to laugh at me!"

"Haha, Mai, stop it!"

Their room was right across from Lu Mingfei's.

The plain white walls were almost bare, with only three statues hanging on them: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo.

Aside from the statues, there was no other decoration in the living room. An open wardrobe held neatly hung miko outfits, and there was little other furniture.

The only source of entertainment was the enormous LCD television in the inner room, connected to a PS3.

The whole room was reinforced with steel, and it had a ventilation shaft fitted with an exhaust system. It looked as if something inside was being kept from escaping.

A girl with long, faintly reddish hair and rare red eyes sat in front of the LCD television, playing a game.

She wore a red-and-white miko outfit. Even beneath its loose fabric, her slender figure was apparent.

A vault door twenty centimeters thick swung open, and Gen Chisaki walked in. He was the head of the Executive Department at Kassel College's Japan branch, as well as the young master of the Snake Eight Families.

"Erii, I'm done with my work for today. Is there anything you'd like to play?" Gen Chisaki said with a smile, settling down beside her.

Erii glanced at Gen Chisaki, then got up and scampered over to the bed. She rummaged underneath it, pulled out a game controller, and brought it over to him.

Then she sat down and focused on the screen, choosing a game.

Gen Chisaki smiled at how seriously she took it. It looked like he'd have to give it his all today.

This time, they were playing Samurai Shodown II, an old game and their favorite to play together.

It had excellent combos, offense, and defense, making it a hard-core fighting game.

Erii had never managed to beat him at it. It seemed she wanted another rematch today.

Erii stared at the screen without expression, and Gen Chisaki played just as seriously.

Uesugi Erii chose Haohmaru, while Gen Chisaki picked Yagyu Jubei.

Before long, Haohmaru was forced to the edge of the screen. Yagyu Jubei launched a combo with both swords, and Haohmaru's last sliver of health vanished in an instant.

There was no doubt about it: Erii had lost again.

Erii remained expressionless and started another round.

She'd been born with a face that showed neither joy nor sorrow. Even though playing games with Gen Chisaki was her favorite thing to do, she rarely let even the faintest smile show.

Many people thought Erii looked like a doll: flawless, but lifeless.

But after spending so much time with her, Gen Chisaki could read her emotions in her eyes.

After a few rounds, Gen Chisaki figured he could bring up something important. He thought she might be interested.

"Erii, once I finish up my work in a couple of days, I'll take you out for a while. Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Gen Chisaki asked.

Erii thought for a moment, then picked up a pen and wrote in the notebook beside her: "I want to meet Lelouch, and Naruto and Luffy, too."

Gen Chisaki's expression stiffened. "Wait here. I'll go ask."

Erii quietly waited for Gen Chisaki to return with an answer.

Gen Chisaki left the room and looked at Crow and Yaksha. "Erii says she wants to meet Lelouch and Naruto. Any ideas?"

"Phew..." Crow and Yaksha exchanged glances. Wasn't the young master asking the impossible?

In the end, Crow came up with an idea. He thought of an advertisement he'd seen recently and grinned at Gen Chisaki. "Young master, we could go to Akihabara. We might see Naruto and Luffy there, not to mention Kujo Jotaro and Dio."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders," Yaksha said, thumping Crow hard on the shoulder.

Gen Chisaki nodded and returned to the room.

Once inside, he told Erii they could go. She still showed little expression, but he could see a spark of life in her eyes. He knew she was happy.

After that, Gen Chisaki watched anime with Erii. They put on a disc of Gundam 00.

That evening, Gen Chisaki went back and reminded the medical staff outside to keep a close watch. They all nodded repeatedly, not daring to cross the young master.

Little Yellow Duck floated in a tub full of bubbles. The enormous, rectangular bathtub was made of bronze, and soft light from the ceiling shone on Erii's fair skin.

She nudged the water forward, and Little Yellow Duck drifted along with the current. Once it floated far enough away, she would go and fetch it.

Bathing was her favorite pastime after gaming. Little Yellow Duck was one of her most beloved toys—no, she loved all her toys.

She was very possessive. Every toy was labeled as hers, such as "Erii's Little Yellow Duck," "Erii's..."

After playing for a full hour, she finally stepped out of the bathroom, stood naked, and walked over to her clothes.

A little while later, the medical team came in. The team leader kept his head lowered, not daring to look at her, and said softly, "Uesugi Clan Head, it's time."

Erii nodded without expression and went into her bedroom.

The medical ward was set up inside Erii's bedroom, an elegant room with old paintings hanging on all four walls and a single window that looked outside.

But the window couldn't be opened. It was fitted with bulletproof glass twenty centimeters thick, with layers of adhesive between the three panes. Even a heavy machine gun couldn't shoot through it.

She was a monster, and no one wanted to get close to her. The medical team only observed her through surveillance equipment each day, watching her move around the enclosed space, day after day.

Erii lay on the bed as her serum passed drop by drop through a filtration machine, then traveled through tubes into her body.

Her bloodline was unstable, so she needed regular serum injections and blood transfusions.

By the time her blood passed through the filtration machine, it had turned a normal bright red. It flowed back into Erii's body, and her pale face gradually regained its color.