Let the Lightning Empress Act Cute

Silence fell asleep.

She felt as though she were sleeping on a little boat, her body swaying with the waves, incredibly comfortable.

She woke up.

Then she was shocked to discover that she was being carried over someone's shoulder.

"What's going on?"

She was not muttering to herself in surprise. She stared down at the person carrying her and asked with a puzzled expression.

That person was tall, like an iron tower, with green hair and horns like an oni's.

Beside her was a chattering little Feline.

She was taller than Silence.

Hoshiguma looked up and replied, "Dr. Kal'tsit said you'd already agreed, but wanted to sleep a little longer, so I reluctantly carried you along."

"Was that your suggestion, or that woman's?"

"I suggested it, and she agreed."

"Tch."

Silence herself did not particularly mind. Being carried around like a child was no big deal. She only cared whether her equipment case had been brought along. If it had not, she would have to go back and get it, needlessly increasing the expenditure.

"Dr. Kal'tsit said you were ready."

"What does she know about—"

Silence did not seem to think much of old-school medical experts. That was normal. In research, after all, the new always crushed the old.

Still, Dr. Kal'tsit had prepared her things rather thoroughly.

With nothing else to do, she went back to sleep.

"Yawn~ Wake me when we get there."

"Aren't you going to ask about the situation?"

"No need. You're only conveying other people's opinions anyway. Words can lie, and I don't want other people's words to influence my judgment. I want to witness it with my own eyes."

"As expected of a rigorous researcher."

Hoshiguma praised her.

Swire sneered from the side. "Maybe she just doesn't want to talk to you."

"All right."

Naturally, they were not walking to Rhodes Island. Carrying her over a shoulder was only a temporary measure. Swire's car was parked nearby, its black body and white lace-trimmed curtains making it resemble a solemn coffin.

It looked perfect for sleeping.

Hoshiguma got into the car and placed the sleeping Silence on the dining table. Her small body fit it surprisingly well.

Swire reached out with her wicked hands and folded Silence's hands together. After finishing, she lowered her head and sat down in silence. Hoshiguma caught on immediately, plucked the little white flowers from the vase, and placed them beside Silence.

"You're good at this, Hoshiguma!"

Swire clapped, then raised her hand to high-five Hoshiguma.

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Hoshiguma said seriously, "Quickly remove all this, before this researcher wakes up and gets angry."

"I'm already awake."

Without opening her eyes, Silence turned over and replied.

"If this is Lungmen's death threat, I can pretend I never saw it. Rhodes Island won't fear a threat of this level either."

For a researcher, she was thinking a little too much.

Hoshino was writing a note.

After practicing at the shrine entrance for an entire day, Ch'en had finally been utterly defeated by Kallen's flexible legs and was forced, with a baffled look on her face, to acknowledge the objective truth that [Gun Kata Doesn't Need Guns].

Now, she needed to leave a note to create the illusion that she had gone out.

There was no other way.

Silence arrived at the shrine later that day. Black clouds hid within the black night sky, and oppressive thunder rumbled through the air.

"The ionization level in the air is very high."

She sniffed. "The ozone smell is strong. This is a powerful caster capable of changing the weather."

For an Infected, greater power meant more severe illness.

She advanced one step at a time as though facing a formidable enemy. Halfway there, she turned back and said disdainfully, "You shouldn't come any farther. You'll interfere with my work."

"Uh..."

Did that mean the patient's family was not allowed inside?

Silence continued upward.

The scent of ionization in the air grew stronger and stronger. She stepped over the threshold and saw the queen curled up within the shrine altar.

It was a strange feeling.

Silence thought of the Flame Demon Project she had overseen. That had been a demon of fire, while the one before her wielded lightning. Both were powerful single-person weapons, and Silence found it difficult to say they had nothing in common.

Hoshino was pretending to sleep.

Silence saw the note on the table. The handwriting was both supple and sharp, a letter addressed to the doctor.

[Dr. Silence—]

The opening alone made her frown. Her arrival should have counted as a Lungmen secret, yet this paper had blatantly named her outright. Were Lungmen's police officers really that incompetent?

Forget it. She, Silence, was merely a medical professional. She had long since withdrawn from the front lines of research.

The letter was brief. It roughly explained that Lightning Empress liked being alone, and no more than two people should approach her at once, or a thunderstorm might occur. To make the doctor's work easier, everyone at the shrine had already withdrawn in advance.

Not bad.

The shrine maiden had felt safe enough to leave, which meant this living weapon was not as skittish as Silence had imagined.

First, examine her body.

She looked at the Lightning Empress curled up in the shrine altar, troubled over how to wake her. For a living weapon like this, not being afraid of strangers was one thing, but being suddenly awakened was another. It might trigger some mysterious stress response, and Silence might be killed on the spot.

Just as Silence was caught in a dilemma, Hoshino sensed that the time had come.

She woke up.

Her magnificent violet eyes opened and stared straight at Silence.

It was a completely condescending gaze.

Silence looked at her and suddenly felt diminished. That person was clearly lying there lazily, yet she was as proud as though she sat enthroned upon a throne.

No wonder she was called the Lightning Empress.

Indeed, other than "queen," it was difficult to think of any other word to describe her.

"Did I ⚡ scare ⚡ you ⚡?"

Hoshino blinked.

The rumble of thunder brewed within her words, the intense pressure bursting forth. Silence frowned, feeling as though her eardrums were about to rupture.

She frowned and looked at Hoshino in her Lightning Empress form.

The latter lowered her head in embarrassment.

It was such a cute contrast to that overwhelming queenly aura. Was this person unexpectedly easy to embarrass?

Silence was a little dumbfounded.

Just how had she been raised to turn out like this?

No wonder that elusive shrine maiden had dared to leave behind a note and head out with such confidence.

Silence could not help but feel a sense of admiration.

Of course, all of this was an act Hoshino had painstakingly put on.

After many experiments, she had sorrowfully discovered that no matter what she did, she could not get rid of that queenly aura. But what Hoshino wanted was not majesty. She wanted the innocent naivety and childlike charm that made others believe anything she said.

So she simply went all in on the cute contrast.

The results were unexpectedly decent.

Hoshino pressed her advantage and continued playing up the contrast. "Doctor, how are you going to examine me?"

"Take off your clothes first."

Silence calmed herself slightly, adjusted her glasses, and replied.