Skadi, I Have a Girlfriend

But Exusiai had searched for ages and still couldn't find her earplugs or spare pair. Texas and the others' spare earplugs had disappeared too, leaving her to suffer like this.

"Damn it... Can't I just go sleep in the living room?"

Unable to stand Croissant's snoring any longer, Exusiai gave up and grabbed her pillow. Using the light above her head to see her surroundings, she felt oddly out of place. There was no longer any room for her in this four-person bedroom.

With that thought, Exusiai slipped on her slippers and walked out. She deliberately shut the door a little loudly. The other three were wearing earplugs anyway, so she wouldn't wake them.

What Exusiai didn't know was that the moment she left and the door closed, Croissant's snoring instantly stopped. She reached up and pulled down her sleep mask slightly, then sat up decisively after confirming Exusiai was gone.

"Hey, quit pretending. She really left."

Hearing that, Texas and Sora removed their sleep masks and earplugs as well, climbing up to stare at the door.

"She can really endure it, huh? Ha, I almost actually fell asleep."

Sora yawned sleepily and helplessly. Pretending to sleep was difficult. At first, it was easy for people to spot the cracks in the act, but if you kept it up for too long, you might genuinely fall asleep.

They could only say it was lucky Croissant had come through, driving Exusiai away with her thunderous snoring. They also had to thank Texas for having the foresight to hide all of Exusiai's earplugs, leaving her no choice but to listen to Croissant's rumbling snores.

Even so, Exusiai had held out for nearly an hour. Her patience was honestly admirable.

"Will this really work? What if Exusiai just sleeps in the living room instead of going to Mizuki's room?"

Sora asked uncertainly. To be honest, Croissant's plan was a good one, but also a terrible one. What if nothing was actually going on between Mizuki and Exusiai, and they were merely close because they got along well? Then the three of them would be crossing a line.

"Then it just means their feelings haven't reached that point yet. Seriously, have you ever seen Exusiai blush like that?"

Croissant patted her chest and gave a thumbs-up.

"If you don't believe me, I'll pretend I'm getting up to use the bathroom and go check the living room later. There's an eighty percent chance she won't be there."

Seeing how confident Croissant looked, Texas couldn't help glancing toward the door. The thought that Exusiai might actually be getting a boyfriend felt strange. It was as though the world had suddenly become unreal, veiled in the thin gauze of a dream.

Yet Croissant had been right. Exusiai really hadn't gone to the living room. It wasn't because she had such deep feelings for Mizuki, but because the moment she stepped outside, she noticed that the bedroom across from hers still had its light on.

It was already past midnight. Mizuki wasn't some Great Yan high school student, so staying up at this hour was a little ridiculous. After hesitating for a moment, Exusiai gently knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Mizuki's voice came from behind the door, like winter springwater melting in the warmth of spring. Exusiai subconsciously ignored the fact that the snoring behind her had vanished, opened the door, and poked her head inside.

The empty room had nothing in it besides a bed. Yet the most eye-catching thing was Mizuki lying on that bed.

He had taken off his coat, stockings, and gloves. He wore only a tank top, with the new shirt Exusiai had lent him over it—the kind that had never been worn before. In his hands was an ordinary-looking manga volume.

"Is something wrong, A-Neng?"

"Nothing. Croissant was just way too loud, so I was planning to sleep in the living room. I didn't expect your room to still have the lights on."

After thinking it over, Exusiai walked inside anyway and casually shut the door behind her.

"Sorry. I got a little absorbed in the manga."

There was an indescribable charm to Mizuki's smile. It was clean and gentle, not breathtaking at first glance, but the more you looked at it, the more comfortable and fond of it you became.

"Manga?"

Exusiai walked over to Mizuki's side. One glance was enough for her to understand. This was probably Croissant's gift to Mizuki, one of the few non-pirated manga volumes she owned: The White Saint and the Black Priest, a love story between a Sankta saint and an Aegir priest.

Wait a second. A love story between a Sankta saint and an Aegir priest? Wasn't she, Exusiai, a Sankta herself? And just like the heroine, she was a somewhat lazy girl.

Realizing something was off, Exusiai blushed instinctively. Could Mizuki be reading this manga because... No, that couldn't be possible.

"This is the manga Croissant gave me. It's really good. I feel like this White Saint is a bit like you, A-Neng."

Mizuki said it with complete sincerity, instantly overturning all the thoughts in Exusiai's head. She didn't know what to say.

Seeing that she didn't seem inclined to sleep anytime soon, Mizuki thought for a moment, shifted over, and patted the space beside him.

"Want to read manga together?"

Exusiai had originally wanted to refuse Mizuki's invitation, but... Mizuki's bed had to be softer than the couch, right?

Then she would just lie here for a little while before going to the living room!

The Feeling of Holding Mizuki

It was late at night, but Croissant still wasn't asleep. As Exusiai's good friend, she considered herself quite familiar with her. She didn't know why things were progressing so quickly between Exusiai and Mizuki, but it didn't matter. She would make her move.

"Let's see... Hmm, Mizuki's still awake?"

Croissant got up and noticed light shining through the crack beneath Mizuki's door. She scratched her head in confusion. Half an hour had passed since Exusiai left. If she was in Mizuki's room, then why were the two of them still awake at this hour? Could they be doing that kind of thing?

Curious, Croissant gently pressed her ear to the door. Penguin Logistics' doors weren't particularly soundproof. This was only a temporary base, after all. It might get blown up tomorrow or the day after.

Yet Croissant couldn't hear anything. She couldn't exactly knock, either. Going into someone else's room at this hour would be bad enough; if Exusiai misunderstood, that would be even worse.

With that in mind, Croissant chose to go to the living room instead. She had barely gone downstairs, not even finished descending the steps, before she saw the dark couch without needing to turn on the lights. She immediately knew the plan had probably worked. Otherwise, how could the light tube above Exusiai's head be off?

But Croissant soon noticed that the kitchen light was on. Could Exusiai have snuck off to eat because she wasn't full? That would be far too disappointing!

Thinking that, Croissant felt like she was watching someone fail to live up to expectations. She sighed deeply, thinking that Exusiai was truly hopeless. Mizuki was still awake, so why didn't she know to take the initiative? Then she decided to go mooch some food.

However, when she reached the kitchen, she ran right into Mizuki carrying out a bowl of ice jelly.

"Mizuki? Why is it you? I thought it was Exu—ah, no, are you making a midnight snack?"

Croissant quickly corrected herself to avoid letting something slip. Mizuki merely nodded, showing no surprise at all over why Croissant was there.

"A-Neng said she was hungry, so I came to make her a bowl of ice jelly. If you want some too, Croissant, I can make you another bowl."

"No, no need. I was just curious where Exusiai went, then I happened to see the kitchen light on. I'm leaving now, really, I'm leaving."

Croissant might have been a little dumb, but she wasn't socially unaware enough to ask something as mood-killing as, "Is Exusiai lying in your room?" Instead, she simply gave Mizuki an auntie-like grin so strange that even he felt a chill run down his back for no reason.

Watching Mizuki leave with the midnight snack, Croissant nearly howled out loud. She really hadn't expected it. Mizuki and Exusiai's relationship seemed even better than what she and Sora had been gossiping about. No, she had to hurry back and tell Texas and the others. The sisters might as well stay up all night tonight!

Unaware of Croissant's thoughts, Mizuki simply returned to his room. With a thought, the door before him opened by itself. Yet only he could see the transparent tentacle emerging from thin air to open it for him. He had only learned this trick while soaking in water earlier. The tentacle was strong and agile, and even without specific orders from Mizuki, it would do things that benefited him.

When he entered the room, Exusiai was lying on her stomach on the bed, reading the manga with obvious enjoyment. The weather had been fairly hot lately, so she hadn't covered herself with a blanket. She wore only an oversized shirt as pajamas, with black innerwear faintly visible beneath it. Her delicate little feet swayed in the air, looking so cute that it made people want to tickle them.

Mizuki was not the kind of person who liked playing such pranks. He simply sat down on the edge of the bed with the chilled noodles and patted Exusiai on the shoulder.

"A-Neng, it's ready."

"Oh! Ice jelly!"

Exusiai looked up, and her eyes immediately lit up. Mizuki's room didn't have air conditioning, and the night was somewhat hot. Exusiai was hungry but didn't want to eat anything hot, so Mizuki had made her this bowl of ice jelly.

The crystal-clear ice jelly had been cut into small pieces and placed in ice water. Toppings like red beans, raisins, crushed peanuts, white sesame seeds, and brown sugar syrup made it look incredibly tempting. Mizuki had even added some ice cubes.

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome. Eat up."

Mizuki handed the ice jelly to Exusiai, then picked up the manga she had set down and continued reading. He was a bit of a homebody, so liking manga was perfectly normal.

Exusiai sat up and thought for a moment before simply sitting on Mizuki's lap. She ate while reading the manga. She found that The White Saint and the Black Priest unexpectedly suited her tastes. The protagonist in it was a little dense about romance, just like Mizuki.

Yes, dense. Exusiai had started to realize it too. Their relationship had developed so quickly not only because they got along well, but also because Mizuki himself had some issues. He was good to everyone he liked, and even if that liking was only the kind one had for an ordinary friend, it was already enough.

But was he dense, or did he simply not care at all? They had only known each other for a few days, after all, so Exusiai couldn't claim to understand Mizuki deeply. Still, she could be certain that he didn't mind this level of intimacy.

"Mm... Mizuki, is your body temperature a little low?"

Things had been rushed last time, so she hadn't noticed before. The room was warm now, but sitting in Mizuki's arms made Exusiai feel pleasantly cool. She quickly finished the bowl of ice jelly, then realized that Mizuki's body was cool to the touch.

"Aegir live in the ocean. We can regulate our own body temperature."

Mizuki seriously stated something he had just made up while turning the manga pages. Exusiai hadn't met many Aegir, but since Mizuki said it was fine, then it was fine.

Exusiai climbed out of Mizuki's arms, casually set the bowl on the floor, and turned off the light.

"Hm?"

Mizuki looked at Exusiai in confusion, having been halfway through the manga. She flashed him a bright smile, then ran onto the bed and hugged him from behind. Her chin lightly rested atop his head, and she tilted her head forward slightly. The halo over her head illuminated the surroundings, including the manga in Mizuki's hands.

"Doesn't this save electricity?"

"Won't it be uncomfortable?"

"No. Holding you like this feels really nice, Mizuki. You're soft and cool. In weather like this, you're perfect for cooling off."

A person who would go to the kitchen in the middle of the night and busy himself making something for her just because she said one thing—how could Exusiai possibly not like him? They were already that kind of relationship, so simply hugging each other like this wouldn't be a problem, right?

Besides, keeping her distance all the time wouldn't do either. Since Mizuki was dense, Exusiai would just have to take the initiative.

Mizuki was cool, fragrant, and soft in her arms, like hugging a water-filled body pillow. Yet he wasn't heavy at all.

"All right."

The light above Exusiai's head was bright, and Mizuki leaned against her embrace as he read the manga.

But perhaps because holding Mizuki was simply too comfortable, and because she was full and no longer hot, Exusiai couldn't help growing drowsy. Still hugging Mizuki, she fell asleep.

Sensing the light source dim, Mizuki said nothing. He knew Exusiai had fallen asleep, so he closed the manga and gently removed her hands.

He laid Exusiai properly on the bed. Considering the weather, Mizuki didn't cover her with a blanket. He simply picked up the empty bowl and spoon, left the room, and went to sleep in the living room himself.

He felt that inviting Exusiai to sleep with him would be too disrespectful. But he also didn't want her sleeping in the living room. If he directly suggested that Exusiai sleep in his room while he slept on the couch, she probably wouldn't agree either. So he simply dragged things out until she fell asleep. Mizuki himself didn't mind, anyway.

Meanwhile, Croissant, Sora, and a helpless Texas were plotting something.

Skadi's Standards for a Sister-in-Law

Early in the morning, Exusiai rubbed her eyes as she climbed out of bed and yawned. Just as she was about to reach out and turn off her alarm, she suddenly realized that there seemed to be nothing beside her bed. No, it was that the entire room had nothing in it except for a bed!

Exusiai suddenly realized that this wasn't her bedroom. She was lying in Mizuki's bed!

"I... seem to be fine?"

After checking herself a little, she was dressed rather lightly, but it wasn't as though someone could have gotten handsy with her without leaving any trace. Then Exusiai suddenly remembered that she had apparently come to find Mizuki wearing this exact outfit last night.

Oh no, how many times had she exposed herself back then? Why hadn't she noticed at all?

"Could being around Mizuki make a person's intelligence plummet?"

She scratched her head in confusion, then hurriedly got up. The sun was already high in the sky. If Texas and the others found out she had slept in Mizuki's room, who knew what those gossip-hungry girls would think.

With that thought, Exusiai sneaked back to her own room. But the moment she opened the door, she ran right into Texas and the others getting up and changing clothes.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward. One against three—the difference in numbers was obvious. Exusiai didn't know what to say. She scratched her head and thought for a long time before putting on an aggrieved expression.

"It was all Croissant's fault for being so noisy last night. It forced me to sleep in the living room. Seriously, my neck's a little stiff now."

Does this idiot think we're idiots?

The same thought surfaced in Texas and the others' minds at once. But Exusiai's reaction was within their expectations. This girl could be unexpectedly concerned with saving face sometimes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was all my fault. I was wrong. I repent!"

Croissant immediately confessed without another word, while having absolutely no intention of changing her ways and deciding to continue tonight. As a good friend, she had to create more opportunities for Exusiai!

Sora and Texas said nothing, pretending they knew nothing at all. Exusiai relaxed as well. Once they had changed clothes, the girls went downstairs together to wash up.

As expected, by the time they got up, Mizuki had already prepared breakfast. Diligent little jellyfish were everyone's favorite, especially when Mizuki was already so cute and could cook so well!

"Oh, right. Aren't we supposed to buy Mizuki some things today?"

Sora sounded as though she had only just remembered. Texas nodded indifferently, while Croissant took over the conversation.

"Yeah, but it looks like there are quite a few deliveries today too. No helping it. Looks like we can't all go with Mizuki to pick things out."

According to the original plan, Sora would help Mizuki choose clothes, since an idol had good fashion sense. Croissant would help look at daily necessities, since counterfeit sellers were ironically the most familiar with which things were useful and affordable. Texas would handle the bill, since the captain managed the money.

As for Exusiai? She would liven up the atmosphere or buy some snacks. She was very good at that.

"How about this, Exusiai? You go shopping with Mizuki while the three of us go to work!"

"...Isn't today our day off?"

Exusiai considered that Penguin Logistics had plenty of work, but they still got one day off a week. Besides, Texas's squad usually worked depending on their mood, as long as they delivered things within the deadline set by the client.

"What day off? Chen sir caught us yesterday, and a lot of packages still haven't been delivered. We need to make a run today."

Croissant, Texas, and the others had already thought through their excuses last night. They had even come up with four emergency backup plans.

Texas even made a grand gesture and tossed Penguin Logistics' financial card to Exusiai.

"Here. Boss said the money on it can be spent freely, as long as you don't waste it."

Emperor had always been quite generous toward his employees. It wasn't his own money being spent anyway, so Texas didn't feel any pain.