That evening.
"Well then, I'll take the couch in the living room," Yae Sakura said, her voice steady and calm as she looked at the two remaining in the room.
"Right. We'll wake you when it's ti to head out tomorrow!" Theresa replied with a serious nod.
"Understood."
With a simple nod of her own, Yae Sakura turned and stepped out of the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind her with a soft click.
"In that case... goodnight, Theresa," Raiden Ei said. She sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed on Theresa as she spoke in a low, gentle tone.
"Goodnight..."
Being alone in a room with Ei made it impossible for Theresa to keep her mind from drifting back to the events of the day. Her cute little face flushed a deep, radiant crimson once again.
She looked just like a ripe apple.
Ei felt a sudden, strong urge to lean in and take a little bite.
But I can't go scaring my precious Theresa, she thought.
After saying goodnight, Ei lay down on one side of the bed, pulling a corner of the quilt over herself.
Since they weren't at ho and were still stuck in the middle of a Nagazora City teeming with hidden dangers and potential surprises, there was no question of undressing. They had to stay ready.
What a pity, Ei mused.
"..."
Seeing that Ei wasn't making any further moves, Theresa breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Yet, for so inexplicable reason, she felt a tiny pang of disappointnt.
Honestly... what is wrong with !
Ei is just a child who was born a few days ago. Everything she did today... she did it to save ...
As for her liking or whatever...
The more she dwelled on it, the more elusive sleep beca.
"Theresa," Ei said, opening her eyes. She lay on her side, watching Theresa. "Are you like ? Do you have no need for sleep?"
"Huh? No, it's not that..." Theresa knew Ei was referring to things like clones and dolls. But a mont later, the weight of the words hit her. "Wait, Ei, did you just say... you don't sleep?"
"I don't." Ei gave a small nod and sat up, her expression turning solemn. "I am a puppet crafted by the Narukami. As the one who acts in the stead of the divine, I have no need for the slumber of mortals."
"..." Theresa's mouth hung open.
Suddenly, she felt a wave of pity for Ei.
To be a life so recently born, yet already burdened with the weight of a nation—Ei hadn't even had the chance to experience the wonders of the world as a living being yet. Theresa couldn't help but feel a spark of indignation on her behalf.
"Ei, what about last night then?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Last night, Hiko tried to teach how to fall asleep," Ei said, her eyes casting downward with a calm gaze. "She taught to drink. She said that once I was drunk, I would enter a state of sleep."
"What?!!"
Theresa's eyes snapped wide, her face a mask of shock and fury. "That unreliable Hiko! How could she teach you to drink! Just wait until I get back—I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!"
"No, Theresa, I understand that Hiko ant well," Ei said with a perfectly straight face, defending Hiko just enough to fan the flas of Theresa's irritation.
"ant well..." Theresa gnashed her teeth, her temper rising.
"Sigh."
However, looking at Ei's earnest face, Theresa couldn't help but let out a long breath.
"Fine... So, Ei, did you actually sleep yesterday?"
"No. The alcohol tasted strange. After drinking quite a lot of it, Hiko fell asleep instead."
"Pfft—!"
Theresa, who had been trying to stay serious, couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter. "Hiko fell asleep?"
"Yes." Ei nodded slightly.
"Good job! Hahaha!" Theresa slapped Ei's shoulder, doubling over with laughter. The strange, heavy atmosphere from before evaporated, replaced by sothing much more natural.
"Co here. Let show you how to actually fall asleep." Theresa lay back down on the bed and looked at Ei with a warm, maternal smile.
"Okay," Ei replied, nodding as she lay back down.
Before she could even process how Theresa intended to "teach" her, she felt Theresa's arms reach out, gently pulling Ei's head into a warm embrace.
Ei's face was pressed right against Theresa's soft, marshmallow-like chest, while Theresa's hand began to rhythmically stroke the back of her head.
"T-this is how you do it," Theresa stamred. She was clearly embarrassed, but she forced herself to keep going. "Just close your eyes quietly. Don't think about anything..."
"Alright."
"And don't talk anymore..."
"I understand. But Theresa, your heart seems to be beating quite fast. Do you have a fever?"
"No! I don't! Just... stop talking for a second!"
"..."
Ei fell silent and closed her eyes, listening to the frantic thrumming of Theresa's heart.
So soft...
Even in that spot, she's so soft...
Ei's warm, steady breath drifted through Theresa's clothes, making the fabric feel damp and supple against her skin. It sent a very peculiar sensation through Theresa.
"J-just like that," Theresa whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she continued to stroke Ei's hair. "Think of nothing. Let your consciousness rest, and slowly, a wonderful feeling will wash over you... that's sleepiness."
Is it really sleepiness? Ei wondered. Because it feels a lot more like a primitive, restless instinct.
Ei decided she wasn't going to move an inch. With that softness right by her lips and the unique sensation of being pressed against her... it was incredible.
Ti ticked by. Eventually, under the weight of the silence, Theresa drifted off into a deep slumber.
Ei, however, remained perfectly still. She stayed that way until the first light of dawn crept into the room.
"Yawn—!" Theresa woke up with a long stretch. She startled for a second before mory ca flooding back.
She was still holding Ei.
"Did she fall asleep?" Gazing at Ei's face, Theresa couldn't help but smile with a sense of pride and accomplishnt.
Ei looks so cute when she's sleeping...
She looked so peaceful and beautiful, her features lacking the sharp edge they usually held when she was awake.
"I didn't."
Ei opened her eyes, her calm gaze eting Theresa's.
"Whoa!?" Theresa jumped, nearly jumping out of her skin. "You... you weren't asleep?"
"No." Ei nodded and sat up. "I... don't know how to fall asleep."
As if. There was no way she was going to sleep through being held like that. She had spent the entire night savoring every second of it.
"I see..." Theresa sighed, looking a little dejected.
Ei watched her for a mont, then leaned in without warning and pressed a soft kiss against Theresa's cheek.
"!!!" Theresa's eyes went wide. She froze, caught between shock and utter mortification.
Her face turned a brilliant shade of crimson. "Wha—what was that for?!"
"I like you, Theresa," Ei said, watching her with total sincerity.
As she watched the steam practically rise from Theresa's head in peak embarrassnt, Ei felt a surge of pure, mischievous joy in her heart.
-- --
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