Another long day, another busy week, and another late night…
It was late in the night, yet the lights in Rika's office were still on as she finished reading some reports coming from Berdo.
While she was at the academy, Berdo, Andrew and the men under their command were sent back to the front, and that included her brigade… Rika could not help but feel some unease, as she had put everything she had into building the 9th assault brigade.
I don’t feel good about leaving my men to someone else, but at least Berdo is the one commanding them.
This fact relieved her a bit, but she still had a problem, and that was money…
“I underestimated how costly a military unit could be…” She said, releasing a sigh.
One particularity of the Borkian Army system is that, while a basic, universal salary was given to the soldiers by the government, the rest was to be paid by the commander of the unit himself, whether that be equipment, or other things…
In a way, this system reassured influential people who did not have official or important posts in the administration or the military that they could keep some degree of power to themselves, and it somehow kept the Borkian Confederation together, albeit with some tensions. Only logistics were left as a whole to the state, as they were the most vital part of the army. Though some would argue on the taste of the food they provided, but at least it was better than starving.
Rika had no problems with the system before, but that was because she never had to pay everything herself in order to maintain her brigade in combat order…
Weapons came from the Doesson, and any other necessary expenditures were dealt with by my backers, leaving me with buying real food and salary bonuses.
Now though, Rika paid for her brigade by herself, as she either lost all her backers or just cut ties with them. The case of Felgoron left a mark on her.
She even refused funds from her new faction, which left her in this state now. She understood Berdo’s drunk rants about money now…
There was also the problem of weapons, as there was no way the Doesson, who had a monopoly over plasma weapons, would sell them to her. She would have to slowly phase those weapons out for laser blasters…
Fortunately, Rika still had a large amount of money, so she could fund her brigade. This money was the fruit of her hard work as an officer, but another part of those funds were donations from none other than her mother…
Even though I told her long ago that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her…
Rika could not help but sigh, not understanding her family’s actions, so she simply considered the act as a benevolent donation and nothing more.
Still, looking at the numbers right now, she felt a complex feeling and sighed…
As it is now, I’m still in the green, and I should be for the next three years, but you never know what the future has in stock for us…
As she thought like this, she heard a knock on the door.
“Oh, is it already that time?” She mumbled as she looked at the time. “Enter.”
The door opened, and the twenty ECGs who were left under her command entered. Once all of them were inside, they saluted her. Rika, despite her tiredness, saluted back. She then crossed her arms, a serious look on her face as she faced the twenty ECGs.
“Then, let's begin this week's report.”
““Yes.””
Today was Friday, it was the end of the first week of specialization for the Null CGs, and it was time for Rika to get a report with the whole team present.
Every day she received a report from each of them personally, but this weekly reunion was made so as to have a global view of the situation.
“Is there anything else that I need to know?” Rika asked.
“None that we haven't reported to you yet, General.” The ECG that had become her deputy, ECG-031, answered. Rika nodded.
“Onto the next part then. As you all know, I received a call from your mother.” When she mentioned this, she felt intense stares from the ECGs. The girls were obviously interested in anything related to their mother, despite the fact that they already knew the content of the call, which made Rika smile internally.
She herself was relieved once she heard from Ticia what happened, as the breaking news of the eruption on Nolam 3 was beginning to create a buzz in the news of the day… Not only that, Ticia seemed unphased by it all, and in a good mood, saying she would talk in detail about what happened when she came back.
“She stayed a bit vague, but she managed to get something out of the abandoned facility, and she's on her way back now after facing some pirates.”
“...Pirates?” ECG-099 raised an eyebrow slightly, and Rika nodded. This was part of a second call she received late at night, which the clone girls did not know about. In this second call, Ticia mentioned that they rescued some civilians, and that they had gotten some precious pieces of information to pressure the Phillians. But when Rika asked for more details on the civilians they had rescued, Ticia said that she was tired, and ended the call not soon after. Rika could understand why Ticia was tired, but at the same time, she had a slight feeling Ticia was hiding something from her…
Not that I have any right to know everything. Ticia can have her own secrets after all.
“We will now discuss another important matter.” Rika kept the discussion short, to the sadness of the ECGs, but she was tired, and this was a report to make sure they all knew what was going on. This time though, the next subject was of serious attention to Rika…
“You girls have followed the Null CGs during their lessons… How are they doing? Tell me in order.”
Her question raised a silent tension in the air, as she could tell that despite their mostly inexpressive faces, the ECGs became very serious on the subject of their sisters. She already had rich daily reports from them, but Rika wanted to make sure to hear it herself.
This was also the reason why, despite the importance of the meeting, none of the Null CGs were present, not even Licia. Rika had asked the ECGs whether such a reunion would be alright, and to her surprise, they all said yes. The ECGs were taking their role of protecting their sisters very seriously, even ECG-099, who just wanted to be with Ticia.
“Then, I'll begin.” ECG-046 took one step and saluted. “Prime sister Licia has been doing well in her classes, not refraining from asking questions and interacting actively with other students.”
Rika nodded. As expected of her.
As the eldest sister, whom Ticia had put the most responsibilities on, Licia seemed to take everything seriously. The girl was very active, building relations around her that would be useful later on, and absorbing as much knowledge as possible.
But as much as Licia is growing up, I feel like ECG-046 also climbed a step. She could not help but smile, seeing the headband the clone girl now wore all the time. She was surprised at first when ECG-046 came to her, asking for permission to wear this accessory, but she smiled and granted it, since she did not see any problem in the first place. Personalisation of each clone girl would also make it easier for her to identify them after all…
In fact, it even had an impact on other ECGs, who looked at their sister’s headband with interest. Even now, they were glancing at her from time to time.
She learned from Licia that this was actually a gift from Evelyn, and she understood why the ECG seemed to care a lot about this headband.
Speaking of Evelyn… Rika thought. “Anything else to report, 046?”
“Yes. Evelyn has been the target of kidnapping again.” The ECG replied.
How many times does it make now… Rika felt like rubbing her forehead in exasperation. Ever since the first time the ECGs had prevented harm to Evelyn, Rika had made the quick decision to protect the girl as well from the shadows, so as to protect Licia’s smile. She just did not expect the number of attempts on Evelyn’s life to be equivalent to the total number of attempts done on all of the Null CGs in a single day!
The fact that it was a different faction that did it each time was also very concerning, Rika knew the Pellians were hated, but this had gone beyond just hate at this point.
Just what is the academy’s security doing, really…
She would need to come up with some effective countermeasures, and she seriously began to consider Licia’s proposal for a retaliation, even though Ticia and herself were against using the Null CGs as of their current state.
She also sent notifications to Evelyn's father, who said he was now in her debt forever. But knowing his situation, Rika hesitated to rely on him. His situation was not good either…
“I shall continue the report.” ECG-065 declared, saluting and breaking Rika out of her thought process. “Prime sister Ria is also doing well and asking a lot of questions in line with her future duties. But…” The ECG seemed reluctant to admit, but Rika could already guess.
“Is she still looking down on others?”
“Yes…” ECG-065 could only nod weakly. Rika sighed.
“We can’t do much about it for now… Has she made any enemies?”
“It doesn’t seem to be the case for now, General.” ECG-065 shook her head. “She mostly talks to Evelyn and Irvin, and holds some degree of respect for the professors.”
As fate would have it, Evelyn had a lot of classes with either Licia, Ria, or Vinia, so they could often be seen hanging out together as a group. She did glare a lot at Evelyn though, resulting in some arguing with Licia, but nothing out of the usual. As for Irvin, Rika did know that he was from a renowned and old Borkian family, and that the boy had a similar course than Ria. She did not see in him the usual demeanor of those old families though, but rather a progressive mindset that seemed to get him in trouble with Fika if she did not intervene each time.
“What about Willia?” Rika asked the next in line, ECG-003.
“Prime sister Willia is going as usual.” Was the short answer ECG-003 gave back, and Rika understood what she meant by that. Willia was Willia, a muscle headed, addicted to exercise girl who struggled a bit, if not a lot, with theoretical classes. While this was a problem in itself, Willia was not making any enemies either, nor was she skipping class, so they let her be for now.
The briefing continued, with each ECG in charge of a Null CG giving her report, and Rika confirming what she already knew.
Nillia was avoiding conversation in general, but was upholding the charisma of an officer in her demeanor. Her affiliated ECG noted that the girl often went to the library when she was not with Willia.
Lidia had followed lessons on target assassination from the special services, as well as recon methods and intelligence gathering on the battlefield. She was praised by the instructors for her abilities.
Nicia and Mia were doing perfectly fine. There had been some worries about Mia’s shyness at first, but she managed to integrate well in her class, and is now the ‘quiet little kid listening earnestly to the lesson’.
Vinia was also doing great, although ECG-100 heard some complaints about the exercise exemption she received in some cases, which could not really be helped with in the first place.
Ticinia on her side somehow managed to become the main element of her classes, in a good way, by becoming friends with everyone somehow. Perhaps this was the result of her personality, combined with her special ability.
For those clone girls, things went fine, but there were three cases that were a bit more worrying.
The first was about Nia. The letter of complaint Rika received on the first day about Nia demoralizing a professor to retirement gave her a good headache at the time, but once she confronted Nia, she could not say anything else but a warning, as Nia seemed in a weird mood. She understood only once she received ECG-060’s report. Nia had received an emotional shock after unwillingly pranking a girl she had good chemistry with. After that, each day, Nia would go to classes with a very motivated mood, only to come back as if nothing happened at the end of the lesson. But Rika had learned from Ticia that when Nia acted like this, it only meant that something was bothering her… Apparently, Lotte Irm never came back to class…
Rika tried to help from the side, inquiring from the academy staff where the girl was, but so far, she had not received a positive answer. The academy staff stated each time it would be a breach of privacy. Even weirder, a personal investigation by the ECGs bore no fruit, as they did not even find the girl. It was as if Lotte was a ghost.
But things might not stay like this in the end, as this morning, she had been notified by the director of the academy himself that due to the case of Steve Ritter, the academy's board had decided to transfer a new student into the class she was in charge of. She expected it to be the Phillian princess, as it would make sense, but it was Lotte surprisingly, and she did not think the girl would be the princess, based on how ECG-060 had described her…
Everything would depend on how Nia interacted with the girl now, if she showed up in the first place…
But even more serious than Nia, was the case of Miria and Tiria. From day one, Rika could tell something was wrong when she looked at them, which left her with even more concern. Her concern was rendered true once she read the reports…
She had a hard time believing it, but apparently, both girls were unable to do anything in their classes, leaving them alone under the critical eyes of both their classmates and instructors. This made the twins falter even more under the pressure, aggravating their cases…
The problem was so huge that the instructors themselves went to her, telling her to remove both girls from their classes. Of course, she refused, and when she talked about it to Ticia, the latter replied sadly that this was exactly the problem she wanted to resolve, and for that, it was necessary for the twins to learn how to operate separately from one another.
Still, Rika was very concerned about their cases. Both ECGs that went with them had reported with growing frustration that the students were beginning to be physical in their relations with the twins, and Rika had no doubt that if the ECGs had permission to act, they would punch the life out of those people...
For now, it only stayed as forceful nudges and pushes from behind in addition to jeers and mean words, but both ECGs feared it might come down to blows soon enough, and that they would not be able to intervene due to the academy’s rules. Rika took the situation seriously, moreso when the instructors did as if nothing happened. She told herself she would see for herself the state of things next time, booking some time to oversee their classes herself.
The reunion continued with Rika listening to the reports of the remaining eight ECGs, with ECG-099 voicing out that she missed her mother, which resulted in a wry smile forming on Rika’s face as all ECGs nodded in agreement with this statement. There was nothing much she could do about that.
Rika also made her own report, stating that while the academy's board seemed on their side sometimes, they were not, and that they sometimes did unexpected things, just like the student transfer, or the fact that they told her just today that her class would conduct a wargame against a field tested unit so as to 'see their performances' on Monday… Rika still thought that was a bit too early for that though…
As for Fika, he kept his act, but Rika remained vigilant of the man…
ECG-031 wrapped up the whole discussion by making a brief summary of the things that needed to be taken care of in priority, with Rika’s acquiescence, and they were all dismissed after that. Some had guard duty to do, while the majority of them needed sleep as much as Rika did. She could not help but feel a little envious of the Null CGs on this point…
*Grumble*
“Hm?”
It was as Rika was wrapping up her work that she heard a rumbling sound, a quick look at her computer gave her an answer to what it was.
Right, the weather report did said there would be a thunderstorm tonight…
Rika did not think much of it since it seemed so distant, so she finished her preparations and went to the bathroom, taking a shower to refresh herself before going to bed.
But during that time, the thunder had increased in intensity…
*GRUMBLE*
Another sound reverberated in the quiet and dark hallway. Rika would have flinched if she was not so used to the sound of explosions…
Geez, it’s really a strong storm… Rika sighed complaining in her mind as she continued her pace in the unlit hallway. I pity parents, because a thunderstorm tends to spook the ki-. Wait a minute…
She froze in her steps at this revelation of hers. Right now, wasn’t she in a very similar situation, having at least twelve kids under her guard (and twenty adults only in name)?
I mean, isn't this the first time the kids experience thunder?
When she was a kid, she remembers being spooked at least a few times, running to her mother in tears, but right now, the clone girls were alone in their room… Well maybe not for Ticinia, Vinia and the twins, but still.
I should check on them.
First off, she went to the nearest ECG on guard, checking on her, and was surprised to see the said ECG on the ground, face first.
“Hey! You alright?” She closed the distance, only to trip over something. Rika’s body reacted immediately, and she ended up doing a somersault, landing on her feet.
“What jus- No, this isn’t important right now?” She was bewildered over what she tripped over, but quickly pulled herself together to concentrate on the ECG that had fallen to the ground.
“zzzz…”
“...” She was left speechless once she realized the girl was just sleeping.
In the end, she sighed. It’s good that nothing bad happened, but sleeping on duty is bad.
She carefully closed the distance between her and the sleeping ECG and nudged her.
“Wake up soldier.”
“Mgh…” The ECG stirred, slowly waking up, she rubbed her eyes in tiredness as she raised her upper body, and when she made eye contact with Rika, she saluted sloppily.
“General, ECG-099, report-*yawn*ing, for duty…”
“099 huh?” Rika sighed, that somehow explained the somersault to her. “Why did you not say you were tired earlier? I would’ve changed your shift.”
“Apologies, General.” ECG-099 seemed to have realized her error as she woke up completely. Her somewhat sad look made Rika sigh again.
“I’m not scolding you, 099. I can understand your tiredness. I’m tired too, and so are your sisters.”
ECG-099 nodded quickly, before getting up.
“Go and get some good sleep, I don’t think anything else is gonna happen tonight.”
“Understood…”
ECG-099 saluted sloppily again, before turning and… Faceplanting into the wall… Before Rika could even comment though, ECG-099 continued as if nothing happened, but the fact that she did not even walk straight made Rika wonder if she would find the girl on the ground again…
Rika had to make sure to check on all the ECGs on duty tonight though. If they were all in the same state as ECG-099, it would be bad.
Coffee can’t solve everything after all…
She did a quick turn, searching for the other three patrolling ECGs, but even though they were tired, they did not seem on the verge of sleep, like ECG-099. Still, Rika took note of the overall tiredness of the girls, and decided things could not go on like this.
Either I augment security by installing more security systems, or I ask Ticia to let more clones stay here next time…
The best solution to her was the second one, but that was something she could only resolve once Ticia came back. For now, she decided to make shorter night duties, so that the ECGs could exchange places more often.
“I should check on the kids now…” Rika mumbled as another rumble was heard, the thunderstorm was still going strong outside, and it did not seem like it was gonna end any time soon…
Rika checked on the girl she was the most attentive of first, Vinia. She quietly opened the door, only to see that the girl was spelling peacefully… With ECG-099 sleeping on the floor in the same position Rika had found her not long ago…
Rika quietly closed the door, deciding to just ignore the ECG in the room, and released the breath she had been holding back. Somehow, she felt a bit disappointed over the fact that Vinia was doing fine and that she did not need her.
Maybe Ticinia then? Rika said to herself, but when she checked, the girl was also unperturbed, and no ECG was sleeping on the ground this time… In the end, Rika could not help but think she lost an opportunity…
She then checked on the other clone girls, but none seemed perturbed by the storm. She did see some interesting, cute sights though, like Miria and Tiria hugging each other, not letting go of the other’s warmth, or the messy state Willia and Nicia were in when they slept. It was as she concluded that the Null CGs were fine and another audible thunder struck, that she heard a muffled sound.
“Mh?” Rika stopped. “That came from Nillia’s room?”
She approached the door silently, and in the same way she did before, slowly opened the door. What greeted her was an unbelievable sight.
Nillia was hugging a bunny plush, shivering slightly.
“Uuuuuh~... I’m not scared… I’m a strong knight, thunder can’t scare me!”
But as if denying her words, thunder struck again strongly.
“Kyah!?” Nillia, like a scared mouse, got under the covers of her bed, shivering in fright.
“I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared…”
“...” Rika was left speechless at the sight. Nillia, the little girl who seemed to hate her for some reason, and always showed a strong side, was now whimpering weakly because of thunder.
…What’s with this gap? I kind of feel sorry for her, but it’s kinda cute at the same time?
As Rika tilted her head, still unnoticed by Nillia, she remembered one time when Ticia talked about Nillia.
‘Nillia might appear strong, but don’t be fooled. She’s just like a little kitten who needs to be spoiled~.’
If she were to apply those words to the current Nillia, who was on the verge of tears, then yes, Rika would say that Nillia reassembled a kitty who was lost and in need of warmth.
The assimilation deepened when Nillia peeked her head out from the covers, only for another thunderclap to be heard, making her retreat her head with a small yelp, before peeking out again.
“...Too cute.” Rika said out loud.
“Fueh?” Nillia reacted to the words. “W-who’s there!?” She got out of her blanket in a hurry, and made eye contact with Rika, who was still peeking through the door…
““Ah…”” Both let out a sound as they stared at each other for a bit.
“Uhm, hey there, Nillia? Are you scared of thunder?” Rika managed to say through the awkward silence, trying to sound reassuring, but Nillia began to tremble.
“No…”
“No?”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~~~~~~!” Nillia bursted out crying all of a sudden.
“Wai-?! Nillia!?” Rika panicked now, she immediately entered the room and closed the door, before approaching Nillia.
“Are you oka-”
“No! Stay away, you evil witch!” Nillia pushed her weakly, but Rika was surprised by how she was called.
“Witch? Me? But why?” She could not help but ask.
“Hmph! I’m sure this was all part of your evil plan!” Nillia replied back as she distanced herself, pointing with a trembling arm at Rika, with a glare full of tears. “You somehow seduced mommy, and now you’re trying to humiliate me!”
“S-seduce? Humiliate you?” Rika had a hard time following, but Nillia nodded her head.
“Yes. You somehow seduced mommy, and tricked most of my sisters in believing you! But I am a knight of justice! I shall reveal your true intentions to everyone!” She continued, making Rika even more confused.
“What are you talking about Nillia? Let’s calm down, okay?” She tried to mediate.
“No! I won’t fall for your tricks! You’ve already seen my deepest secret, I won’t let you reveal it to everyone!” Nillia declared, and she took out a toy sword from who knows where.
But as she was about to rush forward, brandishing her weapon of justice (?), another thunderclap struck, and Nillia yelped again, letting go of her weapon.
““...”” Again, Rika found herself staring at an embarrassed Nillia who was about to cry while glaring at her…
“T-t’is but the first round, you witch! I’ll use my ultimate on you!” The girl declared.
…What ultimate? What kind of roleplay did I fall in? Rika was even more confused.
“Hyyyaaaaa!” This time, Nillia rushed towards Rika with the intention to punch her, but on the way, she slipped on her bunny plush. “Whoa!?”
“Whoops.” Rika caught the clone girl in her arms before she fell on the ground. “That was dangerous, are you trying to imitate 099?”
“No! Release me!” Nillia began to struggle, but froze again at the sound of another thunderstrike.
“...How about we calm down for a bit and rest?” Rika proposed.
“...Yes…” The teary eyed Nillia agreed weakly.
Rika walked towards Nillia’s bed, and sat on it while still holding Nilia.
That way she won’t try to do something chuuni-like again.
“Alright, can you explain to me exactly what I did wrong?” Rika tried to be as considerate as possible as she asked this. She truly wanted to fix her problems with Nillia.
Nillia stayed silent at first, but as thunder struck again and she shivered, Rika hugged her warmly. Soon enough, her willpower weakened.
“...I don’t like you.” She muttered, not looking at Rika's face and instead searching for more warmth.
“I know.” Rika replied simply, beginning to pat the girl’s head. “But why do you not like me?”
“Mommy talked a lot about you, but she always had a sad face before…” Nillia looked at Rika in the eyes with some resentment. “You abandoned her, didn’t you?”
“...It’s more complicated than that, but we did end up separated…” Rika responded with mixed feelings. The whole incident had been a lot of miscalculated moves on her part…
“If so, why did you come back? You could have hurt mommy more.” Nillia accused her, Rika nodded, acknowledging it.
“I know…”
“Then why?!” Nillia snapped. “Mom always talks about you! Rika this, Rika that! I’ve had enough of it!”
Does Ticia think of me that often? Rika wondered to herself, a bit surprised by this revelation, but before she could delve on the subject, Nillia continued.
“Why does she seem so happy when she does so, aren’t we here for her? Aren’t we… enough?” She said weakly, as if all the effort she put in sooner was a lie.
Hey, don’t tell me… Rika had a feeling she knew where this was going…
“Nillia, are you feeling… jealous?”
“...” The fact that the little girl tightened the hug while looking away was enough of an answer to Rika.
“I see now…” She sighed, before forcing Nillia to look at her in the eyes. “Nillia, your mom loves you and your sisters.”
“I know.”
“Honestly, I myself am unsure whether I truly deserve to be with Ticia after I’ve put her through.” Rika continued, still feeling guilty, before showing a resolute look. “But your mom has decided to let the past be the past, and so do I. That's why this time, I’m the one helping her. She's in command, not me.” Nillia stared at her as if judging her words, which made Rika smile wryly.
“My words might not be enough for you to understand me, but still, I’m sorry.”
A small silence ensued, Nillia staring into Rika’s soul as if weighing the truth of her words.
“...Will you always stay by mommy’s side?” The little girl asked.
“As long as she wants me there.” Rika replied honestly, a small smile on her face.
Nillia closed her eyes for some seconds, before reopening them with a new, calm look.
“I understand, I won’t be hostile to you anymore.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I accept you as mommy’s lover!” She suddenly declared.
“Eh?” Rika was left frozen at her words. Lover? Me and Ticia? Where does this come from?
“Uhm, Nillia? I think you’re misunderstanding something? Me and Ticia aren’t a couple?” She said, but somehow the phrase came out as an interrogation at the end.
“Eh?” Nillia herself seemed surprised at this, she began to mumble to herself. “But Ticinia said…”
“Ticinia? What did she say?”
“Nothing… Sorry, I misunderstood…” Nillia apologized.
“It’s okay, but in the first place, do I look like a boy to you?” Rika pointed at her chest.
I mean, if she said yes, I’d be shocked and hurt. I’ve always put a lot of care in my body as a girl, and I’m proud of my own shapes.
“Is that even necessary?” Nillia asked, tilting her head in wonder while Rika was surprised yet again. “In the stories I’ve read, boys like boys, and girls like girls!”
“...Just what kind of books have you been reading…” Rika sighed. No, wait, the academy’s library is filled with a lot of those stories, surprisingly enough…
“Romance?” Nillia still tilted her head, confused.
Well that’s true but… Rika stopped her thought. This isn’t important right now…
“Still, you don’t have to worry, I’m not in love with your mother, and your mother isn’t either. We just enjoy each other’s company.” She said with a smile. That was how she honestly felt, and she was sure Ticia felt the same. “Besides, Ticia’s probably straight when it comes to those things…”
“...I don’t think so…” Nillia mumbled to herself again.
“Mh? Did you say something?”
“N-no, neverm-*grumble*Hya!?” The thunder surprised Nillia yet again, making her seek refuge in Rika’s bosom.
“...How about we sleep together tonight?” Rika proposed with a small smile, to which Nillia agreed.
“F-fine, I guess you’re not as evil as I thought, witch.”
“Again with the knight act…”
“J-just, don’t mention anything to my sisters. This is all a secret between me and mommy… Oh, and you now, I guess…” Nillia suddenly said.
Is she talking about how she acts? Or the fact that she’s scared of thunder? Rika asked herself, but either way, she smiled at Nillia.
“Fufu. Don’t worry, I’m a tight lipped witch.”
And with those words, both went to bed together. Nillia did not let go of Rika, clinging strongly to her each time the thunder struck. Rika was left happy with this encounter. Just like this, she had solved her problems with Nillia and discovered a very cute side of the girl. Now, as her mind slowly let go, she wondered if she could deepen that link with the help of the manga she had kept in her collection, but was still worried whether Nillia would become a total chuunibyou if she did so…
The next day, they woke up to a spooked Vinia over the fact that ECG-099 was sleeping like a dead body in her room. Rika still had work to do, in the end…
Chauchat
Author's monologue:
Hey there! I'm back with another chapter!
Unnexpected Nillia chapter! Rika is fixing her relationship with the girls, good, good, she's making progres...
Wait, Rika? but I though it wa-.... Nevermind, guess the ship will have to sail a bit later...
Ahem, just to be clear, only Nillia thought Ticia and Rika were together because of the books she's read and her jealousy. While Ticinia had a feeling something was happening, she isn't quite sure yet. She needs more time to study...
On another note, the ECGs are getting really tired... I mean, keeping watch over their sister all day and then do night watch? Of course it would be tiring! Don't forget they're technically still kids! The rights of the ECGs must be established posthaste!
About the classes... At first, I wanted to show some of them, the twins being an important one, but all the scenes that I've thought up ended up boring to read, so I silently removed them to pass on to the end of the week where Rika calculates her next moves. But that doesn't mean class scenes wont appear later though. Proof of that is the development with Lotte. She's truly a strange case, isn't she? What's up with that?
Anyway! Let's talk about the discord!
The answer was positive, so I've created the server, and somebody whishes to invite you all to the discord...
Tada! Join Willia (teen version btw) on the discord! Is what I wanted to write under the image, but I ran out of time... Guess it'll be done for next week... I might also make the image smaller, or in a spoiler window, I'll see later.
Anyway! Click on Willia to join the discord!
PS: I'm not a specialist of discord, I tryed some things but it might not work as intended, so pls help me if you know how.
And with this, that's it from me for today! I'll see you all in the next chapter!
Another long day, another busy week, and another late night…
It was late in the night, yet the lights in Rika's office were still on as she finished reading some reports coming from Berdo.
While she was at the academy, Berdo, Andrew and the men under their command were sent back to the front, and that included her brigade… Rika could not help but feel some unease, as she had put everything she had into building the 9th assault brigade.
I don’t feel good about leaving my men to someone else, but at least Berdo is the one commanding them.
This fact relieved her a bit, but she still had a problem, and that was money…
“I underestimated how costly a military unit could be…” She said, releasing a sigh.
One particularity of the Borkian Army system is that, while a basic, universal salary was given to the soldiers by the government, the rest was to be paid by the commander of the unit himself, whether that be equipment, or other things…
In a way, this system reassured influential people who did not have official or important posts in the administration or the military that they could keep some degree of power to themselves, and it somehow kept the Borkian Confederation together, albeit with some tensions. Only logistics were left as a whole to the state, as they were the most vital part of the army. Though some would argue on the taste of the food they provided, but at least it was better than starving.
Rika had no problems with the system before, but that was because she never had to pay everything herself in order to maintain her brigade in combat order…
Weapons came from the Doesson, and any other necessary expenditures were dealt with by my backers, leaving me with buying real food and salary bonuses.
Now though, Rika paid for her brigade by herself, as she either lost all her backers or just cut ties with them. The case of Felgoron left a mark on her.
She even refused funds from her new faction, which left her in this state now. She understood Berdo’s drunk rants about money now…
There was also the problem of weapons, as there was no way the Doesson, who had a monopoly over plasma weapons, would sell them to her. She would have to slowly phase those weapons out for laser blasters…
Fortunately, Rika still had a large amount of money, so she could fund her brigade. This money was the fruit of her hard work as an officer, but another part of those funds were donations from none other than her mother…
Even though I told her long ago that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her…
Rika could not help but sigh, not understanding her family’s actions, so she simply considered the act as a benevolent donation and nothing more.
Still, looking at the numbers right now, she felt a complex feeling and sighed…
As it is now, I’m still in the green, and I should be for the next three years, but you never know what the future has in stock for us…
As she thought like this, she heard a knock on the door.
“Oh, is it already that time?” She mumbled as she looked at the time. “Enter.”
The door opened, and the twenty ECGs who were left under her command entered. Once all of them were inside, they saluted her. Rika, despite her tiredness, saluted back. She then crossed her arms, a serious look on her face as she faced the twenty ECGs.
“Then, let's begin this week's report.”
““Yes.””
Today was Friday, it was the end of the first week of specialization for the Null CGs, and it was time for Rika to get a report with the whole team present.
Every day she received a report from each of them personally, but this weekly reunion was made so as to have a global view of the situation.
“Is there anything else that I need to know?” Rika asked.
“None that we haven't reported to you yet, General.” The ECG that had become her deputy, ECG-031, answered. Rika nodded.
“Onto the next part then. As you all know, I received a call from your mother.” When she mentioned this, she felt intense stares from the ECGs. The girls were obviously interested in anything related to their mother, despite the fact that they already knew the content of the call, which made Rika smile internally.
She herself was relieved once she heard from Ticia what happened, as the breaking news of the eruption on Nolam 3 was beginning to create a buzz in the news of the day… Not only that, Ticia seemed unphased by it all, and in a good mood, saying she would talk in detail about what happened when she came back.
“She stayed a bit vague, but she managed to get something out of the abandoned facility, and she's on her way back now after facing some pirates.”
“...Pirates?” ECG-099 raised an eyebrow slightly, and Rika nodded. This was part of a second call she received late at night, which the clone girls did not know about. In this second call, Ticia mentioned that they rescued some civilians, and that they had gotten some precious pieces of information to pressure the Phillians. But when Rika asked for more details on the civilians they had rescued, Ticia said that she was tired, and ended the call not soon after. Rika could understand why Ticia was tired, but at the same time, she had a slight feeling Ticia was hiding something from her…
Not that I have any right to know everything. Ticia can have her own secrets after all.
“We will now discuss another important matter.” Rika kept the discussion short, to the sadness of the ECGs, but she was tired, and this was a report to make sure they all knew what was going on. This time though, the next subject was of serious attention to Rika…
“You girls have followed the Null CGs during their lessons… How are they doing? Tell me in order.”
Her question raised a silent tension in the air, as she could tell that despite their mostly inexpressive faces, the ECGs became very serious on the subject of their sisters. She already had rich daily reports from them, but Rika wanted to make sure to hear it herself.
This was also the reason why, despite the importance of the meeting, none of the Null CGs were present, not even Licia. Rika had asked the ECGs whether such a reunion would be alright, and to her surprise, they all said yes. The ECGs were taking their role of protecting their sisters very seriously, even ECG-099, who just wanted to be with Ticia.
“Then, I'll begin.” ECG-046 took one step and saluted. “Prime sister Licia has been doing well in her classes, not refraining from asking questions and interacting actively with other students.”
Rika nodded. As expected of her.
As the eldest sister, whom Ticia had put the most responsibilities on, Licia seemed to take everything seriously. The girl was very active, building relations around her that would be useful later on, and absorbing as much knowledge as possible.
But as much as Licia is growing up, I feel like ECG-046 also climbed a step. She could not help but smile, seeing the headband the clone girl now wore all the time. She was surprised at first when ECG-046 came to her, asking for permission to wear this accessory, but she smiled and granted it, since she did not see any problem in the first place. Personalisation of each clone girl would also make it easier for her to identify them after all…
In fact, it even had an impact on other ECGs, who looked at their sister’s headband with interest. Even now, they were glancing at her from time to time.
She learned from Licia that this was actually a gift from Evelyn, and she understood why the ECG seemed to care a lot about this headband.
Speaking of Evelyn… Rika thought. “Anything else to report, 046?”
“Yes. Evelyn has been the target of kidnapping again.” The ECG replied.
How many times does it make now… Rika felt like rubbing her forehead in exasperation. Ever since the first time the ECGs had prevented harm to Evelyn, Rika had made the quick decision to protect the girl as well from the shadows, so as to protect Licia’s smile. She just did not expect the number of attempts on Evelyn’s life to be equivalent to the total number of attempts done on all of the Null CGs in a single day!
The fact that it was a different faction that did it each time was also very concerning, Rika knew the Pellians were hated, but this had gone beyond just hate at this point.
Just what is the academy’s security doing, really…
She would need to come up with some effective countermeasures, and she seriously began to consider Licia’s proposal for a retaliation, even though Ticia and herself were against using the Null CGs as of their current state.
She also sent notifications to Evelyn's father, who said he was now in her debt forever. But knowing his situation, Rika hesitated to rely on him. His situation was not good either…
“I shall continue the report.” ECG-065 declared, saluting and breaking Rika out of her thought process. “Prime sister Ria is also doing well and asking a lot of questions in line with her future duties. But…” The ECG seemed reluctant to admit, but Rika could already guess.
“Is she still looking down on others?”
“Yes…” ECG-065 could only nod weakly. Rika sighed.
“We can’t do much about it for now… Has she made any enemies?”
“It doesn’t seem to be the case for now, General.” ECG-065 shook her head. “She mostly talks to Evelyn and Irvin, and holds some degree of respect for the professors.”
As fate would have it, Evelyn had a lot of classes with either Licia, Ria, or Vinia, so they could often be seen hanging out together as a group. She did glare a lot at Evelyn though, resulting in some arguing with Licia, but nothing out of the usual. As for Irvin, Rika did know that he was from a renowned and old Borkian family, and that the boy had a similar course than Ria. She did not see in him the usual demeanor of those old families though, but rather a progressive mindset that seemed to get him in trouble with Fika if she did not intervene each time.
“What about Willia?” Rika asked the next in line, ECG-003.
“Prime sister Willia is going as usual.” Was the short answer ECG-003 gave back, and Rika understood what she meant by that. Willia was Willia, a muscle headed, addicted to exercise girl who struggled a bit, if not a lot, with theoretical classes. While this was a problem in itself, Willia was not making any enemies either, nor was she skipping class, so they let her be for now.
The briefing continued, with each ECG in charge of a Null CG giving her report, and Rika confirming what she already knew.
Nillia was avoiding conversation in general, but was upholding the charisma of an officer in her demeanor. Her affiliated ECG noted that the girl often went to the library when she was not with Willia.
Lidia had followed lessons on target assassination from the special services, as well as recon methods and intelligence gathering on the battlefield. She was praised by the instructors for her abilities.
Nicia and Mia were doing perfectly fine. There had been some worries about Mia’s shyness at first, but she managed to integrate well in her class, and is now the ‘quiet little kid listening earnestly to the lesson’.
Vinia was also doing great, although ECG-100 heard some complaints about the exercise exemption she received in some cases, which could not really be helped with in the first place.
Ticinia on her side somehow managed to become the main element of her classes, in a good way, by becoming friends with everyone somehow. Perhaps this was the result of her personality, combined with her special ability.
For those clone girls, things went fine, but there were three cases that were a bit more worrying.
The first was about Nia. The letter of complaint Rika received on the first day about Nia demoralizing a professor to retirement gave her a good headache at the time, but once she confronted Nia, she could not say anything else but a warning, as Nia seemed in a weird mood. She understood only once she received ECG-060’s report. Nia had received an emotional shock after unwillingly pranking a girl she had good chemistry with. After that, each day, Nia would go to classes with a very motivated mood, only to come back as if nothing happened at the end of the lesson. But Rika had learned from Ticia that when Nia acted like this, it only meant that something was bothering her… Apparently, Lotte Irm never came back to class…
Rika tried to help from the side, inquiring from the academy staff where the girl was, but so far, she had not received a positive answer. The academy staff stated each time it would be a breach of privacy. Even weirder, a personal investigation by the ECGs bore no fruit, as they did not even find the girl. It was as if Lotte was a ghost.
But things might not stay like this in the end, as this morning, she had been notified by the director of the academy himself that due to the case of Steve Ritter, the academy's board had decided to transfer a new student into the class she was in charge of. She expected it to be the Phillian princess, as it would make sense, but it was Lotte surprisingly, and she did not think the girl would be the princess, based on how ECG-060 had described her…
Everything would depend on how Nia interacted with the girl now, if she showed up in the first place…
But even more serious than Nia, was the case of Miria and Tiria. From day one, Rika could tell something was wrong when she looked at them, which left her with even more concern. Her concern was rendered true once she read the reports…
She had a hard time believing it, but apparently, both girls were unable to do anything in their classes, leaving them alone under the critical eyes of both their classmates and instructors. This made the twins falter even more under the pressure, aggravating their cases…
The problem was so huge that the instructors themselves went to her, telling her to remove both girls from their classes. Of course, she refused, and when she talked about it to Ticia, the latter replied sadly that this was exactly the problem she wanted to resolve, and for that, it was necessary for the twins to learn how to operate separately from one another.
Still, Rika was very concerned about their cases. Both ECGs that went with them had reported with growing frustration that the students were beginning to be physical in their relations with the twins, and Rika had no doubt that if the ECGs had permission to act, they would punch the life out of those people...
For now, it only stayed as forceful nudges and pushes from behind in addition to jeers and mean words, but both ECGs feared it might come down to blows soon enough, and that they would not be able to intervene due to the academy’s rules. Rika took the situation seriously, moreso when the instructors did as if nothing happened. She told herself she would see for herself the state of things next time, booking some time to oversee their classes herself.
The reunion continued with Rika listening to the reports of the remaining eight ECGs, with ECG-099 voicing out that she missed her mother, which resulted in a wry smile forming on Rika’s face as all ECGs nodded in agreement with this statement. There was nothing much she could do about that.
Rika also made her own report, stating that while the academy's board seemed on their side sometimes, they were not, and that they sometimes did unexpected things, just like the student transfer, or the fact that they told her just today that her class would conduct a wargame against a field tested unit so as to 'see their performances' on Monday… Rika still thought that was a bit too early for that though…
As for Fika, he kept his act, but Rika remained vigilant of the man…
ECG-031 wrapped up the whole discussion by making a brief summary of the things that needed to be taken care of in priority, with Rika’s acquiescence, and they were all dismissed after that. Some had guard duty to do, while the majority of them needed sleep as much as Rika did. She could not help but feel a little envious of the Null CGs on this point…
*Grumble*
“Hm?”
It was as Rika was wrapping up her work that she heard a rumbling sound, a quick look at her computer gave her an answer to what it was.
Right, the weather report did said there would be a thunderstorm tonight…
Rika did not think much of it since it seemed so distant, so she finished her preparations and went to the bathroom, taking a shower to refresh herself before going to bed.
But during that time, the thunder had increased in intensity…
*GRUMBLE*
Another sound reverberated in the quiet and dark hallway. Rika would have flinched if she was not so used to the sound of explosions…
Geez, it’s really a strong storm… Rika sighed complaining in her mind as she continued her pace in the unlit hallway. I pity parents, because a thunderstorm tends to spook the ki-. Wait a minute…
She froze in her steps at this revelation of hers. Right now, wasn’t she in a very similar situation, having at least twelve kids under her guard (and twenty adults only in name)?
I mean, isn't this the first time the kids experience thunder?
When she was a kid, she remembers being spooked at least a few times, running to her mother in tears, but right now, the clone girls were alone in their room… Well maybe not for Ticinia, Vinia and the twins, but still.
I should check on them.
First off, she went to the nearest ECG on guard, checking on her, and was surprised to see the said ECG on the ground, face first.
“Hey! You alright?” She closed the distance, only to trip over something. Rika’s body reacted immediately, and she ended up doing a somersault, landing on her feet.
“What jus- No, this isn’t important right now?” She was bewildered over what she tripped over, but quickly pulled herself together to concentrate on the ECG that had fallen to the ground.
“zzzz…”
“...” She was left speechless once she realized the girl was just sleeping.
In the end, she sighed. It’s good that nothing bad happened, but sleeping on duty is bad.
She carefully closed the distance between her and the sleeping ECG and nudged her.
“Wake up soldier.”
“Mgh…” The ECG stirred, slowly waking up, she rubbed her eyes in tiredness as she raised her upper body, and when she made eye contact with Rika, she saluted sloppily.
“General, ECG-099, report-*yawn*ing, for duty…”
“099 huh?” Rika sighed, that somehow explained the somersault to her. “Why did you not say you were tired earlier? I would’ve changed your shift.”
“Apologies, General.” ECG-099 seemed to have realized her error as she woke up completely. Her somewhat sad look made Rika sigh again.
“I’m not scolding you, 099. I can understand your tiredness. I’m tired too, and so are your sisters.”
ECG-099 nodded quickly, before getting up.
“Go and get some good sleep, I don’t think anything else is gonna happen tonight.”
“Understood…”
ECG-099 saluted sloppily again, before turning and… Faceplanting into the wall… Before Rika could even comment though, ECG-099 continued as if nothing happened, but the fact that she did not even walk straight made Rika wonder if she would find the girl on the ground again…
Rika had to make sure to check on all the ECGs on duty tonight though. If they were all in the same state as ECG-099, it would be bad.
Coffee can’t solve everything after all…
She did a quick turn, searching for the other three patrolling ECGs, but even though they were tired, they did not seem on the verge of sleep, like ECG-099. Still, Rika took note of the overall tiredness of the girls, and decided things could not go on like this.
Either I augment security by installing more security systems, or I ask Ticia to let more clones stay here next time…
The best solution to her was the second one, but that was something she could only resolve once Ticia came back. For now, she decided to make shorter night duties, so that the ECGs could exchange places more often.
“I should check on the kids now…” Rika mumbled as another rumble was heard, the thunderstorm was still going strong outside, and it did not seem like it was gonna end any time soon…
Rika checked on the girl she was the most attentive of first, Vinia. She quietly opened the door, only to see that the girl was spelling peacefully… With ECG-099 sleeping on the floor in the same position Rika had found her not long ago…
Rika quietly closed the door, deciding to just ignore the ECG in the room, and released the breath she had been holding back. Somehow, she felt a bit disappointed over the fact that Vinia was doing fine and that she did not need her.
Maybe Ticinia then? Rika said to herself, but when she checked, the girl was also unperturbed, and no ECG was sleeping on the ground this time… In the end, Rika could not help but think she lost an opportunity…
She then checked on the other clone girls, but none seemed perturbed by the storm. She did see some interesting, cute sights though, like Miria and Tiria hugging each other, not letting go of the other’s warmth, or the messy state Willia and Nicia were in when they slept. It was as she concluded that the Null CGs were fine and another audible thunder struck, that she heard a muffled sound.
“Mh?” Rika stopped. “That came from Nillia’s room?”
She approached the door silently, and in the same way she did before, slowly opened the door. What greeted her was an unbelievable sight.
Nillia was hugging a bunny plush, shivering slightly.
“Uuuuuh~... I’m not scared… I’m a strong knight, thunder can’t scare me!”
But as if denying her words, thunder struck again strongly.
“Kyah!?” Nillia, like a scared mouse, got under the covers of her bed, shivering in fright.
“I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared…”
“...” Rika was left speechless at the sight. Nillia, the little girl who seemed to hate her for some reason, and always showed a strong side, was now whimpering weakly because of thunder.
…What’s with this gap? I kind of feel sorry for her, but it’s kinda cute at the same time?
As Rika tilted her head, still unnoticed by Nillia, she remembered one time when Ticia talked about Nillia.
‘Nillia might appear strong, but don’t be fooled. She’s just like a little kitten who needs to be spoiled~.’
If she were to apply those words to the current Nillia, who was on the verge of tears, then yes, Rika would say that Nillia reassembled a kitty who was lost and in need of warmth.
The assimilation deepened when Nillia peeked her head out from the covers, only for another thunderclap to be heard, making her retreat her head with a small yelp, before peeking out again.
“...Too cute.” Rika said out loud.
“Fueh?” Nillia reacted to the words. “W-who’s there!?” She got out of her blanket in a hurry, and made eye contact with Rika, who was still peeking through the door…
““Ah…”” Both let out a sound as they stared at each other for a bit.
“Uhm, hey there, Nillia? Are you scared of thunder?” Rika managed to say through the awkward silence, trying to sound reassuring, but Nillia began to tremble.
“No…”
“No?”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~~~~~~!” Nillia bursted out crying all of a sudden.
“Wai-?! Nillia!?” Rika panicked now, she immediately entered the room and closed the door, before approaching Nillia.
“Are you oka-”
“No! Stay away, you evil witch!” Nillia pushed her weakly, but Rika was surprised by how she was called.
“Witch? Me? But why?” She could not help but ask.
“Hmph! I’m sure this was all part of your evil plan!” Nillia replied back as she distanced herself, pointing with a trembling arm at Rika, with a glare full of tears. “You somehow seduced mommy, and now you’re trying to humiliate me!”
“S-seduce? Humiliate you?” Rika had a hard time following, but Nillia nodded her head.
“Yes. You somehow seduced mommy, and tricked most of my sisters in believing you! But I am a knight of justice! I shall reveal your true intentions to everyone!” She continued, making Rika even more confused.
“What are you talking about Nillia? Let’s calm down, okay?” She tried to mediate.
“No! I won’t fall for your tricks! You’ve already seen my deepest secret, I won’t let you reveal it to everyone!” Nillia declared, and she took out a toy sword from who knows where.
But as she was about to rush forward, brandishing her weapon of justice (?), another thunderclap struck, and Nillia yelped again, letting go of her weapon.
““...”” Again, Rika found herself staring at an embarrassed Nillia who was about to cry while glaring at her…
“T-t’is but the first round, you witch! I’ll use my ultimate on you!” The girl declared.
…What ultimate? What kind of roleplay did I fall in? Rika was even more confused.
“Hyyyaaaaa!” This time, Nillia rushed towards Rika with the intention to punch her, but on the way, she slipped on her bunny plush. “Whoa!?”
“Whoops.” Rika caught the clone girl in her arms before she fell on the ground. “That was dangerous, are you trying to imitate 099?”
“No! Release me!” Nillia began to struggle, but froze again at the sound of another thunderstrike.
“...How about we calm down for a bit and rest?” Rika proposed.
“...Yes…” The teary eyed Nillia agreed weakly.
Rika walked towards Nillia’s bed, and sat on it while still holding Nilia.
That way she won’t try to do something chuuni-like again.
“Alright, can you explain to me exactly what I did wrong?” Rika tried to be as considerate as possible as she asked this. She truly wanted to fix her problems with Nillia.
Nillia stayed silent at first, but as thunder struck again and she shivered, Rika hugged her warmly. Soon enough, her willpower weakened.
“...I don’t like you.” She muttered, not looking at Rika's face and instead searching for more warmth.
“I know.” Rika replied simply, beginning to pat the girl’s head. “But why do you not like me?”
“Mommy talked a lot about you, but she always had a sad face before…” Nillia looked at Rika in the eyes with some resentment. “You abandoned her, didn’t you?”
“...It’s more complicated than that, but we did end up separated…” Rika responded with mixed feelings. The whole incident had been a lot of miscalculated moves on her part…
“If so, why did you come back? You could have hurt mommy more.” Nillia accused her, Rika nodded, acknowledging it.
“I know…”
“Then why?!” Nillia snapped. “Mom always talks about you! Rika this, Rika that! I’ve had enough of it!”
Does Ticia think of me that often? Rika wondered to herself, a bit surprised by this revelation, but before she could delve on the subject, Nillia continued.
“Why does she seem so happy when she does so, aren’t we here for her? Aren’t we… enough?” She said weakly, as if all the effort she put in sooner was a lie.
Hey, don’t tell me… Rika had a feeling she knew where this was going…
“Nillia, are you feeling… jealous?”
“...” The fact that the little girl tightened the hug while looking away was enough of an answer to Rika.
“I see now…” She sighed, before forcing Nillia to look at her in the eyes. “Nillia, your mom loves you and your sisters.”
“I know.”
“Honestly, I myself am unsure whether I truly deserve to be with Ticia after I’ve put her through.” Rika continued, still feeling guilty, before showing a resolute look. “But your mom has decided to let the past be the past, and so do I. That's why this time, I’m the one helping her. She's in command, not me.” Nillia stared at her as if judging her words, which made Rika smile wryly.
“My words might not be enough for you to understand me, but still, I’m sorry.”
A small silence ensued, Nillia staring into Rika’s soul as if weighing the truth of her words.
“...Will you always stay by mommy’s side?” The little girl asked.
“As long as she wants me there.” Rika replied honestly, a small smile on her face.
Nillia closed her eyes for some seconds, before reopening them with a new, calm look.
“I understand, I won’t be hostile to you anymore.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I accept you as mommy’s lover!” She suddenly declared.
“Eh?” Rika was left frozen at her words. Lover? Me and Ticia? Where does this come from?
“Uhm, Nillia? I think you’re misunderstanding something? Me and Ticia aren’t a couple?” She said, but somehow the phrase came out as an interrogation at the end.
“Eh?” Nillia herself seemed surprised at this, she began to mumble to herself. “But Ticinia said…”
“Ticinia? What did she say?”
“Nothing… Sorry, I misunderstood…” Nillia apologized.
“It’s okay, but in the first place, do I look like a boy to you?” Rika pointed at her chest.
I mean, if she said yes, I’d be shocked and hurt. I’ve always put a lot of care in my body as a girl, and I’m proud of my own shapes.
“Is that even necessary?” Nillia asked, tilting her head in wonder while Rika was surprised yet again. “In the stories I’ve read, boys like boys, and girls like girls!”
“...Just what kind of books have you been reading…” Rika sighed. No, wait, the academy’s library is filled with a lot of those stories, surprisingly enough…
“Romance?” Nillia still tilted her head, confused.
Well that’s true but… Rika stopped her thought. This isn’t important right now…
“Still, you don’t have to worry, I’m not in love with your mother, and your mother isn’t either. We just enjoy each other’s company.” She said with a smile. That was how she honestly felt, and she was sure Ticia felt the same. “Besides, Ticia’s probably straight when it comes to those things…”
“...I don’t think so…” Nillia mumbled to herself again.
“Mh? Did you say something?”
“N-no, neverm-*grumble*Hya!?” The thunder surprised Nillia yet again, making her seek refuge in Rika’s bosom.
“...How about we sleep together tonight?” Rika proposed with a small smile, to which Nillia agreed.
“F-fine, I guess you’re not as evil as I thought, witch.”
“Again with the knight act…”
“J-just, don’t mention anything to my sisters. This is all a secret between me and mommy… Oh, and you now, I guess…” Nillia suddenly said.
Is she talking about how she acts? Or the fact that she’s scared of thunder? Rika asked herself, but either way, she smiled at Nillia.
“Fufu. Don’t worry, I’m a tight lipped witch.”
And with those words, both went to bed together. Nillia did not let go of Rika, clinging strongly to her each time the thunder struck. Rika was left happy with this encounter. Just like this, she had solved her problems with Nillia and discovered a very cute side of the girl. Now, as her mind slowly let go, she wondered if she could deepen that link with the help of the manga she had kept in her collection, but was still worried whether Nillia would become a total chuunibyou if she did so…
The next day, they woke up to a spooked Vinia over the fact that ECG-099 was sleeping like a dead body in her room. Rika still had work to do, in the end…
Chauchat
Author's monologue:
Hey there! I'm back with another chapter!
Unnexpected Nillia chapter! Rika is fixing her relationship with the girls, good, good, she's making progres...
Wait, Rika? but I though it wa-.... Nevermind, guess the ship will have to sail a bit later...
Ahem, just to be clear, only Nillia thought Ticia and Rika were together because of the books she's read and her jealousy. While Ticinia had a feeling something was happening, she isn't quite sure yet. She needs more time to study...
On another note, the ECGs are getting really tired... I mean, keeping watch over their sister all day and then do night watch? Of course it would be tiring! Don't forget they're technically still kids! The rights of the ECGs must be established posthaste!
About the classes... At first, I wanted to show some of them, the twins being an important one, but all the scenes that I've thought up ended up boring to read, so I silently removed them to pass on to the end of the week where Rika calculates her next moves. But that doesn't mean class scenes wont appear later though. Proof of that is the development with Lotte. She's truly a strange case, isn't she? What's up with that?
Anyway! Let's talk about the discord!
The answer was positive, so I've created the server, and somebody whishes to invite you all to the discord...
Tada! Join Willia (teen version btw) on the discord! Is what I wanted to write under the image, but I ran out of time... Guess it'll be done for next week... I might also make the image smaller, or in a spoiler window, I'll see later.
Anyway! Click on Willia to join the discord!
PS: I'm not a specialist of discord, I tryed some things but it might not work as intended, so pls help me if you know how.
And with this, that's it from me for today! I'll see you all in the next chapter!
