Chapter 7 : Don’t talk, keep eating

“What tasty thing is it~”

Zero’s room was done in cool blue tones, spotlessly neat. A few cat cushions and cat hug pillows were scattered around (the ones Yaxi had custom-ordered because she liked them).

Qianya was busy guessing what kind of treat Zero had prepared for her.

Then, the next second…

Zero closed the door, raised her hand, and started unbuttoning the front of her shirt.

“…Eh (°ー°〃)?”

One button, two buttons… the fabric slipped off her shoulders, revealing smooth white skin. Only then did Zero stop, casually tossing the shirt onto the chair by the bed.

All that remained was a light-gray sleeveless cat-print crop top and a pair of sporty shorts, showing off two long, straight, pale legs.

“Kyaa—” Qianya’s cheeks instantly flared red. She instinctively hugged her own chest.

“Z-Zero… w-what are you doing! Don’t tell me the ‘tasty thing’ you meant is me QAQ”

She backed away as she spoke.

Zero acted like she didn’t notice the panic at all. Expressionless, she walked to the nightstand, opened the drawer, and took out an oil-paper package.

“It’s just hot.”

Then she handed the package to Qianya. “Here, cheeseburger.”

“…Huh?”

Qianya blinked, lowered her guarding arms, and opened the package. Inside was a small, cute cheeseburger—freshly bought, still faintly steaming.

Gurgle…

The smell of cheese hit her nose and her stomach immediately growled again.

“Can I really have it?”

“Mm, you can eat the cheeseburger.”

Zero answered with her usual blank face.

Qianya let out a huge sigh of relief, then eagerly took a big bite. Bread, cheese, and meat patty melted together in her mouth—infinitely better than those plain bread slices QAQ.

Mind-blowing deliciousness!

“So good nom (´I`)” Qianya mumbled with her cheeks full.

But right at that moment, footsteps sounded from the stairs, getting closer and clearly heading toward Zero’s room!

“Someone’s coming ∑(°口°๑)” Qianya instantly tensed.

Oh no, if it’s Iris,

“What do we do… mmph?”

Before Qianya could freak out, Zero calmly scooped her up, carried her to the bed, lay down, placed Qianya on top of her, and pulled the blanket over them both.

“Mm? What is this?” Lying on top of the cat girl, Qianya looked up at Zero, completely confused.

“Quiet. Keep eating ( ᗜ ˰ ᗜ )”

Zero pressed Qianya’s head down and tucked the blanket around them.

Well then… Even though the position felt super weird, Qianya knew this wasn’t the time to argue. She buried her face and frantically ate her cheeseburger.

They’d just gotten hidden when the door was knocked.

“Come in.” Zero replied.

The door creaked open—it really was Iris.

The elf girl walked in hugging a notebook. Seeing Zero lying in bed under the blanket, she said,

“Zero, I want to discuss something about renovating the café.”

“Speak.” Zero’s tone remained flat.

Iris walked to the bedside and flipped open her notebook.

“Here’s the plan. I want to completely redecorate that idiot’s café. The old furniture is too plain, especially the counter—it needs to be replaced with something new. The tables by the window should be swapped for more refined ones so customers will like coming here… Oh, and we’re changing the signboard at the entrance too. How about ‘Elven Chalice’? I think it sounds way better than the old ‘Starlight Café.’”

Iris kept talking and sketching in her notebook, completely oblivious to the lump under the blanket.

But…

Qianya: R-Renovate Σ( ° △ °|||)︴

The moment she heard “renovate the café” and “change the signboard,” Qianya’s little face turned bright red.

No way (╬◣д◢)! That’s my café!

It was the café Qianya had poured her blood, sweat, and tears into! She had personally chosen the name! And Iris wanted to erase it completely?!

Too much!

Qianya couldn’t help squirming a little, making the blanket shift.

Zero instantly locked her legs around Qianya to stop any more movement.

But… the ever-sharp Iris couldn’t possibly miss that.

“Hm?” Iris immediately stopped writing, frowning at Zero’s blanket.

“Why does it look like something’s moving under there?”

Qianya: Yiii—

Her heart leapt into her throat, palms sweating.

Qianya: I’m done for! I’m such an idiot X﹏X

Why did I have to move aaaah…

Just when Qianya thought she was doomed, Zero spoke up, tone perfectly calm.

“Nothing hidden. I just caught Qianya. She’s under the blanket eating me right now.”

Qianya: … (O_O) ?

Hah?! What the heck did you just say (〃﹏〃)

Qianya’s face instantly turned the color of a little apple ( ).

“…Huh?” Iris froze for a second, then sighed.

“I’ve told you before, stop making those shameless jokes with a straight face. You always did that. Only that idiot never saw your true personality…”

Iris clearly thought Zero was just teasing and didn’t press further.

“Anyway, that’s the plan. If you’re fine with it, come shopping for furniture with me this afternoon?”

“Fine.” Zero nodded.

Iris gave a few more instructions about the shopping, then left with her notebook.

The moment the door closed, Qianya shot out from under the blanket and glared at Zero, face still red.

“Zero! What the heck did you just say?!”

Zero looked back at her calmly and countered, “Did it work or not ( ᗜ ˰ ᗜ )”

“Uh… well, it did work (´-﹏-`；)”

Qianya wilted, scratching her cheek awkwardly.

Qianya: “But next time can you use a normal excuse? That was way too embarrassing.”

Zero: “Then next time you come to my room, don’t make noise and don’t move.”

Qianya: “Okay… wait, huh?”

Something feels off ( ).

Zero said nothing more. She simply took out another oil-paper package from the drawer and handed it over—another cheeseburger.

“There’s one more. Eat.”

“Woooh (✧∇✧)”

Qianya’s eyes sparkled. She grabbed the burger and devoured it, instantly forgetting all shame in favor of food.

“So goood (ˊ˘ˋ)”

After finishing the second burger, she patted her now-round tummy in satisfaction.

“Mm, I made Qianya’s belly bigger.” Zero murmured.

“? What’d you say?” Qianya didn’t catch it.

“Nothing.” Zero tidied the blanket and looked at her. “If you’re hungry again later, come to my room more often. I have even better stuff.”

“Really?!” Qianya instantly perked up.

But then she thought… why was Zero suddenly being so nice?

Was there a price for all this food…?

No way, right…?

Even though she felt a tiny bit uneasy, the thought of more delicious food won out. Qianya nodded.

“So if I get hungry I can come find Zero?”

“Mm. Come find me anytime you’re hungry. Then when I’m hungry I’ll come find you—just don’t say no ( ᗜ ˰ ᗜ )”

“…Huh (°ー°〃)?”

What the heck… Why would Zero come looking for Qianya when she’s hungry?

Qianya isn’t food ( ).

She really couldn’t follow Zero’s train of thought…

♡♡♡

Anyway, Qianya still agreed.

After saying goodbye to Zero, she hummed a little tune as she went downstairs, already planning the next steps.

Since her current main quest was to remove the four slave marks, and she’d just built good relations with Zero, who should she tackle next?

Qianya started thinking hard.

Definitely not Iris—that girl was way too serious and currently held the biggest grudge…

Vivian wouldn’t be easy either. She acted all flirty, but Qianya knew she was super sly ( ).

She might take the chance to demand all sorts of weird things and toy with Qianya. Too risky, wuu X﹏X.

So there was only one answer!

“Hehe, Luko-chan (ฅ´ω`ฅ)”

Qianya knew the little dragon girl Luko was the purest of the four and had always liked her from the start.

Back then Luko believed anything she said. Even though Qianya was a girl now, the dragon girl’s affection should still be there, right?

And Luko was the softest-hearted. If Qianya acted cute and sweet-talked her enough, she might take pity and remove the mark on her own!

Yes! Start with Luko!

“Hehe~”

Qianya clenched her fists, a plan already forming.

She’d begin with Luko, remove the first slave mark, then slowly work on the other three.

“Operation start o(｀ω´)o”

…

Of course, at this moment Qianya had no idea what was waiting for her.