”…… s……! ……ris……!”
“Mn……?”
A small sound at my ear.
Consciousness still drifting between dream and reality; I couldn’t make it out.
I bit back drowsiness and focused.
“Alice……! Wake up……!”
The moment I recognized it as my beloved master’s voice, I rose and took a kneeling stance on the bed.
“My apologies, Lord Ouga! That I missed your call…… Lord Ouga?”
I couldn’t see Lord Ouga.
His voice was there, but…… huh!?
“Could I…… love him so much I’m hearing things……?”
“No! I’m here!”
I listened more carefully and turned toward his voice.
This is…… by my pillow?
But Lord Ouga can’t be——
“——Wha!?”
He was. But in a form I’d never imagined.
A tiny Lord Ouga, hopping by my pillow desperately to get my attention.
“KAWAAAA——!?”
What a cute figure……! No, not the time.
What’s happening!? Lord Ouga has become doll-sized!
“Lord Ouga! Is this an attack from Floné!?”
”…… Don’t know. I woke up and was like this.”
“I see…… I’m sorry, Lord Ouga. I have no knowledge of such cases……”
“It’s fine. I didn’t come for a solution. ……Alice. I’ll say this only once, so listen carefully.”
“Yes!”
I focused all my consciousness on his words.
To absolutely not miss any, to burn them into my brain.
“Tonight only, would you let me sleep beside you?”
”…… What?”
The single line easily buried my concentration.
“L-L-Lord Ouga? What did you just say……?”
”……I said once.”
“S-so, Let me sleep beside you isn’t a hallucination my ears produced……?”
He looked away embarrassed, gave a small nod.
How cute, shaking my heart this much!
…… Wait. Not good.
This high-strung state would disqualify me as his maid.
His words always have meaning. He wouldn’t visit my bedroom for nothing.
”…… Bodyguard duty for any emergency?”
”…… Yes. I can’t say for sure it’s Floné, but I can’t say it isn’t either.”
“Understood. With every ounce, I’ll protect your life.”
”…… Don’t be too inconvenienced.”
“This is my role. Lord Ouga, would you ride on my hand?”
“Yes.”
He moved his tiny hands and feet diligently and sat in the palm I’d extended.
The figure was too precious; I wanted to preserve it on the magic camera, but this is an emergency.
This isn’t the time for jests. I shook my head.
“Now, Lord Ouga. I’ll show you something ugly, please forgive me.”
“Hm? What do you——A-Alice!?”
With my other hand, I unbuttoned a few of my pajama buttons.
Then hooked my fingers into the chest wrap and tore it apart.
“Whew……”
My compressed chest released; a little easier.
The chest wrap is better for mobility, but Lord Ouga’s safety comes first.
“A-Alice! What are you doing!”
“It’s necessary to protect you……?”
“H-how does showing cleavage relate to protecting me!?”
“To enable instant action in case of attack.”
I could have just watched over him as he slept.
But being watched while asleep doesn’t feel good.
In an already mentally unsteady situation, added mental burden ruins sleep.
So having him in my hand, where I can react fastest, in a never-leaving spot — is best.
And I’ve heard a chest has healing effects on the male mind.
Said to be more effective the bigger it is — so I removed the chest wrap to make Lord Ouga’s one-night-only boob-bed.
“Now, Lord Ouga. Please, without reservation, climb in.”
“N-no, Alice……? S-seriously……?”
“Yes. I declare this the best option.”
And wrapped in skin-warmth, sleep should come quickly.
He hummed, mulling, then forced himself to accept with a nod.
”…… A-all right. If you go that far……”
“Thank you.”
“B-but! Don’t tell Mashiro and the others! Understood!?”
“Of course.”
If word got out, those three would shoot jealousy at me all day.
For future relations, I want to keep good ties; I won’t be foolish.
”…… Tch, do it…… Alice.”
“Let me know if you’re uncomfortable.”
With careful fingers, I gently set Lord Ouga in my cleavage.
“Mngh……”
“S-sorry……!”
”…… No, Lord Ouga. Don’t mind me, please find the best position.”
“A-all right…… soft……”
He moved hands and feet to find a sleeping position.
Each movement pressed and pushed my chest, threatening to make sounds escape, but I bit back not to worry him.
I covered my mouth, watched him moving on my chest.
“Th-this is fine……”
“Hnnah…… acknowledged……. Now please rest.”
“Yeah…… good night……”
I returned to the bed and lay on my back so Lord Ouga could sleep easily.
I placed one hand on my chest to prevent him from falling, and pulled the blanket up.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
”…… Lord Ouga!?”
I woke and immediately looked at my chest — he was gone.
I leapt up, stood before the full-length mirror, stripped my pajamas, threw off the chest wrap and underwear.
“H-he’s not here……?”
What’s happening……?
While my head spun in confusion, the door flew open with force.
“What’s wrong, Ali——KYAAAA!?”
“Ah.”
“Y-you suddenly shouted my name, and why are you NAKED!?”
Lord Ouga frantically hid his eyes with the un-bandaged hand.
I realized.
The tiny Lord Ouga in my memory wasn’t wearing bandages.
…… I see. That.
“A dream……”
Understanding the precious night was a phantom, I crumpled to the floor.
“I don’t know what happened, but first — put clothes on!!”
He shouted, but he was peeking through his fingers, so I decided to stay like this for a while.
◇ Special short story before Chapter 4 begins. ◇