Chapter 5:
The Legendary Granny
THE NEXT DAY, I was really drained.
“Everyone at once was a bit too much, even for me…”
Glued to my side in bed, Dr. Shouko whispered into my ear, “Need some steroids?”
“Please, no… You guys are going to kill me.”
Although I was incredibly fatigued, the girls seemed to be practically glowing, Dr. Shouko included. The “punishment” Wiska had proposed the previous night had been truly awful. Well, I guess it wasn’t that bad. It was basically just some intimate faux-professional wrestling… But even without Mei taking part, facing off against six people in a row wasn’t easy. It was practically impossible. If Mei had joined in… Well, intelligent machines don’t get tired or pass out, so there’s no way a human could ever have won. Give me a break!
“There really is deeper meaning to socializing naked,” Dr. Shouko mused.
“People say that about communal bathing, not the chaotic madness that took place last night,” I objected.
“Didn’t you enjoy yourself?”
“It was amazing,” I responded immediately.
Dr. Shouko smirked in response. It was a bit unexpected, but when it came to things like this, she’d turned out to be the most proactive person in our group.
“Well, I’ve never had a family before,” she pointed out. “I probably got drunk on the feeling of another person’s warmth.”
Her smirk as she said this made me unable to determine whether she was joking or serious. At any rate, the event had served as a bonding moment for the crew, so—despite being unorthodox—it had been a good thing in the end. Not that I could say it was particularly healthy bonding…
“I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself. I did too,” I said.
“A win-win. However, it’s about time we get out of bed.” Dr. Shouko replied.
“Mm-hmm.”
The other girls had already left and were likely done their morning baths. There was still some time before our meeting with that old lady, but it was about time to get ready and eat something.
“Hiro, carry me,” Dr. Shouko pleaded, holding out her arms.
“Huh…? Fine.”
I lifted her and carried her toward the bathroom. I was feeling peckish, but before I ate, I’d need to prepare for the day.