The Extra's Rise

Chapter 566 - 566: Master (1)

The partnership between the Tower of Magic, the Creighton family, and Ouroboros regarding aetherite mining had reached its final planning stages. We had collectively decided to send a specialized team to the lunar re

We remained like that for perhaps twenty minutes, the afternoon light gradually shifting as the sun moved across the sky. I was making good progress on the logistics reports when the office door suddenly opened without warning.

Kali stepped through the doorway, clearly intending to discuss something important, but stopped dead when she took in the scene before her. Her eyes widened as she processed the sight of Reika curled up beside my chair with her head in my lap, my hand tangled in her violet hair, both of us looking perfectly comfortable with the arrangement.

For a moment, absolute silence filled the room. Kali's expression cycled through surprise, understanding, and what might have been amusement before settling on carefully neutral professionalism.

"Oh," she said quietly, raising one hand to cover her mouth. "I... apologize for disturbing you both. I should have knocked."

"Kali, wait—" I started to say, but she was already backing toward the door.

"It's not urgent," she said quickly, though her eyes held a gleam that suggested she was filing this information away for future reference. "We can discuss it later. Much later. When you're... less occupied."

She disappeared through the doorway with remarkable speed, leaving Reika and me alone once again. I could hear her footsteps retreating down the corridor, and I had the distinct impression that this little scene would be the subject of considerable speculation among the guild's staff.

"That was embarrassing," I muttered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

Reika, however, seemed entirely unbothered by the interruption. "Why?" she asked innocently. "We weren't doing anything inappropriate. I was simply resting while you worked."

'Define inappropriate,' Luna commented sarcastically.

"It's just..." I struggled to articulate why the situation felt complicated. "People might get the wrong impression."

"What impression would that be?" Reika asked, tilting her head to look at me again. "That I serve you faithfully? That you treat me with kindness? That we're comfortable with each other?"

When she put it like that, it did sound fairly innocent. But something about the way she said 'serve you faithfully' carried undertones that definitely weren't innocent, and the contentment in her violet eyes suggested depths of devotion that went well beyond professional loyalty.

"Never mind," I said finally, returning to my paperwork. "You're probably right."

She smiled at that, settling back into her position with obvious satisfaction. "I usually am, Master."