"Hahahahaha...haha!"
Eyes burning with a fierce blue-white light widened savagely, flame-like golden hair swaying through the air.
The petite cat-eared girl glared at Arcueid, grinning ferociously. Even with her own head caught in a grasp, her laughter didn't cease, and her wildly thrashing tail spoke volumes about her current state.
Wings woven from interlacing magical energy manifested behind Root, black feathers lashing out like whips towards Arcueid, aiming to tear the girl before her to pieces.
"Is she...?"
Chains shimmering with a golden light appeared alongside Minamiya Natsuki's words, the links sweeping past Root's body and clamping down tightly.
"[Logic Bomb]—a security device embedded within Root to protect classified information." A strange mechanical voice suddenly issued from the mobile phone on the bedside table.
The screen lit up on its own, an AI in the shape of an ugly cloth doll slowly materializing at its center.
"Anyone who intentionally probes into the Fourth Primogenitor's secrets must die. She is the booby-trap program designed for that very purpose." Mogwai gave a human-like yawn, then rubbed its eyes wearily.
Handling the cleanup work from the past two days had left it somewhat exhausted, especially with Aiba Asagi not being around.
"Hahahaha...destroy destroy destroy...eliminate eliminate eliminate...execute execute execute!"
Upon hearing Mogwai's voice, the girl's struggles grew even more intense.
"I see." Arcueid, gripping the wildly thrashing cat-girl head in her hand, revealed a slight smile at the corner of her mouth. "I thought you were trying to rebel."
Her palm gradually tightened, the terrifying force causing the expression on Root's face to twist.
The magical wings behind her were lightly seized by Arcueid's free left hand and torn off as casually as one might pluck a roadside weed.
"Eliminate eliminate eliminate! Execute! Execute!"
Having lost her wings, Root's efforts to escape grew even more frantic. She abruptly tried to bite Avrora, who was within close reach, seemingly intending to use her as a shield.
"Oho, capable of tactical judgments like this too." Arcueid laughed brightly, laying Root sideways across her lap.
Whap—
Arcueid's palm came down hard on Root's bottom.
Whap— Whap—
Once, twice, the continuous sound of spanking echoed through the room.
The sharp, cloth-rending-like sound spoke to the force behind Arcueid's swings. Avrora beside them couldn't bear to watch, covering her eyes.
After a few dozen seconds of spanking, Arcueid tilted her head in confusion. "Not waking up?"
"Eli...eliminate. Exe...execute."
Seems it just wasn't enough. A couple more should do it.
Thinking this, Arcueid raised her palm once more. Just as she was about to bring it down, she was gently stopped by Avrora.
"C...can I try?" Her eyes shone with a determined light, resolved to avenge the hair she lost last night.
"Fine." Arcueid shifted Root on her lap, adjusting her position. "Go ahead."
Avrora took a soft breath, slowly raising her own hand.
In this state, Root probably wouldn't know, right?
After hesitating for two seconds, she excitedly swung her hand down.
Whap—
The warm morning sunlight streamed into the room, glistening on the teardrop at the corner of Root's eye.
Even so, she continued muttering the words.
"Exe...execute."
"Sigh, no help for it." Arcueid shook her head, snapping the fingers of her right hand. "Avrora, drain her magic."
The smile instantly vanished from Avrora's face, her eyes glowing faintly.
The rampaging magical energy on Root rapidly faded. It seemed the [Logic Bomb] vanished along with the magic, as her eyes gradually grew clear.
"I...what is this...?"
Her blue eyes blinked in confusion. After looking around the room, she dumbly covered her own bottom. The sensation of pain entered her mind, and tears instantly welled in the corners of her eyes.
"Wha...what happened?"
Root didn't remember the events that had just transpired!
The smile returned to Avrora's face. She picked up Root's petite form and gently placed her on her own head. "It's...it's nothing."
"If it's nothing, then why does my bottom..."
"P...probably didn't sleep well last night."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Terrifying.
Watching their interaction, Aiba Asagi silently pulled the blanket a bit higher.
"Let's return to our earlier topic." Arcueid gently clapped her hands, the smile on her face growing even brighter. "[Cleansing]. Asagi, you should be able to use it now, right?"
The three conditions required for [Cleansing] were practically non-existent for Aiba Asagi.
"Mhm, I can." Aiba Asagi gave a slight nod. "As long as Mogwai is here, [Cleansing] can be used freely."
Using Mogwai for the calculations, huh?
"Perfect timing." Arcueid beckoned to December, who had come over to check on the commotion.
Seeing this, Root forgot the pain in her bottom, excitedly waving her hands. "Is it now?"
It was an indisputable fact that [Tartarus Lapse] had attacked Itogami Island. Even though the island itself sustained no damage, it still caused a negative impact.
All its members had already been taken into custody by the security Neco-Arcs.
And as for December's punishment...
Root curled the corners of her mouth in delight. She carefully shifted her body, flying over to whisper in Aiba Asagi's ear. "...just like that. Can you do it?"
"I can try." Aiba Asagi gave her a strange look, then softly called towards the phone. "Mogwai."
The next moment, a deep crimson radiance filled the room. The magical light that could alter the world gradually enveloped December.
A few seconds later, a golden-haired girl with cat ears atop her head slowly came into view.
"That's it, just like that, meow!" Root raised her tail high, nodding in satisfaction.
She excitedly flew forward, grabbing December's tail. "So this is what it feels like."
A red flush instantly spread across December's face. Her cat ears twitching, she looked to Arcueid for help.
"Your punishment was decided by Root, you know." But Arcueid across from her merely shook a finger mercilessly, slowly standing up. "Well then, conflict perfectly resolved—"
Boom—
A faint explosion reached her ears.
That was...
Her crimson pupils slowly turned to look out the window, a faint smile curling on Arcueid's lips.
The northern district of Itogami Island suddenly lit up with a bright white light, clearly visible even in the morning.
"Natsuki-chan."
"That's the direction of Magus Craft."
As the words fell, Minamiya Natsuki gave a light flick of her folding fan.
Ripples spread through the air, and their figures instantly vanished from the room.
Minamiya Natsuki's home fell into silence.
"Avrora."
"Hm?"
Avrora turned her head in confusion. Root was staring at her with an expressionless face.
"I remember everything from earlier."
If she couldn't deal with the Princess, did she think she couldn't deal with you?
"...Eh?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.