In all fairness, the looks and figures of Ägir and August were absolutely top-notch in the entire cafe, but their personalities were utterly terrible. To be precise, they completely lacked the professional standards expected of the service industry.
Lu Chen was glad he had made an agreement with Hutten beforehand; he simply treated them as non-existent.
But soon, a new problem arose.
The booth was long enough to seat three people on each side, but August was lying down on the opposite side. With her long figure, there was naturally no room for anyone else to sit there. Lu Chen had one maid sitting on his left and one on his right. At first glance, it seemed perfect, but where would Noshiro sit when she returned?
"Miss August, right? Could you please sit up? You're occupying my girlfriend's seat," Lu Chen said politely.
"No," August wiggled her white-stockinged feet. "Isn't there plenty of room where you are? Why don't you just have your girlfriend sit on your left?"
"My girlfriend is Noshiro. Although she also works at the cafe, that doesn't mean just any maid is my girlfriend," Lu Chen answered, glancing at Hutten on his left.
"Of course, I know your girlfriend is Noshiro. We saw her when we came in," August said lazily. "Why doesn't Hutten just give up her seat? She doesn't need one."
"What do you mean?"
Hutten let out a small laugh, and her nimble hands crept onto Lu Chen's body until she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. Forehead to forehead, they could feel each other's warm breath on their faces.
Hutten's breath carried a hint of sweetness, the kind of demonic temptation that a fatal venom would emit to lure its prey. She parted her lips slightly, and a silver-white glint shone in her scarlet mouth. "My Master, how could a special service be something as boring as clinging to your arm and acting cute? Would you like me to sit on your lap, or on the floor?"
Lu Chen attempted a tactical lean backward, but Hutten's hands held his neck firmly. A flash of triumph crossed her amber vertical pupils. "Don't try to resist. My sisters and I are three; you stand no chance. Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy it?"
"I have a girlfriend, and she'll be back soon."
"Oh, come on. Everyone knows your girlfriend doesn't care about these things. And your heart tells me you don't reject this kind of thing," Hutten shifted her position, keeping one arm around Lu Chen and placing the other hand on his chest. "See? Your heart rate has sped up quite a bit. Lu Chen, having desires for beauty is not a shameful thing. I just want you to face your true feelings."
"Regardless, this violates my moral standards," Lu Chen argued stubbornly. He was an ordinary man. It was impossible not to feel tempted with a soft beauty in his arms, but he also had certain moral rules for himself. He wouldn't cross a certain line.
But right now, a group of Ship Girls, eyeing him eagerly, were trying to break down, or rather, lower his moral standards.
Hutten asked with interest, "But what if your moral standards are flawed?"
"Then I still don't think you're right."
"Are you interested in a bet?" Hutten gently intertwined her fingers with Lu Chen's hand. "If I lose, I'll never proactively do anything like this to you again. But if you lose, you must confront your inner self and follow your desires."
"How will we bet?" Lu Chen asked. His own mind was wavering. Noshiro wasn't just passive; she was actively encouraging him to do something. The unique school, the bizarre interpersonal relationships, combined with his amnesia—everything was assaulting his inner self.
He felt as if he had fallen into a swamp. And now, Hutten was extending a hand. Whether she was pushing him further in or pulling him out, Lu Chen wasn't sure. In the end, he decided to let instinct decide.
"We bet that even if your girlfriend finds out while I'm performing the special service, she won't get angry," Hutten said confidently. "If she shows even the slightest sign of anger toward me, I lose the bet. How does that sound?"
Lu Chen contemplated for a moment, then said firmly, "I accept the bet!"
A trace of delight flashed almost simultaneously in the eyes of August, who was lying opposite them, and Ägir, who was sitting next to Lu Chen. Poor Commander. The judges are all on our side. How can you possibly fight us? Cruel reality will teach you that the house always wins.
"That's right. What kind of man is wishy-washy?" Hutten gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder. "Show some of the nerve you used to force me into doing that thing for you!"
"I don't see any sign of coercion in your behavior," Lu Chen said, rubbing his aching head. "Logically, you should be desperately avoiding me, so why do you keep seeking me out?"
Hutten scoffed softly. "Originally, you paid me pocket money, and I did that thing for you. It was a fair trade. But you insisted on pretending you weren't interested in me, so I just had to see if I could attract you."
If you want to condemn someone, you can always find an excuse. No matter what Lu Chen's reaction was, Hutten had a way to deal with him. With her planning and Lu Chen's pitiful lack of information, it was no wonder he was being manipulated.
"I admit you've attracted me, so can we start the bet?" Lu Chen asked resignedly.
"Yes. Let me think. Sitting on your lap is out. I won't steal your first kiss—we'll consider that compensation for her. Hehe. It looks like there's only one option left." Hutten smiled alluringly. Her boneless body slowly slid down, disappearing under the table. "An exclusive special maid service just for you. Enjoy it to the fullest~"
Lu Chen never expected the "special service" Hutten mentioned to be this. If it was, he shouldn't have agreed in the first place. Wait, they had done something similar yesterday, and Noshiro hadn't been bothered. If she saw the live action, would she still remain calm?
Since this wasn't the first time he had done this, being scolded would only be a delayed judgment. Lu Chen viewed this as a final test: whether this would be his saving grace or the last straw that broke the camel's back would depend on Noshiro's reaction.
Before long, Noshiro pushed open the divider to the booth. When she saw Lu Chen and Hutten, her mind went completely blank. It took her three or four seconds before she realized the implications of the scene before her.
Noshiro's pretty face instantly turned scarlet, more embarrassed than ever before. She lowered her voice and scolded, "Are you two crazy?! Doing something like this here!"
Lu Chen suddenly felt like laughing. Then he did laugh. Simultaneously, he made eye contact with Hutten under the table. You lost this bet.
However, he was met with Hutten's playful, knowing gaze.
Noshiro quickly walked to Lu Chen's side and sat down, unzipping her jacket and leaning forward onto the table, turning her face away so she wouldn't look at Lu Chen. "Do you know you'd be totally socially dead if someone else saw you? I'll cover for you. Hurry up."
The string of reason in Lu Chen's heart snapped. It was immediately followed by a rush of endless, dark desire.