"Ah ah ah—!"
Before the dawn alarm could blare, X was already awake, her cry ten times louder than the alarm, registering a shriek index of one hundred. Females, it seems, are exceptionally gifted at generating high-pitched sonic bursts…
And when genuinely startled, even X could emit a piercing, high-pitched scream. It appeared that beyond mere acting ability, X possessed great talent for authentic vocal performances; her dolphin-like cries were exceptionally convincing.
X's standard sleep quality was generally very high, often deep enough that she wouldn't stir until the alarm buzzed. But today was different—
She hadn't slept soundly, feeling extremely restless, with a severe pressure tightening her chest, as if she had been subjected to excess heat, or perhaps something significantly heavy was pressing upon her sternum, causing uncomfortable respiration. When a person's breathing is restricted, it is very easy to experience vivid nightmares, which naturally leads to poor sleep quality.
Any of these factors could explain why X, despite retiring late, awoke early. But this was not the true reason she unleashed a terrifying, dolphin-like shriek the moment she opened her eyes. Her actual reason lay here.
"An—Angela! You, you, you, why are you here?! Why are you beneath my quilt?!"
Feeling excessively warm and uneasy in her slumber, X opened her eyes, and the very first thing she registered was… the distinct sensation of being held while asleep, and it was heavy.
Although the intelligent AI's weight wasn't exaggeratedly excessive, it certainly couldn't be classified as 'light.' It was significantly denser than an average person, requiring substantially more mass. After all, no matter how human-like the exterior shell, the internal structure consisted entirely of rare metals and various composite materials, industrial components.
Machines are fundamentally never light. In fact, the ability to regulate its mass within a human-acceptable range was already a feat of extremely sophisticated manufacturing. Materials were meticulously selected for peak quality, and during production, there was continuous striving for improvement.
Angela's chassis was not supposed to be equipped with weapon-type components, which is why her body mass was comparatively lighter than other humanoid combat frames.
However… this was still easily a 100 kg humanoid chassis. By humanoid body metrics, a 100 kg frame is undoubtedly lighter than a heavy iron safe, but it remains an intelligent machine.
[Good morning, Manager. Are you sure you don't want to rest a bit longer? It is still early.]
The intelligent AI offered X a greeting. She likely didn't need sleep at all… Well, intelligent AIs generally bypass the need for sleep. X had reason to suspect that her thoughtful Secretary had been exercising that thoughtfulness all night long, a probability exceeding 60%.
And after staring at the Secretary's beautiful face for a few seconds, X's slowly settling, hazy brain finally began to engage.
Memories gradually surfaced. Last night's events replayed in fragmented bursts, cycling repeatedly. Due to her low blood pressure, X's reaction speed was sluggish, akin to a sloth's. For the initial few seconds, she registered nothing; then, seconds later, the realization hit her suddenly.
"..."
"..."
"This must be a dream, right? Yes, it absolutely must be a dream."
X's golden eyes were clouded, hazy, and dull. She quickly flopped back down, pulling the quilt up, intending to cover herself completely, like sealing a coffin lid.
But upon closing her eyes, the sensations and weight pressing upon her body persisted. Feeling cautiously, a certain lingering residue returned… She began to grasp her current state: she was now highly susceptible to the cold, requiring the warmth of the covers.
This… she simply couldn't trick herself any longer!
And after a few more seconds, all traces of sleepiness vanished. X's lingering morning fog completely dispersed due to the rush of memories swirling in her mind. Unpleasant memories and fragmented visions flashed one after another, making peaceful rest, or continuing sleep, impossible.
So, with her head now clear, fully grasping what had transpired, X immediately seized the intelligent AI's hand, which was still resting carelessly across her body. That hand was undeniably restless, and X found its proximity difficult to tolerate.
Clearly, the intelligent AI's slender, delicate fingers were savoring X's fair, smooth skin, even if the android itself didn't consciously perceive it as pleasure.
"An—ge—la, you deceived me, you trickster! You shameless, despicable, vulgar AI!"
X yelled and screamed at the Secretary, but in reality, layered with her sobs and aggrieved tone, it sounded more like a petulant pout directed at someone.
This outburst possessed almost zero intimidating power, and it wouldn't make anyone feel threatened.
The woman before her felt fragile like a small bird. No, perhaps more like a hedgehog—prickly everywhere, yet undeniably soft at the core.
[Hmm? Did I lie to you? I certainly fulfilled my promise to nourish you until you were full. Does that imply you are still unsatisfied? There is still ample time remaining. If you remain unfulfilled, I shall begin working with greater diligence from this moment forward to satisfy your greedy appetite.]
Perhaps through subtle suggestion and suggestive phrasing, such declarations emanated from the AI Secretary's lips. As an adult woman, X, despite her generally obtuse nature, after experiencing a few 'minor incidents,' could vaguely grasp the undertones in these words.
…Those were definitely not benign statements. It must be the mischievous Secretary plotting some terrible scheme.
X became even angrier. She typically suffered from low blood pressure upon waking, but now she felt a spike of hypertension. The intelligent AI had provoked her to a state of agitation with just a few phrases. Not even Safety Department Dean Netzach had ever managed to infuriate her this thoroughly.
"You, you, you, you are driving me insane! Angela, get out of my room! I don't want this anymore—Mmm."
Her mouth was covered, sealed by something X perceived as utterly foul: a burning, scorching heat… akin to scalding. X, who had initially thrown off the blanket due to the chill from the air conditioning's low setting, now felt absolutely no coldness.
Her body was heating up… Consuming alcohol causes one to feel warm, and now her entire system was flushed. Why? Perhaps because her blood circulation had drastically accelerated.
[Good morning, Manager. This is your morning salute. And yes, if you still wish to enjoy a normal breakfast later, you must not mention any of this to the Deans. Otherwise… I will substitute all of your breakfast meals with my specially customized nutritional supplements.]
[I can guarantee, they will be extremely fortifying—and healthy.]
The intelligent AI smiled as she carefully wiped away a trace of drool from X's lips. After cleaning, she casually positioned her finger near X's mouth. This barely required encouragement; the woman before her instinctively began to suckle, as if swallowing something, firmly enclosing the finger…
And upon hearing the phrases 'specially customized' and 'nutritional meal,' X shuddered internally. With the AI Secretary's finger still within her mouth, she nodded in compliance. The finger seemed to register more warmth and sensation as X gently swayed her head.
Fortunately, the intelligent AI was merely introducing her finger into X's mouth; this was not to be any kind of extraordinary experience.
And seeing X obediently nod, gradually becoming docile and compliant from her earlier agitation, Angela couldn't help but withdraw her finger, 'rewarding' the woman before her.
Hmm, this concept of a 'reward' was the justification the woman used most frequently, fond of employing it toward the Deans. But clearly, the principle of 'do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire' applied. X's thoroughly unwilling expression demonstrated she disliked any form of 'reward.'
However, that ultimately made no difference. The intelligent AI intended to make her enjoy it.
After several kisses, X gradually began to accept the interaction, and also learned how to respond to her AI Secretary, rather than resisting by clenching her teeth.
After another ten minutes of delay, the satisfied AI finally adopted a slightly serious expression.
[Manager, you should be capable of dressing yourself, correct? If you find it challenging, I can prepare your clothing first before arranging breakfast.]
Although she voiced this, the intelligent AI had already retrieved today's attire, neatly arranged it, and extended it forward. She seemed poised to assist, as if X were temporarily incapacitated, requiring help with every basic function, much like an infant.
While that description might be slightly exaggerated, the AI Secretary truly possessed the nurturing tendency to personally spoon-feed. This extended beyond a Secretary's duties; it leaned more toward that of a highly attentive, super-efficient home aide.
"No, I can manage. I will do it myself."
Upon seeing Angela about to interfere again, X shook her head emphatically. Her single-sentence responses were now markedly more fluent, and her reactions quicker. Challenging the AI now carried significant risk. She needed to be properly attired before attempting defiance, simply to avoid…
[Very well, I completely respect your autonomy. What would you prefer for breakfast today?]
"Savory porridge."
X remained somewhat resolute, perhaps stubborn. Even when discussing meals, she sounded listless. She couldn't help but wonder if this was due to the Secretary having overly distracted her.
[Are you certain that is all you require?]
"Mmm… I feel I don't have much appetite."
X inwardly wished she could glare at the Secretary, demanding to know whose fault her condition was. But considering her throat felt sore, swollen, and vaguely uncomfortable, X lacked the courage to voice her complaint.
She only dared to silently curse the Secretary in her mind. Whose actions had led to this? To actually say it aloud, she still couldn't summon the nerve. She had witnessed Angela's calculated tactics yesterday and certainly had no desire to endure a repeat performance.
That kind of heavy, rich food felt entirely unappealing to her right now. And items like sandwiches or plain bread were too dry. X craved something soupy.
Rice porridge topping would be excellent… Besides that specific pairing, breakfast also offered options like fried dumplings with rice, instant noodles with rice, and so on. Aside from bread, there was a wealth of substantial menus available.
X reflected; she had been too careless herself… Angela had clearly promised she could choose comfortably for dinner, yet she had ended up eating nothing and immediately succumbed to sleep.
Deceiver—the Secretary was a deceitful entity!
X mentally condemned the intelligent AI repeatedly while grumbling through her morning ablutions.
In the morning, X maintained a habit of taking a hot shower, as the warmth provided significant relief. Muscle soreness would ease, and that lingering, vague discomfort would gradually dissolve in the hot water.
And while showering, X would inevitably revisit last night's events. In truth, most of the critical details remained hazy… Or perhaps it wasn't that she couldn't recall them clearly, but rather that she actively refused to confront them, unwilling to re-experience them.
X possessed an almost photographic memory. Employee names, Dean reports, or complex Abnormality management issues—she remembered them all with startling clarity… Of course, these were all strictly work-related matters.
When something genuinely mattered to her, her recall was flawless.
—Was my first time taken by the intelligent AI?
X wasn't entirely certain. While possible, she was single, without a romantic partner, so logically, there should have been no adult encounters. She wasn't someone deeply consumed by raw desire, so experience should be minimal.
However… X still felt a profound dissonance. She couldn't pinpoint the source of this nagging bad feeling.
But X desperately did not want to recall too many specifics of last night. Those moments were troublesome enough; reliving them was out of the question.
Setting aside the other details for the moment, X's most vivid recollection was of her infuriatingly mischievous Secretary holding a voice recorder near her ear, murmuring:
[Perhaps you could serve as a product tester, personally verifying how well this new waterproof voice recorder performs?]
X still remembered the malicious glint in the AI Secretary's eyes as she assessed X while performing some other strange action!
The moment this memory surfaced, X felt as if the water temperature had suddenly spiked; the hot water was indeed a bit too intense.
—It's Angela's fault, too!
She mentally condemned the intelligent AI another ten times, yet even as she cursed, X instinctively brought her own finger to her mouth, mimicking the oppressive sensation of the AI's touch, causing her breath to hitch.
—Fine, at least this arrangement covers three meals a day plus dessert afterward.
She managed to console herself that this outcome at least… wasn't an overwhelming loss, right? X paused, realizing she could demand unlimited pudding later. If she tired of pudding, there was ice cream and other confections. It wasn't such a terrible bargain.
Totally worth it! No loss incurred!
Because this time, she absolutely would not permit Angela to repeat this behavior.
X solidified this thought, and her mood stabilized. How could a Manager possibly be defeated by a minor setback? Even if bullied by the Secretary and earning disapproval from the Deans, work must proceed, and the Manager's seat must remain occupied.
And by the time X finished changing into her uniform, the intelligent AI had already laid out breakfast. Placed before X was not only savory porridge with a rice topping but also a glass containing a strange drink. How to describe its color… it was certainly peculiar.
"Angela, what is this?"
X pointed toward the drink in the glass, a touch of suspicion coloring her tone. Although she believed it contained no poison, X couldn't guarantee what it was besides poison.
Having spent nearly ten days together, X had developed a rudimentary understanding of the Secretary's capabilities. Nevertheless, X remained the type to knowingly walk into a trap—perhaps willingly allowing herself to be fooled, or perhaps simply being inherently naive in certain areas.
[Your throat is a bit hoarse, I apologize… I admit I overdid things slightly yesterday. You consumed quite a bit of this; rest assured, this remedy is not bitter.]
The intelligent AI spoke with apparent sincerity, as if discerning X's inherent doubt. She took a small sip first, a demonstration meant to prove there were no adverse effects… Although, truthfully, an AI couldn't truly confirm safety for a human constitution.
"Hmph, you are thoughtful enough, I suppose."
However, X was clearly the type to overlook such fine details, or perhaps she subconsciously filtered out anything that demanded too much critical thought. She took a sip, confirmed it wasn't unpleasant, and with a faint sweetness and milky aroma, she consumed the entire thing in one gulp.
The flavor was acceptable…
X licked the corner of her mouth, noting that the soreness in her throat seemed to have diminished.