January 11th
Battle. Pure bliss.
So that's what fighting a "rabbit" feels like.
Maybe I should try… different rabbits next time.
…
With just a few scribbled lines in his diary, Levi summed up his impressions of last night's wild clash.
He shut the notebook and slid it back into his drawer, then realized—he hadn't checked today's mission yet.
Hopefully, the reward would once again be a physical stat boost.
That one had been far too sweet.
[Today's Mission: Collaborate with Friedrich der Große to arrange a musical piece.][Reward: X-ray Vision.][Mission Condition: If Friedrich successfully "claims" you during the process, the mission fails.]
Friedrich der Große, huh…
Levi's mind instantly flashed with the image of a ripe, voluptuous body.
He knew it—there was no way Friedrich could've resisted for so long without coming to find him.
As for the reward… X-ray Vision.
At first glance, it didn't seem all that useful.
Then again… maybe it could be.
A few "applications" came to mind.
For instance… having the shipgirls wear all sorts of tiny trinkets on their bodies, then strolling around the port together. With his X-ray ability, Levi could instantly check their "status" through the clothes.
Or…
For those shipgirls with a taste for M-style play, he could lock them in a suitcase and stroll through public spaces, all while knowing exactly what was happening inside.
Levi was still happily brainstorming when Friedrich's message popped up.
Shame his hypnosis skill was still cooling down. Otherwise, combining the two powers would have made the mission a breeze.
After sorting his thoughts, Levi made his way to the location Friedrich had given him: the Ironblood Concert Hall.
The hall was empty—save for Friedrich herself.
She stood on stage in a sleek black evening gown, a dramatic slit climbing high along her thigh. Black stilettos emphasized her already commanding height—she was at least half a head taller than Levi.
The moment she saw him, her face lit up with a dazzling smile.
"Welcome, my child."
"Friedrich…"
Levi stepped forward, arms wide, burying himself against the mature shipgirl's soft, almost criminally plush bosom.
The statuesque beauty wrapped her arms tightly around him, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
"Cling to me as much as you like, my child."
Levi's hands, of course, were anything but obedient. Just a little lower, and he could easily cup the jiggly treasures of Friedrich der Große.
—— Having lived in this world for just over two weeks, Levi was adapting at breakneck speed.
That included getting used to the way shipgirls with maxed-out affection reacted to him.
Naturally, Friedrich showed no sign of discomfort. If anything, a spark of delight flickered in her golden-black eyes.
She had worried that calling him here under such a flimsy excuse might irritate him. But now… Levi was far more proactive than she'd imagined.
Her only regret was not wearing something a bit more… practical. If she'd known her "child" would be so forward, she would've chosen attire easier to move in.
"Friedrich, what did you call me here for?"
"Ah…" For a moment, she forgot her excuse, too caught up in her child's warmth. Then she forced herself to remember: "I've composed a new piece. I wanted to arrange it together with you."
"But I don't know anything about music." Levi nuzzled closer, smirking. "Or… is this just a random excuse to see me?"
A flicker of panic flashed in Friedrich's eyes at being seen through.
"N-no…" She hugged him tighter, quickly shifting the subject. "Also, isn't 'Friedrich der Große, Friedrich der Große' a bit too distant? My child… you shower me with affection in my arms, you cling to me so sweetly… but I long to hear a different name from your lips."
"…Mother Friedrich?"
"Good child…"
Levi felt her body tremble faintly, maternal instinct surging like a tidal wave. For the first time, he let himself fully embrace the role of a spoiled child—and it felt… surprisingly good.
Usually, it was the shipgirls acting clingy toward him. Now the roles were reversed, and he had to admit: it was pretty damn satisfying.
"Mom…"
"Ahhh…"
He pressed deeper into Friedrich's embrace, letting her heart overflow with pure motherly love.
If, moments ago, Friedrich's mind had been on more adult forms of stress relief… those thoughts evaporated completely now, drowned out by her maternal instinct.
Levi realized this only later.
And once he did, he nearly laughed with glee.
Perfect.
Not only could he soak up Friedrich's doting affection, but he could also avoid failing the mission entirely.
Sure, "lewd writing" wasn't allowed here. But calling her "Mommy" for now… then switching to "Wife Friedrich" later? Easy fix.
Couldn't clap along to "my child," but shouting "Friedrich, my wife!" during their great endeavors? That had its own appeal.
For now, though, the priority was enjoying himself—and securing the reward.
"Come, my child. Listen to the new piece."
And she wasn't lying, either. To make her excuse convincing, Friedrich had indeed composed something new.
"I'll perform it for you."
Raising her conductor's baton, Friedrich waved gracefully. Behind her, the great Ironblood rigging stirred, coming alive to follow her commands and weave a grand orchestral sound.
The good news: the music was phenomenal. Majestic, powerful, masterfully arranged—even Levi, with no clue about music theory, could tell this was on a whole other level.
The bad news: with Friedrich's expectant gaze locked on him, he was completely out of his depth. All he could manage was a string of clumsy compliments.
"Mommy's music is incredible.""As expected of you, you're a natural-born conductor.""Your music is… heavenly."
Friedrich giggled, struggling not to laugh outright at his obvious floundering.
"Don't look so downcast, my child. That would defeat the very purpose of inviting you here."
"Mm…" Levi sighed into her embrace, letting her warmth heal him completely.
"My child, will you join me for dinner tonight?"
"Of course."
"And afterwards… why not rest here with me?"
"Mm…"
Then suddenly, Levi's whole body froze.
(To be continued…)