Time Stop Ability Level 1: Can be used once every 24 hours; lasts 1 hour per activation; cannot be interrupted.
Levi stared at the description on his system panel, barely able to contain his excitement. He couldn't wait to try it out.
And the best subjects? Naturally, the maids diligently working around his room.
"Master would like to inspect the maids at work today? Of course, no problem," came Belfast's immediate reply.
"When would be convenient for you, Master? I'll arrange for the maids to greet you."
"No need," Levi thought for a moment before replying. "There's no need for a formal welcome. I'll just take a look myself."
Belfast didn't insist. "Very well. In that case, you may contact me directly for any instructions, Master."
After asking where the maids usually rested, Levi set off alone.
According to Belfast, the maids' quarters were arranged by rank. The Dido-class girls' rooms were close together; the Grain Goddess-class rooms were located elsewhere.
Levi paused, then decided to visit the Dido-class first.
Dido, Hermione, Sirius, Charybdis, and Scylla…
Each of the five maids had distinct personalities, and just thinking of their names was enough for Levi to recall their figures, mannerisms, and quirks in detail.
As he neared the Dido-class quarters, he could already hear their conversation. He didn't reveal himself. Instead, he activated Time Stop.
The system's description warned that Time Stop couldn't be interrupted mid-use.
In other words, he had to use the full hour in one go.
Levi didn't care about maximizing the effect this first time; he just wanted to understand what stopping time felt like.
After all, this was a power he'd only ever seen in fiction, never experienced firsthand.
The moment he activated it, the world froze.
The sensation was strangely intoxicating.
It was like some special effect in a movie.
The maids froze mid-motion, but everything else remained unaffected.
Levi glanced at the clock—time itself had halted. Even his phone's display was stuck at one o'clock. Skill successfully activated.
Logic might not entirely hold up, but in a world full of shipgirls, that didn't matter.
Levi stepped into the room. The maids' reactions—or lack thereof—delighted him. Frozen or unresponsive, it all counted.
Three maids were present: Scylla, Charybdis, and Dido.
Their chatter Levi had overheard earlier had come from them.
Now, frozen in their pre-Time Stop poses, Levi felt as if he were looking at a 3D photograph.
The three sat around a small round table, enjoying what appeared to be leisure time.
On the table lay their favorite little cookies. Dido had even paused mid-motion, a cookie poised at her lips.
Charybdis had turned toward Scylla, seemingly in conversation, while Scylla held a cup, patiently waiting for her tea to cool.
Levi first approached Dido. Her silver hair cascaded down her back, and her open-back maid outfit accentuated her figure. He indulged his hands, enjoying the smooth texture of her white thigh-high stockings.
If only he could stop Time Stop now—he imagined Dido's face would be glowing with delight.
Levi took the cookie from her hand and placed a kiss on her rosy lips, swallowing the treat himself. Unsatisfied, he took another cookie from her tray and ate it as well.
—These little cookies were surprisingly tasty.
Would the maids remember what happened when time resumed?
If not… rumors of mysteriously vanishing cookies might spread throughout the port.
Dido's outfit was primarily white with subtle black accents. Charybdis's, in contrast, was mostly black with only certain soft white highlights.
Levi shifted the chairs slightly, creating a space between Dido and Charybdis. Lowering his gaze, he admired Charybdis before kissing her lips.
Mmm…
Quite different from Dido. Less naïve, more gentle.
Dido's charm was puppy-like, desperate not to be abandoned by her Commander. Charybdis's charm was mature, warm, and accommodating.
Levi found a small gap in Charybdis's outfit near her lower front—a perfect spot to slip things through and fully enjoy the attentiveness of his maid. He mentally bookmarked it for later.
Her semi-transparent black stockings couldn't escape his attention either. If this weren't a test, he might have picked her up right then and there.
Finally, there was Scylla.
Her outfit combined the best of both Dido and Charybdis: black where it should be black, white where it should be white, long milky-white stockings on her legs, and black heels on her feet.
Levi gently set down Scylla's teacup, noticing that the water within was completely frozen—completely motionless at any angle.
…Logic strikes again in unexpected ways.
Suppressing a mental laugh, Levi kissed Scylla's lips.
This maid, with her subtle maternal and possessive aura, had yet another kind of sweetness.
Scylla, it's you.
Levi pulled her chair closer, swept her up in a bridal-style hold, and carried her to the bed. He set her down gently, then instinctively checked his phone.
—Time Stop had just over thirty minutes remaining.
Playing for a full hour would be ambitious. He'd experiment lightly first, just to feel the difference from normal interaction.
…
Scylla's consciousness tricked her into thinking she'd been dreaming.
In her dream, the Commander had appeared, laughing and talking with the other three maids.
She had tried to suppress her possessiveness, but could only watch as the others interacted with him.
"Commander…"
But the ending was perfect.
He chose her.
He laid her gently on the bed, and then…
Then…
Scylla instinctively pressed her legs together.