"Hayashi~ Do you like cute catgirls?"
With a sweet scent, Elysia leaned close to Hayashi, asking seductively.
'Too close... As expected of the pink fatty...'
As if by gravity, Hayashi's gaze involuntarily fell upon Elysia's armored chest but quickly shifted to the cat tail in her hand.
Hayashi understood that Elysia just wanted to tease him!
"Compared to catgirls, I prefer elves."
Hayashi's answer delighted Elysia, but such an answer wasn't enough to make Elysia give up.
"But I, Elysia, just want to see a catgirl. ♪ Would you really have the heart to let a beautiful maiden's wish go unfulfilled?"
Elysia fluttered her beautiful expressive eyes, staring pitifully at Hayashi, with an 'if you don't agree, I'll cry for you' expression.
Although he knew Elysia had ill intentions, Hayashi had to admit that Elysia at this moment was super cute... but... even if Elysia was cute, he didn't want to become a cat-eared girl!
"Excuse me, Director, have I offended you in some way?"
Hayashi ignored Elysia's delicate charm and made an expression like a pie chart, questioning her with three parts confusion, three parts grievance, three parts refusal, and one part anger.
"No, not at all~ How could you think that of me, Clerk Hayashi~ Elysia is sad~ Wuwu~♪"
It has to be said that Elysia was a born actress; tears came instantly, almost as if they were real... Wait... as if they were real!?
Crystal clear tears flowed down Elysia's eyes, leaving a heartbreaking tear stain on her smooth, beautiful face... 'She's... really crying!'
Such a doubt arose in Hayashi's heart.
What he didn't know was that Elysia had originally intended to fake cry; as the happy pink fairy, she had never cried before.
But at this moment, as she prepared to fake cry, the lonely grievance of the solitary maiden on the Hyperion, forever waiting for her Captain, instantly filled her heart.
It made her unable to hold back real tears.
'Isn't she playing a prank!'
At this moment, even Hayashi couldn't distinguish whether Elysia was genuinely crying or faking it.
'Women are born actresses, and Elysia is a superstar among them. Hold on, don't be fooled!'
Even though he warned himself repeatedly, Hayashi still couldn't resist, giving in to his impulse to reach out and caress Elysia's dreamlike face, wiping away her tears.
"I'm sorry..."
Hayashi said apologetically.
"It's not your fault; I just couldn't control my emotions... So, will you wear it now?"
Elysia whimpered, then suddenly changed the subject, pressing him like a dagger revealed at the end of a scroll.
"I refuse!"
Hayashi stated that comforting Elysia was fine, but his bottom line couldn't be crossed.
"*Wuwu*~! You're truly a heartless man!"
Elysia composed herself, pouting angrily at Hayashi, her expression more cute than threatening.
However, seeing Hayashi's unyielding demeanor, Elysia's little eyes darted around, deciding that playing the victim wouldn't work, so she'd try seduction instead.
"Alright~♪ No more jokes. Clerk Hayashi, you've worked hard today. Besides the merits and rewards from the bureau, as director, I've prepared a special reward just for you!"
Elysia said with a righteous expression.
"There's a special reward?"
Hayashi looked at Elysia with suspicion, his heart on high alert.
"Hmm~ I may be a humble maiden, but I'm quite skilled at shoulder massages, back rubs, singing, and dancing. Would young master like to try?"
Elysia said, a pure smile gracing her pretty face.
'She's going to give me a shoulder rub, sing, and dance for me!?'
Although he knew Elysia definitely still wanted him to wear the cat tail and become a catgirl, Hayashi had to admit she was a good judge of character.
He, Hayashi, fell for this kind of thing!
Following the guiding principle of sugar-coated bullets: eat the sugar coating, throw the bullet back'.
Hayashi resolutely accepted Elysia's 'sincere' reward.
"Look forward to it~"
Soon, Elysia led Hayashi to sit on the sofa in the office, had Jeanne help with the accompaniment, and pulled out a guitar herself.
As a sweet breeze wafted by, the maiden leaned very close, and a melodious song began.
She was singing [Waiting for You to Come]?
The gentle and soft singing flowed like a trickling stream through Hayashi's ears.
The maiden's delicate red lips slightly parted and closed, her pink hair swayed gently, brushing against the skin on Hayashi's hand. Hayashi felt that Elysia at this moment was surrounded by pink hearts, musical notes, and beautiful petals.
Like a scene from a fairy tale, the maiden was as beautiful as an elf or an angel; only the guitar held tightly against her front slightly marred the sanctity of the image.
Yet it attracted Hayashi's gaze even more... 'Waiting for whom to come and spend time with me, to reunite, to talk at length, to entwine again.'
... As the singing gradually subsided, Hayashi was still immersed in the maiden's sweet, ethereal voice.
Until a pair of flawless hands gently brushed behind Hayashi's ear, with an irresistible hint of force.
When Hayashi came to his senses, he was already lying on Elysia's lap.
Looking up, he saw layers of peaks, unable to discern the true face; Hayashi couldn't see Elysia's pretty face at all.
Then Elysia's soft and doting voice came through.
"Don't move~♪ Elysia is going to start massaging now~♪"
The maiden's soft lap pillow, carrying a scent that made one fall peacefully asleep, and Elysia's hand caressed Hayashi's temples, gently pressing them.
She even began to hum a lullaby.
"Relax, breathe lightly, sleep~! Sleep~! My dear..."
Hayashi only felt a strong wave of drowsiness wash over his eyelids, and an irresistible urge to sleep made his eyelids flutter.
He still wanted to struggle a bit.
But... 'Too comfortable, too peaceful~'
"Sleep~"
Elysia's voice became even softer, more distant.
"Mm..."
Gradually, Hayashi's mind cleared, and his eyes completely closed.
Seeing Hayashi finally fall asleep in Elysia's sweet trap, Jeanne, who was beside them, couldn't help but give her a 'you're so good at this' look.
Indicating, 'As expected of you, Elysia!'
'Mhm~!
I know a thing or two about hypnotism!'
Elysia proudly raised her right hand, making a 'got it' gesture.
At the same time, she took out the long-planned cat tail.
Just as she was about to put it on Hayashi, suddenly, Hayashi, who had been closing his eyes, abruptly opened them.
Before Elysia and Jeanne could react, he snatched the girls' 'tool of crime'—the wicked cat tail.
Then he fled without looking back.
"Director, Holy Maiden, your singing is beautiful, and the Director's lap pillow is even better! But I have something to attend to today, so I'll get a good night's sleep next time!"
Leaving this message, Elysia and Jeanne could only see Hayashi's retreating figure.
"Elysia, you failed! Your prop was even snatched away."
Although she was a little disappointed that they couldn't prank Hayashi, Jeanne couldn't help but smile at Elysia's frustrated expression, teasing her.
"Oh~♪ It's fine~ At least I confirmed some things~~"
After her initial surprise, Elysia smiled at Jeanne's teasing instead.
Now it was Jeanne's turn to be puzzled.
"Huh? Confirmed what?"
"He knew we were going to prank him from the start; he was very wary."
Crossing her legs, Elysia leaned elegantly on the sofa, touching her lips with her fingertips as she spoke.
"Isn't it because you were too obvious!?"
Jeanne looked at Elysia with a puzzled expression, as if to say,
If you hadn't taken out that cat tail at the beginning, and your bad intentions weren't so obvious, would he have been so wary?
"It's different!"
Elysia glanced at Jeanne, smiling as she spoke.
"Jeanne, didn't you notice? His attitude towards us—he's too familiar with me~"
"It seems so."
Reminded by Elysia, Jeanne also suddenly realized something.
"So, it's not the first time he's known us!"
"It's the first time he's 'seen' us, but we can confirm that those emotional fragments aren't fake. This time he got away quickly, but next time I won't let him escape so easily!"
Elysia said with a cunning smile.