Editing City Series:Volume6c Chapter1 (section)

===Part 4===

Hazel’s expression changed when she heard that voice through the door. Her face lit up.

She had grown out her hair over the past three years and it hung down over her body, but she still pounded on the door.

“Y-yes, it’s me! It’s Hazel Mirildorf! So please open the door!”

She shouted and looked down the hallway to make sure it was deserted.

Then she looked down at herself.

She was naked.

…''I need to get inside that room.

Someone could show up at any moment. And if they saw her out in the hallway like this, she would look very…

…''Lewd.

She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, placed a hand on the doorknob, and waited for him to do as she asked. However…

“What are you doing here?”

“W-we can discuss that later!”

“Unfortunately, I have to leave on a mission soon, so whether or not you’re a spy is my second biggest question in the world. So explain yourself. In 25 words or less. Stammering counts double.”

“B-but that’s not fair. D-don’t be so mean!”

“That’s 10 down. You’d better hurry or I’ll blow you up.”

“Clothes! Clothes!”

“Yeah, most people like to wear them. I know I do.”

…''Why are you so mean!?

She kept that question to herself while thinking back to 3 years ago. Something similar had happened, but what had he asked for then?

…''Say it in English.

“U-um, please give me some clothes,” she said in English this time.

She heard three quiet claps through the door followed by an awfully calm response.

“I’m fresh out.”

“B-but! Can’t you lend me some of what you’re wearing now!? Like three years ago.”

“Nah, I’d rather not have my clothes smell like cat. You trying to mark me as yours, cat girl?”

“Y-you are awful!”

The wind blew through the hallway. The chilly dry air passed below her arms and between her legs, reminding her of her lack of clothing.

And that was not all. She heard some chatting male voices coming from the stairs at the end of the hallway.

“O-oh, no. S-someone’s coming!”

“Yeah, it’s a public hallway. People will do that.”

“B-but I’m naked! You aren’t supposed to do that in a public hallway!”

“Have them rate you. I doubt you’ll do all that well. Maybe a 40-point average?”

“J-just let me inside already! Hurry! I need to get in there!”

“You do know how it sounds to beg to visit a guy in his room while you’re naked, right?”

She prepared to say something more, but the chatting voices and footsteps on the stairs grew even louder.

She tried pressing her back against the door, but the door was already flush with the wall. She could not hide that way. As small as her chest was, it still stuck out. There was no point in trying.

“U-um, I-I-I n-need s-s-s-s-somewhere to h-h-hide.”

“I don’t think there is anywhere.”

“No, it doesn’t look like- y-you are mean!!”

The chatting men sounded so much louder now. She could even tell they were complaining that the mess hall didn’t offer anything with fresh blood in it. Their footsteps sounded clearly from this floor’s landing.

“–––––!”

Hazel gave up. Her legs went limp, her hips dropped into a crouch, and she wrapped her arms around herself to hide her chest and the brand on her left shoulder.

“No…”

She thought she was going to cry, but then the door opened behind her.

“Eh?”

She lost her balance and tumbled back into the room.

She fell back onto her hips and lay sprawled out between the boards. She briefly felt dizzy.

She could see the wooden ceiling and Berger looking down at her. Other than her longer hair that she now wore tied back, she had not changed much over the past three years. She initially felt relieved, but then she came back to her senses.

Berger commented on the exact thing on her mind.

“Just letting it all hang out, huh?”

She was lying on her back with her limbs somewhat sprawled out. “Ah,” she gasped while scrambling to a sitting position. She closed her knees and wrapped her arms around herself. She pressed her back against the side of the bed and only then looked up at Berger again.

“Y-you saw, didn’t you!?”

“You rolled right into my field of view, so I couldn’t help but see everything. Top and bottom.”

“Hyah…”

She could not believe how pathetic that sounded.

…''And I told myself I would be more careful about this kind of thing…

Her teary vision saw him pull over a chair, sit down, and brush a hand through his hair.

“I’m not interested in 40-point nudity. Now, answer my question, Hazel. Why did you make a surprise appearance through my window?”

“Um, well…there was a dog down there. One they let run free.”

“Okay, I’ve heard enough. I’ve deduced the whole story using the second-best powers of insight in the world.”

His eyes turned toward the left hand she was using to hide her chest. It had a red bite mark on it.

“Would you prefer I called you an idiot or a moron?”

She tensed her shoulders and hung her head.

“I’d prefer you didn’t call me either one.”

“Stupid imbecile it is. And just out of curiosity, where are your spare clothes?”

“Oh, m-my luggage is still outside. Could you go get it for me?”

“Go get it yourself.”

She looked up.

“Then give me some clothes to do that! Y-you’re mean! This is no way to treat your assistant.”

“…Excuse me?”

“?”

She tilted her head, so he lowered his voice and asked a question.

“Who exactly are you saying is my assistant?”

…''What is he talking about?

She pointed at herself and he very obviously frowned.

“Are you suggesting you have ever assisted me before?”

“I am.”

“Then enlighten me. And make it the best example in the world.”

With a high-level request like that, Hazel had to think for a bit. She found her answer in five seconds.

“Lots of times.”

“Sorry. I’m feeling a little dizzy…”

“You probably need more iron. How about I cook you something later on?”

“No, thanks. Also…are you saying you have orders!?”

His raised voice made her shrink down and point out the window.

“My orders from my teacher are o-outside with my luggage.”

“Then go get your luggage.”

“H-how many times do I have to remind you I need clothes first!?”

“Don’t get so worked up you wave your arms at me. You’re not covering up.”

“Oops.”

She quickly covered up with her arms again and pressed her knees more tightly together.

Just then, the door opened a little and Corelle’s head poked in.

“Hey, Berger. About today’s-” was as far as she got.

She looked first to Berger and then to Hazel. Then her eyes moved back and forth a few times.

Unsure what else to do, Hazel bowed her head.

“Um, it’s good to see you again.”

Corelle nodded a few times and responded with a perfectly straight face.

“Catching up after three years apart? Have fun.”

She shut the door. “Goddammit,” muttered Berger before reaching for the door.

Corelle’s heavy running footsteps and yelling voice came from the hallway.

Hearing that, Berger groaned and crouched in front of the door.

“You don’t have to tell the whole world…”

“This is what you get for teasing me so much,” said Hazel.

Berger turned a cold glare her way.

“You do realize this is about you too, right?”

“I’ll be fine. Everyone takes the girl’s side in these things.”

She softened her expression and sighed with an arm around her knees and a hand brushing through her hair.

…''I really have grown up more since last time.

She relaxed her shoulders, looked to Berger, and…

“There’s an 8-year age gap between us, so everyone will know you’re the in the wrong here.”