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Teddy: Decryptor I
>Soft light filters through the window, as warm as the gentle aroma of coffee filling the room.
Such a warm afternoon isn't the best time for long meetings. Despite the coffee to help keep you awake, the temptation of drowsiness is difficult to ward off.
...Is this really that tiring?
Alright... Let's call it a day! Remember to submit the work reports on time!
She quickly wraps up the last agenda item and claps her hands, releasing a room full of drowsy commandants and staff members.
As people disperse in small clusters, the meeting room gradually empties. Dust particles dance gleefully in the sunlight, enticing you to just sink down for a delightful afternoon nap.
You might as well...
Knock, knock.
Your body instinctively responds to the chair's beckoning, inclining toward it. Just as your eyelids are on the verge of closing, gentle knocks come from the window beside you.
Ha, caught you slacking off here.
An explanation is just an excuse, and an excuse is—
Shh, hold on.
With remarkable agility for a technician, she deftly pushes open the window and flips into the room.
Before you can finish your words, another familiar figure emerges on the opposite side of the corridor.
TEDDY!! I saw you!
Shh—
Hiding under the conference table, Teddy gestures at you with her eyes squinted.
Where is she... Huh? Commandant?
Did you see Teddy? I swear I saw her run over here...
Hmm...? Is she inside?
She's really not here?
Karenina peeks through the window, attempting to get a better view of the room outside.
This is odd... Could it be a projection that she used to trick me...?
If you see her, make sure to tell me immediately! I'm winning the argument this time, no matter what!
Karenina dashes off energetically in a different direction.
...Phew.
As the footsteps recede, Teddy cautiously emerges from under the conference table.
This isn't the time to talk about it. She'll definitely come back...
Covering for your slacking deserves a reward. How about letting me borrow your lounge?
Without giving you a chance to protest, Teddy quickly seizes your arm and leads you to Gray Raven lounge.
...No one's here, huh.
Fair enough. So, can I take a seat here?
The Construct with pink hair gazes at you, seeking permission.
Thanks.
She settles gracefully onto the couch and summons a virtual screen, poised to delve into her work.
Driven by curiosity, you find yourself unable to resist asking after handing her a cup of electrolyte.
Oh, about that... Karenina's dead set on adding a weird structure to the engineering model.
I already warned her that adding that thing could turn the model into a ticking time bomb with even the slightest error.
But she insisted it'd be fine. I didn't feel like arguing, so I just ran away.
I'll just hang out in your lounge to wrap up today's... remaining tasks. You're cool with that, right?
Yeah, REMAINING TASKS... Life isn't a breeze for the vice-captain of the Engineering Force, you know.
In this tranquil afternoon, the lounge is filled only with the soft tapping of terminal keyboards.
Eh...
I should expect nothing less. The Gray Raven Commandant is really always under watchful guard, huh...
Who in their right mind would set up a stranger signal blocker in a lounge?!
...Whatever. I've whitelisted my terminal. My IP will be wiped automatically once I'm done with work.
What a pain. That set me back a whole twenty minutes of work. Maybe I should charge you for that as well...
Heh, just kidding.
As the terminal finally connects to the network, the light gradually dims with the passage of time. After some time, she seems to have completed a phase of her work and starts relaxing.
Is work also this dull for you... even as the Gray Raven Commandant?
Meetings, missions, meetings, and report writing...?
In that case, you might as well just join the Engineering Force as my assistant and help me with blueprints.
Really...? I don't buy it.
Seeing Teddy's leisurely grin, you feel compelled to launch a counterattack.
It's all done.
Feel free to take a look yourself.
She swivels the terminal screen toward you, revealing a detailed data report of a complete engineering model.
Out of nowhere, a small blue robot materializes on the screen, consuming the text at a fast speed.
Huh?
****...!
Flustered, Teddy attempts to turn the terminal screen back, but amidst the chaos, the electrolyte spills directly onto the keyboard...
...
Both of you watch helplessly as the tiny robot consumes all the data on the screen. Then, menacingly, it loads a sniper rifle, and with a "bang" sound, Teddy's terminal screen completely goes dark.
That was Karenina's engineering model!
I'm done for. She's totally going to use this to tease me about slacking off.
You Gray Raven people are outrageous! Even your whitelist has a defensive countermeasure program!
You find yourself caught in a confusing mix of pride and the urge to apologize.
Sigh, I was hoping to use this to make her shut up...
So, how are you gonna make it up to me?
Do you honestly believe a simple apology can make up for a day's workload for the vice-captain of the Engineering Force?
Shouldn't you... be showing a bit more sincerity?
She bites down heavily on the word "sincerity".
Tomorrow at this time, meet me at the spaceport.
Before you can react, Teddy has dashed off with the now inactive terminal in her arms.
Don't think you can sneak away. I've checked your schedule, and I know you're off tomorrow.
Unnoticed by you, Teddy peers around the door frame at one moment, her eyes squinting.
I'll see you there.
