You think that's enough to stump me?
Hikaru let out a humph and sealed Tirpitz's lips with a kiss.
Now Tirpitz really had no way to breathe. A troubled expression crossed her face, her brows furrowing tighter and tighter.
Technically, as a shipgirl, Tirpitz didn't need to breathe.
But just like how shipgirls didn't need to eat but still chose to do so, mimicking human habits made them feel more connected and alive.
Still, being suffocated by Hikaru like this, Tirpitz looked utterly distressed… and didn't even wake up.
She began to float.
Like a balloon filled with air, she slowly drifted upward.
Hikaru was stunned. What the hell is happening?
"Tirpitz is dreaming she's underwater," said a cold voice from the bedside. "She's trying to rise to the surface for air."
Hikaru's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head—and there stood Bismarck, expressionless, right beside the bed.
"Haha, Bismarck! Good morning," Hikaru greeted her awkwardly.
For some reason, her gaze felt like a row of sharp knives slicing through him. Cold and cutting.
Now freed to breathe again, Tirpitz—no longer "inflating"—gently drifted back down onto Hikaru like a balloon losing air.
Thank goodness she wasn't an actual balloon, or she'd have gone flying off into space.
Only now did Hikaru realize he was still pinching her nose. He quickly let go and glanced over at Bismarck, anxiety rising.
Was she going to hold a grudge over this "bullying" of her little sister…?
"As your secretary ship, I'm here to assist with today's work."
Bismarck pulled a document from behind her and handed it over. "This is a preliminary cooperation agreement drafted by Lexington and Yamato."
Hikaru reluctantly accepted it. He liked to sleep in the nude—wasn't Bismarck even going to pretend to look away?
Bismarck's face remained blank.
Hikaru couldn't tell if she was mad or not. But showing up the moment he woke up, while he was still naked and unwashed, and shoving a document at him?
She had to be annoyed about something.
But what exactly?
Without thinking too hard about it, Hikaru began skimming the document.
Bismarck continued her report. "Your sudden string of summons yesterday caught everyone at the rear base by surprise. After Prince of Wales appeared, they waited a long time expecting more."
As for how Bismarck knew this? Simple—she'd gotten the news this morning through inter-base "coordination."
Only then did Hikaru remember. He felt a little guilty. "I forgot to give them advance notice. My bad."
"I should've considered it too," Bismarck replied, pausing. "Next time you summon someone, please inform us in advance."
"Ranger," Hikaru answered without hesitation. "A US carrier shipgirl—Ranger."
Bismarck nodded. "I'll pass the word along."
Honestly, Hikaru could've just entered their dreams and let them know himself, but… he held his tongue.
Gotta let the secretary ship do something, after all.
Under Bismarck's steady gaze, he flipped through the document. It was just a draft memorandum of understanding.
"No good," Hikaru said, setting it down and shaking his head. "Lexington's too conservative. Where's Yamato? I'll talk to her myself."
Hikaru had thought Lexington would be better than him at negotiations. But he'd forgotten to set any basic framework.
As a result, Lexington had aimed too low.
He decided to handle it personally.
"She's in the dining hall," Bismarck said, her mouth twitching slightly. "She's been there since noon."
Just thinking of Yamato and her bottomless-pit appetite gave Bismarck a stomachache.
Historically hailed as the "World's Greatest Battleship," and a fearsome foe in many campaigns against Abyssals… and now, here she was, stuffing her face like a reborn famine victim.
An embarrassment to all battleship shipgirls.
Since when did Germany ever ally with Japan? Bismarck grumbled internally.
There was no way she'd admit that this shameless glutton was the same model ship she once used as a role model for motivating destroyers—Yamato, the "workaholic queen."
With thoughts spinning, Hikaru didn't stay in bed much longer. He locked eyes with Bismarck.
"What is it?" she asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
Hikaru shook his head. "No, I need to change clothes."
Bismarck hesitated. "I can help you."
Hikaru raised a hand. "Please. Let me handle this myself."
"…Very well. Please be quick."
She gave him one last long look, then cast a glance at Tirpitz, still snoring like a piglet, before turning and walking out.
So her little sister gets to sleep naked in the Commander's arms, but she has to act all distant and formal?
How is that fair?
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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