Robin's petite feet dangled nearby, swaying back and forth.
Normally, Sylvia didn't pay much mind to things like nail art. But for the first time, as she looked at the small feet beside her, she found herself thinking that the polish was a perfect, tasteful touch.
While Sylvia sat there staring blankly at them, Robin, who was reclining, suddenly brought her foot down with a soft thud right onto Sylvia's thigh.
This was undeniably bold for someone like Robin, and certainly a departure from her usual etiquette.
Putting aside her status as a galactic superstar, her upbringing within the Family had molded her into a perfectly composed young lady.
In the past, she would never have dreamed of sprawling sloppily on a sofa, kicking off her shoes, or playfully thumping the cushions with her bare feet in front of anyone.
But today...
Seeing the intimate way the two girls from the Astral Express interacted with Sylvia made Robin wonder if she was being a bit too reserved.
She truly wanted to close the distance between them and become dear friends.
However, she sensed that Sylvia still held back, perhaps out of respect for her status as an idol or simply because she was her employer.
Robin felt that if their relationship was ever going to deepen, she would have to be the one to take the initiative.
As it turned out, Robin was still a bit green when it came to navigating the nuances of intimacy.
Though her only intent was to foster a closer bond—something akin to the atmosphere between best friends—the moment her foot landed on Sylvia's thigh, the air between them grew thick with a sudden, lingering tension.
Robin's face flushed; as a refined lady, she was naturally bashful.
Yet, she convinced herself that this heat was merely the result of her inexperience with close physical contact. Despite her burning cheeks, she had no intention of backing down.
Instead, she peered out of the corner of her eye, secretly gauging Sylvia's reaction.
When she saw Sylvia's wide eyes and the faint crimson creeping up her neck, Robin realized that Sylvia was just as flustered as she was.
This realization caused her own shyness to ebb away, replaced by a surge of boldness.
Her small toes began to surreptitiously graze and rub against Sylvia's stomach through the fabric of her clothes.
"..."
As for Sylvia, she had moved a bit closer on the sofa at Robin's urging and was just debating whether she should take her leave or stay a while longer.
Before she could utter a word, Robin's foot was already resting on her lap.
Sylvia happened to be wearing a short skirt today.
Since she wasn't wearing tights, there was nothing blocking the contact between her bare thigh and Robin's skin. The sensation was... nuanced.
She felt as though she were being teased by Miss Robin. Once those small feet began tracing slow, deliberate circles over her abdomen, Sylvia was certain of it: she was being toyed with by this young lady.
But why?
Sylvia scratched her head and mentally pulled up her relationship status with Robin:
--+--
[Target: Robin]
[Affection: 66 → 72 (Admiration and Curiosity)]
[Relationship: Employer]
[Reward: One Green Gacha Pull]
--+--
Robin's affection hadn't budged much lately, but their adventures over the past two days had pushed it past the seventy mark.
That was definitely "good friends" territory.
Still... at this level, would she really be trying to flirt? Or was she just misreading the signals?
Sylvia tried to shake the cluttered, "trashy" thoughts out of her head. She searched for a more innocent explanation. After all, not everyone was interested in women. Maybe Robin was just exhausted.
Thinking back on the events of the last few days, it really wasn't the kind of lifestyle a lady of her status was used to.
Robin had a great attitude, but her body likely needed an adjustment period.
Are her feet just tired? Sylvia wondered.
She reached out and carefully caught Robin's smooth, delicate foot.
It was devoid of calluses or wrinkles, as soft and white as if it had been soaked in milk. It was a dainty, lovely thing—less a body part and more a piece of art. Sylvia cradled it gently in her palm.
"Are your feet sore? Do you want me to give you a massage?"
"Mm... ah..."
Robin's face turned a violent shade of crimson instantly. She had only intended to initiate some skinship to get closer.
She figured that using her hands or hugging would bring their faces too close, which would be too embarrassing. But now, having her foot held and kneaded by Sylvia felt entirely different.
Even though there was plenty of distance between them, and Halovians didn't exactly have a "don't touch the feet" taboo, she felt an overwhelming wave of shame.
If she hadn't held onto her last shred of reason, she would have reflexively yanked her foot back and curled into a ball to play dead.
Sylvia caught the faint, mosquito-like sound of Robin's agreement and lowered her head to begin the massage.
To prevent any "special skills" from having too potent an effect, she didn't even dare use a standard technique. Instead, she simply used her palms to gently rub the joints and muscles.
After a few minutes, Sylvia stole a glance at Robin.
She was stunned by what she saw: the girl's face was beet-red, and she was turning her head away, clearly trying to stifle some sort of sound.
I was being so restrained, and the effect is still this strong?
"Do you feel any better?"
Sylvia didn't dare continue. Robin was her employer, after all.
If she massaged her feet into... that state... and Robin ended up awakening some strange new preference, Sunday would hunt her to the ends of the universe.
"Mmm... much better, thank you..."
Robin, still breathless, told herself she was just being overly sensitive. Even if Sylvia's massage was exceptionally effective, her own reaction was far too strange.
She found herself wondering: Are my feet really this sensitive?
"...That's good. That's good then."
Hearing the slight breathiness in Robin's voice, Sylvia's own face heated up.
She quickly let go of Robin's foot. The feeling of "doing something wrong" grew stronger when she remembered Robin was a massive star with a gargantuan fanbase.
The moment she was released, Robin sat bolt upright and tucked her feet under her out of sight.
Though her face was still flushed, she managed to keep her voice steady. "Thank you for the massage. I feel much better now..."
"Right. Well, I—I should head back then. You should get some rest today."
Seeing Robin's desperate attempt to act composed only made the "trashy" thoughts in Sylvia's brain multiply.
Realizing it was time to retreat, she decided to make a run for it.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.