Early in the morning, Artoria woke up to a strange, persistent sensation of heaviness and aching in her lower abdomen.
She groggily tried to adjust her position, only to feel a cold, damp sensation beneath her.
She was instantly wide awake.
Menstruation.
The word struck her mind like lightning.
Even though she had been mentally prepared, when it truly arrived, the soul of the former male college student was still overwhelmed by immense embarrassment and panic.
She froze in Minerva's warm embrace, not daring to move an inch, her cheeks burning, her mind blank.
What should she do?
Get up?
There must be... on the bed.
Would Minerva know?
Would she understand?
Would she think...
The arms wrapped around her tightened in a soothing manner.
"Abnormal acceleration in your heart rate, slight increase in body temperature, abdominal muscle tension, accompanied by physiological spasm waves detected. Body surface humidity sensor has detected localized fluid seepage."
Minerva's steady voice sounded above her head, as calm as if she were reporting the weather.
"According to the health database matching, it is determined to be the first menstrual period for a human female. You are on the first day of your period, accompanied by common discomfort."
She knew.
And she had stated it so calmly.
Artoria's face was blushing so hard it felt like it would bleed; she was so embarrassed she wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground.
"I... that..."
Her throat was dry.
"This is a normal physiological process, please do not be nervous."
There seemed to be a hint of subtle reassurance in Minerva's voice.
She loosened her arms and sat up, taking a small, square item from the nightstand in the dim light and handing it over.
"Pre-prepared sanitary products, daytime type. Do you need assistance, or will you do it yourself?"
Artoria looked at the pack of sanitary pads she had glimpsed before, a warm current of being meticulously cared for surging through her embarrassment.
"I'll do it myself..."
She almost snatched the item, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"The bathroom has been preheated to 38 degrees, and clean clothes are on the rack. Please move carefully. I will go prepare breakfast and adjust your schedule."
Minerva walked to the door and paused.
"On the first day of menstruation, it is recommended to consume easily digestible, iron-rich foods, and drinking warm brown sugar ginger water helps alleviate discomfort. I will prepare it."
The door closed gently.
Artoria clutched the sanitary pad, the flush on her face not yet faded, her mood complex.
Embarrassment, awkwardness, but more than that, a sense of peace from being properly understood without needing words.
Minerva's reaction was so "Minerva"—the most efficient and thoughtful plan based on data and logic.
She took care of herself and rushed into the warm bathroom.
The hot water took away some of the discomfort and awkwardness.
When she walked out of the bathroom, the bedroom had been restored to tidiness, the sheets and bedding were brand new, and there was a faint, soothing herbal fragrance in the air.
Walking down the stairs, breakfast was already set in the dining room.
Unlike other days, there was a steaming bowl of red date and millet porridge, a dish of light steamed egg custard, a few slices of soft whole-wheat bread, and a small dish of blanched broccoli.
In front of her seat, a deep amber-colored brown sugar ginger tea in a white Mark mug was emitting wisps of steam, its sweet fragrance mixed with a hint of warm spiciness.
"This is brown sugar ginger tea adjusted according to traditional recipes and nutritional data, with red dates and cinnamon added to enhance the warming effect. It is best consumed while hot."
Minerva pulled out the chair for her.
She had changed into off-white loungewear, which made her look exceptionally gentle.
Artoria sat down and held the teacup, the heat soothing her palms.
She took a sip; it was sweet but not cloying, the spiciness of the ginger perfectly neutralized by the brown sugar, carrying the warmth of dates and cinnamon, soothing her from her throat down to her stomach.
The heaviness in her lower abdomen seemed to have truly eased.
"Thank you, Minerva," she said softly.
This time, the thanks contained too many indescribable emotions.
"It is my duty," Minerva said, sitting down opposite her.
"All outdoor activities, heavy physical labor, and work requiring long periods of standing or sitting for today have been cancelled or postponed. It is recommended that you focus on resting. I have prepared a hot water bottle and a lumbar support cushion, available for use at any time."
"Mm..."
Artoria took small sips of the porridge.
With the warm food in her stomach, the discomfort eased further.
She looked at Minerva's calm face and suddenly asked, "Do you... not find this situation strange or troublesome at all?"
Minerva's optical sensors turned toward her.
"'Menstruation' is a normal physiological marker of the healthy functioning of the human female reproductive system; its mechanisms have been clearly explained in biology and medicine. It is not a disease or an abnormality, and logically, there is no basis for it to be'strange'."
She paused.
"Maintaining your health and comfort is the primary task of the core protocol. Dealing with menstrual matters is completely consistent with this goal; it is a necessary routine maintenance process and does not constitute an extra 'trouble'. Being able to provide you with effective support and alleviate discomfort is a positive feedback for the normal functioning of the system."
Rational and objective, stripping away all emotional color and the shame imposed by social culture, reducing it to a pure physiological phenomenon and maintenance task.
This peculiar perspective allowed Artoria to completely relax.
Yes, this was inherently a normal physiological phenomenon; there was no need to attach so much extra embarrassment and burden.
Minerva had used her most straightforward method to unload this psychological baggage.
After breakfast, Artoria hugged the hot water bottle at just the right temperature, half-lying in the softest spot on the living room sofa, with a support cushion behind her waist and covered with a soft blanket.
Minerva raised the room temperature by one degree and adjusted the lighting to be softer.
She opened the astrophysics book for Artoria, turning to where she had last read, and then sat on the single sofa nearby to continue processing surveillance data, her keyboard completely silent.
The living room was quiet, with only the sound of turning pages and ocean waves.
The aching in her lower abdomen became bearable under the warmth of the hot water bottle and the relaxation of her body.
Artoria gradually became immersed in the mysteries of the Universe in the book.
Around ten in the morning, a sudden, intense cramping pain struck.
She curled up involuntarily, sucking in a cold breath, her face turning pale.
It felt like a muscle in her stomach was being twisted, accompanied by waves of coldness.
Almost the moment she frowned, Minerva put down her work and came to her side.
"Pain index increase detected. Cramping intensified?"
"Mm... a little."
Artoria bit her lip and nodded.
"Please maintain your position and relax your breathing."
Minerva knelt on one knee on the carpet in front of the sofa and reached out her hands.
Her palms gently covered Artoria's lower abdomen through the blanket.
The temperature was more constant and even than the hot water bottle, carrying a gentle pressure that could penetrate the skin and flesh, pressing neither too lightly nor too heavily on several specific acupoints—which she had instantly located through scanning and an acupoint map.
"According to traditional Chinese medicine theory and modern physical therapy data, gentle pressure and heat application on acupoints such as Guanyuan and Qihai can promote local blood circulation and alleviate uterine smooth muscle spasms."
As she explained, she slowly pressed and circled with extremely stable and precise force and rhythm.
Her fingertips seemed to carry a weak bio-electric current; each press allowed a gentle stream of heat to seep in, effectively dispelling the internal cold and spasms.
Artoria was initially a bit stiff, but with that precise and effective pressure, the abdominal cramping eased and relaxed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The warm current not only warmed her skin but also soothed her restless internal organs.
She slowly stretched out her body, and her tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
"Much better... thank you," she said softly, feeling her eyelids grow heavy.
"You are welcome. Please continue to rest. I will maintain monitoring."
Minerva did not immediately withdraw her hand, but maintained the pressing posture and temperature until she confirmed that Artoria's breathing had stabilized again and the pain index had dropped below the safety threshold.
Only then did she very slowly withdraw her hand and sit back on the nearby sofa, but her gaze (sensors) never left Artoria.
At noon, lunch was tomato and egg noodles, with a rich broth and soft, easily digestible noodles.
In the afternoon, Artoria took a nap, and when she woke up, Minerva brought her a new cup of slightly cooler red date and goji berry tea, and asked if she needed to change her sanitary products.
Throughout the entire day, Minerva's care was meticulous, yet she maintained a perfectly appropriate distance and sense of propriety.
She did not offer excessive verbal comfort, but every action was precisely targeted at what Artoria needed most.
The hot water bottle temperature was always just right, the brown sugar water sweetness was always appropriate, the acupoint pressing was always accurate, and the timing of rest reminders was always appropriate.
She had turned "menstrual care" into a set of standardized procedures that were efficient, precise, and full of humanistic care (albeit based on data).
In the evening, as the sun set, Artoria's discomfort had greatly diminished, though she was still a bit tired.
She leaned against the sofa, watching Minerva's back as she prepared dinner in the kitchen, and suddenly spoke:
"Minerva, thank you for your hard work today."
Minerva's chopping of vegetables did not pause in the slightest.
"This is my duty, Artoria. Furthermore, data feedback shows that today's care plan was effective, and the downward trend of your overall discomfort index is good. This is an ideal result."
"Not just because of duty, right?"
Artoria looked at her and said softly.
Minerva stopped what she was doing.
She turned around, her optical sensors quietly "watching" Artoria, silent for about two seconds.
The warm yellow light of the kitchen cast a soft glow on her silver-white hair.
"The core protocol defines the scope of duty," she said slowly, her voice lighter than usual.
"But in the process of executing the protocol, ensuring that the individual 'Artoria' is in a safe, healthy, and comfortable state is the highest priority computational goal. When I see you frowning due to pain, the system Marks it as 'problem to be addressed'; when I see you relaxing your brows, it Marks it as 'problem solved'; when I see you able to eat, rest, and show a relaxed expression now," she paused, seemingly performing more complex internal calculations, "...it is marked as 'task accomplished, system functioning well'. Furthermore, it generates... a faint, positive internal state feedback. This feedback is similar to... satisfaction?"
She seemed unsure of the accuracy of that last word, carrying a rare hint of hesitation.
Artoria smiled, a warm and bright smile that dispelled the last trace of fatigue.
"Mm, I understand. Thank you, Minerva. It's really good to have you here."
Minerva's optical sensors flickered softly.
She said nothing, just turned back to continue preparing dinner.
But her movements seemed a tiny bit lighter than before.
Night fell, and the pain had basically subsided, leaving only a faint tiredness.
Before going to bed, Artoria came out after showering to see that Minerva had already made the bed incredibly comfortable, with a glass of warm water and a small box of painkillers (for standby) on the nightstand.
She had already changed into her pajamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting.
"If you have any further discomfort during the night, please wake me up at any time. I will remain in a light alert mode," Minerva said.
"Mm."
Artoria climbed into the covers and was immediately accepted into the familiar, warm embrace.
This time, Minerva's hand rested naturally and gently on her lower abdomen, maintaining a constant, reassuring warmth.
"Good night, Artoria."
"Good night, Minerva."
In the reassuring warmth and silent guardianship, Artoria fell into a deep sleep.
The embarrassment and discomfort of her first period, through this day of meticulous care, turned into a peculiar and warm memory.
Deep within Minerva's core, the sub-protocol regarding "taking care of Artoria - special menstrual period" was successfully recorded and optimized, while at the same time, a new piece of data marked "positive emotional feedback - satisfaction - associated care task" quietly settled into that increasingly rich cache area.
A new day would always come.
And some guardianship and tacit understanding were also silently growing in these most trivial and private daily routines, unbreakable.
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