Shoujo Grand SummoningShoujo Grand Summoning
It's a fun day.
However, for Wu Yan, today was one of labor.
He passed by a book store, and picked out a book for Kanon. Then, a book mysteriously titled "buy this book and you get to do whatever you want to her." appeared in the shop.
Then, he passed by a tea shop. While picking out tea for Natsuki, there was a batch of leaves where a note with "buy these leaves and get one lady for free." attached to them.
Or, when he was buying snacks for Astrea and Natsuki, a lady with ice cream and cake on her appeared mysteriously. Of course, she came with a "please eat me" note on her.
Then, when he is picking out clothes for Ikaros. A lady by his side, the perpetrator, would disappear and call out to him in one of the fitting rooms. And, surprise surprise, she's in her birthday suit.
In all these instances, another lady near him would glare and leer at him like she was staring at a disgusting maggot. then, she would slap Wu Yan with tears in the corners of her eyes, making it extremely awkward for Wu Yan to stay in the same shop after that.
Just dodging Charlottes' slaps were chores of immense labor by themselves.
Wu Yan's mental reserves were also depleted by Frey's blatant attempt at bedding him.
Can one survive physical and mental chores?
Wu Yan finally broke.
"Hey, Frey..."
Wu Yan looked like he was eating sour durian. He pleaded for her to stop.
"Look, if you want to prank me then you should first tell me the reason."
"Reason?"
Charlotte harrumped.
"I see an immodest lady trying to tempt a lecher."
"I am guessing you're not doing this for fun, right?"
Ignoring Charlotte, he pressed Frey for an answer.
"I want to know too."
"Uwuuu..."
Frey was on the verge of tears.
"I am sorry..."
"You made her cry!"
Charlotte yelled at Wu Yan.
"You're such a creep!"
"Oh, put a sock in it."
Wu Yan grabbed his head.
"Don't cry, I am not angry. I just want to know why you're doing this."
Frey inhaled before she continued.
"You're angry."
"...Not angry..."
"You paused for 2 seconds, you're angry."
"Why are you so deft when it comes to things like this? I thought you were clumsy?"
Frey was genuinely shocked by his impression of her. She deflated like a punctured balloon."
"Clumsy..."
"Okay, back on track."
Wu Yan bitterly laughed.
"You're behaving weirdly. Tell me the reason, please."
Frey stayed taciturn.
Charlotte finally understood that Frey had an ulterior motive.
"Just tell me."
Wu Yan sighed.
"I am not a good person but I am not bad either. I won't blame you because someone close to me wants me to help you. She cares deeply about you."
Frey flinched.
"Someone cares about me?"
"Do you remember the lady with pink wings who saved Rabi from Cherubim's sword slash?"
Wu Yan reminded her.
"Ring a bell?"
"You mean..."
Frey asked.
"Ikaros?"
Wu Yan rubbed his chin.
"You do know her..."
Frey lowered her head before she looked up into those crimson eyes of his with her ruby eyes.
"Ikaros is your automaton?"
"In a way."
Wu Yan shrugged.
Charlotte shrugged.
"I didn't know..."
Frey explained.
"I thought Ikaros was human."
Even when Ikaros first encountered her through to when she protected Rabi, she never assumed Ikaros was an automaton.
Frey is right, her instincts were on point.
Ikaros isn't an automaton. She is just limited by her Limiter Bracelet, depowering her to the level of an automaton.
Ikaros probably perceives herself no differently as an automaton, given she knows her existence as a sentient weapon.
Ikaros grappled with this notion at that time.
Can a weapon become family?
Wu Yan had a thought.
Was Ikaros questioning her identity after seeing Frey living with Rabi like family instead of treating Rabi like a weapon?
Did she intervene without waiting for Wu Yan's approval because she felt like she had to protect the connection between Frey and Rabi? Is she seeing herself in Rabi?
In a way, this is Ikaros desire to be treated not as a weapon.
She wanted to see the weapon known as Rabi live happily as Frey, she didn't want to see harm come to them.
She wants to protect Frey and Rabi.
That's her intention.
"Ikaros told me to help you."
Wu Yan met her eyes.
"This is her earnest request."
Frey arched back in shock while Charlotte gasped.
"Her will is my command."
Wu Yan smiled as warmly as the early morning sun. That made their hearts skip a little.
"Let me help you ladies!"
Frey was speechless, even Charlotte was caught off guard by Wu Yan's bold statement.
Wu Yan told her what he knew.
"You're trying to kill Raishin so Rabi can steal the show at the Walpurgis Night. This way, the Divine Works won't dismantle Rabi."
"You..."
Frey sounded hoarse.
"How did you know?"
Wu Yan and Charlotte looked like they knew this was the case.
Frey knew she just revealed the answer.
She lowered her head.
Tears fell from her eyes.
"My family isn't just Rabi, there are others..."
"Others?"
Charlotte thought about it.
"Rabi's siblings, eh?"
"If they fail..."
Frey sounded like she was in anguish.
"Everyone will be dismantled..."
There are other Hollow Noise dogs.
They're all Frey's family.
If the project is scrapped, so too would the doggie automata.
Wu Yan and Charlotte exchanged a look. They stayed silent as Frey let out her inheld anxiety and worries in the form of tears.