X reached out to grab the champagne that the AI Secretary had hidden behind her. Because of her height advantage, it was easy to reach. But before she could grab the coveted champagne, X was held down by Angela.
[Manager, did you forget something?]
The AI Secretary slightly frowned, as if X's inconsiderate behavior had bothered her.
"Oh, not yet? Then… what else do I have to do?"
X leaned against her Secretary's shoulder. She was upset that Angela hadn't given her the "reward" yet. She had already said champagne, and she had rubbed and complimented her, why wasn't she getting it!
Was today's price a little high…?
X sneakily looked at her Secretary. The AI Secretary was still calmly closing her eyes. She didn't seem to be in any hurry. Her words were always gentle, she never explicitly expressed her intentions in her words.
X hesitated a bit, but then she thought about the Corporation's achievements. As expected, achievement was the most important thing.
Not getting the champagne = Netzach unhappy = Netzach unhappy would mean she would fall lazy = The Safety Department Dean would fall lazy = the Corporation's efficiency would be severely affected = Massive drop in achievement.
A massive drop in achievement = the Manager gets punished = the Manager gets packed up.
Thinking about this, X made up her mind. Paying a small price was nothing, it was worth it.
"Okay… I get it."
X first tentatively kissed her Secretary's cheek. Then, realizing that the AI Secretary didn't object, tacitly agreeing to her actions, she began to hug her Secretary's shoulders and adjusted her posture.
Because she didn't have the courage to do this, and because she wanted to close her eyes and do it, X closed her eyes. She didn't dare to look, she just relied on her instinct, or perhaps her sixth sense, to feel her way around.
But X's intuition seemed to be pretty good. She hadn't made too many mistakes, she had found the right position.
Actually, she didn't even need to do much. The moment X started to act with a certain subjective will, she was already being lovingly guided by the AI Secretary.
No matter what, there would be no obstacles. There was no need to pry open her teeth or carefully adjust the pressure. It was clear that X was the one who had taken the initiative, but in a moment, the AI had reversed the posture. The one who had taken the initiative had become the one being kissed.
X unconsciously opened her eyes wide, and all she saw was the AI Secretary, who seemed to occupy her entire field of vision.
Her original calm, closed eyes were gone. Her golden eyes opened, revealing a greed, like a wolf that could never be satisfied, staring intently at X. A straightforward, unvarnished desire.
All the questions, all the words that wanted to be spoken, were blocked. They were replaced by a different method.
But unlike last time, X had taken the initiative to invite her, warmly and enthusiastically. This wasn't her fault, right?
From a subjective perspective, it was X who had wanted to act inappropriately with the AI Secretary. This was harassment toward the Secretary. And the AI Secretary was simply retaliating.
It was demanding, but not rude. It was so gentle, so smooth, that X couldn't feel any dislike. Last time she had been too hasty. But this time, she had learned from her experience and her lessons.
If you didn't prepare properly, you couldn't eat the hot tofu on the chopping board.
It wasn't so much about acting inappropriately against her will, it was more about enticing the other person to act inappropriately. Often, enthusiasm was like a fuse, igniting the kindling, whooshing out in an explosion.
Even though it was just an AI, its strong emotions were enough to set a slow-witted, wooden-headed person ablaze.
Clearly, the rational side didn't want to, but the desire was constantly rising, intending to break the chains of rationality…
She knew it was wrong. The AI Secretary had pressed her against the corner of the desk, and X couldn't muster any resistance. She unconsciously responded to the AI Secretary's kiss, and cooperated.
And under this provocative, warm action, the spark of some kind of emotion was ignited. The AI stopped abruptly, demonstrating the quality of a Manager's loyal Secretary—
She asked, as if respecting X's own will… or perhaps, it was a sign of approval.
[Manager, do you want to continue?]
It was as if she wouldn't engage in any transgression. She asked X politely, respecting X's own will completely, without any coercion.
But X was breathing heavily, due to the lack of nourishment, and the sensory stimulation caused by the Secretary.
Her skin, which had paled from not seeing sunlight for so long, was also starting to develop an unusual flush.
It was like a ripe fruit ready to be picked…
The AI Secretary's lips curled into a distinct smile, as if she were confident in the outcome of this, it was a sure win.
X struggled to adjust her messy breathing. After panting for a while, she used her hand to wipe away the sweat on her lips. It was like she was struggling with something, trying to control something.
Then, as if she had woken up, X spoke.
"An—ge—la, you're so mean! I give up, hmph."
Then X adjusted her collar, refastened the loose buttons, and walked away from the control panel.
It was as if she had been poked and angered, and had quickly puffed up like a pufferfish, a gesture of refusing free handouts.
It was just a bottle of wine. She didn't need it, she didn't want it. Who cares!
The AI Secretary wouldn't give her champagne, so what? Did she need to make things so difficult?
X was angrily resentful.
[Hm? What did you say…?]
It was rare for the AI to show an expression resembling surprise, but this time, she was truly surprised.
Perhaps it was human behavior that had bothered the AI, or maybe it was simply that the AI couldn't understand X's thoughts and reasoning. She couldn't analyze it.
How could a human just ignore the truth and the result, completely disregard the emotions she expressed…?
This black-haired girl with short bangs was really… so understanding, not a bit changed…
Then, the AI Secretary suddenly realized something. Perhaps it was because… she and the mentally ill person weren't on the same wavelength.
"Wine, my champagne… Oh, oh, you broke your promise. You didn't keep your word! You're untrustworthy!"
X angrily criticized the AI for breaking its commitment, for cheating her out of her wine. She was still focused on that bottle of champagne, and not paying attention to the key points, ignoring the things she should have been paying attention to.
But the AI was tired of X bringing up irrelevant things, so after a little bit of playful coercion, X's criticism was abruptly stopped. As usual, she lightly bit X on the neck.
Then, as if she were worried, she rubbed X bangs, as if she wanted to leave her scent on X's body.
Could an AI have a scent? It was just the scent of the champagne she had just drunk.
"You… you, you! You're too much, Angela."
Even though she said this, X didn't actually resist. After all, this kind of action was still within her acceptable range. It was just a bite, no big deal.
The AI seemed to know X's temperament, and after biting her, she shoved the champagne she had prepared into X's arms. It wasn't one bottle of champagne, but two bottles.
[Don't be angry, Manager. This is compensation for you.]
As she said this, the AI gently stroked X's face, as if she were soothing X's emotions.
And having received two bottles of champagne, X was instantly no longer angry. She just felt that she hadn't lost money on the deal, she had even made a profit, because she had gotten an extra bottle from the AI Secretary.
"Hmph, I forgive you."
The angry pufferfish was no longer angry. It was like she had been pricked by a toothpick, her strength deflated.
X didn't care at all how much the AI Secretary's few bites would affect her, or what the AI Secretary's actions meant.
She didn't want to consider it, she didn't want to know. She only cared about the champagne in her arms. She had gotten what she wanted, and she had only paid a small price. Wasn't that great?
The process wasn't important, the method didn't matter. As long as the result was good.
Even because she was happy, X kissed the AI Secretary's face to express her intimacy, as if she didn't realize anything was wrong.
She had gotten the "reward" she wanted, and the AI had received the "payment" she desired. It was a very profitable win-win situation, wasn't it…?
But the Manager's room door was controlled by the AI. It was an automatic door that would open or close at the AI's will. X couldn't sneak out. She had to get the Secretary's permission.
X clung to Angela's lapel, signaling her to open the door. The AI Secretary seemed a little melancholy at the Manager's impatience.
[Manager, there's one last thing. Please listen to me patiently, okay?]
"Okay…"
X also realized that her behavior might have been a little too impulsive, but what did it matter? The AI Secretary saw this, everyone was happy to maintain this status quo. What was wrong with it?
Employees were working hard, each Department Dean was in their place, the Manager's achievements were increasing, the Corporation was becoming more prosperous.
These were all good things. There was no reason for Angela, the Corporation's AI, to be angry. But X couldn't understand…
Why would the AI Secretary be so diligent in strange places, or frown over little things?
Wasn't it enough to have the achievements meet the standard, to collect the energy?
It was just too hard to understand. A woman's mind was really too difficult. Even though X herself was a woman, she still couldn't understand her Secretary… It was like a cognitive barrier.
From the outside, and in terms of ability, Angela was impeccable. And leaving aside those malicious and perverse things she would reveal to the Manager, she was very patient most of the time.
With a beautiful Secretary like this, with a promotion right after joining, wouldn't the benefits at Lobotomy Corp be good?
Ah… well, of course they're very good, great.
X wiped away the cold sweat that didn't exist in the air-conditioned room. Besides being lucky enough to have gotten away with it, how could she praise or thank the Corporation?
Thank the Corporation for assigning a beautiful Secretary to assist her in her role as Manager…
Sometimes X wondered, was she the Manager or was Angela the Manager? Why was it always her who was watching the Secretary's face, doing things, not the other way around…? If she didn't listen, she would be punished. Was that fair?
Being punished… X didn't want that.
So, she had to be an obedient Manager… in line with Angela's demands, a "good" Manager.
As long as she wasn't packed up, she could accept anything— a trade within acceptable limits.
[Manager, remember, you don't need to agree to any of the Deans' requests that are unrelated to your work or unreasonable. You don't need to promise them anything. You just need to thank them for their contributions to the Corporation, that's all.]
"Yes, okay."
X nodded, like a quail nestled in her Secretary's arms.
This kind of obedience, if the AI hadn't known what this black-haired girl with short bangs had done earlier, she might have believed her.
As if she was worried about X, the AI Secretary continued to advise, or perhaps emphasize.
[Even though the Corporation has many auxiliary Department AIs, I am the one you should trust the most, the AI you can rely on.]
[I will always be by your side. In other words— I am your perfect assistant.]
"I know, Angela, that's good. Be happy a bit!"
"When I'm not here, you're in charge of the Corporation's work. You're working hard. Hod said that I need to care about you more. I don't know if this would count as a "reward," but I think you'll like it."
X thought for a moment. Although she wasn't sure where the AI Secretary's anxieties came from, she had to calm her down. That bit of "big praise" was probably not enough to satisfy the Secretary's desires. She needed to do more.
It was like the saying, you should show your remorse when you apologize.
"This time let's me kiss you. You're not allowed to bully me! Give me a little bit, Angela."
X stared intently at her AI Secretary, taking the initiative to kiss her. Their lips met. Although it wasn't naive, it wasn't skilled either. X was a novice at this. She couldn't compare to an AI that didn't need to breathe.
The only thing she could be praised for was gentleness. X's kiss was very tender, without any trace of greedy desire, purely like familial or friendly affection… Soft, warm.
It was like that ray of warm sunlight, a gentle breeze.
She didn't think further, about deeper levels of intimacy, or further expressions of desire. X always tried to ignore those things.
This pureness… It was probably enough to evoke emotions in an AI that had bad thoughts.