Esper X Family – Chapter 262 – The Little Hill on the Bed

The mechanical door opened.

No footsteps sounded.

But a petite figure drifted inside.

Ye Yao got up and snapped her fingers to turn on the voice-activated light.

The light instantly illuminated the entire room, revealing everything in clear view.

At the same time, it also unveiled the true identity of the “intruder”.

A blue-haired loli dressed in ornate attire.

Mo Qiuli’s Magical Girl form – Mercury.

“What are you doing, Little Mo?”

“I-I’m not Mo Qiuli, I’m Magical Girl Mercury!”

After transforming into a Magical Girl, Mo Qiuli was not only full of courage.

She even had the nerve to quibble shamelessly.

Truly worthy of being the two-faced emperor ¹ Previously mentioned in chapter 12. It’s a JOJO reference. .

“Anyway, Magical Girls need to develop deep bonds! Only then can we have seamless coordination when fighting monsters. So, a training camp together is an absolutely essential step!”

Ye Yao tilted her head, casting a suspicious glance at her.

Do you even believe that yourself?

Under such scrutiny, even the Mo Qiuli whose heart had been set free blushed a little in embarrassment.

“Th-That’s Magical Girl Mercury’s setting.”

Ye Yao was out of options.

What else could she do?

After all, she was her first friend.

She could only go along with it.

“De-transform already. Do you really want to sleep in that outfit?”

“Mhm!”

With a flash of blue light.

The blue-haired loli turned back into the fluffy black-haired loli.

Even her black-framed glasses couldn’t hide the excitement in her eyes.

All according to keikaku ² TL note: Keikaku means plan. !

Mo Qiuli hugged her pillow and walked to the bedside.

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Then, she lifted the blanket, only to discover that there was already someone there.

Mo Qiuli: “?”

Luo Jianhua met her gaze, little eyes staring into little eyes.

She hadn’t expected Mo Qiuli to be the second one.

She had thought that it would be Wu Mi.

So she’s a rival too, after all!

“I-I’ve fallen behind……”

Mo Qiuli’s face fell into a kitten-like pout.

But she could still comfort herself with the fact that Luo Jianhua and Ye Yao’s bond was familial.

When it came to friendship, Mercury and Lullaby are number one!

Mo Qiuli consciously slipped into the other side.

Enjoying the warmth of Ye Yao’s other side.

In an unfamiliar environment, sticking close to someone familiar was indeed more reassuring.

Mo Qiuli was definitely the one having the hardest time adjusting after leaving home.

Unable to see her parents these past couple of days, she could only seek comfort from Ye Yao.

Ye Yao casually turned off the light.

She didn’t feel the slightest discomfort with the current situation.

It was always like this when she stayed over at Mo Qiuli’s place.

It was just a change of scenery this time.

Back to sleep!

However, not long after Ye Yao turned off the light, the sound of the door opening came again.

The mechanical door slid open almost silently.

And a slender figure slipped in along the door gap.

Ye Yao, who had just closed her eyes, opened them again. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers, instantly illuminating the voice-activated light.

Under the warm yellow light.

The girl with long beige hair froze in place.

Her hands were still raised, holding up her nightgown while tiptoeing.

A blush visibly spread across Wu Mi’s pale cheeks.

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“…It’s already past midnight.”

She tugged at the lace hem of her dress, her beige eyelashes fluttering nervously.

Ye Yao drew a sharp breath.

So, when you said “see you tomorrow”, you meant you’re coming for a night raid the moment it turned midnight?

Seems like Wu Mi isn’t so honest either.

Ye Yao silently lifted a corner of the blanket.

Wu Mi immediately burrowed into the bedding like a startled rabbit.

After all, sleeping together had become a common occurrence at the suburban mansion.

She was quite practiced at slipping under the covers.

But then Wu Mi froze the instant she pressed against Ye Yao’s arm.

Because she had touched another warm body.

“Huh?”

A lump suddenly bulged up from the other end of the blanket.

Mo Qiuli emerged, her messy black hair sticking out, her cute round eyes wide open.

Luo Jianhua’s small head poked out from the other side, looking relatively calm.

“You’re late, Wu Mi.”

After only a moment of silence.

The door opened once again.

Pink, cloud-like hair surged into the room first.

“Cat—!”

Wrapped in strawberry-patterned pajamas, Fang Tang bounced inside, her eyes filled with anticipation.

“I’ve come to sleep with you… Huh?”

The next second.

Fang Tang suddenly braked, staring in disbelief at the “small hill” bulging under the covers on the bed.

Four pairs of eyes turned to look at her in unison.

“Wah! You’re all secretly isolating me!”

Fang Tang jumped up as if her fur had bristled, her slippers flying off.

“Me too!”

Before her words even faded, her whole body launched like a cannonball into the center of the bed.

“Mmph!”

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“Y-You’re squashing my hair!”

“Fang Tang, this spot beside Sister is mine!”

“Human, your foot!”

The mattress shook violently.

Ye Yao sank down under the weight of four warm bodies.

Mo Qiuli’s pajamas brushed against her chin.

Wu Mi’s cool fingers accidentally touched the back of her hand.

Luo Jianhua’s body pressed completely against her.

Fang Tang’s fluffy pink hair covered her entire face.

Amid the chaos, Ye Yao fumbled and slapped the overhead light off.

The moment darkness swallowed the room, all movement abruptly ceased.

The breathing of five people intertwined in the cramped space.

There was a satisfied sigh.

The rustling of someone still adjusting their position.

And faint, suppressed, shallow breaths.

Lying flat on her back, Ye Yao blankly stared into the void, her expression utterly resigned.

Wu Mi’s head weighed down on her left shoulder.

Luo Jianhua was lightly nestling against her right arm.

Fang Tang’s warm arm was draped across her waist.

Mo Qiuli, with her weaker competitiveness, had been squeezed to the very edge.

Perhaps the outcome would’ve been different if she had transformed into “Mercury” just now.

“It’s too hot…”

Wu Mi complained softly, but pressed even tighter against Ye Yao.

“A calm heart naturally feels cool!”

Fang Tang declared righteously as she hugged the “body pillow” from above.

Her fluffy hair pressed against Ye Yao’s neck.

Luo Jianhua quietly pulled the thin quilt up a little, covering all five of their bodies.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the undulating contours under the covers.

Like plants with a symbiotic root system, five slender bodies intertwined together on the narrow single bed, forming an improbable balance.

Ye Yao closed her eyes.

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“You all seem more like cats than I do, sneaking over to cling to me while I’m sleeping. Only the really clingy kind of cats do that.”

She resigned herself to it.

Now that things have come to this, let’s just sleep first.

Yunited States.

Noon.

Having shed her “Ye Tong” disguise, Ye Yao turned to look at the purple-haired loli who was still sound asleep on the bed.

Then she looked toward Xia Lian, who was placing her hands on An Qi’s body to regulate her blood circulation.

“Xia Lian, do you know what my other self is doing right now?”

“Do you want me to guess?”

Xia Lian pondered, seeming quite interested in this game.

“It should be late at night at the other White Catty’s side, right? Probably sleeping? Not difficult at all.”

“You guessed right, but there are four girls squeezed into the bed with me.”

Ye Yao’s face was full of worry.

“How could anyone like crowding together while sleeping?

I’m not some kind of special physique where sleeping with someone for one night makes them stronger.

Looks like I’ll need to have a few more heart-to-heart talks with them another day.

Otherwise, my sleep quality is bound to drop significantly sooner or later.”

Xia Lian blinked.

Her mind instantly conjured an image of five cats huddling together warmth.

The next second, she showed an expression of sudden understanding.

“Oh~ Is White Catty showing off to me?”

“I’m not.” Ye Yao instinctively averted her gaze.

“Denial means yes! White Catty, I’m really going to contain you now! Come here, let me hug and sniff you!”

Author Note

Wrote some light and relaxing stuff.

Text: If you pinch catty, you will be punched