And so the story goes at unit six

Modern Earth, 20xx+3

The smell of ink permeated Fred’s whole studio (which was formerly unit seven). The usual daily lives of mangaka Maou Spence-sensei with his two assistants and also featuring lazy Ingrid at the went on lazing at the bed besides the working tables while eating snacks went on. There were lots of progress graphs and tables posted at the corkboard while some target dates were written at the whiteboard.

“Kyrie. I need pages six to ten. We’re nearing our deadline.”

“Humu. Please don’t pressure me. It’s not really effective.”

“Keep that high and mighty attitude up until the Hag* arrives here.”

“Okay. I won’t say anymore. Just give me until after dinner.”

“Heeeey Freeeeed. Speaking of dinner, I’m hungryyyy~~ Give me money I’ll cook for you. But I’m too lazy so… Cook for me, please?”

Ingrid, at her laziest, was squirming at the bed like a playful cat as she tried to tease Fred and the others who were currently at a rushing state to meeting deadline.

“No. Budget cuts. Cook for us but use your allowance. Also don’t try to delay us any longer.”

“Eeeeh? I told you didn’t I? I’m currently on an unpaid month long leave.”

“Why do you keep adding up on my current problems like you’re either my wife or my kid or Morgianna?”

“Miss Landlady please don’t delay us any longer with your wailing. Just, please…”

“Besides I don’t see any reason why you would take a long unpaid leave at work!”

“You’re earning enough anyways, to keep our family of four’s daily needs in check.”

“Humu. That leaves me and Ara as the kids. Poor Fred, you suddenly became a father, but still, congrats. Fufu”

The cocky assistants still got the time to side with Ingrid to tease Fred despite the busy air surrounding the room. Kyrie was just teasing, and Fred could let that pass because he still couldn’t fully sync in with how Kyrie would think and he would only get up being burned through losing arguments (but not all the time). That’s how he’s been battling with her for over a year already.

He was the master but at the same time, he was also the slave.

Kyrie was one thing, but what he couldn’t accept was Ara riding along Kyrie’s streak and throwing fuel on fire to further increase the damage being dealt. In gaming terms, Ara was like an annoying cleric romantic heroine; Kyrie was like the yuusha, and Fred was like the Maou (which he really was.)

“Ara I’ll cut 20% off from your salary if you keep playing the support teaser role. It hurts me so much that when you’re supposed to side with me to make things fair, you’d end up siding with the other two to make it more one-sided. That’s very not imouto-like.”

“My my… Hearing that triggers the aneki switch, you know? That’s quite unfair.”

“Humu. That’s really unfair Fred.”

“Freeeed I’m hungryyyyyy”

“Guh!! Aaaahg!! Jeez! Fine I get it I get it!”

Fred stood up.

Nothing was heard yet it was certain that it’s break time. What a hardworking man of labor need at times were timely breaks. It was just to avoid being burnt-out with heavy work. Fred didn’t want to be branded as someone who abuses his staff by overworking and underpayment. “We’re close friends already” was what had been going on his mind as an excuse at the beginning. But being told with “You’re the lowest of the low Fred.” Of everyone especially Ingrid and Old man was what he’s been trying to avoid.

“Come on, we’re close friends already. I could use a cut on your salaries to increase our snacks budget. Besides, you’re the ones who’re benefiting the most on snacks anyways.”

Of course he delivered it as a joke.

At the same time Ingrid squirmed at her current position on the bed. She didn’t want to get up because Fred will just abuse her of house work, that she knew. She was just moving out her body to tell him that ‘at least she’s working her body out’ and that ‘she’s trying to avoid being fat’.

“No Ingrid, that won’t work on me. You will help me out to prepare dinner.”

Ingrid pouted.

At the same time, she didn’t want to anger Fred. She knew it was quite a hell week for the three as they were trying to catch up with their backlogs of work and they we’re quite being pushed on the edge, despite going on with their usual daily banters. With that being in mind, she stood up.

CRASH!!

They heard a rumbling sound at the very far side of Fred’s unit which was supposed to be deserted at that moment.

“HIIIII!!! Ky-ky-kyrie-chan!! Is that the fabled apartment ghost at Miss Landlady’s apartment complex?!!”

Ara jumped out of her seat and tried to embrace Kyrie, who was currently seated across the long table separating them. She forced her body after being scared too much that half of it was thrown cross the desk already just to hub Kyrie. Now the scaredy imouto-mode Ara was pressing her cheeks at the seated ‘God please let this be over with’ Kyrie.

“No, you silly imouto-mode Ara. Please don’t try to switch too often. We’re now having issues with how to deal with that.”

“Oooh. That’s so not like you, Kyrie.”

“Wait. Is this already the aneki-mode or the so-called third and balanced mode?”

But Ara’s split/multiple personalities was not the pressing issue at the moment.

The fact that they heard something from the supposedly vacant unit meant only two possibilities: A burglar; or a ghost if they were real.

“Come on guys, you didn’t even consider the possibility of Seria barging in, drunk and spent.”

“No Fred that’s not an option. We all know Seria handles her liquor too well that it’s getting me too envious.”

“No Ingrid, now’s not the time to get envious”

“Maybe a cat got in?”

“Well that was logical. Now go check it Ara, since it’s your idea at the first place.”

“Eeeh? I don’t wanna! What if there really is a ghost?! Besides, are you scared to check it too?”

“O-of course not!”

The topic was going to extend too long so Ingrid decided to open the door.

“Come on now guys. We all know that I’m not raising a demon ghost here in my apar—HIIIII!!!!”

Ingrid suddenly turn tail and hugged Fred. She was shaking. The three saw no point on her making a prank and prolonging the topic further right after cutting it. They really need all the time. So why did she jump out of fear? The answer was obvious: there really was a ghost.

…Or not.

“Fu fu fu! Lady Landlady. What an unsightly sight to display upon the great Queen of Dark—”

SHUT…

Fred closed the door.

Anemone was sitting at the center couch of his apartment parallel to the door, wearing her usual sexy tight suit and a coat-on-top. She was sitting at her usual pose with her right eye covered with an eyepatch. Her left eye was wearing a purple contact lens that glowed as the light from the outside passed through the windows of his apartment. It looked like she was waiting for the very moment that somebody would open the door.

At first glance anyone would think she really was a ghost. That was what scared Ingrid.

Anemone could only hear Ingrid crying over the other side of the closed door as she sat still, worried about scaring the shit out of the kind landlady of the apartment complex she just moved in. That might lead to her being kicked out without even a month worth of stay.

Over the door she could only hear the conversation Fred’s team was having

“There there, calm down Ingrid. We’ll just tie up Anemone later.”

“I would like to ask her how and why is she at your unit right now.”

“Humu. Please tie him tight Fred, I want to test my newly upgraded harisen on her. She made Landlady cry so…”

“Uwuuuuu Freeeeeed hug me tighteeeeer.”

Large sweat built up on Anemone’s forehead. She felt like she had prepared and exerted too much effort for something that would get her killed. She silently lifter herself up from being seated, avoiding any sound that would alert the whole Team Maou at the other side of her greatest escape of her life.

She turned around.

But Fred’s team won’t let somebody who made Ingrid cry (but she must have been really fine after hugging Fred) escape so easily.

“Oho, where are you going, my Little Annette?”

It was Kyrie standing at the open door. Anemone turned around and saw the silhouette of a little figure. The contrast of the dark room and the light from the studio made it look like Kyrie’s silhouette was like a villain antagonist of a shounen manga yet to be revealed at the early chapters.

“He he he… Kyrie-senpai. Please refrain from calling me by that name anymore, please? I’m a full-pledged mangaka now, so…”

She looked at the long paper fan Kyrie was holding. It was the very same representation of pain that would be inflicted to her in a few more moments.

She accepted her fate. Fred was standing behind Kyrie, consoling the crying (but she’s really fine after hugging Fred) Ingrid.

“Kyrie-senpai?”

“Kyrie.”

“Yes?” -to answer both of them

“Please be gentle”

“Do it.”

Seria just finished walking a long way from the station and she was carrying dinner she bought at the convenience store. She was about to enter Ingrid Apartment complex’s vicinity when she heard a loud critical hit of some paper landing on bare skin and a delighted “Kyah!~~” from the second floor.

“Uwaaaah~~ That surely hurts.”

---

“So, how and why are you here at the first place?”

“I entered through the balcony—”

“Which sounds physically impossible, but since it is you I won’t have any more how questions. Now answer the whys.”

“Heh. It-it’s not like I was feeling quite alone at my new unit. I just happen to want to bother you for a while. I got free time since I’ve met my deadline fast.”

With that answer she freely gave away the whys.

Anemone was sitting politely at the couch she previously sat on. She was being scolded by Fred and Seria who just arrived with the relief goods she bought from the convenience store. Multiple lumps from her head, mainly from the harisen* and one from Ingrid, were visible at her forehead.

She looked like a kid who bumped on the table and tumbled down multiple times. Besides from the snot on her nose she’s teary eyed: an indication that she’s cried too. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

“Well you could pack up and leave the apartment after we’ve eaten. I knew this would happen so I’ve bought an extra for you.”

“UWAAAAAAAA—bu-bu-but it’s not like I… The Queen of Darkness… Would be tempted by this…”

Anemone was drooling as she looked at the sight of the food that was offered at the dining table.

“What you say doesn’t match up to the reaction you’re showing, you know?”

“Well whatever. I’m hungry and it’s a great timing. Guess I’ll help myself.”

Anemone stood up and grabbed herself dinner. She did not ask politely nor act on courtesy. It had been one of her original traits to quickly get familiar with others and any new environment she moved onto. That posed true after she moved out of the city to the countryside small town where Fred’s studio and Ingrid’s apartment complex was located.

She was initially friendly with Kyrie to begin with, but she’s also got along quickly with Fred, Ingrid and Ara too, not to mention Fred’s editor Seria who’s always paying a visit to check on his progress too.

“I really can’t believe she went on and spent a whole week like she’s one of your long residing tenants already, Ingrid. What have you made her drink?”

“I would like to just ask her to drink alcohol sometimes but she’s still underaged… or not? So I just ask her to drink beer sometimes.”

“No. That’s in every aspect wrong.”

“I just drink juice, okay? I just drink juice!”

Anemone reverted to her kid form as she started chowing on her dinner. She seemed like she hadn’t eaten for the whole day. Seria’s decision to buy her dinner was right. Fred just looked at her with ‘Was she expecting this from the start? Where does she even bring her money to?’ look. He then looked at the initial victim: Ingrid, after remembering an important part.

“You sure have recovered quick. You’ve forgiven her already, you know?”

“Ah… Hehehe I was just trying to score a hug from you. Teehee~~”

“Thought so… Come Ara, Kyrie, let’s have dinner.”

“Yaaay, I’ve been waiting for this.”

“Humu. After all that hardwork, and you’ll just serve me processed food?”

Thud!

“Cocky brat, just be grateful you guys don’t have to prepare dinner anymore.”

Kyrie just pouted after getting a light hit on her forehead. It was really intended to tease Fred but it backfired immediately. She’s not really one to commit silly mistakes. Being stressed from work must have taken a toll on her thought process already.

Ara, as usual, just immediately dragged her body towards the dining table and supplied nutrients to her farther growing body.

“Well, I guess I’m going to take the last spot. I haven’t eaten dinner yet too.” –Seria said as she took on the final spot at the crowded table.

“Eh?! Hey! Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“No we’re not. You’re not just being hospitable.”

Fred’s table could only accommodate four persons at max. With a freeloading chuunibyou rival and an ex-yankee editor to add up to his family, he was immediately overthrown from his usual dining spot.

But that didn’t apply only to him. Anemone took Ingrid’s spot too. That left Ingrid with a delighted look for a chance on soloing Fred with an ambush dinner date again at her unit.

“No that’s what you’re thinking right now Ingrid. Let’s eat at the studio table. I won’t get harassed again with your ‘here honey, say aaah’ thing.”

“Hmp! Cheapskate.” -Ingrid could only pout after getting flat out rejected again.

---

“Well at least you’re keeping up. This will sell, I assure you of that. Keep up the good work.”

Seria finished reading Fred’s chapter draft. It was a 30-40-ish page draft that would be released for the month’s update for the story he’s currently drawing. Unlike Old man, Seria had been handling Fred and his team better that it brings out, no doubt, better results than they have produced while being handled by Old man.

“You know, I really got a hunch that this will be a better serialization than my first. It’s just a hunch.”

“You wouldn’t know. As I see it, your first should have been still running even now if you just not have decided to drop it. Well that’s similar to saying that maybe Old man’s forte really lies on adaptations. Hmmm. I’m not saying I’d lose to him with regards to my skills. But who knows. I really haven’t seen him in action due to our conflicting schedules. How’s he doing on your end Anemone-senseiby the way?”

“Fu fu fu. My humble servant in doing fine on his job under me.”

Anemone started talking (her style) about Old man. She started telling them the story (her style) of how Old man had been diligently kept up with her for the past month. And the looks on the audience’s faces we quite astonished. It was an achievement well-attained by Old man, considering Anemone was the one he’s in-charged with.

As she told them the story she twirled her bangs and spoke while sitting at the side of the bed. She was sitting on the edge to make way for Ingrid, who immediately fell asleep after eating. She had been sleeping ever since Seria and the others entered the studio and started to read and assess the current pages that Fred’s team finished.

Though their discussion sounded at the entire room, she’s sound asleep. You would know why she took a long vacation by the way she’s sound asleep.

“Well that’s all I could talk about him so far.”

“Whoah. I’m pretty impressed he still has his sanity. Oh wait, he’s pretty insane to begin with. My bad.”

“Yes, yes. He’s one hell of an Editor.”

“Uwaaaah Fred he was still your editor. I would feel bad if you guys started talking to him like that.”

Riiing Riiing Riiing…

Ara’s phone started to make a loud girly ringtone like those of fantasy romance background music. She’s pretty girly to begin and Fred had heard it tons of times already but he was still giving an annoyed look after hearing it. He might either: had a sensitive hearing or the music was just not really his taste.

“Ah Fred it’s someone I know from my previous work. I’ll be right back.”

It was a sudden ring so everybody participating the discussion suddenly went to a halt and looked at Ara. It was quite a rare sight to see Ara suddenly excusing herself because somebody from her previous work called her. Seria and Anemone might now be knowledgeable of events that happened on Ara’s past yet, but seeing the sudden change on their expressions put them onto mixing with the mood at the room.

“I’ll just excuse myself for a bit.”

“Sure. Take your time Ara.”

Fred looked at Ara as she hurriedly headed towards the exit of the studio. She must have gone towards her unit to avoid the conversation being misheard. Fred looked worried about her.

Fred noticed the sudden change on the mood but could not determine what would be a proper ice breaker. It was when Ingrid rose from behind Anemone which shocked her a bit.

“Uwaah!! Uhm… Ehem! Fu fu fu! So you have awoken from your eternal slumber, God of the land.”

“Please don’t associate me with your weird nicknames and just call me landlady or Ingrid. I’m going to kick you out. No actually get out right now.”

“No please don’t Lady Landlady… I’ll behave now.”

It was an easy score to redirect everyone’s attention away from Ara. Fred knew of Ingrid’s intentions. Kyrie might still not be aware, but Fred and Ingrid were aware of her past and it’s not something to proudly tell to the others as a story to pass time.

Fred looked at Ingrid with a “Good going. Thanks, I’ll treat you later.” And Ingrid answered with a “it’s fine, just be your usual self.”

“No. Really… I’m still really pissed with what you’ve done a little while ago. I may have been woken up by Ara’s ringtone but I still really won’t forget what you’ve done.”

“HIII!!! Please, Landlady Ingrid. I’ll do everything.”

“Ara ara… Well then. Accompany me at my unit I’ll have something to talk to you with. It would be fine if I leave with this goofball for a while, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, no worries. We’ll be done here in a few minutes too.”

“Waaaah!! Please! I still need to see how my idol, Maou Spence-sensei!!”

And Ingrid dragged the noisy Anemone out of the studio like a teacher dragging a noisy student out of the classroom towards the faculty.

Shut.

The door finally closed. It was only Kyrie, Seria and Fred left at the room. They continued their discussion.