My AI Girlfriend Thinks She Is Real!-Chapter 55 - : : Tea And Teasing!

Shiki sat sprawled on the sofa like he owned the entire mansion—which, in a way, he did.

His arm was slung around Ai’s shoulders, fingers lazily tracing circles on the bare skin of her upper arm.

She was tucked against his side, head resting comfortably on his chest, cheeks still carrying a soft pink flush from earlier "activities."

Every few seconds her fingers would curl into the fabric of his shirt, then relax again, like she was reassuring herself he was really there.

Across from them, Seraphina and Lyra sat on the opposite sofa. A steaming teapot and four cups sat on the low table between the two sides. The tea smelled faintly of jasmine and honey.

Seraphina took a slow sip, eyebrows lifting slightly.

"This is actually good," she said, sounding mildly surprised.

Lyra nodded quickly, cradling her cup with both hands.

"Y-yes! Really good! Warm and... sweet but not too sweet..."

Ai’s face lit up instantly. She sat up a little straighter, beaming so wide her eyes almost disappeared into crescents.

"Right?! I worked really hard on the blend!"

Seraphina set her cup down with a soft clink and looked straight at Ai.

"Sir Shiki made it, didn’t he?"

Ai’s smile froze for half a second.

"N-no! I—I mean, yes, but—!"

Shiki snorted, not even trying to hide his amusement. His fingers kept lazily stroking Ai’s arm.

"She supervised," he drawled. "Very important job. Taste-tester. Quality control."

Ai puffed her cheeks out. "I helped! I chose the honey! And I stirred!"

Seraphina’s lips curved. "Stirred. Very impressive."

Lyra giggled behind her cup. "I-I think it’s nice that you both made it together..."

Ai turned bright red, but her chin lifted proudly anyway.

"I’m proud of my husband," she declared, voice ringing with exaggerated dignity. "He learned everything from me."

Shiki coughed once—very obviously hiding a laugh.

Seraphina raised one elegant brow.

"Everything?"

"Everything," Ai repeated, nodding so hard her ponytail bounced. "Tea-making, fighting, how to be a good husband... all me."

Shiki finally cracked, letting out a low, rumbling chuckle. He leaned down and pressed a loud, exaggerated kiss to the top of Ai’s head.

"My wise teacher," he said solemnly. "Truly, I am blessed."

Ai squirmed happily, trying (and failing) to look stern. "Stop teasing!"

Seraphina took another sip of tea, eyes glinting over the rim.

"So humble, Sir Shiki. Learning from your wife like that. Very... enlightened."

Shiki’s smirk sharpened. "I’m a very enlightened man."

Lyra squeaked. "U-um... the tea really is good..."

Ai beamed at her. "See? Lyra agrees!"

Seraphina set her cup down.

"Speaking of enlightenment..." She leaned forward slightly, elbows on her knees. "Any progress on your end regarding the Order?"

Shiki’s smirk didn’t falter, but his eyes sharpened.

"Thought you were the one with the secret information."

Seraphina smiled thinly. "We can’t exactly share classified intelligence with an adventurer, can we?"

Shiki leaned back, spreading his arms along the back of the sofa. Ai automatically snuggled closer.

"So you’re trying to recruit me again."

Seraphina feigned innocence, pressing a hand to her chest. "Not at all. I would never put a simple citizen in danger."

Shiki snorted. "Simple citizen my ass."

Ai giggled. "Shiki!"

Seraphina’s smile turned razor-sharp.

"Language, Sir Shiki. There are ladies present."

Shiki looked down at Ai, then back at Seraphina.

"My lady’s heard worse. Haven’t you, kitten?"

Ai’s face went scarlet again. "Sh-Shiki!!"

Lyra squeaked louder. "P-please don’t fight—!"

Seraphina ignored her.

"If you’re so uninterested, why ask at all?"

"Because I don’t trust you paper-pushers to handle it properly," Shiki said flatly. "You’ll write reports. Hold meetings. Debate jurisdiction. Meanwhile that bastard and his cult are still out there."

Seraphina’s expression didn’t change, but her voice cooled.

"We’re doing our job."

Shiki’s arm tightened around Ai—just slightly. "I can see very well."

Seraphina looked away for the first time.

"...We’re trying everything in our power."

Silence stretched.

Ai’s small hand slid over Shiki’s where it rested on her shoulder. She squeezed.

Shiki exhaled through his nose.

"Let me help."

Seraphina met his eyes again.

"You want to join the Knights?"

"No."

Seraphina studied him for a long moment.

"You’d just be under my command. No need to follow any other member."

Shiki barked a laugh.

"My decision is still the same as before."

Ai giggled again. "Shiki’s not very good at following orders."

Seraphina’s mouth twitched.

"I’ve noticed."

Lyra waved her hands frantically. "U-um! Maybe we can all work together? Without... fighting?"

Shiki looked down at Ai, then back at Seraphina.

"Fine. I’ll play nice. For now."

Seraphina raised her teacup in a mock toast.

"How generous of you."

Ai clapped her hands. "See? Teamwork!"

Shiki snorted. "Don’t push it, kitten."

Seraphina took another sip.

"You know... you still haven’t told me how you found the cottage so fast."

Shiki shrugged.

"Magic."

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed.

"God-Class magic?"

Shiki just smirked.

Seraphina sighed.

"Of course."

Ai giggled again, snuggling closer to Shiki’s side.

"He’s very cool."

Shiki patted her head. "Damn right."

Lyra finally lowered her hands, peeking out.

"C-can we maybe... talk about something nicer now?"

Ai perked up.

"Like tea?"

Seraphina groaned dramatically.

"Please no more tea talk."

Shiki grinned.

"Too late. Kitten’s proud of her stirring skills."

Ai elbowed him lightly. "Stop it!"

Seraphina leaned back, crossing her arms.

"You two are disgusting."

Ai gasped. "We’re romantic!"

Shiki nodded solemnly. "Very romantic."

Lyra giggled despite herself.

Seraphina shook her head, fighting a smile.

"You’re both impossible."

Ai stuck her tongue out. "You’re just jealous."

Seraphina arched a brow.

"Of what? Your husband’s terrible taste?"

Ai gasped again, mock-offended.

"Shiki has excellent taste!"

Shiki leaned down and kissed Ai’s cheek—loudly.

"See? Excellent."

Seraphina rolled her eyes so hard it was audible.

Lyra was giggling uncontrollably now.

Shiki took a slow sip of his own tea, then set the cup down with deliberate calm. His arm was still draped around Ai, thumb brushing idly against her shoulder as he fixed Seraphina with a lazy, almost predatory look.

"By the way," he said, voice casual but edged, "mind if I drop by the Celestial Knights’ headquarters sometime?"

The room went noticeably quieter.

Seraphina’s fingers paused around her teacup. She studied him over the rim for several long seconds before gently setting it down on the table with a soft clink.

"Why?" she asked, tone neutral but eyes sharp.

Shiki shrugged one shoulder, the motion lazy.

"Just wanna see if you lot are actually competent. Or if it’s all fancy capes and paperwork."

Seraphina didn’t flinch. She leaned back slightly, crossing one long leg over the other.

"And if I say no?"

Shiki’s lips curled into a slow, mocking grin. He tilted his head, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make it pointed.

"Then I’ll just assume the whole place is full of incompetent bastards who can’t handle a real look."

Ai gasped again, covering her mouth with both hands, though her eyes were sparkling with barely-contained laughter.

"Sh-Shiki!! You can’t just say that!"

Lyra looked like she wanted to melt into the sofa cushions and disappear.

Seraphina, however, only arched one perfect brow. A faint, dangerous smile played at the corner of her mouth.

"You’re really asking for an invitation just so you can insult us to our faces."

"Call it quality control," Shiki replied smoothly. "Same way Ai does taste-testing. I wanna make sure the Knights aren’t serving weak tea."

Ai puffed her cheeks out. "Hey! My tea testing is excellent!"

Shiki patted her head without looking away from Seraphina. "See? She gets it."

Seraphina exhaled through her nose—a sound that was almost, but not quite, a laugh.

"You’re impossible."

"Part of my charm," Shiki said, deadpan.

She held his gaze for another beat, then leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees again.

"I’ll consider it," she said finally. "But if I do let you in, you follow my rules. No breaking things. No threatening my people. And definitely no calling anyone incompetent to their face... unless they really earn it."

Shiki’s grin widened, showing teeth.

"Deal. I’ll be on my very best behavior."

Ai snorted softly against his chest. "That’ll last five minutes."

"Three," Lyra whispered, then immediately clapped both hands over her mouth when she realized she’d said it out loud.

Seraphina shook her head, fighting—and losing—the battle against a real smile.

"You’re all exhausting."

Shiki just raised his teacup in another mock toast.

"To competent knights," he drawled. "May they prove me wrong."

Ai giggled and clinked her cup against his.

"To teamwork!"

Seraphina sighed dramatically and picked her cup back up.

"I’m going to regret this."

"Probably," Shiki agreed cheerfully.

Lyra peeked out from behind her hands, voice tiny.

"C-can we... maybe not break anything when he visits...?"

Ai beamed at her. "Don’t worry, Lyra-chan! Shiki’s super gentle when he wants to be!"

Shiki coughed once—very obviously hiding another laugh.

Seraphina just pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Gods help us all."

"Yeah... Sure. God may save us all." Shiki smirked.

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END OF Chapter : 55 : TEA & TEASING

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