Pip's voice

Leaf had found a new project. Of course, not being the Maou at that moment, it made it a lot harder to do and she had less time to do it. Her transformation hadn’t taken away any of her brilliance though and she sat down with pen and paper in her free time to conceptualise a translator for Pip. In her time immersed in Pip’s body, which was almost nightly, she had heard distinct patterns in the quiet hums. She was convinced that it could be translated into speech.

Once she had her plans she found Gob in the kitchens and asked him to help. “It’s not an order you know,” she told him.

“I know,” said Gob. “I’m just happy to help out a friend.”

Leaf's heart fluttered a little at his words. She could no longer be sure if Gob’s inbuilt seductive pheromones were doing it or if she just liked him. She guessed it didn’t matter. Even if it was brought on by physiological reactions, was it any different to genuine affection?

Gob arranged a meeting with April. It was very odd meeting April and pretending to be someone else. Thankfully April was just as lovely to her as Leaf as she was to the Maou. “Sugar, you have an artificer's skill at inventing. You are wasted doing the cleaning,” she had said while examining the drawings. It was nice to receive a compliment that she knew was entirely genuine. April had no reason to flatter Leaf. It was refreshing.

Gob told April that the Maou would be paying for it and used his seal to convince her he was telling the truth. Leaf found that very amusing. The magic of the seal still recognised her as the Maou. She was glad Gob had thought of it. She was not used to the idea of money being a problem. She usually had so much of it but her meagre maid's salary wouldn’t have covered a fraction of the labour let alone the materials.

“Well, it’s simple enough. The beauty of it is in the design. I should have it done in a couple of days but we will need to test it.” They agreed to meet April with Pip after their shift ended in two days' time.

After that shift, April collected Pip and took her to the kitchen where Gob was waiting. She introduced them, “Gob, this is Pip.”

Pip held up her slate with the word “Hi,” written on it.

Gob looked amused by the buxom, translucent maid. He stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you Pip. I’ve heard about you but never seen you around before.”

Pip gleefully took Gob's hand. As she did a strange look spread over her face and she began examining his hand. “Pip doesn’t walk around the palace much. She usually travels by the water pipes,” explained Leaf.

“Er, what is she doing exactly?” asked gob as she had started to absorb his hand into her own.

“Pip?” asked Leaf but Pip didn’t respond. “Pip,” still nothing. “Pip!” she shouted and Pip withdrew her grip and picked up her tablet.

“Fascinating taste.”

“Rally?” asked Leaf.

“Yes, stimulating,” she wrote with a big grin.

“Apparently you taste stimulating, Gob,” giggled Leaf. “I wonder if it has something to do with your unusual body chemistry?”

Gob leaned close to Leaf and whispered in her ear, “You sound like the Maou.”

Leaf blushed. “Well, it’s not like I’m completely pretending to be someone else. I’m still me.” She looked over at Pip who had written a question mark on her slate but her confused expression did just as much to express her feelings. “It’s nothing. Just Gob making a joke. Shall we go?”

They made the long walk to the workshops where they found April in her usual get-up polishing something. “Wow, you must be Pip. Good to meet you.” She stuck her hand out to shake and Pip looked at it before scribbling the word “Dirty” and eagerly shaking April's hand. April eventually pried her hand away and noticed that it was sparklingly clean.

“As I said, not a hugely complicated build but the enchantments were tricky. I guess I got used to working with the boss man. Here.” April held out a shiny silver bowl and Pip looked at it curiously and then questioningly at April. “You need to rest your core in the bowl,” April explained.

Without any hesitation, Pip took the bowl and plunged it inside her. Her core, which was hovering around the middle of her torso, rose up to meet the now floating bowl and settled itself into it. “Try saying something,” Leaf urged and April's whole body began to ripple and the sound of her humming was suddenly audible. When she stopped rippling, Pip gave a silent laugh and wrote the word “Tickled” on her slate.

Leaf began coaching Pip, telling her to direct the vibrations out of her mouth. After some trial and error, Pip opened her mouth and a soft sweet note rang from it like she was singing. Leaf and Pip jumped for joy. “Now try and make the mouth movements like we do.”

“Like we do,” said Pip. The words were slurred and slow and her tone was more like a song than speech but it was a cause for celebration.

The two maids were completely focused on Pip’s speaking so April pulled Gob to one side and pulled him down to give her a kiss. “I’ve been wanting that ever since you got here,” she said. “Probably not appropriate to sneak off for a bit of sex but maybe you could hang back after the girls go?”

“I think I could risk it,” said Gob and April bit her lip in anticipation.

“So, adding a new girl to the harem are you?” April said looking over at the maids.

“Leaf? No, no plans to.”

“Why not? She clearly likes you. Don’t tell me she’s too innocent for you or something daft like that. She’s a cutie.”

“It’s kind of complicated. It wouldn’t be appropriate.” April gave him a look. “It’s just not wise. I can’t really explain why.”

“Okay, okay.” As they looked at the maids, Leaf looked up and saw them looking and gave a happy wave to Gob. “Just don’t be surprised if she decides to make the first move,” said April. “Come on, let’s send them home and you can send me to heaven.”