"Phaga, no need to see us off!"
"Baby Shark, you must enjoy every day too!"
Burnice waved her handkerchief, shouting cheerfully at the SUV that had already driven far away.
Only when it vanished from sight did Burnice wipe nonexistent tears from her eyes with the handkerchief, feigning disappointment.
"Ah, I still couldn't convince Phaga and Baby Shark to stay for my evening event—the First Burnice Cup Seven Days and Nights All-You-Can-Drink Carnival!"
"That's exactly why I didn't want you to try persuading Phaga…"
Lucy slapped her forehead, grabbed Corin beside her, and declared with hands on hips:
"I'll say it again, Burnice—there is no carnival!"
With that, Lucy wrapped an arm around Corin and headed home, muttering under her breath.
"Seriously, when would we even have time for a carnival? We just became Overlords, and there's still so much to coordinate with the Vanquishers… Corin, they're not exactly reliable. Could you help me organize the documents later?"
"Sure… sure, no problem. It's just…"
Corin hesitated before agreeing, but halfway through her sentence, she faltered again.
"Just what?"
Lucy turned her head and gave Corin a wink.
At the hint, Corin's eyes lit up, but she quickly suppressed her excitement. Like a little drama queen, she put on a worried expression and sighed.
"It's just… everyone worked so hard for so long to win the Tour de Inferno. If we can't celebrate and rest properly…"
"This… um… ugh!!! So annoying!"
Lucy tugged at her hair in frustration, wailing in place for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, Lucy regained her composure. She turned her head away, avoiding everyone's gaze, yet her flushed cheeks and puffed lips were plain for all to see as she declared with forced pride:
"Fine… but this is a one-time thing!"
For a split second, everyone froze.
The next moment, Burnice leapt up, flashing across several meters in an instant. She pressed her cheek to Lucy's and hugged her while jumping in place.
"Yay, Lucy! I love you so much!"
"Get off me! Hey, Burnice, let go of this lady right now!"
Lucy shoved at Burnice's cheeks, using every ounce of strength she had before finally breaking free.
When she looked around, Lucy noticed that everyone seemed far more relaxed now, smiles of varying degrees of joy spreading across their faces.
Burnice, of course, was the wildest of them all. She bounced and hopped around, flinging Mixer and Shaker aside as she ran. Sparks sprayed as she happily hummed the Burnice Tune.
"Burnice, Burnice, GO! GO!!!"
Watching Burnice skip away in high spirits, Lucy couldn't help but curve her lips slightly. Her gaze drifted, and she murmured softly:
"Honestly… she's such an idiot."
Pfft!
A suppressed giggle suddenly came from beside her.
Lucy turned her head. Corin immediately covered her mouth, but the image of Lucy's gentle, unguarded smile—so different from her usual self—lingered in her mind, and she couldn't help giggling again.
"S-sorry."
"It's fine."
The laughter was sweet. Lucy liked it very much.
So—
"Since you're laughing so happily, that means you're not too tired. In that case, come work overtime with me."
"Miss Proxy, help!"
"Oh, the Proxy's here too? Perfect. You can work overtime as well. Don't worry—I'll pay overtime wages."
...
"So you really did decide to leave Corin there for now?"
They were almost at the Vanquishers' city, and Ellen still couldn't quite wrap her head around it. After thinking for a bit, she gave up and asked directly.
Phaga was right beside her, after all.
"Corin needs friends. Or rather, she needs the experience and courage to make friends."
The city was right ahead. Phaga began slowing down, pressing the clutch and shifting from fifth to fourth, then down to third, answering as he did so.
"She's different from us. Even though the kids at Victoria Housekeeping aren't very social either, there's still a difference. We're lazy. Corin is afraid."
"Laziness is fine—when the mission demands it, you have no choice but to work hard. But fear won't do. There will be many obstacles in the future."
"We love Corin—everything about her—but we can't let her stay timid forever, can we?"
"Let her stay with the Sons of Calydon for a few days. With Phaethon watching over her, I'm very much at ease."
As they entered the city, Phaga glanced around. The so-called tallest building Rina mentioned wasn't far at all. They'd reach it soon.
Ellen stared out the window, cheeks puffed slightly as she muttered:
"Very much at ease…"
"Mhm. Because I paid for it."
Phaga seemed to notice something and reached over to ruffle Ellen's hair gently.
"What nonsense are you overthinking now?"
Unexpectedly, Ellen flared up in embarrassment. She grabbed Phaga's hand and gave it a light bite, huffing:
"Hmph. I wasn't overthinking anything. You boring, tasteless vampire—who else would even want you…"
Phaga glanced sideways, but all he could see was the back of Ellen's neck hidden by her hair, her ears tinged with a cute pink.
"…Heh."
Phaga's lips curved upward slightly. In his good mood, he turned his gaze back to the window, even the hateful sunlight seeming a little softer now.
Not long after, Phaga finally arrived at their destination and slowly brought the car to a stop in front of the main gate.
Before he could even lean out the window, a burly security guard jogged over. He wore a standard uniform, a gun holstered at his waist and another slung across his back, boots on his feet and a helmet on his head—armed to the teeth.
"Good day!"
The guard ran up to the window, snapped into a salute, and asked calmly:
"May I ask if you are Mr. Phaga and Miss Ellen from Victoria Housekeeping?"
"That's correct," Phaga replied.
"Very well—open the gate!"
With Phaga's confirmation, the guard immediately barked into the intercom on his chest.
He stepped back and saluted again.
"A warm welcome to Victoria members Phaga and Ellen at Executive Khors' private residence!"
The gates slowly opened. As Phaga eased off the clutch, the steel beast that had just fallen quiet rumbled back to life and rolled forward into the compound.
Once inside, Phaga and Ellen were greeted by architecture completely unlike the shabby style of the Outer Ring. It surpassed even many villas in the city center, easily matching the most expensive properties in Lido.
Perhaps… labor was cheaper in the Outer Ring.
Before long, Phaga parked the car and pulled out his phone to call Rina.
[Hey, Rina, I'm here.]
[Mm, I see you. Look up.]
Phaga raised his head and immediately spotted Rina waving from the second-floor balcony of the building ahead.
[I see you too. Coming up now.]
He hung up and turned his head.
"Ellen."
"I'm coming. I'm not some kitten that'll get lost."
Phaga's over-attentiveness made Ellen a little annoyed. She jogged over and squeezed his palm.
Phaga didn't mind. He squeezed back and led Ellen forward.
[Rina, I called an ambulance earlier. Were the Class President and the others taken away?]
[You called the ambulance? So that's what it was. Hmph! Not trusting my cooking like that? I'll have you know I can get angry too!]
[Oh—sorry.]
Phaga froze for a moment, then asked in disbelief:
[So… they didn't get food poisoning?]
That couldn't be right. They were clearly in that state!
There was a long silence on the other end before Rina finally spoke.
[No… no. My cooking really has improved a lot…]
[Actually, it was the Black-White Doll who treated the two of them.]
[Lord Lycaon!]
Lycaon's voice suddenly cut in. Unsurprisingly, Rina sounded flustered.
Yet coming from someone as gentle and refined as her, it was hard to tell whether she was truly angry or simply acting coy.
Lycaon cleared his throat twice, ended the call, and handed the phone back to Rina, reminding her quietly:
"Mind your image in front of the children."
Rina froze for a moment before realizing what he meant. She glanced toward the stairwell, where Phaga and Ellen's figures were already drawing close.
She quickly adjusted herself, restoring her usual gentle composure. When Phaga and Ellen reached her, she spoke first, seizing the initiative.
"You're finally here. I'll take you to meet someone."
Phaga and Ellen exchanged looks and asked in unison:
"Who?"
"It's me. Long time no see—my friend who once protected me."
The next moment, a voice both familiar and unfamiliar sounded from behind them.
...