Chapter 129: I Want To Buy You!
Though he said no, it was clear that Aeron's resistance was useless against Zani.
Ignoring his verbal refusal, Zani dragged Aeron out of the recording studio after some persistent coaxing.
Most of the time, as long as she treated his "no" as "yes," she could easily steer him—she understood Aeron all too well.
While Aeron didn't mind Zani coming to find him, he strongly condemned their habit of resorting to force when words failed.
What he didn't understand was why Zani insisted he wear a hat and mask before leaving.
"And why Margherita again? Has she monopolized Ragunna's food industry?"
"Because your favorite hot sea pineapple pizza is only available here. Come on."
"Hmph, how could a man like me, Aeron, be bought over by a mere pizza?"
"Open up."
"Mmm, delicious."
With a slice of pizza—slightly charred, sweet, and savory with ham—stuffed into his mouth, Aeron swallowed his unspoken words along with the fluffy crust.
The familiar booth, the familiar lighting, even the drinks on the table were almost the same: ice water in front of Aeron, and a low-alcohol fruit wine in front of Zani, which Aeron had insisted on. The two sat facing each other, with a freshly served, steaming pizza between them, its cheese stretching into tempting strands.
Aeron was indeed hungry. From morning until now, holed up in the recording studio, he had eaten nothing except a few sips of water.
Well, since he was already here...
Zani also nibbled at the food she'd ordered, her tail swaying gently behind her.
"Slow down, no one's rushing you."
"Time is money, and for me, that's especially true now."
Though most of the work was done, no one ever complained about having too much time or money.
"Besides, seeing you so lively makes me happy too, you know?"
"Hmph, seems Rover was right—your smooth-talking habit hasn't changed much."
"That's my special skill."
Besides, compared to them, Aeron lacked strength and could only rely on his wits and his mouth.
"Terrible sleep schedule, pulling all-nighters, and always..."
Here, Zani paused, glancing at Aeron.
"She said she tried to stop you a few times, but she can't watch you twenty-four hours a day."
"She sure has a lot of free time..."
"Just concerned about you. If it weren't for her, you'd have fooled everyone else."
"I told her, I know my limits."
"Do you really?"
Zani tossed the question back at Aeron, her tail ceasing its sway.
Aeron cut a second slice of pizza, speared a piece of pineapple with his fork, and met Zani's gaze.
Under the warm yellow light of the restaurant, her crimson eyes stood out strikingly, though her overall presence was hard to ignore anyway.
But thankfully, after all these years together, Aeron wasn't afraid of her.
"Of course there is. People come to stake out every day, so I can't stay up all night even if I wanted to. Besides, the basic work at the recording studio is almost done. From now on, it's more about Ciaccona's own adjustments and fine-tuning, so there's no need to push so hard."
This statement was a mix of truth and falsehood. It was true that he hadn't stayed up all night again, and the work at the recording studio was also true.
However, this was only the beginning, and Aeron couldn't just consider the starting phase for Ciaccona.
What a shame—Ragunna didn't have anything like internet cafes yet, otherwise Aeron would probably have moved in with his luggage... Speaking of which, that actually sounds quite interesting. Maybe it's worth considering.
Well, let's put that on the to-do list for now.
If all else fails, he could always run off to find Brant. Out at sea, no one would be able to keep an eye on him.
Zani watched him for a few seconds, then softly hummed in acknowledgment, taking a sip from her cup as if reluctantly accepting Aeron's explanation.
"But," she set down her cup, her fingers lightly tracing the rim, "you never used to work this hard. Even before Carnevale, you were more focused on scheming and planning. I've never seen you... get so hands-on to this extent."
"It's a different nature of work."
Aeron shrugged and continued.
"Before, it was about causing trouble. Now, it's about building something. The former can rely on clever tricks, but the latter can only be done step by step."
"Sounds like you're becoming a proper person."
"I've always been proper, okay?"
"A proper person who's on the Order's watchlist, sold himself into servitude in front of Montelli, and became a son-in-law in Fisalia?"
"...Now's not the time to expose me like that."
"They say some people are born to be workhorses, and now I've seen it with my own eyes."
"I prefer to call it 'efficiency.'"
A faint curve appeared at the corner of Zani's lips.
For a moment, a brief silence fell between the two, filled only by the soft background music in the restaurant and the voices of other patrons.
This silence wasn't awkward; on the contrary, Aeron found it quite comfortable.
After all, as someone from the same class as him, Zani naturally didn't carry the terrifying pressure that Rover did.
"How are things at the bank?"
This time, Aeron took the initiative to break the silence and ask Zani.
"You must be pretty busy lately. The flow of funds in Ragunna should be quite substantial now."
"It's manageable." Zani wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "To be honest, it's much better than before. After all, no one in Ragunna dares to pull any tricks now. The Second Young Lady has coordinated things well, and Montelli's cooperation with Averardo Bank and other places is running smoothly."
"That's good. Don't overwork my work partner."
"It's tiring, but at least I can see the results," Zani paused, her tail lightly brushing against the sofa. "Unlike before, when someone would dump things on me without even knowing what he wanted to do."
"I admit I was wrong, okay..."
The events during Carnevale had indeed unfolded the way they did because Aeron had been in a playful mood, but in the end, the results were always good, right?
Seeing the look on Aeron's face that said "I admit I was wrong, but I won't change," Zani decided not to press him further on the matter.
"And you?" Zani retorted, "There have been quite a few rumors about your 'private life' lately."
"...You've seen them too?"
"It's a topic most Ragunnans love to gossip about online. Otherwise, why would I have you disguise yourself?"
"????????"
Aeron had indeed underestimated the thought processes of these internet folks. What the hell is this?!
"My lifelong reputation..."
Aeron covered his face and let out a long sigh.
"You had a reputation?" Zani shot back, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Since I've known you, you've never been associated with the word 'reputation,' have you?"
"Don't put it that way. At least back when I was in the Order, my reputation was quite good."
"And then you overthrew the Order."
"Alright, let's end this topic."
Zani chuckled softly, her voice low but genuine. She picked up her glass and took another sip.
The two ate quietly for a while longer, occasionally chatting about trivial work matters. The atmosphere was peaceful; people who understood each other well didn't need many words to feel comfortable together.
When they were nearly finished, Zani set down her fork, wiped her mouth, and looked at Aeron.
"Seriously," she said, "if you need help, you can tell me."
"I know," Aeron replied. "You've always been helping me."
"That's not what I meant." Zani shook her head. "I mean, if you run into any trouble with your plans or need any resources, you can come to me. On Averardo's side, I can still mobilize some things."
Aeron looked at her and fell silent for a few seconds.
"Zani," he said, setting down his glass, leaning slightly forward, crossing his hands on the table, his expression turning serious.
"There's something I've been considering."
"Hmm?"
The restaurant's background music seemed to grow softer. Zani's fingers on the table curled slightly, but her expression remained unchanged. She simply watched Aeron, waiting for him to continue.
"I want to buy you!"