*Lady Bianca Is Grilling Meat*

As blood flowed to her ears, Durandal's entire pretty face quickly turned red.

"No wonder Miss Shiora and Alvitr looked at each other so strangely back then... Adult... animal..."

Bianka's thoughts were clearly starting to become somewhat confused.

"It's okay, didn't you already prove to Shiora that those were just ordinary and cute animal videos?"

Liu Bai patted Bianka on the shoulder to comfort her.

"As for Alvitr, let Rita redeem herself by stuffing her into a cement bucket and throwing her into the trench."

"This kind of 'atone for one's crimes by doing good deeds' is really cruel."

Rita emerged from the darkness, her face filled with resentment.

You're selling me out?

No, weren't you the one who tricked me first? I'm just stating the facts.

Their eyes met.

Didn't the whole AV thing start with Rita's deception?

Normally, if you buy an adult video and keep it close to your body, no one will notice. But Rita insists on buying a whole bunch of animal videos and then, with a twisted sense of humor, compares them to Bianka's and calls them adult videos—though from a certain perspective, it's not exactly a lie.

But for Rita to say that to someone Bianka who knows nothing is a blatant lie.

"Rita?"

Bianka was slightly taken aback when she heard Rita's voice, then her gaze shifted to Rita's heaving chest.

"Did you run here?"

"... No, I just came over to buy some soy sauce. You two, please continue."

Rita's lips twitched slightly.

What kind of situation is this? I just ran at full speed and someone threw something at my head... Okay, it's my own fault.

But wasn't Liu Bai, who first made the AV request, also one of the masterminds?

"Do you need to go out to buy soy sauce when you're staying at a hotel?" Bianka's question, after a slight pause, did not disappoint Rita and Liu Bai.

Your focus... is hopeless, isn't it?

"When I was making my own late-night snack, I realized I was out of soy sauce, so I went out to buy some."

To tell one lie after another... Rita felt this might be the beginning of another trap.

No, rather, why did I suddenly join the battle?

This is completely different from what I planned, isn't it?

"Late-night snack? We're just about to get some too, Rita, why don't you come along?"

Bianka, as expected, invited him without any sense of date etiquette.

"..."

"You might as well say you've recently become obsessed with the taste of soy sauce and want to drink a bottle of soy sauce."

Bianka walked ahead, while Liu Bai whispered to Rita behind her.

After all, Rita's sudden appearance was highly suspicious, so Liu Bai naturally wanted to find out Rita's purpose in coming here... Of course, after figuring it out, he was speechless.

"... Do you think I'm a fool?"

Who in their right mind would want to drink soy sauce?!

"Whether you're an idiot or not doesn't matter; what matters is Bianka believes it or not."

Although she couldn't see Liu Bai, Rita could still feel his disdainful gaze.

"Your Bianka can believe that the Anti-Entropy Fleet is going on a picnic, so why can't she believe you suddenly want to drink soy sauce?"

"..."

That's really... hard to refute.

Rita couldn't help but facepalm. She had to admit that although the reason of drinking soy sauce seemed ridiculous, it might actually work wonders on Bianka.

"The simpler and more blunt the reason, the more Bianka will believe it." Liu Bai smirked. "First of all, you are someone Bianka trusts. Secondly, an overly simple and blunt reason will prevent Bianka from finding anything of deeper concern— Bianka isn't stupid. Does she really think she can drink a bottle of soy sauce with you?"

"But wouldn't I look really stupid if I came up with that excuse?"

Rita gets straight to the heart of the problem.

She didn't want to sacrifice her intelligence for a reason—after all, Bianka would definitely realize it in the future.

"I don't want to receive soy sauce or something like that as a birthday present."

"Just say you're not interested then."

"..." Rita rubbed her temples. "It seems Liu Bai is quite adept at finding excuses."

"Rita, I smell a trap in your words."

This question looks like a death trap.

"No, that's an illusion. It's Bianka's turn now, and I'll just do my duty as an adjutant."

Rita replied righteously and firmly.

"Oh." Liu Bai nodded, then placed his hand on Rita's shoulder. "But even if you say that, Miss Rita, I still want to tell you..."

... Huh?

Etc?

What should I say?

Rita was slightly flustered as her shoulder was held down.

Doesn't this atmosphere feel a little off?

Why are we suddenly becoming so solemn and formal? Weren't we just talking about reasons and stuff before?

Needless to say, this atmosphere must be... it must be that, right?

I was completely unprepared!

I was shocked that Liu Bai had gotten the first move... Isn't this Bianka's turn?

No! Never mind all that!

We missed the last opportunity, so we absolutely cannot let this one slip away!

Rita blushed and made up her mind—I'm sorry, Lady Bianka!

"I... I do."

"...ha?"

"... Huh?"

Liu Bai's response seemed to be different from what she had imagined.

"... If I may ask, Liu Bai, what are you trying to say?"

"Um... what... what do I want to ask?"

Liu Bai belatedly realized something was amiss. He had only meant to make a joke, but...

Both of them realized that the other's thought process seemed to be different from their own, but at this moment, they were inexplicably able to understand each other's thought process.

Although I don't fully understand it, I have no problem getting the general idea.

The atmosphere... suddenly became awkward between the two.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to salvage the situation.

"I think Liu Bai, what you want to talk about is tonight's supper, right?"

Compared to Liu Bai, Rita was in the most awkward position.

Rita was so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground with her toes.

"As for me... sauce... cough, I mean barbecue, Liu Bai, what do you think?"

"Me? Not bad, the barbecue is pretty good."

Rita offered a way out, and Liu Bai naturally took the opportunity to accept it.

"This is the perfect time to eat barbecue."

"Yes... it's just right..."

"?" Bianka, who was already some distance ahead of the two, looked at Rita with a puzzled expression.

What are you two talking about?

"It's nothing!" ×2

Chapter 144 "Lady Bianka is Grilling Meat"

"... I feel like there's something strange about the atmosphere between you two."

Bianka put down the skewer in her hand and looked at Rita with a strange expression.

In which aspect?

Rita asked calmly.

"All aspects".

"You jest, Lady Bianka," Rita said calmly as she stepped forward.

"...Then I must have been mistaken." Bianka nodded after a moment of thought.

"Speaking of which, Lady Bianka, do you remember where I put my birthday present when I was 17?"

Rita changed the subject to prevent Bianka from realizing what was going on, since Bianka's mind was single-threaded and it was too much to Bianka to think about two things at the same time.

Moreover, this topic wasn't just something she was making a fuss about; she actually cared quite a bit about the ivory carving figurine that Liu Bai made for her back then.

"That figurine?" Bianka was slightly taken aback, her attention indeed drawn away. "That figurine is still on the Caledonia, the captain is keeping it safe. If Rita wants it, I can retrieve it sometime."

"If possible, that would be wonderful," Rita smiled.

No matter what, it was a gift from Liu Bai, and a birthday gift at that. It's better to keep something so meaningful to yourself.

"Also, Liu Bai, have you finished your business on your end?"

Rita then shifted the topic to Liu Bai.

"Have things been arranged for that newly minted Herrscher?"

"... It's all arranged." Liu Bai's expression turned a little grim as he said this, but fortunately Rita and the others couldn't see it. "I've decided to have her come to Sky Dome City."

"... Are you crazy?"

This behavior is, in a sense, like putting a bomb next to a stove.

"We'll meet sooner or later, we can't just do nothing." Liu Bai was quite optimistic. "It's better to prepare gradually than to have things suddenly explode when the time comes, right?"

"Since you have a clear understanding, then I am relieved."

Although she said she was not worried, Rita still looked anxious.

"But speaking of which, may I have your head? If you don't have a head, your heart will do."

"Huh?" Liu Bai was taken aback at first, then realized what Rita was talking about. "I am a ghost. I haven't found a way to die again yet. So please don't divide me up."

Liu Bai complained.

What is this woman thinking?

"Speaking of which, if Liu Bai were to be divided up, what would Lady Bianka want?" Rita completely ignored Liu Bai's sarcastic remarks and continued with this chilling topic.

"Huh? You broke up?" This question clearly startled Bianka, an honest girl.

"This kind of yandere-esque topic should end here!" Liu Bai shouted, stopping them.

This topic is terrifying!