Thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump. It was so fast it felt like it was about to leap out of her throat.
She turned her head stiffly to look at her boss, her voice already trembling, tinged with tears. "B-Boss... did I say something wrong?"
Nefer looked at her unlucky employee, her feelings indescribably complicated.
She let out a long sigh, reached out, and patted Yakoda on the shoulder. Her tone carried a complicated mix of admiration and helpless sympathy. "Yakoda, there are times when I really have to admire you. You've got quite the nerve."
"..."
"Don't you worry," Nefer said, her expression turning subtle as the corners of her mouth pulled into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I won't forget you—at least, not until I find my next employee."
Yakoda's face instantly fell, and she cried out with a mournful expression, "Boss! Don't give up on me so easily! I can still be saved! I-I can make up for it! I can—"
"Shut up," Nefer cut her off expressionlessly.
Yakoda shut up at once.
However, Nahida paid no attention to Yakoda's wailing.
Her gaze fell back on Lumine.
"My dear Sage, shouldn't you... be giving me an explanation?"
Lumine's hand was clamped tightly over Mo Wang's mouth.
At that moment, her face had already taken on the standard bitter-gourd expression.
This was bad, this was bad, this was really bad.
Her little head was spinning wildly, trying to pick out a usable explanation from countless possibilities.
Play dumb? No, Nahida wasn't that easy to fool.
Change the subject? Even worse. Nahida had called her out directly.
Tell the truth? But she had promised King Deshret...
But—
No matter how she put it, it seemed impossible to muddle through this!
The Nahida of before could still be