Chapter 98
Narcissa hesitated for a moment, then shrank back behind the pillar, somewhat frightened.
"Haha, that's great! We just started making a plan, and someone's already delivered it to our doorstep."
Zuo Jian revealed a strange smile, walked to the former's side, looked at the trembling Narcissa, and asked.
"Hey kid, too bad for you, I caught you."
"Um... I..."
He crouched down, revealing a terrifying smile as he met Narcissa's gaze.
"You're really unlucky, kid. I was just about to play the villain when you delivered yourself right to my doorstep."
He raised his arm, which resembled a claw, and swung it down at Narcissa!
The latter was so frightened that she immediately closed her eyes tightly, but then... a gentle pat came from her head...
"Hehehehe! I've decided, my first evil plan is to hire child laborers! The forced kind!"
Zuo Jian laughed wildly, then patted Narcissa's head.
"Kid, from now on, you're my subordinate. I don't care where you were thinking of going, but now that you're in my hands, don't even think about running away. Prepare to spend a torturous and cruel future in my custody."
"I will make you work for four hours every day, and you will only get rest on weekends and holidays. I will not pay you a salary, I will only give you daily meals! Ah--how evil, employing child labor and not paying you a salary!"
"Hahaha! I can't even imagine how miserable your days will be in my hands!!!"
Narcissa paused, then glanced at her bed...
There was also a dark figure sleeping against the wall...
This guy just said a bunch of weird things... then took me back to my room and fell asleep...
What else is there to say...?
"The first order is that you must go to sleep at night! No staying up late!"
After saying that... the person fell asleep...
But...
Narcissa turned her head and glanced at the slowly emerging pale light on the horizon...
It's not nighttime yet...
At this moment, on a moving steam train.
"Stamp..."
?!
Zuo Jian suddenly opened his eyes, then turned his head somewhat blankly to look around, meeting Laurentina's gaze with some confusion.
"Slept like a log—I can't believe you'd stay in bed so long!"
Laurentina looked at Zuo Jian with a hint of surprise.
[... I think I had a nightmare.]
"?"
[I dreamt that I became my teenage self, and I said a bunch of weird things to a little girl Feline.]
Zuo Jian said, somewhat sweating profusely.
"Chuunibyou? Tell me about it!"
Upon hearing this, Laurentina suddenly perked up, her eyes lighting up as she eagerly inquired—
[... Why did I become like you?]
Zuo Jian ignored her and changed the subject. Then he looked down and realized that he was now in a physical state.
She still looks like Laurentina.
"... have no idea."
She turned her head away guiltily.
[What did you do last night?]
"I didn't do anything," Laurentina, feeling even more guilty.
(First of all, Happy New Year everyone! Secondly... Guomei, due to family reasons, I might not be able to update twice a week occasionally, so I'm letting you know in advance. Guomei, please!)
Chapter 54, A Sleepless Night and the New Year (Part 1)
'Passengers, we have arrived at our final stop— Londinium Block South Station.'
'Please proceed in an orderly manner...'
The midday sun shines down
It's like paving the way home for travelers who are rushing off the train.
However... there are always some people who don't fall into this category.
[I said, you really didn't do anything last night?]
On Laurentina's chest, the large eye that had transformed into a brooch blinked, filled with doubt and disbelief.
The former merely avoided eye contact, then turned and walked directly to Skadi, who was carrying luggage.
"Ah~ Orca, why are you still carrying luggage? You must be tired after such a long journey. Let me carry it--"
"Not tired, Shark, this luggage is very light."
Skadi looked at her former teammate with some oddness.
This is nothing to Abyssal Hunters, so why is the Shark so worried about itself?
"... Ahaha... Really? I almost forgot, you're incredibly strong. In that case, shall we buy something else before we go back?"
... I can't even compliment your ability to change the subject.
Zuo Jian sighed, looking at her with an expression that said, "No matter what you think, she's just not willing to talk about it."
Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I won't force you.
"Real?"
Laurentina blinked her beautiful red eyes, which then gleamed with a different kind of light.
[Also, where am I staying tonight...]
"Let's go rent a place!"
The excited little Shark stood on tiptoe and raised its hand high.
[Rent a house? Now--]
"Didn't we agree to celebrate the New Year? What's the point of staying in a hotel? You agree, right, Orca?" Laurentina turned to look at her teammate with expectant eyes.
Skadi paused for a moment, then nodded.
I have no objection.
"Look!"
Seemingly realizing her meaning wasn't clear enough, Skadi added a further sentence.
"Whether it's renting a room or a hotel, I have no problem with it; hunters aren't picky about their resting environment."
"The last sentence is unnecessary!"
[Laurentina...]
"Besides, we're currently in Londinium, and the places we need to go to are probably not operational. The employees won't return until their annual leave is over. We'll be staying here for at least a month this time, so wouldn't it be better to have a fixed base?"
"Shouldn't we be taking a good rest at this time of day?! Right?! Right?!"
Although she turned her head to speak to Skadi, it's obvious who she was actually addressing.
'... Okay, you make a good point. So what about renting a place? Like you said, everyone's on holiday, so real estate agencies should also be...'
"Well, what's there to worry about? Just keep looking, and you'll always run into a few unlucky souls working overtime even during the Lunar New Year holiday."
Laurentina waved her hand, indicating that these were not problems at all.
"And what's more! We haven't even celebrated the return of the Orca yet! Shouldn't we have the planned welcome party?"
Zuo Jian looked at Laurentina's increasingly expectant eyes. Although he didn't know what she was hoping for, he couldn't refuse her.
Okay, okay, I really can't do anything with you.
He sighed, then fell away from Laurentina's feet, turning into fine blood vessels that unnoticed gathered in the nearby public restroom.
Then.
The door to the men's restroom opened.
A middle-aged man with a helpless expression walked out and came to Laurentina's side.
[Well then, I'll go buy some necessities, and I'll leave the finding a base... or rather, renting a place to you.]
"Yay! Orca, let's go!"
Upon seeing Zuo Jian nod, Laurentina cheered, then grabbed Skadi and ran in another direction.
"She's really... sigh."
Watching Skadi being grabbed and dragged away by Laurentina before she could even react, Zuo Jian shook his head helplessly.
"But... it's the New Year... phew... it's not bad at all."
Unconsciously, a slight smile even appeared on his face.
"Shark, aren't we supposed to be looking for a real estate agent? Where are we?"
"Oh well, that's not urgent... Phew, thank goodness they actually have it here."
Laurentina looked at the land vehicle supply shop in front of her, and then her eyes immediately fell on...
"Liquid Pure Originium is generally used as fuel for large machinery or as a casting medium for warlocks, although its effectiveness is certainly not as good as that of solid Originium."
She stepped forward and glanced at the tubes of black-gold liquid sealed like fuel rods inside the transparent, explosion-proof shelf.
"Why buy this...? We don't have any large equipment that needs refueling, and we don't have any warlocks..."
Skadi tilted her head, but the other person smiled and said...
"No, of course there are! But they're not medical devices..."
Thinking of this, Laurentina recalled how Zuo Jian looked "overnourished" after consuming an excessive amount of high-concentration Originium Solution not long after they first met.
It's almost exactly like a hangover!
This is what it looks like when it's still inside its own body.
Zuo Jian has already broken free! All we need to do is find a way to get him to drink it...
"Shark, what's wrong? Your face suddenly turned so red?"
Skadi leaned closer and asked Laurentina.
"No, it's nothing! Boss! I'll take those items!"
"Please present a special occupational operation certificate or a sorcerer's professional certificate; otherwise, dangerous goods will not be sold separately."
Whether it was because they had to work during the Chinese New Year or for some other reason, the other person yawned and spoke somewhat absentmindedly.
"Excuse me, may I see that kind of document?"
"These are officially issued by Victoria; if they are not, our store will not sell them."
The receptionist pulled an ID card from the cabinet and tossed it onto the table.