Chapter 225

Yukina blinked, then suddenly stared intently at Kanade Kotone, exclaiming in surprise, "--Eh? You're wearing makeup?"

"I just covered up my dark circles! They've been getting worse lately, it's so annoying."

I didn't realize it before, but after following Nishizaki Yuki, I finally realized what a huge pitfall the "Graduate School" I used to think of really was.

Working from dawn till dusk, day and night, and overtime? That's commonplace for her. The most crucial thing is that her biological clock must follow the experimental cycle. She has to time everything she does. If the sample is ready at 2 a. m., she has to rush to the lab at 2 a. m. to record the sample status and then immediately move on to the next step.

Even so, Kanade Kotone didn't complain about Nishizaki Yuki at all.

To be honest, although she was very tired over the past month, Kanade Kotone felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment. She was willing to work with Nishizaki Yuki in the laboratory every day, rather than coming home every day and opening the door to find herself alone in an empty, dark room.

Although she is still a long, long way from being as good as Nishizaki Yuki, she is now a qualified assistant and nurse.

Moreover... Kanade Kotone probably understands now why her mother always says she loves her job—being able to help others and receiving a word of thanks from them, that feeling of being needed and recognized gives her a heavy sense of responsibility.

Perhaps that's why agents like Efnir fight for it.

"Oh, by the way, is everything really alright with Dr. Nishiki?" Yukina asked.

"There's nothing much to do right now, and she's off resting, so it won't interfere with the work over there... Ugh, so cold!"

The waiter brought out dessert and milkshake. Kanade Kotone couldn't wait to take a big gulp, and then was shocked by the icy sensation as it went down into her stomach.

"Speaking of which, Shiomi- san," Kanade Kotone asked curiously, "I remember you went to buy a ring before, didn't you? Why did you call me over today to buy another ring?"

"Of course I've changed my mind—I want to buy the best one!"

Yukina was full of heroic spirit.

A month ago, Yukina had also secretly gone to find a "gift" without telling Efnir. The ring she had her eye on was an ordinary silver diamond engagement ring. Although it was simple, it was the best Yukina could do at the time.

Now that she's become an agent, Yukina has changed her mind—she's not short of money anymore, so naturally she wants a prettier and more special ring as her engagement ring with Naoko.

You only live once, so you can't be careless. If you're going to do something, do it to the best of your ability.

"But... although I shouldn't be saying this, diamond rings are very expensive..."

"It's okay, I have money."

Yukina gestured with her hand, holding up four fingers, "This number!"

"Four hundred thousand!?" Kanade Kotone was stunned, and so was Yukina.

"Um..." Kanade Kotone's guess was too high, and Yukina's boastful expression immediately diminished by half, "Forty thousand..."

After all, this month's subsidy hasn't come through yet, and although she's become an agent, Yukina doesn't have a lot of disposable income right now.

140. Desserts

The agent's salary mainly consists of fixed items plus subsidies.

Simply put, it's a base salary plus commission and business subsidies model. The fixed amount goes without saying; every agent receives this money, and there's little difference between agents in the same city. It's more than enough to cover an agent's daily expenses. Generally speaking, this amount alone can keep an agent firmly in the top 5% of personal income.

The subsidies cover a wide range of items, including temporary deployment, emergency missions, combat injuries, personal property losses during combat, transportation, property management, and even food, lodging, water and electricity, sanitation, cooling, heating, holidays, prices, and dozens of other sub-items.

In conclusion, the agents are actually treated quite well. After all, they risk their lives for this job, and there are only a few agents available. Since the Human Federation needs them, they naturally won't treat them unfairly.

This shows just how rich Efnir was.

However, Naoko is rich, but that's Naoko's own money; Yukina doesn't have it.

Yukina would naturally not borrow money from Naoko to buy Naoko a gift.

The process of issuing subsidies is quite complicated, and Yukina hasn't received hers this month yet. She only has a little over 40,000 yuan in fixed funds.

"Forty thousand...!"

Kanade Kotone nodded thoughtfully, "In my opinion, 40,000 is enough to buy a very good one -- wait, you're not really planning to spend it all, are you?"

"If it's worth the price," Yukina nodded solemnly, "Then I definitely will."

Yukina even considered using her overdraft limit—the bank card that Masaki Hina gave her allowed overdrafts, and although she hadn't checked the exact limit, she figured that since it was a card given to an agent, the credit limit must be quite high.

"Generally speaking, this amount of money is more than enough... even a very high-quality diamond ring can be obtained," Kanade Kotone thought for a moment, "By the way Shiomi- san, have you searched all of these places?"

This shopping mall is the largest shopping plaza in the area, very representative, and well worth a visit.

"I looked, but there wasn't anything suitable..."

"Is it because you don't have enough money, or... there aren't any styles you like?"

"I guess there's nothing I like... I've been here since early this morning, and I've been to every jewelry store at least once," Yukina sighed, forking a small piece of dessert from her plate and putting it in her mouth. "But after a whole morning, I still haven't found anything I like."

"Huh? You've looked at them all and still haven't found the style you want?" Kanade Kotone was a little incredulous. "What kind do you want?"

"I'm not really sure either..." Yukina said dejectedly, "After all, it's a once-in-a-lifetime event, both for me and for Naoko. So I think I at least want a very special, unique, and original ring. If it can't be something I fall in love with at first sight, then it's meaningless, isn't it?"

However, the truth is that finding something that perfectly suits one's taste is not so simple. After a morning, Yukina's body didn't feel tired, but her mind was already exhausted.

"I remember diamond rings come in different sizes, right? Why don't we try them all on? Sometimes bigger doesn't necessarily mean better."

The phrase "Kanade Kotone" carries a deeper meaning.

"I've looked at them all, but they're all the same." Yukina simply shook her head helplessly. "Rather than making the diamonds look bigger, I'd prefer the ring's design to better suit Naoko's style—but no matter how many I look at, I just feel like none of them are good enough for my sister... Maybe that's not quite right, but anyway, it's hard to imagine her wearing such rings..."

Kanade Kotone leaned against the table, biting her straw, and tried to imagine what Efnir would look like wearing the diamond ring, then flattened the straw.

Indeed, there was something subtly amiss.

Well...

--Efnir is too "childish" as an agent, which is probably not a good fit. In her normal state, however, Efnir always appears very steady and reliable. Rather than a gentle and considerate wife, "a super powerful and cool older sister" probably suits her better.

These two images perfectly embody Efnir; adding a diamond ring would only feel superfluous.

Labeled as a married woman?

How did such a beautiful woman become a wife?

In Kanade Kotone's mind, the current situation between Yukina and Efnir should be reversed— Efnir should buy a ring to propose to Yukina, and then Yukina should shyly put on the ring that represents the vow of love.

That's perfect; the two people's images correspond perfectly.

But it seems that Yukina doesn't realize this now.

Yukina glanced at Yukina, who was deep in thought across the table, her Kanade Kotone complicated. How far had Yukina and Efnir gone? What would it be like to date a mature woman like Efnir? Surely a mature person like that would have mature desires, right? Had Yukina already...?

This is something I can't think about too much; the more I think about it, the worse it gets.

In short, Yukina has probably already experienced those adult desires, while Kanade Kotone hasn't even given away her first love.

Perhaps this is the difference between people.

With a sorrowful expression, Kanade Kotone took out her phone and asked, "Um... just to confirm, Shiomi- san, you're buying an engagement ring, not a wedding ring, right?"

"They're all the same," Yukina said earnestly. "I'll buy a better wedding ring for the future!"

"Hmm... You were still in school a month ago, and now you're already thinking about marriage?" Kanade Kotone sighed seriously, her face full of envy and teasing. "Shiomi- san is this straightforward type, huh? I never would have guessed... Speaking of which, you're not even an adult yet, and your beloved older sister is practically a criminal..."

Unless Efnir appears as the magical girl Efnir when interacting with Yukina as an adult, she still cannot defeat Yukina.

"That's true, but what's wrong with that?" Yukina curled her lip, completely unaware of the scenario Kanade Kotone was mentally rehearsing about her and Naoko. "I just want her to commit a crime."

"Gurgle..."

The sudden, devastating blow struck Kanade Kotone's tender heart.

"Damn it, are you... really not showing off to me...?"

"Absolutely not!"

Although Kanade Kotone herself is reluctant to admit it now, she was actually momentarily smitten when she first met Efnir, but that feeling was extinguished before it could even develop.

Kanade Kotone attributed her little feelings back then to "the influence of the prevalence of lesbian romance at the Yousumi Academy" and "the influence of a friend who was deeply involved in a same-sex relationship." Even now, she still felt a little uneasy facing Efnir, but as long as she left that environment, one day this feeling would disappear, she was certain of it— Kanade Kotone so sure of it.

"Anyway, let's try our luck at the next location first," Kanade Kotone, trying to clear her mind of the jumbled thoughts as she sadly munched on her dessert.

I felt a pang of jealousy, but at least the dessert tasted good.

"So, I guess I still have to take my time searching..."

"I'm sorry, I don't know much about these things and can't offer any further advice."

After all, none of us had any experience.

Kanade Kotone flipped through the map on her phone, pondered for a moment, and suddenly remembered someone, "Oh right! Speaking of which, I happen to know a senior who knows a bit about these things, I'll ask her for you!"

"Huh? Who is it?"

"She's my boss at my part-time job," Kanade Kotone said, typing a chat box on her phone. "By the way, she's from our school too!"

141. Party Battle

"A place to do odd jobs..."

Yukina stared at Kanade Kotone for a moment, making Kotone a little scared. "Where is it? It's not the maid café you mentioned before, is it?"

"Hmm..."

Kanade Kotone's expression stiffened, and she stammered, nodding, "It's... it's right there... you know that already, why are you asking..."

Lending Yukina the maid uniform that day was a spur-of-the-moment decision; I thought I might be able to get Yukina involved, but I didn't consider what would happen if Yukina found out about my part-time job.

She immediately regretted giving the maid uniform to Yukina —in fact, if she thought about it carefully, she could probably guess that the uniform belonged to Kanade Kotone herself.

"I knew it," Yukina nodded in realization, "I felt something was suspicious when I received the uniform from you that day! You actually lied to me and said you weren't doing odd jobs..."

"Oh dear... how could I possibly say something like that?" Kanade Kotone coughed twice, avoiding her gaze. "I'm just afraid you'll laugh at me... if people saw me working part-time in a cafe wearing a maid outfit, they'd definitely look down on me."

"How could I possibly laugh at you?" Looking at Hanazono's Kanade Kotone, Yukina suddenly smiled slyly. "I'm more than grateful to you."

If it weren't for Kanade Kotone delivering the maid outfit, which Naoko happened to see, she wouldn't have had the chance to personally experience the enchanting sight of Naoko in the limited- Naoko maid outfit.

The maid uniform worn by Kanade Kotone Naoko n't fit Naoko quite well, appearing too tight. But that was Naoko the beauty of Naoko in the maid uniform—it was precisely because it didn't fit that it felt so alluring, revealing everything that should be revealed, and subtly showing what shouldn't be, enhancing her upright and pretty figure. And those stockings were just right.

After that, Yukina immediately went to look at several maid uniforms and bought them home, but Naoko didn't wear them much after that—after all, too many things had happened, and flirting had to be kept to a minimum.

Kanade Kotone, of course, knew nothing of these things. She tilted her head in confusion, "Huh? Why?"

Yukina returned a pure yet meaningful smile, "Good children don't need to know..."

Hey! Don't look down on others!

Just then, her phone beeped. Kanade Kotone picked it up to check, "She said she knows!"

"Really?" Yukina blinked expectantly. "Could we ask her if she has any recommendations...?"

"Let me see..."

Kanade Kotone, biting her straw, typed another line of text and sent it out. She received a reply shortly afterward.

Then, Kanade Kotone before finally raising her head.

"My senior said she's still at school, and she invited me to meet her at a coffee shop later. Um... should we go?"

"I do have plenty of time..." Yukina glanced at the time, "But is it really okay for you to stay with me like this all the time?"

"Don't worry, there shouldn't be any major problems until tonight."

"Then I'll leave it to you... Thank you, Kanade!" Yukina smiled gratefully. "I'll definitely treat you to a big meal after Naoko's birthday!"

Kanade Kotone waved her hand, "No need to be so polite. Of course I want to cheer you on as your friend. Let me ask my senior, and then... wait a minute!"

Suddenly realizing something, Kanade Kotone looked up, her eyes wide, "You just said... it's your sister's birthday??"

"Yes." Yukina tilted her head, looking at her overreacting friend, and pondered for a moment, "I... have I not told you this yet?"

"Of course I said that!..." Kanade Kotone put down her phone, pondered for a moment, "But I've completely overlooked this crucial premise because I haven't mentioned it in so long— Shiomi- san, your original intention was to prepare a birthday gift for your sister and then propose to her, right?"

"Hey?? Don't just throw around phrases like 'please, please, propose' and stuff like that so casually..."

Even Yukina felt a little embarrassed by being told that so suddenly. She paused, then nodded timidly, "But that's roughly how it is..."

"How many days are left?"