Hollows

"So, Nicole, partner of justice, had no choice but to humble herself before the evil Phaethon in order to save her two companions!"

"Ahem... Nicole, if you put it that way, then I'm not taking this commission."

On Fourteenth Street, Nicole parked at the edge of the Hollow, with Eous and Griseo seated in the back.

While Wise and Belle were busy starting the HDD system and linking up with Eous, Nicole passionately recounted her heroic exploits to Griseo.

And this was all part of her brainwashing scheme—her plan to lure Griseo in!

"Little Griseo, you have no idea how famous the Cunning Hares are!"

"Hollow exploration, lost-item recovery—there's nothing we can't handle!"

"Last time, I even rescued three clients from a Hollow all by myself... Of course, that's nothing. What really matters is that we're short on talent like you..."

Nicole spoke vividly, recounting her glorious achievements and Phaethon's 'oppression of honest citizens'...

She had only one goal—to poach Griseo for the Cunning Hares!

Nicole's abacus clicked away furiously.

She had seen Griseo's talent for making money. If she could bring this little cash cow into the Cunning Hares...

Budget deficits, rent, utilities—none of it would be a problem anymore!

Nicole was a woman who could even talk a Void Hunter's weapon into her hands. How could she possibly fail to fool a ten-year-old little girl?

But after Griseo hugged Eous and quietly listened to her, she said, "Nicole, you can't lie. Tricking people is wrong."

"Hey, Nicole, can you hear me?"

Belle's voice came through Nicole's earpiece. "My brother and Eous are connected. You can begin the operation!"

Nicole leaned out from the passenger seat and glanced toward the back.

"Mm-hm! Mm-hm!"

Eous wriggled free from Griseo's arms, waved both arms twice, then started running toward the Hollow.

"Got it. Eous has already set off. I'll be waiting for good news!"

Nicole also put away her sales pitch, jumped out of the car, and lifted Griseo down from her seat.

But Griseo did not hurry after Eous. She stood still and looked at her shoes. After hesitating for a few seconds, she decided to take them off!

"Nicole, please hold my shoes."

"Oh, okay..." Nicole had not even had time to react—

"GRISEO—NO BARE FEET!!!!" Belle suddenly roared through the earpiece, startling Nicole so badly that she nearly threw it away.

Nicole rubbed her ringing ears and looked innocently at Griseo.

Yet Griseo seemed not to have heard a thing. Still barefoot, she ran after Eous.

At the video store, Wise helplessly shook his head at Belle before saying, "Belle, give it up. Griseo's already gone in."

Belle's voice cut off abruptly. She stared at the footage Eous was transmitting—Griseo was sitting on the shoulder of some tall figure, her little fair feet swinging back and forth.

(Reference: Little Lucia and the Wandering Hunter)

Somewhere inside the Hollow, two figures... no, one person and one mechanical body were running for their lives.

"We're doomed!!! Anby, I think we're lost!!"

Billy shouted in despair, pointing at an overpass ahead. "This is the third time we've come back to the same place!"

"Watch out!"

Anby ignored him completely. She leaped up, drew her weapon from behind her back, and spun through the air—clang!

A purple-black beam was deflected by the blade of her sword, slanting into the nearby ruins and blasting up a shower of rubble.

"How dare you ambush the Starlight Knight!"

Billy widened his eyes and aimed his dual pistols at the Ethereal on the overpass... Bang bang bang bang bang!

Sparks flew, and smoke billowed.

The Ethereal on the overpass was forced back by the barrage, but before Billy could breathe a sigh of relief—

A dark shadow leaped down from the smoke. It was an elite Ethereal!

"You Ethereals, take the Starlight Knight's righteous judgment... Urgh."

Click... click-click-click.

Billy looked down. Damn it, he was out of bullets!

"Ahhh, I've already gone over my ammo limit? Boss Nicole is going to dock my bonus again! I still wanted to get a spa and go on a date with Miss Enamel!"

"Billy. Go first, I'll cover you!"

The moment she spoke, Anby had already rushed in front of Billy. She stood with her blade raised, her back straight.

"No! How could the Starlight Knight abandon a teammate and run away alone!"

Billy naturally refused, but the Ethereal had no intention of waiting for the two of them to finish talking.

Seeing the Ethereal charge within ten meters, Anby's blade flashed as she prepared to meet it.

The next second—a soft, sweet girl's voice rang out!

"Paintbrush, submit to me!"

Around the Ethereal on the overpass, three masses of ink-like Ether Energy suddenly appeared—one red, one blue, and one yellow.

Then—BOOM!!!

The three masses of energy exploded at once. Colors intertwined, swallowing the Ethereal pack in paint as they dissolved into countless Ether Particle remnants and scattered into the air.

At the same moment, beneath the overpass.

A pale-blue knight's greatsword appeared and pierced straight through the elite Ethereal. It struggled twice before dissolving into Ether Particles as well.

Anby and Billy turned their heads at the same time, looking in the direction the greatsword had come from.

Two tiny figures sat atop the shoulders of a tall figure.

The tall figure was covered from head to toe in silver-gray armor, like a knight who had stepped out of the Middle Ages.

A Bangboo sat on his left shoulder, while a girl sat on his right.

"A scarf-wearing Bangboo that speaks like a human—Phaethon!" Anby put away her sword, her eyes full of surprise. Nicole had actually called in these two as reinforcements!

"Sky-blue long hair, and she likes going barefoot... That's Griseo!!"

Billy put away his pistols and let out an ecstatic scream. "Princess Griseo of The Stars, and her guardian knight!!"

Anby: "...You know her?"

"Of course I do!!!" Billy nodded proudly. He was a Starlight Knight fan! Griseo could summon her guardian—Mr. Knight!

By that logic, they were practically colleagues! Family, even!!

Anby fell silent for two seconds, then looked at Eous and said, "I didn't expect Nicole's reinforcements to be you two. Thanks!"

"Anby, Billy. The Hollow survey data is complete. Prepare to withdraw!"

Eous, controlled by Wise, jumped into Billy's arms and said, "Billy and I will lead the way. Griseo, take Anby and follow us!"

"Okay, Wise!" Griseo nodded, then had Mr. Knight extend his palm. "Anby, would you like to ride up here?"

"Mm, thanks!" Anby looked at the knight's palm before her. Without hesitation, she leaped up and sat in the spot Eous had occupied moments ago.

After all, unlike Billy, she was not mechanically constructed. Her stamina had already been heavily drained during their earlier escape.

"Huh? Why me? Shouldn't Anby be leading the way?" Billy protested after losing his chance to get close to Mr. Knight, but no one paid him any attention.