With that, the matter was settled. They hadn't managed to receive the commission payment, but at least everyone was unharmed.
"Oh, right, Belle. Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet, Brother. How about you make that hamburger from last time again?"
Belle's eyes lit up as she remembered the taste, but sadly, her suggestion was rejected.
"Probably not. We're out of ingredients at home. How about ramen instead?"
"...Ramen again? Fine, I'll go buy it then."
Her tone made it obvious she was not pleased. It was not that General Chop's ramen tasted bad. The real problem was that whenever Wise did not cook, ramen ended up being the only thing they ate.
[|Suggestion. Assistant No. 2 can try other flavors.|]
"As if I haven't already. I've tried every single one from General Chop's place."
Seeing Belle's disappointed expression, Wise felt a pang of guilt. After a brief silence, he sighed and decided to buy some proper ingredients himself.
"I'm heading out," Wise said as he started preparing to leave.
"Huh? You're going out now? Is your body alright? Should I come with you?" Belle asked, still looking a little worried.
"Don't worry, my body's perfectly fine. Belle, just stay home and watch the Video Store."
Belle hesitated for a moment, but when she saw his calm expression, she nodded reluctantly.
'Hmm, I should get more ingredients this time. Belle got tired of ramen anyway, so I'll just cook from now on.'
With that thought, Wise started heading to the supermarket.
On the way, he passed the arcade and noticed a shadowy figure swaying by the roadside.
"Hmm? Is that... a Shark Thiren? She has quite a strong presence. What was her name again?"
(N/T: Thiren)[1]
Wise looked at the Shark Thiren girl standing in front of the arcade machine in her JK uniform. He remembered there was an agent like her in the game, though her name slipped his mind for a moment.
- Ellen[2] -
Luckily, the system came to his aid. The moment Wise focused on her, a transparent panel appeared before his eyes.
[Ding! New favorability target detected.]
[Name: Ellen]
[Gender: Female]
[Charm Value: 95]
[Unique Traits: Sharp teeth and a strong tail. Always looks sleepy.]
[Hobbies: Sleeping, eating sweets, and hanging out with friends.]
[Current Status: Slightly tired.]
[Current Favorability toward Host: 0]
[Evaluation: Gives off a lazy and aloof first impression. Often complains about things being troublesome, yet always keeps her promises with full effort. Also, be careful not to get bitten or scratched~]
[Inner Thoughts: This game is so hard. How did the top player get such a high score? So impressive.]
Seeing this, Wise immediately understood the game the other person was playing. He remembered trying it once at the arcade and even holding the top score back then.
If he remembered correctly, his score had been almost twice as high as the second place. But that was a long time ago, and someone had probably beaten it since.
He decided there was no need to hurry to the supermarket. The ingredients would go on sale soon, and waiting a bit would be the smarter move.
With an AI at home that consumed five times more electricity than usual and no longer having access to Phaethon's account, saving money had become a real concern.
If he didn't watch himself, he could easily blow all his Emotional Value just to earn a few Dennies.
"Hmm? Is my tail in your way?"
Ellen noticed Wise standing beside her and assumed he was a customer waiting to enter the arcade. She began to step aside, but when her eyes met his, she froze. For a moment, her eyes widened in surprise.
'He's so handsome... Does he live nearby? If my friends saw him, they'd definitely ask for his contact info.'
The word 'they' naturally referred to Ellen's close friends.
[Ding! Target: Ellen has increased her favorability toward the host by 20. Her current favorability is now 20. Additionally, 200 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
"No, I just saw you playing this game," Wise said, pointing at the mini-game on the arcade machine in front of Ellen.
Ellen glanced at the screen and replied casually, "This? I just found it on my way home from school. It looked interesting, so I decided to play for a bit."
"I see. I've played it too. Want to have a match?" Wise asked with a small grin.
"Hmm? Can you?" Ellen tilted her head, giving him a curious look.
From his calm, unbothered expression, he didn't seem like someone who was skilled at games.
'What did she mean by "can you"?' Wise frowned slightly.
"Don't underestimate me. I might not play often, but my skills aren't bad," he said with quiet confidence.
Ellen stepped aside, gesturing toward the controls. "Alright then, show me what you've got."
A few minutes later, she blinked in surprise.
"Oh, impressive! I didn't expect you to be the player with the highest score. You nearly doubled second place."
Wise chuckled softly. He wasn't embarrassed, but he still kept a modest tone. "Not really, I just practiced a lot. And you play pretty well yourself."
He paused for a moment, then smiled. "Oh, by the way, I haven't asked your name yet. I'm Wise, the owner of that Video Store over there."
"Video Store?" she repeated curiously.
"Yes, is there something wrong?"
Ellen quickly shook her head. "No, nothing. My name's Ellen, and I'm a student. Also... if it's not too much trouble, can I get your contact?"
As Ellen spoke, she pulled out her phone and, as if worried Wise might misunderstand, added, "I thought of a friend who's recently gotten interested in watching videotapes, and I figured it would be easier if I got your contact."
"I see. That's fine, of course. If you need anything, you can contact me anytime or come by our store to choose. The internet speed there is really good," Wise replied.
Ellen nodded at his words, and the two exchanged contact information.
Afterward, Ellen left saying it was getting late and she needed to rush home.
At the same time, Wise went to the supermarket to buy discounted ingredients for the day. He picked up a little extra to store in the refrigerator so they could use it tomorrow as well.
With discounted ingredients bought and Ellen's contact saved, everything seemed to be going smoothly. However, Wise had forgotten something important.
Back at the Video Store, Belle's voice rang out. "Huh? Why do you smell like a girl again, Brother? Hmm… and it's not Anby!"
'Damn, did I accidentally get too close to Ellen while playing the game, leaving her scent on me?' he thought in alarm.
"So… why do you smell like that?" Belle demanded. "And don't try change the subject! Explain!"
[|Suggestion. Next time, the Master can take a shower before returning so he won't be discovered.|]
"Fairy, don't make things worse!"
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[1] Thirens are a race of anthropomorphic beings, known for their unique blend of human and animalistic features. |Source: ZZZ Fandom Wiki.|
[2] IMAGE