Ellen and Belle, who had been watching the scene from the side, didn't know what to say. The reality before them was simply too fantastical.
Just then, Belle suddenly noticed the little white fox nearby. The creature had jumped aside because she saw her master getting emotional and was afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
When the fox realized Belle was looking at her, she willingly trotted closer. Belle was naturally delighted and couldn't help reaching out to stroke her.
The fox's soft fur felt incredibly comfortable. But midway through petting her, Belle suddenly felt a faint, slippery texture beneath her fingers.
'It feels like I'm touching a snake's scales,' the thought crossed Belle's mind.
She carefully observed the little fox, yet the creature still looked as cute as ever.
'Well, if her master is an Ethereal, then the fox must be one too. It's normal if she's a little strange.'
Even so, Belle quietly moved her hand away from the spot that felt like scales.
But that small movement caused something unexpected. A tiny white snake, coiled beneath the fox's fur, slowly poked her head out.
Her pair of red snake eyes met Belle's gaze perfectly.
"Kyaaah!"
The sudden appearance of the little white snake startled Belle immediately. The serpent's pupils showed a trace of confusion, as she was usually the one who got frightened first.
She'd never imagined she could reverse the roles and terrify someone else. The realization filled her with delight.
Just as she was about to stretch out her body and scare Belle again, a strong, fair hand grabbed her and lifted her.
"It's a snake."
Ellen calmly examined the small white snake in her hand. The creature stared back at her. It wasn't hard to guess that this little one was also an Ethereal.
Otherwise, with the strength Ellen had accidentally used just now, an ordinary pet snake would never have endured it.
Yet this little one seemed completely used to it, showing no reaction at all.
The disturbance earlier wasn't small, and it naturally drew the attention of the two sisters who had been crying nearby.
"Mumu, you're being disobedient again."
Odile wiped the tears from her eyes. Her calm voice made the small white snake in Ellen's hand instantly stiffen. She flicked her tongue nervously, clearly frightened.
Seeing this, Ellen also placed the small white snake on the ground. The creature immediately crawled back onto the white fox, curling up close as if seeking comfort.
Now, she didn't dare return to her master's side at all.
"Odile and Odette, what are your plans next?" Looking at the two sisters with slightly reddened eyes, Wise asked while quietly forming a plan in his mind.
If they felt lost and had nowhere to go, he was ready to take them in. After all, he was the one who had saved them, so it was only natural for him to take responsibility.
Besides, leaving them alone might cause trouble later if someone discovered their true identities.
Hearing Wise's question, the two sisters exchanged glances. After a brief moment of hesitation, they both shook their heads.
They hadn't thought that far ahead. Having only just regained their human forms and still lost in a haze of confusion, the only thing on their minds had been finding the one spark in their hearts.
Beyond that, they truly hadn't considered anything else.
"Is that so? Then... would you like to stay here? We just need to tidy up the room over there a little."
Wise was referring to Belle's room. Since she was now staying with him, her room had been left empty.
"Really?!"
Odette stepped forward first and grabbed Wise's hand, her face lighting up with joy and excitement, as though she and her sister had finally found a place to belong.
As for Odile, although she remained silent, the faint softness in her expression revealed she felt the same.
"Yes. After all, this situation happened partly because of me, but..."
As he spoke, Wise glanced at Belle and Ellen.
Ellen looked indifferent. Since she had already accepted the situation, she might as well accept it fully.
Though slightly annoyed that her intimate moment had been disrupted, these sisters were genuinely pitiable, and her intentions had been good.
She'd extract compensation from Wise for her irritation later.
Belle required no explanation. Equally compassionate by nature, she'd actually been hoping for female housemates to lighten her workload.
Her brother's other acquaintances had their own commitments and couldn't stay permanently, so this arrangement aligned perfectly with her desires.
Watching Belle's acceptance, the sisters' eyes brightened further. Then Belle abruptly dampened their spirits.
"Although I don't mind them staying, have you thought about that problem, Brother?"
Belle's sudden remark left the two sisters, who had still been caught up in their excitement, completely confused.
What puzzled them even more was that Wise seemed to understand immediately and nodded.
"Yes, that is a problem. But I'll take care of it."
"Right. If that problem isn't dealt with first, it could be very bad if someone finds out," Ellen added calmly.
The two sisters just stared at the three 'mystery speakers' in complete confusion.
Odette couldn't take it anymore. She threw herself at Wise, who was right next to her, and went full cute mode.
"Wise, what are you guys even talking about~? What problem? Can you please tell me~? Please?"
She grabbed one of Wise's arms, pressing her cheek against his chest while looking up at him with slightly pouted lips.
As the saying goes, even heroes struggle to resist beauty, especially when that beauty is particularly well endowed. Moreover, this wasn't really something that needed to be kept secret.
"Alright, alright. I'll tell you. We're talking about resident IDs."
"Resident IDs?"
The two sisters tilted their heads at the same time, clearly confused. Seeing this, Belle stepped forward and began to explain.
"A resident ID is proof that you legally live here. It's basically what confirms your identity. You probably had one before, but so much time has passed that recovering it now would be impossible."
That much was true. Several years had already passed, and they had long since been registered as deceased by the Public Security. Pretending to be survivors now wouldn't be very convincing.
The only real solution was to register brand new identities. Fortunately, that wasn't too difficult.
New Eridu occasionally received wandering outsiders who arrived without documentation.
Wise and the others could act as guarantors and register the sisters under new identities. Of course, if they could somehow locate the sisters' surviving relatives, that would be even better.
Aside from that, Wise had also asked the system if there was a faster solution.
The answer he received, however, was exactly what one would expect from the system.
It told him to use seduction.
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Novels Available:
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