[|Master, I am very happy that you can enter my body!|]
"Uh... thanks, but Fairy, I'd be even happier if you didn't say such strange things..."
Wise stared at Fairy displayed on the monitor, speechless, as she hugged a pink heart with a delighted expression.
[|Understood, Master. Then I will send you to your destination as quickly as possible...|]
"And... don't use those weird pauses, okay?"
Even as he said that, Fairy didn't limit herself to words alone.
Not long after leaving Blazewood, Wise suddenly felt something change. It was as if something had appeared beneath the driver's seat, making it harder for him to properly control the accelerator and brake.
"Hey! Fairy, this is dangerous!"
Wise turned to look at her, only to find that she had suddenly taken on a human form. If a car happened to come from the opposite direction right now, things could turn disastrous.
|"Master, please rest assured. The vehicle is entirely under my control, and there will be no issues. Even if an accident were to occur, I can guarantee your safety."|
"Even so, there's no reason to do this, is there?!" Wise raised his voice slightly, clearly flustered, but didn't try to stop her any further.
Seeing this, Fairy finally began the actions she had been anticipating for so long.
<<>>
|"Thank you, Master, for your gift. I feel full of energy now."|
Fairy licked her lips, savoring the lingering taste with visible satisfaction. Unfortunately, that was as far as she could go for today.
They had already entered the city. If she continued what she had been doing earlier, it would almost certainly cause trouble. Even for her, blocking every surveillance camera along the way was still somewhat difficult.
On top of that, the streets were now filled with vehicles and pedestrians. Though she found it regrettable, she had no choice but to stop here.
Due to the city's speed limits, it took them a while to return to the video store.
"Odile, Odette, I'm back."
Wise entered through the back door, but at first, he didn't see the sisters. A moment later, they came down from the second floor.
"Master, you're back so early? Why isn't Sister Belle with you?" Odette asked, confusion evident in her voice.
Wise then briefly explained the reason for his return.
"I see. Master, is your next commission not finished yet? Do you need our help moving the equipment?"
"Yes, please," Wise replied, readily accepting her offer.
There was quite a bit to move, and with their help, he could finish up much faster.
"Um... Master, do you want us to come along for this commission?" Odette asked hesitantly, her tone unusually cautious.
Odile, standing beside her, showed the same expression. Seeing this, Wise immediately understood what the sisters were thinking.
"This commission seems to be more of a fair competition. I'm only responsible for guidance, so there shouldn't be any need for force. You two can take this chance to take a break."
The sisters had been staying at the video store ever since receiving their citizen ID cards and hadn't yet had the opportunity to visit their grandfather.
"Besides," Wise added with a faint smile, "you've both been working hard. Go spend some time with your family. I'll manage just fine here."
Hearing this, the sisters exchanged a glance before nodding gently, a hint of relief and quiet happiness appearing in their eyes.
Wise wasn't a heartless boss.
How could he possibly refuse a request to return home and visit family? It was simply that the sisters were too shy to ask.
In any case, with Little 18 and Heddy at the video store, things would run just fine. Even if they couldn't manage for a short time, closing for a few days wouldn't be a problem.
"Thank you, Master! You're the best!" the sisters said in unison.
Then, moving in perfect sync, they stepped forward—one on each side—wrapping their arms around Wise and planting a passionate kiss on his cheeks.
Once everything was prepared, Wise set off again, driving back toward the Outer Ring. Along the way, Fairy inevitably resumed her little antics.
They arrived at Blazewood without incident, just in time to see Belle, Caesar, and Billy standing together, seemingly deep in discussion.
"Brother, you're back!"
Belle immediately walked over when she noticed him, with Billy and Caesar following close behind.
"Yes. I've brought all the necessary equipment. This should make things much more efficient in the Outer Ring."
Wise nodded as he stepped out of the car and opened the trunk. Seeing this, Caesar's face lit up with excitement.
"Excellent! Don't worry, we'll handle the power and internet. Even in the Outer Ring, we'll make you feel like... you're walking on thin ice, ha-ha-ha!"
|"Correction. It should be like a fish in water."|
"Ah, right, that's what I meant. Eh? Wait, who said that?" Caesar looked around in confusion, her gaze soon landing on the girl with green twin-tails who had just stepped out of the driver's seat.
Wise was momentarily speechless, and Belle beside him paused slightly as well. As for Caesar, she didn't think too much of it.
Seeing the girl, her first assumption was that she must be another companion of Wise and Belle, so she greeted her warmly.
"Hello! My name is Caesar. Are you also a member of Phaethon? But I heard from Billy that Phaethon only has two members, right?"
Billy, standing to the side, was equally puzzled. This was his first time seeing Fairy's human form, so he naturally didn't recognize her.
|"Negative. Phaethon is the title of Master and Assistant Number 2. I merely provide auxiliary support."|
Fairy introduced herself enthusiastically, perhaps because it was her first time appearing before outsiders in this form.
"Wait, Master? You mean Wise? What's going on?" Caesar asked, turning to him with a confused expression.
Sensing that she was about to misunderstand, Wise quickly stepped in to explain.
"Uh, Caesar, don't overthink it. Fairy calling me Master is similar to how employees in Victoria Housekeeping address their employers. If you're not familiar with it, you can ask Lucy later."
Wise had no desire to be mistaken for some kind of strange guy, but Fairy had appeared so suddenly that she hadn't adjusted the way she addressed him.
Billy had encountered Victoria Housekeeping employees before. While he didn't know all the details, he was at least familiar with that particular form of address.
Hearing this, Caesar accepted the explanation without much doubt.
"Oh, I see. Well then, welcome to the Outer Ring. Since it's still early, I'll take you down to Blazewood to get acquainted. Lucy mentioned you might not be used to roughing it with us, so I asked the mayor to arrange accommodation for you."
As she spoke, Caesar's gaze inevitably drifted toward Fairy.
She had seen many beautiful girls in the city, but this one was standing beside Wise... and was even addressing him so intimately.
For some reason, that thought stirred a faint trace of resentment in her heart.
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original - P@treon Only Until It Reaches 30 Chapters)
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