Ann complained because she didn't get the same amount of salary.
"Ehem, why am I not getting the same pay?"
Isabella slowly turned her head.
"Because without Ciko Joun, the mission would not have gone smoothly."
"Hah? That brat is actually useful?"
"Yes," Isabella answered without hesitation.
Ciko Joun fell silent. Isabella's words made him suspicious—perhaps she knew something about him. About The Zero.
"Ann, leave us," Isabella ordered.
Without much protest, Ann immediately walked out of the room.
Now Isabella stared at Ciko Joun very seriously.
"I want to talk about you."
Ciko could feel her suspicion. The air between them suddenly grew heavy.
Isabella approached… very close… until their foreheads almost touched.
"A… Aa… what do you want to talk… about?"
Ciko swallowed nervously.
"Are you the one behind the scenes? The Zero."
Isabella's gaze did not waver.
"Ahahahaha, I'm just… j-just a normal person…"
Ciko answered, trying to suppress the trembling in his voice.
Isabella wasn't fooled.
"My ability is to control the souls of all my subordinates," she explained.
"But… you can't be controlled."
Her explanation pointed to two possibilities:
1. Ciko Joun is an entity equal to Isabella.
2. Ciko Joun does not regard himself as Isabella's subordinate.
Suddenly, Ciko burst into loud laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His laughter made Isabella flinch a little.
"I never considered myself your subordinate to begin with,"
Ciko said with a faint smile.
It was a safe answer. He didn't want The Zero's identity exposed—especially inside Justice's castle.
Isabella stared at him for a few seconds… then finally sighed.
"Very well. I believe you."
She turned around, walked out of the room, and gently closed the door.
But deep down, Isabella still didn't believe that Ciko Joun was just an ordinary person.