"Spare me, please. If I actually do that, the moment she wakes up she'll rip my arms off."
Lucian had zero doubts about Blaze's temper.
If he so much as tried to take advantage of her, she'd beat him to a pulp by tomorrow.
He tried to peel her off him, but even asleep she was absurdly strong. In the end she clung to his waist like her life depended on it.
Left with no choice, Lucian let her sleep with her head on his lap.
He kept drinking with Hoshiguma. Two cups later, he said, "Hoshiguma, thanks for tonight."
"You helped me get her talking and even distracted her for me. I dumped all the dirty work on you—sorry about that."
Hoshiguma chuckled. "It's fine. Just drink with me."
Hoshiguma understood everything.
Lucian wanted confirmation from Blaze about Rhodes Island—its real intentions. Someone had to help coax out her genuine thoughts, and Hoshiguma was the perfect 'bad guy' for that job.
And it worked out well.
Whether Rhodes Island had secrets or not, Blaze herself was pure-hearted.
If she trusted Rhodes Island this much, then there had to be something trustworthy there.
Hoshiguma swirled her can. "So? You planning to help Rhodes Island?"
"I won't say help or not help… but they're worth looking into."
Lucian stroked Blaze's ears as she slept.
Nice-sounding slogans meant nothing by themselves.
Back in Laterano and even after leaving it, he had heard too many righteous speeches.
But worse than lies are the ones who genuinely believe their own lies.
He'd been burned before. He wasn't about to be fooled again.
And from what he'd seen so far, Rhodes Island talked the prettiest, but also seemed the most grounded.
He looked at Blaze's sleeping face. "Rhodes Island's got combat operators, right? They get involved in conflicts constantly. They're headed to Chernobog next. Hoshiguma, do you know anything about what's going on there?"
Hoshiguma shook her head. "The Lungmen Guard Department doesn't know more than the average person. Wei Yenwu might have his own intel channels, but he didn't share anything with us."
"But I'm certain the city isn't as peaceful as the news claims. I smell blood."
"Yeah." Lucian agreed instantly.
Chernobog, the Reunion Movement, Rhodes Island…
Disasters caused by the Infected were accelerating. No longer sparks—now it was going to turn into a wildfire.
Lucian lifted his head. "Hoshiguma, how about we spar? Been a while."
"Sure." She grinned. "Ever since you got those Floating Blades from Rhine Lab, we haven't trained together. I've never gone up against a Sankta who uses blades. Are they more accurate than your bullets?"
He shrugged. "Lungmen doesn't let me use real guns."
"I need ways to protect myself too. Gotta have some real gear. And hey, these don't count as restricted weapons… right?"
Hoshiguma cracked open another can and handed it to him. "Restricted or not—up to you."
"Got it."
Lucian knew he wasn't escaping tonight. He obediently drank with the big sis until he blacked out.
"Haah…"
Angelina woke up groggily, stirred by Croissant's snoring.
It was three in the morning—too early, too late, utterly miserable.
Croissant had been carried in by Texas after throwing up from drinking, and was now snoring like thunder beside her.
Angelina had almost gotten used to Croissant's sleeping posture, but the alcohol smell was brutal.
The little fox scrunched her face. "Croissant, go take a bath… uuugh, you smell so bad…"
Wiping her tears, she hugged her pillow, eased open the door, and crept into the hallway.
At this hour, all the adults who were drinking should've gone back to their rooms. Maybe she could sleep on the sofa.
Then she froze.
Where did that scary Blaze and even scarier Hoshiguma sleep?
"Blaze and Exusiai get along well, so maybe they're sharing a room. So Hoshiguma would be with Texas… Wait, no. Texas would never agree. So then… with Lucian…!?"
The high school girl's imagination went into overdrive. Her face turned bright red on its own.
She could tell Lucian respected Hoshiguma. Their relationship really did feel like siblings.
But still. Probably not. Probably.
Lucian was definitely a thing with Exusiai. Who would betray Exusiai? Is that even human!?
Angelina tiptoed into the living room. It was pitch-black and quiet.
And then—
Angelina saw it.
Lucian—completely passed out.
And Hoshiguma—on top of him.
Hoshiguma: "…?"
The sharp-eared officer heard Angelina's tense breathing and lifted her head.
They locked eyes. Angelina shook her head frantically, terrified.
Seeing her so pitiful, Hoshiguma smirked and raised a finger:
"Shhh."
She pressed her finger to her lips.
Angelina instantly understood, nodding like crazy, then scrambled back to her room.
She locked the door, dove into bed, grabbed Croissant, and mumbled nonstop:
"I'm sorry! I didn't see anything! I didn't see anything! Sorry Lucian! Sorry Exusiai!" she apologized frantically.
Croissant: "Ghh… Angie… not so tight… I'm gonna die… blugh."
Angelina took another small step into adulthood… and the only casualty was Croissant.
The next day, sunlight blazing high.
Blaze's ears twitched as she stretched lazily.
"Mmm... slept great! …Huh? Why am I on the sofa?"
It took her a long time to piece her memories together.
She checked her clothes, tugged open her collar and sniffed, then nodded.
"Mm. Nothing happened. Didn't think Lucian was actually such a gentleman. Guess I can trust him with Exusiai."
Exusiai: "Thank you, but I don't need your approval!"
Exusiai, standing behind her, chopped down with a hand strike, making Blaze clutch her head and tremble.
Annoyed, Exusiai said, "If you know men might do something to you, then have some sense."
"Come on. I don't usually drink that much," Blaze said with an awkward smile.
Getting blackout drunk was humiliating. Blaze tried to defend herself.
"I'm still a woman, you know. I'm not careless. No matter how much I drink normally, I never let anyone take advantage."
"As for yesterday, I was planning to test your boy at first, but then I really did just get drunk… actually it's Lucian's fault! That candy was definitely suspicious! Why did it hit me so hard!? He's totally used it to trick lots of women! Definitely!"
Exusiai chopped her again. "Enough excuses. I bought clothes in your size. Go shower. You reek of alcohol."
"Yesss." Guilty, Blaze obeyed and slipped into the bathroom.
While undressing, she suddenly paused.
"Huh? My Crystallization feels smaller… My body feels warm and light. Why?"
As a chronically ill fighter, Blaze was extremely aware of her condition. She felt unbelievably better—almost unreal.
But she didn't link it to Lucian's candy. She simply assumed it was the aftereffects of drinking too much.
Still, she poked her head out of the bathroom. "Where did Lucian and that giant woman Hoshiguma go?"
"Croissant and Texas went to open the shop. The other two went to go fight."
Exusiai added, "If you hurry, you can catch them. You want payback on that green-haired woman, right? You can pretend it's training."
"—Give me ten minutes! No, five! I'll be done right away!"
A woman who bathes in five minutes… if Lucian heard that he'd definitely start lecturing again.
====