Zane rose to his feet, a flicker of light passing through his eyes.
If he hadn't seen wrong...
That last thing to vanish into the whiteness—
Was a streak of blue light.
...
Afternoons in New Eridu were always sluggish. The streets were nearly empty, the parks quiet, the air heavy and drowsy.
Zane sat in Phaethon's vehicle, the Racing Turtle. The driver, of course, was not Belle—but Wise.
"Though Belle has regained her license," Eous's synthesized voice echoed from the car's console, "Zane still strongly objected to her request to drive."
"So, in the end, the ever-reliable Wise took over control of the steering wheel."
The little Bangboo's voice carried the faintest trace of smug amusement as it continued recording the log.
The Racing Turtle glided smoothly along the road—though the same could not be said for Belle, who sat in the back seat, fur bristling.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean—'ever-reliable Wise'? Since when has my brother been reliable? I'm way more dependable!"
Puffing out her cheeks, Belle glared daggers first at Zane beside her, then at Wise in the driver's seat when she heard him snicker.
"Brother, did you bribe Eous? Why would it record that? It's supposed to take my side!"
Zane spread his hands in mock helplessness. "Or maybe... Eous is just telling the truth?"
"What nonsense!"
"I actually agree with Zane," Wise added evenly from the front.
Seeing the two of them teaming up so perfectly, Belle threw herself against the seat, hugging Eous dramatically.
"Fine! But are we even keeping this part in the record?"
"Of course," Zane said.
"This meeting between the Fire Picker's representative and the upper echelons of New Eridu might go down in history!"
Hearing that, Belle's ears twitched, and she nodded hard. "Then keep it! Definitely keep it!"
No way she was missing her chance to be recorded in history!
"But cut the earlier part," she added quickly. "Start recording again from when Eous follows Zane into the meeting."
Zane blinked, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
"Belle, if you cut the beginning, you won't make it into the historical record. Not even a cameo."
After all, if only the actual meeting was documented, neither Belle nor Wise would have any 'screen time.' Maybe the transcript would mention the Bangboo who made the record—but that would be buried in the footnotes of time.
Belle froze mid-thought, her face twisting as she weighed the dilemma.
Her goal was to make it into the record...
But if she kept the start, that meant leaving in her tantrum earlier...
Forget it!
Black marks are still marks in history!
No matter what, as long as she got mentioned, it was worth it!
After slapping the seat as if to seal her decision, Belle visibly relaxed, humming a random tune to herself.
And so, with Belle's excitement and Zane's quiet resignation, the Racing Turtle sped toward their destination...
...
"I wonder what the Fire Picker's representative will be like..."
Inside a grand, opulently decorated conference hall, a tall young woman leaned lazily against a wall, a lollipop perched between her lips.
"Could be someone from the Weavers," Lycaon mused beside her, one arm crossed over his chest, the other hand supporting his chin in thought. "In terms of position, they'd fit perfectly. Besides, Mr. Weaver and the Fire Picker are on good terms."
"Maybe," Ellen replied casually, twirling the lollipop in her mouth. "But knowing Zane, it wouldn't surprise me if he just—"
Before she could finish, Lycaon raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh. Lower your voice."
Ellen rolled her eyes but obediently dropped her tone.
"—if he just came in person."
She finished her sentence in a near whisper. Her gaze flicked toward a passing staff member, and she didn't relax until they were gone.
The fact that Zane was the Fire Picker was supposed to be top-secret. If that leaked... she didn't even want to imagine the consequences.
"You're probably right," Lycaon said with a faint smile. "We'll find out soon enough. If it is him, you'll recognize him instantly, won't you?"
Ellen nodded, a small smirk forming. "Of course. That guy's hard to mistake for anyone else."
She knew Zane well enough—well, maybe too well.
"Time's about right," Lycaon said, checking his pocket watch. "Rina's already in position. You'll go in with her. Koren and I will hold the back line in case anything goes wrong."
Ellen nodded. "Got it."
Victoria Housekeeping had received two commissions this time—one, to act as the representative of the outgoing mayor of New Eridu at the meeting; and two, to prevent any internal disruptions during the proceedings.
Outside, an elite squad from the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe was on standby.
Straightening up, Ellen stretched and headed for the exit. She wasn't sure what exactly this "representation" entailed, but the gravity of the task was obvious enough.
This time, she had to stay alert.
At the very least... she couldn't afford to fall asleep midway.
As that thought crossed her mind, she popped another candy into her mouth, her cheeks puffing slightly.
Walking toward the hall, Ellen counted her remaining stash, calculating quietly.
Given the expected meeting length, she'd need one piece every thirty minutes to stay focused...
That meant she should buy three or four more, just in case.
Her mind drifted for a moment, a certain face flashing across her thoughts. Her steps slowed, and her plan shifted slightly.
Better make that a few extra. If that guy actually showed up, he'd probably try to steal her candy again...
Not that she was buying them for him, of course.
It was purely—absolutely—just in case.