...
"You're right. Things have been exhausting lately..."
Anby let out a soft sigh, a trace of fatigue settling over her normally calm expression as she leaned back against the sofa.
"How's Hare's House doing these days?"
Seeing her like that, Zane asked curiously.
"Much better than when we first started. Though there are still some undercurrents, things have calmed down a lot."
"But as our reputation's grown, the number of commissions has skyrocketed. And since we have to maintain a good public image now, every case needs to be handled extra carefully..."
Anby glanced at Zane as she explained the current state of things. Nicole, who'd been listening nearby, added with a weary sigh,
"We used to dream about making Hare's House famous across New Eridu, and now thanks to your work, that's finally happened. But now I really understand what they mean when they say 'fame brings trouble'..."
Nicole shook her head. Back then, Hare's House' poor ratings had earned them a kind of infamy, but now that things had turned around, it almost felt restrictive.
Worried about their members' safety, they rarely took on high-paying but dangerous commissions anymore. In the past, they could take risks freely, knowing their priority was always their team's safety. But now, with so many eyes watching, they avoided risky jobs altogether.
Of course, that meant a huge increase in workload. Billy and the others had been running themselves ragged lately.
Today was one of the few rare moments of rest in the past month.
"Honestly, there's no need to worry too much. Things in the shadows have quieted down quite a bit. You guys can afford to relax a little."
Zane spoke gently, his tone reassuring. With fewer people watching from the dark, there was less need to stay on constant guard.
"Ah, well, we agreed to this arrangement, so we've got to see it through properly," Nicole replied with a small wave of her hand, chuckling softly. "Besides, it's not all bad."
She leaned forward with a grin. "You know, a magazine reached out a few days ago asking Hare's House to shoot a cover spread. The finished shots—seriously, they looked incredible!"
The moment she said that, Billy's eyes lit up. He immediately jumped in to brag, pulling out the printed photos he'd apparently brought with him.
"Check this out! See here—this chest piece design? Totally inspired by the Starlight Knight! And here, I made them get this shot with my dual pistols floating midair—so cool, right?"
Seth, sitting beside him, glanced at Billy, then at the magazine in his hands, his lips twitching in disbelief.
This guy really carries that around with him, huh...
"Balance between work and leisure, that's important," Qingyi said with an amused smile. "As they say—tension and relaxation, the rhythm of scholar and warrior alike. It applies just fine here."
She then turned to look at Zane, her tone light but carrying a subtle meaning.
"This guy's always caught up in big affairs. Even this time—it's a high-level meeting filled with big names. Honestly, what happens to us doesn't really affect him much."
Her words made Nicole pause in thought before nodding slightly. It was true.
Back then, certain circumstances had forced Hare's House into the spotlight, but now... that wasn't really necessary anymore.
Zane glanced at Qingyi with a look of mild exasperation, but before he could respond, Belle jumped in brightly,
"Hey hey hey! We finally managed to get everyone together, so let's not get all gloomy, alright? We already ordered—here."
Belle handed the menu to Billy. Zhu Yuan nodded beside her, having been half-listening while discussing food choices earlier.
"Whoa, this place actually serves hot engine oil drinks..."
Billy raised an eyebrow as he flipped through the menu. Belle puffed out her chest a little, smiling proudly.
"See? Thoughtful, aren't I?"
"Manager... you..."
"Ah-ah, no sappy words allowed!"
"Yeah, don't say it!"
Every group has its clowns, and Zane's was no exception. The atmosphere quickly turned lively and warm.
Time always flies when you're eating and drinking together. As usual, Nicole suggested some drinking games—she was terrible at them, but that never stopped her from playing. Before long, she was slumped over, half-asleep on Anby's shoulder.
Jane, who wasn't particularly close with most of the group, still managed to blend in thanks to everyone's efforts to make her feel comfortable. Inevitably, she drank a little too much herself, and even the usually composed detective now looked a bit tipsy.
Aside from Billy, Qingyi, and Zane—the two non-humans and the one anomaly—everyone else was at least somewhat drunk.
Anby kept a calm face, but her eyes had already lost focus. As for the Zheling siblings, one was in an animated conversation with Billy about chuunibyou ideals, while the other...
"Let me tell you something..."
Belle lifted one leg and thumped it onto the empty space on the table, then pushed herself upright, standing tall like a crane among chickens.
"We're all top-tier people here! As the saying goes—three cobblers can match..."
She hiccuped mid-sentence, face freezing for a moment before continuing stubbornly,
"...so with us all together, we're unstoppable! No challenge too big, no problem unsolvable! So just relax and—hic—trust the process!"
She wobbled slightly as she delivered her "speech." Billy, though not drunk, found himself oddly inspired and immediately tried to join in.
"Manager, since you're done, let me say a few words! When it comes to grabbing the spotlight, I—"
Before he could finish, a fist suddenly loomed in front of him—it was Nicole, who'd apparently sobered up just enough to keep him in line.
Jane, sitting beside Zhu Yuan, watched the chaotic scene unfold with a faint smile tugging at her lips. Her soft gaze drifted toward Zane.
Now that she'd pieced everything together, she realized—he hadn't really changed much at all.
Her eyes then shifted to Qingyi beside him. Watching the two interact, her brows furrowed slightly.
She knew Qingyi fairly well. By the way Zane spoke with her, she should probably treat him with a certain level of respect.
And yet... the more she watched, the less it looked like a traditional mentor-student relationship.
In the midst of the cheerful chaos, the dinner finally wound down. Once everyone sobered up a little, they made their way toward Lumina Square—
where a grand fireworks festival was about to begin.