"Billy, catch this. This is your share of the commission fee for this time."
As the voice fell.
Just after entering the stronghold in Silver City, Nicole casually tossed a single Dennie coin—with a denomination of a whopping 500—directly at Billy.
Billy caught it in a flurry of panic.
He lowered his head in disbelief, confirming twice that the Dennie in his hand was not fifty thousand, nor five thousand, but truly only a measly five hundred.
Billy looked up at Nicole, finding it hard to believe.
"Boss Nicole, h... how can there be only this much..."
Clutching the five hundred Dennies in his hand, Billy poked his fingers together with a miserable expression and asked weakly:
"Didn't we take a big order from the Hollow Investigation Association this time? Wasn't the commission fee a full five hundred thousand?"
Exposed, Nicole didn't feel guilty in the slightest. Instead, she was incomparably righteous and confident.
"Doesn't the earned commission fee need to be divided? I was only able to receive this commission because of my status as a Hollow Investigator, so isn't it normal for me to take a bit more?"
"T... That shouldn't mean there's only this little bit..."
Although Billy was the one holding the five hundred Dennies, his momentum appeared incredibly weak in front of Nicole.
With a voice full of incomparable sorrow, he lamented:
"At this speed, if I want to go see Big Sister Monica with my own eyes again, it will have to be decades from now..."
"I also wanted to buy the new limited edition Starlight Knight transformation device..."
Listening to Billy's sad and weeping voice, Nicole instead exploded with rage as if she had been ignited.
"Who do you think is the reason there's so little money?!"
Subsequently, she slapped a bill fiercely onto Billy's face before continuing:
"Why is the maintenance and upkeep cost for you alone directly dozens of times that of other Intelligent Constructs?! Even military Intelligent Constructs aren't this expensive!"
As soon as this was mentioned, Billy's voice became even weaker.
However, thinking of his Big Sister Monica and the limited edition Starlight Knight transformation device again...
Although his voice was still faint, he tried hard to argue:
"Even so, as long as we save a little, there should still be quite a lot left over, right... And before in the Hollow, I was the one who wiped out that final Ethereal nest..."
The more he spoke, the more confidence Billy gained.
In the end, he even shouted out directly.
"I have performed meritorious service for the Cunning Hares! I have shed blood for the Cunning Hares! Boss Nicole, you can't treat me like this!"
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned this. The moment he did, Nicole became even more furious.
"You still know about saving a little?! That commission just now ended with a nest composed of a bunch of Level 1 Ethereals that could be solved casually! There was only one Level 2!"
"In the end, it was a matter of a single cannon shell, yet you shouted something about a 'Starlight Knight Kick' and fired off all the ammo inventory I just bought for you!"
Thinking of the Dennies spent on ammo before the commission started, which ended up being splashed out like water by this guy...
Nicole's heart began to bleed.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Nicole couldn't help but raise her hand and smash her fist ruthlessly onto Billy's head to vent the anger in her heart.
But she forgot the fact that the other party was an Intelligent Construct made entirely of iron. The result was—Billy was unharmed, and didn't even react to being hit.
Nicole, on the other hand, shook her hand in pain for a long time before recovering.
However, having been exposed.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Billy's confidence instantly vanished without a trace, but he still retorted in a small whisper, a bit unreconciled:
"But as a Starlight Knight, the end of a battle naturally has to be wrapped up with the coolest ultimate move..."
"Then go hug your Starlight Knight and drown!"
Furiously smashing Demara's Bespoke onto Billy's head once more, Nicole left Billy behind and prepared to go inside first.
After all, she was actually already regretting it a little bit now.
This guy was clearly an Intelligent Construct, yet the things he wanted for living expenses were even more expensive than what she and Anby needed!
The result now was that not only did she have to shell out a huge amount for maintenance fees, but the living expenses were not small either.
It was simply 'losing the lady and the troops'—a double loss.
But thinking of the combat power the other party displayed in battle...
Sighing, Nicole decided to accept her fate, feeling a trace of mental exhaustion.
No matter what, it was a commission from the Hollow Investigation Association.
The restrictive rules and regulations made her feel that it was much more troublesome and tiring than normal commissions.
Seeing his limited edition Starlight Knight transformation device drifting away from him, Billy didn't care about his face, which wasn't much to begin with, or anything else.
With a diving leap, he pounced directly and hugged Nicole's leg, begging loudly:
"Don't, Boss Nicole! I beg you, just give a little bit more! I will definitely double my efforts during the next commission!"
However, faced with his pleading, although Nicole's heart softened slightly, she had no intention of stopping.
Striding forward without hesitation, she chose to directly ignore Billy's begging and forcibly dragged him along as she walked towards the interior of the stronghold.
As a result, after shifting her attention away from Billy...
Just as Nicole looked up, she saw Andrew, who was watching the show.
Realizing that she herself was the 'show' Andrew was watching, Nicole's cheeks instantly turned red.
However, unlike the blushes of others before.
Her blush wasn't from shyness, but a complete and utter 'red-hot' rage.
She yanked her leg violently several times but failed to extract it from Billy's hands.
Unable to ignore it any longer, Nicole directly raised her foot and stomped ruthlessly on Billy's face, kicking him aside with a kick that used all her strength.
The immense force sent Billy rolling a full circle on the ground, only stopping completely when he hit the wall.
Subsequently, when the slightly dazed Billy looked up, he also saw Andrew.
The appearance of a stranger caused Billy's gaze to become extremely sharp in the next instant.
Like a gun muzzle completely locking onto a figure appearing in its sights, as if he could open fire and kill in an instant in the very next moment.
But after merely a split second passed.
His gaze reverted to its previous state, as if everything just now had been merely someone else's illusion.
Scratching the back of his head, the reactivated Billy waved his hand with a bit of flattery and said:
"Hello, hello. You must be Boss Nicole's... er... Boss's Boss! Nice to meet you!"
Andrew looked at this living treasure that Nicole had picked up from who knows where.
Though, looking at it now, the person seemed pretty decent?
Otherwise, Nicole wouldn't have chosen him in the beginning, and just now when her leg was hugged, she wouldn't have kicked him with her foot, but blasted him directly with Demara's Bespoke.
At the same time, regarding the phrasing 'Boss's Boss' used by Billy, Nicole on the side had no intention of denying it.
Instead, she accepted it by default.
Nodding to indicate agreement, Andrew also greeted him:
"Andrew. Just call me Andrew. I'm also very happy to meet you, Billy."
However.
Just as Andrew's voice fell.
Billy saw Astra Yao poking her head out from behind Andrew, looking at the two of them with curiosity.
Astra Yao's familiar face made his hair stand on end instantly.
"Big Sister Monica's mortal enemy, Astra Yao! Y-You, why are you here!!"
For this person who appeared here unexpectedly, it could be said to have completely exceeded his imagination.
But for Billy, this was not a wonderful thing.
Facing Astra Yao before him.
Billy hugged his chest directly with both hands, like a young girl about to be molested.
Closing his eyes, he screamed in terror:
"Y-Y-You, don't come over! My... my body and mind already belong entirely to Big Sister Monica! A rival character like you, don't even think about making me betray Big Sister Monica!!!"
For a moment.
Various plotlines from Starlight Knight where members of the protagonist's team were captured and brainwashed by the villain, eventually turning around to become enemies of the protagonist's team, surged continuously in his mind.
Was this kind of thing finally going to happen to him?!
Andrew was in front, Boss Nicole was behind, and the final exit was blocked by Astra Yao.
Completely cornered with no way to escape, Billy finally simply put on an expression of regarding death as a return home.
Seeing this, Astra Yao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Don't be afraid. Monica would definitely be very happy to know she has a fan who likes her so much!"
The gentle tone made Billy fail to react for a moment.
He said with some disbelief:
"N... No! As a rival, shouldn't your first reaction upon seeing an opponent's fan be to brainwash me directly and forcibly change my faith?!"
"That kind of thing is impossible..."
Regarding Billy's reaction.
Even Astra Yao, who was mentally prepared, felt a bit helpless.
After all, as two stars who debuted almost at the same time.
From the very beginning, the company had arranged a policy of 'incompatibility like fire and water' as a marketing gimmick and selling point.
At that time, the two of them, who could be said to be unable to refuse the company's arrangements, plus the fact that as newcomers they indeed needed such heat for their careers...
So the final result was:
Although their relationship in private was very intimate, in front of the camera, they had to perform meticulously according to the script planned by the company.
After a period of time, the rival-like relationship had already become a fact recognized by all fans.
Even if they wanted to change it now, it was already too late.
So in front of the public, this relationship could only continue to be maintained.
However, seeing that Billy liked Monica so much, Astra Yao suddenly had an idea.
Recently, while chatting with Monica, she heard that Monica had been a bit frowning and unhappy lately due to her career progress not being smooth enough.
Her mood had been consistently low.
But if she learned that she had a fan who liked her this much.
She would definitely be very happy.
So regarding this misunderstanding, she waved her hand patiently and explained:
"Not at all. Monica and I are good friends in private, you know! How about I ask for a personally signed autograph for you the next time I meet her?"
"Ga?!"
Hearing these words, and confirming that Astra Yao could really do it, Billy was so excited that he fainted directly with a 'gaba' sound.
Seeing his reaction, Astra Yao, who thought about it and felt that meeting directly would be more effective, tilted her head slightly.
She continued to add:
"If you are willing, during the next event, how about I take you directly to the scene to meet her and have her sign for you face-to-face?"
"Ga?!!!!"
Excited heart, trembling hands.
Hearing Astra Yao's words, Billy was so excited that he fainted completely.
Or rather, he completely crashed.
It wasn't until the system automatically rebooted and he regained consciousness that Billy, although incomparably excited, still confirmed:
"R... Really?!"
"Of course."
After receiving an affirmative answer.
Billy, who was originally so excited he was about to jump up, suddenly knelt down directly on one knee, and at the same time said with an incomparably solemn attitude:
"Miss Yao, who do you want killed?"
"Eh?!!!"
This time, the one shocked was Astra Yao.
She hurriedly tried to dissuade him:
"No, no, there's no such thing! You just need to be your normal self!"
Hearing this, Billy looked up at Astra Yao, who had been clinging tightly to Andrew, maintaining an intimate state and not letting go even until now.
He clenched his right hand into a fist solemnly, smashed it fiercely against his chest, and nodded:
"Then please rest assured. Regardless of anything, your whereabouts here will absolutely never leak from my mouth! If there is anything later, as long as you ask, I will never have a second word!"
Although she knew he was clowning around.
When Nicole heard this sentence from Billy, she still furiously swung Demara's Bespoke and smashed it ruthlessly onto Billy's head again.
"What nonsense are you spouting! I am your Boss!"
Unable to resist swinging the case again, Nicole's heart, which had actually softened a little originally, became incomparably hard once more.
Anger was burning quietly.
"Was the money I spent to help you with repairs spent in vain?! You still want extra Dennies? Keep dreaming!!!"
With one smash of the case, Billy immediately revealed his true form, sprang up, and began to scurry away holding his head.
While running away, he begged for mercy:
"Don't, Boss Nicole! You are my eternal Boss, don't withhold the Dennies!"
One fled, one chased.
The two of them circled directly inside the Silver City stronghold.
Just as they finished a lap and Nicole behind him had begun to pant and couldn't run anymore, Billy, who ran to the side of the two again, even had the leisure to add a sentence with a beaming face.
"Next time there's a Big Sister Monica event, definitely don't forget to call me!"
Seeing this scene, Nicole, who was completely out of breath and exasperated, called out directly:
"Anby! Help me catch him!"
Bzzt!
Like a flash of lightning passing by.
Billy, who was still beaming with joy, had his right hand restrained by Anby using a grappling hold and was pressed directly onto the ground.
Subconsciously wanting to struggle, his restrained right hand was twisted forcefully by Anby, causing him to stop moving immediately due to the pain.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Easy, easy! It's going to break, it's going to break, Anby!"
The voice fell.
But before getting Anby's reaction, a shadow completely enveloped the immobile Billy.
Looking up subconsciously.
What appeared in Billy's eyes was Nicole, with veins popping out, and although she still maintained a smile...
The twitching corners of her mouth and her face, which had long since become gloomy to the point where it couldn't be gloomier...
Everything, without exception, indicated his imminent disaster.
This time, sniffing the scent of death, Billy's expression couldn't help but droop once again.
Subsequently, becoming flattering again, Billy looked at Nicole and begged for mercy in a whisper:
"Can... can we settle this amicably?"
"At this moment? Are you joking?"
Without giving Billy a chance to continue speaking.
Swinging Demara's Bespoke, Nicole directly used the 'Disorderly Wind Hammer Method' and began to smash Billy's face.
The smashing was truly gnashing of teeth and passionately hearty.
For a time, Billy's cries of pain spread directly throughout the entire Silver City.
By the time Nicole stopped her hands with satisfaction and wiped the sweat from her forehead, the suppressed Billy had completely ceased all movement.
____
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