After they finished putting together the "Rescuing Igula from Happiness (Top Secret)," everyone left Ash’s room.
But as Hanna was opening the door, she happened to see Igula’s blonde hair disappearing around the corner of the corridor.
Ash expressed his surprise, "Igula also didn’t work overtime tonight?"
"He’s about to become Belladett’s son-in-law, what work does he still need to do?" Hanna said quietly, signaling them to follow, "Our chance has come."
They followed him all the way to the second-floor atrium. Since the estate was located above the second-level city, there were no obstructions around. The night sky was bright, the stars twinkled, and the light’s pale yellow thickness reached several meters, adorning the contrived horticulture into a romantic veil.
The horticultural maze was the perfect cover. Halfway into the funeral procession, they heard Igula’s voice from inside, "Sorry, did you wait long?"
"Not at all," Anfeier’s voice was bubbling with laughter that couldn’t be concealed.
"No, my sister told me so many times you are a Spirit Mage, you must have rich romantic experience, warned me to be careful of you, but you seem much more nervous than I imagined."
"Ah? Is there something wrong with me?"
"No, not a problem with your appearance, but I can feel it." Although they were just listening to the voice, everyone seemed to see a girl squinting and smiling, "Mr. Igula, you are just someone who is strong against the strong and weak against the weak. You are super calm and smart when facing my sister, but when you face a dummy like me, you get flustered."
"Who calls themselves a dummy," Igula laughed too, "All the dummies I’ve met never admit they’re dummies."
"Talking about you, Harvey," Ash said preemptively.
"I am a dummy," Harvey said calmly, "Now it’s your turn to prove it yourself."
Dummies don’t admit they’re dummies, on the other hand, those who call themselves dummies aren’t really dummies.
Ash unabashedly declared, "I am a dummy."
At the moment Ash spoke, Hanna, ’Liss,’ and Harvey simultaneously activated the recording function of the Gospel Book.
"Good, recording complete." Harvey looked at Ash with ’sympathy,’ as if to say ’it’s tough that you had to come forward to prove it.’
"This is bullying, right? This is definitely workplace bullying!" Ash said through gritted teeth, "I’m going to complain to the Gospel about you guys!"
"What are you all doing here?"
They turned to see a blue-haired girl appearing behind them. She had her hands on her hips, looking angrily at the Funeral Service Office staff, like a boss catching employees slacking off.
"We didn’t work overtime tonight, we can go wherever we want." Hanna retorted, "What about you, Yvalin, what are you doing here?"
"My little sister is on a date, of course, I have to come and eavesdrop to make sure everything’s okay!" Yvalin stated shamelessly as if it were the most natural thing.
"You actually don’t trust our ’good friend’ Igula Bokin!" Hanna feigned ’shock,’ "He’s being monitored on his date, I feel it’s unfair for Bokin! No, I must talk to him properly, let him know your true colors!"
"Your acting is still so bad, Hanna," Yvalin looked at him with disdain, "Looks like you deserve a beating."
"Then come and hit me, should I kneel down to compete with you? With my height, it’s like hitting you from the second floor, you fire hydrant."
"Wait a second," Banjee felt perplexed, "We’re making so much noise, why are they still talking normally inside?"
"Humph, you think I didn’t expect you lot to come and make trouble?" Yvalin raised her eyebrows, "Not only is there a silence barrier Miracle here, but as soon as Igula walked in, the horticulture started moving. The inner and outer mazes are completely isolated. Now, not only can we not get in, they’ll get lost if they try to come out, giving them time to develop their feelings!"
"What if they want to leave?" Ash asked out of curiosity.
"I’ll be listening secretly all the time. When I feel it’s time for their date to end, I’ll push this button." Yvalin took out a controller, "Then the horticulture maze and the silence barrier will dissolve."
"Of course, you can also directly destroy this place’s facilities and ruin the date, but as for the damage... I hope you can afford the costs."
It turns out to be a multi-layered trap; if the Funeral Service Office dares to damage private property, Yvalin could happily recruit new employees!
"Oh~" Hanna nodded, "Such meticulous arrangements... Hey!"
Yvalin deftly dodged Hanna’s grasp, "Monster! I knew it, Hanna, you’re as crude as a Beastman."
"You dodge just like a Goblin too!" Hanna bit back and looked at the others, "What are you standing around for? Come and help me!"
"Want to gang up on the outnumbered?" Yvalin chuckled, "Without weapons and not allowed to use attack Technique Spirits Miracles, I really want to see how you plan to deal with me, a Two-winged Fist Claw Mage."
"Don’t damage the nearby gardening; at most we can only use Technique Spirits Miracles to enhance ourselves," Banjee reminded, "Miss Yvalin has come here alone on purpose to provoke us, leading us to damage her family’s property."
"Do you like the starry sky?" Igula asked.
"I love it," Anfeier said, "Looking at the myriad stars, I feel so insignificant, and all the day-to-day troubles seem to matter little. There are two things that most effortlessly amaze me: one is the magnificent starry sky, and the other is the persistence of characters in legendary tales. The brilliance of humanity shines just as bright as the radiance of the stars in the night sky."
Harvey lunged at Yvalin, who agilely leaped lightly, making the Necromancer fall flat on his face.
Hanna and Ash tried to attack from both sides, but the blue-haired girl slipped under Ash’s arm, causing the two to collide with a thud.
"Mr. Igula must have been to many places, right? Have you ever had any heart-stopping adventures?"
"There have been a few, but they’re not exactly healthy."
"That’s perfect, I love hearing dark and real adventure stories."
"Do you long for adventure?"
"Yeah, I’ve loved adventure stories since I was a kid, but the furthest I’ve ever been was to other cities. The only place I could have adventures was the manor... My favorite series of adventure stories are about finding traces of ancient civilizations in wilderness far away from the cities. Mr. Igula, have you had such experiences?!"
"When on underhanded dealings, discovering an outdoor trading spot that was a dining hall for an Ogre tribe hundreds of years ago, does that count?"
"Haha, underhanded dealings!"
Banjee saw his chance and pounced to hug Yvalin’s legs, but she remained unfazed, pushing her body forward and kicking her legs up, smoothly breaking free and even delivering a harsh kick to the young Housekeeper’s chin.
However, Hanna also charged at Yvalin, to whom Yvalin softly scoffed, spreading her legs in a split—Ash finally noticed she was wearing safety shorts underneath her skirt—then spinning her legs like windmill blades, tripping the Purple Moth!
"Monster~" Yvalin let out a disdainful laugh, somersaulting twice before landing with pride like a champion winner—
At the same time as Harvey grunted, Yvalin stepped on the Necromancer and fell flat on her face; her controller flew out of her pocket and knocked against a pair of small feet.
’Liss,’ who had been watching the whole scene, blinked and picked up the controller, handing it to Ash.
"By the way, we should get our story straight in advance! I’ll tell my sister that I’m very pleased with you. That way, you’ll have the upper hand."
"Why would you help me ?"
"It’s not really helping; after all, it’s not a lie that I’m very pleased with Mr. Igula. Besides, you were threatened by my sister, so doing this gives you a bit more room to maneuver."
"Threatened? But this deal was my own—"
"If the only options are ’make me like you’ and ’be a servant to the Belladett family for life,’ then it can hardly be called a free choice." It seemed Anfeier was contemplating while stirring her teacup, "But I know my sister has her reasons, and Mr. Igula, you have your own goals. Your positions will ultimately conflict, and I’m just wishfully postponing the inevitable clash."
"But... you and my sister are both intelligent people, maybe with a little time you can find a mutually beneficial solution? Hehe, worst comes to worst, I’ll just get scolded by my sister, fair is fair after all."
"Ash, here’s your chance!" Hanna rushed over to hold onto Yvalin’s ankles.
"Ash, you dare!?" Yvalin threatened, clawing and baring her teeth like a little tiger.
Harvey was treating his trampled wounds while Banjee, who suffered a blow to the chin, was still dizzy.
Ash looked at the controller in his hands, thought for a moment, then turned and threw the controller towards the center of the garden, the location of Igula and his company.
The Cult Leader clapped his hands and walked back with ’Liss.’