Chapter 64: Musachi: Cecilia, you wouldn't want... (Bonus Chapter) (Patreon)

A dozen or so minutes later, Cecilia tilted her head back and looked over at Musachi.

"Satisfied now? You little rascal."

She rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"What if I'm not quite satisfied?"

Looking into those seductive violet eyes, still misty with lingering haze, Musachi pushed his luck.

"They'll be back soon. If we don't start cooking now, we'll run out of time."

Faced with his further demand, Cecilia didn't go on. She just rolled her eyes and answered slowly.

Then she picked up a cup from the side, rinsed her mouth, and popped a piece of gum.

"Isn't it still early? Two hours isn't enough?"

Musachi checked the time. It was still a little over two hours before the three little ones and Remielle got back.

"Fine. If you really want it... we'll talk about it tonight. We still have to cook."

Cecilia gave him a coquettish look, then got up and walked straight out of the room.

Seeing that, Musachi shook his head helplessly and sighed. "Then I'll help."

As he spoke, he headed for the kitchen too.

"Wash the vegetables and cut them up for me. I'll get the meat stewing first."

Cecilia said with a beaming smile. While she cooked, she watched Musachi deftly wash the vegetables and cut them into chunks and slices, and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.

"I wouldn't have guessed. You cook a lot, don't you?"

"Of course. I can't eat out every day, right? You get sick of it eventually, so you might as well cook yourself. I'm really good at it. You'll have plenty of time to find out."

Musachi said with a grin.

Hearing his words, though, a hesitant look crossed Cecilia's face.

"What's wrong?"

Musachi noticed she seemed to have some misgivings.

"Nothing. I just think... can we really be together? You're young and full of promise, and I'm already this old..."

Cecilia stood there in her apron, looking lost.

A moment ago, swept away in the heat of the moment, she'd done some things. But thinking it over carefully, could there really be a future between her and Musachi?

"What are you thinking? You don't seriously think I'd let you get away, do you?"

Musachi blinked, then suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist. Feeling the warmth of his chest, Cecilia fell silent for a moment.

"Don't worry. I'm not expecting much, either. As long as you spend time with me when you're free, that's enough. I've been living on my own for so many years that I'm used to it. Honestly, I never even thought I'd have a man again, so I'm not that greedy now."

Cecilia sighed, then spoke slowly.

As a mature woman, Cecilia had to think about far more than those young girls who dared to love and hate so freely. She'd asked herself honestly: she did like Musachi, liked him a lot. But she also knew her place. Having seen the world's cold and warm faces, she didn't expect Musachi to have only her. In this world, power was what decided everything.

Cecilia could also see that Musachi was a playboy, but she'd accepted it quickly. After all, a formidable man like him having many women didn't seem strange. Even back when she was still singing, the head of her talent agency had had plenty of women, and someone like Musachi, who knew so many important figures, couldn't possibly have a simple background.

By comparison, her own so-called status as a diva didn't seem all that important...

"Do you think you're being incredibly noble and understanding?"

Musachi pursed his lips and gave Cecilia a hard smack.

It drew a startled yelp out of her. Feeling the burning sting on her backside, she stared at Musachi in stunned disbelief.

"Don't worry. Whoever I've set my eyes on, not one of them is getting away, and you're no exception. Once I've settled everything, you'll all be my wings."

Musachi said with a smile.

"Dressing up your womanizing with grand excuses, you little rascal. But what do you mean by 'settle everything'?"

Cecilia punched him, though the force behind it was more like flirting.

"Just what it sounds like. There are things I can't talk about yet. Anyway, it's something very important."

"And what if you don't settle it?"

Cecilia couldn't help asking.

"If I don't, then all the more reason to leave no regrets before I die. I finally made it into this world. Dying with regrets would be miserable."

Musachi said with a grin.

Of course, there was one thing he hadn't made clear: if he couldn't deal with The Creator... then there probably wouldn't be any human civilization left.

By now the weather was slowly cooling, and the days were no longer as long as before. It was a little past six, and the sky outside had already gone dark. Musachi could see the bright moon through the window.

Or rather, a moon that Ether had eaten away over half of.

As his understanding of this world deepened, Musachi grew more and more certain that The Creator's true body wasn't on Earth.

Back then he'd thought the enemy was in the deepest part of Hollow Zero, and the enemy had appeared. But after Musachi obtained The Creator's power and gradually came to understand it better, he'd formed a new suspicion.

"Teacher Cecilia~ We're here~"

Right as Musachi and Cecilia were chatting, the door to the living room opened, and Nangong's lively voice drifted in from outside.

"Huh? Manager's here too~"

After running into the kitchen, Nangong looked at Musachi prepping ingredients and Cecilia bustling beside him, and asked in confusion.

Nangong wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but Teacher Cecilia seemed a little flustered.

"What, you're not happy to see me?"

Musachi turned and flicked Nangong on the forehead, making her stagger back two steps in pain. She puffed out her cheeks and clutched her forehead.

"How could that be? Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome~"

Aria quickly chimed in with a grin.

"Come to think of it, why are you back so early? Didn't you say around eight?"

Cecilia came out in her apron, looking curiously at the three little ones and Remielle behind them.

"We really did plan to practice until eight, but they practice plenty as it is, and two hours won't make a difference. Tomorrow I'll let them take it easy and start a bit later, then keep in form the day after and wait for the performance in three days."

Remielle said with a smile.

As she spoke, she glanced at Musachi in the kitchen.

"I have to say, I didn't expect my dear employer to be here."

"I asked Musachi to come. We were short one person to carry bags while shopping, and a ready-made laborer is no use wasted."

Cecilia said with a smile.

"Then what reward is Cecilia going to give me?"

Musachi suddenly said with a grin, leaning against the kitchen doorway.

"Isn't a meal reward enough?"

Cecilia turned and glared at him.

"Enough, enough, of course it's enough."

Musachi hurriedly nodded.

Then he'd have to savor tonight properly.

At the same time, Musachi breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing he hadn't pushed his luck earlier, or he could very well have been caught at this hour.

It was only a little past six, and by rights they'd already finished. But knowing himself, once led to twice, and twice to three times and four. What if he'd gotten greedy again?

Wouldn't that have blown up into a real disaster?

"Need any help?"

Remielle stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling at Musachi and Cecilia standing shoulder to shoulder.

"No, wait outside for a bit. Musachi's helping, that's enough."

"Oh~ Then I'll leave it to you, dear employer."

Remielle poked Musachi in the small of his back. At the same time, her dainty nose sniffed lightly, and a meaningful smile spread across her face.

"No sneaking bites, okay?"

Watching Musachi pick up a piece of ham and move to pop it in his mouth, Remielle said with a giggle.

"What are you talking about? If the cook doesn't snitch, the harvest doesn't come in. What cook doesn't sneak a few bites?"

Musachi retorted without a second thought.

Wait, why did it feel like Remielle had something else in mind?

Musachi turned to look at her, but couldn't find anything on her face.

Since everyone had come back early, Musachi and Cecilia sped things up, and soon the two of them carried a whole table of dishes out of the kitchen.

"How's your dance practice going, you three?"

At the dinner table, Cecilia asked the three little ones curiously.

"Don't worry, Teacher, no problem! This performance will definitely be a success!"

Nangong said, full of confidence.

"Mm-hm, and singing's no problem either!"

Aria nodded too.

Then everyone's eyes turned to Sunna beside them.

"Why so quiet, Sunna?"

"...? N-no problem."

"What did you say? I can't hear you~"

Nangong froze for a moment, then said in puzzlement.

"I said, I don't have a problem!"

"Louder~ I can't hear you!"

"I said, I don't have a problem!!!"

"Good! Very spirited!"

Nangong gave a thumbs-up, just as loudly.

"Don't be nervous, Sunna. Even though this is your first performance, it isn't that big a deal. It's just to get you used to the feeling of the stage. And since tickets are free, the audience won't be too demanding."

Musachi said with a smile, looking at the tense Sunna.

"R-really?"

Hearing his reassurance, Sunna said, a little stunned.

"Of course. Just keep to your usual rhythm. Perform the way you practice in the studio. And if you're really nervous, just imagine everyone below is Nangong."

Musachi said soothingly.

"Imagine them as Nangong? No, no way. I'd end up pulling out my hammer and smacking them."

Sunna pictured the scene, and the moment she did, she hurriedly shook her head.

"...? So mean, Sunna!"

Nangong protested.

"All right, all right. Things will work out when the time comes. Everyone goes through this stage."

Cecilia said with a smile.

"Teacher, what were you like at your first performance?"

Aria asked curiously.

"My first performance?"

As Cecilia spoke, a flicker of nostalgia crossed her eyes.

"I was nervous the first time I went on stage, too. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of my chest. And I was the lead vocalist. Just thinking that if I sang badly, all our hard work would go to waste, the pressure was enormous."

"So how did you calm yourself down, Teacher?"

Nangong asked curiously.

"That's something you can only manage yourself, I think. I kept telling myself I couldn't let down my bandmates' efforts. What if I sang badly and the group fell apart? Luckily, the result was a happy one. Although I sang well, the group fell apart anyway."

Saying that, Cecilia found it a bit hard to keep a straight face.

"Don't worry, we definitely won't split up over little things like that. We're going to be Angels of Delusion for life!"

Nangong said, clenching a small fist.

"That's right, Angels of Delusion for life!"

Sunna and Aria cheered along.

"Of course, as captain, my authority in Angels of Delusion is unlimited, so..."

Nangong eyed the few big shrimp Sunna had finally finished peeling, reached out with her chopsticks, snatched one, and sent it straight into her own mouth.

"Ah, the shrimp I just peeled! Nangong, I hate you!"

…

The dinner ended with host and guests both delighted, and soon Musachi and Remielle set off together toward home.

Cecilia had originally planned to see them off, but Musachi and Remielle declined.

It was already autumn, and the night wind carried a faint chill.

The evening breeze lifted Remielle's hair, and she instinctively shielded the side of her face, then smoothed her hair back into place.

"Feeling a bit cold?"

Musachi looked at her. Since she'd had dance practice in the afternoon, she'd changed into a skirt that was easy to move in, so nothing would restrict her during big movements.

The trade-off was that the outfit was a little thin.

"I'm fine. I'm a Winged Thiren, I don't feel the cold that easily."

Remielle said with a smile. As she spoke, she flapped her wings lightly twice, then drew them in front of her to shield herself a little from the night wind.

"Those wings are so convenient."

Seeing that, Musachi couldn't help feeling a little envious.

That was way too convenient...

"But they're a hassle to take care of, too. Whether it's when I bathe or when I'm pinching out pin feathers..."

Remielle said, looking a little troubled.

At that shameless Musachi grinned, pulled aside one of her wings, and crawled right in.

Remielle's wings were broad enough to cover Musachi too.

It was just that they let in some drafts.

After all, Musachi was a bit bigger than Remielle.

"It's drafty in here. Get out, I'm freezing."

Remielle pushed him away in disgust, but he didn't budge.

"Cold? Easy fix!"

Musachi wrapped an arm around Remielle's waist.

Her waist wasn't especially slender. A figure with a slim, fat-free waist and outrageous curves everywhere else wasn't really realistic anyway.

After all, those two soft mounds on a woman's chest were made of fat, too.

But slender or not, Remielle's waist felt wonderful to the touch, plump and soft.

As Musachi's arm tightened slightly, the distance between them shrank, and Remielle could clearly feel the warmth of his body.

"How's that? Warmer now?"

Musachi raised an eyebrow and asked with a grin.

"I guess. Don't stand so close, it gets in the way of walking."

Even as she said it, she made no other move to pull away.

"But, hmm... why do you smell so nice today?"

Remielle sniffed at him, a glint of mischief in her eyes, and asked with a beaming smile.

Musachi froze.

When he'd been in close contact with Cecilia that afternoon, he had picked up some of her scent...

"Hm... Now it's gone. Was I imagining it?"

"Haha, probably. There's a wind tonight. Maybe it blew some scent over from somewhere."

Musachi said with a forced smile. Remielle stared into his eyes until he started to feel bashful, and only then did she smile sweetly.

"Mm, I suppose so."

With that, she stepped forward and walked on ahead.

Musachi kept his arm around her waist, silent.

He felt that Remielle had probably guessed something already, but with an attitude like that, was she giving tacit approval?

For a moment, Musachi couldn't figure out what she was thinking.

He'd always felt that Remielle was holding back about something, but since she didn't say, it wasn't his place to ask...

And even if he did ask, with her mysterious personality, she probably wouldn't tell him...

"It's getting late. Good night~"

Musachi checked the time. It was already past ten at night, time to rest.

Remielle nodded, looking perfectly normal.

After midnight, once he sensed that she'd gone completely quiet and must be asleep, he slipped out on the sly.

"Meow."

The moment he stepped outside, he heard a cat's cry, and saw a pair of faintly glowing eyes watching him in the dark.

Ah, it was Inky.

Unfortunately, Musachi hadn't brought any snacks, so he couldn't feed it.

He just waved at the cat and left.

…

At Cecilia's home, Cecilia was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, her thoughts in a tangle.

The noise next door had finally died down. Since dinner had ended late today, the three little ones were staying at her place. They'd fooled around for ages and only now had fallen into a deep sleep.

But while the three little ones slept, Cecilia didn't.

She stared at her phone, as if expecting something, yet hesitating at the same time.

She waited a long time, and still there was no word from Musachi.

Just as she was about to drift off, she suddenly noticed a faint sound in the room.

The sound was coming from the window.

Cecilia hadn't closed the window, but she wasn't worried about thieves. This was the twenty-somethingth floor, so ordinary people couldn't get up here, and anyone who wasn't ordinary couldn't be stopped by a closed window anyway.

The next moment, she felt a figure suddenly appear on her bed and clamp a hand over her mouth.

Cecilia panicked for a moment, and just as she was about to fight back, Musachi's voice reached her ear.

"Relax, it's me."

"Are you trying to kill me? You scared me half to death!"

Only then did Cecilia realize who it was. She quickly turned and punched him, then looked at his smug, cheeky grin, and her face flushed red.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing? Having a feast, of course. You didn't think what happened this afternoon would satisfy me, did you? I'm a Gluttonous Wayfarer!"

Musachi said with a grin.

Hearing his words, Cecilia blushed even deeper. Looking at the impatient Musachi, she hurriedly said, "The three little ones are right next door, we can't—"

Before she could finish, Musachi sealed her lips.

After a while, she gasped for breath, and then heard Musachi whisper softly by her ear: "Teacher Cecilia, you wouldn't want the three next door to hear your—"

…

Meanwhile, at the Victoria Housekeeping Co. base.

"So sleepy... It's finally over..."

Ellen yawned, curled up on the sofa, drifting off.

Beside her, Lycaon sat behind the desk drinking tea.

"Good work, Ellen."

Rina (Alexandrina Sebastiane) walked in from the door, glanced at everyone in the room, and said with a smile:

"The Mayor was very pleased with tonight's cleanup mission. The senior executives of Canggang Group and Belobog Group have all been arrested and are awaiting trial, so this incident can be considered successfully wrapped up."

"Thank you all for your hard work."

Lycaon nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room.

Tonight they'd received a commission from the Mayor to hunt down and eliminate the senior executives of Canggang Group and Belobog Heavy Industries connected to this incident. With the Mayor's precise intelligence, the mission had gone smoothly. The key figures had been captured, and Ellen had sent the ones who put up a fight to the bitter end off to meet their ancestors.

"Ah, does that mean I can go back to a normal high school life for a while now?"

Ellen opened her eyes and suddenly asked.

"That's right. There shouldn't be anything too busy for a while. Oh, and Ellen, your assignment expires in three days, so you won't need to work part-time at the bookstore anymore."

Rina said with a smile.

"Oh, huh?"

Hearing that, Ellen nodded, then looked over at Rina, but there was no relief on her face, only a trace of bewilderment.

"What's wrong? Surprised? We did agree on one month from the start."

Rina said with a smile, then seemed to think of something and looked at Ellen: "Of course, if you think working there isn't bad, you can talk to the manager yourself and ask to be kept on."

"Mm, I understand."

Ellen said nothing more, just nodded.

"Oh, right, the Mayor has issued a new assignment."

Rina looked at the group and spoke again.

At that, everyone sat up and paid attention.

"Don't be nervous. It's a long-term assignment, so it doesn't matter if we can't complete it. The task is to find the Taixu Sovereign. According to the intelligence we have now, the legendary Void Hunter, the Taixu Sovereign, may not be dead after all, and may just be living in seclusion in New Eridu. So our job is to keep watch and search for them. If we do find them, we should try to seek cooperation and keep them from falling in with other organizations."

After Rina finished, Ellen sighed beside her.

"I doubt they even expect us to finish this... If a big shot like that were so easy to find, they'd have found them long ago. I'm either at school, at the bookstore, or doing commissions..."

"Mm, this assignment is just an experiment on the Mayor's part, so failure doesn't matter. Of course, success would be even better. Maybe we'll get lucky. Someone like the Taixu Sovereign, hidden in plain sight among the crowd, might be right beside us."

Rina said with a smile, though she didn't really expect the assignment to succeed either.

But what if?

"Rather than hoping we find the Taixu Sovereign, I'd rather hope the Taixu Sovereign has opened a shop on Sixth Street, and we see them every day without knowing who they are..."

Ellen yawned, and with that, she flopped onto the sofa and fell fast asleep.

"Let her sleep here. She wore herself out chasing the fugitives just now."

Rina draped a blanket over Ellen and let out a soft laugh as she looked at her peaceful sleeping face.

To Rina, Ellen and Corin were like her own children.

Their bond had long since gone beyond that of superior and subordinate.

"Oh, right, Rina, go see the Proxy tomorrow. The Mayor is holding a party later and specifically asked that Lord Proxy be invited. After all, Lord Proxy put in a great deal of effort in this incident. Since it's a private affair, not many people will be invited, and she hopes the Proxy will accept."

Lycaon suddenly remembered something and said to Rina beside him.

"Understood, Lord Lycaon."

Rina nodded with a soft laugh.