CHAPTER 2
Go Settle!
1
Having lost our hideout, we’ve set up tents in the Kisaragi territory we recently acquired from Toris as our temporary shelter.
I would have preferred an inn room or some place in the castle, but unfortunately, the recent drop in my reputation means all of them flat-out rejected me.
And now…
“Okay then, let’s hear it.”
Here in our temporary hideout, Alice begins interrogating Snow, who is sitting on the ground in a position of penitence.
“Yes, I did leave without putting the gunpowder away. And I apologize for bringing my newly acquired Flame Zapper the Second into the workplace. But please listen, Alice!”
“What did I tell you to call me while you owe me money?”
Snow bites her lower lip. “…Miss Alice.”
“Good. Next time you forget, I’ll start assuming you’re as dumb as Six.”
“P-please, anything but that!”
Hey!
“Well, Miss Snow, you don’t seem all that sorry to me… Even I’m super careful when handling gunpowder. You’ve got a lot of nerve, making excuses after blowing all the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into our hideout sky-high.”
“Says the man who didn’t contribute a single thing when I funded that hideout,” Alice quips, but I ignore her for now.
Unused to sitting on her knees, Snow’s legs begin to tremble.
“Thanks to you, we’re stuck camping out tonight. Me! The Grace branch manager of the Kisaragi Corporation! Reduced to living in a tent! You, my subordinate, are going to sleep under a roof while I’m stuck camping! Take responsibility, dammit! Specifically, let me stay in your house! And wait upon me hand and foot with your body!”
“Didn’t you hate the words ‘take responsibility’?” Alice is starting to get on my nerves with her constant quips.
With her numb muscles shaking, Snow raises her head. “They already evicted me from my house.”
“…Huh?”
Snow’s words catch me off guard.
“They evicted me because I couldn’t pay my rent. There’s no room in the castle barracks. That’s why I’ve been sleeping on the sofa in your hideout. As such, I’m also camping out as of tonight.”
“O-oh. Gotcha…”
I back up a little at Snow’s serious expression.
“Heh-heh-heh… After steadily saving up for the down payment and taking out a long-term loan, I finally got Flame Zapper the Second… But she died in the blast…!” Snow mutters to herself, as though something inside of her has snapped, half sobbing, half laughing. “…You wanted me to serve you with my body, right? Fine! I don’t care how much more I have to disgrace myself! Just let me stay in your tent! Please!”
Even I can’t help but reel back as Snow pleads with a bow of her head.
Just how far does she plan to fall?
“There’s no point in continuing to needle her. Besides, it’s not that strange to lose a hideout or two to a freak explosion or whatever else. I’m also at fault for letting an amateur handle gunpowder. We’re just lucky no one was hurt.”
“Y-you’re going to forgive me? After I blew up your home…?”
Alice smiles at Snow. “Of course. I won’t abandon my employee. I’ll provide you a place to stay and food as well. I also won’t charge you interest on paying me back for the hideout. You mentioned your Flame Zapper the Second was destroyed in the explosion, right? I’ll lend you the money if you’re planning to buy a Third.”
“L-Lady Alice…!”
Snow looks at Alice as one would a goddess.
Looks like this android plans to enslave this useless woman with debt.
Alice seems to be satisfied with pushing the cost of the old hideout on Snow instead of having to sell it after our fortress is complete.
“No use crying over spilled milk. Hey, Six, this is an emergency. We have to focus on building the new base. So forget about that stupid Undead Festival and focus on this instead,” Alice says cheerfully, then claps me on the back.
“Sure, I’ve got this. I’m supercompetent, after all. I’ll prove I’m not like that idiot over there.”
“Y-you bastard! I’m going to be Lady Alice’s right hand! I’ll blow her away and get a raise!”
This bitch!
“If you want money that badly, go sell your body, you bum!”
“I’d have sold my body long ago if I could still ride a unicorn! My mount’s been avoiding me ever since I kissed you! From now on, I’m going to charge you if you so much as look at my chest!”
Snow then puffs out her chest, making sure my eye is drawn in that direction.
“I’m Alice’s partner, dammit! Don’t try to usurp that position! I’ll lose my allowance! Hrmph! Don’t let the fact that you’ve got a huge rack go to your head! What—are you saying I can grope you if I pay up?”
“Hey, stop it! Don’t try to grope me! It’ll cost you! Touching will cost you! Stop! Stoppp—!”
Alice mutters as she watches Snow desperately fight off my grabbing hands.
“What’s a droid gotta do to get some decent help around here…?”
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