"All right, I'll stop teasing you."
Sol clapped his hands together, his playful grin fading as he straightened his back. "The reason I brought you all here is because I want to discuss a potential collaboration with the Sons of Calydon."
"Talk," Lucy said, forcing herself to remain calm despite her trembling voice.
"I want the entire Sons of Calydon organization to come under my command. You'll do whatever I tell you to do. All profits from your operations will belong to me, and you'll work sixteen hours a day." Sol spread his arms wide, smiling brightly. "Well? Sounds like a generous offer, doesn't it?"
"What?! You're a monster!" Lucy's face turned pale with shock. "Even the most ruthless companies in New Eridu wouldn't dare to propose something like that!"
This wasn't cooperation—this was slavery!
"No way!" Piper, despite her petite, childlike appearance, spoke with the nervous tone of a weary middle-aged man. "Even grown adults couldn't survive under that kind of pressure!"
Just imagining herself driving a massive truck sixteen hours a day without pay made her feel as if the sky were collapsing.
"Are you making fun of us?" Caesar glared coldly at Sol. "If you really want to work together, then change your terms. The Sons of Calydon will never be slaves!"
Sol shrugged indifferently. "The terms won't change. You'd better agree before I lose interest. Otherwise, I'll have to move on to another kind of cooperation."
"Another kind of cooperation?"
Caesar, Lucy, Piper, and Burnice all looked at him with puzzled expressions.
Sol's gaze swept over the four of them, and he smiled faintly. "Look at you—so beautiful. And all of you are high-ranking executives of the Sons of Calydon—strong, capable women. Under these circumstances, I'm willing to sacrifice myself and marry all four of you. As long as you're all carrying my children, I'm sure you'll behave yourselves, won't you?"
"What?! No woman would ever agree to something like that!"
All six women in the room stared wide-eyed at Sol, their faces filled with disbelief and disgust.
Sol merely shrugged. "Ladies of the Sons of Calydon, take a few days to think about it. Just make sure to decide before my patience runs out."
Of course, he was only joking. He hadn't the slightest intention of actually persuading them.
Once his mission was complete in a few days, these poor women—dragged into trouble thanks to Billy—would be released anyway.
"Jane, let's go. I want to see how Chekkat's work is coming along."
Sol took Anby's hand and turned to Jane.
Moments later, the three of them left the room, leaving the others trembling where they stood.
"So scary… I don't want to have kids," Piper muttered, shivering.
The image of herself, pregnant and being forced to drive a truck sixteen hours a day under that man's command, made her blood run cold.
"Oh no… I haven't even been in love yet…" Caesar's shoulders slumped, her voice full of despair.
She'd always dreamed of a sweet romance, not a forced marriage for convenience. And four brides at once? Impossible.
Sure, that man was handsome and powerful—just like the aloof male leads in those romance novels—but even a domineering CEO only loved one woman!
"To think that all my dignity and purity as Luciana Auxesis Theodoro de Montefio would be ruined by him…" Lucy lifted her face toward the ceiling and sighed dramatically.
She had abandoned her noble life in the Montefio family to pursue freedom in the Outer Ring.
Now, before she'd even tasted that freedom, she was about to lose it again—to a terrifying man who would lock her away.
In comparison, maybe life as a proper lady in the Montefio estate wasn't so bad after all.
"I don't really mind," Burnice said suddenly, her lips curling into a perfect smile that showed eight pristine teeth. "It's just a shame that I wouldn't be able to drink Fuel Drink if I got pregnant."
She actually liked children. Having one might not be so bad.
But giving up Fuel Soda during pregnancy? That would be unbearable.
"Speaking of which," she said, lowering her head in thought, "if I did have a baby, what would I name them? Oh! I know! Mars for a boy, and Themis for a girl!"
One named after the god of war, the other after the goddess of the moon—she really was a genius at naming.
"Heh heh."
Burnice tilted her chin proudly.
"Huh?"
The other three turned to stare at her.
Girl, you've already picked out baby names?!
"Burnice, can you act normal for once?!" Lucy shouted angrily, ramming her head into Burnice's like a rocket.
"Ugh, that hurt…" Burnice rubbed her forehead, her eyes welling with tears, looking adorably pitiful.
"Burnice, why would you even think that way?" Piper asked, clearly puzzled.
The others turned their attention to her, waiting for an explanation.
Burnice thought for a moment before replying, "I just don't think he's actually a bad person. He didn't hurt any of us, and those scary things he said… felt more like teasing."
"You're too naïve. Don't let his handsome face fool you," Piper said seriously. "Anyone who can come up with something as insane as a sixteen-hour workday without pay has to be bad news."
"Is that so? Maybe you're right." Burnice smiled softly but didn't change her opinion.
She couldn't explain it—but her instincts were rarely wrong.
"…"
Without Burnice's jokes, the atmosphere grew heavy again.
Each woman imagined her own miserable future, faces flushing with a mix of fear and embarrassment.
Then Lucy suddenly lifted her head, her eyes bright with determination.
"Everyone, pull yourselves together! There's still hope!" she said, her voice full of confidence. "Billy and Lighter got thrown out—they'll definitely think of a way to rescue us!"
Caesar nodded firmly, her faith in her teammates unshakable. "That's right. They're both capable men. I know they'll save us."
"They'll come for us," Piper murmured, a small glimmer of hope in her tone—before adding gloomily, "hopefully before anyone ends up… expecting."
"…"
Lucy and Caesar shared a look, both silently praying for a swift rescue.
Meanwhile, back at the Cunning Hares' base, inside Billy's private room—
The two heroes the women were counting on, Billy and Lighter, were sitting side by side, watching a video together.
"Pretty great, huh, Lighter? My personal collection's no joke," Billy said proudly, pointing at the screen. "Monica's special limited edition film! There are only a few copies of this in all of New Eridu!"
"Yeah, not bad," Lighter said thoughtfully, analyzing every frame.
What? You think they should be planning a rescue right now?
After arriving at Billy's room, they had received a call from the New Eridu Public Security, warning them not to wander around.
At this point, Lighter completely believed Billy's version of events.
So, for now, there was only one thing to do—focus completely on appreciating Monica's masterpiece.