"Stay!" Inaba Tsukiyo said with an unyielding tone, looking directly into Kurumi's crimson eyes, which were the same color as her own.
Yoshino thought Inaba Tsukiyo was going to fight Kurumi and looked at them with some worry, while Nia and Clone Kurumi came to her side to comfort her.
They knew Inaba Tsukiyo had no intention of fighting Kurumi. As for Inaba Tsukiyo's next move, they just had to watch her performance.
Kurumi looked at Inaba Tsukiyo with some surprise. She had thought it was a very ordinary request, but in the end, Inaba Tsukiyo wouldn't let her go. This was simply too overbearing.
If it were anyone else, Kurumi would immediately enter her ruthless mode, dragging the other party into the City of Devouring Time to devour their time, or engaging in a friendly exchange.
But all of this depended on whether she could defeat the other party. The problem was that she was no match for Inaba Tsukiyo, and Inaba Tsukiyo also had her own Imaginary Space. She was completely helpless against Inaba Tsukiyo.
"Oh my, oh my, that won't do, Tsukiyo-chan. Although I appreciate your intention to keep me, I have very important things to do, and you already have another 'me' here, so I won't stay here…"
"It's fine. No matter what you want to do, I won't stop you. You just need to report back once a day."
Interrupting Kurumi, Inaba Tsukiyo said in a strong tone, gradually cornering Kurumi.
"That won't do, Tsukiyo-chan. I've always acted alone, and I'm most efficient when I act alone. Plus, I need to replenish…"
"It's fine. If you don't have time, I can give you enough time. That way, you won't need to specifically kill those scums of society to absorb their time to replenish your own."
"Um… I…"
"Moreover, I can give you 100,000 yuan in pocket money every week. You should need expenses, right? Are you having some of your Clones work part-time in other cities? If you need more, I can give you more pocket money."
"Don't underestimate me, I am…"
"Not only that, but I can also prepare a dedicated room for you. You won't have to pay rent, and utilities will be completely free. You won't need to rent your current place anymore; you can have your own personal space right here."
"Mmm (gulps), no, I can't…"
"And you don't have to worry about the AST or DEM. As long as I'm here, they will never do anything to you. I can protect all of you."
"…"
Alright, Kurumi was pushed to the brink. Even the three people on the side looked at Inaba Tsukiyo in surprise. This was a completely different Inaba Tsukiyo than usual.
"Is… is this the so-called 'money power'? It's so impressive, I've never seen it before."
Nia, with the broadest knowledge, recalled the internet term. In her eyes, Inaba Tsukiyo was like someone wearing large-framed glasses, a thick gold chain, and holding a device that sprayed money. This was the power of money.
Didn't they see that Kurumi, who originally had a very simple will, was almost unable to hold on under the impact of Inaba Tsukiyo's superpower? The power of money was something even Kurumi couldn't withstand, and her will was constantly wavering.
Kurumi's inner self was constantly wavering. Her rationality kept telling her not to agree to such a request, but another thought kept fighting against her rationality, urging her to accept the condition.
Don't let her mysterious appearance fool you; she works very hard. To live in human society and to save enough money for rent, she has arranged for many Clones to work part-time in different areas. This is a secret no one knows.
Now, with an opportunity not to work hard, Inaba Tsukiyo's words, from a certain perspective, meant she wanted to support her.
As long as she nodded, she could stay here without worrying about living expenses, and she could pursue her goals every day.
But… to agree to Inaba Tsukiyo's request so easily, that would be too embarrassing. After all, she had always presented herself as so mysterious; how could she give in for a little money?
Just as Kurumi was about to refuse, a black card appeared in Inaba Tsukiyo's hand, making her swallow all the words she was about to say.
"If you agree, this card is yours. An unlimited black card. Kurumi, you should understand what this card represents, right? And I can also allow you to keep cats at home. These are my final conditions. Do you agree?"
"Dea… Deal."
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