Shakti's voice wasn't loud; it could even be called calm, yet it wasn't the silence before a storm, but the storm itself.
"..."
The wind blew through the bushes, and the leaves rustled.
Chloe already wanted to bolt.
Her body was tense, her leg muscles tightening, ready for the Catfolk's escape instinct engraved in her genes.
But...
Chloe was facing Shakti.
—As the Captain of the Ganesha Familia.
The military police Chief who had once chased her through the city one night until she had nowhere to run and had to dive into the sewers.
Now, beside Shakti, there also stood a tall god who, although wearing a ridiculous elephant mask and looking like a circus mascot, radiated a majesty as immovable as a mountain.
—The main god of the Ganesha Familia.
—Ganesha!
In front of these two, Chloe knew very well that any of her little schemes would be pale and powerless.
Even if she ran, she might actually be labeled as fleeing from justice, which would be an even greater crime.
Moreover, in front of her own main god...
Shakti would absolutely not show them even a shred of mercy.
Taking a step forward...
Shakti's boot stepped firmly onto the stone path, letting out a sharp 'tap.'
With just this one step...
The pressure accumulated from years of being in a high position and maintaining city order made the air feel thick, making Chloe and Lunoire feel as though even breathing had become difficult.
"If you don't give me a reasonable explanation..."
"I have reason to suspect you are planning or have already carried out criminal activities against the residents of this high-end residential area."
"According to the Orario Public Security Regulations, Article 13, Section 2: Regarding the determination of illegal trespassing and stalking or harassment of specific targets..."
"I find it necessary to invite you to the Ganesha Familia headquarters for a cup of tea and a proper chat."
As soon as Shakti finished speaking...
"Meow-ow—!"
Upon hearing this, Chloe let out a silent scream in her heart.
It's over.
It's really over this time.
If she got hauled in...
If Mama Mia found out they hadn't just skipped the morning shift, but were also caught red-handed by the Captain of the Military Police for a stupid reason like stalking Ryu...
Even if Mama Mia bailed them out, she would definitely hang them under the tavern's prominent sign and beat them for three days and three nights!
Just thinking about it made Chloe's bottom throb with pain, as if it had already been beaten into a bloody mess.
That would be more miserable than just killing her!
...
"If... I mean... if... we were just out for a stroll, would you believe me, meow?"
Thinking of this, Chloe's eyes darted around, not even daring to look Shakti in the eye. She could only stare at the reflection on the other's boots, stammering with her head lowered.
"A stroll?"
As soon as those words left her mouth, Shakti's voice immediately turned as cold as ice, her gaze looking at Chloe as if she were an idiot.
"A stroll all the way from The Hostess of Fertility to the wealthy district of Northwest Avenue?"
"Across half of Orario?"
"You call that a stroll?"
"..."
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Even Lunoire had fallen into despair.
What a brainless teammate.
A lie that even a three-year-old wouldn't believe—who would fall for that besides that idiot Anya!
This was practically an insult to the Captain's intelligence!
Thinking of this, Lunoire had no choice but to try and look at Ryu, who was standing at the entrance of a mansion wearing a maid uniform.
She frantically sent out SOS signals with her eyes.
—[Help! Think of something! We're all colleagues, give your brothers a hand!]
"..."
Ryu noticed the pleading look Lunoire cast her way.
She wanted to explain.
She opened her mouth, trying to salvage this completely broken situation.
But what excuse could she make?
"They came to bring me something I forgot"?
The problem was that the lie felt like a fishbone stuck in Ryu's throat; she couldn't spit it out no matter what.
After all...
Just thinking about her current situation...
Ryu wished she could find a hole and bury herself in it.
This outfit.
—A dark green dress with ruffled edges, a white apron, and a white lace-trimmed headpiece.
It was the standard uniform of The Hostess of Fertility.
But now...
She was standing in front of a high-end residence early in the morning.
Not only had she been followed all the way by those two troublemakers, Chloe and Lunoire...
But she had also been caught red-handed by Shakti, an old friend from her time in the Astrea Familia.
This was a total social death!
Ryu felt like she was being publicly executed!
The reserve and pride she should have as an elf had shattered into pieces on the ground, impossible to put back together.
Ryu didn't even dare turn her head to look Shakti in the eye, fearing she might see even a flicker of kindness in the other's gaze.
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