Footsteps echoed through the grand hallways of the Basilicom, quick and urgent, as Mina Hoshizawa made her way toward the large door at the end of the corridor. Her heart pounded - not just from her brisk pace, but from the weight of the news she carried.

Reaching the door, she raised her hand and knocked firmly.

"Lady Blanc? It's Mina. Are you free at the moment?"

She called out, her voice laced with worry.

A brief silence followed before a calm but slightly impatient voice responded.

"Come in."

Mina pushed the door open, stepping inside - only to momentarily forget her urgency at the sight before her. Seated at a sturdy wooden desk, Blanc was engrossed in a massive book, its thick spine revealing that it housed multiple volumes of a novel. She flipped a page with deliberate care, her eyes scanning the words with quiet intensity, completely absorbed.

For a moment, Mina hesitated. She had rushed here with pressing news about Neptune's arrival, but now. . . interrupting Blanc while she was this deeply immersed in a book almost felt like a crime.

Mina lingered near the doorway, shifting her weight slightly as she debated whether to speak. Blanc, still absorbed in her reading, didn't acknowledge her right away. The soft rustle of pages turning filled the quiet space.

Clearing her throat gently, Mina took a cautious step forward.

"Lady Blanc. . . are you alright after what happened last night?"

She asked, her tone softer now, laced with genuine concern.

"Rom and Ram were fast asleep, so they couldn't be there to help you."

Blanc finally lifted her gaze from the book, her sharp amber eyes meeting Mina's. There was a flicker of something unreadable - perhaps fatigue, perhaps annoyance at being reminded of the previous night's trouble. With a quiet sigh, she closed the book, resting a hand on its worn cover.

"Tch. It was nothing I couldn't handle,"

Blanc muttered, though the slight tension in her shoulders suggested otherwise.

"I've been through worse."

Mina frowned slightly.

"Even so, you shouldn't have had to deal with it alone."

She crossed her arms, a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice.

"You're always pushing yourself, Lady Blanc."

Blanc scoffed lightly but didn't argue. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple.

"It's not like I had much of a choice. Those idiots don't know when to quit."

Mina's lips pressed into a thin line.

"Then let me help more next time."

Blanc studied her for a moment before exhaling another sigh.

"Fine. Just don't push yourself either."

A small smile formed on Mina's face, relieved at even the slightest concession. However, she quickly remembered why she had come in the first place.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot - Neptune just arrived,"

She said, urgency returning to her voice.

Blanc's expression darkened instantly.

". . .Of course she did."

Before Blanc could even let out another sigh, the door suddenly swung open without so much as a knock.

"Yo, Blanc! I'm here!"

Neptune strolled in as if she owned the place, hands behind her head, her usual carefree grin plastered across her face. Her violet eyes gleamed with mischief, but there was also an exaggerated pout forming on her lips.

"You know,"

She began, placing a hand on her hip.

"I had to practically speedrun my way here just to get a little screen time! Seriously, the author's been so rude since the start. Slamming the door on me, barely giving me any lines. . . Like, hello? Main character energy right here!"

She dramatically gestured to herself before flopping onto a nearby couch with a groan.

Blanc's eye twitched. Her once serene reading session had now devolved into utter chaos in the span of a minute.

Mina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Neptune. . . this isn't a story, and neither is this a game."

"But if it was, I'd be the protagonist, duh,"

Neptune shot back, smirking.

"And besides, I'm just stating facts. It's been way too long since I got to steal the spotlight! Meanwhile, you guys were having all these deep, emotional moments - without me!"

She gasped, feigning betrayal.

"I mean, come on, Mina! At least you could've given me a cameo or something."

Blanc rubbed her temple, already feeling a headache coming on. "Neptune. . . why are you here?"

"Oh, right!"

Neptune perked up, as if just remembering.

"Well, you see, I was gonna let you know that I just got back and all, but then I heard you were having a super serious conversation, so I had to spice things up a little. You're welcome."

Mina sighed again, this time in resignation, while Blanc simply clenched her book a little tighter.

". . .Get to the point."

Neptune grinned, completely unfazed.

"Fine, fine. I just figured I'd stop by, see how my favorite bookworm's doing. Heard you had a rough night."

She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Don't tell me you were up all night binging another four-volume novel?"

Blanc's grip on the book tightened further.

"Neptune."

"Ahaha, okay, okay, I'll behave!"

Neptune raised her hands in mock surrender.

"But, for real, I also had some things to report. And since I'm here now, might as well get comfy and-"

Blanc grabbed the nearest hardcover and chucked it straight at Neptune's head.

"Ow! Hey! That's assault with deadly literature!"

Neptune yelped, rubbing the spot where the book bounced off.

Mina sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"This is going to be a long day. . ."

Neptune, still rubbing her head from the book attack, sat up and leaned forward, eyes locking onto the thick tome Blanc had been so absorbed in.

"Y'know, I was gonna complain more about the unprovoked book assault,"

She said, crossing her arms,

"But now I'm kinda curious - what are you reading that had you so zoned out?"

Blanc huffed, adjusting the book in her hands before responding.

"It's a test release. An acquaintance of mine gave it to me to evaluate."

Neptune's eyebrows shot up.

"Ohhh, so you're doing some top-secret critic work? Sounds serious."

She smirked.

"Wait a sec... just how many times have you read that thing to be this . . . into it?"

Blanc barely hesitated before answering.

"Three times over."

Neptune's jaw dropped.

"Three times?!" She threw her hands up in exaggerated disbelief.

"Blanc, that book is like. . . four novels in one! How do you not have it memorized by now? Do you just, like, breathe literature at this point?"

Blanc shot her an unimpressed glare.

"Unlike you, I actually appreciate well-written stories."

Neptune dramatically clutched her chest.

"Oof, harsh! But fair."

She leaned in, grinning.

"So? Is it good? Or are you just re-reading it to roast it later?"

Blanc hesitated for a moment before answering, her voice a little quieter.

". . .It's good."

Neptune blinked, then gasped.

"No way. Did Lady Blanc just actually praise something? That's it! I gotta read this for myself."

She reached out to snatch the book - only for Blanc to swiftly smack her hand away.

"Hands off,"

Blanc said flatly.

"You'd just skim through it and miss everything important."

Neptune pouted, shaking her hand.

"Rude. But it's probably true."

She flopped back onto the couch.

"Still, I never took you for the 're-read three times' kind of fan. This acquaintance of yours must be a pretty good writer."

"They're from the book firm, so technically the author is pretty decent."

"But you don't deny that the author is pretty good?"

Blanc didn't respond right away, her fingers brushing against the book's cover.

"Yeah. . . they are."

Mina watched the exchange with quiet amusement, relieved that the usual chaos had settled - at least for now.

Neptune was still lounging on the couch, arms stretched behind her head, when Blanc finally narrowed her eyes and asked.

"So, why were you here again?"

Her tone carried a mix of irritation and mild exhaustion, clearly not thrilled that Neptune had appeared in Lowee unannounced - again.

"Oh, right!"

Neptune perked up, clapping her hands together.

"I totally got sidetracked, but I came to invite you to the Christmas party this December! We're gonna have food, presents, and, y'know, all that festive jazz. Plus-"

She leaned in conspiratorially.

"We'll be talking about the upcoming expo during the party too, so it's technically work-related."

Before Blanc could respond, a splat rang through the room as a water balloon struck Neptune squarely on the back of her head.

"Gah!"

Neptune yelped as she toppled forward, flopping onto the floor with a wet thud.

Mina blinked.

". . .What?"

Blanc, momentarily taken aback, glanced toward the doorway, already suspecting the culprits. And sure enough-

"Hehe! Direct hit, Rom!"

"Ehehe! She went down like a Puddingo!"

At the entrance stood Rom and Ram, Lowee's twin troublemakers, their small hands still dripping with water from the aftermath of their attack. Ram grinned mischievously while Rom giggled behind her sleeve, the two clearly proud of their ambush.

Neptune groaned, pushing herself up on her elbows, her soaked hair clinging to her face.

"Ugh... This is why I don't visit Lowee often. You guys play too rough!"

Blanc pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Ram. Rom. Why did you just throw a water balloon inside the Basilicom?"

Ram huffed, puffing out her cheeks.

"'Cause she was being loud and annoying!"

Rom nodded.

"And she broke in."

Blanc sighed.

"She always breaks in."

Neptune, still lying on the floor, waved a hand weakly.

"I technically walked in, so let's not get caught up in the details. . ."

Mina, after a brief pause, crouched beside her, offering a small smile.

"Are you okay?"

Neptune gave a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little drenched in holiday cheer, I guess."

She shot a playful glare at the twins.

"You two are lucky I don't hold grudges."

Ram smirked.

"What are you gonna do? Complain to Santa?"

Neptune gasped dramatically.

"Ohhh, you better believe I will! That was unprovoked assault! I expect compensation in the form of extra presents this year!"

Blanc shook her head, already feeling her patience wearing thin.

"Enough. Rom, Ram, no more water balloons inside. And Neptune. . ."

She crossed her arms.

"I'll think about the Christmas party."

Neptune brightened, hopping to her feet.

"I'll take that as a probably yes!"

Blanc rolled her eyes, but Mina swore she caught the faintest hint of a smile on her face.

Just as Blanc was about to shoo Neptune out of the room, Rom and Ram exchanged mischievous glances before stepping forward.

"Oh yeah, Blanc! We made something for you!"

Ram grinned as she and Rom held up Blanc's book - the same one she had written herself.

Blanc's eye twitched.

". . .Why do you have that?"

Rom shyly opened the book to a page near the middle.

"We drew something for you. . ."

Blanc's gaze shifted downward, and her irritation spiked instantly. Right there, scrawled across the pristine pages, was a colorful crayon drawing. It was a slightly messy but heartfelt picture of Blanc sitting on a throne with Rom and Ram hugging her from both sides. Above them, in shaky handwriting, were the words: "Best Big Sis Ever!" surrounded by doodled hearts and stars.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then-

"YOU BRATS!"

Blanc's voice erupted like a thunderclap, her entire face turning red - not from embarrassment, but sheer fury.

Rom and Ram had already anticipated this and bolted before she could even grab her book back.

"RUN FOR IT, ROM!"

"KYAAH!"

The twins dashed out the door, their laughter echoing through the Basilicom halls as Blanc stomped after them.

"GET BACK HERE AND FACE YOUR PUNISHMENT!"

Mina, left standing in the aftermath of the chaos, let out a deep sigh and massaged her temples.

"Why does this always happen. . ."

Neptune, who had been watching the scene unfold from the sidelines, snickered.

"Pfft. . . That was beautiful. Ten outta ten execution. Would totally die to watch it again."

Blanc eventually stomped back into the room, her book clutched tightly in her hands, her expression caught somewhere between rage and reluctant fondness. She huffed as she flipped through the pages again, stopping at the defiled section.

". . .Idiots,"

She muttered under her breath, cheeks still a little pink.

She hesitated for a moment before, with a quiet sigh, she closed the book and carefully slipped the drawing out from its pages. Without another word, she tucked it under her pillow, making sure no one was looking before doing so.

Neptune, of course, was watching.

Blanc glared at her.

"Say one word, and I'm shoving this book down your throat."

Neptune simply smirked, raising her hands in mock surrender.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Best Big Sis Ever."

As the room finally settled into silence, Blanc sat on the edge of her bed, absently running her fingers over the cover of her book. Despite the earlier frustration, her mind drifted elsewhere - back to the events of the previous night.

That trouble she had handled alone. . . well, almost alone.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled the two adventurers she had encountered. A boy, seemingly no older than his late teens, and a bratty-looking girl who stayed with him like a bothersome shadow. They hadn't seemed like much at first - just another duo wandering through Lowee. But when things got rough, they held their own in ways she didn't expect.

The boy was surprisingly composed, steady even in the face of danger. He wasn't some overpowered hero or flashy warrior, just. . . dependable. A trait Blanc rarely acknowledged in strangers.

And then there was her. The girl who mocks him, complained, and probably caused just as much trouble as she helped. A real handful. Blanc had half-expected the boy to snap at her at some point, but instead, he just dealt with her antics with an almost infuriating patience. No matter how much she spoke at him badly, he never seemed truly bothered by it.

Blanc scoffed to herself.

'How does he put up with that?'

She thought about how easily the girl had relied on him - how he had instinctively covered for her, kept her safe without hesitation.

It reminded her, just a little, of how she handled Rom and Ram.

Blanc sighed, shaking her head as she leaned back against the pillow - the very same one she had just tucked the twins' drawing under. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting her thoughts linger a bit longer on the strange pair.

Maybe she'd run into them again.

For some reason, the thought didn't seem all that unpleasant.

Blanc exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling as her thoughts continued to drift. That boy. . . He was calm, patient, and capable - more than she could say for most people she encountered. And the way he handled that bratty girl without losing his mind? That alone was impressive.

Her fingers tapped idly against the book in her lap.

'If he can deal with someone like her...'

The idea struck her before she even fully realized it.

'Maybe I should hire him to babysit Rom and Ram when I'm busy.'

The thought was almost absurd, yet. . . oddly practical. The twins were a handful - energetic, mischievous, and constantly testing her patience. Not many people could keep up with them, and Mina already had enough responsibilities to juggle. But him? If he could tolerate that girl without breaking a sweat, surely he could handle two hyperactive younger sisters.

Blanc allowed herself a small smirk.

'He'd be in for a challenge, that's for sure.'

Still, it wasn't the worst idea. Maybe next time she ran into him, she'd see if he was up for the job.

. . .If he survived another round of babysitting that girl, he'd definitely be qualified.

Blanc sat up with a sigh, her thoughts about the boy and the babysitting idea fading as she returned to the more immediate problem in front of her - Neptune, who was still lounging on her couch, looking far too comfortable for someone who had barged in uninvited.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Alright, Neptune. You've wasted enough of my time. Get out."

Neptune gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest.

"Whaaat? Throwing me out already? And here I thought we were having a bonding moment!"

Blanc's expression remained flat.

"We weren't."

"But Blancyyy,"

Neptune whined, kicking her legs lazily.

"It's cold outside! What if I freeze on the way home? You wouldn't wanna be responsible for turning me into a Nep-cicle, would you?"

Blanc wordlessly reached down, grabbed a spare blanket from her bed, and chucked it at Neptune's face.

"There. Problem solved. Leave."

Neptune peeled the blanket off, blinking.

"Huh. Y'know what? This is actually pretty cozy."

She grinned.

"I think I'll stay a bit longer-"

Blanc immediately grabbed another book, raising it threateningly.

"Neptune."

Neptune's survival instincts finally kicked in.

"Alright, alright! I'm going, geez!"

She hopped off the couch, wrapping the blanket around herself like a cape.

"But just so you know, you will miss my charming presence."

Blanc rolled her eyes.

"Doubt it."

Neptune made her way to the door, but before stepping out, she turned back with a knowing smirk.

"Oh, and Blanc?"

Blanc frowned.

"What now?"

Neptune wiggled her eyebrows.

"Good luck finding that babysitter."

WHAM!

A book flew across the room, but Neptune had already slammed the door shut, cackling as she bolted down the hall.

Blanc grumbled under her breath, rubbing her temple.

"That girl is insufferable."

Mina, who had been silently observing the whole exchange, just sighed and shook her head.

"At least she left this time without too much trouble. . ."

Blanc muttered something unintelligible before flopping onto her bed.

"I need a break."

|♪♪♪♪♪|

Kaide and Filyn stood in the small but cozy inn room they had called home for the past two months, packing up the last of their belongings into their bags. The morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow on their preparations.

Kaide adjusted the straps of his bag, making sure everything was securely packed. Filyn, ever the perfectionist, double-checked her equipment, ensuring each item was in its proper place.

As they finished, Kaide looked over to Filyn.

"I think that's everything. You ready?"

Filyn nodded, glancing around the room one last time.

"I think so. It's been... a nice time. Lowee has its charm, despite the chaos."

She gave a small smile, her thoughts drifting briefly to the adventures they'd had here.

They walked downstairs together, where the innkeeper greeted them warmly, though there was a slight sadness in his eyes.

"Leaving already, huh? Time sure flies,"

The innkeeper said.

Kaide smiled and stepped forward, extending his hand.

"Thank you for everything. Your hospitality made this stop much more pleasant than I could've hoped."

The innkeeper shook his hand firmly, face lighting up with gratitude.

"It was a pleasure having you both. I hope your journey ahead is smooth and that you find what you're looking for."

Filyn stepped forward, offering a small nod.

"We appreciate everything. We'll be sure to stop by sometime in the future."

"Safe travels,"

The innkeeper said, voice warm and genuine.

"Take care of each other."

With a final nod, Kaide and Filyn stepped out of the inn, the cool morning air greeting them as they made their way toward the edge of Lowee. The distant memories of their time here lingered, but they both knew that their journey was far from over.

As they approached the flower field where they had first arrived, the landscape stretched out before them - a tranquil scene of wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze. They stood for a moment, taking in the serenity, before Kaide looked at Filyn.

"Ready to go?"

He asked, glancing at her.

Filyn smiled, a glint of determination in her eyes.

"Always."

They took a step forward, the air around them humming with the familiar sensation of crossing dimensions, the flowers beneath their feet the only evidence left of their brief but meaningful time in Lowee.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

Chapter 12

Hiring and Traveling

3333 Words