“Miss Clara, can I sleep with you tonight?”
Her younger sister shyly made the request, leaving Clara momentarily stunned.
Lucia quietly explained, “This bedroom has a double bed, so it’s fine for two people to sleep together. We can just use two separate blankets… I mainly just want to talk with you… Of course, if you don’t want to, it’s okay.”
Perhaps realizing she had crossed the boundaries of casual acquaintance, her voice grew softer and softer, completely lacking the independent and strong demeanor she had shown when they first met.
That girl really hadn’t changed at all.
Clara noticed every little expression on Lucia’s face just now.
It all felt familiar.
Her little sister had always been stubborn and liked to act strong, but deep down, she was so insecure that she wanted to rely on someone she’d just met…
But Clara wasn’t meeting Lucia for the first time.
After all, she was her own sister. She couldn’t just ignore her, right?
“Sure, if you don’t mind, I don’t mind either,” Clara nodded in response.
Her answer was straightforward, and Lucia’s mouth opened slightly in surprise.
“Miss Clara, you’re so nice, truly a hero!” she said with a smile.
“What does being a hero have to do with this?”
Clara was actually quite pleased. Even though she had changed her appearance, her sister could still rely on her like this. Some things between siblings just never changed.
After all, she was only staying behind to make her feel at ease. If she went to sleep in another room, she might as well just go back to the apartment in Blue Court right now…
“But before sleeping, let me take a shower first.”
When Clara said this, Lucia hurriedly replied:
“Oh! I’ve already filled the tub with hot water, Miss Clara, you go wash first!”
“Is there still a bathtub here?”
Clara’s eyes lit up at the question.
Being a squid person, she had a natural affinity for water. If she didn’t shower for a day, she’d feel uncomfortable all over, so she also really liked soaking in the tub.
Unfortunately, the cramped bathroom in a cheap rental apartment obviously wouldn’t have room for a bathtub, and there were no public baths nearby, so opportunities like this were rare…
“Nice, then let me enjoy it~”
She was only staying one night anyway, might as well treat it like a suite in a hotel.
Though…
She had never stayed in a hotel suite before either.
“Ugh~ Hoo~”
In the bright bathroom, the smart bathtub was large enough for Clara to stretch her legs out fully and lie down.
Bubbling water churned around her, and the backrest even had a water jet massage feature.
“This is too comfortable. I feel like I might not want to get out… Uh, the water pressure… right on my butt…”
Clara squinted, only her head with her hair tied up remained above the water, as she let out a contented hum under the perfect water temperature.
“Rich people really know how to enjoy themselves. If it weren’t for the boss offering his property to us as dorms, I’d probably never have a chance to live in a place like this in my life…”
She wasn’t just talking to herself—she was speaking to Nyx inside her mind.
Nyx responded: [The estimated value of this apartment is such that only a S-Rank Hero could afford to buy it.]
Indeed, with the income of a S-Rank Hero, one could certainly afford a high-end residence like this, everyone knew that, but…
“That’s easy for you to say. Is becoming a S-Rank Hero really something you can just do whenever you want?”
Clara muttered underwater.
Nyx proceeded to analyze the possibility further.
[There’s a chance. You have the strong backing of Nightmare’s funding. To help you successfully infiltrate the upper echelons of the Hero Association, the Commander will do everything to smooth your path.
Nyx will also gather more data on heroes and monsters in battle, assisting Miss Fran in boosting your combat abilities.
You have the qualifications to become a S-Rank Hero; whether it happens depends on you.]
“Me? I’m not even cut out to be a hero…”
[Anyone with a heart of justice can become a hero.]
“A heart of justice? Hmph. Don’t use such high-sounding nonsense to fool me. Who still believes in that stuff at this point? Those heroes are nothing more than tools for the Hero Company to rake in money.”
Clara frowned, her tone growing impatient, and the bubbles on the water surface increased.
“Besides, I’ve already tried the hero path. It’s because I couldn’t become a hero that I ended up joining Nightmare. In the end, I can only pretend to be a hero as an undercover.”
The Hero Company does look at ability when recruiting. These past few years, the industry had become far more competitive.
If it weren’t for being linked with the Nyx Driver and being personally selected by the Commander, Clara didn’t think she had the capability to be a hero.
Whether as a hobby with her comics, or as a job for making a living, Clara had never achieved anything on any track, despite once having a hero’s dream…
So Nyx’s words just sounded like empty platitudes to her.
[Then let’s change the subject.]
Seeing how lacking in confidence her user was, Nyx decided to switch tactics.
[Did you know Miss Lucia is majoring in Hero Studies at university?]
Mentioning her younger sister, Clara’s frown relaxed.
“Of course I know! But that girl doesn’t really like heroes. She just wants to join the hero industry to make money.”
Though that sounded like a convincing reason, Nyx countered.
[Is that really the only reason?]
Clara was silent.
[The hero industry is already near saturation; the number of heroes and monsters is close to the limit. It’s not the best choice these days. If it’s just for making money, other industries can earn more.]
“You really have a twisted sense of humor.”
Clara poked her head above the water again, leaning against the tub’s edge.
“You know the answer, yet you insist on making me say it myself?”
Nyx could read her data, everything she’d experienced growing up, even her memories with her sister—this driver probably knew it all…
But still, to ask like this only made Clara feel annoyed.
[Now you have the chance to realize your old ideals.]
[Why not work hard for yourself and Miss Lucia?]
Despite only being an AI, Nyx was giving her a lecture.
“When I first came to Central City, I really wanted to become a hero, make big money, bring Lucia and my parents to live here, and live a good life… but what happened?”
“I’m just a nobody. I’ve accepted my own ordinariness.”
“Luckily I became a monster first, only then did I see what heroes really are.”
Clara spoke despondently underwater, but Nyx replied:
[You haven’t given up yet.]
“I have given up! I have work and comics to deal with now; I don’t have time to chase any ideals… and no money…”
Irritated, Clara stood up in the tub and climbed out.
“Honestly, I don’t even have the mood to enjoy a bath anymore.”
Nyx controlled tiny tentacles to help dry her off, then used a negative ion warm blower to dry her hair, and finally helped her change into a thick, squid-patterned set of pajamas.
Clara stepped out of the bathroom and composed herself.
“Lucia… Miss, I’m coming.”
She whispered softly as she pushed open Lucia’s bedroom door.