When Clara returned to Beast Fox Bell’s studio, the fox-eared girl was sitting in the living room, eating cold burgers and soggy fries.
Her displeasure manifested as twisting black lines that seemed almost tangible. Just like a manga—fitting for a manga artist.
“Yo, finally back?”
Nangong Xiwang sat on the sofa, drinking alcohol, pretending she had been there all along.
Beast Fox Bell glared at her with a cold smile but said nothing. Yet some emotions didn’t need words; Clara could practically hear the deafening complaints…
Beast Fox Bell knew exactly who Nangong Xiwang was.
Whenever the latter needed to move around during the day, she would use the author’s identity to cover for Nangong Xiwang. But when it came time to push for manuscripts, she wished she could kill Nangong Xiwang at the door…
Their relationship was so contradictory that even Clara, watching from the sidelines, found it hard to tell whether they were close or not. She just shrugged and asked:
“Um, Beast Fox Bell Sensei, is the manuscript done?”
“Not that fast, but I need a break too.”
The fox-eared girl actually showed some consideration.
“If you’re too tired, you can go rest first. Come back tomorrow to work.”
Aside from punching the Shadow Guest, Clara hadn’t really participated in the fight.
Only at the very end, when rescuing the mission target, had she been tense—but even then, Nyx had done the heavy lifting. All Clara did was grip her broom tight so she wouldn’t be thrown off.
“No need to rest. I’ll go upstairs now.”
Most importantly…
Tomorrow she’d probably be called to account by President Qiexiya.
Ha, hilarious. After getting fired for punching the Minister of the Reconstruction Department, now she’d punched another Minister (Intelligence Department). Did she have some kind of special attack against Naitemel’s Ministers?
Clara laughed bitterly at herself. Thinking about her future, she decided to finish Beast Fox Bell’s manga manuscript first…
She flexed her slender wrists and walked upstairs. The half-finished manga pages lay on the table.
“Nyx, time to work!”
【OK, full speed ahead.】
Nyx manipulated ten soft, slender tentacles, ready to go. Clara rolled up her sleeves and picked up a pen, preparing for battle with those manga pages.
Begin.
The magic girl’s fight was over; the manga artist’s fight was just beginning.
Meat printer online!!
The grueling battle with the manga continued until just before eleven at night.
But that chapter of Qun Lan still wasn’t finished. However, the remaining parts Beast Fox Bell could complete herself. Clara had already helped plenty.
“Too fast! I’ve been drawing manga for so long, but I’ve never seen anyone with that kind of speed. And the quality is decent? Not much sign of rushing… Is she a genius?!”
That was thanks to Nyx, Clara thought silently.
“Not bad. Next time we meet, I’ll bring your part-time pay~.”
Nangong Xiwang said this, her breath already reeking of alcohol.
She had been drinking on the side and had finished off the liquor Beast Fox Bell brought from her hometown. For that, the elderly fox girl with the sharp voice scolded her.
“Wah! You drank it all? You glutton!”
Clara stood at the entryway and politely said her goodbyes:
“Beast Fox Bell Sensei, we’ll head back for today.”
“Got it, got it! The rest is my own business…”
Beast Fox Bell paused, then looked at the drunkard beside Clara:
“Come pick up the manuscript the day after tomorrow. That should be in time for publication.”
“You sure about that?”
Nangong Xiwang said, patting a trash can on the street.
“I’m fine! I’m still sober!”
“Clara!”
“Don’t mistake a trash can for me! You’re already done for!”
Beast Fox Bell’s liquor was strong. Clara worried that Nangong Xiwang might end up passed out on the roadside, just like Kamui back then…
Those two drinking buddies lived together; their lifestyle wasn’t hard to understand.
“Want me to walk you back?”
“No need. This much is nothing~ Just need a bit of wind.”
Nangong Xiwang muttered softly.
It had always been like this.
She leaned against the railing of the pedestrian bridge. The cold wind blew through her long hair.
Clara grabbed the railing and looked down at the bustling subway intersection below. The night was deep, but the streets were bright with lights and still crowded.
Phantoms mingled among the crowd. Off-duty mutants were common at this hour, coming and going in small groups to bars and such.
Perhaps those transformed into monsters were born for the night?
The two stood quietly.
“That’s about it.”
Nangong Xiwang finally stopped touching the trash can. Instead, she used that same hand to ruffle Clara’s hair.
“So dirty!!!”
Then she wobbled into the subway station.
“Miss Nangong, see you another day.”
“Mm, see you another day.”
Clara waved and boarded the subway in the opposite direction from Nangong Xiwang.
The latter had to go back to the Blue Court Area in the suburbs, while Clara was returning to her dormitory apartment in the city center. Their directions were opposite, just like their true identities.
But once she sat down in the subway, Clara’s heart began to tremble.
It was like being a kid who got in trouble at school—the teacher had already called the parents, but the child hasn’t gone home yet…
Her inner unease spread and grew as she got closer to the dormitory.
Next up, President Qiexiya and the Supreme Leader definitely wouldn’t let her off, right?
Was there any way to earn their forgiveness?
That thing called “god’s relic” seemed pretty valuable—after all, it was a mission that required dispatching a Minister. And she had messed it up.
She’d probably be fired…
No, she had already been fired by Naitemel.
Besides, her current status was also pretty special…
Maybe she’d be fined a huge sum, or have all her bonuses deducted?
For Clara, who hadn’t even received her first month’s salary, both her wallet and pockets were cleaner than her face. If they deducted all her pay, she wouldn’t be able to live.
She hadn’t paid him back yet… Speaking of which, Mossima had even covered her rent for the cheap rental apartment…
【You’ve arrived.】
With Nyx’s reminder, she got off the train.
Standing at the bottom of her dormitory apartment building, she had the illusion of standing before a demon lord’s castle. Clara couldn’t bring herself to take a step. But behind her came a voice—
“Clara? What are you doing standing down here?”
“Lucia? Why are you back so late?”
“I went to Anya’s place after work, but I’m not staying overnight today.”
Lucia hugged her from behind.
At some point, her intimacy had reached a new level.
“Um, President Qiexiya hasn’t come to the dorm, has she?”
“Probably not?”
Lucia looked up at the balcony of the dorm. It was dark inside, with only decorative night lights faintly glowing…
“No one inside.”
At Lucia’s words, Clara finally gathered the courage to step forward.