Nangong Xiwang was still tailing them.
Expecting Lucia and the other girl to continue by subway, she had entered the subway station early to wait, which allowed her to see them approaching the entrance…
But she was a bit confused.
The “Little Lucia” walking ahead seemed to be crying?
Though no tears were falling, her eyes were red, and she kept wiping at them.
Had she been wronged? Or bullied?
Their communication felt like a first meeting, maintaining distance, but why would someone show that kind of reaction when meeting a stranger for the first time?
Meanwhile, the other girl’s face was smiling, albeit somewhat reserved.
Come to think of it, the two really did look somewhat alike…
“What exactly is their relationship? Sisters?”
No, this felt more and more off.
The suitcase Lucia was carrying seemed quite heavy; what kind of job did they have?
They even took an airport airship for work…
Wait, could it be smuggling?!
Little Lucia had stepped into gray areas for money…?
No matter how desperate for cash, she couldn’t be involved in something like that. If it really came down to it, I could just earn money to support them…
If they really brought something forbidden from the surface to the Central City, maybe it was time for a hero to step in.
“But the evidence isn’t enough yet, better keep watching.”
Sitting in the adjacent subway car, Nangong Xiwang pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
Clara lowered her head to confirm the address Fran had sent.
Then she looked up again at the very modern high-rise apartment building.
“Hmm, this is it… right?”
Her voice carried uncertainty. Why?
“Is this really a dormitory? It’s way too fancy! Is this some kind of tech company’s talent housing?” Lucia’s chin was stuck halfway up in shock.
“A luxury apartment in the city center. How much profit must the company make to feel comfortable letting people live here… Sigh, let’s just get inside first.”
Clara dragged Lucia’s suitcase into the apartment.
Inside, they immediately noticed security equipped with drones and young, beautiful receptionists. The property fees alone exceeded the rent of Clara’s cheap apartment.
The two sisters (?) came from humble backgrounds; neither had ever set foot in such a high-class apartment. They were politely questioned by security at the entrance and only allowed in after explaining their purpose…
Then, they officially stepped into a space far beyond their social class.
Both felt awkward, even the receptionist looked more stylishly dressed than either of them.
They only relaxed once inside the elevator, out of public view.
“What floor?” Lucia asked.
“Fourteenth, room 1408.”
“Eh? Isn’t that a bit unlucky?” Lucia thought of a famous movie.
“Money makes the world go round. No one here cares about that… We’re here.”
The high-speed, smooth magnetic levitation elevator reached the fourteenth floor in the blink of an eye. Aside from a slight tickle in the chest while ascending, there was no other feeling…
They hesitated outside the door, exchanging glances.
Clara held her breath and pressed the doorbell.
The smart peephole on the door had an LCD screen. Only when a familiar face popped up above did Clara breathe a sigh of relief and say,
“Miss Fran, we’re here.”
“Mm, welcome to the witches’ dormitory~”
Opening the door, Fran held a canned soda in one hand and ruffled Clara’s hair with the other. Then she reached to help Lucia with her luggage and introduced herself:
“You must be Lucia Rou, right? I’m Fran Livka, a technician from the Dream Witch Staffing Agency and your future boss~”
“Eh? Lucia is your subordinate?” Clara turned in surprise instead.
Fran smiled slyly, “What’s up? Lucia Rou is an intern technician responsible for maintaining and preparing hero equipment. She was also an excellent student.”
“Not really, I just worked a little harder for the scholarship.”
Lucia’s humility carried a trace of nervousness and unease. After all, she didn’t yet know this boss’s temperament. Compared to Clara, who she had no tension with and shared a strange feeling of familiarity with during conversation.
Fran put down her soda, linked arms with Lucia, and stepped inside, saying:
“Haha, a little effort won’t get you the Polytechnic scholarship. But you’re standing in front of someone who finished her PhD at sixteen, so there’s no need to be humble. No matter how humble you are, you’re not stronger than me~”
“Ah? How old are you, Miss Fran?”
“A genuine seventeen! Still a high school girl’s age!”
Lucia asked, and Fran draped an arm over Clara’s shoulder.
“Exactly! You’re the oldest in this company, Lucia sister~”
She was clearly the oldest!
Clara scowled and sulked quietly, unable to show her displeasure.
“But I’m just an intern…”
“Hehe, what era is this where age determines rank? A capable intern is better than some old hand who’s been stuck at the bottom for years~”
Fran teased “Squire,” which only made Clara more unhappy.
But she simply turned her gaze to the “dormitory” before her.
It was spacious.
Bright and gentle natural wood tones, high-grade solid wood with barely a knot, made up the main color scheme. The entrance hallway was somewhat long, and every step felt ceremonial.
Next, the eye was drawn to the circular flow path around the living room. The open kitchen and dining area sat on one side, with several rooms arranged neatly around the circulation line, making the apartment perfectly symmetrical in aesthetic.
Passing through the living room, a giant floor-to-ceiling window faced the entrance hallway, offering a view of the city center’s nightscape. But the floor wasn’t high enough to match the wide views from Clara’s cheap apartment in Squire…
No choice.
The city center was full of skyscrapers; unless you lived on the top floor, the view was usually poor.
“How much does this dorm cost per month?”
“Actually, this is the boss’s own property, just lent to us as a dorm… But a monthly payment is transferred from the company accounts to her personal account.”
Clara was stunned, then exclaimed,
“Eh? Isn’t that embezzling company assets?!”
Though nominally unrelated, Dream Witch was a subsidiary funded by Knightmer, only not publicly disclosed.
Fran was unconcerned.
“This company is hers; it’s just moving money from one hand to the other. We get to enjoy a good environment, so it’s not a loss, right? And we don’t have to pay.”
The Dream Witch’s boss was appointed by the Supreme Commander, so she must be trustworthy, right?
“The rooms are all empty now. The boss even cleared the study and gym to set up beds as dorm rooms. You two can choose whichever you like.”
Fran said this and pulled two cans of soda from the fridge that didn’t seem like something you’d drink in winter.
She liked sugar, and Clara did too. The latter accepted the soda and asked,
“You really want me to live here?”
“Of course. What reason do you have not to?”
Close commute, nice environment. It was definitely better than Clara’s cheap apartment.
But living here meant wearing a loli mask every day and getting along with her sister…
That was torture. She’d rather return to her cheap apartment.
“What about you?”
Clara asked. Fran shook her head.
“No, I don’t live here.”
“…Why not?”
Fran blinked and smiled:
“Haha, my home is way bigger than this little place~”
This apartment…
Was just a tiny house to Fran?
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