Pandora paid little attention to the second half of Nicole’s introduction, the part that sounded automatic from practice. Her focus settled entirely on Nicole’s chest.

  This wasn’t because of any… strange ideas. It was just that… the area was whole again.

  Even through the thick clothes, Pandora’s sharp eyes could clearly see the body’s contour there was fully restored, well-shaped, with no sign of the scars a bad wound should leave.

  But…

  How had she managed that?

  Pandora wondered.

  Nicole, though, had also noticed her too-direct, almost blatant stare. Outwardly, she kept her broker’s calm. Inside, she grew uneasy and suspicious.

  What was with this mysterious “Ember”? Why was she staring so hard at the spot of her old, nearly fatal wound? Had it not healed right? No, with her sister’s help, that injury should be completely fixed. Someone of her strength shouldn’t be able to tell anything was wrong…

  Nicole felt a ripple of worry, but now wasn’t the time for that.

  She steadied herself, deciding to tackle the most pressing issue first.

  “It’s past nightfall now,” Nicole’s tone turned serious. “You know how dangerous the Ruined City gets after dark. Maybe… we can make a deal. I’ll give you a discount on intel once, in exchange for letting us stay in Tsukimidaira one more night. We’ll leave by morning. How’s that?”

  Nicole offered what she thought was a reasonable condition.

  By the Ruined City’s unspoken rules—different from the first rank—for second-ranks, a neighborhood usually had only one “master.” Rarely, it could be a tight “small group.” But it was unusual for two unrelated, distrustful people to be neighbors.

  Neighbors without trust led to endless suspicion, mental strain, maybe even life-or-death fights.

  She assumed the other person would think the same… right?

  As Nicole thought this, Pandora had already given her answer—

  “No.”

  One word, absolutely firm.

  “Why? Do you plan to…”

  Nicole instinctively grew wary, her body tensing instantly. She didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.

  She couldn’t be blamed. Outside the academy was rough. “Trust” was the least needed thing between people here; “suspicion” was the most essential.

  “No,” Pandora shook her head. “I mean, you can… keep living here.”

  Pandora stated.

  “Your abilities are useful. One cuts trouble here, the other gives good intel. I have no beef with you, and… you've been here so long, built so much. Probably not easy to just walk away, right?”

  This…

  The younger, silent white-haired sister’s eyes lit up.

  The older sister, Nicole, though, still wore deep doubt.

  “Of course,” Pandora continued, “I also have conditions.”

  Hearing this, Nicole actually relaxed a little. Oddly, she felt a flicker of hope. If the terms were okay, maybe… staying wasn’t impossible.

  After all, like the other said, they’d built a lot here over time. A sudden move meant adjustments. Hassle.

  Plus, there was a reason she could never tell anyone—her sister, besides vaguely feeling strong emotions, could actually sense something even harder for normal people to catch: an “attitude” beyond just emotion. Like pure goodwill, or pure malice.

  And with “Ember” in front of them, despite looking fierce, brutal, and having mysterious psychic counters… her sister had truly sensed… friendliness from her.

  That… was way safer than most apprentices outside, who might turn on you for profit anytime, or even for no reason at all, just because they were “out of their minds.”

  “What are the conditions?”

  Nicole’s tone held a barely-there note of testing.

  “Do not enter my house,” Pandora’s voice sounded extra cold under the moonlight. “Not a single step.”

  Her gaze moved past Nicole, landing on the silent white-haired girl behind her. “And do not spy inside my house.”

  “Enter, and you die. Spy, and you die. If you can take these terms, you can stay.”

  But, forming a sharp contrast to these seemingly heartless rules was—Nicole’s reaction.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  She felt… kind of surprised.

  That’s it…? That’s all?

  She’d expected harsher terms, like demanding most of their resources or making them serve somehow.

  “Think it over.” Pandora didn’t care about their reaction, just stated her rules calmly. “If you decide to stay, carry on like before. Act like I’m not here.”

  “Also—”

  Like remembering something, she added.

  “The ‘Droop-Head Corpse Maiden,’ I left it. But the ‘Face-Worm,’ you’ll likely need to replace it yourselves. Otherwise, if something troublesome shows up, just the ‘Droop-Head Corpse Maiden’ probably won’t handle it.”

  “...Deal.”

  Nicole agreed fast, without much more thought.

  Pandora didn’t say another word, turning and leaving.

  Nicole watched her go, her look complicated. That’s it… she’s leaving? Her three backup plans, even the worst-case mutual destruction scenario… and yet… she just left?

  At first, she still doubted, until she saw “Ember” enter a detached house not far off—one that looked the second-best kept in the area after theirs—did she really believe it: the other’s terms were real.

  So then… should they agree?

  Nicole turned slightly, using her eyes to ask her sister’s opinion.

  ………………

  The trust issue wasn’t actually hopeless.

  On one hand, the other side had real value. As a transplant from the information age, Pandora knew the worth of intel. In this info-scarce, dangerous place, a skilled broker’s usefulness was clear.

  Plus, Nicole’s seemingly spacey, shut-in younger sister’s abilities were genuinely interesting and practical. Working with them could dodge endless headaches, letting her focus on more important things.

  On the other hand, with Elsa here, she wasn’t worried about walking into some deadly trap during her most vulnerable rest times.

  It was because she’d thought it all through—valuable help, reliable protection—that Pandora made this decision that might seem surprising.

  After entering the house, which was in surprisingly good shape for Tsukimidaira, Pandora shut the door and pulled the heavy curtains, blocking the outside moonlight completely.

  Her first move was to let this state go, allowing Elsa to return to human form.

  As the power belonging to Elsa inside her pulled back like a tide, a heavy weariness and weakness pressed down on her like a mountain.

  She couldn’t help but slump exhaustedly to the floor.

  So tired. And her whole body felt sticky, mixed with sweat and some blood splatter from the fight.

  Right now, she missed the big, comfortable baths back at the academy campus. She missed the well-equipped double room. That place wasn’t as large as this house, but…

  It had everything!

  Not like here. No water, no power, all resources in her own pack. She had drinking water, but a comfortable bath, water for daily life—completely impossible for now…

  Knock, knock, knock.

  After daydreaming a bit about the campus’s perks, a knock at the door pulled her back.

  The knocking was kinda faint, kinda distant, seeming to come from… the outer iron gate of the courtyard.

  Pandora’s body tensed again. She immediately had Elsa shift back to greatsword form and gripped it tight.

  Since she hadn’t changed back to her real look during her earlier rest, the special “Disguise Potion” effect hadn’t worn off. She still wore “Ember’s” half-alluring, half-terrifying face.

  Reaching the courtyard gate, Pandora didn’t open it right away. She asked coldly through the door:

  “What is it?”

  Outside stood the information broker she’d just parted from, Nicole. Her shut-in white-haired sister wasn’t with her. Beside her sat two large covered wooden buckets, clearly carried over on purpose.

  With a second-rank Corpse-Plague Acolyte’s body, even though Nicole looked like a normal girl, her real strength was on another level. Lifting these two big buckets was no problem.

  “Sorry to bother you.”

  Nicole outside the door sounded a bit awkward; her words came a little halting.

  “Mainly… I noticed earlier you… were a bit dirty.”

  “When we first got here, we were the same. No water, no fuel, had to clear an area far off to bathe, but… the trip wasn’t safe, from zombies or… other people…”

  Her tone was sincere.

  “So, I took the chance to bring two buckets of hot water.”

  As she spoke, she stepped forward and lifted the lid off one bucket. Inside was nothing else, just plain hot water, steaming gently, looking especially inviting in the cold night.

  “Of course, don’t worry,” Nicole seemed to sense Pandora’s silence and added fast, “I don’t mean anything. If you don’t need them, I’ll come get them later. But… there’s a tub inside. After a fight, a hot bath can be a really happy thing, so…”

  “Thank you.”

  Pandora spoke up suddenly.

  “Ah…?” Nicole froze for a second, not catching it right away.

  Pandora, looking at her somewhat surprised face, repeated herself. Her voice stayed flat but seemed to hold a touch more warmth than before.

  “I said, thank you. I’ll take the two buckets of hot water.”

  “Later, if you need anything, I’ll help too, appropriately.”

  Nicole immediately…

  Blushed???

  “Ah, no problem, no problem, don’t think too much about it! This is what neighbors do! Our duty!”

  She waved her hands, kind of flustered.

  “Then… I’ll go now! Enjoy!”

  Nicole turned to leave, somewhat flustered and red-faced. The figure carrying the two heavy buckets actually had a hint of fleeing in a rush.

  Pandora thought it was odd. Clearly an info broker who dealt with people often, perfectly proper during deals, so why blush during such normal interaction…

  This strange feeling made her think they really seemed like a pair of… kinda clumsy biological sisters.

  Alright, an unexpected nice surprise indeed. No standing on ceremony!

  Using the last strength in this “Ember” state, Pandora easily carried the two big buckets—way too heavy for normal people—into the bathroom.

  She rinsed off fast with water, washing away the blood and sweat from the fight. Then she poured the saved extra hot water into the tub with a splash.

  The water was a bit hot, but whatever.

  Pandora took a deep breath and slowly sank her whole body into the warm water, then set the sword aside.

  Instantly, strength drained from her body.

  Elsa shifted back to human form.

  Losing that supporting power and relaxing even more, Pandora slumped comfortably into the tub, leaving just a small head resting on the edge.

  “Ah… this is bliss…”

  She sighed happily.

  “Oh, Elsa, don’t just stand there outside.”

  Pandora lazily opened one eye and saw Elsa standing stiff in the bathroom corner, still in her spotless maid uniform.

  “You don’t need to bathe, right? Then just come in. There isn’t enough hot water for you to bathe separate this time, so just… bathe with me.”

  Elsa stood by the tub, looking at her Lady in the water—who looked especially small from tiredness—and hesitated. “Wouldn’t that… bother my Lady…”

  “No, it won’t. Come in fast.”

  Pandora, cheeks flushed, waved with a smile.

  “Well then… as you say, my Lady.”

  The maid uniform on Elsa dissolved into streams of light with her will, finally gathering into the intricate thorn pattern on her abdomen.

  She was left without any extra covering.

  As her body slowly entered the warm water, Elsa felt that… temperature that relaxed her whole being.

  But compared to the water, what made her happier was…

  “Ah, Elsa, your foot is on me!”

  Pandora got nudged lightly and complained.

  “Ah, ah, sorry, my Lady, I’ll move…”

  “It’s fine, don’t,” Pandora waved a hand casually, eyes closed, grabbing Elsa’s calf as she was about to move it. “I’ll shift, that’ll work.” As she said it, she casually adjusted halfway, changing her position.