In Lu Chen's memory, Baltimore was a heroic and valiant girl. Even though the pink temporary tattoo on her abdomen the last time they met was a bit of a mood killer, it didn't hide her cool nature.
However, this meeting showed a completely different side of Baltimore.
She still had her beautiful, flat abdomen exposed, but the messy tattoo was gone. She was wearing an orange and white performance dress, the skirt barely covering half her thighs. Unlike her intentionally binding athletic suit, the performance dress perfectly showcased her fine figure.
Lu Chen had misjudged her last time. He thought Baltimore's size was similar to Noshiro's, but in reality, she was only slightly inferior to Taihou, though she couldn't compare to St. Louis beside Lu Chen. The inherently cool and athletic girl had an unbelievably voluptuous figure. This contrast greatly astonished Lu Chen.
Is the food here that good? Or is everyone exceptionally gifted? Or... Lu Chen recalled the incompatible worldviews he shared with Noshiro and the others. Could it be that my perception of body size was wrong before? Is this just an average level? No, no, he distinctly remembered meeting one flat-chested girl, though she might be the anomaly.
"Baltimore, this is Lu Chen. He will be your manager from now on. Do you remember what I told you before?" St. Louis introduced him.
Baltimore managed to turn her head back. Although she had practiced countless times in her mind, facing the Commander made her shy. She really shouldn't have agreed to Bremerton's coaxing; she should have realized it was a deliberate prank after learning the meaning of the tattoo.
"M-Manager. Th-that, I am Baltimore. I'm currently active in the 'Astrum' idol group. I will give my all to deliver the best performance, so please choose me as the center," Baltimore said haltingly.
Oh no, my sense of shame is about to explode.
Lu Chen was startled. "Manager? I know absolutely nothing about this field. You would be utterly harming them by handing them over to me, Big Sister St. Louis. I can't accept this gift."
"Bring the tablet over." St. Louis beckoned, took a tablet from Baltimore, opened a file on the desktop, and explained, "I thought of that when I decided on the gift, but before I explain, take a look at the members of 'Astrum.'"
Lu Chen was about to protest, but when he saw the first idol candidate on the screen, he lost his composure. "Albacore? Why is she participating?"
Lu Chen had only met Albacore once, but his impression of her was unusually deep. Her ability to instantly silence a full-power Taihou made Lu Chen feel inadequate. While Taihou would do anything for him out of love, the feeling he got from Albacore was pure fear.
"Albacore is right in the banquet hall. You can ask her the reason yourself later," St. Louis drew a long finger, painted with blue nail polish, across the screen. "Besides these two Eagle Union idols who are present, there's also Tashkent from the Northern Parliament, and Illustrious and Dido from the Royal Navy, totaling five idols."
As St. Louis spoke, a purple-haired girl, a white-haired big-breasted older sister, and a silver-haired big-breasted girl appeared before Lu Chen.
"Even though they are all very beautiful, I still can't accept this gift. I don't want to delay the prime of these five girls' lives," Lu Chen still refused. He wasn't opposed to the idea of developing a more-than-friendly relationship with idol girls, nor was he unmoved, but he couldn't taint their dreams for his own selfish desires.
St. Louis showed a knowing smile. "Big Sister already considered those issues when giving the gift. You don't need to worry about the specific activities of the idols; my backstage team will handle all of that. Your task is only one: to select the center for each of their performances, and how you choose is entirely up to your preference. By the way, these five idols were all hand-picked by Big Sister. Any one of them has the ability to be the center."
St. Louis suddenly pressed against Lu Chen's chest, rubbing against his body, and whispered in his ear, "Even casting couch scenarios are acceptable to them. I heard you were the manager, and everyone was eager to sign up. So don't worry too much. It won't harm anyone. Just enjoy it fully."
Lu Chen shamefully admitted that he was tempted, and for a moment, he couldn't find a reason to refuse. His inner self was urging him not to decline, not even to offer a polite, feigned rejection.
Damn it, my moral decline is happening too fast.
Seeing Lu Chen caught in a dilemma, St. Louis took his hands and forcefully pressed the tablet into them. "This matter is settled. You rejected the sports car; are you going to reject this too? Do this for me, Big Sister, and consider it for Friedrich. She already knew about this."
St. Louis quickly gave Baltimore a look. Baltimore nodded in understanding. "That's right. Although being an idol is my dream, if you weren't the manager, I would rather give up that dream."
Refusing again would be impolite. Lu Chen thought about it and finally accepted the tablet. How to describe it? It was the awkward feeling of being given a Lunar New Year's gift—feigning refusal while secretly wanting it.
"That's right. Don't be a stranger, Big Sister. Their contact information is all inside here." St. Louis recalled something and said with a smile, "Oh, right, besides the idol group I'm giving you, I also personally manage 'Verheerender' and 'Polaris.' There are some familiar faces in there for you. Just come to me whenever you want to 'play.'"
Not only these idol candidates, but even established idol groups? So those idol photos were put on my phone by you?
Lu Chen began to wonder if St. Louis was his biological sister. He couldn't imagine this kind of "little brother" treatment coming from a rich woman he had just met.
St. Louis waved her hand in front of Lu Chen's face, teasing, "Are you mesmerized by Baltimore? If you want to do anything, at least wait until the party is over. You can during the party too, but you should greet everyone first. Come on, I'll introduce you to them."
"I wasn't. I didn't." Lu Chen regained his composure, but St. Louis didn't give him much chance to explain. She pulled him into the hall. "Baltimore, you can change into a gown now, but you might need that performance outfit tonight, so don't put it somewhere you can't find it."