"As an employee of Victoria Housekeeping, our guiding principle is simple: satisfy the client."
Lycaon looked down at Anby from a slight height advantage. His tone stayed impeccably polite, but an unmistakable distance hung around him like cold mist. His gaze flicked past her—toward Chiya, who was frowning so hard that his little cowlick had twisted into a literal question mark.
Behind his back, Lycaon's hand moved subtly. With a few quick taps on Knock-Knock, he sent a message that neatly soft-controlled Chiya in place—preventing him from walking over.
[Lycaon]: Lord Chiya, please do not intervene. As your most reliable contractor, I must evaluate whether Cunning Hares—perennially ranked Top 3 on the Inter-Knot complaint board—can genuinely share your burdens… or whether they are merely a blood-sucking… vine that only manages to stay out of monthly debt deficits by clinging to you.
[One Thousand and One Nights]: Understood, Lycaon. I trust you need to judge for yourself to reach a conclusion you can be satisfied with. I won't micromanage. But Lycaon—Nicole and her people are dependable. No matter what your evaluation is, Cunning Hares will always have a place among my long-term partners.
[Lycaon]: As you command.
With that exchange done, Lycaon refocused on the person in front of him.
"Miss Anby, forgive me—but if my memory serves, the core of Cunning Hares should be Miss Nicole over there. Your stepping forward like this… isn't it overstepping your role?"
Anby didn't answer head-on. Instead, she threw Lycaon's own structure back at him—sharp, direct, and merciless.
"Then taking our work, stealing our opponent, completing the job that was supposed to be ours—taking the task Chiya entrusted to us and finishing it yourselves… liar, isn't that also overstepping?"
Lycaon paused.
"…Hm. A question worth considering," he admitted. "But if we keep answering questions with questions, nothing will ever end. So—let's answer first."
"Miss Anby: yes. We completed a task that should have been yours."
"And based on that, I will also speak plainly: we did not believe Cunning Hares—an odd-jobs crew that lives in the Inter-Knot complaint Top 3—possessed the capability to kill the Dead End Butcher."
Anby stared at him for a long moment. Then she said softly:
"If that's what you think, Lycaon… you're a terrible butler."
"A servant who presumes to guess the master's intent, and arrogantly decides only he can accomplish the job—Lycaon, what makes you so proud?"
"Or is it…"
Her eyes narrowed.
"You—and the others in Victoria Housekeeping—never truly respected Chiya as a client at all… and instead treated him as something you 'own'?"
"Mind your words, Miss Anby!"
The moment that forbidden implication surfaced, Lycaon caught it instantly—Chiya's body flinched in the distance, as if the phrase had snagged a bad memory. And when Chiya's gaze drifted to the women behind Lycaon—ambitions all but written on their faces—his cowlick practically stood up in warning. A flicker of unease slid into his eyes.
Lycaon recognized it at once:
Distrust.
A rare emotion to see directed at Victoria Housekeeping.
For the company's reputation—and to put at ease a client he had always held close—Lycaon had to shut this down now, before the doubt took root.
"Miss Anby," he said, regaining the composure of a perfect professional, "I apologize for my earlier discourtesy. Setting aside that person, your verbal offense ranks among the most lethal I've encountered."
Inside, his ocean was churning.
Outside, he bowed with a gentle smile—an elegant apology.
Behind his back, his fingers were already flying.
[Lycaon]: Lord Chiya, if you require assistance with street quarrels, verbal disputes, or the sort of rough brawling favored by hooligans, I recommend Cunning Hares for that line of work.
[Lycaon]: [Lycaon_Serious].JPG
[One Thousand and One Nights]: Uh… Lycaon, are you mad?
[Lycaon]: No. Victoria Housekeeping's principle is to follow the master's wishes. The master's wishes are our mission. I will not allow minor personal irritations to become anger—such emotion would only add unnecessary worries for you.
[One Thousand and One Nights]: I see. I was going to give you a massage—work out some of that pent-up stress. Guess I was wrong.
[Lycaon]: !!!
[Lycaon] retracted a message
[Lycaon]: Your kindness is, of course, most welcome. It's just that…
[One Thousand and One Nights]: Just that?
[Lycaon]: When the time comes, is it one-on—
[Lycaon] retracted a message
[Lycaon]: No—nothing. As long as you can spare the time, I'm available whenever you are.
Chiya scratched at his cowlick, confused. He looked at Lycaon, hesitated as if he wanted to say something—then gave up with a helpless shrug.
"Everyone—shake hands and make peace, then let's move."
"The people of Canvas Alley are still waiting for us to save them."
Outside the Dead End Hollow — Yuanjing Industries Demolition Command Post
Yuanjing Industries' armed personnel stood at full readiness. At their center, Sarah tapped her foot impatiently—her heel striking the ground in a tight, repressed rhythm.
She cut a glance at the liaison officer beside her, lips parting.
"Still no word from the people inside?"
"I—I'm very sorry, Commander Sarah! Based on the last message from the kidnappers—Cunning Hares—and the reports from our armed teams inside, they had already surrounded the criminals and were preparing an armed breach. We don't understand why—"
"Then where's the train?"
"The technicians say the train's signal is being jammed as well. They suspect a third party has entered the situation."
"A third party?" Sarah's brow furrowed. "Why aren't you suspecting Cunning Hares?"
"Report! Based on our calculations, those broke nobodies called Cunning Hares couldn't possibly afford tech like this!!!"
Sarah closed her eyes and lifted a remote control. She traced a cross over her chest.
"Then we'll have to blast through by force," she said coolly. "To the 'nonexistent residents' in the demolition zone… I offer my deepest regret."
Someone nearby dabbed at an imaginary tear with theatrical sincerity.
"If those lowborn trash—without even citizen IDs—knew a great person like you was willing to weep for them, they'd surely—"
A roar thundered out from the far end of the Hollow tunnel, swelling into a wave.
"DOWN WITH YUANJING INDUSTRIES!!!"
"YUANJING INDUSTRIES KILLS INNOCENTS!"
"YUANJING PEOPLE AREN'T HUMAN—WORSE THAN BUGS!!!"
"EVERY PORE OF YUANJING DRIPS WITH CIVILIAN BLOOD!"
"YOU WON'T SILENCE US ANYMORE!!!"
Yuanjing's people stared in disbelief as the "trash" who should have been erased along with the blast zone came surging out, screaming and charging—
And at the front, Cunning Hares swaggered out with infuriating pride.
Billy had Nekomata perched high on one shoulder. On his other shoulder sat the granddaughter of the old lady who'd been collecting everyone's documents.
"Commander Sarah, what do we do?!"
"No rush," Sarah said, tone flat. "I want to ask something first."
After calming her subordinates, Sarah stepped forward, arms crossed.
"Cunning Hares. Criminals who kidnapped our Mr. Perlman, murdered our innocent employees, and slaughtered the residents of Canvas Alley. I've already notified Public Security. There is only punishment under the law waiting for you."
"What?! You—!" someone began.
Sarah lifted a hand, cutting them off with practiced disdain.
"However—if you surrender, and become Yuanjing Industries' glove… if you deliver those 'trash' behind you into the Hollow… then none of that needs to happen."
"And you'll receive an astronomical monthly payment. Enough to erase your deficits."
She looked down at them like they were insects, savoring the "struggle" she thought she saw.
A smirk tugged at her lips—
And a bullet tore past her cheek.
A thin line of blood surfaced on her face, mixed with a faint gunpowder haze.
Sarah froze. Slowly, she raised a hand and wiped the blood away—then looked up to see Billy, gun still lifted.
"Hey," Billy said quietly, so calm it felt like temple-stillness. "You're so rotten that every villain in the Starlight Knights series combined wouldn't measure up to a single hair on your head."
For a robot who usually joked and played around, that tone meant only one thing:
His emotion module was no longer under control.
"I'm Billy—member of Cunning Hares," he said. "And I will never kneel to evil for the sake of profit."
Sarah's eyes narrowed.
"…Fine. In that case—Yuanjing personnel."
"We're here, Lady Sarah!"
"Chamber your rounds. Send the gentlemen of Cunning Hares—oh, and those trash behind them—straight to hell."
"Hey—wait!"
With Sarah's curt gesture, armed men raised their weapons, faces hardening. The Canvas Alley residents—who had been shouting moments ago—staggered into fear, despair, and rage.
"What?! She's serious—she's actually going to do it!"
Sarah swept her gaze across the crowd with bored detachment—
And then, amid the bodies, someone small pushed his head up for air.
Chiya.
Sarah's eyes flicked over him—then widened violently. She snapped her gaze back to that spot.
But the adults around him had already pulled him behind them, shielding the "kid." All Sarah could see now was a wall of furious, terrified faces.
"Wait!"
"Commander Sarah—what is it?"
Sarah's expression steadied.
"Nothing. Continue the execution."
She raised her hand—
And sirens erupted in the distance.
Dozens of police cars smashed through the perimeter and poured in.
"How are they here this fast?!" Sarah blurted.
Then she saw a familiar sharp-eyed reporter raising a microphone high.
"This is a breaking update—Yuanjing Industries involved in a shocking scandal of mass murder! Acting on a tip, our station's reporter has accompanied Public Security forces and arrived at Yuanjing Industries' demolition command post near the Dead End Hollow!"
"Public Security has sealed the scene and apprehended multiple unidentified individuals impersonating officers!"
The Yuanjing staff—who had assumed these arrivals were allies—panicked as they realized they weren't.
"Calling Commander Sarah! Calling Commander Sarah! We're surrounded—Public Security, and Belobog Heavy Industries too!"
Off to the side, Nicole finally let out a long breath and patted her chest.
"Hah. I knew Yuanjing wouldn't take the loss quietly. Good thing I contacted Belobog Heavy Industries the moment we got out. Competition is competition—when they move, they move fast."
"Commander Sarah—what do we do?! W-why can't we find Sarah?!"
With that cry, the remaining Yuanjing personnel lost all will to fight. Weapons dropped. Hands lifted. Someone even snapped into an awkward French military salute like they'd seen in an old movie.
"Report—hostiles have fully surrendered. No civilian casualties."
"Yes… Public Security says we're completely safe now…"
In the surge of relief, Nekomata looked around. Joy softened her face—but her eyes carried a lonely, quiet emptiness. She sighed, preparing to slip away on her own—
"Where are you going?"
"Meow—! Oh. It's you, Anby."
Once she saw who it was, Nekomata calmed down. Her smile turned bitter.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm leaving."
"We still have to give statements. If you leave now, you'll be wanted."
"…Then I'll leave after the statements."
"Then where will you go?"
"Where…" Nekomata lowered her head. "Where else? Whitey's dead. The Red Fang Gang isn't warm like it used to be. I'm a cat. What options do I have? I'll just… wander."
"You still owe us your membership fee."
"What?! What membership fee?"
"You forgot?"
Anby's expression didn't change. Her voice stayed flat, almost clinical.
"In the driver's cabin, you said you were happy to meet us. And if possible, you wanted to be Cunning Hares with us for the rest of your life."
"Now pay the membership fee. Then we'll go eat together. Mackerel—unlimited."
Nekomata stared, lips trembling.
"…You guys…" Her voice cracked. She swallowed hard, wiped at the corner of her eyes. "…Mackerel…"
"It has to be unlimited, okay?!"
The world felt bigger.
And sadness felt smaller.
A tragedy had been flipped into a comedy; everyone got what they wanted—round and unbelievable, like the full moon above that night.
But after fullness…
comes what's missing.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 90)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 95)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 80)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter70)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter70)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter50)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter60)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 20
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 20
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