"So, Pardo, putting our own matters aside for a moment, have you thought about how you're going to deal with the others?"
"Aiya, Sis Eden, what are you saying? We're all friends, how could you use a word like 'deal with'? This is like doing business; harmony brings wealth, you know."
Hah? Harmony brings wealth?
Eden swirled the pure gold wine glass in her hand, looking at the little merchant before her. The veil lightly covering her face tilted up in a playful smile, and she slowly uncrossed her legs.
She glanced at the empty seat beside her, the one that should have belonged to Black Pardo, and sneered inwardly.
Black Pardo's disappearance was a signal, symbolizing the end of the fifth cycle. And that cycle had been Pardo's home ground.
This meant that in the current situation, Pardofelis held a natural advantage.
Therefore, she couldn't let Pardo use this opportunity to go straight on the offensive!
Besides, judging by the time, that person should be arriving soon.
"So, how do you plan to get around Klein?" Eden leaned back in her chair, tilting her head with a cute, seemingly harmless expression.
"Hm, that's simple. It's just like the magic Sis Vill-V is so fond of. Money can buy anything except for a person's heart and their life," Pardofelis said with a grin, pulling a document from her bag.
It was a gold-rimmed teacher's certificate. The position was "Special Lecturer," and the photo showed her wearing a black tie and a proper white shirt, only missing her trademark cat ears and tail.
Of course, that was just a disguise created through Mobius's technology.
After all, if a real cat-girl were to appear in reality, the ordinary students would probably have an existential crisis on the spot, and Fu Li would immediately sense that something was wrong.
Although she really wanted to pounce on Fu Li right away, she couldn't do that before the sixth cycle. Otherwise, she might inadvertently change history, leading to an irreversible event.
Ugh... although, Pardo believed that Vill-V and Mobius must have put some preventative measures in place to stop that from happening, she didn't want to cause trouble for everyone over something like this.
But what exactly is their backup plan?
Pardofelis frowned. Suddenly, the ears on her head twitched, and she whipped her head around, her expression turning grim.
That sound just now... it was the pilot's muffled grunt.
What she didn't notice, however, was that as she turned her head, a faint, imperceptible smile appeared on Eden's face behind her.
In the next second, before Pardo could draw a weapon, Elena also let out a muffled sound and collapsed towards Eden. Eden kindly cushioned her head before laying her on the floor.
This is a tranquilizer dart?
And this technique... it's Sakura!
Just as Pardo stood up, she saw a familiar figure dragging the pilot out of the cockpit.
"Damn it, Sis Sakura, what are you doing?"
Faced with Pardo's questioning gaze, Sakura's eyes darted away for a rare moment, but her expression quickly became resolute. She pressed a button on her belt.
In the next second, an explosion rocked the plane's cockpit. Sakura spoke quickly, "I'm sorry, Pardo, but you can't go to him yet."
"There's an uninhabited island purchased by Raven one nautical mile from here. There's no signal on it, but there are enough supplies for you to live there for three months. As for this pilot, I'll take her somewhere safe."
"Someone will come to pick you up in two months."
With that, Sakura kicked open the cabin door and leaped towards another unmanned fighter jet flying below.
"Eden, is Sis Sakura an idiot?"
"Hm? Why would you say that?"
Eden tilted her head, hoisting Ms. Elena onto her shoulder with a look of confusion.
"Because, even if I'm afraid of water, the Honkai Beast you're fused with is the sea-dwelling Varuna. Never mind the mere Pacific Ocean; even soaring through a sea of stars would be a piece of cake for you."
"So..." Pardo turned her head away, completely ignoring the now-unstable aircraft, and said calmly, "You told Aponia about our plans, didn't you?"
"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry," Eden admitted with an apologetic smile. "My apologies, Pardo, but you were being too hasty. I had no choice."
"In any case, I'll see you next time. As for the cost of the plane, I'll compensate you for it."
After saying this, Eden also leaped from the crashing plane with Elena in tow.
"Hah... this is really..."
Watching Eden leave, Pardofelis leisurely picked up a bottle of lubricant from the wine cabinet and chugged it down. Only then did she let out a helpless sigh as the sound of turning gears emanated from within her body.
As expected of a robot invented by Vill-V. Even though her entire body was made of gears, she had still managed to deceive both Eden and Sakura so easily without even having to fight.
"Next, I have to make them believe that [Pardofelis] is really trapped on Ms. Raven's island, throwing a tantrum, crying, and rolling all over the ground."
"Sigh, honestly. It's been tens of thousands of years. Even if I'm the last-ranked, you shouldn't underestimate a cat."
Meanwhile, thousands of meters away on a certain Schicksal warship, the real Pardofelis took off a helmet. She looked at the girl beside her, who was dressed in a Schicksal uniform.
"As expected of you, Sis Vill-V. Both Sakura and Eden were completely fooled."
"Hehe, Little Pardo, isn't that only natural?"
At that moment, Vill-V, wearing a wild grin and exuding an aura of pure arrogance, propped up her head and smiled as if this was the only possible outcome.
"Alright, we have one week until this Schicksal warship from the Shenzhou branch reaches its base in Nihon. That will be our chance to leave."
"We're under Schicksal's nose for the time being, so I'll let my [Original Self], the [Conman], take over my body. You all need to remember to keep up the disguise, understand?"
Seeing the "Arch-Villain" Vill-V with her high-and-mighty demeanor, habitually giving orders, Pardo quickly nodded obediently, indicating she would do a good job.
Then, Pardo watched as the arrogant expression on Vill-V's face faded away, replaced by a shy blush. She timidly raised a hand and said in a low voice:
"Hi, it's been a while, Little Pardo. Um, please take care of me?"
"Of course, Sis Vill-V! Please take care of me too!"
---o---
Nagazora City, Senba Academy.
Early in the morning, Kiana burst into the classroom like a whirlwind. She held her phone high, pulled Fu Li and Mei into a corner, and said excitedly:
"Hey, hey, Fu Li, Mei, look what I won!"
Fu Li looked at the "Grand Prize" displayed on the phone screen, a bit confused. Before he could ask, Mei's gasp of surprise followed.
"Is this... a concert ticket for that singer called [Elysian Realm]? And it's for the VIP seats?"
"Mhm, that's right! And there are three of them! Aren't I lucky?"
Kiana looked at the two of them and extended an excited invitation. "Let's all go together, what do you say?"
Teacher Pardo