"Can we still slip away now, meow?"
Chloe's usually perky black cat ears were now flattened against her head, her tail tucked tightly, and her whole body shaking like a sieve.
This was undoubtedly the most instinctual reaction of a feline encountering a natural enemy.
Beside her.
Lunova wasn't in much better shape.
"I think... it's too late."
Lunova's voice was extremely low, barely moving her lips, afraid to attract the attention of the formidable figure by the door.
"And... look at her..."
Lunova stole a glance at the fully armed figure by the door and quickly looked away, swallowing hard.
"She hasn't even taken off her gauntlets..."
"She's ready to strike at any moment!"
"Could it be that she already knows what we look like..."
"Don't say anymore, meow!"
Chloe, hearing this, felt like her fur was about to stand on end.
After all.
Back in the day.
The two of them were renowned figures in Orario's underworld.
"Black Fist", "Black Cat".
Their mission success rate was almost one hundred percent.
As long as the money was right, they would even dare to pluck a few hairs from a Guild official's beard.
But there was one time...
Chloe, bewitched, accepted a high-paying job—to assassinate the Commander of the Ganesha Familia, Shakti, the wielder of the staff of the elephant god."
The result?
Not only did the assassination fail.
Chloe almost lost her life.
That night, she was chased by Shakti like a stray dog and had to hide in the stinking sewers all night to escape.
That experience left a lasting shadow on her heart.
Even now, though she had retired and was playing the good girl under Mama Mia.
But that bone-deep fear.
It was like a mouse seeing a cat, unchangeable.
"How about... we go out the back door..."
Before Chloe could finish saying "How about we slip out the back door"
"Bang!"
A sharp sound.
A sturdy arm heavily slammed down on the table in front of them.
"Ouch!"
"Meow!"
Chloe and Lunova were startled, almost jumping out of their skins.
Looking up.
They saw Mia's face, dark as the bottom of a pot, looking down at them.
"I say, you two..."
Mia stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes almost spitting fire.
"What are you muttering about?"
"The customers have been here for half a day, and you're still dawdling!"
"Trying to slack off, huh?"
"Want me to give you a good beating?"
"N-no, meow!"
Chloe quickly waved her hands, her cat ears shaking even more, her eyes constantly darting towards Shakti.
"That... Mama Mia..."
"That's Shakti, meow..."
"That's the Commander of the Military Police, meow..."
"Can we... can we..."
"Can we what?"
Mia's eyes widened, cutting off her nonsense.
"They are customers today!"
"Since they came through that door, they are here to eat and drink!"
"As long as they don't cause trouble!"
"Even if she is the Commander of the Military Police, what can she do?"
"She gonna eat you or something?"
With that.
Mia reached out her large hand like a fan and gave each of them a flick on the forehead.
"Ouch!"
"That hurts, meow!"
"Less talking, more doing!"
Mia pointed to the few empty tables in the center of the hall.
"Get to work, now!"
"If you slight the honored guests, see how I'll deal with you tonight!"
"Y-yes!"
"G-going, meow! Going, meow!"
Under Mia's pressure.
The two of them wouldn't dare disobey even if they had the guts.
They could only grimace and force themselves to move, taking three steps back for every one forward.
...
"Crash—"
Several heavy oak tables were pushed together.
Forming a giant long table in the center of the hall.
There was no other way.
This group was simply too large.
Besides Heimdall, Shakti, and Tsubaki, there were also Amaha Zansan, Inaba Tsukiyo, Rin, Kikakujuo Mary, and Tamaba Satori, these five girls.
Plus Hestia, the freeloader.
But that wasn't the biggest space-taker.
The biggest space-taker was that Black Bear.
The Fierce Person's massive body sprawled on the floor like a small mountain of meat, directly occupying the space of three people.
The little bear, following suit, lay down beside the Fierce Person, looking adorably clumsy.
Although the scene was somewhat bizarre,
in this highly inclusive tavern, no one said anything about it; instead, many Adventurers cast curious glances their way.
Everyone took their seats.
Although Shakti still felt a bit reserved, she sat at his right-hand side at Heimdall's insistence.
Tsubaki plopped down boldly on the left.
Hestia had originally wanted to snag the spot next to Heimdall, but after being jostled by the Black Bear, she ended up sitting across from him, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
-------------------------------
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