"Forget it, never mind then."
Saying this, Hoshimi took one cup while drinking from another, and walked toward the outside.
She didn't know what Lucy had found Ling for last night.
But since she hadn't been called, it must have been a minor issue that didn't require her attention.
Just as Hoshimi was strolling outside, she suddenly noticed a gaze fixed upon her.
"Is that someone I know?"
Seeing this, Hoshimi walked directly toward the spot where she had sensed the gaze.
When she arrived behind a building, she saw someone quite unexpected.
"Pulchra, why are you here?"
Hoshimi sipped her milk tea while looking at the somewhat reserved Nekomata in front of her.
"Uh..."
Pulchra adjusted her posture, unsure of what to say for a moment.
"Don't tell me you want to join the Sons of Calydon?"
"Did your previous employer fire you?"
Hoshimi looked at Pulchra doubtfully. Could it be because of her that Pulchra needed to join the Sons of Calydon early?
"Cough, cough, I did quit my previous job, but I'm not here to join the Sons of Calydon this time."
Pulchra said somewhat awkwardly.
However, Pulchra did not show it outwardly.
"Then what are you here for?"
Hoshimi was puzzled. If she wasn't here to join the Sons of Calydon, what would Pulchra be doing at this hour?
"This... how should I put it..."
"I'll tell you the truth: someone is planning to target the Sons of Calydon during the Hellfire Ride."
"I came this time to give you a heads-up, so you won't be clueless about who is targeting you later on,"
Pulchra explained.
Hoshimi nodded. Besides that 25-year-old from the Triumphant Ones, probably no one else would target the Sons of Calydon.
So, whether Pulchra gave this warning or not didn't make much difference.
Because she would resolve that Lu fellow before the Hellfire Ride, she wouldn't leave him around to cause trouble later.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go somewhere else."
"Oh, try this."
"milk tea, only available in the city."
As she spoke, Hoshimi handed the other cup she was holding to Pulchra.
"Hm?"
"I'll leave right after I finish telling you."
"Many new faces came from the Triumphant Ones' side this morning; they don't look like people from the Outer Ring."
"And their target is also the Sons of Calydon."
Pulchra took the milk tea and drank it without reservation.
"Mmm, I know."
"Let's go back and talk in detail."
Saying that, Hoshimi grabbed Pulchra's other empty wrist.
Pulchra didn't resist, assuming this was just Hoshimi's personality, and prepared to be taken to a secluded spot to talk.
The place where she was just now was somewhere she found casually; its secrecy was indeed not very good.
On the street.
"Aya, you..."
Zhe pointed at the person Hoshimi was holding and asked doubtfully.
"Oh, I ran into a kitty on the road. She said she wanted to come home with me."
"So I just brought her back,"
Hoshimi said without her face flushing or her heart racing.
"What!"
"I never said that!"
Saying this, Pulchra tried to pull her hand free, but the difference in strength between them was immense.
Pulchra was firmly restrained by Hoshimi.
"Uh..."
"Aya, are you sure?"
"She doesn't look very willing to come along,"
Zhe looked at Pulchra's struggling appearance and seemed uncertain.
After all, Hoshimi didn't seem like the type of person to force others against their will.
"It's a normal reaction for a kitty to get defensive when she's in an unfamiliar place."
"She'll be fine once she gets used to it."
"By the way, do you know where Lucy and the others went?"
Hoshimi completely ignored the struggling person behind her and inquired.
After all, since she intended to bring Pulchra into the Sons of Calydon, and Caesar wasn't there, she could only look for Lucy.
"Oh, I remember they went over there."
"Wright just went over there carrying a small box of milk tea,"
Zhe pointed to the cup of milk tea he was holding, which he hadn't finished drinking yet, and indicated a direction to Hoshimi.
"Thanks, I'll take her over there first."
Saying that, Hoshimi led Pulchra in the direction of Lucy and the others.
Pulchra, having failed to struggle free, could only submit to being led along.
Soon, the two arrived at the lower district.
The Town Master and Lucy's group were gathered together.
"Huh?!"
"Is that... Pulchra?!"
Bernice spotted Pulchra behind Hoshimi with delight.
"Lucy, Caesar and Ling are in the city and not here. This person wants to join the Sons of Calydon."
"I'll act as the introducer."
Hoshimi nodded.
"What!!"
"Pulchra, you want to join our Sons of Calydon?"
After speaking, Bernice happily hugged Pulchra.
"Tsk, I, I didn't."
"I just came over simply to give a heads-up this time,"
Pulchra turned her head aside, pushing Bernice with the hand holding the milk tea.
"A heads-up?"
"What do you mean?"
Lucy caught the key phrase and asked.
Bernice let go of Pulchra when she saw this.
"Many new faces have arrived from the Outer Ring."
"They are led by a woman, and their target is you all."
"They seem to have reached some sort of agreement with Lucius, the second-in-command of the Triumphant Ones..."
"But I didn't hear the complete plan. It should generally be targeting you, the Sons of Calydon,"
Pulchra explained.
Originally, she had already resigned from the Triumphant Ones, but this morning when she was preparing to leave, she discovered Lucius secretly leaving the Triumphant Ones' camp.
Unexpectedly, driven by instinctive curiosity, she followed him and overheard this piece of news.
However, for fear of being discovered, she only heard the initial parts; the rest of the matter remained unclear.
"What?!"
"Lucius, that despicable and shameless guy!"
"I knew he had ill intentions, but I didn't expect him to actually collude with people from the city to target us!"
Lucy was furious upon hearing Pulchra's words.
"It looks like this Hellfire Ride won't be easy,"
Wright adjusted his sunglasses.
"Mmm, let's discuss it when Caesar gets back."
"But Pulchra, are you serious about wanting to join our Sons of Calydon?"
Lucy inquired.
Regarding the targeting incident, they needed to wait for Caesar to return before re-discussing the Hellfire Ride.
"Pulchra wants to join."
"But she doesn't have anyone to introduce her, so it's not easy for her to come alone."
"So I came to be the introducer,"
Hoshimi answered first.
She met her yesterday and she resigned today.
However, the original plot involved her joining after the Hellfire Ride concluded.
It probably wouldn't be an issue if she helped expedite it a bit, right?
"I, I really do have that thought."
"But... I..."
"Fine, I want to join the Sons of Calydon."
"But let's agree beforehand: if you Sons of Calydon cannot satisfy me, I might leave at any time,"
Pulchra stammered out, finally making up her mind.
Originally, she thought that since she used to be with the Triumphant Ones and the two groups were in competition, she should wait until after the Hellfire Ride to join to avoid suspicion.
Although there was a possibility of gossip, with someone as powerful as Hoshimi acting as her introducer, she probably wouldn't encounter such a situation.
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