The current situation, how should I put it... well, it's a bit inappropriate for children.
Although their strength was quite lacking, the resilience of these young heroes indeed made Melanie and the elderly spectators nod secretly in their hearts.
"So, why bother?" Leticia said with a regretful expression, holding her chest. "I was planning to slack off, but I still had to make a move."
"You seemed more like you were playing," Melanie returned to Leticia's side and said coldly.
Unlike Melanie's swift and decisive actions, the battle between Leticia and Leticia seemed more like child's play.
It was entirely Leticia unilaterally toying with the girl named Leticia.
"Look at you, I was just waiting for you to finish your business over there, alright?" Leticia shrugged, indicating that she hadn't deliberately slacked off. "However, I feel like this girl's voice sounds a bit familiar."
"A friend of yours?" Melanie's eyebrows, hidden beneath her mask, raised slightly.
Leticia shook her head. "I don't have such things as friends. A King doesn't need friends."
"That's truly pitiful."
"I think you're the least qualified person to say that," Leticia rolled her eyes. "Alright, business is done, time to go home and sleep."
Melanie didn't react. She stared blankly at the black safe in Leticia's hand. Her old friend hadn't mentioned this before.
"What's inside?"
"How would I know? Didn't your people give it to me?" Leticia indicated that she merely received it and had no idea what was inside. "It's probably something worthless."
"Something feels off... Hmm?" Melanie suddenly looked in the direction where the trio had just run from. "Someone else is coming."
"I remember hardly anyone comes down this road, right?" Leticia was also a bit puzzled. Although she hadn't been out much, she had seen the so-called 'Central City's Quietest Streets Ranking' online.
The street they were on was ranked second on that list.
What day was it today that made this road so lively?
A disheveled figure appeared under the dim streetlights. He wore a large black coat, and several pieces of shiny silver net fragments clung to his body.
His expression was very anxious. Upon seeing the two figures, one black and one white, standing not far away, and the three youths lying haphazardly on the ground, his expression seemed to collapse.
"Are you two... the helpers they found?" he asked Melanie and Leticia, covering his right eye with one hand.
Melanie nodded.
"You're here to clean up? You arrived just in time, but all those things on you..." Leticia, however, seemed much more energetic.
The man sighed deeply, covering his face. "Alas, I'm the one they were chasing."
"Huh?"
"? "
The two girls tilted their heads simultaneously. If this man was the one those three brats were chasing, then who was the black-clad person who ran past earlier?
"Wait, wait, let me open this box," Leticia quickly placed the safe on the ground. "I hope there's nothing precious inside."
She had just used the thing as a hammer several times, hoping its contents weren't fragile.
The safe's lock was naturally no match for Leticia. She gently flicked the lock with her finger, and the seemingly sturdy lock immediately split open.
Leticia's violent lock-picking method was convenient and quick, though a bit hard on locks.
"Phew, let me see..." Leticia opened the lid of the box, and a yellowish-brown little notebook appeared in her sight. "It's actually a book?"
Melanie also leaned in beside Leticia.
"Could it be a book written by some chuunibyou? Are there even mages in the Human World?" Leticia curled her lips in disdain.
She thought it was something valuable, but it was just this?
Humans nowadays could no longer use magic, so this magic book from the Human World clearly had no credibility.
"I don't know about that, but it seems to be stolen goods, though somehow it ended up in the hands of you two ladies," the man who had been chased explained. "I'll take it back first..."
"That won't do," Leticia interrupted before the man could finish. "You say that person stole it, but how do I know you're not the thief who failed?"
"I can show you my ID."
"IDs can be faked, and so can people," Leticia shook her head. "Although I'm skeptical about the credibility of this book, it concerns matters of the Divine Era, so we can't be careless."
"Your expression is very serious. Is this book important?" Melanie quietly asked in Leticia's ear.
"It's not important to me, but if it falls into the hands of those with ulterior motives, this world might not have any peaceful days. I don't want to suddenly lose power and internet in the middle of a game one day."
"That answer is quite typical of you."
"Thank you for the compliment. Young man, you should have someone known to this lady come and retrieve this book. Until then, we will keep it for safekeeping, if that's acceptable?"
...Happy New Year, everyone!