“Will you please tell me why you’re here, Mr. Chairman?” Aya Tone opened the door, expressionless.
Yes, it was her—the landlady, Fire Finch, the boss of this building!
After sending Li Jia away, Fire Finch left for the day with her bag in hand.
Despite being the chairman, Fire Finch was barely involved in the day-to-day operations of the Vermilion Bird Guild. It was the veteran employees who kept everything running smoothly.
Her role, you might say, was to act as a warrior when needed and a mascot when not. That was about it.
When Fire Finch first awakened her Vermilion Bird abilities, the young her couldn’t manage such a large guild. It was the veteran employees who stepped in to handle the management.
Over time, Fire Finch grew accustomed to this arrangement, and even now, with her skills fully developed, she maintained the same operational style. As she put it, ‘I’ve been a waste for years, so why stop now?’ She preferred to lie around than work.
‘Don’t act so unwelcoming,’ Fire Finch said, patting Aya Tone’s shoulder as she walked right in, making herself at home. ‘Remember, I’m your boss!’
She headed straight for the fridge, where she helped herself to a bowl of grapes. ‘Go ahead, treat this place like your own,’ she said with a smile.
Aya Tone watched as Fire Finch settled onto the couch, taking charge. Damn, he clenched his fist, then immediately relaxed. He heard Fire Finch casually mention, ‘About this month’s rent…’
It was a casual remark, but he knew it was all part of her plan. Shit! Aya Tone nervously checked his phone, pretending to reply to a message, and quietly looked at his balance…
He had just spent a large sum, and now his balance was…
Aya Tone glanced at the amount displayed: 2330.00.
f*ck! He couldn’t afford a single meal at that price. But seeing the number, he felt a surge of confidence. (It wasn’t a decimal, no!)
‘We’ll talk about it later,’ he said, closing his phone and avoiding the issue. If possible, he wanted to avoid owing money. Being debt-free was the best feeling.
But! This was an emergency, and emergencies require extreme measures!
Aya Tone plopped down next to Fire Finch and started stuffing grapes into his mouth. These were special grapes he had bought, and he couldn’t let Fire Finch eat them all.
Fire Finch watched Aya Tone’s childish antics with amusement. Due to the influence of her magical girl status, Aya Tone, despite being a man, had a youthful appearance. Even though he was twenty-five, he looked like a high school student. He was the type who was open and charming, and without the stress of work, his natural charisma shone through.
‘Not bad, not bad…’ Fire Finch subtly licked her dry lips.
‘Ah!’ Aya Tone shivered involuntarily. Swallowing the grape, he slowly asked, ‘Did you come here about the situation in the capital?’
In his mind, Fire Finch wouldn’t visit when Xiao Jiu wasn’t home unless she had business to discuss. This visit was likely about a task.
The southern region, with Aya Tone there, remained stable for long periods. There was nothing to worry about there. The eastern and western regions also had enough manpower, so no issues there either.
So, it must be the northern region… And the warning he saw on the website made it clear.
‘You know, don’t you?’ Fire Finch wasn’t surprised. The appearance of the tide in the northern region couldn’t be kept secret, and for someone of Aya Tone’s S-rank, finding the source wasn’t a challenge. Besides, it wouldn’t be long before the official announcement.
‘So, what’s the plan?’ Aya Tone asked, already knowing the answer. If possible, he didn’t want to go on a business trip.
Fire Finch didn’t hesitate and shared Bai Xiao’s request. ‘This assignment…’
Just as she was thinking about how to entice Aya Tone, he interrupted her. ‘I’ll do it!’
‘What? You’re not joking, are you?’ Fire Finch’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the man beside her. Did she hear that right? Was this a hallucination? Damn it! How did this happen so quickly?
‘Don’t be so surprised,’ Aya Tone said with a smirk. When it came to important matters, he had his priorities straight. Although his soul didn’t belong to this world, the benefits he received from Z-country were real. He couldn’t forget his gratitude.
It was just a matter of tackling an S-rank mission, something he had done before. It was just a bit more challenging, that’s all.
‘What about Xiao Jiu?’ Fire Finch still couldn’t believe that Aya Tone, a devoted father, would leave Xiao Jiu for so long.
‘Could you please take care of Xiao Jiu?’ Aya Tone asked. He couldn’t take Xiao Jiu with him; the area affected by the tide was too dangerous. And in the capital, he didn’t know anyone he could trust to watch over Xiao Jiu. Entering an S-rank mission was like stepping into another world. He couldn’t leave Xiao Jiu alone with Bai Xiao; he needed someone reliable by her side. And Fire Finch was the perfect choice. She was available and familiar with Xiao Jiu.
‘Me?’ Fire Finch paused, then pointed at herself. She had never babysat before; her specialty was making other people’s kids cry, not comforting them. If she had to take care of Xiao Jiu…
Fire Finch swallowed hard.
‘Don’t worry, with Bai Xiao around, you won’t have to watch her all the time,’ Aya Tone said, rolling his eyes. At her age, she should be able to handle a child, or at least be better than him, a single father.
‘Bullshit!’ Fire Finch, ever competitive, asserted, ‘It’s just watching Xiao Jiu, right? Leave it to me!’
Of course, she could run a guild, so she was confident she could handle Xiao Jiu.
Aya Tone chuckled internally: Mission accomplished!
‘When do I leave?’ The website indicated that the S-rank mission would appear within a week, but this was only an estimate based on the tide’s fluctuations, not a precise time. It could happen tomorrow or even a month from now.
‘As soon as possible!’
…
Night fell.
Xiao Jiu, upon hearing that her father had to leave for work and might be gone for a long time, stayed quietly cuddled in Aya Tone’s arms. She didn’t speak, just lay there.
But her trembling body betrayed her emotions. Aya Tone didn’t say anything; he just gently stroked Xiao Jiu’s back, holding her close. This was the first time they would be apart. Truthfully, Aya Tone wasn’t sure how to console her; he was just as reluctant to leave. But he had to go…
The father and daughter remained silent, holding each other tightly.
****