Nekomata, unfazed by Billy's complaint, replied seriously, "You just don't get it. I checked the forum last night and read a post from another Nekomata. They said taking fish out for walks helps them grow faster. Supposedly, they can become big fish in less than a month."
Billy was speechless.
"…"
Who still believes anything from that forum?
It's full of scammers and bots—Billy had stopped taking it seriously a long time ago.
He sighed.
"I've got a better idea. If you want that mackerel fry to grow faster, just leave it alone. Seeing a cat circling it every day? That fish is probably scared out of its mind. There's no way it can grow in peace…"
Anby nodded in agreement.
"Scientifically speaking, Billy's got a point."
Nekomata paused, thoughtful.
"...That does kind of make sense."
Under normal circumstances, Nekomata was too clever to fall for online nonsense.
But she'd been so desperate to see her little bluefish grow that she let her obsession cloud her judgment—and actually believed something from the forum.
Realizing this, Nekomata hurriedly carried the fish tank back to her room.
Just then, Nicole strolled over with a smile.
"How about it, Sam Li? Any commissions today?"
She'd earned quite a few Dennies recently and was in a great mood.
Sam Li slowly shook his head.
"No, no clients yet."
Nicole chuckled.
"No worries. Treat today like a day off. Good chance to relax."
By now, it was already noon.
Nekomata piped up eagerly,
"Nicole, what's for lunch today? Should we send Anby to get some burgers, or go out for ramen?"
At the mention of burgers, Nicole frowned slightly.
They'd had burgers several days in a row—she was sick of them.
"Come on, I'll take you all to Lumina Square for some ramen."
They were just about to head out when...
A voice full of impatience called out from the door.
"Guess I picked a bad time. I've got a commission—are you still open?"
The whole team turned to look.
Standing in the doorway was a girl dressed in a white blouse and short skirt, black stockings, and polished leather shoes. Her outfit screamed school uniform.
She looked vaguely familiar, but no one could quite place her.
Billy squinted.
"Who's that…?"
Nicole didn't care who she was. As long as she had a request, she was a client.
"Of course we're open. Come in—just tell us what you need."
She quickly stepped forward to greet the girl warmly.
Once she stepped inside, they noticed the large shark tail trailing behind her—and the clear impatience on her face.
In that instant, it clicked.
Wasn't this Ellen, the maid from Victoria Housekeeping Co.?
She'd changed out of her maid uniform and into schoolwear, which made her hard to recognize at first glance.
Nicole couldn't help but grin.
A big client—last time they earned a million Dennies from her. This time would likely be another huge payday.
Once Ellen stepped into the agency, Nicole eagerly asked,
"Miss Shark, what's your commission?"
Ellen frowned slightly.
"My name is Ellen Joe."
Nicole quickly corrected herself.
"Miss Ellen, please tell us your request. Hare's House will do everything we can to assist."
Knowing how high-end Victoria Housekeeping was, Nicole deliberately struck a gentlemanly pose she'd learned from movies—hoping to nudge that commission fee a little higher.
At the same time, she glanced over at Billy and signaled for him to pour a glass of water for their guest.
But Ellen clearly didn't care for any of that pomp.
She was here for something simple—just someone to attend a parent-teacher conference in her place.
Taking the glass of water from Billy, she took a sip, then calmly stated her request.
"School's got a parent-teacher conference tomorrow, along with some annoying outdoor activity. I'd like to hire someone to handle it for me…"
After hearing her out, Nicole, Billy, and Nekomata exchanged looks.
Seriously?
They'd thought it might be a major commission—turns out she just wanted help attending a parent-teacher meeting?
Did she really need to come to Hare's House for something this basic? Didn't Victoria Housekeeping have more than enough staff?
What they didn't know was that, for Ellen, parent-teacher conferences were a major headache.
Since she was offering a commission, Nicole certainly wasn't going to say no.
A simple task like this was a one-person job.
Nicole nodded seriously.
"Miss Ellen, take your pick. See who among us looks most like your guardian."
Ellen nodded and scanned the group.
Billy immediately struck a cool Star Knight pose.
Bringing a dashing combat robot to school? That'd definitely make a splash.
But—
Ellen shook her head.
"Robot freak, you're in my way. Move."
Billy froze, visibly wounded.
"…"
He was this handsome—how was that not school-appropriate?
Ellen turned her gaze to Anby. Too stiff—not suitable.
Then to Nekomata. Didn't like her. Just one glance and you could tell she wasn't the right fit. Teachers would see through it instantly.
Nicole? Too sneaky.
Finally, she landed on Sam Li.
Ellen remembered him from their last mission in the Imperial City Hollows.
That sharp spearmanship, graceful movements, and calm demeanor...
He'd be perfect to play the role of an older brother. No way the teachers would suspect anything. He'd handle it just fine.
Ellen raised an eyebrow and pointed at him.
"Sa… what was his name again?"
Nicole chuckled.
"Sam Li. He's our ace here at Hare's House. But just so you know—his commissions don't come cheap."
Ellen waved her hand, impatient.
"Is 500,000 Dennies enough?"
Nicole froze, eyes wide.
Five. Hundred. Thousand?
It wasn't that she thought it was too little—she just hadn't expected Ellen to offer so much.
For something as straightforward as a parent-teacher conference, Nicole figured 50,000 would already be generous.
But 500,000?
Victoria Housekeeping really was on another level. Ridiculously loaded.
Nicole was still standing there, stunned, when Ellen frowned slightly.
"The boss refused to give me an advance on this month's salary. I've only got 500,000 on me. If that's not enough, I'll go find another agency…"
Before she could finish, Nicole grabbed her hand.
"Don't go! We'll take the commission. Deal's done—no backing out."
Ellen nodded.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Right after, she pulled out a shark-shaped wallet and handed Nicole the full payment—no deposit, just the whole amount upfront.