n

n

n

nJohn’s office, around the same time as the girls left to go shopping at the mall in Roppongi Hills.

nThe newly hired CFO and COO were seated around a makeshift table with their laptops, running through their boss’s business and personal affairs to make sure things were settled.

nBai Hu ran his left hand through his white hair as he stared at the tax information on his laptop screen. “This bastard… Did he not read ANY of this country’s rules?”

nQing Long sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The former Azure Dragon closed his eyes and said, “Do not even get me started on the situation with both his and his daughter’s identities. It’s a miracle that the local officials haven’t looked into it and brought Master John in for questioning yet.”

nBai Hu groaned and then closed his laptop screen, shaking his fingers. “And why are these tools so primitive? Having to click so many buttons for a single message… Why hasn’t that lazy bastard made something more efficient yet?”

nQing Long materialized a cup of tea and then leaned back to take a sip. “Perhaps because that would dramatically impact this world’s development? They *are* mortals who lack any spiritual energy.”

nBai Hu scoffed. “If he was *that* concerned about it, he shouldn’t have created the system that his ‘idols’ are using at the moment. Do you know how many international patents I had to file because that bastard forgot about them?”

n“It’s Master John, Bai.”

n“I’ll call him a bastard if I want, Qing. A careless guy like that who always has things go right deserves to be called a bast-“

n“Oh, Master John.” Qing Long tilted his head, looking behind Bai Hu. “I didn’t realize you were back yet.”

nBai Hu froze and immediately put on a smile, bowing his head. “M-Master John! Welcome… Back? Eh?” He blinked when he realized no one was there.

nQing Long chuckled and took a sip from his tea.

n“You bastard!” Bai Hu lunged at him, trying to grab Qing’s neck. “I’ll strangle you, you damned snake!”

nQing Long stood up, easily dancing around Bai with some footwork, and then stopped in front of his laptop, reading the information on it.

nBai Hu straightened and then turned to look as well. “Hm? A family registry?”

nVarious government websites from around the world were open on Qing Long’s screen, and in different languages as well. English, Mandarin, Korean, French, German… Not only that, but they were the private and interior servers that should only be able to be modified on-site.

nQing Long sipped his tea and nodded. “That’s correct.” He sighed and said, “That idiot- I mean, Master John forgot to lay a proper trail of identities for everyone here, so I made sure to fabricate it for him. Like this, even an expert in this field would find it difficult to detect a flaw.”

nBai Hu stared at the screen, his eyes crossing over as he tried to make sense of it all. And then he shook his head and said, “You really are a slippery snake, Qing. Are you sure that you’re really a dragon?”

n“And are you sure that you aren’t some lazy cat picked up by an immortal in his youth rather than the real white tiger?” Qing Long gave him a sharp glare and said, “Skipping out on your work like this… Master John will be upset, you know.”

nBai Hu smirked. “Heh. Unlike you, *I’m* efficient. Everything’s sorted out, down from the company funds to that bas- Master John’s personal finances. I even laid out a proper trail and accounts for everyone in his family.” He paused. “And that bastard really is weird. Treating his automatons like his daughters… Well, they *are* fairly precious, so-“

n“Ah. Welcome back, Master John.”

nBai Hu chuckled and looked at Qing Long. “You won’t fool me again you snake.”

n“What was that about my daughters, Little Bai?”

nBai Hu froze and stiffly craned his head back.

nA man with golden hair and glimmering jade-green eyes stood behind him. John. His suit was slightly scuffed, like a horde of people had grabbed onto it, ripped in some places and creased in others. He also looked extremely irritated, his left eye twitching as he stared at Bai Hu.

nBai Hu cleared his throat. “Nothing, Master John. Only that you truly are the paragon of excellence for having such beautiful and talented daughters.”

n“Uh-huh.” John nodded. “Then I’m sure you don’t mind if I rip your eyes out for staring at them long enough to determine that, do you?”

nBai Hu froze, sweat pouring down his back.

nQing Long set his tea cup down and flicked his sleeve, causing another cup and a kettle to appear on the table. Picking those up, he poured some fresh tea into the cup and looked to John. “You appear stressed, Master John. Would you like some Spirit Essence Tea?”

nJohn stared at Bai Hu for a while longer and then let out a sigh. “…Sorry Bai. I’m pretty pissed off from a certain bastard messing with me the entire way back from the interview.” He glared at the sky, letting out towering killing intent.

nBai flinched, but then sighed, realizing it wasn’t focused on him.

nJohn narrowed his eyes, muttering, “You’re stopping now, huh? Hmph. You’d better.” He shook his head and then turned towards Qing Long. “Tea would be nice.”

n“Here you are.”

nJohn took the offered cup with a nod. After a long sip from the hot liquid, he let out a sigh, visibly relaxing. “…Dammit. Next time we have a press interview, I’m sending one of you guys instead. Those female otakus are really way too shameless.” He flicked his wrist, swapping out his ruined suit for a casual black t-shirt and jeans before walking back to his desk. Sitting back down, he kicked his feet up and said, “So. How’d the paperwork go? Any issues?”

nBai Hu glanced at Qing Long.

nQing Long looked away, idly whistling.

n“You bastard…”

n“What was that?”

nBai Hu sighed. “Nothing, Master John. Now, as for your business and personal affairs… You see…”

n—–AI|IA—–

nAsako got out of the black BMW and turned back to look at the other girls.

nBeta stepped out from the driver’s seat. Her crimson hair rippled behind her in a cascade, almost like a shampoo model in a commercial. No, like a real model.

nA chic pink scarf and a beige sweater. Black pants that hugged her legs, paired with furry boots that matched her sweatshirt. A Guchi purse tucked under her left arm and leopard-print Harmony sunglasses that covered her eyes… it was an outfit that probably cost more than the combined total of all the clothes that Asako had ever bought.

nIt was almost enough to make Asako want to call Beta a Daddy’s Girl as well. After all, for someone her age to have such expensive items, either it was her father’s money or she had a sugar daddy paying for her.

nExcept that Asako knew better than that, so she simply accepted it as fact that Beta paid for her outfit out of her personal account.

nNext to exit the car was Alpha.

nUnlike the intimidatingly expensive and fashionable outfit Beta wore, Alpha was wearing something cheap and cute.

nBlue jeans, sneakers, an oversized black and white sweater with a panda hood, a plain black backpack… it was an outfit better suited for a child than someone like her. Yet, contrasting with her beautiful facial features, it created a gap that drew the eye as much as Beta’s outfit.

nAnd the last to leave the car was Rin. However, despite being the youngest, she was wearing a reasonable and mature outfit. A light gray long coat, a white wool turtleneck sweater, blue jeans and tall gray boots. She also had a purse tucked under her left arm as well.

nSeeing everyone dressed up made Asako self-conscious about her own choice of attire.

nA black Nikey’s sweatshirt, black Nikey’s sweatpants, black Nikey’s sneakers… even a black Nikey’s sports bag that she was planning to use to carry some things in lieu of a purse.

n…Maybe she should buy some more clothes as well on this shopping trip?

nRin closed the door behind her and then looked up at the shopping mall. “Wow! I didn’t realize that it was that tall!” She glanced at Beta and said, “Is this really the place, Eldest Sister?”

nBeta pulled out her car key from her purse and locked the car. After that, she put them away answered Rin’s question. “It is indeed. A bit foolhardy in my opinion to place so many stores and goods within such a fragile building, but it does hold a certain charm to it.”

nAsako blinked and said, “Fragile?”

nBeta nodded and shifted her gaze towards Alpha. “Yes. Fragile. And a place prone to incidents that my dear Eldest Sister may cause…”

nAlpha flushed. “That was ONE time! And it won’t happen again!”

n“I am just saying…”

n“It won’t! Promise! Besides, it’s not like anyone’s going to be stupid enough to try and start something.”

nBeta sighed, adjusting her sunglasses. “You underestimate yourself, Eldest Sister.”

nAlpha blinked. “Hm?”

nBeta glanced at Alpha. Then at Rin. And finally, she settled her gaze on Asako and said, “Miss Asako. I will be relying on you in the event certain… undesirables appear. You understand?”

nYou’re the one who’s going to be the problem!

n…Is what Asako wanted to say. But she knew better to argue back against Beta after last time. Also, the thought of some creep coming up to either Rin or Alpha *did* bother her.

nAsako cracked her neck and then nodded. “Leave it to me, Miss Beta. I’ve got some experience turning away some pushy as-” She cut herself off, remembering Rin was there, and said, “…Jerks. I’ve got experience handling pushy jerks.”

n“Good.” Beta nodded and then turned towards the glass sliding door entrance of the mall. “Then… Shall we, girls?”

n“Let’s go!” Rin pumped a fist in the air, smiling.

nAlpha pulled her hood up and muttered, “I hope there won’t be too many people staring at us. I don’t want to cause Papa trouble again…”

nAsako snorted.

nTrouble? For that guy?

nIf he wanted to avoid it, maybe he shouldn’t have been so damned handsome and had such beautiful daughters.

nTucking her hands into her sweatshirt pockets, Asako followed after the others, taking up the rear as the group entered the mall.

nNow… There should be a book store or two with Inertial D’s collector set, right?

n_________

n