"Mast... I mean, Wise, if possible, I'd like to go see my grandpa..."
Wise blinked in surprise at her words. Odette was asking for his permission, and Odile, standing beside her, nodded in agreement.
The two sisters desperately wanted to see their only remaining relative. Still, worried that their visit might cause trouble for him, they decided to ask for permission first.
Wise agreed without hesitation.
As for whether bringing the two of them outside would attract attention from anyone he knew, there was really nothing to worry about.
The sisters had been out of the public eye for years, and the new ability he had recently obtained could handle the rest.
[Fully Captured Targets: Odile and Odette]
[Reward Generated ⭢ Not even the Ethereal are spared (S): Gain a Hollow-like environmental space that can freely take in or release subjugated Ethereal.]
[Note: Because it is a Hollow environment with extremely high Ether concentration, Ethereal entering it will recover quickly.]
It appeared that because the two sisters were essentially a single existence, he could only obtain one skill.
Wise found that perfectly acceptable. After all, when he had acted on one of them before, at a certain point, the other would experience it as well.
"Belle, we're heading out."
Afterward, Wise and Ellen walked out of the video store together, while the twin sisters temporarily entered the portable Hollow.
The sisters' outfits were too eye-catching, and they couldn't use Ether energy to change into different clothes.
So they would have to buy new ones later. Belle's clothes probably wouldn't fit the sisters very well anyway. That was a conclusion Wise had reached after personally measuring them.
Not long after the two left the video store, Ellen took his hand while pretending nothing had happened.
Seeing this, Wise couldn't help but smile. They had already progressed that far, yet she was still shy about holding hands.
What a cute little shark.
He wondered what Ellen would do if she knew two spectators were watching the scene.
"Sister, are they on a date?" Odette asked excitedly as she watched the intimate scene between Wise and Ellen.
Exactly. This space gave them a view of the outside world, though Wise only realized it after the sisters mentioned it.
Upon hearing her younger sister's question, Odile gave an uncertain nod.
"Probably?"
"Wow... A date? I've never done that before. Sister, should we ask Wise to take us on one sometime?"
Odette turned to Odile beside her, but her sister shook her head in response.
"I don't think that's necessary. From what I understand, the ultimate goal of a date is what happened last night. Instead of going through all those troublesome steps, it's better to skip straight to the end."
Listening to her sister's calm reasoning, Odette couldn't help but fall silent.
It did make sense. She only wanted to try dating because it sounded new and interesting, but right now, the most novel, interesting, and happiest thing was... well, she'd follow her sister's lead.
If she ever got tired of it, she could think about trying a date later.
While they chatted, Wise and Ellen had already arrived at the address Fairy had found for them.
At that moment, the sisters' expressions suddenly sharpened. Looking at the familiar scene on the screen, they felt a slight jolt in their minds, as if something long forgotten was resurfacing.
"Go left. I think it was to the left."
Wise had noticed their reaction, so he followed their guidance. Soon, they arrived in front of a house. According to the address and the sisters' memories, this should be the place.
Wise stepped forward and pressed the doorbell. The house looked old, but everything was wiped spotlessly clean. After he pressed it, a long moment passed with no response.
The old man was probably still out working to repay his debts. That made things a little troublesome. With no other choice, the two of them could only wait outside.
Fortunately, luck was on their side, and the sisters' grandfather returned shortly afterward.
Inside the space, Odile and Odette stared at their grandfather's weathered face on the screen, their hearts filling with guilt and pain.
"Ah, who are you? Is there something you need from an old man like me? If you're here for money, didn't I already pay it back a few days ago?"
Old Rhodes didn't recognize Wise or Ellen, so he instinctively assumed they were debt collectors sent by the agency.
His words left the sisters inside the space slightly stunned.
'Repay money? What money?'
"No, you've misunderstood, Grandpa Rhodes. We're friends of Odile and Odette," Wise said quickly, hoping to clear up the confusion.
Hearing this, Rhodes felt both puzzled and wary. He didn't remember his two granddaughters ever mentioning these friends.
More importantly, why would they appear now, after his granddaughters had been missing for several years?
Despite his doubts, Rhodes still opened the door and invited Wise and Ellen inside.
What puzzled him, however, was that only Wise stepped in while Ellen remained by the door, closing it behind her.
"You two are..."
Before Rhodes could finish speaking, Wise released the two sisters, who were already too excited to keep waiting.
Seeing this, Rhodes froze instantly. He stared at his two granddaughters in disbelief, his mouth slightly open, his body trembling faintly.
He wanted to step forward, but he feared it might only be a dream, that the moment he touched them, everything would disappear. So he didn't dare move, choosing instead to look at them for just a little longer.
"Grandpa!" the sisters cried in unison as they stepped forward, tears streaming down their faces.
That single cry, along with the warmth of the sisters grasping his hands, made Rhodes realize that this was not a dream, but reality.
Only Rhodes himself knew how happy and excited he felt in that moment.
His granddaughters had returned safely. This was a scene he had imagined through countless days and nights, and now it had finally come true.
Wise quietly watched until the three of them had calmed down a little. Only then did Rhodes walk over to him.
"Young man, your name is Wise, right? Thank you for saving my two granddaughters," Rhodes spoke with sincere gratitude.
"You're welcome, Grandpa. Odile and Odette are worth saving," Wise replied, glancing at the two sisters beside him.
When their eyes met his, their faces instantly flushed, and they lowered their heads shyly.
At Rhodes' age, after experiencing so much in life, he understood what was happening the moment he saw that scene.
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original - Patreon Only Until It Reaches 30 Chapters)
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