At noon the next day, Exusiai groggily sat up from her bed. Clutching her slightly aching forehead, she opened her eyes and began to observe her room.
She noticed that all the clutter she had habitually tossed on the floor and the items she had left scattered everywhere had been transformed from their usual chaotic state into a perfectly tidy arrangement, each sitting exactly where it belonged.
"Wow! Have I run into the 'Snail Girl' from Yan myths? To think that waking up to a tidy room is something that could actually happen!"
Just as Exusiai excitedly wanted to share this miracle with the others, a towel suddenly smacked her in the face, followed by the somewhat dissatisfied voice of Lemuen.
"What 'Snail Girl'? It's your sister!"
Exusiai blinked and saw her sister walking out of the washroom holding cleaning tools. Lemuen hadn't expected that after she had worked hard all morning, this child would open her eyes and immediately start looking for a fairy tale.
"Ah, right. I suddenly forgot for a second that you were here. I just woke up, so I'm still a bit dazed..."
Seeing her sister, Exusiai scratched her head sheepishly. At the same time, her brain shifted into high gear, trying to find a topic to divert attention.
"Sister, do you have nothing to do today? How about I go out and accompany you and your friend for a stroll! I'm pretty familiar with Lungmen!"
"You wait a moment today! It just so happens that Jeanne went out, so you'd better help me finish cleaning the room first. In a bit, I'll show you something good. I reckon you won't even want to step out the door once you see it."
This left Exusiai feeling confused. What could possibly exist that would make her love it so much she wouldn't want to go out? Was her sister underestimating her current self? She could already save up money to buy things she liked! Although the price of a gun was still quite expensive for her, as long as she worked hard to save, her dreams would come true!
"Sister, you really underestimate me. I can already buy the things I want myself! That hobby of yours from when we were 'little'—holding up a gun for me to see just to enjoy the look of longing on my face—you'll never be able to pull that off again!"
Exusiai puffed out her chest, looking at her sister with a face full of pride. She was no longer that child who pestered her sister for guns; she wouldn't be influenced by her anymore.
"Are you sure? When you see it in a bit, you'd better be a woman of your word. Don't regret what you just said."
Looking at the proud Exusiai in front of her, Lemuen wore a meaningful smile and spoke in a challenging tone. She knew very well the attraction her "treasure" held for her sister. It was almost impossible that Exusiai wouldn't make a scene. She had been looking forward to seeing her sister's expression ever since she knew she was coming to Lungmen.
"Of... of course. What I, Exusiai, say, I can definitely do!"
Seeing her sister's expression, Exusiai felt a bit panicked. Her intuition told her this was definitely not going to be simple. But for the sake of her pride, she stubbornly agreed. However, a glimmer of curiosity appeared in her eyes, wanting to know what kind of "medicine" Lemuen was selling in her gourd.
Outside, Texas and Croissant were sitting and eating lunch when they suddenly heard a burst of shouting from Exusiai's room. The sudden noise gave them both a start.
When the two of them rushed to the room and peeked through the crack in the door, they found Exusiai with stars in her eyes, pouncing on her sister, her hands constantly trying to grab a gun held in Lemuen's hand.
"Waaaaah! Where did you get this thing?! Isn't this completely unavailable for private purchase? Quick, let me see! Is this a gift for me..."
Exusiai's eyes were fixed on that beautiful revolver in Lemuen's hand, as if she were seeing a long-dreamed-of idol; she was completely unable to control her excitement. Anyone who loved guns could not refuse a revolver placed right in front of them. Even a model would be hard to turn down, let alone a genuine revolver appearing before her eyes.
Exusiai couldn't even remember how many revolver models she had bought when she was 'little'. Sometimes she had to save her allowance for a long time, yet the moment she held one, she was still extraordinarily excited.
"Didn't you say you already have everything you want? That my old tricks are outdated for the current 'Lemuel' and can't move your heart anymore..."
Lemuen watched Exusiai jumping around in front of her, trying to snatch the revolver, and her heart filled with countless feelings of amusement.
As for the current Exusiai, only that revolver remained in her eyes. it was like a giant magnet, pinning her gaze so firmly she couldn't escape its attraction. If a human trafficker showed up right now holding a revolver, they might actually be able to lure her away. They could use it as bait to lead her for miles, only for her to enter a secluded corner and pull off a counter-kill.
"What is that? It looks like a gun, but I've never seen that kind before. It looks so strange."
Croissant watched the weapon that had captured all of Exusiai's attention and muttered to herself in confusion. Living with Exusiai for so long, even if she didn't care about guns, she had gained some understanding of these weapons under the influence of that firearm fanatic.
But the gun before her looked very strange at first glance. Why did it have so many barrels? Was that even necessary? Usually, isn't there just one barrel?
"Don't worry about that kind of thing! Just let me have a good look at it, please, Sister~"
Seeing that her attempts to snatch it while her sister dodged were ineffective, Exusiai changed her strategy and began acting spoiled toward Lemuen.
Lemuen had heard this enough that she didn't feel much, but the sickly-sweet tone made the two people outside get goosebumps, feeling incredibly awkward.
"I didn't think Exusiai had a side like this... truly an eye-opener. Hey, Texas, where are you going!"
Croissant noticed Texas beside her had turned to go back and quickly asked about her plan.
"Eating."
Texas was relieved to see that Exusiai was fine. She had thought Exusiai had fallen out of bed after waking up or knocked over a cabinet and pinned herself while getting up. Now that she knew the situation, she didn't plan on eavesdropping on their private business. She'd rather go out in a bit and buy some Pocky; her "smoking" habit had been acting up lately, and she was eating them faster than usual.
Seeing this, Croissant stopped peeking and went back to eat lunch. However, the small sound of the door closing caught Lemuen's attention. With a momentary lapse in concentration, the revolver was snatched away by Exusiai.
At this moment, Exusiai was like a Feline beast, her movements exceptionally agile. In a couple of leaps, she scrambled to the side, her eyes literally turning into sparkling stars.
"But how did you actually get it? This is a prohibited weapon! I used to want to find a chance to sneakily grab one, but then I thought about those Notarial Knights and gave up."
Exusiai investigated her "dream" currently held in her hands while curiously asking about the weapon's origin. She was also very curious: what could possibly cause the Laterano Church to give her sister a revolver as a weapon? Had her sister taken on some especially difficult mission?
"Naturally, it was issued by the Church. You think everyone is like you, daring to do anything? Don't worry, it's not a dangerous mission; I'm just responsible for protecting Jeanne's safety."
Lemuen couldn't help but chuckle at Exusiai's appearance. You actually thought about stealing a revolver! No wonder Mom and Dad locked you in the house back then.
"Jeanne? Does she have some special identity? You didn't mention it yesterday."
Exusiai was naturally curious about Jeanne's true identity, but remembering that her sister hadn't introduced her formally last night, she was smart enough to stop prying too directly.
"You want to know? Lean in, I'll tell you."
Lemuen looked at Exusiai, a mysterious expression returning to her face. Though confused, Exusiai obediently leaned in.
"Actually, Jeanne is the found Saintess. I am responsible for her safety!"
Hearing her sister's words, Exusiai didn't react for a moment. It took a long time for her to realize what her sister meant.
"Jeanne is the Saintess? For real? Does she allow people to take photos? If I take a photo, those eight guns will be right within reach..."
For a moment, Exusiai was so shocked by the news she just sat there giggling, various questions flashing through her mind. She then turned to her sister and probed:
"Does Jeanne need more guards? I can apply for leave and take a part-time job right now! I can handle all my own expenses; I just need you to issue me a revolver too."
Looking at the excited Exusiai, Lemuen smiled and stroked her forehead, then her words turned into a bucket of cold water poured over her head.
"What kind of beautiful dream are you having? You'd better stay here and work honestly! Giving you a revolver? If your sister didn't have a 'miraculous skeletal structure,' even I might not have been able to get this assignment!"
That was natural. A job where one person could earn three salaries without needing to work overtime was incredibly relaxing. Who wouldn't want a job like that to fall into their hands?
"Eh, didn't you say Jeanne went out? Then why didn't you follow her? Aren't you the bodyguard responsible for her safety?"
Exusiai suddenly remembered hearing that Jeanne had gone out today. Why hadn't her sister followed? Was it a special leave just to take care of her?
"She said she was going out for a bit and that it would be too conspicuous if I followed. Besides, she confirmed there would be no danger. Since you drank too much yesterday anyway, she treated it as giving me a day off to look after you."