With the matter of the Tethys System temporarily settled, Zane finally got some rare time to rest again.
The Doctor and Stelle were dragged off by Rover to handle affairs on the Black Shores, but Zane always felt that Rover had some other plan in mind by pulling the two of them along.
But none of that really had much to do with Zane. Right now, he had something more important to do.
"Little Encore, your big brother here has a really good story. Wanna hear it? If you do, then offer up your most, most, most precious..."
Before Zane could finish, Aalto, the guardian at his side, directly sent a flying kick into Zane's butt.
"You pervert, so you've finally made a move on Encore!"
Zane clutched his butt and scrambled up from the ground, baring his teeth and pouncing toward Aalto.
"You little white-haired brat, mind your own business! Encore hasn't even said anything yet! I haven't even said anything, and you're already slandering me like that!"
Seeing this, the sound mark on the left side of Aalto's neck flashed, instantly turning into a cloud of mist to dodge Zane's flying kick.
"Who are you calling a little white-haired brat!?"
The mist quickly reformed behind Zane, but Zane seemed to have expected it. He spun around and lunged at Aalto again.
Aalto had just used his Resonance ability and had no strength left to dodge. He was immediately tackled to the ground by Zane.
"Let go of me! Or I'll go complain to Rover."
Even though Aalto was threatening him, given that he was pinned under Zane right now, the threat sounded more bluff than substance.
Hearing that, Zane instantly got annoyed. 'If I couldn't beat you, fine, go complain to Rover. But if I can beat you, why would I give you the chance to complain?'
No way, no way, is there really a winning side that still has to cede land and pay compensation? That's just pathetic.
Just as Zane was about to go all out and make Aalto cough up everything, a dark red vine suddenly shot in from the side, wrapping the two of them up like a rice dumpling and hanging them from a tree.
Seeing who had arrived, the bow on Encore's head bounced slightly.
"Ah, it's Sister Cameliya. Good morning, Sister Cameliya."
"Good morning, little one."
Cameliya smiled and waved at Encore.
Although she had no interest in the weak, Encore's strength seemed far beyond her expectations. She was willing to wait until Encore became stronger, and then have a proper, fierce fight with her.
"Sister Cameliya, why did you hang Aalto and Brother Zane up?"
Hearing that, Cameliya's lips curled slightly, like a thorny rose...beautiful, enchanting, yet extremely dangerous.
"Because the two of them are really being disgraceful."
"Exactly, exactly." Encore stomped her foot angrily, her slightly chubby baby face puffing up high, while the Black Mie beside her flailed and flew into the air. "Obviously Encore is the main character. Why are they fighting each other?"
"Black Mie, it's not polite to talk like that."
Little Encore jumped a couple of times before, together with White Mie, pulling the flying Black Mie back into her arms.
Looking at the cute child trying to act mature, Cameliya gently shook her head.
"Little Encore, that's not what I mean. What I mean is, they're fighting without weapons. How boring is that?"
Hearing this, Zane, who was hanging together with Aalto, immediately felt something was wrong. Who knew what this crazy woman was about to do next.
And just as Zane expected, Cameliya narrowed her eyes slightly and tempted Encore.
"Little Encore, let me tell you a story."
The moment she heard there was a story, Encore instantly perked up, immediately forgetting that two people were still hanging upside down from the tree.
"Once upon a time, there was a princess. She had a beautiful garden. But one day, two bad guys broke into the garden. They caused trouble everywhere and ruined many beautiful flowers."
"Huh? Those two bad guys are awful! Encore and Black Mie will teach them a lesson." Under Zane's horrified gaze, Encore waved the Black Mie in her hand.
Cameliya glanced faintly at Zane, who had already started struggling frantically, her rose-colored lips curving slightly. As expected of the 'Gardener,' quite perceptive.
"So at this moment, Warrior Encore will appear and teach those two white-haired bad guys a harsh lesson."
As she spoke, she raised her eyebrows meaningfully toward the two hanging from the tree.
Encore understood instantly. "Encore gets it. Right now, Aalto and Brother Zane are pretending to be bad guys, so Warrior Encore has to defeat them and protect the garden."
"Exactly." Seeing Encore fully immersed in the story, Cameliya let out a soft laugh. The next second, her brows lifted, and the vine binding Zane lost control.
Looking up at the tree, Zane's figure was already gone.
...Now this is the 'Gardener.' Don't disappoint me.
Looking back at Encore, she had already started running toward Zane and Aalto together with Black Mie and White Mie.
"Big demon king, surrender your...uh… what was it again?"
"That's 'surrender without resistance,'" Zane reminded her even while running for his life.
"Forget it, man, just run. If Encore catches up to us, we're both doomed."
Zane didn't agree with Aalto.
"No, Aalto, I don't need to run faster than Encore."
"What do you mean?" Aalto took a long breath, glancing sideways as Zane got closer and closer.
Zane gave a wicked smile and grabbed Aalto by the waistband. "It means...as long as I run faster than you, that's enough!"
As his words fell, a huge force came from Aalto's waistband. Before he could even scream, he was lifted up and thrown toward Encore behind them.
"Encore, watch your head."
"Okay, Brother Zane."
At this moment, Aalto, face-down on the ground, slowly typed a "?" in his mind.
No matter how hard he thought, Aalto couldn't guess that everything he went through today was just because Zane wanted to trick...uh, wanted to get Encore's lollipop.
As for what happened next, Zane didn't care. Don't be fooled by how much Encore liked stories and playing. She was still a proper honorary member of the Black Shores.
She would definitely know her limits.
As for Black Mie…
What does Black Mie beating people have to do with me, Zane?
After successfully shaking off the pursuit, Zane returned to the entrance of the flower house and immediately saw that figure sitting on a vine, swinging like on a swing.
Honestly, he didn't have any good way to deal with this kind of fun-seeker.
"It looks like Encore still needs to keep growing before she becomes interesting."
The girl, like a blooming flower, swayed back and forth on the red vine. Her legs, wrapped in white stockings like a gymnast's outfit, traced a graceful arc in the air.
A blazing, flamboyant red gradually spread, wrapping around her soft, delicate body beneath her white dress, curving into a shape that was alluring yet extremely dangerous.
"Go on, what do you want with me?"
Looking at Zane's certain gaze below, it was Cameliya's turn to be surprised.
"How did you..." Before she could finish, Zane waved his hand.
"Since I'm the 'Gardener,' I can sense the state of the flowers to some extent."
He had a feeling that the girl before him, as radiant as a spring blossom, wouldn't take the initiative to look for anyone unless absolutely necessary.
Of course, that didn't include when she was looking for fun.