Chapter : 405
:0:
Chapter : 405
"This place is terrible," Ken complained loudly. He stopped walking. He shook his right foot. A small pile of sand fell out of his cheap sandal. "There is sand absolutely everywhere. It is getting between my toes. It is incredibly itchy. I cannot stand this."
Naomi stopped walking. She turned around. She smiled a friendly smile. She walked back to him.
"Ken, we just got outside," Naomi said gently. She playfully bumped his arm again. "Stop complaining. We have to walk down the boardwalk to spy on the seafood restaurants. We need to listen to the local fishermen talk. We need to gather intelligence."
"I refuse to walk on the sand," Ken stated stubbornly. He pointed a lazy finger at the vast, sunny beach. "Look at it, Naomi. It is just a giant, uncomfortable litter box for the ocean. It is completely useless. Nothing grows in it. It just exists to ruin people's shoes. It is a terrible landscape."
Laxmi laughed out loud. "A giant litter box? You are so incredibly dramatic, Ken!"
"I am being very realistic," Ken argued. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He looked around the busy boardwalk.
Suddenly, his dark eyes locked onto a small, brightly painted wooden cart. The cart had a large picture of a pink ice cream cone painted on the side. A vendor in a striped shirt handed a massive, towering strawberry ice cream cone to a happy tourist.
Ken’s eyes lit up with pure, unfiltered joy. He completely forgot about the itchy sand. He totally forgot about the secret espionage mission. He completely derailed the entire tactical planning session in a single second.
"Oh my goodness," Ken announced happily. He pointed lazily at the cart. "Do you guys see that? That is a strawberry ice cream stand. We need to go over there right now. We must buy ice cream."
Sayma looked at the cart. She pushed her glasses up. "Ken, we are currently conducting a highly sensitive, covert investigation. We need to find the corrupt lords. We cannot stop for desserts. We need to focus."
"Yes, we can!" Ken insisted enthusiastically. He took a step toward the cart. He aggressively lobbied for the treat. "We have to blend in, right? Tourists eat ice cream. If we do not eat ice cream, people will definitely think we are spies. I am just trying to maintain our perfect cover story. I am being very tactical."
Zinia crossed her arms. She chuckled deeply. "You just want sugar, Ken. Do not pretend it is a smart tactical decision."
"It is a highly tactical decision," Ken declared proudly. He slouched his shoulders again. He looked directly at Princess Iris. "Princess, please. The seafood mystery can wait. Fish are incredibly boring. Ice cream is a masterpiece of culinary science. Let us abandon this mission entirely. Let us just buy massive cones of strawberry ice cream and go back to the hotel. It is a flawless plan."
Naomi rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling warmly. "We are not abandoning the mission, you slacker. We have a very important job to do. We need to find out why the fish prices are so ridiculously high."
"I can tell you exactly why the prices are high!" Ken guessed lazily. He waved his hand in the air. "The crabs probably formed a massive union. They are demanding better wages. It is a labor dispute in the ocean. The crabs are on strike. Mystery solved. Now, can we please go buy that massive cone of strawberry ice cream? The price on the sign is totally a scam, but I really want it."
---
The seaside gala was incredibly lavish. The corrupt local lords hosted the massive party in a grand ballroom right next to the ocean. Huge glass windows offered a perfect view of the dark water. Bright crystal chandeliers hung from the tall ceilings. They sparkled with warm magical light. Soft music played from a string quartet in the corner. Wealthy nobles walked around the room. They held tall glasses of expensive sparkling juice. They laughed and talked in small, exclusive groups.
The elite girls of the 13th Unit attended the party. They needed to blend into the high-society crowd. They wanted to quietly eavesdrop. They wanted to gather critical intelligence on the economic syndicates. They needed to find out why the seafood prices in the coastal city were so ridiculously high.
They traded their dark combat uniforms for stunning, highly elegant evening gowns.
Princess Iris wore a beautiful, flowing silver dress. The fabric shimmered exactly like moonlight on the ocean. She kept her posture perfectly straight. She looked like a true, confident ruler.
Sayma wore a polite, intelligent dark blue gown. The dress had long sleeves and a very neat collar. She pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. She looked like a brilliant scholar attending a formal dinner.
Naomi wore a sleek, fierce red dress. The vibrant color matched her bright red hair perfectly. She did not look angry today. She looked incredibly sharp and focused. She kept a small, hidden dagger strapped to her thigh underneath the fabric. She was always ready to protect her friends.
Laxmi wore a bright, explosive orange gown. The dress matched her energetic personality. She smiled a wild, excited smile. She looked totally ready to enjoy the party.
Zinia wore a very practical, strong dark green suit. She did not like dresses. She preferred pants. She crossed her muscular arms and looked around the room with intense confidence.
Luna wore a very loose, incredibly comfortable light gray dress. It looked suspiciously like a fancy nightgown. She rubbed her sleepy eyes. She let out a massive yawn. She immediately started looking for a soft chair to sit on.
Risa wore a cute, pastel pink dress. She held a small, fancy purse instead of her usual teddy bear. She looked around the massive ballroom with wide, innocent green eyes. She admired the beautiful decorations.
Ira wore a completely flat, perfectly ironed pale blue dress. She stood totally still near the entrance. Her face showed absolutely zero emotion. She looked exactly like a flawless, beautiful marble statue.
And then there was Ken Eliot.
Ken wore his usual tailored navy blue suit. The suit fit his athletic frame perfectly. But he still looked completely messy. He refused to tuck his white shirt into his pants. His shirt hung loosely over his belt. He did not wear a tie. His black hair stuck out in wild, confused spikes. He slouched his shoulders as far as they could possibly go. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.
He dragged his cheap shoes on the polished marble floor. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.
"This floor is too shiny," Ken complained casually. He looked around the massive ballroom. "The light is bouncing right into my eyes. I need sunglasses. Why do rich people like shiny things so much? It is a massive strain on my vision."
Naomi walked right beside him. She did not yell at him. She did not glare at him with absolute disgust. She smiled a very warm, friendly smile. She playfully nudged his arm with her elbow. She treated him exactly like a lazy, highly entertaining friend.