"Since you're willing to do anything, then spend your whole life working for free at the Cunning Hares to atone for your sins!"
Nicole looked at Nekomata, the hunger in her eyes undisguised.
She'd seen Nekomata's skills—her street-fighting moves were sharp and practiced, a real talent.
If she could bring her into the Cunning Hares, they'd gain another strong hand.
Most importantly, she wouldn't even need to pay her. That meant a huge increase in monthly profits.
Sol nodded in agreement. "The Cunning Hares do need a Thiren catgirl who can be ordered around at will…"
In fact, they were still missing a Dog Thiren, a Fox Thiren, a Shark Thiren, a Tiger Thiren, an Oni…
Nothing else—he was just thinking like an author would.
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Thiren Species in Zenless Zone Zero. What a great masterpiece that would be!
"You're not going to kill me?"
Nekomata stared in disbelief at Nicole and Sol.
"No. Killing you would only vent temporary anger. And I can see you're actually loyal at heart." Nicole looked seriously at Nekomata. "Letting you stay and atone for your mistakes is the true solution."
"Really?" Nekomata's eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed gratefully at Nicole. "I'll atone properly. Please… use me however you like from now on!"
The Cunning Hares really were kind—even to someone who had nearly plotted their deaths, they were so forgiving.
Instead of killing her, they wanted her to reform, to live anew as a better cat. Truly merciful.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
With a casual gesture, Sol drew iron elements from the ground, shaping them into a delicate silver-white collar, which he then fastened around Nekomata's neck.
A Thiren catgirl he could use freely—secured.
"Meow!?"
Feeling the cold touch around her neck, Nekomata was seized by a bad premonition.
She'd only seen the kindness in Nicole and the others—but not in Sol.
On the contrary, this guy had shown up together with two beautiful Public Security officers. He might very well be as nasty as the rumors said.
Which meant… she was about to be weaponized.
Suddenly, she wanted to die. She wanted to spend her whole life in jail instead.
"Ahem, about the punishment… I think it's best left to the Public Security Bureau," Zhu Yuan reminded.
"No!" Nicole blurted out at once.
How had Nekomata lured them into the Hollow?
By hiring them for a job to fetch something inside—a completely illegal commission.
That sort of thing, of course, couldn't be left to Public Security.
Realizing she'd sounded too hasty, Nicole quickly patched it up. "What I mean is, she's still young. We can't let her waste away in prison. I'll guide her onto the right path."
Nekomata turned her teary eyes toward Nicole.
So, so moving—such a good person still existed!
Zhu Yuan was about to object again, but Qingyi gently took her hand.
"Senior Qingyi, you mean…?"
"Zhu Yuan, since they're intent on guiding her toward good, let's not meddle needlessly," Qingyi said with a soft smile.
"…Fine then." Zhu Yuan gave up, but not without a warning glance toward Nicole. "Just remember, she did do wrong. She may not be as trustworthy as you think. Be careful."
"You worry too much. I believe Nekomata's sincere in her repentance."
Sol waved it off casually, as though he fully trusted in her character.
Nekomata's heart swelled with gratitude toward Sol, shame pricking at her for ever having misunderstood him.
See? He was just as much a good person as Nicole!
Then she heard Sol add, "My Bangboo will teach her how to be a proper cat."
Nekomata glanced at Baal, and her face collapsed.
That Bangboo who would be her "teacher" was none other than an executioner with lightning.
"That does make sense," Zhu Yuan admitted with a nod.
With Sol and the Bangboo who had cleaved the Dead End Butcher both in the Cunning Hares, a single Thiren catgirl wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble.
And so, Nekomiya Mana formally became the Cunning Hares' unpaid laborer.
Her duties would include—but not be limited to—earning Denny, being pet, serving tea, pouring water…
"A moment's misstep led her astray, yet by fortune no innocent was harmed. Entering the Cunning Hares' three hundred dens—who knows if tomorrow brings blessing or curse," Qingyi said, gazing sympathetically at the pitiful catgirl.
"Come now, come now—joining the Cunning Hares is definitely her blessing!" Nicole nodded confidently, then asked with curiosity, "Weren't you two here investigating a case? What brings you to this side of things?"
Zhu Yuan explained, "Because the case we're handling is right here. Sol happened to obtain intel that Vision Corporation, in order to save on demolition costs, planned to blow up the entire neighborhood of Canvas Street—residents and all."
Qingyi added, "So we came with Sol to investigate. We'd just finished dealing with Vision Corporation's thugs."
Zhu Yuan gave Sol a grateful look. "If not for him, those thugs would have silenced the Canvas Street residents—and Senior Qingyi and I would've lost our lives too."
"I see."
"Unbelievable! Do they treat human lives as nothing?" Nicole clenched her teeth in fury. "Hundreds of lives, destroyed just to save on demolition costs?"
"They're not people, they're beasts!"
She loved money, yes—but only because she loved life, and money protected life.
Putting Denny above life itself—that was a perverse path she could never accept.
"Didn't expect you to have such resolve, Boss Nicole," Billy said with some surprise, watching her seethe with righteous anger. "Don't tell me you've been influenced by me—learning the spirit of a Starlight Knight?"
"No, Nicole always had that resolve," Anby said quietly, looking at her. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken us in… or Sol."
None of them—neither Sol, nor Anby, nor Billy—had joined the Cunning Hares in glory.
They had all been picked up, taken in.
It was embarrassing to admit, but Anby held a special feeling for Nicole.
In movies, it would be called—
The bond of a mother and daughter.