Early in the next morning.
Sol woke up unusually early, his mind on Nicole's condition today.
First, he casually used the daily gacha spin from the system and got a green card—a Kawasaki H2R racing Motorcycle. Maximum output: 300 horsepower. Top speed: 400 km/h.
Sol gave it a glance. It looked impressive, and could be used for getting around.
But inside New Eridu's inner ring, there wasn't really anywhere to use it.
Besides, with his mastery of electromagnetic control, he could just ride a piece of scrap iron like a sword immortal, moving faster than the H2R anyway.
So, the bike had some value, but not much.
After carefully moving the still-sleeping Baal aside, Sol washed up and went out for a walk. He bought some nutritional supplements for Nicole.
Then he remembered—today, he was supposed to go with her to visit the orphanage kids. He couldn't show up empty-handed.
Food was easy enough—he pulled a few hundred pounds of burgers and snacks out of the system's supply cards.
But Sol thought, they also deserve something for their minds.
As the saying goes, better to teach someone to fish than give them fish. These children needed knowledge, so that in the future they could grow into pillars of New Eridu and find fulfilling work.
So, Sol headed to a bookstore and bought a hundred sets of elementary, middle, and high school study guides.
Because of the wholesale discount, it only cost 2 million Dennies.
"Heh, didn't expect these to come as a whole series."
He chuckled as he flipped through a sample.
From elementary school to high school, all published by the same company. Collecting the whole set even gave them a fancy new series title: "From Elementary to Metis Comprehensive School."
Compared to his old world, these were ridiculously cheap.
Back then, a full set of comprehensive study guides covering all grades and subjects would've cost at least 1–1,200 dollars—about 5 to 600,000 Dennies here.
Paying happily, Sol carried the five tons of study guides plus over ten kilos of supplements back to the Cunning Hares' base with ease.
With his current strength—able to lift hundreds of tons—this was nothing.
By then, Nicole and the others were already awake, waiting for the cat-eared chef Nekomata to finish breakfast.
On the sofa, Nicole looked calm on the surface, but wasn't as talkative as usual. Yesterday had clearly left its mark.
She had even changed her outfit—white shirt with a pink blazer, long casual pants instead of her usual shorts. Covered up completely.
She had no choice. Sol had left far too many marks, and this was the only way to hide them.
Anby, sharp-eyed as ever, asked seriously: "Nicole, who did you fight with? Your injuries are serious."
From her keen observation, it was obvious—Nicole was sore in her legs, and her chest was tender too.
Nicole's face flushed red, and she stammered, "I-I didn't fight anyone, I just… slipped yesterday!"
Anby frowned. With Nicole's physical abilities, a fall couldn't possibly leave her like this. And changing her clothes so thoroughly?
In fact, Anby felt like Nicole seemed a little more… mature today.
But since Nicole didn't want to explain, Anby didn't press.
"Figures… he got to her."
Baal, sprawled on the sofa, glanced at Nicole.
Last night, Sol had come home late, still carrying her scent. She had put the pieces together.
She hadn't expected him to go that far, though. She thought it had only been hugs and kisses.
Baal glanced at Anby, then shook her head lightly.
She could see that Anby had feelings for Sol.
But too bad, girl—your head was already glowing green.
At that moment, Billy spotted Sol walking in with his arms full of bags.
"Boss Sol, what's all that?"
It was so much stuff, the door barely fit it through.
Sol set everything down in the corner, the pile almost forming a small hill.
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn—even Nekomata poked her head out from the kitchen.
Sol separated the items. "These are gifts for Nicole. These are gifts for the kids at the orphanage."
He handed the supplements to Nicole.
Billy tried to sneak a peek, but Nicole promptly floored him with a punch.
"Sol bought these for me! Don't peek at the boss's private things!"
Nicole glanced inside the bag, and her impression of Sol soared.
Going out first thing in the morning to buy her things—how thoughtful of him.
"What about those?"
Billy got up, rubbing his head, and pointed to the other pile.
"Yesterday Nicole asked me to go with her to the orphanage, so I bought gifts for the children." Sol answered with a grin.
"Gifts for kids? That packaging looks like bookstore wrapping…"
Billy eyed the labels suspiciously.
"Correct. It's every set of study materials from elementary to high school. I want them to have a bright future." Sol explained.
"Ughhh~"
Nicole and Nekomata shivered at the same time.
If their childhoods had been filled with that, it would've been a nightmare.
"Sol, are you a devil? Giving kids stuff like this?"
Nekomata looked at him as though he were some deranged schoolteacher.
She had dropped out young, but even now she still remembered the torment of rushing summer homework.
"You can't put it that way. It really is a great gift."
Nicole, recalling her own childhood struggles with learning, understood Sol's intention.
Back then, she hadn't even had access to materials like these—forced to scrape together knowledge from old books.
Even when she got into a free public school, extra study guides were scarce.
With these, the orphanage children would have a strong starting point.
"Nicole, you really get me!"
Sol nodded in satisfaction.
But Anby caught a different detail. She spoke thoughtfully: "So today, you and Nicole are going to the orphanage?"
As the Cunning Hares' deputy treasurer, she knew the gang usually ran at a financial deficit.
Only this month—and one earlier month—had been exceptions.
This month was thanks to Sol joining, filling their coffers.
The earlier one had been because someone forgot to tally the books.
Now, she realized the truth—Nicole had been funding the orphanage all along!
"Aha, so that's how it is." Nicole shot Sol a blaming look.
He had exposed her secret.
How was she supposed to maintain her image as a shrewd, calculating boss now?
But since it was out in the open, she could only explain: "I do it for the Cunning Hares' public image, that's all. A PR move."
"Boss Nicole, say no more—we understand!"
Billy was practically in tears, moved to his robotic core. "To think, our boss is such a deeply good person!"
"No wonder she seemed heartless—she was hiding her heart all along!"
"I was wrong about you, Boss Nicole. Before, I always thought you were just greedy, unreliable, a scheming underworld boss…"
BAM!
"Billy! So that's the image you had of me!?"
Nicole couldn't take it anymore and decked him again.
This robot was broken. Time to order a new one.