Seeing that Jun Hao had successfully escaped, Lion finally relaxed. However, before she could fully release that breath, Illustrious's gentle voice softly echoed.
"It seems a certain gentleman has already taken his leave."
As she spoke, Illustrious cast a glance toward the main entrance.
"When did you notice?" Lion asked, clearly surprised.
She had been keeping Illustrious occupied the entire time.
Illustrious lifted a slender finger and lightly tapped her moist, vermilion lips.
"Well... that is a little secret shared among us 'Veterans'."
Her tone then shifted, carrying a trace of feigned grievance.
"Still, the Commander can be quite heartless. He came all this way, yet left without even greeting me. I was rather looking forward to a chance encounter here."
Hearing that, Lion couldn't help but curl her lips in faint amusement.
"If you ask me, avoiding you was the smartest decision he could've made. I can practically feel the aura coming from you four sisters... the kind that says you'd devour the Commander alive. Especially you, Illustrious."
Faced with Lion's "accusation," Illustrious remained completely unfazed, offering only a poised and elegant smile.
"Oh my, how could that be? Didn't we come to an agreement? Until you and the Commander finish your date, Miss Lion, we won't make a move. At most, we'll simply offer a little 'assistance' from the sidelines," she said, her voice laced with suggestion.
'Assistance? You call that helping? You're clearly just looking for trouble.'
Lion nearly voiced that thought, but the words stopped at her lips. Saying it aloud would only make her seem petty.
Meanwhile, Victorious gazed at Illustrious with a slightly dazed expression, her lips forming a small, aggrieved pout.
"Sister Illustrious... was the Commander really here? Then doesn't that mean we missed our chance? I wanted him to gently pat my head too... just like he did for Queen Elizabeth."
Illustrious turned toward her, her expression softening.
"There's no need to rush, Victorious. As they say, there is still plenty of time ahead."
"Alright..." Victorious murmured, still pouting.
Formidable, on the other hand, was already lost in her own fantasies. She imagined Jun Hao feeding her delicate cakes, and the mere thought caused her heart to race.
Only Indomitable remained as lazy as ever, as though the outside world held no relevance to her at all.
After leaving the bath, Jun Hao was just about to find somewhere to dry himself when he turned and spotted a familiar figure.
Belfast stood quietly at his side, holding the set of clothes he had chosen earlier.
In her hands, they were folded with even greater precision.
"Master, you have finished."
Jun Hao nodded and reached out to take the clothes, but Belfast smoothly unfolded them with practiced grace.
"Master, please allow me to assist you."
"There's no need. It's just changing clothes, I'll handle it myself," Jun Hao replied, waving his hand instinctively.
Although being cared for by the Shipgirls would no doubt become an enjoyable part of daily life, he couldn't shake the feeling that if he relied on them for everything, he'd eventually turn into someone who couldn't even take care of himself.
"By the way, Belfast, when did you get here?"
Belfast didn't pause in her movements. Picking up a soft towel, she began gently wiping the droplets of water from Jun Hao's back.
"I have been waiting here since around the time Miss Illustrious and the others entered. However, Master, did you not encounter them inside? They seemed quite eager to see you."
Hearing that, Jun Hao felt even more certain.
If he had run into them directly, would he really be standing here so calmly right now?
He likely would have been "handled on the spot" by those four sisters long ago.
Jun Hao gave a couple of dry coughs and answered vaguely, "No... I didn't run into them. Maybe I came out a bit early."
"Is that so?"
'But the timing doesn't quite add up~' Belfast let out a soft chuckle, keeping the rest of her thoughts to herself rather than pressing him further.
After all, she understood very well that with Miss Illustrious's keen perception, there was no way she hadn't already noticed Master's presence.
The reason Miss Illustrious chose not to expose him was likely because she had plans of her own. However, that was none of Belfast's concern.
As the Head Maid and as his wife, her role was simple: to serve her master and husband to perfection.
"Master, please raise your arms."
Seeing that Belfast insisted, Jun Hao no longer refused.
He knew that rejecting her kindness now would only leave her disappointed. So he obediently lifted his arms, allowing her to help him into his clothes and fasten each button with care and precision.
Just as she was about to secure the final one, Jun Hao suddenly spoke.
"By the way, Belfa... can your Maid Corps make clothes on their own?"
Belfast gave a small nod.
"Naturally, Master. Whether it is formal attire, casual wear, or garments for special occasions, as long as you can provide a design or even a rough description, we are capable of bringing it to life. May I ask, is there something you have in mind?"
Jun Hao nodded, his expression growing more serious. He leaned closer to Belfast and lowered his voice, sharing his idea so that only she could hear.
As he explained, the look in Belfast's eyes gradually shifted.
At first, there was surprise. But by the end, it softened into something else—a faint, barely concealed hint of envy.
"Miss Lion... she would never have imagined that you would go to such lengths for her, Master."
Jun Hao scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It's just the best I could come up with. So, Belfa, how long do you think it will take to finish it?"
Since he had already set the date for tomorrow, time was extremely limited.
Yet Belfast's reply remained calm and reassuring.
"Please rest assured, Master. The Royal Maid Corps will fulfill your request with the highest efficiency. You may invite Miss Lion without concern; there is no need to trouble yourself over the outfit. By the day of your date, this one-of-a-kind garment will be delivered to you without fail."
"That's a relief. Thank you for your hard work, Belfa."
With that, Jun Hao stepped forward and pulled the dependable Head Maid into a firm embrace.
Belfast froze for a brief moment, clearly caught off guard. But soon, a gentle, deeply content smile bloomed across her face.
She slowly returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his shoulder.
"After all, serving my husband is both my duty and my greatest happiness as a wife... isn't it?"
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
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