Leon had no idea that just after he left, the Aquarius Director paid a visit to his home.
At this moment, Leon stood outside the Director's office, ready to report on the day's events and take the opportunity to greet the Red-haired Director, informing her that he planned to sleep at the bureau tonight. However...
"Knock, knock, knock."
Listening to the response from inside, which could not be described as logical and only indicated that the Director's mind had clearly checked out, Leon outside the door fell silent for a moment and then asked somewhat speechlessly:
"Director, have you been drinking?"
No doubt about it, she definitely had drunk, and quite a lot...
"Director, I'm coming in, don't make a move!"
As Leon spoke, he tentatively pushed the door open a crack, but before he could see the situation inside clearly, a gust of alcohol-laden air hit him head-on, making his vision go black.
My god, you really can drink!
Seeing the pile of empty bottles next to the desk, stacked higher than a person, and the red-haired beauty sprawled over the table giggling foolishly at him, Leon clicked his tongue in surprise while also feeling a headache.
Due to the discovery that he had drawn the rebels' attention and worrying they might target his family, Leon originally intended to ask the Red-haired Director for a favor to see if the "Protective Fur" that he had been wearing around his neck but had never activated could be transferred to Anna. Then he could try to get a few more for William and Melanie.
After all, he was targeted by the rebels because of official duties, and protecting the employees' families should also be the Purification Bureau's responsibility. If it was really inconvenient, he could trade with anomalous objects or something else. After all, the "Ghost Hand Under the Bed" given by Senior Jerry wasn't very useful to him, so why not use it to trade for a protective charm for his siblings?
But seeing the Director's state, comparable to "What's-his-name-Ma," it seemed unlikely that he could get a clear answer tonight. Maybe it would be better to leave it until tomorrow when she's sober.
After all, the Secret Investigation Bureau was about to start a major raid, and the rebels would be too busy to deal with anything on their end in the short term. Anna and the others were protected by Happiness Apartment, and as long as they greeted the manager lady every day before going out, they could get the risk-avoidance buff. So it probably wouldn't matter if it waited a day or two...
"Little Leon~ You're Little Leon, aren't you?"
Just as Leon hesitated about whether to leave, the drunken Red-haired Director slapped her forehead, sat up from the table, and giggling foolishly said:
"You came too late! Ha ha ha, I've already drunk all the alcohol! Don't even think about freeloading any of mine!"
Looking at the woman in front of him, her brain reeking of alcohol, it was hard to associate her with the "brilliant and brave" Director in her sober state. Leon couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
"I'm not going to compete with you for your wine... Speaking of which, weren't you fine during the day? Why did you drink so much?"
"Because it was payday~"
After shaking her head vigorously, perhaps clearing up a bit, the Red-haired Director giggled with a bit more logic in her words:
"I owed a lot from the last time I treated you to drinks, which left me with no money to buy wine for a while. Now that I finally have some surplus, if I don't have a good drink, the alcohol worm in my belly will die of thirst!"
Honestly, if that thing really existed, it would be better to let it die of thirst, but... Did treating me to drinks last time really cost you a lot of money?
Seeing the glowing [Martyr of the Wine Country] on his panel, Leon scratched his head awkwardly and then said embarrassedly:
"Uh, can I ask how much you owed that time?"
"Sob... I really owed a lot..."
Hearing Leon's question, the previously cheerful expression of the Red-haired Director immediately collapsed. She blinked her charming fox eyes, full of tears, and counted on her fingers:
"Counting the part paid at the store, the bill they sent over is more than three hundred Gold Wheels. And after spending so much money, you drank more than I did... I didn't get much out of it..."
Over three hundred Gold Wheels... My goodness, we really drank away my salary for more than half a year that day?
"This... was really that much, huh? That's really embarrassing..."
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, hearing a bill that was more than three times the amount he had estimated left Leon quite shocked. Then under the pitiable gaze of the Red-haired Director, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly:
"Director, should I..."
"Help me pay the bill?"
"Uh... not the bill, what I meant was, should I take you home? Sleeping here might be uncomfortable..."
Turning his head slightly to avoid the Red-haired Director's bewildered gaze, Leon stiffened his resolve, walked over, and picked up the drunken Director from the table.
Paying that bill was not something Leon was going to do — not in this lifetime. The Director was so generous in treating him to drinks; if he insisted on paying, wouldn't that be ungrateful?
Besides, there was Anna's medication, home rent, and his siblings' tuition fees to consider... And the Director, who was already drinking excessively, would be healthier if she drank less. If he paid the bill and let her have money to buy more alcohol, that would only be hurting her!
Having thick-skinnedly rationalized it to himself, Leon cleared his throat and said to the Red-haired Director, who was glaring up at him:
"Director, where is your home?"
"I don't have a home."
"Uh... so where do you usually sleep?"
"In the suites of the liquor houses outside, or... or the reception room upstairs..."
Before Leon could come up with a reply, a slender white arm reached up, pinching his chin and turning his face toward her.
Staring into Leon's eyes, where a hint of softness flickered, the Red-haired Director wrinkled her nose, slightly parted her rosy lips, and exhaled a mixture of gardenia-scented alcohol in his face, declaring with some bravado:
"I'm fine on my own! No pity for me! I'm not to be pitied!"
"Do you not believe me?"
Seemingly thinking her "Director's dignity" was being challenged, the Red-haired Director stiffened her neck and glared at Leon fiercely, while playfully hooking her foot to deliver a light kick at him.
"I'm very strong! Whether it's betrayal, hostility, or being cast aside, I never cried! Even when everyone in the bureau left, I was never afraid of being alone! I'm not afraid!"
How unfamiliar... Was she really the same Director from the daytime?
Seeing the little woman shrinking into his embrace, clutching his sleeve, despite proclaiming she's not afraid, Leon hesitated briefly before proposing:
"Director, you should rest. How about I take you upstairs first?"
"I don't want to go..."
Upon hearing Leon's suggestion, the Red-haired Director suddenly gripped his lapels tightly, tearfully replying:
"There're so many people upstairs yelling at me, I don't dare go up while I'm awake..."
So many people yelling at you upstairs?
Leon was slightly stunned by this, then curiously replied:
"Isn't upstairs empty, with never anyone there?"
"They're there, always there!"
Seeing that Little Leon didn't seem to believe her, the Red-haired Director pouted and argued:
"I've counted carefully. From the fifth floor to the top, there are twelve million, nine hundred and sixty thousand people yelling at me. They've never stopped for so many years. If you don't believe it, listen!"