My Ex-Girlfriend is the Strongest Guild Master and I'm the Weakest! Chapter 77: Paparazzi

"No, Alan. You'd keep the 80%." She shrugged. "It's not as if you were to suddenly raise a fortune, anyway. The Streaming competition is fierce, after all."

"T-That's a very generous offer, regardless!" Alia cried, grabbing Alan's hand. "That could help our guild grow imnsely! You're always talking about buying gear and weapons to craft your own."

"You can also keep the rchandise revenue. I don't mind." Miss Cosmica added as she manipulated her User Interface. "They're of good quality than I even bought a pair."

**Don't tell she's talking about those stupid t-shirts** Alan thought blushing, as Miss Cosmica made sothing appear out of her inventory. **Huh? It's not that.** It took a while for him to distinguish what those items were.

"Aren't they cute?" The idol bead, holding two nine-inch plushies in each hand. With big, round heads and eyes, doing a cartoony impression of their real counterparts.

**Is that grumpy little fella with red chestnut hair supposed to be ?** Alan then darted his eyes to the second smiling one, with blue long hair and a red dress. **Clara... Seriously... Stop it.**

"They're adorable!" Alia said excitedly, reaching out her hand. "Can I see them for a minute, please?"

"Sorry! But these are mine!" The idol cried, hugging them protectively. "And shouldn't you have yours already? The woman that gifted these two said she was part of your guild."

Alan glanced absently at the contract, swallowed, and made use of a new active skill. 'Accelerated Thought, which he had gotten after getting his Unique Talent, which was available whenever he spoke to Aaron.

"Yes, Alan? How can I help you?

"I just need ti to think this through. But what do you think about her? Can you, by any chance, detect if she's lying?"

"There is an active skill that lets you detect lies, but only warlocks can learn it."

"Lie Detector machines are a thing, and we are all about machines, right?"

"Are you suggesting we should develop an Engineer-Class version of it? Creating new skills from scratch is possible, but you would have to constantly train your mind at detecting lies naturally before the System recognizes it as a Passive Skill."

"Well, I'm already used to analyzing everything in sight, so using it on humans would not be a problem. For instance, I know this woman in front of is hiding sothing. She's acting too neutral toward us. She's not acting pompous or too friendly. She's being too safe."

"Careful, then, Alan."

"Would signing this gives you the right to make us do sothing we may not want?"

Miss Cosmica chuckled while storing the plushies.

**It's as if she knew I used 'Accelerated Thought' and patiently waited for to speak.**

"No, Alan. The content of your streams is up to you. Although I'd urge you to enter certain competitions from ti to ti. Oh, and one other thing. I strongly suggest that your Max-Level partner here appears on-screen as little as possible."

Alan turned to Alia, who slightly nodded.

"We... have already talked about this. My presence would only steal experience away from you. So I don't mind."

"Fine." Alan rose and stretched out his hand. "I'm in."

Miss Cosmica stared at him. "Don't you want to read the rest of the contract first?"

"In a mont. For the ti being, your summary of it sounds good enough."

The idol chuckled, standing up. "We're partners from now on, then."

As both shook hands, Alia stared at them with a sulky expression on her face. Miss Cosmica smiled brightly once she noticed. "Do you want a handshake too? We could take a picture together if you want."

Alia bead imdiately. "I'd love that, yes!"

10 seconds had passed, and their hands were still glued together. Miss Cosmica frowned at the realization and noticed sothing else. Alan's hand was not sweaty.

Every hand Miss Cosmica had shaken since she debuted was soaked in sweat.

She looked up, eting his serious gaze.

"This is also my way of saying thanks for helping us rebuild Unus Town," he said in a deep voice. "Not only do you bring happiness to the entire Novus with your music, but you also seem to care for all of its Users. Thanks a lot. I'm indebted to you."

Miss Cosmica's lips parted before she pulled her hand away. "A second longer and I'd have to charge you. And you owe nothing, Alan Warden. I did it because it was the right thing to do." The idol turned around. "I need a little rest before parting."

"You can use my room upstairs," Alia quickly suggested. "It'll be the one at your left."

"Thanks. You can discuss the contract with Celestine in the anti."

Once the idol exited the room at a hurried pace, one of her guardians stood at the feet of the stairs, blocking the way up.

"Very well, Alan Warden. Let's revise the contract, shall we?" Celestine said, sitting on the armchair. "I'll answer any question you may have."

"Sure," Alan said, still looking in the direction of the stairs. "Did I say sothing that made her mad?"

"Of course not. You know how all divas act." Celestine paused to look him in the eyes. "And she could never get upset at you, she's a big fan of yours."

"Celestine..." Her partner called in a severe tone.

"Why is that?" Alan asked, half-smiling.

Celestine smiled warmly at him. "What you said about her it's true. Miss Cosmica is not satisfied with only bringing joy to the Novus with her performance, She's also constantly helping people around the world. Her re presence influences Actives, Guild Masters, and Administrators alike. All for the sake of this virtual world. And you seed to do the sa in your own way."

"I don't think I can be compared to her."

Celestine shrugged and rested her chin on her palms. "Well, she sees sothing in you worth nurturing. So don't disappoint her, alright?" She giggled, leaving him silent. "Anyway! About the contract!"

Alia, who had been absently staring at the nothingness since the idol had left the room, suddenly grinned awkwardly. As only pervert old geezers do.

***

**

*

**Co on, Miss Celebrity, Alia thought, holding her breath. **Do sothing embarrassing, so it can get burned into my mind forever, fufufu.**

Alia could see the idol taking up the stairs and entering her room. Inside, Miss Cosmica looked around before channeling mana. **What are you going to do?**

"Spell Scroll, No Signal Zone," Miss Cosmica cast with the help of an item, emanating an electronic pulse in a 300 feet radius.

Alia blinked, bringing her attention back to the living room, noticing that their pink drone cara was sparkling before turning off. She gave a quick glance at Alan and Celestine, who were discussing the contract without realizing what had happened, while Bella and Anastasia behind her looked unaffected.

**A spell that only targets recording devices, huh? **

Alia focused again on what was happening upstairs, finding Miss Cosmica using another scroll. "...Silent as a grave."

**I recognize that one. It's Marissa's favorite. It helps her silence an entire room so she can perform an assassination.**

The idol cast a third spell. "No Mana Allowed."

**And finally, sothing that cancels any familiar, magic construction, or anything made of mana that might spy on you. You're too cautious, Miss Celebrity. Too bad that it won't work this ti.**

Giggling, Alia continued spying on the idol, who had started to roam the room. What caught her attention, was a closet brimd with shoes.

"Soone needs a new hobby," Miss Cosmica intoned as her eyes darted around. "Your shoe collection is even bigger than idols, Alia Laflam."

Seconds after, Miss Cosmica locked eyes with a pair of pink, open-toe high heels.

**Please tell that she's going to try them out! **

"Equip," Miss Cosmica said aloud, wearing them automatically. She then looked at her feet in the nearby mirror. "10 more points, Alia."

From her place on the couch, Alia shrieked excitedly and her nose started bleeding. **I'm going to wear those next!**

"A-Alia, are you okay?!" Alan cried.

"I'm okay! Don't mind . Keep reviewing the contract, please!"

Bella quickly approached and offered her a handkerchief. "Here, Master Alia."

"Thanks, Bella."

By the ti Alia concentrated her vision back to her room, Miss Cosmica had already left the pink shoes in their place and was lying on the bed, pulling the Phantom Seekers' plushies out of her inventory again.

She held the Alan plush aloft, sighing. "Everything went smoothly. Thank the goddess! I don't know what I'd have done if you had rejected my offer. But how could you? This partnership was made in heaven! Don't you think, little one?" She said to 'herself' while making the plush nod.

Alia's heart began racing. **Sothing tells I'm hearing sothing that I shouldn't... Which is just what I wanted!**

Miss Cosmica then sat at the edge of the bed while holding the Alia plush in her left hand. She seed to glare at it. "I suppose I have to thank you for helping him make the choice, huh?"

Before the real Alia could process what she just had heard, that plushie combusted in an instant. Miss Cosmica then blew the ashes off her palm and wiped the rest off on the sheet.

Alia's heart sank instantly. **All the way to the core of this fake planet... No, but seriously, what the hell was that?**

anwhile, Miss Cosmica stared at her right hand with a conscious look on her face. "I can't believe you shook my hand like that... It was so..." She suddenly grinned widely. "AWESO!"

Alia could not believe her ears and eyes, for Miss Cosmica was hugging Alan's plushie tightly, and had begun rolling on the bed, over and over again.

"Kyaaah! And the way you looked at ! Your gaze was SO INTENSE that I felt I could DIE right there in front of everyone! And your: 'Thanks for saving Unus Town. You bring joy to the entire Novus'. SO COOL! Stop acting so GALLANT! Can't you see that you made BLUSH, you idiot!"

Alia blinked perplexedly and glanced at everyone in the living room. They were continuing reviewing the contract, unaware of what was happening upstairs.

**Is that why she cast 'Silent as a Grave'?**

**...But...**

**What the hell... **

**...is happening?**

Alia took a deep breath before spying again. But sothing told her that she would regret it.

**I can't back down now! I must keep watching! **

Miss Cosmica was now strolling to the room's restroom. Her steps looked irregular as if she was dizzy. "Here we go..." she was saying while leaning over the sink. The sound of bones and flesh rearranging echoed through the bathroom. Her pink hair lost its vibrant color and her skin stopped being light pale. Sothing white and oval fell on the sink.

**A mask, just like those Marissa use! That artifact's effect must have worn out. Everyone knows she's using a disguise to protect her identity, but I can finally be a witness to it! **

Alia ordered her little spy to get closer so she could look at the mirror's reflection. But...

**No... **

As soon as she glimpsed that person's golden hair, she felt sick.

**No... No, no, no, NO!**

**YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING KIDDING !**

Alia groaned disgusted, before releasing the contents of her stomach.

"A-Alia! Are you--?! Are you... puking a rainbow?"

"That's one of the many ways Users can customize their avatar," Consteline said, giggling. "Doesn't it look cute?"

"The sickly sounds say the opposite..." Alan muttered while rubbing Alia's back.

"Sothing like that happened to the last ti I overate. It was not pleasant," Ashley said from her place at the dinner table, while continuing to stuff her mouth with cookies.

"Don't overeat then."