"Really? That's all he did since day one? He didn't touch you inappropriately? No? Is he into rainbows?" Tilda asked what she really cared about after Chloe told her how she had been doing up to that point.
It was clear to see that she didn't care about what Chloe went through as long as she was safe. What she wanted to know was whether if Muku was the scumbag she thought he was. How could he not be with such good looks and have such a naive girl around him?
Anyone else in his situation might have long since turned into an animal. Especially after Chloe's evolution-driven glow-up that stunned even Tilda, who was no slouch herself.
So, finding out that Muku had been a gentleman from start to finish was rather surprising to her. Tilda was soone who was rarely wrong. For that reason, she got really irritated whenever she was wrong. Which led to her no-so-subtle dissing of Muku by accusing him of a certain thing that made his expression go dark.
Honestly, if she weren't soone important to Chloe. She would have been regretting her choice of words by that ti. Tilda has no idea that she was ssing with soone who could literally wipe her out of existence.
"Aunt, I'd appreciate it if you didn't unprovokedly curse my leader", Chloe spoke with an icy cold voice, told Tilda for the first ti ever.
Which caught Tilda by surprise. So, she didn't know how to respond. Even when talking to strangers, Chloe tended to be timid, but never cold. For that reason, Tilda had to reconsider how she viewed and treated Muku from then on. However, firstly...
"You're right, I was being unnecessarily childish. I should apologise. I'm really sorry, Mr Muku, for being so unreasonable. My love for my niece blinded . I'd like to have a spar with you later on if you accept my apologies," Tilda apologised.
Though it was obvious to Muku that it was a shallow apology. The woman still didn't think much of him. It seed her position and 30% Half-step R3 strength had gotten to her head. She no longer put strangers in her eyes as if she were the peak of the world. Only if she knew that even Chloe was significantly stronger than her, even without looking at class power boosts...
It wasn't her fault for underestimating them, though. Her group has gone through quite a few major events to reach its power level. Not to ntion that Chloe hadn't been completely truthful with what she said. She might have only spoken the truth, but she left out many things that shouldn't be known by outsiders.
While Chloe loved Tilda and trusted her with all her heart. She wouldn't let her emotions compromise the group. So, she didn't say anything that she shouldn't say. Which Muku and Audrey appreciated. It was one of the best qualities of Chloe's balanced personality. She knew how to moderate.
With the lack of information and the fact that Muku's group were super adept at hiding their auras. It was understandable that Tilda, who couldn't fathom the idea of there being people stronger than her outside their base, was easily misled.
"Sure..." Muku only replied with the bare minimum. He never liked people like Tilda who were full of themselves, even if they weren't bad people.
As a businesswoman. How can she not apply one of the most important attributes to have in the business world in her personal life? That attribute is not letting personal emotions guide your decision-making. Especially when dealing with new people.
"Great! I'll notify you later on then. For now, let go with Chloe and show her sothing. Soone will co and show you to your room. There are a lot of people here. So, I hope you two are willing to share a room. Sadly, we can't respect the barriers between n and won in the apocalypse" Tilda then gave the three an outline of what was going to happen next.
"No, we understand. It's fine, thank you," Audrey was the one who replied behind her veil. She spoke quickly as if afraid that Muku would say no. Which, luckily for her, no one caught on to.
"Great!" Tilda replied. While it was just one word. It was a lot warr than how she spoke to Muku before. She even cast a curious gaze toward Audrey as she spoke. She was really interested in seeing the face of the lady under the veil.
Audrey wore a rather loose black dress. One could vaguely tell that there was a great body beneath, her voice also being quite pleasing to the ear and gentle. So, without realising, one would expect to see a beautiful face under the veil. Which was the pattern Tilda fell to, even as a fellow woman.
However, she couldn't be shaless and impolite by asking Audrey to remove the veil. Especially after the issue with Muku. Chloe would definitely not forgive her a second ti if she tried such a thing again.
"Chloe, can we go now?" Tilda asked Chloe after shifting her attention from Audrey.
The way she spoke was a bit more asured compared to before. She was no longer certain about how to act around Chloe after the previous episode. Especially with Chloe's expression still cold even after she apologised.
She couldn't help but wonder what Chloe really went through with Muku to stand by him so firmly. She wasn't dumb enough to believe that Chloe told her everything just because she asked. Especially in the apocalypse, where you can't be certain if old friends are still friends after a long separation in such a twisted world.
So, while she was certain that Chloe didn't tell her everything. She didn't think there was much that was left out. However, it seed she might have to reconsider that conclusion.
"... Sure, however, I'm going to stay with them after everything is said and done", Chloe replied neutrally after looking at Muku, who gave her a nod.
Tilda was quietly surprised. Her perceived position for Muku in Chloe's mind was increasing by the mont.
Even Muku was surprised. Chloe, like the other girls, had never been so dependent on him to make such simple decisions. It seed like she was trying to make a silent point to Tilda that Muku was above her in position. Which made Muku's heart feel rather warm.
However, he did feel rather bad for Tilda, considering how close she seed to have been with Chloe before. He couldn't help but wonder whether it's what parents go through when their kids ditch them for their spouse... Then again, Tilda had been an a**hole to him from the mont they t. So, maybe there was no need to feel bad for her.
"Sure... Whatever you want," Tilda replied with a wry smile on her face.
It seed she had thoroughly ruined Chloe's perception of her because of one mistake. However, what she didn't know was that Chloe could tell that her apology before was insincere. On top of that, her "spar" with Muku was clearly a way of trying to humiliate him.
All that was the reason Chloe's perception of Tilda took a dive. She could disrespect anyone else but not Muku. He had beco Chloe's bottom line a long ti ago.
With that, Chloe was led away by Tilda wherever the surprise she was talking about was located. Muku and Audrey were soon taken to another room by a lady who ca soon after Tilda and Chloe left.
The room was just a cleared-out stall. The glass front wall and door were covered by curtains. Which was the best they could do, considering that it was a mall instead of a residential building.
It felt as awkward as the stadium to Muku and Audrey, who were used to their high-class rooms. Again, they were reminded what a great idea it was to save the mansion...
...
On the other side of the mall...
"So, what's the surprise you're talking about?" Chloe asked Tilda. Still lacking the previous warmth in her voice.
"Don't worry, we're almost there", Tilda replied without looking back at Chloe. She was internally sighing in regret for not controlling herself.
"Okay..." Chloe replied, then went quiet. This made Tilda, who was expecting a few questions on how she had been, feel quite sad.
Soon, the two were standing in front of a room that had "Manager's Office" written on it. Imdiately, Chloe figured out that the surprise was probably another person she knew.
A certain blue-haired middle-aged man ca to her mind. However, she quickly scrapped that idea since she was supposed to be abroad. Maybe it was one of his associates who took over and had so news from him or sothing.
As Chloe was stuck in thought. Tilda proceeded to knock on the door. She did it so carefully that one could see the respect she had for whoever was on the other side. There was no reply for a few seconds then...
"Co in", a slightly aged, tired-sounding, and magnetic voice sounded from behind the door.
Chloe's eyes instantly widened. For the voice was one she would always recognise, no matter how much ti passed. After all, it was her father's voice. However, that shouldn't be. The man was supposed to be abroad when the apocalypse began. Where he had been for more than a year...
Maybe it was sobody else. Who just happened to have the sa voice as him. It had to be... Right? Her heart was pounding intensely, her mind filled with confusion.
As if knowing about Chloe's doubts. Tilda opened the door widely at the mont Chloe was doubting herself.
And there he was. The man from whom she got her hair and eye colour. Her father, William Galloway...
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