NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

It is precisely because of the long mealtime that most Nikkis are unable to find the time to experience this casual way of eating.

After all, she's Niki.

The central government might actually order them to stay awake for three or four days, using a 007-style approach to bless the Ark.

……

"Yuni! You can't put ice cream in a hot pot!"

With a man's exclamation, a bowl containing artificial beef timely blocked Yuni's spoon from falling into the soup.

At the table, Phoenix, who looked like a waiter serving dishes, breathed a deep sigh of relief after successfully preventing this terrifying scene, and then looked at Eunice with lingering fear.

"Hot pot is salty, so you can't put ice cream in it."

"...Yes, Yuni understands."

The man's casual reminder surprised the little girl, who reacted very strongly. She timidly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and looked utterly wronged, as if she had made a mistake and was about to be scolded.

So, the commander had no choice but to add another sentence.

"There's a special ice cream fondue place; I'll take you there another day."

"...Ice cream fondue?"

Hearing the commander's follow-up words, Yuni, who did not receive a scolding, blinked in surprise. A dreamy image of various pale-colored ice creams blending together appeared in her mind, and her originally dim eyes gradually brightened again.

Then, the little girl nodded vigorously, flicking her two pink ponytails to create splashes of water.

"Ok!"

Ding dong——!

No sooner had the little girl finished speaking than another spoonful of ice cream fell into Phoenix's beef platter.

"?"

Following the delicate, white fingers to the side, someone looked at the snake's slightly flushed, alluring face with utter bewilderment.

"Hey~ what's ice cream fondue, honey~ can I come with you~"

"..."

All of a sudden!

Sensing the subtle murderous intent in the air, Phoenix's instinctive survival instinct compelled him to give a reply that barely satisfied all the women present.

"Then I'll take all of you out to eat sometime."

……

As the meal continued, the unique, warm atmosphere of the hot pot, along with the rising steam, filled every corner of the room.

Amidst the bickering and banter between Anise and Viper, even the perpetually cold-faced D gradually forgot her identity as an assassin, quietly abandoning her long-pretended icy persona, and smiling as she enjoyed the piping hot food covered in sesame sauce with K.

However, beneath this seemingly warm and lively surface, the three-person group of Balabala was already experiencing undercurrents.

[Anis: Hey hey hey hey hey hey!!! If you have something to say, just say it. Can you please stop picking up the pieces of meat I just put in the pan?]

[Viper: Hey~ let's team up, how about it~]

Mihara: ?

[Viper: Anyway, there are only two of you, so adding me won't hurt, right?]

Mihara: ?

[Anis: What do you mean one more of you is harmless?]

[Anis: A month has thirty days. If two people share it equally, it's fifteen days. If three people share it equally, it's only ten days! That's a big difference! You know that?]

[Viper: Hmm~ that's true. Looks like I'll have to find someone else to work with then.]

Mihara: ?

[Viper: Anyway, as long as I beat you, I can extend my ten-day period to fifteen days~]

[Anis: ? ? ? ? ? ? ]

[Anis: What's so great about him?! He's such a womanizer! So promiscuous! Always attracting other women, bringing them home constantly! You actually like a guy like that?!]

Mihara: Hehe~

[Viper: Haha~]

[Anis: What?!]

[Anis: I have terrible taste, but I love this one! I'm a bad example! Don't follow my lead!]

Mihara: Okay, okay.

[Mihara: Before you two continue with your nonsensical ramblings, please tell me what you actually talked about during the day...]

bulibuli! m-boer~

While the three women were secretly putting on a grand show, Phoenix's phone rang with an untimely, blaring notification sound.

The man, who had finally managed to eat after all that trouble, picked at the "medium-rare" beef that Yuni had kindly handed him while checking his phone for messages.

[Shuen: I've moved up that recruit's training schedule for you. Report directly to the MMR Affiliated Academy before 9:00 AM tomorrow.]

Tsk.

Is this kid having another episode?

Phoenix picked up the beef from the bowl and, without caring whether it was cooked or not, stuffed it straight into his mouth.

Ultimately, it's nothing more than a high-quality counterfeit product made by Perpetual. In essence, any of these can be eaten raw right after opening.

Da da da--

The input method emits a faint sound effect as someone taps it with their left thumb.

Phoenix: Reason.

[Shuen: It's simple, I'm too lazy to wait.]

Phoenix: If you don't want to wait, you can increase your bet.

[Shuen: No problem.]

[Shuen: I asked you about this before. So, do you want the initial public offering (IPO) shares or Niki?]

[Shuen: If you handle things well enough, you can come to Missilis as a manager if you want; I'll arrange a sinecure for you.]

Phoenix: I'll give you an answer in a couple of days.

Putting down his phone, Phoenix, who was about to become a recruit instructor, picked up another slice of beef that Yuni had fed him and casually said:

"Starting tomorrow, I will be a two-week instructor at the MMR Affiliated Academy."

"MMR Affiliated Academy?"

Almost simultaneously, upon hearing the place name, a look of solemnity flashed in the eyes of both Mihara and Viper.

That infamous place within Niki's organization, so infamous it could be called a "concentration camp"?

Immediately, the two, who seemed to understand each other perfectly, exchanged a glance, each reading the other's thoughts from their expressions.

—When it comes to suffering, Nikki from MMR High School might not be number one, but she's definitely in the top two.

If someone were to go there and serve as an instructor for Niki's new recruits for half a month...

The consequences are simply unimaginable.

bulibuli! m-boer~

[Mihara: Viper, you can join us, but you'd better explain what value you bring to us.]

[Anis: Huh?]

[Viper: Hmm~ Although I can't watch over him 24/7 like you can, well~ I can help you figure out what he's thinking~]

[Anis: Huh??]

[Viper: You wouldn't want him to never ask you for help again, right?]

[Viper: Or are you just looking to be a decorative vase?]

Mihara: Hmm, welcome to the team, Viper.

[Viper: Nice to meet you~~~?]

[Anis: Huh???]

……

……

The next day.

A drill instructor, who had spent the entire night alone in his room, wandered aimlessly down the corridor of MMR Affiliated High School.

His gaze was unfocused due to emptiness, and his expression carried a hint of self-pity and sorrow.

Almost every student named Niki who passed by him couldn't help but turn around and steal another glance at the unfamiliar man.