A few days later, Caesar officially assumed her position as the new Overlord of the Motor League.
Not long after, the former Overlord, Pompey, visited the Sons of Calydon to offer his congratulations, though he didn't come empty-handed.
Along with his well-wishes, he brought bad news.
"What?! Lucius escaped?!" Caesar's voice rose in shock, but she quickly forced herself to calm down.
Given Lucius's history, Pompey would have kept him under tight surveillance. For him to escape now, something unexpected must have happened.
Sure enough, Pompey explained that Lucius and Mors's escape might be connected to the Ether corporation plotting against the Outer Ring.
Perhaps they wanted to eliminate all loose ends, which was why they had taken them away.
"I'll continue investigating those two. More importantly, I'd like to personally thank the one who saved my life," Pompey said.
After returning for interrogation and further investigation, Pompey had become even more aware of how dangerous the situation had been. He regretted his earlier overconfidence and felt deeply grateful for Wise's help.
Now that he finally had some free time, he naturally wanted to thank him in person.
"Oh, you mean them? I was just about to head over there anyway. Let's go together," Caesar said, gesturing for him to follow.
The siblings were already packing their belongings, preparing to head home after spending some time in the Outer Ring.
Many girls in the city had been sending messages urging Wise to return as soon as possible—some subtle, others far more direct.
Among them, Koleda and Anby stood out the most. The former expressed her longing by complaining about how dull handling official business had been lately, while the latter bluntly stated that she wanted Wise to come back and sleep with her.
"Alright, everything's packed. It's about time we head home."
Wise placed the last item into the car. Just then, he noticed Caesar and Pompey approaching.
"Wise! Good, you're still here. I was worried I'd miss the chance to see you off," Caesar called out, waving with a bright, relieved smile.
Belle, however, tilted her head in confusion.
"Caesar, didn't we already agree that you didn't have to come all this way just to see us off? And last night, weren't you..."
"Wait, wait! Didn't we agree not to talk about last night?!" Caesar cut her off in a panic, her face flushing a deep red.
Thinking back to the previous night, she had gotten a little carried away and drank too much fuel drink after becoming the Overlord.
Later, when she found out that Wise was leaving, her emotions got the better of her, and she ended up throwing what could only be described as a childish tantrum—though it was more pouting and complaining than anything serious.
At the time, she had completely forgotten that Belle was there, quietly witnessing the entire scene unfold.
"Haha, Wise, you're looking well."
Pompey smoothly ignored the earlier topic and greeted him as if nothing had happened.
"Uncle Pompey, you look much better," Wise replied with a polite nod.
"That's all thanks to you. If I had fallen for that scoundrel Lucius's scheme, I might have already become an Ethereal by now. If you ever need anything, just call for me. I'll do everything in my power to help."
Pompey's sincerity was unmistakable. Still, Wise felt a bit awkward receiving such gratitude from someone so much older, so he waved his hand lightly.
"It's really nothing. I did it for Caesar, for the Sons of Calydon, and for everyone in the Old Oil Field. If you want to repay me, just share more of your experience with Caesar. She'll need it."
With Pompey's years of leadership in the Motor League, his guidance would be invaluable.
"Haha, what a broad-minded young man. Of course, that goes without saying."
Sensing that Caesar wanted a private word with Wise, Pompey didn't linger. After a few more pleasantries, he excused himself, claiming he had other matters to attend to.
As soon as he left, Belle stepped in with perfect timing.
"Brother, go on. Say your goodbyes. Fairy and I will finish organizing the car."
Wise understood immediately and turned toward Caesar.
"Caesar..."
"Wise! Thank you!" she cut him off suddenly, her voice firm but tinged with emotion. "Thank you for everything. We protected the Old Oil Field, and now that I've become the Overlord, I'll work hard. I'll be a good leader!"
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Wise swallowed the farewell he had prepared and simply nodded.
"I know you will."
His words clearly moved her, but they also made parting even harder. After a brief silence, she finally spoke again.
"Wise, you have to keep in touch, okay? Once you go back, it's going to feel really lonely here. And... I'll miss you the most."
Noticing the blush spreading across her face, Wise smiled gently and reached out, taking her hand.
"I'll miss everyone at the Sons of Calydon... and I'll miss you too, Caesar."
He emphasized her name just as she had, and the effect was immediate.
For a moment, she froze. Then, as if making up her mind, she suddenly stepped forward, grabbed his other hand, and leaned closer, her eyes slowly closing.
She didn't move any further, but her intention was clear.
Wise paused for a brief moment. Then, just as she opened her eyes in slight confusion, he leaned in and kissed her.
Their eyes met briefly before she closed them again, quietly accepting him.
After a long moment, they pulled apart. Caesar's face was completely flushed. She glanced at him, stammered a quick goodbye, and ran off without daring to look back.
Wise didn't chase after her. Right now, she was likely overwhelmed, caught in the haze of her own emotions. Pushing further would only make things awkward.
Instead, he turned to say his farewells to the others.
The first person he found was Piper, still asleep on Steeltusk.
Her posture was as careless as ever, her legs propped up on the steering wheel as she slept soundly. The sight made Wise smirk slightly as a mischievous thought crossed his mind.
After making sure no one else was around, he quietly reached out. He took hold of her foot resting on the wheel and gently traced his fingers along its smooth sole.
The reaction was immediate.
Piper jolted awake, her body squirming uncontrollably from the sudden ticklish sensation. In the process, she lost her balance and tumbled straight into Wise's arms.
It mirrored their first meeting, though this time, the atmosphere was far more relaxed.
"Oh... it's you, Wise."
She blinked a few times before recognizing him.
"I heard you're heading back to the city. Showing up like this out of nowhere... what are you planning?"
Piper hesitated slightly, suspicion flickering in her eyes. After all, it was still daytime. If he had any intentions, last night would have made far more sense.
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Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street
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