The landlady finally served the meals to the table, but there was something very suspicious. Why was Leo's portion so much larger than the other servings? And in a blink of an eye, the large sandwich on his plate completely disappeared without a trace. James knew from last time that the boy was a ferocious eater and he still found it amusing.
Before long, as if she anticipated his appetite, the landlady came over again with another plate of ultra-deluxe sized sandwich.
"Wait, we haven't ordered a second." James hurriedly said.
"He is obviously still hungry. Are you going to let a growing boy starve?" The landlady sternly lectured the man.
With the food once again vanishing within a flash and was immediately replaced with another, the agent was reminded of the great horror that still haunts his wallet to this day. Watching the plates stacking up, his hands trembled and cold sweats dripped down from his head.
"P-Please... have mercy... I am just a mere civil servant..." The words were muttered in inaudible volume; his per diem wasn't going to cover all that.
Suddenly, Leo took a pause to his unstoppable streak and looked towards his mother. Maria was staring back at him and hadn't touched her portion at all. The boy gave his order and was relieved to see the doll could eat normally without help... for the most part.
As a doll in recovery, it was inevitable that she was still a bit clumsy as several droplets of sauces fell down on her great bosom. Like the loving and responsible son he was, Leo had to pause every now and then to carefully and thoroughly wipe off the stain from her milky marshmallows. Unfortunately, the agent was already too heartbroken to enjoy the sight.
In the end, the landlady wasn't so mean as to charge the extra bill on the poor agent.
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On the edge of the forest and deep inside the inner keep of the estate, hidden within a certain altar inside the dark audience chamber, a figure behind the veil of the pedestal let out a deep sigh.
"Youngsters these days simply can't hold back. Now that you two have nullified the curse, that thing must have caught a whiff of something folly. There is no need to doubt its intelligence, it is now aware of our plans." The figure said in a solemn manner.
"We are sorry, madam! The young master was too incredible, our bodies couldn't resist!" The twins exclaimed in unison.
"Oh? Just how incredible? But to be able to tempt the two of you, he is indeed promising." The madam hoped the situation wouldn't hinder the plan.
"Young master's essence contains the purest form of life energy." - Yuria
"The concentration of Anima was even more refined and frightening than the vile curse." - Filia
"A single taste of his seeds could overwhelm our body and suppress the dark Anima." - Yuria
"Rest well for today, there is still much more to cover. Tomorrow, before dawn, you shall visit the shrine in preparation for the ritual. The head priestess shall reveal the rest to you."
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In a secret chamber near the harbor town, a small group four sat around the table. James, with his sunglasses covering his eyes and a Holmes hat above his head, appeared to be half asleep with his feet resting on the table.
"Boss, when is that special agent going to show up? It's almost past dinner time." The only lady in the group said.
"She will be here any minute, a quick briefing and I will set you all free for dinner." The agent spoke in a plain manner.
With four agents stationed in just a single island, it showed how much the government prioritized the island's secrets. The higher up must have known something that even attracted them; very much so that another top agent was coming to assist in the operation.
The door of the chamber was opened and a feminine figure with lecherous proportions entered the room. Seeing those heavy weight class assets comparable to the women on the island, the female agent felt an immense hostility from the newcomer.
"This place held up pretty well." The lady spoke in a discernible condescending tone.
The secret chamber was once a gathering point for the Shuzen family in their war against the Halfmoon. It appeared that the special agent had a questionable background.
"Now, all of you will be under my command. This is the written notice from the higher up."
She handed James a wrinkled paper.
"Not that I care what you all do. Just don't pull me back. The plan remained the same as discussed. Avoid the main estate and sneak into the back forest, what we seek is inside there."
The agent didn't even give a self-introduction before showing her voluptuous rear to the group as she exited the chamber.
"That is one pompous bitch." One of the men cursed out and the others nodded in agreement.
"The operation is in a few days. Just do your job and be ready."
Information had it that the island was related to a certain infamous cult like terrorist organization that always causing havoc around the world. They could have opted for a more diplomatic approach to find out the truth, but the higher ups were strangely adamant in subterfuge.
In all honesty, James did not want to attend or even lead this operation. But he was almost in retirement and this will be his last mission. Oh... was that a flag he just set for himself?