Aster was confused about what Tina's father had been talking about, but it was too late to ask again, as the elevator was already descending. They could always return later, but that would have to wait until he had cooled his head.
"What should we do?" Aster asked Tina, who was clinging to him like glue. "We should talk to him again after a while, so we need to kill some time somewhere."
"Then, how about over there, darling~! It's a nice place for a short rest!"
"Hmm?"
Following her finger, Aster saw the place she pointed to: a large building about two blocks away. It was still visible from their current position. The structure was a basic-style hotel with a pink exterior, decorated with hearts and other romantic symbols, making it stand out from the rest.
Of course, just one glance told Aster exactly what kind of "hotel" it was.
"Rejected," he sighed. "How about shopping? Even though we split the list earlier, we can still stock up on extra supplies. It's better to have too much food and water than too little, after all."
"Eeeh~? But I'm here to spend time with you, darling! How about there?"
This time, she pointed to a nearby establishment. From the window, Aster could see elegant dresses on display, the kind designed to catch the attention of any passerby. But these weren't ordinary dresses—they were wedding gowns.
"... Are you enjoying teasing me?" Aster sighed again. "Rejected."
After a few minutes of playful banter, they decided to head to the 50th floor of the building instead, where a special showcase for expensive adventurer equipment was being held. It was a rare event, so they decided to check it out.
Inside, they saw a wide array of items: armor that could emulate boss-level protection, weapons capable of destroying any monster, and various daily life or miscellaneous items. Despite it being a "showcase," each item had a price tag displayed. Even the cheapest item started at a million Tels.
"This! I want this, darling!"
Tina had her eyes on a pair of rings. They were simple metal loops, resembling wedding bands, but the description on their pedestal caught Aster's interest.
"A ring that can teleport the other person to your position in an instant?"
Tina grabbed Aster's arm, seeking warmth as they approached her father. Standing just a few steps away, they observed the president's trembling figure, his teeth chattering and his complexion pale. His ears had drooped, giving him the appearance of a cold, helpless kitten.
"So, Father, are you still against me becoming an adventurer?" Tina asked, her eyes burning with determination.
"O-Of course!" the man stammered, refusing to yield.
"I will n-never let this b-brat have his way with y-you!"
"... I see." Tina nodded. "Darling, let's go. It seems Father still needs more time to cool his head. Another five hours in the ice should do the trick."
"...!"
Everyone in the room shook. The president might survive a few more hours, but the assassins, trapped in a small space with limited air, were barely breathing. They had maybe an hour left before they would succumb to carbon dioxide poisoning.
"W-Wait, my little Celes... I-I get it... I'll allow you to c-c-continue adventuring...!"
'Just please release me!' his pleading eyes seemed to say. Find exclusive content at мѵʟ
Despite his surrender, Tina scoffed. "You think I'll fall for the same trick again? How many times have you done this, only to play dumb afterward? Let's go, darling."
"..."
Aster couldn't help but admire Tina's "negotiation" technique. Even though he had a hand in creating this situation, her method was far too effective!
Finally, even the stubborn president gave in.
"I, I won't go back on my word! I-I p-promise to let you continue adventuring with that bastard beside you!" he shouted. "So please forgive me, my little princess!"
With that, Tina recorded her father's promise on video before asking Aster to release everyone from the ice prison. By then, none of the assassins harbored any ill will toward Aster. Instead, he had become a symbol of fear for them.
The unfortunate assassins were so traumatized by the event that they would panic at the sight of any ice, even ice cubes—but that was something Aster didn't need to know.