About the time I was picked up and adopted by Tallulah

"Don't suddenly take off your clothes in the Guards Bureau!?"

Orson hurriedly stopped the snow pheasant. The little chick was crying and trying to take off its clothes, which really confused Orson.

"The Imperial Guard has a rule... that items in the evidence storage room cannot be touched without permission, but I couldn't help myself, so... I took care of your knight sword..."

Snow Pheasant lowered his head and explained in a low voice, feeling as if he could burst into tears at any moment.

"Maintenance? Speaking of which, it does seem like the gears are running more smoothly, and the blade looks a bit shinier. So, was it Snow Pheasant who helped with the maintenance during this period?"

"Um... yes, that, I won't do anything on my own anymore. Please don't report me—Pfft?"

Xuezhi desperately lowered his head and apologized in an attempt to gain Orson's forgiveness, while Orson walked up to Xuezhi and rubbed his fluffy gray-white hair.

"I won't report you. I'd rather say you did a good job. Well done, little Snow Pheasant!"

“Uh…?”

Tips: Orson likes to rub the hair of girls who are shorter than him.

Xuezhi was a little confused about the situation. She could only shrink her neck and let Orson rub it. After a long time, she finally learned from Orson that she would not lose her year-end bonus because of being reported for illegal operations.

After getting the Red Queen back and receiving care from the Snow Pheasant, Orson became much happier and even jumped while walking while holding the Snow Pheasant.

"Speaking of which, Snow Pheasant, why would you risk your life to help me protect the Red Queen?"

"Well... I can sense that a lot of care went into the crafting of this weapon, so I think it deserves proper care. After all, the weapon's structure isn't particularly sophisticated, but debugging it requires a lot of effort."

"I see……"

Orson looked at the Scarlet Queen around his waist thoughtfully.

It seems that Maria has helped me a lot in areas that I didn't know about. I must thank her properly next time we meet.

But it will probably take some time before we meet again.

During the knight competition, Maria showed everyone the qualities that a true "knight" should possess. However, after the incident with Casimir ended, she rejected all invitations from the knights, even the invitation from the Grand Master.

"Anyway, as long as onee-sama remains a knight, the sofa at home won't be sold, and I won't have to continue being a mediocre knight."

Maria decisively gave up her knighthood and became the "everywhere Casimir girl" again. She also returned to school to study mechanical engineering.

Orson had thought about "finding a school" after he had settled his affairs, but all kinds of things were always happening around him, and it seemed that he was still some distance away from his goal of "graduating from illiteracy".

"Anyway, I have to thank you very much, Xuezhi. How about I treat you to a meal during lunch break, or did you bring your own lunch?"

"For lunch... the tomato juice that was squashed earlier is fine... But it doesn't matter. The milk tea you bought me, Orsen, is enough to last me until tonight!"

"That's a bit shabby for lunch! So what's your dinner?"

"The 3% off bread in the Guards Bureau cafeteria is not only cheap but also very filling! The most important thing is that many people don't even know about this bread, so no one will share it with me... Orsen?"

Snow Pheasant was halfway through his words when Orson rubbed his head again.

"Nothing much. Anyway, let's go. I'll treat you today as a token of gratitude for this knight's sword and Maria's thanks to you. I can also meet a friend while I'm at it."

"How can this be possible... I don't have the money to pay back..."

When Xuezhi heard that someone wanted to treat her to a meal, she waved her hands in panic to refuse, but tears still flowed from the corners of her mouth.

Although he didn't know why the Guards would have such an unlucky little chicken like Snow Pheasant, Orson couldn't just ignore him. After all, as the saying goes, "This unlucky little chicken should be able to survive in the North."

In short, Orson used food as bait to successfully lure the naive little chicken away, and their target was the Yan Guofeng restaurant where the "Executioner Killer Lapland" was previously located.

On the way, Orson's casual chat with Snow Pheasant gave him a better understanding of this unfortunate chick. Although Snow Pheasant was born in Longmen, he went to Columbia before he reached adulthood. After staying there for a few years, he was invited back to the Longmen Guard Bureau to provide services related to the manufacture and maintenance of mechanical equipment.

The reason why Xiao Jizai is so frugal is that she needs to repay the loan for the apartment she bought for her parents in the downtown area of Longmen every month, as well as the habits she developed from living in poverty.

Orson, who had originally spent a long time in the North eating tree bark and grass roots, naturally felt the same way. At the same time, he was determined to take good care of the poor little snow pheasant to make up for his not-so-comfortable childhood.

Let’s start by building a strong friendship among the “Bark-chewing Childhood Alliance” through this meal!

Orson made up his mind, and then walked into the Yan-style restaurant with Xiaoxuezhi, who was still confused and full of questions.

----------

"You're so polite, Orson! You even brought some ingredients this time. It just doesn't look like there's a lot of meat, huh? Hahaha!"

"Hey, hey, hey..."

In the restaurant, Lappland was wearing pure white clothes as usual. She sat opposite the Snow Pheasant and stared at the chicks with eyes like she was looking at prey. The Snow Pheasant shivered with its head buried and trembling all over, but even so, it did not forget to hold the spoon in its hand and eat.

"Don't scare the snow pheasants, Lapland."

Orson sat next to the snow pheasant and rubbed its head, hoping that Lappland would stop looking so scary.

"Tsk, who made that Liberi look like he's easy to bully? Compared to that, you just came here to eat with your new chick girlfriend today?"

Lappland looked at Orson's hand rubbing Snow Pheasant's hair. For some reason, the words that were supposed to be a casual joke were mixed with a little anger.

"This is just a business dinner and a sympathy between fellow poor people. I didn't expect you, Lappland, to actually be here, uh... working as a waiter."

Orson looked at Lappland, or rather the fake name tag pinned to her chest.

"Haha, you don't think killers are just people who kill and live a life of drunkenness and debauchery, do you? Although it seems there are indeed quite a few like that—just think of it as a compromise between disguise and personal interest."

Lappland said with a jagged smile, and Orson suddenly realized that this "manic and solitary killer" seemed to reveal his crazy disguise in front of him less and less.

"By the way, let me give you some information—"

Lappland seemed to want to say something, but then glanced at the snow pheasant next to him, who was still oblivious to the outside world and concentrating on eating.

"I set up a one-way soundproof area around the snow pheasant, so she wouldn't hear this part of the conversation, although I don't think she had the time to listen anyway..."

"Hey, what a versatile Originium skill! What's it called? Tuning? Anyway, those guys should be temporarily quieting down because another force has arrived at Longmen."

"Another force?"

Lappland shrugged.

"I don't know the details. I'm just a killer who came to Texas and picked up some work along the way."

"Hmm...Thanks for the information, Lappland. It was a great help."

"whatever."

Orson was still expressing his sincere gratitude and smiling without any disguise. Meanwhile, Lappland turned her head and snatched a bamboo shoot from the snow pheasant's plate and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Other forces, so before I was in Texas--hmm..."

Orson blurted out the name Texas. Knowing the relationship between Lappland and Texas, Orson immediately looked at the white-haired Luper girl in front of him, fearing that she would do something extreme because of this name.

But when Lappland heard the name, she just smiled as usual and tilted her head slightly.

"What's wrong, Coyotito? I've known you and Texas were 'working' together since we first met. It's not really a secret."

"Hmm...Lappland, aren't you eager to find Texas?"

Orson was also a little surprised. In his memory, Lapland should be set as a "fanatical Texas fan".

"Ha, there has to be a face-to-face confrontation between her and me eventually, but not now. Because I've found something more interesting for the time being."

Lappland looked at Orson's subtle explanation, and Orson nodded thoughtfully.

"I see. So you're enjoying your seemingly peaceful life as a waiter, right? I get it, I get it—puff, cough, cough!"

"You are so smart."

Orson was interrupted halfway through his vows by Lappland blowing into his nose with a pepper bottle.

"What on earth did I say wrong..."

Orson wiped his tearful nose with a tissue and complained quietly.

"In short, Texas is more fragile than she looks. Just try to get along with her, little dog."

Lappland interrupted the topic about Texas impatiently.

"Well... okay, I'll keep an eye on her."

"call--"

"A-choo! Cough cough cough cough—why are you pepper spraying again!"

Orson had completely lost track of what Lappland was thinking.

"Then let's get back to the first topic. What exactly did you come to see me about today?"

After putting the half-full bottle of pepper back on the table, Lappland glanced at the snow pheasant who was still eating, and was basically certain that this guy was really just here to eat and ask Orson questions.

"Actually... uh, Lappland, have you felt anything strange in your body lately?"

"—"

Lappland immediately thought of the "desire" that surged towards Orson when she was hiding in the locker.

"No, are you still addicted to the doctor-patient game?"

Lappland smiled and shook her head, refusing to admit the impulse she had felt towards Orson.

"No...but if you feel any discomfort, please be sure to -"

"Lappy! You're slacking off during work again! I don't pay you to chat with customers!"

Orson's words were interrupted by a guy wearing a chef's hat. After seeing Lappland chatting with Orson, the guy walked out of the kitchen angrily, holding a kitchen knife in his right hand.

"Ahaha, don't be so nervous, boss. Isn't serving customers the waiter's duty?"

"That's a maid cafe you're talking about! This is—Ugh!"

The store manager who was walking towards Lappland suddenly stepped on a coin that rolled over from somewhere, causing his whole body to fall forward sharply, and the kitchen knife in his hand flew forward.

"Be careful."

When the kitchen knife was slashing towards Lappland, Orson gently reached out and grabbed it, then put the knife aside, stood up and pulled the manager up.

"I'm so sorry, sir! Are you okay? I'll give you a free meal!"

"It's okay, it's okay. No need to give me a free meal. Please let me chat with this lady for a while."

"Ah this... well, okay."

Orson said this to the store manager with a smile, and the latter could only take the kitchen knife and return to the kitchen in a bad mood.

"You looked very handsome just now, Knight-kun?"

"Hmm... I feel like I haven't heard that name in a while. Anyway, don't make fun of me, Lappland."

Orson sighed and noticed a cut on the palm of his right hand where he had just taken the kitchen knife.

"It's really inconvenient to have [Physical Strength] at Normal. If it were ACE, he should be able to split a kitchen knife in half... Lappland?"

"—"

Lappland's pupils suddenly shrank, and the only thing in his vision was the bright red blood flowing from Orson's right palm.

“…Don’t come over here!”

Lappland immediately stood up and ran towards the alley behind the kitchen, which was used as a storage room. At the same time, she could clearly feel that her heartbeat and blood flowed faster this time, more violently and violently than before.

Lappland rushed into the back alley and tried to calm herself down, but contrary to her expectations, the door to the back alley was pushed open again.

"Are you okay, Lappland? You seem to be in a strange condition... Ugh!!"

Because he was worried about Lappland, Orson did not follow Lappland's instructions and said "don't come over", but chased after him immediately.

Boom! !

Before Orson could comprehend the current situation, Lappland rushed over and knocked him to the ground.

"Lappland...?"

"Shut up... Orson—"

Looking at Lappland, who was pressing on him, breathing heavily and trembling slightly, Orson vaguely knew what Kal'tsit meant by "withdrawal reaction".

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37. You smell like her perfume~