NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

"Could you offer some advice to Isabel?"

Pulling herself back to reality, Dorothy's expression changed instantly, as if she had heard some lame joke. A self-deprecating, cold smile curled at the corners of her lips as she replied:

"Although I am the captain of the Heirs' Force, based on the rules of Eden, I have no right to interfere with Isabel's personal decisions or her private life."

unless……"

"Unless I join Eden?"

Unlike politicians who prefer roundabout ways of speaking, Lieutenant Phoenix's negotiation style is characterized by simplicity and directness.

"No problem. Do I need to go through the household registration transfer procedures?"

Dorothy: "..."

A mature politician should never say anything that could be used against them. This was the advice her politician father once gave her, because no one knows if the other party will secretly record the conversation and then use the recording to turn against them at some point in the future.

It must be admitted that Phoenix's straightforward yet humorous answer successfully piqued the curiosity of the pink-haired older woman.

With Isabel frequently infiltrating the Ark as a spy, Dorothy naturally had some knowledge of someone's deeds. Even though the other person mostly acted like a bloodthirsty scoundrel, she wouldn't be foolish enough to think that the other person was really just a brainless idiot.

Then, Dorothy said in a deliberately threatening tone, "If this gets back to the Ark, isn't the lieutenant afraid that the Ark's central command will secretly take action against you?"

"How do I send it? Are you going to send it?"

Carrying a plate of sliced ​​beef out of the kitchen, the man gently placed the plate on the table and replied nonchalantly:

"Anyway, sound and images can be synthesized. If they really want to find an excuse to take action, do you think it's your place to relay their messages?"

As he spoke, the lieutenant glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Dorothy's side and added with a light laugh.

"The enemy of my enemy is my ally. If Miss Dorothy doesn't want to be my ally, does she perhaps intend to reconcile with Ark? What, are you not going to avenge Pina?"

Click!

The moment Phoenix finished speaking those hurtful words, Dorothy, as if provoked by something, stood up without warning, raised her laser rifle and pointed it directly at the man's head, a hint of madness hidden between her dark brows that was hard for outsiders to detect.

The woman, a master of changing her expression, lowered her eyelids, reduced her delicate voice, and said in a chilling tone, "Has no one taught you to be mindful of your words?"

"Lieutenant, don't think I can't kill you just because I'm Niki."

"But my mom said that my biggest characteristic since I was a child is that I speak with tact and know how to read other people's expressions."

Facing the pale pink crystal muzzle of the energy rifle, Phoenix slowly picked up a slice of boiled beef and put it in his mouth, his gaze drifting to the ghost Pina beside the girl, who was already flailing her arms and legs in a frantic manner.

—The mass-produced Niki who single-handedly held off Rachel for the sake of the Goddess Force, was ultimately corrupted, and was killed by Dorothy herself.

—The warrior whom all members of the Goddess Force admired.

—The close friend who caused the acting captain to develop inner demons.

“Miss Dorothy hasn’t actually killed anyone or done anything outrageous all these years, otherwise Pina’s soul wouldn’t have willingly followed you for so many years.”

Upon hearing this, not only did Dorothy's expression gradually shift from vicious to bewildered, but even the mass-produced Niki Pina, who had silently accompanied Dorothy for decades, stopped what she was doing, blinked, and turned her head in confusion to meet the eyes of the man who was chewing beef.

After a long while...

Two girls' exclamations echoed simultaneously in Isabel's bridal chamber, so loud that Phoenix's head was buzzing.

"You can see Pina?!"

"Sir! You...you can see me???"

Chapter 249 Useless Snow White

Let's turn back time to the period immediately following Pina's sacrifice.

At that time, Dorothy could still sense Pina's soul to some extent.

That's why she talked to thin air, which made Snow White, Rapunzel, and Crimson think that the acting captain was hallucinating because she couldn't accept Pina's death.

As for why Dorothy couldn't sense Pina for decades afterward...

"Perhaps you realized that Pina was dead, and Pina herself realized that she had become a ghost, which caused you two to not be on the same wavelength."

Phoenix continued his fabrication without batting an eye. After all, he was the only one in the world who could see the ghost sister, so no matter how much he fooled people, they had no choice but to believe him, whether they wanted to or not.

Take Captain Dorothy, for example. Now, sitting at the dining table, this master of changing faces is nowhere to be seen, unlike the rebellious woman who was just now raising her gun.

At this moment, she looked like a dog that had made a mistake, her big, watery eyes wide open, looking pitifully at Lieutenant Phoenix across the table.

"Then... then Lieutenant, is there any way you can let me see Pina?"

"No, if you can't see it, you can't see it." The man shook his head, turned, and went into the kitchen.

"I still need to cook."

Dorothy: "..."

Pina: "..."

Regardless of whether Phoenix was telling the truth, his cold attitude alone was enough to terrify the two women.

"Lieutenant, Lady Dorothy was just too excited. She just... she just wanted to scare you. Lady Dorothy really has never harmed any humans."

Pina hurriedly floated into the kitchen, hovering to Phoenix's left, trying her best to win back the lieutenant's favor for her best friend.

And what about the pink-haired old lady?

At this moment, she was clutching her white dress with both hands, her mind filled with intense internal struggle and mental exhaustion.

Should we apologize?

If someone suddenly points a gun at another person's head and threatens to kill them, they should indeed apologize, both morally and logically...

But, but it was clearly that man who deliberately provoked me!

How can you blame everything on her?!

Dorothy was furious. She felt that since the cunning man could see Pina's soul at any time, it meant that he had planned everything from the moment he stepped through the doorway.

No! She absolutely cannot apologize to this cunning person!!

She absolutely cannot let the other party control her so easily!!!

One minute later...

……

"second lieutenant……"

Softly and reluctantly calling out Phoenix's rank, Ms. Doro, her pretty face already flushed, finally stood up, walked to the kitchen door, and, like a shy young woman, was about to grit her teeth and say "I'm sorry"...

Click!

Suddenly! There was a crisp click of the door lock.

The door was opened from the outside, and Isabel, whose face was full of "annoyance," appeared in Dorothy's line of sight with Red Lotus and Snow White.

Then,

Honglian, who had been smiling, suddenly turned grim.

Isabel, whose face was already gloomy, exuded an intense murderous aura.

Only Bai Xue's eyes suddenly lit up...

"!"

"It smells so good!"

……

……

Stewed beef with potatoes, steamed eggs, stir-fried eggplant, stir-fried beef with chili peppers, boiled beef, braised beef, stir-fried shredded vegetables, hot and sour bean sprouts, stir-fried eggplant, potatoes, and green peppers, and beef short rib soup.

Since Isabelle prepared only raw ingredients, without any processed ingredients like tofu, dried tofu, or flour, the stay-at-home husband had to make do with these ten dishes for the four ladies present.

Of course, that's what they say, but in reality, of the four people sitting around the table, only Bai Xue was eating voraciously without any regard for her image.

Meanwhile, Isabelle, Dorothy, and Red Lotus elegantly savored the dishes, occasionally uttering words that Snow White couldn't understand at all.

"With such culinary skills as yours, it would be a great pleasure to have fine wine to accompany them."

Honglian leaned against the table with one hand, put a piece of boiled beef dipped in garlic soy sauce into her mouth, chewed and savored it, and mumbled incoherently.

"I'll invite you for drinks another day, young master, and we'll admire all the beautiful scenery in the world..."

"Ah."

Upon hearing her former comrade's words that she wanted to take the lieutenant for herself, Dorothy reverted to her usual haughty and aloof demeanor, chuckled lightly, and said:

“When in a world of beauty is there no time like this? There’s no rush. The lieutenant still wants to go to Eden with me.”

"If we're going, we'll go tomorrow!"

Isabel was so angry when she saw those two old women shamelessly trying to steal her husband that she almost smashed her rice bowl.

"Tonight is my wedding night with my fiancé. You guys can go find somewhere else to sleep after you finish eating!"

Tap tap, tap tap—

The crisp sound of chopsticks touching the porcelain bowl instantly brought the three of them to their senses. Bai Xue was holding a clean bowl of rice in one hand, her gaze fixed on the cook standing to the side...