"But doesn't it bother anyone that he didn't go through the traditional process to become headmaster? I mean, wouldn't that raise questions about his qualifications?"

Ophelia tilted her head, still skeptical as she remains on her smartphone with The Boy.

"Oh, it did. Big time," The Boy admitted before revealing, "When you were being interrogated by police officers over murder charges at that time, there were protests from some of the staff and parents when he first took over, especially since his reputation as a former delinquent hadn't been forgotten."

"What!? It was that serious!?"

"Very, but fortunately, I was able to get things sorted out. Over time, he proved himself. He brought in reforms, cleaned up some of the mess left by his predecessor, and managed to connect with the students in a way no one else could. Plus, his wife's influence didn't hurt—she's still heavily involved behind the scenes, making sure everything runs smoothly."

"So, he's basically a figurehead propped up by his wife?"

"Not entirely," The Boy corrected. "He started that way, sure, but he's earned his place now. Say what you want about how he got the position, but he's turned things around in ways no one expected. The school's financial state is still shaky, but it's a lot better than it was. And he's got a knack for understanding students—especially the ones who feel like they don't fit in. Probably because he was one of them. Also, they have a son together during their long marriage before he officially became headmaster, so you can't completely say that he is a wife's puppet, let alone, used as a pawn, because there was love too along the way."

"I suppose that's kind of admirable, in its own way. But you can't deny it's a little shady how he got the position in the first place."

"Shady, maybe," The Boy admitted, "but when you look at the bigger picture, it's not so black-and-white. There is still corruption taking place among the students as well, so all of us still have a long way before all of this get be settled out. Also, between someone with connections through marriage, has no qualifications and has a delinquent past but with no track record of money embezzlement, versus a headmaster who abuses the school's funds despite having good academics, who is the more qualified headmaster is pretty obvious, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right," she finally said, a thoughtful tone creeping into her voice. "It's not like the other guy was exactly a saint, either."

Ophelia was silent for a moment, processing that thought. "Though I am a bit surprise to hear that Mr Alex didn't like coming here to."

"About that, there is a reason. Mr Alex's mother used to be a mistress of one of the prominent families here, and at that time, no one knew she got pregnant with him, not even when he was sent to an orphanage after her dying due to illness."

"Really!?" Ophelia winced.

"This one is a true story. His real father only found out about it one day when they decided to sponsor a child to Edgewood from the orphanage Mr Alex was placed in. At that time, the legitimate just ended up in death's door due to uncurbable disease. And so, with no direct heir left in the family," The Boy continued, "they had no choice but to acknowledge Mr. Alex as the illegitimate son. It was either that or let their family name die out completely. Of course, given how he became a rebellion....he was able to figure things out before refusing to follow them."

"That's insane," Ophelia muttered, shaking her head. "Then again....I can understand that perhaps since he is aware they just are merely going to take him in out of 'blood relations', a life filled with wealth is nothing without love."

"Unfortunately, he wasn't in a position to say no. The orphanage he was in at that time was financially struggling, so whether he liked it or not, and as he was a minor too back then, he didn't really have a choice," The Boy finished.

"And I am assuming, given that he has learn Ranran's circumstances...." Ophelia's expression grew somber. "He does genuinely understand why she failed the school interview."

"Exactly," The Boy said with a nod in his voice. "Which is why after I contacted her father anonymously and set up the appointment, I insists that Mr Alex to be there instead of greeting every single class in Edgewood as he normally does. I want Ranran to know....that there are others out there in Edgewood who too didn't want to be there, but are here by forced."

"I mean to be fair....we did manipulate her family to get her here." Ophelia smiled faintly at no one, "Just that she is unfortunate to not be born with the luxury to have a good fate just like the rest of us."

The Boy's voice grew quiet for a moment, as if reflecting on the weight of Ophelia's words.

"What is....going to happen to her now?" The teen girl now find herself asking.

"Considering Mr Alex is aware that you planted the CCTV across the campus, she won't be escaping the second school interview anytime soon, even if she schemes her way." The Boy chuckled over the phone, "Once the interview is done, 3 month probational period regarding her grades. During that critical period, Ernestine must not only not know she is officially a student here a couple of years earlier than planned, the rest of us are going to ensure that we.....influence Ranran here and there."

"Ah right, so that she doesn't get manipulated by Ernestine, right?"

"Exactly," The Boy confirmed, his voice steady. "I promised her great-grandmother that her certain aspects will be well-taken care off."

"I can't blame that poor lady, finding out that her only great-grandchild's life filled with misery is about to be profited off by that damn girl is even a step too far for me in my standards!"

"I mean her greed has no bounds," The Boy sighed heavily on the other end of the phone. "She is never going to let the rest of us victims live happily ever after until she profits of our misery."

"The other day I was hanging out with Lucius's family," Ophelia recalled, "And you know, Lucius was literally being pissed off, kept whining why is it that a girl of such nature can't be kicked out of the academy? I mean not only he is one of Ernestine's relative, he played a huge role in preventing his father from legitimizing his marriage with his real mother!"

That's right, even Ophelia herself can't understand why she can't be expelled.

Lucius's family, also Ophelia's soon-to-be in laws, had it rough with that royal for a long time. As his father was a nobody, he worked hard in Edgewood at that time as a student. Lucius's mother was one of the royal family's relatives, which is why her father decided not to have both their marriages recognized, out of concern people will start wagging their tongue to suggest that his father might 'piggy back' on his future wife's family to pass it.

For 10 years, it was a running joke that his father was doomed to be a failure because he couldn't pass it, which was strange, given his academic record in Edgewood. And as Lucius's mother isn't really quite close with the royal family, she had no idea about that one royal who was secretly sabotaging their future together as a couple was none other than her own cousin. Even when Lucius was born, Lucius's maternal father insists as long as the exam isn't pass, Lucius's birth right will never be legitimize as well.

It sounds cruel for anyone, then again, Lucius's maternal family wasn't in the wrong either. The reputation of Monstgrave Ridge has taken a huge hit in recent years, illegitimate children ill-behaving and abusing their privileges, many rich ladies marrying men of lower privilege which later lead to mass cases of child abuses as they die of 'mysterious circumstances', legitimate children lashing out idiotically without parent supervision etc, it's one bad news after another kept snowballing, to a point that it seems like anyone who moves into this luxurious neighbourhood will end up living a chaotic cycle.

In the future, Lucius's family never gotten married. By some underhand tactics, Lucius died under mysterious circumstances, and his mother ended up getting married by the cousin who manipulated her life. Since she isn't particularly close to most of the royal family members except this cousin, she never once suspected him until years throughout the marriage.

A three decade affair would follow still, between Lucius's mother and father. Though, he later found out about it. Since this is the 21st century, even if one is married to a royal and commit adultery, you won't be charge with treason. 

So he sold and shamed them both in the tabloids.

But that itself didn't work in his favor, she divorced and then ended up with Lucius's father. But resentment barely goes away, so she sold the story of her miserable marriage with the cousin, made billions in pounds.

A move that would ultimate signed in their death.

Later on in the future, the two will too mysteriously die in a SUV at the corner of a park, without their clothes on. While the idiot cousin of Lucius's mother...got away with his crimes.

Unfortunately for the idiot however, The Boy who had seen all of this on the projector, meddled through Ophelia, which is how she secured the arranged engagement in the first place.

When Lucius found out about Ernestine's schemes later on through Ophelia, he joined their little group without a second thought to get back at his uncle. Also to ensure his parents' marriage went through without a hitch.

In other words, he too is a member within their inner circle.

"In the first place, there is no one in the world going to buy the fact that a 7-year-old girl would be capable of scheming this far. Second of all, again as I briefed all of you the other day, the projector itself is a A.I, meaning the projected results may not be 100 percent accurate, so even if we as Ernestine's victims took this to court, they will think all of us are delusional and have it thrown out of the window. And third, everything was all done through verbally outside the school, so I had no footage to prove she schemed all of this on Lucius's family."

"Honestly, I feel like Ernestine is nothing but cancer! It is a never ending battle until someone dies!" Ophelia spats bitterly on the phone.

"Anyway, back to what I have to say about all of this in mind," The Boy remains calm, a stark contrast to Ophelia's fiery outburst, "During one of your outings with Lucius later in the evening, you go an update him about Ranran's affairs. Because as I mentioned before, the plan of Ranran becoming a member here will remain as it is."

"Noted."

"And judging from what I had seen on Ranran's interactions with her father and Mr Alex earlier..." The Boy who is in his bedroom turned to see his computer monitor, "I think I have a lot on my plate in raising Ranran before making her a member....."

...................................................................................................................

If there is one thing about Kudo Ranran, is the The Boy knew her in the back of his hand.

Her future backstory, her likes and dislikes, including her personality, she was someone who thrived on solitude but secretly craved understanding. It's human nature after all to be understood.

She has too many future events that turn her to villainy, one of which is that her parents, especially her own mother, can't understand her 'abnormal behaviour'.

This 'abnormal behaviour' the projector was referring to....was none other than 'scheming'.

"Are you sure this is literally written by a 3-year-old?!"

Tiffany, who is of same age as The Boy, was in a anonymous meeting room with the other members, or in this case, children of Fox and Deer.

"I am going to read this out to everyone, the solution for our client is...." Tiffany cleared her throat before scanning through the contents on paper, "If I were the client, this are the following on what I will do. 1, light up a cigarette and throw it in his bedroom quietly every night while he is asleep, then, he will get cancer in a couple of years, since his family has a history with cancer. Step 2, pay all of the doctors to let him know he is end stage, step 3, had his will published to his illegitimate children who will eagerly fight over his assets before he even passes away. Step 4, use the chaos as leverage to take over his company while the family is distracted. Step 5, secretly fund a scandal to publicly shame him in his last moments. Step 6, once he's gone, disappear into the shadows while reaping the rewards."

The room fell silent as Tiffany lowered the paper, her expression a mixture of disbelief and unease. The other members exchanged wary glances, their young faces betraying a mix of confusion and fear. Even in their twisted world of manipulation and revenge, the cold precision of this "solution" felt disturbing—especially coming from a 3-year-old.

"This... can't be real," one of the younger boys whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "How could someone that young even think of something like this?"

"Believe it," Tiffany said grimly, dropping the paper onto the table. "This was written by Kudo Ranran herself. And if you think this is messed up, you should see some of the other 'solutions' she's come up with."

The client in question is a unloved legitimate 6-year-old child, having dropped by Fox and Deer recently to request wanting to reunite with his mother, whom the scumbag husband framed her for an adultery situation that he himself staged between the mother's lover and her, just so she loses main custody of the client who was 4 at that time. 

Of course, gaining custody wasn't out of parental love.

Said client is also a popular uprising child star who had millions in pounds waiting in line, and the father saw him as nothing more than a cash cow. The boy was paraded around in public as the perfect father-son duo while behind closed doors, he was forced to endure harsh treatment. The father controlled every aspect of his life, from his diet to his social interactions, ensuring the child stayed dependent and isolated.

"I don't think we can go with this plan," Georgette, Tiffany's friend finally said, breaking the silence. "It's too... extreme. The father is a monster, sure, but cancer? And the whole scandal thing? That's a life-ruiner. We'd be no better than him."

"But to be fair, as someone who grew up with whom I thought was a trashy adoptive father at that time," Heads turned to Walter, who is amused with the 3-year-old's plan, "I say we go for it."

"You can't be serious," Georgina shot back, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Walter, we're supposed to help these kids, not turn them into mini-Ernestines!"

"I mean realistically, from his point of view, he is assuming he had no where to go, constantly being told everyday that his mother abandoned him for a lover, when he had no idea his father staged all of this. The fear of becoming homeless with your money being with-held by such a sum....." Ellis, who is sitting next to Walter, agreed, "This is a good plan."

"Same here," Veronica, sitting opposite Ellis, nods, "A asshole who keep causing paranoia....he needs to be removed."

"Guys, I get it that Fox and Deer is a online vengeance company, but...." Heads shifted their attention to another child named Gerald, "This is extreme."

"What part of this is extreme?!" Veronica scoffed, crossing her arms. "Tell me, the courts won't work in his favour, and we all know it. Sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire."

"She's right," Ellis added, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. "The legal system is a joke when it comes to cases like this. We've all seen it, as well as experience it. And honestly, if we don't act now, that boy is going to end up broken—physically, emotionally, maybe even dead. Are you willing to live with that on your conscience?"

Gerald hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm not saying we shouldn't act," he finally said, his voice quieter but firm. "But I just want to remind everyone aside of being a revenge company, our main purpose is to ensure Ernestine has no means of making use of any of our future tragedies, let alone others, to be profited off. Alright, say we go with the plan, the man died, he ends up with his mother. But then....what about that scum's family? They too will have a lot to lose. Ernestine just needed to do is simply had them do what the scum did to the kid's mother, then, he will end up right back at their hands."

The room fell silent again, Gerald's words hanging heavy in the air. Even Veronica, who had been the most vocal supporter of the plan, paused to consider his point.

"He's not wrong," Tiffany said finally, breaking the silence.

Suddenly, The Boy in his Deer mask, received the notification, "Ah, it's from Ranran."

The room shifted its focus, tension dissipating slightly as The Boy lifted his phone. Earlier, when they all questioned whether Ranran sent in the part on how to deal with the client's father's greedy relatives, he replied that she will send in through text messages. His Deer mask obscured his expression, but his mouth isn't completely obscured, so the kids in the room could tell he smirked after reading it. "This plan is ruthless, even to the core of psychological torment, but we should go for it."

Tiffany leaned forward, her brow furrowed in curiosity. "What did she send this time?" she asked, her tone guarded but intrigued.

The Boy leaned back in his chair, his mask catching the dim light of the room. "Ok, to those who are familiar with illegal organ trading market, who wants to pay a visit there?"

 "Wait..." Veronica's voice broke the quiet. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

...................................................................................................................

To the shock of Veronica and a few of the children, they were literally heading with it.

Not only the plan was a huge success, with a couple of organs having been sold out here and there among the scum's family relatives through manipulations thanks to Ranran's solution, their client was utterly thankful and reunited with his mother.

Though, Tiffany had to pinch her nosebridge and ask herself many things while she stood with the other children at a street, having witness the client leaving with his mother hand in hand, "I know the projector mentioned Ranran may be a potential budding psychopath, but damn....." She trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief, "Isn't she only 3-years-old!? How is it she can keep scheming such schemes!?"

"I can't believe we actually went through with that," Ellis muttered, shaking her head. "That wasn't just revenge. That was... destruction. And you know what?"

"You regret it?" Gerald was waiting for Ellis's response.

"Why should I regret it?! It is spectacular if you asked me!" The other children gave him silent looks, "Think about it, those idiots literally had plans to prostitute him out if those acting gigs stop coming. Between a pathetic hero who won't kill a bad guy to save a love one due to 'cowardly morals', I rather rely on Ranran to do the job!"

"Sure, but there's a line between justice and chaos, Ellis. We didn't just disrupt their plans—we literally destroyed their lives." Gerald raised his eyes.

"But if you think about it, that is what Fox and Deer is all about: To destroy lives."  Veronica muses.

"Yeah, but I still can't wrap my head around it," Tiffany admitted, shaking her head. "She's three years old, and she's orchestrating something like this... How is that even possible? Where does she learn to think like that?"

"I think Deer mentioned before that she is built differently," Ellis piped up from where he stood near the back of the group. "Because of it, she got ostracized in the future when her parents moved her to Japan."

"By the other children there, right?" Tiffany looked at Ellis, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed his words. "I heard that from him too. Why did that happen anyway?"

"They just simply call her a plain evil thing," Ellis shrugged nonchalantly, the smugness in his tone almost palpable, "In Edgewood, I call that super intelligent."

"Oh no, I agree," Walter and Veronica nodded alongside Tiffany and the others, "Why should she be isolated just by her way of thinking?"

"I know why, idiocy," Gerald rolled his eyes as he explained, "The popular cartoons and anime there in Japan....being cunning makes you a villain by default."

"Really? No wonder those morons had the edge and defeated Ranran in the future," Georgette frowned, her arms crossed as she considered Gerald's words. "If you were to ask me, I think she should put that same intelligence to good use onto those morons."

"I agree. They couldn't even begin to comprehend how dangerous she could be if she applied that same cunning toward them. If they saw it as a weakness, well... that's their mistake." Gerald smirked, his eyes glinting with a knowing look.

Walter chuckled darkly. "Well, they'll have plenty of time to regret it when she's done with them."

"You know, as much as I am happy the client is satisfied with our services," Tiffany frowned, "I am amaze that Ch-I mean, Deer....he was able to stomach through all of this. Organ trafficking, getting people murdering each other and stuff...."

"I mean to be fair, if I were in his shoes having learn all of this crap happening in my future by an evil psychopathic fiance, I too would snap and think nothing of it," Ellis spoke up with a nonchalant shrug. "Cause in the end, someone who destroyed my future in the most manipulative way....deserves retribution in the worst way possible."

"That is true," Tiffany nodded thoughtfully. 

"I don't see the problem with that, by the way," Veronica shrugs, "We are all future villains exploited for Ernestine's financial gain, if we want to eradicate the supposed hypocritic exploitive 'heroes' who plan to profit our misery, the only way is to be a villain with a heart." 

"A villain with a heart?" Tiffany repeated, her tone skeptical. "Is that even possible? If you're a villain, isn't that the whole point—you're meant to be cold, calculating, ruthless, right?"

"I mean I think it is," Heads turned to Gerald as he explains, "Only be an angel to the people you think are worth your love, but be a devil to everyone else. You can still have a sense of loyalty, even to those you choose to protect, while being ruthless to those who deserve it. It's not about being heartless—it's about being strategic with your compassion. You have to reserve it for the right people, the ones who truly matter to you. The rest? They're just obstacles. Or worse—tools to be used." Gerald's voice was calm but carried an undercurrent of conviction, as though he'd spent a lot of time considering the balance between mercy and cruelty.

"It's messed up," Tiffany shook her head but couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at her lips. "But I get it."

...................................................................................................................

Kudo Ranran can also be unexpectedly charming.

"Still arguing about again?" In the meeting room, Walter made a grab of the seat next to Veronica, who merely nod before urging her head at the direction of the situation.

"Ranran, I'll transfer you around 2 million pounds if you appear at my food stall back at our school canteen." Tiffany temps the little girl on the table.

"No, not happening," Ellis scoffed before taking out his 'trump card' which since to catch Ranran's attention, "You see this, Ranran? Ellis held up a small, sleek gaming console, waving it slightly to ensure Kudo Ranran noticed it. Her big, curious eyes lit up almost instantly, though she maintained a composed expression, her tiny hands resting neatly on the table as if to mask her intrigue.

"Limited edition," Ellis said with a sly grin. "Only released in Japan. Comes preloaded with some rare games. And I'll let you have it, Ranran—if you agree to accompany me in one of my Youtube videos."

Ellis is a Vtuber, and his fandom apparently liked it when the little girl's voice is heard, as it exposes his 'elder brother' side that the fandom demanded more of these interactions.

To put it simply, more views, more money.

"Rare games, you say?" she finally asked, her soft voice steady and measured. The way she pronounced her words with precision made everyone in the room pause, reminded once again that Ranran was no ordinary child.

Ellis nodded eagerly, leaning closer. "That's right, Ranran. You won't find these anywhere else. Plus," he added with a smirk, "I'll even let you be the first to try them out."

"Oh, I have a better offer," Tiffany smirked, "Be at my foodstall for 10 minutes, 2 million pound easy money."

Since Ranran is ridiculously cute and terrifyingly clever, the first time she ate in front of a microphone by accident, since the microphone was connected to the speaker at the canteen, the entire canteen literally rushed over to buy Tiffany's bubbletea.

Cause in a way, it was like the ASMR food eating videos - pleasant to hear to a point that you want to try some.

The room grew tense as Kudo Ranran's sharp gaze flicked between Tiffany and Ellis, both of whom seemed equally desperate to secure her attention. "Ooi, are you not worried that he will find out what you two are doing? I would drop it if I were you." Veronica called out to the two, but she was clearly being ignored as both Ellis and Tiffany's tension is in an all time high.

Because Ranran in general was a cunning genius, money wasn't difficult to come by for the rest of the members of Fox and Deer. A point proven in the glimpses of Ranran's future through the projector, which is why Ernestine eventually steal all of her assets after Ranran died in the future.

Financially, everyone in the room, including Walter and Veronica, all benefitted thanks to her.

However, this probably didn't sit well with The Deer, who later posed work limits onto Ranran to prevent being 'exploited'. 

It's one thing to make money, but everyone knows that Ranran despise going to school. Generally, the 4-year-old loves money so much, she once mentioned she would rather quit school if such option was given, which is why he implemented the rule in the first place.

And just in case, he does regulate her spending and how much she is allow to withdraw.

Then again, the members of Fox and Deer are all 'future villains', so they are bound to eagerly find loopholes to play the situation to their advantage.

"Ranran," Tiffany pressed, leaning forward slightly with a confident smirk. "Two million pounds for just ten minutes at my stall. No strings attached. You could even buy that console from Ellis yourself if you wanted."

Ellis scoffed, waving the console again as if to remind Ranran of its allure. "But it's not about the money, is it, Ranran? It's about exclusivity. You won't find this anywhere else. And let's be honest—you'd enjoy playing this more than standing around eating bubble tea in front of a crowd."

The door creaked open almost silently, and the tension in the room shifted as the small figure in the Deer mask stepped in. Walter and Veronica exchanged wide-eyed looks, but before they could say a word, the boy raised a finger to his lips, the universal gesture for silence. His masked gaze swept the room, sharp and unreadable, and they froze, unsure whether to intervene or let the scene play out.

Ellis and Tiffany, still locked in their escalating debate, remained oblivious to the new presence in the room.

"I mean, Ranran," Ellis pressed, "think about the games you could play with this console. Limited edition, rare titles—it's a collector's dream. This isn't just stuff, this is an experience."

Tiffany rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Like she needs some fancy console. You really think that's worth more than cold, hard cash? Two million pounds for ten minutes of work, Ranran. Ten minutes! You'd have to be crazy to pass that up."

Ranran, sitting calmly at the table, tilted her head slightly, her eyes glinting while deciding which one to pick. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, a low, steady voice cut through the room like a blade.

"Still using Ranran as a poster child for both of your business endeavours, I see?"

Ellis and Tiffany froze mid-argument, their heads snapping toward the doorway. There he stood, the boy in the Deer mask, his small frame somehow exuding an air of authority that silenced even the most stubborn voices.

"Not really!" Tiffany blurted, her face flushing as she hastily tried to explain. "We were just—uh—brainstorming ways to... you know, maximize Ranran's potential!"

Ellis, less adept at improvising, stammered, "Y-Yeah, it's not like we were exploiting her or anything! We were just—"

"School is important," the boy interrupted, his tone cold and measured. He stepped further into the room, his footsteps soft but deliberate. "And you are both financially stable on your own now, so I think this should be put to an end, no?"

"We're not trying to stop her from going to school or anything. I mean, it's just... a little side gig, you know? Nothing too serious."

"Two million pounds for ten minutes," the boy repeated Tiffany's earlier words, his voice dropping an octave, as if to emphasize the absurdity. He turned his masked gaze toward her. "And you thought this wouldn't draw my attention?"

Tiffany shifted in her seat, her smirk completely replaced by a sheepish grimace. "It was just... an idea," she muttered, looking anywhere but at him. "No harm done."

"No harm done?" the boy echoed, his voice still calm but carrying an edge sharp enough to make Tiffany flinch. "It's considered 'bribery', guys."

Veronica let out a low whistle, clearly enjoying the way Ellis and Tiffany squirmed under Deer's scrutiny. "Told you two this would happen," she muttered, earning an approving glance from Walter.

"I want money." Ranran moaned.

"You have a lot, what would you need so much?" The Deer frowned at the child.

"Invest in my education later on in life after quitting school. Education can wait after all."

Ellis lit up. "Exactly! See, Ranran gets it—"

"Silence," the boy interrupted, his voice like a crack of thunder. Ellis immediately shut his mouth, sinking into his chair before pointing out, "I know it is either you or Tiffany coaching her this way, stop."

"Oh, come on. She is not wrong, you know? Education can wait," Tiffany's smug grin lasted all of two seconds before the boy in the Deer mask shot her a withering look.

"Enough," the boy said, his voice carrying an unmistakable authority. "Ranran is four, if her parents finds out about this, we will be in serious trouble. The last thing they need to know is her millions in pounds of assets in her bank account that I signed her up for. Also, the focus should be on her mental development —not finding ways to fund an early retirement."

"Waaaah, my money," Ranran pouted, her large, expressive eyes practically gleaming with defiance. 

"Come on, Ranran, you can't always be thinking about money all the time." The little 7-year-old boy lifted her off the table before dragging her out of the office.

"I don't wanna go to school!" She made a grab to the table leg upon escaping him.

Rolling his eyes behind the mask, he had no issues prying her little hands of the table leg

"You always ruin my plans!" Ranran pouted, crossing her arms mid-air as she dangled in his grasp.

"That's because your 'plans' usually end in trouble," the boy replied evenly, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Besides, you still have homework, don't you?"

"Homework is boring," she huffed, kicking her little feet in protest. "Making money is more fun!"

"Fun or not, you're four. Homework first, investments later," he said firmly, maneuvering her toward the hallway.

Tiffany, still recovering from her scolding, leaned over to Veronica. "Is it weird that I almost feel bad for Ranran? She's got this whole empire in her future, and here he is, making her do homework."

"Nah, it's probably the only thing keeping her grounded. If she didn't have someone like him to rein her in, who knows what kind of chaos she'd cause." Veronica smirked. 

"Honestly, I think she's already caused enough chaos for one day. Did you see Ellis sweating bullets in front of him by the way? Classic Deer just knows how to turn the heat." Walter chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

Ellis, still sulking in his seat, muttered, "I wasn't sweating. I was... recalibrating my approach."

As the door clicked shut behind Ranran and The Deer, the remaining children in the meeting room could hear her yell, "MY MONEEEEEEEEY!!!!!!"

"She really doesn't let up, does she?" Walter grinned, shaking his head in admiration. "That kid's got more determination than all of us combined."

"Or greed," Ellis added dryly, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Honestly, I'm starting to think she's the real villain here."

"She's a capitalist prodigy," Veronica said, spinning a pen between her fingers. "And, to be fair, she's not wrong about money making everything easier. But that's probably why he's so strict with her. Imagine if she had free rein. We'd all be bankrupt within the week."

"Honestly, I'd pay to see that. Ranran running a stock exchange would be a sight to behold."  Walter laughed.

"But you know.....though she is a bit similar to Ernestine that in a way they will both do anything for money, the thing that separates Ranran from that evil lowly being is that she is a villain with a heart. She won't simply sacrifice her own friends who cherish her, even if she was threatened by the opposing party by holding her love ones hostage, she will literally go to the ends of the earth to scheme for a life worst than death to her enemies." Ellis finished, his tone shifting to something more reflective.

"Villain with a heart, huh?" Veronica murmured to herself. "More like a queen in training."

"But you know....who is the luckiest member among Fox and Deer out of everyone to be the closest to Ranran?" Tiffany questioned as everyone grew confuse as to who she was referring to, "Deer."

"Deer? You mean Chr- Why him? Sure, he's close to her, but I wouldn't call it luck. Half the time he's just dragging her away from chaos." Walter raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with curiosity.

"That is what you see," Tiffany smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "But in the earlier days before the three of you joined, Ranran listens to him."

"I mean doesn't she does all the time? She is the youngest in the group, while he is the leader, she doesn't have a choice or say in this." Ellis frowned.

"Oh no, I mean really listens. That's rare. She doesn't take orders from just anyone, but with him. And you don't tell anyone this, but when The Deer thinks I am not looking at the two...." Tiffany paused dramatically, a sly smile creeping across her face as everyone in the room leaned in closer. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "He spoils her."

Walter blinked. "Spoils her? Deer? The same Deer who just dragged her out of here like a parent dealing with a tantrum?"

"Exactly," Tiffany replied with a knowing nod. "That's what makes it so interesting. He's strict with her when he has to be, but when no one's looking... he gives in. Snacks, little trinkets, even extra screen time on her computer. She doesn't even have to ask half the time—he just knows what she wants."

"Or perhaps he is good with younger children, he used to have a sister before she died." Veronica quipped.

"I doubt it," Ellis leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "That wasn't how I see it at that masquerade party the other day."

"Eh? What are you talking about?" The three of them turned to him.

"That day when we had to help our client from being humiliated by this other noble, everyone was in a mask, so Deer had no issues blending in. Some idiot 3-year-old girl threw herself onto him, asking is he her 'prince charming'."

Walter nearly choked on his drink. "Wait, wait, what? A three-year-old thought Deer was her prince charming? You're joking."

Ellis smirked, clearly savoring the attention. "I'm not joking. This girl—some noble's spoiled kid—comes waddling over, grabs onto his leg, and starts demanding he dance with her. And you know how Deer is—stoic, unflappable."

"And let me guess, he froze, right?" Tiffany figures.

"Oh no, he sweep her hand in disgust."

"Really?."

"I am not making this up," Ellis grinned, enjoying the moment. "He looked down at her, this little toddler clinging to his leg, and with the most disgusted expression I've ever seen, he even kicked her off like she was some kind of bug."

"No way! With his feet? Please tell me no one saw that!" Tiffany gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"This is gold. Deer, the calm and composed leader, getting ambushed by a three-year-old princess and treating her like she was toxic waste. I'm losing it. I wish all of this was caught on camera." Walter was already laughing, holding his sides.

"Wait, wait," Veronica interjected, wiping a tear from her eye. "How is it neither of us saw it?"

"You all followed the client out when all of this was going on," Ellis shook his head, a wicked grin plastered across his face, "And her parents were angry as hell. They stormed over, all red-faced and puffed up, demanding an apology. But Deer just stood there, in his cutthroat anonymous voice, he was out stating, 'How can you bring in such an ill-behaved monkey to an event like this? Is this how you all raised her as parents? I could've done a better job than two of your brains combined'."

"That's peak Deer right there." Walter giving the thumbs up.

"Of course, they did demand he reveal his name, but, you know, masked party and all. He just brushed past them like they didn't exist."

"I can't—this is too much." Veronica clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her face. 

"It's gets worst. The idiot meanwhile.....can't seem to register in her head that getting kick means 'no'. So again, clung to him to him wrist as he was about to leave. So Ranran in a mask witnessing all of this did the unthinkable."

"Let me guess, swatted her hand off, then clung onto his wrist and say 'he is mine'?" Veronica raised an eyebrow, smirking. 

"No, she pepper sprayed her face."

The room fell into stunned silence, everyone processing what Ellis had just said. "Wait... what?!" Walter finally burst out, nearly falling out of his chair. "On a toddler?!"

"Yup, Ranran the toddler....spraying another one," Ellis confirmed, a deadpan expression on his face. "Straight to the face. Point-blank."

Walter gasped, his jaw dropping. "You're lying! There's no way-no, she could. I know her all too well."

"She absolutely will," Veronica said, her face caught somewhere between horror and hysterical laughter. "Around the same day, Deer actually taught her how to use it, teach her to use it on bad people, so......"

"In front of her parents!? Had she lost her mind!?" Tiffany's face fell before stating, "That would've landed her in serious trouble!"

"She knew, which is why she decided to sprayed at the two adults too after they yell threats at Ranran at Deer before the two fled."

The room exploded into chaos, a mix of laughter, disbelief, and outright shock. "Jesus, she's efficient, I'll give her that. Classic Ranran." Veronica is amused.

"Classic?!" Tiffany shrieked, her hands clutching her head. "Do you realize what kind of international incident that could've caused? Who does that?"

"I guess that is why Deer is the luckiest. He's got her loyalty, her trust, and, let's be real, her affection—even if he'd never admit it." Ellis concluded.

"Or rather, Ranran is the lucky one, but she isn't aware yet," Tiffany paused for a moment, her expression shifting from shock to something more contemplative. "You know....that day is coming sooner, the day....he tells her the truth. And when it comes....she better be prepared. Cause honestly, even with all of the trust build between them, it will be difficult to cross."

The room quieted, the shift in Tiffany's tone drawing the attention of everyone present. They could feel the weight of her words, a sudden realization settling over them all.