I had no problem with Canaris living at my house, but as she had pointed out, we needed to agree on the terms. I would have been fine letting her stay in a spare room for free, but I doubted she would accept that. Regardless, we needed to talk it through.
So, the three of us—Nebula included—sat down to talk. Nebula was only about a meter tall, so the sofas and tables in the reception room didn't quite fit her. Since we didn't have a chair designed for someone her size, she ended up perched on Canaris's lap.
While that wasn't an issue in itself, Canaris seemed to be struggling. Her face remained as motionless as a mask, but her eyes were darting frantically in every direction. Her inner turmoil was painfully obvious. It was actually quite impressive that her facial muscles could remain so perfectly still while she was clearly so flustered.
"Canaris, um... are you alright?" I asked.
"I-I am fine. I am simply struggling to process the massive wave of happiness that has suddenly come my way. If you were to ask me, I would say I am incredibly happy... but at the same time, I feel a chill running down my spine."
"Your spine? Why?"
"Well, it is a bit of a personal matter... but let’s just say the 'me' who is here now exists only after enduring countless Galaxy Annihilation Punches. If I’m found out, a punch will be the least of my problems. It feels like heaven and hell have arrived at the same time. But please, don't mind me. It won't interfere with our discussion."
"U-understood."
I thought I heard something rather ominous in there, but she insisted we proceed, so I started ironing out the details. Naturally, the biggest hurdle was the rent. As an Almighty-class god, she could surely create all the money she needed, but...
"No," she interrupted. "Even though Creation is possible, manifesting currency without limit could disrupt the balance of the economy. I intend to find work and earn my way."
"I see..."
She was surprisingly grounded. For someone with the power of an Almighty, she showed a lot of restraint. Just then, Nebula clapped her hands together as an idea struck her.
"Master, I have a proposal. I believe you and Anima were troubled over the opening of physical stores for the black tea brand. Why not leave that to Canaris?"
Nebula’s suggestion was excellent. We had indeed been discussing opening physical storefronts for Nifty, but we hadn't settled on a manager. Since we needed a simultaneous opening across the three nations, we needed someone skilled in Teleportation Magic who could travel between the countries easily. She was the perfect candidate.
Provided she was willing, putting her in charge of the tea brand, paying her a wage, and then deducting her rent from that sounded like an ideal arrangement.
Serious-senpai: Her 'dead' facial muscles might make customer service difficult, but she’s definitely the best person for a managerial role. I mean, she is an Almighty-class being; she can basically do anything...