Arknights - Hearts of Fortune collection

SS1: Strictly Business

"Boo-hoo. Call me a first-degree murderer then." I waved my hand dismissively and went into the elevator.

"You'll pay for this!"

"I am in fact, paying for it." I stated before the elevator door closed.

Off to the fifth floor, I guess...

One might wonder what the third and fourth floor is for. Is it offices? Meeting rooms? Armoury perhaps?

No, it's empty. Nothing at all in there. Despite my protests for some sort of meeting room, office space, or any other productive uses for them.

The lift opens and as I took a step outside, the intercom blares.

"Sherry, can you go to my office for a bit?"

Oh what is it now?!

I sighed and reluctantly began to walk into his office.

"You called?" I said as I opened the office door.

Valor, who was casually seated behind his desk with his legs propped up, and with various snacks looks over to me, "Sherry, so glad you're here." He pauses whatever he was watching, "So here's the thing. I'm on a diet, right now."

"You? On a diet?" I looked around him. Popcorn, chips, soda, fast-food, and an empty pizza box, "I find that hard to believe." I crossed my arms and sat down on the chair.

"Yeah. I'm trying to be healthy here. So, I've challenged myself to not drink alcohol, smoke, or... go out for some time." He said as he threw a chip into his mouth.

"On the contrary, you should take a walk and stop eating microplastics."

"Later," He waved dismissively, "Back to what I was saying, since I'll be... going healthy for a while, I need you to uhh... you know, do my work. Just for today."

"I'm not suited to for fighting."

"Neither do I. Look, first, I already asked Mary to help you."

"Her? Have you perhaps realized that she Is in fact, insane?"

"Well... probably yes?"

I let out a sigh, "So? What are we doing?"

"As I said, you, Mary, and... who was his name again? Pepi, right. You do know him, don't you?"

"Who?"

"..."

"Oh... him... Where is he?" I just realized who he is. Yeah, the guy who came back from Siracusa with Valor and Mary. I don't know what to say about him other than the fact that he's sketchy as fuck. Yeah, he's good looking, but that's all the more reason to stay away from him.

"I put him in charge of a convenience store near the slums." He dismissively, "Not important. Anyways he'll be going with you guys."

"Him? Won't that just boost his ego, being surrounded by two women?" I gave him a knowing look. "And where the hell are we going even?"

"Considering how you both are... well... I'm not that worried that's for sure." He coughed, "As for where you three would be going... It would be Chernoborg."

"Chernoborg?" I raised an eyebrow, "You want us, to go there? You know I'm not a fighter. Pepi will flee from battle, and Mary will do the opposite and run head first into battle. Now that I think about it, sure."

"That's actually not that far-fetched, I'm not a fighter either," He smirked before putting down his legs from the desk and sitting straight, "You see, you might've noticed that our finances are getting low." He states as a matter-of-factly.