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[Game] Chapter 453: Haruno’s Upcoming Blind Date

Ichin didn’t even need to ask to know how things had turned out.

Never mind that his mom had sharpened her tongue years ago while building a business with his dad—even without her stepping in, just Haruno alone would have been enough to handle it.

And indeed, that was the case.

“At first she saw Utaha and the others and started asking which one was my kid, whether the rest were relatives or whatnot.” His mom’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as she spoke. “So I introduced them properly. This is my future daughter-in-law, these two are my goddaughters, and those two are my son’s colleagues and friends. After that I talked a little about your and Utaha’s studies and careers. Halfway through, she found an excuse to slip away. But it’s fine—since I ran into her, I thought I’d organize a class reunion.”

Reunions a few years after graduation are for showing off careers and love lives. But reunions a decade or two later? That’s for showing off family and children.

Ichin hadn’t expected his mom to enjoy that kind of thing too.

Still, he supported the idea. It sounded fun, and she did have a few close university friends worth catching up with.

“Sounds good, Mom. You arrange it however you like. If it runs late, Utaha and I will drive over and bring you home.”

Just then, the front door opened and Haruno walked in with the others.

“Oh! Ichin, you’re back already?”

Slipping off her shoes, Haruno strode into the living room. Noticing the tea boxes on the table, she said:

“While we were shopping today, I bought some really cute skirts—super short ones, too. Want to see?”

“…”

Ichin gave her a long look, then lowered his gaze to her legs, before shifting to Utaha’s.

“I think Utaha’s fine enough, don’t you? Mom, looks like Haruno really wants to fall in love. Better set her up on a blind date before your class reunion.”

His mother chuckled and nodded.

“Mm, I agree. Let’s arrange it for tomorrow—it’s Sunday, and that young man has the day off.”

Haruno’s composure cracked. Tugging at her lips, she said:

“Uh, Godmother, isn’t that a little fast?”

“Fast? Not at all.”

Her godmother pulled out her phone.

“I’ve spoken with him twice already and even showed him your photo. He has a very good impression of you, says he’d like to meet. Just trust me—I’ll go with you tomorrow!”

She’s even coming along?

Haruno had thought she could get away with treating it casually. She hadn’t even let her own mother accompany her to past blind dates, but now her godmother insisted on tagging along?

Her mind spun quickly, and soon she realized what must have happened.

Her mother must have had a talk with her godmother.

Seeing her godmother’s beaming face, Haruno could only sigh inwardly. There was no escaping tomorrow’s plan.

Taking another bite of watermelon, Ichin found her defeated expression especially amusing.

Checking the weather forecast on his phone, he turned to Utaha and the others.

“Since Mom and Haruno have plans tomorrow, where should we go? Amusement park?”

Nene raised her hand eagerly.

“Disney?”

“No, just a regular amusement park.” Ichin gestured.

“The kind with huge roller coasters and giant pendulums.”

“Uh… maybe not.”

Sakura Nene imagined it and shook her head repeatedly.

“Don’t you have something… less intense?”

“How about go-karting? Not the bumper-car kind, but proper karts with a racetrack, like Mario Kart.”

“Oh! That sounds great!”

Sakura Nene’s eyes lit up, clearly interested.

Since Nene wanted to go, of course Umiko would as well. She smiled and added:

“I know a good place. There’s even a shooting range there—I’ve been twice. Want to try it too?”

“Sure, why not? I came back on vacation, after all. The whole point is to have fun.”

And just like that, Sunday’s plan was set.

As for Ichin’s father, he’d already decided on his own schedule—spending the day with old friends, drinking tea and playing cards. He was practically semi-retired now, with far more free time than before.

Once the chatting was over, Ichin’s mom went to prepare dinner, with Utaha and Yukino following to help. His dad carried the newly bought tea into the study to examine it properly, while also messaging his card buddies about tomorrow’s game.

With half the people gone, the living room grew quiet. Ichin finally had a chance to turn his attention toward Umiko and Sakura Nene.

Rubbing his chin, he let his gaze shift back and forth between them.

“Haruno, how were these two acting when you went to pick them up this morning?”

Haruno chuckled.

“If I had to put it into an idiom—like glue to lacquer?”

“Woooow~~~”

Even Umiko, usually boyish in her hobbies and demeanor, couldn’t keep from blushing under their teasing. Despite her darker skin tone, the redness was obvious.

As for Nene, her face turned even redder. Unable to endure Ichin and Haruno’s looks any longer, she grabbed Umiko’s hand and dragged her into the kitchen.

“They ran away.”

With a sigh, Ichin turned to Haruno.

“You’d better hurry up, Haruno. Don’t end up the only single one when everyone else has paired off.”

Haruno waved him off without a care.

“Don’t worry about me. No matter what, there’s still someone ahead of me in line.”

“Poor Hiratsuka-sensei. Such bad taste in friends.”

“Hehe~~~”

And at that very moment, elsewhere in the city, Hiratsuka Shizuka was walking down the street with an iced Coke in hand when she suddenly sneezed.

“Ah-choo!!”

Sniffling, she muttered to herself:

“I’m not sick… must be someone talking about me. Probably Haruno or that Ichin brat. Whatever—better find somewhere to have dinner first.”

---

Sunday.

With all the plans set, Ichin got up early, ate breakfast, and then drove Utaha, Yukino, Umiko, and Sakura Nene to the go-kart track they’d reserved.

Haruno, meanwhile, obediently stayed home, waiting until the afternoon to go meet her blind date with Ichin’s mom.

Patting Haruno’s head, Ichin’s mom smiled.

“Don’t be nervous. No one’s forcing you into a relationship—just meet him. If you like him, give it a try. If not, just treat it as making a new friend. His family runs a foreign-trade building materials business. Even if the blind date doesn’t work out, you two might still cooperate on the business side, right?”

That was news to Haruno—she hadn’t heard this before.

Looking at her godmother in surprise, Haruno asked:

“Godmother… you’ve talked about this with my mom, haven’t you?”

Ichin’s mom nodded with a smile. Haruno immediately understood—and finally let herself relax completely.

---

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 603: Chenyu Vale, Yilong Wharf (2-in-1 Chapter)

His cultivation progress had already risen by over six hundred thousand points—a result of diligent “training” with the girls.

Nolan continued experimenting with the adeptal arts in his mind, testing ways of using adeptal energy for offense.

Adeptal shockwaves, protective barriers, even arrays and talisman arts—he tried them all.

The sheer variety of techniques Ganyu had mastered seemed endless.

Perhaps the scale of his battle was too great, for before long nearby insect swarms detected something unusual.

They released pheromones to alert distant swarms, and soon countless insects surged toward him. The cosmic beast’s stomach lining even began extruding more swarms, as though its blood-born parasites had also sensed the enemy within.

Faced with such numbers, Nolan grew excited.

Frost and snow swirled around him, mingling with the wind until they became a raging blizzard.

He gathered his strength, and the storm intensified into a true calamity.

Even the mere aftershocks froze nearby swarms solid, and the stomach walls themselves became coated in thick ice.

“Adeptal Art · Super Celestial Shower!”

Infusing the original art with Anemo, the ice shards and snowstorm became even more violent and swift.

Dozens of kilometers around him transformed into a frozen world.

The swarms, whether mighty True Stingers or half-grown Lesser Stingers, charged in full of vigor one moment—only to turn into ice sculptures the next, shattering instantly.

Wave after wave of insects perished, and his character panel flashed like a waterfall with experience notifications:

【Defeated Strong Enemies ×57, Obtained 624,154 Adventure EXP】

【Defeated Strong Enemies ×65, Obtained 753,258 Adventure EXP】

【Defeated Strong Enemies ×51, Obtained 595,432 Adventure EXP】

The Adventure EXP piled up as though he were cheating.

Two million… three million… five million… ten million…

In mere minutes, he broke past ten million, surging rapidly toward twenty million.

Pushing his adeptal energy harder, he expanded the blizzard’s range. When his adeptal reserves dwindled, he substituted Harmonizing Energy instead.

Harmonizing Energy, condensed through the hot springs, was purer and more potent. With it, the blizzard’s scale exploded outward.

The entire stomach of the cosmic beast—hundreds of kilometers across—was consumed in the storm.

This was no longer a spell, but a man-made natural disaster, one even stronger than the fiercest blizzards of Dragonspine.

By now, every swarm within the beast’s stomach had been annihilated.

Checking his panel, he saw:

【Adventure EXP: 36,365,421】

Over thirty-six million Adventure EXP—he had never been so wealthy. Enough to level up twice in succession!

With the swarms wiped out and the stomach sealed in ice, no new enemies emerged.

Without hesitation, he chose to ascend.

> Adventure EXP -30,326,812

> Lv.105 (673,188 / 15,000,000) → Lv.107 (0 / 17,000,000)

A torrent of energy surged through him, as though hot spring water immersed every cell and soul, reforging them.

The energy he had spent was instantly restored, and his reserves grew even greater.

[Character Status]

Name: Nolan Walker

Level: 107 (0 / 17,000,000)

Race: Human

Titles: Honorary Knight, Distinguished Citizen of Liyue, Legendary Adventurer, Honorary General of Watatsumi Island, Sumeru Sage

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills:

- Lumine’s Musou · World Lv.10 (Starsea Manifestation, Boundless)

- Domain of Objective Illusory Shadows · Divine Level Lv.10 (Unobservable State)

- Flowing Sky Shot: Arcane Level Lv.10 (Frostglow Arrow)

Specialties:

- Beloved by Maidens (Exclusive)

- Unmoving Gospel of the World Tree (Exclusive)

- Threads of the Northern Wind (Exclusive)

- Spiritual Core (Exclusive)

Adventure EXP: 6,038,609

---

Though only two levels gained, the leap in strength was enormous.

If before he could merely keep pace with Raiden Ei, now he could defeat her outright.

His combat power now truly rivaled Teyvat’s top Archons—even without factoring in the absurd boosts from affection skills like Jean’s, Hu Tao’s, or the Shogun’s.

With those, he could crush Ei effortlessly. Without them, he could still win in a fair fight.

His normal power alone had reached Archon-tier.

As he quietly savored his new strength, joy stirring in his heart—

Boom!

The entire stomach quaked. Ice shattered from the walls, crashing down in chunks.

A massive suction force drew him forward.

Nolan instinctively activated his full-hearted protective shield. The next instant, his body was launched like a cannonball!

The scenery blurred past—out of the frozen stomach, through the beast’s throat—until at last the starry cosmos spread before him.

For the first time since entering this creature, he beheld the glittering stars.

No doubt the cosmic beast had finally locked onto him and vomited him out.

Nolan wasn’t surprised—the commotion he caused was simply too great.

His eyes turned golden as he invoked the Golden Eyes of Judgement, along with Miko’s affection skill, gazing back at the beast.

Its body was pitch-black, dotted with huge maws and tail stingers.

An unimaginably vast insect, its diameter five or six times that of its own stomach. Above its head glowed a golden identifier:

【Level: 136】

The moment he saw its level, he didn’t even bother reading the detailed feedback from Miko’s skill.

Without a second thought, Nolan teleported straight back to the Wonderland Space.

“Phew—scared me half to death.”

In the living room, he exhaled deeply. Level 136—beyond even the mightiest Archons.

Who knew what powers it possessed?

He had plenty of life-saving methods, but there was no need to risk them. Better to run while he could.

【Great True Stinger: The largest of the swarm, but its status does not match its size. It generally serves as a ‘vessel’ for the swarm to traverse the starry seas, obeying the orders of the ‘King.’】

Recalling the feedback just now, Nolan realized this so-called Great True Stinger was merely a transport beast. Behind it existed a Swarm King.

He had assumed this was the ruler itself.

But no—it was just a subordinate. And if even a “subordinate” was that strong, how terrifying must the King be?

Wary of attracting the Swarm King’s attention, Nolan decided it was best to leave sooner rather than later.

As for farming Adventure EXP, Nolan decided it was better to wait a while before trying to sneak back into the Great True Stinger’s stomach.

Next time, he would just send in the Sword God of Lumine instead—it was much safer. That monster was simply too powerful, and it was best not to provoke it in person.

If it came to a real fight, Nolan certainly wouldn’t stand a chance. To avoid accidents, it was wiser to lie low for now.

After fighting in the Great True Stinger’s stomach for so long, noon had already turned into night.

By then, Lumine and Paimon had returned from visiting Ningguang to ask about Fontaine. Lumine looked at him and said:

“We found out that the fastest route from Liyue to Fontaine is to take a ship from the port of Yilong Wharf in Chenyu Vale to Fontaine’s Port Romanthe.”

“This is currently the most convenient route.”

Chenyu Vale was famous for its tea, home to countless tea merchants. Its teas were known across all of Teyvat.

Nolan knew of the place, though he had never adventured there.

“Alright, as long as we know the general direction, I can teleport us there directly,” he replied with a nod.

“There’s no need to rush. We’ve never been to Chenyu Vale before. If we teleport straight there, we’ll miss the scenery along the way. That’s not what a Traveler should do.”

Paimon spread her hands as she spoke.

“Yilong Wharf is close to Port Romanthe anyway—it’s possible to make the trip in a single day,” Lumine added.

“That’s true. I don’t really mind either way,” Nolan said with a smile.

Because of the situation with the Great True Stinger, the next two days passed with Nolan accompanying the girls during the day to stroll the markets, and at night spending time “training” closely with them.

This pushed his cultivation progress further:

【Lv.107 (1,025,462 / 17,000,000)】

Including his six million remaining Adventure EXP, he only needed about ten million more to level up again.

But that would have to wait until the Great True Stinger lowered its guard so he could slip back into its stomach to farm again.

Otherwise, gathering ten million Adventure EXP would be troublesome—he would have to rely on daily “training” with the girls.

Still, half a month of that would be enough for another level up, far faster than ordinary cultivation.

Soon, two days had passed, and the lively atmosphere of the Lantern Rite in Liyue Harbor had begun to fade.

That day, Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon prepared to depart for Fontaine.

They packed lightly—thanks to Nolan’s Wonderland Space, they hardly needed to carry anything.

First they headed to Qingce Village, then took a bamboo raft across the river, officially entering Chenyu Vale.

Walking along the paved roads, the three strolled leisurely.

Carriages carrying tea leaves occasionally passed by, and the surrounding mountains were lush and terraced with tea plantations, making for a beautiful scene.

Since it was morning, a faint mist lingered over the mountains, adding to the beauty.

They encountered no monsters or Treasure Hoarders along the way, arriving safely at Qiaoying Village.

It was one of the two major settlements in Chenyu Vale, the other being Yilong Wharf.

Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon explored Qiaoying Village for a while to get familiar with it, even buying some tea to store in the Wonderland Space.

After leaving the village, they continued along the main road.

Not long afterward, they came across a group of hilichurls robbing a merchant caravan.

A black-haired youth wielding a greatsword stood against two Hilichurl Berserkers.

“Uncle Yuanming, you all fall back! Leave these monsters to me!”

Though he didn’t turn his head, the youth’s voice was steady, showing no fear despite being outnumbered.

Nolan activated the Golden Eyes of Judgement and saw that the youth, though still young, was already over level 40. A Vision hung at his waist—he was indeed a Vision bearer.

“Jiaming, there are too many of them. Why don’t we abandon the goods? They can’t carry much anyway. We’ll fetch help later.”

The middle-aged man in glasses behind him, clearly frightened, urged caution.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Yuanming. I can handle them. As an escort, I cannot allow our client’s goods to be lost!”

The youth named Jiaming shook his head firmly.

“Roar!”

The Hilichurl Berserkers, sensing his strength, had hesitated for a moment. But seeing he refused to surrender the cargo, their patience snapped, and they charged!

“He’s going to be attacked! We have to help!”

Paimon’s eyes widened with urgency.

“Mm.”

Lumine summoned her many-times-strengthened sword, her white knee-high boots kicking off the ground as she dashed forward with a whoosh.

She closed the distance instantly, her silver-white blade flashing.

Shhk!

Two small hilichurls with crossbows fell before they could fire, followed by one of the berserkers.

“A-amazing!”

The youth fighting a berserker couldn’t help but gape at Lumine’s swift strike.

Before he could recover, the two berserkers before him crashed to the ground with a thud.

“H-huh? That’s it?” he muttered, stunned, still gripping his greatsword.

“Hehe, are you alright?”

Paimon floated up, relieved now that the monsters were defeated.

“We’re fine, fine—thank you. Without you, this shipment would have been lost,” said the bespectacled man in a white robe with a grateful bow.

“It’s nothing, really,” Paimon smiled, waving her hand. “When we see injustice, we step in—that’s just our way!”

“Thank you again for your help!” Jiaming sheathed his weapon, then asked curiously, “I don’t think I’ve seen you in Qiaoying Village before. Did you come from Liyue Harbor?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Nolan walked up and nodded, explaining:

“We’re heading to Fontaine, and thought we’d pass through Chenyu Vale for a look.”

“I see! If you’re going to Yilong Wharf, please allow me to guide you there—as thanks for your help!”

The youth named Jiaming offered earnestly.

(End of Chapter)

[Game] Chapter 451-452

Chapter 451: A Beautiful Day, Starting with Being Pinched Awake

Throwing off the blanket and getting out of bed, Ichin stretched a little and said to Yukino:

“I really didn’t expect you to join in with Nene’s little prank.”

A faint smile flickered in Yukino’s eyes as she replied:

“Actually, it was Godmother who told me to wake you. Nene just tagged along on her own, saying she wanted to get back at you for what you did at the airport earlier.”

“I figured as much.”

Picking up the phone from the desk, Ichin noticed it was already five o’clock.

“Guess I really did sleep for quite a while.” Slipping the phone into his pocket, he walked out of the bedroom with Yukino.

In the living room, Sakura Nene and Haruno were watching TV.

Ichin walked over, grabbed a cherry tomato from the fruit plate on the coffee table, and popped it into his mouth. The sweet-and-sour taste woke him up a little.

He shot a look at Nene, who was half-hiding behind Haruno, then turned to Haruno and asked:

“Where’s Umiko? Don’t tell me she’s in the kitchen too?”

Haruno smiled and nodded.

“Yep, she’s helping out in the kitchen. Ichin, Godmother said that once you’re up, you should go give a hand too.”

“Alright, let me wash my face first.”

After rinsing his face in the bathroom, Ichin headed into the kitchen.

Inside, his mom, Utaha, and Umiko were busy preparing dinner.

When his mother saw him come in, she gave him a glare, then told Umiko to hand over the kitchen knife she was holding to Ichin.

“Alright, Umiko, you go rest. Let Ichin handle things here.”

Of course Umiko happily agreed. Passing the knife to Ichin, she even untied her apron and handed that to him as well.

“I’ve chopped most of the vegetables already. The rest is all yours.”

“Got it, Umiko. Go rest. You’re the guest today.”

Once Umiko left, Ichin took over her work, finishing up the chopping.

“Mom, why don’t you rest too? I can handle the stir-frying.”

Seeing her son so eager, Ichin’s mother smiled and nodded.

“Alright then, I’ll enjoy a little break. Come on, Utaha, let’s go to the living room.”

“Huh?”

Utaha was dragged off with her, leaving Ichin staring blankly for three seconds before he finally snapped out of it.

“As expected of my real mom…”

Picking up the spatula, he looked at the neatly prepared ingredients in front of him and got to work.

Half an hour later, the kitchen door opened. Yukino peeked inside at the busy Ichin and asked:

“Need me to help?”

Ichin, checking on the soup simmering in the pot, shook his head.

“No need, Yukino. Just stay in the living room. If Mom finds out you came to help me, she’ll nag again. It’s my first day back—let me handle the cooking.”

Yukino didn’t go back immediately. Instead, she stepped inside.

Glancing at the pot, she asked curiously:

“Is that… loofah?”

“Yeah, loofah. You don’t see it often in Tokyo, but Mom bought some today to make soup. Loofah egg-drop soup—it’s really good!”

Yukino leaned closer, surprised at the light, savory fragrance rising from the pot. It really did smell nice.

Pouring oil into the wok to heat it up, Ichin said:

“Alright, time for me to stir-fry. Yukino, you should head out. Even with the exhaust fan on, the smell still gets strong.”

She nodded lightly, then finally stepped out of the kitchen.

When dinner was ready, Ichin’s father happened to return home as well, so everyone gathered at the table.

Seeing the feast laid out, his father smiled, fetched a bottle of red wine from his study collection, and said to Ichin:

“Come on, Ichin, drink a little with me. Haruno, Umiko, you two should have some as well.”

Naturally, no one objected. They ate and drank happily together.

It was only after the meal, when Umiko glanced at the two empty wine bottles on the table, that she suddenly remembered she had planned to drive home.

“Ah, that’s bad…”

Ichin realized it at the same time—Umiko couldn’t drive anymore.

But it wasn’t a big problem. Even though he and his father couldn’t drive her themselves, they could always call for a designated driver.

“Umiko, just call a driver service.”

“Driver? Oh, right! I drank too much and forgot.”

She tapped her forehead, then pulled out her phone and booked one. Since it was the two of them going back, she specifically chose a female driver, just to avoid any possible complications.

Of course, they could have stayed in the apartment downstairs where Haruno and Yukino were, but Ichin didn’t bring it up. After all, today was their first day here; better to let Nene and Umiko spend time alone. If they stayed over, Nene would probably feel too restrained.

Ichin was honestly looking forward to their reactions when he saw them tomorrow.

Before long, the driver arrived, and Umiko and Nene said their goodbyes and left.

Haruno and Yukino didn’t stay much longer either. During dinner Yukino had tried a little red wine, and it was starting to hit her. Combined with the fatigue of a day of flying, it was definitely better for them to rest early. With enough energy, they could enjoy themselves properly tomorrow.

Back home after half a year, Ichin slept especially well that night—so well that he didn’t wake up until nine the next morning, when someone pinched his face awake.

Opening his eyes, he found Utaha wasn’t beside him. Instead, leaning over his bed, one hand pinching his cheek, was Haruno.

A beautiful day, starting with being pinched awake.

Meeting Ichin’s gaze, Haruno laughed cheerfully:

“Good morning, Ichin! Time to get up! Or… do you want your big sister’s good-morning kiss instead?”

“…”

Expressionless, Ichin swatted her hand away. Sitting up and ruffling his hair, he muttered:

“Why are you so free anyway? With all this energy, can’t you go for a jog or something?”

“No need. I already train regularly. I’ve never skipped my Aikido practice—my skills are pretty good, you know!”

She proudly flexed her fist, then stood up.

“Alright, mission accomplished. Now hurry up and wash up, Ichin, breakfast is already bought.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m getting up.”

Ichin yawned and was about to throw off the blanket when he noticed Haruno was still standing there, staring at him without leaving.

“…”

After staring at each other for a good five seconds, Ichin finally said:

“Haruno, I think you’ve really been single too long. How about letting Mom set you up with a blind date in the next couple of days?”

That finally sent Haruno obediently out of the bedroom.

After changing clothes and washing up, Ichin went to the dining room.

Utaha and Yukino had almost finished their breakfast. When Utaha saw him come in, she poured him a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

“Come on, Ichin, have breakfast. Finally, I get to eat these pan-fried buns again!”

Sitting down, Ichin took a sip of coffee, then pulled a napkin to wipe a bit of broth from the corner of Utaha’s lips before picking up a bun himself.

Utaha, smiling as she enjoyed his attention, picked up a piece of fried dough stick and placed it into his porridge.

---

Chapter 452: Mom’s Shopping Story

After breakfast and a short rest, Ichin’s mom went out with the girls. On the way, they picked up Umiko and Nene, making six people in total for the shopping trip.

As for Ichin, for once his mother spared him from bag-carrying duty today. Even his father was spared.

With all the women out of the house, Ichin and his dad sprawled on the living room sofa, brewed two cups of tea, put on a war movie, and enjoyed a lazy afternoon.

Taking a sip, Ichin smacked his lips and said:

“Dad, don’t tell me you’ve run out of pocket money? This tea isn’t as good as the stuff you used to drink.”

“You think I want it this way?”

His father drank and sighed.

“Think back. Since you were a kid, have I ever had private money?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Looking into his cup, Ichin frowned.

“But Mom wouldn’t deny you decent tea, would she?”

“This isn’t terrible. It’s just that the harvest these past two years hasn’t been great. I got this batch from a friend, but compared to before, it’s weaker. If you want good tea, the price is up at least thirty or forty percent. We’re not short on money, but there’s no reason to let ourselves be fleeced. Once prices go down, I’ll buy better again.”

“Emmm…”

After thinking for a moment, Ichin turned to his father.

“Since Mom and the others are out shopping and left us to fend for lunch, why don’t we eat out, then check out some tea shops? I don’t have much tea left back in Tokyo anyway, so I might as well buy some. And I can bring a couple of boxes for Utaha’s father too. Don’t worry about the cost, Dad—your son’s got money now. It’s on me.”

Hearing this, his father’s eyes lit up.

“Alright, let’s go this afternoon then! Old Li told me he got a batch of ridiculously expensive Da Hong Pao. I’ll message him to hold some for us!”

Other than the occasional card game with friends, tea was his father’s only real hobby. But everyone knew good tea was rare and costly—usually too much for him to justify.

But now it was different. With Ichin making plenty of money, he could happily cover his dad’s tea expenses.

After the movie, the two went out. Ichin’s dad called up his tea-specialist friend, and the three of them had lunch together before heading to the man’s teahouse. They spent the afternoon sipping fine tea and playing cards in comfort.

By the time they returned home, it was already past four.

Utaha, eating watermelon in the living room, spotted the bags in their hands and smiled:

“What did you buy?”

“Tea.”

Setting the bags on the table, Ichin opened his mouth so Utaha would feed him a slice of watermelon.

“Mhm, nice. Sweet melon.”

After swallowing, he added:

“There wasn’t much tea left at home in Tokyo, so I figured I’d buy some while I was back, and grab a bit for your dad too. He loves tea, right?”

“Ah, I see.”

Utaha picked up a box from the bag, reading the label.

“Da Hong Pao? That must’ve been expensive.”

“Tea prices are steep right now—especially for the good stuff. Scarce supply drives it up. Nine boxes in total: three Da Hong Pao, three Keemun, three Biluochun. All top-quality. Not cheap. I’ll bring a set for your father. He can enjoy it at home or share with colleagues.”

Hearing this, Utaha’s eyes curved in a smile.

“Once Dad sees this, he’ll definitely be thrilled.”

Soon after, Ichin’s mom came back, unloading ingredients in the kitchen before stepping into the living room.

Seeing the pile of tea on the table, she frowned.

“Spent a lot, didn’t you? You only needed to get some for yourself and Utaha’s father. Why so much for him? He still has a box left from before!”

Ichin grinned.

“It wasn’t that much, Mom. When you find good tea, of course you buy it. Besides, it keeps. Better to have extra than run out. Anyway, forget tea—what did you buy? And where are Haruno and the others?”

“They’re downstairs with Umiko and Nene, checking out the apartment. They’ll be up soon.”

Sitting down with a wedge of melon, his mother’s mood brightened.

“We bought some clothes today, mostly for the girls. With their figures, they look good in anything!”

That remark applied to everyone—except maybe Nene. Well, to be fair, aside from being short, her proportions weren’t bad. She just couldn’t pull off Utaha or Haruno’s elegant style, nor Umiko or Yukino’s cool tones. At best she fit the cute, pastel look.

“And you, Mom? Didn’t buy anything for yourself?”

“Of course I did.” She beamed.

“Two new summer outfits. The girls helped me pick, and Utaha even paid. I told her I could pay myself, but she insisted on swiping her card.”

Utaha hugged her arm and said with a smile:

“It’s fine. I earn plenty from writing now, and you’ve taken such good care of me. Buying you a couple of dresses is the least I can do. Oh, and Ichin—this afternoon we even ran into one of Auntie’s old university classmates!”

“Oh? Really?”

Ichin glanced at his mom. He’d only ever met two of her old classmates, both from Shanghai.

His father, seeing her expression, chuckled.

“Bet it wasn’t someone you were close with?”

“You can tell?” She shot him a glance, her face smug.

“It was our old class monitor. Remember her? You met her a few times when you came to pick me up.”

“Oh! Right, I remember.” His father clapped his hands, recalling.

“The one from a well-off family, always acting so superior?”

“That’s her.”

“I didn’t expect to see her again after all these years, but we recognized each other instantly. She’s got a daughter, a few years older than Ichin, just returned from studying abroad. The moment we met, she started bragging—how successful her daughter is, how she works for a foreign company, how much she earns each month, and what a great son-in-law she’s found.”

…Why did that sound so familiar?

Ichin tilted his head, then realized—wasn’t this straight out of those cliché “face-slapping” novel scenes?

He hadn’t run into it himself before, but apparently his mom just had.

---

[HP] Chapter 175-176

### Chapter 175: If Money’s So Useful, Why Didn’t Your Dad Become the Dark Lord?

Nighttime meant social hour in Slytherin once again.

Thoughtfully, Louis left the dormitory, giving the younger snakes a chance to mingle with each other instead of cowering like quails in his presence.

Just as on his very first day at Hogwarts, he sat on the sofa before the enormous glass window, reading under the glow of the Black Lake, the fish outside his silent companions.

Adventures with Werewolves, and he even claims he restored one to human form… Lockhart really dares to boast,” Louis muttered, nearly clapping for the man’s audacity.

Only in the wizarding world, where the population was small and few had the time to fact-check, could such nonsense stand. Otherwise, it would take just one werewolf wizard to expose him for the fraud he was.

Still, though Lockhart’s stories were wildly exaggerated, much of the material wasn’t fabricated. There really had been wizards who lived closely with werewolves, and a spell to reverse their transformation might have existed.

It was just that, thanks to Lockhart the conman, such magic had been completely lost.

“A Restoration Charm… isn’t that just like an anti-Transfiguration spell? Maybe being a werewolf is a kind of Animagus transformation?”

Ever since extracting Quirrell’s foundation in magical theory, Louis’s research in the Potterverse had gone much more smoothly. He could now explore such ideas with ease.

“Werewolves are, without doubt, a form of transformation. The problem is, after transforming, they lose control—and it’s infectious. So the abnormalities must be in the brain, the teeth, and the claws.”

Book in hand, Louis’s eyes gleamed with intellectual fire.

He even felt the itch to capture a werewolf for dissection…

But where would he find one? The only werewolves he knew of were two names: Remus John Lupin—the important character—and Fenrir Greyback, the one who had bitten Lupin.

Of course, those weren’t the only ones. Werewolves were a distinct social group, not a rarity. Otherwise, there’d be no need for Wolfsbane Potion.

Maybe he should consider catching one for “scientific research”?

While Louis was mulling over increasingly dangerous ideas, someone descended the staircase.

Looking up, he saw Cassandra slowly making her way down.

Her hands folded neatly in front of her, she descended with measured steps, unhurried, until she reached the sofa opposite Louis and sat down.

Louis arched a brow. “Don’t you need to be making friends with the others?”

“A gathering of mediocrities,” Cassandra said loftily, lifting her swan-like neck. “Most of them are wasting their years. Even the older students hardly have impressive magical ability.”

“Then why come here? Do you want something from me?” Louis closed his book and locked eyes with her.

“Of course. I’ve heard you’re a descendant of Merlin.” Cassandra’s gaze didn’t waver. Unlike Hermione, she didn’t blush and look away after a few seconds—her eyes were steady, unyielding.

“And so?” Louis leaned back on the sofa.

“I don’t believe it,” Cassandra said flatly.

Girl, what are you, the magical version of a talk-show host?

Louis almost burst out laughing. But Cassandra noticed the twitch at his lips and frowned in displeasure.

“I admit your grades are impressive,” she said, “but that proves nothing. All it takes is for someone to defeat you in this field, and your lie will crumble.”

“So what—you want to play the hero?” Louis couldn’t hold it in any longer and laughed openly.

“Why not?”

“Of course you can. You’re welcome to challenge me,” Louis said carelessly. “But you need to understand—my identity isn’t recognized because of good grades. That sort of thing is meaningless.”

“What do you mean?” Cassandra’s delicate brows knit together.

“That means your information isn’t complete.”

Louis stood up. “That’s why sometimes socializing is important. At the very least, from the mouths of those ‘ordinary people’ you look down on, you can learn things you don’t know yourself.”

“Sweet dreams.”

With that, Louis picked up his book and returned to the dormitory.

Ever since gaining the Merlin template, he had never once worried about his identity being exposed. Whether it was the bounded field called Avalon or his Dream Demon bloodline, both were more than enough to sustain the lie.

It wasn’t something a little witch saying, “I don’t believe you,” could ever overturn—because it had already become reality.

“Sleep well tonight, work hard again tomorrow,” Louis yawned as he walked back. He even canceled his planned nighttime stroll.

After all, once you start slacking off, it’s addictive. Why work so hard when there’s no need?

As soon as he returned to the dormitory, he was greeted by cheers from inside.

When Louis pushed the door open, the cheers dipped briefly but quickly returned to normal. Everyone had grown used to his presence—so long as they didn’t provoke him, they were safe.

But Blaise Zabini was a little different. He eagerly came up to Louis to share the good news.

“Louis,” he said, “Malfoy’s father is donating a whole set of Nimbus 2001s to our House Quidditch team!”

“Oh? The latest broomsticks? Not bad. Looks like Slytherin will have the advantage this year.” Louis’s gaze flicked to Draco Malfoy, who was wearing a proud smile.

“So, Malfoy is going to join the team?”

“Yeah. The old Seeker graduated, so Malfoy’s got a chance to take the spot,” Zabini explained.

“Then he’d better be careful.”

Louis’s interest was piqued. He walked over to the small group celebrating Draco’s impending position as Seeker.

For a moment, Draco panicked when Louis approached. But quickly he forced himself to calm down, reminding himself he hadn’t done anything to offend him.

“I hear you’re Slytherin’s new Seeker?” Louis asked.

“N-Not yet, but soon. I’ll be playing in the first match this term,” Draco answered cautiously, even forced into sounding modest.

“That’s still good. I’ve got a suggestion—want to hear it?” Louis said.

“Fine, let’s hear it,” Draco said, trying to sound tough.

Louis chuckled, unconcerned with Draco’s fragile pride. “My suggestion is simple: stay low-key, and train hard. Don’t end up flying on the brand-new broom and still lose to Harry’s Nimbus 2000.”

“Impossible! Our whole team is switching to Nimbus 2001s. Gryffindor, apart from Harry, are still using Cleansweeps. It’s no contest!” Draco mustered the courage to argue.

“If money were really that useful, then the Dark Lord would never have ruled. Your family would have.” Louis gave a cutting comparison. “So good luck. Because if you lose, you’ll be a laughingstock.”

He didn’t know if his words would actually make Draco wiser. He was just tossing it out there, hoping to squeeze a few Fate Points.

As long as Malfoy didn’t slack off—if he played properly while Harry was being chased around by Bludgers and managed to catch the Snitch—that’d be a big win.

“Just think about it. You’re on a Nimbus 2001, but you lose to Harry Potter. Doesn’t that sound like a joke?”

Louis’s words stabbed into Draco like an awl. Yet Draco didn’t dare show the slightest dissatisfaction.

Because Louis was absolutely right—and Malfoy didn’t dare cross him.

---

Chapter 176: He’s Still a Professor, I Can’t Just Beat Him Up

The next day, Louis didn’t bother waking up too early. He went to the Great Hall just in time for breakfast.

He was expecting a package to be delivered, and this was the perfect time for it. No need to risk receiving something like that in some uncertain setting.

Breakfast was simple—Louis made himself a sandwich and washed it down with milk.

For reasons of her own, Cassandra once again chose to sit beside Louis, with Blaise Zabini on his other side, the three of them lined up like sentinels. Given Cassandra’s personality, it was easy enough to understand—blending into the group wasn’t really her style.

Soon, the sound of wings flapping overhead filled the hall. Among the owls, the largest—Fafnir—was especially conspicuous, swooping down like a precision bomber and dropping a large parcel squarely toward Louis.

Louis caught it with practiced ease. The heavy thump in his hands left no doubt about its weight.

“What’s that?” Blaise Zabini asked.

“Potion ingredients. I’m planning to study some advanced potion work lately,” Louis replied casually.

That was half true. There were indeed potion ingredients inside, but most of it was for analyzing the Tara’s Mask.

Blaise had just opened his mouth to praise Louis’s diligence when a piercing shout made him jump.

“RON WEASLEY!”

Every head turned to look. A Howler, transformed into a gaping mouth full of fangs, was roaring furiously at a red-haired boy.

“Wow, a Howler. Sounds thrilling,” Blaise said with a grin.

Most of the students were more than happy to watch Ron make a fool of himself—even the Gryffindors. Sure, they had celebrated his “brave stunt” last night, but that didn’t stop them from laughing at his misery today.

“…If this gets your father sacked, I won’t be surprised! If you ever pull such a reckless stunt again, pack your things and come home!”

The Howler finished its tirade and shredded itself into pieces, ending the noise.

The students chuckled among themselves, but Ron and his partner-in-crime Harry sat with dark faces, silently cursing their luck.

When breakfast was over, Louis slipped away and stashed his package inside the Room of Requirement. Just as he was heading to class, he ran into Snape.

“Mr. Wilson.” Snape’s face was grim, though not on Louis’s account. “I hope this year you’ll be a bit more… active.”

“Professor, do you mean earning more House points?” Louis asked.

“Exactly.” Snape nodded sharply, still brooding over last night’s fiasco.

He’d missed a golden chance to deduct a massive haul of points from Gryffindor, and it gnawed at him. Last year’s House Cup loss had nearly driven him up the wall.

“Alright, I’ll try my best,” Louis agreed.

Though, in truth, he didn’t think it likely. Snape might lean outrageously toward Slytherin, but Dumbledore wasn’t exactly impartial either.

“What’s the point in fussing over daily points if they’re all overturned with bonus points in the end?”

Shaking his head at Snape’s retreating back, Louis sighed.

…

“Your stunt really is baffling. What made you think flying a car to school was a good idea?” Louis asked on the way to class.

“We didn’t have a choice,” Ron protested. “We couldn’t get onto the platform, my parents couldn’t get out, so what else could we do?”

Harry nodded earnestly, backing Ron up. “I even thought about sending Hedwig with a letter, but I was worried about that house-elf…”

“Wait, right! We could’ve just sent a letter!” Ron blurted, stunned.

Both Harry and Louis fell silent, staring at Ron with unreadable expressions.

“You two didn’t need to drive the car at all. If you’d just waited by it, Mr. Weasley would’ve sorted things out for you. But now, with what you did, you’ve basically thrown Mr. Weasley into the fire. He’s already under heavy scrutiny lately,” Louis said.

“Oh, come on, Louis, give me a break. I’ve suffered enough this time,” Ron groaned.

He clearly didn’t understand what Louis meant. All he could do was sigh over his wand—snapped in two and held together by a fragile strip of wood.

Harry, unable to stand watching any longer, turned to Louis. “Louis, can you fix wands?”

“That’s an honor of a question, Harry,” Louis replied dryly. “But haven’t you thought about it? I’m your age. Why would I know how to mend wands?”

He shrugged at the two of them, but still took Ron’s wand and inspected it.

Normal repair charms wouldn’t work on broken wands. Only something like the Elder Wand, with its unparalleled amplifying power, could restore one.

Of course, Louis could use the Horse Talisman’s restorative power. That spell ranked higher than anything in the Harry Potter world. Fixing a wand would be child’s play.

But Louis hesitated.

After all, this year’s Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would eventually be undone by this very wand—its backfiring spell would rebound, leaving him memory-wiped on the spot.

Fixing the wand meant saving Lockhart…

Hmm…

“Sorry, I can’t,” Louis said firmly.

Let Lockhart die.

“Figures.” Ron hadn’t held out much hope anyway. With a sigh, he took back his battered wand.

…

That day’s lesson was Herbology, taught by Hufflepuff’s Head of House, Professor Sprout.

She was a short, plump, kindly witch, though today she didn’t look particularly cheerful. Considering Lockhart’s constant chatter beside her and the bandaged arm she carried, the reason was obvious.

They’d just come from the Whomping Willow. Yesterday, two blockheads had flown a car straight into it.

Said blockheads hung their heads in shame.

As Sprout and Lockhart approached, Lockhart’s booming voice carried to the waiting students.

“I’ve encountered no fewer than ten of these dangerous plants, and without fail I subdued every one of them—what I mean is, no one understands the Whomping Willow better than I do.”

Sprout clearly had no patience for him. Turning to the students, she said, “Well then, children, what are you waiting for? Greenhouse Three. Today’s lesson is repotting Mandrake seedlings. I hope you’ve all brought your dragon-hide gloves and earmuffs.”

She expected that once class began, the braggart would finally shut up. But instead, he seized two students—Harry with his left hand, Louis with his right.

“Behold, two celebrities,” Lockhart said proudly. “Forgive me, Professor Sprout, but I’ll need to borrow your students for a moment.”

He hadn’t even finished speaking before his right hand burned as though scorched by fire. With a hiss of pain, he instinctively let go.

Staring at his palm, he wondered if he’d actually been burned. But there was no mark at all—no redness, no blistering. As if it had all been an illusion.

But could an illusion feel so real?

Lockhart stared in confusion at the second-year boy rumored to be a descendant of Merlin.

“Sorry, Professor Lockhart, but I’m not fond of physical contact with men,” Louis said.

Polite, but only barely so. Altogether dismissive.

Then he stepped toward Professor Sprout, making his preference clear.

Sprout’s expression softened with approval. She was very pleased with his attitude. If it wouldn’t have seemed disrespectful to the “sacrifice”—ah, no, the professor—she would’ve awarded him ten points on the spot.

Harry wished he could be as smooth as Louis, but lacking his tricks, he struggled in vain to free himself.

“Well then,” Lockhart said with a strained smile, though his eyes still flashed with irritation, “I’ll just take Harry with me…”

Harry’s helpless glance over his shoulder made his misery clear. Louis only shrugged in response—there was nothing he could do.

He couldn’t very well haul off and punch Lockhart. The man was still a professor, after all.

---

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 602: Guided by the Moonlight (2-in-1 Chapter)

With Ganyu’s affection now at its peak, Nolan obtained the corresponding affection skill. He carefully absorbed the information fed back to him:

Guided by the Moonlight: As long as Ganyu exists, this skill will passively remain in effect on the skill’s owner. The owner gains all of Ganyu’s powers: the blessings of the Auspicious Qilin, mastery over Cryo, adeptal energy and arts, etc. The degree of power transferred equals the sum of both parties’ levels as a percentage. Any amount beyond 100% becomes additional enhancement.】

Huh—he had actually gained Ganyu’s powers!

Thrilled, Nolan immediately felt a new surge within him. Beyond his usual Harmonizing Energy, an extra force suddenly manifested—adeptal energy!

This adeptal energy did not blend with his Harmonizing Energy, nor did it draw directly from Ganyu’s own reserves. Rather, it existed separately—like a brand-new energy bar in a different dimension.

Alongside it, countless adeptal techniques surfaced in his mind, the very ones Ganyu had mastered. There were so many that he couldn’t process them all at once and had to set them aside for now.

Most astonishing of all, he had inherited the power of the Qilin. A Qilin was a benevolent beast of good omen, bringing peace and long life.

This meant that, even though he was human, his presence could stabilize places plagued by war and strife, bringing them peace. In already tranquil lands, his influence could preserve that peace for generations, ushering in an era of prosperity.

It was a passive, fate-altering power, subtle yet profound. The stronger its wielder, the greater the range and the harder it became for outside forces to disrupt it.

And as a Qilin, his luck improved as well, with longevity to rival the immortals.

Nolan no longer needed to worry about lifespan—long life was now just another blessing.

It made him think back to when he had first come to Liyue, dreaming of learning adeptal arts.

He had gone to Mt. Aocang, met Shenhe, even encountered Cloud Retainer, but had lacked the aptitude to train. All he managed to learn back then was a simple focusing technique from Shenhe.

Now, through Ganyu’s affection skill, not only did he possess the aptitude, but he also directly inherited the adeptal arts she had already mastered.

No training required—it was as if his old wish had been fulfilled at last. The thought genuinely pleased him.

He resolved to head into the cosmic beast’s stomach later and test out these new adeptal arts.

In addition, he now wielded Cryo. Thanks to the affection skill, Ganyu’s mastery over the element had become his own.

He now commanded five elements: Anemo, Hydro, Electro, Dendro, and Cryo. Only Geo and Pyro remained before he achieved mastery of all seven.

Overall, Ganyu’s affection skill was remarkably powerful. As long as she existed, her powers would continuously augment Nolan. Any new skills she gained in the future would automatically be added to him as well.

At present, her level was 96, while his own stood at 105. Together that totaled 201.

Since 100 was enough to transfer all her abilities completely, the extra 101 translated into a 101% boost.

And because the adeptal arts were cast using his own strength, every spell he released would be several times more potent than Ganyu’s.

Nolan estimated that his current power might even surpass the Raiden Shogun’s. Perhaps not even Ei herself would hold an advantage against him.

Of course, this estimate was based on the strength they had displayed in public. Their previous duel had likely been at full force.

Still, his guess should be quite close to reality.

He often sparred with her, though their fights usually ended with the two of them pressed close together, eventually shifting into… other forms of “dueling.”

And in that arena, there was no question—Nolan held overwhelming dominance. Even if Ei and the Shogun both came at him together, they might manage some advantage at the start, but once their stamina ran out, they could only yield to his whims.

If only one of them faced him, she wouldn’t even have that much of an advantage.

As long as he willed it, they would remain completely at his mercy.

---

Once all the girls had received their “Waymarks,” Nolan first escorted Hu Tao back to Liyue Harbor.

After that, anyone who wanted to explore the Lantern Rite festivities could teleport directly to her side.

As for him, he sent Xiangling and Guoba back to Wanmin Restaurant.

He had thought about giving Xiangling a Waymark as well, but since he rarely visited her, their bond wasn’t deep enough. Her affection stood at around Level 4:

【Xiangling’s Current Affection Level: Lv.4 (200/400)】

They were good friends, yes, but not close enough for such a precious gift.

If one suddenly gave something so valuable to a friend who wasn’t especially close, the reaction wouldn’t necessarily be joy—it might be suspicion.

At least Level 6 was needed. By then, even if she wondered about his intentions, it wouldn’t matter—their bond would outweigh it.

At that level, their feelings, though subtle on the surface, already surpassed simple friendship.

Then a gift would only be seen as a sign of how much he valued them, filling them with joy and increasing affection.

But at lower levels, it could backfire, lowering affection instead.

So, for now, Xiangling would have to wait.

After sending her and Guoba back, Nolan wandered through the festival with the girls.

The Lantern Rite bustled with events.

There were contests to craft lanterns as quickly as possible, with prizes for the fastest. There was also a new kind of board game—Theater Mechanicus.

It involved placing mechanical devices with various effects to stop enemy pieces (representing monsters) from reaching a target point.

Nolan played two rounds against Lumine and Paimon—he controlled the monsters, while they placed the devices. He lost both times.

He suspected the inventor, Ruijin, hadn’t properly balanced the game.

Otherwise, how could he lose twice in a row?

He absolutely refused to admit he was weaker than Paimon. Clearly, Lumine’s assistance had tipped the scales. Yes—that had to be it.

They roamed the lively streets until about 10 p.m., when the crowds gradually thinned.

Nolan escorted Ganyu, Cloud Retainer, Rosaria, Ayaka, and the other girls who didn’t yet live in the Wonderland Space back to their own places.

Then he too returned to the Wonderland Space.

Everyone had gathered to bathe together at the hot springs. Naturally, Nolan wouldn’t miss such a perfect “training opportunity.”

As for testing his adeptal arts in the cosmic beast’s stomach, that would have to wait until tomorrow.

---

The next morning, inside Lumine’s room.

Nolan opened his eyes, rubbing them with his right hand. His arm tingled slightly, numb from having been used as a pillow all night by the two sleeping at his side—Lumine and Yelan.

That’s right—last night, after spending a long time “training” with the girls in the hot spring baths, Nolan finally pulled Yelan into his arms and slipped into Lumine’s bed.

If not for the limited size of the bed, he would have wanted to pull Noelle in as well.

Naturally, they ended up “training” together in the room until two or three in the morning, which was why the two girls still hadn’t woken up yet.

Turning his head left, Nolan glanced at Yelan, who was using his arm as a pillow. Her short, dark blue-black hair spilled across his arm, her fair eyelids rested shut, and her delicate nose let out a faint, steady breath.

His gaze shifted to her lips, which looked a little dry. Leaning down, he pressed his own lips against hers, attempting to moisten them.

“...Mmh.”

Yelan frowned slightly in her sleep, but soon relaxed, instinctively responding to him.

A droplet of moisture slipped onto the sheets, leaving behind a faint mark.

Nolan propped himself on his side and slipped his right hand along Yelan’s back, which was pillowed against his arm.

His fingertips traced the smooth line of her shoulder blades, drawing a ticklish flinch from her shoulders.

Soon his hand slid further down, resting on her soft curves. He kneaded gently, then slipped his hand to the back of her snowy thigh, hooking under her left leg and drawing it up.

Her legs parted slightly, and he pulled her against him, their bodies pressed tightly together.

Yelan’s brows knit for a moment, but quickly eased again. She was clearly too exhausted from last night; even as he resumed “training,” she did not wake.

After about half an hour, he finally let Yelan go and turned, intending to pull Lumine close. But she opened her amber eyes, a hint of exasperation flickering within—obviously woken by the noise.

Knowing exactly what he was about to do, Lumine rolled over, pressing him down. She straddled him, kissed his lips, and said:

“These past few days are for the Lantern Rite. Let’s rest a little, then set out for Fontaine. Later, we should ask Ningguang which route there is most convenient.”

“No problem. I’ll use these days to focus on training and raise my strength.”

Nolan nodded.

Their trip to Fontaine wasn’t just for sightseeing; the main goal was to request the Hydro Archon’s cooperation or perhaps borrow the “Oratrice Mécanique d’Analyse Cardinale.”

Whether danger awaited or not, strengthening himself was necessary.

“Hmph, you…!”

Lumine rolled her eyes at him, then sealed his mouth with hers, refusing to let him speak further. He was always so incorrigible!

Another half hour passed. By 7:30, Yelan awoke.

Seeing the two tangled together—and noticing the strange marks on her own body—she quickly realized Nolan had taken liberties while she slept.

With mild irritation, she climbed atop him, punishing him in Lumine’s stead, who had already collapsed in defeat.

By the time they finally dragged themselves from the big bed, it was nearly noon.

After breakfast, Lumine and Paimon went off with Yelan to meet Ningguang, while Nolan descended into the cosmic beast’s stomach.

Perhaps due to the damage he had caused here recently, the massive creature seemed to suspect it had swallowed something foul.

It had summoned reinforcements—swarms of insectoid creatures—to patrol its stomach. And there were plenty of them.

After all, its stomach spanned hundreds of kilometers in diameter.

Each swarm was led by a True Stinger, followed by more than a dozen Lesser and Young Stingers.

The sight of so many crawling insects was horrifying, but it suited Nolan perfectly. If they came to him, it saved him the trouble of cracking the stomach walls with meteors to draw them out.

This time, however, he wanted to test his new adeptal arts, so he didn’t immediately wipe them out.

He picked a swarm and, using the adeptal knowledge in his mind, drew upon Cryo and adeptal force to condense a Frost Pearl in the air.

A white Qilin motif shimmered across its surface. He tossed it lightly, and it floated above the swarm.

Mist of frost and snow spread outward. Sharp icicles, imbued with exorcising power, rained down on the swarm.

This was one of Ganyu’s adeptal arts—Celestial Shower!

In his hands, it was even more fearsome than Ganyu’s own. The blizzard enveloped the swarm, encasing them in ice, their movements growing sluggish until escape was impossible.

One by one, they froze solid, life ebbing away. His panel popped with notifications:

【Defeated Strong Enemies ×16. Obtained 154,174 Adventure EXP.】

One swarm had granted him over 150,000 EXP—doubling his reserves in an instant.

From this, he gauged that each swarm yielded roughly the same, given their similar numbers and strength.

The commotion drew other swarms nearby. They swarmed toward the human who had slain their kin, furious and reckless.

Nolan only smiled, channeling adeptal energy into the Cryo art Trail of the Qilin.

Lotus-shaped ice blossoms bloomed before him, slowing the insects as they drew near.

The moment they touched the blossoms, the lotuses detonated like hidden mines. Boom! Bursts of Cryo erupted, freezing the entire swarm in an instant.

Even the mighty True Stingers were no exception.

【Adventure EXP +82,146】

【Adventure EXP +4,232】

【Adventure EXP +4,561】

【Adventure EXP...

The messages cascaded across his vision like a flood. By the time every last insect was frozen into lifeless sculptures, his experience points had soared past one million.

Character Status

Name: Nolan Walker

Level: 105 (673,188 / 15,000,000)

Race: Human

Titles: Honorary Knight, Distinguished Citizen of Liyue, Legendary Adventurer, Honorary General of Watatsumi Island, Sumeru Sage

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills:

- Lumine’s Musou · World Lv.10 (Starsea Manifestation, Boundless)

- Domain of Objective Illusory Shadows · Divine Level Lv.10 (Unobservable State)

- Flowing Sky Shot: Arcane Level Lv.10 (Frostglow Arrow)

Specialties:

- Beloved by Maidens (Exclusive)

- Unmoving Gospel of the World Tree (Exclusive)

- Threads of the Northern Wind (Exclusive)

- Spiritual Core (Exclusive)

Adventure EXP: 1,360,207

(End of Chapter)

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 601: The Marvelous Sight of Ten Thousand Lanterns (2-in-1 Chapter)

The sky was already dim.

Nolan had been busy for a long while, traveling to Mondstadt, Inazuma, and Sumeru to invite many girls over to Liyue so they could join in the festive atmosphere of the Lantern Rite.

Those who possessed the ability of “Interstellar Travel” could teleport directly to Ningguang’s side, but for those who did not, Nolan personally went to fetch them.

Like Rosaria and Kamisato Ayaka, for example.

Everyone who received his invitation developed some degree of affection toward him. Even girls like Layla, who didn’t come because they disliked crowded places, still felt warmth from his effort.

After all, being invited with such enthusiasm made them feel valued as friends, and that was heartwarming.

After informing everyone, Nolan’s last stop was Yuehai Pavilion, where he went to invite Ganyu and Shenhe. By now, their workday should have been over.

---

Yuehai Pavilion

When Nolan arrived, he saw the staff leaving work with lighthearted expressions—naturally, everyone was cheerful at the start of a holiday.

He stepped into Ganyu’s office and found her there with Shenhe.

“Huh? Why are you here? Are you looking for Shenhe?” Ganyu rubbed her eyes and yawned, still a little dazed.

“Not only her. I came for both of you. Mainly, I want to invite you to a Lantern Rite banquet at the Jade Chamber.” Nolan explained.

“Eh… is that so…” Ganyu hesitated slightly, clearly torn because she wanted to accompany her master during the festival.

After all, Cloud Retainer rarely visited Liyue Harbor.

Seeing her hesitation, Nolan smiled and added: “Cloud Retainer is there too.”

“If Master is there, then we should go have a look,” Shenhe said while glancing at her senior sister.

“Yes… thank you for specially coming to invite us,” Ganyu nodded, showing her gratitude.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.8 (660/800).】

Watching the notification flash across the character panel, Nolan felt a surge of delight. Today, he had already gained much affection from many girls.

Several of them were nearing max affection, and he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of “affection skills” they would grant him.

“The time is about right. Please, take my hands—I’ll bring you there.”

Nolan stretched out his hands toward them.

Shenhe blinked her silver eyes and, without much hesitation, placed her hand in his.

Ganyu widened her eyes slightly in surprise.

Eh? She didn’t hesitate at all… Ganyu thought. But when she saw her junior sister so calmly take his hand, she felt it inappropriate to fuss over it too much. So, she too extended her hand and rested it in his palm.

As soon as her hand was clasped, warmth spread from his grasp, causing a faint blush to appear on her fair cheeks.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 340 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.9 (200/900).】

The notification popped up again, and Nolan glanced at Ganyu with a bit of surprise.

So she’s just shy… He chuckled silently, then activated the power of “Interstellar Travel,” teleporting them straight to Ningguang’s side in the Jade Chamber.

In the blink of an eye, the scene shifted from Ganyu’s office to Ningguang’s office.

Besides Ningguang, Jean, Yae Miko, and Kamisato Ayaka were also present. By sheer chance, they had all gathered here, seemingly discussing some potential cultural cooperation.

Nolan didn’t disturb them. Instead, he led Ganyu and Shenhe out of the office.

Outside, he noticed Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi guiding Sucrose, Yoimiya, and many other girls around the Jade Chamber.

“So many people… I’ve never seen the Jade Chamber this lively before.” Ganyu was slightly amazed, then asked, “Speaking of which, where is Master Cloud Retainer?”

“She should be outside,” Nolan replied.

Soon after, they stepped onto the outer platform of the Jade Chamber. Several round tables were already set up in the center.

On the side, large cooking pots had been arranged. Xiangling from Wanmin Restaurant and her companion Guoba were leading the preparations, with Noelle, Lumine, and Paimon eagerly helping.

Elsewhere, Collei, Amber, Fischl, and other girls surrounded a massive lantern at the front of the platform, marveling at it with gasps of wonder.

Standing before the lantern, Cloud Retainer couldn’t help but curve her lips upward, clearly proud to receive such praise.

“Master, what are you doing?”

Hearing her name called, Cloud Retainer turned to find her disciples Ganyu and Shenhe standing there with Nolan.

“Have you seen this?” Cloud Retainer gestured toward the enormous lantern behind her, then continued,

“Look at Liyue Harbor. Every household hangs lanterns, everyone holds lanterns—how could my disciples fall behind?”

By now, night had fully descended, and countless lanterns floated in the skies above Liyue Harbor.

Some drifted higher and higher, while others hovered steadily at a set height. Their collective crimson glow illuminated the entire night sky.

Cloud Retainer patted the massive lantern.

“This is the Lantern Rite gift I prepared for you and Shenhe. Ahem, of course, Nolan helped a little as well. What do you think—are you satisfied?”

“Eh… for us? Master, you didn’t need to go to such trouble…” Ganyu lowered her gaze, embarrassed.

She remembered how Cloud Retainer used to be—if Ganyu so much as glanced at a toy on the street, Master would always create an even better one for her afterward.

Even now, that hadn’t changed… Ah, but she wasn’t a child anymore, and to have such a toy-like gift prepared in front of everyone was a little embarrassing.

But at the same time, her heart felt touched, and she also grew a little fonder of Nolan, who had helped.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.9 (560/900).】

“Thank you, Master,” Shenhe said more straightforwardly.

“Alright then, since the myriad lanterns of Liyue Harbor have already risen, ours cannot fall behind. I’ll leave the final task—the installation of the Floating Stone and the lighting of the candle—to you two.”

With her adeptal magic, Cloud Retainer produced a large candle and the floating stone, handing them to Ganyu and Shenhe respectively.

The two girls exchanged a glance, nodded lightly, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, began setting them in place one after another.

As expected, once the final Floating Stone was installed, the lantern—large as a pavilion—slowly rose into the sky.

Its crimson glow looked as if it carried the people’s wishes and blessings up into the heavens.

Happy Lantern Rite!

Everyone gazed at the colossal lantern, while down in Liyue Harbor the time for releasing lanterns had also arrived.

Tens of thousands of lanterns drifted upward like countless stars.

From the Jade Chamber, the sight was especially clear.

Ningguang and the others, who had been discussing matters inside, as well as the girls touring the chamber, all came outside. Beidou and Rosaria were already seated on a table, drinking together.

But everyone’s eyes turned toward the sea of lights over Liyue Harbor. Such a wondrous scene could only be seen once a year, making it feel more than worth the trip.

Soon, lanterns filled the night sky, and the banquet was ready. Everyone sat down at the tables.

A wonderful time passed quietly, swift as a fleeting steed.

When the banquet ended, naturally everyone wanted to stroll around Liyue Harbor. The Lantern Rite was, after all, the liveliest time of year.

And the quickest way to get there was, of course, Interstellar Travel.

Nolan only needed to send Hu Tao back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, then everyone else could teleport directly to her side.

But before that, a few of the girls at the Jade Chamber still didn’t have “Waymarks.”

This was the perfect chance for Nolan to hand them out—as Lantern Rite gifts.

He first approached Beidou and Rosaria, who were drinking together at a table.

Their cheeks were tinged red from drink. As soon as Nolan came near, Beidou hooked an arm around his neck and shoved her cup to his lips:

“Haha! Today is a good day—come drink with me!”

Nolan wasn’t much of a drinker, but he didn’t mind. Since the cup was already at his lips, he took a sip before saying:

“I came to give you both a gift.”

He briefly explained the use of the Waymark.

“Oh? And you’d just give us something so incredible, just like that?” Beidou downed another gulp of wine, surprised.

“Of course. Waymarks aren’t rare for me. I’d be glad if you used them to visit and chat more often.” Nolan smiled.

“Good. Then I won’t be polite about accepting.” For Beidou, often at sea, teleportation was invaluable. And since it came from a friend, she had no reason to refuse.

【Beidou Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 460 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (560/700).】

Seeing the prompt, Nolan happily taught Beidou how to fuse with the Waymark.

Afterward, he turned to Rosaria.

“Teleportation would be useful for you too. When you’re bored at work, you could sneak over to drink with Beidou.

“And when you think the sisters at the cathedral are about to notice you’re missing, just teleport to Barbara’s side—it’ll look like you never left.”

The suggestion was indeed appealing. Rosaria nodded and accepted the Waymark with quiet satisfaction.

【Rosaria Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 470 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (600/700).】

After giving Waymarks to Beidou and Rosaria, Nolan moved to where Yoimiya, Yae Miko, Kujou Sara, Kuki Shinobu, and Kirara sat with Kamisato Ayaka.

Yae Miko, ever cooperative, casually mentioned that both she and the Shogun had received Waymarks from Nolan.

Hearing this, Ayaka and Sara were delighted. The ability to contact the Shogun at any time—and even teleport to her after approval—was extremely appealing, especially for Sara.

They accepted without hesitation.

【Kamisato Ayaka Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 520 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (600/700).】

【Kujou Sara Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 580 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (380/700).】

Both were added to his circle of goodwill without issue.

As for Kuki Shinobu and Kirara, being ordinary citizens of Inazuma, their respect for the Shogun was tinged with fear.

The thought of constant contact with her—especially under Yae Miko’s watchful eye—made Shinobu uneasy.

But when she caught Miko’s faint smile, she felt refusing might bring worse trouble.

So she accepted the Waymark.

【Kuki Shinobu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 380 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.9 (200/900).】

Since everyone else had accepted, Kirara didn’t decline either. For her, teleportation meant faster, more efficient international deliveries—something she was eager to try.

【Kirara Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 430 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.6 (530/600).】

The prompts popped up one after another—his affection with Inazuma’s girls had risen considerably.

With Shinobu nearly maxed out, she was close to unlocking a new skill.

Next were Ganyu and Cloud Retainer. Once they received Waymarks, nearly every girl present would wield the power of Interstellar Travel.

Nolan approached their table, explained the Waymark’s functions, and with a smile, offered them as Lantern Rite gifts:

“This way, whether Ganyu wants to return to Mt. Aocang or Master wishes to visit her disciples in Liyue Harbor, it will be much more convenient.”

“Eh… alright then, thank you.”

Ganyu could already travel swiftly with adeptal arts, but she didn’t want to refuse her friend’s goodwill. After all, Interstellar Travel was easier than her own methods. She accepted gladly.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 420 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.10 (MAX).】

Cloud Retainer, meanwhile, was intrigued by the Waymark’s similarity to the Akasha Terminal—yet unbound by range. With it, she could communicate across any distance, so there was no harm in keeping one.

“Hmph. Very well. Thank you. Since it is a Lantern Rite gift, this adeptus shall prepare a return gift in kind.”

Adjusting her red half-rimmed glasses, she clasped her silk-wrapped chest and accepted.

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 420 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.9 (280/900).】

With two more notifications flashing across his panel, Nolan was overjoyed.

Not only had Shinobu and Cloud Retainer reached Level 9 affection, but Ganyu had maxed out!

That meant another Affection Skill was his to claim.

Sure enough, the panel lit up with a new message:

【Through sincere heart and tireless effort, you have bound yourself deeply to a fate that once ran separate from yours. From this day forward, the stars of these maidens shall shine with you. Gained ability: Guided by the Moonlight.】

(End of Chapter)

[Game] Chapter 449-450

Chapter 449: Long-Awaited Umiko

After getting off the plane, Nene trailed behind Ichin, repeatedly kicking at his calf.

“That’s for yanking my eye mask! That’s for yanking my eye mask!”

Ichin dodged nimbly, grinning.

“The announcement had already played. You were the only one still dead asleep, so I just picked the most effective way to wake you.”

“Urusai! I’m definitely telling Uncle and Auntie about your crimes later!”

Her threats rolled right off him. Ichin simply flicked a finger against her forehead, making her freeze.

“Hmph, always bullying me. Fine, you’re the boss, you win!”

Seeing Nene’s sulky face, Ichin exchanged a look with Utaha, then laughed.

“Alright, I’ll apologize. When we get home, I’ll buy you a chilled watermelon. Half for you alone—you can hug it and eat it with a spoon.”

“Oooh! Really?”

The last time they’d gone back to China in summer, that way of devouring a watermelon had left a deep impression on her. In Tokyo, she never dared—half a watermelon there cost a fortune.

Of course, in the countryside fruit was way cheaper, but since life and work kept her in Tokyo, she never had the chance.

Just picturing it, Nene’s irritation melted away. Truthfully, she’d never been mad in the first place—just the usual playful bickering.

They picked up their luggage, and in the arrivals hall they spotted Umiko, who had come to meet them.

Compared to those around her, Umiko’s slightly darker skin stood out.

The moment Nene saw her, she dropped her suitcase and sprinted ahead.

“Umiko-nee!”

Smiling, Umiko waved—only to see Nene charging at full speed, then leaping to cling onto her.

Startled, Umiko quickly caught her.

“Good thing I’ve kept up my training, or I wouldn’t have managed that!”

“Hehe, of course I knew you could handle it.”

After rubbing her cheek against Umiko’s, Nene finally slid back down.

By then, Ichin and the others had caught up. Ichin smiled.

“Long time no see, Umiko. Though honestly, I expected a bit more of a touching reunion scene. That was it?”

Haruno chimed in,

“You don’t get it, little Ichin. The rest isn’t free for us to watch—and this place isn’t exactly appropriate either.”

“Ohh, I get it now. As expected of Haruno-nee.”

Umiko, of course, heard the teasing undertones in their words. She shot Ichin a glare, then pulled a car key from her pocket and handed it to him.

“Here. This is for you to drive back. I’ll take Nene to drop off her luggage at my place first, then head over to your home. By the way, are Haruno and Yukino still staying with you this time?”

“Not this time,” Ichin shook his head. “It’s summer—cramming the sisters into one room is too hot, even with AC. Back at New Year, I asked Mom to buy another apartment in our complex. One happened to be up for sale. It’s already renovated, so Haruno-nee and Yukino can move in. Later, if anyone else comes to visit, they can stay there too—much more convenient.”

“What? How did I not know?” Haruno was stunned.

“It wasn’t a big deal. And I’m telling you now, aren’t I?”

As they walked out of the terminal, Ichin explained,

“We’re family, no need for so much fuss. Prices in Shanghai will only keep rising—buying was no loss. The previous owner already knew my parents. Their daughter got married and moved to another city for work, so they sold it to us at a friendly discount. Basically market value, but still a favor.”

“Ahh, in that case, good.”

Haruno finally relaxed. He was right—they’d definitely be coming often in the future, so a stable place to stay was ideal.

Yukino, recalling something, added,

“I remember… apartments in that area were quite expensive, weren’t they? I looked it up once out of curiosity.”

“They’re high, yeah, but not outrageous for Shanghai. They’ve broken 150,000 per square meter these past two years. There are at least forty or fifty places pricier than our complex. But honestly, unless you’re buying, it’s not worth worrying about. And your family’s business doesn’t extend into China anyway. So just relax and enjoy your vacation.”

Yukino nodded. She really had only searched out of curiosity—but those numbers had been shocking.

Nene tugged at Umiko’s sleeve and whispered,

“Umiko-nee, is your place expensive?”

“Not too bad. Ichin helped me find it—nice environment, close to work, very convenient. Price? Not sure, maybe seventy or eighty thousand?”

“That’s still so expensive!” Nene’s eyes went wide.

Ichin turned his head and said,

“It’s just an apartment. Its value doesn’t compare to what Umiko has contributed to the company. Well, did that speech move you? Make you want to work for me for decades?”

Umiko laughed.

“As it happens, I do plan on staying at your company until retirement. How’s that sound?”

“You’re one hundred percent welcome. And you, Nene?”

“Me? I never thought of changing jobs. Just don’t let the company go under, and we’re fine.”

With laughter and chatter, the group left the airport. Ichin drove Utaha, Haruno, and Yukino home, while Umiko took Nene back to her apartment first.

In the car, Haruno glanced out at the sweltering weather.

“Shanghai summers really are hot… So, where are we going to play these next few days?”

Hands on the wheel, Ichin answered,

“There are plenty of places. Let’s rest at home for a day, then decide. Mom’s free anyway, so wherever you want to go, I’ll be your driver.”

From the back seat, Haruno nodded approvingly.

“Good, good, very sensible. In return, I’ll reward you with a lap pillow!”

“I’ll pass. I already have Utaha’s lap for that.”

He knew better than to trust Haruno’s so-called reward—if he lay down, who knew what trap she’d spring next?

***

Chapter 450: Family Hierarchy

The car pulled into the complex, parked in the family’s spot, and Ichin led Utaha and the sisters upstairs.

Instead of heading straight to his own place, he took them to the apartment prepared for Haruno and Yukino, where his mom was already waiting.

The doorbell rang, and moments later the door opened—Ichin’s mother appeared with a broad smile.

“You’re back! Come in, come in!”

Once the four entered, she hugged Utaha, Haruno, and Yukino one by one, pointedly leaving Ichin out.

He had long since expected this and only laughed, helping carry in the sisters’ luggage.

Holding each sister by the hand, his mother said warmly,

“Come, let me show you the setup. I prepared everything in advance without knowing your preferences, so I’m not sure if you’ll like it. If you want to change anything, I’ll take you shopping in the next couple of days.”

Looking around the living room, Haruno nodded in approval.

“This is already very nice. We never liked overcomplicated décor. Simple is best.”

Yukino agreed.

“Yes, it’s similar to my Tokyo apartment’s style. Very comfortable.”

They checked the living room, study, bedrooms, and bathroom. His mother had put a lot of effort into redecorating, leaving both sisters thoroughly satisfied.

Yukino’s room, in particular, was like heaven. Knowing her love for cats and pandas, Ichin’s mom had prepared themed items—she even managed to track down several of the now sold-out Bing Dwen Dwen mascots from the Winter Olympics and placed them in her room.

Seeing her two goddaughters so pleased, Ichin’s mom finally felt relieved.

She told them to unpack, then brought Ichin and Utaha upstairs to their own home.

Opening the door, Ichin stretched comfortably.

“Back home at last. Nothing feels quite like it. Mom, did you buy groceries? There’ll be a lot of people at dinner tonight—Umiko and Nene are coming too.”

“Don’t worry, I bought everything this morning.”

She pointed at his bedroom.

“Go unpack. Utaha, stay here and chat with me.”

“Fine, fine. My place in this family is already the same as Dad’s—rock bottom.”

Shrugging, Ichin carried his bag to his room.

He turned on the AC, opened drawers, and unpacked bit by bit—electronics on the desk, clothes into the wardrobe.

It didn’t take long. Soon he was sprawled on his bed, yawning lazily.

“Mm… may as well nap for a while. Dinner doesn’t need me anyway.”

Sleep took him quickly.

In the living room, Utaha chatted with his mom. When Ichin still hadn’t reappeared after ten minutes, she grew curious and peeked into his room—only to find him fast asleep.

His mom joined her, chuckling at the sight.

“This boy… how did he fall asleep so fast?”

“He must be tired,” Utaha whispered. “So he could stay longer here, he’s been handling extra company work these past few days. Since we’ve nothing to do this afternoon, let him rest.”

She gently picked up a blanket and tucked it over him, making sure he wouldn’t catch a cold from the AC.

Ichin’s mom watched silently from the doorway, her face warm with affection.

Their relationship was strong—she felt reassured. The only thing that bothered her was timing: Ichin wasn’t yet old enough to register marriage with Utaha; they’d need two more years. As for children, that could wait even longer—she would never allow Utaha to interrupt her university studies with a pregnancy.

Blanket tucked in, Utaha left and returned to watch TV with his mom.

Soon after, Haruno and Yukino came upstairs, and half an hour later Umiko and Nene arrived too.

Even though her son was still snoring away, Ichin’s mother didn’t mind. With five lively kids keeping her company, who needed him?

Her son? Whether he was here or not made no difference!

Near five o’clock, the bedroom door creaked open—Nene and Yukino tiptoed in.

Nene clutched a feather plucked from a duster. Yukino eyed it with a twitching mouth.

“Are you really going to do this?” she whispered.

“Hmph! This is revenge! I, Nene, never let a grudge last overnight!”

Chin raised, she crept toward Ichin’s bed.

He was still deeply asleep, not stirring even as they entered.

Kneeling beside him, Nene murmured softly as she studied his face,

“Say what you will, he really is pretty handsome. Better-looking than those hosts in Tokyo.”

“You’ve been to a host club?” Yukino asked flatly.

“Of course not. I saw it on YouTube!”

Pulling out her phone, Nene started recording, then brought the feather to his nose, brushing lightly.

The tickling made him scrunch his nose and frown, but he still didn’t wake.

Nene’s grin twisted mischievously—eerily like her best friend Aoba’s.

“Tickle, tickle!”

“Ahhh—achoo!!!”

The explosive sneeze startled both girls.

Ichin finally woke, staring at Nene holding a phone in one hand and the feather in the other, with Yukino behind her looking embarrassed.

Realizing instantly, he exhaled, then ground out between clenched teeth,

“Nene, are you prepared to face your punishment?”

“Hehehe~”

Nene gave him a silly grin, quickly pocketed her phone, and bolted from the room.

Ichin scratched his head helplessly, glancing at the blanket covering him.

That must’ve been Utaha’s doing. If it had been his mom, she’d have slapped him awake for daring to nap in his room alone.

***

[Game] Chapter 447-448

Chapter 447: Before Departure

After Nene left the office, Utaha checked her phone calendar and said with a start,

“Ah, that’s right. Everyone originally planned for Umiko to come back this month so we could celebrate her birthday properly. But in the end, she decided not to come, choosing to wait until the end of the year instead.”

“In part, that’s my fault too.”

Leaning back in his chair with a wry smile, Ichin said,

“Remember the Titanfall gameplay demo video? To make sure it looked perfect, the Shanghai studio worked several extra days, finishing projects that weren’t even due yet. That’s why the final demo turned out so good. But because of that, Umiko canceled her plan to come back and just kept working. Sigh… I really need to give her a big bonus, and the rest of the team too.”

As for the Shanghai office’s retreat—summer there was even hotter. After his meeting, Ichin told them to plan it later. They kept discussing and eventually decided to push it to October, when the weather would be cooler.

With the scorching sun now, everyone preferred staying in the air-conditioned office anyway. Plus, most of them didn’t like beach trips, so a summer outing was unlikely from the start.

Since the decision was made, Ichin didn’t push further. Postpone it, then.

That afternoon, Nene quickly booked her own ticket for the same flight as Ichin and the others—first class as well.

By now, she was practically a little rich woman; booking first class didn’t even make her blink.

When Aoba found out Nene wouldn’t be joining the company retreat, she looked surprised.

“Nene, why not?”

“I already told you—I’m going to Shanghai with Ichin-kun.”

Nene held up her phone, showing a chat with Umiko.

“I already told Umiko-nee I’d visit her next week! So you guys just go enjoy the retreat, don’t worry about me.”

“Oh, I see…”

Aoba finally understood. So that was Nene’s plan—nothing to be done about it.

Kou, listening to them, folded her arms.

“Tsk, tsk. Such careful scheming. Makes me want to tag along too.”

Nene laughed.

“You could, Kou-senpai. Want to come?”

“Forget it, I can’t. As art director, I can’t bail when the boss is skipping the retreat already. I have to stay with the team.”

Without her supervision, the art team kids would go completely wild.

Hajime rolled her chair over, envy all over her face.

“Shanghai, huh? Doesn’t that mean endless cheap watermelons? Even though I make good money now, I still feel guilty buying a whole watermelon!”

Nene gave her a sharp look.

“Hajime-senpai, I wouldn’t even have thought about that if you didn’t say it. You really only ever think about food! And come on, it’s just a watermelon. Even Tokyo prices are nothing with your salary.”

“No way! Instead of spending that money on a watermelon, I’d rather buy a new figurine!”

Watermelon? Can it compare to the fragrance of a brand-new figure?

Her words left everyone around shaking their heads with a sigh. Truly, she’d never lost her original spirit.

Just then, the office door opened. Ichin spotted Hajime hanging around the art team.

“Hajime, there you are. No wonder you didn’t answer my messages. Come on, I’ve got some work to discuss with you.”

“Oh! Coming!”

Hajime leapt up, her long legs flashing beneath her hotpants as she ran into the office.

Watching her leave, Aoba glanced at her own slender legs under her short skirt and sighed deeply.

“My proportions are fine, but compared to her height… I’m just too short.”

Time passed quickly, and soon the day of Ichin’s trip home arrived.

The company also finalized their retreat destination—not far, they chose Izu.

Beaches, hot springs, fun activities—everything they needed to relax for a few days.

8 p.m., at Ichin’s house.

Like when they went home for New Year, everything they’d need was already there. So Ichin and Utaha barely packed—just a few clothes, laptops, and the Switch.

The Shanghai home PC had already been upgraded to the highest specs, powerful enough for any work.

With so little to bring, they didn’t even need suitcases—just one backpack was enough.

Zipping it up, Ichin hefted it.

“Not bad. Not heavy at all. Utaha, do you need to pack anything else?”

“Nope!”

Sitting on the bed, Utaha gently swung her legs, then rested her left foot on Ichin’s lap.

“Your mom already bought me skincare stuff, so I don’t need to bring any. I can just use what’s waiting at home.”

“Perfect. Traveling light.”

Ichin scratched her foot with a grin, making her pull it back quickly.

“So stingy, can’t even let me rest it for a minute.”

Rolling her eyes, Utaha lay back on the bed, grabbed her phone, and texted Haruno and Yukino, who were also preparing at home.

“Hey Ichin, let’s have Haruno-nee, Yukino, and Nene come over for lunch tomorrow. Then we can all head to the airport together.”

“Sure,” Ichin nodded. “Ask if they’re okay with it. We need to finish the leftover veggies anyway. By the way, what’s Yukino doing with her cats?”

Typing, Utaha said,

“She’s boarding them at Eriri’s place. I already checked—Peppa and George are fine with my mom, no problem.”

Ichin had no issue with his pets, but he never thought Eriri would dare take on Yukino’s four cats.

Still, Eriri lived in a villa, and the cats were well-trained—they wouldn’t make a mess outside the litter boxes.

A few minutes later, Haruno and the others replied. They’d come by before noon, have lunch together, then head off.

Lying on the futon, staring at the ceiling, Ichin murmured to himself,

“This trip home… I wonder what fun things will happen. Kind of looking forward to it.”

***

Chapter 448: Gathering, Departure

“Good morning!!!”

At eight-thirty the next morning, Nene stood at Ichin’s front door, dragging her suitcase behind her.

Ichin, hair still messy from sleep, blinked at her in disbelief and let out a deep sigh.

“Didn’t we agree on ten o’clock? Why are you here so early?”

“Because I couldn’t sleep!”

She even said it with a look of absolute righteousness.

Shaking his head helplessly, Ichin still let her inside.

“Sit down. If you want a drink, there’s some in the fridge. Help yourself. I haven’t even washed up yet, so don’t expect me to play host.”

“No worries, no worries!”

Nene had been over countless times already and knew the place well. She immediately turned to play with Peppa and George.

A little later, Utaha came out, freshly washed and dressed. Seeing Nene cuddling both cats in her arms, she laughed.

“Nene, you’re really early. That excited, huh?”

Nene beamed at her.

“Of course!”

The anticipation practically overflowed from her eyes—it was impossible to miss.

Utaha smiled and shook her head, then went into the kitchen to brew some coffee.

By the time she finished, Ichin had also washed up and changed.

The two of them solved breakfast with just some biscuits and coffee—no need for more since lunch was coming soon.

The three chatted in the living room while teasing the cats. At exactly ten, the Yukinoshita sisters finally arrived.

When she heard that Nene had shown up at eight-thirty, Haruno looked surprised.

“So eager, huh? That’s wonderful. Is this what youth feels like?”

Ichin, on his way to the kitchen to prep lunch, shot her a glance.

“Haruno-nee, that doesn’t sound right coming from you. You’re not Hiratsuka-sensei.”

“…Fair point.”

Haruno nodded with mock seriousness, then picked up a cat teaser toy and started playing with the cats.

Turning to Yukino, Ichin asked,

“You dropped the cats off at Eriri’s?”

Yukino nodded.

“Yes. After that, I came with my sister.”

“Good.”

Since lunch was meant to be simple—no elaborate feast—Ichin didn’t ask Utaha or Yukino to help in the kitchen. He handled it himself.

Four people, three dishes and a soup—just enough to use up all the leftover ingredients at home.

After happily finishing lunch, sipping her soup from a small bowl, Nene asked,

“So, everyone from the company is heading out for the trip tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, they’re going to Izu.”

Draining his bowl, Ichin exhaled.

“I’m not worried. With Hazuki keeping an eye on things, she’ll manage just fine.”

“The seaside, huh…”

Haruno pictured it and shook her head.

“Still not my kind of thing. Yukino, how about you?”

“Pretty much the same,” Yukino replied.

The main reason, of course, was the crowds—too many people watching, approaching, or trying to strike up conversations.

Even if they rented a private beach, swimsuits, sunscreen, spending all day under the blazing sun—none of that suited Yukino’s style.

If she really went to the beach, Yukino would probably just stay under a parasol with a book in hand, reading quietly by herself.

After pausing, she said,

“Compared to the seaside, I’d rather go to a hot spring.”

“Hot springs are indeed nice,” Utaha agreed wholeheartedly. Last time they all went together, it had been a lot of fun.

“But it’s summer now, so there’s no need to soak in hot springs.”

After a short rest, they went next door to inform Utaha’s mother, then Ichin and the others set out by car.

Security check, boarding—the whole process went smoothly, and soon they were seated in first class.

Stretching out comfortably in the luxurious seats, Nene sighed with satisfaction.

“No wonder it’s first class. So comfy… definitely worth the money.”

Stowing his bag and sitting down, Ichin glanced across the aisle at her and asked with a smile,

“By the way, when we get to Shanghai, are you staying at Umiko’s place?”

“Of course! We already agreed on it!” Nene replied happily. “And tomorrow’s Saturday, so we can go out together!”

Rubbing his chin, Ichin mused,

“Actually, Umiko should still have quite a few unused vacation days… probably hasn’t taken them, right?”

“Vacation days? How many?”

“Fifteen.”

“So many?!” Nene’s eyes widened. “I only get seven—that’s a whole eight days less!”

“Well, Umiko is one of the company’s main pillars. If this were a normal large company, her role would be at least a director-level position. Of course she gets the best benefits.”

Handing a pair of earphones to Utaha, Ichin added,

“As for you, Nene—keep working hard. In another couple of years, when the company expands further, your position, along with Aoba’s and the others’, will all be promoted upward.”

Since he had said it, it wasn’t an empty promise—it was something that would definitely happen.

Nene instantly broke into a radiant smile, clenching her small fists with determination.

“Hehe! Then I’ve really got to work hard, so one day I can lead a team of my own!”

With her talent, that was almost certain to happen in the future.

But with her petite frame and slightly baby-faced cheeks, she hardly looked like someone who could be a leader.

Still, so what? In a way, wasn’t that the company’s charm?

Other game developers’ livestreams featured middle-aged men and women, while theirs was full of unique, beautiful women.

Sure, it might not fit the “correct image” abroad, but… who cared? As long as they looked good, it worked.

Soon, the plane took off. Some slept, some listened to music, and the cabin grew quiet.

Two hours of flight passed in a flash. When Ichin opened his eyes again, the plane was already preparing to land.

He raised his wrist to check his watch—right on time.

Utaha was still asleep, leaning against his shoulder.

“Dear passengers—” the in-flight announcement began as Ichin gently nudged her awake.

“Utaha, we’re about to land.”

“Mmm, we’re here already?”

Yawning, Utaha rubbed her eyes, then peered out the window. Sure enough, they’d arrived.

Looking across Ichin toward the opposite seat, Nene was still sound asleep with her eye mask on, completely unaware.

Utaha pointed at her and said,

“Better wake her too.”

Ichin nodded, leaned over, and carefully tugged the mask upward—then suddenly let go.

Snap!

“Ahhh! My eyes!!!” Nene shrieked.

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 600: The Lantern Rite (2-in-1 Chapter)

Liyue Harbor – Docks

On the day before the Lantern Rite, dockworkers were still laboring through the last half-day shift. By noon, they would begin taking time off for the festival.

Had Nolan and Cloud Retainer come later in the afternoon, they might not have found anyone to sell them timber.

“Hah, the docks truly are bustling.” Cloud Retainer stood atop the steps, taking in the busy sight with a sigh of sentiment.

To her right, she noticed stacks of timber piled high—but no sign of a merchant, only busy workers hauling cargo.

“Whom should we ask to buy timber? And would anyone bother selling us just a few logs?” she wondered aloud, scanning the area.

“We’ll just ask one of the workers—”

Before Nolan could finish, he spotted a familiar figure on the shore, waving toward them.

Her long black hair swept sideways across her forehead, partly veiling an eyepatch. She wore a red qipao, thigh-high folded-heel boots clinging to her legs.

It was Beidou.

Nolan’s heart lifted. The Crux Fleet transported countless goods, timber among them. Surely Beidou would know the merchants who supplied it. Asking her for help would solve everything.

He waved back, then turned to Cloud Retainer with a smile:

“Come, True Lord. I know how to get our timber.”

“Mm.” Cloud Retainer nodded, having noticed Beidou as well.

They descended the steps and, after a few minutes, reached the waterfront.

“Hey, Beidou. Long time no see. Looks like the Lantern Rite has you busy too,” Nolan greeted warmly.

“Haha, most of my crew are already off for the holiday. The Alcor just unloaded a shipment, and now I’m ready to relax a bit myself.”

Beidou laughed heartily.

Noticing the woman beside him, she tilted her head in curiosity.

“Well now, every time I see you, there’s a different lady at your side. And this one is…?”

“Ahem, this is Cloud Retainer,” Nolan coughed softly, warning her before she could accidentally offend the adeptus.

“Uh—” Beidou had just been about to uncork her hip flask with a joke, but instead smoothed down her coat and chuckled twice.

“So it’s an adeptus in the flesh. Forgive my bluntness. What I meant to ask was—what brings you both to the docks? Is there anything I can help with?

“Say the word—there’s no boss or worker here I don’t know. If I ask, they’ll all give me face.”

Though not one to fear adepti, she had no reason to cross them either, and she was genuinely grateful for Nolan’s warning.

【Beidou Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.6 (370/600).】

Her long blue cape swayed in the sea breeze as Cloud Retainer regarded the captain with mild surprise. She hadn’t expected such warmth from a mortal, and felt a touch of approval.

“Captain Beidou, you are thoughtful. This Adeptus wishes to purchase a few logs. Might you inquire on my behalf?”

“A few logs?” Beidou blinked in puzzlement. Surely Cloud Retainer’s mountain abode had no shortage of trees.

“She wishes to craft a giant lantern as a gift for her disciples. Timber is needed for the frame. If we can buy it here, there’s no need to chop trees outside,” Nolan explained.

“Ah, I see. A fine gesture indeed.” Beidou slapped her chest and laughed.

“That’s easy! My ship still has timber aboard.

“With the festival approaching, we replaced several worn planks on the Alcor. The leftover wood is good quality.

“For a lantern—even a large one—it should be enough, so long as it’s not the size of a house. And you’ll need a workspace, won’t you?

“Come aboard the Alcor. You can use my deck.”

“Oh? Sounds perfect.” Nolan glanced at Cloud Retainer. “What do you think, True Lord?”

“Then this Adeptus thanks you, Captain Beidou. Please, lead the way.”

Cloud Retainer nodded gladly.

Indeed, the matter of where to build had been troublesome. She had considered working in Yuehai Pavilion, but it might disrupt official business there—and spoil the surprise for her disciples.

It was far better to prepare the lantern in secret, then present it complete.

“Haha! Excellent, follow me then.” Beidou raised her flask, took a swig, and spoke with her usual boldness.

Nolan and Cloud Retainer nodded and followed her toward the Alcor moored nearby.

The Alcor would remain docked for several days. Most of the crew had returned home for the holiday, and sailing off only to return quickly would be troublesome. With the whole of Liyue on break, there was no harm in leaving her at the pier.

Soon they boarded the ship, where Kaedehara Kazuha and Sea Drake were chatting by the mast. Both looked surprised to see Nolan.

“Yo, isn’t this Nolan? Planning to spend the Lantern Rite aboard ship?” Sea Drake called.

Kazuha gave a calm nod in greeting.

“Sea Drake, Kazuha—it’s been a while. Sorry to disappoint, but I’m only here to borrow some timber.”

Nolan waved and smiled, then explained the plan for the giant lantern.

“Sounds like a massive project. Need a hand?” Sea Drake offered.

“No need. This… ahem, we’ll manage ourselves,” Cloud Retainer replied firmly.

A gift for her disciples had to be crafted by her own hand.

“Alright then. Sea Drake, why don’t you and Kazuha go enjoy the festival on shore? I’ll take care of things here,” Beidou suggested.

“Good idea. Kazuha, how about dinner at my place tonight? My braised pork is famous all around,” Sea Drake grinned.

“Why not,” Kazuha answered serenely, as though it were the most natural thing.

“Then, Boss, we’ll take our leave. Happy Lantern Rite, everyone!”

Sea Drake waved farewell to Beidou and offered the blessing to all.

“Happy Lantern Rite!” Nolan echoed.

Once the two men disembarked, Beidou led them to the ship’s storage.

Inside, they found a neat stack of timbers—more than enough for both the lantern’s frame and the alchemically-synthesized paper.

“Come, let’s haul them up to the deck.”

Nolan summoned the wind, lifting the beams smoothly from the warehouse and guiding them outward.

Before long, all the timber floated neatly onto the deck.

“The frame of the lantern shall be crafted by this Adeptus. As for the lantern paper, I leave that task to you,” Cloud Retainer said to Nolan.

“Alright.” He nodded.

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.8 (660/800).】

Dividing the work made things efficient. Nolan gathered several large logs, left the ship, and headed for the alchemy crafting table.

With his grasp of simple alchemy, turning wood into paper was effortless.

Soon he arrived at the table. At this hour, no one else was using it.

He cut the logs into pieces and placed them one by one onto the platform, chanting incantations as the synthesis began.

The process was quick—feed wood in on one side, sheets of lantern paper condensed on the other.

Before long, all the wood had been used, forming a single massive sheet of paper.

Rolling it up into a giant scroll, he secured the lantern paper and made his way back. The trip was short, only a dozen or so minutes.

When he returned to the Alcor, the enormous lantern frame was nearly complete.

“You work fast. Hurry, bring out the paper,” Cloud Retainer said.

“Mhm.” Nolan unfurled the roll, and together they draped the lantern paper across the frame.

Within minutes, a pavilion-sized lantern stood before them. All that remained was to add floating stone fragments and light the candle—then the lantern would be ready.

But since it wasn’t evening yet, the stones could wait.

A faint smile touched Cloud Retainer’s pale face as she admired their work.

“Not bad. Only something of this scale is worthy of my disciples.”

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.9 (160/900).】

She also felt a little more fondness for Nolan, who had helped so much.

Seeing the prompt on his panel, he smiled lightly and asked,

“So, when will you gift it to your disciples?”

“They’re still at work. After they finish in the afternoon, I’ll give it to them.”

“Actually, I had an idea,” Nolan said, as a thought struck him.

“Oh? Let’s hear it.” Cloud Retainer looked at him curiously.

“What if we launch this giant lantern from the Jade Chamber tonight? We could invite everyone to celebrate the Lantern Rite there—share a meal, watch the thousands of lanterns rise over Liyue Harbor, and release this one together.

“I think the view from the Jade Chamber would be spectacular.”

Cloud Retainer rested her chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… not a bad idea.”

“If you agree, I’ll speak with Ningguang. If she has no objection, I’ll notify the others.”

Using Lumine’s affection skill through the waymark, Nolan contacted Ningguang and explained the plan.

“Very well,” Ningguang replied. “It will be good for the Jade Chamber to feel lively.”

“She’s agreed,” Nolan said with a smile. “True Lord, please bring the lantern up first. I’ll go invite everyone.”

“Very well.”

Cloud Retainer nodded, then with a wave of adeptal power, stored the lantern and took off toward the Jade Chamber.

Watching her depart, Nolan turned to Beidou nearby.

“Beidou, how about celebrating the Lantern Rite at the Jade Chamber tonight?”

“Haha, I usually spend it with Ningguang anyway. Since you’re inviting me, of course I’ll come.”

Beidou crossed her arms and laughed.

【Beidou Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 330 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (100/700).】

“Good. Why don’t you head up first? Or I can escort you directly with teleportation, if you’d like.”

“Either way works,” Beidou nodded.

After that, Nolan began notifying the others—mainly the girls he was close with.

Through the waymarks, he contacted Yanfei first. She agreed without hesitation, and her fondness rose.

【Yanfei Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.7 (220/700).】

Next, he invited Lumine and Paimon, Hu Tao, Yun Jin, Yelan, Fischl, Sucrose, Mona, and more.

The Lantern Rite was Liyue’s grandest festival, and it was worth inviting friends from abroad too.

Those with waymarks were easy to reach. Those without required a personal visit.

So he traveled briefly to Inazuma—seeking out Kamisato Ayaka, Kujou Sara, Kuki Shinobu, and Kirara.

As friends, it was only natural to invite them to Liyue’s Lantern Rite.

They were intrigued and agreed once assured that Nolan could quickly teleport them back in time for their duties tomorrow.

Each showed a small rise in affection—around +300:

【Kamisato Ayaka – Affection Level Lv.7 (80/700)】

【Kujou Sara – Affection Level Lv.6 (400/600)】

【Kuki Shinobu – Affection Level Lv.8 (620/800)】

【Kirara – Affection Level Lv.6 (100/600)】

In Sumeru, he extended the invitation to Collei, Nahida, Layla, and Dehya.

Hearing that Amber would be there, Collei immediately agreed.

Nahida declined politely—reluctant to intrude on another Archon’s land—but still gained affection.

Layla was thrilled to be invited personally, but upon hearing of the large gathering, her shy nature held her back. Nolan didn’t press, simply promising another time.

Dehya couldn’t come either, as she was guarding Dunyarzad, whose health had not fully recovered.

Even so, their affection rose slightly, about +300 each:

【Collei – Affection Level Lv.7 (100/700)】

【Nahida – Affection Level Lv.8 (680/800)】

【Layla – Affection Level Lv.8 (560/800)】

【Dehya – Affection Level Lv.6 (20/600)】

(End of Chapter)

[Game] Chapter 445-446

Chapter 445: First Month’s Update Plan

After launch, Fall Guys’ popularity continued climbing steadily, quickly reaching the top of various streaming platforms.

Of course, Ichin knew it was impossible to keep that level of hype forever. After all, Fall Guys was fundamentally different from traditional competitive games. At the beginning, everyone would be highly invested, but later most players would just log in for a round or two daily, or grind when new skins and maps dropped—nothing more.

His goal for this game was to keep popularity at its peak for the first year. Afterward, it could gradually decline, but as long as the average online player base stabilized around fifty thousand, that would already be a huge success.

But the game had just launched—not even a month yet—so it was far too early to seriously think about those things. For now, everything was just projections.

When Ichin returned from the Fall Guys dev team, he saw Utaha in the office, completely engrossed in grinding the game.

It had only been about ten days since launch, yet Utaha had already unlocked seventeen skins.

According to the data Ichin saw from the backend, that already put her in the top bracket of players. The one with the most skins had unlocked twenty-four.

Players with over fifteen skins were all heavy grinders who spent at least five hours daily, and who also won frequently to pull it off.

And right now, Fall Guys was harder than Ichin remembered—especially the final rounds. Winning required not just skill but also a fair bit of luck.

Still, the game’s popularity was unquestionable. Even streamers who didn’t main Fall Guys would often warm up their streams with a few matches before moving on to new releases or their usual MOBAs and FPS games.

Ichin sat down next to Utaha, who had just entered the final round—a familiar Hex-a-Gone stage.

She carefully hopped from tile to tile. Only three players remained competing with her for first place, and by their movement it was obvious they were veterans.

Ichin stayed silent so as not to disturb her focus.

After a tense minute and a half, Utaha’s superior pathing forced the others to fall one by one. She claimed first place and secured the win.

Seeing the victory screen, Utaha happily waved her controller.

“Another win! That means I can exchange for my next skin!”

After switching into a new costume, she looked at Ichin with a smile.

“Not bad, right, Ichin?”

Ichin chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah, really impressive. You’re already better at this than me.”

He wasn’t particularly skilled at Fall Guys himself. Since launch, his wins had been few, and he’d only managed to trade crowns for three skins total. Most of the time, he just played for relaxation, not to chase victories.

He gently pinched Utaha’s cheek, took the controller from her, and said,

“Alright, you’ve played long enough. Time to rest.”

“Yeah, I am a little tired.”

She shut off the game, stretched, then leaned on Ichin’s shoulder.

Fall Guys is really popular, huh? Are the next updates already planned?”

“Of course,” Ichin replied. “Early August, we’ll push an update. Besides the crossover skins and maps with GARO, there’ll also be three new stages and five new skins. As for Season One’s ranked mode and team mode, those will officially start by the end of August.”

Seasonal ranked play, exclusive season skins—those would roll out gradually. On top of that, the new team-based mode was lined up for release too.

Ichin was determined never to let players feel bored with the gameplay.

Hearing that team mode would arrive by late August, Utaha nodded in satisfaction.

“Perfect. Then we can play with Eriri and Yukino at that time.”

Both Eriri and Yukino had recently become hooked on Fall Guys, spending their free time grinding matches.

“By the way, Ichin, when are we going back to visit your uncle and aunt? I talked to your mom the other day, and she told me she’s already making the final selection for Haruno-san’s blind dates!”

“So soon?”

Ichin blinked in surprise at Utaha.

“And you’re only telling me now?”

Utaha narrowed her eyes playfully.

“Your mom said to keep it a secret! Right now I’m the only one who knows. She even showed me the profiles and photos of the candidates. They all seemed decent, but I don’t know which one she’ll finally pick—or whether he’ll fit Haruno-san’s taste.”

“Well, that’s anyone’s guess. No one can truly predict Haruno’s preferences—not even her mom. Certainly not us.”

After thinking it over, Ichin said,

“Tonight when we’re home, I’ll call Mom to check. I’ll also ask Haruno-san how much free time she has in August. Then we’ll book tickets back.”

Returning in the summer meant enduring the heat, but fruits back home were cheap—eating chilled watermelon to cool off without worrying about the cost.

Even now, with more money coming in, Ichin still thought buying watermelons in Tokyo was outrageously expensive.

That night after dinner, Utaha went to bathe while Ichin video-called his mom.

She quickly answered, her face appearing on the screen.

“Mom, have you eaten?”

“Yes, yes,” she smiled at her son. “Where’s Utaha?”

“She’s taking a bath.”

After replying, Ichin asked about Haruno.

“Mom, how’s the selection for Haruno’s blind dates going? When would be a good time for us to come back?”

His mom thought for a moment.

“Utaha told you, right? You two can come back anytime. I’ve almost finished shortlisting. Do you want to take a look at the candidates I’ve chosen?”

Ichin quickly waved his hand.

“No need. You can just arrange it for Haruno directly. Since anytime works, I’ll ask her about her schedule, then we’ll book tickets together.”

“Alright, just let me know a day ahead. I’ll prepare a big feast for you!”

It was clear she was excited about making the final choice, so Ichin didn’t dampen her mood. After ending the call, he dialed Haruno’s number.

***

Chapter 446: Nene’s Plan

Haruno, of course, had her own fixed vacation time. And since there weren’t many projects in August, plus after dealing with a few troublemakers in the company, things were firmly under her control—leaving for a few days wasn’t a problem.

Going to China with Ichin meant she’d have to face the blind dates her godmother arranged for her, but to Haruno that wasn’t anything hard to handle. More than anything, it was simply a chance to relax and take a holiday.

After weighing things, Haruno quickly set the departure date: next Friday.

“Today’s Thursday, so that’s about a week. Time to book tickets.”

After hanging up the call, Ichin opened his laptop and started booking flights.

As for Yukino—no questions there. She had already promised to come along. All she needed was a date. Among them, Yukino had it the easiest during summer break.

Ten minutes later, Utaha came out of the bathroom, hair still damp from blow-drying.

She walked over, glanced at Ichin’s screen, and asked curiously:

“Already decided when we’re going back?”

“Yeah. Next Friday. I just talked with Mom and Haruno.”

Ichin nodded. “Since we’ve got a week to go, better to lock the tickets now so everything else is easier to arrange.”

Leaning lightly on his shoulder, Utaha smiled.

“How long do you plan for us to stay this time?”

“Hmm… maybe ten days to half a month. Fall Guys is already out, August’s updates are set, Dark Souls and Titanfall just got new content drops. This month I can afford to relax a bit. Oh, right—I can also arrange a summer company trip. I’ll bring it up tomorrow at the office and see where everyone wants to go.”

“You’re right, it’s about time for the annual retreat.”

Utaha nodded. “But since we’ll be in your home country, we can’t join. I bet Kou-senpai and the others will be disappointed—especially Hajime and Aoba. They love hanging out with you.”

Ichin shrugged. “Nothing I can do. Can’t exactly skip going home, right? Anyway, forget that. Utaha, should we take a morning or afternoon flight?”

“Afternoon. Eat lunch first, then head to the airport. I don’t want to eat airplane food. Even in first class, lunch isn’t that great. Better to eat your mom’s cooking once we arrive.”

“Alright, afternoon it is.”

The next day at the office, Ichin called the senior staff into a meeting.

“Relax,” he said once everyone was seated. “This isn’t about work.”

At once, Kou’s face lit up.

“Summer retreat, right?”

“Exactly.”

His confirmation made the whole room brighten.

Work at their company was already enjoyable. Even when things got busy, no one felt drained. But the words company retreat were enough to spark excitement in everyone.

Ichin smiled.

“First thing: the retreat. But this year I won’t be joining. You all decide together. The budget is about the same as last year—plenty for a good trip. As for me, I’ll be going home next week to visit family.”

Kou rested her chin on her hand, looking regretful.

“Oh, so no chance then. I thought summer would be the perfect time for you to enjoy everyone’s swimsuits. Guess I’ll have to enjoy them alone.”

Ichin rolled his eyes at her.

“Anyway, retreat planning is up to you. Discuss and finalize it with HR, then show me the budget. Once it looks good, you can pack your bags. Second thing: I’ll be gone about half a month. Aside from the retreat days, the team leads need to keep your groups in check. Don’t slack off. And if anything urgent happens, don’t hesitate—just call me.”

Once everyone promised, Ichin left the room, giving them space to discuss the retreat.

Half an hour later, the internal company chat launched a poll about the retreat destination.

As Ichin expected, everyone got to vote. The options were the ones brainstormed earlier in the meeting—solid travel spots, not too far, affordable, perfect for a relaxing trip.

After watching the lively chat for a bit, Ichin closed it and went back to work.

But only a few minutes later, someone knocked on his office door.

Utaha opened it and blinked in surprise.

“Nene? Here to see Ichin?”

Nene nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got something.”

“Come on in.”

As she entered, Kou from the art team glanced over curiously and whispered to Aoba:

“Do you know what Nene wants to talk about?”

Aoba shook her head.

“No idea. But the past couple days she’s seemed… troubled. Not sure if it’s something she can solve.”

“Troubled, huh…”

Kou rubbed her chin, then her expression shifted as though she understood.

“I see. So that’s what it is.”

Flicking her long hair back, she dropped the matter and returned to modeling.

Meanwhile, Ichin gestured to the sofa for Nene.

“Sit. So what’s bothering you enough to weigh so heavily on your mind?”

Her expression froze.

“Huh? Was it that obvious?”

Utaha chimed in with a nod.

“Yep. Written all over your face!”

“Ahaha… so it was like that.”

Sitting down, Nene placed her hands on her knees, looking a little nervous.

“Um… Ichin-kun, you’re going back next week, right?”

“Yeah. Kou mentioned it? Wait… don’t tell me what you’re about to say is—”

Ichin already had a guess.

Nene nodded.

“Mm. I was wondering if… I could come along.”

As expected.

Ichin smiled, eyeing her with interest.

“Looks like Umiko being stuck in Shanghai these past months has really been hard on you, huh?”

At that, Utaha immediately understood.

“Ohhh~~ lovesick, are we?”

“It’s not that bad!!!”

Now that he knew it was about wanting to see Umiko, Ichin had no doubts. He readily agreed to let Nene join them next week.

Of course—she’d need to book her own ticket.

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 599: The Giant Lantern (2-in-1 Chapter)

Just as Keqing was about to speak, Nolan suddenly pressed his lips against her soft, rosy ones.

“Mm!”

Surprisingly, Keqing’s heart calmed instead of panicking.

Though they had shared many intimate moments before, they had never kissed. Now her mind grew hot, thought scattering into a blank haze.

As her body went slack in his arms, offering no resistance, Nolan gently lifted her and carried her upstairs.

Her legs, draped over his arm, dangled weakly, the heels on her feet swaying with every step as though drifting into slumber.

Before long, they arrived at the hot spring bathhouse.

At this time of night, the girls were usually bathing.

Indeed, Lumine, Fischl, Barbara, Yoimiya, Kokomi, and Nilou were soaking in the steaming pool, laughing and chatting together.

Nolan first carried Keqing into the changing room, setting her down in a chair with a backrest.

Crouching slightly, he took her feet into his hands and slipped off her heels, revealing her feet wrapped in black stockings.

He guided her to rest her feet upon his knee, his hands softly stroking her ankles.

“Hmph…” Keqing turned her flushed face aside with a small, indignant sound, pressing her skirt down between her thighs to cover her pale hips.

What a shameless man… doesn’t even let me prepare myself first…

After caressing her ankles for a moment, his palms drifted upward, kneading her supple calves through the stockings.

“Mm—”

A shiver of numbness made Keqing bite her lip, a soft hum escaping her. Struggling to find her voice, she whispered, “E-enough… stop fooling around. Someone might come in any moment!”

“You’re right,” Nolan replied with a smile. “Then let’s get to business. How about I help you increase your strength?”

As he spoke, he tugged the stockings that had slipped to her knees further down.

“Wh-what do you mean, increase my strength…?” Keqing asked in confusion, but by then her tights had been completely pulled away.

Her snow-white thighs were laid bare before his eyes.

Without answering, he pressed closer, kissing the smooth skin of her calves, his hands pushing her knees apart ever so slightly.

His lips trailed slowly up the inside of her legs.

When her skirt was lifted again, Keqing’s face was crimson. Instinctively, she pressed his head down with trembling hands.

---

Half an hour later.

Keqing straddled Nolan, collapsed weakly against his chest, her short dress clinging damply to her skin.

Her cheeks were flushed, her breaths uneven, and she shot him a reproachful glare.

He only chuckled, helping her out of her soaked clothing, then carried her into the hot spring pool to wash.

At that moment, Lumine and the others had just finished bathing and were preparing to leave—running right into them.

“Ah!” Keqing squeaked, burying her burning face against Nolan’s chest.

“You again… always preying on some poor girl,” Lumine said scornfully, rising from the pool with water trickling down her pale skin as she covered her chest.

Yoimiya, Kokomi, and Barbara—newer to the Wonderland Space—clutched at themselves nervously, cheeks tinged pink as they glanced at him.

“Keqing’s exhausted. Now, why don’t I help you all with your cultivation?” Nolan coughed lightly, not a hint of shame in his tone.

He set Keqing down, then drew Lumine into the pool, seating her upon his lap.

“This princess demands the same!” Fischl declared, swooping forward and stealing a kiss from his lips.

“M-my apologies, I’ve soaked too long already. I feel a bit dizzy, so I’ll take my leave,” Kokomi murmured, face faintly red. She found it too embarrassing to “train” so closely with others watching.

Barbara and Yoimiya shared the same thought and started to rise.

But before they could leave, translucent spiritual threads coiled from the water, wrapping around their legs and creeping upward.

“Ah!” The girls cried out in flustered shock, sitting back down immediately.

“Nilou,” Nolan turned to the red-haired dancer. “Would you mind giving us a little performance?”

“…Fine, fine,” Nilou sighed helplessly, beginning to dance in the water.

Thanks to a special ability he had gained through her, Nolan always asked her to dance during these cultivation sessions.

At first she had been shy, but by now she was used to it.

With her graceful steps, the effect of the training instantly soared—the hot spring’s warmth refined their energies all the more efficiently.

After more than ten minutes with Lumine, he moved on to Fischl, then to Yoimiya, and finally to Kokomi and Barbara in turn.

By midnight, everyone’s strength had increased significantly. All of them had surpassed level 90—while Lumine and Fischl had reached 95.

This was the fruit of Nolan’s constant efforts. His own panel now showed hundreds of thousands more EXP points:

【Lv.105 (453,188 / 15,000,000)】

Though still far from the next level, at this pace—farming the cosmic behemoth’s stomach every day or two—it wouldn’t take long.

After the hot spring training, he prepared a room for Keqing to stay in.

Recently, the girls had been helping him collect treasures and elemental materials.

Many of these, when entrusted to Raiden Ei, had been forged into powerful weapons and tools.

Among them were even two artifacts of divine grade.

Thanks to this, the Wonderland Space had expanded rapidly—from just over 700 square meters to 930.

As the space grew, it was renovated more and more luxuriously, resembling a high-class hotel. There were plenty of rooms for everyone.

So giving Keqing her own room was no problem at all.

Naturally, he slipped in beside her that night, holding her close as they slept.

---

The Next Morning

The bedding was so comfortable it was nearly impossible to get up.

Even Keqing, who was usually diligent, found herself reluctant to rise. The Wonderland Space’s special properties made the quality of rest incomparable to the outside world.

No matter how exhausting the day, after a single night’s sleep here one awoke refreshed, without the slightest trace of fatigue.

In such comfort, it was only natural that Keqing wanted to sleep a little longer—especially with Nolan pressing warmly against her, entwined in their cultivation embrace.

Though at first she had resisted, embarrassed, the truth was… after experiencing it, she couldn’t deny how addictive it felt.

But Keqing’s sense of duty toward her work overcame her desire to sink deeper into indulgence.

She pinched Nolan’s waist, urging him to get up and take her back.

Naturally, Nolan wouldn’t interfere with Keqing’s work. He sealed it with a kiss on her lips, then eagerly helped her into her clothes.

Of course, he couldn’t resist teasing along the way—earning him a flustered kick to the face from Keqing’s foot, clad in black tights.

That finally made him behave.

Once they were dressed, they joined Noelle, Lumine, Barbara, and the others for breakfast before teleporting back to Liyue Harbor.

“…I’m off to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to arrange today’s duties.”

Keqing turned as if to leave, glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then quickly leaned back and planted a shy kiss on Nolan’s cheek. Her face flushed red as she hurried away.

Nolan’s smile spread.

“Oh? Wasn’t that the Yuheng Star? Why is she rushing off in such a hurry?”

The familiar voice behind him made him turn.

There stood Cloud Retainer in her human guise—black dress, red half-framed glasses, and a generous chest covered in black silk.

“Huh? What are you doing here?” Nolan smoothly sidestepped her question.

“Hmph. This Adeptus was scouring the markets for lantern materials, yet none of the stalls carried what I required. A most disappointing outcome.”

She shook her head with a sigh.

“That’s strange. With the Lantern Rite approaching, the shops should be well stocked for lantern-making.” Nolan was a little surprised.

“Hmph. This Adeptus intends to craft a lantern as a gift for Ganyu and Shenhe. They are too busy to make one for themselves like ordinary folk.

“Of course, I will not let my disciples fall behind. If others have lanterns, then so must they.

“So before the Lantern Rite tomorrow, I will make them a lantern unlike any other.

“But the city has none of the materials I require. Truly regrettable.”

She pressed her fingers to her forehead, her tone carrying a trace of disappointment.

“A lantern unlike any other? How so?” Nolan asked curiously.

“The lanterns in the city are all alike. At best they differ in pattern, but the size and shape remain the same.

“The lantern I gift must be different. First, it must be large—at least the size of the lakeside pavilion behind Yuehai Pavilion.

“And its shape must be novel. What do you think of my crane form as inspiration?”

“Uh… I think that may need reconsideration.” Nolan thought to himself, Truly fitting of Cloud Retainer—such eccentric ideas.

He spoke after a moment:

“If you want one that big, naturally the shops won’t have the right materials. It’ll have to be made from scratch.

“As for the size, that’s fine. But if the shape strays too far—if it no longer looks like a lantern—it can’t really be called one. At best it would be… a crane-shaped hot air balloon.

“That wouldn’t quite capture the festive meaning of the Lantern Rite.”

Cloud Retainer lowered her head, pondering, then gave a small nod.

“Your words are not without reason. A lantern must still look like a lantern. But it must also be large. Will you aid me?”

She adjusted her red glasses, gazing at the young adventurer.

“Of course. I’m interested in seeing such a grand lantern built.”

Naturally, Nolan could not refuse a lady’s request.

“Good. Then tell me—what ideas do you have?” Cloud Retainer asked as they walked, her opinion of him quietly improving.

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points, Current Affection Level Lv.8 (60/800).】

Nolan smiled at the panel’s prompt.

“It’s not too difficult. For a lantern the size of a pavilion, first we need a sturdy frame.

“Second, the outer paper must be thick enough. And finally, we’ll need fragments of floating stone to provide lift.

“With all that, lighting the lantern should be enough to make it rise. The first two are easy—the trouble is finding floating stone fragments.”

He frowned slightly.

He had found a large piece of floating stone once in Mount Hulao with Shenhe, but that had already gone to Ningguang for rebuilding the Jade Chamber.

They didn’t need anything that big, even fist-sized fragments would do. But at the moment, he had none to spare.

There was a cubic meter chunk of stone stored inside the Wonderland Realm Space, but it was part of its foundations—removing it would erase its spatial property.

“Hmph. That is a trifling matter. Floating stone, this Adeptus has aplenty. The question is—where do we find lantern paper of sufficient size?”

Indeed, the main materials were the lantern paper, the wick, and a bit of floating stone.

While wax alone could make a lantern rise, it was dangerous—lanterns drifting into the forests risked wildfires, so it was officially forbidden.

Since Cloud Retainer had floating stone covered, the rest was manageable.

“Lantern paper that large won’t be for sale. But we could gather wood and use an alchemy station to synthesize sheets.

“As for the frame, we can simply buy timber at the docks.”

As he spoke, Nolan realized: Cloud Retainer had lived for millennia. She must have countless treasures tucked away.

No wonder she so casually claimed to have floating stones.

He suddenly wondered if he could invite her to live in the Wonderland Space—imagine how much its growth would benefit from her collection of relics.

Her affection with him was already at level 8. With the right opportunity, she might not refuse.

But now was too soon.

“Alchemy synthesis… a fine idea. Since both the paper and the frame require wood, let us head to the docks.”

Cloud Retainer nodded, turning toward the harbor.

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points, Current Affection Level Lv.8 (360/800).】

Another prompt brought a pleased smile to Nolan’s face as he followed her.

The hem of her black dress swayed as her long legs—wrapped in black silk tights, heels clicking crisply—carried her forward.

Together, they discussed the details of the lantern as they walked, soon reaching the docks.

(End of Chapter)

[HP] Chapter 173-174

### Chapter 173: No One Understands Death Better Than Me

Lately, Louis had been studying transformation sweets of the perfect grade.

These candies, which could turn a person into any magical creature, left him somewhat perplexed. Beyond the recipe—most of which he hadn’t yet fully deciphered—there was something he simply couldn’t wrap his head around.

That “something” was the very core that allowed the candy to trigger transformations into any magical beast. No matter what methods Louis used—alchemy, potions, or otherwise—he couldn’t crack it.

So he named this mysterious part the “black box”: something whose function he knew but whose mechanism was utterly inscrutable.

Louis suspected it was a product of the System. Even if he mastered every part of the recipe, he’d never be able to replicate it perfectly.

Still, though he couldn’t unravel the black box itself, the process of analyzing these candies had advanced his knowledge of Transfiguration at an astonishing pace. It also gave him sharp insights into the Weasley twins’ Canary Creams.

“Have you ever heard of Animagi?” Louis asked.

“Of course. Advanced Transfiguration—magic that lets a person become an animal,” they replied.

“It’s said to be very difficult. You need potions to assist the process, and the professors strictly forbid anyone underage from learning it,” the twins added fluently.

Clearly, they’d already been scheming about Animagus transformations.

“In my opinion, your Canary Creams already capture part of the wonder of the Animagus charm, but they lack stability.” Louis grinned. “I have a few suggestions—care to listen?”

Then, without holding back, Louis poured out his insights on Transfiguration and even some half-formed theories he’d gleaned from the candy research.

The material was so advanced that both Hermione and Cassandra found themselves listening closely, even if, without enough background knowledge, most of it went over their heads.

“…And those are the main precautions. Try it out, and when you’ve got results, come tell me.” Louis smiled.

By then, the twins already had parchment and quills out, scribbling notes at top speed. Whenever they hit something confusing, they’d stop him and ask again until they understood.

Before long, they had filled a whole notebook. By the time evening fell, their pages were bursting with notes.

“Merlin’s beard, this is priceless!” George held up his notebook as though it were scripture.

“If we can master all this, we might really make Canary Creams that actually turn people into canaries!” Fred said, dead serious as he pored over his notes.

“You’re a genius!” the twins chorused.

Cassandra glanced over, intrigued despite herself, while Hermione made no effort to hide the admiration shining in her eyes.

Parched from all his lecturing, Louis took a sip of the chilled pumpkin juice he’d just bought, smiling faintly at the twins’ excitement. As for their praise, he accepted it as his due.

Research away, research away. Once they’ve done the work, I’ll harvest the results. Then I’ll have the method of making transformation sweets—without lifting a finger.

Louis chuckled to himself, watching George and Fred like a farmer eying a ripe field of leeks.

Woo-woo-woo-woo…

The whistle shrieked as the train pulled into the station.

They arrived once again at the shabby little stop. This time, though, the skies were clear—heaven’s small mercy. And now that Louis and Hermione were second-years, they no longer needed to cross the lake in boats with the first-years.

“See you… uh…” Hermione had meant to say goodbye to Cassandra after disembarking—after all, they had shared the journey—but Cassandra clearly didn’t see the need.

She placed her pointed hat on her head and slipped gracefully into the crowd, following the new students as they trailed after Hagrid.

“She’s so rude,” Hermione huffed.

“She has manners, just not much. She’s too arrogant,” Louis said casually. “I’m certain that once she sees your true ability, she won’t dare treat you that way again.”

“Why do you sound like you know her so well?” Hermione shot him a look.

“It’s psychology. I read quite a few books on it over the summer.” Louis shrugged. “Come on, let’s take the carriage.”

And by “carriage,” of course, he meant the ones pulled by Thestrals.

In truth, this wasn’t Louis’s first time riding a Thestral-drawn carriage—students leaving the school always used them to reach the station.

But this ride felt… different.

As the carriage rolled closer, Louis’s gaze was naturally drawn to the creatures pulling it.

“So these are Thestrals?” he murmured, frowning at the skeletal, winged, horse-like beasts before him.

“What Thestrals?” Hermione asked curiously. “Aren’t the carriages self-moving?”

“Clearly not.” Louis stepped forward and placed his palm against one Thestral’s face.

The creature’s hollow gaze fixed on him, and then, unexpectedly gentle, it nuzzled against his hand.

Thestrals—magical beasts said to crave blood and flesh. And yet, for all their fearsome appearance, they were docile.

Like death itself—harsh, but a harshness that came with a strange, merciful release from life’s suffering.

According to legend, only those who had witnessed death and truly understood it could see a Thestral. Louis, whether in this life or the last, had never directly witnessed someone’s death. By that logic, he shouldn’t have been able to see them.

Well, the troll didn’t count. That was just a big, dumb monster. Hardly a death worth noting.

Ugly, clumsy—less dear than a cat or a dog.

If a cat or dog died, he’d at least feel a pang of grief.

“Unless…” Louis’s eyes narrowed as a thought struck him.

“Unless what? Louis, what are you touching?” Hermione, standing beside him, saw the way he reached out and imitated his motion, stretching out her own hand.

Her fingers brushed the folded wings of the Thestral—the leathery skin stretched tight over bone made her flinch.

“Ah! What was that?” Hermione yelped in fright.

“Thestrals. A kind of magical beast,” Louis explained quietly. “Ordinary people—even wizards—can’t see them unless they’ve witnessed death.”

“Witnessed death? You mean the troll?” Hermione frowned. “But then why can you see them, while I can’t?”

“Who knows? Maybe it’s just my bloodline—special talents, you know.” Louis chuckled, unashamed of bragging. “Come on, let’s get in.”

The two climbed into the carriage, joining Fred and George as it slowly set off toward Hogwarts Castle.

Louis leaned back, lost in thought, his eyes lingering on the Thestrals leading the way.

“No one in this world understands death better than I do,” he mused, recalling those eyes that had stared back at him beyond the Stone Door. “If I’m not mistaken, I’ve looked Death in the eye itself. That’s what it truly means to witness death.”

“No one understands death better than me.”

---

### Chapter 174: Call Him What? Just Call Him a Sacrifice

The brightly lit Great Hall once again grew lively as students poured in.

They filed toward their respective House tables in neat lines, buzzing with excitement as they reunited with friends they hadn’t seen for two months and eagerly swapped tales of their holidays.

Even at the Slytherin table, the mood wasn’t bad. Though Louis was like a schoolyard tyrant in reputation, after a full term most of Slytherin had realized that this so-called “Heir of Merlin” was actually quite easy to get along with—so long as you didn’t cross him.

Oh, and so long as you didn’t cross his Muggle-born girlfriend either. Leave the two of them alone, and Louis was surprisingly approachable.

The first to figure this out had been Blaise Zabini.

The dark-skinned boy was pure in his own way—pure arrogance, but also sharply pragmatic. He had hypnotized himself into believing that Louis was a powerful wizard he could never match, but he could befriend.

Once Blaise understood Louis’s strength, he started showing goodwill whenever possible—offering help, sharing tidbits of school gossip, things like that.

Louis, in turn, tossed him the occasional favor—like weaving him a sweet dream or two.

Not friendship, exactly, but enough to make them drinking-buddies of a sort.

Most of the other Slytherins couldn’t manage more than ignoring Louis as best they could. They lacked Blaise Zabini’s ability to self-delude and chat with him casually.

So at the Slytherin table, there was always a wide gap of empty seats around Louis—except for Blaise, who sat a little closer.

Louis didn’t care. Settling into his spot, he tilted his head toward the staff table. Aside from the familiar professors, one unfamiliar, smooth-faced man stood out conspicuously.

“See that professor?” Louis tapped Blaise’s arm. “The new one.”

“Gilderoy Lockhart.” Blaise’s tone sounded odd. “A famous wizard… he almost became my stepfather.”

Louis gave a solemn nod. “Ah, yes. Madam Zabini.”

For Blaise, his mother was a legend—not for her magical power, but for her life story.

After all, a beautiful witch who had been widowed seven times, each time growing richer… how could she not be a legend?

She was practically a Black Widow. It was a wonder she hadn’t managed to snare Lockhart. If she had, that would’ve sealed it: straight to Widow Number Eight.

Unless… maybe Lockhart had been the one too frightened to follow through?

“So, do you think Lockhart’s handsome?” Louis asked.

“He’s all right. His looks aren’t bad—otherwise he wouldn’t be so adored. Why do you ask?” Blaise looked puzzled.

“Then tell me—who’s more handsome, me or him?” Louis clearly still hadn’t gotten over Hermione praising Lockhart.

“You, of course. No question.” Blaise answered firmly.

In truth, Blaise thought both of them were mediocre. If anyone was truly handsome, it was himself.

Yes, he was that narcissistic. He judged everyone’s looks by his own reflection. But he also had enough sense to know he couldn’t afford to offend Louis.

So he didn’t speak the truth—he spoke what his survival instincts demanded.

“Exactly. What’s so great about that puffed-up fool?” Louis shook his head.

One professor was missing from the staff table: Snape.

He was off rounding someone up—likely Harry and Ron, the two blockheads who hadn’t boarded the train.

Not that it mattered. Dumbledore would never allow them to be expelled.

Waiting grew dull. The students sat around the tables, fidgeting as they anticipated the first-years’ entrance.

Louis yawned, deciding to liven things up with a little lottery draw.

After all, he still had one Legendary Draw unused.

With a snap of his fingers, Louis laid down an illusion and shamelessly began his lottery draw.

【Legendary Draw Initiated】

As the system prompt appeared, a cascade of special effects flashed before his eyes. Soon, something dropped into his hand.

“Huh? This feels different.” Louis frowned in puzzlement. He hadn’t seen the final shadow freeze-frame as usual.

Looking down at the object in his hand, he hoped for an explanation.

【Legendary Crystal: Can upgrade an item to Legendary rank】

That was it—just a short line of description.

Louis studied the rainbow-hued crystal, unsure what to do with it.

“Not useless, but I can’t really use it right now,” he muttered. None of his current tools were lagging behind, and most of the time he didn’t even need tools.

He tucked away the precious crystal, and just then, the sound of the Great Hall doors opening echoed through the chamber.

The new students had arrived—it was time for the Sorting Ceremony.

Louis stifled a yawn, listening to familiar and unfamiliar names being assigned to their Houses.

“…Colin Creevey, Gryffindor…”

“…Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw…”

“…Cassandra Vole, Slytherin…”

“…Ginny Weasley, Gryffindor…”

…

Before long, the Sorting ended. Amid applause, the first-years joined their House tables. At Slytherin’s, students shuffled their seats to make space—except around Louis. The empty buffer around him remained untouched.

Far from feeling offended, Louis thought these kids were actually quite considerate.

But clearly, not everyone was so “considerate.”

A waft of perfume brushed by as a blonde girl sat down beside him as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Good evening, Mr. Wilson.” Cassandra removed her hat, her flawless beauty silencing the Slytherin table.

Louis rubbed his chin, giving her a long, searching look.

He couldn’t shake the feeling this girl had some hidden agenda. Why else act so cold at Ollivander’s, only to deliberately cozy up to him now at school?

Having her sit beside him gave him pressure—but not from Cassandra herself.

No, the pressure came from somewhere else entirely.

Sitting at the Slytherin table, Louis could clearly feel the death glare aimed at him from the Ravenclaw table.

Hermione did not look happy.

Louis could only meet her gaze and give her a reassuring smile.

As always, Dumbledore stood to give his usual reminders: the Forbidden Forest was off-limits, no spellcasting in the corridors, and so on. He also introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

“…This year, let us welcome Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…”

As Dumbledore’s words rang out, Louis’s mind automatically swapped “new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor” with “new sacrifice.”

Professor? Out of courtesy? What kind of school goes through a new professor every single year?

Just call them sacrifices—it’s more accurate.

---

[Game] Chapter 443-444

Chapter 443: New Demo Videos for Dark Souls and Titanfall

Stealing a glance at Haruno—still trapped in a video call with Ichin’s mother in the living room—Yukino quietly returned to Ichin’s side and picked up the kitchen knife to resume chopping vegetables.

“Brother, I think Onee-san is definitely going to want payback later.”

“That’s fine, I’m already prepared.”

Ichin, holding a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, beat eggs while declaring righteously, “This is all for Haruno’s future happiness, isn’t it?”

On the other side, Utaha lightly kicked his calf and said with exasperation, “You only did this because of what Haruno-san said in the car earlier, didn’t you?”

“…Alright, you saw right through me.”

Ichin shrugged. “But hey, not just anyone gets to covet my good looks.”

He was getting more shameless by the day. Utaha poked his waist twice with her fingers in mock annoyance before returning to dinner prep.

Meanwhile, after enduring ten minutes of interrogation from Ichin’s mom, Haruno finally ended the call and appeared in the kitchen doorway. She glared at Ichin.

“Nice going, Ichin.”

“Hm?”

Ichin glanced over and grinned. “So, Mom agreed to help find you a boyfriend?”

Haruno’s lips twitched, her face twisted in frustration. “Yeah. Godmother’s actually planning to do it. She’s probably already on the phone with my mom to discuss it.”

Which made sense—they’d have to coordinate.

Ichin laughed at her sour expression. “Don’t worry, Haruno. It’s nothing serious. With how much my mom likes you, she won’t introduce just anyone. She’ll screen them thoroughly—probably three or four times. That’ll take at least a month. So you’re safe for now. If there’s a blind date, it won’t be until late July or August. Just treat it as a trip to China—go sightseeing, and squeeze in a date or two.”

“Ichin!”

Haruno exploded. She stormed over and locked her arm around his neck from behind, rubbing his hair furiously. “If that day really comes, you’re coming with me!”

Ichin just laughed, nodding. “No problem. And not just me—Utaha and Yukino will definitely come too.”

Both Utaha and Yukino nodded in unison.

“Hmph. That’s more like it.”

In truth, Haruno wasn’t actually that opposed to Ichin’s mother setting her up. She was mostly upset at being blindsided like this, her rhythm thrown off. But with Ichin obediently letting her ruffle his hair, her anger quickly melted away.

Once she let go, Ichin said with a smile, “Alright, Haruno, you’ve worked all day. Go relax in the living room. Tonight we’ve got your favorites—crispy fried pork and sweet-and-sour ribs.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear!”

With good food promised, Haruno’s mood lifted completely. Humming a tune, she left the kitchen.

Utaha and Yukino exchanged glances at Ichin. He just shrugged. “Even a girl like Haruno-san can’t resist good food, right?”

Day by day, the release date for Fall Guys drew closer.

But before that, Ichin wanted to stir things up again—to draw even more attention to their company.

So on July 8th, just two days before Fall Guys launched, the company’s social accounts dropped two brand-new gameplay videos:

- A fresh demo of Dark Souls

- And, the one shooter fans had been dying to see, a demo of Titanfall.

Rather than spacing them out, Ichin dropped both at once, right before the big launch.

The Dark Souls demo showed much more than the first teaser—flashy boss moves, new monsters large and small, and players unleashing dazzling spells, sorceries, and weapon arts.

If basic swordplay was pure warrior gameplay, then with the addition of spells and skills, the overall spectacle had risen several notches.

“I saw so many dragons—and they’re huge!”

“A dragon just jumped me after two steps in a castle… this game’s gonna hurt. Looks brutal.”

“Don’t care, I’m maining a sorcerer when this comes out!”

“Magic is cool, but melee looked amazing too—those massive greatswords and heavy armor!”

“Did nobody notice the lightning spear? That’s different from the blue magic—there are blue, yellow, and red spell effects. Multiple casting systems confirmed?”

Because the magic and miracles looked so flashy, most players focused their discussions there, leaving melee in the background. But that was exactly what Ichin had expected. He hadn’t shown everything—late-game sorceries like White Dragon Breath, Soul Stream, and Giant Lightning Spear were still under wraps. He’d also added plenty of new spells, making mages far more versatile and fun to play.

Of course, pure warrior builds got upgrades too—the weapon arts were even more powerful and spectacular, though with higher risk.

Then came the Titanfall demo, which exploded with hype.

The protagonist looked ridiculously powerful—wall-running, sliding, cloaking—turning battles into cinematic showcases. If not for the UI visible onscreen, many would’ve mistaken it for a CGI trailer.

And once the Pilots called in Titans, the action hit a fever pitch.

Beyond the default Titan loadout, two new classes were shown:

- Ronin with explosive close-range combat and high damage.

- Scorch, even flashier, unleashing walls of fire and seismic shockwaves that wiped out enemy Titans in seconds.

Two very different games, two very different genres—but both demos showed incredibly polished gameplay. And yet neither had a release date. Both ended with the same line: “Still in development. Release date to be announced soon.”

“With graphics and polish like this, and it’s still in development? That means there’s even more content hidden away?!”

“Too much good stuff—I can’t wait any longer! Hurry up and release already!”

“Go play Fall Guys first.”

The very next day, the final pre-release trailer for Fall Guys dropped as well.

***

Chapter 444: Fall Guys Launch

Unlike the two games shown before, Fall Guys had already gone through a public test. Players had experienced its quality firsthand, and it was also the closest to release.

In the latest launch trailer, many stages that hadn’t appeared during the test were revealed: a giant, exaggerated roller-coaster map, a mountain-climbing map where players had to reach the summit, and a pyramid map where lava relentlessly chased from below. Compared to the test run, the new courses were larger and far more complex, fueling players’ excitement.

And, of course, the wacky costumes for the little bean-shaped characters became a major motivator for players to grind the game.

Dinosaur skins, panda skins, astronaut skins, dragon skins—even crossover skins from their own titles like Hollow Knight and Slay the Spire.

“So many skins! I saw several Hollow Knight ones!”

“Smart—crossing over with your own games means no extra licensing fees.”

“Still, I want skins from other games too!”

“If the sales are good, we’ll definitely get them, right?”

Ichin naturally saw the community’s discussions. He had long prepared a huge list of potential crossover skins. If negotiations went smoothly, he could release two collaborations per month for a whole year.

Whether from games or anime, anything was possible—the designs would look great regardless.

“Hmm… since we’re already planning a GARO game project, why not release a GARO collaboration skin before that game launches?”

With that thought, Ichin immediately called the folks at Tohoku Shinsha, briefly explaining his idea. After about ten minutes of talks, the deal was settled: if Fall Guys maintained its heat within a month of launch, the collab skin could go live.

For GARO, which hadn’t had a new series this year, it was perfect cross-promotion—a way to stay visible so tokusatsu fans wouldn’t forget it.

As for other collaborations, Ichin planned to wait until the first-week sales numbers came in, then use that leverage to approach IP holders.

And so, amid eager anticipation, on July 10th Fall Guys officially launched.

Even before release, pre-orders had already surpassed one million. On launch day itself, sales skyrocketed to two million copies across all platforms.

By that evening, Steam concurrent players alone passed 500,000. Combined with Switch and PlayStation, the total active players were nearly one million.

That figure was staggering—normally, only evergreen multiplayer or competitive titles like Battlefield, Call of Duty, or CS reached those heights.

Of course, Battlefield and COD had declined in recent years2042’s flop was still fresh in everyone’s memory.

Regardless, the data was reason for Ichin to celebrate. That very night, he messaged Hazuki, still at the office, telling her to issue a bonus for the Fall Guys dev team on payday as encouragement.

The game wasn’t expensive, but with strong quality, sales had already hit two million.

Conservatively, Ichin estimated that as long as they steadily updated with new courses, skins, and seasonal rankings, both sales and online population would keep growing at a healthy pace.

The only real threat was cheaters.

For anti-cheat, Ichin had partnered during development with a friend of Umiko’s—a specialist in anti-cheat systems. Together they built tailored protections into the game, designed to be effective without burdening system performance.

He had also set up a dedicated security team within the company to monitor and respond to online cheating. Still, since the game had just launched, no one yet knew how many cheaters would appear, or how advanced the hacks would get.

From day one, Fall Guys became the darling of livestreaming platforms. With its more varied maps, new skins, and endless comedic moments, viewership shot up dramatically.

And from those countless viewers, even if only a small fraction bought the game, it still meant huge profits for the developers.

Within a week, global sales hit three million. Ichin wasn’t too surprised—it was an affordable multiplayer title, so rapid sales were expected.

But for games like this, what mattered most was long-term operation—retaining the massive wave of players gathered at launch.

Development costs had already been recouped. Now it was all about ongoing updates. Hazuki had already dispatched staff to negotiate with selected IP holders for collaborations.

As for GARO, the crossover content entered production just three days after launch.

They chose two skins: GARO himself in gleaming gold, and Jinga, a striking silver-and-red mix. The designs combined Fall Guys’ cuteness with the ferocity and flair of Makai Knights.

Alongside the skins, they also designed a new castle-themed map inspired by GARO.

After reviewing the design drafts, Ichin nodded and told Hazuki:

“Send these over. If they don’t request changes, proceed with this version. Two skins and one map—how long will development take?”

“Not long at all,” Hazuki smiled. “Once the skins are designed, making them only takes a few days. The map’s bigger, so it’ll take a little longer, but overall less than ten days. And of course, it’s not just one person working on it.”

“Good. If you’re confident, then schedule the update for early August. And make sure to put out a preview video beforehand, so players know what’s coming. Let’s do that for every major update going forward.”

“No problem. Leave it to us!”

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 598: Sword Art Beyond the Divine (2-in-1 Chapter)

It was like the first glimmer of dawn.

A flash of silver cut through the air, and a massive True Stinger Bug was cleaved cleanly in half.

For a moment its body seemed unaware of what had happened—no blood spilled at all.

Only after a pause did the crimson spray explode outward.

【Defeated A Powerful Enemy. Obtained 93,572 Adventure EXP.】

Nolan glanced at the notification on his character panel—this marked the third wave of insects exterminated.

At the same time, his secret-art sword technique Bloodletting had successfully reached maximum level.

Bloodletting Sword – Secret Art Lv.10 (Bleeding)

With about half an hour of Blessed by Fortune left, Nolan decided to try fusing this with his two other maxed-out secret sword techniques.

If successful, he could combine them into a single Arcane-tier sword art, saving himself the trouble of training the last two techniques.

If it failed, he’d just burn Adventure EXP to level the other two and attempt the fusion later—he had no chance of grinding them to full level before Blessed by Fortune ended.

His real plan was to push further: to use Blessed by Fortune to attempt a fusion of three Divine-tier skills and see if he could leap straight into something beyond Divine.

Normally, based on past fusions, the chance of success was only about one in three. Too low.

But with the fivefold boost from Blessed by Fortune, the odds looked promising. If it worked, it would at least save him the effort of grinding out another Divine-tier technique.

After all, even with a mountain of Adventure EXP, building a Divine-tier skill was no easy task.

With this in mind, Nolan didn’t hesitate. He began the fusion.

Hidden Shadow Swordplay Lv.10 (No Shadow) + Soul-Chasing Swordplay Lv.10 (Spirit Mark) + Bloodletting Sword – Secret Art Lv.10 (Bleeding) → Soul-Chasing Shadow – Arcane Level Lv.1 (0/5000)

The power of Blessed by Fortune showed its worth—the fusion succeeded easily, granting him a brand-new Arcane-tier sword technique.

He then spent 225,000 Adventure EXP to max it out.

Adventure EXP -225,000

Soul-Chasing Shadow – Arcane Lv.1 (0/5000) → Soul-Chasing Shadow – Arcane Lv.10 (Blood Hunt Without Shadow)

Without pause, he merged it into a nearly-complete fusion that only lacked one more Arcane-tier skill to ascend to Divine:

Judgment Art · All Things to Nothingness Lv.10 (Descent of the Demon God, Three Lives, All Things, Judgment of Life and Death) + Soul-Chasing Shadow – Arcane Lv.10 (Blood Hunt Without Shadow) → Causality Art · Annihilation Lv.1 (0/10000)

Because the base skill was already at the threshold of Divine, even without Blessed by Fortune it was guaranteed to advance.

Sure enough, the fusion succeeded—Nolan now possessed a new Divine-tier sword art!

But now came the crucial step: could he fuse a skill beyond Divine?

Adventure EXP -450,000

He first leveled Causality Art – Annihilation to maximum, unlocking a Divine characteristic called Death Curse.

Its effect: any target struck would suffer an inevitable, causality-level death effect. The weaker the enemy, the less chance of resisting.

Stronger foes could resist for a time, but unless the Death Curse was cleansed at the causal level, even the mighty would wither away into slow death.

An excellent trait.

With that, Nolan eagerly began the next fusion:

Causality Art – Annihilation Lv.10 (Death Curse) + Lumine's Authority – Divine Lv.10 (Starsea Manifestation, Boundless) + Musou no Hitotachi – Divine Lv.10 (Musou State) → Lumine’s Musou – World Lv.1 (0/100000)

The skills twisted together on his panel and finally merged into one.

A new technique appeared, with the suffix “World.”

Without doubt—this was a World-tier sword art, a realm above Divine!

Blessed by Fortune had once again proven its power.

But leveling it was brutal. Raising it from level one to two alone cost 100,000 EXP.

To max it out required a staggering 4.5 million!

Even after clearing several waves of insects earlier, Nolan had only raised his points to about four million.

Now, after spending more, he had barely 3.3 million left. He’d need to wipe out one or two more large swarms to gather the full amount.

All the better—he wanted to test just how terrifying a World-tier sword art really was!

He invoked Eula’s Affection skill, summoning the ice-white Frostlight Sword. But instead of manipulating meteors with gravity, this time he simply swung casually at the stomach wall of the cosmic behemoth.

There was no golden sword aura—or perhaps there was, but it was too fast to see.

The next instant, without warning, a thousand-meter-long cut split open across the stomach wall.

The beast’s blood erupted like a bursting dam, flooding forth like a raging, endless torrent.

“ROOOAR!”

A pained bellow thundered as though from another world, and Nolan felt the entire stomach quake violently.

That seemingly simple strike carried multiple effects, including the Death Curse.

And it worked—the colossal monster was wounded.

But not slain. That alone proved its power was far above his own.

Controlling it with Command Seals was out of the question. For a foe stronger than oneself, subduing was far harder than killing.

Now that the Death Curse had taken hold, unless it was purged, every cell in the creature would continue dying—until none remained.

Nolan couldn’t help but wonder with anticipation: how many Adventure EXP would defeating such a cosmic behemoth grant?

Still, with its sheer size, it might take ages to succumb. It would instinctively muster energy to resist the Death Curse, dragging the process out.

A long demise, no doubt.

But he wasn’t too concerned. More than the behemoth, what interested him now were the swarms of insects rushing toward him.

This wave even carried three True Stinger Bugs, all level ninety-five and above. A stroke of luck.

Nolan summoned two Lumine Sword Gods to handle two of them, while he turned to face the last himself.

As he released just a trace of sword intent from his World-tier technique, the charging parasite froze mid-flight, its body shuddering as an overwhelming sense of doom clawed at it.

But insect swarms knew nothing of fear or survival instinct. For them, death was meaningless; only the survival of the hive mattered.

Individual lives were expendable.

And so, the True Stinger Bug still charged straight at him.

Nolan showed no restraint. Invisible sword intent continued to pierce into the creature’s body, and when it was still a few dozen meters away—

“Boom!”

Without a sound, the True Stinger Bug disintegrated mid-flight into fine powder, scattering like mist.

【Defeated A Powerful Enemy. Gained 98,125 Adventure EXP.】

The other two True Stinger Bugs had also already been slain by the two Lumine Sword Gods.

With his skill raised to World-tier, the sword gods’ power had risen sharply, making it effortless to deal with such foes.

Though the swarm was large, between him and his avatars, they were wiped out in no time.

In total, he gained over 700,000 EXP:

【Adventure EXP: 4,083,607】

His points were back to roughly four million, only half a million short of what he needed to max out his World-tier skill.

So, Nolan casually carved another gash into the stomach wall, releasing another flood of blood.

The swarm awoke from the blood, buzzing toward him like bees.

Musou!

Raising the Frostlight Blade, he slashed once more—every insect vanished mid-flight, dissolving into mist.

【Adventure EXP +5,682】

【Adventure EXP +6,141】

【Adventure EXP +5,412】

Notifications popped up in quick succession.

【Adventure EXP: 4,636,207】

With over 4.6 million Experience, it was enough to max the World-tier sword art.

Without hesitation, Nolan poured the points into it.

Adventure EXP -4,500,000

Lumine’s Musou · World Lv.1 (0/100000) → Lumine’s Musou · World Lv.10 (Starsea)

A new trait was born, and at last the sword art was perfected. His panel now showed only a sliver of EXP remaining:

---

Name: Nolan Walker

Level: 105 (0/15,000,000)

Race: Human

Titles: Honorary Knight, Distinguished Citizen of Liyue, Legendary Adventurer, Honorary General of Watatsumi Island, Sumeru Sage

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills:

- Lumine’s Musou · World Lv.10 (Starsea)

- Domain of Objective Illusory Shadows · Divine Level Lv.10 (Unobservable State)

- Flowing Sky Shot: Arcane Level Lv.10 (Frostglow Arrow)

- Elemental Mastery Lv.10 (Max)

- Martial Arts Lv.10 (Subtle Mastery)

Specialties:

- Beloved by Maidens (Exclusive)

- Unmoving Gospel of the World Tree (Exclusive)

- Threads of the Northern Wind (Exclusive)

- Spiritual Core (Exclusive)

Adventure EXP: 136,207

---

Not nearly enough to level up, but good for emergencies.

With only a few minutes left of Blessed by Fortune, and having grievously wounded the cosmic behemoth, Nolan chose to retreat before the buff expired—better not risk the beast noticing him or anything unexpected.

Besides, it was late. Time to bathe and sleep.

---

Wonderland Space – Living Room

Keqing, who had long since finished dinner, sat on the sofa with a faint scowl.

That guy had brought her here, only to run off on his own—for hours. Now it was already late at night, and she still hadn’t returned home.

Her mood was far from pleased.

Just then, a spatial rift opened, and Nolan stepped out. Seeing Keqing sulking on the sofa, his heart sank.

Damn it… I was too focused on farming EXP and practicing sword arts—I forgot Keqing was still here!

“Ahem, uh… already finished eating?” he asked awkwardly.

“What do you think?” Keqing glared. “Where did you disappear to?”

“Sorry, just practicing swordsmanship. If you don’t believe me, ask Ningguang—I borrowed some manuals from her today.”

He sat beside her, gently taking her hand in apology.

“Hmph. Sword practice at this hour?” Keqing trusted him, but she was still unhappy he’d left her alone.

Since he’d apologized, she didn’t press further. Instead, she parted her lips and said:

“Enough. It’s late, send me back.”

The Lantern Rite was the day after tomorrow, and she had plenty of work tomorrow—she wanted rest.

“You’re right, it’s late… but why not stay here tonight? Take a bath. There’s a hot spring on the second floor—it’ll ease your whole body.”

Nolan slipped an arm around her slender waist.

Her pale cheeks flushed red. She patted his hand, trying to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge.

Helpless, Keqing muttered:

“I didn’t bring any change of clothes. Forget it, I’ll bathe at home.”

“No clothes? Doesn’t matter. No one else is here, and it’s warm enough—clothes are optional.”

He leaned in and kissed the corner of her lips.

Keqing’s body jolted, trembling in his arms. Flustered, she stammered:

“S-stop talking nonsense! Send me back!”

But Nolan only smiled, sliding his left hand up her back, lifting her skirt to press against her stocking-clad hips.

“No.”

“Ah!”

The touch made her shiver; she hurriedly pressed her skirt down, face burning crimson.

“You scoundrel, hands off!”

But Nolan ignored her, pulling her onto his lap, his right arm securing her waist, preventing escape.

His left hand slid from her hips to her thighs, stroking gently.

“Relax, I get it. Let me just take off your stockings so you can bathe more comfortably,” he teased.

Saying so, he slipped his hand beneath her skirt, searching for the hem of her tights.

“Id-idiot!”

Unable to bear it, Keqing turned and bit his arm hard—lightning sparking around her teeth.

A punishment for shamelessness!

“Hiss—” Nolan sucked in a sharp breath, his arm tingling numb, but he still refused to let go.

Clamping her stocking-wrapped legs, he gripped the fabric and tugged downward.

The high-quality material held firm, sliding down to her knees without tearing.

Keqing felt a sudden chill beneath her skirt. She glanced down—and froze.

Her black tights had been pulled down together with… the pale-violet panties hidden beneath.

Her pupils contracted violently. She nearly fainted.

Forgetting even to punish him further, she quickly let go of his arm and scrambled to pull everything back up before it went any lower.

(End of Chapter)

[Game] Chapter 441-442

Chapter 441: The Everyday Life Before Release

It was now July, with less than ten days left before Fall Guys launched. The dev team was already fully prepared and had even begun developing more skins and stages for future updates.

After lunch at campus, Ichin dropped Utaha off at the publishing house, then returned to campus for his afternoon classes.

Sitting in the lecture hall, he listened halfheartedly to the professor explaining knowledge he already knew, while his mind wandered back to game development—specifically, the GARO adaptation.

The battle system had already been designed, simplified from the one being made for Tales of Berseria, with new mechanics tailored to specific characters. The combat was guaranteed to feel thrilling.

As for the story, Ichin planned to meet with GARO’s original author and scriptwriter later to discuss and shape a narrative path suitable for a game.

Just the first season plus the special episodes wouldn’t be enough to fill an entire game—he’d need to add more.

After class, he turned down classmates’ invitation to go sing at KTV. No one was upset; everyone knew Ichin was busy managing a company.

Leaving the lecture hall, he headed to the library, where Yukino was waiting for him with a book. They had already agreed yesterday that they’d have dinner at his place tonight and later go pick up Haruno from work.

Sure enough, when he arrived at Yukino’s study area, all the nearby seats were occupied by male students.

Ichin doubted they were really here to study. Yukino had already rejected several confessions, yet these guys didn’t seem to give up.

He figured it must be because her sharp tongue had softened since high school. If she were still that caustic, there probably wouldn’t be so many guys sitting around her now.

Carrying two cans of juice, Ichin walked straight over and sat beside her.

He glanced at the book she was reading—it was full of law content, far outside his expertise.

Setting the juice down in front of her, he whispered, “Still reading? Take a little break.”

Without looking up, Yukino murmured, “Mm, just let me finish this section.”

Ichin didn’t rush her. He cracked open his juice, took a sip, and idly scrolled through his phone, ignoring the hostile stares radiating from nearby.

He didn’t believe these guys didn’t know about his relationship with Yukino—but jealousy rarely cared about logic. He was used to it anyway; back in high school when he dated Utaha, and even now at Todai, he’d long since learned how to brush it off.

After about ten minutes, Yukino finally closed her book and finished the last of her assignments.

Seeing her rub her temples, Ichin asked softly, “Is law classes tough? There’s so much to memorize, isn’t there?”

“There really is a lot, especially concepts you have to memorize and fully understand without any mistakes.”

She took the juice and drank, then asked, “Are we picking up Utaha-senpai first?”

“Yeah, it’s on the way. She’s just discussing the release prep for her new volume and grabbing tea with Sonoko. Rest a bit, we’ve got time—we’ll head out in about ten minutes.”

Yukino nodded, sipping her juice. She was tired after a full day of study.

Ichin glanced at the guys around them and said quietly, “Yukino, I bet people from other departments sometimes come sit in on your classes too, huh?”

“…Hm?” Surprised, she followed his gaze, then sighed, a hint of annoyance in her tone. “Yes, but thankfully the girls in my class sit around me, so I don’t get bothered too much.”

Her personality had mellowed a lot, and though there weren’t many girls in her major, they had good tempers and got along well with her. They were happy to help, so classes were manageable.

“Good, that’s a relief. Haruno’s asked me more than once to keep an eye on you at collage.” Ichin smiled. “Since you’re on good terms with your classmates, maybe you can rely on them a little too. Tomorrow, if I’ve got time, I’ll treat your friends to milk tea.”

As Yukino’s “god-brother,” it was only right to show his thanks.

But Yukino hadn’t expected that. Her cheeks warmed slightly as she whispered, “That’s not necessary… I can treat them myself.”

“It’s fine. You can still take them out shopping or treat them later. I just want to meet the new friends you’ve made. And besides, if I don’t go, then Haruno will—and compared to her, isn’t it better if I go?”

At that, Yukino fell silent. He had a point. Her relationship with Haruno was much better now, but given her sister’s personality… who knew how far she might tease or meddle with her classmates. Better let Ichin go.

“…Then I’ll trouble you.”

After finishing their drinks, Yukino packed up, and they left the library together. As soon as they were gone, the boys who had been crowding her area began trickling away too.

Yukino hadn’t driven that day—Ichin had picked her up in the morning, so she rode back with him in the afternoon.

They headed to Fujikawa Publishing. After sending Utaha a message, she told them to come in first. Ichin parked the car, and he and Yukino went inside.

They walked straight to the editorial department, where Utaha was sitting with Sonoko Machida.

“Good afternoon, Miss Sonoko.”

Ichin greeted her, then asked, “Is there still something unresolved?”

Smiling, Machida replied, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing major. We’re just waiting on the sample copies of Utaha’s new volume—they’re on the way. What would you two like to drink? I’ll prepare it.”

Ichin and Yukino both asked for coffee, so Machida headed to the break room.

This was only Yukino’s third time here, so she looked around curiously. “There aren’t many editors here today.”

“It’s the start of the month,” Utaha explained with a smile. “Most of them are out chasing manuscripts. Some went to pick up printed samples.”

Her novel was already in its latter half and progressing smoothly. All that was left was to wait for the anime adaptation schedule to move forward.

Though many new authors had debuted in the past two years, none had managed to overshadow Utaha. At this rate, she was already on track to become the pillar author of Immortal River Publishing.

***

Chapter 442: Digging a Pit for Haruno

Before long, Sonoko Machida returned with the coffee. Several editors came in with her, carrying bags that held freshly printed samples of the new light novel volume.

After setting down the coffee, Sonoko pulled out five copies and placed them in front of Utaha.

“Here you go, Utaha—your sample copies. Take a look.”

“Thanks, Sonoko-san.”

Utaha smiled and picked one up, carefully checking through it.

Even though she was no longer a rookie, that moment of seeing her work in print still filled her with joy and excitement.

Ichin had already read the manuscript when she finished writing it, so now he was only curious about the print quality. Yukino, on the other hand, lit up immediately, eagerly taking one of the samples to flip through.

Seeing her reaction reminded Ichin—Yukino was also one of Utaha’s fans.

So he turned to Sonoko and asked, “Miss Sonoko, would it be alright if we took an extra copy home?”

Sonoko waved her hand with a smile. “Of course. Even if you took all of these, it’d be fine. They’re just samples.”

“No need for that much—two copies are enough.”

After thanking her, Ichin said to Yukino, “Let’s read them later at home. Since Utaha’s business is settled, we should be heading to the office now.”

At his words, Yukino closed the sample and nodded, thanking Sonoko politely.

“Thank you, Sonoko-san.”

Utaha soon finished checking as well and said with satisfaction, “Mm, the quality’s just as good as before. The illustrations printed very clearly—I’m pleased.”

“That’s what matters most.”

Sonoko nodded happily, then picked up the remaining three copies. “Alright, that’s everything here. I’ll take these to the editor-in-chief for review. Utaha, good work today—you can head home.”

“Mm, then I’ll be going. See you later, Sonoko-san.”

After their goodbyes, the three of them left the publishing house and drove to the Yukinoshita family’s Tokyo office. Ichin gave Haruno a call.

Inside, Haruno had already finished her work. Hearing his voice, she cheerfully said, “Okay! I’ll be right down, give me two minutes.”

After hanging up, she informed her assistant, grabbed her bag, and left the office.

The moment she stepped out of the building, she spotted Ichin’s car parked by the curb. Smiling brightly, she hurried over, opened the back door, and slipped in beside Yukino.

“Sorry to keep you waiting~~”

Stretching with satisfaction, she grinned. “So, next stop is Ichin’s company?”

As he started the engine, Ichin replied, “Yeah, we’ll stop by the office first so I can check on development progress. Won’t take long. After that, we’ll head to the supermarket for groceries and go home to cook dinner.”

It was already late in the day—by the time they left the office, it would be just about dinner prep time.

“Sounds good. I’ll go with the flow—I’m just here for a free meal anyway.”

Haruno had no objections. Relaxing in her seat, she glanced at Yukino reading her novel and teased, “So, Yukino, did any boys confess to you at school today?”

“No.”

Yukino replied calmly, then added, “I think, rather than worrying about me, you should be worrying about yourself, Onee-san. Don’t make Mother worry too much.”

Though her demeanor had softened over time, Yukino never passed up a chance to tease her sister.

Her words made Haruno puff out her cheeks, glaring at her little sister. “Yukino, can we not talk about this? Mother was nagging me on the phone just last night—it took me forever to placate her! If you really want to stop her worrying, why don’t you help me find someone at Todai? I don’t mind a little sister-brother romance.”

Yukino raised a brow at that. Her sister sounded serious, but Yukino knew better. It was just bravado. Haruno herself was well aware Yukino would never actually do such a thing.

Shaking her head slightly, Yukino figured her sister wasn’t escaping singlehood any time soon. Who knew when their mother would arrange the next round of blind dates—or what kind of person she’d set her up with. Hopefully, better than last time.

Just then, Ichin spoke up from the driver’s seat. “If you’re really serious about finding a boyfriend, Haruno-san, I think you should ask my mom. She’d love to help, as long as you don’t mind a long-distance relationship.”

“Oh? Godmother, huh?”

Haruno tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I’ve never considered that… but if she can find someone as outstanding as you, little Ichin, I wouldn’t mind being introduced.”

“Then you’d better give up. A guy like me only comes along once in a million.”

At that, all three girls—including Utaha—pursed their lips simultaneously.

They all wanted to complain about his arrogance, but none could actually refute it.

At his age, with his achievements, and without leaning on family connections—aside from borrowing money once to buy the apartments that became his first studios—Ichin had built everything himself. Even without that, he could’ve just rented an office.

And so, his accomplishments truly had no rival among his peers in recent years. Handsome, capable, and with a strong personality—he was practically the perfect image of an ideal partner.

Clicking her tongue, Haruno looked at Utaha. “Utaha, you’d better take good care of your relationship with Ichin. Otherwise, I might just steal him away.”

Utaha didn’t get angry. She smiled and turned to her. “Don’t worry, Haruno-san—I won’t give you the chance.”

The conversation flowed easily until they arrived at the office.

Ichin spent half an hour checking on development progress before the four of them headed to the supermarket to buy groceries.

After returning home with bags full of food, Ichin pulled out his phone before they started cooking. He called his mother on video chat—and before Haruno realized what was happening, he casually brought up the topic of finding her a boyfriend, then handed her the phone.

Leaving Haruno to deal with his mother’s excited barrage, Ichin walked off with a satisfied grin.

***

[HP] Chapter 172: The Twins’ New Invention

“Don’t get me wrong—I don’t actually know him. It’s just that his name has already spread through all the pure-blood families.”

Cassandra sat ramrod straight, as though a ruler was pressed against her back, making her posture even more striking.

“And besides, you called him Louis, so I could more or less guess who he was.”

Louis gave a crooked smile and explained to Hermione, “I met her at Ollivander’s. She came to buy her wand nearly a month early. Maybe she’s a prodigy like you.”

At being compared to Hermione, a faint flicker of displeasure passed through Cassandra’s eyes, though she kept it hidden. Instead, she studied Hermione.

A girl in her early teens, not too concerned with grooming or poise, clearly not from an old pure-blood family. Her hair wasn’t red, her robes were new and clean—most likely a half-blood or Muggle-born. Ravenclaw robes. Clever, then.

After a moment’s thought, Cassandra gave a small nod. “Hello. I’m Cassandra Vole.”

“Hello, I’m Hermione. Hermione Granger.” Hermione had intended to chat a bit more with this strikingly beautiful girl, but Cassandra, after introducing herself, simply pulled out a copy of The Standard Book of Spells and began reading, making it clear she wasn’t interested in conversation.

With Cassandra’s arrival, the atmosphere in the carriage grew awkward. She was like an icy spike that pinned everything down—aloof, silent, radiating a chill that stifled any warmth.

Louis and Hermione exchanged a look. Neither could think of anything to say.

At that moment, the door burst open again—but this time, without any courtesy. Two figures practically launched themselves inside.

Fred and George.

The twins were still catching their breath, clearly having sprinted. Their sudden arrival shattered the awkward silence, and all three pairs of eyes turned toward them.

“Did you two… chase after the train because you missed it?” Louis asked, watching them pant.

“Not exactly.”

“But close enough.” George and Fred answered one after the other.

“We nearly missed it. All Fred’s fault—he forgot our fireworks.”

“No, it was your fault—you’re the one who left them at home!”

The twins were about to start bickering again when Louis grabbed each of them by the collar.

“You’re too loud,” he said flatly. “What you should be doing is finding a seat—not arguing here.”

“Wow, is this the same arm strength that punched a troll to death?” Fred and George grinned, completely unbothered by being lifted.

“Everywhere’s full. We just got Ginny—our little sister—settled.”

“And we couldn’t find Harry or Ron either, so let us sit here.”

The twins spoke one after another, perfectly in sync.

“You two were late. So were Harry and Ron ahead of you—or behind you?” Louis asked, realizing these two jokers didn’t seem at all worried about their younger brother’s safety.

“They were in front of us.”

“No, behind us.”

Even such a simple question was enough to spark another quarrel. Left unchecked, they could probably argue until morning—and then, naturally, forget what they had been arguing about.

“If,” Louis said, “and I mean if, Harry and Ron were behind you… wouldn’t that mean they missed the train?”

“That’s impossible. We weren’t that far away. The driver would wait for them.”

“And even if they did miss it, it’s no big deal. They could just write to a professor.”

“Apparition.”

“Exactly, apparition.”

The twins’ logic was sound. Missing the train wasn’t the end of the world—and apparition was indeed the most straightforward solution.

But clearly, the hard-headed Savior and his little friend didn’t think that way.

“Look! What’s that?”

Suddenly, noise rippled through the train carriage—students were in a stir, as if someone had spotted something shocking.

George and Fred leapt to their feet, having glimpsed something familiar flashing past the window.

“A car!” George shouted.

“Dad’s flying car!” Fred added.

Louis turned to the window and indeed saw the classic scene: a blue car floating in mid-air, flying alongside the train.

And the figures inside were unmistakable.

“It’s Harry and Ron—Merlin’s beard, they actually took the car!” George and Fred exclaimed, staring at each other.

“This is brilliant!”

“Yeah, why didn’t we think of that?”

As the twins cheered loudly, the others in the compartment could only look on in bafflement.

“So… is this what Gryffindors are like?” Hermione whispered into Louis’s ear.

“I’d say so. Wouldn’t surprise me if Gryffindor throws them a hero’s welcome feast tonight,” Louis murmured, watching the car pull alongside.

“This is insane,” Hermione muttered in disbelief.

Across from them, Cassandra, still holding her book, was practically bursting with scorn. But since complaining would hardly be elegant, she swallowed it down with visible effort.

What kind of lunatics are the students at Hogwarts?

In the end, the twins stayed put, forcing Hermione to squeeze onto the opposite bench with Cassandra. Two pretty girls, each hugging a book with very different airs about them, sat side by side—while Fred and George leaned eagerly toward Louis, hawking their latest invention.

“This here’s a Canary Cream. One bite and you’ll turn into a canary,” Fred said proudly.

Louis didn’t believe them for a second. He remembered that in the end, those so-called Canary Creams never actually turned people into proper canaries.

He took one, eyed Fred mischievously, and before Fred could react, shoved the biscuit straight into his mouth.

Fred gagged, eyes rolling, and barely managed to choke it down.

Bang!

A puff of white smoke erupted, and Fred transformed into a scruffy, bald-feathered monstrosity of a bird.

The sudden spectacle startled the girls out of their books—even Cassandra nearly lost her composure.

Fred squawked twice triumphantly before flickering back to normal.

“Well? Fun, isn’t it?” Fred grinned, winking.

“It is amusing,” Louis admitted. “But have you two never thought of going further?”

“Further?” Fred and George’s eyes lit up. “What do you mean?”

“Longer transformations—and ones that are more complete,” Louis said, his eyes gleaming with cunning insight.

---

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 597: Blessed by Fortune

“Thank you, please hang the lanterns here as well.”

The young woman with light-violet hair tied into twin tails resembling cat ears spoke to several Millelith soldiers in armor.

“Yes, Lady Yuheng.”

The Millelith carried red lanterns and began setting them up.

Once they left, Keqing was about to check if any spots had been overlooked when she suddenly noticed a familiar figure walking toward her.

“Keqing, still working so late?”

Nolan asked curiously.

Seeing the young adventurer before her, a trace of joy flickered across Keqing’s fair face, but she quickly restrained it, lifting her chin slightly in dissatisfaction.

“Hmph, of course you wouldn’t know! You’re always busy hanging around with other girls, while I’m running myself ragged—both overseeing construction and preparing for the Lantern Rite!”

“Haha, sorry, sorry. Let me help you then—this way you can finish sooner.” Nolan laughed awkwardly.

With that, he lifted all the remaining lanterns—except the ones already taken by the Millelith—and hung them neatly onto the waiting hooks using his spiritual power.

They drifted without wind, streaking across the air like red phantoms, leaving behind a dazzling crimson trail.

“How about that? I didn’t make a mistake, right?”

Nolan looked at Keqing as he spoke.

Keqing carefully inspected the placement. The lanterns all hung properly, none out of place.

Crossing her arms, she gave a light nod.

“No problems. Thank you.”

“Anywhere else that still needs lanterns? If so, I’ll help finish those too.” Nolan asked.

“This was the last spot. That’s why I asked everyone to work overtime a bit longer.” Keqing shook her head lightly, then told the returning Millelith soldiers that the work was done.

Relief instantly spread across their faces.

After all, they had been busy since morning and hadn’t even had dinner yet.

“Good work, you may head back first,” Keqing said to them.

“Not hard at all, Lady Yuheng. Then we’ll take our leave.”

The Millelith hurriedly waved their hands, but before leaving they cast grateful glances toward Nolan. They had seen him finish the remaining lanterns in one sweep.

Without his help, completing the task would have taken them at least another hour.

Nolan only smiled, signaling it was nothing.

After the Millelith left, Nolan gently took Keqing’s soft hand, sending a flow of harmonizing energy into her as he said:

“You’ve worked hard too. Let me help you relax a little.”

Bathed in the soothing energy, Keqing felt her whole body unwind. Parting her soft lips, she spoke:

“Hmph, come with me. Let’s stroll through the night market—and I’ll treat you to something to eat.”

Hearing this, Nolan hesitated for a moment. Just earlier, Ganyu and Shenhe had said they’d accompany their master to the night market.

If they happened to bump into each other, and Cloud Retainer saw him standing so intimately with Keqing… what if she got upset and tried to stand up for Shenhe?

With his understanding of Cloud Retainer, it really wasn’t impossible that she would act that way.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Nolan decided it was best not to go to the night market. After thinking for a moment, he said:

“The night market is crowded, too many eyes around. If someone were to see the great Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing standing together with a certain legendary adventurer, it wouldn’t even take until tomorrow—it’d instantly become the hottest headline on the Akasha Forum.

“So let’s skip it for now. I’ll take you to my place to eat instead.”

He opened a rift in space and gestured for her to enter.

Keqing was, of course, familiar with the Akasha Forum on the Akasha Terminal. Anyone could post there, and she herself occasionally browsed through it.

While the Akasha Forum allowed real-time discussion, it was still separated from reality by an unseen network. People didn’t have to worry about offending anyone face to face, so they tended to express their opinions quite boldly.

This made it easy for Keqing to understand the public’s needs—where the Qixing, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, or other branches of governance might be lacking—and she could address problems in time.

She was quite fond of the Akasha Terminal, and she also knew well: if anything happened, the news would spread in no time.

So Keqing dropped the idea of strolling through the night market with Nolan.

“Fine then, let’s go have a look at your home.”

With that, she tugged him along and stepped into the space rift as casually as walking through a doorway.

---

Wonderland Space

It was around seven in the evening now, and the girls naturally welcomed Keqing’s arrival.

Just in time for dinner, they pulled her over to sit and eat with them.

Since Nolan had already eaten with Cloud Retainer earlier at the Xinyue Kiosk, he didn’t need another meal. With free time on his hands, he teleported into the stomach of the cosmic behemoth.

There, he planned to practice some of the newly-acquired sword techniques.

But before training swordsmanship or grinding Adventure EXP, he intended to use the affection skill that Yelan had given him.

Otherwise, if the day ended, the usage count would reset, wasting today’s opportunity.

With that thought, Nolan activated Yelan’s affection skill—Exquisite Dice of Fate!

A large azure die glowing with a faint light was summoned, floating in mid-air. Nolan caught it and tossed it down onto the ground.

It rolled across the floor just like any ordinary die.

Nolan was hoping for the buff effect of “Enhanced Ability.” With that, his rate of farming Adventure EXP would definitely improve.

Soon, the die began to slow, and when it finally stopped—the face showed a six!

The effect for rolling a six—Blessed by Fortune!

“Oh?” Nolan thought this wasn’t bad either.

Though it didn’t boost his attack power, against the sub-parasites and true parasites inside the cosmic behemoth’s stomach, his own strength was already more than enough. With Blessed by Fortune, perhaps he’d encounter more high-level true parasites that he could still easily defeat.

After randomly gaining Blessed by Fortune, he still had to roll once more—to determine the multiplier on the skill’s effect!

Picking up the large die from the ground, Nolan gave it another casual toss. It rolled a few times and came to a stop.

He quickly looked at the result. Not bad—he had rolled a five, just one short of the maximum six.

That completed the whole process.

For the next 180 minutes, he would enjoy fivefold Blessed by Fortune!

With the clock ticking, Nolan didn’t want to waste any time. He swiftly activated Yoimiya’s affection skill, using gravitational force to hurl meteors and rupture the behemoth’s stomach wall.

Then he drew his longsword and unleashed a technique called “Bloodletting.”

This art was famed for its speed—strike, and blood would immediately be drawn.

(End of Chapter)

[HP] Chapter 171: An Encounter in the Carriage

“Louis, take care on the road. We won’t go in with you.”

Outside King’s Cross Station, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson waved at Louis.

Louis waved back, though his face carried a hint of helplessness.

It was rare for his parents to bother seeing him off to school—though, truthfully, the real reason was the nice restaurant nearby. After sending him off, they planned to enjoy a romantic lunch together.

Still, they did come to see him off, didn’t they?

What else could Louis do but smile and wish them a good meal?

Pushing his trolley toward the station, the cages rattled gently—Fafnir and Hastur were curled up together inside, dozing side by side.

Louis pulled out the pocket watch from his upper pocket and checked the time.

Half past ten. Plenty of time.

This mechanical watch had been his birthday present this year—so he wouldn’t have to keep guessing the time while at Hogwarts.

With practiced ease, Louis stepped onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, taking the opportunity to enjoy the nervous faces of first-years making their way through.

Amusing, truly amusing.

And of course, with such wide-eyed newcomers, it was only right to set an example.

Still dressed in his trademark tailcoat, Louis prepared to stage another costume-change trick. But this time, it wouldn’t be the simple instant switch he had done before.

No—this time he would put into practice some of the stagecraft he had learned from Mr. Wilson.

The first step: a dazzling setting.

With a snap of his fingers, petals began to bloom in midair, floating gracefully through the corridor of the train.

They drifted up and down, dissolving slowly whenever they floated out of the compartment doors.

Gasps of surprise filled the carriage. Students reached out to snatch the petals, only to find them impossibly light, always slipping away at the last moment.

Soon enough, young witches and wizards leaned out from their compartments, their eyes fixed on Louis standing in the corridor, surrounded by a halo of petals.

Smiling, Louis snapped his fingers again.

A cascade of petals fell, burying him completely.

Thenburst!—the petals exploded outward, and Louis stepped forward wearing a Slytherin robe, tipping his hat politely to his new audience.

The show was much like his earlier one, though last time it had been an honest stage trick. This time, it was dressed up as “magic.”

Not real spells—just sleight of hand, with a boost from his Stand’s power and lightning speed.

Yes, Louis had actually changed clothes by hand. But he was so fast—and the petals so perfectly distracting—that no one noticed.

Didn’t they see the petals explode at the end? That was the backlash from him moving during a brief stop in time.

A pure illusion, mistaken for magic or sorcery.

[An impressive performance.]

[You gained Trick Points: 3,000. Current total: 187,500.]

As expected, wizards always provided more points.

Satisfied with this brilliant start to the school year, Louis slipped into an empty carriage, under the envious stares of the new students.

This time, no pure-blood families came over to greet him. Likely they had no mood for pleasantries—every single one of them had already been harassed by Arthur Weasley and his people, so they weren’t exactly inclined to coach their children in social niceties.

Before long, Hermione came looking for him.

“Louis, how was your holiday?” she asked warmly.

“To be honest, not very good.” Louis sighed and told Hermione what had happened.

“That’s outrageous!” Hermione immediately stood up for him. “It wasn’t even your fault, yet they wouldn’t help you solve the problem?”

“Of course, Harry’s situation is pitiful too,” Louis added casually.

Still, it was clear in Hermione’s eyes that Louis mattered more; Harry Potter was just an afterthought.

Only after triple-checking that Louis’s studies wouldn’t be affected did Hermione brighten up and begin excitedly sharing her own holiday stories—chiefly about her trip to France.

Then she mentioned what had happened in Diagon Alley.

“I ran into Ron’s father, Arthur Weasley. He’s such a peculiar wizard—seems fascinated by Muggle things. He kept asking my dad what rubber ducks are for,” Hermione said with a smile. “But because of that, he was very kind to my parents. Not like Malfoy’s father—he looked so elegant on the surface, but really he just despises us Muggle-borns. In the end, he even fought with Mr. Weasley.”

“Oh? And who won?” Louis asked with interest.

“Hagrid stopped them before it could go anywhere… Anyway, that’s not the point.” Hermione rolled her eyes prettily. “The point is, those wizards actually fought just like Muggles—with their fists!”

“That’s hardly surprising,” Louis replied lightly. “If anything, that’s the better way—keeps things from escalating. Sounds like Diagon Alley was lively. Anything else?”

“Of course! There was Professor Lockhart’s book signing! The new edition of Magical Me came out, and he’s every bit as handsome in person as in the photos!” Hermione said excitedly.

Louis raised an eyebrow. “So… do you think he’s handsome, or am I more handsome?”

Just then, the train whistle blew—eleven o’clock sharp. The Hogwarts Express lurched forward.

The sudden blast drowned out Louis’s words, leaving Hermione blinking in confusion.

“Louis, what did you just say?” she asked.

Louis was about to repeat himself when an untimely knock came at the door.

The compartment door slid open, and a girl wearing a pointed wizard’s hat stepped in. Her voice was cool as she asked, “Sorry, may I sit here?”

With a stranger entering, Louis let his self-praise die on his tongue.

“Of course, no problem. There’s plenty of space,” Hermione said quickly. She even rose from the seat opposite Louis to sit beside him instead.

“Thank you.” The girl gave a polite nod, then sat across from them and removed her hat. A cascade of golden hair spilled down, brightening the compartment so much that even Hermione was taken aback by her beauty.

And as it turned out—she was no stranger.

Louis looked at the girl and recognized her instantly: the one who had bought her wand at Ollivander’s ahead of schedule that day.

If he remembered right… Cassandra.

“Hello, we meet again.” Cassandra’s pale green eyes flicked to the Slytherin crest on Louis’s robe as she spoke.

“Louis, you know her?” Hermione asked, a faint nervousness creeping into her tone. Almost unconsciously, she clutched at Louis’s sleeve.

Cassandra’s light green gaze fell on Hermione’s tense little hand. The faint smile at her lips carried a sharp, almost provocative edge.

“Not exactly. For example, this young lady doesn’t know me at all,” Louis said casually.

“Louis Wilson,” Cassandra said suddenly, her voice steady. “The famous heir of Merlin’s bloodline. Louis Wilson, am I right?”

The blow landed too fast—Louis’s eye twitched before he could stop himself.

---

[Game] Chapter 439-440

Chapter 439: A Visit from Akane Kosaka

Another game had opened for pre-orders, and it was going to be released directly next month. Players were thrilled, but many developers in the industry were utterly baffled.

How on earth was this company developing games so quickly?

Among those with the same doubts was Akane Kosaka.

Her own company was currently split into two development teams. One was using the engine she had obtained from Ichin to work on small, high-quality indie games, while the other was sticking to the original plan of developing a large-scale single-player game.

Neither team was taking too big of a step this time. The smaller team was working on a pixelated roguelike action platformer inspired by The Binding of Isaac and Hollow Knight. The larger team, meanwhile, was developing a linear ARPG.

As for making another open-world game, the studio had decided against it for now. To do it well would consume enormous effort and costs, and there was no guarantee of success. It simply wasn’t worth it.

Just when both of her company’s games were moving along smoothly, with plans to announce something in about half a year, Ichin’s side suddenly launched a free two-week online test of a brand-new gameFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.

Akane Kosaka couldn’t for the life of her figure out when this game had even been developed.

Out of curiosity, she downloaded Fall Guys.

And then, she ended up playing it for two straight weeks, logging in almost every day for over two hours at a time.

Her grind was far more extreme than even Utaha and Eriri’s.

When the test ended and the servers closed, she barely had a chance to catch her breath before the game opened for pre-orders—set to release officially the very next month.

Even during testing, Kosaka could already feel how polished the core gameplay system was. All that remained was adding new maps and levels over time to keep the game fresh.

And knowing Ichin, she was certain the official release would still have plenty of content that hadn’t yet been shown. There was no need to worry about the game becoming dull.

Still, with her head full of questions and thoughts, Akane picked up her car keys and left her company, heading straight to Ichin’s office building.

After parking in the underground garage and confirming Ichin’s car was there, she pulled out a compact mirror from her bag, touched up her lipstick, and only then took the elevator up to the company floor.

She’d been here several times before, so the receptionists didn’t stop her. After signing in and being announced over the phone, she stepped inside.

As always, the place was bustling with energy.

In the art department, she spotted Eriri discussing something with Kou Yagami.

“Kashiwagi Eri-sensei, long time no see~~~”

The name made Eriri instinctively flinch. Eyes wide, she turned and snapped at Kosaka:

“I told you not to call me that! And didn’t we just meet at a banquet last month? What are you doing here?!”

“As a fellow developer, of course I’m here to pay a visit and learn a little. After all, your company’s results have been amazing.”

With a bright smile, Kosaka walked over and glanced at the 3D modeling on Yagami Kou’s screen.

“Hmm~~ nothing I shouldn’t be seeing, right?”

Kou waved her off without much care. “It’s just a model in progress, nothing sensitive. Miss Kosaka, you’re really here to see Ichin, aren’t you?”

“Mm. Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll go find Ichin-kun.”

Nodding politely to Aoba and Hifumi, who were watching nearby, Kosaka headed for Ichin’s office.

She knocked, then stepped inside.

“Sorry to intrude, Ichin-kun~~”

“Long time no see, Miss Kosaka.”

Though a little surprised by her sudden visit, Ichin didn’t turn her away. He stood up with a smile and gestured toward the sofa.

“Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Coffee, perhaps? We just got in a batch of great beans. And since it’s afternoon tea time, there are also fresh pastries from a nearby bakery.”

“Then I’ll trouble you for that.”

“It’s no trouble at all.”

He sent a quick message to HR, and before long someone brought in steaming coffee and a slice of cake, setting them down before her.

Ichin carried his own cup to a single armchair and sat.

“People don’t usually drop by without reason. You must have something in mind, Miss Kosaka?”

After tasting the cake with a satisfied nod, she said, “Yes, I do. It’s something that concerns both my company and myself.”

“Your company? And you personally?” Ichin sipped his coffee, curious. “What’s the matter?”

“Ichin-kun, the game your company just released for testingFall Guys—I played it,” Kosaka said with a smile. “It was so much fun. The moment I tried it, I was hooked.”

So… was she just here to praise his game?

“If you think the game is excellent, you should really be telling that to Hazuki. I only came up with the initial concept. She was the producer and handled most of the development.”

“But that’s still your contribution, isn’t it? The initial concept is vital—it sets the tone for the whole game.”

Smiling warmly, Kosaka continued, “Actually, the main reason I came today is to discuss game development with you. My company is currently working on two titles—one is a pixel-style roguelike action game, the other a linear ARPG.”

Two projects at once? Given her company’s size, it wasn’t unreasonable.

She went on: “Development is going smoothly, but I keep wondering about the future. Should my company focus on making big AAA single-player games, or should we follow inspiration and create different kinds of titles? From what I see, your company has clearly chosen the latter.”

Ichin nodded firmly. “That’s right. I don’t set a single rigid target for development. As for you, if you’re unsure of your company’s path, why not simply follow your instincts for now? Didn’t you hire a lot of talent? Put all the ideas on the table, let everyone discuss them, and pick out the ones that are most suitable to develop. You hired them for a reason—make use of them.”

“Make use of them…”

Indeed, she was still clinging to her old way of doing things. Maybe it was time to give her team more freedom to shine.

Akane Kosaka fell silent, deep in thought.

***

Chapter 440: Fun Is What Matters Most

Although they were technically competitors, there wasn’t any direct conflict of interest between them, so Ichin didn’t mind sharing his own thoughts on game development with Akane Kosaka.

“Honestly, the genre or theme doesn’t matter—whether it’s an RPG, an action game, a card game, or even a racing game. For me, there’s only one thing that truly matters: fun. If it’s fun, then it’s worth developing.”

“Fun is the only thing that matters?”

“Isn’t it?” Ichin leaned back on the sofa, shrugging. “Games are meant to be played. The reason I want to make games is because I want to make fun games, so that everyone can enjoy them. Making money is just the natural result of creating something fun. Think about it—players feel a sense of accomplishment when they beat a level. For me, I get satisfaction when I release a fun game, sell copies, and make money. In the end, it’s basically the same thing.”

The corners of Kosaka’s lips lifted. “Fun being the most important thing… your philosophy reminds me of Nintendo.”

“Because that’s the essence of games, isn’t it?” Ichin chuckled. “I can’t call myself a die-hard Nintendo fan, but I really do love their games. The very first game I played as a kid, apart from Tetris, was Super Mario Bros. on the Famicom. Back then I was awful at it—I’d die multiple times just trying to clear 1-1, and for years I never actually beat the game. But it was fun. Even today, I’d still find it fun. That’s what a good game should be.

“There are so many different ways to make a game fun—whether it’s the adrenaline of a shooter, the tricky platforming in a jump-based game, or the visceral impact of a fighting game. These are things players can feel directly. You know immediately if it’s fun or not.

“Of course, technology has advanced. Graphics have evolved from pixelated 2D to realistic 3D, and they keep improving. But I don’t think graphics should be the end-all. No matter how gorgeous a game looks, if the core gameplay isn’t fun, then it’s not a good game.”

As he spoke, Ichin couldn’t help but think of Ubisoft. Their games were still solid overall, but they often ended up feeling repetitive—like “Ubisoft open-world formula” in a can. Still, there was no denying that among the major publishers, Ubisoft was still near the top. If they could just shift their design philosophy and innovate on gameplay, they could definitely go further. The only question was when they’d actually make that change.

Shaking his head, Ichin pushed Ubisoft out of his mind and looked back at Kosaka. “I don’t know what made you decide to formally step into the game industry, but since you’ve done so, I naturally hope my peers will also make fun, interesting games. You’ve already proven you can write bestselling novels, which means you’re never short of good ideas. What matters is figuring out how to make those ideas fun in game form and keep players engaged.”

Finishing his words, he took the last sip of coffee from his cup.

Kosaka sat in thought for a while before clarity dawned on her. Ichin’s words resonated deeply with her. After all, when she wrote novels, her approach had been the same—if readers found her stories interesting, they would naturally spread and succeed.

But when she first started developing games, she had chased after what the big companies were doing—giant open-worlds—taking steps that were far too ambitious. The final product had been decent, but for someone as perfectionist as Kosaka, it was barely a seventy out of a hundred. In some places, even worse.

Taking a bite of cake, she exhaled lightly. “Looks like I really came to the right place today. My company is working on two games right now, but after seeing your success, I kept obsessing over how to make a big hit—when really, I was overlooking the most important thing: games should be fun. If a game is fun, people will discover it naturally. And since I already have plenty of promotional resources, as long as the game itself is fun, I can always get it exposure. The two will feed into each other, and sales won’t be a problem. Ichin-kun, thank you—you saved me from overthinking myself into a corner.”

Ichin smiled. “It’s nothing. Just sharing my own thoughts. If it helps you, all the better.”

With the serious talk over, Kosaka relaxed and glanced around the office. “By the way, is Kasumigaoka not here? I didn’t see her on my way in.”

“Utaha? She’s with the Fall Guys team. You know the game is launching next month, right? She really likes it and went over to pick out some skins so she can grind them out right after release.”

“Oh! Is that so?” Kosaka’s interest piqued. “Can I go see? I really like Fall Guys too!”

“Of course. I’ll take you.”

After leading her to the Fall Guys development team, Ichin left her in Utaha and Hazuki’s care while he himself headed over to the Dark Souls art team to check in with Kou Yagami on their progress.

Kosaka genuinely was fascinated by Fall Guys and stayed until past five before finally taking her leave.

After seeing her off, Ichin returned to his office with Utaha.

This time he didn’t go back to work. Instead, he sat on the sofa with her, letting her cling to his arm.

“Who would’ve thought?” Utaha murmured, leaning against him. “Akane Kosaka actually came here… was she asking for your advice?”

Ichin nodded. “Yeah. She probably felt a bit lost after seeing how quickly our games come out and how well they do. Can’t blame her. Honestly, we’re just too strong. Not just her—Hazuki told me several other well-known studios are also scratching their heads at our efficiency.”

“Our pace really is outrageous,” Utaha agreed. “It’s not that the developers at those big studios aren’t skilled. More likely, it comes down to planning and project management stretching out the development cycles.”

Project management… yes, that was a huge factor.

And that was something their company had always excelled at—breaking down every part of a project’s design and organizing it clearly. That was how they could maintain such efficiency.

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 596: The Star-Sea Vessel Project

Yuehai Pavilion.

While Ganyu and Shenhe returned to their offices, Nolan sat with Xianyun in a quiet spot, guiding her through how to use the Akasha Terminal.

“Image recorder, Knowledge Shop, Akasha Forum… quite a few functions here.”

With his instruction, Xianyun tapped into each application one by one, quickly grasping their purposes.

“Interesting.” She seemed especially drawn to the Akasha Forum—the ability to converse with others instantly, no matter the distance, held a strong appeal for her.

“True Lord, aren’t you an inventor? The Akasha Forum has a section for serious academic discussions. You should take a look—you might even find some inspiration for your own creations.”

Nolan smiled as he spoke.

He was deliberately trying to lead her toward discovering the Star-Sea Vessel project. If it caught her attention, so much the better.

“Oh? Is that so?” Curiosity piqued, Xianyun navigated to the academic exchange boards.

Inside were subdivisions on elemental studies, astrology, mechanics, and more.

There was even a section dedicated to ongoing research projects.

Intrigued, Xianyun clicked it open to see what kinds of endeavors were listed.

Desert Agriculture Water-Saving Irrigation Project… Mechanical Waterwheel… Passenger Rail System… Star-Sea Vessel Preliminary Research…

She skimmed through the entries—most were highly practical, but none especially captivating.

Until her eyes landed on Star-Sea Vessel.

“This is…”

A flash of astonishment crossed her face. Such a project? A vessel to sail among the stars—wasn’t that far too ahead of its time for Teyvat?

After all, people’s knowledge of the cosmos was still rudimentary, limited to what could be seen through telescopes.

And now someone was proposing to leap straight into crafting something that could voyage through the heavens. Even she found the ambition startling.

“Ahem… you know, I come from beyond this world. So it’s only natural that I’d yearn for the ‘outside.’”

Nolan offered a brief explanation.

“Oh? Then this Star-Sea Vessel project—it was proposed by you?” Xianyun asked, her arms crossed lightly over her chest, the black silk fabric pressing in her grasp.

“Yeah. What do you think, True Lord? With your mastery of mechanics, surely you could build it without much trouble, right?” Nolan chuckled slyly.

“Hmph! Do you take me for a god of creation?”

Xianyun shot him a glare. She was confident in her mechanical arts, yes—but not arrogant enough to believe she could simply forge a star-faring vessel.

“And stop calling me ‘True Lord’ in public! Do you want everyone to recognize me?” she scolded.

“But ordinary people don’t usually refer to themselves as ‘this adeptus’ either…” Nolan countered.

“Ahem… well, I… naturally I know that. Forget it. There’s no one else around, so it doesn’t matter.”

Xianyun pushed up her red half-rimmed glasses awkwardly.

“In any case, let’s set your Star-Sea Vessel aside for now. First, take me to see these new marvels of Liyue you keep speaking of.”

She corrected her self-reference smoothly as she spoke.

“I’ll take you to see Liyue’s Academy of Science first,” Nolan said with a nod, rising to his feet and leading Xianyun outside.

Liyue’s Academy of Science was a comprehensive research institute established by the Qixing, uniting the scholars of Liyue.

Every major research project in Liyue began here.

By pooling the nation’s intellectual strength—especially with the Akasha Terminals allowing real-time collaboration with scholars from other nations—new projects and theories were being proposed daily, and countless achievements had already been produced.

If not for the natural delay between laboratory success and commercial application, Liyue’s level of technology would already be approaching that of Earth’s modern era.

In some areas, thanks to breakthroughs with elemental power, Liyue had even surpassed Earth—particularly in the cleanliness and low cost of energy. With a supply of energy that seemed virtually inexhaustible, multiple nations were able to develop at an extraordinary pace.

After seeing the Academy’s latest achievements, Xianyun was quietly astonished.

She had not expected that in such a short time away, Liyue had developed so quickly. Some of the inventions, to her eye, should have been impossible to drive. Yet humans had managed to power them through various means—mysteries that she now wanted to understand.

After the Academy, Nolan took her through the streets to see the new automobiles and other innovations in action.

The more she saw, the more alien it all felt. Xianyun even began to wonder whether she had somehow come to the wrong place.

“Haha—ah, Xianyun, are you feeling overwhelmed? As if three days apart feels like three years? What do you think, are you interested in staying in Liyue Harbor?

“Otherwise, if you leave after the Lantern Rite and come back later, you might not even recognize the city anymore.”

Nolan awkwardly forced himself to use her alias.

“Hmph, this adeptus has her own considerations.” Since they weren’t speaking in front of others, Xianyun slipped back into her habitual self-reference.

Seeing her demeanor, Nolan knew she was already intrigued by Liyue’s rapid changes—she simply refused to admit it openly out of pride.

He didn’t press her. If he pushed her too far, she might storm back to Mt. Aocang out of stubbornness, and then convincing her to return would be far more difficult.

As the sky darkened toward evening, he turned to her.

“It’s getting late. Allow me to treat you to dinner at Xinyue Kiosk, then I’ll take you back to Yuehai Pavilion.”

Since Xianyun had only just arrived in Liyue Harbor today, she likely hadn’t arranged a place to stay. Sending her to Yuehai Pavilion, where she could lodge with Ganyu, seemed simplest.

“That is acceptable.” Xianyun nodded casually, her expression softening slightly toward him.

【Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (400/700).】

They were already near the seaside street below Xinyue Kiosk, so it was only a short walk.

Perhaps due to her habits as an Adeptus, Xianyun ordered only vegetarian dishes.

Nolan was happy to accompany her in eating a fully vegetarian meal.

After dinner, the two left Xinyue Kiosk and walked back to Yuehai Pavilion.

By then, Ganyu and Shenhe had also finished their work. Seeing Nolan spend the whole afternoon accompanying their master, Ganyu felt a touch more favorable toward him.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.8 (340/800).】

Since it was still early, Ganyu and Shenhe planned to accompany their master to the night market, leaving Nolan to head back on his own.

That was fine—he still had a few sword techniques from Ningguang to practice, and he hadn’t yet gone into the cosmic behemoth’s stomach to grind some EXP…

As he stepped out of Yuehai Pavilion and onto the street, he suddenly spotted Keqing, directing several Millelith as they hung rows of red lanterns.

(End of Chapter)

[Game] Chapter 438: Fall Guys, Early Release

The two weeks of public testing flew by day after day.

During the first three days, Ichin had been watching the game’s online player numbers closely, witnessing with his own eyes as the count grew from just over ten thousand at launch to a peak of three hundred thousand in the final days.

For Fall Guys, still only in a network test stage, this was nothing short of miraculous.

Sitting in his office, Ichin stroked his chin as he read through the endless stream of reviews and comments about the game. After some thought, he called Hazuki into his office.

“What is it, Ichin?”

Facing her across the desk, Ichin asked:

“Hazuki, how do you feel about the current stability of Fall Guys’ servers during the network test?”

“Quite stable,” Hazuki answered with a smile. “Apart from a few regions with occasional connection hiccups, most areas are smooth and stable, with very acceptable latency. Why the sudden question? Do you have a plan in mind?”

“An early release. What do you think?”

“Early release?!”

Ichin nodded and handed her the tablet filled with data from the test period.

“Honestly, the popularity and player count for Fall Guys exceeded my expectations. The peak reached three hundred thousand concurrent players. We had to activate every prepared server just to keep things stable. With hype this strong, there’s no need for a second test—we should just launch.”

Hazuki was still stunned when Ichin snapped his fingers with a grin.

“That settles it, doesn’t it? We never actually announced a release date anyway. So instead of doing a second network test, let’s just announce the launch. Let’s see… it’s mid-June now. We’ll set the release date for July 10th, a Friday. The first day should bring in excellent numbers.”

“Since you, the boss, have decided, I can’t really object.”

After taking a moment to think, Hazuki realized he was right—this momentum couldn’t be wasted, it had to be leveraged.

“So that means we have half a month left to prepare?”

“Exactly. Half a month. Luckily, we held back a portion of content from the test, and more is still in development. By launch, there’ll be plenty of content. Also, push the entire post-launch update schedule forward a bit. This year, before Titanfall releases, Fall Guys must keep its grip on popularity. Then next year, Dark Souls and Apex can take over.”

“Got it. I’ll inform the dev team.”

Soon after Hazuki left, the company’s official accounts across the web announced the news: Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout would officially release on July 10th. The Steam price was set at 8.15 USD(~1205 Yen), with similar pricing across other regions and platforms.

Given the fun already proven in testing, plus the announced previews of map and skin counts, buying the game at that price was more than worth it.

The day after the announcement, pre-orders opened across platforms. Pre-orders on Steam and Switch shot up quickly.

Steam was no surprise—it was their home base, with a massive PC player base and consistently solid optimization. Players were happy to buy there.

Console sales were also strong, especially on Switch, thanks to its portability. While it couldn’t match Steam’s numbers, Switch still broke over 100,000 online players during testing.

The only thing Fall Guys didn’t achieve was full cross-platform play. It would’ve been too costly and troublesome for the payoff. Still, crossplay between Steam and Epic Games Store was enabled.

Of course, whether many would actually buy on Epic was another question—even Ichin mostly logged into Epic just to claim freebies.

Within just three days of pre-orders, Fall Guys had already sold over half a million copies across all platforms.

For an always-online multiplayer party game that couldn’t appeal to everyone, this was already an outstanding figure. When the game released and live operations began, maintaining a healthy player base would be enough.

Just then, the office door opened. Utaha walked in, came over, and patted Ichin on the shoulder.

“Ichin, I have a question.”

He looked up from his notes, where he had been drafting detailed system specs for GARO.

“Hm? What is it?”

“Since Fall Guys is launching next month, doesn’t that mean the skins I earned in the test won’t carry over to a second test?”

“That’s right. There won’t be a second test.”

Ichin nodded with a smile.

“Don’t worry, though. When the game officially launches, there’ll be even more fun skins. You can grind for those.”

Utaha’s lips twitched. She spun his chair around, sat directly on his lap, and looked him in the eye.

“Can’t you just transfer my save data into the official release?”

“Well, technically I could… but you didn’t grind that many skins. If I remember right, only five?”

Utaha pressed her hands against his cheeks.

“That’s because you didn’t play! You have no idea how much time those five skins cost me! Except for one cheap one, the other four each needed five crowns! It was easy at first, but as time went on and players got better, winning crowns became harder and harder!”

“Alright, alright, I get it!”

Ichin gently pulled her hands down and said with a wry smile:

“When the game releases, just go talk to Hazuki. She’ll sort it out for you. Even if you wanted all the skins outright, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s not necessary. I just want the ones I already worked for—I don’t want to grind them all over again.”

Satisfied with his answer, Utaha smiled sweetly, leaned in to kiss him, and then hopped off his lap.

“I’m going to check what new skins are coming!”

Watching her leave, Ichin chuckled and shook his head.

This game’s skins really did have a strong appeal for girls.

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 595: A Proposal

Next, Ganyu and Shenhe, together with their master, led Nolan outside to see the mechanical birds busy at work in Yuehai Pavilion.

Aside from their wooden frames, they looked no different from ordinary birds.

They had heads, wings, and wooden claws that clutched small baskets filled with documents. With baskets in tow, they flitted back and forth, swooping up and down.

At first glance, it seemed chaotic, yet in reality everything moved with perfect order—there wasn’t a single collision.

“Do they really fly just by flapping their wings, like ordinary birds?” Nolan asked with curiosity.

“Of course. If they needed adeptus power as fuel to fly, then they’d be nothing more than toys—hardly worthy of being called ingenious,” Xianyun replied proudly.

So, they were essentially drones. Instantly, Nolan could imagine countless possible applications for these mechanical birds.

For example, just like now, they could deliver documents in bulk. That way, people could save time and focus on more important tasks.

Or, they could even deliver food orders.

If that were possible, the people of Liyue Harbor could enjoy the luxury of having goods delivered straight to their doorsteps without ever leaving their homes.

In short, the mechanical birds could serve as a logistics and delivery network.

Such a market would be enormous. It would also elevate Liyue’s technological standing—an undeniably excellent prospect.

The only concern was cost. If production was too expensive, they could never be deployed as large-scale delivery tools.

When he asked, the answer confirmed his suspicion: the cost wasn’t low.

The wooden bodies themselves were cheap enough. But the power cores were made from elemental materials.

Mass production for something as mundane as food delivery would be far too costly. Once the elemental cores were depleted, there was no way to earn back the resources spent.

“What if,” Nolan suggested, glancing at Xianyun, “we gave them a power system like lamps—something that can store and recharge energy?”

“Lamps? What’s that?” Xianyun tilted her head, unfamiliar. She hadn’t visited Liyue Harbor recently, and knew little of the city’s new advancements.

Nolan briefly explained some of the new inventions appearing in Liyue Harbor—lamps, the Akasha Terminal, automobiles, and more.

“You jest with me, surely! It hasn’t even been long since I last visited Liyue Harbor. How could it have changed so drastically already?”

Xianyun’s face showed genuine astonishment.

And upon hearing of steam- and electricity-powered vehicles and lamps, she felt a strong urge to see them firsthand.

Especially the Akasha Terminal—according to Nolan, it could connect people instantly across distances!

“Never underestimate humanity. Once they find their direction, their speed of progress can be astonishing!”

Nolan smiled, then pulled something from his Wonderland space.

“Here, this is a Akasha Terminal. I’ll give it to you. You can try it out first. If you’re interested in automobiles or other mechanical creations, I can take you to see them later.”

“Oh? Then I shall accept it, thank you.” Xianyun didn’t stand on ceremony, taking the Akasha Terminal into her hands.

【Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (380/600).】

As the affection notification flashed on his panel, Nolan smiled and added,

“You wear it on your ear. You’ll want to take your glasses off first.”

At his reminder, Xianyun nodded, slipping the half-framed red glasses from her fair nose for the moment.

She brushed aside her black-and-teal hair and put the Akasha Terminal on her ear.

“Speaking of which, can Adepti even get nearsighted? Why do you wear glasses?” Nolan asked curiously.

“Hmph, matters of Adepti are none of your concern.” Xianyun gave him a sidelong glance. “Glasses are not merely for correcting vision. Even as an ornament, they are an excellent accessory.”

She pointed at the Akasha Terminal, then continued:

“This thing is worn on the ear. For those who need glasses, it would be rather inconvenient, wouldn’t it? Did you never consider making it in the form of glasses?”

“Uh… it should be possible.”

Nolan thought it wouldn’t be hard to make the Akasha Terminal in the form of glasses. After all, its current earphone-like design felt even more technically demanding.

Seeing her master and Nolan getting caught up in conversation, Ganyu spoke up:

“Master, you two keep talking. Shenhe and I should return to our work.”

“Tch. Even during the Lantern Rite, you’re still this busy? Do you not get holidays? If this adeptus sees the Qixing, I’ll be sure to scold them!”

Arms crossed, Xianyun’s fair face showed clear dissatisfaction.

“N-no, it’s not like that. In this position, work naturally comes first.” Ganyu waved her hands, trying to explain.

But though Xianyun understood the reasoning, she still blamed the Qixing for failing in their duties, leaving her disciples overworked.

Nolan looked at Xianyun, and suddenly an idea struck him. He spoke up with a proposal:

“Everyone knows True Lord’s mastery of mechanisms is unparalleled. Since you don’t want your two disciples to be so busy, why not consider building a sort of ‘logistics system’ with your arts?

“For example, these mechanical birds to deliver light documents, and perhaps mechanical men to transport heavy goods. Let them take over repetitive tasks.

“That way, human effort can be redirected to more complex work. With more manpower freed up, Ganyu and Shenhe won’t be so overworked.”

“Hmph. Not bad. It seems you understand this adeptus quite well.” Xianyun lifted her chin slightly, a touch of pride in her tone.

“What you describe would be trivial for me. I could make it right now.”

【Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (100/700).】

Excellent. Now the logistics system had a clear path forward—crucial for future projects like building spacecraft.

After all, a vessel capable of sailing the stars would require abundant supplies and intricate circulation systems. Even if Nolan could bring resources back whenever he wished, the scale would still be immense.

For such grand constructions, an automated logistics system could save enormous amounts of time.

Relying on manpower alone, the work might take years just to finish basic construction.

“Ah, there’s no need for all that trouble. Yuehai Pavilion is already training more staff, some have already taken their posts. If it weren’t for the Lantern Rite, we normally wouldn’t be so busy.”

Hearing the exchange, Ganyu shook her head, saying it wasn’t necessary to go so far.

“No need to argue. For this adeptus, such things are no more than lifting a hand.” Xianyun replied dismissively, adjusting the Akasha Terminal she was putting on.

(End of Chapter)

[Fan] Chapter 31-35

### Chapter 31: A New Master! Humanity, So Ugly!

【

“So I’ll be retreating this time.”

Gilgamesh scowled at the distance, his voice carrying fury.

“...Very well, once I’ve purged these traitors, we’ll resume our banquet.”

“That won’t do, Gil. How can a king display such displeasure?”

“You, who only think of running away, dare to lecture me on the way of kings?”

】

【Doflamingo: “Oh? Looks like the newcomer isn’t some small fry.”】

【Luffy: “Eh? What do you mean?”】

【Hidan: “Idiot, if it were some piece of trash, he’d just squash it instantly.”】

【Ruiko Saten: “I don’t know about the other Servants, but didn’t Mr. Merlin say before that King Gilgamesh is top-tier? Doesn’t that mean the one arriving could be on that level too?”】

【Tokiomi Tohsaka: “No! Impossible! With the King’s dearest friend, plus the King himself, two out-of-spec existences already exceed the concept of a Holy Grail War. There’s no way a third one could appear!”】

【Dr. Romani: “Exactly. This is just a Grail War, not some crusade against Humanity’s Evil. Adding another one would be far too extravagant.”】

【Merry: “Heehee is that really so? Romani, you’ve been watching too many Magical Girl Merry-chan streams, your brain’s gone mushy”】

【Kakashi: “Maybe he just ran out of mana? After all, he already unleashed his trump cards. He must be exhausted.”】

【Might Guy: “Kakashi has great experience in this field—he must be right!”】

【Kayneth: “It does look that way... but something feels off.”】

.........

[Fate World]

Many magi, seeing Enkidu choose to withdraw, leaned toward the belief that he had exhausted his mana.

After all, the battle those two waged was like a full-blown holy war. The sheer scale of magical energy was beyond imagination. If it had been them, they’d have been drained to nothing in an instant.

No... truthfully, they might not even have had the mana to activate a single Noble Phantasm. Any action could have bled them dry.

But the truth was very different…

“Heh.”

With her short orange hair and elegant green dress, the bewitching witch Aozaki Touko sneered.

“A bunch of fools.”

Neither combatant had used so much as a drop of their Master’s mana. Exhaustion? Impossible.

One carried the Holy Grail itself. The other was the very embodiment of the earth, able to turn even the Counter Force into mana.

Their clash was the struggle of monsters, full of impossibilities that defied the magus world’s logic.

.........

[Ultraman Tiga World]

“If only this world had Heroic Spirits too…”

Daigo’s gaze flickered, his heart heavy.

If such powerful beings truly existed here, would he still have to stand as Tiga?

His hand brushed the Spark Lens at his chest, confusion swirling in his mind.

Does humanity truly need Ultramen…?

.........

Across the Multiverse

People everywhere wondered.

The battle between Gilgamesh and Enkidu was already terrifying beyond reason—who would dare interrupt it?

Could there really be someone so reckless, so ignorant of death?

【

—How beautiful this is.

On a deserted street, a young girl stared blankly at the towering skyscrapers before her.

Amid this steel jungle, she looked so small.

The high-rises loomed like titans, proclaiming the city’s rise and prosperity.

The indescribable sight left the girl breathless.

And yet… though she stood at the very heart of a busy intersection, not a trace of another human could be seen.

The young girl failed to notice. Exhausted, she sat down on the ground, tears dripping as she whispered apologies she could not stop.

“Daddy, Mommy… I’m sorry. I couldn’t do it.”

】

【Zenitsu Agatsuma: “What’s going on here? Was this kid abandoned? Why is she apologizing?”】

【Accelerator: “You haven’t noticed what’s wrong yet? A city this prosperous could never be completely empty. That leaves only two possibilities.”】

【Last Order: “Misaka explains that the two possibilities are: one, humanity is already extinct except for this girl; two, this is actually the girl’s inner world!”】

【Vice Admiral Tsuru: “The mental world theory is most likely. After all, this child has already appeared in the videos before—right there in the city near the desert.”】

【Naruto Uzumaki: “So what does that mean? I don’t get it.”】

【Jogo: “If you don’t get it, just keep watching. Quit yapping, brat.”】

..........

【Scene shift】

【

Snowfield Central Hospital.

“As expected, the chances of your daughter regaining consciousness are very slim.” The female doctor glanced at the report in her hand, her voice heavy as she explained to the girl’s parents.

“Counting today, she’s been hospitalized for a full year. Are you saying her condition is getting worse?” the father asked anxiously.

“No, not physically. Her body shows no significant deterioration. But regarding the recovery of consciousness... while the bacteria don’t seem to be mutating, they may eventually interfere with brain activity.” The doctor tried to sound as gentle as possible.

She even gave examples to ease their worry.

“Our daughter’s consciousness aside, what about her reproductive functions?” the father suddenly cut in.

“...Huh?” The doctor froze, stunned. Consciousness—‘aside’?

“The lesion is only in the brain. None of her other organs are abnormal,” she answered, still bewildered.

At once, the parents’ faces lit up with joy.

“Wonderful! In that case, everything’s fine!”

“We’ll keep paying the hospital bills. Thank you, doctor, thank you so much!”

Without even visiting the daughter who had been unconscious for a year, the two left cheerfully.

“Good grief... what’s with those two?” After they were gone, the doctor sighed to herself. “Next time maybe I should recommend them to the psych department.”

She gently pushed open the ward door. On the bed lay a girl as delicate as a flower, lovely and fragile. Pity welled up in the doctor’s heart.

A year ago, this girl, named Tsubaki Kuruoka, had been admitted after falling into a coma.

Tests revealed lesions inside her body, clustered around the brain. The cause was confirmed to be some unknown bacterium.

But further investigation only deepened the mystery.

The bacteria weren’t contagious—by all theory, they shouldn’t have been able to erode her body at all. Yet the reality was that the girl had been sleeping for a year because of them.

“I’ll definitely cure you.” The doctor pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders. But in the next instant, a chill of dread ran down her spine.

On the back of the girl’s hand...

...a blood-red sigil had appeared!

】

【Enju Aihara: “What the heck? That’s insane! Are all parents like that, Rentaro?”】

【Rentaro Satomi: “...No... I don’t know either.”】

【Tokiomi Tohsaka: “Wait! That girl has a Command Seal?!”】

【Aizen: “I believe I already know the answer.”】

【Lev: “Humanity... what a repulsive species you are—”】

[Fourth War Era – Matou Household]

“No... the old man couldn’t possibly be mistaken.”

Matou Zouken narrowed his eyes, the decay in his black gaze pulsing.

Faint though it was, he could sense it—

The stench of crest worms, unique to the Matou family!

That girl’s Command Seal confirmed it: she was indeed one of the participants in this Holy Grail War.

Yet what baffled Zouken was this: if the Grail War would only occur centuries later, then how had that faraway city, Snowfield—tens of thousands of kilometers from Fuyuki—connected across time and space to the Matou family?

And if they were crest worms... why did they feel so utterly unfamiliar to him?

---/---

### Chapter 32: Humanity’s Pinnacle! Beyond Yin and Yang! The One True Human!!!

【

What came to mind was… pain and terror.

“We’ll make you into a great magus,” her parents said, their hopeful gazes falling upon the girl.

Even with her young heart, Tsubaki Kuruoka could understand the love behind those words.

But… pain was all she felt.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—!!

The searing agony made her scream and wail, her face twisted with tears of suffering.

Happy memories, joyful doubts, sorrowful recollections—all of them were devoured and overwritten by pain.

“I’m sorry… I’ll try harder…” the girl choked out through sobs, wiping her tears.

If this had been mere abuse, perhaps she could have shut her heart away. But no—she truly felt her parents’ love.

So it must be that she had failed to live up to their expectations. All she needed to do was endure—endure everything—and that would be her best gift to them.

That way… they would love her even more, wouldn’t they?

But what the girl did not know… was that what her parents loved was never her as a person.

Their love was for the future she could create as a magus. Their every effort, every hope, was poured into that alone.

】

Across the multiverse, no one spoke. Veins bulged at their temples as they silently endured, their rage barely contained.

They had already guessed part of the truth, but still—they could hardly believe it.

How could parents treat their own daughter like this?

No… there had to be some reason.

They had to see what was really going on!

.........

[Black Bullet World]

“Rentaro… what does this mean? Do parents really not love their children?” Enju forced a strained smile, asking the young man beside her.

If it were monsters like them, then yes—being unloved was only natural.

But that girl… she was so cute, so beautiful…

“...Enju,” Satomi Rentaro opened his mouth, but no words came.

Yes, sometimes even he wondered. If one’s child was a monster, a curse… did a parent’s feelings truly vanish completely, swallowed by hatred and despair?

.........

[Tōsaka Household]

“How vile…” Tokiomi Tōsaka finally pieced things together.

As a magus, he knew there were few methods to strengthen magical aptitude.

Generally, a child’s capacity was determined at birth. But there were indeed foul methods to forcefully enhance it.

Such tricks, to one who called himself a noble, were beneath contempt.

And yet… a faint ache gnawed at Tokiomi’s chest, as though some unseen calamity was already set in motion.

“Hmph.”

From afar, the Ancient Beast—scarlet serpent eyes glinting—smiled cruelly, radiating pure malice and delight.

Tokiomi, you personally cast your daughter into hell. Centuries later, that same karmic chain would drag another “mongrel” into hell as well.

“All of this is your fault, Tokiomi.”

...

【

The girl’s parents came from magus lineages. They were among those who had stolen fragments of the original Holy Grail War system.

But what they obtained was not only the Grail framework—

They also seized part of a magus’s “Insect User” magecraft system, then began adding their own innovations.

After decades of trial and error, they conceived a method: if multiple strains of altered bacteria were cultivated and implanted into a young magus, it could artificially expand their magical circuits.

When the technology was completed, they bore a daughter. She became the first sacrifice.

And indeed, her magical circuits were dramatically amplified.

But one strain of bacteria ran rampant—and stole the young girl’s consciousness away.

】

...

【Gabriel: “...Filthy scum, worse than beasts!!!”】

【Aizen: “Human desire is endless—it breeds too much evil.”】

【JoJo: “No doubt about it, these animals should be stripped of the title ‘parent’ and given a MUDA MUDA MUDA judgment of justice!”】

【Naruto Uzumaki: “Th-That’s impossible...! There can’t really be parents like that!!”】

【Edward: “Parents like those deserve death!”】

【Kagaya Ubuyashiki: “How could it come to this! Even a tiger does not eat its cubs!”】

【Alien God: “So it is true... Earth’s humans are not only savage and greedy, but won’t even spare their own children?”】

【Escanor: “Such beasts should be burned to ash by the sun itself.”】

【Gazef: “Parents... tasty.”】

【Chaldea Gudako (Chaos Evil): “Damn it! Don’t stop me! If I can locate that world, I’ll turn those two into fireworks!!”】

【Mashu (Eggplant-chan): “Senpai, I’ll go with you!”】

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

[AoT’ World]

Eren’s eyes burned red, his teeth grinding audibly.

Compared to his mother, those two beasts weren’t even worthy of being called human!

And yet, confusion gnawed at the boy’s heart. In a world so peaceful, without Titans, without sudden calamity—

Why did misfortune like this still exist?

Humanity... what is it that you truly need?

..........

[Demon Slayer Corps]

“The world fears demons... yet there are men who are worse than demons.”

Himejima Gyomei wept, palms pressed together, drowning in sorrow.

In his inner world, the vision too continued to play.

..........

[Fourth War Era – Matou Household]

“So that’s it.”

Matou Zouken’s decayed black eyes rippled as realization dawned.

That girl’s aura of familiarity—it was because of this.

“To think they dared steal the Matou family’s secrets. Two little rats.”

But knowing this, Zouken felt no concern. They were fools who didn’t even comprehend crest worms. Even if they possessed the fragments, what kind of Servant could they summon?

Did they truly think scraps of knowledge could call forth beings rivaling Gilgamesh and Enkidu?

Ridiculous.

He shook his head, sneering.

..........

[Church]

“Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Kirei Kotomine’s solemn voice echoed as he raised the Bible high.

“Fool.”

Gilgamesh sneered, splashing wine across Kirei’s face.

The Bible fell to the floor. Kirei stopped his prayer—yet in his hollow eyes there was ecstasy, satisfaction!

“My king... so this... is pleasure?”

...

【

Snowfield, the Kuruoka household—

“Soon the leylines will surge with power, the Command Seal will appear on my hand... then my preparations will be perfect.” The man stared at the back of his empty hand, lost in feverish fantasies.

“Yes, and we’ve prepared a holy relic that could even be called a Noble Phantasm. In emergencies, it can even serve as a weapon.” His wife smiled sweetly.

“Ah, yes. Since we are to summon the First Emperor himself, we must show proper reverence. Everything must be ready!”

At the mention of that Heroic Spirit, a fanatic gleam twisted the man’s face.

For this was—

】

.........

【Iskandar: “Hahahahaha! So it’s him?! If I could meet him here, I would die with no regrets!”】

【Luffy: “First Emperor? Doesn’t sound like a big deal.”】

【Nami: “You idiot, shut up! He’s an emperor—just the title alone is terrifying!!”】

.........

[Fate World]

A certain fox in a sharp OL uniform shuddered.

At the very name, countless visions of Qin’s brutal laws surfaced in Koyanskaya’s mind—alongside that colossal figure, towering like a star-filled cosmos...

That figure—was the pinnacle of human existence.

He who conquered death.

He who transcended yin and yang.

He who reached eternal truth.

The one and only True Human, sovereign of the mortal realm beneath heaven and earth!!!

---/---

### Chapter 33: A New Top-Tier Servant! One of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!!!

[Avalon]

Wait… which First Emperor?!

Lostbelt or Proper Human History… no, they’re the same, aren’t they?

Merry shot up from her bed. Sure, she felt so sad~ (delighted) about that child, Tsubaki Kuruoka… but compared to that, if he could really be summoned, the show would be too good to miss!

Do you even understand the weight of a Grand Spirit Foundation from Proper Human History?!

Not a Grand Class, but still possessing a Grand Spirit Foundation. Who else in all of history could claim that?

The immortal “True Human” body, in some sense the strongest Servant… and on top of that, the “twin tails” she adored from Earth!!!

Merry cheered wildly, ready to worship “Brother Zhang.” Why? Because he deserved it!

.........

[Qin Lostbelt]

A breeze over a stone bridge, water flowing beneath, dust rising in the distance, ancient charm lingering.

At the bridge’s end stood a towering figure. His face was cold, but without a flicker of emotion, he watched the two figures on the projected screen.

“By the laws of Qin, dismemberment would suffice. However…”

The First Emperor’s gaze lingered on the so-called holy relic shown in the image.

“That trinket… it cannot summon Us. At best, it might call forth a flood dragon.”

..........

[A Certain Magical Index World]

The safest city—Academy City.

“No, something’s off.” Ruiko Saten tilted her head, confusion written all over her face.

“What’s off? Tell us, Ruiko!” The other three of the Railgun quartet pressed her curiously.

They noticed that Ruiko seemed to have an uncanny ability to guess exactly what would happen next on the screen—almost like… almost like she was reading the script!

“I think… the one summoned won’t actually be the First Emperor.”

“Ehh? That’s just your guess, right? Don’t mind us,” Ruiko said, her cheeks flushing under the stares of two super-powerful senpai, a Level 5 and a Level 4.

“Come on, Ruiko~” Kuroko whined, “If you tell us, I’ll even share my Onii-sama’s adorable Guata underwear with yo—”

"Kuroko, you’re rotten from birth!!” Misaka Mikoto’s face burned red as she cut her off. Guata underwear?! She’d never admit to liking that! Hmph—!

“Fine, fine, I’ll talk already!”

“Here’s what I think. The Holy Grail War is a summoning ritual. To summon a Heroic Spirit, you usually need a corresponding relic—like that middle-aged magus who summoned Gilgamesh.”

“Right, so what’s wrong with summoning the First Emperor here?”

“That’s the problem. From our god’s-eye view, we already know Tsubaki has received a Command Seal, meaning she’s the Master. Her scum parents’ wish should have failed.

So without a relic, how would Tsubaki summon a Servant?”

The trio stared at her, wide-eyed.

Ruiko drew a deep breath. “My guess is… affinity. The Master herself could serve as the medium for the summoning.”

“The one who interrupted King Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s battle earlier… might very well be the Servant Tsubaki summoned through affinity!”

...

Meanwhile, in the Fate World

Fifth War Era

“Ah–choo!!”

A twin-tailed girl, often called the “Saint Widow,” sneezed loudly.

“Archer! Are you bad-mouthing me?!” Rin Tohsaka snapped.

Red Archer: “….?”

.........

Across the Multiverse

Everyone stared coldly at Tsubaki’s wretched parents.

If they really summoned the legendary First Emperor… would he, like Gilgamesh, open with “Kill the Master”?

Heroic Spirits all carried their pride. They were once real beings in history. Except for certain evil types and the occasional loyal hound, surely no Servant would tolerate such beasts, right?

Doggo: “….?”

What’s wrong with being a loyal hound?!

.........

【

Neither father nor mother cared in the slightest for their unconscious daughter.

Perhaps… they never had.

They rejoiced only that Tsubaki’s reproductive system remained intact—still usable as a tool for bearing children.

They longed only for the Command Seals of the Holy Grail War to appear on their hands, so they could summon a powerful Servant and seize the Grail in one stroke.

But…

The Command Seals never marked them. Instead, something else surfaced—

Rot, collapse, ill omen, calamity—

“W-What… what is this?!” the man shrieked in horror.

Bang—

When he turned, his wife had already been devoured by spreading, festering sores, collapsing heavily to the floor. The man too was consumed without mercy—

That was the catastrophe known as “Plague.”

】

【Jeanne: “Wait! What’s happening?! Could someone already be striking before the Holy Grail War has even begun?”】

【Prelati: “Tch. Where’d this French peasant girl come from? With no knowledge at all. Go read a few more books before speaking.”】

【Yuji Itadori: “But why suddenly plague? In a modern city, how could someone just contract that out of nowhere?”】

【Jogo: “Are you brain-dead, human brat? We’ve come this far and you still don’t get it?”】

【Yuji Itadori: “Better than being filled with crap like you.”】

【Jogo: “...You little… I swear I’ll beat the shit out of you today until you’re clean!!!”】

【Gabriel: “Doesn’t matter. I’m satisfied. Those scum deserved to go to hell!”】

【Chaldea Gudako (Chaos Evil): “Satisfied already? Shouldn’t they have been strung up and tortured first?!”】

..........

【

In the pitch-black city center, the girl named Tsubaki Kuruoka continued to cry and scream.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, don’t abandon me, please, I’ll do my best, just don’t abandon me!!”

But she never understood—her parents would never respond.

From beginning to end, their “love” had never been for her.

Her wails echoed in despair. In that empty world, no one answered. Such was reality…

But—!

In that instant, something noticed her.

Suddenly, her crying stopped. In the abyss of darkness, a faint light pierced through, shining into her sorrowful eyes!

Though the world was shrouded in shadow, a thunderous sound burst forth in the silent void.

Her Servant—her very own—had answered!!!

This Servant was too strange, so much so that no body even appeared, only a deeper darkness, a deeper despair.

But the girl was not afraid. For the first time in her world of loneliness, there was someone… who could fill that void.

“Query: Are you the Master who summoned me?”

Fuzzy consciousness formed words before her eyes.

“Master?” The meaning was unclear, but the girl smiled brightly and replied, “Hello, I’m Tsubaki Kuruoka.”

Still asleep, she dreamed of a world where her parents were with her again.

“Happy birthday, Tsubaki,” they said, smiling as they prepared a party—though they had already been devoured, controlled by the plague.

“Yes!” To her, they seemed unchanged, still loving her deeply. Only this time, they no longer mentioned magic.

The happy girl ran to her room, gazing gratefully at the dark shadow cast upon the wall.

“Thank you—it was you who brought Papa and Mama back, wasn’t it?”

The shadow slowly revealed three pale lines, as if smiling in reply.

The girl’s joy swelled—

In that abyssal dark, one could glimpse the outline of a rider on horseback, trampling skulls, forever spreading calamity and ill omen.

Pale Rider — the Horseman!

】

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

[A Certain Magical Index World – Academy City]

“Ahhh! I get it now!!!” Blue-Hair(Aogami Pierce) suddenly shouted in the middle of self-study class.

He finally understood!

Komoe-sensei, Kamijou Touma, and the others stared, baffled.

Blue-Hair adjusted his glasses, the reflection flashing unnaturally. He pointed straight at Kamijou, his voice dropping low.

“New machine’s always touching your belly—!”

“That’s it!! The Pale Rider is just like Kamijou—he’s a lolicon!!!”

The entire class went silent, then all at once showed expressions of: “You know… that actually makes sense.”

They whispered among themselves—rumors about him secretly keeping a holy saintly loli at home as forbidden treasure.

Kamijou Touma: “....???”

Brits… bloody hell!!!

---/---

### Chapter 34: Humanity’s Evil! A Beast Beyond the Holy Grail War?!

【

To project reality into dreams—

That was likely the unconscious blossoming of her magical power.

And that Pale Rider—

He could not understand human emotions.

All he did was lend force to the unconscious magic of the girl, pushing it along.

Like a machine, like a program, he faithfully reenacted the knowledge of the Holy Grail War.

But precisely because of that, he was terrifyingly strong—

He raised the girl high, making her the most feral, most fearsome dark horse of this Grail War!

He would grant her every wish.

That night, somewhere far away, a surge of magical power roared.

The dreaming girl felt fear.

So—

He went.

If his Master feared it, then all he had to do was kill it.

A black shadow split off toward the source of the magical power, while the true body remained at the girl’s side, guarding her.

】

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

【Gabriel: “So it really is this guy. Even if he takes different forms in other worlds, his lolicon nature hasn’t changed! This time’s just perfect.”】

【Ereshkigal: “Eh—eh—eh?! Is it really the Pale Rider?!”】

【Illya: “So gentle… like my Berserker! But my Berserker is still the strongest!!”】

【Shinji Matou: “Wait, what even is this thing?!”】

【Merry: “Honestly, I hype up Brother Zheng all the time, but compared to him, this one might be even more fun! Who’d have thought even the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—such vague existences—could manifest as Heroic Spirits in the Grail War?!”】

【Magneto: “The true Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!”】

【Ruiko Saten: “Plague—the Black Death that swept away thirty million lives, the Spanish Flu that claimed fifty million more… a rider of calamity who calls forth all manner of deadly winds.”】

【Barbatos: “Ehehe a wind that brings calamity? I don’t really get it, but it feels kind of gentle”】

【Kiritsugu Emiya: “Whatever calamity it may be—he is the only one who answered the cries of a child in despair.”】

【Dr. Romani: “Wh-What?! Impossible! How could something like this be summoned?! This is… too shocking!”】

【Smoke Mirror: “Noisy. Did Yahweh teach you to prattle so much?”】

【Merlin: “Oh, just to mention—this one is at least top-tier Servant level~”】

【Kiritsugu Emiya: “Wait. The Master herself is still unconscious, isn’t she? Doesn’t that make her the greatest weakness?”】

【Merry: “Heehee, if you ever run into him, why don’t you try and find out?”】

【Sapphire: “Illya’s father, you mustn’t! If you encounter this Servant, surrender immediately!!!”】

【Chaldea Gudako (Chaos Evil): “Surrender? Why? Kiritsugu, if you meet him, your wish will come true!”】

【Kiritsugu Emiya: “…? My wish? Come true? How? And how do you know what my wish is?”】

......

[Fate World]

Everyone was stunned. From veterans to mere dabblers in magecraft, they all froze in shock.

This… this is supposed to be a Holy Grail War?!

You call this a Grail War?!!

Then what were the last five Grail Wars?

Child’s play? A bunch of kids squabbling in the sandbox?!

What is the Holy Grail War?

Put grandly, it’s an epic clash where Heroic Spirits stake their lives for their Masters, to lift the Grail and grant their wishes.

Put bluntly, it’s a contest of lunatics—delusional, narrow-minded fools trying to use scraps of the Age of Gods to wish for world peace or other equally idiotic dreams.

And if you dig deeper, it all began because colossal disasters once threatened mankind. The Counter Force created the Heroic Spirit system, summoning seven heroic guardians to protect humanity.

The original descent rituals and Heroic Spirit summoning were meant to save the world of man.

But later, out of selfish desire, humans twisted and degraded them—what remains today is the Holy Grail War.

So… has Snowfield unearthed the original descent ritual?!

Does this city of millions plan on not surviving at all?!

One Gilgamesh plus one Enkidu—you could barely explain that away with something like a natural gas explosion.

But now Plague itself appears?

What will you call it this time—avian flu? Swine flu?

Madness. They’re all mad!

No magus dared speculate on the “weight” of this Grail War anymore. Three out-of-spec existences already—if they can’t be contained, the entire city might be turned into a wasteland.

But… is that really the truth?

[Snowfield]

The magi who planned this Grail War were utterly dumbfounded.

Compared to outsiders, the locals were even more shaken.

Three out-of-spec Servants were shocking enough… but what if they told you eleven more Servants hadn’t even revealed themselves yet?

How would you react then?

.........

[Crown Temple]

“They actually summoned that thing—”

A white-haired youth with dark skin, nine rings on his hand, stared calmly at the chaos playing across the screen.

Solomon… no. Goetia.

The one called Solomon was long dead. The being now occupying that body was Goetia.

As for that ominous figure on the screen?

As one of Yahweh’s own creations, Goetia knew it well.

“The Pale Death… to think it could descend in Grail form. But at this level, it will ultimately evolve into ‘Humanity’s Evil.’”

And what is Humanity’s Evil?

That which threatens the course of mankind itself, that which destroys humanity.

Goetia couldn’t help but laugh. He glanced back at the strange light bands behind him, his gaze ice-cold.

Humanity’s Evil—born from humanity, yet bent on humanity’s annihilation.

How laughable.

At this rate, by its very nature, it will inevitably become the “Humanity’s Evil” of this Holy Grail War.

If a Beast could be born within the Grail War itself—

Now that would be fascinating indeed.

..........

[Fifth War Era – Einzbern Castle]

“Berserker is the strongest! Berserker surpasses even the top-tiers!” Illya huffed indignantly.

Her jewel-like red eyes shone with childish stubbornness. “Berserker, would you protect me the way that Servant in the video protected his Master?”

“Rooaaar!” came the reply—just as always, but this time full of certainty.

“Hmph! If Berserker were in that Grail War, no one could stand against him,” she declared with conviction.

At the very least, that arrogant Gilgamesh would definitely be smashed by Berserker.

She didn’t know why, but she always felt a strange hostility toward Gilgamesh. Just the thought of his eyes made her own ache faintly.

---/---

### Chapter 35: Bonus Scene? The Multiverse Shaken! You Call This a Holy Grail War?!!

【Scene flashes—】

【

Thunder boomed across heaven and earth. A wisp of black mist, heavy with endless killing intent, shot toward the desert’s heart.

By then, humanity’s oldest companion, Enkidu, had already calmed the wrathful, raging king.

Gilgamesh smiled faintly. “No matter how many forms you take, you never change.”

With that, he once again raised Ea. Scarlet magical circuits spread across its surface, space fracturing layer by layer.

From afar—the stars themselves began to bend toward Ea!!!

】

[Naruto World]

“…You’ve got to be kidding,” sweat dripped down Kakashi’s face, even activating his Sharingan in agitation.

According to his own “Kakashi’s Theory of Chakra Management,” shouldn’t both of them be completely drained by now?

Had they recovered while resting?

No—he quickly realized. This wasn’t happening after Rider’s scene. That footage must have taken place earlier.

Which meant… these two monsters were going at it again?!!

Jealousy and awe surged in his chest. If only he could keep going endlessly… no, even just unleashing three Raikiris in a row would be enough!

......

[Ultraman Tiga World]

Daigo, the “three-minute true man,” stared dumbfounded at the battle on-screen.

“This… this isn’t logical at all?!”

Why don’t they have a timer installed? At least a flashing red light!

........

[Demon Slayer World]

“Monsters! You so-called Heroic Spirits are the true monsters!!!”

Kibutsuji Muzan shrieked, eyes splitting wide, as if realizing something horrific.

Why would the world give birth to such beings?!

Across the multiverse, countless spectators swallowed hard, just as shaken.

Impossible. Totally impossible.

Everyone knew—the rule was, you fire your ultimate move once and the fight ends. That was accepted across countless worlds.

But the blinding white radiance left no room for argument. It was undeniable!

【

The stars gathered. The sea of clouds dissolved.

Stars, moon, the lights of ten thousand homes—all became a single, overwhelming daylight.

“This will be our last strike tonight—!”

Above and below heaven, there were only two figures.

“Take this well! Let it be the promise of our reunion!” Gilgamesh roared with laughter.

“I was thinking the same.” Enkidu spread his arms, replying gently.

“Enuma Elish—Heaven and Earth Split Apart!!!”

“Enuma Elish—Chains that Bind the Gods!!!”

In the starry sea, the azure Earth slept. Above its surface, a blazing sun bloomed open.

So radiant that even on the Moon, 380,000 kilometers away, it could be seen clearly!

On the eastern horizon, a faint line of dawn broke—yet none noticed its beauty.

For compared to this, dawn itself was as fireflies beside the moon.

Hurricane winds swept the land, clouds over thousands of li hollowed out as though by God’s own hand.

When golden brilliance banished the night, spilling across the earth, all gazes turned in stunned silence to the sight before them.

In the desert, a massive crater hundreds of kilometers wide radiated scorching heat and terrifying mana.

It stood as a silent testament to its master’s dread power.

Tine collapsed to her knees, trembling at the sight of that towering figure who, in a Servant’s body, had altered the very face of the land.

Above and below heaven… none but the King.

This was—

The Holy Grail War!!!

】

【The video ends here.】

Across the multiverse, scalps went numb, throats went dry, pupils shrank to needlepoints!

Countless spectators sat frozen, unable to recover from the epic legend that had just unfolded before their eyes.

When they finally came back to their senses, their minds replayed the words from the very start of the video—

【On the earth a thousand years hence, let us meet again in the style of Uruk!】

Did this mean… on the ancient land of Uruk, battles like this were as casual as eating and drinking?!!

[Chaldea]

Ritsuka and Mash’s faces went pale.

What kind of monsters awaited them at the Seventh Singularity?!

If the king there was truly this powerful, what sort of beings would they have to face?

Monsters as strong as King Gilgamesh himself?!

【Tendou Kikunojo: “This is true power! With this power, I could kill every monster! Create a happy world!!”】

【The Little Emperor: “Are all kings like this?! What should I do, Minister Onest?!”】

【Dio: “This battle… it’s got me so high I can’t stop!!!”】

【Yakumo Yukari: “What a feast, a banquet between friends—how enviable.”】

【Aleister: “If mere descent can achieve this, then if a true vessel carrying the full Spirit Origin appeared… would its power reach the level of a Demon God?”】

【Aiwass: “Not quite… but there may be beings beyond even that.”】

【Sakata Gintoki: “Ahhh! Not enough, not enough! I could watch this forever!!”】

【Natsu: “Same! The power of friendship—no matter how many times I see it, I’ll never get tired of it!”】

【The video ends here—bonus scene incoming for this world, please stand by.】

Bonus scene?

The crowd, who had just been clamoring for more, froze in confusion.

What’s a bonus scene? An egg? A colored egg? Something you can eat? Do we each get one?

They soon found out—

【

“The Holy Grail War”—what meaning lies behind this name? Some may know, some may not.

But even if you understand, most of your knowledge will prove meaningless.

Because the “Holy Grail War” held here is built from layers of falsehood, a counterfeit, an “alternative” ritual.

【What is ‘alternative’? What is the Sixth Holy Grail War?】

【Counterfeit Faction:】

Archer — Gilgamesh

Lancer — Enkidu

Rider — Pale Rider

Caster — Alexandre Dumas

Assassin — The Nameless Fanatic

Berserker — Jack the Ripper

【Player Faction:】

Saber — Charles I

【True Faction:】

True Avenger/True Archer — Alcides

True Rider — Hippolyta

True Assassin — Hassan-i-Sabbah

True Caster — François Prelati

True Lancer — Sigma

True Berserker — Huwawa

【And finally—appearing last, the goddess of war who holds beauty, love, and wealth, wielder of the Bull of Heaven—Ishtar!!!】

【With the false Grail War as sacrifice, the true Holy Grail War is called forth.】

【“Well then… time to purge the fakes, isn’t it?”】

】

........

【Ishtar: “Yes, yes, I knew it! I said, why is only my bull over there!”】

【Ishtar: “Ohohohohoho~~~ As expected of me! Hey, you on the other side—use my bull! Smash them hard! If you don’t beat that golden mongrel until he shits himself, it doesn’t count! And don’t spare that mud-doll either!”】

【Gilgamesh: “Heh. You most ancient harlot! Last time your bull’s meat rotted before I could finish eating it, and now you send me another?!”】

【Enkidu: “Ishtar, you actually enslaved Huwawa?!”】

【Rin Tohsaka: “…Holy Grail War?! You call this a Holy Grail War?! Stop joking with the whole world already! Apologize properly to our Fuyuki Grail War!!!”】

---/---

[HP] Chapter 168-170

### Chapter 168: The Department of Mysteries

After speaking, Dumbledore took out the letter from the Misuse of Magic Office and handed it to Fudge.

Fudge skimmed it quickly, then looked from Louis to Dumbledore.

“The contents here should be accurate, yes?” Fudge asked. “If that’s the case, I can’t help you.”

“They’re not,” Dumbledore replied. “In fact, that Barrier Charm was cast by me, as punishment for the Dursleys’ mistreatment of Harry Potter.”

“As for the previous warning regarding the Levitation Charm—Mr. Wilson has explained it. He was visiting the Dursleys when he was framed by a house-elf. In truth, Harry Potter received a letter as well.” Dumbledore’s tone was calm. “You know as well as I do, Cornelius, that tracking spells aren’t always accurate.”

It seemed everything was going smoothly. A few words from Dumbledore might be enough to clear both Louis and Harry of any wrongdoing.

But then—

“Dumbledore, I’m sorry. What you say makes sense, but the Ministry does not make mistakes.”

The ever-smiling, agreeable Cornelius Fudge had just refused to overturn the punishments.

The Ministry doesn’t make mistakes?

Louis’s face darkened.

Fucking great, how can you say that with a straight face?

Even Dumbledore was momentarily choked into silence. After a long pause, he finally said, “Cornelius, everyone makes mistakes.”

“But the trace does not,” Fudge insisted. “Ministry employees are only fulfilling their duty. Still, I do understand the difficulties faced by Mr. Wilson and Harry Potter. So I can, on my own authority, suppress the warnings for now. They won’t interfere with your schooling. I only hope you, Headmaster, will keep a closer eye on your students to prevent future incidents.”

He said it with the air of a man granting a grand favor. Louis had to fight the urge to smack him across the face.

It looked like the problem was “resolved,” yet nothing was truly settled.

Fudge seemed to think he now had the power to decide Harry Potter’s and Louis’s futures with a word.

What exactly goes on inside this man’s head? Does he really think he can control us like that?

Even Dumbledore looked dumbfounded by Fudge’s twisted reasoning, unsure what to say. Meanwhile, Fudge stepped forward, patted Louis on the shoulder, and gave him a greasy smile that said, Work hard, young man. I believe in you.

Louis almost threw up on the spot.

He shot a pleading look at DumbledorePlease, let’s get out of here before I lose control and beat this man into paste.

But Dumbledore seemed to misinterpret his look, about to speak further—only for Fudge to cut him off.

“Apologies, Dumbledore. I’ve much more to handle tonight. I’ll have to ask you both to leave.” Fudge raised a hand, signaling his secretary to escort them out.

Louis secretly exhaled in relief, following the helpless Dumbledore out of the Minister’s office.

The moment they opened the door, however, a ball of pink came tumbling in, rolling across the floor.

When it stopped, Louis saw it was Umbridge.

She scrambled up quickly, gave Louis a passing glance, then looked smugly at Dumbledore before giving a little huff and strutting away.

Louis was left speechless.

Seriously? How many weirdos does this Ministry have?

Dumbledore, heavy-hearted, stepped into the lift with Louis, who was still nauseated from the encounter. The two exchanged a glance—each saw the same helplessness mirrored in the other’s eyes.

“I imagine you don’t think very highly of Fudge,” Dumbledore said bluntly.

“No point sugarcoating things with you,” Louis replied, baring his white teeth in a grin that gleamed coldly. “If I weren’t worried about causing trouble, Fudge wouldn’t sleep peacefully another night in his life.”

Maybe the Minister would escape nightmares, but Louis had already decided Fudge’s days wouldn’t be easy. He was already scheming about how to make the Ministry’s life difficult.

“Great power must be restrained,” Dumbledore told him. “And those born with such gifts, like you, must be all the more careful.”

“Like you? The greatest wizard alive, yet people treat you like a fool?” Louis chuckled.

“Sometimes, you don’t need to win a contest to achieve your goal,” Dumbledore offered, passing on a fragment of his philosophy.

But their conversation was cut short when the sound of the lift startled them.

They hadn’t pressed any buttons—the lift had started moving on its own.

Before Louis could act, the lift sped downward, stopping at Level Nine.

“Level Nine? Headmaster, what’s down here?” Louis asked, watching the glowing floor numbers with curiosity.

“Level Nine is the Department of Mysteries,” Dumbledore explained. “A very secretive place. Normally outsiders aren’t allowed inside. Don’t touch anything—when someone comes in, we’ll ride back up.”

“The Department of Mysteries…”

Louis’s thoughts stirred. He remembered this was the wizarding world’s laboratory, where they studied objects imbued with unique powers.

The most important chambers here were the Hall of Time, where Time-Turners were kept, and the Hall of Prophecy, filled with crystal spheres containing prophecies.

The prophecy about Voldemort and the Boy Who Lived was kept here.

“Time-Turners, huh…” A spark lit Louis’s eyes.

He was very curious about them. Normally, the only way to get one was in third year—if a student selected every single subject, Hogwarts would apply for a Time-Turner on their behalf.

But that one would be tightly supervised, with little freedom of use. And realistically, students’ schedules were packed enough without stretching themselves thin.

Louis, of course, had energy to spare—but he wasn’t about to waste time taking extra classes just for that.

If possible, he’d rather steal one directly.

At that thought, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened within the shadow beneath his feet.

Standing at Louis’s side, Dumbledore suddenly felt a chill in the air. But he dismissed it, assuming it came from the Department itself.

The lift’s light cast Louis’s shadow onto the metal doors. As the doors slid open, two cloaked figures stepped inside.

They were Unspeakables, the Department’s secretive operatives, all trained in Occlumency and sworn to silence.

In the space between them, Louis’s shadow stretched outward, merging seamlessly with the pitch darkness beyond the threshold.

The scarlet eyes vanished. When they reappeared, they were already nestled deep in that darkness.

The lift doors closed again, and Louis’s shadow was once more cast upon them—though the chill in the cabin had lessened slightly.

The lift began to ascend, carrying Dumbledore, Louis, and the two Unspeakables back to the Level Eight Atrium.

---

### Chapter 169: The Shadow Legion

With a twist, Dumbledore brought Louis back to Little Whinging. This time, Louis felt much better—none of that sick, retching sensation.

“Sorry,” Dumbledore said regretfully, “we didn’t manage to fully solve your problem. But as long as you’re more careful, there shouldn’t be any more trouble.”

You said it yourself—‘shouldn’t’…

Louis smiled faintly but gave no answer.

Next time, he wouldn’t risk it. He’d just toss the wand with the Trace on it to Garrick Ollivander and let them worry about detecting it.

If it weren’t for concerns that hiding the wand in his storage space might interfere with the Ministry’s tracking and make things even messier, he never would’ve had this problem at all.

He realized it a bit late—if he’d thought of it sooner, none of this would’ve happened.

“But Harry’s situation is settled, isn’t it? At least next summer should be a little easier for him.” Louis said, lying through his teeth.

In reality, next summer would be far worse. Someone even more troublesome than the Dursleys was going to be staying—Vernon Dursley’s sister, a foul-mouthed old hag. With her around, even Vernon couldn’t get a word in.

That wasn’t exactly Vernon’s fault, more like an unavoidable disaster.

“Yes, we didn’t come away empty-handed after all.” Dumbledore smiled, then turned to Louis with a sudden question: “By the way, Louis, would you like to learn something… deeper?”

Tonight’s events had convinced him Louis wasn’t an irredeemable bully. At the very least, he had a kind streak. So Dumbledore decided to pass along Nicolas Flamel’s offer.

“Deeper knowledge?” Louis raised an eyebrow. “You’re planning to tutor me privately?”

“No, not me. A friend of mine,” Dumbledore clarified.

Hearing that all-too-familiar line, Louis almost blurted out, Are you sure this so-called friend isn’t just you? It took everything he had to keep it in.

Unaware of Louis’s struggle to hold back, Dumbledore went on, “I recently visited an old friend. His time is running short, and before he passes, he wants to take on a student. He’s heard of you, and asked me to see if you’d be willing.”

An old friend? Running out of time?

Louis immediately thought of the old man he’d caught spying on him through a crystal ball… then of Nicolas Flamel, who had lost the Philosopher’s Stone.

The two images overlapped.

“Nicolas Flamel?” Louis asked.

Dumbledore nodded. “So you do know.”

“Just a reasonable guess,” Louis said, shrugging. “You suddenly say someone’s time is nearly up. The only thing I could think of was the Philosopher’s Stone—and its master, Nicolas Flamel.”

“So? Do you accept?” Dumbledore asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I? It’s a good thing,” Louis replied.

“Excellent. Then I’ll come fetch you next summer holiday,” Dumbledore said with a nod. “Be sure to inform your parents in advance.”

“Wait—summer holiday?” Louis froze.

“That’s right. Summer. You don’t have time at any other point, do you?” Dumbledore said. “Is there a problem?”

Problem? A huge one! Louis thought bitterly. My parents already promised to take me abroad next summer!

Louis’s salted-fish nature almost flared up—he nearly thought about rejecting Dumbledore on the spot.

Fortunately, he held back. Vacations could wait for any year, but Nicolas Flamel was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Without the Philosopher’s Stone, the old man’s days were numbered.

“Alright, I’ll do it,” Louis said with difficulty, nodding. “It’s settled then. Goodbye, Headmaster Dumbledore.”

“Hogwarts will see you,” Dumbledore said, then Disapparated.

Watching him vanish, Louis sighed and slipped quietly back home.

He had left so silently that his parents never even knew he’d been gone.

Back in his room, Louis didn’t hurry to sleep. Instead, he pulled out Tala’s mask from his storage space.

Black qi surged from his brow, connecting faintly with the mask.

The surroundings dimmed as though veiled in a gray shadow. From beneath the bed, from cracks in the desk and chair, from the lampshade above—pairs of scarlet eyes opened one by one.

Whispering filled the room, eerie and incomprehensible, until it seemed the entire chamber had become part of the shadow itself. Then, figures clad in black—like ninjas—stepped out from the darkness, crowding the room.

The Ghost Ninja Corps, the Shadow Legion’s most skilled assassins and infiltrators.

Through relentless effort, Louis had managed—without any auxiliary materials—to use his black qi to awaken a portion of the mask’s power. Just like Shendu, he had seized partial control over the Shadow Legion.

But his mastery was incomplete. Normally he could summon only one or two Ghost Ninjas. Only by holding the mask could he call forth a large number at once.

Earlier, in the Department of Mysteries, he had already sent one ninja as a scout. Now, he meant to dispatch more to infiltrate the Ministry and lie in wait as a blade he could strike with at any time.

“Just for Fudge’s smug attitude—if you survive stepping down from office, I’ll take your surname!” Louis muttered. At his side, the Ghost Ninjas instantly melted into shadow and sped toward London’s Whitehall.

Shadows seep everywhere. They would reach the Ministry quickly. And once inside, Louis intended to bide his time—perhaps even strip the Department of Mysteries bare.

As for Fudge? He’d leave him alive for now, only to kill him later once his natural fall from office came. Killing him too early would push the plot in unpredictable directions—not good for farming Fate Points.

The pitch-black night belonged to the Ghost Ninja Corps.

Though slower than Apparition, their movement through shadows was far swifter than any ordinary transport.

Soon Louis sensed them arrive near Whitehall, then merge into shadowy clusters, ready to slip below ground.

Suddenly, one of his ninjas dropped dead—a scout who had tried to slip inside the Ministry, obliterated by an automatic defensive ward.

So, the Ministry was no easy target; its defenses were formidable.

Louis pressed on, sending in more ninjas.

Only a fraction managed to infiltrate. The rest were cut down by protective spells, dissipating back into the Shadow Realm.

But the Ministry had not noticed the Shadow Legion’s incursion.

“As expected of the Ministry—their defenses are strong. But their vigilance… a little lacking.”

Louis shook his head, watching his Ghost Ninjas sink into the shadows scattered throughout the Ministry and lie hidden in wait.

---

### Chapter 170: The Stone Door of the Department of Mysteries

The Shadow Realm was the world’s reverse side. In theory, one could use it to reach any corner of the earth.

But in practice, that was nearly impossible. The Shadow Realm was chaotic, without up or down, without direction. Even its native inhabitants couldn’t match its locations with the real world.

To use it for travel, one needed two corresponding anchor points.

Still, while he couldn’t walk through it, Louis could at least send signals and control his ninja soldiers from afar.

Through the Shadow Realm, his eyes watched as the ninja soldiers hidden in the Ministry linked up with those in the Department of Mysteries.

Everything went smoothly. Using the elevator shaft, nine ninja soldiers slipped into the Department, joining the one he had already placed there. Ten in total—enough for Louis to one day empty the Time Room of its Time-Turners.

But not yet. He couldn’t act so soon after he and Dumbledore had “accidentally” stumbled into the place. It would raise suspicion.

Exploration, however, could begin. They would lurk, prepare, and when the time was right—strike and vanish in one motion.

The Department of Mysteries had seven known chambers: the Brain Room, the Time Room, the Planet Room, the Hall of Prophecy, the Unspeakables’ office, a locked chamber, and the Death Chamber.

As the wizarding world’s most secret place, every item here deserved study—each hiding magical mysteries still unsolved.

But exploration required secrecy. Louis had no intention of exposing his Shadow Legion too early.

The ten ninja soldiers gathered in the circular atrium, the place the lift opened into. Before them stood twelve identical doors.

Blue firelight flickered over the ancient stone walls. It was Ever-Burning Blue Flame, the atrium’s only light source.

Fiendfyre and this flame were opposites.

Fiendfyre was violent, destructive, but easy to conjure—any wizard trained in the spell could unleash it, only to be consumed in turn.

Blue Flame, on the other hand, was steady and nearly unquenchable, but almost impossibly difficult to create. Only a handful of wizards in the entire world could produce it.

“Compared to this, Fiendfyre feels like some cruel joke—easy to grasp, but eager to devour you,” Louis thought, unimpressed. Not even as pure as phoenix fire.

At his command, the ten ninja soldiers each chose a door. Two doors were left untouched. As they stepped through, the walls turned, the twelve identical doors whirling until it was impossible to know who had entered which.

It mattered little. Louis quickly saw that soldiers who had gone through different doors sometimes ended up in the same room.

Five of them emerged in a cramped office—unfortunately, with three Unspeakables working inside.

Luckily, ninja stealth was absolute. The instant they saw humans, they melted into shadows and vanished.

The remaining five scattered through other chambers.

It seemed the Department’s layout was strange. Except for the locked chamber and the Hall of Prophecy, every room now held at least one ninja.

Two of them prowled the Death Chamber—also known as the Hall of Death, or even the Execution Chamber.

This was the place where, in the original timeline, Sirius Black had died. At its center stood the ancient stone archway.

The chamber resembled an amphitheater, about half a football field in size. The square room sank downward in tiers of steps, like seating for an audience. In the very center, on a raised dais, stood the stone arch.

Unsupported, it stood upright—impossible by physics, but perfectly natural for magic.

Through his soldiers’ eyes, Louis saw nothing outwardly special about it.

Still, it demanded attention. If given the chance, he would come study the arch in person.

For now, he could experiment.

At his order, one ninja approached the arch without hesitation. As it neared, Louis thought he glimpsed skeletal hands waving within the fluttering veil, only for them to vanish.

Far away in his bedroom, Louis frowned. The unclear vision was unpleasant.

Then the ninja stepped fully into the arch’s domain. At once Louis felt a jolt—as though a massive hand had seized the soldier. Through the ninja’s eyes, a hollow gaze looked back at him.

The soldier shattered into shadow and was gone.

Louis shot to his feet, face grim.

His hair paled, as though something was draining his life from afar. His youthful features dimmed, wrinkles spreading across his skin.

“Hmph!”

Louis snorted coldly. Golden vertical pupils blazed in his eyes. In an instant, his body became pure flame, burning away the unknown curse.

The sensation of life being siphoned faded. His body returned to normal—no wrinkles, no white hair, nothing left behind but a phantom memory.

The heat dissipated slowly. Louis waved his hand, the Horse Talisman’s restorative power repairing the scorch marks his flames had left.

“What was that?” he muttered, troubled.

Why did this world harbor such terrors—things that could drain life with a glance?

“Could it be Death itself?” Louis thought of the Deathly Hallows’ legend. “Does that arch lead to the realm of the dead?”

And with Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak—could one stroll through undetected, taking a day trip to the other side?

The idea fascinated him. But now wasn’t the time for side quests.

“Wait until Voldemort’s great battle is over. At least rack up a few dozen Legendary Draws first, then take the risk,” Louis muttered.

Then he flopped onto his bed and went limp.

He’d had enough for one day. No more.

---

[HP] Chapter 167: Proof of Just How Much Trouble Ron Causes His Dad

That was the truth of the matter: even if everyone was busy with the same law, it didn’t mean they were on the same side.

The one who proposed and pushed the bill was Arthur Weasley, a Ministry employee in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office—a department few respected. Because of his fondness for Muggles, the Weasley family was branded “blood traitors.”

Naturally, a law proposed and pushed by him would be opposed by the pure-blood families and the Ministry officials who represented them.

However, since the law aligned perfectly with Minister Fudge’s preference for peace and stability, it managed to be passed—for the time being.

Among the wizards working overtime, some were genuinely helping Arthur Weasley deal with confiscated dark objects, while others were busy looking for excuses to pick holes.

In this climate, Ron Weasley taking his father’s flying car without permission—and being caught—was a disaster for his dad.

Dumbledore led Louis through the bustling crowd. Each time someone noticed him, whether pure-blood or half-blood, they tipped their hats in respect.

As for Muggle-born wizards… they weren’t here. Not because their status allowed them rest, but because important, credit-worthy assignments never fell to them. That was the Ministry’s unspoken rule.

The Ministry of Magic was underground. Entering from the phone booth outside led directly to Level Eight; to reach other floors, one had to take a different lift.

Louis followed Dumbledore into the elevator and they went up to Level One, where the Minister’s office was located. But before they could even knock, someone blocked their way.

“Oh, Dumbledore! What business brings you here so late?”

The voice was sickly sweet, cloying to the point of nausea.

A squat woman waddled forward, dressed head-to-toe in pink: pink clothes, pink hat, pink handbag. She resembled nothing so much as a pink toad.

Her face was caked with powder, her wrinkles squeezing it into ridges.

Lady, your foundation’s clumping!

Louis nearly blurted it out but restrained himself. This was no harmless busybody—cross her, and she’d find a hundred petty ways to retaliate. A small-minded villain, the kind best left for darker souls to deal with, not someone destined to walk in the sunlight like “Louis Wilson.”

“Umbridge, good evening. Looks like you’re busy,” said Dumbledore.

“Very busy, thanks to Mr. Weasley,” Umbridge replied, casting a glance first at Dumbledore, then at Louis behind him. “So late at night—what brings you here?”

“There are matters I must discuss with Cornelius,” Dumbledore answered evenly.

“Perhaps I can pass them along?” Umbridge’s false smile oozed malice. “But if it’s about a student who’s twice violated the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, then there’s no need to trouble the Minister. The recommendation here is immediate expulsion.”

“This matter concerns Harry Potter.” Dumbledore’s blue eyes locked onto hers, so deep it was as though they pierced her thoughts. “Please step aside.”

The weight of that gaze was suffocating.

Umbridge instinctively stepped back, making way.

Dumbledore swept past her without a second glance. Being so thoroughly dismissed made Umbridge’s face twist with fury.

A young man dressed as a secretary opened the Minister’s office door and ushered them in. Behind the desk sat Cornelius Fudge, surrounded by stacks of parchment.

“Dumbledore! Ha ha, perfect timing.” Fudge lit up as if seeing his long-lost father, rushing to seat him. “You’ve come just when I needed your advice.”

Cornelius Fudge—weak, indecisive.

Louis kept quiet; this wasn’t his moment. Besides, Fudge looked far too busy fawning over Dumbledore to bother with him.

The Minister immediately launched into a discussion about the new Muggle Protection Act.

Louis quietly found a chair and tuned them out. Listening was pointless. Soon enough, the pure-bloods would accuse Arthur Weasley of violating his own law, and the whole thing would be gutted.

Just another political trade: sacrifice Arthur’s Muggle Protection Act to secure his job. Louis didn’t even need to be a Seer to know how it would end.

Arthur would have no choice but to comply. This term’s book fees alone would drain the family vault; losing his Ministry job would ruin them completely.

So debating a doomed law was meaningless.

But Dumbledore couldn’t have known Arthur’s well-meant law would be sabotaged by his own son. He earnestly offered Fudge suggestions.

Half an hour later, their legal discussion wound down, and the conversation turned to the Boy Who Lived.

“Cornelius, it was this young Mr. Wilson who first drew my attention to Harry Potter’s miserable living conditions. He needs our help.” Dumbledore introduced Louis.

“He’s Harry’s neighbor, and a student at Hogwarts. You should know him.”

“Of course I do! Mr. Louis Wilson—pleasure, pleasure!” Fudge’s smile was wide, his handshake enthusiastic, far more sincere than Umbridge’s counterfeit grin.

“A descendant of Merlin, I’ve heard. Your name is known across the wizarding world. Meeting you confirms it—you’re a fine young man indeed.”

Fudge’s overbearing enthusiasm nearly overwhelmed Louis. He carefully pried his hand free with just enough force not to injure the Minister, replying with a polite smile: “You flatter me, Minister.”

Fudge chuckled and turned back to Dumbledore. “You said Harry Potter’s living situation must be improved. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Mr. Wilson’s idea was to use Muggle currency exchanged from Gringotts as compensation for Harry’s guardians,” said Dumbledore.

Fudge’s face lit up in approval. “Excellent! Was that this young man’s idea? Brilliant, truly brilliant. Have you ever considered a career in the Ministry?”

“If the chance arises,” Louis answered vaguely.

“Splendid! The Ministry would be honored to welcome such talent.” Fudge grinned, then frowned. “The greedy goblins may be troublesome, though, Dumbledore…”

“Use Hogwarts’s allowance,” Dumbledore said calmly. “But it may require your authorization to convince the Board of Governors, Cornelius.”

The moment he heard it wouldn’t cost the Ministry a Knut, Fudge was delighted. “No problem at all!” He immediately scribbled out an authorization.

“There is one more matter of importance,” Dumbledore said. “This young Mr. Wilson is facing possible expulsion over a misunderstanding.”

---

[Game] Chapter 437: The First Round of Testing

In the morning, the online player count for Fall Guys wasn’t very high, but it still climbed up to fifteen thousand concurrent players, which was already an excellent result.

Checking the comments on several gaming forums, the reviews for the game were overwhelmingly positive. Most players left favorable impressions. The controls weren’t difficult, the stage designs were interesting and plentiful, and with sixty players competing on the same stage at the start, a crowd of bean-like characters tumbling and shoving into one another was undeniably entertaining.

Even if you lost a match, you could still witness all kinds of hilarious and unexpected eliminations—impossible not to laugh.

By the afternoon, as more streamers went live, Fall Guys’ popularity surged even further. As a variety-style multiplayer party game, its streaming value was beyond doubt. Ichin browsed through several streams from his office, and each one showcased different comedic moments.

It was clear: as long as the game maintained a steady update schedule and gained traction with streamers, its sales and daily active players wouldn’t be low.

“What we need to watch now is our server capacity.”

Closing the browser, Ichin asked Utaha to play Fall Guys in the office while he stepped out.

Outside, the Dark Souls team had naturally abandoned work and were all at their computers, controllers in hand, playing Fall Guys.

Compared to the earlier internal builds, this public network test was vastly improved—both in maps and character cosmetics.

As soon as Ichin walked out, he saw Eriri leap from her chair, controller in hand.

“Yes! First place! Now I can buy a skin!”

Beside her, Aoba and Momiji had matched into the same game, but unfortunately both were eliminated in the second round. Still, seeing Eriri secure the win made them cheer as well.

Watching Eriri enter the in-game skin shop, Aoba asked curiously:

“Eriri, which skin are you going to buy?”

“Heh, of course the orange tabby cat skin!”

Without hesitation, Eriri spent the three crowns she’d saved up and purchased it. Once equipped, her round little Fall Guy turned even plumper, covered in yellow-and-white stripes, complete with cat ears and a swaying tail—an unmistakable fat orange cat.

Seeing Eriri get her first skin, Aoba and Momiji exchanged a look and quickly queued for another match themselves.

After observing for a while, Ichin walked over to the Fall Guys development team.

Since it was the first day of testing, Hazuki, the producer, had been glued to her desk all day. Even lunch was just a delivered bento eaten in front of the monitor.

Ichin approached her.

“Hazuki, how’s the backend data looking?”

“Downloads have already broken eighty thousand,” Hazuki replied. “Thirty thousand on Switch, fifty thousand on Steam, and the numbers keep climbing. Concurrent players on Steam are close to twenty thousand, and Switch has already passed ten thousand.”

“How’s the server load?”

“So far, stable. No significant pressure yet.” Hazuki leaned back in her chair. “Even on Switch, after our optimizations, the frame rate is holding steady at 30 FPS. Even the two largest maps don’t stutter. And this is just day one—two full weeks should be more than enough to build momentum. I’m confident online numbers will keep rising.”

“That’s great to hear.”

Ichin smiled in satisfaction, glanced around at the busy developers, and said:

“It’s the afternoon already. I’ll order some milk tea and snacks for you all—don’t forget to take a break.”

Half an hour later, milk tea and freshly baked pastries arrived. Under Hazuki’s direction, the devs grabbed their drinks first, then rotated to the break area to enjoy the sweets.

Taking a small bite of a Swiss roll, Hazuki finally let out a breath.

“Even though it’s just network testing, it’s still nerve-wracking. Luckily, things have gone very smoothly so far.”

Yagami Kou chuckled nearby.

“Judging by the current results and the online reviews, when Fall Guys officially launches, sales will be strong for sure.”

Ichin agreed with confidence.

“Exactly. For this test we’ve only released part of the maps. During the second network test we’ll add more maps and skins. When the full release comes, there’ll be tons of stages and cosmetics, plus ranked seasonal modes. Players who joined the tests won’t ever feel bored. The success of Fall Guys is practically assured.”

As the company’s first live-service online multiplayer game, Fall Guys required continuous updates. The half-year to one-year post-launch operation plan was already prepared.

Once released, they just needed to follow the roadmap—and perhaps explore collaborations for crossover skins. Of course, that would require a dedicated business team later on.

As evening fell, part of the company staff stayed behind to monitor network data. With two weeks of testing ahead, it was crucial to stay sharp. No one complained; instead, they volunteered for rotation shifts.

After grabbing dinner outside and returning home, Ichin took a shower while Utaha settled into the bedroom, booted up the PC, and dove back into Fall Guys with her controller.

This test included several appealing skins, and she was determined to unlock them all.

By the time Ichin came out of the shower, Utaha was already wearing headphones, completely absorbed in the game. He didn’t interrupt her, instead opening his laptop on the bed and working quietly.

Utaha didn’t play games often, but when she found one she liked, she was serious about it. With Pokémon Legends: Arceus, she had painstakingly completed the entire Pokédex, captured Arceus, and even hunted multiple shiny Pokémon she found beautiful.

Ichin himself had caught Arceus too, but aside from a few shinies encountered along the way, he never bothered grinding—he shelved the game right after.

Utaha played until nearly ten o’clock. After finishing a round, Ichin gently removed her headphones.

“Alright, take a break. Go shower first.”

Rubbing her eyes, Utaha nodded obediently and headed off with her change of clothes.

Watching her leave the bedroom, Ichin smiled.

Fall Guys, huh… I wonder just how high its popularity will climb next.”

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 594: Cloud Retainer

Liyue Harbor, Yuehai Pavilion.

The moment Nolan heard the familiar voice of the woman wearing red half-rimmed glasses, realization struck him. He looked at her in surprise.

“You’re Cloud Retainer!”

So impatient—she had actually rushed over from Mt. Aocang already, even though he had only gone to invite her that very morning.

Clearly, she had been longing to see her two disciples for quite some time.

“Why such surprise? Wasn’t it you who invited me here?” the woman with the red glasses snorted.

“I just didn’t expect you to come so quickly… and in human form, no less.”

It was the first time Nolan had ever seen Cloud Retainer’s human form. Her refined, elegant air was quite the contrast to the majestic immortal crane she usually appeared as.

At a glance, her human face looked only faintly familiar. Without careful thought, he would never have recognized her on sight.

“Hmph. My name is well-known throughout Liyue Harbor. If I came in my true form, just flying overhead would attract a horde of gawkers.

“Then your Lantern Rite Festival would turn into nothing but a spectacle of mortals paying homage to me!”

Pushing up her glasses, the dignified woman folded her arms, which only lifted her chest slightly beneath the sheer black lace of her attire. With a hint of helplessness, she continued:

“My human form has not been seen for generations. I thought if I transformed and took a new name, no one would recognize me.

“But the moment I arrived in Liyue Harbor, both Ganyu and Shenhe saw through me. Ganyu I could understand—but Shenhe has never once seen this form of mine.

“And yet she recognized me at a glance. That leaves me uncertain whether I should really go strolling the streets as I planned.”

Shenhe spoke calmly:

“No matter what form Master takes, I would never mistake you.”

“Ah, so that’s it. Ganyu and Shenhe have been by your side so long, it’s only natural they’d know you. Look at me—I didn’t recognize you right away myself.

“So go on, stroll through the city. I doubt anyone else will see through your disguise.”

Nolan nodded, firmly convinced of his reasoning.

“But really, is it so exaggerated? I’m fairly well-known too, but when I walk down the streets, no one swarms me for autographs or the like,” he said skeptically.

“Hmph. There are plenty of so-called famous adventurers. All you can do is brawl.

“I, on the other hand, have slain demons and defended Liyue’s people for millennia. My adeptus arts heal as well as destroy. And with thousands of years of renown passed down through the generations—how could you compare?”

Cloud Retainer bristled at his doubt, pride brimming in her tone.

Indeed, the Adepti’s reputation, accumulated over centuries, was unmatched in Liyue. Nolan remembered clearly—back when he first arrived in Liyue, he had run into those eager Gu Hua sect disciples at Stone Gate, searching for adeptis to worship.

“Haha, True Lord speaks reason. I was being arrogant.” Nolan quickly yielded.

He knew Cloud Retainer was a proud one—especially in areas she took pride in. She would never easily back down, and if he pushed her, it would only spark a needless quarrel.

“Hmph. So long as you know.” Cloud Retainer nodded, satisfied.

【Cloud Retainer Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.5 (220/500).】

Thanks to his many visits to Mt. Aocang, Nolan had already built up some affection with Cloud Retainer. Now, with today’s encounter, it had reached Level 5.

Nolan smiled and turned to Ganyu and Shenhe:

“By the way, I heard from Ningguang that with the Lantern Rite approaching, things at Yuehai Pavilion are getting busier. So I came to see if there’s anything I can help with.

“Well? Do you need my assistance?”

“Eh, so that’s why…” Surprise flickered across Ganyu’s fair face. She shook her head gently.

“Thank you for coming, but for now, I don’t think we’ll need to trouble you.”

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 350 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (400/700).】

Moved by Nolan’s thoughtfulness, Ganyu felt a little more fondly toward him.

But Nolan was slightly puzzled.

“Oh? Don’t tell me the work is already finished?”

“Can’t you see? If they have time to sit here chatting with me, of course there’s no need to worry about work!”

Cloud Retainer lifted her chin smugly.

Uh… it’s just that your disciples don’t have to work right now, what’s there to be so proud of? Nolan thought to himself, exasperated.

“Master crafted many mechanical birds for Yuehai Pavilion. They can deliver documents back and forth, so no one needs to keep running around. That’s why we have free time.”

Shenhe explained calmly on her master’s behalf.

“Mechanical birds that deliver documents… as expected of Cloud Retainer. To arrive here and already invent such a marvelous thing.”

Nolan offered praise, then asked curiously:

“Do these mechanical birds need to be operated by people? If not, isn’t there a risk of delivering important documents incorrectly?”

“Hmph! Anything crafted by this adeptus’s own hands could never be wrong. If you’re so curious, come along and see for yourself. I’ll show you their ingenuity!”

Cloud Retainer pushed up her red half-rimmed glasses, sounding rather displeased.

“Alright then, since you put it that way, I’m curious too.”

Nolan nodded.

“Mhm. While the mechanical birds have improved efficiency at Yuehai Pavilion, we still need to handle the actual matters of state ourselves.

“So for now we can’t leave. Would you mind accompanying Master to stroll around the city?”

Ganyu looked at Nolan as she spoke.

“Of course.” Nolan naturally wouldn’t refuse a girl’s request, especially since he had nothing pressing to do.

【Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.8 (20/800).】

Another Affection notification appeared.

Ganyu gave a small nod,

“Master has taken the name ‘Xianyun.’ When speaking before others, please use this name. If you call her Cloud Retainer directly, she may be recognized too easily.”

“No problem.” Nolan agreed readily, then looked at Cloud Retainer with a smile.

“Xianyun… the name itself sounds a little lonely. Truly fitting of you, True Lord—your names always reflect your nature so well.”

“Hmph, don’t overthink it. I just picked it casually. Even if I’m alone in the mountains, so what? I remain perfectly at ease.”

Cloud Retainer—now Xianyun in her human guise—spoke stubbornly, though her words rang hollow.

【Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (20/600).】

“Hehe, then let’s go. I’d like to see these mechanical birds everyone praises so much.” Nolan chuckled.

“Then let’s be off.”

Xianyun, clad in her black dress, rose to her feet.

(End of Chapter)

[HP] Chapter 166: Heading to the Ministry of Magic

Afterward, Louis and Dumbledore left the Dursleys’ home together.

As for the cracked floor, the damaged walls, and the utterly ruined front door—under Dumbledore’s repair charms, everything returned to its original state.

“Mr. Wilson, your performance truly surprised me.” Dumbledore asked as they stood by the roadside. “Where did you learn all of that?”

“Some of it came from books at school—like the Potter family’s shampoo,” Louis replied casually. “As for judging the Muggle currency, that was just my own guesswork.”

He was telling the truth, so he wasn’t afraid of being caught out.

“Amazing,” Dumbledore said with genuine admiration. “Your insight and wisdom far exceed what I had expected.”

“So, in the Headmaster’s eyes, I used to be nothing more than a schoolyard bully?” Louis raised a brow.

“Hehe…” Dumbledore gave no direct answer, but the meaning was obvious: Louis had a reputation, and Dumbledore knew it.

Who else was responsible for the Hospital Wing handing out so many calming draughts last year?

Just then, an owl swooped down, landing shakily in front of Louis. From the way it trembled, it looked to be the same one as before.

“Look at this, Headmaster. Thanks to you, I’ll probably be expelled now—two straight violations of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.” Louis handed the letter to Dumbledore. “Do you have anything to say about that?”

“Oh, my apologies. I’ll see to it.” Dumbledore smiled, taking the letter. “Would you like to come with me to the Ministry of Magic?”

“The Ministry? To wipe away my record?” Louis asked.

“That’s part of it,” Dumbledore replied. “The other part concerns Harry’s guardianship compensation. It requires discussion with the Ministry—ideally with the Minister himself.”

As he spoke, Dumbledore carefully watched Louis’s expression. When the Minister was mentioned, a fleeting trace of disdain crossed Louis’s face.

“You know the Minister of Magic?” Dumbledore asked.

“No. Never met him, never even heard of him.” Louis shook his head.

“Then it’s time you did. Handling things directly through the Minister will be simpler.” Dumbledore reached out, gripping Louis’s shoulder. “Bear with it—it might feel uncomfortable.”

Before Louis could respond, their figures twisted, swallowed by a single point, vanishing from sight.

It was Louis’s first time experiencing Apparition.

As a form of magical teleportation, Apparition was notoriously difficult and dangerous. One careless moment, and the caster risked “splinching”—leaving part of the body behind.

Half the torso gone while the rest appeared elsewhere—something like that.

Though the magical principle prevented a bloody mess, over time it could still be fatal without prompt treatment.

That was why beginners rarely tried long-distance Apparition, let alone carrying passengers.

Even for the skilled, the sensation wasn’t pleasant.

When Louis and Dumbledore reappeared on a London street beside Whitehall, Louis couldn’t stop himself from gagging dryly.

This was normal for a first Apparition—unrelated to physical fitness. The body was essentially crushed into a pinprick, then forced out elsewhere. The only cure was adaptation; if symptoms were too severe, St. Mungo’s had entire wards for treating Apparition sickness and Portkey nausea.

“Impressive,” Dumbledore said with some surprise. “I thought you’d look much worse.”

“Still feels awful… ugh!” Louis gagged again.

The inhuman sensation of being stuffed into an infinitely small point and squeezed back out was unbearable.

“Your reaction is quite good, actually. It seems you’re well-suited to learning this magic,” Dumbledore praised.

“Perhaps.” Louis quickly steadied himself thanks to the restorative power of the Horse Talisman. “The Ministry still open at this hour?”

“Normally no. But lately they’ve been working overtime. A new law requires the leadership to await results around the clock.” Dumbledore continued, “Arthur Weasley—yes, the Weasleys’ father—is heading that effort, overseeing the seizure of dangerous Muggle-related items.”

Louis knew of this. In the original timeline, the so-called “Muggle Protection Act,” aimed at banning dark artifacts, infuriated Lucius Malfoy. Arthur Weasley, who pushed it forward, became Malfoy’s target—and the two even brawled in Flourish and Blotts.

It was during that scuffle that Lucius slipped Tom Riddle’s diary into Ginny Weasley’s cauldron, setting off the entire second book’s chain of events.

Malfoy, that devious old fox.

Dumbledore led Louis across the road and into a dingy side street. The place looked rundown, a shadowy corner of the city center. Graffiti covered the walls, chaotic and crude.

At the end of the street stood a shabby, rickety telephone booth—so dilapidated no sane Muggle would step inside.

“This is the only way into the Ministry from the outside. Normally, wizards prefer the Floo Network.” Dumbledore pulled open the booth’s door. “You know about the Floo Network?”

“I’ve read about it. A peculiar form of travel. But if it’s a network of fireplaces, could it reach Muggle homes too?” Louis asked.

“Usually not. But some Muggle homes do remain connected—perhaps a legacy from former wizarding owners, or illicit connections made by wizards. As long as secrecy is maintained and Muggles aren’t harmed, it’s rarely enforced.”

Dumbledore closed the booth door and pressed a sequence of numbers: 62442.

“As long as you dial the letters spelling ‘MAGIC,’ this telephone booth will take us directly to the Ministry,” he explained.

At once, Louis felt himself lurch downward, the booth plunging like an elevator at breakneck speed.

Fortunately, it didn’t last long. Soon they arrived at their destination: a polished hall gleaming like a train station concourse.

But instead of waiting areas, the sides of the hall were lined with fireplaces.

These were the Ministry’s regular entry points. Beyond them lay the wand registration gates, for visiting foreign wizards.

Even at this late hour, green flames flared now and then, and figures stumbled out of fireplaces.

It really was bustling. Was everyone here tied up with that so-called “Muggle Protection” law—one that, in truth, targeted dark magical items?

---

[Game] Chapter 435-436

Chapter 435: Smooth Cat Bathing, and…

Driving two cars, they quickly arrived at the mall where Utaha and the others had been before.

Inside the pet supplies store, their appointment time was only minutes away, and since there was no one else waiting, they could start immediately.

Among all the cats, the eldest, Mochi, was first to be bathed.

Ever since Yukino brought her home, Mochi had lived without any worries. After Sesame had kittens, Mochi sometimes helped look after them, but most of the time she lazed around the house, snacking and sunbathing, enjoying a good life.

This wasn’t her first time being bathed either. When she was carried onto the professional bathing table, Mochi simply looked at Yukino waiting nearby, then glanced at the staff member who was about to bathe her, and calmly sat down.

The staff girl smiled in surprise. “So well-behaved! Most older cats, unless very well-trained, usually squirm around restlessly their first time here.”

Yukino smiled. “She has a calm personality. Pretty easy to care for. It’s the two little ones that are more troublesome.”

The bathing began.

Ichin and the others didn’t go in. They sat outside with the remaining cats still in their carriers, chatting casually.

Noticing Ichin scribbling away on his tablet, Haruno nudged Utaha. “In this situation, shouldn’t you ban him from the bedroom tonight?”

Hearing that, Ichin immediately looked up. “Eh? Haruno-nee, don’t set me up like that.”

“I’m not. Utaha said it herself at lunch.”

Utaha shrugged. “Relax. I wasn’t planning to restrict him right now. As long as he doesn’t keep doing this when we’re shopping later, it’s fine.”

“You’re going shopping afterward?” Ichin glanced at the carriers. “What about the cats?”

“You’ll take them home, of course.” Utaha smiled. “We’ll start first, and you can meet up with us after dropping them off. It’s not far anyway.”

Ichin’s mouth twitched. “Yeah, not far.”

Neither he nor Utaha had thought of leaving the cats at the store. That would mean keeping them in carriers the whole time, which was worse than Ichin driving them back. The round trip wouldn’t take too long anyway.

Haruno, sitting on Utaha’s other side, narrowed her eyes with anticipation. “Last time you went shopping, Utaha and Yukino picked out clothes for you. I’m very interested in this part. Today, I must experience it too. Ichin, be ready to play dress-up model!”

“Uh… I already have plenty of new clothes.”

“That’s fine! It’s getting hotter—time to pick some summer outfits. You can never have too many!”

Haruno thumped her chest grandly. “Big sis will pay!”

“...”

Ichin gave up resisting. Three against one—no way to win.

One look at Utaha’s expectant gaze told him everything: this afternoon, maybe even all evening, he was doomed to endless shopping.

Luckily, it was Saturday, with Sunday still free. At least he could sleep in a bit… no, wait, he’d already planned his workout schedule. He’d have to get up early after all.

When Yukino came out carrying freshly bathed Mochi, she saw Ichin slumped in a chair looking lifeless.

Puzzled, she glanced at Haruno and Utaha. “What happened to him?”

After Haruno explained the shopping plans, even Yukino showed a faintly tempted expression, which made Ichin’s heart sink further.

One by one, the cats were taken in, bathed, dried, their fur trimmed neatly, nails clipped, even paw fur groomed—each coming out fresh and renewed.

Though it took time, the quality of service was impressive. Their coats looked smooth and silky—completely different from before.

Once all the cats were tucked back into their carriers and the bill was paid, the four of them left the mall and loaded the carriers into Ichin’s car.

Opening the door, Ichin looked at the three women. “Alright, you go shop first. I’ll drop the cats off and come back.”

Haruno waved happily. “All yours then~ Utaha, Yukino, let’s go! Shopping time!”

And with that, she pulled the two along into the mall.

Ichin scratched his head, exhaled with a wry smile, and slid into the car.

---

After being “tortured” most of Saturday, Ichin finally enjoyed a proper rest on Sunday.

Compared to being dragged through endless outfit changes by Utaha, Haruno, and Yukino, collage and work truly felt relaxing.

He didn’t hate shopping per se—just not when he was the one being dressed up, especially with three people picking for him. That was real suffering.

After class, he went to the company with Utaha. She watched him head straight into the Dark Souls programming group, fully absorbed in work.

Aoba noticed and asked Yagami Kou curiously, “Have we run into any development problems lately? Why does Ichin-kun look so urgent?”

Kou, who knew what had happened Saturday, chuckled and shook her head. “Relax. It’s not a work problem. Just a ‘happy kind of trouble.’”

“Huh?”

Aoba tilted her head in confusion and turned to Momiji beside her. “What does that mean?”

Momiji was equally baffled. After thinking hard, she said, “No idea. Maybe he really does have sudden work issues.”

Her mind was simple—aside from drawing and food, she didn’t care for other puzzles.

Utaha, of course, had no intention of explaining. After chatting a bit with Toyama Rin, she went over to the Fall Guys team to check their progress before public testing. She was genuinely interested in the game and definitely planned to play it when testing opened.

As for the Dark Souls team, Ichin had hurried there partly because of a real technical issue.

“The boss is acting up?”

He frowned at the code for Pontiff Sulyvahn on the screen.

“Looks like we’ll have to comb through everything. On the surface it seems fine, but something else must be interfering. Don’t worry, Narumi, leave this to me. You go handle other tasks—we’ve still got plenty.”

Reassuring the troubled Narumi Tsubame, Ichin sat down and began tackling the issue himself.

***

Chapter 436: Fall Guys Announced

This particular problem in the code was something Ichin hadn’t expected at all. When the initial programming was done, he hadn’t personally written it, but he had reviewed Narumi’s progress and hadn’t noticed anything wrong.

After carefully checking everything again and studying it with the test program, he finally pinpointed the cause.

“So it was actually a chain reaction from several small bugs?”

Scratching his head, Ichin confirmed the issue and then explained it to Narumi.

“Alright, Narumi. This isn’t your fault—without multiple test passes, it really would’ve been hard to catch. I’ll fix it now. Once I’m done, take a look at the records of the fix. That way, if something similar happens again, you’ll know how to handle it.”

Hearing that, Narumi finally let out a sigh of relief. If it had really been a mistake from her development process, she would’ve been depressed to no end. Thankfully, it was just one of those unpredictable bugs.

On the side, Nene grinned happily. “Hehe, that’s great news! This boss’s moves look so cool. If something in the design went wrong, we wouldn’t get to see it in action for quite a while.”

“Yeah, good thing it got caught early.”

Narumi nodded, glancing at Ichin before clenching her fists to cheer herself on. “Alright, back to work—time to keep improving myself!”

Once the bug was identified, Ichin spent about twenty minutes fixing it all. After testing, the misaligned boss actions and missing special effects were completely gone.

With that settled, Ichin casually grabbed some unfinished code from the programming group and started working on it himself.

Since he was already sitting there, he figured he might as well spend the rest of the day buried in programming.

He worked straight through until nearly six o’clock. At that point, the door opened and Utaha came over, gently patting his head.

“Ichin, take a break. It’s almost time to clock out.”

Snapping back to his senses, Ichin pulled off his headset, stretched his neck, and said, “Already? Time sure flew by.”

He saved his current work to continue tomorrow, shut down his computer, and stood up. After telling the team to wrap things up, he left with Utaha.

That evening, they ate dinner at Utaha’s parents’ place, so Ichin didn’t have to cook.

Back home afterward, he had been planning to relax with some games, but the moment he entered the bedroom, Utaha pulled him from his chair and pushed him onto the bed.

“Lie down. I’ll give you a back massage.”

Looking at him, she said, “You had class, then sat at the computer all day at the office. You barely moved your body, right? Let me loosen you up a bit. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Moved by her thoughtfulness, Ichin smiled as he lay down. “Alright, I’ll gladly accept your service.”

Utaha climbed onto the bed, sat beside him, and began carefully massaging the muscles in his back.

Within moments, Ichin was so comfortable that his eyes narrowed. Surprised, he asked, “Have you studied this?”

Her hands pressing firmly, Utaha replied, “I watched a few videos and learned a bit. Looks like it’s paying off.”

This was an unexpected surprise—Ichin had no idea when she’d learned it. Regardless, the fact that she wanted to do this touched him deeply.

After ten minutes, he told her to stop—he could feel her strength fading, meaning she must be tired.

Sitting up, he pulled her into his arms, gazing at her slightly flushed face. “Thanks for the effort. Take a break.”

Utaha nodded and nestled against him as they went to the living room to watch TV together.

—

The rest of May passed in this rhythm—Ichin buried in study and work. Aside from the occasional shopping trip with Utaha, most of his free time was spent reading technical books to improve himself.

Though Dark Souls development didn’t feel too difficult for him now, if he was going to continue making games in the long run, he couldn’t afford to stand still. He had to keep growing.

Days passed quickly in this tight schedule, until June arrived.

It was finally time to announce Fall Guys, along with its first public online test.

On June 4th, Ichin teased on his account that a new game would be revealed on June 6th, with the first round of free online testing.

But it was only a teaser—no details about the game’s genre were given.

Still, based on the studio’s track record, expectations were high.

Then came June 6th. Early in the morning, both Steam and Switch released a demo for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.

At the same time, all of the company’s official accounts dropped a reveal videoFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was officially announced.

The video showed colorful bean-like characters tumbling through wacky obstacle courses: dodging oncoming contraptions, jumping across platforms, and racing toward the finish line.

As the footage continued, bigger maps and funnier costumes were revealed, instantly giving players a clear sense of the gameplay.

“Wait—this looks just like those obstacle-course variety shows!”

Indeed, it was—but as a battle royale, with online multiplayer.

It looked hilarious and fun.

And since the test was free, with low system requirements, there was no reason not to try it.

Downloads of the demo on Steam and Switch began climbing rapidly.

That Saturday, Ichin and the Fall Guys dev team were all at the office. Not only them, but even the Dark Souls team came to watch the first day of testing unfold.

As the download numbers and online players steadily rose, Hazuki narrowed her eyes. “Everything stable on the network side?”

The network team member monitoring the backend nodded. “All good. Servers are fine for now, but with how quickly numbers are rising, we’ll probably need to spin up another cluster this afternoon.”

Hearing that, Hazuki looked at Ichin.

He nodded. “No problem. We knew we’d need more than just this initial setup anyway. Right now the numbers aren’t overwhelming, but once the streamers we contacted go live, the player count will rise even further.”

It might’ve been just the first public test, but since it was free, it was bound to attract a wave of players eager to try it.

***

[Genshin Impact] Chapter 593: The Exquisite Dice of Fate (2-in-1 Chapter)

Wangshu Inn.

Xiao had always been the type who rarely showed himself in front of others. In the past, that could at least be explained by his karmic burden—he didn’t want to hurt anyone.

But now, if he still refused to come out… could it simply be because he hadn’t changed his habits? Nolan wondered silently.

He sent a voice transmission with his spiritual energy, and only then did Xiao finally appear.

“What is it?” Xiao’s voice came from behind them, his figure leaning lazily against the inn’s wooden wall.

Nolan already understood that Xiao was someone who preferred solitude, so he didn’t expect him to actually attend the Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue Harbor.

Yet when Yelan explained that the Qixing had invited him to Liyue Harbor for the Lantern Rite, Xiao unexpectedly agreed!

That genuinely surprised Nolan.

“It’s nothing. I just thought, since Moon Carver and the others are going, I ought to go as well.” Xiao shook his head as he spoke.

“Well… if you’re happy, that’s what matters.”

Nolan rubbed his forehead helplessly.

---

At noon, the two of them ate at Wangshu Inn before leaving. As they walked out, Nolan asked Yelan,

“Now we’ve notified everyone who needed to be notified, right?”

“Mhm. Now we just need to return to the Jade Chamber and report to Ningguang,” Yelan nodded. This time, she didn’t need to hold Nolan’s hand for space-shifting.

She too had the ability of “Interstellar Travel” and could teleport directly to Ningguang’s side.

As Yelan’s figure vanished, Nolan quickly followed.

In the blink of an eye, the two reappeared beside Ningguang in the Jade Chamber.

“So? What were the Adepti’s responses?” Ningguang asked, her gaze calm.

Yelan folded her arms and replied lightly, “It went smoothly. For the most part, they’re willing to come to Liyue for a visit.”

“That’s good.”

A smile touched Ningguang’s lips. Inviting the Adepti over wasn’t only for the festival—she also hoped some of them might remain in Liyue Harbor and lend their wisdom and strength to its development.

After all, Adepti far surpassed humans in both intellect and power. If they were willing to take on posts in Liyue Harbor, it would be an immense blessing for Liyue.

But asking them outright to leave their mountains and work in the harbor was never going to be easy. The best way was to let them decide to stay of their own accord.

Which meant Liyue Harbor itself had to become enticing enough to hold them.

So, all she needed was to invite them over again and again. With time, perhaps they would start to feel that the mountains were boring compared to the bustling life of the harbor.

After all, such things couldn’t be forced.

And with paved roads, steam cars, ships, electric lights, and so many other modern wonders, Liyue was more prosperous than ever before. Perhaps this really would capture the Adepti’s interest.

At the very least, Cloud Retainer—who loved tinkering with inventions—would surely be intrigued.

“Well, since the task is complete, I’m clocking out.” Yelan stretched her waist lazily and turned to leave.

“You’ve worked hard. I’ll call on you if anything else comes up.” Ningguang smiled softly, then looked toward Nolan. “This afternoon, go check on Ganyu. Things are quite busy on her side too.”

“Sure, no problem.” Nolan had been thinking of doing that anyway.

After leaving Ningguang’s office, walking down the corridor, Nolan glanced at Yelan with a playful smile.

“Well then, isn’t it about time you fulfilled the reward you promised me?”

“Heh, impatient, aren’t you? Fine, come with me.” Yelan led him into an empty room inside the Jade Chamber.

There was a bookshelf and a table at the back—it seemed this was a small retreat where Ningguang came to read and rest when not handling affairs.

“No one comes here. Stand still.”

Closing the door, Yelan pushed Nolan back against the wall, moistened her lips, and pressed them firmly against his.

Feeling the soft touch, Nolan wrapped his arms around her waist, caressing gently as his other hand naturally moved into place.

“Mmph…!”

Yelan wasn’t quite used to it; her hands instinctively clutched his shoulders.

At first, she was forced into retreat by Nolan’s practiced skill. But it wasn’t anything too profound—after ten minutes or so, she picked up on his rhythm and habits.

Catching him off guard, she suddenly seized the initiative.

Nolan didn’t mind; whether she or he took the lead, it was still a kiss.

Perhaps the novelty of the experience excited her, because once she took control, Yelan quickly became immersed, losing herself in the moment.

Another ten-plus minutes passed, and her passion still hadn’t waned in the slightest.

Then, out of nowhere, a system panel appeared before Nolan:

【Yelan Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.10 (Max).】

Oh… Yelan’s affection had maxed out! Nolan’s heart stirred with delight.

【Through sincerity and persistence, you have forged a bond with one whose destiny was never meant to intersect with yours. From this day on, her star of fate will shine together with yours. Ability unlocked: Exquisite Dice of Fate.】

Another notification quickly followed.

It was the prompt for unlocking a Affection Skill. Judging from the name, could it be some kind of dice-related ability?

While Yelan continued to kiss him, Nolan curiously opened the description of his new skill:

【Exquisite Dice of Fate: When activating the skill, summon a six-sided die. Roll once per day. The die face determines the effect, which lasts for “the sum of both partners’ levels” in minutes.

Effects:

- Roll 1: Roll twice more.

- Roll 2: All ability effects are enhanced.

- Roll 3: Misfortune befalls you.

- Roll 4: Nothing is Forbidden; all restrictions lifted.

- Roll 5: The next die effect’s duration extends to one full day.

- Roll 6: Blessed by fortune.

When rolling additional dice, the number rolled multiplies the effect’s potency accordingly.】

As expected, it was indeed dice-related… Nolan studied the details carefully.

In simple terms: roll once each day, and you get a random effect from the six.

The first effect was easy to grasp—rolling a one gave him two more rolls. Rolling a two meant all of his abilities would be enhanced.

That second effect was extremely powerful. If he rolled a two for the enhancement buff, and then rolled again and got a two…

That would mean every one of his abilities—titles, talents, affection skills, sword techniques—all of them could be amplified manifold!

Utterly absurd!

The only pity was that the effect lasted only for as many minutes as his level plus Yelan’s, and couldn’t be permanent.

Otherwise, it would be even more broken!

As for rolling a three—“Misfortune befalls”—that clearly didn’t mean he himself would be cursed with bad luck. Rather, it granted him the power to control misfortune, letting him decide who would stumble into misfortune.

How effective that might be, he wasn’t yet sure, since he hadn’t tested it.

The effect of rolling a four—“Nothing Forbidden”—meant he could ignore restrictions like seals, curses, or other prohibitive rules.

Compared to the Adepti’s “Forbidden-No-More Talismans,” this was likely even stronger.

The effects of five and six were easy enough to understand. All in all, the ability he gained from Yelan’s maxed-out affection was extremely good—short duration aside.

Nolan was more than satisfied.

Looking at Yelan still kissing him so fervently, a mischievous thought stirred in his heart.

His hand, which had been caressing her smooth white back, slowly slid downward, brushing over her hips and thighs.

When she didn’t react, he began to push his luck further.

A silent space rift opened up behind Yelan, sliding closer under Nolan’s control.

Eyes closed, Yelan remained oblivious.

In an instant, the rift swallowed them both. Yelan, still kissing Nolan, suddenly felt her back press into something soft—something heavy weighing down on her body.

She broke off the kiss and opened her eyes, startled to find herself lying on a bed in a strange room.

And Nolan was on top of her.

“This is—mmph!” Yelan tried to speak, but he sealed her lips again.

She felt a hand sliding across her back, tugging deftly at the zipper of her outfit.

The movement was frighteningly smooth.

By the time she thought to stop him, it was already too late. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of two translucent threads reaching out of the air, coiling around her leather thigh-high boots and slowly tugging them downward.

Anxious, Yelan pressed against his shoulders to push him away—but his body bore down on her like an immovable weight.

Her boots slid free, revealing two long, pale thighs.

No shorts beneath—just more bare, fair skin.

The transparent threads wrapped around her ankles, bending her legs upward and gently spreading them apart.

At the same time, she felt a finger hook into the open collar of her chest-baring outfit and yank it downward.

The garment fell away in an instant.

Half an hour later, Yelan lay on the bed, dragging the blanket over herself to cover her body. Her face, flushed with both anger and shame, glared at the man beside her.

“You bastard! That ‘reward’ I mentioned didn’t include this!”

Nolan slipped his arms beneath the blanket, hugging her waist and stroking her soft belly as he replied with mock grievance:

“But you were kissing me so deeply… I kept taking one step further, and you never said anything. I thought you’d accepted it, so I went ahead.”

“That’s only because of you!” Yelan turned her face away, curling to show him her back. She didn’t want to look at this man anymore.

Blocking her mouth so she couldn’t speak—clearly, he’d planned it from the start.

Still annoyed, she pulled the blanket tighter, but he pressed against her back, sliding his hand under her knee to lift her pale thigh ever so slightly.

—

Around two in the afternoon.

Sweat matted her hair, and an exhausted Yelan, faced with Nolan’s endless energy, finally bit her lip and surrendered, reluctantly forgiving his shamelessness.

Yet afterward, strangely, she felt her strength had increased.

Hmph. Bastard. One day she would turn the tables—make him beg her for mercy instead.

Today’s defeat would be repaid in full!

“Ahem. Come on, you’re drenched in sweat. I’ll take you to the bathhouse—clean up and relax a little.”

Nolan scooped the limp Yelan into his arms and carried her toward the second-floor hot spring bath.

“You felt it, didn’t you? The strength flowing through you—that’s the effect of cultivation. From now on, you should stay here. That way we can train together more often.”

He spoke lightly as they walked.

Even though this fairyland space was full of girls, walking through it in broad daylight like this still made Yelan’s cheeks burn hotter and hotter.

Finally, in embarrassment and frustration, she bit down on his neck!

After their bath, he helped prepare a room for her. Since he hadn’t been able to restrain himself during the soak and “cultivated” with her again, she was still weary, so she had no choice but to rest in the fairyland chamber.

Nolan, however, remembered his promise to Ningguang—to go to Yuehai Pavilion and see if he could assist Ganyu.

With the Lantern Rite approaching, there was sure to be plenty of extra work.

But with Shenhe there to help, things shouldn’t be overwhelming.

Glancing at the time—it was already near three o’clock—he knew that if he lingered with Yelan any longer, it would be evening, and he would miss the chance to build affection with Ganyu.

Since Yelan needed to rest anyway, Nolan used “Interstellar Travel” to teleport straight to Shenhe’s side in Yuehai Pavilion.

Yet instead of appearing in Ganyu’s office, he found himself outside.

In a pavilion.

At the stone table beneath it sat Shenhe, Ganyu with her pale blue hair and crimson-black qilin horns, and one more figure—someone Nolan had never seen before.

She wore her hair in a high ponytail, the black strands tinged with teal on the inside, reminiscent of the Anemo element’s mark.

A pair of half-framed red glasses rested on her fair face, lending her a refined, scholarly air.

Over her shoulders draped cyan pauldrons with long trailing cloth. Her black dress was traced with golden patterns, its sheer fabric tight against her chest, revealing faintly beneath black lace.

Below the fluttering skirt stretched two long legs clad in sheer black stockings, feet slipped into heels of gold and black.

She sat quietly with Ganyu and Shenhe at the stone table, radiating an inexplicable familiarity.

Yet Nolan was certain he had never seen this woman before—his memory held no trace of her.

There was no such thing as familiarity without cause.

Even if he hadn’t met her directly, surely he had met someone with a similar aura. The familiarity was too strong—it had to come from somewhere.

But he couldn’t recall. Was it simply the drastic contrast confusing him?

Just as he tried to attune himself to her aura to discern the truth, the woman pushed her glasses up, frowned, and fixed him with a sharp look.

“Why do you stare at this adeptus so intently?”

(End of Chapter)