Alright, let's be real here.
Back when she first arrived on the Luofu and got the keys to this place from Yukong—a house she could use however she wanted, free of charge aside from the ownership itself—something in Sylvia's DNA just seemed to kick in.
She was going to be living with Acheron!
Carried away by that thought, Sylvia went a little overboard and bought a whole bunch of… questionable outfits.
Of course, when it came down to it, hardly any of them ever saw actual use.
Truth be told, Sylvia didn't quite have the nerve to ask Acheron to wear any of them.
Instead, she'd secretly treated herself to some… self-care sessions, ripped open a few packages, and pranced in front of the mirror admiring herself for way too long.
Her phone's encrypted gallery was stuffed with a ridiculous number of those selfies.
Acheron never saw any of that, but she could certainly hear the occasional rustling and fussing.
Back then, Acheron didn't think much of it. She just figured Sylvia was healthy, both in body and mind, and still full of… spirited energy.
Now, though… Acheron's perspective had shifted, if only a little. Not by much, really.
Just a touch more… playful.
Rummaging through the corner of the wardrobe, Acheron had no idea what exactly Sylvia had bought. She just grabbed a couple of unopened packages at random, planning to change Sylvia into them.
She tore open the packaging, pulled out the garments inside, and then held them against Sylvia's skin, tracing the lines of her figure.
Almost as if picturing how Sylvia would look once she put them on.
Not that Acheron cared all that much, or was particularly eager to see it, really.
She just knew that Sylvia cared a great deal, and had a much stronger sense of shame about these things.
This was, in a way, a little form of 'payback'.
So without a shred of guilt holding her back, Acheron hooked her fingers into the fabric clinging to Sylvia's body and began tugging it downward.
--+--
In the game—
Sylvia, who had just teleported to the dungeon entrance, suddenly felt that something was off.
A peculiar, slightly chilly sensation around her lower half.
And another, even subtler feeling—a premonition she couldn't quite classify as good or bad.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Firefly's face suddenly moved closer, blinking with concern as she studied Sylvia, as if her abrupt shift in expression was due to some physical discomfort.
"No, the monitoring system isn't alerting anything. It's not a physical issue…"
Sylvia scratched her head. Her instincts weren't warning her of danger either?
Based on the reflexes Acheron had drilled into her, she should've sensed it immediately if anyone unfamiliar got close.
But this feeling… like something was off, yet she couldn't pinpoint what, and no sense of danger whatsoever.
It left Sylvia utterly baffled.
'It can't be an illusion, can it?'
She had a decent grasp of her own mental resistance. The moment the thought crossed her mind, Sylvia immediately activated the [Truth-Seeking Sigil] in her eyes.
But as the sigil flickered, the scene before her remained unchanged. Her perception showed no signs of abnormality.
Everything was exactly as it should be.
Meaning, what she saw and felt was real.
No inexplicable illusion had been cast upon her.
"Something just feels… weird. Like something's happening. It doesn't seem like a bad thing, but it's not exactly good either. It's just strange."
Sylvia ruffled her hair, trying to put the feeling into words.
This vague description left not only Firefly confused, but also Silver Wolf, who had drifted closer. Unimpressed, Silver Wolf went straight for the jab:
"Weren't you always boasting about your sharp intuition? What happened to that now?"
"Having sharp intuition doesn't make me a clairvoyant! And combat intuition is a whole different thing!"
Meanwhile, Firefly pondered seriously before saying:
"If your feeling says it's not a bad thing… then it probably isn't urgent. But it might still be best to go check. Maybe we should call it a day here."
Hearing Firefly's concern, Sylvia pressed her lips together in thought for a moment before replying:
"No, I'll just log out for a quick look. It probably won't be anything serious. I'll be right back."
Seeing this, Silver Wolf didn't object, merely snorting lightly.
"Hurry back. We're still waiting for you to start the dungeon."
But Firefly wore a face full of concern.
"After you log out, check the entire house first, and then…"
Compared to Silver Wolf, Firefly proceeded to clearly and concisely explain several basic reconnaissance techniques.
She especially emphasized a few key areas that needed careful inspection.
Sylvia didn't find it annoying at all. Letting Firefly hold her hand, she listened very attentively.
"…And also."
Suddenly, Firefly paused, her cheeks flushing slightly as she raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Am I… being too naggy?"
"Not at all. Your instructions are very clear, Firefly."
"W-well, anyway! If you feel like anything is wrong, please contact me and Silver Wolf immediately. We'll come help you."
Firefly seemed like she had more to say, but she cut her own speech short, still offering one last reminder.
Nearby, Silver Wolf curled her lip, a thoroughly unimpressed look on her face.
Since when was Sylvia some weakling? This woman cut down Fragmentum monsters and Antimatter Legion like they were nothing. Was there any need for such worry?
"Alright, hurry up and deal with it. What could possibly happen on the Luofu?"
Sylvia was no stranger to Silver Wolf's grumpiness over a gaming session being interrupted.
"Okay, okay, I'll be right back."
With that, Sylvia finally selected 'Log Out'.
And the moment her immersion in the game world ended—
As her body's sharp senses returned, Sylvia's eyes snapped open!
Then, from her position lying face down on the bed, she met Acheron's calm, unblinking gaze.
"You're awake?"
The same flat tone as always, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
As if the fact that she was currently holding Sylvia's calf, hoisting one of her legs high into the air, was completely normal!
"…?"
Sylvia's brain short-circuited. She stared blankly into Acheron's eyes, utterly failing to comprehend the current situation…
Her instincts triggered the [Truth-Seeking Sigil], but she found everything before her completely unchanged, no illusion at all.
Right now, Sylvia's upper body was lying sideways on the bed. One of her legs was pinned under Acheron's weight, while the other was gripped by the calf, bent and propped up high.
Her small foot was practically inches from Acheron's face.
Not only that, she had somehow been changed into a nightgown and a pair of semi-sheer black stockings.
Her original, more intimate garments were gone, leaving her… exposed underneath.
She was practically putting on a full show for Acheron right there.
On the leg Acheron was holding up, a rather sparse undergarment was being pulled by Acheron onto her foot.
It was from this position, looking down, that Acheron greeted a Sylvia who was already halfway to being undressed.
"…"
Sylvia's mind went completely blank.
So much so that she didn't even have time to process the strange outfit or this bizarre pose.
Seeing no reaction from Sylvia, Acheron took it as silent consent.
She promptly proceeded to pull the undergarment all the way up for her.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.