Stepping out of the Alchemy Commission, Sylvia and Acheron boarded a starskiff arranged for them by the Cloud Knights and set off toward their residence.
The starskiff was on autopilot, leaving only the two of them inside.
In her seat, Sylvia leaned against Acheron, her lips slightly pale.
She no longer seemed as spirited and energetic as before.
Overexerting her strength always left her feeling hollow and weary afterward.
A little later, muscle aches would set in, maybe even some injuries.
Still, compared to the alternatives, Sylvia felt this price was bearable.
And with the Abundance's power now woven into her, what should have been a body requiring rest and recovery had been casually mended by that same nourishing force.
Acheron, aware of Sylvia's discomfort, shifted slightly, letting Sylvia rest more comfortably against her chest.
Buried in that warm embrace, Sylvia was enveloped by Acheron's scent.
It was deeply reassuring.
"Mei, do you think agreeing to Jing Yuan's request will lead to any… complications?"
Amid the quiet atmosphere, Sylvia suddenly brought up her earlier conversation with Jing Yuan.
Acheron glanced down at Sylvia's white hair, her tone confident and relaxed.
"With your current strength, why worry about so-called 'complications'?"
Never mind Sylvia's rapid rate of growth—by the time the Xianzhou Alliance actually sent anyone to investigate, Sylvia would likely be strong enough to face an Emanator directly.
Plus, Acheron was here too.
Even if taking the severed Ambrosial Arbor would invite criticism, as long as the Xianzhou Alliance hadn't completely lost its mind, they'd surely seek talks with Sylvia first.
The Hunt's path emphasized retribution, true, but it wasn't a path that sought conflict without cause.
And there was another crucial point.
Phantylia was now in Sylvia's hands.
Jing Yuan knew this, and he also knew Phantylia wasn't dead. That alone guaranteed he had no reason to oppose Sylvia.
That was Sylvia's visible strength.
On top of that, among the factions friendly with Sylvia, the Stellaron Hunters had close ties.
She also enjoyed good relations with the Astral Express, whose crew were known for their kind-heartedness—seeking their help wouldn't be difficult.
Things were more distant with Herta's faction, but Acheron knew Herta's interest in Sylvia remained keen.
If Sylvia ever needed to borrow a tiger's prestige, she could manage it.
She didn't know many people.
But each one, or each organization, held significant influence.
"Regarding the Xianzhou, caution is necessary, but excessive wariness isn't. At the very least, the Alliance as a whole operates on reason."
They hunted the Abundance, yes, but Xianzhou also accepted followers of the Abundance path.
The Xianzhou Alliance might have its flaws, but it wasn't steeped in underhanded schemes.
Well, of course, that didn't mean there were none at all.
Just then—
Sylvia's phone chimed.
Pulling it out, she saw a message from someone with a default avatar:
--+--
[???: Darling, I went to all the trouble of setting up fireworks just for you, and you didn't even say thank you!]
[???: Is it just because I didn't give you my contact info?!]
[???: Boo-hoo~ After you treated me so harshly, too~]
--+--
Acheron peered curiously at the unfamiliar messages.
"Who is this?"
"…If I had to guess, probably a Masked Fool who's asking for a spanking."
Sylvia's tone was odd.
She hadn't expected Sparkle to chase her all the way to the Xianzhou.
But while the Fool had certainly found her fun with those bombs, the result had disrupted Phantylia's plans.
Then again, Sylvia suspected the outcome wouldn't have been much different, bomb or no bomb.
It felt more like Sparkle was just making a point—reminding Sylvia she existed.
"A Masked Fool? When did you cross paths with them?"
"On Penacony. I ran into one named Sparkle. She tried latching onto me, so I taught her a lesson. I thought she'd learned her manners…"
As she spoke, Sylvia pursed her lips, her expression complicated.
Acheron frowned slightly, equal parts exasperated and resigned at Sylvia's carelessness.
"Masked Fools will do anything for amusement. A simple lesson isn't enough."
"I know, I'll remember that."
Sylvia couldn't quite figure Sparkle out and really didn't want to deal with Masked Fools.
But clearly, Sparkle had her sights set on her.
As Sylvia pondered, Acheron suddenly asked: "Speaking of which, what exactly did you do to that Sparkle?"
"Uh…"
Sylvia scratched her cheek, her eyes darting before she stammered: "Well… since you can't really die in Penacony's dreams… I gave her a full, thorough… massage session…"
"…"
After Sylvia finished speaking, Acheron's body noticeably stiffened for a moment.
Acheron had experienced Sylvia's "massages" more times than anyone—she knew exactly how effective those hands were.
This girl…
Acheron narrowed her eyes, looking down at the back of Sylvia's head.
She dearly wanted to teach her a proper lesson.
But considering they were still on the starskiff, Acheron mentally noted this down for later and let the topic drop.
"So, how are you going to reply to her?"
"…Huh? Oh, I'll just respond casually."
Hearing Acheron's tone return to normal, Sylvia didn't overthink it and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
--+--
[Sylvia: Be normal. You're a Masked Fool, not a lovesick clown.]
[???: Ah, poor little Sparkle, tricked out of her body and her heart.]
[???: But I'll still be waiting for you back on Penacony~]
[???: [Sparkle giggling]]
[This account has been deactivated.]
--+--
After this baffling, chaotic outburst, Sparkle promptly deleted her account and vanished.
Sylvia was left utterly bewildered.
She could only chalk it up to Sparkle having an exceptionally boring day.
Even her harassment messages were this… abstract.
Acheron, however, grew more serious.
Sylvia had caught the attention of yet another troublesome woman…
First the Stellaron Hunters, though that was more transactional. Then came Xianzhou and the Astral Express's songstress.
And now a Masked Fool.
Of them all, in Acheron's view, Masked Fools were the most troublesome.
If they found something amusing, there was nothing they wouldn't do.
Better to reach Penacony soon.
Otherwise, Sylvia might unwittingly attract who-knows-what-kind of woman next.
Take today's Masked Fool—who knew what schemes were brewing in that mind?
Sylvia might not even realize she was being sold out until she was helping count the money.
She needed to keep a closer eye on her, right under her own watch.
Acheron quietly made this decision.
But…
Her gaze toward Sylvia grew a shade more stern.
Sylvia, nestled against her chest, shivered instinctively.
"Ugh… a bad feeling. I can't shake the sense that Sparkle's plotting something against me."
Head still bowed, Sylvia didn't notice Acheron's gaze, simply assuming Sparkle was looking for her next dose of fun.
--+--
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.