After seeing off the last two, Valerius finally let out a long breath.
This round had gone on far longer than expected—so long that even he was starting to feel worn out.
He gave the room one last glance, then chose to return.
Back in Belobog, Valerius noticed immediately that the bed was neat and tidy. Someone had clearly cleaned it.
"What a pity… missed my chance."
He'd actually been tempted to hide in the wardrobe and scare someone.
Pushing the thought aside, he opened the door and stepped outside.
After staying in that enclosed space for so long, he had absolutely no desire to remain indoors.
The moment he stepped out, something felt off.
The sky was an impossibly clear blue, and there were no snowflakes drifting down anymore.
Even more striking—there were far more people on the streets than before. Many were pointing up at the sky, speaking excitedly.
Standing there in light clothing, Valerius looked distinctly out of place.
A Silvermane Guard glanced him up and down, then walked over.
"Sir, the ice and snow may begin melting soon. Temperatures could drop sharply—please make sure to keep yourself warm."
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind."
Valerius understood immediately—this was definitely Gepard's doing.
"He really doesn't like to waste time."
With a quiet chuckle, Valerius turned toward Qlipoth Fort, planning to see what Bronya was up to.
"Heeheeheehee."
A strange laugh suddenly drifted into his ears.
It sounded distant, then close. Sometimes cheerful and carefree—other times sharp and sinister, like a plot coming to fruition.
Valerius stopped in his tracks.
His gaze swept across the surroundings before he turned toward a narrow alley.
"Come out."
He walked into the alley and came to a halt.
"Heeheehee… hahahaha."
No one appeared.
Yet the laughter continued to echo all around him.
"…Sigh."
"System," Valerius muttered inwardly, "protect Jarilo-VI later."
He already knew what he was dealing with.
While he himself wasn't afraid—and a fight was unlikely—if things really escalated…
Jarilo-VI would be erased in an instant.
[Understood, Host.]
"…You can actually do that?"
Valerius was genuinely surprised. He'd only said it half-seriously, yet the system agreed without hesitation.
It seemed his system was far more cooperative than he'd realized—almost never going against his wishes.
"System, aren't you a little too easygoing?"
[I exist to serve the Host. All decisions prioritize the Host above all else.]
"I see. That's… reassuring."
Straightforward. Honest.
Valerius found it surprisingly agreeable.
"Alright. If you don't show yourself soon, I'm leaving."
"Heeheeheehee—"
At last, a figure slowly materialized before him.
It was humanoid in shape, yet its body was crammed full of bizarre items—playing cards, masks, bells, all tangled together in chaotic harmony.
"So it really is you."
Even though he'd been mentally prepared, Valerius still found it strange to see this being up close.
"Wooo~ I wanted to give you a surprise," the figure lamented dramatically.
"But it failed. Poor Aha. Aha failed~ Heeheehee."
Valerius frowned slightly.
This one was… unhinged.
He couldn't tell what the other party wanted at all, so he immediately raised his guard.
Letting a trickster like this lead the conversation was the fastest way to disaster.
"So," Valerius said calmly, "why is an Aeon coming to see a nobody like me?"
"A nobody~~~~ hahahaha!"
As if he'd heard the funniest joke imaginable, Aha burst into manic laughter again—this time without restraint.
The sound echoed across half the galaxy.
Herta Space Station
Herta looked out the window, listening to the laughter, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"That's Aha—the Aeon of Elation."
The Xianzhou Luofu
Fu Xuan hurried toward the Divination Commission.
"The Foolish One has appeared again… what is it this time?"
She had a bad feeling.
The Astral Express crew had already arrived at the Luofu—reportedly after Kafka's persuasion. Ever since then, her unease hadn't faded.
"What on earth is going on…"
She felt irritated.
If something was happening, why couldn't it just be announced openly in the livestream? Why all this mystery?
"Enough, enough," Valerius said quickly.
"What do you want? If you don't say it, I'm leaving."
He really couldn't stand the laughter anymore.
Among all the Aeons, if there was one Valerius least wanted to deal with, it was Aha—no contest.
Other Aeons, at least, had discernible motives.
Aha?
Utterly unreadable.
Stopped by Valerius, Aha didn't get angry.
"I want to join the game arena."
"…You even know about the game arena?"
Valerius was genuinely shocked.
By all logic, anyone who wasn't a participant shouldn't even be aware of its existence.
"Where did you hear about it?"
"Heeheehee—lots of people are talking about it now~"
Valerius understood immediately.
Players must have leaked it during private discussions.
"And you're an Aeon," Valerius said flatly.
"You really think it's appropriate to go bully ordinary people?"
"Aha wants to play~"
"Don't act cute."
Valerius felt a headache coming on.
Just how many modes did this thing even have? In the short time since appearing, it had already cycled through madness, theatrics, and now cutesy behavior.
"No."
He refused outright.
Letting Aha join was completely out of the question.
If this Aeon entered the arena, it wouldn't just be chaos—it'd be utter catastrophe.
Other players might cause trouble, sure—but they wouldn't aim it at him.
Aha?
That was another story entirely.
Who knew when this lunatic might decide to play him instead.
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