"Why… isn't it done yet?"
A hint of confusion surfaced on the Elf Queen's face. Maintaining the same spell for such a long time had left her wrist faintly sore.
"Maybe… we're still very far from it?"
Kurose Akira clenched his teeth tightly. He wasn't deliberately stalling—he just desperately hoped this moment could last forever.
"You really are a greedy child~"
The Elf Queen's lips curved slightly upward into a smile. At the same time, a brilliant emerald-green light flickered at her fingertips. A subtle, delicate energy quietly surged forth, seamlessly merging into that sacred radiance…
"Hm?"
"!"
(What follows is an extensive Elf Queen magic-guidance sequence. Approximately ten thousand words have been omitted…)
…
In Sunset City, Roxia sat alone in the study, her complexion pale and her expression taut with anxiety.
"Roxia, don't worry too much," Natasha said softly as she entered the room, trying to comfort her. "The Royal Capital will definitely send troops to suppress that Demon Lair. The adventurers are also preparing for the assault. Everything will get better."
"Aunt Natasha… this time feels different," Roxia said, gently shaking her head, her tone tinged with helplessness. "Earlier this evening, a demon escaped from the Demon Lair. In less than half an hour, it drained the blood of nearly a hundred soldiers. If the new city lord hadn't intervened, we Law Enforcement Knights would have been completely powerless against it."
As she spoke, a flash of shame passed through Roxia's eyes. As an oathbound knight, she had failed to protect Sunset City…
"Perhaps we could ask Mr. Kurose Akira for help," Natasha suggested. "He might have a way to deal with this."
Whenever Natasha found herself in danger, Kurose Akira was always the first person to come to mind. In other words, no matter when or where, she simply couldn't stop thinking about him.
"..."
Roxia didn't respond to Natasha's suggestion right away. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the window. Her azure-blue eyes fixed on the bright, flawless moon outside as she fell into deep thought.
…
As dawn slowly lifted the veil of dreams, Kurose Akira gradually awoke.
Yet the scenes from his dream—especially the sight of the peerlessly beautiful Elf Queen, flustered and soaked in Holy Light—refused to fade from his mind. The image was so breathtaking it made his chest tighten. If dreams had a recording function, he would have preserved it without hesitation!
Unfortunately, they didn't.
Especially the scene where the Elf Queen curiously tested the Holy Light with the tip of her tongue…
Pulling his thoughts together, Akira checked the time. It was already seven in the morning. He stepped into the bathroom, enjoyed a comfortable shower, then headed toward Liu Ling's noodle shop.
When he arrived, he noticed that the old sign—"I Want to See You"—had already been taken down. The shop itself was empty, and a delivery truck was parked quietly outside.
The sight immediately stirred unease in Akira's chest. He frowned slightly, confused and worried about what might have happened.
"Kurose Akira, you're here."
Liu Xue's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
She was busy packing up items from the shop, holding a cardboard box filled with various belongings.
"What's going on?" Akira asked as he walked over to her.
"When my sister comes back, she'll explain," Liu Xue replied, her expression somewhat grave.
A sense of unease rose within Akira. This noodle shop was where he had worked for nearly a year—he had deep feelings for this place. Such a sudden change was naturally unsettling.
"Um… Kurose Akira, could you help me for a moment?" Liu Xue gestured toward several boxes in the corner. "These are really heavy. I can't move them by myself."
"Sure."
Akira agreed and helped carry the boxes from the corner onto the truck. Not long after, Liu Ling returned, carrying a few items. When she saw Akira, a warm smile bloomed across her tired face.
"Akira, you're here~"
"Did something happen to the shop?" Akira asked, looking at her.
"Sit down first," Liu Ling said, motioning for him to take a seat. Then, with a serious expression, she continued, "Because of certain reasons, I've decided to move the shop."
"Move it?"
Her words made Akira frown slightly. He clearly remembered that Liu Ling's business had been booming—daily net profits exceeded a thousand, and on weekends they sometimes doubled. Why move all of a sudden?
After all, her noodles tasted far better than any other noodle shop around!
"It's because of a bunch of jealous people," Liu Xue complained. "They act friendly on the surface but stab us in the back. Not only did they stop us from getting a five-star rating, they also saddled us with all kinds of ridiculous bills. Even though our shop hasn't violated any rules, we can't keep taking this kind of harassment—and we still haven't figured out who's been sabotaging us behind the scenes!"
"That's basically the situation," Liu Ling said with a bitter smile. "We don't have any backing, so we can only give in. But honestly, I've been planning to move for a while now. I'm thinking of relocating near Liu Xue's university. What do you think?"
"Liu Xue's university?" Akira turned his gaze toward her, curiosity surfacing on his face.
Liu Xue nodded and explained, "I received an early admission offer from Zhehai University a few days ago. It seems to be because I won an award in a provincial-level competition before… I didn't want to leave the province anyway, so I decided to go there."
"..."
Akira paused for a moment. Zhehai University was one of the top three institutions in the country. With his current grades, he was still just a bit short of that mark. But for Liu Xue—who had consistently ranked in the top five of her school—it was practically a sure thing.
That realization quietly steeled his resolve.
I need to work harder.
After that, Akira chatted with the sisters for a long while—about work, about life, about the future… Finally, after enjoying a bowl of seafood noodles personally prepared by Liu Ling, he left the shop.
"Liu Xue is going to Zhehai University, huh…"
He mulled it over as he walked.
In truth, he himself had always considered applying to Zhehai University. Not only was it within the province, it was also the most prestigious school there.
And besides… if he could stay closer to Liu Ling and Liu Xue, maybe they could look out for each other more easily…
After returning home, Akira logged into the game.
The moment he stepped into the guild hall, he spotted Loserine, fully absorbed in carefully wiping down her oathbound sword.
"You're here."
She glanced at Akira and asked calmly, "What are today's plans? If I recall correctly, we're heading to a high-risk Demon Lair, yes?"
"Yes."
Akira nodded slightly, his tone serious. "This Demon Lair's location is… rather special."
"Special?"
"It's located in Duskgloom Forest—directly adjacent to Sunset City."
"…Roxia."
The moment Loserine heard the name Sunset City, her thoughts immediately turned to her niece. As her aunt, she cared deeply for Roxia, and that concern made this mission feel all the more pressing.
"Don't worry," Akira said quickly when he noticed her reaction. "As long as we take down that Demon Lair first, Sunset City won't be in any danger."