「Radiant City, 233 White Rose Avenue. Early morning.」
Lloyd lingered in his small bed, a delicate invitation in hand. He fiddled with it nonstop, a look of smug ambition on his face.
The invitation felt nice to the touch, with a matte finish. Gilt patterns on its surface formed an intricate design: a Straight Blade and a Matchlock Gun crossed amidst flames.
It was a summons from the Holy Judgment Court, one of the Three Great Judgment Courts under the Radiant Sect.
'Twenty years since I crossed over into this Otherworld. I wouldn't say I'm completely useless, but I've certainly accomplished nothing. For a progressive, highly-educated young man, it's truly shameful...'
'But that's all in the past! Starting today, everything's going to be different!'
As Lloyd was muttering to himself, he suddenly heard a sweet, soft voice from outside his door:
"Yi~ Time to get up! Breakfast is your favorite beef noodle soup."
"Coming!"
Lloyd quickly answered, scrambling out of bed to get ready. When he walked out of his room, he was greeted by the sight of a petite, adorable young woman bustling about in the kitchen.
Her frame was exceptionally petite; she was barely taller than the stovetop. Her features were fittingly childish and cute, yet she had her long white hair wrapped in a silk scarf, leaving only a single Dazed Hair sticking straight up on her forehead. It gave her an air of domesticity that was completely at odds with her appearance, as if she were pretending to be mature—a unique kind of cute.
To make breakfast, she had to stand on a small stool and still strain on her bare tiptoes just to ladle two bowls of noodles from the pot. The effort made her look both incredibly hardworking and pitiably endearing.
Bright sunlight burst in through the window, making her figure even more radiant. Her delicate feet, perched high on tiptoe, looked like two shimmering white fish—and far more appetizing than the breakfast itself.
This was Lloyd's older sister and his only family in this world: Evelor.
Lloyd hurried over to lend his sister a hand, carrying out two bowls of fragrant beef noodle soup.
"Wow! It smells amazing. Your cooking is getting better and better, Sis!"
"Hee hee~ I'm your omnipotent big sister. How could a little thing like this ever stop me?"
Beef noodle soup wasn't a recipe from this world; it was a taste of Earth. Simply because Lloyd had a craving for it, Evelor had gone through dozens of failed attempts before finally recreating the familiar taste from his memories.
Lloyd poured two glasses of milk, turning back to see Evelor clambering onto a high-backed chair. She sat down primly, her feet—now clad in cartoon animal slippers—dangling high above the floor.
Then, she untied the silk scarf, letting her smooth white hair cascade down like a waterfall. She reached up and tucked a few strands behind her pointed ears.
"Sis, maybe… we should get a shorter set of furniture?"
Lloyd couldn't remember how many times he had made this suggestion.
But, just like every time before, Evelor shook her head firmly.
"No way! You're so tall, you wouldn't be able to eat comfortably if you had to sit so low… Besides, you're about to start your career. There will be a lot of expenses, so we have to save up."
Lloyd could only give a resigned smile and sit down beside his sister.
'She's been like this ever since we were kids, always putting her little brother first.'
After a couple of mouthfuls of noodles, Evelor's large, emerald-green eyes crinkled in delight, and her feet began to swing happily under the table. She was clearly pleased with her culinary progress.
But then she glanced at the chopsticks her brother wielded as if they were extensions of his own fingers, then at the awkward fork in her own hand. Finally, she stared at her dainty little hands, puffed out her cheeks, and changed the subject.
"Oh, right. Yi, you're heading over to the Holy Judgment Court today, aren't you?"
"Yeah, today's the deadline."
"Sigh… Even though I support your decision and trust your judgment, I still feel like you'd be better suited as a doctor or a lawyer, Yi. Or maybe somewhere like a stock brokerage?"
"But my college degree is in civil engineering…"
Lloyd didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He explained,
"Joining the Holy Judgment Court is great. Not only will no one dare to bully us, but we'll also get into amusement parks and ride the trams for free."
"I know, but it's a military organization. You'll have to face those man-eating Demons, and that's terrifying! I'm just so scared you'll be in danger…"
"It'll be fine, Sis. Don't be scared, nothing will happen. After all, I promised I'd take care of you for the rest of your life… Once I get promoted to the upper echelons of the Sect, you won't have to work so hard anymore. You can just tend to flowers, raise little animals, and do whatever you want."
"Hee hee, I'm looking forward to that day! I know my little Yi will make something of himself! You'll definitely rise through the ranks of the Sect and become a powerful figure. Then you'll marry a beautiful, kind girl and have a cute 'little Yi,' and then I'll…"
"Ahem, Sis, let's focus on the present for now…"
Lloyd cut in, a little embarrassed.
'If I don't stop her,' Lloyd thought, 'in a few seconds she'll be asking where we should hold my future grandson's wedding…'
And so they chatted on, filled with bright hopes for the future, and finished their cozy breakfast.
Lloyd took it upon himself to wash the dishes while Evelor went back to her room. Apparently forgetting to close the door, she immediately started to change.
She placed one foot on the bed and slowly pulled up a fine white silk stocking. The milky, smooth white gradually consumed the delicate, pinkish tone of her skin, the two blending together with the sweet appeal of a vanilla ice cream bar.
Next, she put on a blouse, an outer jacket, and a long skirt, a style of dress that seemed too mature for her youthful appearance. Below the hem of her skirt, only her rounded calves, tightly encased in the white stockings, were visible, looking as delectable as cream-filled popsicles.
Once dressed, Evelor sat at her vanity and watched Lloyd hurry over, still drying his hands as he walked.
Lloyd then picked up a comb shaped like a cartoon animal and began to style his sister's long white hair into two playful pigtails, tying each with a purple satin ribbon to form a bow.
This was their morning routine: the sister would prepare breakfast for the brother, and the brother would help the sister do her hair.
The siblings had always been this way, supporting and relying on one another to get through the hardest of times.
Evelor watched her brother's tall, handsome reflection in the mirror, smiled sweetly, and said in a delicate voice:
"Hee hee, my Yi is so sweet. I wonder which lucky girl is going to snatch you up someday?"
"Whoever she is, she'll have to get your approval first, Sis. And likewise, if you ever get a boyfriend, he'll have to pass my inspection."
"Then you'd better try hard, Yi. My standards are very, very high!"
"My standards aren't low, either… By the way, what have you been up to with Miss Desda lately? Is it tiring?"
Lloyd suddenly asked.
"Not at all. Miss Desda suddenly decided she wants to be a folklorist, so I've just been helping her collect interesting little stories and rumors. My days are actually quite leisurely."
Evelor said, her beautiful emerald eyes shifting thoughtfully before she added:
"I'm sure Miss Desda will become a brilliant folklorist! She'll give lectures all over the place, her books will be in such high demand they'll sell out instantly, fans will form long lines for her autograph, and then…"
"Ahaha, yeah…"
Lloyd agreed with a helpless, exasperated expression.
'My sister's always been like this,' he mused. 'Always wishing for the best for everyone around her, yet expecting so little for herself.'
"As for me… as long as my Yi doesn't grow tired of me and is willing to stay with me forever, that's all I need."
'Her vision for her own future was so simple… so simple it made his heart ache…'
Soon, her hair was done. Evelor hopped down from the chair, stretched her arms up as far as they could go, stood on the tips of her toes, and gave Lloyd a warm hug.
"Alright~ I'm off to work now. You do your best today too, Yi!"
Lloyd looked down at his sister, who only reached his navel even on her tiptoes. He gently hugged her back, completing their farewell ritual.
After Evelor left, Lloyd returned to his room to get himself ready. He looked in the mirror and said in a low voice:
"Panel."
Lines of text immediately materialized before his eyes:
[User: Lloyd]
[Status: Normal]
[Madness Value: 0/100, Max: 200]
[Rationality: 2]
[Spiritual Power: 1]
[inspiration: 3]
[Cognition: 4]
[System: Enlightenment Incomplete]
[Mastered Skills: High-Efficient Learning]
This was something he had only awakened a few days ago.