Star Rail: Single Draw Acheron at the Start

Caelus looked at the beautiful face before him, a hint of smugness on his expression. Through his unremitting efforts, he had finally made such progress with the pretty bird. Then, he blinked.

"You lost."

Acheron spoke after Caelus blinked, sounding a little happy. Winning a game was always a joy, no matter the scale.

"Yeah, do you know why?"

Caelus nodded. His words made Acheron's eyes show a hint of confusion. It was such a simple game; she really couldn't figure out the reason behind it.

"Why?"

"Because your eyes were full of me, and I couldn't bear to let you lose."

Caelus said righteously, instantly elevating the game to a level it didn't belong. Acheron thought about it. She had indeed been staring at Caelus, and her eyes contained nothing but him.

"Heh."

Acheron's light chuckle sounded. She was genuinely amused. She had fallen for Caelus's trick again. The meal, the game – it was all just a prelude to that final sentence. They weren't even friends, and yet here he was talking about her eyes being full of him.

Acheron's laughter was like heavenly music to Caelus's ears, but to the person behind him, it was like a knife carving into his heart. To save space, the restaurant used large, high-backed chairs, usually placed back-to-back to separate different tables. At this moment, Caelus and Sunday were separated by two such backs.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Caelus felt a vibration on the back of his chair, as if some ferocious beast was ramming into it. This made him very confused. In reality, Sunday was being held down on his chair by two guards, unable to move, and was kicking the back of the chair with his feet.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Acheron also heard the unusual sound and looked at Caelus in confusion.

"I don't know. Maybe the guest behind me is going through something difficult."

Caelus scratched his head, unsure of what was happening. But he immediately stood up from his chair and walked a few steps to Acheron's side, sitting on the same bench as her.

"I'm a bit of a timid person, so I won't sit over there. I'll reluctantly sit with you."

Caelus said with a serious expression. Acheron's emerald eyes looked at him without comment. In Caelus's eyes, not objecting meant agreeing. So, he leaned closer to her. Acheron moved inward, maintaining about half a meter of distance between them.

"You're so beautiful, do a lot of men want to be your boyfriend?"

Caelus changed the subject. The drinks they ordered had arrived – two glasses of orange Sulakda. Caelus picked up his glass, took a sip, and asked in a casual tone.

"Not that many, I suppose. It's not like there are a lot."

Acheron also picked up her Sulakda. It was a sparkling, stimulating drink. Normally, she couldn't drink it, as even the slightest stimulation would harm her throat and alter her singing voice. This was difficult for normal people to understand, but for a cosmic superstar, her voice needed such careful protection. However, these were the Family's orders, and Acheron had her own temper. She still had the right to take a small sip.

"Then, can you be my boyfriend?"

Caelus waited for Acheron to finish her sip of Sulakda before asking her with a smile.

"Didn't you say that backward?"

A large question mark appeared above Acheron's head. If Caelus had asked if she could be his girlfriend, she would have sternly refused. But when he said "boyfriend," she felt displeased. Was she dressed like a man? Was he calling her a tomboy? This was an insult no beautiful girl could tolerate.

"What did I say?" Caelus asked, feigning confusion.

"Can you be my..."

Acheron was about to repeat Caelus's words when she suddenly stopped. Seeing him start the recording on his phone, Acheron immediately became angry and laughed.

"You're so unserious. I'm not playing with you anymore."

Acheron crossed her arms and turned her head towards the window on the inner side. The little bird was clearly annoyed. The main reason was that ever since she was asked out, Caelus had been leading her around, making her feel like her IQ had dropped.

In reality, Acheron was very intelligent, but she had never encountered someone as thick-skinned as Caelus and couldn't adapt immediately. She was accustomed to dealing with social elites, and people who were interested in her could line up from Penacony to the Herta Space Station. However, no one had ever been able to bypass the Family and Sunday to make a move on Acheron like Caelus. Being able to achieve this was truly remarkable.

"What are you talking about? You've met plenty of serious people, haven't you? Has anyone been able to sit next to you and chat like me?"

Caelus didn't look at Acheron at all. He leaned back against the chair, picked up his Sulakda, took a big gulp, and then spoke.

"No, there haven't been."

Acheron turned her head slightly and glanced at Caelus. After being adopted by the Family, she had received a high-level education, and almost everyone she met was very serious. No one had ever tricked her like this before. Her suitors were all blocked by her brother and the Family. To this day, the only man who could sit with her was Sunday. Even for unavoidable social engagements, the most she would do was face-to-face conversations.

"Then doesn't that prove that being serious is a useless label? Let me tell you, the most important points in chasing a girl are thick skin, a ruthless heart, and dark methods."

Caelus began to share his secrets for chasing girls with Acheron. The little bird was stunned. She didn't want to know how Caelus chased girls at all, and she felt like all of it was being used on her.

"Do you possess all of these?" Acheron asked curiously.

"I refuse to answer that question. But look, if I didn't have thick skin, how would I have gotten your WeChat account? If my heart wasn't ruthless, how would I have asked you out from your home? The 'dark methods' part is a bit more nuanced. For instance, if I were to touch your hand right now, it would definitely lower your favorability. So, I need to find a more suitable time to strike decisively and capture you in my grasp."

Caelus explained very seriously. Acheron listened and felt that it made sense. Caelus had indeed managed to sit with her through these methods. In that case, this secret for chasing girls seemed to be quite effective.

"Patriarch, the Patriarch is rolling his eyes!"

A commotion sounded again from behind their seats. However, Caelus couldn't be bothered to pay attention. Acheron also took small sips of her Sulakda, and the atmosphere became somewhat subtle. Caelus didn't continue to tease Acheron. The progress made today was enough; any more would be counterproductive. It was time to switch to another activity.

PS: Please collect, recommend, and vote with monthly tickets.

PS: It's not me making things up when I say Acheron is interested in Caelus. In the official PV, they went on a date together to buy Clock Boy merchandise, had a date in a private room, and she even smiled at Caelus. If that's not liking someone, I'll eat cake rolls.

Caelus propped his head up with his arm, watching Robin eat her ice cream. Seeing her eyes squint as she savored it, he knew she really liked the flavor.

"Mmm."

Robin hummed in response. After the ice cream melted and slid down her throat, she finally spoke in her soft voice.

"When I was little, after I showed my talent for singing, the Family cultivated my abilities in that area. But I liked eating ice cream, and they said it would hurt my vocal cords, so I could only sneak bites behind my brother's back."

Robin's words were tinged with nostalgia, which quickly revived Sunday, who had been rolling his eyes. He sat up and continued listening to his sister's conversation with the scoundrel.

"That's an interesting story. If you want to eat it anytime in the future, just come find me. I'll fly to your side and feed you ice cream."

Caelus said with a smile. He wouldn't restrict his wives from eating anything. If Robin followed him, she could do whatever she wanted; he'd only spoil her. Her big brother couldn't protect her preferences, but Caelus could.

Sunday's blood pressure immediately shot up to over 200. His eyes were bloodshot, and he started muttering curses again, scaring his two guards pale.

"I don't want that."

Robin shook her head. She wasn't a child; how could she be swayed by a few words? It was like trying to trick a little girl into coming home for ice cream.

"Um, that video you sent earlier."

Robin remembered that she and Caelus had come out to discuss serious matters. Although she didn't know about the Annihilation Gang, seeing the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether's demeanor told her what kind of entity it was. The Flame Demon had a terrible reputation in the universe, on par with the Anti-Matter Legion. So, Robin was curious why it received an invitation and who was responsible.

"Let me tell you, that Grand Duke of Fiery Nether is truly scum. He ambushed my girlfriend." Caelus immediately said.

"You have a girlfriend?"

Robin looked at Caelus in surprise. She was confused as to why Caelus would just say it so openly, as if having a girlfriend wasn't a big deal. He was in a crucial period of pursuing her, so shouldn't he have at least pretended to hide it?

"Yeah, I have everything at home: wives, a fiancée, a wanted criminal, and even a cheap daughter."

Caelus nodded, being completely honest with Robin. This made Robin feel a little displeased. Although she hadn't intended to become Caelus's girlfriend, she was still unhappy to hear he was a playboy. Didn't that mean he was just toying with her?

"Then why are you bothering me?"

Robin asked with displeasure. She didn't realize why she had developed such feelings for Caelus. In the past, when she interacted with people, her heart was always calm, and she never got flustered.

"I just couldn't control my appreciation for beauty."

Caelus chuckled awkwardly. He knew his situation was difficult to explain. He believed his actions were justified, but societal views couldn't tolerate it. It was society's fault, not his.

"I don't want to be a concubine."

Robin blurted out subconsciously. She suddenly realized she had said the wrong thing. At this point, she should have said she didn't want to date a married man, or that they could be friends. How did she jump to marriage? She didn't actually think that way.

"It's okay, you can be the main wife. They won't mind."

Caelus was delighted when Robin said that. Seizing the opportunity, he followed up on her words, causing Robin's pretty face to blush slightly.

"That's not what I meant. If you can't be devoted to one woman, you're definitely a bad guy."

Robin felt incredibly embarrassed hearing Caelus talk about wives. They weren't even friends; they were just meeting to exchange information, yet suddenly they were discussing marriage. In Robin's heart, their relationship became a mess.

"Sigh, little bird, you're inexperienced. I won't laugh at you for saying that."

Caelus sighed and made a suppressed-laughter expression next to Robin. The more he acted like this, the more displeased Robin became. She had her own temper.

"What do you mean inexperienced? Explain yourself."

"Of course, I'm devoted to women. It's just that my heart is split into many parts. Each part belongs to a different woman. I won't show favoritism; I love everyone equally."

Caelus said earnestly. Robin looked at him displeased, implying he should continue his fabrication, or she wouldn't keep him waiting.

"Being able to have a harem isn't because I'm a bad guy, but because I have the ability to gather so many excellent girls around me and make them devoted to me. Among them are girls as intelligent and pure as you. If I were a bad guy, why would they follow me?"

"That's sophistry. Even if you're not a bad guy, you're a philanderer."

Robin thought about it and felt Caelus's words had some merit. If the women around him weren't prostitutes seeking wealth but were all excellent, she could admit Caelus was capable, but the nature of his actions wouldn't change.

"How is that sophistry? Look at me, such an excellent man. If I were tied down to one woman, wouldn't that be a loss for the entire universe? A beautiful little bird like you wouldn't meet me. If you didn't meet me, it would be a huge problem."

"How so?"

"If you didn't meet me, your world would be missing someone who wholeheartedly thinks of you, cherishes you, and makes you happy. This is a embrace you can always rely on. I'm willing to risk my life for you. Isn't that a great loss?"

Caelus said earnestly to Robin with an exaggerated expression. Robin carefully considered the flaws in Caelus's words, but after thinking about it, she found nothing wrong. Although she didn't lack suitors like him, if he hadn't appeared, she wouldn't have had this opportunity to come out today.

"Hmph, you talk a good game. I can't argue with you, and the topic has completely shifted. We were talking about the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether earlier."

Robin realized she truly couldn't win an argument with Caelus and decided to drop the topic. However, she didn't realize Caelus had already won. Normally, if she truly wanted to distance herself from a married man, she would have shown more aversion. The fact that she was now moving past the topic meant Caelus had already succeeded halfway.

Chapter 60: You've Come at the Wrong Time

"Right, it attacked my girlfriend's Space Station, so of course, I wasn't happy. I tracked it to its lair and slaughtered its entire family."

Caelus roughly described how he fought the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether and explained its mindset of viewing Nanook as its benefactor. Robin then understood the situation.

"You really are capable. You've solved a threat for Penacony."

Robin knew that if the Grand Duke of Fiery Nether had come to Penacony, it would have posed a significant threat. It was debatable whether the Family had the ability to stop it, but once it received the invitation, the situation was already out of control. She believed one shouldn't consider the cost of stopping a terrorist but rather prevent such a situation from arising in the first place. If even one guest died, the Family's reputation would be ruined.

"Then shouldn't you reward me? Look how much I've contributed to the Family's grand event; I even burned off a few strands of hair."

Caelus started playing the victim. Robin was truly helpless. She raised her hand and gently ruffled his hair. He was a handsome young man, yet he focused all his energy on these things. She didn't know if she should continue interacting with him.

"Do you think it was an inside job by someone in the Family?"

Caelus steered the conversation back on track. He could tell Robin didn't know about this matter. Since such a major incident had occurred, Robin would certainly investigate it.

"I don't know. I'll investigate this matter. Could the invitation letter be a clue? Who used it to register?" Robin asked.

"Acheron, the one you saw in the lobby earlier."

"So it was her. I understand now."

Robin nodded. Although Acheron using a stolen invitation letter to check in was against the rules, the invitation letter itself was already irregular, so there was no need to pursue it.

"That... uh, I mean, are you going to tell your brother?"

Caelus almost blurted out "brother-in-law" but saw Robin give him a warning look and could only awkwardly change his words.

"Of course, I will. We need to investigate together with brother," he said.

"If you encounter any difficulties, you can always find me. The only thing I can do in the dream is to accompany you."

Caelus immediately declared, imagining himself and Robin playing detectives and uncovering the traitor's scheme. This was a great opportunity to deepen their bond.

"No, you should go and enjoy the dream. I'm not short of company."

Robin said helplessly. Caelus's thoughts were written all over his face. He was so eager to pursue her, and Robin found it a bit overwhelming. She wanted to say she didn't need help, but Caelus was involved in this matter, so directly refusing would seem impolite.

"You might not be short of company, but how many people can truly enter your heart?"

"You..."

Robin looked at Caelus, momentarily speechless. His words clearly indicated his desire to win her heart. Robin pursed her lips, contemplating how to respond. Giving him a hint of favor would only encourage him further, but being completely cold would be impolite, especially since Caelus was genuinely sincere towards her. While he sometimes fooled around with her, Robin didn't dislike it.

Robin, an understanding singer, wrote songs that resonated deeply with people. Therefore, connecting with others was also a skill she had honed. She didn't actually dislike Caelus, otherwise, she wouldn't have chatted with him for so long. Since she didn't dislike him, why should she maintain a superior attitude? She didn't have to act aloof just because Caelus wanted to pursue her.

In a way Caelus never expected, Robin smiled at him. It wasn't the kind of smile she gave to the camera in advertisements, but a small expression shared between familiar people after something happy happened. Caelus felt as if his heart had been pierced by Cupid's arrow a thousand times over, and he slumped back into his chair, motionless.

"What are you two talking about? You seem so happy."

A voice suddenly chimed in between them. This made Robin, who was smiling at Caelus, freeze for a moment. Then, she and Caelus looked up together at the head peeking over the back of the chair.

Because the chairs were designed back-to-back, guests behind them could lean over by standing up. However, people generally wouldn't do that. At that moment, Robin saw a beautiful silver-haired girl leaning on the chair back, looking at her with a smile.

"Wow! Firefly!"