The corner of Jing Yuan's mouth twitched.
That was one hell of a change of subject.
And who exactly are you cursing?
"No, thank you. As a general, I have no interest in romantic attachments.
I only wish to give my all to this position, then find somewhere quiet to enjoy a comfortable life once I retire."
"Are you saying your life isn't comfortable already? I saw through Fuli that you slept until seven thirty.
Then you watered your flowers, walked your birds, ate after eight, and didn't start work until ten. What a leisurely life."
"You met the Light-Stream Lord too?!"
Jing Yuan looked utterly stunned.
Good grief. Not only had Lingchen met Aha, he had also met Fuli. Add his own powers to that, and Jing Yuan would have to submit another report.
"Wait, you really do that?"
The corner of Lingchen's mouth twitched. He had just tossed that out casually, not expecting it to be true.
After all, why would he spend his free time watching Jing Yuan's daily life? Never mind that he hadn't watched anything-even if he could, he would certainly be selective.
Jing Yuan: "..."
He did... occasionally do that.
"General, I think you should report to the Marshal sooner rather than later and vacate your position. Then you can drink tea, walk your birds, and enjoy retirement like Lingchen, instead of suffering so miserably every day."
"Ahahaha, next time, certainly." Jing Yuan laughed it off, completely ignoring Fu Xuan's puffed-up expression as he turned to Lingchen. "Did you really meet the Light-Stream Lord?"
"Of course. The rainbow crystal person. Maybe my looks were so outrageously handsome that they came over to record them."
Lingchen spoke with a perfectly straight face, even conjuring a mirror to examine himself from both sides.
"Tsk, who's this? So handsome.
If Idrila were still around, she'd probably make me an Emanator of [Beauty]."
"You're so shameless."
Fu Xuan couldn't resist commenting.
Although even she had to admit Lingchen had some grounds for it, this display was far too narcissistic.
And what kind of ridiculous name was that?
"Heh, it's not that I won't tell you. There's just too much involved, and knowing wouldn't do you any good. Those who know, know."
Seeing that Lingchen wouldn't explain, Jing Yuan stopped asking. Given Lingchen's extraordinary nature, he had probably also stepped onto the Path of [Remembrance] after meeting Fuli.
He planned to report this as well.
Lingchen didn't care. He couldn't wait for more hostility and more entertainment to come his way.
As for deliberately demonstrating an Emanator's power, that was entirely unnecessary.
"Owww~~!!"
P.S. Please boost the stats.
There should be another chapter today. My eyes are a little uncomfortable, and the text keeps looking doubled. I'll rest for a bit; I still have to make a PowerPoint later.
Chapter 42: Who Are You Calling Little Pink-Hair?
The sudden cry of pain drew the attention of all three people present.
They looked toward the source of the sound. In a corner of the Mansion's courtyard, a girl had fallen to the ground and was rubbing her backside.
Cool, simulated moonlight spilled through the courtyard onto the girl, making her almost dazzling to look at.
"How inconsiderate, tossing Lady Sparkle out just like that. No compensation for emotional distress, not even a cushion. That hurt."
Rubbing her little backside, the girl slowly stood up, then caught sight of the three people before her.
"Little pink-hair?"
Sparkle noticed Fu Xuan's hair color at once.
"Who are you calling little pink-hair? I am Fu Xuan, Diviner of the Luofu's Divination Commission." Fu Xuan's expression darkened at Sparkle's form of address; she was the only pink-haired person there. "And you, Masked Fool, what business brings you to the Luofu by sudden teleportation?"
The mask ornament on Sparkle's head had already exposed her identity.
For some reason, Fu Xuan suddenly felt a little uneasy.
"Mm-hmm, so you're the Divination Commission's Diviner. Who knew someone so little could be so capable? And who's this white-haired old man?"
Sparkle had absolutely no intention of answering Fu Xuan. After all, her target was here too.
With him around, she would definitely be fine.
Sparkle puffed out her chest, which did have at least a little something to it.
Fu Xuan's expression darkened again. Sure enough, aside from Lingchen, she still couldn't stand creatures like the Masked Fools. Seeing too much of them would shorten her lifespan; talking to them too much would bring on her mara-struck condition.
Jing Yuan lived up to his title as general. Putting Lingchen's earlier words together with Sparkle's brazen, smug little brat act, he understood the situation and replied without changing his expression:
"I am the current general of the Xianzhou Luofu. You must be a Masked Fool. May I ask how you bypassed the Luofu's defensive systems?"
"Hehe, the God of Elation sent me, of course." Sparkle planted her hands on her hips and declared proudly, "They said they'd found Lady Sparkle a husband and told me to spread the Masked Fools' teachings and ideals. Little Sparkle has had everything arranged for her~"
Of course, she was also a little curious about Lingchen herself. From what Aha the matchmaker had said, Lingchen didn't seem particularly interested in seeking amusement. Unlike some Masked Fools-such as herself-he didn't run around everywhere looking for fun, yet Aha still thought so highly of him.
Aha might seem like the easiest Aeon to meet, but an Aeon was still an Aeon. That apparent accessibility was actually an illusion.
Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan weren't especially surprised because Lingchen had told them from the beginning that he had met Aha and become an Emanator. They were therefore prepared even if Aha appeared again.
But for anyone else-even those walking the Path of [Elation]-forget meeting an avatar of Aha. Merely receiving a little guidance from Aha somewhere was enough to make them incredibly excited.
And now Aha had gone looking for someone specifically because of another person's "joke." Although Aha might also have been enjoying it, judging by that behavior, all the Masked Fools put together weren't worth a single hair on Lingchen's head.
So, curious as she was, Sparkle had agreed on the spot after hearing the offer.
She could give it a try, anyway. She had never experienced romance between a man and a woman, so she could try it this time. As for investing genuine feelings...
Judging by Aha's attitude, Lingchen had probably only mentioned it offhandedly.
So Lady Sparkle would just come over, experience it for a while, and leave it at that.
"So..."
The corner of Fu Xuan's mouth twitched. She was already all but certain.
"What Lingchen said just now was true?!"
"Oh, he already told you? That's right. From now on, Lady Sparkle is going to be her husband Lingchen's sweet little wife."
Sparkle borrowed the Xianzhou's phrasing and spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice.
She even blinked cutely as she spoke.
Jing Yuan glanced left at Fu Xuan, whose face had now gone completely dark.
He covered his face and sighed. It seemed this Masked Fool wouldn't be a problem for the time being. Even if she was, Lingchen could keep her in check.
Sensing the atmosphere suddenly growing heated, Jing Yuan chose to make his escape.
He said goodbye to Lingchen, glanced at Fu Xuan again, then shook his head and turned to leave.
He would leave this sort of thing for Lingchen to resolve himself. He was only an outsider. All he could do now was write a report and submit it to the Marshal.
Once Jing Yuan left, the atmosphere changed again.
"Masked Fool, if my judgment is correct, this is your first time meeting Lingchen, isn't it? Don't you think this is rather hasty?"
Fu Xuan didn't even bother saying, "Lingchen hasn't agreed yet." What a joke. One look at Sparkle's appearance told her Lingchen would never refuse.
Come to think of it, was this man one of those lolicons? Since actual children would get him arrested, he had set his sights on girls like them instead.
But then she thought of Tingyun, and that didn't quite fit either.
Could he be into every type?!
"Why, adorable Lord Diviner? I was personally chosen by the God of Elation. It's officially approved~ Don't you think an honor like that is simply impossible to refuse? What does it matter if this is our first meeting? As long as we get along, sparks of love are bound to fly."
Sparkle tilted her head and placed her left index finger at the corner of her mouth, feigning confusion.
Fu Xuan inwardly cursed the little vixen. This Masked Fool had absolutely made that gesture on purpose.
"Besides, you haven't even asked whether darling agrees~ Maybe darling would be delighted. After all, I'm a Masked Fool, and darling is a Masked Fool too. We're the same sort of people."
"You're calling him darling?!"
Fu Xuan's eyes widened, and her little hands trembled. How utterly shameless. Who acted like this on a first meeting?
Sure enough, the Masked Fools were just as hateful as the Denizens of Abundance!
These people had absolutely no limits.
"What's wrong? Affection has to start with what you call each other.
Isn't that right, darling?"
Sparkle turned to Lingchen, her eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of excitement she couldn't conceal.
Clearly, Sparkle had noticed Fu Xuan's feelings too.
She had never imagined she would get to take part in a plot like this one day. Her eyes practically shone with excitement.
"You seem to have called quite a few people 'darling.'"
Lingchen looked at Sparkle with an indifferent expression.
"Oh my, is darling jealous? Hehe, don't worry. Adorable Lady Sparkle has only said it to girls~ And they were all pretty girls, too. Would darling like Lady Sparkle to introduce a few more? They're female Masked Fools as well~"
Sparkle grinned at Lingchen. Very few people in this world could catch her eye. After all, having stepped onto the Path of [Elation], she had "a thousand faces and a thousand origins."
She was truly "Faceless," enjoying every moment of playing a role and pouring the greatest possible emotion into it. Yet for that very reason, she had never invested any genuine feelings.
So there were very few people she truly knew.
Chapter 43: I Am Not a Masked Fool
Lingchen understood what Sparkle meant.
After all, he knew what kind of person she was.
Likewise, he knew she had certainly not come here to genuinely develop a relationship with him.
Lingchen could more or less guess that, aside from her own curiosity, the other-and probably most important-reason Sparkle had come was that Aha placed great importance on him.
In fact, Sparkle also had a feeling that even if she refused, Aha might leave while pretending to be pitiful, then simply toss her over to Lingchen for his sake.
In that case, she might as well come and meet him herself.
"Forget it. Rather than darling, I'd prefer you to call me Daddy.
Especially at crucial moments."
"Oh my~ I never knew darling was so adventurous. It's not as though Lady Sparkle couldn't agree, but wouldn't that make me far too pitiful?
No, no. If you want me to agree, you'll have to wait until I truly fall for you. What do you think, darling? You understand, don't you?"
Sparkle blinked, putting on a delicate, pitiful look.
She didn't believe she would fall for him. Instead, teasing Lingchen like this gave her a tiny thrill of satisfaction.
After all, the person before her held a very different status from hers.
"Heh, suit yourself. But there's one thing I should remind you of: I am not a Masked Fool."
Lingchen didn't care about Sparkle's explanation. He had never expected her to comply in the first place. He merely corrected another claim she had made.
The Masked Fools were the collective name for one faction under Aha, effectively an organization.
But clearly, as an Emanator of [Elation]-especially one whose authority stood absolutely above that of other Emanators of [Elation]-Lingchen was the foremost wielder of the Path of [Elation] beneath Aha. Unless he declared that he was joining the Masked Fools, he remained above that faction.
"Some of your masks come from the Mournful Actors, and some are ones you put on yourselves. But mine is different. My mask came from Aha, personally given to me."
"Ah, that's right. Darling's mask was personally given by the God of Elation. An Emanator of [Elation]... boo-hoo, I'm so jealous."
Sparkle cupped her cheeks in her little hands and swayed from side to side.
The girl wasn't upset by Lingchen's denial that he belonged to the Masked Fools. That was simply the truth. To put it bluntly, they were a grassroots organization that received a little guidance when Aha was happy, while Lingchen was one of Aha's own.
Then Sparkle thought again about what Lingchen had said, and curiosity began to itch inside her once more.