Lu Yingheng's recollections were suddenly interrupted by the ring of a call. Pulled abruptly back to the present, he looked at the screen in his hand. "Vivian?"
He pressed the answer button, and Vivian's voice came through from the other end at once:
"Brother Yingheng! Could you come pick me up? I made plans to go out with Alice and Xiao Ya!"
Lu Yingheng nodded to the driver to change direction, then smiled gently. "Sure. Wait for me at the door. I'll be there soon."
"Host, how exactly are you planning to insert yourself into the plot?"
The little girl system's voice rang out again.
"Isn't that why I'm faking my death? When the time comes, I'll make sure the protagonist's party rescues me after I've lost my memory. Then I'll follow the plot and sweep through everything. How could I possibly have trouble earning emotion points?"
Lu Yingheng curled his lip and looked at his little system as though she were an idiot.
The little girl felt her host's contemptuous gaze and angrily pinched his face.
"Hmph! I wasn't asking! I just wanted to see what method you were going to use!"
The car soon arrived at Lu Yingheng's residence. Although he was a Void Hunter, his house wasn't particularly large, just an ordinary two-story villa.
Vivian had long, light-purple curls as fluffy as clouds, with a large, deep-purple bow atop her head. Her delicate, pointed elf ears were half hidden among her soft locks.
Her rose-red eyes were clear and bright, the car across from her reflected in their pupils.
More precisely, the person in the back seat of the car.
She wore a magnificent Lolita dress. The ruffles of her white blouse were exquisitely pleated, and a translucent amethyst was set in the center of the bow at her collar;
A black corset cinched tightly around her slender, graceful waist. Below it was a short white pleated skirt with layers of black and purple lace at the hem. It looked lovely.
Lu Yingheng rolled down the window. "Vivian, aren't you getting in? What are you waiting for?"
Vivian rushed over and pulled the door open with a grin. "Hehe, Brother Yingheng! Are you coming shopping with us?"
Lu Yingheng smiled and shook his head. "Forget it. Why would you three girls drag a grown man like me along on a shopping trip?"
Vivian pouted, hopped into the back seat, and sat on his lap. "Hmph! How long has it been since you went out and had fun with me?"
Lu Yingheng scratched his head. "Haven't I been busy lately? Hollow disasters have been happening more and more often. I have to save a few more people."
Vivian poked his cheek with a slender finger. "I never said you couldn't go! I just want you to spend more of your free time with me!"
Lu Yingheng could only nod helplessly. "Next time, next time."
But inwardly, he thought:
I'll worry about that when the time comes. My fake death has to succeed. Only by taking on the role of someone with amnesia can I stay with the protagonist's party longer.
The car soon arrived at Lumina Square. Vivian hopped out with her umbrella. "It's a promise, then! Next time, you have to take me shopping, just the two of us!"
Just then, a soft, adorable voice called out, "Brother Dragon Emperor! You came too!"
Lu Yingheng looked closely and saw a cute little rabbit figure running faster and faster toward him. In a flash, she reached the car door and threw herself into his arms.
Lu Yingheng: (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!
Wait!
Alice, since when were you so bold?
Where's my petite, adorable, timid little bunny?
Lu Yingheng stroked Alice's rabbit ears, which were very pleasant to touch. "Little Alice? What's wrong? Why did you suddenly hug me?"
Alice seemed to suddenly realize what she had done. She immediately let go of Lu Yingheng's waist and hurried back:
"Ah... sorry, Brother Dragon Emperor. I haven't seen you in so long, I got too excited..."
Alice's cheeks were a deep crimson, the blush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. Fine beads of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose.
Her mismatched eyes widened slightly, her long lashes trembling as she looked around in a fluster.
She seemed to realize that her behavior just now had been inappropriate. She looked shy and ill at ease, her face full of nervousness.
"Brother Dragon Emperor, Father said you haven't visited the family in a long time. He asked when you'd be free."
Alice hurriedly changed the subject, as if trying to hide her already scarlet face.
Vivian pouted beside them and tugged at Alice, seemingly angry that she hadn't stopped her just now.
"Hmph! Alice! How could you just rush up and hug Brother Yingheng? I'm the only one allowed to hug him!"
"Alice? Weren't you going to meet Vivian? Why haven't you..."
The cool girl's voice stopped abruptly. Lu Yingheng peered through the gap between Vivian and Alice and caught sight of the Hoshimi family's little girl-Hoshimi Miyabi.
"Xiao Ya, long time no see."
Lu Yingheng greeted her with a smile.
Hoshimi Miyabi's face reddened for an instant. "Lord Dragon Emperor, long time no see."
"Oh my, Xiao Ya's blushing!"
Hoshimi Miyabi, however, stared straight at Lu Yingheng. "Lord Dragon Emperor, didn't you say last time that you'd treat me to a melon?"
Lu Yingheng: (°ー°〃)
Damn me...
Why did I have to go raising so many flags when I had nothing better to do?
Oh no. After I fake my death, they won't all turn into yanderes, will they?
System: Not all that mentally stable.
Lu Yingheng could only give an awkward smile. "Uh, next time. I really have things to take care of today."
Vivian folded her arms. "Hmph, right, right. Brother Yingheng is so busy, he doesn't even have time to go shopping with us!"
Alice spoke up for Lu Yingheng from the side:
"Brother Dragon Emperor probably does have a lot to do, doesn't he? After all, he personally handles the aftermath of every Hollow disaster."
Hoshimi Miyabi nodded seriously, looking rather like an NPC. "Mm-hmm, I want to become someone like Brother Dragon Emperor someday too."
Lu Yingheng smiled with a hint of mischief. "Well, Xiao Ya, I'll have a favor to ask of you later. With your strength, you should be able to suppress a Hollow by now, right?"
Hoshimi Miyabi nodded seriously. "Probably."
Lu Yingheng: (*^▽^*)
"Then, Xiao Ya, go check on Hollow Apus when you have time. I have a feeling something big will happen there soon."
Hoshimi Miyabi nodded seriously.
Seeing the two of them talking and unable to get a word in, Vivian hurriedly took Hoshimi Miyabi's arm and slowly walked into the mall with her.
"Come on, let's go! Honestly, that stinky brother of mine is busy enough himself, and now he wants to give you work too!"
Lu Yingheng waved as he watched the three girls walk away.
"All right! Vivian, remember to eat dinner on time!"
"Xiao Ya, if fighting ever gets too tiring, you can find a few teammates you can trust."
"Alice! You should work on changing your personality too! You won't make friends if you're too shy!"
Hearing Lu Yingheng say those things, Alice looked back worriedly, wanting to say something, but all she could see was his brilliant smile.