The Craftsman

For those dummies who skip the author's notes, I'll say it again: the system sent the letters across time and space, and they appeared near the women in a reasonable way.

This whole story is for Carlotta lovers. The protagonist was made that tall for Carlotta lovers, so Carlotta lovers, take this seriously.

[Disclaimer: all characters appearing in this book are adults.]

"Ding."

"System quest issued: [Craftsman]."

"Target: Cantarella's personal belongings."

"Reward: awaken resonance abilities."

When Kexi heard the quest, it was as if his brain had been bombarded by Tacet Discords in turn. He was utterly dumbfounded.

"Damn system, are you sure you didn't issue the wrong quest? Up till now, it was at least a pure-love story in writing. Now you're suddenly moving on to the real thing?"

The system was as still as stagnant water and gave no response.

"Hey, say something! Damn it, is this a quest any normal person could do? I'm a young master of the Montelli Family, and you want me to steal a woman's things like some pervert?"

Yet no matter how wildly he complained, the system continued to ignore him completely, as if it had crashed.

Ever since Kexi had been reborn in the world of Solaris, the system had kept issuing him inexplicable quests. The key was that their contents all shared a certain outrageously perverted consistency:

Writing love letters.

Yes, that was right. From centuries-old hags to mature women who could barely walk, it spared none of them. It was downright terrifying.

And it wasn't just one or two women, or one or two letters.

Kexi was numb to it all.

The love letters he'd written over the years could have circled Jinzhou City three times if laid end to end. He couldn't even remember how many "targets" he'd confessed to.

In the eyes of outsiders, he had long since become the Montelli Family's "devoted pervert," a handsome young man with nothing but looks and a screw loose.

He had thought those days would last until the end of time. But today, the system had broken with precedent and changed tack. He just hadn't expected it to take such a big step that it nearly split his crotch.

"Can I not do it?" Kexi asked tentatively, a last trace of resistance in his voice.

The system continued playing dead.

He sighed.

The system never explained anything; it only issued quests mechanically. It seemed he wouldn't drop dead on the spot if he didn't do it, but...

This was a chance to awaken resonance abilities!

This was the world of "Wuthering Waves."

If a weak Muggle like him didn't seize this chance, what if someone took him out one day like a random roadside mob?

It was just... that thing, wasn't it?

It wasn't his first time doing it.

He gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

To survive in this dangerous world, he could do without his dignity!

Just as he was steeling himself, the door burst open with a bang.

A white-haired girl strode in, her steps carrying an oppressive air. She wore an exquisite little dress, its skirt swaying gently with her movements.

The newcomer wasn't tall. She could even be described as short.

As Kexi often said to annoy her, if she jumped, she should just about be able to hit his knee.

"Well, what brings my dear, ever-busy second sister here?" Kexi put on a smile out of habit.

Carlotta raised her head and had to lean far back to meet the gaze of the 2.14-meter giant. Her brows knotted tightly. "How have you gotten taller again? Did you grow up eating fertilizer?"

"It's a natural gift. It troubles me too." Kexi shrugged. "But you, second sister, I haven't seen you in a few days, and you've gotten shorter again, hahaha..."

Carlotta: (-＂-怒)

Without another word, she jumped up and delivered a heavy punch to Kexi's knee.

"Talk properly!"

Kexi bent over, pretending to be in unbearable pain as he begged for mercy. "Ow, it's broken, it's broken! Mercy, second sister!"

"Hmph." Carlotta dusted off her hands, her expression softening slightly. "I came to give you something."

She took a carefully sealed, gold-stamped document from inside her clothes and casually tossed it onto the table.

"Well, a miser's finally parting with something? My second sister's actually willing to give me a present." Kexi picked it up with a fawning expression, though he felt a little uneasy.

"Your birthday banquet is next week. I was afraid I'd be too busy to attend, so I'm giving it to you early. Don't say your sister doesn't care about you."

"Could this be... a deed transferring some Montelli territory? Or shares in a merchant association?" Kexi's eyes lit up as he opened it. "Oh, there's no need to be so generous with family. I'm almost embarrassed to accept..."

"In your dreams." Carlotta rolled her eyes at him.

When he opened the document, the large black characters hit Kexi like a blow to the head.

"Star Torch Academy admission notice"

The smile froze on Kexi's face. He looked at Carlotta as though she were an alien. "...What's this? You want me to go to school?"

"You laze around all day, doing nothing but writing love letters and flirting with girls. I'm giving you something proper to do."

"Oh, heavens, just kill me!" Kexi wailed.

He had finally gotten rid of those private tutors, and now he had to be thrown into the prison of a school?

"Sis, second sister, my dear sister~~ Did you even ask what I thought? A genius like me is cut out to be self-taught!"

"This was Grandfather's decision." Carlotta folded her arms, her tone cold.

"Huh? The old man approved it himself? The sky is falling..."

"I didn't expect the thing you feared most to be going to school." Carlotta caught the despair in his eyes, and a gleeful smile curved her lips. She already had a good idea for playing a trick on him.

"All right, take your time contemplating life here. I have a mountain of official business to deal with, so I'll be going."

With that, Carlotta left.

She left Kexi behind, devoid of any desire to live.

Kexi looked at the admission notice in his hand.

There were still three months before school started.

Maybe he should...

Run away from home?

The problem was, where could he go?

Kexi looked at the bright red notice and felt it was like a death warrant.

Run away from home? Where could he go? The Montelli Family might be strict, but at least he lived in luxury. Once he left, even finding food would be a problem.

Carlotta kept such a close eye on him that he'd had no chance to build up a private stash of money.

The little he had saved up now wasn't even enough for him to squander.

Besides, Solaris was dangerous, with Tacet Discords everywhere.

What if a Muggle like him died while running around outside?

Wait.

A Muggle?

Didn't he have a perfect chance to stop being one right now?

Resonance abilities!

His gaze grew increasingly fervent.

As long as he awakened his abilities, he would have the confidence to face either the admission assessment or running away from home.

"Sorry, Cantare... For the sake of my happy life, I'll give up my good name in this lifetime!"

Porto-Vino Castle.

"Young Master Kexi, why... You again?"

The butler Saibas looked up at the young man before him, who blocked nearly half the sunlight, his aged face full of exasperation.

The family head, Cantarella, had long ago ordered that this fellow be beaten away with sticks on sight.

Saibas felt this might be the greatest challenge of his career.

Thanks to a certain "damn system's" antics, Kexi had been delivering love letters to Cantarella since he was five.

From childish stick figures to sickeningly sweet sonnets, Saibas had witnessed the boy's love-letter writing skills improve at remarkable speed.

"The family head isn't here. Please leave." Saibas skillfully held out an arm to block him.

"Come off it, old man. You said the same thing last time, and I turned around and saw her having afternoon tea in the garden." Kexi wore a shameless expression.

"It's true this time."

"All right, all right, she's not here. I got really thirsty walking all this way. Surely I can come in for a drink of water and take a look at your castle's new renovations while I'm at it?"

"Porto-Vino Castle isn't your backyard."

"Don't be so distant. We might be family someday." Kexi talked nonsense as he looked around.

Suddenly, his expression changed. He pointed behind Saibas and exclaimed, "Damn, Cantarella, you look great in that outfit today!"

"Family head!" Startled, Saibas spun around and stood ramrod straight.

Behind him were only an empty corridor and a few motes of dust.

When he turned back, Kexi had already become a blur, sliding down the banister toward the depths of the castle.

"Damn brat!" Saibas was furious. He'd been tricked again.

Just then, an elegant, tall woman with an air of dangerous beauty walked slowly over.

"What is it, Saibas? Why are you so angry?"

Seeing her, Saibas immediately put away his angry expression and bowed respectfully. "Family head. Kexi is here again. He... he tricked me and barged inside."

Cantarella raised an eyebrow, her red lips curving in an amused smile. "He's back? What is he delivering this time? Pink stationery or scented roses?"

"From what he said, he seems to have gone straight to your bedroom."

Cantarella nodded, her gaze growing a little deeper.

"I see. Go back to your work. I'll handle this."

"Yes."

Kexi made his way through the castle with practiced ease.

Because of the system quests, he came here to deliver love letters more often than he went back to his own room.

Without much effort, he slipped into Cantarella's bedroom.

A faint, cool fragrance filled the room, like that of some unknown flower from an icy plain.

"Damn system, are you sure any 'personal belonging' will do? You didn't say it had to be anything specific, right?"

The system remained silent as usual.

Cantarella's personal belongings.

Something she kept close to her body. Surely that could only mean that kind of thing.

Kexi took a deep breath and began searching the private domain filled with feminine charm.

He swallowed and opened the enormous rosewood wardrobe with trembling hands.

It was filled with splendid dresses and gowns, each worth a fortune. They nearly dazzled him blind.

He hesitated. Which should he pick?

Just then, his gaze was drawn to a drawer in the corner of the wardrobe.

Some silk items were neatly folded inside.

A pure white stocking, as light and thin as a cicada's wing, lay there quietly, its lace trim looking especially enticing in the light.

Kexi felt his heart beating so fast it might leap into his throat.

He took a deep breath.

"Cantare... forgive me!"

"Ding, quest complete."

Outside, Cantarella was about to return to her room when she noticed the door was open.

There seemed to be a strange sound inside.

With a click, the door was gently pushed open.

Kexi shuddered all over in fright and immediately went limp.

He slowly turned his head.

Outside the door, Cantarella leaned lazily against the doorframe, her arms folded as she watched him.

Then her eyes, which seemed capable of seeing into a person's heart, swept over the stocking in Kexi's hand. The smile gradually vanished from her face, replaced by a chill that made one feel as though they had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Kexi Montelli."

She spoke each syllable deliberately, her voice like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

"What are you doing... with my stocking!!?"