Chapter 125: Villain Simulator, Ch 124
Chapter 125: Villain Simulator, Ch 124
[Say it directly if you have a complaint. No need to talk around me,] a familiar voice interrupted.
After a long silence, the system piped up to defend itself.
"Wait a second, everyone\'s getting rewards?" Fischl interjected suddenly. "What about the Prinzessin herself?"
"I\'m pretty sure you didn\'t actually play the game," Lucas said, scratching his head with a wry smile. "And besides, your reward is probably the best of all—a whole kingdom, remember?"
"Well... that is true." Fischl finally nodded, though still intrigued. "But about this place where you\'re planning to settle the Immernachtreich—where exactly is it?"
"Follow me," Lucas said with a snap of his fingers. "Serenitea Pot"
---
Since the game was over, Lucas was free to access other spaces.
Indeed, the perfect location for the Immernachtreich was none other than the Serenitea Pot realm.
As far as Lucas knew, only a minuscule fraction of the Serenitea Pot realm\'s land was currently in use. There was more than enough space to spare for Fischl\'s fantasy kingdom without impacting the lives of its other residents. He chose a location some kilometers from Raiden Mai\'s camp, setting the new Immernachtreich in a spot that balanced privacy and accessibility.
It was a perfect win-win situation. Fischl was overjoyed, and Lucas welcomed the thought of his realm gaining a touch of the fantastical.
As for the otherworldly Fischl and her counterpart Oz, they too found a home in the Serenitea Pot realm.
---
Back in Mondstadt, at Fischl\'s family home.
Fischl hesitated in the doorway, her steps tentative as she called out, "I... I\'m home."
"Welcome back, Fischl." Her father set down his teapot, smiling warmly. "Your father and mother have been waiting for you."
"That\'s right," her mother added, emerging from the kitchen with a kind smile. "Were you out adventuring with Oz again today?"
Fischl was taken aback at first, but then she gave a decisive nod and said, "Yes! Father, Mother, please allow me to introduce my friend once again. Come forth, Oz!"
In a flutter of black feathers, the raven appeared before her parents, bowing politely. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
And at that moment, Fischl\'s parents finally saw with their own eyes that their daughter\'s "imaginary friend" was, in fact, quite real.
---
Though it felt like an eternity in the game world, only a few hours had passed in reality.
Even so, the adventure had left Lucas thoroughly exhausted, and he promptly fell asleep as soon as he returned to his quarters.
He awoke around eleven that night, caught in the strange predicament of feeling wide awake yet unsure of what to do. Just as he was debating whether to try sleeping again, there was a knock at his door.
"Who could that be at this hour..." Lucas wondered, heading over to open it. Standing outside was a handsome man with tanned skin and a cryptic smile, who greeted him with a suave, "Good evening, Lucas."
"Captain Kaeya?" Lucas blinked, surprised. "It\'s late—what brings you here?"
Indeed, the visitor was none other than Kaeya, Captain of the Cavalry for the Knights of Favonius. Lucas and Kaeya had only met briefly at the recent Wine Festival, and their relationship wasn\'t close enough to justify a spontaneous late-night visit.
"Naturally, I\'m here for a \'good cause,\'" Kaeya replied with a cryptic smile. "It seems you\'ve been quite helpful to the Knights these past few days. As a member myself, I thought I\'d repay you—personally."
Repay me? Personally? And at this hour?
"Um..." Lucas hesitated. "I appreciate the offer, but... I\'m not really interested in, you know, that sort of thing."
Kaeya paused, then burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Hah! Relax, I didn\'t mean anything like that. If I had, I wouldn\'t be here right now."
"So, what exactly is this about?" Lucas asked, bewildered.
"Just some fun," Kaeya replied, draping an arm around Lucas\' shoulder as he led him outside. "Jean is a great leader, but she\'s too proper to understand what a man truly needs. Leave it to me—tonight, I\'ll show you Mondstadt\'s \'specialities\' on my tab!"
"Wait, slow down! I\'ll come along, just... not so fast!" Lucas chuckled, half-dragged along by Kaeya\'s eagerness.
He wasn\'t sure what Kaeya was up to, but as he was bored anyway, he let himself be led along. And Kaeya, being a Knight, wasn\'t likely to take him anywhere truly shady... right?
Unlike Liyue\'s bustling nightlife, Mondstadt was usually quiet after dark, and outside the taverns, there were few businesses open late. But Kaeya eventually led him to a building with a faintly "mysterious" vibe—certainly not a tavern. A pinkish light bathed the entryway, giving the place an ambiguous air, and the name on the sign, "Maple Moon," seemed to hint at... certain expectations.
Hold on a second.
Lucas froze, realization dawning on him.
"Why are you hesitating?" Kaeya clapped him on the shoulder. "It\'s chilly out—besides, a lady\'s touch is far warmer."
"Captain Kaeya," Lucas eyed him suspiciously, "is this that kind of place?"
Is this really appropriate for a government employee?
"Don\'t overthink it. It\'s just an ordinary massage parlor," Kaeya smirked. "A lonely man\'s oasis, a little sanctuary for the night."
Lucas wasn\'t naive. This "massage parlor" likely offered services beyond back rubs.
No wonder Kaeya insisted on repaying him in secret—this was definitely off the books.
Lucas felt a bit torn. This place was clearly some sort of adult entertainment establishment.
Just then, a tall silver-haired woman in a mask passed by the entrance. Her legs, impossibly long and elegant, caught his eye immediately.
Wait, could it be...?
"Hey, if you\'re not up for it, I won\'t force you," Kaeya sighed in mock disappointment. "We could just grab a drink somewhere else."
"Ahem! As we say in Liyue, \'When in Rome...\'" Lucas cleared his throat, deciding to follow Kaeya\'s lead. "Since you insist, it would be rude to refuse."
Inside, as expected, the parlor was full of scantily-clad women gliding between patrons. Their faces were obscured by decorative masks, but even from their figures alone, they were clearly captivating.
"Well, if it isn\'t Captain Kaeya!" A lively woman dressed in vibrant colors approached them with a smile. "And who\'s this handsome guest?"
"He\'s a special visitor to Mondstadt," Kaeya replied with a grin. "Give him the royal treatment, on my tab."
"Of course," she replied with a knowing smile, slipping her hand into Lucas\'s and leading him away. "You\'re in for an unforgettable night."
At this point, Lucas decided to play along, trying not to seem too much like a first-timer. He had an idea of what to expect here and wasn\'t about to act like he was some naive teenager.
Once Lucas was led off, Kaeya\'s carefree smile shifted to something sharper. He moved to a nearby office door, knocking and entering.
Unlike the dimly lit rooms outside, the office was well-lit and businesslike.
Sitting behind the desk was none other than the silver-haired woman Lucas had glimpsed—the true owner of "Maple Moon" and the Eighth Harbinger of the Fatui, the infamous "La Signora."
Yes, this was no ordinary establishment but one of the Fatui\'s intelligence hubs in Mondstadt.
Kaeya had arranged Lucas\' visit as part of a discreet deal he had made with the Fatui.
"Your man has arrived," Kaeya said, nodding to Signora. "Oh, and since he\'s done the Knights a favor, this little arrangement might warrant a higher fee."
"I\'m surprised you\'re even dealing with the Fatui." Signora sneered, "Aren\'t you aware your foster father\'s death is likely tied to my fellow Harbingers?"
"That family is in the past," Kaeya replied nonchalantly. "As long as it doesn\'t harm the Knights, a bit of extra profit isn\'t an issue for me."
"How nice that you have a \'code,\' after all." Signora waved him away dismissively. "Now leave. We have no further need of you here."
"One last question," Kaeya paused, his expression serious. "You\'re not planning to harm him, are you?"
"If I went to this trouble, it\'s because I don\'t want to resort to violence," she said with thinly veiled annoyance. "My agents will deal with him as gently as possible. Unless, of course, he resists cooperation."
The room\'s extravagant lighting cast a warm glow as Lucas settled back in a bathrobe. Delicate, subtle aromas wafted through the air, and the murals on the wall depicted elegant figures whose grace seemed to beckon guests into relaxation.
He had to admit, this establishment had a refined touch. The décor, the thoughtfully selected appetizers, and the pre-dinner drinks all pointed to an experience that was a cut above the rest. Clearly, Kaeya hadn\'t just chosen any random place—he\'d put thought into selecting somewhere that would impress.
At that moment, Lucas was still blissfully unaware that Kaeya had essentially "sold him out" by leading him here. He\'d even been picturing the two of them as trusted friends—"brothers in arms" from the same "platoon." Well, technically, he told himself, this was just a relaxing massage. After all, he had been feeling rather stressed, so he could hardly be blamed for indulging a little.
The door opened, and five young women, all dressed in revealing attire, stepped in, bowing slightly and greeting him with, "Welcome."
The hostess from before, a woman named Hong Jie, beamed and said, "Go ahead, pick the one that suits you. If one isn\'t enough, two or three are perfectly fine too."
Wait a minute—two or three? What kind of "massage" involves a team? Are they going to stack on top of each other?
Was this... the legendary "selection process"?
Lucas\'s heart raced a little at the unexpected scenario. He\'d only seen such scenes in certain kinds of films.
Each of the five women possessed their own unique charm, from soft and gentle to bold and striking. Even with the masks obscuring half their faces, he could tell they were all beauties. Still, Lucas had seen his share of stunning women, particularly in his simulations; while beautiful, they didn\'t quite measure up to those standards.
However, his mind was set on the tall, silver-haired woman he had spotted earlier. Disappointed not to see her among the five, he asked, "Excuse me, are there... others?"
Admittedly, it wasn\'t the most polite question to ask, but it was only because she had intrigued him enough that he\'d decided to come in.
"Oh, certainly!" Hong Jie nodded quickly, her smile strained. "Please wait a moment—I\'ll bring in a new selection for you."
Lucas was quickly starting to suspect something odd as Hong Jie paraded in group after group of "masseuses," each batch more attractive than the last. There was something unusual about them too; they all had tall, slender figures and pale skin, more characteristic of people from Snezhnaya than Mondstadt.
Could Snezhnaya\'s economy really be so bad that even noble-born women were forced to work in such places?
"I\'m sorry," he said, glancing at the fifth group with an apologetic smile. "Is there... anyone else?"
"Sir, is there something in particular that you find unappealing?" Hong Jie forced a grin. "If all else fails, what do you think of me?"
"Oh, no, that\'s not necessary," Lucas replied, politely but firmly. "Earlier, I happened to see a tall woman with silver hair and a black mask. I was wondering... is she still here?"
Tall? Silver hair? Black mask?
Hong Jie\'s face grew tense; she\'d already guessed who he was referring to. After all, none of the other women in the establishment could quite compare to her.
"Are... are you sure you want that one?" Hong Jie\'s smile turned awkward. "Can\'t I persuade you to choose another?"
"If she isn\'t available," Lucas replied, already losing interest, "then I might as well leave."
"Oh no, I can\'t have that," Hong Jie said quickly, scrambling for an excuse. "Mr. Kaeya would hold me accountable if I let you leave unsatisfied."
"No problem," Lucas said generously. "You can tell him I was very well taken care of."
"Please, sir, give me a moment," Hong Jie said helplessly, "I\'ll go check."
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Author\'s note: Okay, since it\'s Sunday, I\'ll post an extra Chapter for you! but if we get to 600 powerstones, I\'ll post 3 extra Chapters, or 4 if we get to 800 :)