After they finished breakfast, Fu Li habitually picked up the leftover plates. Just as he was about to wash the dishes, Klein exasperatedly pushed him back down into his seat.
"Alright, leave the dishes to me today."
"Eh? But letting a guest wash..."
"Aiya, no more 'buts'."
Klein sighed and, with a deadpan expression, reached out to poke Fu Li's cheek.
"You idiot. Take a good look at how terrible your complexion is."
"Hm? Is it that bad?" The feeling of Klein poking his cheek was a novel one, so Fu Li turned his head to look at himself in the full-length mirror nearby.
It was just as Klein had said. His face was a sickly, deathly pale, and the moment he noticed it, a hidden exhaustion began to surface throughout his body.
So, spiritual damage does manifest physically to some extent, huh?
However, for Fu Li, this level of fatigue was a trivial matter, something he could easily suppress without much willpower.
But just as Fu Li was about to insist that he was completely fine, Klein was already forcefully pushing him towards the bedroom.
"Hey, wait, Klein, I'm really okay. I just didn't sleep well."
"Alright, are you a blockhead? If you didn't sleep well, then you need to go catch up on your sleep," Klein said irritably.
She was also someone accustomed to shouldering all the work herself. As a kindred spirit in that regard, she had long been annoyed by this aspect of Fu Li.
Rest when you're tired, recover when you're sick. Why doesn't this idiot understand such a simple principle?
"Anyway, you just rest well for the next two days. I don't have much to do, so I can take care of you."
"Besides, I've been wanting to see what it's like to be an older sister, so just be good and listen, got it?"
Ah... something about this doesn't seem quite right...
Looking at this girl who looked identical to the Klein he knew, Fu Li suddenly felt a strange sense of dislocation.
It was like a subordinate he had watched grow bit by bit was suddenly bossing him around. To use a term from over there, it was like gekokujō—the lower overthrowing the upper.
But... since Klein was insisting, he might as well enjoy it a little.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Sis Klein."
"Mhm, it's no trouble. Just get some rest."
Watching Klein close the door, Fu Li lay on the bed, feeling a bit helpless as he looked at the blanket she had forcefully tucked him under.
To be honest, though, he really was tired.
But as for actually sleeping... that was going to be a bit difficult.
Pulling the blanket up, Fu Li began looking for something to pass the time, as most people would. But he wasn't looking at his phone; instead, he was reviewing the descriptions of the spoils of war he hadn't had a chance to check yet.
[Nine Lives' Reversal]
[The owner of this coin was a carefree girl, as playful as a cat, and also a shrewd merchant.]
[In her eyes, life should be about happily enjoying each and every day. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, that's not today's problem, so why worry about it~]
[However, the girl followed the youth into the territory of the MOTHs. Before she could even understand what she had gained or lost, she was dragged by a cruel fate onto an unpredictable path.]
[In the end, her ephemeral happiness turned to dust. But upon the ruins of humanity, she still had a choice. Ultimately, she grasped the dice that fate had given her, and with it, the responsibility she had shouldered by a twist of fate.]
[Her luck has never been bad, and she is happy to share that luck with you.]
[Empty Dream: No matter the time or place, your luck will receive the protection of Pardofelis.]
[Note: When encountering Pardofelis in the simulation, at the appropriate time, this will resonate with the special reward 'Domination Necklace.']
[Tarot Card - The Magician]
[Effect 1: Reversal (Turn curses into praise, fear into admiration. Completely reverse the outcome of an event. Note: Can only be used once per year.)]
[Effect 2: Deception (The highest form of deception is truth. With this ability, you can turn the contents of a deception into fact, thereby achieving true deception against a target. Note: Can only be used once per year.)]
"Hmm... interesting..."
Honestly, the description of the Magician card was a bit difficult to understand, but Fu Li subconsciously thought of one person.
She was the youngest master of the Helix Workshop, the Magic King of the Twilight Era, the one who overlooked the stars, and the Vill-V who loved to create 'genius little junk'—a genius on par with Mobius.
Create falsehood from truth, reverse meaning through contradiction.
That was Vill-V's catchphrase, and it bore a strong resemblance to this card's abilities. But perhaps that was just a commonality among magicians.
Unfortunately, when it came to something as esoteric as magic, he was completely clueless.
And there was no guarantee the next simulation would even be about Vill-V. If it wasn't, he likely wouldn't be able to use this card well.
After reading through the descriptions, Fu Li lay in bed, his mind slowly pondering the card's abilities and uses. Before he knew it, his eyes closed, and he fell into a deep sleep.
What he didn't know was that earlier, when Klein was pushing him into his room, Raiden Mei, who lived across from him and was diligently studying, had seen the entire scene.
And just as Fu Li drifted off to sleep, in the room across the hall, the girl was burying her head in her arms, thinking about what she had just witnessed.
Who was that big sister? Is she Fu Li's sister? But her hair color is wrong. Besides, Fu Li is clearly Chinese, while that big sister was obviously European.
And why do I even care about this? Is there something wrong with me?
Mei lifted her head and looked at the window, which was now covered by its curtain. She let out a soft sigh, and for a rare moment, she no longer had the heart to study.
For someone like her, who had grown up under a very strict household, she couldn't understand her current mood. Was it because of a crush? Or was it the unease of having a friend stolen away?
It seems I'll have to probe him about it indirectly when I get the chance.
---o---
Meanwhile, far away in America, in the tallest building on Wall Street.
"Um, boss, here are the chat logs you requested from the Penguin Company."
"Oh, I see. Give me the computer, then you may leave."
As the subordinate respectfully withdrew, a playful smile graced the lips of the girl in the boss's chair. She reached out and took the laptop that had just been delivered.
Since no one was around, a fluffy tail silently emerged from behind the girl, swaying leisurely, revealing her non-human identity.
"Oh... how interesting."
"These people, really... they clearly found Li first, yet they were all being so secretive about it. How naughty."
Sunlight streamed through the glass, illuminating the girl's face and making her smile appear exceptionally bright.
The moment Black Pardo had disappeared, she had realized something was afoot. And just as she expected, a little investigation was all it took to find the person she had been searching for for so long.
Finally, can we meet again?