Bab 21: Villain Simulator, Ch 21
"I don't have much time to rest," Keqing said with a yawn. "By the way, there's some money in another envelope. Since you're new to Liyue, take some time to familiarize yourself with the place."
"Thank you, Miss Keqing" Lucas nodded and then left the room.
As she watched him leave, Keqing instinctively furrowed her brow again.
If it weren't for the intense hatred she felt for him in "that dream," she wouldn't believe that this cheerful young man could be an evil person.
What's more, if he were truly evil, he would have taken advantage of her while she was unconscious after almost drowning last night. But her body was unharmed—not a trace of inappropriate behavior, not even a mark.
Could it be… she was mistaken?
No…
Their brief time together wasn't enough to reveal someone's true nature. Maybe he was just hiding it well. More time was needed for observation.
Even if Lucas wasn't a bad person, keeping him around the manor as a servant wouldn't cause any harm.
...
After leaving the manor, Lucas casually opened the envelope, only to be shocked to find that Keqing had given him 200,000 Mora.
While it wasn't a fortune, it was certainly a generous amount for a servant's allowance.
Keqing's family truly was wealthy.
Without wasting time, Lucas headed toward Yuehai Pavilion.
Though it was his first time in Liyue, thanks to the two previous simulations where he had been a Liyue native, he wasn't completely unfamiliar with the layout of the city. After asking for directions once or twice, he found himself at the entrance of Yuehai Pavilion.
As one of the most important administrative offices in Liyue, Yuehai Pavilion was an impressive and grand building.
Just as Lucas was about to enter, a guard dressed in the Qianyan Army uniform blocked his way. "Who goes there? No unauthorized entry into Yuehai Pavilion!"
"I'm here on behalf of Lady Keqing," Lucas said, presenting the document sealed with Keqing's Yuheng Star insignia. "This document is to be delivered personally to Lady Ganyu."
"Alright, no problem." After inspecting the seal, the guard nodded and allowed Lucas to pass. "Lady Ganyu's office is on the top floor, last room on the left. Don't go the wrong way."
Meanwhile, in Ganyu's office…
"Phew... so tired..." Ganyu stood up after reviewing hundreds of documents, stretching as she spoke to herself. "I'm so hungry... Oh, right, I think there are still some snacks in the drawer..."
Her hand instinctively reached for the drawer handle, but she quickly pulled it back, a look of resignation on her face. "No, I can't. I've already exceeded my calorie limit for today. If I eat more, I won't be able to hide the extra weight..."
Ganyu's outfit, known as "Frostdew", was designed by her adoptive mother, Cloud Retainer. It consisted of a tight black bodysuit under a flowing gown.
This wasn't some eccentric choice by Cloud Retainer but a deliberate way to encourage Ganyu to maintain her figure. After all, even a little extra weight would be noticeable in such form-fitting attire.
Ganyu lifted her gown and pinched her belly, sighing. "Looks like I need to cut back on my food again… ugh."
"Uh… excuse me…"
A voice suddenly came from the doorway. Startled, Ganyu looked up to see a handsome young man standing there, his gaze momentarily lingering on her stomach.
Awkward…
So awkward!
As one of the prestigious emissaries of the Qixing, being caught playing with her belly in the office was beyond embarrassing!
Quickly dropping her gown, Ganyu blushed and said, "Sorry… What can I help you with?"
The person, of course, was Lucas. He had to admit, walking in and seeing such a beautiful woman pinching her own belly was a bit… odd.
Keqing, Shenhe, Rosalyn—they were all stunning women, but they were still human. Compared to Ganyu, with her half-Adeptus heritage, there was something uniquely different about her aura.
"I'm here on behalf of Lady Keqing to deliver some documents," Lucas explained. "Now that I've done that, I should be on my way."
"Please… wait a moment!" Ganyu, her expression somewhat conflicted, said, "I just made a pot of tea. Why don't you stay and have some before leaving?"
"Well, in that case, I'll gladly accept." Lucas, unsure why she was asking him to stay, didn't want to seem rude, so he sat down.
"Um…" Ganyu's face turned slightly red as she hesitated, "About what you saw just now…"
What he saw just now?
Lucas immediately understood.
Was she referring to him catching her pinching her belly?
Even as an Adeptus, it seemed that Ganyu, like any other girl, was shy about such things.
She probably wanted him to stay so she could ask him to keep it a secret.
Just as Lucas was about to say something, the system's voice suddenly appeared.
[Faced with Ganyu's subtle hint, your response is…]
[1. Lady Ganyu, you wouldn't want your subordinates to know that you were pinching your belly in your office, right?]
[2. Just thinking about that sight will let me eat three bowls of rice!]
What? I have to choose now?
Like I'm really going to choose one of those!
Why is the system giving me options now? This is real life, not the simulator!
[Xiao Xi is just offering feasible suggestions.]
Neither of these options is feasible! If I actually said either of them, I'd probably be arrested on the spot for being disrespectful.
Almost "betrayed" by the system, Lucas smiled slightly and said, "What I saw? All I saw was Lady Ganyu working diligently in her office. As for anything else, I didn't see a thing."
Although Ganyu was simple-minded, she wasn't foolish. She quickly understood the meaning behind Lucas's words.
What a high-EQ response…
She couldn't help but feel a slight appreciation for this stranger.
Of course, it was only a small appreciation.
As an Adeptus, there was no way she could ever form a deeper connection with humans. This would be the first and last time she crossed paths with this man.
"I…"
Just as Ganyu was about to say something else, a paper crane glowing with a soft light flew in from the window, circling around her before landing gently in her hand.
"This is… a message from Cloud Retainer."
Ganyu was momentarily surprised. Due to her busy work schedule, she seldom visited Mount Aozang to see her adoptive mother, Cloud Retainer. Their communication was usually through letters folded into paper cranes.
However, Cloud Retainer had already sent her a message just a few months ago. Why another one today? Could something urgent have happened?
"Please give me a moment." Ganyu nodded at Lucas before hurriedly opening the letter.
---
Ganyu, my dear daughter,
As you read this letter, do not worry. There is no pressing matter. However, yesterday I sent your junior sister, Shenhe, down the mountain for training. Although she has inherited my teachings and possesses great strength, her lack of experience and long absence from the world may make it difficult for her to adjust. If you have the chance, please assist her where you can.
Also, I have been urging you about your marriage for quite some time. Now that Shenhe has left the mountain and I am living alone, I find myself somewhat bored. I hope that you will soon find a suitable partner and have children. I can help raise them, and they will provide me with some amusement.
I know several promising Adeptus men. If you have not found a match within three days, I will arrange blind dates for you with them. This is not negotiable.
—Cloud Retainer
---
After reading the letter, Ganyu's expression darkened.
Of course, it wasn't Shenhe's matter that bothered her. Though she didn't know Shenhe well, she was more than willing to assist her "junior sister."
What gave her a headache was Cloud Retainer's "marriage pressure."
Though Cloud Retainer wasn't Ganyu's biological mother, she had raised her since childhood. The bond they shared was no different from that of a real mother and daughter.
Though Ganyu still appeared to be a young woman, she was, by qilin standards, well past the age of marriage. Like any parent, Cloud Retainer wanted to see her daughter settled down rather than remain alone.
More importantly, if Ganyu were to marry and have children, Cloud Retainer could finally have some little qilins to… play with—no, to help raise!
For decades now, Cloud Retainer had subtly been dropping hints about marriage. Every time Ganyu visited, Cloud Retainer would wistfully remark, "It would be so nice if you brought someone with you next time."
However, Ganyu was highly focused on her career and had never met a man who caught her interest, so she hadn't been able to fulfill Cloud Retainer's hopes.
It seemed this time, Cloud Retainer had truly run out of patience. With her personality, if Ganyu didn't respond soon, she'd surely drag her to a blind date.
Wait!
All she needed was to find a man who could temporarily pretend to be her "boyfriend" to placate Cloud Retainer. Then she wouldn't have to go on any blind dates!
But where could she find a man in such a short time, someone who was trustworthy, with a clean background, and skilled at keeping secrets?
"Lady Ganyu, you don't look so well…" Lucas suddenly said. "Is there anything I can help with?"
That's it!
An idea struck Ganyu. This man in front of her was the perfect candidate!
His character seemed good, and as Keqing's personal attendant, his background was assured.
More importantly, he appeared capable of keeping secrets.
"Mr. Lucas, I do have… a rather difficult request," Ganyu said, lowering her head slightly. "Could you… become my husband?"
What?
Was that… a proposal?
That's so sudden!
Ganyu's words left Lucas stunned. Seeing his reaction, Ganyu quickly clarified, "Please don't misunderstand. What I mean is, could you temporarily pretend to be my husband to deal with my mother's marriage pressure?"
She then explained her plan to Lucas in detail.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't ask you to help for free," Ganyu added. "Afterward, I'll be sure to reward you properly."
A reward from Ganyu…
To be honest, Lucas couldn't help but feel a little curious.
Moreover, given Ganyu's status, there was no way she'd deceive someone like him.
And, most importantly, helping her out aligned with his personal principle of "doing a good deed every day."
"There's no need for a reward, really. Given all that Lady Ganyu has done for Liyue, I'd be more than happy to assist with this small matter," Lucas said, nodding. "So, I'm willing."
"That's wonderful!" Ganyu sighed in relief, standing up. "There's no time to waste. Let's get started right away!"
"Start?"
Start what?
Wait, based on what Ganyu just said, the reason why Cloud Retainer was so eager to push for marriage seemed to be because she wanted to hold a little qilin grandchild as soon as possible.
Could it be that Ganyu wanted to start "making qilins" with him?
Isn't this moving a bit too fast?
"Th-this doesn't seem right," Lucas hesitated, his expression a bit uncertain. "Shouldn't we at least have tea, watch a show, stroll through the night market, and then maybe…"
"Why make it so complicated?" Ganyu tilted her head slightly. "I just want to take a photo of us together to send to Cloud Retainer and calm her down."
As she spoke, Ganyu pulled out an exquisitely crafted Kamera from her drawer.
However, the moment Lucas saw the Kamera, his expression shifted, becoming a bit grim.
After all, in the previous run of the Life Simulator, it was because of a Kamera that he met a tragic end at the hands of the crazed Shenhe.
"So… it's just for a photo?" Lucas awkwardly laughed.
"Of course," Ganyu replied, looking like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "What else did you think?"
"N-nothing!" Lucas quickly shook his head.
Starting to make a little qilin together… There was no way he could say that out loud!
"This is called a Kamera, a creation from Sumeru. It captures an image and imprints it onto a special type of paper," Ganyu explained as she fiddled with it. "I think this is how it works. First, you…"
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