I want to just drift through life in Type-Moon.

Page 70

The two sat facing each other. After taking a bite of the bun, Arthur's eyes sharpened, and he held the bun up to his face to examine it closely.

Just now, he felt his magic power being replenished. He originally intended to use the lion leg meat as a means of replenishing his magic power, but after eating Yue Zhengling's bun, he had a new idea.

The women probably noticed this too, which is why they looked at Yue Zhengling so strangely, and now, even Arthur is looking at him with the same gaze.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm just making some delicious food to treat everyone. As long as it tastes good, don't worry about anything else."

Although Yue Zhengling didn't know what effects his steamed buns had, he could tell something from the looks in everyone's eyes.

"Ling, teach me how to make steamed buns when you have time." Arthur held the steamed bun in his hand. Both the dough and the filling gave him a very special feeling. After eating the steamed bun, an aura flowed through his body, accelerating his magic recovery.

Looking at the meat on the grill, Yue Zhengling said, "Sure, but you also need to teach me how to handle those special ingredients."

Le Zhengling knew that Arthur lived at the end of the Age of Gods, when the final counterattack was fierce. Arthur had killed all kinds of magical beasts. For ancient Britain, where food was scarce, those magical beasts were an important source of food. Arthur's culinary skills were honed during that period.

“That’s fine, but I don’t think you’ll have a chance to use it,” Arthur said, looking at Yue Zhengling with confusion. “I don’t think I’ll encounter something like this again. After all, this is a god, not the magical beasts I used to fight. Even if the world becomes like this, those magical beasts probably won’t appear again, right?”

"You've already guessed it yourself, why ask me?" Yue Zhengling glanced at him indifferently.

Le Zhengling doesn't know what the world will become in the future, but it's very possible that it will return to the Age of Gods. Therefore, in order to fill their stomachs in the future, it's necessary to learn from Arthur.

"Seriously, this stuff is so hard to cook through." Including the time Arthur spent processing it, these lion legs had been roasting for about an hour and a half, but they still looked like they had just been put on the grill, still red.

“In my experience, it will take about three more hours for this meat to be fully cooked,” Arthur said in a very calm tone, which was quite remarkable.

Le Zhengling's hand froze, then he put down the tongs, wanting to add hot charcoal.

“It’s not a matter of temperature.” Knowing what he was trying to do, Arthur stopped him and patiently explained, “Ordinary fire can only do this much. After all, this is the flesh of a god. After death, it will have a period of magical protection. It was originally supposed to take eight hours, but during the roasting process, the oil containing magic will turn into magical fire, accelerating its cooking.”

Le Zhengling sat down again unhappily. "Fine, I'll just wait. Luckily it's not a Chinese variety, otherwise I'd have to wait forty-nine days!"

Hearing his complaints, Arthur shook his head with a wry smile.

"Speaking of which, as a Chinese person, it's really amazing that I've had the privilege of eating something on par with the ingredients recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas..." Le Zhengling began to let his thoughts wander as he rested his chin on his hand and stared at the lion leg meat.

Arthur, on the other side, was quite shocked. He didn't know much about that great Eastern country because Meryl had once said that it was not a place for him to interfere.

Seeing that Yue Zhengling was distracted, Arthur decided not to talk about that country. He first turned the roast meat over, and with a splat, the grease fell onto the charcoal fire, igniting a large flame. Only then did he ask Yue Zhengling through the blue magical fire.

"Ling, what are your plans for the future?" After asking this question, Arthur felt that everyone's eyes were on them.

Le Zhengling seemed not to hear Arthur's words, quietly watching the flame until it disappeared, and then said in a very calm tone, "I originally wanted to go to Atlas Institute, but now I've changed my mind. I want to go back to Japan with Sister Orange first."

Orange, who was openly eavesdropping on the men's conversation, brightened up, while Lani stopped what she was doing.

"Why did you change your mind—of course, I don't mean to influence your choice, I'm just curious." Arthur had already decided to stay by Yue Zhengling's side, so he would unconditionally support whatever decision Yue Zhengling made, but that didn't mean he didn't want to find out.

“Because I don’t want to go to Atlas Academy right now.” Yue Zhengling still rested her chin on her hand, her eyes seemingly focused on the charcoal fire, or perhaps on Arthur.

"And what happens after we get to Japan?" Arthur continued to ask.

"...I don't know, we'll see what you choose then." Yue Zhengling blinked.

"Why should I consider my choice?" Arthur looked at Yue Zhengling with confusion, while Yue Zhengling's expression was full of inner conflict.

"Because that's fair. Our game of hide-and-seek isn't over yet. Didn't I tell you you only caught half of me? I'm not afraid to tell you, the other half of me is in the Atlas Institute."

Le Zhengling's gaze gradually focused on Arthur's face. "After arriving in Japan, Sister Orange may see the people she wants to see, but whether or not to stay in Japan will depend on your decision at that time."

“Aoko—Aoko Aozaki may not know me, and there probably isn’t any trace of me over there. If that’s the case, then you can make the decision. Do you want me to stay there and live there, or do you want me to go with you to the Atlas Institute to find my other half? The decision is yours.”

Le Zhengling's tone was very calm, "But let me make it clear beforehand, I will not provide you with any help on your journey, and I will try my best to hinder you. You only have five hundred days."

Chapter 160 Omens of Parting

Arthur, puzzled, asked, "What will this world become in five hundred days?"

"Not so good...probably?" Le Zhengling wasn't sure what changes the world would undergo in 500 days, because Yug had told him that He would truly descend in 500 days and take him away.

Le Zhengling pondered the appearance He was currently using. Since He was using Lavinia's appearance, it meant He had already descended to another timeline, which must have happened after Arthur first scared Him away.

As for what would happen to the world if a true Outer God descended, he had absolutely no interest in it at the time. That world declaration was merely a product of a whim. To put it simply, it was a matter of killing without caring about the consequences.

However, he knew that Yug wasn't very interested in this world, and as long as he didn't provoke Him too much, there was a high chance that He would just take him away and then ignore this place.

Arthur looked at the absent-minded Yue Zhengling and didn't press him further. There was still plenty of time. As long as he could embark on the journey with him in the future, he knew that this world would not be destroyed.

With this in mind, Arthur felt relieved. The world was not so easily destroyed. The destruction of humanity and the destruction of a planet were two different things, and the latter was far more difficult than the former.

Even if I could use the fully unleashed Holy Sword and Holy Lance to bombard this planet, it would take at least a hundred years to destroy it, and that would be under the premise of having unlimited magic power.

Thinking of magic, Arthur realized that his magic had recovered to some extent without him even noticing. When he obtained the Holy Lance, he poured more than half of his magic into it. With the magic furnace containing the Crimson Dragon Heart inside him, he could slowly recover magic with his breath, but the speed was not very fast. However, after eating that bun, the speed of his magic recovery actually increased a lot.

Sensing the changes within his body, Arthur looked at the wand that Yue Zhengling had placed beside him. When he first saw Yue Zhengling using this thing instead of a pastry stick, he just thought it was a bit reckless. But now that he had discovered the effects of the things made with this wand, he became interested in the wand again.

"Ling, could you let me see your staff?" For a warrior, his weapon was another life, so Arthur made this request to Yue Zhengling in a consultative tone.

"?" Yue Zhengling looked at the staff beside him in confusion, then handed it to Arthur without thinking much.

Arthur took it and began to examine it carefully. He looked at the stone pillar intently, and his first instinct was that it was not a staff, but he didn't know why he had such an intuition.

He placed the staff flat with both hands, his gaze fixed on its surface, using the keen sense of his fingers to feel its weight and material. The staff wasn't made of stone; it was covered with seemingly ordinary cracks, but upon closer inspection, one would discover that these cracks were actually interconnected. It was with this detail that he discovered the secret of this staff.

The two small iron chains near the end of the staff were not so simple either. If he was not mistaken, these seemingly ordinary iron chains were probably similar to the Gleiphir chains used to imprison the wolf Fenrir in Norse mythology.

Because this thing feels too similar to Yue Zhengling's overall style; both are overly fantastical.

"Listen, is this really just a staff?" Arthur waved it lightly twice, becoming more and more certain of his guess.

Le Zhengling looked puzzled. "You've seen me use this thing several times, and when I was forging it, I asked the Lake Fairy to forge a staff."

"...Since you didn't understand, then forget it. After all, it's not unreasonable to say that this thing is a staff." Knowing that Yue Zhengling had been misled by the lake fairy, he didn't say anything more. Some things are only true if you discover them yourself. One day, Yue Zhengling will discover the true nature of this thing.

Thinking of this, Arthur stood up, walked to Yue Zhengling's side, and tapped his shoulders with his staff.

Seeing Arthur's action, Barthemello Loreleia, as a noblewoman, knew what he was doing. She showed an incredulous expression, and then gave Yue Zhengling a deep look. She didn't think Yue Zhengling knew what Arthur had done to him, because he was still sitting there watching the roast meat, completely oblivious to Arthur's actions.

After doing this, Arthur quietly sat back down and continued to study the staff.

The two remained silent for a long time afterward, until the dripping of meat juices reignited a burst of magical fire. Only then did Yue Zhengling raise her head and ask Arthur, "Aren't you going to say anything about such a casual investiture ceremony?"

Arthur smiled, his warm, sunny smile returning to his face. "Since you know what I just did, you also understand that the so-called awarding of medals is a very casual matter."

"So I'm a member of the Round Table now?" Yue Zhengling understood the purpose of Arthur's actions. Having absorbed a part of his spirit origin, he was already a Knight of the Round Table in a sense. To be on the safe side, Arthur directly completed the confirmation ceremony.

Moreover, this is also a hint; Arthur's action is meant to tell him that this staff is not just a staff.

"Of course it's not that simple. You're just an apprentice knight of the Round Table right now." Arthur finally figured out the secret of the staff. If he used paper and ink to make a rubbing of the cracks on the surface of the stone pillar, it should form a very interesting pattern.

Le Zhengling pursed his lips, took out a small notebook and pen from his pocket, and wrote something down on it.

The women's group had already finished all the buns, and Orange had been idly looking for something to kill time on this floor. When she came back, she had several earphones and a mobile phone in her hands, as well as the same number of power banks, and finally, she was carrying an ocarina.

"Ling, can you play the ocarina?" Chengzi asked Yue Zhengling with a smile.

Le Zhengling took the things from her hands and looked at her with a strange look. She could play the ocarina, but how did Sister Chengzi find out?

"After finishing my meal, I suddenly wanted to listen to some music, but I couldn't find any audio sources, so I had to record it on the spot." Orange switched the small speaker to the recording function and then signaled to Yue Zhengling that they could start.

"What would you like to hear, Sister Orange?" Touching the milky white ocarina in her hand, Yue Zhengling showed a nostalgic expression. The ocarina was the specialty instrument of the sister who owned the shop. The first time Yue Zhengling heard her play it, she was amazed.

"It's up to you."

Le Zhengling didn't say anything more. He put the mouthpiece in his mouth, tried out the tone and familiarized himself with the positions of the keys. After pausing for a few seconds, he played a desolate tune that was very suitable for this world.

The piece being played by Yue Zheng was "The Mountain Spirit," a subtle and mournful tune that perfectly captured the faint sorrow within the music, and he also expressed the sense of panic very well.

When he finished playing, everyone watched him in silence, and Grey pulled her hood up again to cover her reddened eyes.

Rani, meanwhile, clutched her heart in confusion. She couldn't understand why she was feeling so down; as an android, this was the first time she had ever felt this way.

Orange watched him with a smile, then pressed the stop button on her phone, connected the earphones to the phone, and forced them onto his head, making him listen to it once.

When she played it herself, it felt completely different from listening to the recording. Le Zhengling covered her headphones in confusion. Did she really play it that sadly? Impossible, right?

Seeing the confused look on his face, Orange sighed helplessly. Just as the person she had just met said, there were many things that Ling herself had not noticed, or rather, she had noticed them, but they were blocked by some force.

While Orange was wandering around, she saw a black person in the musical instrument section. The person claimed to be Yue Zhengling's pet and had come to find its owner to go home.

Orange wouldn't believe it so easily, but when the other party took out something, she had to believe it—it was a photograph of herself, Aoko, Yuzhu, and Le Zhengling sleeping in a hospital bed in another world.

"What's your name?" Orange looked at the girl who hadn't spoken a word since she appeared and had only communicated with her through her eyes, and felt very uneasy.

Even though it was the first time she had met this person, it felt like they had spent a long time together. She could tell what the other person wanted to express just from simple gestures and glances. This fact made her wonder if she was under a spell.

—Miss Orange, you still can't know who I am. Just like what the master said, in this reality that is like a lie, the more you know, the more painful it will be.

That was the meaning conveyed in the other person's dark red, unremarkable eyes.

"Then how did you get here?" Orange wondered to herself. She had a vague idea of ​​who this person was, but she was a little hesitant to confirm it, because if it really was that person, it meant that the other party was already a magician.

—Wherever there is a master, there I am. Because dreams exist everywhere, and the part of my master that is a dream demon has awakened, I can transcend time and space to appear in this world. Now I need your help.

The girl handed her the ocarina.

— Record the audio and let the owner listen to it once.

"...Why do you do this? What will happen next?" Orange asked softly as she took the things the woman handed her.

If the gears are stuck, take them out, add some lubricant, and put them back in.

Instead of giving a direct answer, the other person used a strange analogy to explain to Orange.

Orange remained unmoved. She had already determined who this person was, but that was precisely why she dared not act recklessly. Only [Law] could fight against [Law]. Reality and illusion were each other's domains, and the other's existence was as unsolvable as Lingjun's magic trick.

—The master will leave this world for a while, but when he comes back, you will be able to truly be together. Are you satisfied with this answer?

The other person tilted their head; although their face was expressionless, they still looked incredibly cute.

Orange's eyes flickered. "Lingjun, how long are you leaving? Where are you going?"

—The departure of our master will probably only take a moment for you, and as for where he is going, even I don't know.

The girl opposite shook her head and took two steps back.

"What is Lingjun going to do?" Chengzi breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the answer. If it was just a moment, she could agree. As for whether the other party was lying to her, there was no need to ask.

—By listing the crimes of certain people, establishing the laws of victory, determining one's own destiny, and finally proving one's own potential.

Although Orange didn't understand the specifics, she knew that all four answers were extremely difficult.

If that represents Lingjun's future path, then it's too painful.

"What will happen to Lingjun if I don't help you?" Chengzi took a deep breath. She wanted to smoke a cigarette, but in the end, she refrained from taking it out.

The person opposite him showed a confused expression for the first time, but it quickly disappeared.

—Nothing will happen. In the end, it will just be back to its original state.

Hearing this answer, Orange felt a chill in her heart for some reason. Her subconscious kept warning her not to ask any further questions, but she resisted this will, desperately controlling the urge to turn and leave, and asked in a forcedly calm voice, "What...does that mean..."

—The master returns to his original state and quickly dies. The world continues to maintain its stability until the moment of destruction. The possibilities that came with it disappear, and then wait for new possibilities to be born. However, by then, there probably won't be any way to make a difference.

As it was, death, and possibility—Orange strung these three keywords together, combining them with her existing knowledge, and the fog in her mind instantly dissipated.

"Ling Jun's identity is!" Orange looked at the person opposite her in surprise.

The other person shook their head, signaling her not to say it.

—I will not admit it, nor can I tell you more, that the existence of the master is not necessary. His existence is just one of the possibilities. Although it is special, it is not necessary. I cannot interfere with your choice. That is an agreement between me and another person.

After conveying this message, the other person lowered their eyelids.

—It's time for me to go back. Whether the dream can continue is up to you to decide. Finally, I'd like to offer you, the one true love of this world.

Orange watched as countless mirrors appeared around her, each mirror showing her at different points in time, doing all sorts of things. Then the scenes inside started to speed up, and finally all the mirrors piled up together, reflecting her current appearance.

“…I understand.” Orange nodded to her reflection in the mirror, then the mirror shattered, and the girl from before was gone.

"This is quite a big deal. It seems I have no choice but to ask my silly little sister for help." Having witnessed her various deaths, Orange smiled fearlessly, having already made up her mind.

"Although I don't think you're lying to me, if Lingjun doesn't come back, I'll beat you up no matter the cost~ little kitty."

With a cheerful smile, Orange picked up what she needed and returned to Le Zhengling's side.

Chapter 161 Fate: Intersecting at Midnight

After listening to the audio recording that Sister Orange had helped him record, Yue Zhengling fell into a long silence.

He knew there was something wrong with his soul, but he didn't have a clear understanding of what it was. He had guesses, but he couldn't verify them.

The study of the soul is a very profound and special discipline. It belongs to the interdisciplinary field and involves fields such as philosophy, psychology, religion, history, physics, chemistry, and medicine. At the same time, the discipline itself is characterized by its extreme mystery.

In terms of the complexity of this discipline, it is on par with philosophy.