Lanqi's Gears Begin to Smoke

7:30 a.m. Hutton Pedestrian Plaza. Loren had managed to improvise and settle Florence down, telling him to rest for a while on the circular wooden bench beneath the large tree while he went to fetch a cup of refreshing coffee. "Before 7:35, East Gate of Golden Bee Amusement Park, meet the Ice Witch; leave at 7:45 for Elivelle Pastry Shop to meet Juliana, pick up the coffee on the way and leave; 8:00 park opens, pick up Florence and use the VIP lane; 8:15 rush to the East Gate to line up with the Ice Witch..." Loren silently recited the timetable his drillmaster had made him memorize over and over in his mind. Even now, putting it into action made his heart pound wildly, but he could only give it everything he had. In theory, his itinerary had become as convoluted as an interconnected network graph. Every single timestamp held multiple tasks and prep steps—he couldn't afford to misremember a single one. To make it easy for him to dash back and forth, all three dates were set at Golden Bee Amusement Park today. However, they would never be allowed to appear in the same zone at the same time. Following the drillmaster's plan, Loren would keep the three of them in entirely separate attraction areas. To sprint from one location to another, he would have to run with all his might. He would be running for his life all day long. Had the drillmaster not drawn up such a terrifying plan for him, Loren would never have imagined such a possibility even existed. As the drillmaster's philosophy went: Pushing operations to their theoretical limits inevitably brings corresponding risks— Without such resolve, satisfying everyone was simply impossible. It required a solitary soul to make the sacrifice, an extraordinary individual chosen from thousands... "Hang in there!" After a wave of inner turmoil, as if he had finally sorted out his priorities, Loren's eyes hardened with determination. Though he had no idea what the drillmaster was busy with today, he knew the man wasn't free either. Even under such circumstances, the drillmaster was still aiding him, fueled by an unwavering sense of responsibility and fervor. Deeply moved, Loren swore he would never let down the drillmaster's guidance! *** 7:34 a.m. East Gate entrance of Golden Bee Amusement Park. The agreed-upon subway station entrance. A woman with silver hair and silver eyes stood quietly in place, motionless as a sculpture. Her figure was as pure and flawless as an elf bathed in moonlight. As a half-demon, the Chosen Saintess Almis possessed no demonic horns; her sole demonic feature was her slightly pointed ears. She looked more like an unblemished snow elf than any demon spoken of by the populace. Even in human society, she never used illusion magic to conceal her half-demon heritage, openly and candidly presenting herself to the world. Today, she was dressed more like an ordinary young woman, wearing a light sundress and a wide-brimmed sunhat, looking as if she were strolling along a summer beach. She spotted Loren at the same time. Just as Loren was reciting the timetable in his head, his gaze caught the distant Ice Witch. Outside the east station of Hutton's Golden Bee Amusement Park, the lush canopy provided deep shade, birds chirped in overlapping choruses, and the morning sun filtered through the treetops, casting dappled light across her form. Her lifted silver eyes proved she was no work of art, but a living, breathing soul. The Ice Witch walked over. Before long. In the bright, expansive plaza before Golden Bee Amusement Park, the Ice Witch halted in front of Loren, saving him a few steps as she joined him. "Loren, you're here." The Ice Witch took the initiative to greet him. Her voice, as always, carried little fluctuation or emotion. "...Yes." Loren gave a slight nod. Almis's mood had always been the hardest for him to read among all his colleagues, blowing hot and cold without warning. Although her attitude toward him had seemed to undergo a total transformation after the final battle in Creti, she had returned to her stone-faced poker expression today upon meeting him, as if she weren't particularly thrilled to come out for team-building with him. "Do I look pretty today?" The Ice Witch took a step forward, looking Loren straight in the eye as she asked. Following the instructions of Bishop of Domination Sigrid over the communication magic, she posed the question to Loren. "Of course. You look great." Loren was suddenly at a loss for how to reply. In his memory, Almis wasn't the kind of person who would ask something like that the moment they met. After all, their outing today was under the guise of colleague team-building. "You hesitated." The Ice Witch remained standing remarkably close before Loren, looking up into his eyes. It was as though she suspected he wasn't being sincere. "No, I..." Loren recalled the drillmaster's prior coaching. His gaze was firmly locked onto the Ice Witch's clear, silver-white pupils; he didn't dare look away for a second, lest turning his eyes make him seem guilty. *If you fail to give an accurate response immediately, you can continue to space out naturally for a moment. Wait until the other person shows a subtle touch of anxiety or asks for your opinion again, then tell her she's beautiful. Put it in your own words; no need to be overly flamboyant.* Yet the Ice Witch didn't look anxious in the slightest. Involuntarily, Loren found himself led by the nose by her sheer presence. [Drillmaster: This is the first time you've ever seen her on her day off. She dressed up exceptionally pretty today, which is why you spaced out. Then ask her—how long did she spend getting ready today?] Just as Loren was floundering, the drillmaster's hushed prompt came through the communication magic. It seemed the drillmaster wasn't in a convenient spot to speak, but in this situation, he had to intervene, so he took the risk to chime in. "It's just that... this is the first time I've seen you on a day off, Almis. You dressed up so beautifully that I couldn't snap out of it for a moment." Hearing the drillmaster's direction was like grabbing a lifesaver. Loren replied with a touch of embarrassment, echoing the words in his ear. "How long did you spend getting ready today, Almis?" Loren asked with utmost sincerity. Though he didn't understand why he should ask that, he still followed the drillmaster's words. To Loren's surprise, the Ice Witch actually froze. The response the Ice Witch received from Loren was entirely different from what Sigrid had predicted. Besides, what did he mean by "how long did she spend getting ready today"? Didn't that imply she had spent ages getting dressed up specifically for Loren to look this good? And having persistently pressed him for an answer just now—didn't that prove she cared deeply about whether Loren was satisfied? [Side: He's actually got some moves. Didn't see that coming from this Loren kid.] Sigrid's voice came through the Ice Witch's earpiece. However, this only fired Sigrid up even more. The kid had probably just lucked into that one. [Side: Tell him you didn't dress up at all today. This is just how you normally look, and he's being overly self-conscious.] Sigrid commanded. "I didn't dress up at all today. This is just how I normally look. You're being overly self-conscious, High Priest Loren." As a mecha, the Ice Witch had no personal will of her own and followed the pilot's commands to the letter. "I'm sorry..." Loren was once again reminded of the Ice Witch's initial cold demeanor. He really shouldn't have said those things to her. He shouldn't have asked follow-up questions. [Drillmaster: Act a little wronged. Since she snapped at you, simply go along with it and shut your mouth. Don't change the subject or look for small talk. Wait for her to take the initiative to show concern and make it up to you.] The Love Drillmaster's voice came through immediately. It was as if he realized their opponent this time was no pushover. "..." Loren struggled to control his expression. Following the drillmaster's instruction, he lowered his eyes and looked away from the Ice Witch. He understood this time. The drillmaster wanted him to play pitiful. Only... was the drillmaster really reading from a guy's playbook? On the other side, the Ice Witch's earpiece went quiet for a moment once more. [Side: Ask him again. What you meant was—does this mean you naturally align with his aesthetic taste?] Sigrid was getting thoroughly invested now, her tone turning grave. "What I actually meant was, does this mean I naturally align with your aesthetic taste?" The Ice Witch's gaze remained fixed on Loren's face as she asked. [Drillmaster: Concur. Since the other side offered a way out, take it.] "I don't deny that..." Loren replied, looking at her. "Then this must be the will of the Goddess of Fate, creating us to match each other's preferences. Since God is guiding us, I hope you can enjoy yourself and keep me company on this date today. Forget our colleague relationship; let us simply treat each other as the partners chosen by the Goddess." The Ice Witch recited what Sigrid had just fed her to Loren. "Wait..." Hearing the Ice Witch's words, Loren felt something was terribly wrong. Was this really an idea Almis would come up with? How had a team-building outing suddenly turned into a date by the will of the Goddess of Fate? Furthermore, did Almis's underlying implication suggest that as High Priest and Chosen Saintess, they might be partners ordained by the Goddess of Fate—meaning their team-building today was actually for marriage and romance? Yet he didn't dare ask. If he did, Almis might coldly tell him once more that he was "an overly self-conscious Mr. Loren." She had already warned him once. Loren's mind was in utter disarray. He couldn't fathom Almis's thoughts at all. [Drillmaster: Tell her that you'll follow the will of the Goddess of Fate today. If God grants you two a destined bond, you naturally won't resist it.] The drillmaster spoke with deadly seriousness, as if he had encountered a worthy rival. "..." Loren found it impossible to say such ambiguous words out loud. Wouldn't that be answering Almis by confirming their outing today was both team-building and a romantic date? [Drillmaster: Cowards only get whipped like spinning tops! Since the opponent has already drawn her blade, you must clash head-on to the very end!] As if sensing Loren's hesitation, the drillmaster gave him a stern push. "We'll follow the will of the Goddess of Fate today. If God grants us a destined bond, I naturally won't resist it." As if making up his mind, Loren let out a breath and flashed a smile at the Ice Witch. He felt the drillmaster had met his match, so he couldn't afford to drag his feet either. He decided to cast aside his misgivings and follow the drillmaster's instructions to the letter. "Understood." The Ice Witch's eyes wavered for an instant, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she nodded. Had Sigrid not been helping her today, she wouldn't even have known how to communicate with Loren. Seeking Sigrid out in advance had truly been a wise choice. "By the way, Almis, wait here a moment. I'm going to Elivelle Pastry Shop to pick up some snacks and pastries. There's a particular treat I want to recommend to you." Loren glanced at his watch. It was already 7:42. Juliana was probably waiting for him at the pastry shop's entrance. The drillmaster had already investigated the Ice Witch's food preferences for him. Supposedly learned from the Ice Witch's beloved disciple, Almis liked soft, chewy pastries made from a blend of wheat flour and snow dew—the kind that released a faint floral fragrance with a gentle press. Elivelle Pastry Shop happened to carry a pastry with a snowy-white exterior sprinkled with candied fruit sugar, filled with fruit and cream. If he bought that, the Ice Witch was bound to love it. "Then I'll look forward to it." The Ice Witch agreed and waved to Loren. Coincidentally, she also needed some time to chat with Miss Sigrid. Though she had looked calm on the surface, Loren's words had nearly caught her off guard just now. Loren's departure was the perfect opportunity to review the encounter with Sigrid. *** 7:46 a.m. North Gate of Golden Bee Amusement Park. "Lanqi, are you sleep-talking because you're tired?" "Not tired, I'm fine. Probably just need something to refresh myself." In the long, winding line, Talia was still asking Lanqi why he had been inexplicably muttering to himself. Talia pondered for a moment, glanced around, and only spotted the coffee shop outside Golden Bee Amusement Park. "Lanqi, you hold our spot in line. I'll go buy two coffee ice creams. What flavor do you want?" Talia felt like eating something sweet. "Same as yours is fine," Lanqi replied casually. By his estimate, Loren would be meeting Juliana very soon. Juliana never played by the book, so Loren would likely need his remote assistance from time to time. Talia stepping away right now was actually a good thing for him. "Then how about... we just buy one?" Talia leaned toward him tentatively. She didn't mind sharing a cup with Lanqi, and they could taste more limited-edition treats inside Golden Bee Amusement Park later anyway. "Buy two of the flavors you like. I'll let you taste mine," Lanqi said helplessly. "We really are of one mind." Talia beamed and jogged off. Leaving only Lanqi standing in the queue, with Boss Cat nestled in his shadow. "So what she really meant was that she wanted to drink two cups, meow," Boss Cat poked his head out from the shadow. So far, Lanqi seemed to be handling everything smoothly. The moment Tata left, Lanqi shifted back into work mode, reopening the communication to plot Loren's route and calibrate the timing. "You need to speed up a little. Right now you're twenty-three seconds behind schedule. You'll need to end your meeting with Juliana a bit early later and get back to Florence sooner..." Lanqi directed Loren. Before he could say much more, someone suddenly tapped him on the back, making Lanqi turn around with a start. "Hi." A freshly styled Sigrid stood right behind him, looking at him with a face full of smiles. "Oh, it's you." Lanqi breathed a sigh of relief. "Tata stepped away, don't worry. When she comes back, I'll hide again." Sigrid draped an arm over Lanqi's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "You scared me. Don't sneak up on me like that," Lanqi told Sigrid, temporarily switching off his earpiece. He needed intense concentration to maintain his computational bandwidth today, making him genuinely prone to being startled by Sigrid's sudden approach. "Sorry, sorry! As an apology, want a bite?" Sigrid held the half-eaten ice cream in her hand up to Lanqi's lips and asked. "No, no thanks." Lanqi knew Sigrid was doing it on purpose. The passersby ahead and behind them in line were already staring at their overly intimate proximity. "Didn't you promise to keep me satisfied too?" Sigrid leaned in a fraction closer with mock displeasure, speaking to Lanqi. Left with no choice, Lanqi bowed to the Bishop's demand, leaning down to take a bite of her ice cream. However, whether Sigrid did it intentionally or her hand slipped, a speck of ice cream smudged onto Lanqi's cheek. "Oops, my bad." Sigrid instantly pulled back the ice cream in a fluster and searched for a handkerchief, but couldn't find one. "It's fine." Lanqi reached toward his pocket. Before Lanqi could pull out his own handkerchief, Sigrid leaned in close and licked the ice cream off Lanqi's cheek. "Darling, I'll come find you again later! Have fun with Tata first. I'm going to buy some pastries so we can eat together later." Before Lanqi could even react, Sigrid feigned innocence, waved, and darted off. "..." To the onlookers around them, no matter how close the black-haired, green-eyed youth and the purple-eyed youngster in the beret were, they still looked like two bros. Even if the black-haired youth already had a gray-haired girlfriend, what the two had just done seemed a bit over the line. Yet upon closer inspection, one would realize that was actually a dashing, spirited girl—leaving the people behind them in line utterly shocked! Lanqi immediately felt the stares from ahead and behind prickling against his skin. The Bishop of Domination was just like this: a thrill-seeker who might launch another surprise attack later. Still, such unpredictable variables fell within his contingency plans. No matter what happened today, he would ensure all six threads ran smoothly, even if it meant sacrificing himself. "I'm actually starting to admire you a little now, meow, Teacher Lan," Boss Cat said with a hint of pity. What terrifying conviction. *** 7:49 a.m. In the bustling commercial district of northern Ikerite, at 35 Art Street, stood the Elivelle Pastry Shop. The shop's stone castle-like exterior was seamlessly integrated with newly renovated magical craft curtain walls. Merely sitting inside gave one the illusion of transcending time and space. Juliana sat nervously on a sofa inside the dining area, clenching her fists. To this day, she still remembered that night in the Valhalla Gorge in the eastern Aloran Kingdom when Loren had risked his life to save her from a desperate plight. She also remembered the three agonizing months after learning of Loren's reported death, when her heart had felt as if it were being scraped by knives. When she learned Loren had returned alive, she hadn't known how to put her feelings into words. And right now, just waiting for Loren made her feel as though her heart were about to leap out of her chest; she couldn't calm down no matter what. Even on their last date together, she hadn't been this nervous. [Tata: Zhuzhu, don't worry. What you're experiencing is classic palpitations from skipping breakfast. As soon as you eat something with him later, you'll slip right back into the state you had on your last date.] Miss Tata's voice came through her ear. This guiding voice brought her immense peace of mind. To help her, Tata had even run off to a place where it was convenient to talk just now, potentially interfering with Tata's own date today. "Tata, I'll do my best. Thank you!" Juliana said with conviction. As long as she ate something, everything would be fine. Their last date had gone quite smoothly. As an eighth-tier martial artist, her usual training and energy expenditure were extremely high, requiring substantial caloric intake. Perhaps it was indeed a lack of sugar that prevented her from finding her groove, leaving her mind a complete blank. Just as Miss Tata had said, this was all pure, practical dating experience. The morning sunlight was like golden satin, generously draped across the wooden furniture of this pastry and beverage parlor in northern Ikerite. The soft clinking of coffee cups, muted chatter, and the gentle keys of jazz music made the space feel exceptionally leisurely. Juliana silently gazed out the expansive glass window. Early in the morning, the bustle had already gathered as visitors from all over converged and brushed past one another on the street. Yet she only anticipated Loren's appearance. Before long, a figure finally emerged in her line of sight. His attire today was something she had never seen before, causing her heart to beat erratically once again. Was this the Emperor of the Creti Empire? Would he be willing to sweep her, a female knight, away and make her his wife? Just thinking about it made her lower her head, not daring to look toward the window or the doorway any longer. "Juliana, I'm sorry. Did you wait long?" Loren sat down on the brown cloud-leather sofa opposite Juliana, addressing her across the low table. "No." Juliana didn't dare lift her head to meet Loren's eyes. Today, she had regressed compared to their last date. After uttering that single word, she had no idea what to say next, unable to squeeze out another sentence no matter how hard she tried. "Juliana, you're as beautiful as ever today," Loren said, following what the drillmaster had taught him. Juliana didn't look like she wanted to talk. If he stayed silent too, the atmosphere would freeze over. Thus, he needed to take the initiative, bring up any light topic, and ideally compliment her to show that he paid attention to her. Today, the tips of her hair were meticulously braided, draping softly against the side of her face. It was entirely distinct from her usual valiant appearance on the battlefield, making her look far more like an artistic, gentle young lady. He had only seen Juliana in casual everyday life once before; almost all their past interactions had revolved around official duties or joint combat operations. "R-Really...?" Juliana asked. Just acting like this little girl was shameful enough for a hardened knight commander like her. "Yes, I swear to the Goddess of Fate." Loren made the gesture of praying to God. "N-No need to swear to the Goddess! I'm just a knight commander who's considered too much of a tomboy in Aloran to ever get married. I'm really not as pretty as you think." Juliana began to babble incoherently. The styling Miss Tata had helped her with suited Tata very well, but not necessarily her. She had never been this girly before. Her only point of confidence was her rather impressive figure, which clashed completely with this delicate style. Her only recourse was to pray that Miss Tata would quickly tell her what to say. [Tata: This is already your second date. Cut straight to the chase.] Talia instructed. When she and Lanqi had gone on their second date in the City of Flowers, their relationship had made rapid progress too; the two of them hadn't bothered with formalities and skipped straight to eating. "Let's order," Juliana suddenly told Loren coolly. "Huh?" Loren seemed to still be listening to the drillmaster's analysis in his ear, completely caught off guard by Juliana's abrupt shift in topic, leaving him unable to reply. The drillmaster in his earpiece also stopped dead in his tracks. The drillmaster's brain seemed to buzz. After analyzing for ages, the opponent had killed the competition in a single second. [Drillmaster: ...Let's order.] "What?" [Drillmaster: Let's order.] Only after the drillmaster went silent for a long moment and repeated Juliana's request did Loren snap out of it. The drillmaster's voice was laden with helplessness and resignation, carrying the flavor of giving up resistance. Loren and Juliana chatted inside the shop. At that moment, a boyish figure walked past outside the window. She stood before the floor-to-ceiling glass window of Elivelle Pastry Shop, utterly bewildered. "Wait, isn't Loren dating Almis today?" Sigrid scratched her head. Why was she seeing Loren dating Juliana of the Aloran Kingdom in Elivelle Pastry Shop? *** 8:11 a.m. Golden Bee Amusement Park was officially open. Even though it was only eight in the morning, the nearby amusement park already looked dazzling beneath the morning light. Multicolored, kaleidoscopic magical lights beamed from every corner, weaving into glowing nets that blanketed the entire park. Loren led Florence along the VIP lane. Even though his bro was dressed in unusual attire today, the bro seemed in terrible shape, so Loren supported Florence with an arm. To his surprise, Florence looked even more like an invalid, limply leaning against his embrace around the waist, unable to even walk straight. "Florence, are you all right?" Loren looked at Florence with concern, hesitating over whether he should take Florence home. To outsiders, they might look very much like a couple, but Loren knew full well that Florence was a guy. They had known each other for years, braved life and death on the battlefield together, and lived under the same roof for so long afterward. "N-No need. It wasn't easy to get a chance to hang out with you today. My old injury just flared up a bit; I'll be fine soon." Florence shook her head hurriedly. She had mustered the courage to come this far; how could she give up today's opportunity? It was just that from the moment they met, Loren had treated her without a shred of physical distance, which was a bit too much for her to take. "Let's head into the small theater first. You can sit and rest there." Loren pointed to Golden Bee Amusement Park's Candy Theater and said to Florence. "Whatever you arrange," Florence replied softly. "..." Loren looked down at Florence in confusion. For some reason, hearing Florence's voice just now made him feel as though Florence were a genuine girl, and his own actions felt somewhat criminal. Soon, however, Loren gave a firm shake of his head. If Florence were a girl, the drillmaster would have certainly warned him. Besides, whether Florence was a guy or a girl—how could he not know after being bros for so long? Just like that, Loren brought Florence into Candy Theater. After buying the tickets, he settled Florence into the auditorium seats and dashed back out. He had to hurry to the east zone of the amusement park to find Almis. Weaving between attractions, [Drillmaster: Loren, do you feel like your bro is a little different today?] The drillmaster's hesitant voice came through Loren's ear. The drillmaster sounded like he wanted to say something, but held back. "He really is a bit different..." Loren answered thoughtfully. [Drillmaster: Think about it specifically. What is different?] The drillmaster continued in an extremely cryptic manner. "He feels soft when I hold him today, he smells fragrant, and even his voice sounds like a girl's. This disguise magic is truly incredible," Loren marveled. He had never touched a girl like that before, but Florence matched his imagination of a girl perfectly. [Drillmaster: ...] The drillmaster fell silent, as if having a bitter grievance he couldn't air. He and Florence shared the relationship of card maker and client. Out of professional ethics, he would never disclose the personal information of his commissioning client, Florence, under any circumstances. Back then, Florence had commissioned him to craft the disguise card, so he could not discuss a client's privacy with anyone. Unless Loren figured it out on his own, he couldn't mention a single word directly. *** The clock in the center of Golden Bee Amusement Park slowly ticked toward 8:16 a.m. Loren sprinted breathlessly to the distant East Gate, located the Ice Witch, and handed her the pastries he had bought from Elivelle Pastry Shop. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." "It's fine. To me, it was only the blink of an eye." Holding the snow-skin pastry filled with cream and fruit, the Ice Witch took a satisfied, delicate bite. The two of them hadn't waited long in line before successfully passing through the turnstile into Golden Bee Amusement Park. Upon tasting the flavor, she genuinely revealed a faint smile, looking quite content. Earlier, Miss Sigrid had arrangements of her own, so she hadn't contacted her. It wasn't until they entered the amusement park that Sigrid's communication call came through again to instruct her on what to do. Suddenly, the Ice Witch looked up and found Loren watching her. "Why are you looking at me?" The Ice Witch paused eating her pastry and asked Loren. "I just think you look very ladylike when you eat. And I've only now realized that you're actually so easy to get along with, Almis." Loren spoke as the drillmaster had taught him. The Ice Witch probably ate slowly and had a bird-like appetite, so Loren had bought very little. While eating the pastry just now, the Ice Witch had indeed looked very happy. "Are you saying that I'm normally not easy to get along with?" Listening to Sigrid's words, the Ice Witch raised her eyes and asked. [Side: Take the initiative to counterattack! Don't let the other party probe your mood easily, or you'll be led by the nose. You have to keep him guessing so he revolves around your moods and stays curious about you.] Sigrid coached the Ice Witch while explaining the reasoning behind it. "No, not at all!" Loren waved his hands repeatedly. [Drillmaster: That doesn't make sense. Why does the Ice Witch feel like she's playing hard to get?] The drillmaster seemed a bit stumped on his end too. [Drillmaster: Do this. Tell her that she's usually a bit cold toward you, which made you feel wronged and somewhat intimidated by her, wanting to get close yet not daring to. In short, when she presses forward, you retreat; put yourself in the vulnerable position.] He instructed Loren. "I've actually always wanted to interact with you more, because we share the same faith, the same hobbies, and the same mission. I wanted to get to know you and become close friends, but in the past, I was really a bit afraid of you. I never knew when you would suddenly turn cold toward me, or whether you truly disliked me. Not until I saw the smile you just had—one you've never shown before..." Loren trailed off here, his voice growing softer and softer. "..." The Ice Witch was filled with confusion. Loren managed to answer quickly every single time, leaving her at a loss for how to respond. Had she not enlisted Miss Sigrid as her strategist today, she would have lost the ability to trade blows with Loren entirely. [Side: Almis, if he retreats, you retreat too, but throw the question back at him! Ask him like this—] "Then I will strive to interact with you with this attitude more often in the future. Is that what you wish?" Almis quickly echoed Sigrid's words. "No one wouldn't wish to see you like this. I believe the church priests feel the same way," Loren replied sincerely. "So that's how it is." At this point, the Ice Witch said no more, quietly taking small bites of her pastry once again. Her coach told her to keep her head down to buy a little time while she thought. The Ice Witch was certain her coach had also sensed how difficult the opponent was. [Side: Loren deflected the issue back onto everyone else again, stating it's not just him who wants to see you like this, but the other clergy members too. He absorbed the attack again... Is this really Loren?] They strolled through Golden Bee Amusement Park. A colossal Ferris wheel turned slowly, each cabin gleaming with warm light like the brightest stars in the night sky. On every single attraction was a striking golden bee emblem. Internally, Loren was even more nervous than Almis. Right now, the drillmaster's navigation instructed him to move from the east zone toward the north zone, because Juliana was in the north zone. Once he parted ways with the Ice Witch, he would head to the north zone to meet Juliana, guide Juliana toward the west zone, separate from Juliana, meet Florence who was waiting in the west zone, and accompany him to the south zone. Moving counterclockwise through Golden Bee Amusement Park like this, the three of them would never be in the same zone at the same time, maximizing travel efficiency. "Almis, did you know? This amusement park is actually a subsidiary under Crown Casino. Compared to ordinary amusement parks, it's far more addictive," Loren introduced to Almis as he gazed at Golden Bee Amusement Park. The drillmaster had told him to initiate conversation and avoid awkward silences. He believed that as a cleric, the Ice Witch rarely visited amusement parks, just like him. "So, have you been here before?" the Ice Witch asked with a hint of interest. "Once." Loren nodded. "With whom? A girl?" The Ice Witch seemed to hit upon the crux of the matter with razor-sharp intuition. "!" In that split second, Loren suddenly realized he had walked right into a trap within a few short words. He couldn't lie. None of the Ice Witch's words sounded like a trap, but her very next line could easily turn the preceding statement into one. [Drillmaster: A girl, but there was a guy that time too.] The drillmaster reminded him. "A girl, but there was a guy that time too." Loren inwardly praised the drillmaster for saving his life. The last time he had visited Golden Bee Amusement Park, the drillmaster had indeed counted as accompanying him. Thus, he could say this with a clear conscience. Loren had no idea how the drillmaster could conjure up such purely factual phrasing in a split second. "I see. In other words, today is your first time coming on a date to Golden Bee Amusement Park alone with a girl?" Listening to the voice in her ear, the Ice Witch said to Loren. "..." Sweat beaded on Loren's forehead once more. It was almost as if the Ice Witch knew something. Without the drillmaster today, he would have been thoroughly toyed with in the palm of the Ice Witch's hand. [Drillmaster: Put on a matter-of-fact expression first, write the answer on your face, and then tell her: the premise has to be that she considers today a date.] "The premise has to be that you consider today a date," Loren smiled calmly and answered. "...Consider it one if you like," the Ice Witch pressed her lips together, leaving behind such a thought-provoking remark. Loren had brushed past the question that was hard for him to answer using facial expressions, leaving her to guess, and then tossed the difficult question back at her. If she evaded or circled back to the previous question, it would make her look flustered and shy. Consequently, she could only leave the matter ambiguous. The two continued forward. At that moment, up in the sky. On the Cloud Thunder Roller Coaster that traversed the northeast zone of Golden Bee Amusement Park, a figure wearing a peaked cap sped past merrily. "Ahaha!" Hyperion looked at the park's attractions, unsure of which one to ride next. Miss Florence was momentarily free on her end, so Hyperion didn't need to monitor Florence in real time, allowing herself to find some fun rides to pass the time. Just then, gazing down at the ground flashing past beneath the tracks, her eyes filled with confusion. "Huh? Why is the woman beside Dean Loren today Teacher Almis?" Hyperion scratched her head. Had she seen wrong? Dean Loren was supposed to be on a date with Miss Florence, wasn't he? *** In the north zone's amusement park, filled with kaleidoscopic magic lights and lively, cheerful music, Lanqi sat in a window-side booth of a beverage shop. He cut off the communication and leaned back against his seat. "Hiss..." His expression looked as if he had just sat through a grueling exam as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "What is it, meow?" Boss Cat leaped onto his lap, then hopped onto his shoulder, asking him. It found Lanqi far more stressed than anticipated. "Why do I feel like helping Loren trade blows with the Ice Witch is on such absurd difficulty?" In Lanqi's impression, the Ice Witch shouldn't have been this type. "Maybe Miss Almis is just naturally skilled at this, meow?" Boss Cat was also tuned into Lanqi's channel, silently listening to Lanqi and Loren's conversation from the shadow, fully aware of Loren's situation. Florence was a complete pushover, utterly fragile. Juliana was as bizarre and unpredictable as ever. Yet the Ice Witch was packed with microscopic details and suffocating lane pressure. "Forget it. I'll have to help him deal with Juliana again soon." Lanqi patted his cheeks, deciding to concentrate and stay sharp. He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and gazed out at the open view outside the window to rest his optic nerves. Once Tata returned, he would have to accompany Tata on a marathon of eating, eating, eating, playing, and eating. "Hey, Lanqi, look, meow!" Boss Cat stared out the window, seemingly spotting something unbelievable, pawing directly at Lanqi's cheek. "What?" Lanqi thought everything outside the window looked perfectly normal. Talia hadn't returned yet, nor had Sigrid launched a surprise attack. "Up there, meow!" Boss Cat's voice trembled as it alerted him. "What's up there?" Not until he raised his head to look out the window did habitual instinct draw his gaze tightly toward a figure on the distant Cloud Thunder Roller Coaster. His pupils contracted violently. "H-Hyperion?! Why is she at Golden Bee Amusement Park today?!" Lanqi instantly spotted Hyperion's familiar figure, and the coffee in his hand began to tremble. Not only did he have to help Loren play three separate lanes and plot Loren's itinerary in real time, entertain Talia properly himself, and remain on guard against Sigrid's surprise attacks at any moment—now he had to steer clear of Hyperion as well. "Meow, should we just surrender?" Boss Cat didn't dare watch Lanqi keep playing this game. The entire machine still appeared to be running smoothly on the surface, but somewhere, the gears were probably already spitting sparks. "It's f-fine... I'm totally fine." Even though sweat began to bead on Lanqi's forehead, he felt this situation was still within his tolerance threshold. He had long reserved plenty of contingency buffers to handle numerous unexpected variables. In his mind, he worked furiously to map out a route that would minimize risk, splicing time management and spatial planning across higher dimensions. Even as his brain overclocked more and more, he stubbornly persisted in running multiple threads. *** At the distant boundary of the north zone. 8:27 a.m. Loren and the Ice Witch lingered among the crowd. The attractions resembled entrances to mysterious worlds, inviting them to step inside and experience unknown joys and adventures. "Almis, a friend of mine said he'd bring me some Golden Bee coins so we can go straight to playing the games that cost Golden Bee coins." Loren looked at the overly long queues for the popular attractions and said. Games requiring zero Golden Bee coins tended to be the most popular, requiring long lines, whereas games requiring Golden Bee coins had vastly shorter queues. "All right, I'll wait for you." The Ice Witch was very patient, waving to Loren. All around them were laughter, cheers, and the mechanical whirring of operating rides. Loren turned and departed. Following the drillmaster's instructions, he had brought the Ice Witch to the boundary between the east and north zones and found an excuse to slip away. Now, as long as he brought Juliana to the west zone, he could head to the west zone to meet Florence. While such operations seemed pushed to the absolute limit, executing them felt surprisingly peaceful to him; the drillmaster had already laid out every single step for him. In the distance, a gray-haired girl carrying two crepes suddenly froze in her tracks, and the crepes in her hands tumbled to the ground. Her face was a picture of sheer bewilderment. "Wait, how are Loren and Almis hanging out together today?" Talia scratched her head. She was certain Loren was on a date with Juliana. So why did it feel like she had stumbled into a parallel universe, seeing Loren on a date with her good friend Almis instead?