Why Did You Have to Make Me Watch This!

Yaxiu lay on the reclining chair on the balcony, sipping milk tea while watching a drama on Sonia's miracle bracelet. The dormitories of an aristocratic university naturally came equipped with all-in-one washer-dryers, and even cleaning golems that tidied up automatically while students were in class. Consequently, there were no female college students' undergarments hanging out to dry on the balcony. Instead, the windowsill was lined with potted plants, and decorations like wind chimes and stars hung from the ceiling. Whenever a gentle breeze blew, the chimes chimed melodiously, and the stars shimmered in dazzling hues. Over the past year, whenever Sonia grew tired and weary from cultivation, she would lounge comfortably here, open the light screen, and enjoy an undisturbed moment of peace. Still, this was just way too good. Yaxiu couldn't control himself at all. He watched episode after episode, growing angrier the more he watched. Why, why were all the dramas starring Daedalose so good?! Couldn't she make them just a little worse?! Yet every frown and smile, every word and murmur of the greatest beauty beneath the starry sky effortlessly commanded the cult leader's full attention. It wasn't until the closing theme song played that he snapped back to reality, but he still couldn't help turning the plot over in his mind, his emotions swept along by the heroine's joys, sorrows, partings, and reunions. Yaxiu was likely the only person in all of Stars who had met Daedalose before watching her dramas. Even though he had approached them with preconceived pride and prejudice, scrutinizing this Star Feeler's work with the harshest and most critical eye, he had still been utterly captivated by her talent. Damn it, how were all these feelers so incredible?! Everlasting Presence had been thoroughly rooted out and eradicated, but Gospel had been a hell-difficulty start; her defeat at the hands of the Gospel God was nothing to be ashamed of. Mercury Trojan had risen from humble beginnings, sweeping across the lands of Senluo in just a few short years. At her peak, she had controlled more than half the realm and destroyed most of its factions. Had Senluo not been doomed to fall into apocalyptic ruin, she might even have become the pope of the Four Pillar Cult. Chaos Diva had lain low in Stars for years. Opposing the starry sky was her main quest, while acting and singing were merely side quests to conceal her identity. Yet she had become the shared memory of an entire generation, hailed as the greatest beauty beneath the starry sky, an idol adored by countless boys and girls! Their lives fully proved that if someone had it in them, they could do anything—even the impossible—and excel across the board! By comparison... Yaxiu suddenly remembered that Heath was also a household-name creator in the Country of All Stars. Although he was a copycat, it was still ample proof of the Blood Moon feeler's business acumen. Had the Four Pillar Gods scouted this bunch of geniuses, or had the Four Pillar Gods turned them into geniuses? Yaxiu's speculation was by no means baseless. Ever since he had become the feeler of the Princess of Resplendent Fireflies, he had begun faintly sensing threads of longing. For now, however, the effective range was tiny; he practically had to be face-to-face to see someone else's longing, which was useless unless he ran into a tsundere. Even so, Rose had mentioned that Yaxiu's feeler abilities scaled linearly with her strength. If she grew stronger, or if Yaxiu's bond with her deepened, his perception range would expand accordingly, potentially even blanketing the entire world. When that time came, no matter who thought of him, Yaxiu would sense it instantly and strike beyond visual range along the threads of longing. At that stage, he would essentially become an entity that was "ineffable, unimaginable, and impossible to gaze upon directly." As for how to make Rose stronger or deepen his connection with her, the only current method was to hold another Longing Fulfillment Ritual in the domain of longing... At the mere thought of this, Yaxiu couldn't help burying his face in his hands. His cheeks burned as if on fire, and he gave his own head a firm rap. Fortunately, longing required time to accumulate, meaning the fulfillment rituals could only be conducted after certain intervals. At least for the near future, he wouldn't be dragged back into the domain of longing. "Bored?" Sonia pushed open the balcony door and asked, sitting down on his lap. In this freezing weather, she wore a pleated skirt and black thigh-high socks that reached above her knees, fitting snugly against her thighs. A sliver of skin was revealed between the socks and skirt; her creamy flesh wasn't scrawny in the least, possessing a supple, healthy fullness. Her rounded bottom carried a breathtaking elasticity, pressing a shallow dent into Yaxiu's lap. Yaxiu shook his head. "No, I was just experiencing what it felt like for you to sit here watching Crossed Blades of Cunzhou." "I've never watched Crossed Blades of Cunzhou out here." "Then what were you watching?" Sonia tilted her head, a hint of seductive charm dancing in her eyes. "I was watching you." Yaxiu gave her a look, his fingers creeping up along her thigh-high socks toward her bare skin, only for her to quickly catch his hand. The Sword Princess straightened up, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. Turning toward the room, she whispered under her breath, "They're watching..." Yaxiu blinked. "Should we tell them to leave?" Sonia bit her lower lip and gave him an exasperated glare, though the smile lingering at the corners of her eyes was far more stirring than any drama's sorrows and joys. Threads of longing seemed to trace her gaze and hook straight into Yaxiu's soul. Pulling him to his feet, she said, "We should head back." Head back. Her home was no longer this dorm room. Yaxiu had tactfully stayed out on the balcony earlier to give the girls space to talk privately. When he stepped inside, the atmosphere in the room shifted subtly. Lois sat primly on her chair, knees held tightly together without the slightest gap, looking rather stiff; Ingrid stood leaning against the bed ladder with her hands clasped behind her back, her spirits visibly low; Adele was the most nervous of all, holding her hands up by her chest like a boxer, as if she were about to step into the ring with him. "Sword Princess, did you explain things clearly to them?" Yaxiu asked suddenly. "Explain what?" "Explain that you weren't trifling with my feelings," Yaxiu said with absolute solemnity. "Earlier, when I told them about how we got together, they were unanimous in thinking you were a toxic woman playing with my heart. Look at them—their expressions are so grim you'd think I was about to jump into a pit of fire." Sonia looked at her roommates in disbelief. "You actually badmouthed me in front of him?!" Lois and Ingrid immediately pointed at Adele. Adele gaped, then fired back with shameless confidence despite having no ground to stand on, "Didn't you complain to him that we're hard to get along with, too?!" "Well, you really are hard to get along with!" "And Yaxiu really is head over heels for you!" Adele shouted. "Earlier, he got mad just because Iris spoke ill of you, and he gave that little blabbermouth a harsh lesson!" "Really?" Sonia eyed Yaxiu suspiciously. "Why do I get the feeling you went and flirted with other girls while I was away again?" "Stereotypes! Absolute stereotypes!" Yaxiu protested self-righteously. "Who in their right mind would fall for me just because I bullied another girl?" Lois's gaze darted away, Ingrid stared at the tips of her boots, and the corner of Adele's mouth twitched uncontrollably. "Still, I didn't step in just because she badmouthed the Sword Princess," Yaxiu said. "I wanted to keep a low profile in Jialesi. It was because you stepped forward to defend your friend's honor that I lent a hand. Even if the person you were defending hadn't been the Sword Princess, I wouldn't have stood by and watched." "I'm very glad I met you before the Sword Princess arrived," he added with a gentle smile. "That way, I got to see for myself that you're not only roommates she trusts, but also friends I'd be delighted to have." Adele didn't even need to turn around to sense the feelings the other two were desperately trying to suppress. For the first time, she realized just how complicated the adult world was. Sonia clobbered Yaxiu over the head. "And you say you don't flirt with girls? Why are you so smooth with those lines?!" "That's how I talk to Igola and Harvey all the time!" Sonia gasped in shock. "Wait, they're women?!" After a round of playful banter, the two opened the door. Sonia looked back at her roommates, her eyes reddening at last. "Goodbye." Even though Yaxiu had been right outside earlier, concern had gotten the better of them, and Adele and the others had tried to counsel Sonia. They weren't urging her to submit to Stars—placing one's fate in the hands of the Divine Lord of Stars was never a wise move—rather, they had asked if she had truly thought this through. From the descriptions on the suspect list, it was obvious that Sonia was merely an afterthought; Yaxiu was the target the Divine Lord of Stars hated to the bone. Though their impression of Yaxiu had improved, his track record showed that he truly wasn't the type to settle down and give Sonia a peaceful life. He lived like a bolt of lightning piercing the night sky, destined either to shatter the heavens or be swallowed by the dark. Even Sonia couldn't deny that. With Sonia's strength, she could live freely and comfortably on her own, even as a fugitive wanted by the Divine Lord of Stars. She had countless choices. Did she really have to choose Yaxiu Heath? "He was never just an option." Sonia had chewed on her straw and offered that casual reply, yet those listening understood that this village girl from the countryside had made up her mind with a resolve that any noble lady would dream of. "Goodbye," Lois waved, sniffing softly. "We'll miss you." Recalling the messages he had seen at the Gates of Hell, Yaxiu said quietly, "From now on, the time between our meetings will be counted in years." With that, Adele broke down completely, rubbing her eyes as she began to sob. Sonia punched Yaxiu in the shoulder. "No way! You're going to come with me to visit Jialesi often! Maybe we can even buy a house here down the road—even if we don't live in it, I have to own a little villa in Jialesi! That's my childhood dream!" "Why not a big villa?" "Because big villas feel like they'd be haunted..." Yaxiu burst out laughing. Sonia pouted petulantly. "It's totally normal for little girls to be afraid of ghosts!" "Anyway, I'll be back often. It's just..." Sonia blinked. "My student days are probably over." Seeing the mood turning sorrowful again, Yaxiu spoke up. "Goodbye, Adele. Next time, it's your turn to treat." "Goodbye, Lois. Next time, I want to buy a suit of combat attire from your chamber of commerce." "Goodbye, Ingrid. I look forward to seeing your swordsmanship next time." Yaxiu beckoned Sonia to go. The Sword Princess gave her roommates one last wave and hurried after the cult leader ahead, grumbling, "How come you talked more than me? It sounded like you were the one saying goodbye to them..." "Reflect on that yourself... Wait, you still haven't finished that?" "I won't be able to drink it for a long time, so I have to savor it." Once they disappeared down the stairwell, Lois shut the dorm door. The three looked at one another in silence, overcome by an odd sense of melancholy. Adele wiped her tears and sighed. "Right now, I feel like I've just finished watching a critically acclaimed, top-rated drama. And the title of this show is... The Sword Princess's Handbook?" "Part two is already in production," Lois murmured. "It's just that we won't be able to watch it up close anymore." Ingrid pushed open the balcony door without a word, and the other two followed immediately. They watched as Yaxiu and Sonia walked side by side out of the female dormitory building. Yaxiu was watching his light screen as he walked, seemingly still engrossed in Crossed Blades of Cunzhou, while Sonia cradled her milk tea, sipping slowly. Suddenly, Sonia nudged Yaxiu and held the milk tea out for him to take a sip. Keeping his eyes glued to the screen, Yaxiu leaned down, but Sonia pulled the cup back, deliberately keeping his lips from reaching the straw. Leaning farther and farther, Yaxiu stumbled and nearly fell. Looking up, he saw Sonia dashing ahead with a mischievous smirk. Half-annoyed and half-amused, he gave chase, swept her into his arms, and planted a kiss on her before the Sword Princess finally let him have a sip. "What did I do wrong to have to see this?!" Adele clutched her head, writhing like a worm. "No matter how bitter or hard my life gets, I don't feel sad, but seeing them flaunt their love cuts into my heart like a knife! I want sweet romance too! If there's no sweet flavor, I'll settle for original flavor!" Lois gave her a deadpan look. "Don't you have a fiancé?" Adele froze and scratched her head. "Oh, right." Then she turned and headed back into the room to contact her boyfriend, muttering as she walked, "Noted, noted! I'll try that on my date tonight! But will drinking two cups of milk tea in a single day make me fat...?" Only two remained on the balcony, standing in the cold breeze long after Sonia and Yaxiu had vanished from sight. "Adele is going on a date tonight," Ingrid said suddenly. "How about the two of us go to the Secret Garden for a drink?" Lois paused, then smiled. "Sure."