Chapter 2: Encounter

If Aier’s Father hadn’t died in battle, and their family hadn’t been taken over, this story would most likely have turned into a derivative version of “Yosuga no Sora” in the end.

But life doesn’t have any ifs.

“Sis, look! The novel I sent out has already earned me manuscript fees!” The moment she saw her sister return, Xiqi immediately shared her joy with Aier. That radiant smile on her face, as bright as the sun, made it impossible to tell that she was of a frail constitution.

As she spoke, Xiqi pulled out an already-opened envelope from under a pile of books stacked in the corner of her desk. She carefully tipped the envelope over, and a letter along with several gleaming Silver Coins slid out.

You might be curious how a work written by a fourteen-year-old could make money—this has to do with the Empire of Dawn’s unique cultural atmosphere.

As the only empire on the continent ruled by a female monarch, the Empress of Dawn always prioritized women when bestowing noble titles. Unless a man was exceptionally talented, the highest they could expect was to become a Count.

Over time, a special trend developed in the Empire of Dawn: men and women were seen as being together only for the sake of having descendants, while women with women was considered true love.

Moreover, the most popular activity in the Empire of Dawn was the Readership Club, and so Yuri novels gradually became all the rage.

And Xiqi was a seasoned Yuri author. With her realistic and daring style, she had carved out a place for herself in the thriving novel scene of the Empire of Dawn!

Some of the comments circulating in the Readership Club included, but were not limited to:

「So you can actually do it upside down? I’m going to try it tonight.」

「Wait, there’s even this ‘Ace’s Admiration’ kind of play? No wonder the maids at home react so much when they’re getting whipped.」

「To the one above, I think your maid just got whipped too hard.」

……

The fortunate thing was, Xiqi’s books were about Aier.

The unfortunate thing was, Xiqi’s books were about Aier.

Every time, Xiqi would present her first draft for Aier to review, and Aier could only encourage her with an awkward, forced smile, as if she were the Herculean King: “You did great. You really helped your sister a lot.”

“Hehe, I’ll work even harder.” Her little sister’s smile bloomed like a flower.

Aier ruffled her sister’s soft golden hair, then went downstairs to prepare dinner.

She skillfully dragged a small coal stove out from the corner of the wall, lit a candle using the remaining embers, then started a fire and boiled water in a small pot.

Aier tossed two rock-hard loaves of black bread into the boiling water, eventually making a pot of black paste. This was the famous medieval survival meal.

Medieval black bread was so hard it could be used as a weapon. If you didn’t boil it in soup or water, it was impossible to bite through. Plus, the bread was naturally sour and bitter, so you can imagine how the paste tasted after boiling.

But fortunately, when people are hungry, dopamine comes to the rescue. The two sisters shared their not-so-tasty dinner this way.

As her sister ate, she poured out all sorts of inspiration she’d had while writing, making Aier’s scalp tingle.

Although she also felt a love for her sister that went beyond familial affection, some of her sister’s bold ideas were honestly quite nerve-wracking at times.

But as long as her sister was happy, that was all that mattered.

Aier’s eyes were full of concern: “Xiqi, you really don’t have to push yourself so hard. You’ve written three hundred thousand words this month already; you can slow down a little.”

Three hundred thousand words in a month—back in her previous life, that would have made her a writing demon.

Although her sister’s manuscript fees did help with household expenses, compared to the debt their family owed, it was still a drop in the bucket.

Aier didn’t want this pressure falling on her sister, especially given her less-than-ideal health.

Her sister’s frail, sickly constitution had always been there. Back when their Count Father was alive, there was no need to worry. This world might not have magic, but it did have both Potionmaking and Alchemy.

Not the kind of scammy potionmaking or alchemy, but real techniques that could produce magical effects.

By drinking one bottle of Strongbody Potion a week, which could enhance physical fitness, Xiqi’s childhood was no different from any other child’s.

But now, after deducting the terrifying interest from her hard-earned wages, Aier was left with next to nothing each month. They hadn’t been able to afford genuine Strongbody Potions for two whole years.

Even though her sister kept insisting her body was fine, her physical weakness couldn’t be hidden.

Xiqi, who once happily accompanied her sister out shopping, now showed obvious signs of unsteadiness when walking.

For her safety, Aier could only keep her at home to rest.

Xiqi put on a gentle, adorable smile and reached out to touch her sister’s cheek: “Sis, I don’t feel tired at all. Just thinking about working hard together with you fills me with endless strength! Besides, I really love writing. Before I knew it, I’d written so much already.”

Seeing her sister’s weak yet determined smile, Aier gritted her teeth. No matter how hard it was, she had to take care of her only family.

They might not be able to afford Strongbody Potions, but she’d heard that some Pharmacies sold Inferior Strongbody Potions.

So-called Inferior Strongbody Potions had much weaker effects, but they were much more affordable. Still, even one bottle cost 1 Silver Coin.

By the way, the Empire of Dawn’s currency conversion was 100 Copper Coins to 1 Silver Coin, and 100 Silver Coins to 1 Gold Coin.

In other words, a single Inferior Strongbody Potion was equivalent to a hundred meals for them—a whole month’s worth of food.

For Aier and her sister, who were still saddled with 300 Gold Coins of debt, this was a heavy burden.

But her sister’s health was most important. If push came to shove, Aier would just take on more part-time jobs.

Having made up her mind, she quickly cleaned up the dishes, put on her slightly oversized hat and coat, and, using the excuse of “going out to see if there’s any night work,” hurriedly locked the door and left the small house.

She had to make it to the Pharmacy before it closed.

Inferior Strongbody Potions had a shelf life and had to be taken within a set time.

To avoid waste, Pharmacies usually made them to order on the same day and delivered them the next.

If she could catch today’s order, she could pick up the potion on her way home tomorrow, and by then, even if her sister wanted to refuse, it would be too late.

She rushed to the Pharmacy near their house, and thank goodness, the lights were still on and the door was wide open.

Aier’s heart leaped with joy, and she quickened her pace to dash inside.

But just as she was about to turn into the doorway, she ran smack into a voluptuous figure.

“Ow!”

Aier let out a cry like a small animal in pain. The other person’s ample curves, barely restrained by two layers of long skirts, bounced Aier back several steps, until she finally landed with a thud on the ground. Her hat even flew off her head.

Aier: Oww, my butt hurts (Q﹏Q)

“Oh my, I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you, little girl?”

The curvy figure bent down slowly, and a pair of magnificent, eye-catching “rabbits” rushed boldly into Aier’s view.

Aier: ⚆_⚆

Whoa… so big!

Although their mother had been well-endowed, compared to this colossal figure in front of her, the difference was overwhelming. Aier was stunned—she never imagined such “weapons” could exist in the world.

The key was, they didn’t sag at all; the shape was full and perky. Unbelievable, it was like an anime character’s body.

They even swayed so much it was dazzling, and Aier could almost hear the boing-boing sound.

So big… so white…