By the time Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu left the clothing store, it was already evening.
The setting sun hung low in the west, casting an orange-red glow across the east-west street, bathing the entire road in golden hues.
The shadows of passersby stretched long behind them.
“The day is almost over,” Qin Yu sighed.
“Yeah, a whole day of goofing off~” Luo Shangyu agreed.
“Our meeting with Zhang Han isn’t for a while yet. Want to grab something to eat?”
“Didn’t you eat anything at the bar?”
“Have you ever been to a bar?” Luo Shangyu asked.
“I’m only fourteen…”
“Bars don’t have proper meals, just some simple snacks.”
“Alright then. How about we get some fries at the dock?”
“Fries at the dock? What does the dock have to do with fries?”
It seemed the jokes in this world didn’t line up with those from the old one.
Qin Yu sighed helplessly, “Never mind, let’s just go get some dessert!”
The two of them walked along the evening street.
The crowd had thinned considerably, probably because it was around dinnertime.
The restaurants lining the street were bustling with chatter as everyone enjoyed their evening meals.
Passing by a restaurant, Qin Yu spotted a couple sitting face to face by a window near the street, sharing a candlelit dinner.
“A candlelight dinner?”
Qin Yu was curious.
In both her original world and this Illusory World, she had never had a lover, let alone experienced such a romantic moment.
She watched the couple’s every move, a hint of envy stirring inside her toward the girl — able to share a candlelit dinner with someone she liked.
Qin Yu stared intently at the couple…
Leering at them with fierce concentration.
Luo Shangyu took a few steps ahead, then noticed Qin Yu had fallen behind.
She stepped back and followed Qin Yu’s gaze, spotting the couple enjoying their private world.
Luo Shangyu was also drawn in.
Having lived in seclusion for years without friends, let alone a lover, she was equally curious about the pair.
The two of them stood side by side, leering at the couple.
The couple seemed to sense something and suddenly glanced out the window…
But there was nothing there.
A few seconds earlier…
“Luo Shangyu, stop staring!” Qin Yu grabbed Luo Shangyu’s arm and turned to leave.
“Huh? Ah, ah… slow down…” Luo Shangyu was startled by the sudden move.
“Come on, hurry! They’ve noticed us.”
“How do you know?” Luo Shangyu doubted.
“A girl’s sixth sense~”
“Huh? I didn’t feel anything at all,” Luo Shangyu didn’t understand.
After this brief incident, the two resumed their walk toward the dessert shop.
“Yegeler Dessert Shop…” Luo Shangyu read the sign.
“Sounds good. Let’s go here,” Luo Shangyu said.
Qin Yu pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The shop wasn’t crowded.
Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu found an empty table by the window and sat down.
Soon, a staff member approached with the menu.
Qin Yu glanced over the menu and realized this was a very European-style dessert shop, mainly featuring traditional sweets from the Saint Roppu Empire.
Qin Yu’s first choice was cheesecake — her favorite dessert, bar none.
“And then…” Qin Yu carefully considered the other options.
“Our chocolate mousse cake is the shop’s signature, ranked number one must-try in Yongan City!” the waiter enthusiastically recommended.
“Then I’ll have a chocolate mousse cake!” Qin Yu’s anticipation grew.
The menu was handed to Luo Shangyu, who didn’t even glance at it and told the waiter, “I’ll have the same as her.”
“?” Qin Yu was stunned.
“I’m not very experienced with desserts. I trust your choice.”
“…”
Luo Shangyu’s words and actions perfectly matched Qin Yu’s impression of her: a reclusive millennia-old girl who barely knew anything about desserts.
“By the way, how much time do you have before your meeting with Zhang Han?”
“More than an hour left. We agreed on eight o’clock, and it’s not even seven yet.”
Qin Yu relaxed, relieved at the ample time to truly savor her desserts.
She glanced out the window.
The setting sun faded its last rays, and night fell.
Streetlights powered by light attribute magic flickered on, bright but gentle to the eyes.
“By the way, what are you planning to ask Zhang Han?” Qin Yu asked curiously.
“I want to know the details about the Boermai Empire. I’ve heard for a long time that the empire is jointly ruled by the Demon Clan and Humans. This uprising will probably upset that balance. I want to understand the situation better.”
“Upset the balance?”
“Yes. The First King of Boermai once heavily relied on a Demon general, which expanded the empire’s territory. This Demon general’s officers were all from the Demon Clan, formidable warriors who contributed greatly to the expansion. Later, the general’s descendants were all granted noble titles. After the Boermai Empire’s expansion ended, the Demon Clan’s influence became very strong. They possess superior magical talent and battle prowess, forcing the imperial family to take various measures to appease them and maintain domestic harmony. But now, the current incompetent king seems to have angered the Demons, breaking that harmony.”
“Do you think the Demons will definitely win?”
“Definitely. Anyone bold enough to rebel must be extremely confident. And the Boermai emperor now is weak; public support is no longer with the royal family.”
“That doesn’t really concern us though.”
“That’s not certain. The entire Illusory World is currently at a [Critical Point].”
“Critical Point?” Qin Yu didn’t understand.
“Yes, a critical point of war. Conflicts between countries are intense, especially with rapid population growth over the past hundred years and uneven distribution of natural resources. Differing magical strengths lead to unequal productivity. Some nations desperately need resources to sustain their people, causing territorial disputes to worsen. Meanwhile, stronger magical countries sit back and watch, waiting to devour the weaker ones. However, alliances and treaties among countries currently keep the Illusory World in a delicate balance,” Luo Shangyu patiently explained.
“How do you know all this?” Qin Yu was shocked.
“Newspapers have been reporting on these issues for years. You should know too, right?”
“…”
Qin Yu thought to herself it was a miracle if she actually followed any of that while slacking off in class.
Luo Shangyu ignored Qin Yu’s awkward silence and worried aloud, “If the Demons overthrow the king, the critical point could be breached, and war might come.”
There was no time to dwell on that, as their desserts arrived.
Qin Yu carefully inspected the cheesecake: a pale yellow cake, soft and fragrant with a creamy aroma.
She sliced a piece and took a bite.
Cold and dense, it enveloped her tongue, the rich cheese flavor blossoming in her mouth.
One bite was pure satisfaction. ~\(≧▽≦)/~
She quickly finished the cheesecake.
“Now for the chocolate mousse. How should I rate it?” Qin Yu pondered.
The mousse was layered in three tiers.
The top two were brown cream, subtly different in shade.
The very top was dusted with chocolate powder.
Qin Yu leaned in to smell, the unique bittersweet scent of chocolate filling her nostrils.
She cut vertically to ensure the piece had all three layers.
The mousse cream melted instantly on her tongue, dense and sweet, sharply contrasting with the bitter chocolate powder above.
The flavor was rich and delightful.
“Not bad at all. No wonder it’s number one on the must-try list!” Qin Yu sincerely praised.
She looked out the window again, her thoughts wandering.
“The couple from before was sitting here too… She was sharing dinner with the one she loves, right?”
Qin Yu glanced at Luo Shangyu sitting across from her, savoring the dessert.
‘Right now, I’m… having dinner with my best friend?’
Qin Yu thought to herself, with her best friend’s company and such delicious desserts, life’s happiness couldn’t get much better than this.
At that thought, she no longer envied the girl from earlier.
“What are you laughing at?” Luo Shangyu asked curiously.
“I’m laughing?”
“You are, and it’s a pretty exaggerated laugh.”
“…The cake’s just too good. I’m really happy,” Qin Yu replied half-heartedly.
Luo Shangyu gave her a puzzled look.
‘What was so funny? Truly baffling.’