Nightfall, Inside the Inn
After spending some time resting in the inn during the afternoon, Luo Qing went out to wander around Port Ormos.
He wanted to see if he could bump into Alhaitham or other familiar faces—perhaps to foster some camaraderie (and collect more frustration points).
Although the system backend still generated frustration points daily from the desert tribes, the pace had slowed significantly. At this rate, he estimated he’d only be able to get enough for another fifty wishes before the tribes fully accepted his “loving tutelage” and resigned themselves to their new destiny.
By evening, he and Theresa had grabbed a casual dinner at a local eatery before returning to the inn to wait for Dori’s delivery.
Sumeru’s cuisine emphasized cleanliness and simplicity, but for someone accustomed to the flavors of Liyue and Snezhnaya, it was a bit underwhelming.
The inn room was a modest one-bedroom suite with a small living area and a simple bathroom.
With little else to do, Luo Qing sat in the living room, lost in thought, planning which of his mental knowledge to prioritize for transfer into canned knowledge.
Meanwhile, Theresa sat on the sofa nearby, knitting a scarf she had learned to make from Makoto. She occasionally glanced at Luo Qing and then at the window, her mind wandering.
It’s getting so late already, yet my lord hasn’t made a single move… Could it really be like my sister said—that I have to make the first move to tempt him?
Her eyes steeled with determination as she set down her yarn and needles. Standing up, she declared softly, “My lord, I’ll head to the room for a moment…”
“Mm…” Luo Qing absentmindedly responded, still deep in his thoughts about canned knowledge.
He didn’t notice the fleeting glances she gave him—or the small commotion from within the bedroom.
Or perhaps he noticed but simply didn’t care.
A moment later, the door creaked open, and Theresa reappeared.
“My lord…”
“What is it now…” Luo Qing began, but the words caught in his throat.
Standing before him, Theresa wore tight, low-cut hot pants with the zipper halfway down, revealing a snow-white high-cut bodysuit underneath, exposing her slender waist and pale skin. Her upper body was adorned with a custom-fitted crop top, accentuating her already curvaceous figure.
Most strikingly, she was barefoot.
“…”
Luo Qing was utterly speechless.
Who told Theresa about my preferences?!
Her outfit was practically a full-on rave in his “personal interest zone.”
And where did she even get such an outfit? Makoto again?!
“It seems you like it, my lord…”
Noticing the subtle gulp Luo Qing couldn’t suppress, Theresa knew her carefully planned outfit had hit its mark.
Sister really does understand him best.
“My lord… it’s already so late…”
Before he could respond, Theresa took a bold step forward, sitting on his lap in a duck-like kneel. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned close to his ear, her voice soft and enticing.
“Why don’t we go to the bedroom to rest~?”
“Tonight, you can play as late as you like~.”
“…”
Happiness of this kind… there’s no going back once you’ve tasted it.
Since experiencing it for the first time, Luo Qing found his tolerance for restraint in this area significantly diminished.
After all,
He was no longer a virgin. (Proudly noted.)
“Get off me for a moment…”
It wasn’t that Luo Qing wasn’t tempted.
But Dori hadn’t delivered the goods yet. If they got interrupted halfway, it’d be too awkward.
“Why, though…”
Theresa’s voice was as soft as a stream of melted sugar.
“Don’t you like my outfit, my lord~? Too bad, because I’m not waiting. I want you now…”
With that, Theresa buried her face into Luo Qing’s neck, trailing kisses along his skin.
It was part of a strategy Makoto had taught her—a surefire way to conquer Luo Qing.
Just go all in—he can’t resist.
“We’re in the living room…” Luo Qing protested weakly.
“It doesn’t matter where, does it~?”
Ignoring his protests, Theresa’s hands began working at his belt.
Just as Luo Qing reached out to stop her, a knock came from the door.
“Who’s there?” Luo Qing called out toward the door.
Theresa, however, didn’t stop her teasing, clearly enjoying the added thrill of being interrupted.
“Knock it off. The delivery’s here.”
Lifting Theresa effortlessly, Luo Qing set her down on the sofa and adjusted his disheveled clothing before heading to the door.
Opening it, he found Dori standing there in a dark brown hooded cloak. Her petite figure was dwarfed by the massive backpack she carried.
“Customer, I’ve brought your goods…”
Dori’s signature sly smile greeted him. But mid-sentence, her eyes fell on Luo Qing’s slightly rumpled clothes and haphazardly fastened pants.
Then Theresa appeared in the doorway behind him.
Her scanty outfit was disheveled, her face flushed, and her demeanor… utterly incriminating.
Well, damn. This one’s heavy-duty.
And it’s barely even night.
“Uh… did I come at a bad time?” Dori asked, hesitantly.
“…”
“No. Come in,” Luo Qing replied calmly, motioning for Dori to enter while throwing a pointed look at Theresa to fix her outfit.
“Uh…”
Dori glanced into the room, her expression wary.
She might be greedy for mora, but she wasn’t about to risk everything for it.
Luo Qing caught the unease in her gaze and clarified, “Don’t overthink it. I only want the device.”
Returning to the living room, he gestured for Dori to follow.
After a brief pause, Dori took a deep breath and tiptoed inside.
“Here it is, customer—the latest canned knowledge device from the Akademiya. Not only can it extract your thoughts and memories into canned knowledge, but it can also draw directly from ley lines to create it. Truly a must-have tool for any adventure!”
Once Dori started her sales pitch, she completely switched modes, paying no mind to whatever Luo Qing and Theresa might have been up to moments ago.
“All this for a fair price—just 60 million mora. Not bad, right?”
“How does it work?” Luo Qing asked, examining the device, still unsure of its functionality.
“It’s simple! Just prepare an empty canned knowledge capsule, wear the device, and focus on the memory you want to store. The machine will handle the rest!”
“Oh?”
Luo Qing considered for a moment before handing the device to Theresa.
“You try it.”
“Huh? Me…?”
Theresa blinked in surprise, taking the device reluctantly. She turned to Dori for clarification.
“Are you saying it can store anything? Even things that haven’t actually happened?”
“Yep,” Dori confirmed. “The device pulls images and memories from your mind. As long as the details are vivid and clear, even imagined scenarios can be extracted.”
“In that case, let me try…”
Excited, Theresa eagerly put on the device and closed her eyes.
After a few moments, the machine emitted a faint green glow. Energy flowed through its emerald circuits and into a canned knowledge capsule.
“All done! Your memory is now stored,” Dori announced, removing the finished capsule and handing it to Theresa.
“You can use an Akasha terminal to absorb it and compare it to what you envisioned.”
“Uh…”
A blush spread across Theresa’s face as she glanced at Luo Qing.
“How about… my lord tries it first…”
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