Lucien awoke the next morning feeling completely refreshed.
The sunlight poured through the window, scattering spots of light across the room.
Taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air, Lucien's eyes sparkled with contentment as he reflected on his night.
His three summoned heroes were all unique in their ways.
Lin Daiyu was strong-willed and often took the lead, issuing commands with authority.
Qin Keqing had a gentle personality and was always cooperative.
Jia Yingchun was docile, having accepted her new life without resistance.
Despite their differences, Lucien enjoyed their company immensely.
Glancing to the side, he noticed Jia Yingchun was awake but still hiding under the covers, curled up in a ball and reluctant to move.
Chuckling, Lucien gave the "bread roll" a light pat and said with a smile, "Time to get up! Breakfast is ready!"
"Mmm—"
A muffled voice came from under the blanket, and soon Jia Yingchun peeked out her delicate face, her lips slightly parted.
"I… I'll pass, Young Master. You go ahead," she whispered.
"Alright, you rest well."
Lucien didn't press her further. He dressed quickly and stepped out of the bedroom.
As he exited, the door to a nearby room opened, and two Great Qin warriors dressed in sturdy battle attire emerged. They were tying up their hair while talking softly.
Noticing Lucien, they immediately cupped their hands in salute.
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
Lucien returned the greeting with a nod. "Good morning."
"Let us accompany you," one of them offered.
"Indeed!" the other agreed.
Their serious expressions and upright postures made it seem like they were preparing for battle.
Lucien couldn't help but laugh. "Relax a bit! It's just breakfast."
The women glanced at each other, realizing their formality was unnecessary. Awkward smiles replaced their stern faces, and their demeanor softened.
Now, they appeared as tall, elegant women with refined features.
The tenth floor of the Starlight Lodge housed a large, well-decorated dining area.
The tables and chairs exuded a rustic charm, and the faint aroma of the surrounding mountains and rivers filled the air, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
Lucien took the initiative to steam a basket of buns and poured a few glasses of milk for everyone.
"Your Majesty, how could we let you do this?"
The two warriors were visibly flustered and quickly stood to take over.
Lucien waved them off with a smile. "It's fine. Consider this a chance to taste my cooking."
"Steaming buns… Is that a skill?"
The women were puzzled but sat down to eat nonetheless.
The moment they took a bite, their brows furrowed slightly. However, they still finished the buns and washed them down with the milk.
"Not to your liking?" Lucien asked curiously.
"No, it's delicious!"
"Truly delicious!"
Their answers were quick and sincere, though Lucien knew better.
His cooking wasn't terrible, but compared to the refined dishes usually served at the Starlight Lodge, it was quite ordinary.
Unbothered, Lucien sat down and ate four buns himself, savoring the simple flavors before drinking his milk with satisfaction.
Nearby, a group of Deer Spirit Maidens sat quietly, nibbling cautiously on their first taste of human food.
Their large, expressive eyes darted around the room, filled with wariness. It was as though they were ready to flee at the slightest disturbance.
Their alert gaze reminded Lucien of wild deer in the forest.
"Your Majesty, these new recruits seem to lack combat capability," one of the Great Qin warriors observed.
"I've spoken with them, and it appears they only retaliate passively," she added with a solemn tone.
Lucien nodded and briefly explained the Deer Spirit Maidens' support role. "They're primarily here to enhance your abilities during battle. Don't expect them to fight offensively."
"Understood," the warrior replied, her brow furrowing slightly.
Suddenly, a thought seemed to strike her, and her stern expression melted into a bright smile.
"Your Majesty, I heard you renamed Zhao Hei River to Zhao Xuan Yue?"
"I did," Lucien confirmed.
The warrior's eyes sparkled. "Forgive my boldness, but could I request a new name as well?"
"Oh? Do I need to start taking name-change requests?" Lucien teased. "What's your current name?"
Blushing, the warrior hesitated before murmuring, "I… don't have a proper surname. Before joining the army, my family just called me Yaya. After enlisting, I simply adopted the Qin surname—Qin Yaya."
"Your parents were a bit lazy with names, huh?" Lucien joked.
Qin Yaya smiled wryly. "They didn't want me to join the army. They thought I'd be better off as a spiritual farmer contributing to Qin's logistics.
"But with the Eternal Empress, Qin Shi Huang, leading us, how could I resist the call to arms?"
Her eyes shone with determination, admiration evident for the legendary ruler of her world.
Lucien's expression turned thoughtful.
In the Great Qin world, Qin Shi Huang was a woman—a remarkable leader who unified the realm, conquered the stars, and built the foundation of Pre-Qin civilization.
Lucien wondered if he would ever encounter this alternate version of Qin Shi Huang. The multiverse was vast, and even ancient immortals couldn't claim to have seen it all.
After a moment, Lucien said with a smile, "Yaya isn't fitting. From now on, you'll be called Qin Baobao."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qin Baobao bowed respectfully, her face glowing with gratitude.
As Lucien chatted with the group, a stream of information suddenly flooded his mind.
[Mysterious Restaurant]:
New guest detected!
The notification revealed that a new hero had arrived at the Mystic Restaurant.
Lucien had 24 hours to review their attributes and decide whether to recruit them.
"Let's see who it is!"
Lucien excused himself and headed to the Mystic Restaurant.
Pushing open the door, he spotted a peculiar blue humanoid figure sitting at a wooden table.
It held a wine glass, pouring the liquid over its head. The fluid was absorbed by its featureless face, which then split open to consume the drink.
The creature was vaguely humanoid but clearly not human.
"...What in the world?" Lucien muttered, regaining his composure before approaching.
Hero Attributes:
[Chief Priest of the Softfolk]
Race: Mollusk
Quality: Blue (Rare)
Innate Talent: Asexual Reproduction
Bloodline: Soft Organism
Level: 1
Physique: 8
Spirit: 6
Skills:
Division
Weapon Design
Soft Skin
Description: A chief priest of the Softfolk race. "Does this protective charm suit your taste?"
Lucien's hand trembled slightly as he read the panel. Taking a deep breath, he exited the Mystic Restaurant without a second glance.
"Sorry! Not today."