"Did you do this on purpose?"
Luo Sheng stared at the ruined and desolate scene in front of him, his tone carrying a hint of exasperation.
The last time he spoke to Acoley, he told her that he would appear if she encountered danger. So, was she deliberately courting trouble by challenging something so difficult?
"Sorry for causing you trouble. I just wanted to quickly eliminate it and protect the village."
Acoley lowered her head, apologizing repeatedly.
Her magical uniform was heavily damaged from the battle, with several corrosive holes caused by some kind of liquid. These exposed her fair, smooth skin and even her undergarments.
Even the stockings Luo Sheng had given her last time were torn in places, revealing large swathes of her creamy thighs, with the fabric pressing slightly into her flesh, creating an enticing sight.
Hmm, battle-damaged stockings—approved!
"Forget it. Without challenges, you can't grow. This is a path you must take."
Luo Sheng discreetly withdrew his Blizzard Fury card and spoke with a serious tone.
Just moments ago, he had also tested the card's mental energy consumption. To his surprise, it consumed about the same amount as a ten-star card.
In other words, using this single ten-star card simultaneously provided both domain and character card effects, effectively saving the mental energy required for two additional bronze six-star cards.
If he invested more ice-element cards into fusion in the future, it might even be possible to dominate the field with just Blizzard Fury.
Acoley still felt embarrassed.
If only she weren't so weak, she wouldn't have caused Luo Sheng so much trouble.
As she saw Luo Sheng preparing to leave, Acoley grabbed his hand. "Wait!"
Luo Sheng turned around, looking at her with suspicion. "What is it?"
Acoley hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage. "I want to properly thank you, so I'd like to invite you over. Is that okay?"
Scenes from certain adventure-themed animations in his mental "library" flashed through Luo Sheng's mind. The protagonist being "thanked" by a heroine?
He nodded decisively. "Alright!"
He wasn't that kind of person, of course. He merely wanted to deepen their friendship and further explore the emotions of this card character.
For Acoley, this was her first time inviting someone over.
A slight blush spread across her face, though it was mostly hidden by her fiery red hair, preventing her from appearing too flustered.
After collecting the forest drake's magic core, Acoley led Luo Sheng to the outskirts of the village, to a desolate and dilapidated stone chapel.
"Getting this intense?"
Luo Sheng's eyes gleamed with suspicion, wondering if Acoley had a preference for such settings.
But Acoley simply waved toward the chapel. "Granny Gu, I'm back!"
The chapel doors creaked open, and a group of five- or six-year-old children ran out, cheering.
"Sister Acoley!"
"Sister Acoley's back! Granny!"
The children called into the chapel, their voices filled with joy.
It was evident that this chapel served as an orphanage.
Acoley moved with practiced familiarity, playing with the children who surrounded her in no time.
An elderly woman with a weathered face stepped out, her voice frail yet warm. "Acoley, you've returned?"
"Mm, Granny Gu, I'm back. Don't worry, I've chased away the monsters." Acoley clasped the old woman's hands as she spoke.
"And this young man is?" Granny Gu looked at Luo Sheng curiously.
"He's my benefactor. If not for him, I wouldn't have made it to the magic academy," Acoley explained simply.
"Hello," Luo Sheng greeted politely, bowing slightly.
This felt oddly like meeting the parents of a girlfriend—except in this case, it was meeting the guardian of a card character.
"Welcome, young man. Come in and have a seat. It's shabby, but I hope you won't mind," Granny Gu said with a kind smile.
Luo Sheng nodded respectfully and followed them inside the dilapidated chapel.
As they walked, Acoley leaned close to Luo Sheng's ear and whispered, "I'm sorry for bringing you to such a place. I grew up here, so when I heard about the forest drake attacking the village, I rushed back immediately. I was afraid something might happen to Granny and the others."
"I understand," Luo Sheng replied with a nod.
"I want to attend the magic academy so I can provide a better life for Granny and the children here. That's why I'm working so hard. Thank you for helping me that night. Without your support, I wouldn't have made it to the academy, nor would I have been able to bring them hope."
Acoley shared her thoughts, revealing a personal and heartfelt secret.
Before Luo Sheng could respond, she continued, "You've helped me so much and saved my life multiple times. I may not be able to repay you right now, but can you stay a little longer? I want to cook a meal for you myself to show my gratitude. Please, will you stay?"
Her clear, watery eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her cheeks flushed. Her soft, fair hands were clasped nervously in front of her.
Luo Sheng smiled, patting her head gently. "Don't worry. I wouldn't miss your cooking for anything."
"Thank you."
Acoley's face lit up with a radiant smile.
She changed into a fresh outfit, tied on an apron, and began cooking in a makeshift stone-brick kitchen outside the chapel. Granny Gu helped her, both busy preparing the meal.
Meanwhile, several children, their big, curious eyes fixed on Luo Sheng, surrounded him.
"Big brother, what's your relationship with Sister Acoley?" one pink-haired girl asked innocently.
"Take a guess," Luo Sheng teased.
"Are you here to take our Sister Acoley away? I heard that if she gets married, she'll leave us and never come back!" another girl piped up.
Luo Sheng smiled faintly. "How could I take her away? I just want to give her happiness—a warm home."
"You're lying! When I grow up, I'll marry Sister Acoley so she'll stay here! You'll never succeed!" a young boy shouted.
"Me too!" another boy chimed in.
Good grief—so many rivals already!
Luo Sheng's mouth twitched. Staring at the children, he deadpanned, "Call me brother-in-law."
The kids froze, clearly too young to grasp the term.
"Brother-in-law?"
Acoley's puzzled voice suddenly came from beside him.
Luo Sheng coughed awkwardly. "Just teaching them some vocabulary. Don't mind it."
"Okay."
Acoley regarded him curiously, finding him as mysterious as ever.
She led Luo Sheng to an old rectangular table. Though the chapel was rundown, the table was filled with vibrant and delicious dishes.
The aroma of mushroom soup wafted through the air. Crispy vegetable salads and juicy sausages oozing with flavorful oils tempted the palate.
Acoley had used her earnings to buy fresh ingredients, showcasing her exceptional cooking skills.
Luo Sheng enjoyed the meal immensely. He had never tasted such delicious food—perhaps due to the magical world's diverse ingredients combined with Acoley's talent.
As evening approached, Luo Sheng prepared to leave the card world, having spent a full month there—equivalent to two days in the real world.
"Will we meet again?"
Acoley repeated her familiar question, her tone akin to a wife longing for her husband's safe return.
Luo Sheng wasn't tired of it. His reply remained unchanged: "When you need me the most."
(Chapter end)