"L-Lady Lumina," Qingque stammered, "I... I feel like this might be a bit much, don't you think?"
After clearing out the entire stock of the lavish clothing store, sending the garments to the Exalting Estate and the bill to the Seat of Divine Foresight, the group finally departed.
As they strolled through the streets of Central Starskiff Haven, Qingque recalled the astronomical bill they had just racked up. Even though she wasn't the one paying, she couldn't help but shudder.
And judging by Lumina's demeanor, she showed no signs of wanting to restrain herself, seemingly eager to continue her shopping spree...
Qingque didn't dare voice any objections. After all, these were the explicit instructions of the esteemed Master Diviner herself.
So Qingque could only offer a silent, fleeting pang of sympathy for her own Master Diviner.
Just a fleeting pang, she reminded herself. After all, Fu Xuan was her superior, and it was her superior's money being spent. The fact that Qingque felt even a sliver of sympathy proved just how close their relationship had become.
Otherwise, she would have secretly rejoiced in schadenfreude, eagerly anticipating Lumina bankrupting Fu Xuan!
"What's wrong with it?" Lumina asked, genuinely puzzled. "Hasn't it always been like this for years?"
"The Master Diviner... I mean, the General is covering all expenses as a sign of her sincerity."
"If we don't spend a single credit, we'd be betraying her sincerity... She might think we look down on her, the Divine Foresight General of the Luofu."
"Therefore, what we need to do is accept her sincerity and repay her tenfold."
"The more we spend, the greater the repayment to General Fu Xuan, and the happier she'll be."
Lumina smiled gently, her words so logical they seemed like a calculated attempt to manipulate Qingque.
"This... this doesn't sound right," Qingque muttered, her brow furrowed.
Unlike the easily swayed March 7th, Qingque wasn't so easily fooled. She paused, considering Lumina's words carefully.
Sensing her hesitation, Lumina, the "invincible prophet," knew exactly what Qingque needed to hear. She continued, "Qingque, think about it. If we drain every last credit from General Fu Xuan's coffers..."
"Then, to maintain her normal lifestyle, she'll have to work like crazy to earn more..."
"And when she's working herself to the bone, won't she have far less time to bother you?"
Lumina once again deployed her "persuasion" skill on Qingque.
"Hmm... you know, it actually makes sense," Qingque murmured, lowering her head to ponder for a moment. When she looked up again, her eyes gleamed with newfound conviction.
"Exactly! We shouldn't worry about General Fu Xuan's finances. As the Master Diviner of the Divination Commission and the current Acting Divine Foresight General, how could she possibly be short on funds?"
Seeing Qingque completely won over, Lumina's smile widened.
Now that I've persuaded you on this, don't blame me for persuading you on other matters later...
"Lady Lumina, you're absolutely right! I'll take you to the most luxurious shops on the Xianzhou Luofu right away!"
Qingque's eyes blazed with zeal, secretly wishing her Master Diviner would become penniless, forced into a life of endless work!
That way, no one will ever bother me about slacking off again!
Hmm... come to think of it, if the Master Diviner runs out of money, that's her problem...
But if I run out of money, who will I borrow from?
I used to borrow from the Master Diviner. If she's broke, who else can I ask?
This thought plunged Qingque into deep contemplation.
"Exquisite and translucent, of exceptional jade quality—these are all top-grade jades. They shouldn't be buried like this. Boss, I'll take them all! Send the bill to the Seat of Divine Foresight, to General Fu Xuan's desk."
"...Boss, I'll take them all. Send the bill to the Seat of Divine Foresight, to General Fu Xuan's desk."
"Boss, I'll take them all. The bill..."
Over the next period, Lumina experienced the joy of a wealthy patron sweeping through the market.
And the thought that she wasn't even paying for it herself made it even more delightful.
The image of Fu Xuan, faced with an astronomical bill, shedding tears like falling pearls while muttering, "You bastard, you bastard, you absolute bastard!" gradually filled Lumina's heart with glee.
Though she knew such a scenario was highly unlikely, it didn't stop her from indulging in the fantasy.
"Uh... I think that should be enough now..." Qingque murmured weakly, her earlier fiery ambition now completely extinguished.
Even though she wasn't spending her own money, Lumina's extravagant shopping spree had still thoroughly stunned her.
Who ever buys something without haggling, and instead offers to pay more...?
Lumina had declared that the item was worth far more than its listed price, insisting it should be increased.
Qingque could understand Lumina refusing a discount, but offering to pay more? That made no sense.
Well, I know Lumina's background, Qingque thought. Maybe this is just a habit she developed because of her status...?
Qingque's thoughts drifted to Lumina's true identity, and she quickly stopped herself from pondering further.
With Lumina's status and discerning eye, if she thinks something is worth more than the asking price, maybe... perhaps... there's nothing wrong with it?
Before Lumina could even offer an explanation, Qingque had already conjured up a perfectly reasonable justification in her own mind.
"Hmm, that's enough for now. Buying things like this all the time would get boring anyway."
Unaware of Qingque's inner monologue, Lumina nodded in agreement.
While my goal is to bankrupt Fu Xuan, I'm not going to go completely insane about it. A little taste of the harsh realities of society will suffice o( ̄▽ ̄*)ブ*
"Eh? That's it? I thought we were just getting started!" March 7th exclaimed, looking slightly disappointed.
From the looks of it, March 7th was completely captivated by the joy of shopping without spending her own money.
"Yeah, yeah! I thought we were just getting started too!" Stelle, who had been silent for ages like a mute, quickly nodded to assert her presence upon hearing March 7th's words.
Seeing their eagerness, Lumina smiled gently and explained:
"Even though General Fu Xuan told us to spend freely and not worry about the money, we should still know when to stop. After all, this isn't our own money, and we can't let it go to our heads. If you two enjoy this kind of shopping, you can try it again when you've earned a fortune yourself."
"Mmm... I understand," March 7th and Stelle murmured, bowing their heads in response to Lumina's scolding tone.
Indeed, Sister Lumina was right. Precisely because this wasn't their own money, they needed to understand the importance of knowing when to stop.
A deep sense of remorse washed over them.
"As expected, Sister Lumina truly lives up to her title as the Saintess! Hehehe, she really treats everyone with such kindness."
Meanwhile, their affection for Sister Lumina had deepened considerably.
"How about that move? Invincible, right?" Lumina thought to the System, watching March 7th and Stelle's expressions change with a smug grin.
[ I was just thinking, isn't Fu Xuan also a beautiful girl? Why did only she get hurt? ] the System immediately responded, its tone puzzled.
[Fu Xuan is a super beautiful girl too! Are you just giving up on her? Not even going to try to make a good impression?]
"Hold your horses! Let's deal with the present situation first," Lumina replied with a smile.
"I had a blast sweeping the streets, and I even boosted all three of their affection levels. I've already won big time, haven't I?"
"As for Fu Xuan? Don't worry, no one will get hurt. The Luofu's Acting Divine Foresight General, Fu Xuan... I won't let her go... uh, no, that's not right. I won't forget her."
"Later, I'll personally visit her to offer a 'sincere' apology, followed by some 'gentle and heartfelt' consolation..."
Lumina chuckled to herself, already envisioning her "future plans" with crystal clarity.