Although the viewers in the stream had been clued in by Silver Wolf and Yae Miko about Bai Heng's underlying intentions,
Firefly, still immersed in the simulation, remained completely unaware.
To her, Bai Heng was nothing short of wonderful.
Not only had he taken her to the most upscale restaurant in the Golden Hour, but he'd also hired her as a guide with a generous salary, solving all her future credit worries.
Sure, the way he'd tricked her out of twenty thousand credits at the beginning still nagged at her a bit,
but that was all water under the bridge now. His treat and the job more than made up for it.
And so, the simulation continued uninterrupted, with the stream playing out just as it always had.
[Firefly became your guide, embracing her role with earnest dedication. Under her lead, the two of you began to explore every corner of this Penacony.]
[You visited the Hour of Hot Sand—a desert of dreams under a scorching sun. The heat did nothing to dampen your enthusiasm as you journeyed across the dunes. With sand dusting your cheeks, your smiles never faded. Both you and Firefly were completely captivated by the beauty this star had to offer.]
[You also went to Clock Studios Theme Park, where you watched a Hanu-boy movie together. You weren't particularly interested at first, but seeing the joy on Firefly's face slowly drew you in, until even you became absorbed in the story.]
[The two of you visited many other places too: the Hour of White Gold, the Hour of Oceans… This dreamworld gathered all the wonders of the universe, and you never stopped moving, as if trying to leave your laughter echoing in every corner of the planet, however briefly.]
[At each location, you took a photo—both as a keepsake, and perhaps for another purpose yet unspoken.]
It was, without a doubt, a truly beautiful time.
A gentle, polite young man and a lovely, kind-hearted girl.
They felt less like guide and tourist, and more like longtime close friends. As one of the Star Children, who embodied pure beauty, you had a natural aversion to anything eerie or frightening— something Firefly would teasingly point out without hesitation.
In turn, you didn't hold back when poking fun at her peculiar taste for Oak Cake Rolls.
--+--
Watching all this unfold in the stream, the viewers couldn't help but share their thoughts.
Lumine: 「Things have changed! The times have changed! Is it trendy now to lure us in just to torture us with sweetness?!」
Stelle: 「Exactly! Shouldn't this be where Bai Heng's schemes are exposed, Firefly sees through him, then sets the ocean on fire and beats him up? What's with all this sugary romance?!」
Firefly: 「Setting the ocean on fire... I would never do something like that, okay...」
Elysia: 「Mmm—! They're just like a couple in love, aren't they? Bickering yet growing closer all the while~ How sweet!」
Silver Wolf: 「Speaking of which, the simulated Firefly has totally fallen for him, hasn't she? Getting won over with two cakes a day and a meal... Don't you dare call yourself a Stellaron Hunter after this. It's kinda embarrassing...」
Kafka: 「What's wrong with that? Girls naturally yearn for beautiful things—and love is beautiful. We understand that perfectly~」
Firefly: 「I... I haven't fallen for him, okay...」
Yae Miko: 「Your denials are getting weaker, dear~ What's next? Straight-up admission?」
Sparkle: 「But no matter how stubborn the mouth, it's still soft to kiss—wonder if Bai Heng will prove that for us later~~」
Firefly: 「Stop it already!!」
--+--
Beautiful scenes stir the emotions, and as everyone watched Firefly and Bai Heng on stream, smiles naturally found their way onto their faces.
But in the very next moment, as the scene shifted and the narration changed, their expressions shifted slightly.
[Amidst the beauty of the dream, you and Firefly grew closer. Your meetings became more regular, almost habitual. Sometimes, without even arranging it, you'd both show up at the same spot where you'd last met.]
[Through this daily rhythm, you came to know her better—yet at the same time, you began to sense that Firefly was hiding something from you.]
[Sometimes, she would disappear without explanation. You asked the Iris Family, but they told you there was no new performer by the name of 'Firefly'.]
[She also avoided certain ordinary topics—where she came from, or where she went during those days she was absent.]
[Though it puzzled you, you didn't dwell on it. You knew everyone had their secrets—yourself included.]
--+--
Elysia: 「So... Miss Firefly has a special identity, after all?」
Stelle: 「Of course! She's a Stellaron Hunter sent to Penacony for the Holy Grail War! Along the way, she's gathering Shikon Jewels, assembling all seven dragon balls, and plans to rule over Green Green Grasslands! She'll battle the powerful Seven Warlords of the Sea, outsmart a one-eyed mask-wearing man, and fight countless battles big and small!」
Kiana: 「Ahaha... Just listening to all that... exhausts me...」
Firefly: 「How can you say that with a straight face?! And how can anyone believe it?! Don't listen to her nonsense...」
Lumine: 「But from the description, it's not just Firefly keeping secrets—Bai Heng is hiding things from her too, isn't he?」
Yae Miko: 「In that case, it seems cracks will soon form between them.」
March 7th: 「No... it can't be that bad, right? As long as it's nothing too serious, it should be okay...」
Kafka: 「Whether in love or friendship, trust is the foundation. Once doubts arise, no matter how much you try to ignore them, they only grow over time—until eventually, they tear apart the beautiful surface.」
Stelle: 「Wow! Such wisdom from a mature woman! I'm learning so much!」
Silver Wolf: 「Why put it so complicated? Why not just say the most classic trope is about to play out?」
--+--
T/N: The Author keeps changing the formatting for the group chat and I lowkey cannot be bothered to keep fixing it, so sorry, but deal with it, please.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.