More than an hour later…
If, earlier, when Ningguang and Welf were making molds and parts, Aether (Renjiro) had looked like a hands-off boss slacking off, then right now…
"Uh, Boss Lady, maybe I should… help a bit?"
"No need. The next stage of assembly is something the Traveler can~ handle all by himself… isn't that right?"
Hearing Ningguang deliberately draw out the words, Aether felt like a grade school kid being forced by his professor-mom to sit under a desk lamp and grind through endless arcane math problems.
He had truly donned the mask of suffering.
================
Meanwhile…
On Lumine's side, she had already found a Bloody Hive in the official D-25 sector of the 23rd Floor during her solo dungeon exploration.
However, as Aether had instructed earlier, since nightfall had yet to come and he was still occupied, she hadn't started a full-on massacre yet.
As for Paimon…
The tiny demon god had already confirmed the identity of every single stalker lurking nearby. Unsurprisingly, they were all members of the Ishtar Familia.
Among them…
"Oh my goodness, this one's a heavyweight!!!"
When Paimon discovered that Phryne Jamil, the infamous Man-Slayer, a Level 5 adventurer, was nearby, and transmitted the intel to Aether, he nearly had Lumine teleport away on the spot.
Because, in some ways, she was the single most terrifying existence within Orario.
In the original timeline, the only one who managed to make the rabbit boy who dreamed of being a hero cry in sheer terror, was her.
Not even Ottar could do that.
She was not to be trifled with. Absolutely not.
Thinking it through…
"Paimon, deliver the warning to the Ishtar Familia now, don't wait until later."
Aether canceled his earlier plan of sneaking into the Dungeon that night.
Because honestly, if he had to meet Phryne face-to-face, and she suddenly threw a coquettish wink his way, he was afraid he'd be plagued with nightmares for years.
Rude as it sounded, such a scenario would genuinely damage his mental health.
Yes, Aether chickened out.
But he didn't feel ashamed in the least.
In fact, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Thank goodness…
While fitting parts for the Universal Shovel at the forge, he stole a glance at Ningguang, elegantly crossing her legs nearby.
My wife is still a feast for the eyes.
Just a moment of looking at her, and all the negative mental images of Phryne instantly evaporated.
At that moment,
"Hmm~"
Something worth noting:
As Aether's Genshin incarnation, Ningguang was spiritually linked to him in real time.
But since the original body held top-level system privileges, he could always screen off his thoughts.
Which meant the current situation was entirely the result of Ningguang's keen perception and sharp gaze.
And perhaps because of that, her mood seemed to improve greatly.
"If we delay any longer, efficiency will suffer."
She beckoned to the red-haired youth beside her.
"Welf, let's help out too."
"Yes, Boss Lady."
Finally, Aether's miserable grind time came to an early end.
================
At the same time, elsewhere…
The Ishtar Familia's base, the Pleasure Quarter, was practically a city within the city.
There, clad in her scandalously revealing attire, Ishtar had just received a report from her subordinate, Samira, regarding the current movements of the Twin Stars.
Of course, this wasn't the first intel, about the siblings not entering the Dungeon together, but an update.
"So even alone, that girl Lumine has managed to reach the 23rd Floor in such a short time?"
"Yes, Ishtar-sama."
Samira, kneeling respectfully, reported in a steady voice:
"According to Tammuz, the girl seems to be targeting a Bloody Hive, and has remained near her objective for quite some time."
Hearing this, Ishtar nearly snapped her favorite smoking pipe in half.
Level 2. Solo. Already on the 23rd Floor.
And capable of handling a Bloody Hive.
Moreover, according to her intel, the Twin Stars, like the Gulliver Brothers, were special adventurers who understood cooperative combat techniques.
"I truly cannot allow such a threat to grow unchecked."
She frowned and asked, "And the boy, Aether? He's still in the workshop district?"
"Yes."
Samira continued:
"Our eyes confirm he's remained inside a personal forge affiliated with the Hephaestus Familia all day."
At that…
"Then we won't wait."
Ishtar's expression darkened.
"Samira, gather the others in our base. We will strike tonight."
"The girl, leave her to Tammuz. As for the boy… capture him and bring him straight to my chamber."
"Yes, as you command, Ishtar-sama."
The Amazon woman bowed and withdrew.
Left alone in her imitation "throne," Ishtar's face twisted into something grotesque, an expression devoid of beauty, closer to a snarl.
Biting hard at her thumbnail, she spat,
"Freya, you wretched slut. You always get so lucky."
"Because those blind men, no, those blind gods, put you on a pedestal, all the best children flock to you instead."
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