When Sylvia awoke, she found herself somehow pressed against Acheron's chest, pinned under the weight of an arm draped over her.
Something heavy rested atop her head, adding to the sense of being completely enveloped.
Her face was buried in a warm, soft place—Acheron had unfastened the stiffer outer layer of her clothing, allowing Sylvia to feel the heat of her skin directly.
The sharp gloves and finger guards Acheron usually wore were also gone, and her slender, pale hands now gently interlaced with Sylvia's fingers.
It was… an unusual position.
As everyone knows, while such intimacy might seem lovely in stories, actually trying to sleep while tangled up like this isn't very practical.
Besides, when they'd fallen asleep, they were only nestled close. Now, awake, Sylvia found herself firmly tucked into the other's embrace.
Sylvia, being the one held, was relatively comfortable—but Acheron surely couldn't be.
It made Sylvia wonder… Was all of this intentional on Acheron's part?
Once that thought took root, she couldn't resist testing the waters.
To be fair, being able to see "Favorability" gave Sylvia something of an advantage over others.
--+--
[Target: Acheron]
[Favorability: 86 (Trust & Preference)]
[Relationship: Partners in Name Only]
['Go on, keep deceiving. The higher the favor climbs, the harder the fall will be.']
[Reward: New rewards will be granted once the relationship stabilizes.]
--+--
The favor level had ticked up by one more point after waking today.
Sylvia was baffled. What had Acheron done after she'd fallen asleep?
Her body was usually so alert—how had she not woken up while being held like this?
She shifted her fingers slightly and felt the palm resting over her hand.
A quiet sense of having lost some unseen exchange settled over Sylvia. After a brief pause, she turned her hand and clasped Acheron's, boldly lacing their fingers together.
Sylvia gazed down at Acheron's hand. Could it be… she'd used a touch of Nihility to keep her asleep all night?
--+--
When Acheron woke, she released Sylvia as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Their interlaced fingers parted simultaneously, without a word.
Everything that happened while they slept seemed… ordinary. So ordinary it didn't warrant mentioning.
Sylvia didn't comment, merely making a mental note: Acheron appreciates physical contact.
Then, before leaving, she proactively gave Acheron a brief hug before stepping into the transport channel, returning to the Xianzhou.
It was morning on the Xianzhou at this time.
Sylvia toyed with the deck of tarot cards in her hand, pondering how to persuade Robin so she could smoothly wander around Penacony.
The intricate cards seemed almost sentient in her hands—appearing and disappearing, now at her fingertips, now on the back of her hand.
With [Cheating (Master Level)] enhancing her artistry, the deck danced elegantly, adding a layer of mystique.
When she'd parted from Acheron earlier, she hadn't offered her a card reading.
The cards themselves might be accurate, but Sylvia's interpretations… well, that was another story.
She'd intended to be cryptic and misleading, but with Acheron's favor approaching 90, and considering the woman's poor memory… Sylvia couldn't bring herself to play word games with her.
So, she hadn't done a reading for her.
But just because she didn't do one for Acheron didn't mean she wouldn't try with someone else.
No word from Robin yet—probably still looking into her background, she figured.
But aside from Robin, there was someone else waiting to meet her.
Walking through the streets of the Exalting Sanctum, Sylvia was thinking of stopping by the parlor to tease little Qingque before heading to Synwood Pavilion.
Just then, a vibrant orange figure swept toward her like a gust of wind, pulling along a girl in yellow sleeves until both stood right in front of her.
"Hey there, miss! I saw you handling those cards from over there—you look so cool! Where'd you learn that?"
"Whoa—Guinaifen, slow down!" The girl behind her stumbled a couple steps before steadying herself, grumbling a little.
Sylvia's eyes traveled up a pair of long legs sheathed in black tights, finally meeting golden irises. She raised a brow.
Guinaifen and Sushang. So she'd actually run into them.
With a light flick of her fingers, the cards neatly stacked themselves in her palm.
"Just a few tricks, not really fit for proper occasions. And you are…?" Sylvia replied modestly. After all, sleight of hand used for cheating was rather improper—it wasn't a lie.
The golden-eyed girl shook her side ponytail, suddenly realizing she hadn't introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Guinaifen, a street performer and part-time streamer! I've learned loads of skills from folks around here, but I've never seen anything like your technique!"
Then Guinaifen paused, as if remembering something, and half-turned to reveal her friend's slightly pouting face.
"This is my bestie, Li Sushang of the Cloud Knights."
"Pleased to meet you both."
Sylvia greeted them politely. The real Guinaifen, compared to her in-game version, clearly carried more of that distinct European charm—her features defined yet soft.
She had the striking allure of a mixed-race beauty, eye-catching on the street and surely just as captivating on camera.
And of course, those shapely, ample-yet-elegant legs encased in black tights were immensely tempting beneath her orange dress.
Sylvia lowered her gaze to the boots Guinaifen wore.
The stylish long boots and their delicate accents gave Guinaifen an added youthful flair.
But those semi-sheer black tights, tucked inside stuffy leather boots all day…
Considering the girl performed all over the Exalting Sanctum every day—juggling, streaming, all kinds of stunts—
Below those subtly sheer-clad calves, hidden inside the boots, the curve of her ankles remained unseen, yet the boots perfectly accentuated their slender, graceful shape.
"Ahem…"
She lifted a hand and cleared her throat softly, forcing her gaze away. Lifting her head, she silently chided herself. What a sin.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.