"Cipher, when did this become your house?"
Ryuga walked into the small courtyard, looking at the cat strangely.
Good.
She looked about the same size as when he'd left—'time' probably hadn't passed too long.
Cipher?
The women's attention was instantly drawn over. Was this the one who 'died for lack of small change,' who died in a lonely corner?
"Ryuga, your seclusion ended?"
Cipher instinctively shuddered, her tail curling as the hissing cat quickly ran to Ryuga's side and hid.
Only revealing half her head.
She always felt that green-haired big-breasted woman looked dangerous.
Like she wanted to eat her?
"The seamstress lady said you were in seclusion, and I came... of course to watch the house for you."
Cipher's watery big eyes rolled around as she tilted her little head, speaking with three parts seriousness and seven parts mischief.
Ryuga laughed. The cat had a whole basket of little schemes.
But it didn't matter.
He raised his hand and patted her head, very gently.
"..."
Cipher didn't notice her hair had long been ruffled by the rubbing. She wondered inwardly—wasn't he supposed to be in seclusion? How did he end up with a harem?
She'd secretly moved in partly at the seamstress lady's request, and partly wanting to see how Ryuga was doing his seclusion.
But she never expected...
"Magic God sir, while you were in 'seclusion,' you even got a child out of it?"
"That's only been a month!"
Cipher didn't know what she was thinking, puffing up her cheeks indignantly, her pink little face swelling red like a steamed bun.
A strange sourness rose up.
Blanca first froze, looking at Ryuga, then down at baby Griseo in her swaddling, before suddenly realizing the misunderstanding. Her cheeks instantly burned hot.
"No, it's not like that! Griseo... Griseo is my sister's daughter, I..."
Ryuga was speechless, reaching out to pinch Cipher's little face: "What's that little head of yours thinking about all day? Also, you just said it's been a month?"
Cipher was pinched until she whimpered but defiantly puffed her cheeks: "Yeah~"
Phew~, she thought the Magic God had made a baby in a month.
How much would that belly hurt?
Thinking about it made her scared, unconsciously touching her own little tummy.
"..."
Ryuga's brows furrowed. A month wasn't long but wasn't short either.
Quite a bit could happen.
"Tell me about Okhema's situation, and also about March, Cerydra, Hysilens, and Aglaea."
"Don't worry."
Cipher acted like a little adult, patting Ryuga's waist.
She wasn't tall enough, could only reach his waist.
Ten minutes later, Ryuga's tense nerves relaxed.
After the Elder Council assassination, Cerydra's reputation had reached unprecedented heights.
Subsequently, she handed the authority to punish corrupt officials over to the Okhema people.
For the first half-month, heads rolled.
Next, Cerydra ordered that embezzled wealth be returned to the Okhema people, and further promised to build more public facilities.
Public sentiment also surged.
For the latter half-month, she began sounding the war drums of vengeance against Lycia, Ikaria, and Corinth.
Now the first battle was against Lycia.
They'd already been marching for ten days.
Okhema was temporarily managed by Mynetta, while little March also stayed at Aglaea's textile workshop.
Cerydra couldn't afford any mishaps.
The Scepter δ-me13.exe had extremely rigorous autonomous protocols that bound the rules of everything in Amphoreus, even administrator Lygus was restricted by them.
This was why Lygus could only act as an 'observer' most of the time.
The ultimate protocol 'Talanton, the Law Titan' wielded the authority of 'Law.'
Simply put, as long as one controlled the 'Coreflame of Law,' one could turn things around.
So, the key point lay with Empress Cerydra, who held the 'Coreflame of Law' and possessed the divine authority of 'Talanton's Scales of Justice.'
Fortunately, Lygus hadn't detected his intentions and simply took him for a pervert.
Otherwise, he would have intervened long ago.
"Little one, your name is Cipher, right? Is your tail real?"
Mobius curiously approached.
A cat-girl! She wanted to study her (☆ω☆).
Just after asking, she suddenly realized—
These were all 'memoria bodies' simulated based on the Scepter's underlying data, not a real 'cat-girl.' What was there to study? Study code?
Her interest immediately waned.
But she quickly became excited again. Life forms in the universe were diverse! Human evolution didn't necessarily have only one path.
"Tch~, big-breasted woman."
Cipher turned her head away disdainfully, her tone drawn out thin and long.
"..."
The atmosphere suddenly froze.
Mobius's eye twitched, her fingers unconsciously clenching into fists.
This 'brat' was too unlikeable. She really wanted to knock her down with one punch.
But she held back.
Don't look at the 'brat' as small—she probably wasn't an opponent.
If the brat whipped her with that tail, she'd be lying on the ground crying for a long time.
"..."
Did she hate big ones?
MEI looked down at her own—they didn't seem much smaller than Mobius's?
Sakura: "..."
Blanca silently used Griseo as cover.
Cyan and Cinnabar breathed sighs of relief—theirs should be okay.
Only the timid Klein and Rin didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"Don't say that so definitively."
"You should look forward to your own future."
Ryuga indulgently ruffled the cat's head.
When grown-up Cipher's figure was simply invincible—those chest, waist, hip, and leg proportion curves were absolutely unmatched.
She was Amphoreus's 'Topaz.'
"You all stay here for a few days. Wait until I contact your mentors."
Ryuga said.
"Is my mentor quantum mechanics and imaginary mathematics?"
MEI asked curiously.
"Your mentor is Herta. She's an all-rounder."
"In her youth, she solved the Lone Wave algorithm problem and the Spark Model conjecture. In young adulthood, she discovered the transformation method for Sigma baryons. In middle age, she proposed the Herta Sequence and published a paper on rejuvenation."
"After rejuvenating back to youth, she again unlocked the mysteries of the Imaginary Overflow phenomenon, saved planets from destruction nineteen times, and had two audiences with Aeons."
"Herta has many more achievements. Her back will be enough for you to chase for a long time."
Ryuga explained.
Rejuvenation?
Mobius's eyes lit up. She suddenly really wanted to follow Lady Herta!
"Mm, I'll study seriously."
MEI had already been dizzy from the string of achievements. There were quite a few she'd never even heard of.
As expected, there were always higher mountains and stronger people. Truly worthy of being called a 'Genius.'
"Alright, take it slow, no rush. Cipher, take everyone to prepare. After a bit, we'll go to the textile workshop, then go eat something delicious together."
'Universal Pass': The holder can traverse any restricted zone, even private territories, without prior application. 'Illegal actions' also won't be rejected or recorded.
With this thing, Lygus couldn't detect it at all.
Even the δ-me13.exe management files wouldn't record it.
"Yeah—there's earth beast roast meat again."
...
Ryuga returned to the bedroom and activated the LOL card pool.
The card pool had activated again.
After slaying the Herrscher of the Void.
He just hadn't had time to choose due to subsequent events.
'Graves the Outlaw,' 'Warwick the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun,' 'Zilean the Chronokeeper,' and... 'Infinity Edge.'
Looking at the four cards before him, Ryuga decisively chose 'Zilean the Chronokeeper.'
Graves was directly eliminated—that thing was useless.
As for 'Warwick the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun'?
Unless Ryuga wanted to experience the thrill of fighting the Xianzhou Alliance.
As for 'Infinity Edge'?
A crit-build Nasus?
Having 'Sunfire Aegis' was enough. 'Infinity Edge' wouldn't provide much additional boost.
Actually, Ryuga wanted 'Elise the Spider Queen's' template more—not for anything perverted, but because getting Sserkals 'Meta-Domain Space' from the spider civilization should be more convenient.
You should know that the Meta-Domain Space established by Sserkal, #29 of the Genius Society, allows different lifeforms from the multiverse to communicate together.
Any being only needed to use 'dive equipment' to synchronize neural signals into the consciousness network.
For Ryuga's 'Virtual Universe Company' plan, relying on Scepter δ-me13.exe plus Sserkal's 'Meta-Domain Space' would add wings to a tiger.
"Forget it, can't be that greedy."
"The time template is good enough."
It just so happened he could go to Zenless Zone Zero for a time paradox and retrieve Yixuan's elder sister Yijiang.
Ryuga sat in the wooden chair by the window, playing with a plump, red apple.
The fruit was bought by Cipher—very fresh, the peel gleaming with an enticing luster, probably freshly picked from a branch.
Suddenly, a golden, transparent clock face appeared out of nowhere, centered on his hand, two slender hands spinning rapidly.
Time was forcibly twisted.
The apple in his hand suddenly lost its color.
The red faded, the peel wrinkled, the flesh shriveled and collapsed. Mottled mold spread across it. In the blink of an eye, it had completely withered and rotted.
The next instant, the golden clock face changed to azure blue, the hands reversed, and time flowed backward.
The rotten apple began to regress.
The flesh re-inflated, moisture filling it, color bright as new.
Then it shrank rapidly, smaller and smaller, until it became a flower bud, then disappeared without a trace.
Ryuga nodded, very satisfied with the effect.
"Not bad."
"Zilean the Chronokeeper's abilities are indeed strong."
Golden shuttles to the future, blue reverses time.
As for 'Time in a Bottle,' according to Ryuga's observation, it could isolate Lygus's detection, like a 'Klein Bottle' forming its own dimension.
Zilean's positioning was somewhat like Medivh in World of Warcraft, Headmaster Jilan in Super Seminary, or Doctor Strange in Marvel.
But he wasn't as strong as those mentioned above.
He couldn't save Icathia.
He only removed his tower from time.
And the people he saved inside the tower couldn't truly live either.
His abilities were actually similar to Aponia's.
Zilean clearly understood what consequences changing this world and birthing other unexpected fates would bring.
Usually contradictory, and changes always leaned toward more dangerous destinies.
—From Zilean's Biography
And this point was very similar to Aponia.
Aponia peered into fate, always wanting to change and save, but she couldn't change it. Fate would often trigger in another form.
Even worse.
Ryuga didn't try the 'Spirit Form.'
Because he had to avoid Lygus.
He wasn't sure if, when outside, Lygus could spy on him through the Scepter.
Once he discovered Ryuga could freely enter and exit, it would surely arouse his vigilance.
He wasn't fully prepared yet.
The preparatory props for controlling Irontomb and Lygus weren't ready.
Scepter authority hadn't been seized yet.
His own strength needed to at least reach Emanator level to be safe.
Of course, it would be best to be first below the Aeons.
After all, seizing Scepter authority meant facing the Ebon Deer Lords—and very likely all of them.
Plus, would Nanook intervene?
But probably not.
From that gaze, Ryuga felt Nanook 'appreciated' him.
However, he still needed full self-preservation measures just in case.
Going to Honkai Impact 3rd wasn't worrying.
But if he had to appear in the 'Luofu,' he'd need to be cautious.
Mm! This hero was clearly very strong, yet especially cautious.
╰(￣▽￣)╭
...
Ryuga's residence wasn't far from the textile workshop.
He made an old-fashioned wooden baby carriage for Griseo, convenient for Blanca to push.
For the great inventor, these were child's play.
"Ya~, Ryuga you're ba... your 'seclusion' is finished."
Almost said it wrong.
Opening the door was March 7th.
The moment she saw Ryuga, her rainbow-colored eyes shone brilliantly.
Before her words finished, she'd already crashed into Ryuga's embrace, her lotus-like arms tightly hugging his waist.
"I thought you'd disappear for a long time..."
Her soft little body trembled slightly, afraid that if she let go, he'd vanish.
Ryuga rubbed little March's head and kissed her forehead, apologizing: "Sorry for making you wait a month."
"Actually, it's nothing. But if you keep rubbing my head, I'm going to get angry."
Though she said this, little March enjoyed it with narrowed eyes.
Her little nose lifted, humming.
Her adorably charming appearance was very cute.
"They are..."
Seeing a whole flock of pretty women, their playful, affectionate eyes teasing her, March 7th felt her cheeks burn.
Her lips lightly bit as she anxiously released her arms and retreated half a step like a startled rabbit.
Her beautiful eyes glared indignantly—why didn't you say there were guests first?
Ryuga shrugged—my fault?
"These are all talents I recruited."
Inside, Aglaea and Tribbie were busy in the kitchen preparing today's lunch.
Aglaea's textile workshop was very large—the front was the workshop hall, the back was living quarters.
Seamstress-sis spent most of her time living here.
Just then, three little red mushrooms walked out.
"Magic God sir, hello. We were comforting the Black Tide disaster victims earlier and couldn't meet you—please forgive us."
"We are Tribbie."
"We are Hyacine."
"We are Thetis."
"We are Thysdrus."
"Magic God sir, and everyone, good morning, good afternoon, good evening~"
"Sunny day, rainy day, snowy day—all good."
"Head good, legs good, body good!"
"Everything's good everywhere!"
Seeing Ryuga, the three little ones were also very happy.
"You're all well too."
Ryuga nodded.
Thetis in the sky didn't speak. Hyacine on the ground missed everyone. Tribbie remembered Mama's words. Little, small dolls.
Remembering the message Thetis left for the Sunburst Knights on the stone tablet, Ryuga's heart felt stifled.
By now, Thetis should be dead, right?
When Cerydra returned, he'd have her destroy Olenous's lord.
"Ya~, you all are so cute."
Mobius's maternal instincts exploded, enthusiastically hugging one.
Triplets weren't rare, but seeing Tribbie and the others, MEI's heart also ached.
Splitting into a thousand pieces.
The pain of death could be felt firsthand.
Didn't that mean they'd felt death hundreds of times?
Sakura also bit her lower lip tightly.
"Magic God sir, you've returned at just the right time. The meal is almost ready."
Aglaea walked out.
The last pot of stew didn't need watching.
"I, I'll help carry things."
Klein immediately entered 'overtime fanatic' mode, instantly switching to work state.
"We'll help too."
Cyan and Cinnabar quickly followed.
"..."
March 7th was depressed. Even the dish-carrying job was taken—did that mean she could only be a freeloader?
She'd wanted to help, but Hyacine had pushed her out.
Soon, the dishes were brought to the table.
"Didn't expect so many guests. Seraphia, go order some from the Cloud Stone Restaurant and say the Magic God's seclusion has ended."
Aglaea apologized and told Cipher.
"Got it."
The hissing cat whooshed out.
Soon, restaurant owner Kris personally led people carrying dishes over.
Ryuga simply nodded without speaking.
Even so, Kris was incredibly excited.
"Hehe."
Aglaea smiled elegantly, greeting everyone to take their seats.
MEI was very interested in her—that elegance, that golden radiance, like seeing a 'goddess.'
The table's dishes were all ancient Roman-style.
Honey cakes, earth beast meat steaks, and honey brew were indispensable.
Though the dishes looked, smelled, and tasted excellent, everyone knew what these 'dishes' really were.
In Ryuga's words, he was taking them to eat 'pre-made air dishes.'
Food composed of data and memoria—what did it actually taste like?
The group of scientists, with an experimental mindset, began eating.
The moment the food entered their mouths, their eyes lit up—surprisingly, the taste was quite good!
Appetites aroused, they buried their heads and ate.
"Aglaea, would you consider adopting Cipher?"
"Ah?"
"Ah?"
To be continued…