Sparkle: Gooood morning! I'm very unhappy today. How about you?
The first thing Chen Li heard when he opened his eyes this morning was a piece of good news.
Hey, if you're unhappy, then I'm happy.
Dad: What happened? Why are you unhappy? Tell me so I can be happy about it.
To his pleasant surprise, Chen Li didn't receive Sunday's harassing "Daily Three Reflections" message today. It wasn't because Sunday had a sudden change of heart, but because Sunday had posted his daily greeting to the Friends Circle, and Chen Li had subsequently blocked him.
Once Sparkle joined the Friends Circle, Chen Li could block her too. That way, he wouldn't have to be harassed every morning.
Sparkle: Aiya, I thought you'd be kind enough to comfort me, but you're so inconsiderate. No girl will ever like you if you're like this.
Dad: I don't care, because I can just make myself a wife. A Curio Forger, pretty amazing, right?
Sparkle: ...It's a good thing you're the only one with that ability, otherwise I'd be out of a job.
Dad: Aren't you a Masked Fool? What does that have to do with you?
Sparkle: I moonlight as a matchmaker.
Dad: So why are you unhappy? Hurry up and tell me so I can be happy about it.
Sparkle: If I tell you just because you told me to, wouldn't I lose face?
Dad: I'll give you a discount on the forging fee. And who knows, I might be able to solve your problem for you.
Sparkle: Alright, I'll tell you then. My mask was stolen. I don't know which one of my peers stole it, it's so infuriating! Could it be an Emanator of Elation?
Dad: That really is... bad news.
That really is good news. If this mask is Sparkle's, then aren't I the real Sparkle now? Chen Li thought, looking down at the red and white mask in his hand. A great idea suddenly came to him.
It was common knowledge that Sparkle had the ability to transform into anyone. It was also common knowledge that Sparkle's true form wore a red and white mask, a proof of her status as a Masked Fool.
Every Masked Fool had to personally go to the ship of the Mourning Actors to steal a mask blessed by Elation before they could truly enter the tavern at the end of the world and become a true Masked Fool.
The Mourning Actors advocated for asceticism and penance, hoping to go against the Path of the Aeon of Elation and dilute the sweet temptation that Elation brought to the universe. They believed that cheap entertainment was an anesthetic that caused people to lose themselves. All living beings should abandon elation and endure sorrow to temper their spirits. To this end, these individuals formed the Mourning Troupe.
Perhaps out of a love for black humor, Aha bestowed his Aeon's power upon this group of ascetics and, with great interest, helped them travel across numerous star systems to spread the renunciation of Elation.
The Path of Elation, pretty amazing, right?
So, since the mask was now in Chen Li's hands, whatever reputation Sparkle would have in the future was no longer under her control.
Generally speaking, once all the Entries of an item were completely extracted, the item would instantly decay into dust. However, the mask the Aeon of Elation had given Chen Li had a strong sense of déjà vu, so Chen Li had only extracted the one [Elation] Entry and left the rest untouched, which was why the mask remained intact.
Chen Li didn't know if Sparkle's transformation ability relied entirely on the Elation mask or if she could transform on her own. But in any case, with the [Elation] Entry gone, this mask in his hands certainly couldn't transform.
But that wasn't a big problem. Couldn't he just add another [Elation] Entry to it and forge it into a Curio?
Where would the Entry come from? He'd just borrow it from the Aeon of Elation.
Thinking about it now, the Aeon of Elation had probably given the mask a huge power-up when He stole it for Chen Li. Otherwise, Sparkle alone couldn't have made the [Elation] Entry so bright.
From now on, I am the real Sparkle!
Sparkle: So... do you have any good ideas?
Dad: No good ideas, but I have an idea.
Sparkle: What is it?
Dad: Why don't you just go steal another Masked Fool's mask?
Sparkle: Forget it, there's no explaining it to an outworlder like you. The risk of stealing from a peer is too high. It'd be better to just steal another one from the Mourning Actors.
Dad: Whatever makes you happy. So, have you found the Entries for forging a Curio that finds fun?
Sparkle: Not yet... How about this, after I steal another mask, you can help me add a function to it.
Dad: Sure.
Sparkle: Then thank you~~ Genius #85!
Dad: You're pretty well-informed.
Chen Li wasn't surprised that Sparkle knew about this. He hadn't intended to hide it, nor was there any need to. Now that Chen Li had successfully arrived in the Honkai-verse, this "old thing" Sparkle was no longer of use.
Besides... when Chen Li discussed his codename with Screwllum, he had used Curio Forger, not Curio Forger Chen Li. Even if Sparkle knew he had gone to her world, she still wouldn't recognize him if he walked right up to her.
Time to pull off something big!
Chen Li wasn't really a fun-seeker. He just thought that Sparkle could probably provide him with a lot of Elation Points.
Sparkle: I have to be. After all, you caused a huge commotion across the entire world. How did you even come up with the idea of posting something like [Rich bro, send me 50 credits and show me your strength] from Screwllum's account?
Dad: I don't know. Screwllum asked me what I could do, so I showed him a little something.
Sparkle: We Masked Fools search for fun our entire lives, and it's nothing compared to a flash of inspiration from a natural talent like you. Are you sure you won't consider my invitation to join the tavern?
Dad: No.
Sparkle: Fine... then can you get me into the Genius Society? For example, by forging a Curio that lets me join?
Dad: I've never met such a demanding client. You've changed your request three times in five minutes.
Sparkle: You're not going to say you can't do it, are you?
Dad: Out of the question.
Sparkle: A face-to-face meeting, right? I get it. Once I go steal another mask from the Mourning Actors' ship and gather the materials for the Curio, I'll invite you over. It's settled then, bye-bye.
Dad: ...
I can't believe that what 'Dad' said two days ago—"If you don't want a Curio forged, there are plenty of others who do"—wasn't just a threat. I feel like I can find some great fun with him! Looking at the virtual screen before her, Sparkle was in a rather good mood.
Although her mask was stolen, she had found a source of amusement. Who could resist teasing a member of the Genius Society?
Or... impersonating one.
Sparkle didn't know any other Geniuses. This was the only one she knew, and he was an outworlder, unfamiliar with the people and places. Who else would she impersonate? If this Genius Society member could also get her into the Genius Society, that would be even more interesting.
"Since it's come to this, I'll go steal a mask first!"
---o---
"This Sparkle must be thinking of making fun of me. So she can't blame me for striking first," Chen Li said, looking at the red and white mask in his hand while tossing the Elation Die.
"Each with their own ulterior motives" was the most fitting description for today's client and service provider.
"Speaking of which... what is this?" After finishing the ulterior-motive-filled morning greeting, Chen Li scratched his head, looking puzzled at a doll that had crashed onto his bed.
Chen Li looked up and saw the familiar hole.
His ceiling had been pierced through yet again by something falling from the sky.
And because of the "bond" between Chen Li and his friends, he wasn't injured.
"Honestly, Chen Li, can you change my room? Living in the room above you feels very dangerous," Kaguya Houraisan poked her head through the familiar-looking hole and suggested to Chen Li.
"You got hurt again?" Chen Li asked.
"Not this time. I was playing a game, so I wasn't lying in bed," Kaguya shook her head.
"...I'll seriously consider it. For now, let me figure out what this thing is. Oh, right, remember to help patch up the hole in the house," Chen Li said as he grabbed the slightly strange-looking doll.
Chen Li felt that his house couldn't do without Kaguya Houraisan now. Otherwise, a strange little item falling from the sky and piercing the ceiling every morning would leave the house full of holes.
"By the way, has the other Friends Circle terminal reached Silver Wolf yet? I can't wait to compete with her to see who can grind more," Kaguya asked with some excitement.
"Not yet, be patient. Oh, right, remember not to blow your cover when you're pretending to be me. For example, try not to have any unnecessary conversations with her," Chen Li reminded her.
"Don't worry, don't I know you inside and out?"
"..."
Only after seeing the large hole in the ceiling being restored by the power of eternity did Chen Li turn his attention to the doll in his hand.
[Eerie], [Curse], [Undead], [Entanglement], [Devour Master]
As expected, it was another troublesome-looking item.
Without even thinking for three seconds, Chen Li chose to toss the not-so-good-looking doll into the forging furnace he had summoned beside him.
Done!
He had harvested another five precious Entries with high brightness.
As long as the Miracle Fire could engulf its entire body, not even a god could escape its scorching flames!
Little thing, let me give you a little shock from a Curio Forger.
"Forget it, I'll just treat it as a daily friend fee from this world," Chen Li said. Although he felt that this world was treating him as some kind of recycling bin that could contain any item, it was important to have a sense of self-amusement.
"But why can't it give me a bit more for the trash disposal fee?"
Because he hadn't decided what Curio to forge with these Entries yet, Chen Li simply took out five Miracle Crystals and sealed the Entries inside them. They would be useful eventually.
[Heavenly Drop] Entry extraction in progress. Progress: 2/5 (Progress can be increased by suffering a non-man-made heavenly object attack on one's own bed.)
"Three more times and I'll be able to extract an Entry from an event I've personally experienced. But what's the use of this Entry?" Looking at the generating Entry, Chen Li's imagination began to run wild.
---o---