"He opened the door?! How is that possible?! I didn't drive the Jurisprudence Authority to maintain this construct! It should be in silent standby mode!"
"And… this tone… this subtly teasing feeling… it's not the program I set!"
"Who exactly is controlling this 'Sen'in'?! Or… has it undergone some kind of 'mutation' that I don't understand?!"
She stared intently at the seemingly familiar "Sen'in" at the door, trying to find answers in his eyes.
However, just as "Sen'in" turned to guide Shido and Origami into the living room, and seemingly casually glanced at her—
Chinatsu's pupils suddenly constricted!
She clearly saw that deep within "Sen'in's" smiling, seemingly ordinary eyes, an extremely subtle, pure light-formed mask with a bizarre, joyful smile flashed like a ripple on water!
That mark! That symbol that seemed to mock everything in the world, treating all things as a source of amusement!
Chinatsu's blood seemed to freeze instantly, and a name that made her soul tremble, filled with unparalleled panic and the despair of "it's over," rushed into her mind:
"It's over! That damn Aha is online—!!!"
"How could he be here?! And he took over the construct I made?!"
"Everything's messed up now! Compared to this Aeon whose highest principle is seeking amusement and whose actions are completely unpredictable, Fraxinus's strategy is like playing house!"
She watched as the "Sen'in" possessed by "Joy" gave her a mischievous look, as if saying "the game begins now," then nonchalantly turned and walked towards the living room.
Chinatsu felt her hands and feet turn cold; all her plans, all her disguises, seemed so ridiculous and fragile in front of this true "God of Fun."
She could only steel herself, with an almost tragic feeling, and be the last to walk into the apartment and close the door.
She knew that the real, uncontrollable "fun" was only just beginning.
After entering the living room, Shido naturally slumped onto the sofa, letting out a long sigh: "You scared me, Sen'in, it's great to see you're alright! But…"
He leaned in closer, examining "Sen'in's" face carefully, and asked in confusion: "How come you don't look like anything happened? And…"
He pointed at "Sen'in's" eyes, "Your new contact lenses… the pattern is a bit strange, isn't it? Flashing, like a small smiley face?"
Origami, hearing this, also calmly cast a scrutinizing gaze.
The "Sen'in" possessed by Aha remained expressionless; he first paused, then touched the corner of his eye with his hand, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, showed a slightly smug and chuunibyou smile:
"Hmph, how can mortal wisdom understand?" He slightly raised his chin, speaking in a theatrical tone.
"These are no ordinary contact lenses; this is the imprint left by the 'Joyful Demon' with whom I have made a contract! When it flickers in the darkness, it is the time for misfortune and fun to descend! Wahahahaha—!!"
He even exaggeratedly laughed a few times, a complete chuunibyou immersed in his own world.
Shido: "…"
Shido (rubbing his forehead): "Alright, you're still the same, I knew it was pointless to ask you."
He clearly took this as his friend's usual chuunibyou outburst and didn't take it to heart at all.
Origami also withdrew her gaze, seemingly accepting the explanation (or simply not caring), and began to quietly survey the apartment's environment.
Only Chinatsu, standing nearby, was internally complaining wildly:
"Chuunibyou my foot! That's not contact lenses at all! That's the manifestation of the Joyful Path's power! It's Aha's own mark!"
"It's over, it's over, this Aha is actually enjoying playing the role of 'Chuunibyou Sen'in'! God knows what kind of trouble he'll cause next!"
She watched the guy, who wore Sen'in's skin but was the Joyful Aeon inside, chatting happily with Shido (Shido being unilaterally teased).
She felt like she was sitting next to a bomb that could explode at any moment, and in a way that would absolutely surprise everyone; every single second was torture.
Chinatsu almost forced out the last shred of her composure, squeezing out a barely natural smile at Shido and Origami in the living room:
"Brother, you just woke up, do you want some water first? Classmate Itsuka, Classmate Tobiichi, please sit down, brother and I will go to the kitchen to get some drinks."
She pulled "Sen'in's" arm without question, with such force that she almost crushed the bones constructed by the Reason Law.
Aha (Sen'in) obediently followed her, still with that intrigued smile on his face, as if enjoying an interesting performance.
Shido didn't find anything wrong with the two of them, waving his hand to indicate he understood, while Origami's eyes lit up when she heard they were going to the kitchen.
As soon as the two entered the relatively quiet kitchen, Chinatsu immediately shook off his hand and gently closed the kitchen door behind her; though not locked, it blocked most of the sound.
She spun around abruptly, her ice-blue eyes burning with suppressed anger and anxiety, and demanded in a hushed voice:
"You damn God of Fun! What exactly do you want to do?! Why did you come here to cause trouble for me?!"
Instead of getting angry at being yelled at, Aha seemed to have heard a brilliant joke, his shoulders shaking with uncontrollable laughter.
He leaned casually against the counter, picking up a tomato from the surface and juggling it, and said in Sen'in's familiar voice, but with an extremely cheerful and irritating tone:
"Causing trouble? No, no, my dear 'sister,' how could you misunderstand Aha's good intentions so much?"
He leaned in closer, the joyful mask imprint in his eyes flickering slightly, his tone full of mockery:
"Aha merely sensed that an interesting 'script' was unfolding here—a cautious Herrscher, a gentle young man diligently pursuing a strategy, and a group of masterminds who think they are in control… What a magnificent stage! How could Aha miss it?"
He spread his arms, making an exaggerated gesture of embracing the world:
"Aha is here to bring you fun! Look, wasn't that 'Caught Between Two Men' scene at the door exciting enough? Wasn't that little girl named Origami interesting enough? Such pure, unadulterated initiative! Hahahaha!"
Chinatsu was so angry she almost ground her teeth: "I don't need your fun! Your 'fun' will only mess everything up! Get out of my construct immediately!"
"Get out?" Aha tilted his head, making a thoughtful expression, then laughed again, his smile so bright it made one's scalp tingle.
"But Aha has only just entered, the show has only just begun. Don't worry, my dear, Aha will play the role of 'Sen'in' well for you, guaranteed to be ten thousand times more interesting than the wooden dummy you set up lying in bed!"
He took a step forward, almost pressing against Chinatsu's ear, and whispered in a seductive yet incredibly annoying tone:
"As for when I'll leave… when Aha has had enough fun and gets bored, I will naturally leave~ Perhaps when you and that young man are having a heartfelt confession? Perhaps when you and that little girl from AST are fighting fiercely? Who knows? The fun lies in uncertainty!"
With that, he patted Chinatsu's stiff shoulder and picked up the tomato again.
Humming an off-key tune as if nothing had happened, he turned to go back to the living room, muttering: "Hmm, I need to prepare some 'surprises' for the guests, plain water is so boring…"
Chinatsu watched his retreating back, feeling a wave of powerlessness and immense exasperation wash over her.
There was no reasoning with this Aeon who fed on chaos and whose highest principle in life was to find amusement!
"It's over… now I can only take it one step at a time and pray that this bastard doesn't play too big…"
She thought despairingly, feeling that her future days would be fraught with difficulties.