Chapter 23: The Anti-Brother Radar
"Friends...?" A faintly ironic smile touched the corner of Raiden Mei's lips. "Heh. Mr. Ruobai, you and I have known each other for less than two days. Are you so certain I'm not just making excuses for my father?"
"Time has never been the boundary that defines understanding," Rovel replied, waving a hand dismissively. "If it were, you wouldn't see so many couples getting divorced after more than a decade of marriage, would you? Ah... perhaps that's a poor example, but you get the general idea."
He met her gaze, his own expression earnest. "In my opinion, Mei, you're quite easy to read."
"At the very least... someone as proud as you would disdain pretending. And you would certainly disdain lying about something that important."
Listening to his explanation, Raiden Mei, who had maintained a wall of suspicion around her heart, felt an unexpected pang of guilt. He saw through her so easily.
"...Thank you, Mr. Ruobai," she said, her posture softening as she composed herself. "Thank you for being willing to believe in me."
As she spoke, the trust level displayed above her head leaped from 60% to a solid 80%.
[System Notice: A-Rank Mission 'Raiden Mei's Hellish Training' has been updated. Please check the details.]
"One day," Mei declared, a new resolve hardening her voice, "I will uncover the truth of why my father was imprisoned. Mr. Ruobai... would you be willing to help me? As a friend..."
A new notification chimed in Rovel's vision.
[B-Rank Mission Triggered: The Truth Behind Raiden Ryoma's Imprisonment.]
[Mission Objective: Uncover the truth behind Raiden Ryoma's imprisonment. (Requires solid evidence)]
[Mission Reward: Prototype Pulse Katana (Excellent)]
[Hidden Reward: Raiden Mei's Trust Level increased by 20%]
[Mission Options: Accept / Decline]
"Of course I'm willing, my friend," Rovel responded with a warm smile, accepting the mission without a second thought.
The atmosphere between them grew warmer, their newfound alliance solidifying into a genuine bond. After helping Raiden Mei finish tidying up her home, Rovel's phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming call from Yuki.
"What's wrong?" Raiden Mei asked, noticing the subtle shift in his expression.
"It's my sister. I should probably get going," Rovel said, waving a hand in farewell. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mei."
"See you tomorrow, Mr. Ruobai," she replied softly, a gentle warmth in her voice that hadn't been there before.
'Hmm,'Rovel mused as he walked away.'It seems the transformation into a gentle, doting housewife is already beginning.'
He answered the call. "What is it, Yuki?"
A dramatic, mournful sigh came from the other end. "Ugh... Yuki has a feeling that her brother is about to be snatched away."
Rovel couldn't help but laugh. "What's this, some kind of radar?"
"That's right! This is Yuki's Anti-Cheating Radar!" she declared proudly. "Is Brother secretly on a date with another girl?! Hmm... but the game says you're still online. Could Yuki be overthinking it?"
Yuki stared at Rovel's game status, falling into deep thought. Logically, it didn't make sense, but her intuition had always been terrifyingly accurate.
"What on earth is an 'Anti-Cheating Radar'?" Rovel retorted reflexively. "Since when were you equipped with that function?"
"It's a feeling! My heart gets all uneasy, and then I get a little shiver, just like yesterday right before the servers opened! That's why Yuki called Brother so many times!" she explained.
Rovel froze. Yesterday, right before the servers opened... that was when he had been transported to the Elysian Realm. That was when he had kissed Mobius. Could her 'shiver' have been because of that?
"Does Yuki have some kind of special power?" he asked, a little unnerved.
"Only for Brother!" Yuki announced, proudly puffing out her chest, though what exactly she was proud of was anyone's guess.
"Have you eaten yet?" Rovel asked, changing the subject and glancing at the time. It was already past eight in the evening. "Want to go to that 'Hell-Spicy' hotpot place? I did promise you yesterday."
"Even though I just ate, I still want to go! Let's meet at Hell-Spicy!" Yuki accepted without a moment's hesitation before hanging up and immediately logging out of the game.
She couldn't possibly meet her brother looking like this! She had to dress up! She would show him Yuki's true charm and make him so obsessed he wouldn't be able to live without her!
Her mind drifted into a vivid fantasy.
"Yuki," a fantasy-Rovel declared, kneeling on one knee with a ring in hand, "I've finally realized that I've always loved you. I was just too afraid to face my own heart. I don't want to be bound by blood any longer. Let's... get married!"
"Hehehehe..." An unintelligible giggle escaped Yuki's lips as she squirmed on her bed like a happy worm.
Meanwhile, Rovel simply took a quick shower, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and headed out the door. He wasn't one for elaborate preparations. For a guy, showering before going out was already the highest form of etiquette.
Soon, he arrived at their agreed-upon meeting spot. After waiting for about ten minutes, Yuki appeared.
"Brother!"
Her outfit today was a complete departure from her usual style. Normally, Yuki cultivated the image of a sheltered young lady, with 'ladylike'and'elegant' as her defining traits. But tonight, she was dressed in a chic, street-style ensemble.
A white cropped T-shirt peeked out from under a loose-fitting, light gray cropped jacket. With the sleeves rolled up and the collar open, it revealed the delicate lines of her collarbones and a sliver of her waist, radiating a youthful and energetic aura. She had topped it off with a black baseball cap, the brim tilted just so, likely to help conceal her identity.
"Yuki, you look very beautiful," Rovel praised sincerely. It was obvious she had put a lot of effort into her appearance.
A faint blush dusted Yuki's cheeks at his approval, her expression growing brighter. "Then... was I prettier before, or am I prettier now?" she pressed, fishing for more compliments.
"Hmm... both are pretty," Rovel answered with a firm nod, giving the only correct answer.
"Heehee! By the way, did Brother dress up too? I feel like today... you've become even more handsome!" Yuki said, scrutinizing his face. She felt an even stronger pull toward him than before.
"No, I'm the same as always," he said, shaking his head.
"Mm! That's good! I was afraid if Brother dressed up too handsomely, other people would try to hit on you. And what if Brother couldn't control himself and—ow!"
Rovel delivered a light karate chop to the top of her head, cutting her rambling short.
Yuki playfully stuck out her tongue and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, linked her arm through his as they walked inside.
"Hello, table for two?" a staff member greeted them.
"Yes," Rovel nodded.
The hostess soon led them to a booth. As they looked over the menu, Rovel watched as Yuki confidently selected the spiciest option available.
"Are we really getting the Hell-Spicy broth? Will you be okay?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Don't worry, Yuki won't push herself," she giggled. "And even if I can't finish it, don't I have Brother?"
"Am I some kind of food disposal unit?" Rovel sighed softly.
While he could handle spicy food quite well, he'd heard that many restaurants cut corners, using industrial chili essence instead of real peppers just to market their 'extreme spiciness.' He didn't want Yuki getting sick over it.
"Ehehe~" was her only, cheerful reply.
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