A few days later, the Star Rail Finals Festival finally began.
Daziel collected Topaz and Sis Asta into Aether Coins and set off for the Old Weapon Testing Ground.
The venue for the Finals Festival, the Old Weapon Testing Ground, had transformed into a boiling ocean of activity. Dazzling lights crisscrossed like a web, dyeing the steel-skeleton-like site in fantastical colors. Deafening music surged like a tsunami, carrying the cheers and screams of the crowd, vibrating through all of Belobog. The air mingled with the aroma of grilled meat and sweet desserts. Faces of various ethnicities and species flickered in the interplay of light and shadow – exceptionally lively.
March 7th, full of energy, hooked her arm through Daziel's, her clear voice tinged with excitement, "Daziel, are you ready? For... adding more sisters for me, ah no, for saving Belobog!"
Daziel sighed softly, his mouth twitching slightly. "I was fine originally, but after being squeezed dry and tormented by you lot every day these past few days, I really can't take it anymore." His gaze swept complexly over March 7th beside him, whose corruption value was maxed out, then glanced at Herta, who was tireless due to her puppet body, and finally looked at the Aether Coin in his hand, his words carrying a trace of helplessness.
Herta's lips quirked slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction immediately appearing on her puppet face. "Nonsense. According to Lady Herta's precise observations, all your bodily functions are perfectly fine, no problems whatsoever. Stop trying to sling mud at us and making excuses to be lazy." She ruthlessly exposed Daziel's claim.
Daziel rubbed his nose, defending himself somewhat awkwardly, "Physically, I might be fine, but... I'm mentally exhausted! Mental fatigue is still fatigue, you know." The consecutive days of "deep exchange," unlocking various positions, an endless variety of styles, had indeed left his spirit rather listless, feeling completely drained.
"Hmph! So you still have to blame us in the end?" Herta huffed lightly, pouting. "You're just overthinking it. Go on, don't worry. If you really encounter some unsolvable trouble, if necessary, my main body will descend here to back you up." Although her tone still carried the characteristic arrogance of a genius, it had strangely softened somewhat, subtly revealing a hint of barely perceptible concern.
Hearing this, Daziel's eyes immediately flashed with excitement. "With those words from Lady Herta, I'm completely relieved! With 1.5 Emanators standing by my side, let's see who dares to kill me! Who can kill me?" His tone instantly became heroic and grand, filled with an unparalleled domineering air and confidence.
"Is the remaining half you're talking about Topaz?" Herta raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of warning. "Actually, it's best not to count on us intervening. If you always hide under our wings, when will you ever truly grow?" She hoped Daziel could genuinely stand on his own, rather than relying on external forces.
Daziel's expression turned serious, his smile vanishing instantly. He nodded solemnly. "Understood. Don't worry, I'm a harem protagonist, not some gigolo type or a protagonist from a female-dominated story."
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Herta's lips. "You'd better live up to that. Being Lady Herta's man isn't that easy." Her tone held a mix of expectation and challenge.
Just then, a gentle and familiar male voice came from behind them, breaking the slightly delicate atmosphere.
"Everyone, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for quite some time!" Wilder, dressed in the company's red uniform, approached them quickly with a smile. "Mr. Daziel, please give me your coin. I'll register you for the competition." As he spoke, he extended his hand, gesturing for Daziel to hand over the Aether Coin.
Daziel took out the coin and gave it to Wilder, replying politely, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Wilder."
Wilder accepted the coin, his smile widening. He then turned to Herta, his tone respectful. "Lady Herta, I've already heard from Director Topaz that the previous matter has been resolved satisfactorily. It's wonderful that you can continue to promote this game for our company and let bygones be bygones! Everyone in the company is immensely grateful!" His voice was filled with relief; clearly, Herta's previous "friendly exchange" had put considerable pressure on the company's upper management.
"Hmph!" Herta gave an arrogant, cold snort, turning her head away disdainfully, her tone still carrying its usual pride. "Your company merely benefited from Daziel's influence. If it weren't for his sake, I wouldn't have been so easy to talk to." Although her tone remained assertive, she implicitly acknowledged Wilder's statement, giving Daziel plenty of face.
Wilder nodded repeatedly, not daring to refute a major figure like Herta. He turned back to Daziel with even greater enthusiasm, his tone becoming increasingly respectful. "Yes, yes, you're right. It's all thanks to Mr. Daziel's influence. Mr. Daziel, your information has been successfully entered into the tournament system, and you've received special treatment."
"There's still some time before the competition officially begins. You can use this time to prepare properly— I wish you success right from the start!" He handed the coin back to Daziel, offering sincere blessings with a humble attitude.
Daziel took the coin back, asking curiously, "Special treatment? What kind of special treatment?"
Just then, a cool and magnetic female voice sounded. "Mr. Daziel, allow me to explain this matter."
Accompanied by the 'click-clack' of high heels, Bronya approached gracefully, a meaningful look deep within her grey eyes. "Everyone, let's step aside to talk." She gestured slightly towards a nearby area and turned, leading the way towards a relatively quiet spot, her silver hair shimmering faintly under the lights.
Daziel nodded slightly, signaling March 7th and Herta to follow, a sense of curiosity rising within him. What exactly was this "special treatment" Wilder mentioned?
Bronya led them into a small private room. The decor was simple yet elegant, with abstract paintings hanging on the beige walls. Soft light spilled from the ceiling fixtures.
"Please, sit." Bronya gestured for them to sit on the sofa. Her gaze landed on Daziel, her silver-grey eyes holding a serious look. "Mr. Daziel, regarding your arrangements in the competition, I have already handled them properly."
Daziel nodded slightly, waiting for Bronya to continue.
"You do not need to participate in the preliminary rounds. I have already communicated with Mr. Giovanni's side. You will advance directly to the next round. The company will arrange pre-selected opponents for you, including the candidates you provided on your list."
Hearing this, March 7th's eyes widened in surprise, her delicate mouth falling slightly open. "Wow! Advancing directly? That's great?!"
Daziel's face, however, didn't show much surprise. He simply smiled faintly, responding calmly, "In that case, thank you for your trouble, Great Guardian."
"It is we who should be thanking you." Bronya's tone was sincere. She paused, then took a medicine box from her handbag and handed it to Daziel. "Considering you'll be... engaging in continuous battles next, I was worried about your physical endurance. I've specially prepared some medicine, hoping it might be useful."
The medicine box had a simple, elegant design, but emblazoned prominently in the center were three large golden characters— Male Enhancement Pills.
Seeing the medicine box, the smile on Daziel's face instantly froze, his expression turning peculiar.
March 7th leaned over curiously, trying to read the words on the box. When she saw the three golden characters, she first froze for a moment, then let out a "Pfft!" and couldn't help covering her mouth, her small body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
An indescribable expression also flickered across Herta's puppet face. Her lips twitched almost imperceptibly, as if she were struggling to maintain her usual composure and persona.
Daziel looked at Bronya, who appeared earnest and slightly concerned, and asked tentatively, "This medicine... you didn't happen to buy it from Sampo, did you?"
Hearing this, Bronya's eyes widened, like a little girl whose secret had been exposed. She hastily covered her mouth, her silver-grey eyes filled with astonishment and panic. "You... how did you know?!" Bronya's voice held a touch of panic, her speech becoming rapid as she quickly tried to explain, though it sounded more like covering something up. "I even disguised myself thoroughly and went specifically to the Underworld, just to avoid being recognized, but you immediately..."
March 7th couldn't hold back any longer, bursting into peals of laughter that shook her delicate frame, the clear sound echoing in the room. "Hahaha! He's super capable, he doesn't need this! You wasted your money! If you don't believe me, you can experience it yourself!" As she spoke, she pointed a slender finger towards a certain crucial area around Daziel's waist, laughing so hard she bent forwards and backwards, tears nearly streaming down her face, almost collapsing onto the sofa.
Bronya's cheeks flushed slightly, looking rather embarrassed. She looked pleadingly towards Herta, hoping for some support.
Herta cleared her throat softly, turning her head slightly to hide the smile that finally broke through. "Ahem, Miss Great Guardian, we appreciate the thought, but Daziel... he really... doesn't need this."
Bronya became even more awkward, holding the medicine box helplessly, unsure what to do. Taking it back seemed even more embarrassing, but giving it felt like mocking Daziel's capabilities.
Seeing this, Daziel quickly took the medicine box, saying with a smile, "Thank you, Great Guardian. I appreciate the sentiment. I'll accept the medicine."
Bronya glanced gratefully at Daziel, feeling slightly relieved.
She then took another small box from her handbag and handed it to Daziel. This box's packaging was even simpler, completely black with no text or markings, resembling some sort of unlicensed product.
"Then... what about this?" Bronya's voice was hesitant, her tone becoming somewhat unnatural, as if anticipating something yet also fearing it.
Daziel took the box and opened it curiously. What met his eyes was a box of exquisitely packaged condoms, neatly arranged inside, quite a few of them. He frowned, looked up again at Bronya, his tone laced with helplessness and amusement, "This... you didn't buy this from Sampo too, did you?"
Bronya nodded, blushing, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Y-yes, I did. What... is there a problem?"
The expression on Herta's puppet face instantly turned serious. She stated bluntly, "It's best not to use things from a Masked Fool. Who knows if he pricked pinholes in them? If something goes wrong, the loss would outweigh the gain."
Hearing this, Bronya's face instantly turned pale. The box in her hand felt like a hot potato. She gasped, "Ah? Oh..." She quickly took the box back, like a child caught doing wrong, fumbling to stuff it back into her handbag, becoming flustered and endearingly flustered.
Seeing this, Daziel quickly reassured her, "It's okay, Great Guardian. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness." He paused, then said seriously, "But I'll finish outside, don't worry."
Hearing this, Bronya froze for a moment, then seemed to understand the meaning behind Daziel's words. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, as if about to bleed. She lowered her head, murmuring almost inaudibly, "Then... thank you very much."
She took a deep breath, looked up, her silver-grey eyes holding a pleading look as she gazed at Daziel, speaking earnestly, "However, there's one more thing I wanted to ask of you..."
Daziel paused slightly. He could sense the gravity in Bronya's tone and couldn't help but feel curious. What matter could possibly make the high and mighty Great Guardian ask him for a favor so seriously?
"Hm? What is it?" Daziel responded gently, indicating Bronya could speak freely.
Bronya bit her lip, seemingly hesitating on how to phrase it. After a moment, she finally gathered her courage, looked up, her silver-grey eyes meeting Daziel's directly, her voice carrying pleading and worry.
"It's just... when you go in... don't let Seele hurt too much. Could you please... be gentle with her..."
Hearing this, Daziel instantly froze on the spot, his mind blank, as if struck by lightning again, completely losing the ability to think. He stared wide-eyed at Bronya in disbelief. Daziel's expression stiffened, as if time had stopped. He wondered if he had misheard, or perhaps misunderstood?
"Please, be gentle." Bronya repeated her earlier words, her face flushed scarlet, her silver-grey eyes misty, filled with shyness and pleading.
Be gentle? With Seele?
"Miss Bronya, have you perhaps forgotten something?" Daziel's voice was strained as he tried to find his words.
Bronya paused, blinking in confusion. "Forgotten? Did I forget something?"
"It seems I... don't need to go inside. Using other parts is also possible," Daziel forced out the sentence, each word feeling like it was squeezed through clenched teeth, heavy and slow. Saying this directly is still too embarrassing.
The air in the private room seemed to instantly solidify, terrifyingly silent, only their breathing audible.
Bronya stared blankly for a moment, then gasped as if in sudden realization. "Ah! Look at my memory!" She slapped her forehead in frustration, her cheeks becoming even redder. "Mr. Giovanni told me to tell you! I actually forgot!"
"Giovanni?" Daziel raised an eyebrow.
"Mm, Mr. Giovanni said... quite some time has passed since the meme infection. The previous method won't work anymore..." Bronya explained, her tone slightly uncertain.
"Won't work anymore?" Daziel repeated, his confusion deepening. Could this also be Aha's will?
"Yes, that's what Mr. Giovanni said. He said the meme has mutated again and requires... requires a more direct method to be effectively suppressed." Bronya's voice grew smaller and smaller, almost inaudible by the end.
Daziel fell silent. He looked at Bronya's expression, but in those silver-grey eyes, there was only sincerity and a hint of unspeakable shyness. He didn't answer immediately. He turned to Herta, his tone questioning and uncertain, "Lady Herta, these words... can I trust them?"
An interested look appeared on Herta's puppet face, her lips curling upward into a meaningful smile. "Trustworthy or not, why don't you just verify it yourself when the time comes?"
"Verify it myself?" Hearing this, Daziel's brow furrowed slightly.
"Anyway, you produce enough. A few extra rounds won't matter," Herta added, her tone light and straightforward.
"Alright." Daziel finally sighed, rubbing his temples helplessly, having made his decision. "I'll try it out then."
"Regardless, we'll be counting on you, Mr. Daziel. I've already spoken with Seele and the other two beforehand," Bronya emphasized again, her tone firm and serious. "Whatever you do, they will cooperate. So you don't need to feel any guilt. Everything is for the future of Belobog."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Daziel nodded.
Seeing this, Bronya completely relaxed. Her previously tense expression softened, and a sincere smile returned to her face. She looked gratefully at Daziel, saying softly, "Thank you so much, Mr. Daziel. You've really helped us in Belobog immensely again this time."
"Don't mention it. It's not like I'm losing out," Daziel replied.
Herta suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of reflection, "Speaking of which, this is actually my first time truly visiting Belobog. I didn't expect it to be quite decent now, much better than I imagined."
Hearing Herta's praise, Bronya's face lit up with joy. She quickly responded humbly, "Thank you for your praise, Lady Herta. It's truly our honor that you like Belobog. Speaking of which, Belobog's transformation today is largely thanks to Mr. Daziel helping us repay the company's debt..."
The group chatted idly like this, passing the time in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, waiting for the preliminary rounds to end. The faint sounds of the bustling crowd outside occasionally drifted into the room.
After some time, the venue's announcement echoed from outside the private room, reaching everyone's ears—
"The preliminary rounds have concluded! Next, will all advancing contestants please prepare to enter the arena!"
Daziel's competition was finally here!
_____
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