“Finally back in my own world. While the journey was enjoyable, there’s nowhere quite like home to truly settle the mind,” Rin declared the moment the starlight receded, her voice carrying through the atrium of the Sky City.

Your world is supposed to be the Nasuverse, but well, where you go is where you are; there’s certainly no fault in that.

“This… is your world?” Although Lin Luo had mentioned it before, even Queen C’s eyes widened in astonishment upon seeing the breathtakingly magnificent Sky City in person.

“Of course. Didn’t I tell you from the start? I am the King of Worlds,” Lin Luo stated confidently, CC’s presence immensely boosting his ego.

“I always thought you were just bragging,” CC retorted without mincing words.

Lin Luo was left speechless.

Entering the main hall, dozens of maids were bustling about, moving things here and there, seemingly engaged in another thorough cleaning. The moment they spotted Lin Luo and the others returning, they instantly dropped their tasks and bowed respectfully, saying, “Welcome home, Master.”

“Mhm,” Lin Luo nodded, then inquired, “Where is everyone else?”

“They are all playing games in the game space,” one maid replied, pointing toward the pile of treasure outside.

Playing games? Lin Luo was momentarily stunned. No wonder he hadn't seen them earlier. They must have gone back to Dragon Quest again. Then again, didn't they dislike that game? Women really say one thing and mean another.

“I understand. You all carry on with your tasks.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Lin Luo, I’m a bit tired. I think I’ll go take a nap,” Leilei rubbed her eyes and announced.

“Alright, go and rest then,” Lin Luo agreed, motioning for one of the maids to escort her to her room. In the world of the Weapon Races, she had exerted a considerable amount of energy, lifting the restrictors on the Seven-Jeweled Sacred Tree coupled with her Darkening—it was extremely draining. Even after the battle concluded, her concern for Shiya meant she hadn't rested properly; feeling tired was only natural.

Watching Leilei walk away, still rubbing her eyes, Lin Luo suspected her nap would be quite a long one.

“In that case, I think I’ll turn in for a while too. I feel like I’d be cheating myself if I didn’t,” the dignified Rin yawned before waving and heading towards her own room.

“CC, what about you? Would you like to rest as well?” Lin Luo turned to the girl beside him.

“No need. Is there any pizza here?” the girl replied calmly.

“…You really love pizza, don’t you? Are you the official spokesperson for Pizza Hut?” Lin Luo muttered helplessly. Why did everyone with a touch of the demonic enjoy that food so much? The Witch CC, the Demon King Dante—is this some sort of demonic curse? That would be terrifying. Thankfully, his Demon King class is just a cameo role.

“Does one need a reason to like something?” CC posed a surprisingly philosophical question.

Lin Luo seriously considered this and then responded, “This question actually has two possible answers: with a reason or without one. Neither can truly be called wrong. For example, you like pizza most likely because it tastes good or for some other ridiculous reason. But if two people fall in love at first sight, there probably isn’t a reason; they just fall in love.”

“I didn’t realize you were so articulate. Did you suffer some kind of setback?” CC remarked noncommittally, walking over to the sofa and sitting down.

…Those words actually dealt me a setback.

He instructed a maid to prepare a pizza for this queen, then sat down beside her. “Do I really look like the type of person who wouldn’t speak much?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that most people I meet are one-sided. Those with high combat power often have lower IQs, and those with higher IQs are physical weaklings. Of course, I’m just saying things off the cuff; don’t mind me,” CC waved dismissively, casually kicking off her shoes and resting her feet on the sofa, hugging her knees and rocking slightly.

…It was clear this woman had ample free time.

“What are you looking at?” CC asked, looking straight ahead as if talking to herself.

“I was wondering what the point of you sitting like that is.”

“It’s just a comfortable position for me. Haven’t you ever tried it? Instinctively, everyone chooses the posture that feels most comfortable, right?”

“I certainly don’t see anything comfortable about that posture. Speaking of which, are you ready?”

“To establish the contract?” CC turned to look at him.

“Didn’t you already say it yourself? I am someone capable of fulfilling your wish, and you agreed to the contract. So, let’s not delay; there’s nothing to hesitate about, right?”

“That’s what I said, but I actually don’t feel like establishing the contract so quickly.”

“Huh? Why is that?” Lin Luo felt a wave of confusion.

“If I established the contract with you now, I would immediately send you off to fulfill my wish. But…” As she spoke, CC leaned forward toward Lin Luo, a faint smile playing on her lips, “…I’ve discovered a few interesting things I want to take care of first. Once those are done, then we can fulfill my wish, so the contract will have to wait.”

“This makes me very uncomfortable,” Lin Luo instinctively leaned back slightly. The queen’s warm breath against his face made it impossible to remain calm; what if he impulsively acted out?

“I thought you were a very bold person. Can’t you handle even this little bit of temptation?” CC mocked.

“This little bit of temptation? Are you joking? You truly underestimate your own charm,” Lin Luo shot her a sidelong glance.

“Charm?” CC paused. “I recall I haven’t used any of my abilities on you.”

“Your Geass, the ability of being loved? That kind of thing is useless on me,” Lin Luo shrugged.

“If someone like you had no feelings stirred, you wouldn’t have had such a significant emotional fluctuation from my action just now. But I sensed a very strong emotional surge within you. Wasn’t it influenced by my ability?” CC looked genuinely perplexed at this point.

“Hey, hey, your logic is too strange. When a stunningly beautiful woman is dangling right in front of you, who wouldn’t have an emotional reaction?” Lin Luo was quite exasperated. This girl had zero self-awareness. Even if her ability made her forget what it felt like to be loved, surely she couldn't forget basic instinct between male and female? What was it called again? Ah, attraction of opposites.

“Beautiful woman? Is that it? That’s a bit hard to understand.” CC pondered for a moment, then leaned in again, this time far more intimately, almost face-to-face.

“What are you doing?” Lin Luo froze instinctively.

“I want to try once more,” the girl stated plainly.

“…Don’t try it in a place like this! It’s dangerous, look! Your pizza is here.” Feeling the girl’s hot breath, Lin Luo jumped in fright and quickly pushed her away. Trying it here was risky; what if he lost control and forced himself on her? People could return at any moment. What if they returned with a kitchen knife?

“A lady must be mindful of her image. This frivolous attitude of yours is unbecoming,” Lin Luo said righteously as he took the pizza from the maid and handed it to the girl.

“That statement of yours is a little off. I was being quite serious just now… Hmm, this is delicious.” CC’s eyes suddenly lit up; her attention had completely shifted to the pizza, which seemed to demand her greater focus.

Lin Luo knew securing a contract with her anytime soon was unlikely. Although he didn't know exactly what she intended to do, since she had the inclination, he’d let her have her way for now.

He instructed the maids to prepare a room for CC, then left… Though ‘prepare’ mostly involved hanging a sign on a door. The second-floor accommodation area had over a hundred rooms, each fully equipped, requiring no real preparation.

“SABER Flying Fist!”

Passing the room on the first floor where they had snacked earlier, he suddenly heard a girl’s voice shouting from inside, sounding like she was in the middle of an intense fight. Curiosity piqued, he couldn't help but open the door to look in…

On a massive screen, a passionate anime was playing. Saber sat alone on a table, watching with rapt attention. She wore some kind of equipment on both hands. When the protagonist on screen threw a punch, she mirrored the action with a small punch of her own, shouting loudly, “SABER Flying Fist!”

Instantly, both her fists shot out, and along with them, her whole body slammed hard into the wall, leaving stars whirling above her head.

“…” Lin Luo felt a profound sense of awkwardness. He finally understood: Little Saber's gloves contained launchers.

“Fine, I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything,” Lin Luo’s mouth twitched as he wisely closed the door.

Next, he went out to the atrium and quietly brought up the video feed of the Treasure Mountain game. On the screen, a group of girls wearing various flamboyant pieces of lingerie were fiercely PK-ing monsters.

“Idiot, you’re a mage now, not a swordsman! Hit them hard with magic!”

“Fool! Stop trying to electrocute them! You’re an assassin, throw poison!”

“How many times have I told you, the tank needs to stay up front to draw aggro! Why are you running?”

“Ugh, Priest, heal us! Why are you hitting the BOSS with a hammer? You’re not a sword-wielding Priest!”

“Seriously, Summoner, summon your pets! Are you just standing there daydreaming, planning to use your beauty as a weapon?”

“…”

The voices emanating from the screen were utterly chaotic—one shouting about one thing, another arguing about another’s mistake, then criticizing positioning. There was zero coordination; they played worse than complete beginners. What made it even more absurd was that they were all wearing lingerie, and certain areas seemed to flicker in and out of view during the fight, hinting at the spectacular scene unfolding.

“Forget it, I’d better retreat. If they see me, there’ll be trouble,” Lin Luo wisely decided to leave. After all, he had the video recording; he could watch it anytime. No need to rush now.

By evening, the girls finally emerged from the Treasure Mountain game and froze for a moment upon seeing Lin Luo.

“Father!” Mercury Lampe was the most ecstatic, immediately flying into his arms. While the others were also clearly pleased, their reactions were less overt than Mercury’s.

Lin Luo placed her on his shoulder and smiled at the others. “It seems you all had a good time.”

“Well, it wasn’t too boring. Speaking of which, who is she?” Following the direction Misaka pointed, they saw a green-haired girl on the sofa watching television and eating pizza.

“This… how should I put it? You all understand,” Lin Luo scratched his head and offered a deliberately vague smile.

Explaining CC’s arrival took half an hour, and casual chat took another half hour, after which it was time for dinner.

During the meal, Lin Luo briefly recounted what had happened and then posed a very important question: “So, where is the next world we are visiting? Mercury Lampe, Evangeline.”

Currently, the only planes Lin Luo could travel to were the world of the Rozen Maiden, the world of Negima! Magister Negi Magi, and CC’s world. Since CC had explicitly stated she wasn't interested in contracting right now, her world could be discounted.

“Father should decide,” Mercury Lampe seemed unwilling to leave this place and didn't express any desire to travel.

All eyes then turned to Evangeline, as that left only her world to visit. However, that required a contract first.

“Then let’s go to my world. I kind of want to go back anyway,” Evangeline said decisively. But upon seeing the flicker of concealed delight on Lin Luo’s face the moment she agreed, she instantly blushed and declared loudly, “Don’t get the wrong idea! The only way back is by signing a contract with you. In any case… Hmph!”

She seemed a bit unhappy, scoffing before turning and walking away.

Oh well, let’s just call that ‘Kuudere’ behavior from Iva-chan.

…

Having just returned from the world of the Weapon Races, Lin Luo couldn’t immediately leave for Evangeline’s world. After some discussion with everyone, they decided to wait seven days before departing.

Moreover, since they could bring one more person along, a fierce contest erupted among the girls. Lin Luo never found out exactly how they settled the outcome, but Misaka emerged victorious. This meant… she would be making an unscheduled appearance in the Negima! world.

Seven days offered plenty of time for various activities, such as this sort of thing, and that sort of thing… Of course, those uncensored activities will not be mentioned; you understand.

It is worth noting that Lili seemed to be getting along quite well with the two little Dragon Girls recently. Rumor has it that she has already “pledged eternal love” to one of them. It’s unclear what sort of powerful charm she used.

Nero and Black Saber were as usual: one carefree, the other expressionless.

Mugino Shizuri and Misaka Mikoto, originating from the same world, experienced a rapid warming of affection during this period. It seemed they understood the principle that allies were necessary for ‘combat.’ However, judging by their current trajectory, there seemed to be a leaning toward yuri… Or was that just an illusion?

Mercury Lampe spent a lot of time clinging to Lin Luo these past few days. While Lin Luo was touched, it was sometimes inconvenient, particularly during certain late-night hours…

Black Rock Shooter remained unchanged from before. The only difference was that she seemed more concerned about her younger sister, evidenced by her frequent viewing of imouto-themed television shows and novels.

Furthermore, the three head maids informed Lin Luo that the Sky City was too large for them to clean easily and requested a raise… Simply put, they wanted an increase in their daily snack allowance.

As for CC, although there was initial friction with the others, as a queen, she possessed the means to win people over. Coupled with her inherent superb demeanor, those seven days allowed her to integrate well with everyone, though undercurrents of silent conflict were inevitable.

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

“Now, let’s sign the contract.”

“Don’t touch things carelessly.”

In a secluded corner of the Sky City, Lin Luo and Evangeline stood facing each other. The loli’s expression was somewhat conflicted because the method for establishing this contract was highly awkward for her—it was practically a blatant attempt to take liberties.

You don’t even have any curves to worry about, so why the fuss? Of course, Lin Luo would never say this aloud unless he wished to court death.

When his hand pressed against the loli’s chest, the anticipated “Spatial Transfer” occurred once more. The Heart of Darkness, true to its name, was a black world—a darkness that devoured everything, a place one felt they could never escape once swallowed…

“Contract Master Lin Luo, Heart of Darkness Host Evangeline. Affection level below 90%. Signing an Informal Heart Contract. Under this contract, Contract Status cannot be utilized, and the Contractor's innate talent cannot be obtained. All statuses will be restored upon reaching 100 Affection… Sign?”

“Yes.”

“Heart Contract successfully signed. Current Master status remains unchanged. Current Contractor status altered: Heart Seal level two unlocked, Heart of Darkness compatibility reached 100%… Relationship changed to Sharing Life and Death, Mental Power can be shared, Life Chains can be shared…”

Thus, the contract was complete.

“Listen carefully! I only signed this contract so I could go home!” Evangeline immediately jumped away and roared at Lin Luo with aggressive energy.

I get it. That’s just Tsundere.

Shortly after, Lin Luo once again activated the Starlight Avenue. Under the gaze of everyone, he, Evangeline, and Misaka advanced towards a new world.

The Starlight Avenue landed in what appeared to be a plaza near Mahora Academy. There were no people around, which was expected, as the Starlight Avenue automatically selected deserted locations to avoid detection.

“Alright, now we part ways,” Evangeline waved triumphantly at Lin Luo the moment they landed, giving off the distinct impression of shaking hands and immediately crossing a bridge.

“Ah?” Lin Luo was momentarily stunned. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t I already say it? I just wanted to come back, I don't have any specific agenda. So, you guys do whatever you want. Oh, I haven't had tea brewed by Chacha-maru in ages. I’m heading off now.”

Without waiting for Lin Luo’s reaction, the girl utilized Shadow Magic and vanished.

“…” Lin Luo was utterly speechless.

Going to the A Certain Magical Index plane was to help Misaka save her sister. Going to the Moon World was to help Rin recover her lost home. Going to the War God Plane was to survive. Going to the Weapon Race plane was to take Leilei to the Garden of Aedis. But coming here… She claims she has no purpose other than wanting to return? That’s incredibly anticlimactic!

It’s like writing a novel without a main plot—how can you create a good story? So, Iva-chan, can you please give me a main quest?

Main quest, please? Please? V