The very next morning, which was also the eighth day after Mumei went to the parallel world, she finally returned to the Hakurei Shrine after completing her cultivation. Of course, at this moment, she was no longer a sixteen-year-old girl, but a two-year-old toddler.

"Father!" As usual, Mumei flew towards him, skillfully perched on his shoulder, and affectionately pecked his cheek, cheerfully exclaiming, "Father, these past few days have been so interesting! I had a wonderful time."

"Oh? As long as you had fun," Lin Luo smiled slightly, though a strange feeling stirred within him. Logically, after the transformation she underwent in the future, even without future memories, her disposition and way of thinking should have matured somewhat. Yet, looking at her now, there seemed to be absolutely no change.

Moments later, Mumei jumped down from his shoulder and toddled over to Reimu, who was leisurely sipping tea on the shrine's veranda. She called out sweetly, "Mother, did you miss me?"

Reimu slowly drank her tea, turned to glance at the child, and stated blandly, "Not even a little. In fact, I enjoyed the peace and quiet without a child around." Even though Reimu herself was present, Mumei had greeted Lin Luo first, which displeased her.

"Oh, Mother, really," Reimu’s cool demeanor didn't faze Mumei. Instead, she affectionately wrapped her arms around Reimu’s arm and laughed, "Actually, in my heart, Mother is more important, so I saved my greeting for you until last."

Well, she was a bit more mature, Lin Luo thought secretly. The former Mumei wouldn't have tried so deliberately to score points...

Hearing this, Reimu was also surprised and paused for a moment, then her gaze shifted to Lin Luo, and she frowned, "Did you do something bad?"

"Huh?" Lin Luo looked utterly bewildered. Reimu’s jump in logic left him speechless.

"If you hadn't done something bad, how could Mumei have become like this?" Reimu retorted. After all, as her own daughter, not even the slightest change escaped her notice.

Lin Luo instinctively recalled Mumei's extreme father-complex, causing his heart to skip a beat, but he kept his expression steady and chuckled, "She just matured a little, didn't she? I think that’s quite nice."

"Matured? That's true. Maybe she can start cooking for herself from now on," Reimu studied her daughter closely for a moment, finally recognizing the benefit of her maturity. However, this didn't mean she would let Lin Luo off the hook; she continued, "But you definitely did something bad."

"What makes you say that?"

"Is that even a question? You've looked preoccupied these past few days; that's a clear sign of a guilty conscience. If you hadn't done something bad, why would you feel guilty?" Reimu adopted the expression of a Miko who had seen right through his soul.

"Uh!" Lin Luo was momentarily stunned. He hadn't realized his demeanor over the last few days had been so transparent to Reimu. He supposed if even someone as simple as Reimu could notice his troubled thoughts, his recent behavior must have been exceptionally conspicuous.

Thinking this, Lin Luo frowned deeply. The fact that he was so engrossed in his thoughts that he forgot his surroundings only proved how intense that underlying sense of unease truly was.

Of course, Reimu didn't know what he was actually troubled about. Assuming she had guessed correctly, she became slightly irritated, "You really did do something bad! Did you go flirting with some girl during the day? I remember you visiting the Netherworld, the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and the Moriya Shrine quite often these past few days. Oh, and that time you spent so long at Eientei—do you really prefer those aliens that much!"

As she spoke, Reimu was suddenly seized by a wave of confusion and inexplicable entanglement... Although she had never agreed to sign a contract, that didn't stop her from knowing which individuals in Gensokyo were Hosts. The thought of those Hosts getting cozy with this man sent a surge of annoyance through her.

Why was she feeling this way?

Hey, you’re clearly jealous!

Lin Luo immediately realized Reimu was jealous. This, coupled with the slight maturity he perceived in Mumei, felt like a small victory in his ongoing 'conquest,' easing some of the persistent anxiety. He laughed, "How could that be? I’m not the type to do bad things, you know that. I bring joy to the lonely, friendship to the isolated, and love to the loveless... I’ve always been doing these unnoticed good deeds."

"Good deeds?" Reimu couldn't see which of his actions qualified as 'good.'

"Good deeds, hehe." Just as Reimu was about to press further, a voice—seven parts childish, two parts willful, and one part authoritative—drifted in from outside the shrine, effectively cutting her off. With a voice so distinct and unique, Lin Luo knew who it was even if he guessed with his heel. Turning around, sure enough, the "majestic" young lady Remilia had ascended the shrine steps... accompanied by her sister Flandre, her friend Patchouli, and the dragon Hong Meiling. "Why are you here?" Looking at her, Reimu felt a flicker of displeasure... Well, being resentful of the wealthy was every poor person's right and duty.

"Bringing happiness to the troubled, of course I’m here to do good deeds," Remilia declared smugly.

Reimu's expression immediately chilled. "We don't welcome the nouveau riche here." What she hated most right now was the concept of 'good deeds,' and if the person doing them was wealthy, she hated it even more.

"What a cold Shrine Maiden," Remilia was unconcerned. She then turned to Lin Luo, her expression turning sour, and said with an air of authority, "I heard you've been maligning me lately. Is that true?"

"Ah!" Lin Luo let out a cry of surprise. He never expected such a covert activity to be known by the young lady, but he wouldn't admit it verbally. "Nonsense, I've always been praising you."

"Pah!" Remilia spat out a sound brimming with charm and sneered, "Don't talk nonsense. I have special intelligence operatives. You've been attacking me in every single chapter recently; don't think I don't know who that special operative is. Do you dare deny it?"

Lin Luo muttered under his breath, but since the young lady already knew, there was no point in hiding it. He spread his hands and chuckled, "I didn't mean to malign you. It’s just that as a public figure, your popularity and influence are immense, so I used you as an example. Besides, every time I 'malign' you, your presence gets a huge boost... Look at Reimu; even as the main heroine of Gensokyo, she doesn't have as much presence as you. This proves that you are the hidden true heroine."

"Hey!" Reimu on the side was displeased.

Remilia was also annoyed, but Lin Luo's words, a mixture of flattery and praise, significantly improved her mood. She patted her flat chest proudly and declared, "You have a point. As a wildly popular public figure, there will naturally be criticism... Considering you indirectly boosted my reputation, I'll let it slide this time. But if you slander me again, it won't be so easy to get off... If you must use me as an example, use good ones, like how majestic the strongest youkai in Gensokyo is."

You actually have the nerve to say that.

"Fine, I’ll use good examples from now on. For instance, how obedient the Scarlet Devil Mansion's young lady's sister is," Lin Luo nodded... patting Flandre’s head as he said this to her.

"Hee hee." Flandre, enjoying the head-patting, laughed innocently.

"Why do I feel like that wasn't a compliment to me?" Remilia, though somewhat simple-minded, was slightly puzzled by this.

"You’re mistaken. Having a good sister is also a virtue. For example, I lack that virtue."

"That actually makes some sense..." After a moment of thought, Remilia actually nodded in agreement, then clenched her fist, "In that case... in all of Gensokyo, the only one qualified to be my opponent is Koishi!"

"Say, what exactly is your family here at the shrine for?!" Reimu, unable to tolerate the affectionate banter between the two, spoke with clear dissatisfaction.

"Heh heh." Regarding this question, Remilia only smiled without answering, and lightly snapped her fingers.

Clack. As the snap sounded, the cherry blossom grove beside the shrine was suddenly covered in cushions and all sorts of food and drink, with a graceful maid standing elegantly in the middle. Clearly, this miraculous scene was her doing.

Seeing Reimu's utterly confused expression, Patchouli explained, "She said it's to celebrate Night and Mumei coming out of seclusion, so Remilia is throwing a banquet for them... Well, actually, she just wanted to party herself."

"Y-Yes, it's to celebrate, that's why we're having a banquet," Remilia adopted the expression of a wealthy person who feared no consequence.

"A banquet... Can't you ever do something serious?" Lin Luo asked with a wry smile.

"What? Hosting a banquet is serious business! You really are an outsider if you don't understand Gensokyo customs," Remilia looked at him with undisguised disdain.

"Well, alright then... at least there's food and drink." Unlike Lin Luo's helplessness, Reimu surprisingly didn't object this time. In fact, she was the first to step into the banquet area, sit down, and start eating and drinking.

"Huh?" This action greatly puzzled Remilia. In the past, although Reimu could never stop a banquet from happening, she would always act stubbornly tsundere for a while, complaining about hosting parties in the shrine or having to clean up afterward. She had never been so agreeable before.

She couldn't help but cast a strange look at Lin Luo. "Why has she become so compliant?"

"I don't know either," Lin Luo shook his head, also sensing that Reimu was different from usual today, though he couldn't pinpoint the exact difference. However... when things are unusually quiet, there’s usually a demon hiding nearby!

Recalling the hints from his dream last night, Lin Luo felt it necessary to pay close attention.

Putting that issue aside for the moment, Lin Luo asked Remilia, "Since it's a banquet, it can't just be the few of us, right? Did you invite everyone else?"

"Of course! Don't underestimate me. No one knows better than I how to liven up a party. I already dispatched my messenger at the crack of dawn to spread the word about the banquet."

The messenger must be Aya Shameimaru. Since when is she your messenger? Lin Luo grumbled internally. While the young lady's authority might be lacking, she certainly had methods.

And in terms of transmitting messages, Aya Shameimaru had unique skills. In less than half an hour, the banquet guests began arriving one after another. In addition to the original attendees from the last banquet, several new faces appeared, such as the group from the Sun Flower Field led by Yuuka Kazami.

Except for the last couple of years, Yuuka had always been a solitary queen. While she occasionally attended banquets, most of the time she preferred drinking alone and admiring flowers. Others understood her nature—she disliked socializing—so they rarely interacted with her.

This time, Yuuka maintained her usual style, standing at the edge with her parasol, drinking and admiring the blossoms alone. Evangeline, who had partnered with her for two years, was not with her, nor was her poison doll, Medicine, by her side... Even her old friend Shen Chi, whom she hadn't seen in years, only offered a distant toast.

As for Shen Chi, she wasn't mixing with the 'Aunty Group' this time. Instead, she stayed with the daughter-figures like Alice, Hinaichigo, and Mumei, taking on the role of a caregiver.

Then there was Kaguya. Although she was even more of a shut-in than Patchouli or Flandre, attending banquets only rarely, she was quite proactive in coming out this time. She was currently sitting with Evangeline and Lili, drinking heartily and chatting animatedly.

All three of them were Hosts, and their strength levels were comparable, so they were deeply engaged in conversation... But don't assume they were discussing cultivation. In fact, they only talked about one thing: video games.

It was no secret that Kaguya was a gaming fanatic, and Evangeline also loved all sorts of games. Furthermore, Lili, who was originally a Heroic Spirit, possessed the innate skill 'Riding,' so she enjoyed various riding-based games... The three were rare kindred spirits.

"Speaking of which, everyone is enjoying themselves, so why are you the only one doing the job of serving tea and pouring drinks?" Lin Luo asked Youmu, who was currently refilling his wine, curiously. He remembered the theme of this banquet was supposed to celebrate her coming out of seclusion, so why was she acting as a waitress?

"Because I'm a maid," Youmu replied with a cheerful smile, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"In other words, you're fated to be a laborer." As soon as Lin Luo finished speaking, he heard the young lady’s voice nearby: "You, the black tea is empty here."

"Yes, coming right away, Young Mistress," Youmu instantly teleported to Remilia’s side and poured her a full cup of black tea.

Although Youmu had now surpassed Remilia in strength through Gekokujou (overthrowing the superior), she still happily performed her maid duties at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Perhaps for her, this job was more appealing than anything else... Of course, one couldn't rule out Remilia’s innate 'True Heroine Aura.'

By the way, is the Young Mistress really the true heroine?

"My, my, everyone looks so happy," Suddenly, an elegant yet frivolous voice echoed through the gathering, and the long-absent heroine descended from the sky.

"Ah, Lady Yuyuko!" Youmu was the first to react, rushing toward her with an excited expression.

"The Gluttonous Undead is back, I thought you might have kicked the bucket," Reimu quipped.

"Undead don't die, you know. Only you humans suffer from aging, sickness, and death," Yuyuko covered her mouth and laughed. After comforting the recently lonely Youmu, she greeted everyone else. "This is my new pet; let me introduce you all."

As she spoke, she pulled Youmu no Ou (Myouga Oh) out from behind her.

"A n-new pet?!" Youmu looked deeply dismayed.

Youmu no Ou, however, appeared quite calm. After greeting everyone, he extended a hand toward Youmu. "Hello, Senpai."

Watching this scene, Lin Luo felt amused. Turning his head, he suddenly noticed Patchouli furiously scribbling something while watching Yuyuko and the others. Curious, he couldn't help but steal a glance, and then he completely lost his composure, because Patchouli was writing: The Undead Princess has a New Flame, What Should the Old Love Do?!

Hey, is a book title like that even acceptable?

Setting aside the various farces happening across the banquet grounds, Lin Luo looked around. Although the gathering was large, one major figure was conspicuously absent—Yukari Yakumo!

Whether it was his imagination or not, Lin Luo felt that Yukari was intentionally avoiding him. He hadn't expected her to show up today, and now she wasn't appearing at all. He couldn't help but feel like singing: Mama Zuki, Mama Zuki, where are you? Life without you is so lonely!

"By the way, let's sing! Who sings well?" Just as Lin Luo was thinking this, Marisa suddenly proposed a completely random suggestion.

Yuyuko immediately raised her hand without hesitation. "The Gutsy Bones."

"You’re nominating Konpaku just because you want to eat, aren't you?" Lin Luo couldn't help but tease.

His comment, seemingly innocuous, immediately drew all eyes to him, making him suddenly nervous and jittery.

"It's decided, you're performing!" Reimu pointed at him and declared.

"Why?"

"Because you're the only male here."

"..." Lin Luo was speechless. Though he really didn't want to sing, under the intense, expectant gazes of the crowd, he relented, "Alright, in that case, I'll sing a song with the most dazzling Oriental flavor, very much in the style of Gensokyo."

The crowd nodded in agreement.

Lin Luo cleared his throat, taking on the roles of both accompanist and lead vocalist: "The frog of the Misty Lake loves number nine; the snow of March falls only for the Saigyou Ayakashi... Yuyuko sings the most dazzling Oriental style, turning you all into the most desired perverts~~"

"How was it?" When the song ended, Lin Luo looked expectantly at the crowd, hoping for applause.

Instead, not only was there no applause, but most of the girls' faces had darkened considerably. Especially Reimu, who said gravely, "Are you deliberately mocking us with that song? And everyone else got mocked once, but I got mocked twice!" Her low tone hinted at an impending rampage.

Lin Luo realized the gravity of the situation and instinctively flew upward.

Simultaneously, Reimu also took flight, pursuing him.

But just then, the unexpected happened.

The flying Shrine Maiden suddenly seemed to lose all power mid-air, hovered for a moment, and then began plummeting downward.

Normally, given Reimu's physical condition, she wouldn't be harmed by a fall, but Lin Luo, remembering the warning from his dream yesterday, instantly cried out in alarm. Daring not to be careless, he quickly flew over and caught her, but...

When they landed, Reimu was already limp in his arms, her hands dangling lifelessly. Her once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless; the girl had completely ceased breathing.

"What is this?!"

The others rushed over and froze upon seeing the scene.

At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky, plunging the world into darkness and chaos.