The girl… well, she should be called Xiao Xiao now. One must understand the makeup of the slums; aside from the inherently low-status and the abandoned, there are also those who were once high-ranking—former officials, wealthy merchants, and the like—who committed offenses, were stripped of everything, and thrown in. The old man who adopted Xiao Xiao was very likely one of these, which explains why Xiao Xiao can read, and even quite well.

Of course, this was good news for Lin Luo. Although Xiao Xiao couldn't possibly possess his level of comprehension, as someone who had been confined to a “living prison,” suddenly having an opportunity for freedom, she had every reason to cherish it and work diligently on her studies. Furthermore, the foundational knowledge in the puppet-making manual wasn't overly difficult, so he was confident that within a Star-Week at most, Xiao Xiao should be able to assist him.

Thus, after instructing Xiao Xiao to study the manual diligently, Lin Luo left her alone and devoted himself entirely to crafting his first puppet… As for food, it was all on the table; she would eat when hungry, no need for him to feed her.

Although this was his first puppet, Lin Luo knew that neither the materials nor his current skill level permitted him to create the kind of puppet he truly “needed.” Therefore, this initial attempt was purely foundational practice: first, to hone his skills, and second, to allow him a deeper understanding of the puppets themselves.

There’s an old saying, isn't there? “Thorough in theory, clumsy in practice.” It means that while one might master theoretical knowledge during study, one becomes useless when actually engaging in the work—a fool. While Lin Luo wasn't the type to study blindly, he immediately experienced the difficulty of puppet-making in practice. Mastering the instructional knowledge alone was nowhere near enough to successfully create a puppet.

After concentrating intently for several hours, he looked up to see the sky darkening outside the window. Only then did Lin Luo realize that a substantial pile of materials had accumulated to his right… all of it discarded scrap.

Yes, he hadn't managed to create a single complete puppet. Forget the entire figure; he hadn't even successfully fashioned a single head or a pair of hands or feet.

Looking at the mound of waste, Lin Luo felt the sting of loss and regret, yet he was utterly helpless. Creating a puppet demanded not only strong comprehension but also a pair of dexterous hands. These hands could be innate or acquired through tireless effort. Unfortunately, Lin Luo was not born with natural dexterity, so he could only transform his hands into those capable of crafting puppets through sheer effort, constant waste of materials, and time.

Lin Luo knew precisely where the problem lay and refused to sink into self-pity. When he grew tired from the strain, he instinctively turned to see what Xiao Xiao was doing. The moment he turned, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

It wasn't that Xiao Xiao wasn't studying hard; on the contrary, she was intensely focused, clutching the puppet-making manual as if utterly absorbed, completely oblivious to her surroundings. Her oversized clothing had even slipped off her shoulder, leaving almost half of the budding, yet clearly developing, pair of small mounds exposed.

This simply wouldn't do!

Lin Luo flushed, grateful that he was merely resting. If this happened during a crucial stage of puppet construction, he couldn't be sure he wouldn't be distracted.

“Stay here and mind yourself, I’m going out for a bit.”

With that, Lin Luo immediately rose, gave Xiao Xiao the instruction, and left. Though unsure where Lin Luo was going, Xiao Xiao knew her place; she didn't ask or follow, merely acknowledged him with a sound before burying her head back in the book. However, the moment she lowered her gaze toward the surrounding materials, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Half an hour later, Lin Luo returned, carrying two bags, one in each hand. He tossed one bag to Xiao Xiao. “There are two sets of clothes in here, enough for you to change. You can use the bathing room, and come out for dinner once you’ve changed.”

Afterward, he paid her no further mind, immediately taking the food from his own bag, placing it on the table, and beginning to eat in silence. This wasn't Lin Luo trying to act cool or profound; for him, time and money were equally scarce and precious commodities, leaving absolutely no room for waste.

They say the children of the poor mature early. Xiao Xiao, raised in the slums from childhood, endured hardship even greater than simple poverty. Whether she could truly "manage a household" was debatable, but her mind was certainly sharp. Knowing Lin Luo didn't want to waste time, she said little, quickly taking the bag to the bathing room. Moments later, when she emerged, she was clad in a simple set of young girl’s clothes—far from lavish, but lending her an air of refreshing health.

By then, Lin Luo had finished eating and was already back on the floor crafting puppets, paying little attention to Xiao Xiao or speaking to her. At her current level, she could barely do more than empty the trash for him, so it was best to let her focus on mastering that manual.

Xiao Xiao was the same; little conversation. After eating, she immediately returned to her reading.

And so, the days passed. Within half a month, Lin Luo had completely “wasted” his first batch of materials. Then, relying on his talent for storytelling, he earned enough money from those noblewomen for a second supply, which he used to purchase more materials to continue his craft.

Of course, remaining indoors crafting puppets while occasionally going out to tell stories to fund the effort could work once or twice, but repeated reliance would surely breed annoyance. Moreover, as his skill advanced, the materials required became increasingly expensive; this long-term strategy was unsustainable.

So, Lin Luo persuaded those noblewomen to sponsor a storytelling theatre for him. He would no longer speak just for the ladies, but allow a wider audience to join. Lin Luo would transition from a mere storyteller to an audio novelist.

When it came to stories, even without composing new ones, Lin Luo’s mind held an infinite wealth of material—both long-form epics and shorter tales, such as Shakugan no Shana or Negima! Magister Negi Magi. Thanks to his memory, he could recite these narratives verbatim. Enhanced by his exceptional eloquence, voice modulation, and the ability to voice multiple characters with distinct tones, his renditions, lacking only visual accompaniment, could make the plot seem even more spectacular and exciting than the original works.

The absence of visuals wasn’t a drawback either; the listeners could rely on their own power of visualization to imagine the scenes they desired.

With these stories, Lin Luo kept the few noblewomen securely hooked. At least for now, they remained eagerly expectant. Thus, when Lin Luo suggested establishing a storytelling theatre, they showed keen interest. Especially after Lin Luo hinted that such a theatre wouldn't only satisfy their desire for stories but could also generate income for them, they agreed almost without hesitation.

One must realize that in this era, despite its prosperity, there was a severe lack of spiritual nourishment. People’s lives were rather monotonous, particularly the aristocrats, the wealthy, and even commoners living comfortably. Beyond a few tediously written publications or some fanciful legends, there was little to enrich their inner worlds—this was the very reason Lin Luo could extract so much money from these noblewomen with just a few simple tales.

These noblewomen saw enormous commercial potential in Lin Luo’s proposal: first, self-gratification, and second, the acquisition of further wealth. What reason was there to refuse?

So, the noblewomen immediately took charge and moved swiftly. Stage setup, promotion, market development—Lin Luo didn't need to lift a finger for any of that. With the ladies’ status, financial backing, and the patrons they relied upon, these matters were child’s play. In less than a Star-Week, they had arranged everything for him.

All Lin Luo had to do was one thing… tell stories!

In the time that followed, Lin Luo’s plan unfolded even more smoothly than he had anticipated. After his inaugural theatre performance garnered widespread praise, his reputation exploded through the deliberate promotion by the noblewomen. His fame spread not just across the city, but throughout the entire nation, and even into neighboring countries, murmuring tales of Lin Luo, the King of Storytellers.

Gradually, his audience grew, his fame expanded, his wealth accumulated, and even his social standing rose commensurately. Even the haughty nobles dared not put on airs in his presence.

Especially when Lin Luo let slip that he was striving to become a master puppet-maker, he garnered even deeper respect… By this stage, Lin Luo no longer needed to worry about materials. The finest supplies, the most advanced tools, even more precious puppet-making manuals, would be delivered swiftly upon a mere request.

Approximately a year passed this way. After the expenditure of countless financial resources, Lin Luo finally elevated his puppet-making technique to its current zenith. He could now craft puppets far more exquisite and superior than the one made by the middle-aged man from before. Thus, it was time for him to depart.

His goal had never been to become fabulously wealthy or the King of Storytellers; all of that had merely been a means—a means to create puppets with true life and soul.

“Xiao Xiao, I’m leaving this place soon. Are you coming with me, or will you stay here?”

One evening, Lin Luo called the girl who had been with him for over a year to his side and asked.

…

I believe this segment alone is sufficient material for an entire novel, perhaps titled The Storyteller of the Otherworld.