Sparkle: Good morning! Hope you have a happy, happy day~
Sunday: My good friend, I reflect on myself three times a day. Did you forge a Curio yesterday? Did you create a miracle? Did you realize your ideals?
"…"
Staring at the two people who had messaged him first thing in the morning, Chen Li, whose eyes had been lifeless since he'd woken up, instantly felt a jolt of energy.
Kaguya Houraisan had a point. He really did need a Curio that could slap someone through the internet!
Now, the number of people harassing Chen Li every morning had grown from one to two.
For some reason, Sunday's form of address for Chen Li had changed from "friend" to "my good friend"… This was likely the reverse effect of Chen Li trying to prove he wasn't wasting his life as an idle loafer. Yesterday, he had told Sunday about his work cleaning the filth of the human world, hoping his decisive and ruthless actions would scare him off.
Today it was "my good friend." Chen Li didn't dare to imagine what it would be tomorrow.
As for Sparkle, she had adopted a new persona today.
An energetic and vibrant young beauty?
Dad: I say… Sparkle, are you always up this early?
Sparkle: An early Fool gets to see all the fun. Yo, little craftsman, you awake?
Chen Li hadn't completely ignored Sparkle. While helping Kaguya make fake elixirs yesterday, he had casually replied a few times. He had also borrowed the Infinite Cat Food from Huahua for a minute, letting Sparkle confirm the magical nature of a Curio before returning it to the cat, adding ten cat treats as compensation.
Chen Li had already delivered the barrel of Infinite Instant Noodles to its client, successfully earning 10 Crystals, 150 Star Stones, and 5 Fame points.
After that, Sparkle was completely convinced of the Curio Forger's existence.
And once Sparkle learned the specific details of the commission she had placed with Chen Li, she dropped the act.
The Sparkle Disguise Project was officially bankrupt.
She then resumed sending all sorts of harassing messages.
It only stopped when Chen Li said one thing: If you keep using me as your personal memo pad, I'll forge a Curio that ensures you never find any fun ever again.
After that, Sparkle behaved.
Because she had no way of knowing if Chen Li could actually create a Curio that could reach her.
Thinking about it, Sparkle felt that the Curio Forger profession was inherently full of fun.
So she started harassing Chen Li even more frequently.
Only this time, the harassment had turned into friendly greetings.
Genuinely friendly.
Dad: I'm awake. What's up?
Sparkle: Nothing much, I just want to know when the Curio I want—the one that lets me find fun anytime—will be ready.
Dad: Huh, didn't I tell you yesterday? I'm only responsible for the forging. You provide the materials, and you pay the forging fee.
Sparkle: Is that so… Can I get a discount? I'm still a student.
Dad: You know what I'm going to say. So, no.
Sparkle: Alright… so what do I need to prepare to have you grace me with your services and forge a Curio?
Dad: First, you need to prepare an item with a precious Entry, preferably a Curio. This condition is very broad; any Entry will do. This is my forging fee. Second, you need to prepare materials with Entries like [Search], [Elation], and so on. These are the materials needed to craft the Curio.
Sparkle: A Curio? Hmm… that's not going to be easy to get.
Sitting on a sofa and leisurely dangling a shoe from her toes, Sparkle frowned.
She naturally knew that the Curio Chen Li mentioned was the specialty of her world—a "Curio."
Curios were rare and mysterious special items.
These things were often in the hands of the rich and powerful of this world.
During her past search for fun… her travels, Sparkle had come across some Curios. However, since none of them met her aesthetic standards, she either didn't take them or used them as bait to fish for new entertainment.
Even if the practical effects of the Curios forged by this Curio Forger weren't as magical as she imagined, finding a Curio that suited her tastes was difficult enough. So, this deal was worth it.
Sparkle: Very well, I accept this commission. Since you like things with precious Entries so much, I'll go get you something big!
Dad: Wait a minute, what do you mean my commission? I'm just asking you to pay the fee. Where you get the fee from is none of my business.
Sparkle: Don't be such a stranger, accomplice. If I get caught and rat you out, do you think they'll believe your explanation?
Dad: You can get caught?
Sparkle: Exactly. If you're not worried about me getting caught, why are you worried about me ratting you out?
Dad: …One day, I'm definitely going to forge a Curio that can slap someone through the internet, so you'd better tone it down. A Curio Forger's reputation is very important.
Sparkle: I'm afraid that's not up to you.
Dad: I'm going to forge a Curio that will permanently sever your connection to Elation right now.
Sparkle: I'm sorry, I was wrong.
Dad: Tsk.
Sparkle: But as long as it's not the reputation of the Curio Forger that's being tarnished, it's fine, right? When you're out and about, you give yourself your own identity. Can't you just pick an alias?
"…" by Chen Li.
To be fair, Sparkle's thinking was basically identical to his own.
When you're out and about, you give yourself your own identity.
But he couldn't exactly tell Sparkle that he had been using her name for all his shady dealings with villains, could he?
Sparkle: So pick an alias.
Dad: Sparkle.
Sparkle: I'm here, what is it?
Dad: I'm saying, the alias I've chosen for myself is Sparkle.
Sparkle: …
"A little interesting." Reading the message, the smile on Sparkle's face widened.
I do believe this Curio Forger has the makings of a Masked Fool!
Sparkle: Very well, then I'll be called Dad.
Dad: Alright, good girl.
Sparkle: …
Sparkle couldn't help but wonder: did this guy pick such an abstract screen name just for this very moment?
Did he go to all the trouble of making a whole meal of dumplings just for this one saucer of vinegar?
Dad: In short, you can go scam and sneak attack all you want, but the materials and fee I require must not be tainted.
Sparkle: Tainted, what do you mean?
Dad: It means the source of the items cannot be "unjust."
Sparkle: …Got it.
"I didn't expect this Curio Forger to be such an inflexible old fogey. No wonder he calls himself Dad; he must be old." Sparkle complained to herself.
"Oh well, for the sake of the Curio, I'll bear with it. Time to find some fun." Sparkle hopped off the sofa and walked, hands behind her back, to the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window. Looking out at the bustling city, she pondered her next destination.
This hotel room was a friendly contribution from an avid fan who wanted to join the Tavern and become a Masked Fool.
Sparkle had promised her that she would recommend her for entry into the Tavern after this was all over.
"Hah, treating the Tavern as a place for pleasure-seeking? Wanting to experience the ultimate Elation? Because she's tried every taboo in the real world and ordinary pleasures no longer excite her? To actually believe the words of a Masked Fool… she's foolishly adorable. But… I hope her family has some Curios in their collection." At this thought, Sparkle couldn't help but hum happily.
---o---
It wasn't that Chen Li hadn't considered traveling to Sparkle's world through her.
Sparkle probably wouldn't be too guarded against his arrival; instead, she'd likely try to find fun at his expense.
But considering that tagging along with Sparkle meant starving half the time and constantly being chased and attacked, Chen Li decisively gave up on the idea.
He was already an undocumented person; wouldn't hanging out with Sparkle just make him even more of one?
Besides, he wasn't done playing yet.
Teasing Sparkle was so much fun. If they met in person, he wouldn't be able to do it anymore.
He didn't need to worry about being unable to reach the Honkai: Star Rail universe. Sunday was practically begging him to hurry to Penacony, but Chen Li didn't dare go.
He'd be better off sticking with Robin.
"I remember Sunday saying that the communication device should reach Robin by noon today. So there's no rush."
He couldn't blame Sunday for the slow delivery. It was interstellar travel, after all; being a bit slow was normal.
If it weren't for the Trailblaze Aeon creating the Star Rails that connected the worlds, the journey would be even slower.
As Chen Li's thoughts wandered, The Guide to Forging Curios vibrated gently. It flipped open on its own, and a new Miracle Commission appeared before his eyes.
[Seeking Medicine]: Obtain an audience with the great and Merciful Medicus. Plead for the Medicus to send down a miracle or a divine envoy to bless us once more, and help us repel the invading fiends of the Xianzhou!
Reward: 20~40 Star Stones
Issuer: Alva (Borisin)
Risk: Low ~ Medium
"???"
Seriously, buddy? Why are you coming to me to seek medicine?
Although he was puzzled upon seeing this commission, the [Seeking Medicine] (Miracle Card) seemed to have something to say.
Chen Li was very interested in this commission.
Completing it wouldn't be difficult, as he really could call upon the Aeon of Abundance again. However, he currently had zero Abundance Value.
While he had indeed done many selfless, healing, and altruistic things, none of them were done in the Honkai: Star Rail universe.
Miracles, too, followed a certain logic.
Clearly, the principle by which the Miracle Card allowed him to see the Aeon of Abundance again wasn't by smacking her twice and dragging her back.
Perhaps it worked by making the Aeon feel that Chen Li was very "Abundant," thus prompting her to visit him.
However, Chen Li had no intention of letting these Borisin have another audience with the Aeon of Abundance anyway. He just wanted to travel there and find a way to get some materials.
There were numerous races in the Honkai: Star Rail universe. As an outsider, Chen Li would never presume to judge them. Even if some races looked nothing like humans, he would respect their customs.
But just because he respected their customs didn't mean the Longbow of Peace would.
If he took the Longbow of Peace to the Borisin's territory and unleashed its ultimate ability, he might even get a new Miracle Card. It would also be a perfect opportunity to establish a Miracle Beacon to travel to the Honkai: Star Rail universe.
That way, even if the person who issued the quest was killed, Chen Li could freely travel to the location where the beacon was placed.
Obtaining a Miracle Card and condensing it into a Miracle Beacon was a universal rule.
Being able to get a Miracle Beacon just by forging a Curio was a special rule exclusive to Encounter worlds.
But whether he would spend a Crystal to set up a Miracle Beacon depended on whether their local specialties could tempt him.
"And the 'Xianzhou fiends' they mentioned are really intriguing." Excited about the potential Miracle Card he was about to get, Chen Li sent a message.
[u there?]