Chapter 624: Abstinence and Tally

Late night.

The barbecue bonfire party had ended.

Luo De returned to the forest guard cabin.

Half-reclining against the headboard, he took out the letter from the rabbit-kin Oona once more.

Strictly speaking, this wasn't even written by Oona herself.

It was drafted by a subordinate from the Containment Division of the Magic Control League; perhaps she merely wanted to use Oona's name to ensure Luo De read the letter quickly.

"Dwarf rebellion?"

According to the letter.

The dwarf artisans of the Magic Control League had collectively defected and, with the aid of 【Lock Heart】, attacked the Containment Division, stealing and releasing a large number of dangerous containment objects.

Oona, as deputy director of the Containment Division, had remained on duty there, since her patron, the Vampire King Yulia, had not yet returned.

Facing the dwarf defection, she was the first to be struck, sustaining severe injuries and remaining unconscious to this day.

Luo De had seen 【Lock Heart】 before.

It was a brass machine spewing steam, primarily designed to assist Magic Control League staff in handling their increasingly heavy workload.

He remembered that at first, the Magic Control League had barely given it any regard.

But as the dwarf artisans refined it, whether it was the League's vital 【Long-Distance Teleportation】, or assessing the level of magical disasters and determining appropriate compensation, 【Lock Heart】 had become involved in all of it.

And so.

The brass Spirit-Testing Ball in Luo De's hands was a product created with 【Lock Heart】's assistance.

Meanwhile, dangerous magical disaster containment objects in the Containment Division had seen a dramatic reduction in incidents thanks to its regulation and intelligent alerts, and it had already entered large-scale use.

Precisely because 【Lock Heart】 had become so deeply embedded.

From the initial assault to the complete breach, it was said to have taken less than ten minutes!

And because the dwarves had taken its core structure, the Magic Control League's 【Long-Distance Teleportation】 artifact had completely shut down!

Directly preventing them from pursuing the escapees.

This was also why the letter warned Luo De not to use any dwarf-made objects.

Strictly speaking, not to use any items involving 【Lock Heart】.

"So what's their goal?"

Luo De didn't understand.

The dwarf artisans held a fairly high status within the Magic Control League, and their creations commanded extremely high prices, with the dwarves themselves setting their own rates.

Just look at Selina's brass prosthetic limb.

As far as he knew, the dwarves had never signed any kind of indenture contract with the Magic Control League.

"Tap-tap-tap—"

A knock came at the door.

Luo De didn't look up: "Come in."

Illuminated by the glowing plants outside the trees, Tally appeared—a petite figure standing timidly at the threshold, too afraid to step inside.

"Master…"

"You already consumed your daily portion this morning, Tally."

"Tally feels a tightness in her chest, a bit dizzy, unwell."

Luo De glanced at her.

Her expression was hesitant, her small face pale.

He said nothing—he'd already planned to call this mischievous brat over for overnight observation.

He didn't know what side effects the Abstinence Pill might have on a succubus.

"Stay here tonight."

"Hehehe."

Tally let out a weak, triumphant laugh, closed the door, and moved to curl up on the fur sofa Luo De usually sat on.

"Come sleep here."

Luo De patted the empty space on the bed.

The girl froze slightly; seeing her master wasn't joking, she feared he'd change his mind and dashed over to claim the bed.

Yet she still dared not press against him.

She curled up on the pillow embroidered with "Try Hard," her lips pale, staring at Luo De with a vacant smile.

Only when Luo De pulled her into his arms did she gasp with delight and cling tightly to him.

The succubus's body was cold.

The flow of her spiritual energy showed clear fluctuations.

Had it not been for Kallist's diagnosis confirming no serious issue, he might have thought she was gravely injured.

"Still going to be naughty? Served you right."

"If the master is always this gentle, Tally will make sure to get hurt every time~~"

Perhaps the Abstinence Pill was taking effect.

In the embrace, Tally unusually refrained from fidgeting, simply burying her face against Luo De's neck, her breath softly brushing his skin.

Luo De patted her back, no longer trembling with the excessive sensitivity he'd shown before.

Unnaturally calm.

Hmm.

A Tally without desire?

What would that be like?

"Master is still reading that letter."

Tally turned her forehead to face him, noticing the letter in his hand.

"Mm, I'm just curious about the dwarves' goal."

"Tally might know."

"Oh?"

Luo De looked curiously at the petite girl curled in his arms.

She wore a loose tank top and shorts; as she rubbed against his abs, the fabric lifted, revealing large patches of pale skin pressed together.

Her long, smooth thighs crossed and entwined, yet not a single improper movement—impossibly clean.

Tally didn't ask for a reward as she normally would.

While playing with Luo De's hand, she mumbled half-asleep: "The dwarf artisans are arrogant, worship extreme rationality, and reject all forms of divine worship—even after the appearance of the Goddess of Magic. Didn't I tell you my aunt once preyed among the dwarves? She said the dwarf artisans would joke around while telling you theories about mechanical reproduction, enough to lull anyone into drowsiness."

"I guess, just as the Bahadur Magic Academy yearns for the 【Magical Singularity】, the dwarves—who aren't skilled in magic—also hope to create their own 【Technological Singularity】, and that thing called 【Lock Heart】 is it."

"And the Goddess of Magic, Mistress Mistral, raised the Weave to protect the material dimension and granted all mages the great convenience of 【Spell Slots】—perhaps that was a Magical Singularity? I don't quite understand."

And the Goddess of Magic, Mystra, raised the Weave's celestial curtain to protect the real dimension, and granted all mages the great convenience of 【Spell Slots】—could this be a magic singularity? I don't quite understand.

"You mean the dwarves want to imitate Mistral."

"It's Mistress Mistral, the Goddess. It's disrespectful to speak a deity's name so casually."

Tally nodded, calm and composed, and continued: "They worship extreme rationality. 【Lock Heart】 is for them a completely controllable mechanical and computational center, from which they intend to create a 'god'—their own 【Technological Singularity】."

"Mechanical deity."

"Dwarves who disbelieve in magic and gods are attempting to manipulate divine power through machinery and computation—a race far more arrogant than their stout appearance suggests. Of course, this is merely Tally's little guess~~"

Tally smiled sweetly and nodded, already half-asleep.

Luo De patted her head and smiled: "You seem smarter lately."

"Tally has always… been smart…"

Her words were fragmented; her eyes wouldn't open.

Tally has always been very smart.

She spoke in fits and starts, unable to keep her eyes open.

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed into the room.

Luo De opened his eyes to see Tally, composed and neatly dressed, seated calmly beside the bed.

Her face held no trace of seduction, her chest flat.

Her expression was pure, unblemished, staring directly at Luo De's face.

"Good morning, Tally."

Tally's face flushed crimson.

She scrambled off the bed at once, clutching her loose neckline to avoid exposure, and bowed deeply.

"Good morning, Master Sir."

She scrambled off the bed at once, clutching her loose collar to avoid exposing herself, and bowed deeply.

(End of Chapter)

"Mm"

(End of Chapter)