Chapter 1403: No. 19: Believe, there are sufficient reasons to believe

No. 19: Believe, there are sufficient reasons to believe.

The situation was slightly out of control; Aomo thought he should treat the other party's words as a demand.

Although he had indeed come this time with a slight hope of chatting a bit, obviously, this bedroom invitation was completely beyond his expectation.

After all, everyone's bedroom can be said to be the final stronghold of personal privacy; regardless of how many secrets are hidden there, merely revealing its appearance before others could provoke a frightened scream like a hamster's.

And this time, rather than saying it's an invitation, it's more like a demand; it doesn't resemble Aizhi's usual style, but perhaps it's something Suzi and Jiling would do.

But if one were to combine this with the earlier words that were undoubtedly from the sister-san, and truly think that Jiling had come up with some idea……

"…Just sit here."

"Mm, okay."

Watching the girl push an ergonomic chair toward him, the slightly stiff movement and her tensed facial muscles made Aomo find it hard to believe this was part of her plan.

Especially when she turned to look for a seat, her gaze was so tense and restrained that he couldn't help but say, "You can just sit on the bean bag."

"…No, I'll sit here."

In just a few seconds, little Aizhi had already glanced several times at the light‑blue large bag; after that brief hesitation, she showed defiant psychology and firmly chose to sit beside the bed stuffed with plush toys.

However, her proper sitting posture with legs together and hands lightly curved on her knees still showed, in Aomo's eyes, a lack of preparation and tension.

Perhaps it wasn't just him who felt the situation was out of control; his gaze swept over the unexpectedly girl‑filled bedroom décor, first impression: countless plush toys; second impression: various types of plush toys; third impression……

No need for a third impression.

His thoughts, drifting away out of occupational habit, went on to organize and summarize the various gains from his observations into a picture of someone living here.

From the indentation on the bean bag that never fully recovered, from the discomfort of the ergonomic chair he sat in regarding its height and armrests, from the trajectory formed by differences in diffusing scent molecules, he imagined the owner's physique, her habitual sitting posture, whether formal or relaxed, and how, due to worries and fatigue, she would choose to lie on the bed, burying her face among the rows of dolls, creating the gap seen in today's lineup.

And among them, the plush toy especially favored by the room's owner, always pressed under her cheeks……

Oh… this is indeed quite out of control.

Gazing at the plush toys comprising various animals, cartoon figures, and even some Uma Musume figures—clearly the haul from a claw machine—and also at those whose outlines were somewhat deformed, clearly the 'oppressed' chibi plush toys…… Aomo's eyes were inevitably drawn to the white twin horns resembling screw threads, and to the design on her back where faintly visible were not just one pair of small wing structures.

More than a month ago, he had once looked down on such plush toy designs.

"Do fans who love evil Hei'an aesthetics really like this kind of toy? Like the black‑hearted mascots in magical girl works—is there really a market?"

Facing the product manager who handed out the sample, he had said that; it sounded like a question but was actually a veiled mockery, while the manager merely smiled mysteriously and said there would always be a market.

He said that, but Aomo didn't really believe it.

He felt these things were more suitable as cursing mediums; their features, relatively restored, could directly use idol‑worship theory to skip the process of obtaining hair, nails, and the like.

Of course, just a feeling.

If one were to curse someone like him, a demon, the actual procedure would always be more complicated than this; regardless of sales, just the income from image rights would count as an unexpected windfall in the contract, and it gave him no reason to stop the production of this shoddily planned, low‑volume divine‑necessity merchandise.

Half a month later, the first batch of products went into commercial sale.

Lintong Office also received a physical delivery, or rather Qielenina brought it over from the sorting station at Penguin Logistics; the contents naturally were samples of all styles with different motions, which the demon with the very old‑fashioned mobile phone tossed to several girlfriends.

Seven kinds in total—how to distribute them for them to handle, throwing them away also didn't matter.

Obviously, Aomo had always been rather pessimistic about their value, after all the earlier publicity had gone for a fairly chuunibyou Hei'an, stern, ferocious style—soft rubber, bone carving, leather suits, helmet‑style peripherals, and even any audio customization was recorded in a demonic voice quality to utter all sorts of incomprehensible harsh words and cold mockery.

In such a merchandise series, a batch of chibi demon plush toys was suddenly mixed in, with the filling still emphasizing soft material, the contrast so great it was like a crossover between Doom and Animal Crossing.

Perhaps someone would take a liking to this evil taste, but when it comes to the road of commercialization……

He once thought this would just pass, but a month later reality continued in this absurd form, and it also let him

and also let him redefine the current situation.

"Wait, wait!"

Following his unguarded gaze, he saw the bedroom's hidden item; the petite middle‑schooler sprang like a fleeing rabbit, her diagonal lunge resembling a goalkeeper giving his all on a soccer field, cutting off his line of sight and covering the plush toy, yet letting the even more suffocating air spread.

Now, Aomo believed this was definitely not Jiling's idea.

At least, even if all this lay within her scheming, Aizhi herself was unaware.

"Come sit back." He leaned back slightly against the not‑very‑comfortable chair back and said.

His gaze then immediately turned to the ceiling adorned with lamp shades like cross‑stars; the countless pendants hanging down had a familiar material, making Aomo thoughtful.

"Then, if we turn off the light, would it feel more natural?"

Such wording might seem a bit ambiguous to others, yet the girl carried it out instantly; at the moment the light was switched off, just as he had imagined——the countless crystal pendants hanging from above, together with the outline of the lamp shade, glowed faintly.

Without warmth, they nevertheless formed a fairy‑tale‑like starry sky.

"Great design."

Aomo praised softly.

"Designed by my mother," Aizhi's voice came from not far away, the sound source somewhat low, obviously the bean bag; "She and Father… always thought I was a star bestowed upon them by heaven……

If it were the usual Miss Aizhi, she probably couldn't say such embarrassing words… Aomo thought, his thought and his words not matching: "But you yourself don't think that way, so they hope you can take these in with your eyes."

"Mm… I actually have taken them in, just……

"You just can't always see yourself as part of the stars."

"And there's always some distance with the family."

"Mm."

"Is it still like this now?" Aomo continued gazing at those pendants.

The demon's eyes in Hei'an bore a faint red glow; that excellent night vision, normally an advantage, here clashed with the atmosphere, so he never lowered it.

"…No… it seems I can understand a bit now."

"Then that's good; actually, regarding this point, I recommend you chat more with Xinyuzhou."

"Xinyuzhou?" Little Aizhi didn't quite understand why that child's name would come up.

"That child is very skilled at using celestial bodies to describe the people around her; if you still have doubts, she can answer you."

"Her…?"

"In this world there are always some geniuses who, while others are still accumulating, already possess achievements that last a lifetime."

Just like Kalien?

One could say that, although she is still far from the goal she sees, but the achievement of selfie angels is indeed something many can hope for but cannot attain.

Goal? … Actually I sometimes feel… Kalien is very much like you.

Especially in this state?

... I really want to deny, but your current way of speaking is just like that annoying demeanor from before, speaking with absolute certainty about everything.

It makes you feel very familiar, doesn't it? Aomo sighed, finally lowering his head, looking at the purple eyes gazing at him in the Hei'an.

The light reflected from countless crystals in that eye seemed able to pierce the Hei'an.

Three years ago, around this time, Umastar hadn't completely put down the pen, and Miss Vega was still going her own way.

Back then I said, any point of light that shines in the night sky is a celestial body burning itself, but a single point of light cannot illuminate the Hei'an; it is merely a manifestation of drinking poison to quench thirst.

Don't say any more," Little Aizhi interrupted, even turning her head away, "I was so foolish back then...

This sense of shame came too late, shouldn't it have appeared when you first opened up and talked about your parents?" Aomo helplessly raised his hand to his forehead, then added: "I think when Kalien chats with you, she isn't the type who acts absolutely certain about everything."

She always seems to be consulting me." Little Aizhi, who turns her head back whenever this topic comes up, stares at the dark red snake eyes in the Hei'an without fear.

But she merely seems to be consulting, just like I saw you last year.

So… will you hate her?

No… she's a good kid.

Although I feel relieved, I also sensed what blatant discrimination is like—is this gender discrimination or ethnic discrimination?

I… I don't hate you either.

That really is a comforting thing to say.

Aomo, with his hands resting on his knees, swayed as he slowly rose, seemingly preparing to leave; this reaction made Little Aizhi, seeing it in her eyes, stand up somewhat anxiously.

No… I don't mean that, I wanted to say…

That's enough, Miss Vega.

He turned back, interrupting her words, and also switched off the light by the door, letting the sudden warm light illuminate the two—one calm, one panicked.

Don't let Kalien and your sister's ideas interfere with yourself; what I came to talk to you about this time is just those previous matters, as for other topics, are you prepared?

He raised his hand, pointing at the doll on the bed, then swept his gaze across the entire bedroom, finally…

Although he lowered his hand, Little Aizhi could still, from his bird's‑eye view, lower her head to look at herself at this moment.

You have always been reckless, arrogant, immature.

……

Little Aizhi in the silence found it hard to lift her head.

Stubbornly insisting on your own correctness while going your own way, you nearly lost the person you cherish most.

From the day I met you, I have watched you carry out those hasty decisions from start to finish, and with that blind will you hurt many who cared for you and failed to meet the expectations of those people.

Take a good look back at your past, then consider how to proceed on the road ahead, even though I know Miss Vega cannot do this.

……

But if it's ayabe, with whom I signed a temporary contract…

……" In the same silence, Little Aizhi lifted her head, gazing in surprise at the youth's faint smile.

I have seen her dazzling appearance on the Saichang; I believe she can do it, and I hope you also believe her.