Chapter 460: NO. 43: As a friend, I'm relieved (temporarily

NO. 43: As a friend, I'm relieved (temporarily

Aomo ultimately couldn't figure out the source of that unease, nor was he overly obsessed.

After all, he had too much to consider these past few days.

Training horse girls, trainers, and studying mercenary professional knowledge, he regularly did a 'cyber consultation' for Chaldea like a doctor.

What's more, there were also the noisy arguments of his housemate during free time.

Finally, that situation also made Aomo a bit regretful, thinking perhaps he should have waited a bit longer to tell Qian about 'the super agent's current recovery status'.

At the very least, he shouldn't have told her the moment he got news…

After telling her, over the next few days that pink-haired JK's presence increased manyfold.

Even showing up in the morning kitchen and dining area, it startled Suzi and Chazuo into waking up a bit.

Moreover, Bopang bluntly asked Aomo whether Qian had encountered something.

As everyone knows, students on vacation normally spend their mornings fused with their blankets.

Regardless of whether they stayed up late, it didn't stop them from sleeping in.

Xintiao Qian's morning state has always been sharing the same life with her blanket; she and the quilt must have one that is a human body.

Unless something requiring early preparation is mentioned beforehand, there's no need to consider her breakfast.

Even occasional notices usually come in only three forms—text messages, chat apps, and muffled phone calls.

The trigger criteria for these three communication methods depend on whether Qian is willing to open her eyes and touch her phone.

The cold air from the air conditioner can give the blankets a warmer contrast, and it will also make the phone icy.

When heart, technique, and body reach their peak, Gulite's chest triple regulator… no, Qian's hand can break free from the warm swamp, touch that icy switch, open the chat app, and send some alias content that infuriates the locals of Jidong.

It also comes with emoticons and even cartoon expressions, showing her composure.

But if 'courage' falls short, the crystal conversion… no, Qian's inner self will avoid it.

She will simply type out a text message based on instinct.

And that is usually even more bizarre content.

After all, although the pink-haired JK has decent keyboard blind‑typing skills, phone blind‑typing lies on a different skill tree.

But if she lacks even the basic ability to break the blanket seal, all she can do is shout at the phone AI something like 'Help me call, call Xiao She'.

It's like being a pathetic human whose transformer doesn't respond, hoping the defense forces will cover her shift.

But Qian these past few days… calling it a 'rebirth' would not be an exaggeration.

Not only can she get up at 8:30 a. m., she even voluntarily goes to the kitchen to help Aomo carry plates.

"Normally, seeing this behavior, you'd suspect this person has been possessed or replaced by something like a Kaim star person."

"Understood, logged into the cognitive record."

Aomo pointed at Bopang beside him, speaking solemnly and seriously, and the latter responded in earnest.

But this perhaps overlooks the parties' reactions too much.

"Eh eh eh? Xiao She, you're being too outrageous!"

"So… what has Qian encountered…?" asked Chazuo, who, unlike the Peach and Plum Map, is also unusually clear‑minded these days,

Her clarity is to prepare for the race.

The stable's three horse girls, although all scheduled to run their debut races this month, have staggered timetables; the OP‑level short‑distance race on August 12, the Cosmos Prize, less than a week away, is Chazuo's brand‑new first start.

Naturally, adjusting one's schedule in advance is necessary; besides that, while maintaining condition, certain areas need extra training.

"Me?" Qian put on an 'I was waiting for you to ask' look, immediately shifting attention: "I think something good happened, right, Xiao She!"

"Maybe."

Having sat down to face his meal, Aomo replied without lifting his head.

"Eh? Reaction so negative?!"

Although it was just an ambiguous remark, Qian knows Aomo very well.

"Seriously speaking, before the other party wakes up, I don't advise labeling it as good news outright." After swallowing his food, he then spoke slowly, this new trainer who had to be busy early in the morning, and then slightly turned his head toward the puzzled Chazuo.

And with her head down, poking at her plate, Suzi still looked half‑asleep.

So he immediately turned back to ask her: "But seeing how energetic you are, want to go out together later?"

"Go out?" Qian sounded a bit puzzled.

"KTV, a two‑hour private room, vocal and dance practice, for which I also contacted an old friend I haven't seen in a while."

Aomo spat out his words bit by bit, watching Qian's expression shift from surprise to eagerness, then slightly tighten, showing some reluctance.

Is it the otaku girl's resistance to new friends acting up?

Probably not.

Qian isn't truly an otaku; she doesn't mind social settings and even hopes to be the center of the crowd.

In other words, opposite to Aomo, she has a heart that wants to be a 'real‑life filler'.

Even the factual results are the opposite of Aomo's.

The pink‑haired JK who wants to be a real‑life filler is becoming more and more reclusive.

The mercenary trainer who wants to quietly observe humans, often feeling weary from excessive social interaction, is instead becoming more of a real‑life filler.

The difference between them is clearly executive power.

Everyone now is made up of traces of the past.

Even if Gulite erases the soul's blemishes with purifying light and Baoduo Liuhua fills her life's goals and expectations with words, it doesn't mean she can thereby become perfect, become her ideal self.

She is merely walking along that path.

Purification and admonition are neither hypnosis nor brainwashing.

To wield truly perfect magic, the spellcaster must ultimately create it herself.

She actually already possesses the complete elements to realize her ideal: the ideal appearance and figure akin to Dujuan Terrace, as well as her understanding of monsters and practical research skills.

If she applied for a major related to monster research, she would be a rising department goddess.

But she has never considered that.

Because she still lacks some drive, even in Heaven Gate City she is merely an ordinary real-life fulfiller, not a top-tier one at the center of the crowd.

Dujuan Terrace's mistake, as well as earlier real-life failures, though not turned into substantive obstacles, have indeed become the brake pads of her subconscious.

Thus, on her path of actively making friends, she always chooses inertial braking.

Thus, the channel for sincere friendship ends up leaning more toward the internet.

Honestly speaking, this is not really a flaw.

Especially in this more promising era, the internet is not necessarily more virtual than reality.

But if it's only that, it's generally impossible to truly come into contact with Aomo's social circle.

Aomo had also prepared himself for being rejected by the other party; friends don't necessarily know much about each other—when circles differ, this situation is most common, not worth worrying about, let alone disappointing.

But he heard the other party answer:

"Sure! I didn't expect Xiao She to actually invite me to a place like this!"

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen a KTV in Jiemen District yet—does it also have a small stage like Heaven Gate City, so I can practice dancing?!"

That curious, enthusiastic look didn't seem feigned; instead, it left Aomo stunned, as if he thought he had missed observing something.

This feeling of dissonance made him think of Chengtian Bai Ren.

This is the second time; it feels like someone he knows has encountered something or undergone some change without him noticing.

This makes him somewhat doubtful, yet he does not reject it.

No one stays the same; even goals and ideals can be changed or upgraded.

As long as one doesn't feel regret about it, there's nothing wrong with accepting it.

By comparison, Qian's change is clearly heading in a good direction, right?