Chapter 276: Child

I am San Yue Qi! I am… I am a staff member maintaining order on the 'shooting set'!

Thinking quickly, San Yue Qi quoted Chang Ye Yue's words, while trying to make her smile look more convincing, "Kid, does your family live here? You really can't stay here now; go home quickly, or go to another safe place."

"I want to go home!"

Tohsaka Lin said stubbornly, her eyes filled with unquestionable resolve, "I have something extremely important that I must go home for!"

"No, no!"

San Yue Qi waved her hands repeatedly, blocking the alley like a mother hen protecting her chicks, "It's really not allowed now! The director… uh, said nobody can go through! It's dangerous, there might be… there might be invisible explosions!"

She tried to scare the kid with the most straightforward words.

Tohsaka Lin looked at San Yue Qi's face, which, though she tried to be serious, still bore a blunt, not‑so‑smart earnestness, and her vigilance eased a little.

This pink‑haired sister didn't look like a villain; she seemed the type that could be fooled by simple Magic tricks.

"I really have to go back."

Tohsaka Lin softened her tone, trying to reason, even adding a hint of a little girl's pleading, "My sister… my sister might need my help. I only need to go in for a moment, get something, then leave; I won't disturb your 'shooting', I promise!"

"Sister?"

San Yue Qi froze for a moment, her heart softening briefly.

She also valued companions, so she could understand that feeling.

But Chang Ye Yue's admonition rang in her mind at once—"Make sure no audience wanders in."

If this little girl went in, she'd see the Illusion Realm's Black Tower and the golden flashing 'special effects' battling, which would definitely frighten her; worse, she might ruin the Illusion Realm the sister maintains.

"No, no!"

San Yue Qi hardened her heart, but her tone unintentionally softened, sounding almost like coaxing a child, "Listen, sister will take you away from here, to a safe place to wait for your family, okay? Or… or I can help you find your sister?" She began to daydream.

Tohsaka Lin frowned, feeling she couldn't reason with this somewhat off‑track sister.

Her gaze hardened, she suddenly inhaled deeply, her chest swelling—

"Come—"

Before she could finish shouting 'person', the prepared San Yue Qi was swift and again clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Wow! Why don't you keep your word!"

San Yue Qi got a bit angry, puffing out her cheeks.

In her haste, she recalled that when dealing with disobedient ones, Jizi would slightly pull a stern face.

She tried hard to mimic what she thought was the most 'ferocious' expression, leaned toward Tohsaka Lin, and whispered a 'threat', "If you don't listen, I—I will turn you into an ice statue! I'm telling you, I'm very powerful!"

However, San Yue Qi was born with a sweet, harmless face; this forced ferocious look not only failed to scare anyone, and together with her pink fluffy hair and slightly flushed cheeks from anxiety, it actually looked… a bit comical.

Tohsaka Lin stared at the 'ferocious' face just inches away, and for some reason, a taut nerve suddenly loosened.

She thought of her solo adventure, of her sister possibly in danger, of the mysterious Servant at her doorstep, and then saw this opponent who seemed even more panicked than herself…

The pressure of the past days intertwined.

"Wuh…"

Clear tears suddenly gathered in her blue eye sockets and then fell in large drops.

She didn't sob loudly; she bit her lip, emitting a heavily suppressed, animal‑like whimper, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking aggrieved and pitiful.

"Eh?! Wait! You, you don't cry!"

San Yue Qi panicked instantly; the forced 'ferocity' vanished like smoke, replaced by helplessness.

She released her hand, like a big cat that had done something wrong, circling the softly sobbing Tohsaka Lin.

"I—I didn't mean to scare you! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm really not a bad person! Look, I didn't even take a weapon!" She even spread her arms to show innocence.

"I just… want to save my sister…"

Tohsaka Lin sniffed and sobbed, her tears falling even more fiercely.

That wasn't entirely acting; a large part was genuine anxiety and helplessness.

"I know, I know!"

San Yue Qi's heart softened completely; she crouched, fumbling to wipe Tohsaka Lin's tears yet fearing to be abrupt, "Your sister will be fine! I… I promise! How about this: you come with me to a safe place, and after the director is done, I'll have my sister—uh, the director—help you find your sister! She's super—extremely skilled! She knows everything!"

She comforted clumsily, her sincerity obvious in her tone.

Tohsaka Lin's sobs gradually quieted, and she observed San Yue Qi through teary eyes.

This pink‑haired sister, though acting oddly and blocking her, seemed truly harmless, even a bit… naively simple.

(Maybe… I can trust her for now?)

Tohsaka Lin quickly weighed options in her mind, pondering how to use the current situation to gather information or escape.

At that moment, San Yue Qi's body suddenly stiffened a bit, her gaze briefly unfocused—she had received a mental message from Chang Ye Yue via a hidden link, concise:

"Illusion Realm is concluding; this place is unsuitable for lingering, prepare to evacuate."

San Yue Qi's expression turned complex as she looked at the Tohsaka Lin before her, who had just stopped crying, her small face still marked with tear stains.

Take her away?

It seemed the best choice, to prevent the child from running off into real danger.

But, how to take her?

Tohsaka Lin keenly sensed San Yue Qi's change of expression, her vigilance rising again: "What's wrong?"

"Um… kid,"

San Yue Qi gave the gentlest possible smile, "Sister will take you to a more fun, safer place to wait, okay? There are soft beds there, and…"

Tohsaka Lin's internal alarm rang loudly, and she shook her head immediately: "No, I want to go home!" She turned, intending to run out of the alley.

"I'm sorry!"

San Yue Qi sighed, realizing she couldn't handle such a complicated 'child communication problem.'

She recalled that on the train, Pam sometimes used a harmless calming spray to let overly excited tourists take a short rest.

San Yue Qi was quick-eyed and quick-handed; with a speed far beyond human capability, San Yue Qi lightly pressed a certain spot on Tohsaka Lin's nape.

The force was precise.

Tohsaka Lin only felt a numbness at the nape; before Tohsaka Lin could be surprised or resist, Tohsaka Lin's consciousness quickly sank into darkness, Tohsaka Lin's small body softly fell forward.

San Yue Qi quickly caught Tohsaka Lin, carefully holding this little girl in San Yue Qi's arms.

San Yue Qi said softly, voice full of apology, "Sorry, little sister." "When things are over, I will definitely apologize properly and send you home to find your sister."