Chapter 463: Zawa Rudo!

Lin's expression shifted like a revolving lantern.

She alternated between a radiant smile, gritted teeth, listlessness, tears welling up, burning anger, and a heart as calm as still water.

Within a brief two minutes, her emotions rode a roller‑coaster of extreme swings—

but she herself didn't notice at all.

She only felt that her mood this morning was a bit… uh… fickle.

But it didn't seem particularly wrong either.

San Yue Qi curled up in the sofa corner, hands covering her mouth, shoulders shaking violently.

(I can't… I can't… I'm dying of laughter, hahahaha—)

Lin finally couldn't hold on any longer.

She clutched the edge of the coffee table, her face turning pale, a cold sweat beading on her forehead, her whole body wobbling as if about to collapse.

"…W‑what's happening to me…" her voice was as weak as a stray thread, "I just got up… why am I so tired…"

San Yue Qi, feeling guilty, buried her face into the hugging pillow.

Clockboy was already rolling on the floor laughing beside her, the hands on its dial spinning like a fan, its hat having rolled under the sofa.

"Tick Tick Tick! Hahaha Tick!"

It clutched its belly and rolled wildly, "This black‑haired friend is so fun! Play a few more times! Tick Tick!"

San Yue Qi hurriedly admonished herself in her mind: (No, no! Lin will die of exhaustion!)

She took a deep breath and let Clockboy bring Lin's emotions back to a "calm" state.

Lin's complexion gradually recovered a bit.

She pressed her forehead, frowned: "Strange… why am I so tired after getting up… it's like I had a very, very long dream, in which I kept getting angry, happy, sad, and sleepy…"

She shook her head and said to San Yue Qi, "San Yue Jie, I'm going to wash my face first."

Then she staggered unsteadily toward the bathroom.

San Yue Qi let out a sigh of relief.

She looked down at the coffee table.

Clockboy was sprawled cross‑legged on a magazine, laughing until its stomach hurt.

"Tick Tick… this is so interesting… I haven't been this happy in ages…"

It wiped away nonexistent tears from its eyes, "Fen Mao, this friend of yours is really fun! Continue next time! Tick!"

San Yue Qi: "…There won't be a next time."

She suddenly remembered something.

Hold on, Lin just said she "seemed to have had a very, very long dream"… that's not a dream, Lin! That's you actually being toyed with!

San Yue Qi, feeling guilty, shrank her neck.

But she was soon overtaken by another thought.

Time Stop—

She had no reference point earlier, so she didn't feel what the pause entailed.

But now Lin is beside her, still awake—

San Yue Qi's eyes lit up.

She looked at Lin, who was about to go to the bathroom.

"Lin! Wait!"

Lin halted, turned back: "Hm?"

San Yue Qi whispered internally: (Zawa Rudo!)

Clockboy raised its hand and snapped its fingers.

Lin froze.

She remained in the turned‑around pose, her black long hair hanging suspended in mid‑air, eyelashes drooping, lips slightly parting, like an exquisite wax figure.

The birdsong outside the window fell silent.

San Yue Qi sprang up from the sofa, bare feet on the floor, carefully circling to Lin's front.

She extended her hand and waved it before Lin.

No response.

She then extended two fingers, pinched a small tuft of Lin's hair, and gently lifted it upward.

The tuft of black hair obediently stood up, motionless, like a rigid antenna.

San Yue Qi's eyes widened; she released her grip—the hair still kept its upright shape, showing no sign of snapping back.

"... Wow."

She whispered a sigh, then quickly covered her mouth, as if fearing to wake the frozen time.

She circled Lin twice, examining closely.

Lin's eyelashes, Lin's nose tip, Lin's slightly open lips, and the three bright red Command Spell markings on her back of the hand—everything was frozen like a photograph.

"Tick." Clockboy's voice sounded at her feet, "Seven seconds, okay."

San Yue Qi was startled.

"That fast?"

She hurried back to the sofa and sat down.

Clockboy snapped its fingers.

The world resumed its flow.

Lin's tuft of black hair "pop" fell back onto her shoulder.

She blinked, completely unaware of what had just happened, and continued the interrupted sentence.

"... Hmm? San Yue Jie, what did you just call me about?"

San Yue Qi buried her face in the hug pillow, a muffled voice coming out: "N-no, nothing. Just that when you wash your face, don't use hot water; it's better for the skin."

Lin tilted her head in confusion, but still nodded: "Oh... thank you, San Yue Jie?"

She turned and entered the bathroom.

The moment the door closed, San Yue Qi sprang up from the sofa, grabbed the Clockboy on the coffee table, and held him up to her eyes.

"You're too strong!!!"

Her voice was pressed down extremely low, but couldn't hide her excitement, "It really can pause! It really can!! And Lin didn't notice at all!!"

The Clockboy's head buzzed from being shaken, the hands spinning wildly: "Tick tick! Don't shake, don't shake! I'm falling apart, tick!"

San Yue Qi placed him back on the coffee table, hands braced on her knees, leaning forward to stare at him, her powder‑blue gradient pupils flashing a dangerous light.

"Then—what about Time Reversal? You just said we need to record a Node?"

"Tick!" the Clockboy straightened his hat, "Pick a moment, I'll note it, and you can jump back anytime later! Tick!"

San Yue Qi thought for a moment.

She glanced at the wall clock—7:42 AM.

Then she looked toward the bathroom—Lin had just gone in, probably will take ten minutes to freshen up.

"Then..." she shifted her eyes, "Record a Node for now. 7:42."

"Tick! No problem!"

The Clockboy snapped his fingers, "Recording complete! Fen Mao, if you want to return to this moment, just say Loser Eats Dust! Tick!"

San Yue Qi nodded.

Then she took a deep breath.

"Time Acceleration! What's the slogan?"

"MadeinHeaven! Tick!"

"Time Deletion?"

"KingCrimson! Tick!"

San Yue Qi hurriedly wrote it down.

Then, she began the experiment.

Lin emerged from the bathroom. San Yue Qi silently whispered Loser Eats Dust—Lin returned to the bathroom doorway, a blank stare on her face.

Lin was about to speak. San Yue Qi silently whispered Time Stop—Lin froze, and San Yue Qi walked around her three times, admiring the still version of the young lady's expression.

San Yue Qi untied Lin's hair tie, letting her black hair fall. Whispering Time Stop—mid‑undo, the pause ended, and Lin found half her hair already loose, stunned.

San Yue Qi felt guilty: I didn't do anything.

Whispering Time Reversal—Lin returned to the bathroom and re‑tied her hair.

Lin prepared to make breakfast. San Yue Qi whispered Time Stop—she put Lin's slippers on the wrong feet.

When the pause ended, Lin, wearing the reversed slippers, walked to the kitchen doorway, head down, silent.

San Yue Qi covered her face with the hug pillow.

Time Reversal. Lin returned to the living room, slippers now correct.

Lin:? Did I lose my memory?

Time Stop. San Yue Qi swapped Lin's slippers onto the opposite feet.

Pause ended. Lin opened the Magic Book—the cover bore the Tohsaka family crest, the inside pages analyzed this season's trending colors.

Lin:........

San Yue Qi: *cough*, Tohsaka's Magic is truly profound, even studying outfit coordination.

Time Reversal. Lin's Magic Book reverted.

Lin (tired): "San Yue Jie, did I not fully wake up today..."

San Yue Qi (sincere): "Maybe. Would you like to go back to sleep for a bit?"

Lin finally managed to wear the slippers correctly and take the right book, and walked to the kitchen.

San Yue Qi collapsed onto the sofa, drenched in sweat.

Clockboy also collapsed beside her, drenched in sweat.

One person and one watch exchanged a glance.

"Tick..." Clockboy said weakly, "Fen Mao, what else do you want to play..."

"Not playing anymore, not playing anymore... Lin, I'm about to die of fatigue... I'm also about to die of fatigue..."