I walked. The snow was falling harder now. People around me moved quickly, each wrapped in their own transparent umbrella. I didn't have one.

Some of them glanced at me. A brief look. Strange. A man without an umbrella in a snowstorm. They didn't understand. I didn't care either.

I didn't feel cold. But the snow melting into water, seeping through my suit collar, felt… annoying. My head was also starting to feel heavy, covered in a layer of wet white snow.

An umbrella.

I needed one.

I should have taken the one Belial was holding earlier.

I sighed, watching my own breath vaporize. I looked around. No street vendors selling umbrellas.

I saw a small shop with a blue sign. The neon light inside flickered. Office Supplies & Photocopy. I walked over. Pushed the glass door that felt cold against my palm.

Ding.

A small bell rang above the door. The air inside felt warm and smelled of paper. An old man behind the counter looked up from his newspaper, giving me a brief nod. I returned it. I walked among the metal shelves stacked with paper, folders, and pens. Near the window, there was a basket filled with folded transparent umbrellas.

I took one. Brought it to the cashier.

"How much?" I asked in English.

The old man just stared at me, his brow furrowed. He shook his head.

I understood. I took out my phone. Opened a translation app. Typed awkwardly. The screen felt slippery. I showed it to him.

He read it, then smiled. He took his own phone, typed something, then showed it to me. The screen displayed the number 8 ¥.

I nodded. Reached into my suit pocket. Took out a few coins and a bill. I placed them on the counter. He took them, then gave me change. I took the umbrella and walked out.

Ding.

The bell rang again.

Outside, I opened the umbrella. A satisfying thwack. The snow now tapped against the plastic above me. Tap… tap… tap…

I walked again.

A few blocks away, I saw it. A small van converted into a stall. Steam billowed from its side window. There was only one customer there, a man in a suit who hurried away.

I approached it. Behind the glass, a middle-aged woman smiled kindly at me. She pointed to a large boiling pot. I didn't know what it was. I just nodded and raised one finger.

She understood. She took a plastic bowl, filled it with something hot, then handed it to me. I paid her. Eight yuan again. Very cheap.

I walked while holding the warm bowl. Opened it. Hot mashed potatoes with orange cheese sauce and a sprinkling of minced meat. I had seen this on TikTok.

Spud.

I took the plastic spoon tucked on the side. Stirred the sauce. Ate it.

The taste was… average. The potatoes were a little too mushy. The sauce tasted artificial. But it was warm. That was what mattered.

I remembered the simple sandwiches made by the maids in Avanheim. Even those were better than this.

I finished it while walking. Threw the empty bowl and spoon into a trash can on the corner.

I kept walking aimlessly, just following the flow of pedestrians. Looking for a mall. Or a cinema. Something to pass the time.

I took my phone from my pocket, checked the time.

"Only 12:30."

Today was Sunday, February 2, 2025.

I opened Google and typed in movies released this month. I scrolled through the list. Superhero movies. Horror movie sequels. Romantic dramas. I didn't find any genre I liked.

"I changed my mind," I muttered. "I'm not going to the movies."

I stopped for a moment under a shop canopy, opening Google Maps. I typed: Largest and most popular mall in Shanghai. Several options appeared. I chose the top one.

Global Harbor Mall.

Good thing I downloaded a VPN before arriving in China. I thought briefly. Otherwise, this phone would be useless.

I checked the route. Not too far. Walking distance.

"Right," I said to myself. "I'll just go to the mall. Buy things I couldn't buy before. Buy lots of food and snacks. Just like I used to imagine."

I nodded and started walking again, this time with a purpose.

The mall's sliding doors opened with a soft hiss, and I stepped inside. Instantly, a wave of warm air hit me, a sharp contrast to the cold air outside. A cacophony of sounds greeted me—a mix of Mandarin pop music playing from speakers, the buzz of thousands of conversations, and the sound of footsteps on polished marble floors. The atmosphere was bustling, packed, even though there was a snowstorm outside.

I walked aimlessly on the ground floor, my eyes scanning the surroundings. I bought a large cup of boba milk tea from a stall. Its sweet richness and the chewiness of the tapioca pearls felt strange but pleasant.

Then I saw a kiosk selling tanghulu, fruit coated in shiny sugar. I bought a skewer of strawberries. As I bit into it, the crunchy sugar coating cracked, followed by the fresh sourness of the strawberry. Delicious.

I kept walking, eating, and looking. I bought a spicy grilled squid skewer, then a slice of Basque burnt cheesecake from a fancy bakery. Everything tasted good, though nothing could match the complex flavors of the food in Avanheim. But that didn't matter. This was about the experience itself.

On the third floor, I found a bowling alley. I rented shoes and a ball. I threw it. The sound of the ball rolling on the varnished wooden floor, followed by the loud crash of pins falling.

Strike.

I did it again.

Strike.

Again and again. I got a perfect score. Some people in the next lane looked at me in awe. I just gave a small smile, then left.

On the top floor, there was a huge game center, filled with flashing neon lights and frenzied electronic sounds. I played a few games. A car racing game with a vibrating seat. A shooting game with a light gun. Everything felt… stiff. But I enjoyed it anyway.

Near the exhibition area, I saw a crowd. I approached. They were watching a small robot fight inside a glass arena. The robots moved stiffly, hitting each other with their slow mechanical arms. One robot fell and couldn't get up again, its legs spinning in the air. I laughed. I took out my phone.

I opened the video camera. "Hey, look at this," I said to the screen, talking to myself, and maybe to them.

"They call this a robot fight." I zoomed in on the still-inverted robot. "Lily, Monica's toys are much stronger than this. Emma, you could probably destroy all of this with one finger."

I smiled at my own camera. I recorded the crowded mall, recorded the food I bought. A weird video diary.

I bought a few things. A very soft cashmere sweater for Emma. A dark blue wool scarf for Epsilon. A set of detailed dinosaur toys for Lily, and a set of cool black Samurai action figures for Betta, because for some reason I felt she would like them.

"Alright, looks like that's enough fun."

I raised my wrist. The silver watch I just bought showed 4:00 PM. The golden afternoon light began to penetrate the giant windows in the mall's ceiling, painting the shiny marble floor with long stripes.

"Damn, I hope Asuka isn't mad at me," I clicked my tongue softly.

I pushed the shopping cart. Its wheels squeaked softly on the smooth floor. The cart was full. Very full. On top of the pile of shopping bags containing clothes and snacks, sat two large boxes: one pristine white PlayStation 5 Pro console, and one custom Gaming PC with a glass panel revealing the components inside.

As a modern person, life is inseparable from modern equipment, right? Especially since I haven't played a game for five months.

Some people passing me glanced at the cart, their eyes widening for a moment. A brief look of envy before they returned to their own business. For some reason, I enjoyed seeing their looks.

I pushed the cart toward the restroom. The sign hung high, emitting a soft white light.

"喂,先生!" (Hey, Mister!)

A cleaner stopped me right in front of the entrance. He was an old man in a faded blue uniform and a slightly tilted hat. The wrinkles on his face deepened as he pointed at my cart, then at the restroom door, shaking his head firmly.

Although I didn't know what he said, the message was clear. Hey you, you can't bring this much stuff into the restroom.

Damn it. What a hassle. This language barrier is starting to annoy me. Should I ask Merlin to help give me Chinese language abilities?

I looked at the cleaner. He stared back at me with a stubborn gaze. I sighed, then blew a nearly invisible gust of wind at him. Very gently.

Instantly, the man's eyes went blank. The hardness in his face melted away, replaced by a passive, confused expression. He just stood there, his broom drooping at his side.

"It would be complicated if I didn't come out of the restroom later."

I glanced up. A black dome CCTV camera stared down from the corner of the ceiling like an unblinking insect eye. I coated myself with Illusia magic. In the camera's eye, I now looked like I had just turned around and walked away.

I pushed the cart into the restroom. The air inside felt cool and smelled of sharp lemon cleaner. I chose the furthest stall, which was quite spacious, setting up a temporary magic barrier that made the door appear locked and impossible to open from the outside.

"Gate."

The blue-black sphere appeared silently between the toilet and the wall. I pushed my cart into it, the wheels rattling slightly as they crossed the dimensional threshold. I stepped inside, not forgetting to deactivate the barrier spell.

The restroom was silent and empty again. As if nothing had happened.

...

"Phew, finally home."

I stepped out of the Gate portal collapsing behind me. The air here felt different. No longer the recycled air of a mall, but the fresh air of Avanheim. My office felt spacious and quiet. All the walls were coated in white with beautiful golden motifs, shimmering, reflecting the bright, even light from the large magic crystals embedded in the high ceiling. The light was soft, not glaring, like sunlight on a clear morning.

I placed the cart next to my brown oak desk, beside the stack of waiting documents.

Knock... knock...

The sound of a knock on the door was soft. It seemed my arrival was known.

"Come in."

The door opened. Nina, in her neat maid uniform, stepped inside.

"Nina, is it? What is it?"

Nina curtsied, bowing deeply before answering. "My Lord, Lady Asuka has been waiting for you outside."

"I know."

"And..." She seemed hesitant.

"What is it? Speak quickly." I was impatient.

"That..." Nina's voice sounded quieter. "It seems Lady Asuka destroyed several large cliffs around Felius Castle. Although Lady Asuka didn't say anything, according to my sister who was there, Lady Asuka seems angry."

"Alright. You go out first. Say I'll be there soon."

Nina curtsied again, then backed out and closed the door softly.

"Damn." I rubbed my face. "This is all because I was too late at the mall. Hopefully, Asuka isn't too angry."

I was about to use the Ring of Avanheim to teleport.

Knock... knock...

Another knock. Who else?

"Come in."

The door opened, and Emma stepped inside.

"Emma, what is it?" I said.

"My Lord, I heard from the maid that you had returned, so I hurried here."

Emma approached. Her movements were graceful. She touched my hand, her gaze gentle and full of something... intense. A look of love. I still wasn't used to her nature like this. I could only hold back and pretend to be calm.

"I'm going outside the castle first, Emma."

"Is it to see Asuka?"

"Correct." I nodded.

"My Lord, you'd better not see that bitch," Emma said, her gentle expression suddenly tensing. "She is very disrespectful. Just because My Lord arrived late, she threw a tantrum. So, don't see her." Her angry expression looked... cute.

I didn't understand where the hostility between Emma and Asuka came from.

"No. I have to see her. Besides, the item she created was also on my orders. I have to see her, right?"

"In that case, let me come too," Emma said, her voice now pleading. She pulled my right hand tightly.

I sighed. "Alright."

I tried to correct Emma's position, which was becoming increasingly indecent, her body pressing tightly against me.

"Teleport!"

With one word, both of us disappeared from my office, leaving only the faint scent of Emma's perfume and a heavy silence.

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