Chapter 449: Parting

Inside the Portrait Restaurant at Belldet Amusement World.

Ordering was done at the counter. After a quick round of rock-paper-scissors, Ashe drew the short straw and had to go up with Pankey to place the order. Losing to Iger was one thing, but Harvey had outright cheated. He had temporarily converted his Ghost King Shackles into a computational spirit with maximum processing power; even in a best-of-five showdown, he had managed a clean sweep.

Ashe mentally reviewed everyone's orders as he walked up to the counter. But just as he was about to speak, the staff placed two loaded trays right in front of him. "Conqueror's Extreme Lala Feast, black pepper steak, Braised Beef Noodle Lala Fat, coconut egg tarts... for drinks, lemon water and bitter citrus tea... plus one pack of tissues and one pack of wet wipes. Enjoy your meal."

Ashe stood there, stunned, while Pankey smoothly paid the bill and walked off with the trays. Glancing around, Ashe noticed something odd. The counter area was even quieter than the dining hall. Customers would simply walk up, and the staff would immediately present their meals. The entire transaction took no more than five seconds. The whole counter operated like a perfectly synchronized, silent machine.

Back at their table, Iger asked, "After the fireworks show, we're heading straight back, right? Ashe, don't tell me you still have more rides you want to try?"

"Depends on Lys and the Lady. As long as we're back before eleven, I'm fine," Ashe said. "By the way, Iger, do you regret it?"

"Regret what? Not kicking you off the Extreme Wheel ride earlier?"

Ashe reached over and swiped a few of Harvey's fries. "Regret not becoming the Belldet family's son-in-law! If you married Anphel, this entire amusement park would be yours. Not just this place. Half of the Gospel's entertainment industry would eventually belong to Leia, your future daughter!"

From the name alone, it was obvious that this amusement world belonged to the Belldets, that is, Evelyn's family. In fact, the Belldet family was the number one entertainment powerhouse in Gospel. From virtual games to physical amusement venues, the Belldet conglomerate had pushed the industry to its limits, dominating the market. Even the virtual games Ashe used to play were just a small branch of their massive empire.

Under the influence of their Control Class, the Belldet family boasted a consumer base in the millions. From children to the elderly, citizens poured everything they had into entertainment. This wasn't just a cash cow; it gave the Belldets endless opportunities to experiment. After centuries of trial and error, they had naturally crushed all competition.

Iger replied flatly, "No regrets. Evelyn and Anphel are far smarter than you. Even now, I wouldn't dare say I can fully resist Evelyn's control. Besides, the Belldet family's strongest Control Class Miracle is likely a bloodline curse rooted in fate itself... Come to think of it, the reason the Gospel believes I'll become a good father in the future is probably because they expect me to be controlled in reverse by Leia."

"Generally speaking, we call that kind of bloodline domination 'love,'" Ashe said, reaching over to grab some of Iger's popcorn. "Why not just accept it? Look at you. You're not getting any younger. If you hadn't gone to prison, you'd probably still be loitering on the streets. Now you have the chance to live off a rich woman, and you're turning it down? I'd take that deal in a heartbeat!"

"No."

Ashe pressed on. "Come on, think about it. If you win your wife's favor, you can help your brothers out when they fall on hard times. And when we rise to glory, do you think we'd forget our prison comrades who went through life and death with us? Of course not. So no matter how you look at it, marrying rich is the most cost-effective choice... Wait. Every time the Enlightenment period hits, you struggle so much. Is it because you're actively resisting the perfectly logical option of becoming a kept man?"

"No."

"But what about Leia? Don't you like your future daughter? Forget Harvey. He'd have to create his own wife. But you? As long as you're willing, you could have a daughter who is cute, intelligent, and inherits all your strengths. Are you really—"

"Will you shut up already?!"

Lys had been busy with her kids' meal. She looked up and noticed the tense atmosphere brewing among the adults. Her sisters wouldn't compete with her when it came to food, but once it came time to watch the fireworks later, that might be a different story.

Pankey looked surprised, Annan seemed thoughtful, and Harvey remained indifferent, while Ashe wore an expression that clearly said, "How dare you yell at me?"

Taking a deep breath, the fraudster quickly calmed himself and changed the subject. "You've almost finished my popcorn. If you want more, why don't you just buy your own?"

Ashe picked up a piece of fried shrimp and held it out. "No way. Buying it myself isn't nearly as satisfying as freeloading. Besides, it's not like I won't repay you. Here, I'll pay you back with this. Say ah—"

Iger stared at him wide-eyed, his lips tightly pressed together. Ashe blinked, gesturing for him to open up.

"I..." the fraudster stuttered, "I don't really like—"

Before he could finish, Annan reached over, pushed Ashe's hand aside, and took a bite. The Purple Moth said with a smirk, "If he won't eat it, I will."

Iger shot Annan a cold glance, looking relieved but also slightly displeased.

Ashe asked curiously, "So you don't like shrimp? Back in prison, I never noticed you being picky..."

Iger snapped. "Don't act as if you know me that well. You don't even know where I slept when we were in Fedela—"

"The cabinet in the room, the sofa outside, and the cupboard in the kitchen... it should only be those three places, right?"

The fraudster froze. "Huh?"

"Did you forget?" Ashe replied. "I'm the one who does the cleaning during the day. We all use the same shampoo, yet for some reason, your scent is slightly different from ours. Maybe it's some kind of chemical reaction from your veela bloodline?"

"I already told you, there are no male veelas. I'm human..." Iger's voice trailed off, entirely lacking confidence. Avoiding Ashe's gaze, he lowered his head and focused intensely on his food.

Once they had eaten their fill, they planned to take a park shuttle to the fireworks plaza. However, the moment they stepped out of the restaurant, a six-seater shuttle was already waiting for them.

***

Setting off fireworks underground sounded rather strange. Fireworks were meant to paint the night sky with light, yet the underground city lived in eternal darkness. By comparison, it felt like harboring a crush on someone forever out of reach. The underground would never see daylight; once the brief brilliance of the fireworks faded, only a hollow longing would remain.

Yet, the moment the fireworks bloomed, their dazzling colors made everyone forget they were trapped beneath the earth.

The rockets burst in radiant splendor, sending down showers of falling meteors. The Funeral Agency squad sat together on the grass of the plaza. Pankey had even pulled a coffin out of his suitcase so Alice could sit comfortably with Harvey. Together, the seven of them formed a small circle, quietly taking in the spectacle.

The fireworks blossomed in their eyes, illuminating a fleeting moment of peace.

Ashe gently patted Lys's head. "Did you have fun today?"

Lys nodded enthusiastically. "I did!"

She had managed to claim the very last seat for the show. "If only we could come here more often... no, even once a month would be enough!"

Ashe smiled, pulling her into a warm embrace. "We will have our chances. And next time, it won't be underground."

The subterranean world had its own amusement parks and its own fireworks displays. But what truly made everything so beautiful was their shared longing for the sunlight above.

Lys felt a flicker of confusion. This was the first time Ashe had ever been so openly affectionate with her without a clear reason. "Of course, I'll go wherever you go, Daddy. Next time, let's visit the amusement parks in the surface world!"

Ashe lowered his gaze, then turned to look at Annan. Catching his eye, Annan glanced over at Lys.

An indescribable sense of unease rose within the Witch sisters.

Annan did not speak to Lys. Instead, she turned to the young butler beside her. "Pankey."

Pankey was in the middle of preparing drinks. Hearing his name, he looked up. "Hm? Miss, are you thirsty?"

"No," Annan said softly. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Pankey paused. At that exact moment, a brilliant flash of fireworks lit up the sky, illuminating his already pale face.

Unlike Lys, he had already sensed this coming, perhaps from the moment Annan suddenly suggested visiting the amusement park, or when Ashe tried so hard to persuade Iger to become the Belldet family's son-in-law.

Annan spoke quietly over the noise of the celebration. "Take Lys back to Azura and take good care of her."