Brain bloom

Yuan chimed in, "And there's little Melia around, she's unlikely to allow the night market to be disrupted... Speaking of which, where is she? I haven't seen her yet."

"I guess it'll be in the first-class seats on the deck." Dandelion said, still gazing upwards. "Let's wait until we set sail before going up, and it's best to avoid catching Lord Balzac."

Mori wasn't very interested in any of that, and simply asked, "When can we get something to eat?"

"After setting sail."

Helpless, she could only silently look around the entire ship, and unexpectedly spotted a few familiar faces.

For example, the old man Fultz, who brought his daughter along, ran a grocery store that was indeed not so simple, with a good seat.

Also there was the little astrologer I'd met before, the one who tried to calculate the true god's destiny; he seemed to be a half-demon named Yingyou. The little guy had already cut his nails and was squeezed to the edge, stroking the crystal ball, seemingly calculating something.

Since he appeared to be alone, Mori, having nothing better to do, walked over to see if he could extract anything else from him.

"Hi."

"...Ah, it's you, guest." Yingyou shrank her shoulders, as if she had seen a plague god.

"So, how's your restoration work going? Have you recovered any new antiques yet?"

He shook his head repeatedly in denial, but his mouth was honest: "Recently, some strange things have been restored again."

"Well, you can't lie, after all, you have the blood of the devil in you."

Yingyou, like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on, immediately bristled and looked around. Luckily, no one heard what Senshi said.

He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly lowered his head resentfully: "Please, please let me go. What if I get caught and thrown overboard? The Night Market ship has finally set sail... I... I still want to see the starry night with my own eyes. It's very important to me."

"That's true, astrologers do enjoy this kind of travel, so you're here for astrology?"

"Ah."

"—Mori, there's a demonic aura around you. But it's not pure. Could you be a half-demon?" It was Yuan who approached, saying these words.

"Shh! Please, don't say that..."

Yingyou covered her head, utterly devastated. Why were these two beautiful, sweet-voiced older sisters so determined to go against her...?

Fortunately, everyone around was engrossed in aristocratic gossip, preferring to hear things like "XXX's child is mentally challenged; it's truly pathetic to prioritize the purity of bloodlines" rather than vague notions of "the devil."

Yingyou slumped in her seat, then suddenly felt that the girl in front of her was unusual, and the more she looked at her, the more a chill ran down her spine.

Sen pointed at him: "Yuan, look—this is a hybrid little devil. And he's good at astrology, his name is Yingyou."

"Mixed-race? I knew it."

"Wait—Yuan?" Upon hearing the name Mori casually uttered, Yingyou forgot how to breathe. He looked as if he had divined that he would die in five minutes, his face contorted into the scribbles of a three-year-old.

"It seems you know me."

Yuan's demeanor was also different from usual, exuding an extremely arrogant aura, and one could even sense the temperature inside the ship drop several degrees. She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp.

"Did you get permission from my father or me to marry a human?"

"My mother actually..."

"It seems not. You know it's a taboo, right?"

"Is this a serious matter?" Mori asked.

Yuan's attitude softened considerably, and she answered Mori in her usual tone: "Yes, it's an ironclad rule. If you marry someone from another world's race without permission, it's considered treason and will be severely punished."

"Severe punishment?"

"Male demons are chopped up, female demons are sold to lowly lower-ranking demons, and mixed-race children are traded and turned into a special kind of toy."

Volume 1, Chapter 137: The Real Night Market

"What do you mean by 'special toys'?"

You wouldn't want to know.

Yuan and Sen Shi huddled together, pointing at Ying You and discussing it animatedly. Although it seemed like they were just having a casual chat, Ying You felt like the end of the world had come... He knew very well that he was doomed.

After chatting for a while, Mori couldn't help but sigh at the capriciousness of fate; the astrologer hadn't foreseen her calamity. She couldn't help but feel sympathy, because she had recently found a very precious material—the "Trillion Star Chart"—at Yingyou's shop, which she hadn't yet been willing to use.

Driven by compassion, she hesitated several times before finally trying to speak to Yuan.

"Wish, could we postpone this? I understand, if you want something from the devil, you have to pay an equal price..."

“Yes, that’s our rule. If Mori wants to keep him, I’m willing to hear your terms. You’re a trustworthy partner, after all, you really did bring me to the night market.”

“I don’t have much to give you, but here’s the thing: he and his mother are of great value, and there are still a lot of good things in the shop that haven’t been fully restored. Right, little mixed-race guy?”

"...Huh? Hmm."

To make his words more convincing, Mori glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then beckoned to Nyan to come closer.

She discreetly revealed a corner of the "Trillion Star Chart" hidden deep within her bag; its luster was profound and captivating, as if she had taken out a corner of the universe. Before it could be noticed and cause a sensation, Sen Shi quickly put it away.

Although it was only for a second, it was enough to see clearly.

"A magnificent work of art! So beautiful!" Yuan exclaimed sincerely. "If it were this, we devils would definitely agree, but Sen Shi didn't intend to trade it for it, did he?"

"Actually, I bought this from his store."

"This kind of artwork must be very expensive, right? Oh, I see. You'll be in trouble after you buy it, and you won't even be able to afford a quilt for winter..."

"In any case, his family probably has more good stuff. Let's wait until everything is restored before we see. Maybe there will be something of the same level."

“Indeed, it’s a better choice for me, so I agree with your advice. However, the Four Seasons are truly terrifying, with their greed and evil…” Yuan’s eyes slowly filled with respect. “If they are truly restored, the Four Seasons will definitely try to take a share of the spoils.”

"Well...we'll talk about it later. Besides, the Four Seasons People aren't as scary as you guys. I wouldn't even dare to think about anything special like toys."

"Those who live in all four seasons are even more terrifying."

"The devil is the scary one."

The two argued, but Yingyou stood there, dumbfounded. It wasn't until much later that he realized this older sister named Senshi had helped him. But what followed was a series of more pitfalls waiting for his family to fall into. Not falling meant family ruin and death; falling meant having their spoils divided up.

That's terrifying.

If only his parents' love had been approved back then, instead of him escaping to the human world like this, how much better it would have been? He was so depressed that even the airship taking off couldn't lift his spirits.

Yes, all the guests are here, and the Night Market Express has officially set sail towards the stars.

The journey was a bit bumpy, but no one cared, and the entire hall was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation. Meanwhile, a path was cleared in the hall, and people gradually appeared, selling appetizers.

Dandelion summoned the two girls back and then began to tell them some interesting facts about the night market—

The lobby is a relatively formal place, with food that tends to be refined and served in small portions. So people who have serious business to discuss will enjoy a delicious late-night snack here while gazing at the night sky through the windows and discussing business and other matters.

This was a formal occasion, somewhat aristocratic, but Dandelion spoke in a bland and uninteresting tone, clearly not interested in the topic. She didn't ask them to buy any appetizers, but instead offered advice in the tone of someone with experience—"The real fun starts later."

……

Before long, the airship reached a relatively flat altitude, which was even above the clouds. Just by looking up at the window, one could take in the entire flawless starry night.

The glass was clean, and Sen felt a deep sense of satisfaction, because every star seemed to dance in his eyes.

"The starry sky... I miss it so much. The trillion-star spectrum is beautiful, but the real thing is even more beautiful."

"Stop looking, Moritoki, let's go look on the deck later."

"A deck? Isn't that reserved for important people?"

“Just pay the fee once you reach the designated altitude. It’s worth the price; the barbecue and drinks will only be served on the deck.” Halfway through her sentence, Dandelion’s eyes suddenly changed. She spotted a staff member and immediately stood up—“Let’s go! Open the door!”

The entrance fee to the deck wasn't cheap, one hundred silver coins per person, but they could afford it. Just as Mori was about to pay, the person in charge of collecting the fees saw Yuan.

The other party was terrified and dared not accept the money, so they let the three of them go up. It was clear that the Demon Queen had made arrangements in advance.

Upon reaching the deck, the fierce winds that Mori had anticipated didn't materialize; instead, there was a sense of tranquility, like being in a garden. It turned out the ship was surrounded by magical structures that blocked the gales—a truly thoughtful design.

Then, the strong smell of charcoal and grease filled the air, something Mori was very familiar with.

There's no need to light lamps, because the moonlight and the flickering flames from each stall are enough to illuminate everything. Each flicker of those flames awakens one's appetite.

"Mori, please do as you please. I'm off! I've been missing this place for so long."

Dandelion, excitedly chattering, already had a target in mind. She headed straight for a stall set up by the winged people and plopped down on a long bench.

The winged man was delighted: "Little girl, it's you again? You're my first guest today."

"Stop arguing, bring me three plates of roasted feathers for your daughter, and a beer—and remember, don't add any salt."

"Of course I know your habits."

Sen Shi was well aware of this atmosphere: in the open-air stalls, the greasy vendors prepared the ingredients on the spot. They skillfully combined fire, seasonings, and ingredients perfectly. Although the flavor was too rich and not exactly healthy, the deliciousness was undeniable.

Weary people always need strong, delicious food to numb their souls.

What's more, this night market floats in the sky. Looking up, you can see countless stars as embellishments for the food.

"That's really good."

Mori played with the gold coins, casually searching for ingredients that suited her taste. Before she knew it, more and more people had paid and flocked in, all regulars who loved the atmosphere. The crowd grew, but Mori also made a plan—she had found a stall that perfectly suited her taste.

Those ingredients are truly enticing...

He excitedly took his seat, then stared at the human stall owner sharpening his knife, who seemed rather displeased.

The surrounding noise grew louder, and coupled with his overwhelming anticipation, Mori couldn't help but raise his voice—

"Give me a beer, and also grilled beef tongue! Grilled chicken feet! And a plate of pig ears! Oh, no salt, and lots of chili."

After she finished speaking so casually, did the wind suddenly pick up a lot? No, it was because the surroundings were deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop. Mori noticed that both customers and stall owners were looking at her with strange eyes.

Did she say something wrong? Morishi was full of questions. She had clearly tried to avoid attracting attention, and hadn't ordered any pig intestines or chicken butts... yet she still stepped on a landmine.

Volume 1, Chapter 138: Another Chapter of the Flood at Jinshan Temple

Mori felt the atmosphere was getting rather awkward—but, it shouldn't be like this…

Because the shop's sign clearly stated "Supplying all parts of various animals." Moreover, as a highly agile seasonal user, Mori's eyes could clearly see a pile of ingredients that had been magically frozen and preserved in a box next to the stall.

Among them were items ordered by Sen Shi Dian: cleaned beef tongue, piles of chicken feet, pig ears, and so on. Not only that, but other common grilled offal and cuts were also available.

So, because she's naturally afraid of awkward situations, she mustered up the courage to order those things... but problems still arose.

Helpless, Mori asked in a barely audible voice, "No?"

"It's not that I don't have any..." The stall owner was a little annoyed, but didn't show it clearly. He just looked through his box. "I brought a lot up today. I can sell you some, but it's very expensive."