Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"What do you mean, 'interesting'?!" Lu Mingfei was practically going crazy. "I have no problem with you watching horror movies to cultivate your mind, but don't use me as a test subject, okay? I have a heart condition!" He patted his chest, feeling that his heartbeat hadn't fully returned to normal. "Besides, you're some kind of... uh, I don't even know what you are, what are you watching horror movies for? Those things are child's play for you, aren't they?"

“Different art forms naturally bring different experiences,” Lu Mingze said calmly, as if discussing some profound academic issue. “Even gods need a little bit of mortal fun to relax sometimes.”

Lu Mingfei rolled his eyes and decided not to argue with this guy with such a wildly unpredictable way of thinking.

He composed himself, looked at the calm and collected Lu Mingze in the mirror, and asked suspiciously, "So? What brings you here this time? Let me make it clear, I've been behaving myself lately, eating and sleeping well, not causing any trouble, and not encountering any insurmountable problems. World peace, all is well. You're not just bored and came here specifically to scare me, are you?"

He deliberately emphasized that "everything is fine," trying to create an atmosphere that "this is none of your business, you can leave."

Lu Mingze's smile deepened, carrying a hint of unease that made Lu Mingfei feel vaguely uneasy. He leaned forward slightly, as if trying to get close to Lu Mingfei through the mirror, his voice lowered, carrying a seductive magnetism: "Everything's alright? Brother, don't be too sure of yourself."

"What do you mean?" Lu Mingfei became wary. Whenever Lu Mingze spoke in this tone, it was never anything good.

"Nothing special," Lu Mingze straightened up, regaining his relaxed demeanor. "It's just that I feel you've had a rather too comfortable holiday this time, brother. Besides eating and sleeping, and spending time wandering around with that elf lady, it seems you haven't done anything else?"

"Isn't it better to live a more peaceful life?" Lu Mingfei retorted. "I've had enough excitement before, what's wrong with enjoying a peaceful life now?"

Chapter 225 Frilian, get up!

“Very good, of course very good.” Lu Mingze nodded readily. “However, since we are enjoying a vacation, why not make the experience more enriching? For example…”

He drew out his words, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over Lu Mingfei, "To improve yourself?"

"Improve what?" Lu Mingfei was completely confused.

“Language ability,” Lu Mingze said with a smile. “I’ve noticed that when you communicate with the Japanese students in the academy, you mostly rely on gestures, drawings, and your few awkwardly pronounced Japanese phrases learned from anime. ‘Yoshi,’ ‘Azumi,’ ‘Sukko-i,’ ‘Arigato,’ you can manage one or two words occasionally, but you’re completely lost when it comes to slightly more complex conversations. Don’t you think it’s a bit, um, not elegant enough?”

Lu Mingfei's face flushed slightly. He'd been right.

His Japanese proficiency is indeed limited to some very basic everyday phrases and anime lines, and his pronunciation is not necessarily standard.

"I... I just didn't have time to study!" Lu Mingfei retorted stubbornly. "Besides, I get along quite well with the other students!"

"Really?" Lu Mingze raised an eyebrow. "So that time at the convenience store near the college run by a Japanese person, you wanted to ask the clerk if they had a specific flavor of potato chips, and you gestured for ages, almost turning it into a silent play, and in the end, it was only resolved by Frilline pointing to the shelf, was that a lie?"

Lu Mingfei: "..." How does this guy know everything!

“So,” Lu Mingze pressed, “after this holiday, how about taking some time to seriously learn a few Japanese phrases? You don’t need to be fluent, just enough for basic daily communication. You never know when you might need them.”

Lu Mingfei frowned: "In the future? Why would it be useful in the future? And what do you know?"

"I don't know anything," Lu Mingze said, shrugging innocently. "It's just a suggestion. Learning another language is never a bad thing. After all, the world is more interconnected than we imagine, isn't it?"

Lu Mingfei looked at him, his unease growing stronger. Lu Mingze never spoke without reason. His seemingly casual suggestions often concealed deeper intentions.

Learning Japanese? That sounds too ordinary, almost eerily so. It's completely out of place with his usual suggestions about fate, deals, and power.

But Lu Mingfei also knew that he wouldn't get any more information out of Lu Mingze. If he wanted to talk, he would have already; if he didn't want to talk, no amount of interrogation would work.

"Alright, alright," Lu Mingfei sighed, tacitly agreeing to the suggestion. "We'll talk about it when I get back. Now, can you just disappear for a bit? I need to wash my face and wake Frillie up. That girl's been sleeping in longer and longer lately."

Upon hearing the name Frillian, an elusive emotion flashed in Lu Mingze's eyes, a mixture of amusement and something else entirely.

He gave a graceful farewell: "As you wish, my brother. Have a pleasant morning. Remember our promise!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the image in the mirror began to ripple and blur like a pebble thrown into water. Lu Mingze's figure gradually faded away, and finally, the mirror returned to normal, reflecting only Lu Mingfei's face, which was wet with tears and filled with confusion and unease.

All that remained in the bathroom was the dripping sound of water from a tap that wasn't turned off completely.

Lu Mingfei stared blankly at himself in the mirror for a few seconds, then shook his head violently, trying to shake off Lu Mingze's inexplicable words and that unsettling premonition from his mind. He turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face, feeling much more awake.

"Learning Japanese, tsk, it can't be harder than slaying a dragon, can it?" he muttered to himself, drying his face with a towel before leaving the bathroom.

The room was a bit brighter than before.

On the other bed, a small bulge appeared in the blanket, and silver hair, like a waterfall woven by sunlight, cascaded across the white pillow. Frillie slept soundly, her breathing even and deep, curled up in the blanket, only half her peaceful sleeping face visible. Completely unaffected by the outside light and Lu Mingfei's earlier commotion, she was immersed in her own dream.

Lu Mingfei walked to the bedside and looked at Frilian's sleeping face. Even in her sleep, the elven girl possessed a pure and untouched beauty, her long eyelashes like two small fans casting faint shadows under her eyelids.

The problem is, she's been sleeping much longer lately. When she first transmigrated to this world, although she also liked quiet and rest, her sleep schedule was relatively regular. But since when did waking her up become an increasingly difficult task?

"Frilian," Lu Mingfei called softly, gently nudging her shoulder, "Get up, it's dawn."

The bulge under the covers shifted slightly and emitted a muffled nasal sound: "Hmm, five more minutes."

Her voice was soft and sweet, filled with a deep sleepiness.

Lu Mingfei sighed helplessly, "You said five more minutes five minutes ago. Get up, didn't we agree to go to the nearby museum today?"

There was no response. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, as if it were an impregnable fortress.

Lu Mingfei increased the force of his shove: "Frilian! Get up! The sun's already high in the sky!"

“Hmm, there’s no sun,” Frillie mumbled, burying her head deeper into the blankets. “The curtains are drawn.”

Lu Mingfei: "..."

They're quite good at spotting grammatical errors.

He took a deep breath, changed his strategy, and began to use noise interference.

He walked to the window and pulled back the curtains with a whoosh, letting in more sunlight. Then he deliberately walked around the room, making a clattering sound with his slippers, cleared his throat, and hummed an off-key tune.

However, these actions had no effect on Frillie. She didn't even bother to turn over, remaining in her original position with steady breathing.

Lu Mingfei was at a loss. He stood by the bed with his hands on his hips, looking at the stubborn ball of blankets. Pulling it out by force? That seemed a bit too rough. Besides, while Frillie looked small, she could be quite strong when she got really stubborn.

His eyes darted around, and he remembered one of Frillie's weaknesses.

"Frilian," he whispered seductively in her ear, "I heard there's a famous dessert shop near the film studio that offers a limited quantity of incredibly delicious honey pancakes in the mornings. They're sold out if you go too late!"

The blankets twitched slightly.

Is it effective?

Lu Mingfei was delighted and continued to add to the excitement: "Those pancakes are said to be made with wildflower honey, a specialty of the highlands. The pancakes themselves are as soft as clouds, paired with fresh berries and cream. Just imagine how delicious that would be."

The blanket was pulled back a crack, and emerald green eyes peeked out from the gap, still sleepy in their gaze.

"Is it really delicious?"

“Of course! The online reviews are rave!” Lu Mingfei pressed on, “But! If you don’t get up now, it’ll really be gone! You know how ridiculously popular stores are!”

A brief silence followed as a fierce internal struggle raged between the allure of delicious food and the warmth of a cozy bed.

Finally, the blanket was slowly pulled back. Frillie sat up, her long hair disheveled, her eyes still sleepy, and she couldn't help but let out a small yawn.

She rubbed her eyes, looked at Lu Mingfei, and asked with a hint of grievance in her voice, "You promise it will be delicious?"

Lu Mingfei suppressed a laugh and nodded solemnly: "I promise! Quick, go wash up, we're leaving right away!"

Frillie slowly got off the bed, like a cat that hadn't fully woken up, and walked unsteadily toward the bathroom.

Watching her retreating figure, Lu Mingfei breathed a long sigh of relief. The wake-up service was finally complete.

This is even more tiring than fighting Deadpool. He shook his head, wondering to himself: Why has Frilline suddenly become so sleepy?

He had no answer, just as he didn't understand why Lu Mingze had suddenly suggested he learn Japanese.

Chapter 226 Honey Muffins

After a great deal of effort, they finally managed to free Frillian from the magical seal in the bed. Watching her slowly change into her familiar white top and blue skirt, her movements as gentle as if she were performing some kind of ritual, Lu Mingfei couldn't help but sigh again, realizing that the job of waking someone up was no less arduous than dealing with a second-generation species.

This is especially true when the client is a spirit with a near-eternal lifespan, who might also extend the concept of "just five more minutes of sleep" indefinitely.

Lu Mingfei felt that his life couldn't afford to be delayed by so many five-minute intervals.

"Is it done?" Lu Mingfei asked, watching Frillian tidy up her hair one last time.

Frillie nodded, her emerald eyes still slightly misty from just waking up, but much clearer than before. Her gaze fell on Lu Mingfei, filled with anticipation; clearly, the legendary honey pancakes had played a decisive role.

The two stepped out of the hotel. The morning air carried a slight chill, mixed with the city's unique scent. The sunlight grew bright and warm, spilling onto the street and gilding the hurried passersby with a golden edge.

Following the directions on the unethical map, they headed towards the rumored dessert shop.

Before even reaching the shop entrance, a not-so-short queue could be seen stretching from an elegantly decorated storefront, winding its way onto the sidewalk. The shop's sign was made of warm-toned wood, with "Honeycomb Whispers" written in cute lettering. The window display showcased mouthwatering dessert models, especially the signature honey pancakes, which looked fluffy and soft, drizzled with golden honey, and adorned with bright red strawberries and snow-white cream—a visually striking sight.

Tsk, right in Frillie's strike zone.

"Looks like it's really popular," Lu Mingfei said, scratching his head as he looked at the long line.

Frillie also stopped and looked at the line, her brows furrowing slightly. She was a little annoyed by the wait, but when her eyes fell on the waffle models in the window, that annoyance was quickly replaced by determination.

"Queue up," she said succinctly, and then consciously stood at the end of the line.

Lu Mingfei naturally had no objections. He stood beside Frilian, looking at the various customers in front of him.

There were high school girls in school uniforms chattering and sharing campus gossip; couples holding hands and whispering; young parents with children patiently soothing their impatient kids; and tourists like them who seemed to have come specifically for a pilgrimage.

The queue moved slowly forward. Through the bright glass windows, the kitchen could be clearly seen. Pastry chefs, dressed in neat white uniforms, masks, and hats, were busy at work, their movements practiced and efficient.

A young pastry chef prepares the muffin batter. He precisely measures the milk and eggs with a measuring cup, pours them into a large glass bowl, then adds sifted cake flour and baking powder. He whisks with a gentle yet rapid motion until the batter is smooth and even, without a single lump. Next, he takes a piping bag, fills it with the batter, and skillfully pipes a perfect circle into a preheated round mold. The batter sizzles slightly upon contact with the hot mold, and golden bubbles begin to appear around the edges.

On the other side, another employee was preparing the accompanying fruit. Strawberries were stemmed and sliced ​​into even, thin slices; blueberries and raspberries were carefully washed and drained; kiwis were peeled and cut into cute star shapes.

Others were whipping cream, using hand mixers to spin at high speed in chilled stainless steel bowls. The liquid whipped cream gradually became fluffy and firm, with clear lines appearing, and the aroma of milk filled the air.

"It looks, smells, and tastes amazing, not bad at all," Lu Mingfei exclaimed in amazement.

The head chef, responsible for the final assembly, carefully removed the steaming, fragrant muffins from the oven and placed them on an elegant white porcelain plate. Then, using a long-handled spoon, he scooped up a large spoonful of thick, shimmering amber honey and slowly drizzled it over the top of the muffin. The honey flowed like a golden waterfall, following the curve of the muffin, covering the surface, and even dripping onto the plate. Next, he used a spatula to scoop up a large dollop of snow-white cream and lightly placed it on top of the muffin, like a cloud hat adorning the cake. Finally, he skillfully garnished it with slices of fresh fruit and a few vibrant green mint leaves.

A plate of honey muffins, a work of art, is now complete. Every step is imbued with a sense of ritual, making it a pleasure to simply watch.

“It looks delicious,” Frillie said softly, her eyes practically glued to the finished product.

“Yeah, no wonder there’s a queue,” Lu Mingfei agreed, his stomach growling loudly.

After finally getting to the store entrance, a rich, sweet aroma wafted towards me.

The shop is decorated in a warm wood style with soft lighting. The counter displays a variety of desserts, including the signature pancakes, as well as cake rolls, macarons, puddings, and cookies in various flavors. The staff greet customers with enthusiastic smiles and work efficiently.

While waiting to pay, Lu Mingfei noticed a small tasting station nearby, displaying several new snacks launched that day, cut into small pieces and equipped with toothpicks. Since he had nothing else to do, Lu Mingfei went over to check it out.

There were mini cream puffs with a crispy exterior and a molten chocolate center; there was a matcha cheesecake with a delicate texture and rich tea flavor; and there were soft and chewy glutinous rice balls coated in powdered sugar. Lu Mingfei tried them one by one.

"Hmm, this cream puff is good, the chocolate is very rich."

"Wow, it's matcha flavored, quite refreshing."

"The dumplings are so soft, and the red bean paste filling is sweet but not cloying."

Lu Mingfei ate while silently evaluating the food in his mind. To be honest, he thought everything was quite delicious. He probably wasn't a picky eater, especially when it came to good food; he was exceptionally tolerant of it.

He even picked up a piece of matcha cheesecake and held it to Frillie's lips: "Try this?"