Ark Simulator, don't I have no physical form?

Chen's dragon tail tip curled up happily: "Deal."

The aroma of breakfast gradually intensified. Suri's silver dust carried the plate to the table. The bacon was fried to perfection, with slightly charred and crispy edges; the scrambled eggs were fluffy and golden, sprinkled with finely chopped herbs; the toast had a crispy crust but a soft, cloud-like interior.

Chen's dragon eyes widened slightly: "Does he usually cook like this?"

"Otherwise what?" Hoshiguma's green hair fell over her shoulders. "Why do you think I gained three pounds?"

Suri's silver dust gently poked her side: [No.]

"Shut up." Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over him. "If I say you're fat, then you're fat."

Chen's coffee cup paused at her lips: "You guys..." Her dragon tail swayed gently, "Always like this?"

"What?" Hoshiguma's green hair exploded.

"So cloying." Chen's dragon horns gleamed faintly. "Like an old married couple."

Suri's silver hair instantly bristled, a few strands sticking up unnaturally. Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed dangerously: "Don't you want Akakage anymore?"

Hoshiguma seemed quite bothered by the fact that a piece of her shield had been cut off at the time.

Chen tapped her fingertips lightly on the rim of her glass. "To be honest," she said, her gaze sweeping over Su Rui's flushed ears. "When do you plan to go public?"

"Publicize what?" Hoshiguma's green hair fluttered even without wind. "Why do we need to report to others about what we do?"

Su Rui's silver dust subtly tugged at her sleeve: [Calm down.]

Chen's dragon tail gently patted the ground: "All of Rhodes Island knows."

"What do you know?" Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed into slits.

"You two," Chen pointed at the two people with his fingertip, "a pair."

Suri's silver hair completely wilted, the ends drooping down to obscure her eyes. Hoshiguma's green hair stood on end like a hedgehog: "Who spread that rumor?"

"Mengmengxiang." Ripples appeared on Chen's coffee cup. "Blue Poison. Truth. Zilan." A sly glint flashed in her dragon eyes. "And Nightingale in the monitoring room."

Hoshiguma's Hannya Shield slammed onto the ground with a clang: "Those brats..."

Su Rui gently lifted the shield with her silver dust and placed it back in its original position: "...Never mind."

"What's there to calculate?" Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over him. "Aren't you angry?"

Suri's eyelashes trembled slightly: "...It doesn't matter."

Chen's coffee cup stopped mid-air: "Really?"

Su Rui's silver dust paused in mid-air for two seconds: [Hmm.]

Hoshiguma's green hair suddenly fell down, the tip of her demon horn lightly brushing against his forehead: "...Idiot."

As the morning light gradually brightened, the temperature in the kitchen rose accordingly. Chen's coffee cup was empty, and her dragon tail swayed gently: "I'll handle the leave request."

Hoshiguma's green eyes softened slightly: "Thanks."

"Conditions." Chen tapped the empty cup with his fingertip, "A set of tea utensils from the East."

Hoshiguma's green hair exploded: "A robbery?"

"Tetsuzhai's handicrafts." A glint of shrewdness flashed in Chen's dragon eyes. "Don't think I don't know he sent you three sets last year."

Su Rui's silver dust quietly raised a finger: [A set.]

"Shut up." Hoshiguma's green hair fell down and brushed against his cheek. "Eat your food."

Chen's dragon tail curled up happily: "I want to see the leave slip in two weeks." As she stood up, the scabbard of the Crimson Sky Sword lightly tapped against the corner of the table. "And the tea set."

Hoshiguma's green eyes stared at her departing figure: "Vampire."

Suri's silver hair gently brushed against her wrist: "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Hoshiguma's green hair cascaded down. "I didn't promise to give her a tea set."

Suri's amber eyes shone brightly in the morning light: [Requesting leave.]

Hoshiguma's green eyes flickered slightly: "...Idiot."

Her fingertips gently brushed his silver hair, as if combing a melting galaxy in the sunlight.

Mornings in the Eastern Lands are always shrouded in a thin mist, and the cobblestone streets still retain the dampness of the night dew. Hoshiguma's boots crunched softly over the moss growing between the stones. Her attire was more streamlined than usual—the dark green swordsman's uniform clung to her body, and the Hannya shield at her waist had been replaced with a short sword in the Eastern style, the oni horn gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen in the morning light.

Suri walked beside her, her silver hair tied in a high ponytail, the ends falling over the shoulders of her dark blue kimono. The fabric was embroidered with subtle patterns of waves and cranes, which shimmered with the unique glint of silver threads as she moved. The wide sleeves swayed gently with her steps, revealing a light-colored undergarment underneath, and a small bell was fastened to her sash, occasionally making a soft tinkling sound.

"Watch where you're going." Hoshiguma's green eyes swept ahead. "Don't step on your hem."

Suri gently lifted the hem of her kimono with her fingertips: "Too heavy."

"You asked for it." Hoshiguma's green hair fluttered in the morning breeze. "Who told you to wear this?"

Suri's silver hair brushed against her wrist: "You chose it."

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed slightly: "I told you to try it on, not to wear it out."

Suri's eyelashes cast fine shadows in the morning light: "...Beautiful?"

Hoshiguma's green hair stood on end: "...Shut up and walk."

The morning market in the blacksmith town was already bustling with activity. The shouts of vendors mingled with the aroma of grilled fish. Several children, carrying pinwheels, ran past them, nearly bumping into Su Rui's sleeve. Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over, and the children immediately hid behind the stalls in fright.

"That's scary." Su Rui's silver dust formed words in the air.

Hoshiguma's green hair fluttered even without wind: "Who told you to dress like this?" Her thumb brushed against his belt. "Like a young nobleman."

Suri's silver hair fell down, obscuring half her face: "...I'm not used to it."

"Now you realize you're not used to it?" Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over the growing number of gazes around her. "Weren't you quite happy when you were trying on the clothes?"

Suri's earlobes turned slightly red: "The belt you tied."

Hoshiguma's green hair brushed against the back of his neck: "...Enough nonsense."

Volume 16, Chapter 925: Hoshiguma's Comeback

As they passed a teahouse, the proprietress poked her head out: "Young master, would you like to try some of our newly arrived Gyokuro?" Her gaze lingered on Su Rui for a moment, then she glanced warily at Hoshiguma. "Uh... do you need any help?"

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed dangerously: "What do you mean?"

The proprietress's hand was already on the alarm bell under the counter: "N-nothing..."

Su Rui's silver dust quickly formed the words: 【Voluntary.】

The proprietress's expression grew even more horrified: "My God! They won't even let us speak?!"

Hoshiguma's green hair exploded completely: "Let's go."

She grabbed Su Rui's wrist and strode out of the teahouse. Behind them came the proprietress's hushed cry of alarm: "Call the police! That green-haired guy has kidnapped the young nobleman!"

Tessai's blacksmith shop was located on a small hill outside the town, and the clanging of hammers could be heard from afar. A few maple leaves were already stuck in Hoshiguma's green hair, and his boots were covered in mud. Suri's kimono hem was also not spared, with mud splattered all over the dark blue fabric.

"Serves you right." Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over his clothes. "Serves you right for wearing this up for a hike."

Suri's silver duster gently brushed away the mud: [It can be washed off.]

"Wash it?" Hoshiguma's green hair exploded. "This material is worth at least 200,000 LMD!"

Suri's eyelashes trembled slightly: "...You bought it."

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed into slits: "Say it again?"

Suri's silver hair fell down: "...I was wrong."

The doors of Tessai's blacksmith shop suddenly opened, and an old man with white hair stood in the doorway, carrying a forging hammer. His one eye scanned back and forth between the two men: "Finally here." His gaze stopped on Su Rui's kimono, "...What kind of outfit is this?"

Hoshiguma's green hair moved automatically without wind: "He chose it himself."

Tessai narrowed his one eye slightly. "Come in." He muttered as he turned away, "These young people nowadays..."

The blacksmith's workshop was cooler than I had imagined. A dark blue flame burned in the central furnace, and various weapons hung on the walls. Beside the forging table in the iron workshop were two low stools covered with animal hide mats.

"Sit down." Tiezhai gestured to a stool. "Pour your own tea."

Hoshiguma's green eyes swept across the room: "Where's Tetsuya?"

"He went to town." Tessai slammed his hammer heavily onto the red-hot iron. "He said he was going to buy something... comics."

Su Rui's kimono sleeves draped over the animal skin cushion, and her silver hair shimmered with an orange-red glow in the firelight. His fingertips lightly touched the rim of the teacup, and Yin Chen picked up the teapot and poured a cup for each of the three.

Tiezhai's one eye swept over the scene: "Same old story." He pointed his hammer at Su Rui, "Hold out your hand."

Su Rui's silver hair swayed slightly as he obediently extended his wrist. Tie Zhai's fingertips pressed against his pulse, his single eye narrowing slightly: "...Much more stable."

Hoshiguma's green eyes flickered slightly: "The question from last time?"

"It's basically solved." Tessai withdrew his hand. "But don't rely too much on Originium Arts." He slammed his hammer down heavily. "Especially those fancy Silver Dust spells of yours."

Suri's silver hair fell down: [Understood.]

"Speak," Tessai said, pointing his hammer at him. "Stop using that thing all the time."

Suri's eyelashes trembled slightly: "...Yes."

A hint of a smile flashed in Hoshiguma's green eyes: "It's rare for you to be so obedient."

Tessai's one eye swept over the two of them: "You two didn't come here just for an inspection, did you?"

Hoshiguma's green hair fell over her shoulders: "On vacation."

"On vacation?" Tiezhai's hammer froze in mid-air. "You?"

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed slightly: "No?"

Tie Zhai's one-eyed gaze turned to Su Rui: "Has she been traumatized?"

Suri's silver hair swayed gently: "...No."

"Never mind." Tessai's hammer fell again. "The west wing is ready, go ahead." A glint suddenly flashed in his one eye. "By the way, the town's festival starts tonight."

Hoshiguma's green hair stood on end: "I'm not going."

Tie Zhai's hammer slammed onto the anvil with a clang: "I didn't ask you." His one eye stared at Su Rui. "Want to go?"

Suri's amber eyes reflected the firelight: "...Is it alright?"

"Of course." Tessai's lips curled into a slight smile. "It'll be a good opportunity for the townspeople to see how much that little brat has grown up."

Hoshiguma's green eyes narrowed dangerously: "Tessai..."

"What?" the old blacksmith asked without looking up. "Afraid he'll be kidnapped?"

Suri's silver hair quietly wrapped around Hoshiguma's wrist: "Want to go together?"

Hoshiguma's green hair fell down: "...Whatever."

The blacksmith town was even more bustling at dusk than during the day. Festival lanterns hung all over the streets, and the shouts of vendors rose and fell. Suri had changed back into casual clothes, but her high ponytail with her silver hair still drew attention. Hoshiguma had a maple leaf-shaped hair clip tucked into her green hair, a "decoration" that Tessai had insisted on giving her.

"Um..." A little girl in a pink kimono suddenly stopped them, "W-Do you want to buy flowers?"

Her gaze timidly swept over Hoshiguma's demon horns, then she quickly lowered her head, holding the flower basket in front of Su Rui: "Young master...would you like to buy one?"

Suri's silver hair swayed slightly as Yin Chen gently held up a white camellia: "How much?"

The little girl's eyes lit up: "Fifty, fifty coins..."

Hoshiguma's green eyes swept over the flower basket: "Too expensive."

The little girl shrank her shoulders: "Th-thirty coins..."

Su Rui's silver dust had already rolled out of her money pouch, and she took out a silver coin, placing it in her palm: "Keep the change."

The little girl's eyes widened: "Th-thank you, young master!" She turned and ran a few steps, then suddenly turned back, "Um, that..."

Hoshiguma's green hair stood on end: "What now?"

The little girl pointed to the street corner: "Police, police officers are over there..." Her voice trailed off, "If you need help..."

Hoshiguma's green eyes darkened completely: "Let's go."

She grabbed Suri's wrist and strode through the crowd. Behind them came the little girl's screams and the police's questions, but they were quickly drowned out by the noise of the festival.

"Next time," Hoshiguma's green eyes gleamed dangerously in the lantern light, "if you waste money again, I'll chop off your hand."

Suri's silver hair brushed against her wrist: "Here you go."

The camellia was pinned to Hoshiguma's collar at some point, its white petals standing out against her dark green swordsman's uniform in the night.

Hoshiguma's green hair fell down: "...Idiot."