Chapter 25: Kicking Lai Gushi, punching Katniss...

Katniss's once-clean robes were now completely filthy. Her face was flushed red; to be so humiliated in public, especially in front of the Golden Blood, whom she hated most, was something no one had expected.

She turned around and yelled, "Didn't you see anything just now?! Who cleaned up?! And where are the guards?! What are they good for?!"

The servant muttered to himself, "That's really strange... No one who walked past just now slipped or fell, and no one saw this banana peel here..."

His expression was full of confusion. "And banana peels...? This isn't a market, where would you get banana peels...?"

Nobody knows that when you saw the message from Hanabi, you almost wanted to burst out laughing.

—Awesome!!!

Hanabi is joking. How could you blame her? To be able to retaliate so quietly, you can't help but want to give her two passionate kisses right now.

When Hanabi teases you, you always feel her methods are persistent and hard to defend against. However, when she's on your side... you'll understand the benefits of these methods. Less harmful, but extremely insulting.

Yes, and it was really fun.

But... you pondered for a moment, "Why a banana peel?"

[This one.]

Hanabi replied matter-of-factly:

[You have too many banana-related things in your backpack, so I'll help you tidy up. And didn't you seem to have a lot of connection with bananas when you were studying at Origami University? I thought you liked bananas. What's that song again?]

She paused for a moment.

[Banana, an island overflowing with bananas; Banana, the love nest of the banana-sleeping monkey...]

[No, don't, play songs in, my head!!!] You closed your eyes, feeling the dead memories attacking you frantically.

[Okay, okay, they're all so easily amused.]

Fireworks seems to enjoy seeing your embarrassed and annoyed expression, typing cheekily:

[Don't forget to be grateful to Lady Hanabi!]

Joking aside, you're actually quite grateful to Hanabi and Sangbo.

Although they caused a lot of trouble at Pinocchio before, this time they really did a lot for you... running around and solving so many things.

You sighed and said sincerely, "[Thank you, Hanabi.]"

Hanabi seemed stunned, replying to the message more than ten seconds late:

[Why the sudden emotional outburst?]

She said:

[Hanabi-sama did this for fun, of course! It's a rare opportunity to use Aha's power, so I'd better show off my skills. After all, how many chances in the world are there to get this close to a Star God?]

[And if anything happens to you, Sambo will start crying again, and I'm so annoyed... If you really feel bad about it, then play games with me when you get back, and this time you can't stop.]

...

Bai E was stunned for a few seconds, seemingly also finding the scene before him unbelievable.

He rubbed his eyes, but the noise around him not only didn't subside, it even intensified.

Dazed and confused, he muttered to himself, "...Did I see that right? Katniss fell down here? Because of a banana peel?"

Bai'er looked at Aglaia questioningly, only to find that she too had a furrowed brow. Although she tried her best to remain calm, she could not hide the astonishment on her face.

...This is so shocking, so absurd. It's like a dream.

A few seconds later, he remembered the mysterious power you possessed, turned around and whispered in your ear, "...Partner, you didn't do this, did you?"

You quickly shook your head, afraid he would misunderstand. But then you hesitated and nodded slightly.

...Hanabi did it, but she can only exert her power through your phone now, so rounding it up, it's basically your doing...?

However, [Pioneers] would never do such a thing; this time it's entirely [Joy's] fault.

Bai E couldn't help but laugh, "This is really..."

He tried his best to control the corners of his mouth, not letting the smile be too obvious, "...cough cough, well done."

Katniss stood up angrily, about to unleash her fury, when she saw the crowd surrounding her.

It's true that watching a spectacle is human nature. Because of Katniss's status as a member of the Senate, a few people first watched secretly, and then a group of bolder people came and surrounded the guards, marveling at the sight. In the end, they shouted things like "the law doesn't punish everyone" and "citizens' bonds," and a huge crowd formed.

She could only desperately suppress her anger and force a smile.

"...I'm so sorry, everyone. Please go home now. Thank you for your concern, I'm fine."

"Who cares about you?" One of the citizens, who seemed to be a skilled debater and had developed a professional habit, couldn't help but retort when he heard her words, "We're just here to watch the show, we don't care."

There was a two-second silence in the air.

Then people started chattering excitedly.

"What kind of work is the Senate doing? They can't even spot a banana peel. Katniss is really embarrassed now."

"Indeed. Speaking of which, what are bananas here? Who eats bananas at Dawn Cloud Cliff? Isn't that disrespectful to Lord Kefaller...?"

"Shh—are you out of your mind? No matter who ate the banana, the most important thing now is to move on from this, understand? The reason doesn't matter, the important thing is that no one should mention it again, and it's best to forget about it completely."

"Ah, looking at it this way, Lady Aglaia is truly meticulous. Ah, that graceful posture, that noble countenance, no wonder she is a [Romantic] Golden Descendant..."

"...When are you going to get rid of this habit of judging people solely by their looks?"

Katniss was furious. She had never been so humiliated.

This is too suspicious; it must be a conspiracy by the Golden Clan…!

She lowered her head and began searching for the strange banana peel. Finally, she spotted a yellow patch and grabbed it.

But it turned out to be just an ordinary banana peel with no special features. At most, it was a bit big, with ripe black spots on the surface, and it gave off an enticing aroma.

If fruits could be personified, everyone who saw this banana would exclaim: "Oh, what an honest man!"

Unfortunately, this banana was a special offering from the Pinocchio Grand Hotel, reserved for the wealthy and discerning dreamers. It was so fresh that—

Katniss grabbed a handful of fresh banana juice.

Aglaia: ...

you:……

Bai E: ...?

*

Da, da, da.

Amidst the chaotic voices, someone was walking this way, accompanied by an unusual metallic clanging sound.

Why are you all gathered here?

Unhurried and methodical, they stood out amidst the chaotic footsteps.

...It seems to be coming from behind you.

You instinctively turned around. Bai E, however, turned around just in time, adopting a protective stance, pressing down on your shoulder and pulling you into his arms—

"..." The newcomer's voice was deep, metallic and cold, yet with a deliberate smile that made you feel uncomfortable. "...Excuse me for disturbing you."

He said, “Don’t be nervous. Let me introduce myself. I am a member of the audience of the ceremony, Lai Gu Shi. I don’t recognize this gentleman, but we seem to have a connection. Shall we get to know each other?”

...

While Katniss was still making a commotion, Aglaia turned around and exchanged a glance with Bai Er.

Although she hadn't expected this scene, she remained relatively calm. Her gaze shifted slightly to where the banana peel had been, but she didn't notice anything unusual; it seemed as if it had truly appeared out of thin air.

It came suddenly and left just as inexplicably. She lowered her eyes, and the golden thread silently probed around Katniss's mind, only to find that the other woman was filled with pure anger, without any deeper schemes.

...This is really strange. Could it be that Kippur has manifested his spirit?

Aglaia glanced at Laigus, who was spreading his hands to indicate that he meant no harm, then at Kayneth, who was still cursing not far away. She nodded to Bai Er and you, and went ahead to the Senate.

“…So it was you.” Bai E loosened his grip on your shoulder a little, his tone still indifferent. “Let’s talk about it later, we have other things to do.”

“I understand.” The android who called himself “Laigushi” nodded. “Just saying hello. I’ve never seen this gentleman here before…”

He was implying something, saying, "It was just a moment of curiosity."

...Why does this person look so strange? Everyone says masked men are handsome, but you always feel that there's something evil about the face under this person's mask.

What's with all the mystique? In most stories, the most pretentious characters end up the worst. Didn't you see how pretentious Scott was at first, but in the end he just barked like a dog?

You stare at the large hole in his chest, which is embraced by two arm-shaped patterns, but it is hollow inside. You can see the steps and floor behind it through the hole.

The heart is a very important organ. What distinguishes humans from man-made products is that humans possess a powerful force called "love."

Aglaia and Tibo have been able to persevere not only because of their unwavering desire to save this broken world, but also because they love Onpharos and the people from the bottom of their hearts.

Even as Aglaia's humanity gradually faded, her remaining love sustained her through a far longer and more arduous journey than anyone could have imagined.

Be wary. How can you persuade someone like Lai Gushi, who has no heart, with emotions?

Besides, Xiaobai doesn't seem to like him, so you don't like him either!

But you could also hear the unfriendly tone in his words, so you straightened your expression and said, "I come from a remote city-state and only recently came to Ohma. I was fortunate enough to gain the favor of Lady Aglaia. It's normal that you don't know me."

"You are too modest. To gain the favor of two Golden Descendants so quickly upon your arrival, you must be no ordinary person." Lai Gu Shi smiled meaningfully.

"Thank you for the compliment." He's being sarcastic, so you pretend not to understand and go along with his words, directly retorting, "Of course I'm not an ordinary person, it's just that you look like one."

Lai Gushi was speechless for a moment, seemingly not expecting that you wouldn't even pretend with him.

You continued, “You’re from Antikythera? To be honest, I once saw a glimpse of the King of Antikythera in a strange encounter, and we drank and chatted, considering each other close friends. It is said that a monarch is the father of a nation, and I am of the same generation as your monarch—so what should you call me?”

Laigushi: ...

“Your Excellency is very good at sophistry,” he said dryly.

You didn't give him a chance to change the subject at all, saying, "Shouldn't you bow to me? You have no manners at all towards your elders. Be careful, or I'll banish you."

Lai Gushi tried to follow your line of thought, "...What you're saying is different from my own logic. In my opinion—"

You can't win a logic argument with a machine. But you have a different way of dealing with it.

Quick question and answer, what kind of logic is that?

A: Going crazy.

So before he could finish speaking, you started singing:

"What are you pretending for? What makes you so great? What makes you so arrogant?"

Lai Gushi's unfinished words got stuck in his throat.

After you finished singing, seeing that he seemed to have run out of ideas, he blinked innocently and said:

"Excuse me, what did you just say? My throat suddenly felt itchy and I wanted to sing, so I didn't hear you."

This smooth combo would probably silence even the most formidable opponent like Ahri.

Laigushi clearly hadn't reached Aha's level; his mechanical head displayed a constipated expression.

"puff……"

Bai Er, standing next to him, was amused by your antics. The sight of Katniss falling down and Lai Gushi being teased was truly delightful; he struggled to suppress his laughter.

He feigned surprise and covered your mouth with a disapproving look, "Partner, that's really rude. I'm sorry, she's new here and doesn't know the etiquette of Ohmma... I'll definitely talk to her about it later."

In the silence, under the watchful eyes of Lai Gu Shi, you and Bai Er remained in this strange posture, slowly retreating to the corner.

"Who was that?" Seeing Bai Er release you, you crossed your arms and complained softly, "What's with the act? 'You and I are destined to meet...' Pshaw! What a pretentious guy. I do have a friend who's also an android, much more gentlemanly than him, and it's much more comfortable talking to him..."

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion arose in his subconscious.

You paused for a moment, your unfinished words caught in your throat, and you could only helplessly switch to the path of memory, releasing the restless little guy.

"Mimi!" Mimi flew out, wagging her big tail.

She can't sense what's happening outside in your mind's eye, but she can sense your emotions. Your previous emotions were clearly high and cheerful... but recently they turned into mild anger.

Mimi is worried about you; she thinks you really need a hug right now. Don't be afraid—your Mimi is here!

She landed on your shoulder first. You could feel her warm fur brushing against your neck, bringing a warm, vibrant pulse. She looked you over several times before finally relaxing a little, then, hands on her hips, began to "smother" you with an air of seriousness:

"Mimi! Mimi mimi mimi..."

Honestly, you need to take good care of yourself while Mimi's not around! How can Mimi be at ease if you're like this!

For a moment, you felt that the scene before you was somewhat familiar.

—Wait, isn't this… your lecture to Bai E this morning before you left the house?!

Now the roles have been reversed... What goes around comes around, and no one escapes the consequences.

What excuses are you trying to make? But Bai E in front of me has clearly thought of this as well. He lowers his head and lets out a series of earth-shattering coughs, his shoulders shaking as well:

"Cough cough!! Pfft, haha... cough!"

...Bai E, you really can't act, you know that?

This is probably what they mean by "one thing subdues another." Although Mimi's body is small, you somehow can't be assertive in her presence, and can only nod in agreement, "I'm sorry, King Mimi…! I'll definitely be more careful next time!"

Mimi became serious and began to mutter "MimiMimi" in a serious tone.

Has someone bullied you? Tell King Mimi! King Mimi will avenge you!!!

"Uh, it's not really bullying..." You're already being kind by not bullying the other person.

Mimi took it seriously, thinking you were being bullied and too afraid to speak up. She raised her paws and, with a fierce expression, prepared to rush outside.

You and Bai'er each grabbed one of their paws and held them back. The two of them tried to reason with them:

"Garlic bird, garlic bird, garlic bird..."

Bai E was about to laugh again. He was already fair-skinned, and now his ears turned a deep red, standing out starkly against his pale complexion. But before he could even fully gloat, a familiar figure flew to his ear again, chanting a spell-like "sweet talk," tinged with resentment:

"Confused..."

It's all your fault for not protecting her properly! And you're still laughing? What's so funny?!

Bai E was caught off guard when she hit him on the head. He cried out "Ouch!" and pretended to be unable to take it. He covered his ears as she scolded him, putting on an act.

"Master Mimi, please stop chanting! I know I was wrong! -- Partner, please save me!"

You prop your forehead up, looking at the chaotic scene of flying dogs and dogs in front of you and sighing speechlessly.

Are these two kids combined even six years old?

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Author's Note: Katniss and Lacus, you two won't get away with this...