Chapter 67

The little boy who changed his name, or simply called "Pear", became a little male servant of the Custer family.

The lowly little servant naturally couldn't wear a noble little dress, but there were no other suitable children's clothes for him at home. Fortunately, Gwen was very skillful and used her old maid's uniform to make him a light gray linen robe with a small bow tied with a black satin ribbon with white lace at the collar.

The cute twintail hairstyle was also banned, so Gwen helped him to tie it into a half-braid, preventing it from being loose and adding a ruffled silk headband.

Both looks are cute in their own way, and Gwen likes them more and more.

The boy is so well-behaved and sweet. She serves the Custer family all her life and never marries, so she treats him as her own grandson.

Li Jue was young to begin with, and in this world his height and weight had shrunk, making him essentially a tiny kid.

The tender little kid jumped around holding a rag, but still couldn't reach the table. Not to mention Gwen, even the other servants in the house felt a little sorry for him.

But for some reason, the Earl was particularly strict this time. He did not allow anyone to help and assigned Li Jue a workload that was obviously beyond the capacity of a cub. He was not allowed to eat until he finished the work.

The servants whispered:

"Why does the master dislike him so much?"

"If the lady hadn't been gone for so many years, I would have thought..."

"Shh, don't talk nonsense."

"Let's help him when the master is not home. He looks so pitiful."

"What if we get discovered?"

"this……"

Da, da, da.

The sound of heels came from far away.

When the servants saw that it was the butler, they immediately shut up and quietly went about their business.

Xu Jiahang guessed correctly, the servants in this family were indeed afraid of Tan Ning.

Tan Ning usually wears a gentle and polite smile, but his smile is more terrifying than a sullen face.

The servants always thought that he would wear a suit and tie and carry a shovel to bury others alive, or stab others or himself in the heart with a dagger while smiling.

The spurting blood splashed on the handsome face and then flowed down, like a demon returning from hell.

...No one can explain why they have such fantasies.

After the man walked in, the hall was empty in an instant, with only the little cub who was still wiping the table with a grunt, and the butler who was looking at him with interest with his arms folded.

The cub was busy working, muttering "hey yo hey yo" to cheer himself up, and he didn't even notice the dust on his little face.

"pear."

"pear?"

"pear!"

It took the adult shouting for the third time to bring the little one back to his senses from his busy work.

Li Jue was still clutching the rag. When he turned around and saw the person calling him, his eyes lit up: "Uncle Wanwan!"

The man's mouth curled up subconsciously and then tightened: "You've got the wrong person. My last name is not Wan, it's Tan."

The little cub tilted its head in confusion, looking at the other person from bottom to top, and then from top to bottom again.

No matter how you look at it, he is Uncle Wannian!

After finally meeting a familiar person in this little world, the baby really needed a hug. He forgot he had a rag in his hand and ran over happily.

The housekeeper picked up the clothes and the baby with one hand, and with the other hand, he picked up the damp rag with his index finger and thumb in disgust, criticizing in a not-so-harsh tone: "Look, there's water all over the floor."

Li Jue lowered his head, and the water dripping on the rag indeed meandered along the route he ran.

He puffed up his face and said dejectedly: "I can't turn it..."

He is a little kid now and his strength is very limited. It is a big challenge for him to wring out the thick rag.

Tan Ning turned the rag around, and it immediately became dry; he tapped it with his fingers, and it was automatically cut into several pieces of even size.

The child opened his eyes wide.

It turns out this is a magical world!

Tan Ning picked up the light and weightless little thing and wiped the table with a small piece of it to demonstrate. It immediately became as clean as new under his hands.

"If you don't dry it, it will only get dirtier." Tan Ning stuffed the rag into the little servant's hand, "This job is already the easiest, you have to do it well."

Li Jue didn't feel uncomfortable being carried. He held the rag in both hands and looked around, wanting to know if his uncle had cast a spell on it; if so, could he learn it?

Seeing that the child's mind was almost flying outside the castle, Tan Ning reminded her at the right time: "Li, your work will continue until the Autumn Festival. Before then, you must complete the Earl's instructions well, understand?"

Zizi nodded and then shook his head.

Tan Ning: "What don't you understand?"

Li Jue: "What is Jiuji?"

Tan Ning almost couldn't hold back his laughter. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "It's the Autumn Festival, the full name of which is the Autumn Festival. It's a custom passed down by the Custer family and lasts for three days. On the first day, all residents of the fiefdom will take a day off to attend the opening ceremony. They express their gratitude for the peace bestowed by the Fialan continent and for the Custer family's dedication to defending the area."

Li Jue nodded, not quite understanding: "I understand!"

It seems like he doesn't understand at all.

The butler sighed. "As for you, just do the work that the Earl assigns you every day. There are other arrangements for you on the day of the Autumn Festival. Remember, Li, there must be no mistakes."

The little cub clenched his fists: "I will try my best!"

Adults looked at his trying-to-be-serious expression and wanted to raise their voices even higher and rub his soft little face that was as soft as pudding.

Unfortunately, now is not the time.

"Mr. Tan, the child is still young, don't be so strict."

A delicate voice came from behind them.

The little cub that was picked up turned around with the person who was holding him. The young maid, holding up the hem of her skirt, walked towards them gracefully on tiptoe around the water stains on the ground.

Li Jue looked at this beautiful sister with the same surprise in his eyes and tone: "Huh..."

Miao Ling raised her slender index finger with purple nail polish to him and smiled sweetly: "Shh, don't tell me. My name is Miao Ling."

This completely confused the little cub.

Why is uncle not uncle anymore and brother becomes sister?

Is this the way this world is set up? No one can be like me?

Zizi raised her hand and touched her lace headband, wondering, does that mean she has to be a little girl too?

Miaoling changed into a maid outfit today. The black gauze puffy skirt was short and curvy, only reaching her thighs. Her straight legs were clearly visible in the lace thigh-high stockings.

"She" held up the hem of her skirt and turned around in a showy manner, then came over affectionately to take Tan Ning's arm, her voice pinched and thin: "Mr. Tan, do I look good today?"

Tan Ning pushed "her" away unmoved: "Men and women should not be allowed to interact with each other. Please keep your distance from me."

"You don't treat me as one of the same sex anymore at this time?" Miao Ling was not annoyed when she was avoided. "Dear, your gender consciousness is still fluid - it's okay, I like it even more this way."

Tan Ning: “…”

There was no one else here, and the two of them flirted unscrupulously in front of the children.

Xiao Lijue, who was still being carried, looked at this and that.

I always feel that my uncle is very different in front of my sister (...well, should I call her sister?).

Yes, he didn’t say it the other way around, the different person is uncle!

*

There was still about a week until the Autumn Festival, and everyone in the castle was busy making preparations.

Apart from the New Year, the most important festival of the year in Custer is the Autumn Festival.

On this day, people not only do not have to work, but they can also receive various foods, clothes, and even gold and silver distributed by noble families; these materials represent both the gift of Fialan and the kindness of the Caster family.

The whole town is immersed in the joy of harvest. The air is filled with the rich aroma of roasting meat, new brewed ale, bread and spices. Parades, performances of minstrels and choirs can be seen everywhere - everyone looks forward to it.

"Fialan Continent" not only refers to the main continent, but also includes a series of surrounding islands, which together constitute the "Fialan United Kingdom".

But the queen, the nominal supreme leader of the kingdom, is just a figurehead. The real ruling power of the Fialan continent is firmly controlled by the major nobles. The dozens of fiefdoms from south to north are actually more like dozens of small countries.

The only reason why it has not really split apart is that all the residents of the mainland have the same beliefs.

The embodiment of this belief is the Holy Son of Fialan - he is far more respected than the queen and more cohesive than the nobles who act independently.

Every ten years, the Supreme Altar will select a Holy Son from eight-year-old boys across the continent, and this responsibility will continue until he is eighteen years old.

In the ten years before he came of age, the Son of God was the incarnation of God on earth, the spiritual sustenance of all residents, and possessed the absolute piety and submission of Fiaran.

Xu Jiahang picked up a pure gold paper cutter and opened the wax-sealed envelope with the Queen's coat of arms.

He struggled to decipher the cursive characters that flickered like a string of lightning, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

The butler asked considerately, "My Lord Earl, has Central City made any difficult requests?"

Just as originally expected, Xu Jiahang had almost obtained all the memories of the "original owner". His understanding of this world became clearer and clearer, and he had to understand the importance of the matters entrusted in the letter.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "The Holy Son will be present at this year's Autumn Festival."

Tan Ning's eyes widened. This was certainly not part of his plan. "His Royal Highness the Holy Son...? Wasn't he visiting the coastal fiefdoms recently?"

Xu Jiahang smiled bitterly: "Why isn't the southernmost Custer a coastal fiefdom?"

Tan Ning hesitated: "This..."

His hesitation was not fake. The NPCs in the sub-world had their own progression and logic. No matter whether they were small bosses or big bosses, they had to find a suitable opportunity to insert themselves into the stories they were performing. Before the boss arrived, the plot arranged by the NPCs would not be changed at will.

Under normal circumstances, the Son of God in this copy is used as a background setting only to enrich the completeness of the sub-world, and will not actually appear in the process of players advancing the plot. After all, the big boss they finally face is the devil of hell, not these almost powerless mortals.

It seems that Xu Jiahang, the anchor player, changed the direction of the plot.

Anchor players are the key frames of each sub-world. Not every batch of players entering the dungeon will have anchor players. However, once they appear, they may affect the route of the sub-world - of course, it is temporary. This change will only last until all players in the same batch fail or pass the level, after which the dungeon will be refreshed and restored to factory settings.

Xu Jiahang stuffed the letter back into the envelope and handed it to Gwen, who was waiting nearby. He then instructed Tan Ning, "The Holy Son will arrive at the castle in two days. Everyone, be prepared for the reception. Nothing can go wrong."

Tan Ning immediately answered: "Yes."

Xu Jiahang specifically warned Gwen, "Especially that little brat. Hmm... I think we should have him stay in the other courtyard for the next few days and not show up in front of the Holy Son. Remember?"

Being able to see the Son of God with one's own eyes is a luxury that many people in Fiaran dare not even think about in their entire lives. The little servant was lucky enough to have such an opportunity at such a young age, but it was deprived of it by Xu Jiahang's light words.

Gwen was a little surprised and slightly dissatisfied, but she was just a lowly maid and had no right to bargain with the master of the house. She could only bow her head deeply and said, "Yes, Master."

After Xu Jiahang left, the housekeeper looked at the elderly maid, who seemed to want to sigh but dared not, and thought for a moment: "I will arrange your work earlier. When the Holy Son arrives, you can take the pear and watch from a distance; but don't let the master see you."

Gwen was even more surprised this time. Mr. Tan could be described as impartial and ruthless. He would never commit any misconduct against his servants, and would never accept any bribes. This was one of the reasons why the Earl trusted him so much. Why did he treat that child today... ?

But she had worked for Custer for decades, so she knew what to ask and what not to say. She didn't even dare to raise her head. "Mr. Tan, thank you... Thank you so much."

"Go get busy."

"yes."

Tan Ning watched Gwen's departing back and could tell that she was in a good mood, even her steps were lighter than usual; her love for the little servant was genuine, and he felt more at ease knowing she was here to take care of the little guy.

That child is really lucky. He can find someone who is willing to pamper him no matter where he goes.

Or maybe he was just too cute, and no one in the entire infinite space could resist the charm of the baby—no one.

"You're in such a good mood? It's rare to see you not smirking."

A nightingale-like voice came from behind.

Tan Ning immediately stopped smiling—in fact, he didn't even realize he had just smiled—and asked coldly, "Why are you here?"

Miaoling walked around to him, put her hands behind her back, bent her waist, and looked up at him with ill intent, "Oh, you smile so brightly in front of Gwen, but you're so cold to me. Do you prefer the mature type? But she's old enough to be your grandmother, right?"

"……boring."

Tan Ning turned and left.

Miao Ling always felt very accomplished when she made him angry, so she followed him with a smile: "What were you talking about with that old man just now?"

Tan Ning glanced at him and asked, "Have you finished your work?"

"It's just a few loads of laundry. I just move my fingers—" Meow Ling said as she tapped the air, and a puff of black mist popped out from her fingertips and then dissipated, "and it's done."

"Not doing your job properly." Tan Ning snorted, "Don't use it here, or you might get seen."

"I'm touched that you care about me so much. But..." The girl smiled very cutely, "This is my territory. What should I be afraid of?"

...That's the truth.

The man wanted to sigh, skipped the topic, and asked a more important question: "Do you know why the Holy Son came? - I was just discussing this with Xu Jiahang."

"'Holy Son'?" Miao Ling blinked blankly, "Who is it?"

Tan Ning: “…”

Where is your territory?

Miaoling recalled: "Oh, I remember now. Wait a minute, is this actually a real NPC? I always thought it was a background setting, just like the Queen, just a code that can send messages."

"The word 'code' really doesn't fit in this world view," Tan Ning said. "I don't know how you manage it, but the letter says the Holy Son will arrive in two days. You don't even know what he looks like, do you?"

Miaoling shook her head innocently.

"She" has always pursued a free-range policy, allowing all plots to grow wildly and unrestrainedly; rather than managing numb and boring NPCs, "she" prefers to toy with and torture uncontrollable players, or people from other sub-worlds - such as Tan Ning.

"It doesn't really matter," Miao Ling shrugged. "The people who come to the festival change every time anyway. The Son of God is still the Son of God, just another NPC with a nicer name. Hey, let's go find some baby to play with, shall we?"

"She" sometimes calls Li Jue baby, and sometimes calls herself baby. Now when Tan Ning hears these two words, his nerves tense up reflexively.

But he remembered something else: "Xu Jiahang ordered that the baby not be allowed to see the Holy Son. Do you know why?"

Miao Ling frowned unhappily, "This old man, not only is he a toad dreaming of swan meat every day, but why does he also bully my little sweet bean? I really want the Autumn Festival to come soon..."

Tan Ning saw that "she" was also unaware of the strangeness, which made him feel even more strange.

He said, "Xu Jiahang will probably be very busy after the Holy Son arrives and won't have time to look for you. You should stay with the cub then."

"I know that without you telling me." Miao Ling pouted. "Well, I haven't seen him for a while. How about we go find him and play with him now?"

A light flashed across Tan Ning's unilateral lens: "You go ahead, I have something else to do."

After he finished speaking, he left without looking back without waiting for Miaoling to answer.

Miaoling stamped her feet unhappily like a real little girl, and after a moment she walked in the opposite direction, the hem of her skirt rising like a gorgeous black flower about to bloom.

*

"elder brother……"

"Call me sister."

"elder sister……?"

"Hey, good boy~"

Miaoling rubbed the cub's head and felt much better.

I've heard before that no matter how manic a boss is - for example, the infamous Golden Tyrant in Infinite Space - he will calm down after spending some time with the small system.

Before, "she" didn't believe it. It was just a communication system. The biggest difference was that it was younger and more innocent than those cowardly toys in the past. What was there that fascinated the arrogant Golden Dragon and the Siren King so much?

Now "she" and the cub were sitting side by side on the steps, basking in the sun and watching the ants. While doing such a boring thing, she felt actually peaceful in her heart - it was really strange.

Looking back on the past, Miaoling believes that her life can be summed up in three words: "having fun".

Because they get bored easily, they keep coming up with new ways to torture people and constantly picking out new people to tease;

It also feels boring because of the monotonous crying and wailing.

Tan Ning was indeed an accident when Miao Ling was having fun. He neither begged for mercy from "her" nor had hatred in his eyes. Instead, he gritted his teeth and endured, and even sought more, for his clear goal.

But “she” couldn’t be sure how long her interest in him would last - what should she do when it faded?

I know it’s a vicious cycle, but I can’t find a solution.

Even "she", who is capable of doing anything evil, has things she can't do anything about.

But today is different.

It was just an ordinary autumn day, with golden light scattered softly. "She" and her cub watched the ants moving in the garden for half an hour. She did not feel bored at all, and patiently discussed with the cub for a long time which ant was fatter and which ant was easily bullied.

Miaoling is afraid of loneliness, so she doesn't want to be idle, so she always has to stir up some sparks.

But when I was with my baby, I found that sometimes doing nothing can actually make people calmer.

The small system is really a good medicine for healing, right?

Miao Ling bent her knees and stretched them out, crossing them. She placed one hand on her chin and tilted her head to look at the child who was still concentrating. "Baby, what are you thinking about?"

Li Jue sat there, small as a child, his hands on his cheeks, sighing like an adult: "I miss Xixi."

Miao Ling was stunned: "Who is Xixi?"

"Xixi is..." Zizi was stuck, not knowing how to introduce her. After thinking for a while, he gave an answer, "She is Zizi's best friend!"

He nodded as he spoke, as if confirming his own statement.

Miaoling recalled the past monitoring footage of the small system. It seemed that there was an older black-haired boy who was always with her. She had met him once on Turtleback Island.

What's her name? Is it Xixi?

The two children have a very good relationship, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are inseparable.

What kind of child can always protect the small system?

There are too many mysteries surrounding both Li Jue and Xixi. They are definitely not as simple as ordinary systems or NPCs.

Miaoling thought that she had unearthed one or two new magic boxes that were quite interesting: there was something to do again.

Unlike the excited maid, the little male servant sighed again, showing a sadness that was not in line with his age.

Not long after he arrived in the first two sub-worlds, he saw Xixi there, but a week had passed in this new world without him noticing, and there was still no sign of Lingxi.

Custer Castle has a large population and there are different visitors every day. After finishing his work, Zizi will lie on the platform on the second floor and look at the gate through the hole, looking for the person he has been thinking about.

However, until this moment, he had not seen Ayaka, not even a figure that looked like Ayaka's back.

Grandma Gwen, who took care of him, had to sleep in the maid's room at night. Li Jue was too young to squeeze in with the other male servants - those snoring and tossing adults would probably kick him under the bed - there was no other way, the child had only a small storage room to live in, just like when he was in the Shen residence.

Li Jue is no longer a human being and will no longer feel hungry or cold, but he still has trouble falling asleep when Ling Xi is not around.

He had long been accustomed to relying on another boy in the long, rainy nights. They were inseparable symbiotic beings.

Miao Ling, who had calmed down, also felt strange. The festival would be held in a few days, and the plot would be pushed to a new node, and many things would change completely.

If the boy named Xixi is really a special character like a guardian, why hasn't he shown up yet?

Will it wait until after the subversion?

Or is it that... Ayaka doesn't even exist in this world?