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At the [Thousand Eyes] branch
The tea room door slid open, and Shiroyasha glanced up.
Thud!
A shark-head beastman's head landed squarely on her tea table.
With a flick of her folding fan, Shiroyasha covered her face and sighed, "Oh dear, is this your idea of a greeting, Leticia-san? We've known each other for over a millennium, haven't we?"
Standing before her was a woman with radiant golden hair and crimson eyes. In a calm, emotionless voice, she stated, "A five-digit Demon Lord was hiding in your jurisdiction."
"And now, you've taken care of him," Shiroyasha replied, rolling her eyes. "Let me guess, that Demon Lord was the backer of the [Great Shark] community?"
Leticia nodded slightly, her demeanor unchanging, not even her breathing faltering.
Shiroyasha wasn't surprised. As a pure-blooded vampire from the early days of Little Garden, Leticia Draculea could easily handle a five-digit Demon Lord.
What intrigued Shiroyasha wasn't the elimination of the Demon Lord but something else entirely.
"Heh, did you take him out preemptively because he might threaten [No Name]? You're spoiling those kids too much, Leticia-san."
"...They're still very weak," Leticia replied slowly, her tone devoid of emotion.
However, at the mention of 'No Name', a flicker of emotion crossed her heart.
"I've seen the new member," she added.
"Oh?" Shiroyasha said, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "What do you think of him?"
"Compared to the former leader Koumei, he lacks strength. Compared to strategist Canaria, he lacks wisdom..." Leticia paused, a slight smile forming on her lips. "But he's bold and decisive. For now, he's more suited to be the leader than Black Rabbit."
Shiroyasha laughed heartily. "Haha, he's got guts, that kid and even dared to use me. As for strength and wisdom, those can be developed. After all, a community is about combining everyone's strengths."
Still, Shiroyasha couldn't help but comment, "Comparing him to monsters like Koumei and Canaria right off the bat? Give the newbie some time to grow!"
Leticia responded calmly, "If I were the enemy, I wouldn't give my opponent time to grow."
Shiroyasha rolled her eyes. "No need to worry. With that kid's talent, he'll probably mature before the enemy even makes a move."
Leticia looked at Shiroyasha, puzzled by her confidence.
Shiroyasha just smiled behind her fan. "Well, don't look at me. I promised the kid I'd keep it a secret. As his patron god, I can't betray his trust."
Seeing Shiroyasha's teasing expression, Leticia sighed and changed the subject. "I need some freedom."
"Hmm? Planning to personally mentor Ryo?" Shiroyasha asked, surprised.
Leticia nodded slightly. "His foundation is too weak. Even with a fragment of divine power, he can only use basic abilities. This level isn't enough to face five-digit opponents."
"Well, he was just an ordinary human," Shiroyasha shrugged. "When I created his Divinity, I only gave him the most basic fire elemental fragment to avoid limiting his potential. Honestly, the fact that he developed that flame giant ability shows impressive combat instincts."
Shiroyasha understood that Ryo came from a peaceful world and couldn't be expected to have extensive combat experience.
"About that freedom you want, I'll apply to the higher-ups. The former leader of Perseus still holds some old sentiments; it shouldn't be too difficult."
After the fall of Arcadia, Leticia, due to her unique status, became a trophy for the victors and was auctioned off multiple times. Eventually, she was purchased by the Perseus community under Thousand Eyes.
The current leader of Perseus, a woman with ties to an Arcadia member, granted Leticia some freedom. However, as a powerful four-digit entity, she was still under supervision.
In Little Garden's lower levels, four-digit beings were top-tier. Even Zeus, the Greek god-king, was at this level.
The upper three-digit beings were restricted from interfering unless in major crises.
Therefore, Leticia's return to No Name was nearly impossible.
Sensing Shiroyasha's thoughts, Leticia said calmly, "As long as I have some freedom, that's enough."
In Little Garden, a five-digit rank was mid-tier. Ryo's strength was sufficient for self-preservation, but Leticia hoped he could lead 'No Name' to reclaim Arcadia's former glory.
If possible, she wished to return to Arcadia herself, but for now, that dream seemed distant.
Since returning wasn't an option, she decided to pass on her knowledge and experience. Ryo was the ideal candidate.
"Well, the Perseus issue is their problem, not mine," Shiroyasha said, waving her hand. "But I'll handle your request for freedom. In return..."
Shiroyasha grinned mischievously at Leticia. "Next time we meet, how about wearing a miniskirt?"
In an instant, Leticia vanished.
"Wait, don't go! A maid outfit is fine too! Even something modest! Let's discuss this!" Shiroyasha called out, trying to stop her.
Realizing Leticia was still in the room but had sensed Ryo's approach, Shiroyasha knew her plans were thwarted.
It was a sad realization.
Soon, the tea room door opened, and Ryo entered, led by the attendant Julie.
Seeing Shiroyasha's expression, Ryo removed his hat, handed it to Julie, and smiled. "Hey, why the long face?"
"I'm very displeased!" Shiroyasha huffed, crossing her arms.
Ryo assumed she was upset about him skirting the rules and taking over [Great Shark]'s assets. He shrugged. "Even if you're unhappy, the Little Garden's central system sees it as self-defense."
In Little Garden, the core (central) system had laws that didn't hold players accountable for rule violations during games, as long as they weren't caught. Cheating was allowed if unnoticed; getting caught often meant automatic loss.
Now that the matter was settled, no one could hold Ryo accountable, despite his questionable methods.
Seeing Ryo's playful smile, Shiroyasha fumed. "Can't you be a bit more apologetic? Say something nice to appease me!"
"I'm afraid if I do, you'll start craving my body," Ryo joked, shrugging.
"Huh? Me, craving you? Get real. Maybe Black Rabbit would," Shiroyasha retorted, rolling her eyes.
She reached into her kimono sleeve and tossed a black card to Ryo.
"Here's the information you wanted."
Ryo caught it and looked down at the card.
At the top, bold letters read: {Other Universes Observation Method}
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