Chapter 189

Elaine's cooking was always extremely methodical.

It started with a warm pumpkin and onion soup, served in a rounded white porcelain bowl, with a sprinkling of charred onion bits and black pepper on the surface.

Jingo Rin lowered her head to take a sip, and the moment it touched her tongue, a rich sweetness bloomed. The creaminess of the pumpkin blended perfectly with the charred aroma of the onion.

Next was smoked salmon with herb cream on soft baguette, sliced neither too thick nor too thin, spread with a layer of cream seasoned with dill and lemon zest, offering a savory flavor with a hint of freshness.

Qi Xing took a bite and nodded. "Elaine, you're truly amazing. This feels even better than what you made last time."

Spending all day dealing with those officials and leaders, yet still managing to keep up with studies and various skills—apart from having little combat power, she was practically a jack-of-all-trades. That was even more impressive than just being able to fight.

Elaine just smiled gently and took the main course stew pot off the stove.

The main course was beef stew, slow-cooked in red wine and herbs until it practically melted at a touch. Carrots and mushrooms garnished the dish. On the side was a French potato gratin, baked with cream, its surface golden and crispy, while the inside was fragrant, rich, and tender.

Dessert was a caramel apple tart. Even Sasa got a piece, floating near the ceiling and nibbling on it leisurely. Qi Xing poured himself a glass of wine to drink.

"Rin? Minors can't drink alcohol!"

Looking at this dinner, which was truly too elaborate for a simple home-cooked meal, and watching Elaine hone her craft, keeping Qi Xing well-fed and satisfied, Jingo Rin ate silently without saying much, though she had a slight realization.

"…Miss Elaine, you're a bit like my mother."

"Huh?"

Elaine, who was ladling more soup for Qi Xing, couldn't help but pause, laughing a bit awkwardly. "If I could have a child with Qi Xing as impressive as Miss Jingo, that would certainly be wonderful, but that is, after all, up to fate."

In Truth, Jingo Rin didn't mean it that way at all. However, her near-feral intuition was extremely precise, so today's experiences, along with this dinner, made her vaguely realize:

…Actually, her mother, Asuka, lying on the bed all day waiting, hoping for Father to come see her, that longing to be watched by him… and Elaine working desperately, perfecting all the behind-the-scenes work, striving to improve herself to appear valuable so that Qi Xing's gaze could always stay on her…

These two people, while seemingly opposites, were actually very similar.

However, in all honesty, everyone would probably prefer the latter type of wife and mother…

"Most things here in Japan have been handled, and the rest don't really require us to keep watch here constantly. I intend to return to Rome in the next couple of days."

Dinner ended, and while drinking half a glass of red wine, Qi Xing began to talk about future plans.

"The Greed Demon said there are two or three ancient demon kings behind the scenes fighting for the world—honestly, I believe it."

"But that leads to another very strange question."

"The Roman Church has also existed in this world for nearly two thousand years. To say they are completely unaware of this, having no knowledge of any signs… honestly, I really don't believe that."

Putting down his wine glass, Qi Xing shrugged.

"I know the Church doesn't trust me, this Silver Coin Messenger. That's normal. If I were in their position, I wouldn't trust myself either."

"But keeping such information hidden all the time is pointless. So, we need to return to Rome first."

"Then, we'll see if the next demon king comes to find me first, or if we find the next demon king first."

Volume 4: Evil Magic City Tokyo: Side Story: The Devil and the Angel

One day after defeating the Greed Demon, before returning to Rome.

The adventures in Japan had finally come to an end.

Jingo Rin had temporarily returned to the Lionheart Society today. Elaine was sitting in the hotel suite's living room as usual, writing reports and sending messages, looking busy and methodical.

Qi Xing was holding the silver coin of [Death], sitting on the sofa, fiddling with it and pondering the new divine power he had just acquired.

The Loli Evil God Sasa, like a small, powerless airship, was floating beneath the ceiling, spinning around in boredom.

Perhaps she was truly bored to the point of molding, she finally couldn't help but poke her head out, looking down at Qi Xing on the sofa, and after a yawn, said:

[Hey, silly boy, what's the point of just staring at the silver coin? Just take it out and try using it.]

[Or ask me; I happen to be in the mood today, and I could show mercy and demonstrate it for you.]

Qi Xing then raised his head from the sofa and looked at the devil. "How would you demonstrate it?"

[Obviously, you lend me the silver coin of [Death] to play with, and I can demonstrate it~]

"Forget it, don't even think about it."

Qi Xing immediately shook his head.

"I haven't even settled the score with you for the [Illusion] silver coin yet."

—Everyone should remember that previously in Aomori, Sasa had Qi Xing leak some authority of the [Illusion] silver coin to her, and as a result, Sasa used the [Illusion] divine power to mess with Qi Xing's files, making Jingo Rin and the others investigating him see hallucinations.

After Jingo Rin learned the Truth, she didn't say a word and punched Sasa. Qi Xing let it go at the time and didn't pursue it—but he'd have to be stupid to let Sasa touch the silver coins in his hands again.

Qi Xing certainly knew that if Sasa used the functions of the silver coins, it would definitely be more sophisticated than any demon king. If she held the silver coin of [Death], who knows how many tricks she could come up with… at the very least, definitely more than a brute like Qi Xing who only knew how to kill.

If, while fighting a demon king, he let Sasa help with the silver coin, the combat power of Qi Xing's group could at least double!

But this was akin to drinking poison to quench thirst.

Samael, the dark creator of the universe, although undoubtedly an ally of Qi Xing now, with shared interests, was still far from being someone he could confide in completely.

[Ugh, I'm so bored—]

As a result, Sasa became unhappy instead.

[This time in Tokyo, everyone had their own things to do, only I didn't have a role!]

"Roles are something you have to fight for yourself, Sasa."

[Without a silver coin, I'm just a remnant shadow that can't interfere with the world, how can I fight for a role?!]

"Ha!"

Qi Xing immediately scoffed.

"You can't fight for a role without a body? Is a role such an inconvenient thing? You could help me come up with ideas, explain the enemy's divine power in advance, or even go out and taunt the enemies. It's you who didn't fight for the opportunity!"

Elaine, who was pretending not to hear their conversation from afar, almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Sasa's eyes widened, and for a moment, she was speechless.

—Actually, this devil wasn't originally so easily suppressed by Qi Xing's twisted logic.

But ever since Jingo Rin became a Valkyrie possessing the power of Uriel and personally "declared war" on Samael, Sasa couldn't help but feel a little sense of crisis.

Elaine was just an accessory on Qi Xing. Neither devils nor angels would care about what happened to an accessory on Qi Xing.

But between them, things couldn't just end like that.

Jingo Rin helped Qi Xing defeat the Greed Demon; shouldn't Sasa also show her worth as soon as possible, lest she be left further and further behind by the Valkyrie?

All the above thoughts were completed in a ten-thousandth of a second.

Sasa made this judgment almost immediately, let out a sigh, flapped her wings, and descended from the ceiling, asking: [What do you want to ask? How to use the [Death] silver coin?]

"No need, I can figure this out myself."

Qi Xing said indifferently.

"Any religion in the world, any mystery, almost cannot avoid the core theme of 'death'. [Death] can be said to be one of the oldest and most fundamental symbols of mystery, the greatest element of mystery."

"If you ask too much about this kind of thing, you will instead fall into a cognitive barrier."

"I am currently more concerned about another matter—I already have three [silver coins], how do I use them simultaneously?"

"The mythological prototype I summoned using the [Dominator] silver coin was the Underworld King Osiris, and I also have the [Death] silver coin. Originally, using these two together would surely have great effects—yet you tell me that a human body simply cannot operate multiple [silver coins] at the same time?"

[If it can't, it can't.]

Sasa immediately shook her head.

[How long have you had the [silver coins]? Although you were originally a half-immortal, and after synchronizing with [Dominator] you barely count as a complete immortal, how can an immortal cultivated by a human compare to the source of the entire universe and the entire [Dao]?]

[How could you possibly expect to control the cosmic source reflected by the [silver coins] themselves?!]

[In short, the time is too short, and your foundation is insufficient. You've only had the [silver coins] for half a year; what can you do in half a year?]

"I admit what you say makes sense; time is indeed a very practical issue. Even web novels dare not write about the protagonist achieving Dao in half a year or a year."

Qi Xing frowned, acknowledging this point.

"But I just don't have that 'time' to compare years of service with those ancient demon kings who have likely held [silver coins] for over a thousand years. That path is not one I can take."

[That's why I suggest you overwhelm quality with the quantity of [silver coins].]

Sasa retorted irritably.

[Otherwise, you can only improve your own heart. Whether it's digging into your deeper desires or establishing a deeper synchronization with the [silver coins]—although it's a bit cliché, isn't there a saying that as long as you are not satisfied, there is no limit?]

Although Qi Xing shook his head again, he knew that what Sasa said was indeed true.

Where are there so many shortcuts in the world that don't require a lot of trouble and fatigue?

But what he didn't expect was—

Just as he was pondering, Sasa tilted her head, and suddenly a sentence popped out of her mouth:

[How about, I help you think of a way.]

"What?"

[If you can't synchronize with multiple [silver coins] yourself, then just use some other methods.]

The Loli Evil God pursed her lips.

[For example, I can help you make an external device, something that can carry the [silver coins].]

[Anyway, there are always more solutions than problems, what's there to be surprised about?]

This sentence sounded quite inspiring.

However, thinking that the one saying this was a foolish creator god who came up with too many "big brain" ideas, Qi Xing couldn't help but feel a bit… quite unreliable.

Nevertheless, one thing is one thing.

Qi Xing still reached out and gently held mini Sasa's little hand: "Thank you."

In any case, no matter how silly she was, at least the sincerity and goodwill she wanted to express at this moment were real.

For Qi Xing, the most important thing has always been this sincerity.

[Hmph, it's not like I did it for you.]

"This kind of cheap tsundere act went out of style a long time ago, Sasa."

…

Originally, this kind of funny banter could have ended here.

However, watching this loli devil floating back and forth above his head, suddenly, Qi Xing couldn't help but want to ask a question:

"Sasa, actually there is something I've always wanted to ask."

[Hmm?]

"…Since you are the god king of this lewd world, the creator god… why is your appearance that of a young girl?"

This foolish creator god of the dark universe was female—alright, that was nothing, Qi Xing could understand that setting.

But when it came to female god kings, those primordial mother goddesses generally had physical characteristics of wide hips and full breasts, embracing the earth, the kind of maternal majesty symbolizing fertility.

How could there be such a loli young girl god?

…Qi Xing had never really asked this question before, mainly because he was worried that Sasa would have a clichéd reaction, such as getting unhappy or throwing a tantrum the moment she heard Qi Xing say she was flat-chested.

After all, this topic seemed very likely to involve breast development issues.

However, facts proved that Qi Xing still underestimated this foolish Sasa, who could create such a lewd world.

[What are you talking about? I'm not a goddess.]

Sasa raised her eyebrows upon hearing this, instead wearing an expression of it being only natural.

"…Female demons should also have figures, right?"

[I couldn't possibly be a mere demon or something like that.]

After speaking, Sasa patted her head with a sense of ceremony, where the spiky black halo rotated with a rumble, and she flapped her beautiful, pitch-black wings, answering proudly,

[I am an angel, a genuine, original, factory-standard 'Seraph'!]

[Angels (Children of Fire) are inherently supposed to be genderless.]

[Look, even in those religious paintings in churches, those little guys with wings and halos on their heads, in the paintings, they don't have █ █ between their legs, right?]

[But to say they are female, clearly they don't have protrusions on their chests either—after all, angels inherently do not possess gender; or rather, angels inherently do not possess material bodies.]