After a moment of contemplation, Xia Zhi stood and walked to Qiqi's room, knocking lightly.
Qiqi, who had been meditating on the bed, opened her eyes.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Qiqi."
"Master?"
Startled, Qiqi quickly got up and opened the door.
Sure enough, her master stood outside.
Xia Zhi smiled and stepped inside.
Qiqi glanced at the empty hallway before closing the door behind him.
"Master…"
"How's your training?"
"I've reached the second cycle."
"Any notable changes?"
"Not really, but I can use some basic techniques now."
"Good. Keep at it."
"Yes."
After briefly checking on her progress, Xia Zhi took out the [Key of Light].
"Qiqi, I made something interesting earlier. I think it suits you, so I'm giving it to you."
"This? Thank you, Master!"
Qiqi accepted the peculiar key, her expression curious.
"Master, how do I use it?"
"I'll teach you. First, you need to form a contract."
"A contract?"
"Just hold it with both hands."
"Like this? …Master, there's a strange voice in my head. It's asking if I want to become a Magical Girl of Light…"
"That's the contract. Just agree."
"Okay."
A moment later, the key in Qiqi's palms emitted a bright white glow.
The contract was complete.
Qiqi was now a Magical Girl of Light—likely the first zombie magical girl in history.
The light faded after two seconds.
"Master, what now?"
"Now, hold it every morning and night, silently saying my name in your heart. When it glows again, you can transform."
"Into a Magical Girl of Light?"
"Mm. You'll be able to use light magic then."
"Oh."
Qiqi didn't fully understand, but she trusted her master implicitly. She simply nodded obediently.
"Alright, keep practicing. I'm going to bed."
"Goodnight, Master."
"Goodnight."
After seeing her master out, Qiqi closed the door.
The doorknob still carried a trace of his warmth.
She held it for a long moment before letting go and returning to bed.
Sitting in silence, she took out the small key, clasped it in both hands, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Master…"
In a realm invisible to ordinary eyes, countless tiny points of pure white light began to emerge from Qiqi's body.
These were fragments of pure faith power.
Drawn by an unseen force, they flowed into the key.
---
Xia Zhi returned to his room, ready to sleep.
He took out the large, soft [Dream Pillow], climbed into bed, and hugged it. The comforting scent of the pillow's surface enveloped him, lulling him toward sleep.
He opened the system panel for a quick check.
Thanks to [Brings Luck to Husband] and [Auspiciousness], his Luck had increased by a few points over the past two days.
Even without [Luck Potion], it was already quite high.
Yawning, he nuzzled the pillow.
Strange…
Last time, dreaming of my cousin was so easy. Why can't I dream of Furina now?
What's the issue?
It can't be a time zone problem, can it? Fontaine and Liyue aren't even day-night opposites…
So tired…
Hugging the pillow, Xia Zhi gradually drifted into slumber.
Moments later, he opened his eyes to find himself standing in an opulent room.
The room was empty, but its lavish decor unmistakably matched Fontaine's style.
The bed's covers were slightly rumpled, as if recently slept in.
A few pieces of sleepwear lay scattered across it.
Hesitating, Xia Zhi reached out and touched them.
They were still warm—someone had just taken them off.
He withdrew his hand and turned toward the bathroom.
The door was closed, but from inside came a series of sounds.
Familiar sounds.
The kind of sounds his clients made during massages—pleasured, breathless.
"Cousin…"
A girl's voice, trembling with something between ecstasy and tears.
Xia Zhi's expression turned complicated.
"Cousin..."
The term itself was perfectly ordinary.
But when a stranger suddenly called out to him in flawless Mandarin, it felt anything but normal.
After all, this was Teyvat, not his original world.
Unless... the unfamiliar girl in the bathroom, like Xia Ci, shared some special connection with him.
With that thought, Xia Zhi could already guess the girl's identity.
Furina, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine.
After days of attempts, he had finally triggered the effect of the [Dream Pillow] and entered her unique dream.
The empty room echoed with the sound of the unfamiliar girl's soft sobbing.
"Cou... sin... Cou... Cousin..."
Xia Zhi fell silent.
He strongly suspected that the "cousin" Furina was calling out to was him.
He had no idea what had happened between them to make her act like Ganyu... Surely it wasn't just because he'd given her [Tears of the Goddess], right?
Xia Zhi withdrew his gaze from the bathroom.
He had no intention of doing anything untoward.
Taking advantage of someone in distress was wrong.
Though, given the circumstances, even if he did do something, Furina probably wouldn't be angry—in fact, she might even get more excited...
Best to wait and see for now.
After a moment's thought, Xia Zhi activated the [Hat of Secrecy]'s stealth mode.
His presence instantly faded, as if he had never entered the dream at all.
Then, he began slowly walking around the room, carefully observing the living space of this god.
The room was lavishly decorated, a style that, in Xia Zhi's memory, could be matched only by Ningguang's private quarters in the Jade Chamber.
Dreams were born from reality, so this was likely a faithful recreation of Furina's actual bedroom.
A large, soft bed—already seen, strewn with pajamas and socks in disarray.
A reflection of the owner's carefree personality.
A massive wardrobe, its doors slightly open, filled with elegant dresses and fancy hats.
A testament to the owner's refined taste.
A sturdy desk, holding a few delicate cups and a plate of fruit cake.
Proof of the owner's sweet tooth.
A tiered writing desk, yet not a single book in sight.
Beside it stood a full-length mirror.
Xia Zhi walked over and examined it.
Thanks to his stealth, the mirror showed no trace of him, only clearly reflecting the wall behind him.
It seemed like an ordinary full-length mirror, likely used by Furina when changing clothes.
Just then, the sounds from the bathroom abruptly stopped.
Faster than Miss Ganyu—Xia Zhi silently noted.
A moment later, the bathroom door opened.
A girl wrapped in a towel, her face flushed and steps unsteady, emerged.
Her pale feet left damp footprints on the floor.
Xia Zhi glanced at her—her face matched the girl in Charlotte's photo perfectly.
No doubt, this was Furina.
A shimmering progress bar hovered above her.
Progress: [0%].
The girl flopped lazily onto the bed, grabbed a pillow, and buried her face in it.
"Uwah uwah... I want to see big brother so badly right now... Uwah uwah..."
"..."
Xia Zhi was speechless.