The moment the contract was signed, the parchment documenting the master-servant agreement spontaneously combusted without fire, burning to ashes in the air before transforming into a stream of pure energy that lightning-quickly penetrated Topaz's chest.
"You—!" Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Before Topaz could react, the golden light had already vanished into her body.
'Buzz...' Topaz felt a ringing in her head. In her daze, she sensed her consciousness leaving her body, riding the wind straight up to the clouds and flowing into the sea of stars. Within this boundless starry ocean, Topaz once again beheld the figure of that great deity she had encountered days prior.
Struggling to open her mouth, Topaz wanted to say something, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't utter a single sound.
Perhaps noticing the silver-haired girl's movements, the deity waved his hand, and the next moment, Topaz's consciousness was forcibly returned to reality. Simultaneously, she felt a burning sensation as a golden mark representing "Causality" was seared onto the back of her right hand.
"This is..." Topaz touched the mark on her hand, her expression gradually darkening, for she realized that an indistinct yet tangible connection had formed between her and the person before her. This connection appeared fragile on the surface, but in reality, it was utterly unbreakable—something she couldn't dissolve no matter what.
'Clap clap clap...'
Yun Fan applauded while laughing: "Welcome aboard, Miss Topaz!"
"You... I..." Having tried to gain an advantage only to end up worse off, Topaz was at a complete loss for words.
Well then. This trip to Jarilo-VI not only failed to recover the debt but also landed herself in hot water. And...
"Sigh—You must honor our agreement. Two months, as promised. After two months, you'll let me and Numby leave."
"Of course. I, Yun Fan, always keep my word. Two months later, I'll release you," Yun Fan readily agreed, though in his heart he thought: 'Once you're on my pirate ship, do you really think you can leave? After I've thoroughly devoured you over these two months, let's see where you can run to...'
"Oh right, here's your little trotter back to you." Yun Fan retrieved Numby from another dimension and casually tossed it to Topaz. The moment it saw its owner, the previously struggling little trotter immediately calmed down, nuzzling against Topaz's arm as if seeking comfort.
"There there, Numby, be good. Everything's fine now." Topaz gently stroked Numby's back, continuously soothing it until the little creature finally settled down.
Watching the interaction between the girl and her trotter, Yun Fan chuckled and shook his head. This Topaz could be quite adorable at times.
The next day...
"Um, Miss March 7th, isn't this a bit too early? Mr. Yun Fan probably hasn't even woken up yet..." Bronya glanced at the wall clock, her fair face twitching slightly. At this moment, the hour hand had just barely approached the numeral five. This was... undeniably too early.
In truth, it wasn't just Bronya. Even Stelle behind March 7th looked half-asleep, yawning incessantly. As for Lynx? She was even more exaggerated—her head drooped as her petite body swayed slightly left and right, as if sleepwalking. One careless moment and she might just collapse to the ground.
"Huh? No no, it's fine. Yun Fan won't mind. Besides, we're here for serious business—it's good to prepare early. And Bronya, didn't you want to thank Yun Fan too?" Faced with Bronya's suggestion, March 7th scratched her head somewhat awkwardly, her pink eyes darting about evasively.
She couldn't very well tell Bronya that she'd accidentally set her alarm wrong before bed last night, which was why they'd all been woken up so early, could she?
"Hmm, Miss March makes a fair point. Then we'll trouble you, Miss March." Bronya nodded, accepting March 7th's explanation.
"Hehehe, don't worry! Leave it to me!"
March 7th flashed a 'V' sign to the group behind her before stepping forward and gently knocking on Yun Fan's door.
'Knock knock knock...'
No response came from within.
'Knock knock knock...'
This time, March 7th increased her knocking force, but as seconds ticked by, the group waited in vain for any reply from Yun Fan.
"Er, Miss March, perhaps we should—"
"No need, no need." March 7th interrupted the silver-haired young lady's suggestion. She sidestepped to make room for Stelle, and the two exchanged a glance.
"Oh oh." Stelle's previously drowsy eyes suddenly lit up. Under Bronya and Lynx's puzzled gazes, she pulled out her miHoYo family heirloom—the baseball bat.
'Bam! Bam! Bam!'
To Bronya and Lynx's horrified expressions, Stelle swung the bat three consecutive times against the solid wooden door, each strike producing a heavy thud.
"Miss March, isn't Miss Stelle's method a bit too...?"
"No no, this is how we always wake him up back on the Express." March 7th waved her hand dismissively, completely unbothered. Yun Fan was great in all aspects except one—he slept like the dead. Back on the train, Stelle had to use a baseball bat to bang on his door every morning to rouse him. Ordinary knocking simply didn't work. If left undisturbed, he'd naturally sleep until noon at the earliest.
Truth be told, if not for fear of startling Bronya and Lynx, March 7th wouldn't have even bothered with those first two tentative knocks.
'Tap tap tap...'
Sure enough, this method of "knocking" proved effective. The sound of slightly hurried footsteps came from inside the room, and the next moment, the door swung open from within.
Except...
"Uh, sorry sorry, wrong room. Wait—no! Wh-who are you?! Why are you in Yun Fan's room?!" March 7th exclaimed in shock.
Contrary to all expectations, the person who opened the door wasn't Yun Fan, but a silver-haired short-haired girl none of them had ever seen before. Currently, she wore slightly tight white sleepwear that revealed large swaths of fair, creamy skin, her striking figure on full display—particularly her ample bosom that seemed ready to burst free at any moment.
This unfamiliar girl currently wore a sleepy, drowsy expression.
Yun Fan's room + young girl + sleepwear = '...'