"What are you muttering about over here all by yourself?"
A pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around Sirin's waist from behind, pulling her into a warm embrace. A familiar, clean scent filled her nostrils.
"Eep—!"
Sirin let out a startled yelp, her body going rigid. Her first instinct was to unleash a Subspace Lance and skewer the person behind her, but the familiar feel of his arms stopped her.
"What do you think you're doing, you pervert?! Let go of me!" she hissed, trying to pry his hands off her, her face burning with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
"Hey, what's with the hostility? Can't a guy hug his own girlfriend?" Mo Wang chuckled, resting his chin on her shoulder. He then dangled a brightly colored ice cream cone in front of her face. "I brought you a peace offering. Strawberry and vanilla swirl, your favorite."
Sirin's tirade died in her throat. Her golden eyes widened as she stared at the ice cream, a silent war raging within her.
Pride:I am the mighty Herrscher of the Void! I will not be swayed by such trivial human confections!
Instinct:Ooh, ice cream...
After a tense three-second standoff, instinct won. She snatched the cone from his hand and took a large, angry bite. The cold, sweet flavor exploded on her tongue, and an involuntary sigh of contentment escaped her lips.
"Better?" Mo Wang asked, his voice laced with amusement.
"...A little," she grumbled, refusing to look at him as she continued to devour the ice cream.
With the Herrscher successfully pacified, they finally made their way to the Homu Land entrance gate. As they approached the ticket booth, the cheerful-looking staff lady's eyes widened in recognition.
"Oh my goodness! It's you!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at Mo Wang. "The legendary 'Harem King' from the Love Fighting Tournament!"
Mo Wang froze, an expression of pure horror on his face. Sirin just blinked, utterly confused.
"You're a legend around here, sir!" the ticket lady gushed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "The man who six-timed—no, eight-timed if you count the commentators! Your performance was so inspiring! It completely changed the park's philosophy!"
She gestured enthusiastically towards a large, garishly painted mural near the entrance. It depicted a ridiculously muscular, god-like version of Mo Wang, surrounded by six beautiful, warrior-like women, all gazing at him with adoration.
In a summarized, breathless rush, the ticket lady explained how the "Love Fighting Tournament," originally a one-time, sponsor-funded event secretly organized by Bronya, had become Homu Land's main attraction.
Thanks to the sheer chaos and unexpected romantic drama of their battle, the park had rebranded itself as a place where couples could "strengthen their bonds through honorable combat."
It had become a bizarre pilgrimage site for those seeking to test their love, with options for everything from one-on-one duels to full-blown polyamorous battle royales.
"...I see," Mo Wang and Sirin said in unison, their minds completely failing to process the firehose of information they'd just been blasted with. They did not, in fact, see at all.
After a few minutes of blinking and letting their brains reboot, they grasped the general idea.
"And you must be the Empress!" the ticket lady said, turning her star-struck gaze to Sirin. She leaned in conspiratorially. "Congratulations on winning the war! We were all so worried after the Harem King declared that 'all the girls were his wings,' but it seems you're the one who officially clipped them! It's just the two of you today, right? So romantic!"
The staff lady, clearly a romantic at heart, handed them two glossy, gold-embossed VIP passes.
"On the house, of course! For our park's saviors! Please, have a wonderful time and try not to destroy the Ferris wheel this time!"
Mo Wang took the passes, a strained smile plastered on his face, and quickly dragged the still-confused Sirin through the gates before she could ask any more questions.
Mo Wang flashed her an easy smile, completely unbothered by her awkward stumble into the crowd. Seeing her still looking a little lost, he nodded toward a sleek section of the park lit up with neon lights and shiny metal structures.
"Let's hit that area first," he said, keeping his tone light. "Homu's Future Zone. I'll cover the first ride. Winner gets bragging rights for the rest of the day."
He made it sound like a challenge, and he knew that was something 'Kiana' would never back down from.
Sirin's competitive streak kicked in immediately. A competition? Now that was something she could deal with—way better than... whatever that weird warm feeling earlier was.
"...Fine," she conceded, a hint of her usual Bloated Puffer fish returning. "Prepare to be crushed, Hu mo wang."
They ended up in a two-seater cart for Homu's Mech Battle. The rules were simple: blast as many glowing targets on enemy robots and spaceships as you could with the laser guns attached to the cart.
These toys are pathetic, Sirin thought, eyeing the cheap plastic blaster. This is kid stuff.
Then the ride started. The cart shot forward into the darkness, and the first wave of robot targets lit up. Almost without thinking, Sirin aimed and fired. A satisfying PEW, a flash of light, and a cheerful DING as points lit up her screen.
Okay. That was actually kind of fun.
Her Herrscher instincts kicked in—precision, control, dominance. While everyone else was spraying lasers everywhere, her shots were clean and deliberate. Every single one hit its mark. A smug little smile crept onto her face as her score shot past everyone else's.
Mo Wang wasn't making it easy for her, though. The guy was good. He leaned back in his seat, totally relaxed, landing shot after shot like it was nothing. He kept up with her easily, and before long they were locked in their own personal war. He'd "accidentally" steer his cart to block her view. She'd "accidentally" bump his blaster off-target.
They shot each other looks between shots, turning the silly ride into their own battlefield.
The ride reached its climax. A giant, menacing boss robot appeared, its chest glowing with a single, high-value bonus target. This was the final shot, the one that would decide the winner.
Sirin narrowed her eyes, lining up the shot. Her finger tightened on the trigger. This was it.
Right as she fired, Mo Wang's cart suddenly "slipped." He let out this ridiculous yelp and jerked sideways, bumping into her cart. It was just enough to nudge her aim off by a hair.
Her laser shot out and nailed the target dead center.
The ride ended. Lights flooded the area, and a huge screen displayed the scores. "Kiana"'s name sat at the top in flashing gold letters, with a score that broke the park record. A siren blared and a booming voice echoed through the building.
"NEW GALACTIC CHAMPION! A SCORE NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN HOMU HISTORY!"
A staff member rushed over, staring at Sirin like she was some kind of legend, then handed her the grand prize: a massive King Homu plushie. The thing was ridiculous—fluffy, golden, and almost as big as she was.
She just stood there for a second, then slowly turned to Mo Wang, who was clapping with the most innocent grin on his face.
"You let me win," she said. It wasn't a question.
His grin got even bigger. "A knight's gotta make sure his queen comes out on top," he said smoothly. "Besides, I didn't want you sulking all day if you lost. Your ego's kind of delicate."
Sirin's brain completely short-circuited.
She stood there clutching the giant goofy plushie, her face getting warmer by the second. She quickly turned her head away to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
"...Idiot," she muttered, but there was zero bite to it. Against all logic, she was actually... happy.