In the end, I went with the job that glittered the most, like coins catching sun on a riverbed.

Hmph. It’s just a dragon, right? I’ll find it, like following smoke to its fire.

[Due to an accident, I lost my beloved pet dragon. Kind adventurers, please help me find it. It’s truly adorable. If you locate it, submit it to No. 444 Qingfeng Street. Generous reward!]

Anger flared like sparks off flint. Which bastard slapped a high-risk job on the beginner board, then dangled that much pay? Damn.

No clues, like a path swallowed by fog. Should I grab a random dragon nearby and call it Wangcai for her? No. Under normal skies, a true dragon wouldn’t wander here like a whale beached on sand. So any dragon in these parts must be Wangcai.

With that thread caught like a fishhook, I headed out to hunt Wangcai. With my adventurer’s permit shining like a badge, the guards didn’t block me, and the city gate opened like a calm tide.

I thought it through, my mind circling like a hawk over fields. If it got lost, it’d be in the forest not far from Starfate City. The rest is endless plain like a golden sheet, or rivers curling like silver snakes. So I chose the forest first.

“Wang—cai—!” I cupped my hands like a conch and shouted in midair above the trees near Starfate City.

No one’s here, like a quiet pond under moonlight, so no one will see me anyway. Dragons hear well, like drums inside the clouds. If I shout here, every monster nearby should catch it like wind carrying scent. Maybe dragons don’t answer to “Wangcai”? Dragons are proud, like mountains that bow to no storm. As a high race, dragons aren’t mindless. Being called Wangcai… that’s probably a thorn in its pride.

“Wangcai, Wangcai…” I called and drifted for ages, like a kite tugging a tired string. Not one dragon-type beast showed. Plenty of other monsters came, like moths to a lantern. Too bad my spatial ring’s gone—like a pocket ripped open—otherwise…

Sigh. Talking more just presses on the bruise.

I’ll stop for today, like folding a map at dusk. There’s no deadline on this job anyway.

…

“No way. Someone actually took that job?” A knot of adventurers swarmed the board like sparrows, staring at [Find Wangcai] marked as in progress.

“That’s a master-tier job—any sane person would wait. You might end up facing a dragon like a storm meeting a cliff, but the payout’s weirdly low compared to other master-tier quests. No wonder no one touches it.”

“Heard a little girl picked it up… and she’s pretty.”

“A little girl? Figures. Shame, though.”

“Sigh…”

By the counter, the receptionist’s face held worry like frost on glass. She never thought the blue-haired girl would pick something this dangerous. She’d wanted to tear that ridiculous posting down, like pulling a thorn, but the issuer’s status tied her hands.

“Ah… may luck walk with her, like a lantern on a long road.”

…

In the end, I found nothing, emptiness buzzing like a hollow reed. I walked alone down Starfate City’s streets, the stone shining like wet slate. No choice—fill the belly first.

This shop looks good… Jiumi. The name hums sweetly like honey in tea.

I stepped into a dessert shop washed in pink, like cherry blossoms spilled across a room. Two Beastkin staff greeted me, ears twitching like alert foxes.

“Hello, cute little sister, welcome~” The two gorgeous Beastkin ladies smiled with a strange curve, like cats eyeing a canary.

Their warmth jolted me like hot water over cold hands. I thought it was standard service, but it slid off course. From holding my hand like ivy twining, to scooping me into a seat like a shepherd lifting a lamb, to rubbing my head like petting a rabbit…

“I’m here to eat. I can order myself.” My discomfort prickled like nettles. With girls this forward, I feel like a leaf in their current.

“Pfft~ then take your time, little sister. Big sisters will go work~” The maidservants didn’t push too far; they teased like sunlight flickering, then drifted away.

“Phew, they’re gone…” I exhaled, long and light, like mist leaving a lake. I picked up the menu. I’ve never been here, so I don’t know the taste.

“Starry Wish? Looks like a pudding, and a good one… I’ll start with a few.”

“Um…” When I raised my head to order, I noticed the earlier ladies had moved to the door. Beside my chair, a white-haired loli appeared out of nowhere, her blood-red eyes smiling like lacquered cherries.

“Little sister, what do you want? I’m the owner here~” The petite boss, about my height, lifted her slightly rounded chest with confidence, like a small bird puffing its feathers.

So small… No, that’s the normal size for this height. Irritation fluttered like moth wings. Why am I hung up on size? Forget it—order first.

“I want this.” My pale, small hand tapped the signature item on the menu like a raindrop on paper.

“Mm~ Starry Wish? It’s a bit pricey.”

“It’s fine. I have money.” Annoyance flicked across my face like a shadow from passing clouds.

Being doubted for my age these days—rage zips like sparks. Now even a mere loli my size questions me? Seriously—

“Hee-hee. Since that’s fine, how about our hidden menu? That signature dessert only recently stepped out from the shadows, like a star shifting to dawn.”

“Normally, we don’t show the hidden menu to regular guests, like a garden behind a locked gate. But you and I feel fated, like threads crossing. I’ll break the rule just this once and let you see. If you like, you can order. Oh, and only—I—can—make—it.” Her words stretched like silk pulled thin.

“How about it?” Her whisper curled like a devil’s breath, echoing in my ear like ripples in ink.

Damn—using desserts I haven’t tried to tempt me, like dangling fruit over a hungry bird. Fine. You’re ruthless.

“Please show me.”

“Then, wait a moment~” The white-haired bun struck a mature, sultry pose, like a rose arching to sun, ending our talk. She murmured to the maids, and under their startled looks—like owls blinking—she slipped into the kitchen.

When she came out again, a thin menu lay in her hands like a secret scroll. She flipped it open, set it on my table, and sat opposite me, chin propped on both hands like a cat waiting at a window.

Tch, a mere trick… “Endless Night-Enchant Crystal City”? Looks so-so—just a city built of grapes, like glass beads stacked. “Crimson Moon Stained by Dusk”? Watermelon and strawberries with tomato sauce—just a mismatched sunset on a plate. Nothing that—slurp—special.

“It’s fine. Not as amazing as I imagined. Bring one of each.” I closed the menu and let my eyes shut, like shutters against noon light.

“One of each? Are you sure, little sister? There are over a dozen desserts here, like stars scattered in a bowl.”

“All of them. I can finish.” Determination burned like a small, stubborn flame.

“That’s not the point of finishing…” The owner’s expression trembled like a lid about to rattle. “Forget it. I already took a liking to you…”

“?”

“Please wait. These desserts need a bit of time, like moonlight thickening to cream.”

…Did I just hear something strange, like a bell ringing under water?