Little Pink Starfish

Though Pei Sen grumbled about Bix Magic Cube in his heart, he was fully aware: being able to turn the invasion of a derivative world into a game-based framework—one that allowed Earthlings to unconsciously integrate with that parallel world—was proof enough of Bix Magic Cube’s terrifying power.

Pei Sen had never believed in gods, but what Bix Magic Cube had accomplished couldn’t be explained by science anymore.

Still, whether from its design as a “game,” or based on the time he’d spent interacting with it, Pei Sen couldn’t see any trace of so-called divinity in it.

…It was far too humanized. Occasionally, even overly lively.

Looking at the special reward that had appeared in his inventory, Pei Sen was even more speechless: a dull-gray key, already rusted, that looked like junk. No description. No hint of its function.

“You give me a reward—at least tell me what it’s for?”

Bix Magic Cube: “You’ll find out later. Trust me, it’s a good item. You’ll thank me.”

Pei Sen: “???”

Fine, he’d believe it… for now.

Once the situation in Gate of Eternity had stabilized, Pei Sen accompanied Eagle on a visit to Yali Continent. The players here were already quite familiar with the game. They followed daily routines, cleared dungeons, explored maps, worked as freelance mercenaries or adventurer squads.

Most of the original spawn points had been located on the lands of the Duchy of Lanno, though there were a few in other regions—some even as far off as Bonfrese, across the Endless Sea.

Some players, having leveled up and committed to the mage class, had begun migrating toward Bonfrese. They wanted to learn fire magic—something the Esmia Kingdom clearly wasn’t ideal for.

Overall, players on Yali Continent had found a rhythm that suited them. They no longer needed much guidance. And their relationships with native inhabitants were relatively harmonious—most had figured out how to interact with these “NPCs.”

“Lately there’s been a rumor going around the capital,” Sadin reported. “They say King Leiser has gone completely mad from grief after the death of Duke Burke Angre.”

Eagle replied coolly, “He wouldn’t. And he’s not mad.”

That was really two separate responses. First, “he wouldn’t”—Eagle didn’t believe for a second that Leiser had been truly saddened by Burke Angre’s death. That man had always been cold-blooded. Eagle had never believed he genuinely liked Burke Angre, and thus wouldn’t expect him to mourn.

Second, “he’s not mad.” Even if outsiders couldn’t grasp Leiser’s intent, Eagle had visited Gate of Eternity—and he now fully understood what was going on.

The Anser Empire in Gate of Eternity used to be much like the Esmia Kingdom. But now? That Emperor held absolute power.

Pei Sen agreed. Leiser had once been a competent king, by all accounts. But no one had known back then that he was tormented by a powerful curse that drained most of his energy. Stability had been his only goal.

But now? His health was no longer an issue. And this monarch, proud to the bone, had always harbored ambition. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered explaining himself to Burke Angre—or wiped out nearly all his siblings, leaving only Princess Carolina.

Leiser wasn’t mad. If his body had been healthy back then, he might’ve acted long ago.

That said, years of curse-wrought torment had warped his temperament. He had become more violent, more paranoid. Otherwise, he would’ve known how reckless his current plans were, how many lives would be lost chasing something with such a low chance of success.

“Even if he’s not mad, he’s so twisted now it’s basically the same,” Pei Sen said.

Eagle nodded. “His odds are too low. If he keeps pushing, the ancient nobles won’t wait—they’ll kill him first.”

Wendell, who had been silently sitting nearby, suddenly spoke up. “Don’t you hate him?”

He knew Eagle’s backstory. If Eagle hadn’t failed, Wendell would never have gotten his shot.

Eagle looked at him. “Seems like you do.”

“I do,” Wendell admitted without hesitation.

It was understandable. Leiser had cost him his sight, his position as heir to Bonfrese. Now, he could only remain in Red Maple Castle, unable to return home—and even if he did, what was the point? Bonfrese was even colder than Esmia. Say what you would about Orlington and Queen Sophia—at least he had loved her. In Esmia, other than Leiser, most kings had treated their families fairly well.

But Bonfrese? Pure cruelty.

Wendell knew that if he went back now, nothing good awaited him.

In another life, if he had been in Eagle’s place, he would’ve hated Leiser too. Eagle’s tragedy had been shaped by that man more than anyone else.

Eagle, however, chuckled softly. “I’ve known the truth since I was seven—why I was born, what I was meant to become. Of course I hated him. I truly hated him once. But over the years… hating him changed nothing. And eventually, even hate stops mattering.”

Perhaps he had hated Leiser for so long that the emotions dulled. And maybe, just maybe—if not for Leiser, he wouldn’t have met Pei Sen, wouldn’t have gained such strength.

Pei Sen was a little surprised. To him, Eagle wasn’t the forgiving type. If anything, the young master had always seemed petty and vengeful.

“Maybe it’s just that I’m too happy now,” Eagle smiled. “My heart’s only so big—there’s no room left for hate.”

Wendell pressed his lips together, silent. His unseeing eyes stared into the distance, but his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.

Eagle’s voice had been gentle, peaceful—enough to stir envy.

And as his words fell, Sadin, Ichabod, and Aijin all turned simultaneously to look at Pei Sen, making his face flush with heat.

Hey, hey, even if you’re gonna say something like that, can you give me some warning? This sudden public confession—it’s embarrassing, alright?

Pei Sen looked over at Eagle. He no longer had that cold, moody edge from his youth. His green eyes were like tranquil lakewater—beautiful and serene. Just as he’d said, nothing about Leiser seemed to affect him anymore.

Maybe joy really could wash away hatred.

As if sensing Pei Sen’s gaze, Eagle looked back and smiled.

Aijin covered his eyes. “Oh come on, I really can’t watch this anymore.”

So blindingly sweet!

Still, as Eagle’s close friend, he was genuinely happy to see him like this. Anything was better than the person Eagle used to be.

Thanks to Aijin’s exaggerated reaction, everyone laughed. The mood in the room brightened noticeably.

Whether it was Sadin or Ichabod, they’d all watched Eagle grow up. He hadn’t always been easy to love. Their bonds with him might not have been deep. But seeing him become someone better—it made them glad.

Eagle looked at the still-silent Wendell. “If you want revenge, I won’t stop you. But you cannot use Red Maple Castle for it. And you know as well as I do—Leiser’s on a doomed path. He’s already close to death.”

“I know… and thank you. For everything.” Wendell finally said, sighing.

“Of course, I don’t like Leiser. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do something,” Eagle suddenly added. “Sadin, send a letter to Leiser. Tell him that Viscount Frey wants to kill him.”

Pei Sen blinked. He didn’t quite follow.

Sadin didn’t ask questions. “Understood,” he said immediately.

Pei Sen knew there was history between Frey and Eagle. Back when Frey thought Leiser wouldn’t last, he had sent someone to assassinate Eagle. Jekko had once served under him.

But then events had spiraled. Eagle hadn’t had time to deal with Frey—until now.

Wendell narrowed his eyes slightly. “You want to push Leiser and the nobles into conflict?”

“Right now, those nobles are waiting for a trigger,” Eagle said casually. “Without some kind of incident, they won’t dare move against Leiser. He’s ruled too long—his prestige isn’t small.”

Besides, Eagle was sure: Frey absolutely wanted Leiser dead.

When Leiser was merely injured, Frey had already tried to kill Eagle. That alone showed his thirst for the throne.

But now, Eagle had the Duchy of Lanno. It was far from Esmia’s capital. And he wielded real power. Compared to a hollow throne, Lanno was far more valuable.

Frey, on the other hand, saw no more competitors. If Leiser died, there’d be no one else in the royal family. His ties with the nobles were strong. Unless something unexpected happened, the throne would be his.

“I’m not just making things up,” Eagle said lazily. “Once my dear uncle starts looking into Frey, he’ll see I wasn’t lying.”

When it came to intrigue, ten Freys weren’t a match for one Leiser.

And with Leiser’s current paranoia and brutality, once he suspected Frey… things wouldn’t end well for the viscount.

Right now, Leiser’s relationship with the great nobles was already fraying. The capital was a powder keg. If Leiser actually moved against Frey, tensions would explode. His downfall would come faster than expected.

“Once the letter is delivered, we don’t need to worry about the rest,” Eagle stood. “Pei Sen and I will stay here a little longer, but once we leave, we might be gone a while. If something urgent comes up, inform the high-level Bix people we left behind in Lanno—they’ll know how to reach us.”

Even if they were curious, none of the others in the study asked where they were going.

They all knew—Eagle wouldn’t say.

This time, Pei Sen had come to Yali Continent for one reason: to squeeze the last drops of XP from it and prepare for his advancement to Legendary Mage. He also planned to consult Sadin about the swordsman class.

After that, he and Eagle would head to Gate of Eternity—

To face that wondrous gate that divided gods from men.