Euphemia, as usual, woke up early, bought breakfast for two downstairs, and brought it up. Seeing Freya still curled up in bed without moving, she couldn't help but show a surprised expression. “Eh? Fufu, why aren't you up yet? Are you feeling unwell?”
Freya remained motionless and said in a muffled voice, “Euphy! I found out what my deepest desire is!”
Euphemia was startled. “What is it?”
Freya said, “Laziness!”
Looking back now, Freya seemed to have integrated into this new world very naturally when she first crossed over. She had no trouble adapting to her new life and immediately started dealing with the death crisis, almost like a superhuman.
But now, she suddenly missed her past life. Although she still couldn't remember most things about herself, she still remembered things like smartphones, computers, and the internet.
If there were no death crisis, if she didn't have to go to school or work, and only needed to lie in bed, holding a little phone, tapping the screen, watching all kinds of brain-rotting short videos, completely losing track of time, ordering takeout when she was hungry, and sleeping when she was tired... Her only physical activity for the entire day might just be getting up to use the bathroom. How wonderful that would be!
And all of the above was essentially just a manifestation of “laziness.”
Freya suddenly said, “Euphy, do you think there's a tool that's only palm-sized, but as long as you hold it, you can chat with other people holding the same tool anytime and anywhere? And this tool can also take photos, or even record videos, and upload them to a central processor so that everyone who has this tool can view the photos and videos uploaded by others at will.”
“Huh?” Euphemia thought about it. She had never heard of such a tool as Freya described. However, after pondering, she felt the concept was actually quite good. She said, “It feels like it operates on a similar principle to a telegraph, but a bit more advanced?”
Freya said, “Please, Euphemia, can you invent this thing? If you can successfully invent it, my Mind Pathway potion will probably digest in an instant.”
A question mark couldn't help but appear over Euphemia's head. “So what does this tool have to do with your Mind potion?!”
Freya said very honestly, “Of course it has something to do with it. This tool will make it much easier for me to slack off in bed.”
Euphemia: “?”
She curled her lips and said, “We'll talk about this tool later. So, Fufu, are you going to eat breakfast?”
Freya said, “Mmh... just leave it on the table. I'll go eat it myself in a bit.”
Just like that, Euphemia left the bedroom to eat breakfast by herself, then read for a while. It wasn't until mid-morning that a knock sounded on the door. When she opened it, she found Victor.
Victor said, “Ahem, well, going to the Mind Research Association by myself always makes me feel a bit uneasy. Why don't you guys accompany me?”
Euphemia thought about it and didn't refuse. She said, “I can, but I'm probably the only one who can go with you.”
Victor asked in confusion, “Did something happen to Miss Freya?”
Euphemia wore an expression that was hard to describe. “It's just... she seems to have found what her deepest desire is.”
Victor was taken aback. “Then shouldn't she go to the Mind Research Association even more? Let the branch president arrange a private little room for her...”
Euphemia said, “I think she's just too lazy to go to the Mind Research Association.”
Victor said, “That won't do, right? Didn't they say members of the Mind Research Association are forbidden from satisfying their desires privately outside?”
Euphemia pressed a hand to her forehead. “No, what I mean is, her desire is laziness itself. So she doesn't need to go to the Mind Research Association at all, nor does she need some private, secluded, and safe little room. She just needs to stay at home.”
Victor fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then said, “Uh... that really is an easy desire to satisfy.”
Strictly speaking, although laziness wasn't a good habit, it was at least much better than other things like crazy fetishes or the desire to murder.
Euphemia said, “So let's go. I'll accompany you. It just so happens I can pick up some new books on the way.”
Although Euphemia had said they would talk about the “upgraded telegraph” later, she still kept it in mind. Now, she was planning to buy some books about telegraphs.
Just like that, the two of them left the inn. Before long, they arrived at the Mind Research Association. However, unlike the previous times, when Euphemia pushed the door open, the staff member didn't say something like “Welcome,” but instead said, “Welcome back, Doctor Euphemia.”
As for Victor, he was treated even more like a VIP. The staff member wore a highly respectful expression and said, “Welcome back, the branch president's distinguished guest.”
Victor's lips twitched slightly. He didn't speak. The two of them went upstairs to Thorne's office door. However, the door was wide open at the moment. Euphemia looked inside and saw a pink-haired lolita sitting on Thorne's desk, legs crossed, chatting with Thorne about something.
The moment Euphy poked her head in, the pink-haired lolita spotted her and said, “Who is this? Why haven't I seen her before?”
Thorne said with a calm expression, “Oh, she is Miss Euphemia. She's a newcomer who just joined the Mind Research Association yesterday.”
Of course, though he said so, he was actually panicking inside. Why did they have to come at a time like this! I'm doomed!
The pink-haired lolita looked at Victor again. “And this one?”
Thorne said, “Uh, he's not a member of the Mind Research Association. He is... the one I'm pursuing. Ahem, you understand, right?”
The pink-haired lolita showed a look of disgust and curled her lips. “Newcomers and lovers showing up at a time like this. I say, you aren't really distributing Mind potions in secret, are you?”
Thorne said, “Haha, how is that possible? I'm the branch president of the Mind Research Association. How could I break my own rules? Captain Joan, you have to believe me. I really know nothing about the case you just mentioned!”
“Is that so?” The pink-haired lolita, addressed as Captain Joan, waved at Euphemia. “You, come over here. I have something to ask you.”
Euphemia walked in slowly. From their conversation, it wasn't hard to tell that this pink-haired lolita wasn't a member of the Mind Research Association, and her status seemed to be higher than Thorne's. So... was she an official imperial investigator?
Speaking of which, as each pathway grew stronger, different physical changes would manifest. For example, people of the War Pathway would get red hair, the Law Pathway would get white hair, and the Moon Pathway would get pink hair.
In other words, this lolita was highly likely a high-ranking extraordinary of the Moon Pathway.
That explained Thorne's current attitude. It was like an unlicensed street vendor running into city code enforcement; he had to act submissive.
Euphemia walked up to the pink-haired lolita, who said, “Determine whether what I'm about to say is true or false.”
“I plan to eat noodles for lunch today, and then go to the southern district in the afternoon to continue investigating the case.”
Thorne was dying of anxiety watching this. However, after thinking for a moment, Euphemia said, “The first half of the sentence is true, but the second half is false.”
The pink-haired lolita raised her eyebrows. “Alright, then it seems there's no problem.”
Then, she looked back at Thorne. “But since this case involves the Mind Pathway anyway, you come along and help me.”
After saying that, the pink-haired lolita hopped off the desk with a soft thud and walked out the door with her short legs. “I'll wait for you downstairs. Hurry up and come down once you're done.”
It was only then that Euphemia noticed this lolita was even shorter than she had imagined, probably not even 1.5 meters tall. Her shoulder-length pink hair swayed gently with her steps, looking rather cute.
After the lolita left, Thorne slumped into his chair, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. He then looked at Euphemia curiously and asked, “By the way, Miss Euphemia, you clearly haven't taken the Mind potion. How on earth did you read her mind to know if she was telling the truth?”
Euphemia said casually, “It's actually quite simple. I've studied knowledge in this area. By observing her micro-expressions and body language, I can guess most of it. I even learned hypnosis a while ago, though it's definitely not as fast as the hypnosis of your Mind Pathway.”
In fact, Euphy's purpose in learning hypnosis was to increase her own resistance to it, preventing herself from being hypnotized.
Thorne exclaimed, “The Scholar Pathway is truly amazing.”
Just by learning, she had acquired an ability similar to a Rank One of the Mind Pathway. From this perspective, the Scholar Pathway was indeed a bit overpowered.
Euphemia then said, “So, aren't you going to explain? What was up with that pink-haired lolita just now?”
Thorne said, “Sigh, it's like this. Starting some time ago, crazed extraordinaries have frequently appeared in the city, causing destruction everywhere. Especially yesterday, an extremely severe extraordinary incident occurred in a tavern in the southern district of the city.”
“A crazed extraordinary directly killed at least twenty people in the tavern. Many people witnessed this scene. The official authorities are probably already running around in circles.”
“Before this, those crazed extraordinaries were all from the Devil Pathway, which had nothing to do with the Mind Research Association. But in yesterday's vicious case, after investigation, that guy actually turned out to be of the Mind Pathway!?”
“So Captain Joan came straight to my door today. She suspects I've been distributing Mind Pathway potions in secret.”
Euphemia couldn't help but complain, “Wait, this description... why does it sound so familiar? Is your empire also about to produce a Rank Five to Rank Six War Pathway General?”
Thorne had absolutely no idea what Euphemia was talking about. His face was full of question marks. “What on earth?”
Euphemia waved her hand. “Never mind, just pretend I'm talking nonsense.”
Then, Victor suddenly said, “Wait, why does this sound so familiar to me too? Damn it, I was at the scene yesterday! I saw that guy tear an ordinary person in half with his bare hands. Is that something the Mind Pathway can do?!”
Thorne said, “That's exactly why I'm confused! The Mind Pathway doesn't have any physical enhancement in the first three ranks. Let alone tearing a living person apart with bare hands, I'd be gasping for breath just running a thousand meters. Only the Rank Four class advancement, the Dragon Warrior, has the effect of enhancing close-combat abilities.”
Victor said, “That's impossible. Although that guy was quite absurd, he was definitely not Rank Four!”
Thorne complained, “Exactly! I'm starting to wonder if Captain Joan's judgment was wrong, or if that Mind Pathway extraordinary took the wrong medicine. Could he have mixed up the Mind Pathway and Devil Pathway potions and drank both?”
Thorne sighed and looked at Victor with an apologetic expression. “Anyway, that's the situation. It looks like the two of us won't be able to go on a date today to get to know each other better.”
Victor immediately said in excitement, “There's actually such a good thing?!”
Thorne said, “So let's postpone it to tomorrow. I'll help Captain Joan resolve this case as quickly as possible.”
Victor's expression froze. “Actually, you don't have to be in such a hurry.”
Thorne said, “That won't do. Yesterday, I already wrote letters to the Mind Research Associations in other cities to ask about David. Before the news comes back, I definitely have to go on a few more dates with you!”
Victor: “...”
Thorne was actually so diligent about finding someone, which surprised Victor.
In short, after a few brief words, Thorne reluctantly left to help the pink-haired lolita.
And so, today's itinerary changed from Euphemia accompanying Victor to meet Thorne, to Victor accompanying Euphemia to buy books.
After wandering around for the day, when they returned to the inn in the evening, the moment Euphemia entered the room, she saw Freya sitting in the living room, eating the breakfast from this morning.
Euphemia: “???”
Euphemia said, “Fufu, what are you doing!”
Eating the food, Freya's cheeks bulged slightly, and she said somewhat indistinctly, “Mmh, as you can see, eating bweakfast.”
Euphemia pressed a hand to her forehead. “No, I mean, how long has it been? If you want to eat, we can go downstairs right now and find something else for dinner.”
Freya said, “I think the taste is actually fine, and wouldn't it be a waste not to eat it?”
After finishing the “breakfast,” she added, “Sorry, Euphy, I'll just slack off for today. I'll be back to normal tomorrow, okay?”
Although Freya had indulged in her desires and slacked off so thoroughly today, she was actually a person with very strong self-discipline and initiative. Restraining her desires was not a difficult task for her.
...
Rate on N.U.
