Chapter 45: A Moment's Rest and a Night of Chaos

Celeste slept soundly.

It was the first time she had allowed herself to completely relax since entering the Domain.

The tension that had kept her nerves strung tight for days finally uncoiled, and the bone-deep fatigue from continuous fighting receded like a tide.

When she opened her eyes again, the world outside the mountain cave had been swallowed by the thick, impenetrable night.

Selene was nibbling on a piece of compressed biscuit.

Seeing her sister wake up, her eyes lit up instantly, and she quickly handed over a water bottle.

“Sister, you’re awake!

You look so full of life; it seems you’ve fully recovered.” Celeste accepted the bottle and took a long gulp.

The cold liquid slid down her throat, washing away the last vestiges of sleep and making her feel completely alert.

She stretched her limbs, a satisfying series of pops echoing in the small cave.

Her body was once again brimming with strength, as if every breath drew in pure energy.

Peak condition.

Her gaze drifted through the narrow cave entrance, piercing the inky, bottomless forest outside.

The night in the Domain was quieter than the day, but it was also infinitely more lethal.

The dangers of the day were visible monsters and tangible opponents.

The dangers of the night were hidden in every swaying tree shadow.

It could be a pair of eyes watching from the darkness, or perhaps a cold arrow already nocked and waiting to be fired.

Selene clearly understood this as well.

She chewed on her biscuit, her voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Sister, the visibility is awful out there, and our senses will be dulled.

How about…

we just wait here until dawn?” She felt this hideout was perfect.

Backed against a solid mountain wall with a narrow entrance, all she had to do was plant her giant shield, the Immovable Mountain, across the opening.

One person could hold the pass against ten thousand.

“Camping” here until the exam ended was, in her mind, the most logical choice.

“Hunker down and wait for the rabbits to run into the tree?” Celeste glanced at her sister and shook her head.

“That’s so boring.” Her sister was good at everything, except for being a little too cautious at times.

“But…” Selene started to protest.

“I know what you’re worried about,” Celeste interrupted her smoothly.

“The visibility issue is definitely a problem.” As she spoke, she subconsciously touched a lock of her long, pink hair.

In the pitch-black night, while her hair didn’t exactly glow, any hint of moonlight or starlight would make it stand out like a beacon against the darkness.

‘A moving, pink bullseye,’ Celeste complained silently.

However…

poor visibility was a debuff that applied to everyone.

Wait.

A thought she had deliberately suppressed deep in the recesses of her mind suddenly bubbled to the surface.

‘Poor visibility…

can’t see clearly…”Doesn’t that mean…’ Celeste’s breath hitched.

She thought of something she had been actively trying to forget.

The [Venti Trial Card].

That bard cosplay outfit with an embarrassment factor that broke the scale.

Using it during the day wouldn’t just be social death; it would be a public execution, broadcast live to the entire county, resulting in the complete and utter annihilation of her social standing.

But what if it was in the pitch-black of night?

As long as no one could see the details, and as long as she was far enough away, all they would see was a blurry figure in strange green clothes, right?

Besides, the card still had 23 hours and 49 minutes left on its timer.

It was a waste not to use it!

And what was Venti’s whole deal?

It was wind.

It was freedom, flight, and unmatched mobility.

In this jungle with its complex terrain, on this final night of chaos, possessing air superiority was tantamount to declaring victory in advance.

Scouting, repositioning, pursuing enemies, and even escaping from impossible situations…

The temptation was too great.

It was great enough to make her temporarily trample that fragile thing called “shame” underfoot and grind it into the dirt a few times for good measure.

‘Anyway, the design is just a little weird.

It’s not like it exposes anything that shouldn’t be exposed…’ Celeste began the arduous process of constructing a mental defense for her dignity.

“Sister?

Sister?

What are you thinking about?” Selene watched as her sister’s expression shifted from calm to serious, then to a strange, pained struggle, and finally settled into a kind of desperate resignation.

She couldn’t help but reach out and wave a hand in front of her face.

“I was thinking that I have a new move, and tonight might be the perfect time to use it,” Celeste said, snapping back to reality.

Her tone was placid, betraying none of her inner turmoil.

“A new move?” Selene’s curiosity was immediately piqued.

“What is it?

Did you get another new Heroic Spirit?

Is it even stronger than that ridiculously fierce Maid Knight?” “…It’s more than that,” Celeste said concisely, not wanting to elaborate.

“However, the side effects are also stronger.” “Side effects?” “You’ll know when you see it.” Celeste kept her in suspense.

She really couldn’t explain to her sister that the side effect was mainly a targeted spiritual attack on her own mental health and social dignity.

“Now, eat and drink up.

Get yourself into top condition.” Celeste stood, dusting off her clothes.

A flicker of almost imperceptible excitement flashed in her eyes.

“I have a feeling tonight is going to be very lively.

All the rats that have been hiding for the past few days should be coming out to play.” That was her secret.

She was a slacker on the surface, but deep down, she was intensely competitive.

Especially now that she had a new “toy” to play with.

Seeing the glint in her sister’s eyes, Selene felt an inexplicable fire ignite within her.

She swallowed her biscuit in two bites, then grabbed her shield, the Immovable Mountain, and her sword, the Light of Dawn, and slammed them together with a dull, resonant thud.

“Alright!

I’m with you, Sister!

Let’s go out there and do something big!” She had a nearly blind faith in her sister.

If Celeste said it would work, then it would absolutely work.

The two quickly packed their gear and carefully wiped away any traces that might reveal their whereabouts.

“Let’s go.” Celeste whispered, leading the way out from the shelter of the mountain wall.

Under the faint starlight, her long pink hair looked like a flowing cloud of cherry blossoms.

Selene followed closely behind, her giant shield held defensively in front of her as she scanned their surroundings with unwavering vigilance.

The night was deep, and the world was silent.

The two of them moved like shadows, melting silently into the hunting ground.

After finding a quiet clearing, Celeste signaled for Selene to stop.

“Selene, I’m going to use that new move now.” Celeste’s voice was perfectly calm, as if she were about to perform some trivial task.

“Remember, no matter what you see, don’t be surprised.

And absolutely, under no circumstances, are you to laugh out loud.

Understand?” Selene was utterly confused, but she still nodded vigorously.

“Understood!” She couldn’t wait to see what kind of devastating ultimate move her sister was hiding that required such a serious warning beforehand.

Celeste turned around, putting her back to her sister.

She didn’t have the courage to look Selene in the eye while completing the following ritual.

She recited the command in her mind.

‘System, use the [Venti Trial Card].’ The next second, the wind came.

A gentle, invisible force materialized from thin air, lifting and wrapping around her.

The weight of her body was instantly stripped away; she felt the bizarre sensation that if she just stood on her tiptoes, she could ride the breeze and float away.

The priest robe she wore dissolved into motes of light.

In its place was that forcibly fitted, “magically modified” Bard outfit.

A green beret, a cape adorned with white Cecilia flowers, a short white top, and…

those excessively tight, bright green pants.

Her long pink hair cascaded out from under the brim of the hat, still glaringly conspicuous in the night.

Celeste: “…” She stiffly looked down at the clothes on her body.

A scorching wave of shame rushed straight to her brain, threatening to burn her sanity to ashes.

Even in the dark, this outfit was just too weird!

Especially that green hat!

[Translator Note: In Chinese internet culture, “wearing a green hat” (戴绿帽子, dài lǜ màozi) is a common euphemism for being cheated on by one’s partner.

This adds an extra, potent layer of social death to the outfit.] Behind her, she heard a sharp intake of breath.

It was immediately followed by a strange, strangled sound—a laugh that had been desperately suppressed, only to burst through its restraints.

The noise was like a little duck being choked, or perhaps a leaky bellows wheezing for air.

“Pfft…

hehehe…” Celeste closed her eyes.

‘Just end it all.

Nuke the planet from orbit.

I’m tired.'[Ding!

The Host has bravely transcended herself, displaying a brand-new form in front of her teammate and causing a strong visual and mental shock!

Elation Coins +250!]’Thank you, System,’she thought bitterly.’Every single one of those coins feels like a knife twisting in my gut.’ “Do…

not…

laugh!” Celeste spun around.

She had meant to let out a low, menacing roar, but what came out was Venti’s clear, bright voice, carrying a lilt of playfulness that made her want to vomit.

“Although this outfit looks a bit strange, it actually contains the blessing of the Anemo Archon!” ‘Wait, that’s not what I wanted to say!’ Her voice, her tone, even her choice of words—they were, as always, corrupted by the character card!

She had intended a severe reprimand, but what emerged was this lighthearted, almost whimsical remark!

As she turned, however, Selene got an even clearer view.

Her sister, who was usually so calm, indifferent, and radiated an aura of dominance, was now wearing a bizarre, exotic outfit.

She had a green hat perched on her head, from which her pink hair fluttered.

The face was the same, but her entire temperament had shifted, becoming lively and mischievous, as if she might take flight on the wind at any moment, singing a tune as she went.

Selene finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.

She clutched her stomach and squatted right there on the ground, laughing so hard her entire body trembled.

Tears streamed from her eyes.

“Sister…

hahahaha…

you…

you, you, you…

what is this outfit…

hahahaha…

and your voice…

how…

how did it become so…

so playful?” Celeste’s expression was thunderous.

But the words that tumbled out of her mouth were still ridiculously cheerful: “Oh, stop laughing~ This outfit is actually very practical, you know!

It allows me to harness the power of the wind and soar freely in the sky~” She despairingly clamped a hand over her own mouth.

She knew it!

She knew it would be like this!

This damned trial card!

Selene was laughing so hard she was nearly out of breath.

“Sister, you…

don’t use that tone of voice, my stomach hurts…

hahahaha…” Celeste clenched her fists, her nails digging so deep into her palms they nearly drew blood.

She mobilized every ounce of her willpower to fight against the sudden, overwhelming urge to pull out a lyre and start singing on the spot.

Every word seemed to be ground out from between her teeth.

“Shut—up!” “We…

have…

serious…

business!” She said this with extreme difficulty, a fine sweat beading on her forehead as if she were physically wrestling with another soul for control of her body.

While using this trial card, she had to maintain the highest level of vigilance at all times.

Otherwise, she might unknowingly transform into a genuinely free-spirited, slacking-off bard.

And that thought was even more terrifying than the green outfit.

[Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story?

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