Genshin Impact: Villain Impact

Disguising takeout as her own cooking—what exactly is Alice's goal here? Lucas wondered. Could it be... that she poisoned it? 

Just as he debated whether to test the food for poison, Alice set down the final dish with a smile. "It's just some simple dishes, please don't mind them."

"These are already quite lavish," Lucas replied, masking his suspicions with flattery. "Miss Alice, you truly are a virtuous woman."

The last dish was a vegetable salad, but it was haphazardly prepared. Among the other dishes, it looked as out of place as a dead frog tossed into a fishbowl. Even so, Alice shamelessly wiped imaginary sweat from her brow. "To me, these are trivial matters. I invited you here, so of course, I wanted to treat you well."

"Having dinner with Miss Alice," Lucas responded lightly, "is my honor."

Alice tilted her head while taking a seat across from him. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but wouldn't it be uncomfortable to eat while wearing a mask?"

"I'm used to it," Lucas replied, touching the mask on his face. "The other half of my face is quite ugly. Taking off the mask at the dinner table might affect your appetite."

"I don't mind," Alice replied, shaking her head with an unexpected softness. "I'm not someone who cares about appearances. For a man capable of raising such a well-behaved child like Klee, you must have a heart of gold."

Lucas nearly choked on his bite of sweet flower wine chicken. A well-behaved child? Are you referring to Klee, who personally blew up two-thirds of the Knights of Favonius and whose thefts have exceeded 350 million Mora?

"Since Miss Alice insists, I suppose I'll be rude," he said, slowly removing his mask to reveal his scarred cheek. "But I'm still curious—why did you suddenly invite me here? Did Klee cause any trouble?"

"No, no! Klee is an excellent child!" Alice assured, waving her hand. "She's like the queen of the school, getting along easily with the other children."

"That's good to hear..." Lucas sighed with relief.

"Well, she does occasionally beat up a few classmates and leave them injured," Alice added with a playful shrug.

Is this her idea of getting along? Lucas's expression shifted, and Alice laughed.

"Just kidding. As the principal, I ensure the safety of every student," she said with a wink.

"But the reason I invited you here today..." Alice's tone softened as she lowered her gaze, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I remember Klee's father... you're a single parent, right?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied, frowning slightly. "My wife passed away over a decade ago in an accident."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. She must have been a wonderful wife," Alice said, adding, "and surely a great mother."

She would have been, Lucas thought to himself. If it weren't for the mistakes you made. 

He silently tightened his grip on his knife, the impulse to plunge it into Alice's heart surging briefly within him.

"I told you before—one should look forward, not dwell on the past," Alice said, reaching out to place her hand on Lucas's. "Maybe it's time for you to find a new wife. And Klee... she needs a mother."

Lucas instinctively pulled his hand away, careful not to reveal the synthetic nature of his arm. So that's her plan, he realized.

It was clear now—Alice wasn't interested in him personally. She hardly knew him, and their encounters were so few he could count them on one hand. No, her motive was to become Klee's stepmother, a move that would seamlessly allow her to claim Klee as her own. With Lucas alive, she couldn't treat Klee as an adopted daughter; the only legitimate path was through marriage.

For the sake of becoming Klee's mother, Alice, could you really go this far?

---

Lucas's reaction surprised Alice. With her looks, status, and wealth, she was accustomed to getting what she wanted. In her mind, an ordinary single father like Lucas should be overwhelmed with gratitude and affection by now, eager to pour his heart out. Instead, Lucas remained calm, almost resistant.

"Miss Alice, I have considered remarrying," Lucas sighed. "But my face has scared off quite a few women."

"I've told you—I don't care about appearances," Alice insisted. "From the first time I met you, I was captivated by the depth of your character."

For a seasoned manipulator like Lucas, her flattery felt almost laughable. All this effort, just to become Klee's mother? he thought, coldly amused. How should I respond to this?

Then, he recalled Sucrose's advice: This dinner might be an opportunity to redesign your revenge plan. Alice was gradually emerging from her sorrow, finding a new purpose—exactly what Lucas didn't want. The best way to destroy someone is to first give them hope. If he agreed to Alice's proposal, allowing her to step into the role of Klee's mother and experience happiness again, he could later shatter that illusion when she least expected it.

The thought of it made Lucas's body tremble slightly with anticipation.

To Alice, his reaction looked like hesitation. She leaned against his shoulder, allowing him to feel her warmth. "Haven't you felt lonely all these years?" she whispered, her voice more seductive than before.

Lucas's response wasn't verbal. Instead, he pulled her into a deep kiss. At first, Alice was surprised, instinctively pushing him away, but she quickly relaxed. After all, this was precisely the outcome she had hoped for.

As Lucas had suspected, she didn't love him; at best, she could say she "didn't dislike" him.

To Alice, humans were no different than Hilichurls. Even though she could face them as equals, she had never truly seen them as her peers. It was like how a person might love their dog but could never consider marrying it. That was why, years ago, when faced with the mudslide, Alice could blow up the mountainside without hesitation, sacrificing a few lives to save many without any psychological burden. In her mind, human life wasn't priceless.

So, for Alice, being kissed forcefully by a human felt like being kissed by a Hilichurl. Instinctively, she felt discomfort, but to gain Lucas's trust, she forced herself to accept it. However, despite her vast knowledge, Alice was inexperienced in this area and could only respond awkwardly.

Is this what a kiss feels like? she wondered, feeling a wave of confusion. Aren't kisses supposed to be gentle and sweet? But Lucas's kiss was rough, as if he wanted to consume her whole.

Lucas's emotions were even more complicated. Kissing his enemy was no easy feat. A kiss between lovers should express love, but for Lucas, it was a channel for his suppressed hatred. The more passionate the kiss, the stronger his anger and resentment became.

"Excuse me," Lucas finally muttered as he pulled away after what felt like an eternity.

Alice was left dazed. "I just... didn't expect you to be so forward."

Damn it, that was my first kiss! she thought, but quickly reassured herself. It's worth it if it means becoming Klee's mother.

"So," Lucas said bluntly, "Miss Alice, do you want to marry me?"

"Y-yes," Alice stammered, her face flushed with a hint of shyness.

"Don't you think this is moving a bit too fast?"

"Not at all. We're not young anymore, no need to be so shy," Lucas replied with a confident grin. "Actually, I really like Miss Alice, but there are certain difficulties I can't share. That's why I haven't remarried all these years."

"It's okay!" Alice said earnestly. "Even if you have issues in that area, I wouldn't mind at all."

In fact, she thought it might be better if he did have issues in that regard. Kissing a human was already her limit; she doubted whether she could truly accept anything beyond that. Although she had prepared herself mentally for such possibilities, it still felt daunting.

"It's not that I can't; rather... it's too much," Lucas replied, his eyes suddenly turning seductive. "Ordinary women would probably find it hard to accept."

Lucas's tone shifted, abandoning the polite facade he'd maintained.

"I... I think I can handle it," Alice forced a smile. "It's normal for couples to be intimate, right?"

"Why don't we try it out now?" Lucas suggested, picking up an oyster from the hunter's platter. He pried open the shell, revealing the juicy meat inside, and slurped it into his mouth. "We're adults, after all. Before getting married, it's wise to see if we're compatible. It'd be a shame to find out we aren't after the wedding, wouldn't it?"

Mondstadt was an open country, and its liberal culture extended to relationships. It wasn't unusual for couples to be intimate before marriage. While Lucas and Alice both appeared young, Lucas was approaching middle age, and Alice's true age was beyond anyone's guess. His suggestion, given the context, wasn't entirely unreasonable—especially since Alice had been the one to bring up marriage.

But Lucas's intentions were far from pure. He didn't desire Alice; instead, he wanted to humiliate her. He knew she didn't love him and likely looked down on him. Forcing her into this situation was his way of exacting revenge—both physically and psychologically.

"I... I understand," Alice said after a moment of hesitation. "I'll prove my sincerity. Please wait for me in the bedroom. I... I want to take a shower first."

She actually... agreed? 

Though Lucas had entertained the idea, her acceptance caught him off guard. Now that the opportunity was real, he felt a flicker of nervousness himself.

---

...When Lucas came to his senses, he found himself sitting in Alice's bedroom. The soft purple sheets carried a faint floral fragrance, and the dim, warm lighting created an atmosphere that felt oddly intimate.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Alice said as she entered, wrapped in a towel.

For a brief moment, Lucas thought he saw a hint of innocence in the woman who had once given birth to a child. No, it must be an illusion, he told himself, clenching his fists. This is all an act; I can't afford to feel pity for her.

I need to break her spirit in the most brutal way possible.

"It wasn't that long," Lucas replied, his face partially obscured by the dim light, making it hard to read his expression. "Sometimes, waiting can be a joy in itself."

"You're very gentle," Alice murmured, mistaking his words for comfort. "Actually, I'm still..."

"No, I'm not gentle at all," Lucas cut her off, his tone darkening as he pushed her down and launched himself at her like a beast.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Lucas' attack caught Alice off guard and within a second she was lying on the bed, the towel covering her body on the floor, her seductive body completely exposed.

Even though Lucas had nothing but intense hatred for her, he had to admit that she was otherworldly beautiful.

Her large, bouncy breasts and soft, round buttocks, her skin as smooth as velvet.

He held her hands tightly above her head while his other hand cupped her ample breasts, shaping them to his liking.

Alice started to say something but Lucas cut her off by pulling her into a deep kiss.

As Lucas' lips touched hers and she felt her whole body tremble; he was enjoying the soft feel of her lips on his own. 

As the moments passed, he pressed his lips harder, turning her pretty face red. Lucas opened his mouth and began to suck on her lips. She felt his lips rubbing and sucking on hers, making her feel ashamed. 

She couldn't do anything as he sucked, bit and nibbled on her lips. She wanted to push him away but held back for the sake of her plan.

Finally Lucas opened his mouth and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Alice's mind went completely blank from the simulation she was experiencing from the kiss and the squeezing of her breasts.

Lucas managed to get into her mouth and began to intertwine their tongues. Alice wanted to stop immediately so she unconsciously bit his tongue.

Lucas pulled his tongue out and said "Ouch! Miss Alice, why did you do that?"

Seeing this, Alice panicked, not wanting her plan to be Klee's mother to fail, a determined look appeared on her face.

She wrapped her hands around his neck and took the initiative to kiss him. Lucas was surprised, he had not thought Alice would go so far for her plan, but he returned the kiss.

Alice forced herself to allow his tongue to enter hers as he sucked greedily on her tongue. The intense kiss continued for several minutes as they lost themselves in the intimate moment.

His hands moved to her milky breasts and he cupped them both and began to squeeze them roughly. Alice's body trembled with anticipation, no one had ever touched her there before.

After kneading her breasts for a while, he moved his mouth closer to her perky nipples and began to suck on them aggressively.

"Ahn~", a sweet moan escaped her mouth as she immediately covered her mouth. 

Lucas didn't want her to do that, he wanted to humiliate her completely, so he bit her nipples. 

"Aahhnn," she moaned loudly in pain and pleading.

Eventually Lucas stopped his relentless attacks and his gaze moved to her nether regions.

He removed his clothes in an instant, Alice's eyes wandering to his bulging dragon, she could only gasp at its size, wondering if it would fit inside her.

Lucas wasted no time in lifting her legs and inserting his cock into her pink pussy.

Alice panicked and tried to say something about it being her first time, but Lucas cut her off with a kiss and immediately thrust his dick into her cave.

Tears streamed down her face and it was only then that Lucas noticed the crimson blood oozing from her cave. His expression changed to one of confusion but he did not stop, every time he saw Alice in pain he felt immense pleasure.

.....

A hour later.

Lucas did not go back on his word; he was not gentle. In fact, he was rough.

In previous simulations, he had always taken on the role of the villain. However, when it came to women—whether they were willing or coerced—he maintained a certain level of gentleness. There were two reasons for this: first, he didn't harbor any hatred toward them, and second, all of them were "first-time kills." Unfortunately, neither of these reasons applied to Alice in his eyes.

Yet, Lucas found himself feeling conflicted.

On one side of the bed, Alice lay wrapped in a blanket, her body trembling as faint sobs escaped her. On the other side, a white towel was spread out, and underneath it were faint crimson stains.

This doesn't make sense… Lucas thought. Alice already has a daughter. How could there still be…?

Could her elf physiology be capable of regenerating, like Ursa's healing abilities? But that didn't add up—Ursa was a reptile that shed its skin, while the elf race was still mammalian.

Over the past half hour, Lucas had executed his revenge operation flawlessly—perhaps even more successfully than he had anticipated. This was clear from Alice's current state; not only was she completely broken down, but she was also… Cough, cough.

"I'm sorry, Miss Alice," Lucas said awkwardly. "I didn't know you were..."

"Is that a reason to be so harsh?" Alice replied, her back still turned to him, her voice laced with tears. "You weren't gentle at all..."

"This isn't about that," Lucas said, feeling unsettled. "Why were you still... I mean, didn't you have a daughter?"

Did you give birth in a stable or something?

---

"This is a long story," Alice began, turning to face Lucas. Her snow-white cheeks were streaked with tears. "It's a secret I've buried deep in my heart. But since you're my future husband, I suppose it's okay to tell you."

As she spoke, she winced slightly, the lingering pain evident on her face despite her powerful elf physiology.

"Is it still... very painful?" Lucas asked, his gaze shifting uneasily.

Alice sighed. "I knew it would hurt, so I prepared painkillers in advance. But since it was my first time, I wanted to experience it authentically. I didn't expect it to hurt this much... I guess I have a fragile spot after all."

"I can't take all the blame," Lucas said helplessly. "I thought you had already..."

"Let's not dwell on that," Alice interrupted, her face flushing slightly. "This story starts five hundred years ago."

"That long?" Lucas murmured, surprised.

"Do you want to hear it or not?" Alice frowned. "This is the first time I'm sharing this with anyone, so I'm not sure how much I'll say."

"Please, continue," Lucas urged. "We have the whole night."

Alice nodded. "The elf race is long-lived, and our numbers are few. Over time, I've witnessed death many times, and the more I saw, the more I began to fear it. No matter how long one lives, death is inevitable."

"So, I started traveling the world, searching for a way to achieve immortality. But I made little progress—until one day, I arrived in the kingdom of Khaenri'ah, long before its destruction. It was there that I met someone—Rhinedottir, a powerful alchemist. We exchanged knowledge, and I asked her about the possibility of immortality."

"Even with all her expertise, she couldn't grant immortality," Alice continued. "But she told me that the true meaning of life lies in inheritance, not eternity. The passing down of life itself is a form of immortality. When you pass on life, you may no longer be obsessed with immortality."

"At the time, I proposed a naive idea. I told her that even if I had children, they too would eventually die. If they had no descendants, it still wouldn't achieve true immortality, would it?"

"Rhinedottir then shared a bold concept with me. At that time, she had made significant breakthroughs in alchemy. As you're an alchemist yourself, you should know about the four stages of alchemy, right?"

Alice's sudden question briefly interrupted her story. As a master alchemist, Lucas immediately responded, "Of course—Black Soil, White Chalk, Red Essence, and Gold."

He elaborated:

- Black Soil: The beginning, the origin, the raw material.

- White Chalk: The start of transformation, where impurities are removed while the essence is retained.

- Red Essence: The process of refining the essence and shaping it.

- Gold: The final stage, turning the raw Black Soil into valuable Gold—alchemy's ultimate miracle.

"Exactly," Alice nodded. "Unlike alchemy in other nations, Khaenri'ah's alchemy focuses on living beings, or biological alchemy. At that time, Rhinedottir had advanced past the Black Soil stage and reached the Chalk stage in biological alchemy. Using the limited and precious materials she had, she created two 'eggs' and infused one with my genetic material."

Lucas began to piece it together. "So, that egg... it became your daughter?"

"Yes," Alice confirmed. "That's why, even though I have a descendant, I remained… well..." She trailed off, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face as she shifted the conversation.

"But hatching this egg took a long time, so I carried it with me as I traveled across the continent of Teyvat. It became my only source of comfort during my five-hundred-year journey. Every heartbeat and movement from within the egg filled me with immense joy. I started to understand Rhinedottir's words—my daughter was the continuation of my life, more precious than any pursuit of immortality."

"It wasn't until twelve years ago that she finally hatched. Even though she was just born, we had been mother and daughter for five hundred years."

"At that time, I was ready to give up being an adventurer and devote myself to my daughter. But there was one last task I had to complete, so I temporarily left her in the care of the Favonius Knights. What I didn't expect was..."

Tears welled up in Alice's eyes once again, her voice breaking.

Finally, Lucas understood. Klee wasn't just an ordinary child; she was an alchemical being—a life created by infusing Alice's essence. This explained why Klee could grow and develop normally, and why she had even been granted a Vision. Alchemical beings that advanced beyond the Chalk stage could be considered true "life."

"I can understand your pain," Lucas said softly. "Whether it's five hundred years or five years, losing a close family member is a pain that no one should bear."

"Don't feel sorry for me. I'll give all my unfulfilled maternal love to Klee," Alice tightened her grip on Lucas's hand, her eyes alight with passion. "Once we get married, I will be a good mother!"

Her excitement jolted Lucas out of his earlier emotions. He had almost forgotten that the reason Alice was enduring everything was to "obtain" Klee.

"You have no idea how much your words mean to me, but..." Lucas's tone turned serious. "Klee is not a substitute for your daughter."

"I... I know!" Alice realized her slip and quickly added, "Please don't misunderstand. I want to marry you not just because of Klee but because... I really, really like you!"

To be honest, Alice's acting was terrible. Her evasive gaze and the sweat on her forehead revealed her guilt. But Lucas didn't care—after all, he was a "fraud" too.

"I've understood your situation completely," Lucas said, standing up and putting on his clothes. "Anyway, you should get some rest. I'm leaving now."

"Wait... wait a minute..." Alice asked nervously. "What about our marriage?"

Is he going to pull up his pants and deny everything?

"I mentioned earlier that this was a trial to see if we're compatible," Lucas said, turning back with a disappointed look. "On a scale of one to a hundred, how would you rate your performance just now?"

Rate myself? Alice was taken aback. How does one even rate something like this?

"Um..." She pressed her index fingers together, cautiously saying, "Around... eighty points?"

She really dares to say that...

"Twenty-three point five," Lucas said, shaking his head. "No more than that."

"Why is there a decimal point?" Alice asked in frustration, momentarily at a loss. "And how did you come up with that score? Did you just make it up?"

"I have very strict grading standards," Lucas raised a finger. "Do you want to hear them? The first assessment is oral—"

"No! No need for details!" Alice quickly interrupted, her face flushing. "So... did I fail?"

Lucas's words struck a blow to Alice's confidence. She had assumed that with her beauty and figure, she could easily make any man submit. But Lucas clearly had "higher" expectations.

As Lucas watched Alice's expression shift, a wave of satisfaction washed over him. Moments of triumph are exhilarating, but prolonged victories are even sweeter. There's nothing more satisfying than watching an enemy falter.

"How about we have the wedding in a week?" Lucas said nonchalantly. "Let's have it at Favonius Cathedral."

"Eh?" Alice seemed stunned, murmuring, "Did you just agree... to marry me?"

"Although you are lacking in that area," Lucas forced a gentle smile, "Klee seems to like you."

"Th-thank you!" Alice beamed, her face lighting up. "I will be a good mother! Klee... hee hee... my Klee..."

Not even pretending anymore, huh? Lucas thought.

It's okay, Alice. Just give all your maternal love to Klee. The deeper your love, the more painful it will be when your dream shatters.

---

When Lucas returned to the Alchemist Workshop, Sucrose was still there, tidying up the shelves.

"Welcome back," she said, not looking up from her work. "How did it go?"

"It went smoothly," Lucas replied, hesitating before adding, "The wedding will be in a week."

Bang!

A potion bottle slipped from Sucrose's hand, shattering on the floor. The deep purple liquid spilled out, releasing a strange fragrance.

"Sucrose?" Lucas frowned, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Their relationship was delicate. Sucrose had spent a decade of her youth in this very workshop, a clear testament to her feelings for Lucas. Now, hearing about his upcoming marriage to Alice, someone he barely knew, made him feel like a scoundrel.

"I'm fine," Sucrose quickly bent down to clean up the mess but accidentally cut her finger on the broken glass.

She was usually careful and reliable, but within ten seconds, she made two mistakes. It was clear something was bothering her.

Lucas took out a band-aid and gently held her hand, applying it to the wound. "This is just part of the revenge plan," he whispered. "Once we destroy Alice, we'll leave Mondstadt together."

"You've said that before," Sucrose replied quietly, her gaze lingering on the blood on her finger. "You originally wanted to use Klee as part of your revenge, but now... can you still go through with it?"

Her soul-searching question left Lucas speechless.

It was true—he had changed the "revenge plan" because of his own selfishness. He could no longer bring himself to put Klee in harm's way. He knew Klee couldn't win against Alice, and using her as a pawn was something Lucas could no longer stomach.

"I won't let that happen," Lucas finally said, placing a comforting hand on Sucrose's shoulder. "Alice is different from Klee. She's my enemy, and I won't... I won't be merciful."

"You should get some rest," he added, picking up a cloth to clean the spilled potion. "By the way, what kind of potion is this? I've never seen it before."

"It's the Slime Dissolution Essence I just refined," Sucrose answered flatly. "It has a strong dissolving effect on skin and muscle."

Lucas gave a wry smile. "Something that dangerous should definitely be kept out of Klee's reach."

"I'll take care of it," he said, continuing to clean up the spill.

Sucrose remained silent, quietly watching her hand as a drop of purple potion slid down her smooth skin.

---

[You told Klee the news about your upcoming marriage to Alice, thinking she would be happy since she seems to really like Alice.]

[However, the little one frowned and asked a difficult question: "Father, if Klee has a new mommy, will the mommy in heaven be unhappy about it?"]

[You couldn't tell Klee that Alice is her real mother, so you gently reassured her: "Mommy will understand. She wants you to be happy, just like I do."]

["But what about the plan to help mommy get revenge and defeat the evil demon king?" Klee suddenly remembered, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "The story of 'The Hero Klee vs. The Demon King' isn't over yet, right?"]

["It's already over," you said, gently patting Klee's head. "Father will find another way to defeat the demon king."]

[In truth, Klee, now twelve years old, had started to realize that what she had been doing might not have been some grand quest to defeat a demon king, but actual acts of crime. Yet, for her entire life, The Hero Klee vs. The Demon King had been her source of strength. Now, hearing that it had come to an abrupt end was hard for her to accept.]

[It was rare to see Klee looking so downcast, but you knew that after marrying Alice, continuing these criminal activities would be too dangerous. Though Klee was mischievous, she was also an understanding child. She didn't oppose your marriage to Alice but quietly returned to her room, clearly disappointed.]

[The wedding took place as scheduled a week later at Favonius Cathedral, with Jean serving as the officiant. She is a mutual friend of yours and Alice's. Watching her awkwardly hold the speech with her synthetic hand and sincerely bless you both, you felt a twinge of guilt towards this woman for the first time.]

[To your surprise, many people attended the wedding—patrons from the Alchemist Workshop, neighbors, members of the Favonius Knights, and children and parents from the school.]

[To avoid suspicion, you didn't let Klee attend the ceremony and instead asked Sucrose to take care of her.]

[The wedding proceeded smoothly. But when it came time to exchange rings, as you looked at Alice in her wedding dress, your mind began to drift. It felt like you were back at eighteen, recalling the simple and warm wedding you had with Virginia in a small village church.]

[Jean's voice brought you back to reality as she read the vows aloud: "Do you vow before the Anemo Archon to love, comfort, respect, and protect her, in sickness and in health, in wealth and poverty, remaining loyal to her until you leave this world?"]

[For some reason, the words I do felt like a fishbone stuck in your throat. You couldn't speak them. Saying those words felt like a betrayal to your late wife.]

[Just then, a sudden explosion echoed from a distance, shaking the cathedral and causing chaos.]

[What shocked you most was the sound of the explosion—it was unmistakably similar to the bombs Klee used in her past criminal activities.]

[Could Klee have caused this during the wedding?]

[You and your fellow Favonius Knights quickly evacuated the guests, and as the chief Alchemist, you were obligated to join the investigation. The wedding had to be interrupted.]

[When you arrived at the scene, the statue of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, in front of Favonius Cathedral had been destroyed. Around forty percent of the statue had been blown apart, and over twenty people were injured nearby.]

[You immediately began inspecting the remains, analyzing the debris for explosive materials. Moments later, Jean informed you that they had found the body of a suspect. The cause of death seemed to be a miscalculation in the blast range, which had killed the suspect by blowing apart half of his body.]

[For a moment, your mind went blank, and you nearly fainted. Jean, noticing your reaction, warned you that the body was too gruesome to look at. But you insisted on seeing it.]

[With Jean's support, you approached the mangled remains—it was an adult male.]

[Relief flooded over you as you realized it wasn't Klee. A small, involuntary smile appeared on your face. Jean, confused, asked why you were smiling, and you quickly made an excuse: Evil Sun had finally been caught.]

[But Jean quickly doused your excitement, reminding you that Evil Sun was a girl. This man couldn't be her, meaning this explosion was likely just a copycat crime.]

[The wedding ended abruptly, and you and Alice didn't plan on rescheduling. Alice, ever understanding, didn't press you for an answer to the wedding vows. Of course, you suspected she didn't care much about them.]

[Age 37: You found yourself living in a very "strange" family. You, the husband, pretended to love your wife while secretly seeing her as your enemy. The wife pretended to love her husband but was really only interested in her husband's daughter. And the daughter believed she finally had a happy family, even though she had never truly experienced maternal love.]

[Your role was clear. You didn't need to commit any more crimes or find ways to defeat Alice, a woman of nearly monstrous power. All you had to do was play the perfect husband, allowing Alice to experience the happiness of family life—especially the joy of being a mother.]

[Without a doubt, Alice was a capable mother. She wasn't overly indulgent and adhered to sound educational principles. If there was one flaw, it was her lack of cooking skills, which hadn't improved.]

[The hardest part for you was constantly showing affection toward your enemy. You had to act like you were madly in love with Alice, preventing her from becoming suspicious of your true intentions.]

[This foolish woman actually believed that you were hopelessly in love with her. She even went as far as practicing in the bedroom for your sake.]

[But you had to admit, aside from her cooking, Alice learned incredibly quickly. She even kept a notebook, recording your feedback after each session and analyzing her performance.]

[Before long, her scores improved from twenty-three point five to passing marks: seventy, eighty-three, ninety-one, and even one hundred twenty-eight...]

[Yes, that damn woman had quickly evolved from naive and inexperienced to insatiable. After all, in human terms, Alice was at the stage of life where her desires were at their peak.]

[The person most dissatisfied with this situation was Sucrose. She had complained to you more than once that the genetic samples she collected were becoming increasingly diluted, making them less useful for her alchemical experiments.]

[But there was something else you couldn't ignore.]

[The explosion that occurred during your wedding last year was later confirmed to be a copycat crime. The perpetrator was not the long-wanted "Evil Sun," but an unidentified man.]

[Initially, you thought it was just a coincidence, but it unexpectedly marked the beginning of a series of troubling events.]

[After you halted Klee's criminal plans and shelved the adventure book "Hero Klee vs. the Demon King," the name Evil Sun seemed to vanish from existence.]

[Some suspected she had retired from crime and was living freely, while others believed she had died in one of her own explosions. But for some reason, her disappearance triggered a wave of copycat explosions.]

[The motives of these copycats weren't for profit but purely for destruction. Many used suicidal methods, and they shared two common traits—]

[First, they all had black sun tattoos on their bodies, seemingly paying homage to Evil Sun. Second, their identities were untraceable, as if they had appeared out of nowhere, leaving no clues to follow.]

[These copycat crimes were even more destructive than the ones you and Klee had committed, as they seemed to serve no purpose other than causing chaos.]

[For a time, Mondstadt was gripped by panic, and the Favonius Knights had to double their efforts to restore order. Every time you saw Jean, her dark circles seemed to have grown deeper.]

[As the chief Alchemist of the Favonius Knights, your job wasn't easy either. Every time an incident occurred, you were called to analyze and investigate. What had started as a convenient position to cover your own crimes had now turned you into a tool for the Knights.]

[However, these madmen's actions worked in your favor, distracting attention and reducing the chances of you and Klee being discovered.]

[Age 38: Your marriage had passed its first year smoothly. Aside from the occasional bombing case giving you a headache, your life had become much more comfortable.]

[Without the constant need to walk the edge of danger, Klee seemed to have moved on from the regrets of The Hero Klee vs. The Demon King.]

[It's not surprising, considering Klee has no real memories of her "deceased mother," and Alice has filled that void in her heart.]

[As for you, you've gradually adapted to this life— a beautiful wife, a lovely daughter, and a respectable job. In every sense, you appear to be living the life of a winner.]

[Alice not only loves Klee deeply, but she has also grown accustomed to her role as your wife. You're unsure if her affection for you is genuine or merely a façade to maintain this warm family, but you no longer care. As long as she plays her part, that's enough.]

[One day, while looking in the mirror, you noticed the white hairs at your temples and the wrinkles starting to appear on your face. Perhaps due to the comfort of your life, you hadn't used alchemical enhancements in a long time, and your body was slowly reverting to its natural state.]

[Age 39: Alice hadn't planned to get involved with the increasing bombings until one day, a group of deranged criminals took advantage of her absence to break into the school she had founded and planted bombs.]

[Upon receiving the news, you and Alice rushed to the school, only to find that the leader of the criminals specifically requested to meet with Alice for negotiations.]

[Alice immediately agreed. With her strength, she had no reason to fear any tricks from them. However, when they confronted the criminals, the leader handed Alice a remote with two buttons—one red and one blue.]

[The criminal told her that he had planted bombs in both the red and blue classes. Pressing one button would detonate the bomb in that class, while the other class would be spared. Alice had one minute to choose which class to save.]

[For Alice, the decision should have been simple. There were only a dozen students in the red class, while the blue class had over fifty. According to her principles, saving the larger group would have been the obvious choice.]

[But this time, Alice hesitated because Klee was in the red class.]

[After half a minute of agonizing struggle, Alice pressed the blue button.]

[A violent explosion followed. The criminal smiled triumphantly, but in the next moment, Alice punched his head with such force that it exploded.]

[The red class was saved, and Klee was unharmed, but all fifty-three students in the blue class perished.]

[Before the other criminals could be arrested, they committed suicide, leaving you even more perplexed. It seemed that this operation wasn't just about causing destruction but about forcing Alice into making an impossible choice.]

[This situation seemed eerily connected to the incident from years ago, when Alice blew up the mountainside to prevent a larger catastrophe.]

[However, you're convinced it's just a coincidence. After all, no one else could possibly torment Alice this way, except for you.]

[Though Alice wasn't directly responsible for the deaths of the fifty-three students, public opinion quickly turned against her, labeling her selfish for choosing to save her stepdaughter over innocent children.]

[Alice locked herself in your home, deeply shaken. For the first time, you saw her so utterly broken. Logically, seeing your enemy in such pain should have brought you immense satisfaction, but this time, you felt no joy at all.]

[While comforting Alice, she revealed a past event to you: years ago, during a geological survey near Mondstadt, she discovered that a village lay in a low-lying area. If a mudslide occurred, it would wipe out the entire village.]

[Alice planned to blow up the mountain to prevent the disaster, but the mudslide came sooner than expected. Faced with the choice of saving the village or sacrificing one household, she chose to sacrifice the few to save the many.]

[Throughout her five hundred years of travel, Alice had encountered similar situations and had always chosen to save the majority without hesitation.]

[But this time, she went against her principles. The fairness she had always upheld now seemed like self-deception.]

[You cautiously asked, "If you were given another chance, would you still choose to sacrifice those children for Klee?"]

["Even if the other side of the scale held the entire world," Alice replied without hesitation, "I would still choose Klee."]

[This incident has had a profound impact on Alice. Parents who lost their children appear at your doorstep almost daily, crying and cursing, as if Alice were the one who had killed their children.]

[In the past, Alice would have fought back against such accusations, but now she hides at home, as if wanting to escape it all.]

[During this time, Alice has become particularly dependent on you, seeking comfort from you more frequently, as if trying to drown her inner turmoil in physical pleasure.]

[While Alice's pain should bring you satisfaction, the fact that it wasn't caused by your own hands leaves you feeling indifferent.]

[You "used all your strength" to help Alice recover as quickly as possible, but in her current state, you feel no desire for revenge.]

[Age 40: Alice's period of despair lasted for several months, but under your and Klee's care, she gradually began to recover.]

[Klee, now sixteen, has blossomed into a beautiful and vibrant young girl. She seems to have forgotten her identity as Evil Sun and is fully enjoying her peaceful, happy life.]

[But you know it's time to take the final step in your revenge. Once Alice fully recovers, you'll take Klee and Sucrose and leave her forever, stripping her of all her happiness.]

[You can't wait any longer—the longer you stay, the deeper you'll sink. Sometimes, you even find it surprising that you haven't dreamed of your deceased wife and daughter in a long time.]

---

[One day, as you pushed open the door to your home, you were suddenly sprayed in the face with confetti. Alice and Klee were waiting for you, and on Alice's face, you saw a smile that had long since disappeared.]

["Congratulations!" Alice suddenly hugged you, catching you off guard. She cried with joy, "Soon, you'll be the father of two children—or maybe even three!"]

[Alice was pregnant, which explained why she had begun to emerge from the shadows of her recent despair. She had once told you that it was incredibly difficult for the Elf Race to conceive, especially with someone from another race.]

[At that moment, you felt a mix of happiness and deep conflict. Abandoning Alice was no longer an easy decision, especially now that she was carrying your child.]

[Klee seemed even happier than the two of you, already imagining the joy of having a little brother or sister to play with.]

[Alice told you that during pregnancy, the Elf Race becomes very weak. She had already made arrangements to stay in a hospital to avoid any complications. You agreed with her plan and took her to the best hospital in Mondstadt.]

[After returning home, your emotions were more conflicted than ever. You suddenly remembered that this year marked the twentieth anniversary of your daughter's birth. You decided to secretly return to your hometown—perhaps visiting the graves of your deceased wife and daughter would help renew your resolve for revenge.]

[You returned to the village where you had once lived. Years ago, a landslide had forced the entire village to relocate. You had been gone for so long, and with your altered appearance, no one would recognize you.]

[You expected that finding the graves from over a decade ago would be difficult, but to your surprise, you quickly located the graves of your wife and daughter. The site had been renovated, and the tombstone was polished and well-maintained. You wondered who, besides you, still remembered them.]

[You pretended to be a lost traveler and asked an old man passing by about the origins of this solitary grave. The old man told you that years ago, a landslide nearly destroyed the village. A witch had appeared and blown up the mountainside to stop it, saving the village, but accidentally killed a family of three in the process. To express their remorse, the villagers regularly visit the grave to pay their respects.]

[You couldn't help but sneer internally. What's the point of alleviating guilt in this way?]

[Perhaps because he hadn't spoken to an outsider in some time, the old man continued chatting. Just as you were about to leave, he sighed and murmured, "It was such a tragedy. When they were found, the wife and daughter were holding each other tightly. The husband's body wasn't discovered until a month later, but his head was missing."]

[His words hit you like a bolt of lightning. You were alive, so how could your body have been dug up? Was it possible that someone else's remains had been mistaken for yours and buried in the grave?]

[You couldn't let such a thing go unresolved. Under the cover of night, you returned to the grave and opened it. Inside, you found three coffins. You pried open the largest one.]

[Inside lay the skeleton of a man—without a skull. As you examined the remains, you were shocked to see clear breakage marks on the arm bones, right where your own arm had been severed.]

[Your heart filled with confusion. You took this skeleton, along with a fragment of your daughter's bones, and rushed back to your laboratory in Mondstadt for genetic analysis.]

[Though biological alchemy wasn't your specialty, the task wasn't difficult. Soon, you had the results—indeed, the two skeletons were genetically related.]

[A wave of breathlessness overwhelmed you. If this skeleton was you, then who were you?]

[This revelation far exceeded your understanding. You thought it might just be a nightmare—that a good night's sleep would help you forget everything by morning.]

[You returned home in a daze, but as soon as you opened the door, you heard a familiar yet strange voice say, "Nice to meet you for the first time."]

[Entering immersive mode] 

[Mission objective: End all of this]

Standing before you was a man who looked exactly like you. He was sitting on the sofa, casually munching on snacks from the table, flipping through an old picture book—the same book you made for Klee, The Hero Klee vs. The Demon King.

"Who are you?" Lucas asked, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief. 

"Why are you pretending to be me?"

"Pretending to be you?" The man smiled and shook his head. "No. To be precise, I created you in my image."

"Now that you know the truth, this 'experiment' can finally come to an end."

Lucas didn't fully grasp the man's words, but he felt a dangerous presence emanating from him. Without a second thought, Lucas grabbed a fruit knife from the dining table and hurled it at the man.

To his shock, the knife shattered upon impact with a sharp crack, scattering in pieces across the room.

"You can't hurt me," the man said calmly. "Because I am Perfect Work."

He nodded, seemingly pleased with the name. "Yes, Perfect Work. It suits me well. After all, I am the most perfect creation."

Lucas realized this person was far more powerful than he appeared. With a cold expression, Lucas asked, "What do you mean by 'experiment'?"

"Don't rush. It's quite an interesting story," Perfect Work said, taking a leisurely sip of red tea.

"Five hundred years ago, in a country called Khaenri'ah, there was a powerful alchemist named Rhinedottir. Her greatest achievement was the ability to create life through alchemy."

"And I am Rhinedottir's most perfect creation. Without exception. Unfortunately, my 'mother' was too blind to see my true value and treated me as a defective product. She destroyed me and fed my remains to another of her experiments—Shadow Dragon Durin."

"Later, Durin perished in battle on the snowy mountains. I seized that moment to escape from its body. I fled, stumbling my way through the snow until I found refuge in a forest."

"I spent time recovering there, but I couldn't stop thinking about why I was considered defective. As an artificial life, I should have been perfect. Logically, there was no reason for me to be discarded."

"So, I began observing humans. There was a village near the forest, and I would hide in the shadows, watching them, trying to understand what I lacked."

"But I could not find the answer. So, I devised an experiment. I took a part of my own body as the foundation and created a new alchemical being—one that would live among humans and see if it could evolve."

"To help it blend into human society, I caused a landslide by destroying the mountains and vegetation, triggering heavy rains that would wipe out the village. My plan was to disguise you as one of the victims, allowing you to infiltrate human society unnoticed."

"But that damned witch ruined everything. Still, the landslide managed to kill a family. So, I severed the man's head and transplanted his memories into the alchemical being I had created—You."

---

Hearing this, Lucas finally understood why he hadn't aged and why his body had been so perfectly compatible with Sucrose's alchemical arm, without a hint of rejection.

It was because he had been an alchemical creation all along!

Although when Lucas took on the role of the simulator, his emotions and personality would resonate with the character, he still retained his primary consciousness.

In other words, as shocking as this story was, to Lucas in the simulator's immersive mode, it was still just that - a story.

"You seem pretty calm. I expected you to be more shaken," the Perfect Creation remarked, somewhat disappointed. "But after twenty years of observation, I've finally realised what I've been missing."

"Don't tell me it's something like 'love'," Lucas replied coldly. "I might throw up."

"No, it's 'fulfilment'," the Perfect Creation replied. "When you are satisfied with your life, you naturally reach a new evolution."

So that's what it was?

Indeed, the reason why Lucas had begun to age, and why Alice had been able to conceive, was because he had begun to live this 'strange' family life.

It was the gradual satisfaction of this happy life that allowed Lucas to become truly "human".

"So the perpetrators of those bombings," Lucas suddenly realised, "were also alchemical beings created by you?"

"They were only part of what you saw. In truth, many people in Mondstadt have already been replaced by my alchemical beings, just as I have replaced you," the Perfect Creation said with a smug grin. "And now that I know how to evolve, I'm going to take over your lives. That way I can achieve the conditions for evolution as well."

"That's impossible," Lucas scoffed. "Do you think that simply taking my form will make my family trust you? Klee and Alice will never be fooled by you!"

"Klee is a lovely child. I like her very much and I'll keep her as my daughter," the Perfect Creation said indifferently. "As for Alice, do you know? I have just finished telling Klee the story from that picture book in your place. I even told her who killed her mother."

As he spoke, the Perfect Creation held the picture book in front of Lucas. All the pages had been torn out, leaving only the last one intact.

In the illustration, Klee was holding a bomb, and in front of her stood Alice, engulfed in flames.

"After hearing the story, Klee walked away with a grim expression. I suspect she's on her way to the hospital to find Alice," the Perfect Creation said with a mischievous grin. "Alice is at her weakest right now. If Klee attacks her, do you think... she'll survive?"

"You bastard!"

Lucas had no intention of continuing this exchange with the madman. He turned to leave immediately, but before he could, a figure stepped out of the shadows and blocked the doorway.

"Sucrose?" Lucas was stunned. "Why are you here?"

Yes, it was Sucrose standing in front of him!

"Don't you understand yet? Why do you think I know so much about your life?" The Perfect Creation let out a maniacal laugh. "Sucrose is also an alchemical creation of mine. Her only purpose was to watch you."

"That's impossible!" Lucas retorted immediately. "Alchemical creatures don't grow! I've lived with Sucrose for over a decade. I've seen every change she's gone through!"

But the Perfect Creation just laughed harder. "Who told you I only made one Sucrose?"

Lucas seemed to realise something and muttered, "Could it be..."

"Exactly," the Perfect Creation spread his arms and smiled. "Ever since I sent Sucrose to your alchemy workshop, I've been replacing her with a new version from time to time, creating the illusion that she's growing. So, what do you think? Isn't my technique impeccable?"

Lucas looked at Sucrose, his expression complicated. "Sucrose... is what he says true?"

"I'm sorry," Sucrose walked slowly behind the Perfect Creation, bowing slightly. "As a creation, I cannot disobey the orders of my creator."

"No need to apologise, Sucrose. It's not your fault," Lucas shook his head and said, "Regardless of your intentions, I'm grateful for the time we've spent together."

Sucrose's eyes widened in surprise and tears slowly trickled down her cheeks.

"How touching," the Perfect Creation sneered. "She's only an alchemical creation. You didn't actually develop feelings for her, did you? Pfft!"

As the Perfect Creation spoke, Sucrose quickly pulled a syringe from behind him and stabbed it directly into his neck.

Lucas recognised the syringe immediately - it was fitted with a specially designed needle capable of piercing even the thickest hide of a boar. The dark purple liquid inside was the corrosive agent Sucrose had been researching.

The perfect creation never expected his own creation to betray him. As the corrosive liquid spread through his body, he began to convulse violently.

"Boss, this... is the only thing I can do for you..." Sucrose strained to inject the rest of the liquid, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "I've been waiting... for this moment!"

"Foolish!"

The Perfect Creation suddenly produced a small remote control from his hand. As he pressed the button, Sucrose's body began to emit smoke.

Realising what was happening, Sucrose turned to Lucas one last time, smiling as tears streamed down her face. "Thank you... I finally felt... what it's like to be human..."

Before she could finish her sentence, her body seized up, like a machine that had run out of power. Her golden eyes dimmed and she collapsed to the floor with a soft thud.

"She knew I had a failsafe, yet she did this. It seems my creation wasn't as flawless as I thought," the Perfect Creation said, touching his neck with a frown. "How idiotic, to betray me for you."

Anger surged through Lucas. He leapt forward and punched the Perfect Creation right in the face. The force of the blow twisted his head at an unnatural angle.

If he were a normal human, he'd be dead. But the Perfect Creation just smiled and retaliated with a powerful kick that sent Lucas flying through the window. Shards of glass embedded themselves in his body as he landed outside.

"Cough!"

Lucas spat out blood. In the simulator, he could only use the abilities of his simulated character. If he could use his real strength, the Perfect Creation wouldn't stand a chance.

At that moment, a series of explosions could be heard in the distance. Buildings in the city went up in flames, one after the other, as the night sky over Mondstadt lit up like daylight.

"Do you know why I've orchestrated so many bombings?" the Perfect Creation asked, slowly exiting the room. "My next goal is to replace every person in this city with alchemical puppets. But their numbers are too great, so I need to do some... cleansing first."

"What's the point of all this?" Lucas asked coldly. "If you want to rule over a bunch of alchemical beings, why go to such extremes?"

"No, I want to create a paradise - one for me and Klee," the Perfect Creation said, shaking his head. "Klee and I are Rhinedottir's most perfect creations. We will be the Adam and Eve of this new world!"

Adam and Eve? In this universe?

Lucas' expression became complicated.

So the Perfect Creation was one of the two alchemical beings Rhinedottir made. But Klee, born in the warmth of Alice's love, had transcended the 'chalk' phase and become a true being.

Meanwhile, the perfect creation, treated only as an "experiment", had ultimately become a failure.

"I see now," Lucas sneered. "I truly pity you. After all, you're nothing but Rhinedottir's defective product."

"Shut up!"

The Perfect Creation's face twisted with rage. His previously calm demeanour vanished. He crouched down and grabbed Lucas by the throat, his expression vicious. "I... am the most perfect! Klee and I are made of the best materials!"

"How can you compare?" Lucas struggled to speak, fighting against suffocation. "Klee is my golden apple, and you... you're nothing but a pile of dog shit! You should call yourself the Defective Creation!"

"I will kill you!"

Enraged, the Perfect Creation prepared to strangle Lucas to death. But at that moment, Lucas' strength surged, allowing him to pry the Perfect Creation's hands off.

In the Perfect Creation's moment of surprise, Lucas flipped him over and pinned him to the ground. His arms swelled with muscle and his entire body exuded an intense pressure.

That's right - when he'd been thrown out of the window earlier, Lucas had injected himself with a body-strengthening serum he'd developed.

Although the serum carried significant risks, this wasn't the time to worry about them.

After all, dying in the simulator wouldn't affect his real self. He had to deal with this madman once and for all.

"This punch is for Sucrose!"

With his strength and speed multiplied many times over, Lucas unleashed a barrage of punches. Each blow landed on the Perfect Creation, leaving him unable to defend himself.

For a full minute, Lucas rained down blows. After over three or four hundred hits, the Perfect Creation's body was so battered that it no longer resembled anything human.

The side effects of the body-enhancing serum were far more severe than Lucas had expected. His entire body felt like it was on fire, and with a staggering step he collapsed to the floor.

"Is it over?" 

In the distance, the sound of explosions still echoed through the night. Mondstadt was more chaotic than ever, surpassing even the celebrations of the Ludi Harpastum Festival.

Lying on the ground, Lucas let the heat spread through his body, feeling as if tiny bombs were exploding in his muscles, tearing them apart from the inside.

Was this what death felt like?

Even though he knew that dying in the simulator would do no real harm, Lucas couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

He wanted to ruffle Klee's hair once more.

He wanted to know if Alice's child would be a boy or a girl...

"Yo, is this really the end?"

Just as Lucas resigned himself to his fate and prepared to accept death, a grating voice rang out beside him.

The Perfect Creation stood over him, his face now grotesquely distorted by Lucas' earlier barrage of blows. His features were so distorted that he looked as if he'd fallen down a flight of stairs, his once perfect face now a twisted mess of dents and cracks.

Yet he was still alive.

"I told you I was perfect." The perfect creation lifted a foot and pressed it down on Lucas' chest, his voice cold and threatening. "You were created by me. How could you ever be stronger than me?"

Lucas was stunned - this creature's vitality was far beyond what he had expected.

But it made sense. The perfect creation was made by Rhinedottir, the closest thing to a flawless work of alchemy. Lucas, on the other hand, was merely a creation born from a fraction of his materials.

"It's unfortunate," the perfect creation continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "You struck me in the face, but my core is in my chest. Too bad you won't get another chance."

"Have you forgotten?" Lucas suddenly smiled despite the pain. "My greatest weapon isn't my enhanced body or even the serum... It's alchemy."

"Alchemy? Your alchemy is like a child's toy to me," the Perfect Creation scoffed. "And don't forget the principle of alchemy: equivalent exchange. You don't have any materials left for transmutation."

"Who says I don't?"

Lucas raised his right hand, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "My body is the best material of all. Alchemical armament!"

At his command, the alchemical arm Sucrose had created for him began to glow with an eerie light, shifting and transforming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His arm turned into a long, thick barrel with two black muzzles forming at the knuckles. A flickering flame could be seen inside the barrel, preparing to ignite.

The Perfect Creation's smug expression faltered as he realised what was happening. He tried to flee, but the damage Lucas had inflicted earlier had slowed him down. His body, weakened by the relentless beating, was no longer able to move at full speed.

"Times have changed, old man!"

With a loud bang, the weapon fired a barrage of makeshift 'ammunition' straight into the Perfect Creation's chest, creating dozens of small holes.

The ammunition wasn't standard bullets, but an improvised concoction of broken glass, pebbles, nails and screws, alchemically transmuted on the spot.

The special 'shotgun' blast didn't lose any of its lethality, especially at such close range. The Perfect Creation's chest now resembled a honeycomb, riddled with gaping holes.

His alchemical core, the heart of his existence, was now exposed, pulsing weakly in his chest.

For the first time, the Perfect Creation's face showed pure fear and desperation.

"No... please..." he pleaded weakly. "I am your creator..."

"Bang!"

Lucas replied with another shot, right into the exposed core.

This time, without the outer shell to protect it, the explosive force tore the core apart, shredding it to pieces.

The broken core flickered a few more times before losing all light and finally ceasing to function.

With its core destroyed, the Perfect Creation collapsed to the ground like a lifeless puppet, its strings severed.

Two point-blank shots were enough to finish even the toughest of alchemical constructs. Even someone like the Raiden Shogun herself would have fallen with such direct hits.

Lucas, however, was completely drained. The side effects of the serum had already taken their toll on his body, and using alchemy on top of that had pushed him to the absolute limit. He could barely stand as he stumbled to his feet, every movement a struggle.

But he forced himself forward, his eyes set on the hospital.

"I have to stop Klee..."

Lucas' heart raced with fear - the thought of Klee being manipulated by the Perfect Creation into believing that Alice had killed her mother was terrifying. If Klee acted on that belief...

Though the Perfect Creation was dead, the chaos he had unleashed on Mondstadt continued. The alchemical dolls he had created had gone berserk, turning the night into a living nightmare for the city.

---

Even if the entire Knights of Favonius were mobilized, it would still be difficult to quickly suppress the situation.

Lucas was already struggling just to keep moving, let alone avoid the alchemical marauders that could appear at any moment.

By the time he finally arrived near the hospital, he realized the area had also been surrounded by minions of the Perfect Creation.

These alchemical creatures didn't have much intelligence and operated solely on simple commands. Now that the Perfect Creation had been destroyed, they continued to follow their last orders relentlessly, with no signs of stopping.

Suddenly, an explosion erupted from one of the hospital rooms in a high-rise building.

Lucas's heart skipped a beat—the room that had exploded was precisely where Alice was staying.

Had he still been too late?

But before he could process it, several broken alchemical dolls were flung out of the window, crashing hard onto the ground below.

"Full firepower!"

To Lucas's surprise, he heard a familiar voice. He looked up just in time to see Klee jump out of the window, landing gracefully on the ground.

In her hands, two bombs appeared from nowhere, and she quickly hurled them at the remaining alchemical dolls.

In the fiery explosion, Lucas saw that same familiar smile on Klee's face—madness, excitement, and adorableness, all at once.

"Dad, you're so slow!" Klee waved at Lucas with a grin. "Mom and the baby are perfectly safe! Isn't Klee amazing?"

Lucas finally felt a wave of relief wash over him.

It turned out Klee hadn't come to the hospital to harm Alice, but to protect her.

Whether she had seen through the Perfect Creation's disguise or simply forgiven Alice, it no longer seemed to matter.

Even though Klee hadn't used her powers for years, it was clear she hadn't forgotten her combat experience.

"Jumpty Dumpty!"

"Kaboom!"

Thanks to her Vision, the bombs she created were incredibly powerful, and the clumsy alchemical dolls were no match for her. In no time, they were all reduced to ashes.

Klee wasn't just protecting Alice and the hospital—she was also venting years of suppressed urges to cause mayhem.

By the time Jean, the Acting Grand Master, arrived, Klee had already wiped out all the alchemical dolls surrounding the hospital.

"Lucas, Klee, I'm glad you're both safe..." Jean breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing them unharmed. But when she glanced at the sea of flames around them, she frowned. "This level of explosion feels... oddly familiar."

"Is... is that so?" Lucas stammered, a nervous expression crossing his face.

After all, both he and Klee had once been Jean's top targets. Her familiarity with Klee's explosives, second only to Albedo and Sucrose, made it hard for her not to notice something.

"Klee... Klee doesn't know what you're talking about..."

Klee instinctively took a step back, a little fearful. Just then, there was a light "ding." A dormant Jumpty Dumpty slid out of her backpack, rolling across the ground until it stopped at Jean's feet.

"What's this..." Jean picked up the bomb, her face showing a trace of surprise.

There was no mistaking it—this was the signature weapon of the "Evil Sun," a criminal who had once given her endless headaches.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Jean wasn't naive. The moment she saw the bomb, everything clicked into place.

"So, it's like that..." Jean gave the two a complicated look but then asked, "Does Alice know about this?"

"No, she doesn't," Lucas sighed. "And yes, as you've guessed, I... am the Evil Sun. But Klee, she knows nothing about any of this."

Since he was already a dying man, taking the blame for Klee seemed insignificant.

"What are you talking about?" Jean suddenly shoved the Jumpty Dumpty back into Klee's hands and said calmly, "It's just a cute little toy. Here, take it back."

"Huh?"

Klee, still confused, cautiously accepted the bomb.

"Klee, go check on Alice," Jean said, patting her head with a smile. "I need to have a talk with your dad."

"Is Captain Jean going to take Dad away?" Klee asked, a rare hint of sadness in her voice. "It's all my fault... I won't do it again..."

"Klee, go on," Lucas said gently. "Don't worry, nothing's going to happen to Daddy."

After Klee left, Jean's expression turned serious as she addressed Lucas. "I need an explanation for all of this."

Knowing there was no point in hiding anymore, Lucas explained what had happened between him and Klee over the years, mixing truth with lies.

"That's my confession," Lucas finished with a bitter smile. "Whatever punishment I deserve, let me bear it alone."

"You've committed serious crimes, no doubt. And Klee's involvement... well, that's complicity," Jean paused before continuing. "But considering your years of service to Mondstadt and your role in protecting it today, I'm willing to offer some leniency. I'll dock ten years of your wages as punishment."

"Wait, wait... isn't that a bit like abuse of authority?" Lucas couldn't help but retort.

"You've got plenty of money anyway," Jean said with a rare smile. "Ten years of service to Mondstadt seems a fair way to atone for your sins."

Jean knew deep down she couldn't truly punish Lucas. His wife was Alice, after all. If she publicly sentenced him to a long prison term, Alice would likely blow Mondstadt to smithereens and then take her family and vanish, holding a grudge against the city forever.

"It's certainly lenient, but unfortunately..." Lucas's voice faltered, his steps becoming unsteady. "I don't think I have that much time left."

As he spoke, Lucas's body gave out, collapsing into Jean's arms.

His heart, which had been beating erratically, finally gave in under the immense pressure and began to fail.

His skin started to disintegrate into fine dust, blending with the floating ashes created by the flames around them.

He was burnt out... turning to pure white ash.

'Too bad I couldn't see Alice one last time...'

....

Just as Lucas braced for the system's notification signaling the end of the simulation, time within the simulator accelerated rapidly.

When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in the real world but in a hospital room.

Standing by his bedside was a green-haired, golden-eyed girl wearing glasses, staring at him silently, like a statue.

"Sucrose?" Lucas exclaimed in shock. "Are you alive again?"

"Correction," Sucrose's voice took on a mechanical tone. "This model is Sucrose Mk-75 Isomorphic Version 2. The subject has awakened. Core synchronization is at 72%. No fatal errors detected. Vital signs are stable. In short, you have been revived."

It was then that Lucas noticed Sucrose looked much younger than he remembered—she appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old.

"Dad!"

At that moment, the door to the room burst open, and Klee and Alice rushed inside.

"You…!" Alice's expression was dark as she spoke. "You hid something this important from me."

"You've… figured it out?" Lucas asked weakly, his face downcast. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you."

Of course Alice had figured it out. She had every right to be angry, maybe even to leave him.

"This is serious!" Alice crossed her arms, pouting angrily. "You didn't tell me that Sucrose was an alchemical doll! Do you have some kind of strange hobby or something?"

"Huh?"

Wait, this is what she was concerned about?

Lucas hadn't caught on yet, but Sucrose remained expressionless as she explained, "My creator designed me solely to assist with alchemy and manage the shop. I have never been used for anything dirty or improper."

Hey! That explanation is just making things sound worse!

"Is that so?" Alice gently cracked her knuckles and smiled. "Since you're still recovering from your injuries, I'll hold off on punishing you for now."

"Sucrose, but haven't you..." Lucas was still confused.

According to the Perfect Creation, he had continuously made new versions of Sucrose to deceive him, making it seem like she was growing.

But weren't all the discarded versions destroyed? Where did this Sucrose come from?

"I was created by the original and share her memories and knowledge," Sucrose answered. "Upon the original's destruction, I automatically activated."

"But..." Lucas glanced at his body. His skin still showed traces of the powdery disintegration, but the damage hadn't worsened. "Shouldn't I have exploded due to the bodily enhancements?"

"I took the damaged core of the Perfect Creation and refined it, using it as material to craft an artificial heart for you," Sucrose explained. "It's even healthier than your original heart. Additionally, the rest of your organs can be replaced with alchemical ones if needed."

"Biological alchemy has advanced that far?" Alice mused thoughtfully. "Maybe you should just replace his kidneys too—they might last longer."

"Eh?" Klee asked curiously, "Why would they last longer?"

Klee's innocent question caused both Alice and Lucas to look a little embarrassed.

"Allow me to explain," Sucrose began, her voice as neutral as ever, "Human experiments show that kidney function affects sexua—mmph!"

Alice hurriedly clamped her hand over Sucrose's mouth, flustered. "Let's stop that discussion for now. Sucrose, Klee, why don't you step outside? I have something I want to talk about with your dad alone."

"Huh? Why does Klee have to leave again?" Klee pouted. "It was the same with Captain Jean last time..."

"Let's go," Sucrose said calmly, taking Klee's hand. "Some conversations aren't for children."

"But Sucrose-sis is a kid too now!" Klee protested, her little lips quivering. "She looks about the same age as me."

Indeed, since the "Sucrose Mk-75 Isomorphic Version 2" was modeled after Sucrose's younger self, she didn't appear much older than Klee, who was now sixteen.

In fact, Sucrose was even shorter than Klee, making her look more like the younger sister.

Still, Klee was understanding enough. After a little grumbling, she left with Sucrose, though she made sure to say one last thing before leaving: "Mom and Dad, you better not fight!"

Once Klee was gone, Alice's smile instantly vanished.

Lucas felt a deep sense of foreboding.

"I didn't spell things out earlier because I didn't want Klee to worry," Alice said, placing a worn-out storybook in front of Lucas, her expression complicated. "Was your plan from the start to kidnap Klee and push her to seek revenge against me?"

The storybook was none other than The Hero Klee vs. the Demon King. While Klee saw it as a simple fairy tale, Alice—shrewd and perceptive—had quickly realized the secrets hidden within.

"Yes," Lucas admitted, a dark look in his eyes. "Kidnapping Klee, letting her appear before you, marrying you... it was all part of my revenge plan."

"I don't understand." Alice clenched her fists. "During my pregnancy, you had the perfect opportunity to strike. Why didn't you?"

"I don't have the right to forgive you on behalf of my dead wife and child," Lucas sighed. "But Klee... she already lost one mother. I couldn't let her lose another."

"Klee can't lose her mother, but our baby can't grow up without a father either," Alice's smile slowly returned. "Besides, this all started because of my own mistakes. So let's spend the rest of our lives making up for it together."

---

[Mission Complete]

[Task Accomplished: End Everything]

[Reward Earned: S-Rank Item: Philosopher's Stone]

[Effect: When performing alchemy, this item can substitute for any alchemical material (as long as at least two materials are required). Can be used once per day.]

These rewards don't seem to be randomly distributed.

Since the theme of this simulation was alchemy, he was given something related to alchemy.

However... He knows practically nothing about alchemy in the real world. If he wants to make full use of this item, he'll have to learn.

---

[Age 41: You expected elves to have longer pregnancies, but perhaps due to being half-human, Alice gave birth to a daughter after ten months. You named her Roland, meaning "sun" in ancient Mondstadt Language.]

[Age 42: Sucrose was right. After receiving your new "heart," your body became even healthier than before.]

[Of course, this only made Alice more eager for you to get alchemical kidneys—not that she was dissatisfied with your current performance, but she simply wanted to ensure she could exhaust you every single day. According to her, it was part of your "punishment."]

[Age 43: Klee officially joined the Knights of Favonius and quickly rose through the ranks thanks to her outstanding abilities. She was soon honored with the title of "Spark Knight."]

[However, due to her unpredictability and immense destructive power, people privately preferred to call her the "Fleeing Sun."]

---

[Age 46: Your daughter Roland awakened her Vision at the age of five. Unlike her older sister, however, her Vision was of the Hydro element.]

...

[Age 50: You resigned from your position as Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, passing the title on to Sucrose.]

[Age 51: After your retirement, you and Alice reopened a school together, once again taking in orphans and children from poor families.]

[Age 52: Grand Master Varka passed away, and Jean officially took over as the Grand Master.]

[Age 53: Through your collaborative research with Sucrose, you were able to create alchemical dolls almost indistinguishable from humans. However, fearing the potential misuse of this technology, you decided to halt further research in this area.]

[Age 54: Due to the slow aging process of elves, people often mistook you and Alice as father and daughter when you went out together. Alice would playfully call you "Daddy" and engage in various intimate gestures, always drawing curious glances from passersby.]

[Of course, you didn't let her have the upper hand all the time. When night fell and you returned to your room, Alice would call you "Daddy" even more frequently than during the day.]

[Thanks to your alchemical heart, your physical strength and vitality remained at their peak for a long time, serving as an essential 'lubricant' in your marriage.]

...

[Age 56: If Klee inherited your talent for making explosives, then your second daughter Roland undoubtedly inherited your skill in alchemy. By the age of 13, she had almost mastered all of your alchemical knowledge.]

...

[Age 58: Klee, due to her elven heritage from Alice, aged very slowly. Even at the age of 30, she looked no different from a 16- or 17-year-old, which often caused confusion. New recruits of the Knights of Favonius would mistake her for a peer, something that frustrated Klee greatly.]

...

[Age 60: Upon reaching adulthood, Roland decided not to join the Knights of Favonius. Instead, she embarked on a journey across the seven nations, seeking to improve her alchemy and learn more about the craft.]

...

[Age 63: The school you and Alice founded had already produced many talented individuals.]

...

[Age 66: Jean officially retired from her position as Grand Master, and to everyone's surprise, Klee was chosen as her successor. However, given her merits and accomplishments, it was a logical choice.]

[Visually, of course, Klee was undoubtedly the youngest-looking Grand Master in the history of the Knights of Favonius.]

[Age 67: With nothing to occupy her time after retirement, Jean couldn't sit idle. She decided to take up a position at your school, teaching swordsmanship.]

...

[Age 70: Your second daughter Roland sent a letter home, informing you that she had found a job in Inazuma. She was now working as an alchemical doll specialist for the Shogunate, overseeing the maintenance and care of these creations.]

...

[Age 75: Your body had deteriorated significantly, and the alchemical heart you had been using started to malfunction frequently. Sucrose suggested replacing it, but you refused. At the very least, you wanted to die as a human.]

...

[Age 84: You reached the end of your life. As you lay in bed, surrounded by your family and the students you had trained, you gazed upon your eternally youthful wife and daughters, feeling as though your entire life had been a fleeting dream. In Alice's tearful eyes, you saw your own reflection before slowly closing your eyes for the last time.]

[This life simulation has ended.]

[Cause of death: Heart failure.]

[Overall evaluation: In some sense, you could be considered a winner in life.]

[Your reward has been issued and is available for viewing.]

[Please choose between two talents: "Alchemist (Purple)" or "Demolition Expert (Blue)" as your permanent skill.]

Lucas naturally chose [Alchemist] for a simple reason. Without it, the [Philosopher's Stone] he'd acquired earlier would have been nearly useless.

When he opened his eyes, Lucas found himself back in Jean's office.

Even though he had returned to reality, it took him half a minute to mutter, "What was I doing before all this?"

It wasn't that Lucas had a bad memory. Although this simulation wasn't as lengthy as the last one, he'd still lived through an entire life, and it took a moment to shake off the immersion from the previous character.

[Friendly Reminder: You've resolved the trouble with Lawrence, acquired a blacksmith shop, and are now preparing to report back to Grand Master Jean at the Knights of Favonius.]

The system helpfully offered a reminder.

"This feature's not bad!" Lucas praised with a nod. "Keep it up next time, saves me from spacing out after leaving the simulator."

However, Jean still hadn't shown up, likely kept up late dealing with yesterday's case.

Well, since there was nothing urgent, Lucas decided to check out what rewards he'd received from the simulation.

Honestly, even the rewards from within the simulation had been pretty good, but no one ever complained about having too many rewards, right?

When he opened his inventory, to his surprise, he saw four A-rank loot boxes!

"No way!" Lucas exclaimed. "You're being this generous with rewards now?"

[If you think it's too much, I can always take them back.]

"Don't be like that!" Lucas laughed. "I'll combine three A-rank boxes into one S-rank box, and open it all at once."

[You've opened an A-rank box and received the item: "Rhinedottir's Crucible."]

[Rhinedottir's Crucible]

[Grade: A]

[Effect: Any alchemical product made using this crucible will be enhanced by one grade.]

[Description: A crucible once used by the great alchemist Rhinedottir, known as the 'Gold.' Though not inherently special, it has gained extraordinary power from being used to create many great alchemical works.]

Another alchemy-related item, huh?

"Wait a minute..." Lucas frowned, suddenly suspicious. "You didn't swipe this from somewhere again, did you?"

[What are you talking about? I'm a proper system, not some petty thief!]

"Yeah, right," Lucas grumbled. "Last time, didn't you grab 'Raiden Mai' from the Raiden Shogun's collection?"

[As long as it isn't discovered, it's not a crime!]

"I knew it..."

Even though the system's method of rewarding him seemed a little sketchy, since Rhinedottir had lived 500 years ago, taking her crucible probably wasn't a big deal.

[You've opened the S-rank box and received the item: "Hero Klee vs. the Demon King."]

[Hero Klee vs. the Demon King]

[Grade: S]

[Exclusive to: Klee]

[Effect: Only Klee can use this item. With Klee's imagination, it might create unexpected miracles (This item can only be used by Klee. Giving it to her will significantly raise her affection for you).]

[Description: A picture book detailing the adventures of Brave Klee. Filled with fantasy and whimsy, it is Klee's most cherished treasure.]

---