Chapter 291: Cutscene of a Sleepover

"What do you mean you need to head back into the Kraelonia Academy to study?" Odele asked Han Jing with a curious look. "Can you not simply choose to spend time with us here?"

"I mean I could…" Han Jing hesitated. The idea of leaving his body to travel back to the Otherworld did seem like a precarious thing to do when he was surrounded by them, but he was almost afraid of what would happen if he left his stupid Soul Waves to keep maneuvering 'Han' alone.

He was nervous of coming back and realizing he had been expelled from the Academy since a week ago. "But I still benefit more if I learn the concept of magic there than I would here. I do, however, promise to return in the morning to go to the theme and amusement parks like I promised you according to our bargain."

She pouted at him. "I wanted to play board games. Those little pieces going up and down—it's similar to Krakens and Seaweeds from what I heard."

"Er, you didn't even tell me that," Han Jing scratched the back of his head. "It's not like I can pull one so suddenly with almost everything closed." 

He and the others had returned after dinner to lounge around and relax back in their rooms, and while he did imagine some talking—he assumed everyone would head back to the Otherworld and do their stuff.

"Aw." The Mermaid had a good case of puppy-eyes.

The Demon Lord rolled her eyes, and rolled over in one of the beds in the hotel room. Jilanya waved a hand mockingly at him. "This human spends his time conversing with the people there and actually forming relationships—a stupid use of his time when he could have been running a kingdom."

"Well, we're all free to do what we want," Faeran said and threw some popcorn into his mouth. The Wood Elf's gaze focused on the television screen. "You still like dropping there frequently, right Jilanya? So there's not much of a difference between you and him."

She held a hand over her chest. "I am managing my people's resources and simply checking on the ones I have left in charge to act as the Overlord while I am gone and in turn, I only reap the benefits of all their hard work, blood and tears. Compare that to him that is struggling to get stronger all on his own. I have said it before, I say it again—pathetic."

Faeran rolled his eyes. "It can't be helped that he only gained access quite late—you entered while all of the Demons were still little Infernals that couldn't even do anything beyond destroying everything in their path. You had to tame them and teach them civilization—he on the other hand has joined when his own people already have multiple leaders."

"I defeated the strongest Demon the Creators had spawned out of my own ability and seized power over my entire race. There is nothing trifling with that," she narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed. "And what about you? You on the other hand had simply…"

A momentary silence hung in the air, a tension thick enough to cut. 

Even Odele noticed the uneasiness that stemmed from the two of the oldest Players and shared a silent look with Han Jing. Both of them were unaware of the history that happened between those two—except the two seemed to have a rivalry friendship with one another. 

"You ended up visiting the Human lands, slept and cohorted with a great number of women there and then bred a child. A half-breed. Who does that?"

Faeran's lips curled into a grin, "Apparently me."

"Is Ellynn your only child?" Han Jing had to ask. It was best to change the topic into lighter ones, and about someone he could actually think of. And while the thought of sleeping around didn't seem so bad—this Wood Elf had the looks to spare for it, he admitted in his chagrined state. 

Many other people would have probably done the same as Faeran, it still felt strange to him to simply sleep with someone in a body that really wasn't his.

"You could say that." Faeran nodded and smiled thoughtfully. "It's like a little miracle, that child is. Human bloodline is weaker than an Elf's nature and essence, and the mere fact that this particular baby was still able to combine her human self with the nature of Elves and became Ellynn is amazing. Most would have died trying to balance those two sides, one overpowering the other."

"I see…" 

There was a hint of doting in the Wood Elf's tone, that Han Jing found a little hard to believe. It was a parental concern that almost made him think it was fake or simply a ruse. But the Wood Elf had nothing to gain about lying with them right now.

"Ah, she is a lovely young woman." Odele agreed.

Faeran agreed. "Only a couple decades younger than you too, they grow up so fast. I still remember taking her to Jilanya's area, and she almost got into a bond with one of the nasty demons in those areas trying to get her into a blood contract. Promised her the moon and stars, that annoying lad."

Jilanya rolled her eyes. "It's your fault for taking her there. You already know that our kind can also gain powers from other individuals too—actually, it might have been interesting to see what would have happened if Asmodeus had succeeded. What would daddy do for his child?"

"I would have found a way to nullify the contract and make it void—you're not the only one good with them, Demon." Faeran scoffed.

Han Jing only fell silent and let the two idiots be.

If he had a child in the Otherworld, it was technically his but he couldn't even bring them—well, Faeran claimed he could bring Ellynn to earth. It was just like any other world, plane or realm available in the galaxy except it was wrought by the Creators. Still, it didn't exactly seem like that to him.

What if his Soul Waves ended up sleeping with someone?

Impossible.

But if that had happened—it hadn't been done out of his will and consent. It still didn't even seem like his own body, and the others as well used Simulacrum to enter the world. Maybe he really shouldn't think about it… but he did care.

He still thought and wondered about how Timothy and Iola were doing. He hadn't heard of any news at all due to his busyness, and he had to be busy to be here. Because as much as he enjoyed being simply Han and doing all of those wonderful shenanigans with the others… At the end of the day, Han Jing was Han Jing.

The man would end up stretching and rubbing the back of his neck.

He eyed the ongoing argument of the Wood Elf and Demon Lord with only half-attention—he should be happier now shouldn't he? His life had started to turn for the better for the last weeks since Faeran and the others started dropping by.

Maybe the Creators were really on to something about universal peace?

He didn't think about it that seriously, but his fortune had started to change. Heck, if this Dai Song Lan could keep buying the pearls he got from Odele then he could do something like invest in stocks and trade. 

Wouldn't it be smooth sailing after that?

Did Han Jing really even need magical abilities beyond comparison and cast fireballs out of his fingers? It was all exciting to him, thrilling even and it was so easy to get swept up in the air of adventure, magic and leveling up… but then what?

What happened next?

He slapped a hand over his face. Han Jing really did hate when he got caught up in his thoughts like this. Planning was necessary, charting out his future course surely important but now he was caught in this mental paralysis trap again.

Wasn't he supposed to login back into the other world?

He'd get back to his family after a couple of days, help out and all would be good in this world. 

"Han!' A face suddenly popped in front of him, and Han Jing nearly tripped backward over the sofa—he stumbled into the floor, and looked up at the Mermaid. The golden-haired and eyed seafolk looked at him carefully.

"What is it?"

"You're so deeeeep into your thoughts." 

He chuckled, "Yeah, yeah I am. Just thinking about plans and everything."

"What is it with you and other short-lived races and always getting caught up in nonstop thinking?" Faeran raised a brow. "You already don't have enough time as it is, but you're not even paying attention to the wonders in front of you—my presence and arrival is special and yet it isn't even interesting to you anymore."

Han Jing blinked at the ego in those words, but also waved a hand to dismiss him. "I kind of get that, but it's… normal. As you said, I'm still trying to consider my limitations. I know I'm lucky enough to get chosen by the Creators, but there's only so much I could do."

"Limitations?" Jilanya scoffed. "Your people somehow found a way to transcend past the wheel of reincarnation and go against the Heavens by being cultivators and other things—I am outstanded by your own limited thinking."

Han Jing's lips twitched. "I guess you're right—"

"Of course, I am." Jilanya eyed him. "It's always annoying trying to face your kind. Look at the Wood Elf in front of you, with natural longevity on his side it is common for him to take things easy. He could spend the next century just frolicking around the meadows without a care about the world—but your people are always constantly worried about the factors that they can't control and find ways to do it."

Odele would nod, even as the Demon Lord continued.

"And thus your people start inventing, building and creating new ways to make things faster, easier and do a lot more instead of simply sticking on with what might have worked before. A Demon might do one thing, but your people would already have numerous projects in pursuit and juggling them all. Not everything would work, your people are not omniscient, but when they do work… it's actually okay."

She ended her words begrudgingly.

Even Han Jing didn't exactly know what to say to it. He scratched the back of his head. "Thank you, I think."

She snorted and rolled away from him and others, hugging a pillow to her chest. The Demon Lord scoffed in the end. "It is what my people hate about your kind, it is nothing to be thankful for. I only mean to express my hatred, especially to your idiotic way of thinking. I have met better humans than you, and so you disappoint me at every turn."

"I see." 

Well, it wasn't like he had troubles trying to acknowledge that fact. 

—-—-

Author's Note: A strange turn of events, I know. You're rolling your eyes at the title, 'sleepovers' are for girls... and what just happened to the Demon Lord? But it is also important to know your enemies strengths and weaknesses. Makes sense, right? No? Thank you for reading!