"Dan Heng, we're here to get you out."
Stelle pushed back the bangs on her forehead and said proudly, "No need to thank me. Although it was indeed me who dismantled the mastermind's final defense line and reclaimed the shares we deserve, you really don't have to mind it at all."
Dan Heng: "..."
He could tell—this was a very obvious childish mentality. She was begging for praise.
Just like a kid who voluntarily did chores and reported it to their parents when they got home.
Dan Heng expressionlessly: "Wow~ As expected of Stelle, you actually managed to do what we couldn't so easily! (No emotion)"
Stelle was overjoyed. She took the key from the Hound beside her, unlocked the cell, and said, "Come on, Dan Heng. I knew you couldn't do without me. Let's go! I'll take you to live it up. We've got money in our pockets now!"
—"Little gray hair?! Is that you? Look over here, please help me out!"
Just as Stelle was about to lead Dan Heng away, a voice on the verge of tears suddenly came from the room next door. The voice was extremely familiar—it was none other than Sparkle, who had also been captured earlier.
Sparkle was clutching the bars with both hands, desperately shouting from inside the cell: "Little gray hair! Star! Stelle! Good Stelle! Please save me too! I'm really about to break!"
She felt like she had been cursed by this universe!
Times had really changed. She could no longer play other roles! She wasn't even allowed to be herself!
She had lost her true self!
In the past, she had experienced success, betrayed others, and had everything. But now... hahaha (desolate laughter), she was about to lose everything!
This was what an incomplete drama master was—an incomplete Sparkle, an incomplete her!
The most obvious reason she believed she was cursed by this universe was that the current her was completely inconsistent with who she used to be. In this Penacony full of what could be called lunatics, she was instead the one constantly being toyed with for amusement!
Her "Elation" couldn't even compare to these lunatics!
She had become "reversed" too!
Which Penacony installs defense towers?! And those note sprites—weren't those one of the abilities of the [Chorus of Harmony]? How did they get served up so quickly now?
And... why did the employees here sign "labor reform contracts" instead of "labor contracts"? Were the employees here some kind of cheap species?
Eighteen hours a day—was that something a human could come up with?!
In the time she had been locked up, Sparkle had used every means possible to preserve her innocence and avoid signing that contract.
Otherwise, her body would be branded with an employee mark, and she would sell her flesh (meaning hard labor) here for the rest of her life!
Fortunately, at that moment, she heard that familiar voice—the voice of the little gray hair from the same universe as her.
Savior, save me!
"Sparkle!"
Stelle walked in surprise to Sparkle's cell. "You actually got locked up? No way?"
"No way my ass!" Sparkle looked at Stelle pleadingly. "I've tried. The cages here are all covered by the power of [Order]. No one can break out by brute force."
"Oh—"
Looking at the pitiful Sparkle in front of her, a sudden mischievous urge welled up in Stelle. She dangled the key on her finger and smirked: "Want it?"
"Want... I want it."
"If you want it, say it out loud~ Hehehe."
Sparkle's eyes widened. Normally, she would absolutely retaliate with a crazy bout of "Elation" and then stomp hard on this little gray hair's face twice at the end, but now...
Thinking that the little gray hair in front of her was her only savior in this world, she couldn't even muster a single retort.
"Hehehe, Lord Sparkle, you wouldn't want to be forced by the Hounds to sign the contract and sell yourself for life, right?" Stelle smirked wickedly.
Sparkle lowered her head, her voice seeming to squeeze out from her throat: "Woo... I-I-I want the key."
"A little louder." Stelle smirked.
"Little gray hair!"
Suddenly, Sparkle shouted. Taking advantage of Stelle's lack of reaction, she lunged forward and snatched the key from Stelle's finger!
Success!
Sparkle was overjoyed. Little gray hair, you still want to fight Lord Sparkle? You're two hundred thousand years too early!
Watch her—just a little trick, and she got it from this guy's hands...
...Huh?
Because she had used too much force earlier, Sparkle's neck got stuck between two iron bars. She stiffly tried to wriggle free, but the result was less than ideal.
S-Stuck!
Sparkle maintained her hunched posture, her little face gradually turning red. The grievance in her heart turned into explosive anger at this moment: Why! Why treat her like this?! Was it just because she wasn't from this universe that they kept messing with her?
Then why could this little gray hair mix so well and live so carefree?!
Why... couldn't she do anything!
"[Ding! Congratulations on unlocking the 'Elation System,' dear Lord Sparkle.]"
At that moment, a strange voice suddenly rang in Sparkle's ear, making her freeze slightly.
Auditory hallucination? No... that voice was real. Although it appeared directly in her mind out of nowhere, it was definitely not fake.
"Little gray hair, did you... just speak?" Sparkle asked doubtfully.
Stelle was stunned for a moment: "I... was speaking just now?"
Sparkle was speechless for a few seconds, then asked: "Then what was the last thing you said?"
"Hm... 'A little louder'?"
Done.
Now Sparkle was certain—this voice wasn't said by anyone around her.
The ability to project sound directly into someone's mind... a Memokeeper? Or... an Aeon?
Could her tragic experiences in this universe have attracted the gaze of a certain red Aeon, planning to offer her help?
"[It is said that when a person's desire is strong enough, the gods will cast their gaze upon them.]"
"[I, the Elation System, am a gift from a certain Aeon. Please rest assured, host.]"
"[System Introduction: Beyond the 'fourth wall,' there exists a group of high-dimensional beings who love Elation. They are always watching this world. As long as the host can bring them Elation and obtain 'Elation Points'...]"
"[Elation Points can change the host's fate and enhance Path energy. The higher the value, the more good luck.]"
"[Current Elation Points: 25.]"
"[Task One: Please escape from here with the Trailblazer's help.]"
Sparkle's heart stirred. Wait, this was a system?
System literature novels had long flooded the galaxy, and Sparkle knew a thing or two about them, so she wasn't as shocked as the protagonists in those novels. As a Masked Fool, she accepted the system's existence in just one second.
Hmph, with a system, things would be easy.
This thing was an absolute golden finger no matter which book it was in. Watch Lord Sparkle use this to return to the peak!
"Sparkle, don't move yet. I'll get you out."
However, just as Sparkle was feeling smug inside, Stelle worriedly unlocked the door, walked behind her, grabbed her small waist with both hands, and pulled hard backward.
Huh? What was this guy doing?
Feeling the sensation on her butt, Sparkle's little face flushed slightly, and her body involuntarily trembled. "Y-You let go first! This position is too weird!"
—"[Elation Points +3.]"