Taking out his phone, Luo Yu entered the website he had obtained from the bar and successfully downloaded an application called "Marketplace."
The name alone gave no hint of its true purpose.
After installation, he opened it. The first step was registration.
Glancing through the required fields, he noted that aside from real name and occupation, users could also create an ID for the platform. The real name would remain hidden—other users would not be able to see it.
"That's not bad."
After filling in basic information, Luo Yu paused at the sections for occupation and ID.
Turning toward the small Ranni resting beside his pillow, he asked, "Ranni, what do you think I should write for occupation and ID?"
Ranni considered briefly, her gaze falling upon the screen.
"For occupation, even if you write 'Tarnished,' no one in this world would understand."
"That's true," Luo Yu agreed with a nod, fingers moving across the screen.
"Then I'll just put 'sorcerer.' It's mainstream here. As for the ID…"
He typed:
Elden Lord.
"That should do. An ID can be anything, after all."
Ranni gave a satisfied nod. "Indeed. It is fitting."
Registration complete, Luo Yu began browsing the app.
There were many commissions posted—exorcising cursed spirits and wraiths, capturing wanted sorcerers, collecting special cursed objects. The variety was extensive.
The rewards were substantial as well. Even a simple cursed spirit extermination task offered over two hundred thousand yen.
There was also a marketplace section where users listed items for sale or posted purchase requests, negotiating prices through private messages.
After surveying the platform, Luo Yu exited the app, placed his phone back on the table, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.
Just as he closed his eyes, Ranni's voice reached him softly.
"My king, before crafting my true body, make one like before—one suited for movement."
"Hm?"
Turning to look at her at such close distance, Luo Yu asked, "Why? That kind of body wouldn't offer much difference from your current one. It would still be a puppet, capable of combat and movement, but otherwise unchanged."
"If I am your consort, I cannot remain idle," Ranni replied steadily. "Crafting my true flesh will require considerable time. Until then, I do not wish to remain in this form."
Silence lingered for a moment.
Hearing the determination in her voice, Luo Yu smiled gently.
"Very well. We'll do that first. It's a pity we left The Lands Between in such haste. I didn't have time to retrieve your previous body—it remains within the Erdtree. Fortunately, when I encountered your true form before, I collected some of your hair. Otherwise, crafting a perfectly compatible body would have been nearly impossible."
He paused, then continued calmly.
"As for a puppet body capable of movement, that's not difficult. Back in The Lands Between, I acquired relevant knowledge from Seluvis. I have the materials as well. Tomorrow, I'll organize what I've learned and begin."
"Then I shall leave it to you," Ranni said softly. "It is late. You should rest."
"Good night, Ranni."
"Good night, my king."
Tuesday.
Luo Yu rose at his usual hour, washed, and prepared breakfast.
While eating, he scrolled through the app again, reviewing available commissions and selecting potential options.
As for the two gold bars, listing them there would be excessive. He planned to sell them directly to a gold shop after school.
After confirming that there were no high-reward commissions in Chiba for the moment, he closed the app, finished breakfast quickly, and left for school with Ranni.
Walking beneath the clear morning sky, Ranni sat upon his shoulder and asked quietly, "My king, what are your plans for the future? Do you intend to remain in this world indefinitely?"
Luo Yu considered for a moment before answering.
"For now, we'll live here. We don't even know if returning to The Lands Between is possible. But eventually, we must go back. Your mother—Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon—is still there. We can't leave her alone forever."
"Mother…" Ranni murmured. "She is strong, so there is no need for immediate concern. With your help, the Carian royal family and the Academy have begun to recover their strength. They can protect themselves for now. But traveling between worlds… that is another matter entirely."
She paused, then asked thoughtfully, "My king, who do you think transported us here? Could it have been the Greater Will?"
Luo Yu shook his head.
"I'm not certain. But after exploring the Realm of Shadow, we know the Greater Will was not the true architect behind The Lands Between's fate. Its power is immense—so immense that it could be called a creator deity, even a god of laws. A being of that level would have no reason to target us specifically."
Originally, the Greater Will had sent down its daughter, Metyr, the Mother of Fingers. Yet for unknown reasons, communication between Metyr and the Greater Will was severed.
Unable to receive guidance, Metyr began issuing commands through the Two Fingers, spreading the Golden Order across The Lands Between.
When Luo Yu traveled to the Realm of Shadow, he had encountered Metyr. Though he defeated her, he could not destroy her entirely. After being repelled, she simply vanished—likely leaving the planet in search of the Greater Will once more.
And with Ranni having affirmed that The Lands Between must chart its own path forward, it seemed unlikely that the Greater Will concerned itself with the affairs of a single world.
Whoever had transported them here was probably another mysterious force—one similar in magnitude to the Greater Will.
After a brief pause, Luo Yu smiled.
"In any case, we accomplished what we set out to do. From here on, we live our lives properly. First, I'll craft your body. Then we'll search for a way back. There's no need to regret what has already happened. We walk forward on the path we chose."
Ranni looked at him, faint amusement in her eyes.
"I have no regrets. I could achieve everything because you stood beside me."
A trace of pride surfaced on Luo Yu's face.
"Of course. I am the new king of The Lands Between."
And as he spoke, he stepped through the school gates.