Luo Yu was busy preparing breakfast while Ranni stood nearby, holding the Carian Regal Scepter and quietly sensing the flow of her magic.
Though she had changed bodies, her power was rooted in her soul. As a demigod, her sorcery did not reside in flesh but in spirit. This new vessel slightly reduced her output, but the loss was minimal—she could still wield over ninety percent of her former strength.
After confirming her condition, Ranni lightly twitched her nose and glanced at the fried eggs Luo Yu had plated.
"My king," she observed, "you have made rather a lot."
Luo Yu smiled as he laid the eggs atop slices of toasted bread. "Did you forget? This body can eat now. Digesting food will convert it into energy and offset some of the consumption required to maintain it. And after the Night of the Black Knives, you haven't eaten at all, have you? Won't you at least try my cooking?"
Ranni looked at the neatly assembled sandwiches and gave a small nod before walking over to the dining table and taking a seat.
With a faint smile, Luo Yu brought over the sandwiches, a plate of pan-fried dumplings, and two glasses of milk.
Examining the dishes before her, Ranni said thoughtfully, "Sandwiches and dumplings… Though I have seen you eat them these past few days, such food did not exist in The Lands Between."
She picked up a pair of chopsticks, imitating Luo Yu.
Her new body had fully synchronized with her soul, yet using chopsticks for the first time proved unexpectedly difficult. After waving away Luo Yu's offer to help, she concentrated and mimicked his movements for quite some time before finally managing to lift a dumpling.
She blew on it gently and placed it into her mouth.
The crisp underside cracked, followed by the soft wrapper giving way to savory filling and rich juices that spread warmly across her tongue.
Her eyes widened.
How long had it been?
She could not remember.
After so much time, she was tasting food again—and not just food, but something genuinely delicious.
Before she realized it, the plate of ten dumplings had disappeared, one after another.
She took a sip of milk, then turned her attention to the sandwich wrapped in foil.
Still warm, it released steam as she lifted it. Without hesitation, she took a bite under Luo Yu's attentive gaze.
Buttered toast, fried egg, crisp bacon, and sauce blended together in a harmony completely different from the dumplings—yet equally satisfying.
Seeing her enjoy it so openly, Luo Yu finally relaxed and took a bite of his own sandwich.
Breakfast passed quickly.
Ranni finished her milk in one smooth motion and set the glass down, looking across the table at Luo Yu with unmistakable satisfaction.
"My king, your cooking is very good."
Luo Yu swallowed the last dumpling and grinned. "As long as you like it. From now on, there'll be all kinds of good food every day. I think you'll grow fond of this kind of life."
"Perhaps," Ranni replied softly, "but only if my king remains by my side."
"Hmm?"
Luo Yu caught the fleeting smile at the corner of her lips and shook his head. "You really know how to speak sweetly. You said it yourself—I am your king. Of course we'll always be together."
Ranni did not respond, only nodding faintly.
After washing the dishes, Luo Yu changed into his school uniform and looked at Ranni, who was seated on the sofa.
"…With your current appearance, it might not be convenient to go out with me," he mused. "Should I cast an invisibility spell on you?"
Ranni shook her head. "There is no need. I shall remain at home today. I am quite curious about this world, and now that I possess a body capable of free movement, I would like to explore it properly."
"That works too."
After a moment's thought, Luo Yu led her upstairs to the bedroom and turned on the computer he had assembled the previous day.
In just two minutes, he demonstrated the basic controls and how to use a browser.
"For most questions, just type them into the search bar and you'll find answers. Though some results may be misleading—you'll have to judge for yourself."
Ranni nodded. After closing the browser, she moved the cursor to an icon on the desktop.
"My king… what is this? Steam?"
"That's a game platform," Luo Yu explained. "You can buy and play various video games on it—for entertainment."
Since she had asked, he opened Steam and quickly purchased several titles he enjoyed: Civilization VI, Street Fighter 6, Black Myth: Wukong, Counter-Strike 2, and Dota 2.
Especially Black Myth: Wukong. He had been looking forward to playing it before his sudden transmigration to The Lands Between. Fortunately, this world had it as well.
After briefly introducing each game, Luo Yu said, "Once the progress bar finishes, they'll be ready to launch. Most have beginner guides, so feel free to try them."
Ranni's attention, however, lingered primarily on Civilization VI.
She found the history of this world deeply intriguing.
Seeing her genuinely interested, Luo Yu reached out once more and gently brushed his hand through her hair.
"It's about time. If I don't leave now, I'll be late. Also… that outfit will attract attention if you go outside. I'll buy you some modern clothes this afternoon. If you're hungry, there are drinks in the fridge and snacks in the cabinet—help yourself."
"I understand. I will not leave the house today."
Ranni knew she still lacked sufficient understanding of this world. Going out recklessly might cause unnecessary complications, and she had no intention of being stubborn about it.
"Then I'm off. I'll be back after school. If anything happens, you can come find me—but remember to use invisibility magic first."
After a final reminder, Luo Yu headed out.
Watching him depart from the doorway, Ranni returned inside. She took a slow walk around the living room, opened the refrigerator to feel the cool air spilling out, and retrieved a can of cola—Luo Yu's favorite—along with two bags of potato chips from the snack cabinet.
Then she went upstairs to the bedroom.
The internet speed was fast; Civilization VI had already finished downloading.
Ranni moved the mouse and launched the game, beginning the first video game experience of her life.
Meanwhile, Luo Yu arrived at his classroom two minutes before the bell rang—just barely on time.
Sitting down, he exhaled deeply in relief.
Then he felt a gaze from his right.
Turning his head, he saw Yukino Yukinoshita looking at him.
"Yukinoshita-san? Is something the matter?" he asked.
The girl did not answer. She simply shook her head slightly and returned to her math textbook.
Luo Yu didn't think much of it. Taking out his homework, he began calculating how many things he needed to buy for Ranni that afternoon.