CHAPTER 277: SPARKLE, WUUU~ BIG BRO, DON’T BULLY ME~

Sparkle walked over, her peach blossom-shaped eyes carefully studying the man who had suddenly called out to her—an unbelievably handsome male.

Her internal alarm bells went off instantly.

A face this perfect—just how many civilizations’ worth of probability would it take to produce such a visage? And even with her abilities, if she tried to mimic it, anyone would instantly see through it.

No, it wasn’t just his appearance. More precisely, it was his mysterious, unfathomable aura—an aura not even the Emanators she had encountered could hold a candle to.

What was even more bizarre...

Was that such an appearance and aura hadn’t caused any commotion among the nearby guests.

That was far too strange—so strange that even she, who had walked right through the door, had overlooked it at first.

Cognitive blocking? Or presence obfuscation?

And on top of that...

He had ordered her favorite milk tea. He had been waiting for her from the very beginning.

She could swear that her movements as a Masked Fool had been completely unplanned—entirely whimsical. She had even changed her appearance 257 times on the way to the Asdana system.

Even an Emanator of Remembrance couldn’t possibly predict her arrival so accurately.

Unless it was true foresight. But the only ones with something akin to true foresight were the followers of Finality and Erudition.

Besides that... she couldn’t sense a single trace of this man’s aura. Either he had aura-concealing powers, or...

He possessed overwhelming strength.

"Thinking too much leads to the wrong conclusions. Fool, sit down and let’s chat."

Noah gently set the fruit wine in his hand onto the table, a hint of delight playing at the corners of his lips.

"Ehh~ Big brother, how did you know I was a Masked Fool? Did you stalk me the whole way here and take a shortcut to lie in wait for me?"

Sparkle sat down lightly, placing both hands over her chest in a mock-fearful pose—though she showed not even a shred of actual fear. While she was alert, she was far more curious and amused.

As a Masked Fool, she not only loved seeking out fun, but also relished becoming part of the fun herself.

"Wuuu~ So scary. Is big brother planning to play the role of a stalker-kidnapper, planning to stuff this beautiful, pitiful, helpless girl into a sack and do who-knows-what~?"

Noah was instantly amused by Sparkle’s little act of joyful mischief.

After all, he himself was also a god of amusement.

"Heh, I was only planning a bit of long-term setup, maybe nurture you a little. But in an instant, you turned out to be exactly my type."

"Since the Fool is being so inviting, if I don’t do something unspeakable to you, wouldn’t I be letting you down?"

Sparkle’s charming face changed slightly, immediately switching into a pitiful little lady, her hands clasped over her chest: "Handsome big brother, I was just messing around! You wouldn’t bully such a pretty, poor, helpless little girl, right?"

"Oh oh oh~"

"Big brother must’ve been waiting here a long time, right? Waiting for a weak, defenseless, totally harmless girl like me—it must be something super important, right?"

"Sparkle will definitely listen carefully."

She instantly switched again, from little lady to well-behaved schoolgirl, hands placed neatly on her knees.

But in her heart, she was calculating intently.

Setup? Looks like Miss Sparkle has stumbled into something... troublesome. And now he’s talking about cultivating me?

Looks like the fun has begun~

Could this overlap with that chicken-wing boy’s invitation for me to visit Penacony?

Wuuu~ This all sounds super fun, but right now Miss Sparkle’s been targeted by a terrifying beast. I need to do some serious mental math and find an escape plan.

I wonder how strong this big brother really is... What’s my chance of escaping if I bolt now?

Noah rested his chin on his palm, watching Sparkle’s constant personality shifts with amused interest.

"You switch personas fast. Masked Fools really are interesting—definitely more fun than Aha."

Hearing this, Sparkle’s heart stirred slightly. He actually said the name of the Aeon of Joy aloud. Though Masked Fools didn’t show much reverence for the Aeon of Joy, outsiders were usually extremely cautious about referring to an Aeon by name.

And from the tone of his voice... it sounded like he had actually met Aha, maybe was even familiar with him.

Ayaa~ could he really be an Emanator?

Seeing that Noah didn’t seem to plan on doing anything to her for the moment, Sparkle reverted back to her gremlin-like persona.

"Oh no no~ I’m just a tiny little Fool. How could I compare to the Lord of Elation? You’re giving me too much credit."

"Hmm~ I wonder, how should I address you? Or, if you like, should I just call you ’Big Bro’?"

First, she had to figure out this man’s identity. Without knowing that, she was completely on the back foot—she didn’t even know which card to play.

Noah lightly tapped the table with his finger. "My name, hmm... just one word: Noah. Remember it, little Fool. As for my identity, hehe~ you’ll find out soon enough."

Sparkle was a little disappointed, though not completely. At least now she knew his name.

"Big Bro really loves riddles, huh? Are you one of those riddle freaks who follow the Aeon of Enigma?"

Those who worship the Aeon of Enigma, constantly weaving riddles and binding truths.

Hmm... but he didn’t quite seem like one. Riddle freaks couldn’t say a single sentence without splitting it into a hundred fragments, like a living puzzle.

Noah gave a faint smile. "Alright now, my cute little Fool. Stop making wild guesses. Before I tell you why I came to find you, let me ask you a question. If your answer satisfies me, I’ll give you a reward beyond imagination. If not... you might get a little punishment for making me unhappy."

Sparkle sighed a little in her heart. Yep, just her luck to bump into this today. But it was his turn now, and she had no choice but to accept. Her face was plastered with a crying expression.

"Wuuu~ Big Bro really doesn’t plan on letting me go, huh? Don’t bully me, please?"

Of course, Noah saw right through the expression Sparkle was putting on. While there was some alertness and nervousness, she was clearly more amused than anything.

Sudden, dramatic events like this were exactly the kind of thing that thrilled Masked Fools. Even if they got hurt—even if they died.

Those who believed in Elation did not fear death. They only feared dying without having any fun.

An incredibly abstract mindset.

Noah spoke:

"Little Fool, idle one—"

"Tell me. What does Elation mean to you?"

Sparkle blinked her eyes, then let out a mischievous giggle. "Hehehe~ Big Bro, you’re really asking a Fool like me what Elation is?"

"That’s the funniest joke I’ve ever heard..."

Midway through, she playfully stuck out her tongue with an innocent, harmless look. "Oh, of course, Little Sparkle didn’t mean to mock Big Bro. It’s just the first time I’ve heard someone ask something like that, and I couldn’t help myself."

Noah replied, "Continue. If I really minded, I wouldn’t be speaking to you so gently, little Fool."

"In my eyes, cute, pretty, beautiful girls with fresh personalities are always worth being lenient toward."

Sparkle fluttered her peach blossom eyes and smirked. "Big Bro sure has his principles~ Hehe, Little Sparkle likes principled people. Maybe Little Sparkle will fall for you~"

"And it looks like Big Bro enjoys sweet little nicknames."

"So maybe... letting Little Sparkle call you darling wouldn’t be too bad either~"

Noah’s lips curled into a smile. He had to admit, Sparkle really had a knack for this. She knew how to flirt—not in a seductive way, but with a mischievous cuteness.

But it was also clear she was trying to make herself seem non-threatening.

A so-called Masked Fool only pretends to be foolish—they’re never truly stupid. They just act it when it’s convenient.

"Sure, from now on, call me darling, Little Sparkle."

Sparkle responded in a sweet and cheeky tone, "Okay, darling~"

Mmm~ Looks like this mysterious and dangerous Big Bro doesn’t pose much of a threat to me.

If he meant her harm, he wouldn’t be going around in circles like this.

Even if he did pose a threat, the fact that he was willing to go around in circles meant he had no intention of harming her.

Masked Fools don’t fear death. What they fear is dying in a boring, pointless way.

And seriously, it was just a few cheeky lines. It wouldn’t cost her anything. She could even call someone "husband" if it helped her out of a jam.

"So then, tell me—what is Elation to you?"

Noah gently tapped the table once more with his fingers.

The compatibility with the Principle of Elation and the Path of Elation depended on whether the Pathstrider could grasp the right understanding. And beyond that, to form a personal, profound interpretation.

As long as Sparkle had the right understanding, Noah could give her the opportunity to ascend to Aeonhood.

Yes—the opportunity. It didn’t mean he could guarantee that Sparkle would become an Aeon.

He was only able to make that possible because of his power of Power of Beginning Without End—a force that transcended universes and belonged to the Super-Primeval Gods.

Even so, that power had to be used with care.

Otherwise, it might draw the attention of the Tree and Sea’s Great Will.

And that Great Will... also possessed the power of the Super-Primeval Gods—and stood above him.

The more Truths one mastered, the stronger the Super-Primeval power became. With enough Truths, one could even cross the boundaries of philosophy itself.

Once it reached a certain threshold, even a multiverse could be casually elevated or downgraded in dimensionality.

The Tree and Sea likely contained more than ten Truths—perhaps even twenty.

"Alright then, darling~ Let me tell you what Elation means. I hope it’s the answer you’ve been searching for."

Sparkle playfully stuck out her tongue.

He actually asked her what Elation was. Had his past been too repressive? Was he seeking to liberate himself now, or simply lost in life?

As a Masked Fool, she was an expert in guiding lost souls.

"Elation~ What is Elation? Elation is happiness~"

"The wisdom to embrace joy is a right unique to sentient life."

"Seeking a rival worth playing against. Seeking games to pass the time. Seeking endings that don’t care for victory or defeat. Seeking jokes that make you laugh until you cry. Seeking hilarious misunderstandings. Seeking songs that make your imagination soar."

"If life is a journey, and we all must reach the destination, then the experiences along the way are the scenery of the road."

"And the most beautiful scenery, naturally, is joy."

"From my personal understanding, as long as life is still thinking, as long as consciousness exists, we are constantly faced with endless choices."

"Life seeks benefit and avoids harm, always choosing what is most favorable."

"So long as each choice moves toward a better outcome, that in itself is Elation."

"Of course, that’s for regular people. For us Masked Fools, every choice is Elation, hehehe."

"The end doesn’t matter—it’s the journey that counts. Most people want a life full of smooth sailing and beautiful things, don’t they?"

"The right to pursue joy is unique to living beings. And sensory delight is the natural result of joy."

"Teacher Sparkle has finished explaining~ Darling~ Did you feel happy?"

Sparkle propped her chin up with both hands, looking mischievously pleased as she watched Noah resting his chin, lost in thought over her words.

Noah nodded with satisfaction. "So, you believe that choosing the path of beauty is Elation, huh."

Sparkle quickly corrected him: "Aiyoo~ That’s one kind of Elation, darling. You weren’t listening seriously to Teacher Sparkle’s lesson~"

If only she knew how strong he really was—she would’ve played a prank on him by now. She bet a flustered expression on that handsome face would be very elating~

Noah chuckled, clearly amused. "Quite in line with Teyvat’s standards."

"Very well, Little Sparkle. Your answer pleased me."

"As per our verbal agreement, I shall bestow upon you a gift beyond your imagination."

He raised his hand, and in his palm hovered a glowing sphere the size of a ping-pong ball, encircled by a ring of soft pink light.

This was a fragment of the Principle and Path of Elation, stripped directly from Aha.

Noah hadn’t added anything to it, but it had been consumed and incorporated into his own power—even though its aura still belonged to the Star Rail Universe, it now served Teyvat.

Though it appeared to belong to the Star Rail Universe, in truth, it now belonged to Teyvat.

His intention was for Sparkle to devour Aha’s Path and take his place.

In a single universe, identical Paths would eventually converge.

The same Path cannot have two bearers.

Even if both parties wished to coexist, the Imaginary Tree would not allow it.

A single universe can only have one true wielder of a Law.

Sparkle didn’t know what the object was, but the moment it appeared, her body—as a Pathstrider of Elation—was instantly suppressed.

A Path! This was the power of the Path of Elation!

In that instant, she saw a vision blanketing the entire universe.

"You... you can’t be... the real Elation, can you!?"

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