### Chapter 6: The Spirit That Lost Its Freedom
Mo Tu’s lip twitched slightly, his mind in a jumble.
He had an ominous feeling when he went to sleep yesterday, but his divinations didn’t reveal much. When he woke up, however, his appearance had undergone a drastic change.
In the mirror, he saw himself transformed into a short black-haired loli with big, moist eyes, and a cute face that made it almost impossible to recognize him at all. The only thing remaining was his somewhat loose loungewear.
Mo Tu touched his now adorable-looking face, still not quite over this surreal transformation.
“Come on, no way. This can’t be real, right? Is this world really screwing with me? Am I being punished or something?”
Even Mo Tu’s brain was scrambled by now.
Any person waking up one morning and finding out they’ve turned from a big guy into a loli would surely panic. And such inexplicable transformations were terrifying.
But who exactly is Mo Tu?
After collecting his thoughts, the information in his mind gradually began to settle down. He also realized who was behind all this.
The person capable of such abilities is likely one blessed with the highest tier powers. That must be why Mo Tu couldn’t predict anything about this. Only someone with access to the Wish Machine could do this kind of magic.
Although Mo Tu had a wish slot, he had never actually wished for anything—something he could confirm with certainty.
Now that things are clear, only the person himself, Night Lan, could have used the Wish Machine. Given Mo Tu’s understanding of Night Lan, she wouldn’t casually make such a bizarre wish unless she was really drunk.
Alcohol can be so d*mn harmful!
Mo Tu cupped his face, feeling quite disappointed.
“I thought you were joking, but you actually did it. I suppose my understanding of you has increased a bit. Unbelievable.”
Mo Tu decided to stop worrying about these useless matters. His adaptability was far better than most people’s—he remained calm even under this strange transformation. Not having Jil didn’t affect his daily routine either.
Besides, he was single anyway.
This new form might even allow him to do things he never imagined before…
“Oh, I suddenly feel motivated!”
Mo Tu smiled adorably, as sudden ideas started flooding his mind.
Sometimes, no matter how hard he searched, nothing interesting came his way. But perhaps waiting long enough, luck would just come knocking.
Mo Tu wasn’t so averse to new experiences. In fact, he was the type who welcomed them. After all, there’s always a way back to normal.
So he resolved to enjoy this new identity while it lasted.
—
Night Watcher Base
Night Lan slowly regained consciousness, her head spinning.
She remembered accidentally getting drunk last night. She vaguely recalled being brought back home by Kong Yu Bai.
“Ugh, time to get up.”
Night Lan got off the bed. From where she stood, it looked like she was in Kong Yu Bai’s room, with no one else around.
“She must have gone out,” Night Lan murmured.
Suddenly, she realized she hadn’t taken a shower yesterday, so she decided to freshen up.
Not taking a shower for a whole day can be incredibly uncomfortable, even if she didn’t sweat and didn’t think she was dirty. It was a habit she found hard to break.
Night Lan headed to the bathroom and found a set of clothes on the chair. Picking them up, she noticed they fit her perfectly.
“Huh?”
Night Lan tilted her head curiously, then spotted a note from Kong Yu Bai. It read that she knew Night Lan wanted to bathe and thus had prepared some clean clothes.
“Oh, thanks!”
Knowing it was a thoughtful gesture from Kong Yu Bai, Night Lan walked into the bathroom with a light heart. She needed to maintain a good mood for the day ahead!
A little later, Night Lan emerged from the bathroom wearing cute, new clothes, emitting a charming fragrance.
“Huh… These clothes seem a bit too cute… They should suit Night Star more…”
Night Lan tugged at the hem of her dress, sighing lightly.
She’d look better in regular clothes while leaving it up to Night Star to be the cute one.
But since these clothes were prepared by Kong Yu Bai, she figured she’d wear them for a day or two.
“Hmm, humhumhum…”
With full energy, Night Lan hummed as she left her room to grab breakfast.
On her way, she spotted the figures of Zero Meow and White Fish, so she approached them.
“White Fish, Zero Meow!”
The two lolis turned around, revealing their cute smiles upon seeing Night Lan.
“Morning~”
“Good morning, Night Lan. Looks like you dressed nicely today.”
Night Lan initially thought White Fish was referring to the outfit.
“No, this was prepared by Kong Yu Bai. I think it’s pretty cute too,” she replied.
“No, I meant you’re cute! Especially with this outfit on, you’re extra cute!”
“Aaa, I see. Thanks for the compliment,” Night Lan laughed nervously, blushing.
This made Zero Meow ponder.
White Fish was truly remarkable—her approach instantly brightened Night Lan’s mood. If she ever dated anyone, it would probably be White Fish taking the lead.
Oddly enough, despite her soft nature.
Then, Night Lan said, “I haven’t had breakfast yet. Want to join me?”
Zero Meow waved her hand furiously.
“No thanks, I still haven’t digested what I ate yesterday. Eat more and I’ll turn into a fat cat.”
“Don’t you think it’s best to let your body digest it?”
“Yeah, we already ate breakfast together earlier. You slept in so deeply.”
“Right. It was because you ordered that bottle of alcohol yesterday, making me fall victim too,” Night Lan muttered.
Zero Meow’s whiskers bristled as she quickly snatched Night Lan’s face.
“So, are you blaming me now? I guess it’s all your fault for being so stupid.”
“Yiyiyi!”
“Hmph~”
Zero Meow reluctantly released Night Lan’s cheeks. She just found her too adorable to push.
Night Lan covered her face, lamenting slightly.
“In that case, I’ll go eat alone. We can play later.”
Both parties parted ways.
Night Lan headed straight to the cafeteria, ready for a gourmet breakfast.
As soon as she got her food, she wolfed it down.
“Gwah! It’s hot!”
Night Lan spat out a bit of tongue, tears welling up.
After the burn incident, she ate slowly, finishing her meal.
Yet…
Why did the star power in this food feel so familiar?
Finishing the meal, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Although the Night Watcher cafeteria’s food was better than many other places, and some even contained beneficial star power, something felt different today.
“Ah, I remember now! This same star-powered dish was served by a cute blonde loli in that restaurant yesterday.”
Thinking it through, Night Lan looked toward the kitchen door, tilting her head.
“Could it be that the loli transferred here to learn?”
Curious, Night Lan decided to check it out.
Quietly approaching the kitchen entrance, she peeked in.
Standing on a small stool, a blonde loli was confidently operating some equipment, with several cooks standing by.
“Wow~ Your star power suits cooking so well! Even first-time dishes match our previous creations almost perfectly. You’re a genius, aren’t you?”
“Neko Shinna only happens to have this unique ability. We aren’t geniuses either, but the rest of you make great food.”
The loli was clearly Neko Shinna, whom her family had sent here to get used to working conditions or possibly stay long-term.
She had no idea the place she was sent to was nearby, a genuine surprise to her. Moreover, everyone here shared special abilities, each with a distinguished specialty, just like she excelled in cooking.
One of the chefs mentioned that everyone worked here to protect the city. This impressed Shinna—being able to cook for such capable individuals was rewarding.
She wanted to tell her family that she wanted to live here permanently.
“Pardon me, Uncle. Can I work here?”
“Ah, sure… but you’re too young for big tasks. Morning hours are yours to cook for us. Rest of the day, leave it to us old guys.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure the night watchmen enjoy the meals cooked by us.”
“Well then, let’s get going, Little Neko.”
Night Lan watching from the entrance realized the loli had indeed come to learn. Just thinking about eating a meal cooked by the cute loli gave her a warm feeling.
Well, okay, this slightly disrespects the other chefs, but who am I to complain? Being a loli fan, she couldn’t help it.
Deciding to move on, Night Lan considered this new friend and her future interactions.
—
Fish-Playing House
Under the influence of Night Star’s hangover, it was only now he was awake.
Eypar, who had been floating around aimlessly, immediately swooped down to hug him upon seeing him up.
“Night Star, you finally woke up! Last night you suddenly ranted crazy stuff, like you were drunk, then zonked straight out. I thought something strange happened!” Eypar exclaimed.
Night Star gently pushed away the ethereal girl. “It’s just Night Lan who got really drunk, there’s no need to worry.”
“Really? Night Lan can drink?”
“Just an accident. I don’t get wasted.”
“Alright…”
Eypar seemed lost in thought.
“Speaking of which, after being able to touch you that day, did you notice any changes?”
With knowledge that others paid a price using the Wish Machine, Night Star wondered if Eypar, this weak spirit, had faced a similar fate.
Eypar pondered momentarily.
“It seems I’ve lost freedom. I can’t stay away from you for too long, otherwise, I’ll be damaged. Our maximum separation time is a day.”
“Seriously? This is the cost?”
To Night Star, Eypar’s newfound restriction was practically pointless.
Useless as she was, employing her as a labor force was difficult, plus she constantly annoyed him.
A mere lousy wish—utterly disappointing.
