Camellya said angrily, "Is this what you call revenge?!"
Rover licked the corner of Lucian's lips smugly. "Of course, it depends on who the target of revenge is."
"If it's someone from Fractsidus, then wipe them all out."
"But if it's Lucian, then the only option is to drain him dry in bed."
Lucian said seriously, "If I could choose a way to die, I'd hope for…"
Abby sighed. "Rover has spent so much time with Lucian that she's starting to act just like him. She wasn't like this before!"
Rover narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Then tell me, what was I like before?"
Abby recalled, "Well, of course, you were heroic, imposing, awe-inspiring—"
Rover quickly cut him off. "Stop, stop! You're exaggerating more and more!"
Lucian chuckled. "Seems Abby has some misunderstandings about Rover."
"In my eyes, Rover is the kind of beauty that would make fish sink and geese fall, outshining the moon and putting flowers to shame—"
Rover smiled in satisfaction and puckered her lips to lean in again. Just as the two were about to kiss, Camellya hastily intervened. "Stop kissing! We've arrived at the flower house."
Abby scratched his head in confusion. "Camellya seems really worked up, but why isn't Changli in a hurry…?"
Changli smiled faintly, wrapping her arm around Lucian's. His arm was enveloped in the warmth of her ample softness. "Because I know that no matter where Lucian goes or how many people he meets, there will always be a place for me in his heart."
Lucian turned his head, meeting Changli's affectionate gaze, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: She's too good at this.
Rover, standing in front of them, pouted. "How shameless, saying such things right in front of me!"
With that, she tightly clung to Lucian's other arm and bit his neck in retaliation.
Camellya: "…"
Upon entering the flower house, Lucian immediately looked toward the piano on the second floor but didn't see Shorekeeper.
Two black robots wearing straw hats floated in front of the group, holding watering cans as they tended to the flowers.
"Water, water…"
"Grow tall, bloom bright…"
Camellya coughed lightly behind them. "Ahem."
The two robots jumped. "Wah! Why'd you sneak up on us like that?"
"Oh, it's Camellya! Here to plant flowers again today? And who are these people…?"
Rover asked curiously, "Planting flowers? Were you two just watering them?"
KU-Water puffed up proudly. "Of course! As gardeners, it's our duty to give these flowers the best care possible!"
KU-Plant beside it added, "Watering, planting, pruning, airing, sunbathing!"
Lucian mused, "Every robot has its own job, and even distinct thoughts and personalities…"
"Earlier, KU-Money was a merchant, and you two are gardeners?"
KU-Water huffed. "Exactly! Just like in role-playing games, every character has a setting. The robots in Black Shores are the same—"
KU-Plant continued, "For example, the KU-Money you met—its setting is 'shady merchant'!"
Lucian smirked. "Its setting has changed now."
KU-Plant tilted its head. "Changed? To what?"
Lucian's lips curled. "Its new setting is 'the robot that foots the bill for everyone'!"
KU-Water's eyes lit up. "Really?! It sold me seeds at such high prices before—next time, I'll make it reimburse me!"
Camellya sighed. "Honestly, making KU-Money pay for you isn't enough? You want the entire Black Shores to demand reimbursement from it?"
Rover, deep in thought, muttered, "I didn't expect the Tethys System to be so… human-like. Could it really have developed self-awareness and secretly taken control of Black Shores?"
"Maybe these little robots are its 'eyes'…"
Abby shuddered. "Whoa! Now that you mention it, that's terrifying to think about…"
Changli chuckled. "The possibility is slim, but it can't be ruled out."
"However, with Shorekeeper in Black Shores, every move the Tethys System makes should be under her watch."
Rover frowned. "Just who is this Shorekeeper?"
KU-Water explained, "Shorekeeper—the senior administrator of the Tethys System."
Seeing that KU-Water didn't elaborate further, Rover shrugged. "Whatever. Monica asked us to check the safety of the modulator. Where is it?"
KU-Water glanced at the piano on the second floor. "There, that's the modulator."
"But before that, we'd like the two of you to plant a flower here."
Rover looked around at the flower beds. "We have to plant flowers too?"
KU-Water nodded. "Every member of Black Shores is invited to plant a flower here. Most choose seeds from their homeland."
Lucian pointed at a tall tree. "You said 'plant flowers,' so why is someone allowed to plant a tree?"
KU-Water hesitated. "That's… Aalto's… money tree…"
Rover laughed. "What, you wanna plant a money tree too?"
Lucian scoffed. "Why plant a money tree when Aalto is my money tree?"
Camellya said flatly, "It's a miracle you're still alive."
Lucian asked, "What flower did you plant, Camellya?"
Camellya smirked, pointing at a row of flower beds. "See those? Every single one of those flowers was planted by me."
As she gazed at them, satisfaction glimmered in her eyes.
Changli smiled. "It seems Miss Camellya is quite fond of flowers."
Camellya stroked a carefully cultivated petal. "Selecting seeds based on interest, nurturing them, protecting them, then plucking and savoring them when they bloom… What joy."
After a moment of silence, Lucian whispered into Rover's ear, "Rover, she seems seriously ill. We should stay far away from her."
Rover nodded in agreement. Camellya turned around sharply. "I heard that! You're not allowed to talk about me behind my back!"
Rover surveyed the surrounding flowers thoughtfully. "I don't remember my homeland."
KU-Water paused. "Ah, a wanderer far from home. Then it must be Blake Bloom."
Rover frowned. "Blake Bloom? Isn't that the flower symbolizing membership in Black Shores?"
KU-Plant nodded cheerfully. "Exactly! So for every member of Black Shores, this place is home."
"And for wanderers with no homeland, Blake Bloom is proof of their origins."
Rover's brows furrowed slightly. "Did I… live in Black Shores before?"
KU-Plant froze, then scrutinized Rover carefully. "Hmm… huh?"
"You do… seem a little familiar… What do you think, KU-Water?"
KU-Water stared blankly at Rover. "Very familiar…"
"And… did you notice, KU-Plant? The man next to her looks familiar too…"