<h4>Chapter 97: Viin Simtor, Ch 96</h4>


    [Even when she saw your terrifying face, she giggled and reached out her tiny hands towards you. Holding her in your arms, your eyes couldn''t help but grow a bit misty.]


    [You thought of your own daughter, Klee. When she was just born, she was just as adorable as the baby in your arms. But now, she and her mother lie buried forever in the cold, dark earth.]


    [By now, you could hear the urgent footsteps outside and the panicked voices of the knights, exactly as you anticipated. If a one-armed man could so easily infiltrate the Knights of Favonius, abduct a baby, and then escape without resistance, the Knights would have shut down a long time ago.]


    [It was already difficult for you to escape alone, let alone with an infant. So, from the very beginning, you never intended to flee.]


    [You took out the remote control you had prepared in advance. With the press of a button, half of the Knights of Favonius were instantly engulfed in a series of explosions. When you infiltrated earlier, you had ced controble explosives at various locations precisely to create chaos.]


    [Amidst the confusion, you sted open a section of the wall and vanished into the stormy night with Alice''s daughter. The heavy rain would wash away any traces you left behind. Carrying the infant, you returned to your residence.]


    [The first thing you did upon returning was to feed the baby a specially prepared potion. Just as expected, under the effects of the medicine, the baby''s pointed ears gradually took on a human shape, and her crimson eyes slowly faded into a normal ck.]


    [You finally let out a sigh of relief. Of course, you knew in your heart that this was merely the first step in your n for revenge. It wasn''t the simplest step, but it certainly wasn''t the hardest.]


    [You did not choose to flee Mondstadt; sometimes, the most dangerous ce is the safest. From this day on, you assumed a new identity: that of a single father raising a daughter alone.]


    [As for Alice''s daughter, perhaps in memory of your deceased child, you named her—Klee.]


    Reading this part, Lucas finally understood.


    So that''s the true origin of "Klee."


    [Raising a baby wasn''t difficult for you; after all, you had done it once before. However, Klee seemed far more energetic than an ordinary infant. It took quite a bit of effort to finally get her to sleep peacefully.]


    [As you gazed at her sweet, smiling face, your emotions grewplicated. You hated Alice for what she did, for causing the death of your family, but what crime did this childmit?]


    [Nevertheless, the urge for revenge quickly erased thest bit ofpassion in your heart. Gently stroking Klee''s cheek, a cold smile spread across your face as you murmured, "Sleep tight, little one. When you wake next, you''ll already be my tool for revenge."]


    [Just as you expected, the explosion at the Knights of Favonius made headlines across Mondstadt the next day. The incident resulted in three deaths and twenty-three injuries. Because it urred in the early morning when few knights were present, and due to the heavy rain that quickly extinguished the fires caused by the sts, the damage was contained.]


    [You no longer feel any guilt for those victims. You know that while you were the demon who harmed them, it was Alice who created that demon.]


    [As for Alice''s daughter, now known as "Klee," her disappearance became an unsolved mystery. Some spected she perished in the explosion, as her nursery waspletely obliterated. Such a tiny and fragile baby might have been blown to pieces, leaving no remains behind.]


    [It is said that upon hearing the news, Alice immediately returned to Mondstadt. You were tempted to secretly observe her, curious about the expression she would wear upon learning her daughter''s fate.]


    [However, you restrained yourself—you had to. There could be no mistakes in your n for revenge.]


    [Alice insisted her daughter was still alive and even demanded the Knights of Favonius search every infant in Mondstadt.]


    [However, this request was denied by Grand Master Varka. Mondstadt is a city of freedom, and they could not infringe on the rights of its citizens for the sake of one individual. Nevertheless, he promised that any information about her daughter would be thoroughly investigated.]


    [Of course, everyone knew this was merely a gesture tofort Alice; the likelihood of the infant surviving was practically nil.]


    [Instead of searching for the baby, Grand Master Varka was more focused on finding the culprit behind the explosion. It was an unambiguous act of provocation against the Knights of Favonius, and if the perpetrator remained unknown, the entire city would be plunged into fear.]


    [As a neer to Mondstadt with a baby, you naturally fell under suspicion. However, your daughter was not an "elf," and how could a one-armed man be responsible for orchestrating such a terrifying explosion? You were quickly cleared of any suspicion.]


    [Ultimately, the explosion became another unsolved case, and Alice soon set off again, this time not for an adventure but to travel across Teyvat in search of her daughter.]


    [This was just as you had nned. Perhaps Alice never expected that the one who had taken her daughter would be living right under her nose, residing in Mondstadt itself.]


    [Age 26: Klee''s development has been going smoothly. She has no memory of her life before being taken, and you have fully assumed the role of her father, weaving a detailed backstory for your broken family.]


    [You im to have been residents of a distant vige, disced by a great fire that also caused the burn scars on your face. You tell Klee that her mother died in that fire.]


    [When Klee was old enough to understand, you began to nt the seeds of a past that never existed: that the one who set the fire and killed her mother was an evil witch.]


    [Being a single father isn''t easy, especially when raising a child requires a lot of money. Not to mention the costs of acquiring ingredients for the potions needed to suppress Klee''s elven bloodline.]


    [You had no intention of depleting your savings and decided to rely on your skills to make a living.]


    [At this time in Mondstadt, "alchemy" had begun to influence the lives of its residents. From materials for adventurers to refine their equipment, to useful tools and potions, demand for alchemical products was on the rise.]


    [Using your remaining savings, you opened a small alchemy shop in a corner of the city, selling alchemical products and taking on custom orders.]


    [Your alchemy skills were exceptional, and business thrived. The only drawback was your one-armed state. Even though your theoretical knowledge and practical skills were unparalleled, your efficiency was greatly hindered.]


    [So, you decided to hire an assistant. However, this proved to be no easy task. You interviewed many, but none met your standards.]


    [Indeed, your criteria were stringent. First, the assistant needed to have sufficient talent and passion for alchemy. You had no desire to waste time teaching someone ipetent.]


    [Second, they needed to be simple-minded. You couldn''t risk anyone suspecting your and Klee''s identities.]


    [Third, they had to be diligent—noziness would be tolerated.]


    [And fourth, the most practical requirement: their sry expectations needed to be low. After all, gaining knowledge and hands-on experience from you was already generouspensation.]


    [Just when you were considering lowering your standards, a timid, green-haired beast-eared girl with sses walked into your shop.]


    [You were no stranger to her; she had often visited your shop and seemed to genuinely appreciate your products. You initially thought she was there to buy something again, but to your surprise, she shyly asked if she could apply for the assistant position.]


    [You weren''t particrly interested in the young girl but agreed to conduct a brief interview.]


    [To your astonishment, she answered every alchemical question with ease. Her personality also seemed simple and even somewhat reclusive, which was ideal; such people were good at keeping secrets.]


    [What intrigued you most was her sry request—she was willing to work for free. All she wanted was for you to teach her some knowledge during her time as your assistant and, within reason, to assist her in her own research.]


    [Thus, you officially signed an internship contract with the peculiar girl named "Sucrose."]


    Well, well—it turned out to be Sucrose.


    Sorry, Albedo.


    Not only did I take your little sister, but I''ve also snatched your assistant!


    [To your delight, Sucrose indeed possessed a remarkable talent for alchemy. As a student, she was both intelligent and extremely patient.]


    [You might be a viin who abandoned all principles for the sake of revenge, but that didn''t stop you from being a dedicated teacher to your student.]


    [Of course, there was also an element of self-interest in this. You could see that Sucrose''s potential was no less than your own, and she was delving into a field of alchemy—biological alchemy—that you had scarcely explored.]


    [You believed that one day, her achievements would be at your disposal!]


    [Age 27: You celebrated Klee''s birthday. Naturally, you didn''t know her actual birth date, so you used your own daughter''s birthday as Klee''s.]


    [The little one is already three years old—smart and adorable. You often see your own daughter in her, but deep down, you know she is the daughter of your enemy. Yet, to Klee, you are her father, the only family she has in this world.]


    [Every month, you administer a potion to suppress her elf bloodline, lying to her that she has a congenital illness and needs to take the medicine regrly.]


    [On the other hand, with Sucrose''s help, your alchemy shop has be quite sessful. Your initial decision proved correct—Sucrose is not only hardworking and eager to learn, but also very innocent, showing little interest in anything outside of alchemy.]


    [She never asked about your past or your daughter; she simply focused all her energy on learning and working.]


    [Even though Sucrose insisted on not needing a sry, you still paid her a fair wage—you didn''t want to lose such a perfect assistant.]


    [Sometimes, when she overworked herself, you even insisted that she take a break. However, not even halfway through her vacation, she would often return to the shop, unable to stay away. For her, a break without alchemy was a punishment.]


    [Age 28: Alice returns to Mondstadt every year. Although she continues her search for her daughter, she knows deep down that it''s only a way to console herself. You secretly observed her once and noticed the absence of her usual smile.]


    [Her sorrowful expression brought a rare smile to your face, but it still wasn''t enough. You eagerly awaited the day when your revenge would finallye to fruition.]


    [In the blink of an eye, Klee turned four. Although her elf bloodline was suppressed, her talent and wit were impossible to conceal. To avoid exposing her identity, you couldn''t allow her to attend school like an ordinary child.]


    [You devised a "Revenge Training Program" for Klee. From an early age, you taught her how to concoct and use explosives, telling her that everything she was learning was to one day avenge her mother.]


    [As for Sucrose, she remained the same—devoted to learning what you taught and continuing her research in biological alchemy.]


    [However, you noticed she had a peculiar hobby: collecting bones.]


    [And these weren''t finely crafted bone artifacts; they were fresh, unprocessed bones, still bloody and fleshy.]


    [The bones came from the meat market, hunters, or even adventurers from the Adventurers'' Guild. She once issued amission requesting adventurers to collect monster bones for her.]


    [Whether from animals or monsters, all sorts of bones were within her collection scope. Once, she even acquired aplete Hilichurl leg bone.]


    [If not for the Mondstadt Alchemists'' Guild''s strict prohibition against using human materials in biological alchemy, you might have suspected Sucrose would attempt to get a skeleton from the Treasure Hoarders.]


    [You couldn''t tell if this was a personal interest or purely for research, but you didn''t interfere. In fact, you asionally helped her find interesting bones.]


    [When you gifted her the skull of a Mora Weasel, the usually shy Sucrose was so thrilled she gave you a hug.]


    [Age 29: Sucrose''s research in the field of "biological alchemy" advanced further. Truthfully, you no longer had much to teach her, but for some reason, she remained at your shop.]


    [Perhaps, for her, the peace of the alchemyb and the understanding presence of a teacher and colleague were more valuable than anything else.]


    [Possibly due to the fact that yourte wife was deaf, you had always been a man of few words. In this, you and Sucrose shared a simrity, and over time, you developed an unspoken rapport.]


    [You noticed she had started to change—asionally asking about you. Though your heart had long been closed off, you still yearned for someone to confide in.]


    [Sucrose proved to be a great listener. You told her about your past with Virginia: your childhood friendship, your memories in the humbleb, and the time you first shared a forbidden moment after drinking an old bottle of wine.]


    [During one of these casual conversations, without thinking, you mentioned to Sucrose, "You remind me of Virginia when you stay silent all day."]


    [Sucrose''s cheeks immediately flushed red. Realizing that your words might have been inappropriate, you worried that it could be perceived as harassment and feared that Sucrose might resign.]


    [To your surprise,ter that evening, Sucrose returned to the shop, panting as if she had run the whole way. She even brought a bottle of Dandelion Wine, nervously exining that she was happy to bepared to Virginia. She hoped to help you recall more memories of yourte wife, and that was why she wanted to drink with you.]


    [Sucrose''s kindness and warmth caused a rare feeling of warmth in your cold heart. You epted her suggestion, figuring that since Dandelion Wine had a low alcohol content, it wouldn''t hurt to ept her good intentions.]


    [It was the first time since the tragedy that you had shared a drink with someone. You had tried many times before to numb your pain with alcohol, but it never worked.]


    [Perhaps due to the alcohol, you and Sucrose spoke more than usual. As the conversation flowed, you found yourselves drawing closer and closer.]


    [Oddly, your consciousness began to blur.]


    [Switching to immersive mode]


    "Ugh..."


    Lucas felt a headache, simr to the sensation of a hangover.


    When he regained some awareness, he was surprised to find himself in the alchemyb of the shop.


    There were twobs in the shop: one upstairs for regr work and another in the basement, known only to him and Sucrose, for conducting more advanced research.


    Lucas attempted to stand but was shocked to discover that his arm and legs were numb.


    "Don''t worry. It''s just a neurotoxin I developed," came a soft voice as sses glinted in the darkness. Sucrose stepped into the light, smiling gently. "By morning, the effects will wear off, and you''ll forget everything that happened."


    "Sucrose..." Lucas felt a surge of unease as he spoke. "What are you trying to do?"


    "Don''t worry, boss. I won''t hurt you," Sucrose crouched down beside him, her eyes behind her sses soft and gentle. "I just want to help you... I''ve discovered a way to regenerate your lost arm."


    "That''s impossible..." Lucas shook his head, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Even alchemy can''t achieve something like that."


    "But isn''t alchemy supposed to be the science of creating miracles?" Sucrose''s eyes glowed with a bright intensity. "I''ve been researching ''biological alchemy,'' and I''ve managed to create a graftable arm. However, to prevent rejection, I need one final ''material.''"


    "W-What material?" Lucas seemed to have a realization.


    "That would be... your gic material," Sucrose blushed, a rosy hue spreading across her cheeks.


    Absolutely not!


    "Sucrose, calm down," Lucas pleaded quickly. "Setting aside whether this experiment will seed, if it''s just gic material you need, I... I can do it myself."


    To be honest, Lucas had always found it strange in fantasy martial arts novels. Why is it that even the protagonists who are immune to all poisons somehow fall victim to aphrodisiacs? And not only that, but they always require a woman''s help to ''cure'' it.


    What, don''t they have hands?


    The skills passed down by our ancestors—aren''t they quicker and more efficient than relying on a woman?


    "It''s not possible," Sucrose adjusted her sses, her expression remaining calm. "Logically speaking, with only one hand, it''s impossible to simultaneously produce gic material and collect it in a container. If it''s not collected immediately, it will be contaminated."


    Is that logical?


    That''s very logical!


    Lucas realized he had overlooked an important detail: the simtor version of himself, due to the earlier explosion, only had one arm.


    If he had two arms, he could simply use the other hand to hold the container nearby.


    Collecting with only one hand was about as challenging as Yang Guo from The Return of the Condor Heroes trying to draw a bow and hunt with just one arm.


    "Sucrose, this isn''t a joke. Are you really... nning to do this?"


    Lucas wanted to resist, but his body, paralyzed by Sucrose''s neurotoxin, waspletely immobile. However, aside from his arms and legs, the rest of his body remained fully sensitive.


    "Boss, you must miss your wife, don''t you?" Sucrose gently cupped Lucas''s face, her gaze filled with tender affection. "I''ve seen everything you''ve gone through over these years. No one understands you better than I do. Let me repay you... in this way."


    ----


    Author''s Note: well...