A love hotel, also known as a couples' hotel or romance inn, is a type of hotel popular in major cities around the world. They are favored by young couples for their rooms, which come equipped with adult toys, erotic decorations, or suggestive pictures.
Even during the severe post-WWII economic recession, the annual revenue of love hotels in the Far East reached 40 billion US dollars, proving definitively that "lewdness is the primary productive force."
In times of peace, the love hotel industry naturally flourished, with over thirty thousand establishments meeting the Far East's inspection standards.
Nagazora City, with its remarkably prosperous economy, was certainly not lacking in these venues for legal lewdness.
"So, Ah Li, your big idea for finding my old man was to bring me to a love hotel?" the white-haired dango asked, munching on her snack as she surveyed her surroundings. Her gaze then fell upon the 'friend' who had brought her here, her face a mask of vigilance.
It was no wonder her reaction was so guarded.
The atmosphere of the room was decidedly off. The wall lamps were pink, the gauze curtains were peach-colored, and even the ceiling above was tinged with an orangey-red hue.
Hanging on the wall was a set of transparent pink negligee, a pair of thigh-high leather boots paired with a hip-hugging miniskirt, and a maid outfit complete with a black dress, satin ribbons, and white silk stockings.
And that was just the part that was suitable for display.
Below the outfits, a wardrobe was slightly ajar, revealing it was stuffed to the brim with things not meant for public viewing.
The environment couldn't be more suggestive if it tried, practically screaming at its guests:
Go on, let yourself go!!
Miss Paramecium, having accidentally glimpsed some of the items in the wardrobe, felt a blush rise on her delicate little face, and she awkwardly turned her head away.
These things are way too shameless!
"Hey, hey, Ah Li, you don't have designs on my body, do you?" Kiana's expression grew extremely serious.
"My body and my heart belong completely to Mei-senpai!"
"If I were interested in your body, do you really think you'd still be standing here talking to me?" Li Zihan said, rolling his eyes.
"Then what's the point of bringing me here?" Miss Paramecium asked, realizing that Li Zihan obviously had another plan in mind.
"For various reasons, your old man only wants to protect you from behind the scenes. He won't come out unless he absolutely has to," the young man, who clearly favored unconventional methods, explained, his words tinged with a hint of playfulness.
"So, a little stimulation should be enough."
Hearing this, Kiana paused, at a loss for words.
A daughter entering a love hotel with a man of unknown identity, right under her father's nose... that was a bit more than just "a little stimulation."
Someone with a weak heart would probably just close their eyes and pass away on the spot.
Miss Paramecium stood there, stunned, feeling like the person before her was completely messing with her father.
She truly hadn't expected that Li Zihan's "Siegfried Summoning Technique" involved giving him a heart attack to force him to investigate.
"Ah Li, has anyone ever told you that the things you do are just... insane?" Kiana retorted, feeling her friend's methods were truly astonishing.
"Have they?" Li Zihan raised an eyebrow, completely oblivious to any potential issues with his personality.
"I haven't even gotten a chance to troll your esteemed father-in-law, and you're already saying I'm insane? Is that really fair?"
"Troll my old man?!" Miss Kiana gasped. During her chats with Raiden Mei, she had learned of Li Zihan's strange habit of calling the father of any pretty girl "Esteemed Father-in-Law."
"Do you have a grudge against my dad?"
"Not at all. I just want to mess with him for fun," replied the magus, whose interests were clearly different from the average person's. He flashed a bright and sunny smile.
"When you're alive, you've got to find some fun somewhere."
Finding fun by messing with my dad?
Kiana was floored by his statement.
In her memory, Siegfried was an overwhelmingly powerful man, capable of easily defeating any Honkai Beast he encountered, even winning in a wrestling match against one with his bare hands...
And while Li Zihan wasn't weak, he seemed a bit lacking compared to a human-shaped monster like Siegfried.
"Ah Li, if he finds out you plan to mess with him for fun, he'll beat you to death," the white-haired dango advised earnestly, certain that his actions would absolutely infuriate Siegfried.
"Huh? Him, hit me?" Li Zihan pointed at himself with a look of utter astonishment, as if he'd just heard the world's worst joke.
"He can't even protect himself. Does he really have the energy to deal with me?"
"What do you mean, 'can't protect himself'?" Kiana frowned, not quite understanding what Li Zihan was saying. Her expression was slightly bewildered.
"If a father with even a shred of conscience abandons his daughter for a long time, and then she finds him, and the wronged daughter wants to beat him out of anger, what do you think the chances are that he'll fight back?" Li Zihan said with a shrug.
Although the real Kiana wasn't on his ship, he figured he had nothing better to do, so he might as well try to save her.
She was a beautiful girl, after all—easy on the eyes, and a great excuse to have some fun with Siegfried. It was a win-win situation.
"Are you talking about me and my dad?" Miss Paramecium, who perfectly fit the description of the "daughter" in his scenario, felt her face darken.
Her long, slender hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
She had wandered for a year and a half looking for that old geezer, only to find out the old bastard was hiding right behind her, watching her run around like a headless fly.
"More or less. Once I find your abandoned sister, you two can try teaming up for a doubles match." Li Zihan said with a smile.
"What's this about my sister?" Kiana's brow furrowed slightly. She had never heard Siegfried mention such a thing.
In her entire life, she had never met a single relative besides Siegfried and Theresa, who had just shown up a couple of days ago to claim kinship.
"It's a bit complicated. For now, just think of her as his illegitimate daughter," Li Zihan stated flatly.
"No one to dote on her, no one to love her, her mother died young, and her father has forgotten her. It makes even my heart ache a little just looking at her."
"My dad... he really did something that despicable?"
Kiana, or rather, Miss Sirin, whose face had now turned grim, had never imagined this side of her father.
"First-rate warrior, second-rate hero, third-rate husband, and an unqualified father," Li Zihan recited his evaluation of Siegfried. He then smiled, his expression quickly returning to its usual flippant state as he instructed Miss Paramecium.
"For the time being, don't say a word about this sister of yours."
"Why not?" Miss Kiana's delicate brows knitted together. She didn't understand why Li Zihan wouldn't let her speak up for her own sister.
Li Zihan gazed at the pretty face of the girl beside him, his expression strange, his eyes taking on a scrutinizing quality.
Kiana subconsciously shifted away, avoiding his gaze. That odd look made her feel very uncomfortable.
"There's no why," he said. After a moment, the young man's gaze shifted from Kiana to the door, his voice becoming light and cheerful once more.
"I've taken a liking to that child. I plan to extend a hand to her in her most vulnerable state, playing the part of the savior, and then win the beauty's heart."
"If you get involved, you'll dilute the affection points."
"Huh?"
Miss Paramecium, who hadn't at all expected that he was actually plotting to get with her sister, froze for a second before exploding in rage.
The fist that had been prepared for Siegfried's face flew directly toward Li Zihan's instead.
"Ah Li, you bastard! How dare you make a move on my sister!!"