In front of the main gate of the Forest Cottage.
Just as they were about to step into the villa, both Mason and Keqing stopped in their tracks.
It wasn't out of politeness.
It was because they had spent half the day mining and the walk back playing in the dirt. They were absolutely filthy, and neither of them had the heart to track mud into their brand-new home.
"How about we wash up in the backyard?"
"Mm, agreed."
With that consensus reached, they turned around, circled the house, and arrived at the open-air pond in the backyard.
"This house really is impressive. I didn't expect you to have such a talent for architecture."
As the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing—effectively the director of the Bureau of Natural Resources—and a member of a prestigious old real estate family, Keqing had grown up surrounded by high culture. Her appreciation for architecture was genuine, and she was qualified to give such praise.
"As much as I'd love to take credit, I should be honest: this was generated instantly by a building blueprint called 'Forest Cottage.' All I did was lift a finger."
"Cot... Cottage?!"
Keqing couldn't hold back her shock. It inevitably reminded her of the Traveler's ridiculously massive Serenitea Pot mansions.
Mason spread his hands helplessly, indicating he had made the exact same complaint earlier. He then walked to the edge of the small pond and quickly stripped down to his boxers.
"I'll wash up right here on the bank. It'll be quick. If you don't feel clean enough, you can jump in and wash after I'm done."
He crouched down with his back to her, scooping up handfuls of pond water to scrub the grime off his body.
But he didn't hear a response.
Hidden beneath the splashing of water was the much fainter, softer sound of fabric sliding against skin.
He waited for a while.
Mason stopped scrubbing. He didn't dare turn his head, but a ridiculous, impossible thought began to fill his mind.
Until... a delicate foot, stained with a bit of mud, stepped into his peripheral vision.
Mason's eyes moved uncontrollably. From toes as small and pale as cardamom buds, up the arch of a foot where faint blue veins showed through translucent skin, past a refined, bony ankle, and further up along the slender line of a calf... until the view was finally blocked by a pair of black-and-purple Teyvat-style bloomers that guarded the most mysterious territory.
"Have you seen enough?"
Keqing's voice trembled slightly. Her gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, her arms crossed over her chest in a futile attempt to cover the soft curves that her undergarments couldn't fully hide.
Gulp.
Mason tried to speak, but his throat was so dry that human language failed him. He had to swallow hard before his speech function rebooted.
"I could look forever and it wouldn't be enough."
"What kind of answer is that? Honestly... just get in the water with me!"
Keqing glanced sideways at the pond. Her posture—caught somewhere between rejection and invitation—was practically an incitement to commit a crime.
Mason realized he had severely underestimated the power of "Max Friendship."
The affection in her eyes was so intense it looked like it was about to spill over.
Hoo.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Splash!
They entered the water together.
But the cold lake water did nothing to cool Mason's burning gaze, and Keqing's neck turned a deep, flushed red.
Calming down was absolutely impossible.
A romantic atmosphere rippled out with the water.
For the first time, Keqing undid the signature cat-ear buns on her head, letting her long lavender hair cascade down into the water.
Because they weren't far apart, a lock of her floating hair drifted within Mason's reach.
He caught the strand between his fingers and began to swim tentatively toward her.
Keqing shot him a sideways glance but didn't stop him. She simply continued to splash water on her face to cool her burning cheeks, looking for all the world like she was waiting for something.
The distance between them closed.
Twenty centimeters... ten centimeters...
Thud.
A muffled collision under the water.
Keqing felt a solid, warm embrace wrap around her from behind.
It was a bit clumsy, but she didn't dislike it. Like a kitten seeking warmth, she arched her back slightly, nesting herself into a comfortable position against his chest.
"Keqing."
With soft, fragrant jade in his arms, Mason narrowed his eyes and whispered her name.
He rested his chin on her scented shoulder, inhaling the delicate fragrance of her hair.
"Mm. I'm here."
Keqing was dying of embarrassment. She replied mechanically, her voice small, while feeling his warm breath on her cheek and listening as Mason suddenly began to tell her about his past life.
"I was born in an era where material goods were abundant but the spirit was barren. I finished my compulsory education like a normal person, got decent grades, went to university... and then, right at the end, I died saving someone. So? My first half—or rather, my previous life—was pretty boring, right?"
Unknowingly, as she listened to his story, Keqing's hair had begun to dry.
"Boring? But I hear nostalgia in your voice."
"I lived in that world for twenty-five years. It's normal to feel a little homesick."
"Then what about now? Do you feel... well, spiritually satisfied, Mason?"
"Yes. But nowhere near satisfied enough. Spending half a day with you felt like hanging out with a friend I've known for years. You've replenished so much of the happiness that society ground out of me."
Keqing suddenly sounded downcast. "...Just a friend?"
Mason smiled. "I forgot my Keqing is a straight shooter. In that case, I won't beat around the bush."
He lifted his head, moved the hand on her waist to gently turn her face toward him, and pressed his forehead against hers.
"I like you, Keqing. Let's be together."
"Okay!"
Keqing answered instantly.
They looked at each other and smiled. Then, slowly, they leaned in, sealing the vow with a kiss.
Smooch~
...
Nightfall.
Stars began to speckle the sky.
On the vast, empty plains, the Forest Cottage was the only point of light.
In the front courtyard, the couple—who had taken a very long time washing up—was preparing ingredients for dinner.
"Mason, is this red one the Jueyun Chili from your world? It looks really spicy."
"That's a Facing Heaven Pepper. It's pretty hot, but it's delicious in stir-fry."
Keqing made a serious mental note.
Now that their relationship was official, she had quickly assumed the position of the "Head Wife." Rivals like Kamisato Ayaka, Yoimiya, and Nilou were no longer a threat.
She happened to glance outside the courtyard. The pitch-black void was silent, as if man-eating monsters were lurking in the deep darkness.
"Mason, didn't you say monsters come out at night? Why haven't we seen a single one?"
Mason picked an eggplant and followed her gaze into the dark.
"Minecraft has several difficulty modes: Peaceful, Easy, Normal, and Hard. I wasn't sure which one I was in. Plus, we've placed torches all over the cottage. Monsters won't spawn near light sources."
Speaking of which, Mason opened his main system interface.
After some searching, he found a gear icon in the top right corner.
That is way too hidden. No tutorial prompt at all?
He clicked the gear, and a list of settings appeared.
Keqing stopped her work, leaning in curiously.
[Difficulty: Peaceful (Locked) - No Modification Permission]
[Mode: Survival (Locked) - No Modification Permission]
[Mod Management: Simple Earth Architecture, Maid Contract, Adventurer's Toolkit, Farmer's Delight (Dragon's Adventure Pack - Not Loaded), Ice and Fire (Dragon's Adventure Pack - Not Loaded), Astral Sorcery...]
[Shaders/Textures: Default]
[Other Worlds: The Nether (Locked), The End (Locked), Genshin Impact (Locked)]
[Other Settings]
"The first three mods correspond to the Forest Cottage, you, and the potions I got. The ones listed as 'Not Loaded' are part of the Dragon's Adventure modpack."
"The Nether and The End just require building their respective portals. The Genshin Impact world unlocked because of you, Keqing, but the method to open it is unknown."
"And what does 'No Modification Permission' mean for the game mode? Do I have to unlock GM permissions by getting achievements or killing the Ender Dragon? Can I eventually switch to Creative Mode?"
True "My World," huh?
The information didn't answer much; it just gave him more questions.
Unfortunately, his Minecraft world didn't come with a manual or a quest log. He would have to figure it out step by step.