The side hall beside the main palace served as the private quarters of Luciel, the City Lord of Black Tortoise.

The air carried the faint fragrance of Tea and freshly dried linen. A single lantern beetle pulsed softly in a crystal jar, its glow casting golden ripples across the walls.

Luciel sat shirt-sleeved at his desk, still damp from his shower, hair clinging to his temples. In front of him lay a small carving board, half-finished, covered with delicate knife marks.

"It's almost done," he murmured to himself.

Each night he worked on the same portrait — a careful engraving of Mino's missing sister. His carving skills were clumsy, but he persisted, chipping away little by little. He wanted to have perfect likenesses ready for printing and distribution throughout the major cities.

The blade scraped against the wood with a soft click click, sawdust drifting like dust motes through the warm air.

Suddenly, a faint buzz filled the room.

A shining beetle drifted in through the open window, its shell glittering like molten gold. It circled once before settling obediently on the wooden shelf beside Luciel's desk.

The insect had made his room its nightly home. Usually it perched upon the Starlight Tea Tree on the balcony, absorbing moonlight while Luciel worked.

Throughout Black Tortoise City, the lantern beetles, descendants of the shining beetles, provided every light source — from the street lamps woven with red ghost-spider silk to the luminous spheres inside the city walls.

Luciel tapped lightly on the insect's shell. "Dim it a little. You're too bright tonight."

The beetle obediently reduced its glow to a mellow amber.

Satisfied, Luciel bent once more over his carving. Each careful stroke revealed a new line of the girl's features — the soft curve of her cheeks, the subtle lift of her eyes.

Knock knock.

"Luciel, may I come in?"

He recognized Mirean Moon's gentle, cultured voice.

"Come in," he said, setting the carving knife down.

The door creaked open, and Mirean entered carrying a cloth bag that bulged with beast spars. Her midnight-blue hair shimmered faintly under the light.

"I brought today's collection," she said, setting the heavy bag upon his desk.

Luciel nodded. "Thank you. Just leave it there."

Her gaze lingered on his wet hair. "You just finished bathing… may I help you dry it?"

Luciel blinked, momentarily surprised, then smiled faintly. "If you don't mind."

He could easily have used his own water-affinity energy to dry it in seconds, but he had simply forgotten. He hadn't expected her to notice.

Mirean realized her slip a moment later and hesitated. Still, she raised her slender hands and let a faint bluish aura form at her fingertips. Cool energy shimmered as it drew the moisture from his hair, droplet by droplet.

Luciel reached into the cloth bag, brushing the cold, hard surfaces of the beast spars. "System," he murmured under his breath, "convert them into evolution points."

A metallic chime sounded in his mind.

Ding! Conversion successful. Total evolution points gained: 1,228,600.

A small smile curved his lips. Over a million in a single day.

It confirmed what he had hoped — the commercial-street system worked perfectly. Even if business slowed in the following days, the city would still earn hundreds of thousands of points daily. Within ten days, he'd have four to five million — enough to evolve several seventh-level domesticated beasts and multiply Black Tortoise City's strength many times over.

"You look pleased," Mirean observed softly, her hands still combing gently through his hair.

"Of course," Luciel said, leaning back slightly. "With this, I can evolve more beasts for the city's defense."

Her palms lingered, the motion unconsciously changing from drying to a slow, rhythmic press at his temples.

Mirean's face colored faintly. "Does… this feel all right? My mother taught me this technique to ease fatigue."

Luciel chuckled, closing his eyes. "It's very comfortable."

Her fingertips moved lightly, tracing small circles that sent a strange warmth down his spine. He realized it was the first time he'd ever let someone massage him this way — gentle, domestic, and oddly intimate.

Then, on impulse, he lifted his hand and caught hers, guiding it from his temple to rest against his cheek.

Mirean stiffened. Her fingers twitched as if to pull away but didn't. Beneath her palm, she felt the faint roughness of stubble along his jawline — a texture entirely new to her. Heat rushed to her cheeks, turning her fair skin rose-pink.

Before either could speak, a clear, cheerful voice called from outside the door.

"Luciel! Can I come in?"

It was Mino.

Mirean's eyes widened. "I – I should go."

She withdrew her hand quickly, lowering her gaze to hide her blush, and nearly fled the room, her skirts brushing against the doorframe as she disappeared down the corridor.

Mino entered a heartbeat later, balancing a tray of steaming tea. "Strange… why did Sister Mirean rush out like that?"

Luciel smiled faintly. "Perhaps she remembered something important."

"Important? At this hour?" Mino placed the teacup before him, still frowning in curiosity. Her blue eyes drifted to the desk, where the half-finished wooden portrait lay.

Understanding dawned; a tender light crossed her gaze. "You've been working on this every night."

Luciel gave a short laugh. "It's almost done. Just a few more details."

He couldn't very well admit that Mirean had just fled after accidentally touching his face — that would only earn him a jealous glare from the rabbit-eared girl.

"It's late," Mino said softly. "You should rest more. You've been staying up far too often."

"I will," Luciel assured her.

She pursed her lips. "You always say that. But I can see your light from my window every night."

Her tone carried gentle reproach, and Luciel found himself smiling helplessly. "All right, all right. I'll go to bed early tonight."

She began tidying the room — picking up crumpled paper, sweeping sawdust into a neat pile. She moved quietly, with practiced efficiency, her long ears twitching as she worked.

Luciel watched her in silence. Ever since Mino had started living in the adjoining room, she had slowly taken over his nightly routine — cleaning, preparing his clothes, even setting his tea.

He sighed inwardly. If this keeps up, she'll spoil me completely.

Once, on Earth, he had prided himself on discipline and self-reliance. Now he had a soft-spoken caretaker who refused to let him lift a finger. His old instructor would probably have pointed at him and shouted, "You've gone soft!"

"Hmph, I'll make sure you rest," Mino declared, straightening up with a little smile of satisfaction.

Luciel raised his teacup, amusement glinting in his dark eyes. "Then I'll leave the supervision to you."

He sipped quietly, watching the faint fatigue soften her delicate features. "You should rest too."

"I will. Goodnight, Luciel."

"Goodnight."

She slipped out, closing the door behind her with a gentle click.

The room fell silent again.

Luciel set his cup aside and turned toward the glowing beetle perched on the shelf. "All right, little one," he murmured. "It's your turn tonight."

The beetle buzzed softly, as if in anticipation.

"System," Luciel commanded, extending his hand, "evolve the shining beetle to level seven."

Ding! Upgrading from Level 4 → Level 7. Evolution points deducted: 1,000,000.

Ding! Evolution successful.

Ding! Inherited talent available: 'Light Element Control.' Accept inheritance?

"Inherit."

Instantly, a surge of radiant energy flared through the room. Luciel's muscles tensed as the light washed over him, his body subtly reinforcing itself under the shared evolution.

The shining beetle expanded before his eyes — from palm-sized to a gleaming creature nearly two meters long. Its golden carapace reflected the lantern light like polished metal, its compound eyes glowing with pure brilliance.

Luciel stood back, momentarily awed. "You're magnificent," he murmured. "But far too large for my room."

The beetle fluttered its wings, humming like a small engine. The golden light spilling from its shell illuminated every corner of the chamber.

Luciel chuckled and reached out to pat its armored back. "You'll be the progenitor of a whole new generation. When you breed, focus on producing lantern beetles. Black Tortoise City will depend on you."

Through their bond, he sensed the creature's understanding — a kind of excited determination.

With its new strength, the shining beetle could now spawn two sixth-level lantern beetles, ten of the fifth level, and a hundred of the fourth. The lower ranks would serve as caretakers and breeders, ensuring a constant, stable light source for every district of the city.

Luciel exhaled slowly, satisfaction glimmering in his eyes.

Outside, night stretched over the fortress-city like a silken shroud, but within the City Lord's hall, the light of a newly born seventh-level creature shimmered against the windows — bright, unwavering, and full of promise.

....

Imagine a city perched on the back of a giant turtle, moving slowly across endless lands or oceans… and maybe even more fantastical wonders! I'd love to see your visions of this world.

Draw it, paint it, design it, or digitally render it—your imagination is the limit!

📌 Post your creations right here in the comments or replies—I can't wait to see how you bring our world to life! ✨

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