Restricted Fantasy I Chapter 55: Everyone's Darkest Moment

"Shijo Ai-sensei! Can you use Yafei-chan's voice to say sothing to ? Even if it's to scold , I don't mind!"

"Hello, of course, no problem~"

In the autograph hall next to the main venue, a massive poster featured various ani characters, almost all of them loli or loli-like.

In the center of the poster was a high-resolution photo of the guest along with her introduction:

Shijo Ai, a renowned voice actress in the Sakura country entertainnt industry.

Representative works: Baimon, Complete Record of the Red Dragon Resistance, and more.

The image showcased a cute woman with tea-colored bobbed hair, accented by a red hair clip.

It was none other than the famous voice actress herself—Shijo Ai.

Yaqiao Mu stood in line, nervously clutching the item he had prepared for Shijo Ai to sign. He couldn’t even recall when he first beca her fan.

All he rembered was how captivated he had been by the protagonist, Mingyin-chan, from the niche title Encountering a Loli After 8:30 PM. Her voice performance had left him utterly spellbound.

Later, he learned that it was one of Shijo Ai’s early works, recorded under an alternate stage na during a ti when she was struggling to make ends et.

From that mont, Yaqiao began following Shijo Ai's career, watching her interviews, vlogs, and appearances. Over ti, he beca her devoted fan.

Since Shijo Ai rarely did overseas events, this was her first visit to Linn—and possibly Yaqiao’s only chance to see her in person.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his pounding heart, a side effect of his overwhelming anxiety as a socially awkward otaku.

"Wait, where’s the copy of Jiao Tan-sensei's new book I bought?!"

"Huh? Didn’t you just put it in your bag earlier?"

"Yeah, I even showed it to you—how did it just disappear?!"

The sudden commotion in the neighboring line briefly caught Yaqiao’s attention. Two boys were frantically rummaging through their bags, disbelief written all over their faces.

Lost sothing? Yaqiao wondered.

"Sir, next in line, please!"

The staff’s call jolted Yaqiao back to reality. He looked up to see the line in front of him empty. Everyone before him had already completed their signings.

Not far away, Shijo Ai sat behind the autograph table, smiling warmly at him while twirling a marker in her hand. She gestured for him to co forward.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

His heartbeat thundered like a drum. His legs felt as if they were moving on their own, unsteady and weak.

This was his usual problem. Even during his campaign as Yan Huan’s running mate, he had barely managed to deliver his speech to a class of thirty students before being overwheld by anxiety.

Now was no different.

He stumbled to the autograph table and sat down, while the next person in line was kept a safe distance behind the yellow tape. This setup created a private, one-on-one experience—a godsend for fans like him.

"Hello~"

"H-Hello, Shijo-sensei."

Her bright, friendly smile and voice, reminiscent of her past characters, made Yaqiao’s nervousness skyrocket.

Her voice was crisp and girlish, yet without excessive sweetness.

Just hearing her speak sent his anxiety through the roof.

Sensing his nervousness, Shijo Ai smoothly took the lead in the conversation.

"Are you a student from Linn?"

"Y-Yes, Shijo-sensei!"

Twirling the marker in her hand, she giggled, "No need to be so tense! You paid to see , so relax~"

"...Okay."

"So, which of my characters is your favorite? Would you like

to say sothing in her voice? And where should I sign? A photo together is fine too~"

Her casual tone eased his nerves slightly.

A vivid image of a certain loli character appeared in his mind—a gentle voice calling out to him:

"Landlord-kun, you must be brave~"

It was Mingyin-chan, the heroine of Encountering a Loli After 8:30 PM, voiced by Shijo Ai.

Drawing strength from his favorite character, Yaqiao took a deep breath, handed his item to Shijo Ai, and, summoning all his courage, spoke from his heart:

"I absolutely love Mingyin-chan, voiced by you! She’s been my favorite character since middle school! That’s when I first beca your fan!"

Shijo Ai glanced at the poster he handed her, recognizing the cover from her niche work—a sowhat risqué illustration of the loli protagonist.

Her smile montarily froze but quickly brightened again.

"Back then, I was a nobody," Yaqiao continued, head bowed. "If not for Mingyin-chan's encouragent, I wouldn’t have achieved anything.

"Be it studying or running alongside an incredible person for student council elections... I’m so grateful to you and to Mingyin-chan for getting

through countless nights!"

Finally... he had said it!

Shijo Ai glanced at him and then back at the poster with its embarrassing pose of the loli heroine.

She smiled—a perfect, practiced smile—then raised her marker.

"So, you’d like

to sign here?"

"Yes..."

Shijo Ai signed her na gracefully while Yaqiao nervously peeked up at her smiling face.

Then, swallowing hard, he timidly made another request.

"Could you... use Mingyin-chan's voice to scold ? I really love her tsundere tone. Please!"

Shijo Ai paused, her pen hovering in the air.

For a brief mont, a vein throbbed faintly on her forehead beneath her bobbed hair.

But her professional smile never wavered.

"Sure~"

"Th-thank you, Shijo-sensei..."

"You really are a worthless otaku, aren’t you? Timid, cowardly, unable to even hold a proper conversation, so you spend your days indulging in disgusting, perverted gas to vent your aningless desires..."

The words hit him like lightning.

Yaqiao froze, stunned, as Shijo Ai’s sweet yet venomous voice poured out like a serpent's hiss.

"W-wait, Shijo-sensei—"

But she continued, unyielding and brisk, fully imrsed in her act.

"You’re good for nothing, fantasizing about a ridiculous and repulsive virtual girl who fulfills your every whim. And let’s not forget—your preference isn’t even for normal girls, but lolis, right?

"What a complete and utter pervert."

Yaqiao’s jaw dropped. Her words struck him like blows, rendering him speechless and disoriented.

Finishing her act, Shijo Ai returned to her cheerful deanor, folding the signed poster neatly and handing it to the dumbfounded Yaqiao.

"There you go! Satisfied?"

"Uh... uh..."

Yaqiao’s face drained of color. chanically, he accepted the poster.

Shijo Ai, now radiating her usual charm, waved to the next fan in line.

"Next, please co forward~"

anwhile, at the main stage, a host introduced the next perforr.

"Please welco the renowned dancer, Christina!"

Spectators crowded the outer lines of the stage, while VIP ticket holders filled the front seats.

A smiling young woman dressed as an elf took the stage. Lights flashed, and music played as the audience turned their attention to her.

Among them were the returning student council mbers.

"Hehe, aren’t I adorable~" You Anlina grinned, admiring the caricature of herself drawn by Miyake Huhu.

The artist had captured her charm perfectly, even in a quick sketch.

Beside her, Ying Gong Tong glanced at her own illustration—an adaptation of a photo with Yan Huan.

In the drawing, the distance between them had been erased. It depicted Ying Gong holding Yan Huan’s arm, with him gazing at her instead of the cara.

How nice...

Blushing, she carefully tucked the sketch into her bag, stealing a glance at her phone.

Why was Yan Huan taking so long?

"Ying Gong, are Yan Huan and Yaqiao not back yet?" You Anlina asked.

Realizing she’d forgotten about Yaqiao, Ying Gong quickly smiled.

"I’ll check."

She pulled out her phone and sent a group ssage:

"Where are you guys? We’re by the pillar near the restroom."

But neither Yan Huan nor Yaqiao responded.

How odd—Yaqiao was usually the first to reply...

The president hasn’t replied either?

Did they both go to the sa place?

Ying Gong Tong grew increasingly anxious. She was about to grab her parasol and tell You Anlina and the others that she would go look for them, but when she turned around, she found the area behind her packed with people.

This was the ti when performances in the main venue were starting, with increasingly high-profile guests appearing later. Everyone was arriving just in ti for the performances, making it easy to get in but difficult to leave.

"Um, excuse ..."

Ying Gong Tong opened her mouth to request a passage through the crowd, but before she could finish, You Anlina clung tightly to her and Aixi Li.

"Wah! Ying Gong! There are so many people! Let’s stick together so we don’t get separated!"

You Anlina... farewell.

The student council will no longer have you in its ranks, I swear...

Ying Gong Tong’s expression darkened, but seeing the ever-growing crowd, she realized it wasn’t realistic to leave and search for them.

President! What are you doing?

Weren’t you eting Bai Yi?

She’s about to go on stage, isn’t she? Why haven’t you co back yet?!

Ying Gong Tong turned her gaze to the stage, only to see the dancer finishing her performance. After interacting briefly with the host, she exited the stage.

The host glanced at the cards in his hand and smiled.

"Ah, the next guest is a truly big na!

"She was voted as the ‘Most Youthful Idol’ in the Youth! variety show. Her presence frequently graces Linn’s fashion magazines...

"What kind of stunning performance will this young, trend-loving idol bring us today?"

The host set down his cue cards, smiled at the dense crowd, and announced:

"Now, let’s welco Linn’s most popular rising idol!

"Miss Bai Yi!"

Still held tightly by You Anlina, Ying Gong Tong froze, her half-hearted struggle ceasing. Her attention snapped to the stage, to the spotlight illuminating the center.

Earlier, backstage.

Several makeup artists had just finished touching up Bai Yi. They stepped back, admiring the stunning girl before them.

"All set. You’re ready to go."

"Okay... thank you..."

Bai Yi’s pale complexion was hidden beneath layers of makeup. Blush gave her lifeless skin a semblance of vitality, masking the pain she bore alone.

Her vacant eyes stared into the distance, her legs trembling uncontrollably beneath her dress.

A piercing ringing noise burrowed into her ears like needles, drilling deep into her brain.

"Tick... tick..."

In the chaotic backstage, with staff bustling around her, the rhythmic ticking stood out like salvation. It dragged her down, as if she could curl up and disappear within herself.

"You can do it, Bai Yi... you can do it..."

Her eyes trembled, her mind replaying the image of Yan Huan’s unreadable expression after listening to her song.

Was it terrible?

Not good at all, right?

He must have been disappointed but too polite to say anything, so he awkwardly changed the subject.

The past few days had been tornting for Bai Yi. Returning ho after running away hadn’t healed her emotional wounds.

Her mother remained the sa—belittling her, scolding her, controlling her.

Yet she endured it all.

Whether it was rehearsals or following her mother’s strict plans, she pushed through.

She clung to the energy she drew from Yan Huan’s admiration that night.

He was her only fan—the only one who had given her recognition.

Even in the suffocating environnt of her ho, she gritted her teeth and wrote a new song for him.

All she wanted was to hear his praise again, to rely on his validation.

With it, she thought, she could endure her mother’s criticism, even if her current path wasn’t what she truly wanted.

But now...

She felt like she couldn’t hold on any longer.

"Tick... tick..."

The sound of the clock grew louder, her breathing heavier, until her manager Ji Lin approached her.

"Bai Yi, have you put away your phone? It’s almost ti for you to go on stage."

"Y-yes, I’m ready."

Snapping out of her daze, Bai Yi stood up with difficulty.

As her dress weighed on her, she realized she hadn’t put her phone and earbuds away. But before she could act, Ji Lin had already walked off, replaced by a staff mber.

"Bai Yi, it’s ti. The dancer will finish in five minutes. Head to the curtain and be ready when the host announces you."

"Okay."

Bai Yi moved forward, lifting the curtain that separated backstage from the stage’s dimly lit passage.

The sounds of the performance and the audience’s chatter swirled around her, an overwhelming tide threatening to drown her in the narrow corridor.

She reached the steps leading to the stage, waiting for the host’s introduction.

"Ping-ping~"

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She’d forgotten to silence it!

Frantically, she pulled it out to turn it off, but noticed a ssage from Yan Huan:

"Bai Yi, do you have Bluetooth earbuds connected to your phone? If not, there’s a pair on the table in front of the stairs. You can borrow mine."

Bai Yi blinked in confusion and looked toward the table beside the stairs.

Sure enough, a pair of Bluetooth earbuds lay there. Beneath the table, a shadowy black cat tail silently retracted into the darkness.

Her disbelief grew as she typed a response:

"I have earbuds, but what do I need them for? I’m about to go on stage."

"You looked nervous earlier. Wearing earbuds might help block out so of the audience noise and ease your nerves."

She hesitated, her heart pounding wildly. She touched her chest and glanced again at the earbuds on the table.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she typed another ssage:

"How did you get these backstage? It’s off-limits to non-staff."

"Don’t worry about that. Just wear them. Trust , it’ll help."

The ssage ended with a cat emoji waving encouragent.

Her lips pressed together as she stared at the emoji, typing and deleting several responses before finally sighing.

Smiling faintly, she picked up the earbuds and inspected them. They were inexpensive, underwhelming even.

For noise cancellation, her own earbuds would be better.

But...

Thank you for the thought, President Yan.

Bai Yi gently placed her own tiny, hidden Bluetooth earbud into her left ear.

"Bluetooth connected~"

Instantly, the noise around her seed to fade.

Placing a hand over her chest, she exhaled deeply, feeling slightly calr.

If only she could block out the world entirely...

But there was no ti to dwell. The host’s voice echoed from the stage:

"Now, let’s welco Linn’s most popular rising idol—Miss Bai Yi!"

The curtain was pulled aside, and a staff mber urged her forward.

"Miss Bai Yi, it’s your turn!"

"Alright."

Sliding her phone into her pocket, Bai Yi adjusted her posture and ascended the steps.

The blinding spotlight greeted her as she stepped onto the stage, montarily disorienting her.

When her eyes adjusted, she was greeted by a sea of faces below.

In the front row, her stepfather Jiang Xiong sat in a suit, smiling and waving.

Beside him was her mother, Zuo Jiangqin, scrutinizing her with a cold, critical gaze.

After a mont of assessnt, her mother’s lips curled in dissatisfaction, letting out a faint "Tsk."

Bai Yi’s chest tightened as the calming effect of Yan Huan’s support vanished, replaced by a familiar ache.

Why...

Why does she always look at

like that?

No matter how much I follow her instructions...

Even the slightest deviation earns

that look.

Bai Yi’s gaze shifted from her mother to the audience, but what she saw left her frozen.

The crowd was filled with countless "Zuo Jiangqins," all staring at her with disapproval.

Her pupils shrank, her mind spiraling into chaos.

"Miss Bai Yi, welco to the Linn Gaming Expo," the host said, handing her a microphone.

But in Bai Yi’s eyes, the host had transford into another Zuo Jiangqin, holding not a microphone but a dagger at her throat.

"Mom..." she murmured weakly.

The word went unheard by the microphone but was caught by the host, whose concerned expression grew.

Bai Yi’s fear deepened with every second, her trembling worsening. The more mistakes she made, the harsher her mother’s real expression beca, feeding the illusions before her.

"Tick... tick..."

At that mont, the pocket watch hidden within her dress began spinning uncontrollably, its ticking accelerating.

"Click-click-click!"

Reality seed to stutter as ti warped around her. The countless "Zuo Jiangqins" froze, their movents slowing.

Yes...

Don’t co any closer... Don’t deny

anymore...

Please, Mom... I beg you...

"Ring-ring-ring!"

A loud chi suddenly broke through Bai Yi’s haze. She blinked, realizing the sound ca from her left earbud.

A voice followed:

"Plane incoming call. Touch the earbud to answer."

"Caller: Yan Huan."

"Answer?"