The sun sank below the sea level, and after a final flicker, its residual glow faded into silence.
The rooftop of St. Freya Academy was stained with the unique colors of the night.
Mei stood there in a pure and simple dress, her soft purple hair fluttering in the wind.
The young girl clasped her small hands in front of her chest, her face etched with sorrow and guilt.
"Kiana, I..."
"Hm? What's wrong?" Kiana interjected.
She understood Mei. Mei's personality could be extreme at times, but more often than not, she was indecisive.
"I..."
Mei, who had been cut off, opened her mouth, hesitated, and finally lowered her hands, forcing a smile. "Let me make you some fried chicken. You must be hungry after all this time, Kiana."
"Ah? Really? That's great!"
Kiana joyfully pounced on her. "Speaking of which, it's been so long since I've had your fried chicken."
Mei smiled back at her little Chong Chong.
Let's worry about troubling things later.
There will always be another chance.
At least... not now.
Both girls thought the same thing at the same time.
Although...
"Sister Mei, why did you change your hairstyle?" Bronya asked the next morning.
At the dining table, Kiana's gaze couldn't help but drift over. It was obvious this was the hairstyle from Ye Feng's world.
Mei's eyes darted away. She couldn't very well tell Bronya, Feng-kun said the Hime cut has a special charm, right?
Theresa was also present that morning. She looked at Mei and couldn't help but stroke her chin. "Hmm, this hairstyle really suits you, Mei. You could probably even debut as an idol."
Kiana puffed out her chest. "Of course! Mei is the best!"
Theresa couldn't help but glance at her silly niece. "I'm complimenting Mei. What are you getting so proud for, Kiana?"
To cover things up, obviously!
Kiana could see it. Mei had made this change for that dog-thief Ye Feng. It hurt, but she couldn't let it show.
Kiana stared intently at Mei again, mimicking Theresa by stroking her chin. "Although Mei looks good with any hairstyle, I still think her original ponytail has more charm."
Embarrassed by Kiana's stare, Mei didn't respond directly, instead changing the subject. "Alright, hurry up and eat, or you'll be late again."
"Then you feed me, Mei. Ahhh~~~"
Kiana opened her mouth, her rosy, cherry-like lips glistening attractively.
"Eh? Kiana... stop fooling around."
"Wuwuwu, I knew it. Mei's affections have wandered elsewhere."
!!
Mei's expression stiffened for a moment, but when she realized Kiana was joking, she relaxed.
Hm? No, that's not right.
What 'wandered elsewhere'?
From the beginning to the end, I've only ever liked Feng-kun.
"Alright, alright, this is for you."
Mei picked up a large chi...cken leg, but instead of putting it directly into Kiana's mouth, she placed it in her bowl.
Normally, they wouldn't eat such greasy food in the morning, but Mei had subconsciously wanted to compensate Kiana, so she had made her favorite dish.
"Wow! Mei, you're so good to me! I love you the most!"
Kiana threw her arms around Mei, nuzzling her like an affectionate kitten.
"Alright now, it won't be as tasty if it gets cold."
Stare~
Bronya silently observed the entire scene. Although it was the same peaceful daily routine as always, the duckling felt that something was a little off.
Must be my imagination, right?
With that thought, she put a piece of fried chicken in her mouth.
Mm, it's even more delicious than before.
No wonder Kiana was so happy.
---o---
"Hey, you're awake. The 'surgery' was a success. You're a normal girl now."
A halogen lamp shone down on Yuexia's face, the intense light making her uncomfortable.
She instinctively shielded her eyes with her hand, and through the gaps in her fingers, she could see a man's face.
Due to the bright light and the fact that she had just woken up, Yuexia could only make out a humanoid black silhouette.
It felt as if she had woken up on an alien's operating table.
"Who... are you?"
"My name is Ye Feng. The administrator of this world? Something like that. It seems you really can use 'one body, two souls' as an anchor to pull in existing NPC characters."
"...?"
Yuexia blinked with bewildered eyes.
Although she understood every word, they were confusing when strung together.
"Seele... did you say Seele?"
That's right, Yuexia remembered now.
She had been knocked unconscious by a single punch from that seemingly gentle and docile girl?
"Don't misunderstand. Seele was only doing it for your own good."
For my own good? By knocking me out with one punch?
Also, can you please move that lamp?
"Oh, my apologies. I just wanted to see what your reaction would be under this light."
As he spoke, Ye Feng moved the halogen lamp away.
With the intense light gone, Yuexia could finally see Ye Feng's face clearly.
She couldn't say she felt anything in particular, but he had a gentle look, so harmless he seemed like a blank slate.
He seemed to possess a quality that could make people let down their guard immediately.
Yuexia propped herself up and sat up, only to realize that she appeared to be in a hospital room.
The snow-white room reminded her of the laboratory where she was born.
She didn't actually hate that place. Although she had no freedom there, she had her sister's companionship.
Then, Yuexia saw a green-haired loli wearing a white lab coat.
"I'm the assistant here, Mobius," the snake introduced herself.
Assistant?
Combined with the hospital room...
It led Yuexia to some unpleasant assumptions.
"What is your purpose in capturing me?"
"Capture? That's no way to describe your own situation."
Ye Feng ruffled Yuexia's white hair.
Yuexia froze for a second, then immediately recoiled, glaring at Ye Feng like a wounded young beast.
"How dare you glare at Father like that."
The snake turned, a faint smile on her lips. "Be careful not to get eaten~~"
"What do you people want?"
"Me? I just want to research the blood-soluble, bacteria-type Honkai. As for Father, heehee, I can't guarantee what he'll do to you."
Mobius shot a charming glance at Ye Feng.
In this situation, Yuexia started to feel a little panicked. "...Eat me?"
She then let her hands fall to her sides. "Perhaps this is retribution."
As a legendary vampire, she had drunk the blood of so many people. So, to be eaten by someone more powerful... she supposed she had no room to complain.
Ye Feng sighed in resignation. "I'm not some kind of demon. How could I eat you in the physical sense? Also, Snake, now that you have the data, aren't you going back to your lab to study it?"
"Hehe, Father, are you trying to get rid of me?"
Mobius raised a slender hand and sensuously wrapped it around Ye Feng's neck, but her serpentine eyes remained fixed on Yuexia.
Yuexia instantly felt as if she were being stared down by a natural predator, her blood giving her the illusion of freezing solid...