"Bianca, your luck really is as good as ever. This time is no exception. I'll come to you again next time. You may leave for now."
Durandal scratched her head in confusion and left Otto's office. Hearing something from inside the office, she stopped and looked back doubtfully before continuing toward the training room.
As Durandal departed, Otto could no longer hide his excitement and exhilaration. His voice trembled slightly as he muttered to himself,
"Eight pieces... I already have eight pieces! Only three more to go!"
"Wait for me, Kallen!"
----------------------------------
In St. Freya Academy, Kiana, Mei, and the others poked their heads out from the bushes, cautiously observing the situation ahead.
In the distance, two people who looked exactly like them were standing there, the atmosphere tense.
Kiana looked worriedly at Fu Hua and Mei beside her, and whispered,
"They really won't start fighting, right? Why isn't Fu Lin here yet? This is killing me!"
At the same time, the other Kiana—Kiana☆ stood with her arms crossed, looking disdainfully at the Mei☆ in front of her, a mocking smile on her lips as she said,
"Didn't expect you to show up too, Mei☆. What, do you still think you have a chance?"
Mei☆ stared intently at Kiana☆'s belly, her voice suspicious, "You could come, so why can't I?"
"And… are you really carrying Fu Lin's child? Or is this just a lie to make me give up on him?"
Kiana☆ gently caressed her lower abdomen, feeling the pulse of the little life inside, showing a satisfied smile, and said proudly,
"It's real. I completely had my way with Fu Lin on the bed~ You have no idea how adorable he looked when I was on top of him…"
Kiana☆ closed her eyes, reminiscing about that passionate night with Fu Lin, her face glowing with happiness.
Hearing this, Mei☆'s face turned slightly red, her body trembling, and her eyes widened in anger as she pointed at Kiana☆ and shouted with a trembling voice,
"You… shameless! You actually forced yourself on him!"
Seeing Mei☆ so flustered, Kiana☆'s smile became even brighter, resting her chin on one hand, her eyes filled with provocation.
"So what? I'm the winner~"
Kiana gasped, looking at the unfamiliar yet familiar version of herself, and worriedly said,
"Hiss~ Did we just overhear something really bad? Will the other me silence us? She's the Herrscher of the End—can we even beat her?"
"It should be, can we even escape," came Bronya's voice from behind, startling Kiana into leaping out of the bushes, instantly drawing Mei☆ and Kiana☆'s attention.
"Ah! Bronya, when did you get here?!"
Kiana twitched at the corner of her mouth, looking up at her 'self' and Mei☆, forcing a smile and raising her hand in an attempt to break the tension.
"Hi~?"
Kiana greeted them, though her voice was a bit unnatural. However, Mei☆ and Kiana☆ didn't respond and averted their gaze from her.
The entire scene fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the wind rustling through the grass. In the next second, the two suddenly started fighting, taking the battle from the ground to the sky...
Meanwhile, Fu Lin, sensing Fu Shi's presence, quickly found her hiding in his wardrobe, then extended a hand holding the Herrscher of Sentience's core toward her, smiling,
"Fu Shi, look what I brought you."
Upon hearing his voice, Fu Shi slowly looked up, tears sparkling in her eyes. Not wanting him to see her sadness, she blinked hard, trying to hold the tears back.
Fu Lin's smile slowly faded as he gently patted her head and asked with concern, "…You've been crying?"
Fu Shi turned away, trying to quietly wipe her tears with her hand, but the tears kept falling like broken beads. She forced herself to sound strong,
"W-What? Who's crying? I'm not crying! No one in this world can make me cry!"
Fu Lin reached out and gently wiped away her tears, then pulled Fu Shi into his arms, a faint smile on his lips as he softly asked, "Still say you're not crying?"
Fu Shi buried her head in Fu Lin's chest, clutching the front of his shirt tightly, her voice filled with grievance and frustration as she weakly retorted,
"I'm not sobbing or anything. I just wanted to be alone for a while..."
Yet, despite what she said, her grip on Fu Lin's shirt only tightened.
Seeing Fu Shi so heartbroken, Fu Lin felt a sharp pain in his chest. He gently stroked her hair, his voice soft and resolute,
"I know you're hurting now, and it's hard to accept everything all at once, but..."
But before Fu Lin could finish, Fu Shi suddenly lifted her head slightly and returned to her normal size in an instant, pinning the unprepared Fu Lin beneath her.
Fu Shi quietly gazed down at Fu Lin, her eyes filled with complicated emotions, and her voice was so soft it seemed meant only for herself, "I was the one who came first..."
Fu Lin lay quietly on the ground, eyes fixed on Fu Shi above, without a trace of avoidance.
Suddenly, Fu Lin reached out. Fu Shi shuddered, but before she could react, she was already tightly wrapped in Fu Lin's strong embrace.
Fu Lin looked into Fu Shi's blushing face, gently kissed her forehead, and murmured, "Sorry."
With that kiss, Fu Shi's heart slowly calmed. She tightly hugged Fu Lin and buried her head in his chest, softly saying, "Fu Lin, I just felt really blocked up inside… but I think I know how to fix it now."
Fu Lin tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled at Fu Shi, "???"
A trace of blush flashed across Fu Shi's face, then she dispelled Fu Lin's doubts with her actions.
Unfinished words drowned in the affection-filled kiss. A slightly cool tongue slipped into his mouth, greedily claiming Fu Lin's breath, exploring every corner with force.
But just as Fu Shi reached to undo Fu Lin's clothes, a clear voice rang out, interrupting what she was about to do.
"Hehe, look who I found? A little brat sneaking a bite. If Kiana☆ saw this, I can't imagine how beautiful that scene would be."
That voice was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing the intimate atmosphere.
Fu Shi looked up with a gloomy expression, angrily yelling at the floating Sirin,
"Who are you calling a little brat?!"
"Obviously you. Clinging to this man on one side, and secretly seducing my brother on the other—how shameless."
Sirin hovered in the air, her eyes full of mockery and sarcasm, her tone teasing as if laughing at Fu Shi's childishness.
Fu Shi's face turned extremely sour, her eyes burning with fury. Leaving behind a bewildered Fu Lin, she summoned a barrage of weapons and charged at Sirin.
"Clueless brat, take this brick!"
"Wait! Don't tear down the hou—what—?!"
Fu Lin suddenly realized what was happening, quickly leaping up from the ground, only to see a giant hole in the wall, while Fu Shi and Sirin were already fighting in the sky.