"Yes, just like that. Your gaze is perfect, and the expression is spot-on. You really get it, Kiana."
Ye Feng was thoroughly satisfied.
Lifting the hem of her skirt, black stockings on full display, a hint of fair skin peeking through the sheer fabric, all with a face full of shame and indignation.
Such rich, vivid expressions and graceful movements were far beyond what any NPC could replicate.
The skirt was lifted for only a fleeting moment, less time than it takes for a breeze to pass, before Kiana swiftly dropped it. Her face soured. "Bastard! Forcing me to do something so shameful... this young lady will not let you get away with this!"
"It's not like that at all. You have defended the honor of the Kaslana name."
"Of course! A Kaslana always keeps their word!"
"Such an outstanding 'Knight'," Ye Feng said with a smile. "With a good, innocent girl as naive as you, I could trick you into bed ten times in a single night."
"Trick me into bed?"
Kiana didn't quite understand. She didn't need Ye Feng to trick her; she could fall asleep in class at the drop of a hat.
Kiana smoothed her skirt down. Though puzzled by the sudden change of clothes, she still asked the question that was most pressing on her mind.
"How do I get out of here?"
"That's the second question, you know."
Kiana's heart skipped a beat. She crossed her arms, bluffing, "What kind of perverted request do you have this time?"
"Accompany me to the cafeteria for a meal."
"I knew a guy like you would—eh? A-a meal?"
"What else? What was Kiana hoping for?"
"I wasn't hoping for anything!!" Kiana roared, clenching her fists.
"Then let's go to the cafeteria."
Ye Feng turned to lead the way, only to hear a small "Aiyo!" from behind him.
Kiana, wearing crystal high heels, had twisted her ankle.
"How can you be so clumsy?"
Ye Feng called up her status bar and, under [Body Attributes], selected [Normal].
The pain in Kiana's ankle immediately vanished. Even the exhaustion from her earlier dehydration was gone. She felt a sense of ease she had never experienced before.
Her body felt incredibly light, and suddenly, it seemed there was nothing to be afraid of.
Huh? This guy... maybe he's not so bad after all, Kiana mused to herself. She slipped off the high heels and followed Ye Feng barefoot into the cafeteria.
---o---
The time was 12:13, the peak of the lunch rush.
Yet, there were still plenty of empty seats. Because the Academy Principal was willing to spare no expense, St. Freya High School's infrastructure was arguably the best in all of Schicksal. The consequence of this, however, was that the academy operated at a perpetual budget deficit.
"Eat whatever you want. Just help yourself."
"Help myself...?"
The Tuna's gaze fell upon the expensive cakes in the dessert section, and her salivary glands began to work uncontrollably. Although she received a monthly stipend, it was only enough to cover basic living expenses. An occasional splurge was fine, but achieving true cake freedom was impossible.
"But... is it really okay?"
To just take things from the school without paying.
No, wait. They can't even see her. She can't even have a conversation with them. And that guy said this was a game world.
Realizing this, the Tuna happily went to get her food.
Ye Feng followed behind her. After they had both made a round, they found a table. It was only then that Kiana noticed Ye Feng hadn't gotten anything for himself.
"Aren't you eating?"
"I have some right here."
Then, Kiana watched as Ye Feng casually swiped a bowl of noodle soup with green peppers and pork from an adjacent table. The Valkyrie whose noodles had been stolen simply continued to eat the air.
"..."
The Tuna had once again overestimated Ye Feng's integrity. He had vividly demonstrated what "help yourself" truly meant.
"The handmade noodles on Friday are still the best. They have the perfect chewiness."
Kiana had no desire to respond to that. She asked, "So, how do I get out of here?"
"Sigh~~"
Ye Feng let out a sigh.
From the moment Kiana entered this world, Ye Feng knew she could leave at any time. This self-evident "clarity" was proof of his growing authority and control over this world.
But even so, he himself could not escape.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Ye Feng sigh, Kiana's heart tightened.
"It's nothing. About how to leave... you don't have to do anything special. In three hours at most, or perhaps in the very next moment, you will be disconnected from this place."
"Eh? It's that simple?"
Kiana felt like she had gotten a bad deal.
She lowered her head and silently savored her food. It tasted exactly like it did in the real world. The layout of the academy was also identical to her memories.
Kiana remained silent.
She ate quietly while observing her surroundings, deep in thought.
She couldn't help but think back to a moment ago, when Ye Feng swiped his fingers in the air and her body became strange, and how he could change her clothes in an instant.
Since he said he could answer her questions, Kiana asked directly, "What did you do to me earlier? I know, I know, state your request first."
"Not bad. You've grasped the rules quickly."
Ye Feng continued to reinforce Kiana's "cognition."
He then tapped the empty air, and two patterns materialized.
[Honeysuckle Crest]: A pattern framed by intertwined vines or branches, with alternating sets of three leaves and one leaf on either side of a wavy stem. In the center is a cute, pink heart.
[Capacity Gauge]: A ruler-like black line, marked with measurements like 5cm, 10cm, 20cm. Beside it are words like 'Worthless,' 'Master,' etc...
"Pick one," Ye Feng said.
"Huh?"
"It's a sticker. It will be imprinted on your body. We'll see if it's still there when you return to the real world."
"That's it?"
Kiana's lips formed an ω shape.
Compared to his first request, this was nothing at all. And here she was, having mentally prepared herself for all sorts of things.
Kiana was practically bursting with joy on the inside. For the price of a simple sticker, she could get such important information.
"No problem! I choose this one."
Kiana unhesitatingly chose the Honeysuckle Crest. Although it had an indescribable strangeness to it, it was also oddly pretty.
"Excellent taste."
Ye Feng lifted his finger and tapped lightly. Kiana felt a searing heat on her lower abdomen, causing her to instinctively arch her back slightly and press her thighs together.
"I-is that all?" Kiana asked in a weak voice.
She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that something was... not quite right.
"Mmm, it looks great. When you get back to reality, remember to tell everyone that it was a gift from Ye Feng."
"No way." Kiana shook her head, refusing.
Ye Feng didn't mind. He materialized Kiana's attributes, presenting them to her in the form of a glowing screen panel.
"By manipulating these, I can change your physical state. For example, [Change Outfit]."
Ye Feng swiped through the options.
White Stockings School Swimsuit, Little Devil Maid Outfit, Backless Evening Gown, JK Uniform, Shrine Maiden Outfit... one after another, the clothes on Kiana's body changed.
"Alright, stop!"
Kiana, now dressed in a cheongsam, hastily stopped Ye Feng when she saw the list about to flip to [Naked Apron], [Three-Point Bikini], and [Body Paint].
Those all looked extremely bad.
Kiana stared at her own "character model," her gaze falling on the other stats. Her large azure eyes were filled with little questions.
"What do these mean here? [Mouth: 13], [Chest: 12], [Legs: 55]?"