The door was shut tight, and the bedroom was silent.
The little tuna still had one of her white-stockinged legs propped up on the vanity, staring blankly towards the door. Her face was a mask of utter confusion.
Who was that?
Another person has appeared!
And she seems to be very familiar with Ye Feng?
Wait a minute, what did Ye Feng mean by "join" just now?
No, that dog Ye Feng wants a double... [BEEP]?!
What kind of person do you take me for?
How could I possibly be open and honest with a strange woman? Unless it was Mei, that might be... wait, no no no!
Kiana was startled by the thought that had just popped into her head.
It's one thing for me to go through this, but I absolutely cannot let that bastard Ye Feng defile Mei!
"Aren't you going to explain?"
Kiana lowered her eyes, forcing a look of disgust onto her face.
To Ye Feng, this expression was basically an attack speed buff.
"We'll talk about it later. First, let me check if your B... rank Valkyrie status has any 'moisture' in it."
And with that, Ye Feng's words left Kiana completely dumbfounded.
"?"
Kiana's pupils went blank. What the hell was this dog scoundrel talking about?!
Don't you dare defile the sacred ground I aspire to!
Kiana felt that she could never look at the term "B-rank Valkyrie" the same way again.
This bastard was toxic!
And moisture! I'll spray you to death with a mouthful of salt soda!
"I worked hard to become a Valkyrie, not to increase your... mmmph... increase... mmm~~!"
...
"As I thought, it happened again."
Mei looked at the people moving like NPCs and confirmed that she was in Ye Feng's world.
"It seems that once you enter the first time, a second time is inevitable. Speaking of which, can I come here just by falling asleep?"
"But then again, with my consciousness separated from my body, my body in the real world would naturally look like it's in a deep sleep."
Mei went to the school rooftop, a place Ye Feng hadn't taken her before.
Looking out from the high vantage point, it was identical to the St. Freya Academy in reality. But if she tried to leave the school grounds, the words "Let's explore the area ahead later" would appear.
"Where's Kiana? And Mr. Ye Feng hasn't appeared either."
Mei scanned the rooftop.
Suddenly, a shadow enveloped her.
To be precise, it was as if "the world's lights went out," and she found herself in a viscous darkness.
A long corridor of deep, Roman-style columns, its outline barely visible, stretched out before her, hidden in the dark.
"Where is this...?"
"Come before me, Herrscher of Thunder."
A low, pitying voice emanated from the deepest darkness. Mei looked around nervously.
"——!!?"
"Your expression is like that of a frightened little animal."
"Who's there?"
"Has the Herrscher of the current civilization already reached such a level? Little Feng truly wasn't just comforting me."
"Who are you? Little Feng? Do you mean Mr. Ye Feng? What are you to him?"
"Come here, and I will answer all your questions."
Then.
A fair hand extended from the darkness, without a sound.
It was the kind of hand that looked even more beautiful when emerging from a pristine white sleeve—but the moment Mei saw it, she only felt that it was secretly manipulating something in the shadows.
Next, a candle flame flickered in the darkness.
Light bloomed.
It was a prayer room with antiquated decor.
Stained glass windows, white candles, and a nun wearing a wimple sat with poise on the other side of a table.
"Hello, Herrscher of Thunder."
Her slow, low, and magnetic voice made one feel drowsy.
However, Mei was emotionally agitated at this moment.
"Don't call me that. I have a name. It's Raiden Mei."
"Ah, how rude of me. I was so excited for a moment that I neglected your feelings. Please forgive me. Mei... it's a very gentle name. I am Aponia. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hello, Miss Aponia..."
Mei did her best to avoid Aponia's gaze and looked around the room.
"Were you the one who pulled me in here?"
"Yes. When I heard from Little Feng this morning that you had entered yesterday, I wanted to meet you."
"Are you also a magician from another world?"
"No, I am just like you. Merely the ashes of the previous era."
Ashes of the previous era?
It was too cryptic. She didn't understand.
"Do you have a purpose for bringing me here?"
"I just... wanted to see you."
"We don't know each other."
"[Please] believe me. Just seeing your existence like this brings me immense comfort."
"..."
Mei truly couldn't sense any malice from Aponia, but her gaze made one's entire body feel uncomfortable.
Mei could feel that Aponia wasn't really looking at her.
Rather, she was confirming something through her.
Mei didn't like this feeling. Right now, she just wanted to leave this prayer room. She asked:
"Do you know where Mr. Ye Feng is?"
"Ah, you mean Little Feng?"
Aponia revealed a smile.
The nun's bright and beautiful smile made even Mei, another woman, feel a stir in her heart.
"Little Feng is in the Valkyrie dormitories."
"What is he doing in the Valkyrie dormitories?"
"You'll know when you get there."
...
...
"I feel like Aponia's entire aura changed when she mentioned Mr. Ye Feng. Oh well, at least I'm out."
Mei walked quickly towards the Valkyrie dormitories.
Just as she reached the entrance, she heard strange thudding sounds from inside.
Don't get the wrong idea, it was just the sound of objects falling to the floor.
"Mr. Ye Feng?"
Mei stood outside the door and called out tentatively.
But there was no response. The sound of things falling only grew louder.
It seemed that even the books on the bookshelf had fallen off.
"?"
Strange, what's going on?
"I'm coming in."
Mei placed her hand on the doorknob, but it wouldn't turn. The door was locked from the inside.
"Mr. Ye Feng, are you in there?"
"Mmph~~"
The response was a muffled groan, suppressed to the absolute limit.
Mei's pupils instantly constricted.
"Kiana!?"
Mei held her breath and listened intently, but the room fell silent again.
Mei immediately grew anxious. "Kiana, open the door! I know you're in there. If you don't open it now, I'm going to force my way in, you hear?"
Click.
The sound of the lock disengaging was heard, and the door swung slightly on its hinges, revealing a narrow crack.
A sweat-drenched Kiana poked her upper body out, her hand resting on the door, perfectly blocking the view of the situation behind her.
She seemed to be bracing herself against something, as the strands of hair on her back were rising and falling like waves.
"...Mei... what are you doing here?"
"Kiana? What are you doing?"
"...Squat training."
"?"
Mei could tell at a glance that something was wrong with Kiana. She forcefully pushed the door open and stepped inside.
However... the messy room truly contained only Kiana.
Mei let out a sigh of relief.
She thought... she thought... her mind was just being too dirty.
Mei scanned the room and her gaze fell back on Kiana. Wait, why was she still doing squats, going up and down?