"Kiana was... so strange... today..."
A faint blush colored Mei's cheeks.
Recalling Kiana's bewitching twists as she squatted, her body glistening with fragrant sweat, radiating a orchid-like charm, Mei felt her mouth go dry and a flush of heat rise within her.
Mei turned her head, staring blankly at the window of the Valkyrie dormitory.
Then, she forcefully patted her own feverish cheeks.
She lowered her head and mumbled shyly, "...What am I thinking!"
She had better hurry and find Mr. Ye Feng.
---o---
Valkyrie Dormitories.
Kiana, with a strength that came from nowhere, was straddling Ye Feng, her fair hands wrapped furiously around his neck.
"Scoundrel, you utter scoundrel! Minus one every five minutes, was it! Or else you'll become visible, was it! Go on, do it! Do it!"
Ye Feng, for his part, cooperatively stuck his tongue out.
Only after Kiana's number decreased by one again did she finally quiet down.
The young woman's fair body was draped over Ye Feng's chest, drenched in fragrant sweat.
On this summer night, their body heat mingled and rose, and though it was hot, there was an indescribable sense of comfort.
Ye Feng cupped Kiana's face, brushed away the strands of hair stuck to her cheeks, and kissed her on the lips.
Kiana immediately began to flop around like a fish on land, but she was held fast in Ye Feng's arms.
Figuring she couldn't break free anyway, she gave up.
Five minutes later, Kiana's face was beet red.
Her delicate toes were pressed firmly against the floor, desperately sliding backward.
When they reached their limit, her five slender toes fanned out as far as they could, then repeatedly lifted and fell, like a mermaid's tail splashing in the water.
Finally, Ye Feng let go.
Kiana gasped for air.
"You bastard, are you trying to suffocate me!"
"Who's to blame when my darling is so delicious?"
"Even if you praise me, I won't be happy."
"Then how about we talk about your father?"
"Eh?"
"What's with that surprised look? Mei just reminded you about it earlier. You couldn't have forgotten that quickly, could you?"
Hearing this, Kiana's face flushed crimson, a vein popping on her forehead. She craned her neck and argued:
"It's all your fault...! No, wait, I didn't forget, I was just looking for the right time. After all, you're the type to devour people whole without spitting out the bones. Who knows how you'd bully me in exchange for news about my stinky old dad."
"Siegfried, your father, is currently recuperating at the Anti-Entropy headquarters."
"I knew you'd... huh? What?"
Kiana looked at Ye Feng in disbelief.
Four years! For four whole years, Kiana had wandered alone, searching for her father.
She never imagined that the answer she had sought for so long would be obtained so easily.
"Anti-Entropy headquarters? Recuperating?"
Ye Feng stood up and sat down in the chair at Mei's desk. He straightened his back and sat with his legs spread wide in an imposing manner.
Just by looking at Ye Feng's eyes, Kiana understood what the bastard meant: If you want to know more, you'll have to crawl over here humbly.
For a moment, the little tuna was resistant.
Although she had eaten quite a bit, it had never been of her own volition.
But thinking about it from another angle, what did it matter if she took the initiative this time? The number wouldn't go down.
And who knows, she might even be able to discover his weakness.
Most importantly, compared to the unknown price she might have had to pay for information, this clearly defined task was nothing.
With that in mind, the little tuna forced her exhausted, weak body up and crawled on her knees before Ye Feng like a little white puppy.
Old Ye stroked Kiana's head, then leaned back comfortably in his chair and said:
"Siegfried has Honkai Beast factors in his body. Due to overusing his power, the Honkai Beast genes have begun to corrode his body and mind. He can't suppress it on his own, so he's relying on Anti-Entropy's help to inhibit the genes."
Kiana lifted her head, her bright, sapphire eyes filled with astonishment.
"Mmm~ My stinky old dad~~ has~~ mmph, Honkai Beast factors, too?"
"That's right. They weren't fused into him later; Siegfried was born with them. As for why, that's a story that starts fifty thousand years ago."
"...It's~ mmm, fifty, thousand, years, ago... again..."
"Oh? As expected of my little tuna, you're as sharp as ice. You grasped the key point perfectly. It's a story from the same era as Class Rep Fu Hua."
Putting that matter aside for a moment, what Kiana was currently concerned about was,
"...How is... my stinky old dad... doing right now..."
"Don't worry, he'll live to see the final chapter. It seems you're planning to go look for him?"
Kiana nodded.
In the end, the whole reason Kiana had enrolled in St. Freya Academy was to get information about Siegfried from Theresa.
Now that she knew where he was, it was only natural that she would go to North America.
"You should stay at St. Freya."
"?"
"Siegfried is deliberately avoiding you. Even if you go to North America, he will immediately relocate."
Kiana let out a breath.
"Why?"
Ye Feng gazed at Kiana. "Why? Have you really not noticed a single thing, Kiana?"
"..."
Being asked that by Ye Feng, Kiana froze. She couldn't help but recall a hazy dream.
The young woman lowered her head and fell silent.
The room was quiet, save for the sound of breathing.
"It's not like that, little tuna."
"Mmph~ It's none of your business!"
"Of course it's my business. Please remember, no matter what you are, little tuna, I will always be on your side. Yes, no matter what happens."
Ye Feng gently stroked Kiana's cheek, tucking away a stray black curl from the corner of her lips.
...
"That child has left."
The nun, praying beneath a statue, sensed the movement behind her. She opened her eyes and spoke without turning to face Ye Feng.
"Mama Aponia, what are you praying for?"
"Not for [Blessings], but for [Atonement]."
"Atonement? What sins does Mama Aponia have?"
In response to this question, the sister simply closed her eyes.
Then, Aponia asked, "That child..."
"You mean Kiana? Ah, although Kiana's waist has become very skilled at twisting, she's still very clumsy when it comes to drinking porridge, always scalding her mouth. I tell her to be careful, but she just has to act tough."
Ye Feng stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the nun, who was still in a prayerful posture. "However, I'm very fond of that kind of clumsiness. The process of educational guidance, from clumsy to skilled, is the most satisfying part."
Just like with Aponia.
The sister's prayers were also very skilled now.
"Little Feng..."
Aponia hugged Ye Feng back, like a statue of the Madonna holding the Holy Child in a church.
A hint of struggle appeared on her compassionate face.
"Little Feng, I saw a glimpse of the [Elysian Realm's] future. I might... become a sinner of the Elysian Realm. I don't know... what I should do anymore."
"Is this the [Atonement] you spoke of, Mama Aponia?"