---o---
The cafeteria of St. Freya Academy.
It was spacious and tidy. Rectangular dining tables were arranged in neat rows, gleaming as they reflected the light of the setting sun.
And in a corner of this tranquil school cafeteria...
Layers of a pristine white dress were spread upon the floor. A moon-white dudou and a pair of dustless silk stockings were folded neatly and placed to one side.
The evening sun slanted in, bathing a fair, delicate body in its orange glow. Her smooth skin seemed to radiate a faint light.
The summer was already sweltering. Holding such a posture, Ji Lin's body was beaded with fragrant sweat, making her appear all the more glistening.
The slight arch of her waist and hips traced a luscious curve.
In terms of slender delicacy, she couldn't compare to Kiana.
In terms of succulence, she didn't match the honey-peach-like Aponia.
But Ji Lin possessed a refined, girl-next-door sort of beauty, fresh and exquisite—a true masterpiece in her own right.
At this moment, Ji Lin had been holding the dogeza posture for the better part of an hour.
The floor was hard, and her tender knees were beginning to ache.
The leisurely chiming of a bell rang out. Ji Lin knew it was the sound signaling the end of the day's classes at St. Freya Academy.
Streams of people began to converge on the cafeteria from all directions.
The once quiet space was suddenly filled with a buzzing clamor.
From her position in dogeza, Ji Lin could hear the students' chatter from a distance. Her body went rigid, her palms and feet tense against the floor as they twitched nervously.
They were coming!
Although they were all mindless NPCs, the traditional and classical Ji Lin had no exhibitionist癖好.
To be completely naked, kneeling prostrate on the ground in such a public place...
The flow of people was like a woven tapestry, constantly passing by her.
Even if she couldn't feel their gazes, even if everyone ignored her, Ji Lin was still dying of shame and indignation.
Her body grew hot, her fair skin flushing pink.
After the ordeal of playing the xiao last night, Ji Lin's tolerance had increased significantly.
Clip~ clop~ clip~ clop~
Just then, someone approached on horseback. Ji Lin lifted her gaze.
A young woman in a black battle dress rode a warhorse, slowly approaching with the setting sun at her back.
It was her "other self"—the one Ye... Master called Black Ji Lin.
"Guhh~~"
The instant Ji Lin's mind was about to cry out Ye Feng's real name, it was as if she were hit by ten times the force of gravity, her entire body slammed flat against the floor.
Her enhanced, full curves were squashed like Want Want Snow Crisps.
Several minutes passed before Ji Lin could manage to lift her gaze slightly again.
The person she least wanted to see in this situation appeared. Fu Hua, wearing red-framed glasses, walked over with a ramrod-straight posture.
"...Red Kite."
Ji Lin had seen three different Red Kites here.
One was the memory-body Hua from the Elysian Realm, one was the Red Kite from her own era, and the last was the current Fu Hua.
Without a doubt, the one here at St. Freya Academy was the real Red Kite.
Just as Ji Lin's heart was a maelstrom of complicated feelings, she saw another familiar person.
Kiana.
The girl whose sweat had splashed onto her last night.
At this moment, their eyes met again.
"!!"
"Huh??"
The bug quickly averted her gaze, only to sneak another peek at Ji Lin.
A full-naked dogeza?
She was familiar with that pose.
But to be left like this in a bustling cafeteria was a first for the bug.
Could it be that the bastard Ye Feng was actually being gentle with her?
Still, since their eyes had met, she couldn't just pretend she hadn't seen anything.
The bug didn't know if her brain had short-circuited or if she just thought a full-naked dogeza wasn't a big deal—no, on second thought, Ji Lin had stood by and watched yesterday as she was [Bleeped] by that bastard Ye Feng in all sorts of positions—so really, there was nothing for the two of them to be shy about now.
You've already seen my most "honest" side, and I'm just seeing you do a dogeza.
It's no big deal.
And so, Kiana waved at her and gave a cheerful laugh. "Good afternoon, Ji Lin. Uh... wanna eat dinner together?"
"..."
Ji Lin's head grew hot. The world spun around her, and she was so ashamed she nearly fainted.
No, you already looked away!
Couldn't you have just pretended you didn't see me?
Why did you have to say hello!
How is this one supposed to reply?
However... so this is how shameful it is to be seen.
Yesterday, this girl must have... suffered a lot, too.
Before Ji Lin could reply, Kiana had already walked over to her.
She sat down cross-legged, but she still had to look down at the prostrate Ji Lin.
Since she had already started the conversation, Kiana, trying to avoid awkwardness, feigned a casual tone. She looked at Ji Lin's smooth, fair back and said:
"A forced dogeza. That bastard Ye Feng really likes to pull this kind of stuff."
"...?"
"I used to be just like you. I was forced into dogeza so often my knees got all red and raw."
Kiana recounted her own embarrassing experiences.
Ji Lin raised her head, her eyes moist. "You too, Kiana...?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
Hearing that Kiana had also gone through it, Ji Lin's shame instantly subsided a little.
Who said the bug couldn't read the room? She understood things just fine.
"Back then, I had to take off one piece of clothing for every question I got wrong on a test. Once everything was off, it was a forced dogeza. Sometimes it was even worse; he'd make me hang a sign around my neck that said 'Kiana is a stupid Valkyrie'... Hmm, what about you? What was the reason?"
"...I lost at cards."
"Cards? Strip mahjong?"
"Uh... no... um, well..." Ji Lin's mind raced, trying to organize her words as decorously as possible.
But simply stating the facts of the matter was already extremely humiliating.
Seeing Ji Lin's head practically steaming from her blush, Kiana gently patted her shoulder.
"Well, you don't have to say it. I can probably guess. Hmph, that guy won't be smug for much longer."
Kiana looked down at her own abdomen, at the number hidden beneath her clothes. Still 69!
"This time, I will hand him a crushing defeat! After this, the tables will turn!"
Ji Lin raised her head and stared blankly at the young woman.
Kiana's position happened to block the sun, and the incoming light outlined her body in a golden silhouette, making her seem to shine.
But what was even more dazzling was Kiana's confident smile.
Ji Lin didn't know what kind of agreement Kiana had with Ye Feng, but she figured it was probably similar to her own "duel" today.
Kiana's confident smile at that moment was infectious.
If it was her, maybe she really could beat him.
Kiana stretched out a hand, and the prostrate Ji Lin gently took it.
---o---
"As expected of Kiana. You've only met Ji Lin here twice, and you're already as close as sisters. You and Elysia would definitely have a lot in common."
"Mmph~ Nnngh~~ Th- that's... because we have... a common enemy... Nngh~~ Much faster... than yesterday? Only getting serious now? Hehe, too late..."
Kiana's legs were spread straight at a 150-degree angle, her elbows propping her up on the ground as she looked back over her shoulder to speak.
There were only 5 hours and 33 minutes left in their bet, and Kiana's counter was still at 69!
A full 69 times! How could he possibly finish that in just over 5 hours?
A slight smile played on Ye Feng's lips. "Mm, no rush. Oh, by the way, let's try something fun. Since you and Ji Lin are such good friends now, let's let her feel your current joy, too."
"?"