A crimson moon overlooked the library on the ground below.
The interior, long unvisited by any soul, was shrouded in silence.
Cangxuan stood frozen in place.
Through the moonlight streaming in from the arched window, one could see the grim determination on the girl's face—the look of one prepared to face death.
She could turn and walk away, but her conscience would be eternally tormented.
In the future, whenever she remembered this day's retreat, Cangxuan would surely be consumed by guilt.
But... even if she didn't run, what could she possibly do?
Her sister might be poisoned, trapped in the agony of purgatory!
"Hurry up and go!"
Kiana grew anxious and shouted.
What is wrong with this girl? This lady has already restrained this scoundrel Ye Feng, what are you just standing there for?
I... I'm putting my life on the line to save you!
Don't let my efforts go to waste!
Kiana's anxiety was a genuine outpouring of emotion.
Cangxuan could see it.
She could feel it!
"You..."
At that moment, Kiana looked at Cangxuan, her heart filled with immense anxiety—If you don't leave now, I... I won't be able to hold on...
"What are you still standing there for! I'll be fine! This lady is a knight of House Kaslana! A mere scoundrel is nothing to speak of!"
Kaslana...
Cangxuan's entire body trembled.
Ah, that's right. She had indeed introduced herself that way—Kiana Kaslana.
Why hadn't she noticed it before?
That surname... Cangxuan was reminded of the leader of the Fire Moth, humanity's last and strongest hope.
Was this girl his descendant?
Only then did Cangxuan notice that this girl also had white hair, azure eyes, and a fearless, unyielding heart.
Cangxuan clenched her fists tightly.
"I understand. I wish you... fortune in the battles to come."
Turning, Cangxuan pushed off the tips of her toes, twisting and leaping, vanishing from the spot in the blink of an eye.
Seeing Cangxuan finally leave, Kiana let out a sigh of relief.
The young girl turned around, her twin tails swaying. She placed her hands on her hips, looking down at Ye Feng, who was leaning against a bookshelf.
"Hmph, you bastard Ye Feng! This lady won't let you bully innocent people!"
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Ye Feng chuckled and applauded. "Mm, not bad at all. A knight of House Kaslana. Your reputation is well-deserved."
Kiana puffed out her chest heroically, closed her eyes, and declared in a resonant voice:
"Hmph, I don't need your praise. Kill me or cut me up, do as you please."
Ye Feng raised a hand. The knight, who had been so heroic just a moment ago, immediately let out a soft whimper and arched her body.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're already flooding, aren't you? No wonder you split from Mei and were in such a hurry to get Cangxuan to leave."
"Mmph~~ You bastard Ye Feng, stop spouting nonsense..."
Ye Feng withdrew his hand and wiped it on the hem of Kiana's skirt, smiling.
"Little bug, you were pretty excited when you were running just now, weren't you?"
"!!"
Kiana's eyes widened, her face flushing crimson.
She heard Ye Feng continue, "Actually, running can be~ very~ pleasurable, you know?
Did you know that some women don't wear underwear when they jog in the park? If you ask why, it's certainly not because getting sticky with sweat is uncomfortable. What do you think is the real reason?"
"Hmph..."
Miss Kiana snorted coldly, her gaze darting away.
Ye Feng grinned. "Those women wear only tight leggings. When their legs cross as they run, it creates a slight friction. Very slight, like a lover's whisper. The feeling is very pleasant, and it's very persistent.
So, they run faster and faster, getting more and more excited, until a certain accumulated threshold is reached. And then—whoosh~~~"
Ye Feng made a gesture with both hands as if opening a floodgate.
Kiana was now completely speechless, standing stiffly on the spot, allowing sweat to trickle down the pale, tender skin of her thighs.
Ye Feng leaned his upper body forward, wrapped his arms around Kiana's thigh, and licked it gently.
Then, looking up at her, he gave a wicked smile. "Hehe, my good little bug, you attracted those monsters on purpose, didn't you~~"
Panic seized Kiana. She clenched her small fists so tightly her nails were about to dig into her palms.
"I did not!"
Kiana craned her neck, a vein popping on her forehead, and argued, "You bastard Ye Feng, don't you dare slander an innocent person! Do you have any proof?"
"What's in my mouth is the proof. My little bug is quite amazing, to be able to figure out such things on her own."
"You, you—"
Kiana looked down at Ye Feng's shameless face, feeling ashamed, anxious, and angry all at once.
"The reason I'm like this is all your fault! You drugged me..."
As if grasping at a life-saving straw, Kiana said firmly, "Yes! That's right, it's because of you!"
"Pfft."
Ye Feng laughed.
The attack wasn't very damaging, but the humiliation was extreme.
"What are you laughing at!" Kiana flared up in shame and anger.
"Nothing, I just remembered something funny."
"You're clearly laughing at me! This lady was just, just telling the truth!"
"Don't be so sensitive."
This, for some reason, struck a nerve in Kiana, who instantly flew into a rage. "You're the one who's sensitive!!! Mmph~~"
Ye Feng lifted his head and sealed the little bug's mouth.
Kiana could no longer speak, only the continuous chirping of the bug rose and fell in the quiet library.
---o---
A mixture of bitter feelings churned in Cangxuan's heart.
The moment Kiana rushed out to save her, Cangxuan understood how terribly wrong she had been.
Such a wonderful girl—strong, kind, brave... yet she had cursed her as an idiot in her heart.
Just thinking about it made Cangxuan's heart ache.
In truth, Cangxuan had not fled.
She pretended to leave but was actually hiding in the shadows, looking for an opportunity to rescue Kiana.
But after turning a corner, the terrain had changed.
The space of the library twisted as if it were alive; the path was no longer the path it had been.
To her horror, Cangxuan discovered she could no longer find her way back.
Not only could she not find the way back to save Kiana, but the path to the attic was also completely distorted.
After wandering in circles for a while, she finally confirmed that she was completely lost.
"Dammit!"
Cangxuan slammed her fist against a bookshelf. The giant shelf, which reached the ceiling, vibrated with a hum. A parchment scroll that had been perched on the shelf fell and hit her on the head.
"Hiss~ Ouch, you too...? Huh?"
Temporarily ignoring why a parchment scroll would hurt so much, Cangxuan stared in disbelief at the words written on it.
"Map of the Library?"
Was this a case of receiving a pillow just as one was getting sleepy?
It felt too fake.
Cangxuan unrolled the parchment. The diagram on it also began to warp, seeming to resonate with the frequency of the library's shifting space.
"...Is this real?"
And just then, Kiana suddenly appeared from around the corner.
It was all too perfect.
So perfect it felt unreal.
"Eh? Why are you still here?" Kiana was startled and subconsciously covered her lower abdomen with her hands.
There, a thump, thump, thump of "+1" was pulsing.
"Kiana! Are you alright?"
Cangxuan rushed forward in pleasant surprise, grabbing Kiana's hands anxiously.
She was overcome with the feeling of "tears of joy after recovering what was lost."
"Ah, I-I'm fine... Um, please, let go of me..."
Kiana seemed to be enduring something, her voice trembling slightly.
But Cangxuan, whose emotions were on a rollercoaster in this bizarre library, failed to notice this detail.
"Ah, my apologies. I was just too excited."
Cangxuan looked the girl before her up and down. Kiana felt a little guilty. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Cangxuan gently averted her gaze. "It's nothing."
Kiana felt a little better. Being stared at like that gave her the feeling that her little secret was about to be exposed.
"How much time has passed?"
"Hmm?"
Cangxuan didn't understand, but she answered anyway, "I don't have a timer, but subjectively, I'd say about five minutes."
"Tch."
Kiana clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"You damn dog."
He tormented this lady for so long, and only five minutes have passed outside?
He's still thinking about the woman out here after all!
Kiana truly didn't care if Ye Feng slept with other women, but... but he couldn't violate the basic laws of decency.
You'd force them even if they didn't want it?
Although the little bug had long lost any hope for Ye Feng's integrity, still—
The righteous knight of House Kaslana would absolutely not stand by and watch!
Also, that's right. Kiana had just been dragged into a "little black room" by Ye Feng, a place where the flow of time was different.
"Um, how did you escape?"
"Escape?"
Kiana snorted. "This lady beat him so badly he threw away his helmet and armor. Why would I need to escape?"
"Uh..."
Cangxuan looked at Kiana's confident appearance, a little confused.
Then what was with that self-sacrificing posture from before?
Could she really harm that evil god?
Sensing Cangxuan's suspicion, Kiana puffed out her chest. "This lady is the strongest! Alright, alright, no need to overthink it. In short, we're temporarily safe for now. I'm leaving, I still have to find someone."
"Please wait."
Cangxuan stepped forward. "I am also looking for my younger sister. Shall we travel together? It would be easier to watch each other's backs."
Kiana wanted to refuse.
She felt the way this girl was looking at her was strange.
This lady saved you just now, but forget about repaying the favor. My heart belongs only to Mei!
Ah! Right, Mei!
The thought of Mei sent another wave of panic through Kiana.
She couldn't let that scoundrel Ye Feng get to her first!
Cangxuan showed her the parchment scroll in her hand. "The library's space seems to be constantly changing, it's become a maze. I have a map here that changes along with it."
"Really? I don't believe you."
As Kiana spoke, the bookshelves in the library's "Restricted Section" warped again like a mirage.
"..."
Fine, she had no choice but to believe it.
---o---
After Kiana had her fill... no, after she finished her bout in the top lane, she wanted to find Mei.
Mei would only be safe if she was with Kiana, or if Kiana was directly with Ye Feng.
But that scoundrel Ye Feng, after stringing her along for a final burst of output, had simply tossed her out.
Thankfully, he had used [Restore] on her. Otherwise, Cangxuan would have been met with a limited-edition, snow-frosted version of Kiana.
He had some conscience left, at least.
"The attic I found earlier is just ahead," Cangxuan whispered, leading the way.
She wasn't sure if her sister and that other young woman were still there.
But she definitely had to come back and check. Even if they were gone, maybe Danzhu had left a clue.
Thinking back, she had been receiving help from others ever since she arrived here.
Everyone here was so kind.
Even if Cangxuan didn't completely believe it, she couldn't help but feel that way.
Click.
The closed wooden door was easily opened from the outside.
Upon entering, she saw Danzhu and the other young woman sitting in the two furthest corners.
Phew~
Cangxuan sighed in relief. Danzhu was still here.
But questions immediately followed.
What happened?
This atmosphere... did they have a fight?
And there was another detail Cangxuan couldn't ignore—why was this girl still "completely naked with a stocking over her head"?
Was it a custom from their homeland?
Seeing the door open, Ji Lin's heart sank.
In her mind, the best-case scenario was for her and Danzhu to remain safely in this room until dawn.
Failing that, her master would return, and she would sacrifice herself to hold him off so Danzhu could escape.
But Ji Lin could never have imagined that Cangxuan would be the one to return!
This was arguably the worst-case scenario.
How was she supposed to deal with them without revealing her identity?
And besides, how did Cangxuan manage to escape her master's pursuit?
Of course, Ji Lin had hoped Cangxuan could escape, but deep down, she felt it was impossible.
Yet now, the impossible had happened.
Hm?
Wait!
Ji Lin's pupils, hidden behind the stocking, contracted sharply.
Kiana?!
Kiana followed Cangxuan into the attic.
Ji Lin was starting to truly panic.
More and more familiar faces were showing up.
What should she do? She really, really wanted to run.
Yes, let's run!
The door was wide open.
Ji Lin shot forward like a bolt of lightning, but Danzhu reacted just as quickly, shouting urgently:
"Sister, don't let her escape!"
Although Cangxuan didn't understand what was happening, she still raised her delicate, fair hand and pushed forward, her palm landing perfectly in Ji Lin's path of motion.
To an outsider, it looked as if Ji Lin had simply run into Cangxuan's hand.
In terms of true strength, Cangxuan was likely no match for Ji Lin, but Ji Lin was afraid of hurting Cangxuan and didn't dare to use her full power.
Cangxuan also held back. The two went from high-speed motion to a sudden standstill, locked in a stalemate.
"Sister, she is that guy's attendant!" Danzhu added quickly as she came up from behind.
Hearing this, Cangxuan's ice-blue eyes turned to Ji Lin.
Suddenly, she felt that her "completely naked with a stocking over her head" attire wasn't so incomprehensible after all.
Danzhu's words also brought a slight sense of relief to Ji Lin. If she had said "She calls that guy Master," Kiana might have figured it out.
But the situation was still very bad.
Cangxuan, Danzhu, and Kiana had her surrounded...
"Who are you?"
Ji Lin's heart pounded.
If they found out her identity now, not even ramming her head into Mount Taixuan would be enough to clear her name.
Just as Ji Lin was at a loss, her gaze passed over Cangxuan and Kiana and saw a figure slowly approaching from behind them.
Master?!
He was like a savior.
At least, in this very moment, that's how it seemed to Ji Lin.
Thud, thud.
At the same time, Kiana and Danzhu collapsed.
What?
Cangxuan stared in panic at the fallen Kiana and her sister.
"Well done, my~"
Ye Feng gave Ji Lin a faint smile. "My Servant."
Hearing the voice behind her, Cangxuan's body stiffened. Her head turned like a malfunctioning robot, shuddering, until Ye Feng's face came into full view.
"It's you!"