On the balcony.
The flaxen-haired girl, dressed in an exquisite formal gown, had escaped the noisy environment of the victory banquet, finding a small moment of peace in this corner of the world.
Honestly, if she hadn't been on a mission, Rita would never have chosen to come to this place, which held no fond memories for her.
Anyone who hadn't experienced it could never imagine the trauma those events had caused her.
Rita had thought it over carefully. To eliminate this trauma, aside from throwing caution to the wind and marrying that lewd man, the only other option was to kill him.
There were no other paths to take.
A problem of the heart requires a medicine for the heart.
But!
"I will never compromise!"
Rita gritted her teeth.
A man, the only one here, slid the balcony door shut, turning the area into a private space.
"Rita, who are you compromising with?"
A single sentence made Rita subconsciously retreat three steps, almost falling off the balcony.
A fall from this height wouldn't injure a Valkyrie, but it was enough for a man to show his gentlemanly conduct.
The girl's fair, slender hand was caught by the man, followed swiftly by a broad embrace that almost sent Rita into a stress reaction.
"You... when did you get here!"
It was supposed to be Durandal. Why had it been switched to this lewd Inner World Protagonist?
Rita gritted her teeth, wishing she could turn her silly goose captain into a cream puff!
He smiled. "Durandal asked me to come, so we could have a proper chat."
Rita: "..."
She turned her head, looking into the room through the glass.
Durandal gave her an encouraging gesture, then went back to chatting with Theresa.
To this, Rita had only one comment—meddlesome!
She took two steps back, maintaining her distance.
"I don't think we have anything to talk about."
Her resistance was palpable.
If she had a choice, she would not get within a foot of this man for even a second. Every extra second she spent near him, she felt the possibility of her getting pregnant increased by a fraction.
This is hell! How could such a terrifying man exist in this world!
Brian: "Let's talk. Durandal wants us to clear up the misunderstanding between us."
"And you know, what happened in Nagazora City was forced by the situation. If you all hadn't attacked us, I wouldn't have used that method to retaliate."
Rita: "..."
Indeed, when all was said and done, it was all that 500-year-old geezer Otto's fault.
If he hadn't put pressure on Kiana, the Immortal Blades would never have appeared in Nagazora City. If they hadn't appeared in Nagazora City, she wouldn't have suffered that humiliating experience.
Without that dark past, she wouldn't have become this jumpy mess she was today.
In short, the old fogey Otto was to blame for everything.
Between themselves, there really wasn't much of a grudge.
The girl relaxed slightly, her favorability towards the man increasing by a small margin.
"So, your purpose in appearing before me is to apologize, and then we go our separate ways?"
Rita desperately hoped the man in front of her would nod. It would be even better if he killed himself.
However...
"I am indeed here to apologize for my previous offense."
The young Brian's gaze was soft, as if an endless magic swirled within it.
Rita seemed to understand a little why Raiden Mei would fall for this man after only a few meetings.
Lost in thought, the girl was suddenly startled, feeling her hand enveloped by something like an iron clamp.
He's up to no good!
"You!"
"I'm sorry, Rita."
He smiled. "I was wrong last time, but I'll dare to do it again this time!"
Hand of God!
Her wine-red eyes filled with a seductive, watery light.
Rita's eyes lost focus in an instant. Even though she had experienced this feeling more than once, and had even played with herself, she still had no resistance to this impact that struck her soul directly.
She... was on the verge of being broken.
But that man's goal was clearly more than just this.
He held the girl's limp, unsupported body in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Rita, you don't want anyone else to find out about what happens today, do you?"
Rita: "..."
Lady Durandal, Rita... is beyond saving!
That beautiful girl's eyes were vacant, her nerves trembling!
"As long as you're a good girl, no one else will know about any of this."
"After all... I'm not some kind of demon."
...
Inside the room.
"It seems Rita has chosen to pursue her own happiness after all."
Durandal raised her glass and drank deeply, her expression exceptionally happy.
Beside her, Theresa was the complete opposite, her pretty little face full of trouble. "Durandal, you've given me a huge problem."
Brian was the stabilizer she had kept here to keep the Herrschers' emotions in check.
Without this guy around, Theresa couldn't imagine what disasters an out-of-control Herrscher would cause, or if her Far East Branch would be wiped off the map.
Unexpectedly, just after solving the Herrscher of Corruption problem, her former student had presented her with a massive headache.
Intervening in a relationship where Herrschers were the main heroines was no joke.
Who knows, one day Rita might be found with seven bullet holes in her, lying at the door of her office, and she'd have to declare it a suicide.
Durandal: "Don't worry, Teacher Theresa. Mei and the others aren't as petty as you think."
"If you don't believe me, look."
Following Durandal's finger, Raiden Mei came into Theresa's view.
The purple-haired girl exuded an indescribable low pressure. The white-haired furball beside her was being pinched by her two jade-like fingers, squealing in pain. The Silver Wolf of the Urals was as meek as a little calf.
But her biggest fear hadn't come to pass. St. Freya High School had not, for today, ascended to the heavens in a spiral of Herrscher rage.
Theresa was a bit confused, complaining, "Are you young people's games all this flashy nowadays?"
Her boyfriend was getting close to someone else, yet Raiden Mei's reaction was to abuse her own pet instead of confronting him directly.
She didn't understand, but she chose to support it.
Durandal: "Teacher Theresa, I don't know either. After all, I've never been in a relationship."
Upon hearing this, Theresa's eyes sparkled.
As an elder, she was naturally very concerned about her junior's marital affairs. Based on a Valkyrie's career lifespan, Durandal's life was already more than halfway through.
She was a grown woman now, it was time for her to get married.
So she said in a sincere and heartfelt tone, "Durandal, you're not getting any younger. How about considering finding a boyfriend?"
"I don't know anyone else, and you all don't seem to mind Brian's philandering. How about you and your adjutant pair up?"
Durandal: "..."
"Teacher Theresa, I just remembered I have some training I haven't completed. I'll be taking my leave now."
Schicksal's Strongest Valkyrie, Bianka "Durandal" Ataegina, fled in disarray!
Theresa smiled without a word, feeling as though she had scored a great victory.
The nerve of Durandal, trying to give her, the majestic Principal, a hard time. She was too naive!
...
A victory banquet, naturally, was enjoyed by all.
Late into the night, everyone finally dispersed, returning to their rooms to prepare for a good night's sleep.
In the deep darkness of the night, a sneaky figure slipped into Raiden Mei's room, holding the girl on the bed tightly before she could react.
A shy murmur followed, "N... no."
What girls say at times like this often needs to be interpreted in the opposite way.
Although the young Brian had little practical experience in this area, his theoretical knowledge was second to none.
The battle where a very hard company acquires Microsoft, and then Microsoft turns the tables, was about to begin.
Who would win between the little yellow ox plowing the field and the newly tilled land was about to be revealed.
In the heat of the moment, Raiden Mei opened her watery, seductive eyes and pushed against the man's shoulders with her arms.
She refused, "Sorry, tonight... really isn't possible!"
It wasn't that she didn't want to, but circumstances didn't allow it.
You know, just like the lines in those classic Far East adult anime.
When a girl gets horny, there's nothing a man can do about it.
"Why?"
Raiden Mei gritted her teeth slightly. "Because Kiana is under the bed!"
The young Brian: "???"
He looked down, and a pair of azure eyes reflected a resentful light in the moonlight.
The snow-haired girl's head poked out from under the bed, her delicate face filled with anger.
"You two, don't even think about leaving me behind!"
"..."
Where did this shrew come from?
Due to the presence of an unwelcome third party, they had to temporarily call it off.
But human potential is infinite. For the sake of lewdness, one would even climb over a firewall that has stood for millennia!
"Mei, let's go into the dream."
"..."
The girl's eyes were seductive, her cheeks flushed.
This was bad. She was about to become a young beauty rich in 'experience' but physically pure!
"You villain!"
The night is young.
With a shy and expectant heart, Raiden Mei drifted off to sleep.
Her consciousness once again felt that familiar falling sensation, breaking through an invisible barrier and entering the world of dreams.
She blinked her eyes open. The purple-haired girl saw a familiar ceiling.
"This is... St. Freya High School?"
She turned to look out the window. All the scenery was identical to the real world, except for the complete lack of life. There was no other difference.
It seemed this dream world was not static.
Since they last left, this dream world had developed further, with new areas appearing.
The St. Freya High School in the dream was a testament to this progress.
But then again.
"Where is everyone?"
The moment this thought appeared, Raiden Mei's delicate face blushed slightly.
She said "everyone," but we all know who she really meant.
As long as Kiana, that party-crasher, didn't show up here, she could feign resistance while shyly becoming an experienced beautiful girl.
Raiden Mei pushed open the dorm room door. No one was there. She left the Valkyrie dormitory, but still saw no one.
Just as she was searching everywhere...
"Mei, I finally found you!"
The snow-haired girl appeared uninvited, running over from a distance in a whirlwind.
Raiden Mei was a little disappointed. "Kiana, have you seen anyone else?"
My 'experience'!
"Mei, what's with that expression?"
Kiana felt a little hurt.
Ever since her Mei got a man, she had become so aloof and dismissive.
"Nothing. I'm just a little worried about the others."
Raiden Mei's expression was awkward, but she answered this way nonetheless.
The reason was perfectly valid, and no one could find fault with it.
After all, last time the Herrscher of Corruption and the Herrscher of the Void had caused trouble. This time, with a new area, there might be new dangers.
It was better to be cautious. She was just concerned for everyone's safety.
Not a single ulterior motive in sight.
"Are you serious?"
"Really?"
"Truer than true gold."
"Alright, I'll believe you this time!"
With her hands on her hips, Kiana returned to her usual energetic self.
Although Mei was gradually being turned into Blondie's shape, she was still her personal cook. At worst, she could just pretend Mei was out learning new techniques.
The girl comforted herself this way.
The two of them traveled together, searching for the others in the vast grounds of St. Freya High School.
Bronya was the first to meet up with them.
Finally, the three of them found the man Raiden Mei had been longing for.
In front of him was a prize machine that looked like a slot machine.
A banner was hanging on it.
"Press the button for a chance to make the person you dislike the most play a spectacular game!"
Kiana read the words on it and was eager to try.
If she could annoy that innately evil little Blondie, she would be a million percent happy to do so.
Raiden Mei wasn't paying attention. She walked over to Brian and intertwined their fingers. "Are you okay?"
"We were all very worried about you."
If you were to ask who was in the most danger in this dream world, the young Brian would undoubtedly be the one.
He had received Yae Sakura's Stigma, but he was not yet familiar with this power. Not only was his own strength weak, but he had also offended the Herrscher of the Void, that innately evil little Herrscher.
As Raiden Mei saw it, Brian would only be safe if he was with her.
He was a threat to her heart, but her full chest was also his safe harbor.
Brian: "I'm fine. I haven't run into the Herrscher of the Void either. I was just thinking about what would happen if this thing is triggered."
Although he was the administrator here, there wasn't much he could actually interfere with.
For example, at the edge of the fog, 'The area ahead will be explored later' would be triggered. He had to study these new things himself.
"If you press it, will something bad happen?"
Raiden Mei asked.
"..."
Brian thought for a moment. "It might cause something that would make us lose face."
This dream world seemed normal, but it was actually not very proper.
But as the GM here, he had an urge to let this place develop.
[Complete the game three times to meet the conditions for expanding the dream domain.]
A voice interjected into their conversation: "I pressed it, and nothing happened."
It was Kiana.
Her intuition told her that even if she pressed it, it wouldn't be a big deal.
The others: "..."
Bronya: "Kiana, is your brain made of paramecium?"
"Huh? What's that?"
The snow-haired girl scratched her head, completely clueless.
Her humanities grades were terrible, and she knew nothing about biology. She could only tell it was some kind of bug.
Bronya: "I'm saying you're an idiot!"
To take it upon herself to drag everyone into a bad situation, she truly was a brainless moron.
But what was done was done. There was no time to worry about that now.
Bronya's gaze focused on the slot machine behind Kiana, watching the patterns on it spin nervously.
After three crisp sounds...
Lines of text appeared in the air.
[King's Game]
[Rule 1: There will be a number of playing cards equal to the number of participants + 1, including one Joker card. Each round, each person draws a card. The one who draws the Joker is the King.]
[Rule 2: The King's command cannot be disobeyed.]
[Rule 3: Participants receive one item each round, which can only be used within that round.]
[Rule 4: The number of rounds is limited to 10. The person who completes the most King's commands or becomes the King the most times is the winner and can make a wish to the Dream World.]
"A wishing machine?"
After reading these rules, Bronya made her assessment.
She was tempted for a moment.
Judging from the Herrscher of Corruption's situation, there were many secrets hidden in this dream world. You could even apply the experience gained here to the real world.
If she became the winner in the King's Game, she might be able to find a way to enter the Sea of Quanta, or directly obtain the correct plan to save Seele.
Besides, you don't really die here. At worst, it would just be an embarrassing nightmare that would make her real-world self wake up sticky.
No problem! Bronya, you have to believe in yourself!
[Rule 5: Participants are all current inhabitants of the Dream World.]
[Rule 6: Refusing the King's command will result in punishment.]
Before anyone could react, the scene around them changed dramatically.
Everyone was gathered around a round table, on which lay several exquisitely backed cards.
Brian raised his gaze and saw the participants of this game.
The three girls, himself, Fu Hua, the Herrscher of Thunder, the Herrscher of the Void, and... Rita!
"..."
The moment she noticed Brian's gaze, the snow-haired, golden-eyed girl's eyes narrowed slightly, returning to normal the next moment.
Nothing to be afraid of.
This man, like her, was just a participant in this game.
And as long as she wasn't touched by him, she wouldn't suffer the fate of becoming aroused!
The Valkyrie with wine-red eyes, though her expression was calm, still couldn't help but change her countenance when she saw that man.
She still hadn't figured out what was going on, so she asked, "Everyone, could a newcomer like me get an explanation of what's happening right now?"
She had long heard that the Far East Branch had a mysterious dream world. She hadn't expected to enter this mysterious space just by sleeping for one night. It was truly wondrous.
Raiden Mei: "We don't know either."
As she spoke, she shot a harsh glare at Kiana.
Not only did this girl interrupt her plans, but she also dragged everyone into this inexplicable place.
She deserved a beating!
She shouldn't be under the bed, she should be in the pot!
"Coo~~"
The snow-haired, blue-eyed girl made a pigeon-like sound, acting pitiful, weak, and innocent.
That's how it was. Since this world wasn't dangerous, how would they know what would happen if they didn't explore it boldly?
Last time's final boss, the Herrscher of Corruption, led everyone to discover a time bomb buried under Nagazora City. This time, there might be another unexpected surprise.
This wasn't for her own selfish desire to monopolize Raiden Mei, but for the great cause of saving the world!
The light of righteousness shone down on Kiana!
She felt she could do it again!
The King's Game began.
No need to shuffle or draw cards. Two cards appeared out of thin air in front of everyone.
One floating, the number card; the other face down, the item card. In the center of the table was one face-down card, belonging to the King.
Number 3 was his number for this round. His item card was X-ray vision, allowing him to see everyone's number.
So, the question is, who is the King?
Kiana looked around, her gaze finally landing on one person.
"Class Rep, the King isn't you, is it?"
Fu Hua: "..."
How did this white-haired furball know?
Forget it. Let's just finish this round first.
The number card flipped over, the exquisitely patterned JOKER announcing the King's identity to the others.
The honest Fu Hua didn't make any excessive demands. "Number 1, stand up."
Bronya stood up as requested, and the first round ended.
The others asked Bronya for her thoughts. "Bronya, how did it feel?"
Bronya: "Bronya felt just now that Class Rep's command was impossible to refuse. I had to stand up, or something bad would have happened."
The brilliant Kiana's bright eyes darted around. "Bronya, why don't you try refusing next time and see what happens? It's not like anything bad can happen here anyway."
Bronya: ᗜ‸ᗜ
You brilliant one, you do it yourself.
Second round, begin.
The number cards and item cards disappeared at the same time, then reappeared in front of everyone.
This time, there was no need to search. That evil past was no longer concealing her expression.
"Herrscher of the Void, I'm warning you, don't mess around!"
Kiana was the first to speak out again, issuing a warning to the Herrscher of the Void.
The others' faces changed slightly, not knowing what kind of outrageous demands this innately evil little Herrscher would make.
"Hah, you foolish thing. Why should I listen to you?"
The Herrscher of the Void's attitude was as arrogant as ever, and just as disdainful.
In her eyes, Kiana didn't even exist.
Then she spoke: "You! Come here and kiss my feet!"
She pointed at the young Brian, making everyone else look over.
Rita: "Oh my, I didn't expect Miss Herrscher of the Void's hobbies to be so... unique."
Raiden Mei & Herrscher of Thunder: "..."
You innately evil little Herrscher, you've sealed your own fate!
He hasn't even played with my feet, how could he possibly play with yours!
The white-haired furball at the side felt like she had been caught in an undeserved disaster, on the verge of tears in her own chair.
You damn Herrscher of the Void, don't drag me down with you when you're courting death! You can get your kicks, lift your skirt, and run away, but what's waiting for me is Raiden Mei's iron pot stew!
You evil Herrscher, I'll be your enemy for life!
However, the scene the Herrscher of the Void was expecting did not happen.
Brian said, "Herrscher of the Void, the King can only give commands to everyone's numbers, not directly to us."
It was the number that obeyed the command, not them personally. This point had to be made clear.
The King doesn't know their own number, so when giving a command, they are also digging a pit for themselves. The more vicious the request, the bigger the pit they dig.
Upon hearing this, the Herrscher of the Void was unruffled, a cold smile forming on her delicate face. "I said, you will come and lick my toes!"
She reveled in the pleasure of trampling over everything!
Right now!
"Number 4, go lick number 7's toes."
Who was number 4? And who was number 7?
Everyone was concerned about this question, but the girls were all sure it wasn't them.
So...
The card in front of Brian flipped over, revealing the identity of number 4. The face-down card on the table also revealed its true self, it was number 7, the one to enjoy this pleasure.
The others' faces changed drastically. "Herrscher of the Void, how did you know!"
The girl's expression was arrogant, the corners of her mouth curling into a mocking arc. "Hah, can't you just use your own abilities to take a look? You're all so stupid."
The game rules didn't say cheating was forbidden, nor did they say you couldn't use your own abilities.
The cards floated in the air, so you could see them clearly with your own abilities. You couldn't see your own, but you could deduce it from the others' numbers.
If that's the case, then this game was an unfair duel from the very beginning.
Aside from not being able to control who became the King, for the Herrscher of the Void, it was like a fish in water.
This game was made for her!
Upon hearing this, a strange light flickered in Fu Hua's cyan eyes.
The Herrscher of the Void could use her abilities to see others' cards, which meant she could also use Fenghuang Down to read others' memories and achieve the same cheating effect.
The evil thought had just arisen, but it was abandoned by Fu Hua in an instant.
Forget it. As long as the Herrscher of the Void didn't make her lick her toes, or make her strip naked and do a provocative loli dance, she would stick to the rules of the game.
She was an honest person, a righteous Valkyrie!
Raiden Mei and the Herrscher of Thunder's eyes were spitting fire, wishing they could stew the two white-haired furballs in a pot.
But the King's command could not be disobeyed, and Brian didn't want to find out what the punishment was.
You know, this was the Inner World Penacony. As a proper person, he only wanted the beautiful girls in his bed to become improper, he didn't want to become improper himself!
He walked over to the Herrscher of the Void, knelt on one knee, and skillfully removed the girl's odorless long stocking.
The man's expression was hesitant, as if he were struggling, which made the Herrscher of the Void's expression all the more gleeful.
This is it, this is the feeling, this feeling of trampling people underfoot, it's so addicting!
The snow-haired girl was about to lose control, her eyes filled with a hazy look!
But she wasn't an idiot like Kiana, unaware of the loophole in her previous request.
[Sensory Transfer]
[For this round, transfer all your senses to another player.]
As long as she had this item card, she was invincible. She could humiliate that damned man to her heart's content, while someone else paid the price.
And the person to pay this price...
"Kiana, this is an honor I'm bestowing upon you."
Upon hearing this, the snow-haired girl with a silly look on her face grinned. "Herrscher of the Void, you've miscalculated this time."
Her slender fingers held her own item card, and with a flick of her two fingers, she flipped it over.
[Reflect]
[When chosen as the target of an item, cause the item to affect the original user.]
The next victim... who would it be?
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