Walking down the broad avenues of what looked like St. Freya Academy, Bronya felt a sense of daze as the breeze brushed against her skin. The sensation of the ground beneath her feet brought a surge of joy she hadn't felt in a long time.
Even though she could move freely with her exoskeleton and Remodeled Bunny 19C, it was nothing compared to having healthy, functioning legs. Coupled with the return of her emotions, she could hardly suppress the excitement in her heart.
"To save Seele, you must first satisfy two conditions," Luo Hong said, walking beside her and holding up two fingers. "First, and most importantly... strength! Only when you are strong enough can you protect those you love. I don't need to teach you that, do I? Otherwise, you'll end up like Mei—"
He suddenly mimicked Mei's voice, turning it low, choked with suppressed tears: "I... I can't do anything..."
"Mei-姉 (Sister Mei) would never say something so discouraging!" Bronya snapped. She didn't mind him teasing that "Protozoan" Kiana, but she couldn't stand him mocking the gentle Mei.
"Heh," Luo Hong chuckled. "She will, once she truly feels her own helplessness. She isn't as strong as you think; she only holds it together because Kiana is by her side."
"Is that... how it is?" Seeing that Luo Hong wasn't mocking Mei but rather pitying her, Bronya's expression softened. She became lost in thought. Is that why Sister Mei and Kiana have such a deep bond?
"Second—" Luo Hong raised a second finger, cutting off her thoughts. "Your current mindset and experience aren't enough. You might not pass Welt's trial. So, if you want to save Seele, you must wait patiently."
He understood her urgency, but he had to warn her. Since he couldn't leave this world, he couldn't help her much if she failed. If the current Bronya failed Welt's trial, the entire timeline would be ruined.
"Wait?" Bronya bit her lip, unable to give an immediate answer. But she knew that if she didn't agree, Luo Hong wouldn't give her more details. "Bronya... will do it."
"Words aren't enough." Luo Hong shook his head, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "What is the penalty if you break your word?"
"Whatever you want... I can't resist you anyway." Bronya knew she was his "plaything." Resisting would only excite him more. She closed her eyes, waiting for his judgment.
"Heh, kicking the ball back to me, are we?" Luo Hong's smile grew wider. "How about this: if you act on your own before I tell you it's time to save Seele, all your feelings for Seele will be transferred to me. How does that sound?"
He smiled like a demon—at least, that's how he looked to Bronya. Who could come up with such a cruel punishment?
"Fine." Bronya agreed. She figured if she could give him her body, "liking" him wasn't an impossible price to pay. If she fell for him, maybe her heart would feel lighter.
"Don't think it's that simple, Duckie," Luo Hong laughed, reading her mind. "Memories are the foundation of emotions. When that happens, your memories will be rewritten. You'll remember growing up in the orphanage with me, and you will forget Seele forever. Can you truly pay that price?"
He placed his hands on her thin shoulders and rested his chin on one, feeling her petite frame tremble violently. How delightful!
"Demon... you are a demon!" Bronya was now certain he wasn't just like a demon—he was one. Her time with Seele was her most precious treasure, even compared to her life at St. Freya.
"Heh." Luo Hong stood back up. "Call me what you want. Just don't go taking risks, my cute Duckie. Anyway..."
Seeing her finally calm down and submit to the warning, Luo Hong asked, "So, in your world, at what point did the story leave off?"
"Are you at the Nine Realms? Or capturing Wendy? Or maybe... no, looking at your current state, it's clearly not time for the Herrscher of the Void's descent yet."
Luo Hong stroked his chin, firing off questions that left Bronya utterly bewildered. But soon, she found her voice.
"Um..." Bronya bit her lip, looking at Luo Hong with a peculiar expression. "You mentioned 'before the plot begins' earlier. Bronya has been curious about that."
She hadn't forgotten that when she first woke up, it was the intelligence regarding Seele that forced her to endure Luo Hong's "training" while pretending to be a doll. So many things had happened since then that she hadn't found the chance to ask. But now that Luo Hong had brought it up, she took the opportunity.
"You know about Seele because, in your eyes, Bronya's world is just a game or an anime?"
She felt her own hypothesis was incredibly bold, so she widened her eyes, staring intently at Luo Hong for a reaction.
"As expected of my dear Duckie. Talking to smart people is so much easier," Luo Hong said with an admiring gaze, nodding with a smile. "Precisely. Your world is a game I've been playing for a long time—and you are all my wives!"