This Seat's Opinion as Thousand-Person Ruler

Anqi said coldly, her fair cheeks slowly turning red, yet she still forced a detached expression.

That's right, as long as I pretend it never happened, my persona is still intact!

It's just some food—even if it flew right to my mouth, I definitely wouldn't...

Himeko picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks and brought it close to Anqi: "Aah~"

Anqi opened her mouth: "Om nom!"

Anqi chewed the beef Himeko had fed her with a blank face.

Three seconds later, she vanished from her chair.

Thus, in accordance with the law of conservation of mass, a lump formed under the blanket on the bed.

"Hahaha! I'll step out for a bit; I'll come back to chat with you later."

Himeko couldn't hold back her laughter as she left the room.

And on the bed, that bulging blanket lump had already started trembling slightly.

'Wow, so embarrassing.'

'Such an idiot—clearly that's not me, right? Must be a spy, kick her out of the group!'

'Alright, alright, get serious. Embarrassing as it is, this withdrawn and prickly personality does fit this world's version of me. Hmm, not a flaw.'

'Take it easy, don't be scared, keep sticking to the hunger strike.'

'That's right, tough it out for two or three days, then pretend to faint from hunger. Next, accept the kindness naturally and slowly cooperate with Himeko—this is the best script!'

The Anqis in the theater smugly clacked their abacuses, savoring the delicious taste relayed through their shared senses.

Only the Anqi under the blanket let out a socially dead whimper in the darkness.

Himeko shared the amusing incident she'd just experienced with Theresa.

Kiana was also there, concerned about Anqi's situation.

Raiden Mei followed Kiana, and Bronya followed Raiden Mei, so the Three Great Families were all present.

"Hahaha! What a joke of a character! Playing a hunger strike protest is one thing, but she even messed it up, hahaha!"

Kiana burst into laughter, curling up and writhing on the sofa like a restless caterpillar.

Raiden Mei lightly tapped Kiana on the head with a chop, half scolding and half helpless, saying:

"Kiana, you shouldn't laugh at others behind their backs."

"Tch! She nearly ruined my pretty, cute face, and you won't even let me have a laugh?"

"Ki~a~na!"

"Yes! Whatever Mei says is right, I'll listen to everything Mei says!"

Kiana instantly stuck close to the rice cooker, hugging her arm and swaying it in a cute plea.

Raiden Mei was completely helpless, patting Kiana's head and giving up on the lecture for now.

Theresa smiled at the scene, then cleared her throat and said seriously:

"Ahem! Alright, Kiana, let go of Mei first. Mei, I think Himeko told you about that child's situation last night. So, what are your thoughts?"

"I... I'll do whatever Teacher Himeko and Principal Theresa say."

Raiden Mei's expression stiffened instantly, twisting her fingers as she replied weakly.

Theresa frowned and looked at Himeko.

Years of tacit understanding allowed Himeko to understand, and she turned to Mei, speaking as a teacher:

"Mei, you know that's not what we want to hear."

"Teacher Himeko, I... I... I want to help her. I don't know what I can do or how far I can go, but I want to help her."

Under Himeko's encouraging gaze, Raiden Mei finally voiced her thoughts, feeling a sense of relief.

And with the conversation opened up, and with trusted companions and elders who knew the truth present, Raiden Mei touched her chest and continued:

"She's a lot like me—suddenly losing the elders who protected her, facing school bullying, losing control in darkness and despair... I feel like she's another me in this world, but..."

But Raiden Mei was lucky enough to meet Kiana Kaslana, who barged into her gloomy life and illuminated Raiden Mei's world.

And Anqi never met the light that could save her.

Raiden Mei stroked Kiana's head, her gaze soft and moved, and said quietly:

"I already know what a Herrscher is, and I know my inescapable responsibility in the Changkong City incident. It was me who created someone so similar to me. Thinking about that, I can't just stand by. I'm grateful that I was saved, and precisely because of that, I want to do everything I can to help her... Even though I'm still scared and at a loss, not knowing how it will end, I'll try to bear all of it. That's my thought, Teacher Himeko!"

"Mei, you're wonderful. Don't be afraid—no matter what, I'll always be with you!"

"Thank you, Kiana."

"Hehe, Mei doesn't need to thank me. What are we to each other, right?"

Kiana hugged Raiden Mei and nuzzled against her, giggling foolishly.

Himeko laughed along with the atmosphere, giving Theresa a knowing look before nodding.

"You've grown, Mei. Your teacher is proud of you. Alright, I need to go see that stubborn child. Look forward to it—I believe you'll become good friends."

"Yes, I leave it all to you, Teacher Himeko."

Raiden Mei bowed and watched Himeko leave, then turned to deal with Kiana's usual excessive enthusiasm, both troubled and happy.

In the midst of all this harmony, no one noticed Bronya silently listening, clutching the Homonculus Doll's plush arm tightly, her lowered eyes shadowed.

'A victim of... Changkong City...'

Then this sin probably belongs to her too.

Chapter 9: The Cunning Anqi

"Hmm... an unfamiliar ceiling."

Anqi opened her eyes to a pink ceiling and walls. Bright sunlight streamed in through exquisitely angled windows, and a bright yellow Homonculus Doll sat by her pillow. The whole room exuded a cozy, cute, and warm atmosphere.

"Huh? Didn't I already say this line before?"

Anqi thought belatedly.

"I wouldn't know if you did or not, but this is the first time I've seen someone actually starve themselves unconscious."

Himeko walked in carrying a steaming bowl of plain congee. Seeing Anqi still lying motionless on the bed, she could only sigh.

"Ugh! There's a limit to stubbornness. No matter what you plan to do from now on, you still need to eat and survive first, right?"

Himeko moved the congee in front of Anqi's eyes. The faint fragrance of rice was a strong temptation for Anqi, who hadn't eaten in days.

But Anqi still tried to maintain her persona, unmoved.

So Himeko, holding the tray with one hand, used the other to lift Anqi up and prop her against the headboard. Then she scooped up some congee with a spoon, gently blew on it, and brought it to Anqi's lips.

"Don't be stubborn. When they sent you to the Medical Department, everyone there looked at me with reproachful eyes, thinking I was deliberately starving you! Even if you don't care about your own body, at least do me a favor, alright? Haven't I treated you well these past few days?"

Himeko maintained her feeding posture, speaking with helpless exasperation.

Anqi kept her face wooden, but inwardly felt a twinge of guilt.

This was all her design. She had deliberately fasted for several days, and only when her body was truly starving did she relax the power of her Dominion Authority, allowing herself to faint.

And judging by her treatment now, St. Freya indeed had no technology to detect Herrschers—at least not at the level of routine medical checkups.

With that, Anqi's last lingering worry was finally put to rest.

'Sorry, Auntie Himeko. I'll find a way to make it up to you later.'

Anqi thought to herself, her dry lips moving slightly as she spoke in a weak voice.

"What exactly do you plan to do to me?"

"Fine, you win! I'll be straight with you. St. Freya is a school that trains Valkyries. We want you to enroll and learn how to become one... Even if you don't want to be a Valkyrie, at least learn to control your power so you don't hurt innocents or yourself in the future."

"...That's it?"

"What else? If we really wanted to harm you, we could have done it when we brought you here! But did you find any missing parts?"

Himeko said with dark circles under her eyes, her expression full of helplessness, already worn down to the point of losing her temper.

After all, she was St. Freya's second-in-command, the strongest combatant in the Far East besides Theresa, someone who could even reason with the Herrscher of Thunder while wielding a greatsword. Normally, observing and negotiating with a wild Awakened wouldn't require her personal involvement.

But considering the intense scene Anqi had caused during her awakening, Himeko worried that if someone else handled it, word of the girl's experience might spread, causing classmates to distance her after enrollment. So Himeko had taken time out of her busy schedule specifically to accompany Anqi.

And yet, Anqi's stubbornness had left her both amused and exasperated. Now she was completely drained.

Anqi looked at Himeko's helpless, tired expression, feeling even more guilty. She knew she had pushed this far enough, so she opened her mouth and quietly began eating the congee.

Himeko froze for a moment, then her expression brightened, color returning to her face.

"Thank heavens, you're finally eating! If you hadn't opened your mouth, I was thinking of shoving a funnel down your throat!"

"( ? ? ? ) Huh!?"

"Ahem! Just kidding! Eat slowly—you've been starving for days, can't rush it. Come on, open wide, ah~~"

"Ah~~"

With willing cooperation on both sides, one fed and one ate, the scene was warm and harmonious.

The bowl of congee was soon empty.

Anqi patted her warm stomach, while Himeko looked deeply moved.

"Honestly, this felt harder than a mission!"

'QAQ Yeah, honestly, I was starving to death.'

"Alright! After observation, we've basically confirmed you won't easily lose control. So from now on, you can stay here. We'll talk about enrollment later, slowly. No one's forcing you, so don't worry."

Himeko gently patted Anqi's head, speaking with a bright smile.

Anqi narrowed her eyes, looked up, and questioned.

"No forcing?"

"Of course not. We're an organization that protects the world, not a terrorist group!"

"Ha! Who knows?"

"I'm telling the truth, I'm not lying to you!"

Himeko kneaded Anqi's hair with both hands, once again feeling the same helplessness as before. If she hadn't personally fed the porridge into her mouth, Himeko would have thought nothing had changed at all!

"Adults all lie. You do. They... do too..."

Anqi lowered her head, the last words barely audible, almost lost to silence.

'Mom and Dad from this world, and Mom and Dad from that world.'

'I'm so sorry!'

'Your cutest little Anqi is now in a super dangerous world, with a super deadly identity!'

'To survive more safely, I have to borrow your names every now and then!'

'For the sake of your beloved Anqi, please forgive me!'

The Anqis in the theater either traced the sign of the cross, clasped their hands together, or assumed a devout praying posture, each using a different method to apologize to their parents from both sides.

The Anqi in reality hugged the Homonculus Doll that had been resting by her pillow, burying her face into its plush fur—and honestly, the texture was top-notch. It was probably a premium item from Bronya's collection!

Himeko's heart stirred, and she understood with quiet empathy that the "they" Anqi referred to were the parents who had met with trouble in Changkong City. Tenderness welled up inside her.

"Rest well, don't be afraid. No one here will hurt you."

Himeko said softly, her face glowing with a warm maternal light. Then she stood up, took the empty bowl, and quietly left the room.

After pushing the door open and stepping out, Himeko stood before the closed door, turned her head, and saw the three people piled up like a stack of fallen dominoes by the doorframe.

At the top was Raiden Mei, below her was Kiana, and at the very bottom was Bronya.

They had probably lost their balance when Himeko came out. Now Bronya's head was firmly planted on the floor, her small body forced to bear the weight of Kiana and Raiden Mei, yet she couldn't even voice a complaint.