I, Herrscher Slayer

"Mm... I want to take a shower first. Today was such an awful day."

Whenever Fu Hua thought of what had happened to her earlier, her head hurt. Was today her unlucky day? First, she had gotten into an inexplicable fight with Shen Gonglin. Then he had gotten nosebleed all over her. After that, she had accidentally barged into his bathroom, and then he bit her finger and she turned into that state. In the end, Shen Gonglin had even taken advantage of her and pushed her out the window, face-first. And all those unfortunate events had one astonishing thing in common.

They had all been caused by Shen Gonglin. Did she have a grudge against him...? She hadn't before, but she did now.

It was the first time she had felt this way toward someone. This was probably resentment, right? That was right. She resented Shen Gonglin.

"All right. Shen Gonglin hasn't drained the bathwater yet... Oh, right, Class President, there's something else I haven't told you. Our dorm..."

Supporting Fu Hua as she entered the dorm, Mei remembered that she had yet to tell Fu Hua they had brought Shen Gonglin into the dorm. Fu Hua was part of the dorm too, so she needed to know. Letting a boy stay overnight in a girls' dorm—this was Mei's first time dealing with something like that as well.

"Shen Gonglin is here too, isn't he?"

Knowing what Mei wanted to say, Fu Hua not only already knew, but had already met him. It was just that the circumstances of their meeting had not been quite appropriate. If she could, Fu Hua really wanted to meet him somewhere else. Anywhere but a place where they had been so completely bare before one another.

"Huh? How did you know, Class President?"

She had not even said it yet, so how did the Class President already know Shen Gonglin was here? Mei looked at Fu Hua in surprise. How had she known?

"...It's a simple matter of deduction, isn't it?"

"As expected of the Class President. You're amazing."

Fu Hua Unlike Usual

In the dorm, Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua sat on the sofa, staring at one another in silence. Neither of them mentioned what had happened in the bathroom earlier. Ever since Fu Hua returned, she had met Shen Gonglin's gaze. Judging from everyone else's reactions, they probably did not know she had already returned once before. That was good. Fu Hua was finally relieved.

"Bronya, do the Class President and Shen Gonglin have some other kind of grudge? I've never seen the Class President look at someone like that before."

On the sofa opposite them, Kiana and the other two sat side by side. The tense atmosphere between Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua left them afraid to say a word. Mei leaned close to Bronya's ear and whispered. How should she put it? Those gazes from novels—three parts mockery, four parts indifference, two parts sorrow, and one part carelessness—were actually real. A person's eyes really could display so many emotions like a pie chart.

As for Shen Gonglin, he was a boy with light in his eyes. Just looking at those beautiful eyes, one could see how harmless and innocent he was. Why was the Class President staring at Shen Gonglin like that? He clearly had not done anything.

"Bronya doesn't understand either. Kiana, what do you think?"

The expressionless little girl shook her head. This kind of question was too difficult for her. If they asked her about game walkthroughs or the composition of artillery shells, she would definitely be fine, but in this situation, they might as well ask Kiana. Sometimes, this girl had something resembling an idiot's intuition.

"I think... haven't you two noticed that if you covered their faces, the Class President and Shen Gonglin would look almost identical? Especially with Shen Gonglin wearing my clothes—you can't even tell which one is male and which one is female. I never noticed before, but the Class President is so flat... No, I mean, she's so masculine. Now I think I understand why Shen Gonglin got a nosebleed during the day."

As the young lady of the Kaslana family, Kiana's focus was obviously different from Mei and Bronya's. Wisdom gleamed in her azure eyes. The Class President was way too flat. She was only a tiny bit bigger than Shen Gonglin, and even Bronya, who was younger than her, was bigger.

Sensing an unfriendly gaze, Kiana quickly covered her mouth and swallowed the words that had nearly come out. The Class President's gaze was terrifying, like she was about to eat her alive.

"Class President, is it okay? It's already dark, so let Shen Gonglin stay in our dorm for one night. He'll be good and won't make any noise, and he can just sleep on the sofa."

Mei took the initiative to break the deadlock. She looked at Fu Hua expectantly, like a little girl asking her parents whether she could keep a stray cat at home. The more Shen Gonglin listened, the stranger it sounded. He turned to Mei. Was this girl planning to keep him as a pet?

"I have no objection. Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. We can't throw Shen Gonglin out at a time like this. But... you all need to be careful, especially you, Kiana. He is a boy after all. While he's staying in the dorm, don't wander around casually in your pajamas."

Fu Hua shook her head. She had merely been distracted just now. She had no other opinion on Shen Gonglin staying in the dorm. Everything that had happened before had only been misunderstandings. Though she could be a little old-fashioned, Fu Hua was not harsh at all. Throwing him out of the dorm was impossible.

Still, she needed to remind the others. This guy was not as harmless as he looked. As the first person to have fought him and come into intimate contact with him, Fu Hua knew his true nature. He was completely a lecherous brat, and he possessed such powerful combat strength. If he wanted to do something, no one in this dorm besides her could really stop him.

"It's fine, Class President. Look at him, he's so cute. How could this guy possibly do anything weird... Hey, can't you behave? I'm speaking up for you here!"

"Shut up. Believe it or not, I'll bite you."

Sitting beside Shen Gonglin and rubbing his head, Kiana was flipped onto the sofa by him the moment she let her guard down. She made it sound nice, but if she had not been secretly trying to put a hat on him, Shen Gonglin might have believed her. Twisting Kiana's arm behind her back, Shen Gonglin bared his white teeth. He really wanted to bite her neck. When he had bitten Fu Hua's finger and sucked her blood earlier, he had noticed that blood seemed to hold a special attraction for him. Had he been a vampire in the past?

His former identity seemed even more mysterious now.

"Wait, you can't bite that!"

The moment Fu Hua heard Shen Gonglin say that, she grew anxious. That sensation from before seemed to surface again. With a heart willing to sacrifice herself to save others, Fu Hua rushed over and locked Shen Gonglin's neck. Yet Shen Gonglin and Kiana both looked curiously at her. They were only joking around. Shen Gonglin was not a dog, so how could he casually bite people for fun?

"...Ahem. Teeth carry a lot of bacteria. Biting people is both painful and unsafe, so it's best not to do that... All right, then. I'll take a shower first."

Feeling that she might have overreacted a little, Fu Hua coughed twice to cover it up, then explained why she had done that. She had only been sucked on a tiny bit by Shen Gonglin earlier and had ended up in that state. If Kiana got bitten by Shen Gonglin, she probably would not fare any better. As both a dormmate and someone tasked with watching them, Fu Hua had the responsibility to protect her properly.

Without waiting for Shen Gonglin or Kiana to react, Fu Hua silently climbed down from Shen Gonglin. In her panic to stop him from biting Kiana, she had jumped onto Shen Gonglin's back. Thinking about it now, that action had been completely inappropriate. Why could she not maintain her calm temperament around Shen Gonglin? The moment she saw him, her state of mind seemed to be thrown into disorder. This would not do. She needed to adjust herself properly.

"Mei, don't you think the Class President seems a little off? She's completely different from usual. Did she eat something bad?"

Watching Fu Hua enter the bathroom, Kiana seized the opportunity and flipped Shen Gonglin beneath her in one move. This guy had poor fighting skills and weak physical fitness. Kiana had only pretended to let him pin her down so he would lower his guard. How could someone with so little strength possibly be her match? Pinning Shen Gonglin down with one hand, Kiana pinched his cheeks while discussing the matter with Mei. The Class President was indeed strange.

"I don't know either... Maybe she's just too tired."

Looking at the bathroom door, Mei could not figure it out either. The Class President really was unlike her usual self.

Fu Hua Takes the Blame

"Phew... Calm down. This is not something worth dwelling on."

In the bathroom, Fu Hua let out a long breath. When she opened her eyes again, the girl's emerald eyes had returned to their former stillness. It was as though being away from Shen Gonglin allowed her state of mind to settle once more. This was the state of mind a martial artist should possess. There was still much she had to do...

Yet the moment she saw the bathtub, her tranquil heart could not help but stir again. Having a good memory was not always a good thing. Like now—when she saw the bathtub, Fu Hua could not help recalling what had happened here with Shen Gonglin. Why, even though she had already told herself it was unimportant, could she not stop thinking about it?

It had to be because that sensation still lingered in her body.

Fu Hua raised her finger. The tiny bite mark on her pale knuckle proved everything. There was no poison, but when Shen Gonglin had drawn blood from her, he had also injected something into her body. That thing was the cause of her body's abnormal reaction. He really was like a vampire from legend. If he had bat wings, he would resemble one even more.

Shaking her head to clear away her thoughts, Fu Hua sat cross-legged in the water. It seemed she would not be able to face Shen Gonglin again without thoroughly restoring her state of mind. As Fu Hua closed her eyes, a string of strange, meaningless syllables echoed in her heart. This was something she had created long ago, at some unknown time, called the Sword Heart Art. The syllables could not be explained in terms of meaning, but their mystery lay in how hearing, reciting, or silently chanting them could calm the mind. And that was exactly what Fu Hua needed right now.

Let the lake of the heart merge into still water; let the heart lake freeze into dustless ice; let the heart ice become a crystal-clear mirror; let the heart's qi become formless Great Void... As the inner voice resounded, Fu Hua's expression grew increasingly calm. Mindful Essence, among the Great Void Sword Qi, was the essence devoted to cultivating the mind. However, this technique was only suitable for women. Men could cultivate it too, but their upper limit would be far lower than women's. She wondered whether things would be different if Shen Gonglin cultivated it...

No, why was she thinking about him again?

Fu Hua frowned. Her condition today was truly poor. The greatest taboo for martial artists was being distracted. How could she let her thoughts wander while cultivating Mindful Essence? On the path of martial arts, the greatest fear was qi deviation—it would not only harm herself, but bring chaos upon the world.

Silently chanting the Sword Heart Art, Fu Hua finally restored both her state of mind and body to normal. However, that probably had little to do with the Sword Heart Art. It was likely just that she had recovered with time. What exactly had Shen Gonglin injected into her body? Saliva? To affect a Valkyrie's body to this degree was even more terrifying than draining Honkai energy.

After all, even without Honkai energy, Valkyries still possessed their trained physical fitness. But after being hit by Shen Gonglin's move, even she could not command her body—her legs went weak, and she could not even stand. If someone with her body could end up like this, then other Valkyries would fare even worse.

Would this guy become a Valkyrie Slayer in the future?

It looked like she needed to train him. Not only physically and martially, but mentally as well, he needed proper guidance. She had initially thought he was merely an uncut piece of jade, but now it seemed he was more like an emerald already revealing its brilliance.

Should she teach him the Great Void Sword Qi?

After cleaning herself, Fu Hua stepped out of the bathtub, only to fall speechless again at the sight of the water. She had been so focused on bathing when she came in that she had not thought about it. There was no way the bathwater had been freshly drawn in such a short time. It had to be water Shen Gonglin had used. Forget it, she had already bathed in it, so there was no point agonizing over it now. Fu Hua pulled the plug and drained the tub. She had already fallen for his trick; she could not let Mei and the others go through it too.

Thinking this, Fu Hua quickly changed into her clothes. Then, the red fabric on the washing machine beside her caught her attention. This should be Himeko's underwear. But Teacher Himeko had been away on a mission and was not at St. Freya Academy at all, so how could her underwear be in the bathroom? Someone must have brought it in...

There was no need to say it. It had to be Shen Gonglin.

Fu Hua clenched the underwear in her hand. It had not been there when she washed up this morning, and Shen Gonglin had just used this bathroom. Other than him, no one had had the opportunity. The heart that Mindful Essence had just calmed rippled once again. It seemed she really needed to teach Shen Gonglin the Great Void Sword Qi—or at least teach him Mindful Essence. She needed to straighten out his twisted state of mind. Otherwise... otherwise, letting him stay in this dorm would be dangerous. Dangerous in every sense.

Still, speaking of which, Himeko's were so much bigger than hers. Sometimes Fu Hua really had to admire her. Having them so large must be troublesome in battle. They definitely hindered combat. A figure like hers, with no resistance and a minimized target area, was the most suitable shape for a Valkyrie. Should she write a paper suggesting it to the admissions department? From now on, anyone above an A cup should be barred from enrolling!

"Class President, don't drain the bathwater. I still need to use it... Class President? Sorry, I didn't see anything!"

Hearing the sound of water in the bathroom, Mei, who happened to be passing by the door, hurried inside. She had not bathed yet either. Drawing more bathwater would be too troublesome, and Shen Gonglin had added quite a bit of bath salt when he bathed. It would be too wasteful if only two people used it. Though she was a young lady, Mei was also a frugal girl. Hearing Fu Hua drain the tub, she reflexively ran in. But the moment she entered, she saw Fu Hua holding a piece of underwear and seeming to ponder something. And that red underwear... judging by the style, it should belong to Teacher Himeko.

Yes, that had to be it. Mei had always thought the Class President was someone proud and independent, standing aloof from everyone else. But she was a normal girl too.

In that instant, Mei thought of many things. She had thought the Class President was someone utterly devoted to martial arts, without any distractions. But seeing her like this, Mei understood at once. So she was also worried about a girl's development. She must be secretly holding Teacher Himeko's underwear here, imagining what she would look like after growing up. This side of the Class President was awkwardly adorable. But she probably would not want anyone else to know about this, so Mei understood.

She had seen nothing, and she would say nothing.

"Seen nothing? Mei is acting strange too. Did Shen Gonglin bite her as well?"

Not knowing what Mei was talking about at all, Fu Hua tilted her head and put away the underwear, preparing to place it in Himeko's room. She would give Shen Gonglin some face. She had seen nothing, and she would say nothing.

Stolen Away

The night passed without incident. When the first rays of morning light shone into the room, the door to one bedroom in the St. Freya Valkyrie dorm quietly opened. Hearing faint breathing from the sofa, Fu Hua slowly stepped out. What she had considered last night was not just idle talk. She had indeed decided to teach Mindful Essence to Shen Gonglin, and morning was the best time to cultivate one's state of mind.

"Shen Gonglin, wake up. I'm taking you somewhere."

Crouching beside the sofa, Fu Hua reached out and shook Shen Gonglin's shoulder. But he was sleeping so soundly that he had no reaction at all. Though he was sleeping on the sofa, Shen Gonglin still slept comfortably. The thin blanket over him had been secretly placed there by Mei last night. Fu Hua's gentle shaking could not wake him at all. It was only around four or five in the morning, nowhere near Shen Gonglin's usual waking time.

"...Sorry. This is simply a necessary measure to wake you up."

Looking at Shen Gonglin sleeping so soundly, Fu Hua apologized, then reached out and pinched his cheek. Ordinary measures could not wake him, so she had no choice. It had been a long time since she had last taught anyone martial arts. This was the first time she had wanted to teach someone. Shen Gonglin was simply too special. He had already learned two moves of inch force. With such comprehension, she wondered what would happen if she taught him more profound techniques.

After thinking all night, Fu Hua had still decided to guide Shen Gonglin herself. Such great talent could not be wasted. As long as he received proper guidance, she believed Shen Gonglin could play an even greater role.

"Mmph... That hurts... Class President?"

With his cheek pinched, Shen Gonglin groggily opened his eyes. His deep violet eyes stared blankly and unfocused at the girl before him. Opening his eyes did not mean he was awake. He was in that state between sleep and wakefulness. If he had been fully awake and Fu Hua dared pinch his face... this brat would definitely have fought back.

"Yes, it's me. Shen Gonglin, it's time to get up."

Rather than her usual blue training uniform, Fu Hua wore casual clothes better suited for moving around today. A sleeveless top paired with pure white shorts made for an outfit that would definitely catch the eye, yet it could not draw Shen Gonglin's attention right now. His purple eyes were full of confusion. It was time to get up?

How could that be?

"No, let me sleep... sleep for five more..."

Shen Gonglin closed his eyes again as he spoke. Fu Hua nodded. If it was five minutes, that was fine. Making Shen Gonglin rise so early all at once was indeed a little inappropriate. He looked like the sort of pampered young master raised in luxury. Five minutes of laziness would not be a problem.

"Five hours..."

All right, she would just take him away like this.

Not giving Shen Gonglin any more room to stall, Fu Hua slung him over her shoulder and stood up. Mei and the other two had not woken yet, so there was no need to disturb them. She needed to find a quiet place to teach Shen Gonglin. Also, Fu Hua wanted to figure out why she had become like that last night from being bitten by Shen Gonglin only once... Or rather, that was what she most wanted to understand.

Opening the door, she carried Shen Gonglin out. As she passed through the academy, she inevitably drew other people's attention. Though it was early, there were still people at St. Freya who woke early or had stayed up all night. They watched Fu Hua carry Shen Gonglin away in amazement. Yesterday Kiana had shown off while carrying a boy, and today it was Fu Hua. Idiocy really was contagious. Living in the same dorm as Kiana had made even Lady Fu Hua strange.

The training room was still under repair because of yesterday's incident, so it was clearly not an option. The back mountain seemed quite suitable. That was where she would go.

Time to get up and make breakfast.

Not long after Fu Hua left, Mei opened her eyes as well. The girl's excellent biological clock had awakened her on time to take care of everyone in the dorm. She had a unique talent for caring for others. The saying that she had the body of a maid and the life of a young lady described Mei perfectly. Yet she quite liked this feeling. At least, seeing others smile after caring for them made her happy too. That was the greatest meaning supporting Mei's life now.

Throwing back the covers and tidying the bed, Mei's small room was warmly decorated. Every Valkyrie at St. Freya Academy had a room of her own. Yesterday, she had actually wanted Shen Gonglin to stay in her room. It would have been fine even if she had to squeeze in with Kiana, but for various reasons, she had not managed to say it. She hoped he had rested well on the sofa. If he had not slept well, should she let him stay in her room today?

She had not seen Shen Gonglin all night, and she kind of missed him. It was wonderful that he had woken up. Mei had a good impression of Shen Gonglin. It was like a sense of closeness that emerged from deep in her heart. The moment she woke up, she thought of him. Mei liked that feeling.

"Shen Gonglin... hasn't woken up yet?"

After washing up, Mei opened the door and softly called out. She crept toward the sofa. He was probably still sleeping at this hour. Even this girl who was always poised and graceful had developed a little thought of her own. No matter how sensible she was, she was still a girl. It would be nice if he had not woken up. If he was still asleep, she could look at him while he slept. Mei had often stared at him while he was unconscious, sometimes for hours at a time. Yet even so, she had never gotten enough of looking at him.

Not taking a picture had already been the greatest restraint Mei could manage. She was not as excessive as Kiana. Just looking at him should be fine, right?

But the moment Mei rounded the front of the sofa, she froze. Shen Gonglin was not there. Only the messy bedding remained on the sofa. This elegant girl's face immediately darkened. She had already checked the bathroom, and Shen Gonglin was not there. Could it be... Mei turned to look at the other tightly shut doors. She had slept peacefully last night, but had Shen Gonglin been... stolen by someone else?

Lightning flashed in Mei's eyes as she directly shoved open Kiana's bedroom door. That girl had not listened to her and locked the door last night. Was she not afraid Shen Gonglin would sneak in while she slept? Mei's violet eyes swept across the room. Shen Gonglin did not seem to be here, but he might be hiding beneath Kiana's blanket right now. Mei's sharp gaze fixed tightly on Kiana in bed. Kiana was very likely to do something like that. Since yesterday, she had seemed to have Shen Gonglin on her mind!

Fu Hua Gives Herself Away

Mei suddenly ripped off Kiana's blanket. The sudden chill woke Kiana, who was lying spread-eagled, at once. The young lady of the Kaslana family opened her eyes and saw Mei standing there with a cold face. This expression reminded Kiana of the Mei she had seen long ago at Senba Academy. Kiana was instantly startled. Had Mei not already returned to normal? What was going on today? And why had she suddenly thrown off her blanket?

Was she so sleepy because she missed Mei that she was dreaming?

He was not here. Shen Gonglin was not here. Could he be in Bronya's room instead?

Only Kiana was beneath the blanket, her lovely figure wrapped in pale blue pajamas. But Mei had no time to admire her. She was not into girls. Mei believed she had a proper orientation. Tossing aside the blanket and checking under the bed, Mei began searching Kiana's room without a word. Under the desk, in the trash can, in the closet—she checked every place that could hide a person. Only after confirming that Shen Gonglin was truly nowhere to be found did the frost-covered face of the girl thaw slightly. Neither Shen Gonglin nor Kiana had betrayed her.

That was good.

"Mei, what's wrong? Are you looking for something?"

Only then did Kiana realize what was happening. She moved closer to Mei and cautiously asked. Mei's expression earlier had been terrifying. Kiana only dared approach now that she saw her mood had eased. She had not seen Mei like this in a long time. Seeing her suddenly return to that state was strangely nostalgic.

It was Mei when she looked like the Queen of Thunder.

"No. Shen Gonglin is just missing, so I came to look here. Sorry for disturbing your rest."

Forcing a smile, Mei patted Kiana's head. She had wronged this girl. But if Shen Gonglin was not with Kiana, where could he have gone? Surely he was not really in Bronya's room... That was possible too. He had touched Bronya's leg in the hospital room before, and that child had not known how to resist at all. Although Shen Gonglin had always acted like he did not care about little girls, who could say for certain? Maybe he was pretending, waiting until deep in the night to quietly sneak into Bronya's room, and then...

Mei did not dare think further.

"Huh? Shen Gonglin is missing? I don't know. When I went to the bathroom last night, I saw him sleeping. When did he disappear?"

Hearing that, Kiana showed a surprised expression too. Mei, who had been secretly watching Kiana's face, completely dismissed her suspicion only after seeing that her expression did not seem fake. Mei herself did not know why she was reacting so strongly to this. It felt as if an awareness inside her was constantly forcing her to act this way. This feeling... had seemed to exist ever since she charged Shen Gonglin.

"I don't know either. The blanket was already cold when I touched it... Kiana, go check Bronya's room. I'll go to the Class President's room."

After assigning Kiana a task, Mei came to Fu Hua's door and knocked. She could not be as casual with the Class President as she was with Kiana. And it could not possibly be the Class President, right? After all, that was Fu Hua. How could someone as serious as her possibly abduct Shen Gonglin?

"Class President? Class President? Have you seen Shen Gonglin... Class President, I'm coming in?"

After knocking and receiving no response, Mei pushed the door open and entered. The bed was neatly made, but the Class President was nowhere inside. It really had been the Class President who took Shen Gonglin away... Yet learning the answer made Mei less worried instead. After all, it was the Class President. With such a flat... no, such a slender figure, what was there to be afraid of?

"Shen Gonglin, we're here. This place will do... You still haven't woken up?"