I, Herrscher Slayer

Now that Kiana knew Shen Gonglin was with Fu Hua, she finally felt at ease. At least she didn't have to worry about him being gobbled up by Honkai Beasts. Kiana then wanted to rush to headquarters to meet up with Shen Gonglin, acting like a discarded wife who refused to give up and was determined to find her husband.

"Wait a moment, Kiana. I forgot to tell you earlier, the Headmaster has a new mission for you."

Seeing Kiana about to leave, Mei quickly grabbed her arm. After meeting Kiana, Mei had already reported the situation to Theresa. Theresa then assigned Kiana a new mission, meaning Kiana no longer needed to go to headquarters. Or rather, it seemed the Headmaster never intended for Kiana to accompany Shen Gonglin to headquarters in the first place.

"What, what? What new mission does Auntie have?"

Kiana turned back in surprise. Why was there a new mission? Didn't she ask Kiana to accompany Shen Gonglin to headquarters earlier? Now that he had already gone, why wasn't she allowed to go with him? She had finally found someone even more unreliable than herself, and in front of him, Kiana finally felt a sense of seniority. Besides, they were partners, and as partners, they should naturally be together.

"You, Mei, and I, Teacher Himeko, are to be assigned to a search and rescue team. Although the large-scale Honkai has been resolved, there are still remnants of Honkai Beasts. This is what we'll be doing next. Shen Gonglin will be fine with the class representative there, so Kiana, let's do our best."

Patting Kiana's shoulder, Mei announced Theresa's orders. Kiana, who had been full of energy moments before, was stunned. Why wasn't she allowed to continue accompanying Shen Gonglin? Why was the class representative taking over? She had accompanied him all the way here. It was her, it was her who came first.

"What? Mei, you mean I have to stay here too?"

Himeko was just as stunned as Kiana. She had been thinking about what expression to use when she saw Shen Gonglin again, but then she received this terrible news. That idiot shorty was exploiting labor! She had just returned from a mission and hadn't even had a chance to rest before being assigned this task again. There were other Valkyrie units for search and rescue. She was sent here... it must be to keep an eye on Kiana.

Guessing Theresa's intentions, Himeko could only shrug helplessly. In that case, there was nothing she could do. It seemed she would only be able to see Shen Gonglin when she returned to St. Freya.

"Yes, Teacher Himeko is also included in the Headmaster's mission. There's no helping it. Since the Headmaster has requested this, we can only work hard... Come on, cheer up! There might be other Honkai Beasts. Teacher Himeko, you too, don't look so glum. Show us your usual cool side."

Pushing Kiana and Himeko forward, Mei's demeanor made it clear why Theresa had entrusted her with delivering the mission. Although she hadn't been at the academy for long, Theresa considered Mei a very reliable girl. With her around, nothing would be a problem.

"Yes, yes, yes... Honestly, even as a teacher, I want a vacation. It's because I'm working all day that I don't have time for romance. If this delays me, will the Headmaster take responsibility?"

Walking ahead reluctantly, Himeko couldn't stop complaining. She had finally found someone she liked and wanted to pursue, but she was held back by work and Theresa, that pseudo-loli. It seemed she could only choose between work and romance. It was so difficult. How should she choose? Was there no way to have both... Oh, speaking of which, Shen Gonglin should be at St. Freya Academy in the future, right? In that case, wouldn't she also be his teacher? In that case, there's an opportunity!

"Teacher Himeko, you're still so young. You don't need the Headmaster to be responsible for this. You two, it's time to cheer up."

Mei encouraged Kiana and Himeko. Being a normal person was quite exhausting. She looked up at the darkening sky. Shen Gonglin was with the class representative... there shouldn't be any problem, right?

After all, the class representative was flat-chested.

A purple light flashed in Mei's eyes. She shook her head. What was she thinking about?

Chapter 105: Schicksal's Arrival

A massive floating island. After an overnight voyage, the Immortal Blade team finally returned successfully. The Valkyries working on the bridge stood on both sides as they saw the Immortal Blade's emblem, welcoming the return of this strongest team. This reverence was entirely spontaneous, as this team was Schicksal's strongest. Two of the three S-rank Valkyries served in this team, and their captain, Durandal, was a legendary Valkyrie. Most Valkyries aimed to join the Immortal Blade as their life goal.

"Schicksal Headquarters, tremble! Your emperor has returned!"

As the ship docked, the Valkyries on both sides stood at attention. But as the hatch opened, a powerful male voice boomed, and then a blonde figure appeared before everyone. The person stood with hands on hips, exuding an imposing aura. Beneath his short blonde hair were a pair of deep purple eyes. A very handsome face, even more so than most girls, wore a cheerful smile. His black hair was tied to one side. Who was this person? Why was he on the Immortal Blade's battleship?

"Don't say such ridiculous things. You've never been to headquarters before, let alone returned."

Beside Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua covered her forehead and shook her head helplessly. After a night's rest, Shen Gonglin was full of energy, but Fu Hua was exhausted from his antics all night. After all, it was just a small battleship used for sorties, and there were no designated resting areas. Everyone had to sit on the long benches to rest. This guy had terrible sleeping habits. Even though she had offered him her lap as a pillow, he still tossed and turned. She had to guard against his surprise punches in his sleep and also be careful he didn't roll off. Fu Hua had worried herself sick over him all night.

The result was that Shen Gonglin was energetic, while Fu Hua had dark circles under her eyes.

"Lady Fu Hua, as long as he likes it, it doesn't matter what he says... Also, Lady Fu Hua, you don't seem to be in good spirits. I'll arrange for you to rest properly later."

Standing on Shen Gonglin's other side, Rita was in much better condition than Fu Hua. The maid had her hands clasped in front of her, her posture incredibly elegant, showing no signs of being an injured person. Maintaining proper elegance at all times was Rita's requirement for herself.

"Thank you. Aren't you spoiling him a bit too much... By the way, why are you so energetic, Rita? I remember you didn't sleep at all in the latter half of the night. Why do you look completely fine now?"

Fu Hua glanced at Rita helplessly. She had wanted to say this since yesterday. Rita seemed to dote on Shen Gonglin, indulging his every whim, and even offered her lap as a pillow. It was precisely because she had taken over her shift yesterday that Fu Hua could finally get some rest. If she hadn't been so sleepy, Fu Hua really wouldn't have wanted to switch with her. After all, Shen Gonglin was her disciple, and it was only natural for her to take care of him. But why Rita? Why was she so full of energy while Fu Hua felt like she had stayed up all night playing games?

"As a maid, sleeping a few hours to ensure a day's worth of activity is a necessary skill. This is how I can serve better... Shen Gong, be careful, there are steps ahead."

Giving Fu Hua a slight smile, Rita followed Shen Gonglin off the bridge, staying half a step behind him. The guy was now waving to the Valkyries on both sides like a leader inspecting his troops, completely without reservation, as if he frequently reported to headquarters.

Tsk, were all maids this terrifying? It defied human physiology. Resting for a few hours and being energetic enough to work all day. Even Fu Hua had to be amazed by Rita's somewhat bizarre skills. Maintaining the same position as the maid, Fu Hua also followed Shen Gonglin down. She was originally a Valkyrie at headquarters, but she was later assigned to St. Freya due to a certain mission. So, among these Valkyries, there were many familiar faces. Fu Hua nodded slightly in greeting, but why were their gazes so strange? Why were they all staring at Shen Gonglin?

She should quickly complete the mission with Shen Gonglin and take him back to St. Freya Academy. Everyone wanted to interfere with Shen Gonglin's martial arts training. As his master... the one teaching Shen Gonglin martial arts, was it easy for her?

"Hey, who is that boy? Why does he look so imposing? And why are Lady Fu Hua and Lady Rita standing by his sides like guards... Look, look, people from the Immortal Blade are also following him. Is he some kind of incredibly important figure?"

Watching Shen Gonglin walk past with such arrogance, he was only missing a "Villains" stamp on his back. The Valkyries at headquarters whispered among themselves as they looked at his retreating figure. That was the Immortal Blade, and Rita and Fu Hua were behind him. If it were just Rita, it would be one thing. After all, everyone knew that although she was an S-rank Valkyrie, she liked to treat everyone like a maid. But with Fu Hua and the Immortal Blade team, it was different. Such solemn treatment, could that child be the descendant of some important figure?

Speaking of important figures, these Valkyries with their overactive imaginations immediately thought of the Bishop. After all, the Bishop also had blonde hair like him, but their eye colors were different, and their temperaments seemed very far apart. Who exactly was he? They were super curious!

"Rita, what should we do now? By the way, I don't even know why I'm here at headquarters. I inexplicably came out with Kiana, and now Kiana is gone. What should I do now?"

When Shen Gonglin's hands were almost tired from waving, he finally couldn't see any other Valkyries. Only then did he realize that the Immortal Blade team following behind him had dispersed at some point, and it seemed they were all preparing to return to their dorms to rest. So what should he do now? Actually, Shen Gonglin felt fine.

He could completely patrol around again.

"Mm... Given Lady Fu Hua's physical condition, I'll arrange for you to rest first. Then I'll contact the project department to make preparations, and I also need to handle the previous mission briefing and the Immortal Blade's action log... Oh right, Shen Gong, you must be hungry. I'll prepare some delicious food for you later. Follow me now."

As expected of a perfect maid, Rita had already arranged everything before Shen Gonglin could even ask. The capable ones worked hard. With Otto not at headquarters, everything from now on would be arranged by her. The maid elegantly bowed to Shen Gonglin, asking for his opinion. She wondered how he wanted to arrange things.

"Mhm, mhm, Rita, your arrangements are excellent. So, when do we eat?"

Alright, after all that Rita said, Shen Gonglin only remembered about eating.

Chapter 106: Where Do You Want to Stay?

"We are currently at Schicksal Headquarters. Schicksal Headquarters is a giant floating island above the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative center of the entire Schicksal and also the organization's core research facility. Shen Gong, look, Schicksal is divided into nine main islands, named after the nine realms in Norse mythology's World Tree. The direction you're looking at is Helheim, a laboratory for the Honkai energy system."

At headquarters, Rita led Shen Gonglin around like a tour guide, introducing him to the place. Schicksal had branches all over the world, and as the headquarters managing these branches, its scale was naturally enormous. It was like a city floating in the sky. It was precisely because of this that Shen Gonglin's fear of heights did not act up.

"Mm, I see. Understood, understood."

Shen Gonglin rested his chin on his hand and nodded. Fu Hua, standing beside him, glanced at him unhappily. This guy was talking as if it were real, as if he were genuinely listening to Rita. In reality, his purple eyes were filled with chaos. Fu Hua knew he hadn't understood a single word and was just pretending.

"Rita, you don't need to bother explaining these things to him. Just arrange a place for us anywhere, and then you go prepare. After the mission is completed, I'll take him back to St. Freya. This guy only causes trouble when he's outside."

Pulling Shen Gonglin by his collar, Fu Hua reached out and pulled back Shen Gonglin, who had almost gotten lost around the corner again. Schicksal Headquarters was so complex; if Shen Gonglin wandered around carelessly, he would definitely get lost. It would be better to take him back to St. Freya Academy as soon as possible. At least Fu Hua felt a greater sense of security there compared to Headquarters.

"Heh heh, alright. But you don't need to be so nervous, Fu Hua. After the test, we can decide if Shen Gong will stay at St. Freya or Headquarters. After all, Shen Gong hasn't decided for himself yet, has he?"

Rita continued to lead the way. Unknowingly, they seemed to have arrived at a place resembling a living area. This Schicksal Headquarters was truly vast. Shen Gonglin had actually seen something like a bus earlier. He hadn't paid any attention to what Rita and Fu Hua were saying. When he came to his senses, he realized the atmosphere between them seemed a bit strange. What was going on? Why did they seem to be arguing?

"Of course, he's going back to St. Freya. We're only here at Headquarters this time to investigate and test his abilities. After all, he's someone Kiana brought back, so naturally, he'll be wherever Kiana is."

Fu Hua's pair of emerald green eyes lingered on the maid before her. What did she mean by those words just now? Could it be that she wanted to keep Shen Gonglin at Schicksal Headquarters? How could that be? Staying by that man's side was not a good thing. Shen Gonglin had too many mysteries surrounding him; who knew what he would do to Shen Gonglin? Moreover, she had already planned to pass on all her martial arts to Shen Gonglin. If he stayed at Headquarters, it would be inconvenient. Besides, she had brought him here in place of Kiana. If she were to return alone, Fu Hua wouldn't know how to explain it.

"Oh? Is that so? But Fu Hua, such matters should depend on the wishes of the person involved. As far as I know, Shen Gonglin is currently suffering from amnesia. The medical equipment at Headquarters is much more complete than that of the Far East Branch. I think he would also want to recover his memory as soon as possible. And... Shen Gong, you should still remember, right? I haven't given you the previous 'relief from suffering' fee yet."

Unafraid of the subtle pressure emanating from Fu Hua, Rita calmly presented her argument. As they spoke, the two Valkyries shifted their gaze to Shen Gonglin. Two pairs of eyes, one purplish-red and the other emerald green, fixed on Shen Gonglin, demanding an answer. Although the decision at this moment held little significance, for some reason, Rita and Fu Hua were bickering over this issue.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Shen Gonglin, who had been spacing out since earlier, had no idea what Fu Hua and Rita were discussing. Why were they both staring at him like that? What had they been saying earlier?

"Do you want to stay at Headquarters or St. Freya? You need to think carefully. Mei and the others are waiting for you to return. You're unfamiliar with Headquarters, and you have Kiana and Bronya here. If you don't go back, you won't be able to explain yourself to them."

Fu Hua crossed her arms and looked at Shen Gonglin. She truly had no confidence in this guy, so she could only remind him like this. St. Freya was better than Schicksal Headquarters in any case. She just hoped this guy wouldn't make any foolish decisions.

"Fu Hua is joking. Isn't there me here? If I'm here, how can you say you're unfamiliar with the place? If Shen Gong stays at Headquarters, I will be responsible for everything from now on. So... let's just say it's a casual remark. Shen Gong, would you prefer to stay at Headquarters or return to St. Freya?"

Rita's smile remained unchanged, but her ambiguous words conveyed a certain message to Shen Gonglin. Moreover, she made the same gesture as Fu Hua. Seeing her cross her arms, Fu Hua felt as if she were being deliberately targeted. Tsk, it suddenly reminded her of Theresa and Bronya. Besides those two, everyone else had issues. How could she fight the Honkai with such a troublesome physique?

Both Valkyries were staring at Shen Gonglin, and Shen Gonglin finally understood the situation. So, this was what they were asking. Did this even need to be asked? Shen Gonglin made his decision without a second thought, looking at Fu Hua with a look of utter justification.

"Of course, I'll be wherever Master is! I haven't finished learning what Fu Hua taught me. My aptitude isn't enough. If I leave Class Monitor, I won't be able to improve on what she taught me, so of course, I have to stay by her side. Besides, the restaurant at St. Freya tastes great, Mei cooks deliciously, and even potato chips grow in Theresa's desk drawer. So I think St. Freya is better. I already told Kiana that I'd be back after the mission. What's so difficult about this decision?"

He slung an arm around Fu Hua's shoulder with a familiar air. This was indeed a question that didn't require thought. He woke up at St. Freya, and his memories began there. Plus, learning martial arts from Fu Hua came with benefits. A disciple who didn't covet their master's body wasn't a good disciple. He had only enjoyed her lap pillow and Fu Hua's stomach so far. There were still many places on her body he hadn't touched. Next, Shen Gonglin wanted to have her lie on the ground so he could rest his head on her calves. If he left St. Freya...

Wouldn't that mean it would all end up as an empty dream?

Chapter 107: Persecuting the Maid

"This kid, he's actually done something right this time... Hearing his words, Fu Hua's eyes felt a little moist. A feeling of finally raising a child surged from the bottom of her heart. After all, Shen Gonglin had always been so difficult. Fu Hua had really been afraid he would side with Rita just now; she would have been very unhappy if that happened. She hadn't expected Shen Gonglin to be so firm in his stance this time... No, hold it back. This is not a big deal. Isn't this what's supposed to happen?"

"I told you not to call me Master. I don't plan on taking disciples. And don't just stick to me so casually. Stand properly."

Although she was happy inside, Fu Hua still put on a displeased expression and pushed Shen Gonglin away. The maid, who witnessed everything, secretly bit her lip. Pushing him away only now, Fu Hua? You probably haven't noticed that the corners of your mouth are almost reaching the back of your head. If she remembered correctly, Fu Hua and Shen Gonglin had another layer to their relationship. Shen Gonglin's state of Mindful Essence earlier was enough to prove this point. Shen Gonglin's physique was truly strange.

He was clearly a spirited young man, yet he could cultivate the Mindful Essence, which was only suitable for women, to such a degree. Moreover, he had only woken up from his coma not long ago. This point also seemed worth investigating.

"That's truly a shame. However, I also have considerable experience in cooking. I will provide you with my carefully prepared dishes later, Shen Gong. Please bear with my clumsy skills."

There was no obvious sign of disappointment on her face, as if she had merely been casually discussing things with Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua earlier. Rita bowed and said this. As a maid, her cooking skills were a given. She was sure to be better than the thoughtful young lady and the cafeteria chef. Attacking from this angle was not a bad plan. Rita was prepared to show Shen Gonglin in every way what a perfect maid was.

"...Tsk, how about this? If your skills are clumsy, then let Class Monitor do it. If that's not possible, there should be a restaurant here, right? Don't look at me like this, but I'm actually quite picky. Rita, don't force yourself to do something you're not good at."

Unexpectedly, after hearing Rita's words, Shen Gonglin's expression became very complicated. He kindly offered this suggestion. In reality, he had some doubts about Rita's maid identity in his heart. Since she said her skills were clumsy, why force her to do it? This maid seemed a bit like a vase. She was said to be an S-rank Valkyrie, but she was weak in combat. She looked reliable, but perhaps she would make dark cuisine. Isn't that what contrast is all about?

Mei mentioned that Fu Hua could also cook some home-style dishes. Compared to that, this was more reliable. Shen Gonglin was actually quite a picky eater.

... This kid, he just said his skills were clumsy out of modesty, and he actually took it seriously?

Now what should she say? Why wasn't this Shen Gonglin acting according to common sense? If he were the male protagonist in a game, wouldn't he accept it gladly now? Why was he acting so timid, as if he were afraid she would actually do it? She was a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant! Not to mention anything else, in terms of cooking, she was absolutely crushing Fu Hua!

In front of Shen Gonglin, she couldn't maintain her S-rank maid... no, S-rank Valkyrie demeanor. Under Fu Hua's surprised gaze, Rita puffed out her cheeks slightly as she stared at Shen Gonglin. As a maid, she was very angry right now.

"Alright, Rita was just being modest when she said that. Her skills are very good. My home-style cooking is nothing compared to hers. You'll know Rita's standard later."

Fu Hua was kinder. Perhaps she couldn't bear to see Rita pouting so pitifully. Fu Hua pressed Shen Gonglin's head, making him turn to look at Rita. If she didn't intervene again, Rita would probably keep looking like that, and Shen Gonglin would continue to ignore her as if he were looking at the scenery. To make Rita show such an expression, Shen Gonglin was indeed formidable.

"Really? Rita, are you really good at cooking? Putting aside whether it will glow, won't you make some dark cuisine?"

Since Fu Hua said so, Shen Gonglin looked at Rita with half-belief. Shen Gonglin still had a lot of trust in Fu Hua. If she hadn't vouched for her, Shen Gonglin would have really hesitated whether to eat what Rita made. So far, the best thing he had eaten was Mei's cream stew. Even if Rita's cooking couldn't compare to that, it should be barely edible, right?

"Of course, my cooking skills are exceptionally good. Even star chefs are no match for me. My dishes will definitely satisfy Shen Gonglin so much that you'll swallow your tongue!"

Rita confidently assured Shen Gonglin. The maid secretly resolved to make Shen Gonglin's jaw drop later. How dare he doubt her cooking skills, this ignorant brat? She would show him what heaven was like later!

After making such ambitious promises, Rita found that Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua were both looking at her with a very complicated expression. What was going on now? This kind of look made Rita increasingly uneasy. Why did she feel uneasy? There was nothing to be uneasy about. She was just telling the truth.

"Well, setting aside the truthfulness of what you said, Rita, I think it's better to be humble. Although your cooking is indeed delicious, but... this isn't like you. This kind of arrogant... no, confident Rita, I'm seeing for the first time."

Looking at the maid with a complex gaze, Fu Hua felt as if she were meeting Rita for the first time. To say such things, Rita was slightly different from the image she had in her mind before. Was she really this kind of maid? Her youth was over... Wait, shouldn't she be saying something like this?

"Yeah, yeah, Rita. I think as a maid, it's better to be humble. After all, humility is also a very important trait for a perfect maid. So... try not to be like this in the future. Even if your skills are really good, please remain humble. The perfect maids in my memory should all be like this."

Patting Rita's shoulder, Shen Gonglin looked at Rita with the gaze one would use to look at a silly deer. At this moment, the maid's lips twitched slightly. She really wanted... she really wanted to take out her scythe.

Didn't he just complain about her being modest? Now that she was telling the truth, he complained about her being arrogant. Why was this Shen Gonglin so difficult to please? What did she have to do to satisfy him? Believe it or not, she would just quit being a maid and play with you with her scythe?

Besides being a maid, she was also a Valkyrie who could kill Honkai Beasts without batting an eye!

Chapter 108: Bringing the Brat Home

To prove herself, Rita took Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua directly to her dormitory. As an S-rank Valkyrie, Headquarters would naturally not arrange a dormitory like that of a high school student for her. Seeing the luxuriously decorated room, Shen Gonglin became curious. It seemed that both St. Freya and Schicksal Headquarters had high standards for living spaces. Mei and Kiana's dormitories were also large detached houses, and Rita's room was the same. This seemed different from his impression of dormitories.

"Please come in, Shen Gong. Please change into these slippers. Fu Hua, please wear these."

Even though it was her own home, Rita acted like a maid entertaining guests. Besides combat, she also had maid duties, and ensuring the comfort of the living space was an undeniable responsibility of a maid. Rita brought out guest slippers for Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua and invited them into her home. Madam Bianca had not returned from her mission yet, so she could only entertain them alone.

"Thank you, Rita."

Fu Hua's etiquette was also impeccable. If Rita was a maid, then Fu Hua's demeanor was even more like that of a butler. After changing their shoes, Fu Hua also walked into Rita's home. In order to prove herself, Rita had postponed her Headquarters mission to tomorrow. Nothing was more important than proving her professionalism as a maid. With the Bishop and Madam Bianca absent from the base, she had the final say in everything.

"You're welcome... Shen Gong, change into your slippers first. Don't run around."

Shen Gonglin didn't stand on ceremony at all. He kicked off his shoes and ran inside. Rita tidied up his carelessly discarded footwear before quickly following him. What had gotten him so excited? The room was kept very neat, and Lady Durandal wouldn't be the type to leave her undergarments lying around. So why was Shen Gonglin acting so hyper? What had he seen?

"Wow, Rita, you have a cat? Does it shed?"

What excited Shen Gonglin so much was the cat curled up asleep on the sofa. The moment Shen Gonglin saw the creature, he knew he liked it. Before Rita could stop him, Shen Gonglin had already grabbed the cat's front paws and pulled it up. The cat looked like a sable.

"Shen Gong, let it go immediately!"

Seeing Shen Gonglin treating the cat like that, Rita became a little anxious. This wasn't just any ordinary cat. Although Lady Bianca had never admitted it, Rita knew its identity clearly. While it usually acted like a normal cat, if you managed to anger it... Rita had fought with it before, and it ended in a draw.

Rita had even summoned her scythe. She hadn't expected the cat to run into her room. It should have been napping in Lady Durandal's room next door. She hoped Shen Gonglin's commotion hadn't provoked it.

To Rita's surprise, under her watchful gaze, the cat merely opened its eyes, glanced at her indifferently, and then stuck out its tongue to lick Shen Gonglin's finger. This made Rita a bit astonished. Wasn't this cat usually quite aloof? Why was its attitude towards Shen Gonglin different? After raising it for so long, Rita had never received such treatment.

"Hm? Let it go? Does it shed? Then I won't touch it."

Shen Gonglin liked cats but disliked them shedding. Or rather, Shen Gonglin's liking for cats was just about playing with them and teasing them. Upon hearing Rita's words, Shen Gonglin quickly put the cat down. He had a mild case of germophobia, and cat hair was simply too bothersome.

The cat, placed on the floor, stretched lazily and then ambled over to rub against Shen Gonglin's leg. Fearing it would shed, Shen Gonglin kept dodging it. The cat, however, seemed to think Shen Gonglin was playing with it and followed him everywhere. Finally, Shen Gonglin zapped it with a static shock, and it reluctantly jumped onto the windowsill and lay down quietly. Judging by its gaze, it looked like it would pounce the moment Shen Gonglin let his guard down. A shedding cat was truly terrifying.

"Shedding isn't too much of a problem. I basically clean every day, so it's not too serious... But I'm quite surprised it's so affectionate. It's never this well-behaved even with Lady Bianca. Shen Gong, you seem to be very popular with small animals."

Seeing the cat obediently lying on the windowsill, Rita breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the feline master was in a good mood today. Rita had thought she might have to fight earlier. Dismissing her scythe, Rita returned to her perfect maid demeanor. The cat's attitude towards Shen Gonglin was peculiar. She wondered if it had some special intentions towards him. It was very suspicious.

"Is that so? But I just wanted to pull its tail... Never mind that. Rita, weren't you going to treat me to something? Let me taste your cooking."

He didn't dwell on the matter. As for being popular with small animals, perhaps it was true. Kiana seemed quite fond of him, after all. As soon as he heard the cat shed, Shen Gonglin's interest immediately waned. It was more fun to tease Kiana; at least she didn't shed.

"Certainly, please wait a moment... Lady Fu Hua, if you don't mind, would you like to rest in my room? Your condition hasn't seemed very good since earlier. You didn't rest yesterday; why not take a good rest now?"

A charming smile graced her face. Rita, who was considerate in all aspects, had also noticed Fu Hua's condition. Because Shen Gonglin had been so boisterous last night, Fu Hua hadn't rested well at all. Not everyone possessed the ability to be energetic all day after just a few hours of sleep, like herself. Besides, Rita didn't want anyone's help this time, so letting Fu Hua take a nap was a good idea.