Shen Gonglin held up Bronya's calf and carefully studied the armor on it as if it were a safe. Inside it were locked the girl's fair, beautiful legs. Maybe he had been a leg fetishist before? Just looking at a girl's legs gave him an inexplicable urge. But a flat-chested little girl like Bronya was not within his tastes. Which meant he simply appreciated her legs... That suddenly sounded much classier. He was not some ordinary pervert; this was refined aesthetic taste, nothing lowbrow about it.
With that thought, Shen Gonglin's actions became even more justified.
"It's useless. Without Bronya's authorization, there's no way you can open the armor... Huh?"
Bronya shook her head. Only the exoskeletal armor on her legs allowed her to move freely. Without her authorization, it was basically impossible to remove it by force. Yet before she could finish speaking, Shen Gonglin fiddled with her leg a few times, and she suddenly felt a cool sensation. The armor had come off.
How was that possible?
"Wasn't that easy? Your legs really are beautiful. I just don't know how they taste... Pfft, wrong thing to say. Don't look at me like I'm some pervert. I'm a decent man."
Like an experienced pervert, Shen Gonglin held Bronya's leg and spoke with a perfectly serious expression. She had not resisted, had she? Come to think of it, this little girl was surprisingly cooperative. One hand was not enough for him, so Shen Gonglin extended his other hand and touched Bronya's leg. The moment he did, though, he realized something was wrong. No matter how cooperative she was, she should not have reacted like this. It was as though she could not feel him touching her leg at all. Her skin felt delicate, but Bronya's reaction... Shen Gonglin tried tickling the sole of her foot. Setting aside the possibility that the little girl was extremely good at holding back laughter, her legs...
Seemed to have a problem.
Was it because she did not eat vegetables? Shen Gonglin stopped and thought seriously. It seemed every illness could somehow be linked to not eating vegetables. How had that idea gotten into his head?
"Because of an accident, Bronya's legs have no sensation. Without support from the exoskeletal armor, Bronya cannot move."
She pulled back the foot resting on Shen Gonglin's arm with her hand. Bronya seemed to have noticed his confusion and offered an explanation on her own. But how had Shen Gonglin removed it? That should not have been possible.
I Might Be a Doctor
"No sensation? But the temperature feels within normal range, which proves the blood is still circulating. If you can't control them and can only move with an exoskeleton... then the problem should be with your spine. It likely compressed the nerves, causing you to lose control of both legs. Treatment may be a little troublesome. It looks like you've had this injury for quite some time."
More inexplicable knowledge flashed through his mind. Supporting Bronya's leg, Shen Gonglin subconsciously voiced that conclusion. Bronya was deeply shocked by his words. She knew her own condition better than anyone, and Shen Gonglin's conclusion matched it exactly. But how did he know? He had merely touched and looked at her. And when he said treatment would be troublesome, did that mean he could treat her?
"Hey, how can you treat Bronya like that? Seriously, did you fail to get Mei and switch targets to her? Why did I save such a pervert? Let her go already!"
Only then did the suspiciously intimate pair notice the position Shen Gonglin and Bronya were in on the bed. Bronya leaned against the headboard with both hands braced on the mattress, while Shen Gonglin hugged her leg with an eager expression. Even the armor Bronya had never been willing to remove lay cast aside. Seeing this, Kiana became even more convinced of Shen Gonglin's perverted identity. How long had it been? He had already gotten tired of Mei and moved on to another target. He was definitely a scumbag!
Bronya was Kiana's friend too, and she could not just watch someone take advantage of her. She rushed over in a few strides and wrapped Shen Gonglin in a chokehold. She had brought this guy back, so she was responsible for dealing with him. He had only just woken up and was already impatient to take liberties with the girls around him. She could not ignore that.
"Ow, ow, ow! Easy! Go easy!"
Shen Gonglin had been completely focused on Bronya's legs and was caught off guard by Kiana's chokehold. He grabbed at her arm with both hands, but the girl's strength far exceeded anything he had imagined. With his throat locked, all he could do was struggle. His back kept rubbing against Kiana's chest, while Kiana, immersed in the thrill of revenge, did not notice that Shen Gonglin was taking advantage of her without realizing it. Or perhaps neither of them had any awareness of it.
"Enough, Kiana. Stop messing around. There are still many things we haven't figured out."
The two of them had not noticed, but Mei and Bronya, who were watching, had seen everything clearly. Their eyes were practically blinded. Kiana really had no awareness of herself as a girl. Then again, it was understandable. She had always been alone, and both Senba Academy and St. Freya Academy were girls' schools, so she had never needed to worry about such things... Still, this would not do. She could not stop Shen Gonglin from taking advantage of Bronya only to offer herself up instead.
Unable to keep watching, Mei stepped in again and pulled Kiana away. Kiana pouted unhappily after Mei dragged her aside. In her eyes, Mei was protecting Shen Gonglin. Mei had only just learned his name, yet she was already treating him so well. Kiana felt that her place in Mei's heart had been seriously threatened. This Shen Gonglin was an enemy!
Cough, cough... Thanks, Mei. Seriously, I thought I was about to die.
Shen Gonglin lay on the bed coughing for a long while before finally catching his breath. Life was so fragile. That was the only thought in his mind. His physique did not seem all that impressive. He could not even beat a girl like Kiana. When she had locked him up just now, he had been completely helpless. Was he the type unsuited for combat? Then what was the point of all these electromagnetic abilities?
"It's fine... As long as you behave yourself, Kiana won't do anything unreasonable to you. I heard you and Bronya talking about her legs just now. Do you have any ideas?"
Mei was probably kindness incarnate. After pulling Kiana away, she patted Shen Gonglin's back to help him recover. She performed such work with practiced ease. Though she was clearly a young lady, Mei had honed her ability to care for others to the highest level. It could even be called a personal hobby of hers. Maybe Kiana was so useless because of her.
Mei had always been concerned about Bronya's condition. She treated Bronya like a little sister, and if possible, she naturally wanted Bronya to cast aside that exoskeleton and stand freely on the ground. Mei had also heard what Shen Gonglin said just now. If he had a solution to Bronya's problem, that would be wonderful.
"What are you asking him for, Mei? How could he possibly understand that? Asking him would be worse than asking me. Medical skills aren't something you can just talk about. If you let him treat Bronya, he might turn her into a mute. Bronya, Mei, you two have to trust me!"
Before Shen Gonglin could speak, Kiana cut in. She did not believe Shen Gonglin knew anything about medicine. He was obviously just a little lecher who took advantage of girls. How could they expect him to solve Bronya's problem? She just did not like the sight of him. Who told him to compete with her for Mei? Mei was supposed to be hers alone!
"Kiana, stop making trouble. Let's hear what Shen Gonglin has to say first. Shen Gonglin, what do you think of Bronya's leg injury? Is there any way to solve it?"
Mei did not want to give up any possibility. Though she knew that possibility was extremely slim, even the medical methods of Schicksal had been unable to heal Bronya's legs, leaving her dependent on an exoskeleton. Placing hope on Shen Gonglin alone... she would just treat a dead horse as if it were alive.
"Mm, I should be able to solve it. Bronya's condition feels familiar somehow. I think I might have been a doctor before."
Shen Gonglin nodded. In truth, he had no confidence at all. Those seemingly professional conclusions earlier had come out purely by instinct. When he tried to think further now, he could not remember anything. It seemed there really was something wrong with his brain. What exactly had he been before losing his memories?
A doctor? An electrotherapy specialist? A high school student? A pervert?
Mm, scratch the last one out. That was absolutely impossible. Circumstances had simply forced his hand. The world was at fault, not him.
"A doctor? Hahaha, how could someone like you possibly be a doctor? If you're a doctor, then tell me whether I have any illnesses. Doctor, my ass. Do you think I'd believe you?"
Kiana ran over to stir up trouble again. This time, Shen Gonglin put his hand on her wrist with great ceremony and pretended to examine her pulse.
"Mm... probably postpartum depression. No cure. Just wait to die."
Appearance
Postpartum depression... The three girls all stared at Shen Gonglin's foul mouth in shock. He could actually say something like that. It was no longer enough to call it nonsense. This guy truly wanted to die.
"Mei, believe me, I'm not depressed... No, I haven't even given birth. I'm still a vir— Shen Gonglin, you bastard! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"
Humiliated and furious, Kiana pulled her hand back and moved to deal with Shen Gonglin. Who knew why she had explained herself to Mei first? Shen Gonglin had expected this reaction. Before she could make a move, he acted first. He darted behind Bronya and held the little girl up in front of himself to face Kiana. If she wanted to hit someone, she could hit Bronya. Shen Gonglin had noticed it earlier: though Bronya's face remained expressionless, she had definitely wanted to laugh.
So those twin tails were not completely devoid of emotional changes.
"Don't come any closer. If you do, I'll electrocute you."
Shen Gonglin gripped Bronya's shoulder with one hand, using her as a shield, while faint lightning flickered in his other hand as he warily faced Kiana. He could not let her come close. He had the feeling that being too near Kiana would lower his IQ. Shen Gonglin's brain was already damaged, and if it fell any further, he was afraid he would drop to Kiana's level.
"Enough, enough. Kiana, don't get so worked up. Shen Gonglin was definitely joking... I'm certain now that you're not a doctor. Stop making Kiana angry. It's about time anyway. Since you're awake, you should go meet the principal... Bronya, take him out first. I can barely hold Kiana back anymore."
Like a beast tamer, Mei worked hard to soothe Kiana, the ferocious beast. Kiana had gotten along well with Shen Gonglin before he woke up. She had even lain on his lap to pass the time. Why had they become enemies the moment he woke up? If only Shen Gonglin would keep his mouth shut, perhaps they could get along?
"Look, that girl over there seems unfamiliar... But she's pretty cute."
"Which one? Isn't that Bronya? Who's the girl beside her? Her chest is totally flat, but her face is pretty. Is she a new student?"
"No idea, but if she's walking with Bronya, she must know her. I wonder if I'll get a chance to meet her... Would she like a girl like me?"
Shen Gonglin had wanted to keep a blank expression, but the unceasing comments made it impossible for him to hold back. He wanted to rush over, take off his pants, and show them whether he was a man or a woman. But after hearing what they were saying, Shen Gonglin chickened out. They did not even spare women. Terrifying!
"This is St. Freya Academy, a school that trains Valkyries. Therefore, both teachers and students are female. Only a very small number of staff members are male. Since they haven't seen men for a long time, some Valkyries' preferences have undergone certain unspoken changes. Shen Gonglin, you should be careful."
Walking ahead of him, Bronya took the initiative to explain. With the exoskeletal armor assisting her, she could move like a normal person. Following Mei's instructions, she had brought Shen Gonglin out of the infirmary, only to encounter this scene. These girls were still relatively restrained. If they ran into bolder ones, it would be even more frightening.
Because he had been lying down for too long, Shen Gonglin's golden hair now hung slightly past his shoulders. Combined with his somewhat feminine face, such a misunderstanding was understandable. Bronya turned back to look at Shen Gonglin. Her gray eyes reflected his fair little face, pointed chin, thick lashes, deep violet eyes, and the tiny beauty mark beneath one eye...
He really did look like a girl.
"Be careful? Mm, I do need to be careful not to let them mistake me for a girl. I noticed several people sneaking glances at me just now. Kiana's problem apparently isn't an exception. I need to fix my hair quickly."
Shen Gonglin nodded in understanding. He had no interest in girls liking girls. Like Kiana, that yuri fanatic, Shen Gonglin had absolutely no thoughts in that direction. At most, he could appreciate it academically. As for the type he liked... big breasts, a slim waist, long legs, long hair, someone who could cook. That was roughly the category.
He glanced at Bronya. Mm, she was a girl who perfectly avoided every one of his preferences.
"That's not it, Shen Gong... Lin. What you need to be careful about is people discovering that you're male."
As if she had sensed Shen Gonglin's gaze, Bronya's eyes shifted slightly. Yet she did not care about it, instead taking the initiative to correct his misunderstanding. Being mistaken for a girl was not serious. If people discovered he was a boy, though, things would become troublesome.
"Why... Oh, I understand. Does St. Freya not allow boys to enter? I get it. Since it's a girls' school, having boys here really would be inappropriate. Don't worry. Once we figure out my identity, I'll leave."
Though he had no memories of himself at all, strange fragments of knowledge occasionally flashed through Shen Gonglin's mind. This was the only reason he could think of. A boy sneaking into an all-girls school sounded like the plot of some anime from years ago.
"That's not the case. St. Freya has no special requirements regarding a student's gender. It's merely that only women possess Honkai resistance and can bear Stigmata... I told you earlier that only some students' preferences have changed. If your identity as a man is exposed, with your looks, it will be troublesome."
After correcting Shen Gonglin, the girl slowly circled around him once, then stopped in front of him again. After thoroughly observing him, she was very satisfied with her description. Yes, looks. With Shen Gonglin's looks, in an academy almost entirely populated by women, it would be troublesome.
"...Bronya, you shouldn't use 'looks' to describe a man."
Shen Gonglin's mouth twitched stiffly as he tried to correct Bronya. She was just a silly little girl, so it was normal that she did not understand.
"Then it should be... beauty?"
The expressionless girl tilted her head and offered another word. At the same time, she nodded in agreement with herself. Indeed, beauty was more fitting than looks. He was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, even prettier than Sister Mei.
"...Never mind that. Bronya, take me somewhere quiet first."
"What for?"
"To cut my hair!"
Let Go of That Girl
"Whew... Bronya, do I look handsome? I think I could debut like this. As expected, I'm incredibly handsome."
In a training room somewhere, Shen Gonglin looked at himself in the mirror with great satisfaction. After cutting away the excess hair, his face was finally fully revealed. His pointed chin and lively, deep violet eyes made him particularly pleased with his appearance. At least he was not the kind of ordinary-looking person who only had eyes that seemed to contain an entire sea of stars. Golden hair and violet eyes...
Looking at the face in the mirror, Shen Gonglin suddenly fell into deep thought. Bronya stood behind him with scissors in hand. Seeing him fall quiet, she could not help being curious. His mouth had not stopped moving while he got his hair cut, so why had he gone silent now? Had he thought of something important? Familiar things could trigger old memories, and Bronya also wanted Shen Gonglin to recover his memories soon.
"Did you remember something?"
Bronya brushed the golden strands from her scissors and quietly watched Shen Gonglin. These two really had nerve: one dared to cut, and the other dared to let her. Fortunately, Shen Gonglin had good features. He was the type who could pull off even a shaved head with his looks. Bronya was also surprisingly smooth with the scissors, so there had been no major mistakes. Shen Gonglin now looked quite pleasing in the mirror. Satisfied with her handiwork, Bronya placed her hands on his shoulders. There seemed to be a hint of anticipation in the gray eyes of the little girl. If he remembered, they could determine Shen Gonglin's identity. Perhaps her legs could also...
"Mm... No. I just think I'm really handsome. Don't you agree, Bronya?"
In the end, Shen Gonglin failed to catch the fragment that had flashed through his mind. He looked up at the girl's pointed chin behind him. Bronya floated in the air through some unknown means. She was quite pretty, though not as pretty as him. He was the strongest!
"Strictly speaking, you should be called beautiful rather than handsome. Shen Gonglin, you are very beautiful."
Bronya gave a serious and earnest answer. Even after he had cut his hair, she still thought so. According to descriptions in books, Shen Gonglin's face was the sort possessed by legendary fox spirits. Even with shorter hair, it remained the same. His eyes, mouth, nose, and that beauty mark... Bronya now had a profound understanding of the phrase "beauty capable of toppling nations." It described the person before her.
"...I've realized little girls need to be taught a lesson, or you won't know how to speak properly."
How could a man be called beautiful? Shen Gonglin felt profoundly underestimated. This expressionless little girl did not seem as honest as she looked. She actually dared to tease him. It seemed that not suffering losses was ingrained in Shen Gonglin's nature. Bullying girls was already etched into his bones. He turned around and immediately grabbed Bronya's spiral-shaped hair. He had been interested in that hairstyle for a long time, and now that he got his hands on it, it felt as wonderful as expected!
Bronya's eyes widened when Shen Gonglin directly made a move on her. She had not seen him bully Kiana. To him, being a girl was not a factor at all. Men and women were equal, after all. He had no habit of refraining from bullying them just because they were girls. Shen Gonglin had no intention of being a gentleman.
Of course, he was quite willing to be a gentleman in another sense.
"Shen Gonglin, let go. Bronya is angry."
Shen Gonglin had grabbed the two spiral twin tails, one in each hand, and kept tugging them back and forth. It did not hurt, but being played with like this was still hard for the usually silent and calm girl to accept. She had never had such intimate contact with the opposite sex. After he pounced on her, Bronya felt as if her nose was filled with his scent. She was not unfamiliar with it, since Mei had washed Shen Gonglin's clothes too. But now, another scent had mixed into that familiar smell. Bronya could not take it anymore.
"Let her be angry, let her be angry... No, I mean, if you want to get angry, go ahead. I'm not going to stop you. You be angry, I'll keep grabbing. Bronya, your hair feels so comfortable. I think I could get addicted to it."
The more he tugged, the more enthusiastic he became. Not wanting to hurt Bronya, Shen Gonglin could only follow as she backed away. Fortunately, the room was not large. After retreating a short distance, Bronya's back hit the wall. Shen Gonglin placed one hand beside her ear. This position felt strangely familiar too. Had he often done this before? It seemed to be called... a kabedon?
Strange knowledge kept appearing in his mind. His past self seemed to have experienced quite a lot.
Should she summon Heavy-duty Rabbit? She really wanted to blast him with a cannon. But he had only just awakened from unconsciousness; would blasting him be too much? If she used the pulse cannon... he probably would not die.
Those were the thoughts running through Bronya's mind. If she did not stop him, she suspected Shen Gonglin would not be satisfied with merely playing with her hair. Though she was expressionless, that did not mean she was foolish. If he dared to... This guy actually dared!
Her gray eyes stared at the person before her in disbelief. Shen Gonglin had released Bronya's hair, but he had directly grabbed her cheek instead. Honestly, only at this close distance did he discover how good Bronya's skin was. Her porcelain-white little face did not have the slightest trace of pores. Such nice skin. He wanted to lick it.
This could not continue. If she kept enduring it, this guy would dare to do anything. She could not have any excessive faith in him. Was it because of his amnesia? This guy seemed to naturally enjoy bullying girls. Before losing his memory, he definitely had not been a good person!
With a thought, the mech weapon linked to Bronya through her nerves was about to appear. Then, at that moment, a steady and capable voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. She had not expected such a thing to happen in the sacred St. Freya Academy. Since she had seen it, she could not ignore it, especially when the victim was a girl in her class. How could she pretend not to see it?
"Let go of that girl!"
Before its owner appeared, the voice arrived first. Interrupted by the shout, Shen Gonglin turned and saw only a fair fist flying straight at his face. Though it looked delicate, the fist carried a fierce gust of wind. Before it even touched him, Shen Gonglin already felt a sting. If that punch hit his face, he would definitely end up bruised and swollen. As if by instinct, he used electric current to reinforce his body, leaping far back as he looked at the gray-haired girl before him. Who was she?
Fu Hua
"The path of martial arts is endless... I still have far to go."
In the training room, Fu Hua drew back her fist and exhaled deeply after completing a day of cultivation. Such complex training had long been routine for her. Though she was a student at this academy, her overwhelming martial ability had earned her the title of A-rank Valkyrie. And this was not even her true strength. Attending a school that trained Valkyries with such strength, she had her own purpose.
Today's training was over. She would return, take a shower, and then prepare for other matters.
Fu Hua wiped the sweat from her forehead and frowned slightly. Even as a warrior who had fought outside for years, she could not tolerate feeling so sticky. Maintaining good hygiene provided the motivation to continue training. Food could wait, but she could not endure being covered in sweat.
Having made up her mind, Fu Hua picked up the glasses beside her and put them on. Behind their red frames was a face filled with heroic spirit. Gray hair stuck to her cheeks, adding a hint of fragility to the valiant warrior's appearance. Her jade-green eyes were calm and forthright. Fu Hua was extremely popular throughout St. Freya, for no other reason than that she was cool.
Leaving the training room, Fu Hua walked alone through the training area. Seeing the empty surroundings, she could not help shaking her head slightly. In the end, this was an academy. Those children were talented Honkai-adapted individuals, but since they had not experienced battle, she could not expect too much from them. Was nobody training today because of the holiday? That was fine. Fu Hua did not want to interfere too much with their relaxed, warm academy life. This was precious time, certain to become their most precious treasure. After they left the academy and personally faced the Honkai, these memories would become even more valuable.
Hm? What was that sound? Was someone using a training room?
As she passed a training room, Fu Hua's extraordinary hearing caught sounds from inside. It seemed not every student was so comfortable. Some were still willing to spend their precious holiday training. Looking at the room number... this should be Kiana's group's training room. She wondered which of them it was. Probably Raiden Mei. Neither Kiana nor Bronya seemed like the sort to train on a rest day.
As Kiana's class monitor, Fu Hua naturally knew the numbers of their training rooms. That was normal. More importantly, she had enrolled at St. Freya Academy precisely because of Kiana, so she had always paid special attention to her.
Which one of them was it? Curious, Fu Hua pushed open the training room door. But the scene before her made even the normally composed Valkyrie widen her eyes. What was she seeing? How could someone do such a thing in the holy St. Freya Academy? Even Fu Hua's state of mind could barely endure it. If she had not discovered this... Fu Hua did not dare imagine it.
In her eyes, a blond boy had forced Bronya into a corner and was groping her all over. A lewd smile sat on the boy's face, while poor little Bronya could only passively endure the humiliation. Because of certain reasons, this child had always had emotional difficulties, almost like an ignorant little child who did not know to resist. That boy must have taken advantage of that to make a move on Bronya. Unforgivable. How had someone like this gotten into St. Freya? Had some staff member brought him in?
Without time to think further, Fu Hua clenched her fist and charged forward. He dared to bully a girl like this at such a young age. He probably was not even older than Bronya. Since that was the case, she would teach him a lesson!
"Let go of that girl!"
Who was this?
After leaping far back, Shen Gonglin looked at the girl who had suddenly barged in. A blue training uniform wrapped around a delicate, shapely body... Well, it could only be called delicate and shapely. Since waking up, the only girls around her age Shen Gonglin had met were Kiana and Mei. Without question, both of them ruthlessly outclassed this girl in figure. She was far too flat. Even Bronya over there probably had more to offer. Was she malnourished?
Before you continue