The three of them moved forward together. Theresa and Mei were both considering every possibility, while the carefree Kiana charged ahead without a thought. She kicked aside the iron plate blocking the way, but the sight before her left her frozen stiff. This... what the heck was she looking at?
That guy really was a pervert. After making moves on Mei, herself, and Bronya, he had found a new target. Though this new target might... might be a little hard to handle.
"Kiana, what did you see...?"
Mei and Theresa hurried over as well, but what lay before them was neither the accident nor terrorist attack they had expected. How had things turned out like this?
In their eyes, Fu Hua was lying on the floor while a blond boy lay face-down on top of her. Hearing the noise, Fu Hua hurriedly turned her head. How should they put it? Theresa had seen this scene before during manga class. It was called...
Catching someone in the act?
What exactly was going on? How could there be a boy this age at St. Freya Academy? And how could something like this happen to Fu Hua? In Theresa's mind, Fu Hua had always been the very picture of seriousness and propriety, yet her own eyes could not be lying... And what had that explosion been about?
"Ha! You even went after the Class President! Shen Gonglin, I knew it! You really are a pervert! Since I'm the one who saved you, I can't just ignore this! Right now, this instant, get off the Class President!"
Kiana stormed over furiously. She did not know why she was so angry, but seeing Shen Gonglin sprawled over Fu Hua made her incredibly annoyed. Had he copied that pose from what he did to her? He was even trying it on the Class President? Bronya was right there watching—was he not afraid of corrupting a child?
"Shen Gonglin, get up... Hey, you're still lying there? Then I'll do it myself!"
Even when she was standing right in front of him, he did not react at all. Enraged, Kiana reached for his collar, but Fu Hua finally came to her senses and stood up with Shen Gonglin in her arms.
"Kiana, wait. His condition is not looking good."
Kiana froze when she saw the bloodstain on the Class President's chest. Not looking good? What had happened?
Chapter 17: The Reason He Fainted
"So that's what happened? Fu Hua, you thought he was bullying Bronya, so you sparred with him. Then he fell on top of you by accident, and the contact with the opposite sex was too stimulating, so his nosebleed became this severe. Finally, he passed out because of blood phobia and exhaustion. Is that correct?"
In the principal's office, Theresa crossed her arms and sorted through the information she had received. She glanced at Shen Gonglin, who was sitting in her personal seat. The medical department had clearly said it would be difficult for him to wake up, yet he had awakened and even fought Fu Hua the moment he did. He really was no ordinary child.
"Yes, Principal. Your understanding is excellent. That is exactly what happened."
Fu Hua nodded. She had already changed out of her blue training uniform; it had been stained too badly by Shen Gonglin's nosebleed to wear. She nodded at Theresa. That was what had happened. His sudden contact with a woman had been too stimulating, causing his nosebleed. There was no other strange reason.
"Bronya objects. The bleeding should have been caused by his nose hitting something hard and rupturing the capillaries in his nasal cavity. It was not due to stimulation from the opposite sex causing hormone secretion and blood rushing to his head."
Unexpectedly, Bronya offered another explanation. Though she had not caught the main point, she had seen everything that happened between the two of them, so she felt it necessary to correct the Class President's mistake... The Class President was human too. She could make mistakes.
"...Bronya, are you saying his nosebleed was caused by hitting something hard? As the person who sparred with him directly, I believe I have some right to speak on this matter. Obviously, this boy had a nosebleed because his contact with the opposite sex... namely, me, was too intimate. I am sure the Principal often sees scenes like this in manga—no, in books. You can tell from his face alone that he is an innocent, pure-hearted child. It is only natural for him to have an excessive reaction under such stimulation."
Yet Fu Hua stubbornly held to her opinion. What else could she do? Admit that he had slammed his face into her chest and gotten a nosebleed? Fu Hua absolutely could not bring herself to admit such a thing. How hard would it have to be to give someone a nosebleed? So she firmly insisted on her conclusion. It had definitely been because he was too stimulated. Anyone could see it—he had buried his face in a woman's chest and gotten a nosebleed.
It made perfect sense.
Was that so?
Bronya tilted her head. Maybe she had seen it wrong. Since the Class President was so insistent, she surely had her reasons. The Class President was right; after all, she was the one who had fought Shen Gonglin. Then perhaps it really was as the Class President said.
"Innocent and pure-hearted? Class President, that's where you're wrong. This guy is terrible. The moment he woke up, he took advantage of me, and then he even went after Mei! Don't let that pretty face fool you. He's actually petty. Class President, be careful. Since you beat him, he'll definitely hold a grudge."
Kiana had been lying on the desk, watching Mei wipe Shen Gonglin's face. The moment she heard Fu Hua's assessment of him, she could no longer sit still. The Class President could not be fooled by that face! The guy had taken advantage of both her and Mei as soon as he woke up, then touched Bronya's leg, and finally collapsed onto the Class President's chest. It all had to be premeditated. He was a little pervert through and through. She had really lost her mind to admire him so much before.
"Hold a grudge? Kiana, our fight did not end with a winner. Although he was exhausted in the end, he held back against me more than once during the battle. That orange-red beam of light at the end was deliberately fired off target as well. Other than his physical constitution, his combat ability is no weaker than that of an ordinary A-rank Valkyrie."
Fu Hua shook her head and corrected Kiana. Their battle had not determined a winner. She had a feeling Shen Gonglin had not shown his true strength when fighting her. Of course, she had not used all her strength either. Therefore, there was still no winner between them.
"Huh? He's really that strong? I thought he was only a tiny bit stronger than me. Does that mean I'm almost an A-rank Valkyrie too?"
Kiana focused on a rather different point and became excited for no apparent reason. However, no one was paying attention to her now. The girls all looked at Shen Gonglin. Mei had wiped the blood from his face, but perhaps due to blood loss and exhaustion, his porcelain-white face now bore an unhealthy pallor. Would he remain unconscious like this?
"Oh, right. While he was unconscious, he said something. He asked me to tell Mei that he still loved you... Mei, please do not blush yet. He may have misspoken. At the end, he also said he wanted you to charge him. Is that some kind of code between you two?"
Only after explaining the cause of Shen Gonglin's nosebleed did Fu Hua remember what he had said while unconscious. The moment those words left her mouth, the black-purple-haired girl became the center of attention. Mei, suddenly called by name, was stunned, her large violet eyes filled with confusion. How much did he like her? Even at the moment before he passed out, he was still stressing this matter. It felt like soldiers dying in a trench in a movie. But she had barely interacted with him. How... how had it come to this?
Mei's face instantly turned red. She had always been thin-skinned, so how could she not panic at a subject like this? Kiana was the first to react. What did he mean, he still loved Mei? He must have meant the next sentence.
"Charging! Right, Mei, did he mean he wants you to charge him like before? Maybe he ran out of electricity while fighting the Class President. Like those electric toys, once they run out of power, they stop moving... Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"
Kiana felt that she had been incredibly clever and made a perfectly logical argument. But why were the Class President, Auntie, and even Mei all looking at her with such strange, complicated expressions? She had only spoken the truth. Shen Gonglin definitely needed Mei to charge him because he was out of power. What did he mean by still loving Mei? That had to be the guy talking nonsense.
"Kiana... It hurts me to see what you've become. I bear responsibility for this too. If I had found you sooner and kept you by my side, how could things have ended up this way? It's not your fault. This isn't your fault."
Theresa stood on tiptoe and patted Kiana's head, leaving Kiana even more bewildered. Did she know too little, or did they know too much? Why did she not understand a single word Theresa was saying?
Chapter 18: The Persistence of the Divine China Flatboard
"Charging? Then let me give it a try. What kind of battle would make him run out of power? Class President, why did you two fight?"
Mei held Shen Gonglin's hand, and faint electric currents traveled from her body into his. She curiously looked toward Fu Hua. Fu Hua was not the sort to provoke people, so had Shen Gonglin started the fight? This guy did not seem as harmless as he looked. They had only been apart for a little while, and he had already fought the Class President and gotten himself into this state. He really was worrying.
"It was a misunderstanding. I had finished training and was on my way back to the dormitory. When I passed your training room, I saw Shen Gonglin pin Bronya against the wall. I thought he was bullying her, so I intervened. Thinking back, I was too impulsive."
Fu Hua's eyes flashed with guilt as she looked at the unconscious Shen Gonglin. They seemed to be friends, and perhaps she had misunderstood what she saw. If Bronya had truly been bullied, she should have resisted. At first, it had been a misunderstanding. Later, Fu Hua had simply wanted to spar with him. After all, she had not used her true strength in this academy for a long time. Seeing someone with such astonishing learning ability, she had not been able to resist.
Not only could he use the Kaslana family's martial arts after seeing them once, he could even perform her Cun Xin Fist. Coupled with his electromagnetic abilities, Fu Hua was very curious about Shen Gonglin.
"Pinned against the wall? It definitely wasn't a misunderstanding! Bronya, tell us. Did this guy bully you? He's a total pervert. He took advantage of both me and Mei. If he bullied you, just say so. We're all here, and Auntie's here too. She'll definitely stand up for you."
Kiana refused to believe it was a misunderstanding. Bronya must have been taken advantage of just like her. He had dared to openly touch Bronya's leg while she and Mei were there. How could he possibly leave Bronya alone when it was just the two of them? He had definitely lured Bronya into the training room, then tried to bully her while no one was around. That had to be it. Her judgment of him had been right—he was a little pervert!
It had not even been that long. He had touched her chest, grabbed Mei's hand, stroked Bronya's leg, and had not even spared the Class President's tiny chest. No doubt about it. Before losing his memories, this guy had definitely been a little freak.
"Kiana! What nonsense are you saying? Those were all misunderstandings. If you hadn't acted recklessly, how could he have taken advantage of you?"
Mei's face burned as she listened. What did Kiana mean, he had taken advantage of both of them? It had only happened to Kiana. Mei had merely had her arm grabbed, while Kiana had her chest grabbed. She could not say things like that carelessly. They might be good sisters, but Kiana should not drag her into something like this. She had not been taken advantage of.
"Bronya was not bullied. At the time, Bronya was only discussing who was more handsome with Shen Gonglin, and then the Class President barged in."
Floating in midair, Bronya came before Shen Gonglin. She bent over and carefully examined his face, her gray eyes seeming to nail their gaze upon him. Thin lips, thick lashes, and a beauty mark at the corner of his eye... Shen Gonglin somehow looked even better asleep.
"Bronya, what are you doing?"
Mei pulled the unconscious Shen Gonglin closer to herself, putting some distance between him and Bronya. They had almost kissed at that distance just now. Mei let him lean against her and carefully kept him from falling. Electricity traveled into Shen Gonglin through the place where they touched. What was Bronya doing? Since Shen Gonglin had taken advantage of her, was she planning to take advantage of him too?
"Bronya is only verifying her previous conclusion. The word 'pretty' does suit Shen Gonglin better. 'Handsome' does not really fit him... Bronya also has a different opinion on Shen Gonglin's battle with the Class President. Bronya believes he was jealous because the Class President was more handsome than him."
Lacking emotional awareness, Bronya did not realize there was anything dangerous about being so close to Shen Gonglin just now. She looked at Shen Gonglin, then at Fu Hua. This girl who looked like a young child was still hung up on the matter.
Kiana and Mei both felt, for an instant, that this reason actually made sense. After thinking it over, this was the only explanation that fit Shen Gonglin's image. He really was petty.
"Pretty? Let me see, let me see... He really is so pretty. A boy this pretty feels even cuter than Kiana."
Theresa walked over to Shen Gonglin. After hearing them go on and on, she had become curious about him too. The principal poked Shen Gonglin's cheek. He did not seem very old, a little younger than Kiana, perhaps around Bronya's age. Sleeping, he looked like a little animal. So cute. She really wanted to pet him.
"Mm... Ma'am, that hairstyle of yours is very dangerous..."
As the electricity in his body was replenished, Shen Gonglin slowly woke up. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a girl standing before him. Blue eyes, white hair—she looked somewhat like Kiana. Yet that hairstyle made him blurt out those words instinctively. Seeing that white braid hanging in front of her chest, he could not help saying it. For some reason, he just felt that hairstyle was incredibly dangerous.
"Huh? Is there something wrong with my hairstyle... No, I'm not anyone's ma'am. Remember, you have to call me Principal."
Suddenly being told such a thing, Theresa touched her braid in confusion. She had worn this hairstyle for years. There was nothing strange about it. The strange one was him. Just as Kiana and the others had described, he was a little rascal who liked taking advantage of girls. He had only just woken up, yet he was already taking advantage of her verbally. Calling her ma'am, of all things.
She was not his ma'am.
"Principal? Where is this? Huh, it's you! I remember hitting your chest and then..."
Another unfamiliar person. Shen Gonglin struggled to sit up from Mei's arms. Everyone he knew was here: Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Fu Hua. The moment he saw Fu Hua, he remembered. He had run out of power and fallen onto her, unable to move. Then he had lost consciousness because of blood phobia, right?
"You're awake. No fight, no acquaintance. It was all a misunderstanding before. Is your body all right? Passing out from anemia... You need to take better care of yourself in the future."
Before Shen Gonglin could finish, Fu Hua spoke first. It was because of blood phobia and stimulation from the opposite sex—not because her chest was too hard!
Chapter 19: The Dignified Principal
Anemia? Fainting?
Shen Gonglin looked at the gray-haired girl before him. Had he fainted because of that? It did seem likely. The moment he saw her, the bridge of his nose started aching. So this was a Valkyrie. No wonder she was a warrior. Though Shen Gonglin had yet to see a Valkyrie fight for real, someone like Fu Hua, who even stuffed steel plates into her chest as protection, was clearly the symbol of a battle-hardened warrior.
Those people who fought in flimsy clothes or even swimsuits were simply on the wrong path. How could Valkyries fight Honkai without sturdy bodies and hard armor?
Of course, Shen Gonglin still did not know what this so-called Honkai was.
"Come to think of it, now that you mention it, I'm starving. Is there anything to eat... There are cookies here. Let me have something to fill my stomach."
Fu Hua should not have said anything. The moment she mentioned anemia and fainting, Shen Gonglin felt overwhelmingly hungry, as though he had gone months without food. Treating the place as if it were his own home, he relied on his innate talent for foraging and opened a drawer in Theresa's desk, finding the hidden cookies inside. He really was starving. With one hand holding Mei's and the other skillfully opening the cookie package, he stuffed them into his mouth. He was so hungry.
"Stop! Those are my snacks... Hehe, it's nothing. They were given to me by adorable students. I don't actually eat them; I just keep them here. As principal, how could I possibly eat in my office?"
Seeing Shen Gonglin take her emergency rations, Theresa's heart nearly shattered. Eating snacks and reading manga in her office was one of life's great joys, but with so many students and her niece watching, she had to maintain her dignity... Though perhaps she was the only one who believed she still had any dignity. The others did not care about something that did not exist.
"Mm-hm, the Principal is invincible... Mei, I'm still hungry. Is there anything else to eat?"
Shen Gonglin praised Theresa without the slightest sincerity, but even so, Theresa smugly puffed out her chest. This Shen Gonglin was not bad. He was the only one willing to say things like that. He seemed like an easy child to get along with. Theresa had previously worried that Shen Gonglin might be a bad person. After all, the recording showed him firing indiscriminately; Himeko and the Honkai Beasts alike had all been within his attack range. Now, though, it seemed it had probably just been an accident.
"I'll make you something to eat later. You've been on nutrient fluids these past few months, so it's natural that you're hungry... But could you let go of my hand? I can't cook like this."
Mei was filled with all the qualities of a virtuous wife and loving mother. Though only a girl, she radiated homemaker energy. She normally handled the food in the dorm, and Shen Gonglin's body had to be weak after just waking up. He might have anemia as well. In such a short time, Mei had already decided what to cook for him. But with him holding her hand, she could not cook. Besides, this was the principal's office. Even if she were going to cook, she would have to return to the dorm first.
"That won't work. I need to stay close to you to charge. I haven't recovered yet. I collapsed during the fight earlier because I didn't have enough electricity. Otherwise, I definitely would've won. I'm not fully charged yet. I may look like this, but my legs are still weak."
Shen Gonglin refused righteously. In truth, he was completely making it up. The electricity in his body was already enough to support free movement. Mei was like an extraordinarily pure, oversized power bank; the current inside her seemed endless. No matter how much Shen Gonglin absorbed, she showed no reaction at all. Charging him was no problem whatsoever. But of course, he could not say that. How could he possibly miss such a perfectly legitimate chance to hold a girl's hand?
Although Mei seemed to be into girls, that did not affect Shen Gonglin taking advantage of her. He was only holding hands. Shen Gonglin already considered that a concession.
"Is that so? Then, Principal, if there's nothing else, we'll head back to the dorm first. What happened between Shen Gonglin and the Class President was only a misunderstanding. He just woke up, and I want to make him something to replenish his nutrients. Is that all right?"
Since he said so, Mei did not dwell on the hand-holding issue. Instead, she actively held Shen Gonglin's hand so he would not have to exert himself. Her action deeply stung Shen Gonglin's conscience. What a wonderful girl. Was it really all right for him to deceive her like this...
Just kidding. Of course it was all right. If he did not deceive such a kind girl, was he supposed to wait for someone else to deceive her? Besides, he did not have much of a conscience to begin with. Like integrity, it was something that only hindered humanity's progress. Someone as outstanding as Shen Gonglin had naturally discarded it long ago.
"Mm, that's fine. Health comes first. Mei, you can go back first. Fu Hua, stay behind. We still need to discuss the damage to the training room."
Theresa nodded. Though she was the shortest one present, she held the highest position in St. Freya Academy. She had met Shen Gonglin now and formed a basic impression of him. Overall, she did not dislike him. The only small issue was that he had eaten her treasured snacks without permission. Other than that, there was nothing more for them to do. Everything else could wait until he had fully recovered.
"Then, Theresa, I'll be going. Can I borrow this to read? The cover looks pretty interesting."
Shen Gonglin stood up from the chair with great difficulty, pretending to be a critically ill patient as he leaned against Mei. Even so, he did not forget to stuff the remaining half-package of cookies into Kiana's pocket so he could take them away. Kiana, who was covered in cookie crumbs, was about to get angry when her attention was caught by the manga in Shen Gonglin's hand. Hohom Adventure? Why was that in Auntie's office?
And why did he act so naturally when stuffing the cookies into her pocket? Was she supposed to carry them for him? Why did he not put them in his own pocket?
"Huh? That's mine... I mean, I confiscated it from a student. Honestly, children these days sneak manga during class. If you want to read it, take it. It'll only take up space here... Take it. Hurry up and take it."
This time, Theresa's heart was truly bleeding. Was this what people called a troublesome child? He had come to raid her office. Not only had he eaten her snacks, he was taking her books too. The key was that she could not say anything. What, was she supposed to admit that the book was hers and that she still wanted to read it?
Did a principal not need dignity anymore?
Chapter 20: Theresa's Assessment of Shen Gonglin
"Principal, are you all right?"
After Shen Gonglin and the others left, Fu Hua watched Theresa clutch her chest as she crouched on the floor, trembling all over. Fu Hua kindly patted her shoulder. Ever since Shen Gonglin's group had gone out, Theresa had been like this, as though she had completely broken down. The principal was usually energetic, so what was going on? An aura of sadness radiated around her, as if she had learned that Bishop Otto had died unexpectedly.
"No, I'm fine... I just feel like crouching down. I'm completely fine. Fu Hua, tell me the entire process of your fight with Shen Gonglin again. I need to record it and send it to headquarters. This is Grandpa's order. Make it as objective as possible."
Holding back her tears, mourning both her manga and snacks, Theresa wanted nothing more than to return to her dorm and have a good cry. But the principal's duties compelled her to force herself through the task her grandfather had assigned. When she had brought Shen Gonglin back to St. Freya, he had told her to compile everything that happened to Shen Gonglin into a report and send it to him. Since Shen Gonglin had fought Fu Hua, Fu Hua was the most suitable person to ask.
"Yes. It was just as I said earlier. I did not hide anything. Principal, are you really all right? Leave the report to me. Shouldn't you go back and rest first?"
Theresa's condition was truly worrying. As a good student, Fu Hua felt it was her responsibility to help the principal deal with this matter. It felt as though the principal would really start crying if she kept forcing herself.
"...All right. I'll go back and rest first. Fu Hua, write it in my office. I'll cry for a while... I mean, I'll be back in a little while."
Theresa sniffled. She had overturned all her previous judgments of Shen Gonglin. He was not a good child at all. Compared to him, even Kiana was less troublesome. She felt so awful. She needed some bitter melon juice. She jumped twice in front of the coat rack, then realized that her height made it impossible to take down her head covering. Theresa gave up and walked out. A nun's outfit was still a nun's outfit without the head covering. Whatever.
"Shen Gonglin. Male. Estimated age: around fifteen. Physical fitness rating: C. Combat instincts: B. Reaction speed: A. Learning ability: S. Overall combat ability comparable to that of an excellent A-rank Valkyrie. Suspected to possess some form of electrical current manipulation ability. Insufficient information on high-damage techniques; unable to assess. Can perfectly reproduce martial arts through visual observation, though their power is weakened to a corresponding degree due to his physical condition. Blood phobia. Afraid of pain..."
Sitting in the chair Shen Gonglin had used earlier, Fu Hua rested her hand against her chin and carefully calculated Shen Gonglin's various abilities, writing her assessment of him into the report. Why did Otto want information on Shen Gonglin? That man should have been indifferent to such matters.
This academy was really huge. It looked pretty interesting too. Bronya had said before that the school was built on an artificial island, so the anti-Honkai organization really had money... Only while Mei led him back to the dormitory did Shen Gonglin have time to observe St. Freya Academy. It felt less like an institution training warriors and more like some kind of private academy for noble young ladies. Impressive.
"Kiana, give me a cookie. By the way, what exactly does fighting Honkai mean? I've heard you all talking about it. If it's some kind of battle, are you really relying on girls like yourselves?"
When he did not understand something, he asked. He was basically a visitor from another world now. Since there were locals around him, naturally he had to gather information. Shen Gonglin opened his mouth toward Kiana. This attendant had no awareness at all. His cookie was already gone, yet she did not know to give him another one. Poor service.
"What else would we rely on? Listen, St. Freya is a school specifically for training Valkyries. We're amazing. It's not as though there are no male warriors who fight Honkai. My stinky old man is one of them, though he's gone missing now and made things difficult for his daughter... As for Honkai, it's some pale-skinned Suicide Squads, plus white-and-purple little monsters that sometimes fly. Yeah, that's pretty much it... Wait, why am I feeding you? And get off Mei's back already!"
Finally encountering someone even more clueless than herself, Kiana hurriedly swallowed the cookie in her mouth. As she explained, she casually handed the cookie in her hand to Shen Gonglin. Only when he bit down on it with a crunch did she realize what she was doing. Why was she feeding Shen Gonglin like a maid? And when had he climbed onto Mei's back? She had never received treatment like that herself. No way—Kiana was so envious and jealous right now!
"You looked like you had nothing better to do, so consider it payment for the cookies I treated you to. I didn't even complain about you eating my cookies, so what are you yelling for? Besides, I'm physically weak right now. Having you help me walk is too much trouble. If you feel sorry for Mei, then you carry me instead. I don't mind."
Without the slightest thought of cherishing a girl, Shen Gonglin had tested the waters by asking Mei the moment they came out. The girl did not refuse, and since Shen Gonglin's steps truly were a little unsteady, he half-pushed, half-went along with it and climbed onto Mei's back. After all, he was a patient. Being a little spoiled was acceptable. Seeing Kiana's jealous expression, Shen Gonglin felt secretly delighted.
Maybe he had been a truly awful person before losing his memories.
Before you continue