I, Herrscher Slayer: Intelligence Suppressed

But what did that have to do with Shen Gonglin being a heartless cookie-eating machine?

"Fine, I'll carry him! Don't think you can take advantage of Mei, you jerk! I'm not as easygoing as Mei!"

Like Shen Gonglin, Kiana did not have much concept of boundaries between men and women. What upset her was him taking advantage of Mei by clinging to her back. Being carried by Mei had to feel great, right? As far as Kiana was concerned, he was simply using this chance to shamelessly take advantage of Mei. Mei was only putting up with it because she was kind, but that did not mean anyone could bully her. Kiana absolutely would not allow that!

"It's okay. Shen Gonglin isn't heavy, and this little distance is nothing... Kiana, be careful. Don't run."

Mei did not think much of it. Shen Gonglin was lying on her back without making any trouble, and his weight was nothing to a girl who had trained in kendo for years. She had undergone physical training for kendo as well, so carrying Shen Gonglin was no big deal. But before she could finish speaking, Kiana yanked Shen Gonglin off her back. Watching the white-haired girl race away into the distance with him in her arms gave Mei a headache. What was she doing?

Intelligence Suppressed

"Hey, Kiana, what are you doing?"

The scenery rushed past them as Shen Gonglin stared blankly at Kiana's face. The sudden change in position left him a little unable to react. He had been peacefully recharging on Mei's back, so how had things ended up like this?

"Didn't you ask someone to carry you? What's wrong? Mei can carry you, but I can't? Or did you just want to take advantage of Mei? Let me tell you, with me around, don't even think about getting away with it! I'm smart, so don't even dream about it!"

Kiana wrinkled her little nose at Shen Gonglin smugly. Mei was hers, and Shen Gonglin was not allowed to infringe upon her private property. Seeing him lying on Mei's back made Kiana very unhappy. Mei really needed to be more careful, too. Girls had to protect themselves—there were so many perverts outside.

"So you're taking advantage of me instead? If you wanted to carry me, then carry me. Why did you have to hold me like this? And it's a princess carry, too! This is so embarrassing! Put me down already!"

This was what truly shocked Shen Gonglin. He would not have minded being carried on someone's back. Whoever carried him, carried him, and Kiana's figure was pretty good too. But being held like this left him utterly disoriented. This was called a princess carry, right? Kiana was giving him a princess carry. That was unacceptable.

Even without his memories, Shen Gonglin felt instinctively uncomfortable. This posture had never been meant for boys. Held in her arms like this, his long-dormant sense of shame finally reacted. Not simple. This girl Kiana was not simple at all.

"Huh? But this position is more convenient. I'm not carrying you on my back. My back is forever reserved for Mei. A mere Shen Gonglin can only be held by me. There's no use arguing. Didn't you say you were too weak to walk? Then I'll carry you like this. What are you dissatisfied with?"

Kiana's reasoning completely stunned Shen Gonglin. What kind of logic was that? Did this white-haired girl think carrying someone on her back was more intimate than a princess carry? Surely it should have been the other way around. Was she not embarrassed to be seen holding him like this? Shen Gonglin, at least, was embarrassed beyond belief. At a time like this, taking advantage of someone was the last thing on his mind. Fine, he was wrong. Could she put him down now? Kiana was even more perverted than he was!

"I think I'm fine now. Put me down. I can walk."

Shen Gonglin gripped Kiana's collar and stared seriously into the white-haired girl's eyes. Those azure eyes seemed utterly silly to him. He did not seem to be good at dealing with girls like her. After all, their intelligence levels were not even on the same plane. Shen Gonglin simply could not keep up with Kiana's train of thought.

"Didn't you say you couldn't walk... Huh, am I seeing this right? You're blushing! Hahaha, Shen Gonglin, so you can get shy too! Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'll hold you properly."

Kiana had originally intended to put Shen Gonglin down, but the moment she saw the faint blush on his face, she immediately changed her mind. Ever since Shen Gonglin woke up, he had been suppressing her at every turn. Kiana had finally found a chance for revenge. So he could be shy and blush too. Miss Kiana would never let such a wonderful opportunity pass. Tightening her grip, Kiana wore a smile that looked very familiar to Shen Gonglin.

Did I smile like that whenever I was being awful?

"Hohohoho! Hahaha! You think you can run after getting caught by me? Tremble obediently in my arms!"

Like a huntress who had caught her prey in an Amazonian tribe, Kiana ran through the streets with Shen Gonglin in her arms, wind whipping around her. The passing students all looked at her in surprise. Was that not the famous Kiana from across the academy? Where had she snatched up a man from?

Had they not said she liked girls? So she was normal after all. What a disappointment.

"Kiana, do you know what you just did? Can't you stop messing around for once? Have you considered what the students at the academy will say about you afterward?"

Inside the Valkyrie dormitory, Mei rubbed her temples and looked helplessly at Kiana, who sat on the couch. The girl had even turned her head aside and was whistling. Did she know what she had done? Bronya and Mei had chased after her from behind but could not catch up. More importantly, Kiana had not returned directly to the dorm. Instead, she had carried Shen Gonglin around the entirety of St. Freya Academy as if showing him off. What on earth went on inside Kiana's head? Why could even Mei not figure her out?

"I don't care what other people say about me. I wanted to do it. This guy has been bullying me all along, and if I don't show him some color, then I'm not Kiana Kaslana."

Kiana had no intention of admitting fault. Besides, she did not think she had done anything wrong. Looking at Shen Gonglin, who was slumped beside her as though too ashamed to face anyone, she felt a rush of delight. So this was why he liked bullying them. Bullying others felt this good... No, that was not right. Bullying others should not feel like this. Only bullying him made her feel so good!

If she had the chance to choose again, Kiana guaranteed she would still make the same choice. Those intangible things like reputation were not worth mentioning compared to the satisfaction in her heart.

Kiana had always been a good girl who followed her heart. Having finally won a round against Shen Gonglin, she was so happy that she felt like opening a bottle of 1982 cola to celebrate.

"Sigh, honestly, you should at least think before you act... Shen Gonglin? Are you okay? Did you run out of power? If you did, I can recharge you."

There was simply nothing Mei could do about Kiana. With that attitude of a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, perhaps only Teacher Himeko or the principal could handle her. Mei had no solution. Helplessly, she turned her attention to Shen Gonglin and patted his back comfortingly. He had been like this ever since returning to the dormitory. It was her fault for failing to keep Kiana under control. He should be okay, right?

"Mei, I'll never be able to face anyone again!"

Like a swallow returning to its nest, Shen Gonglin climbed off the couch and threw himself into Mei's arms. Shen Gonglin cared a great deal about his reputation. While Kiana carried him, he had heard many people talking. Someone as handsome as him being princess-carried by a girl—Shen Gonglin felt like he could die all over again.

"It's okay, it's okay. Not many people saw your face while you were in Kiana's arms, so it's fine."

Mei hurriedly patted Shen Gonglin's back to comfort him. But Kiana, who had completely gone bad, leaned over at that moment, lifted Shen Gonglin's chin, and pressed close to him for a selfie.

"Hehe, Mei's right. I'll upload it to the academy network right now. Don't be scared, Shen Gonglin. Everyone will get to see it."

Shen Gonglin was shocked. So were Mei and Bronya, who stared wide-eyed at Kiana. Why was this girl doing that? This was purely hurting others without benefiting herself.

Not Bullying Means Being Bullied

Taking care of these two troublesome children... really was such a headache.

Mei sighed, suddenly struck by that realization. Handling Kiana alone had already been difficult enough. Now that Shen Gonglin had been added to the mix, Mei felt as though she had gained a new challenge. Why did Kiana enjoy bullying Shen Gonglin so much? And it was not even clever bullying. If Kiana really uploaded that photo to the academy network, it would truly be hurting others without benefiting herself. How deep did their grudge have to be? Mei had a feeling that her days ahead would become a little harder.

"Kiana, be serious. How can you casually post a photo like that... And don't worry, Shen Gonglin. I won't let her mess around."

Mei took the phone from Kiana and gave her a mild glare at the photo on its screen. This girl had actually taken it, and it was rather well-shot too. Both people in the photo were photogenic, making it look almost like a couple's picture. Kiana was really going all out to ruin Shen Gonglin's reputation, even at the cost of her own.

"Mei, thank you."

Moved, Shen Gonglin threw himself into Mei's arms again. While expressing his gratitude, he openly took advantage of her. Girls really were comfortable to hold. Full chest, slender waist—perfectly suited to Shen Gonglin's tastes. She felt wonderful in his arms, completely unlike that immoral white-haired girl over there. It was truly wonderful to have an onee-san complex.

"It's okay. Are you alright without recharging now? Rest for a bit, and I'll make you something delicious. You were unconscious for so long, so you must be hungry."

Mei stroked the golden hair in her arms. She was an only child, but if she had a younger brother, perhaps this was what it would feel like. Mei did not dislike it. Shen Gonglin had relied entirely on nutrient injections while unconscious. Now that he was awake, she needed to make him something nourishing.

"Mm... no. I didn't recharge enough to begin with, and Kiana tossed me around for so long just now. I need to properly replenish some Mei energy here. Let me help you. I feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity with the kitchen. Maybe I'll remember something from before."

Recharging was secondary. The important thing was that holding Mei felt comfortable. He was satisfied both physically and mentally. Besides, the moment Mei mentioned cooking, something deep inside Shen Gonglin seemed to stir, making his entire body restless. Could he have been a chef before losing his memories?

"Huh? Do you really need to recharge like that...? Then come in too, Shen Gonglin. It would be best if you can remember something from before, but it's alright if you can't."

After hesitating slightly, Mei brought Shen Gonglin into the kitchen. What exactly was Mei energy? Why did both Shen Gonglin and Kiana call it that? Was it some unique scent she had? Mei secretly lifted her arm and sniffed it. Such a statement was truly embarrassing for a young woman, like someone pointing at her nose and saying she smelled strange. But no matter how much Mei sniffed, she could not detect any odd scent from herself. What a difficult matter.

"Bronya, don't you think Mei is being far too tolerant of Shen Gonglin? I have a feeling that brat is definitely not a good person. He must be using that harmless appearance to trick Mei into sympathizing with him. You and I have to watch out from now on."

Watching Shen Gonglin and Mei enter the kitchen, Kiana leaned close to Bronya and whispered to her. She had to protect Mei. Mei was far too gentle and innocent. What if she got tricked by a boy? To eliminate that possibility, Kiana had always planned to win Mei over first. But Shen Gonglin's arrival had given her a strong sense of crisis. There was no mistake—he had to be eyeing Mei just like Kiana was. That was her intuition as a girl.

"Bronya thinks Kiana is jealous... Shen Gonglin's feelings toward Sister Mei should currently be nothing more than simple affection. There are relevant records of this in books. He was unconscious for so long and has lost his memories, so he would naturally feel close to the first person he saw upon waking. If Kiana needs it, Bronya can find the relevant materials for you."

Sitting quietly on the couch, Bronya took out her handheld console and began playing. She explained the reason Shen Gonglin was closer to Mei. Based on her observations, that was probably why. Shen Gonglin's eyes had been clear from beginning to end. Perhaps he did not like Mei; perhaps he simply liked the feeling of being with her.

"Huh? Materials? I can't be bothered to read those. But you said he would feel close to the first person he saw when he woke up? That still doesn't make sense. I was one of the first people he saw too, so why isn't he as nice to me as he is to Mei? He took advantage of me the moment we met... He's just a bad boy!"

Kiana recalled when Shen Gonglin had first awakened. Back then, he had been like an angry cat that bit anyone it could catch. That bad boy had actually grabbed her chest. The thought made Kiana grit her teeth. No, she could feel herself blushing again. Mei and she had both been the first people he saw after waking up, so why was he so good to Mei and so mean to her?

"Bronya thinks that if Kiana does not bully Shen Gonglin, he... he will probably still bully you."

Bronya thought carefully before giving that answer. Though she had not spent much time with Shen Gonglin, Bronya felt that she understood his nature fairly well. Would Kiana be fine if she did not bully him? Clearly not. No matter what, he would probably bully Kiana anyway. It was truly an unsolvable problem. Bronya had begun taking an interest in it.

"...I think so too. So I have to strike first. Before he bullies me, I have to bully him."

After a moment of silence, Kiana sighed. That was how it was. If she did not bully Shen Gonglin, then he would definitely bully her. If possible, she wanted to be a good person too, but there was no helping it. That was life.

The young lady of the Kaslana family looked out the window. Sunlight fell across her face, making Kiana seem strangely sacred at that moment. Life was like that. If you did not bully others, others would bully you...

With that excuse, Kiana immediately felt free of guilt. Hehe, now she could bully Shen Gonglin openly and honestly.

Something Engraved in DNA

It felt strangely familiar. Looking at the pots, pans, bowls, and utensils in the kitchen, Shen Gonglin fell into deep thought. He had previously felt drawn to the kitchen, and seeing these ingredients and cooking tools truly made him eager to try. Yet when he actually prepared to begin, it felt as though a voice in his heart was stopping him, as though several people were shouting in his ears, telling him never to do it.

What was going on?

Shen Gonglin held a cabbage and stared at it, trying to see something from it. Could it be that his previous guess had been wrong? Could he actually not know how to cook?

Clearly, that was not it.

"Ai-chan..."

Absentmindedly playing with the cabbage in his hands, Shen Gonglin inexplicably murmured that name. Why did thinking of that name make something hurt? It was not his heart. That thing should be... his integrity?

"How about cream stew? Sweet things can replenish your sugar. You must need it after being unconscious for so long... Shen Gonglin, don't play with food. And if possible, please don't give food names."

After putting on her apron, Mei decided what to make. But when she turned around, she saw Shen Gonglin staring at a cabbage and calling it Ai-chan. Naming food made Mei want to laugh. She took the cabbage from Shen Gonglin's hands. She had not intended to let him help anyway. She had only brought him into the kitchen to separate him from Kiana. If Mei was not around, the two of them would definitely start fighting again. The best solution was to keep them apart.

"I'm not playing. Mei, make whatever you want. I'm fine with anything."

His mind was a mess. Shen Gonglin shook his head, then leaned against the counter and watched Mei cook. If he could not figure it out, he would stop thinking about it. Even with amnesia, Shen Gonglin had not deliberately tried to investigate his memories. He would remember someday. What he could be sure of now was that he had not been an ordinary person before losing his memories. As for the rest, Shen Gonglin had no way of knowing.

Maybe asking Kiana would be a good idea. After all, according to her, she had found him. Other than that tattered school uniform, there should have been something else on him, right?

"'Anything' is the hardest dish to make... In the future, you have to say what you want to eat. Today, I'll make cream stew for you. You can tell me anything you want to eat in the future. I may not look it, but I'm quite confident in my cooking. I can make you anything you want."

Mei turned back and tapped Shen Gonglin on the head. When it came to cooking, she could not stand words like "anything" or "whatever." On one hand, it was her instinct to care for others; on the other, Mei genuinely wanted to treat Shen Gonglin well. After all, both he and Kiana could be considered her benefactors. Maybe he did not remember, and maybe he had not done it intentionally, but he had indeed saved her back then. That alone was enough for Mei to treat him this way.

Besides, Mei actually had quite a good impression of him.

Brilliant golden hair, dark purple eyes like her own, and that little face like a fox spirit's... Mei did not consider herself someone who judged by appearances, but she truly liked Shen Gonglin's face. Just looking at him gave her the urge to take care of him. He must have been spoiled by many people before.

"Oh... then how about Stargazy Pie?"

Shen Gonglin did not mind being tapped on the head. If it had been Kiana, he definitely would have gone over and grabbed her face by now. After hearing Mei's words, he instinctively named a famous dish. Shen Gonglin seemed to have a deep impression of it. He might have made it before, though he did not know whether Mei could cook it. Perhaps eating it would help him remember something.

"...Out of so many delicious dishes, why did you choose that one, Shen Gonglin? Do you really know what Stargazy Pie looks like?"

Mei had just said that she would make whatever Shen Gonglin wanted, only to be immediately slapped in the face by her own words. Even so, she did not want to make that dish. Of course she had heard of it, the famous dish also known as the dark cuisine of fish staring toward death. The girl was slightly obsessive about such things. If she made something that frightening, she would definitely have nightmares. It would be torture for both the cook and the person eating it.

"I don't know. The name just suddenly flashed through my mind. Can you make it, Mei?"

Shen Gonglin did not yet understand how serious the issue was. Looking at his innocent little face, Mei felt heavy-hearted. How could a girl say she could not do something? Especially after she had just boasted to Shen Gonglin that she could make him anything he wanted. Since that was the case, she would go all out. With her cooking skills, she should be able to make up for it somewhat... probably.

"I can, but the dorm doesn't have the necessary ingredients today. We don't even have salted fish, and we certainly can't use Kiana instead... How about this? Next time. If there's a chance next time, I'll definitely make it for you. For now, let's make cream stew first. Help me pan-fry the chicken pieces. Be careful not to get splattered by the oil, alright?"

She needed to prepare before making that dish. Since she had made a promise to Shen Gonglin, Mei had to keep it. If she did not make it today, she would make it someday. Mei was already planning to look up videos that night. She had to make this dish well, for the sake of Raiden Mei's name!

"No problem at all. I should be pretty good at cooking too. Honestly, it's just frying chicken pieces. I don't even take that seriously. Mei, when should I put them in?"

Finally, it was his time to show off. Ignoring his earlier wariness toward the dangerous kitchen, Shen Gonglin rolled up his sleeves and prepared to display his skills. The essence of courting disaster flowed through his blood. Otherwise, he would not be Shen Gonglin. It was only cooking, after all. Shen Gonglin did not take it seriously.

"Mm, just put them in when the oil is seventy percent hot... Shen Gonglin, what are you doing?!"

Mei began preparing the other ingredients. Once she had chopped the vegetables and was ready to put them in the pot, she glanced back at Shen Gonglin. That single glance startled her. He had stretched out his hand and was about to touch the frying oil. Mei hurriedly dropped the knife and pulled him away. The moment she looked away, he started messing around. Was he trying to demonstrate an iron hand in boiling oil? This was not vinegar!

"Didn't you say to put them in when it was seventy percent hot? I was testing it. Otherwise, how would I know how hot seventy percent was... Mei, why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?"

Shen Gonglin looked at Mei in confusion. He did not think he had done anything wrong, so why did Mei look like she wanted to scold him but could not bring herself to say it?

"It's nothing. You didn't do anything wrong. I was wrong. Go out and play with Kiana and the others first. I can handle things here alone."

Mei forced a smile at Shen Gonglin. At that moment, she swore to herself that she would never let Shen Gonglin enter a kitchen alone. He absolutely could not cook!

Little Clever Ghost

"Ugh... whoa, ow, wait, wait a second... Waaah, how did I lose again? Bronya, can't you let me win once?!"

In the living room, Kiana and Bronya each held a controller as they fought intensely before the television. Of course, only Kiana was tense. Bronya remained expressionless as always, but her fingers moved so fast over the controller that they nearly left afterimages, utterly crushing Kiana, who tried to boost her gaming skills with sounds and movements. The battle on-screen had ended. It was another day of Kiana being utterly beaten.

Kiana tossed aside her controller, thoroughly dejected. She had not even touched Bronya once from the moment the match began. She knew Bronya was good at games, but she could not be this good. There was no gaming experience at all. How could she play with Bronya in the future? Bronya should at least let her hit her once.

"No. Going all out is a soldier's dignity... Though even if Bronya did not go all out, stupid Kiana would still not be Bronya's opponent."

Bronya calmly set down her controller. Since they were waiting for Mei to cook, the two had started gaming in the living room. Or perhaps it could not be called gaming—it was entirely one-sided domination. Kiana was simply too stupid. Even when Bronya taught her, she could not understand. At such a young age, Bronya had already experienced the loneliness of being invincible.

"Ugh... how can you say that about me? It's not like I'm the only one who can't beat Bronya... Huh, Shen Gonglin, why did you come out? Is Mei done cooking already? That was fast."

Losing to others was embarrassing, but losing to Bronya was not embarrassing at all. After all, Kiana had never met anyone who could defeat Bronya in games. There was nothing she could do even when Bronya looked down on her. Kiana flopped backward onto the couch in defeat, then saw Shen Gonglin emerge from the kitchen. Mei was not usually that fast. She had only lost one match, so there was no way the food was ready. Normally, she had to lose five or six matches before dinner was done.

"No. Maybe my cooking skills were just too shocking. Mei told me to come out and wait. What are you two playing?"

Unaware of the real reason Mei had sent him away, Shen Gonglin did not know that the gentle girl would never tell him the truth. Seeing the huge KO on the television made him curious. So while he had been working hard in the kitchen, these two were sitting here playing games? They truly had no respect for his labor. Two freeloaders!

It seemed Shen Gonglin had really mistaken his interference for helping.

"Hohom Battle... Shen Gonglin, do you want to play too?"

Kiana's eyes spun as she thought. Even she was getting tired of constantly being crushed. It was time to watch someone else get crushed by Bronya, especially Shen Gonglin. Kiana had discovered that she particularly enjoyed seeing Shen Gonglin suffer. She had not had enough fun with the princess carry earlier. With Shen Gonglin's skill, he probably could not beat even Kiana, much less Bronya. He looked like the type with an extremely strong desire to win. Had he not fought the Class President over that? If he lost to Kiana in a game... Yes, that was it.

"Hohom Adventure? I've never even heard of it... It shouldn't be hard, right?"

Why did he see ill intent in Kiana's eyes? To Shen Gonglin, Kiana now resembled a creepy old man coaxing an ignorant young boy into playing an adults-only game. Only Kiana could give Shen Gonglin that feeling while looking like a beautiful girl. This woman had just tricked him, so was she trying to do it again?

"It's not hard, not hard. It's really fun. Come try it with me. Don't be scared. I'll let you have the first round. Bronya, give me your controller. Come sit over here, hurry, hurry."

Kiana could not wait to crush Shen Gonglin. She tossed her controller to him, snatched Bronya's controller away, and waved Shen Gonglin over. She loved bullying newbies like this. He had never even heard of the game, so he definitely could not be her match. She had been losing only because her opponent was Bronya. Against anyone else, Kiana could be considered fairly skilled.

If it was fun, there was no harm in playing. Watching the two of them game had already made Shen Gonglin's hands itch. He took the controller and sat beside Kiana. The two sat cross-legged on the floor, while Bronya sat on the couch behind them to watch. Kiana was truly useless—after failing to beat Bronya, she went to bully a newbie. Bronya condemned such behavior. She hoped Shen Gonglin would not be bullied too badly by Kiana... Though perhaps Kiana was the one who should be worried. If Shen Gonglin lost, he would definitely become angry from embarrassment and challenge Kiana to a real fight. If he could tie with the Class President, Kiana would certainly not be his match.

Why was Bronya slightly looking forward to Shen Gonglin losing to Kiana?

"Let's be clear first. Let me familiarize myself with the controls in the first round. Bullying a newbie is trashy behavior no expert should have... Otherwise, I don't know what I might do."

Shen Gonglin truly disliked losing, especially if he had to lose to Kiana. So before the match began, he gave Kiana a warning in advance. If she still dared to crush him after that, then she should not blame him for truly crushing her. Shen Gonglin had no gentlemanly manners. He was a true gentleman.