Bai Chen looked at the person beside him in horror.
Yuno!!
Yuno, a head taller than him, was clinging to him like an octopus. So last night's nightmare hadn't come from nowhere after all!
Rita
"Yuno!!"
Kiana's roar rang out from outside the door, seemingly mixed with a trace of unwillingness.
Mei had come over this morning out of concern, wanting to see how Yuno was doing today. But when she went to Yuno's room, she couldn't find her at all.
When she checked Kiana's room, Yuno was nowhere to be seen either, so she asked Kiana to help look for her.
Her shoes were still by the door, which meant Yuno hadn't gone out. Then where could she have gone?
After searching everywhere without success, Kiana suddenly thought of something. Her sleepy expression was immediately tinged with a blush.
Then that blush was swiftly replaced by rage! Kiana immediately headed for Bai Chen's room, charging toward her target like a chariot!
Bang!
Under the Kaslana family's monstrous strength, Bai Chen's tightly shut door was no different from paper. One blow declared the end of its mission.
Startled, Bai Chen stared at the ruined door. His heart sank even further. Had he forgotten to lock it? He didn't have a habit of locking doors?
"You bastard!"
Sure enough, she found her target in Bai Chen's bed. That eye-searing position made the flames in Kiana's heart burn even hotter!
Whoosh! Kiana decisively stepped forward and flung Bai Chen's blanket away, exposing Yuno and Bai Chen's position.
"What the hell! Kiana, why are you barging into Bai Chen's room and going crazy again this early in the morning? I don't have class this morning. I wanted to get some good sleep."
Himeko, clearly just awake, ran into Bai Chen's room in her pajamas, ready to give the person disturbing her dreams a proper lesson.
Almost at the same time, Mei and the Bronya who had rushed over after hearing the commotion also arrived at Bai Chen's room. The three of them froze in unison.
"Mmm..."
Perhaps because the blanket had been removed and she felt uncomfortable, Yuno twisted her body, rubbed herself against Bai Chen, then hugged him even tighter.
"Help..."
That soft body rubbing against him stimulated Bai Chen's nerves even more.
It stimulated Kiana's nerves too!
"Himeko! Look at her!"
Kiana angrily grabbed Himeko's hand and pointed at Yuno.
"Ahem, ahem!"
Himeko, astonished at how open young people were these days, coughed awkwardly twice. She walked over to Bai Chen's bed and said seriously.
"Bai Chen, you're still young. Don't do this sort of thing so early."
"Who asked you that?!"
Kiana ran to Bai Chen's bed, grabbed the spring mattress, and violently flipped it upward!
The terrifying force instantly tossed Bai Chen and Yuno into the air.
Yuno, who had been asleep, woke up at once. Several vines burst from her back and held both her and Bai Chen suspended in midair before gently lowering them down.
"Yuno! You were pretending to sleep all along, weren't you? Yesterday, when we were talking, I thought your attitude toward Bai Chen was strange. I didn't expect you to launch a nighttime attack on him today."
Kiana threw the mattress back onto the bed, pointed at Yuno, and said furiously.
"I... I had no choice!"
Having been exposed, Yuno withdrew her vines and hid behind Bai Chen, who was smaller than her.
"Bai Chen is more than three years younger than you! How could you bring yourself to do it?!"
Kiana remembered what Bai Chen looked like when he transformed into Mei, and a thread of jealousy rose in her heart. He had never looked like that for her!
Once Bai Chen grew stronger, just imagining herself holding him while making him switch between different transformations was already incredible!
"What else could I do? He's the only one I'm familiar with now."
Yuno hugged Bai Chen even tighter from behind. All the relatives she knew had vanished along with the fall of Changkong City.
The only ones left were relatives she had never met since she could remember, separated from her by who knew how many generations.
Bai Chen was the man who had once pulled her back from death. Though he was violent, she couldn't help developing a sense of dependence on him.
She didn't know why. Maybe it was because Bai Chen had entered her mind, or maybe it was because her current body had been reshaped by Bai Chen's power.
Yuno now felt an unimaginable sense of closeness toward Bai Chen.
For the past few days, Yuno had been trapped in nightmares. She would remember the Herrscher's memories and the sight of others dying. Only when she was beside Bai Chen did she feel safe. She believed that as long as she stayed by Bai Chen's side, she would be safe.
Last night, while everyone was chatting as Bai Chen trained, Yuno voiced her desire to stay beside him. That was also why Yae Sakura had given Bai Chen that strange look.
Noticing that Yuno was trembling, Bai Chen calmed down as well. A trace of pity rose in his heart for her.
There were far too many people in this world worthy of pity. Bai Chen could only save Yuno.
"It's all right, Yuno. We were all lonely once. Here, Kiana, the others, and I will definitely help you find a new home."
Bai Chen turned around and gently embraced Yuno. He wasn't good with words, but making a promise was no problem.
Yuno had lost every relative she knew. What about him? Would there ever be a day when he could return home?
"Tch. Even so, you can't sleep in the same bed as Bai Chen next time. If you really can't handle it, we'll keep you company."
Kiana, somewhat embarrassed, looked away. She hadn't expected Yuno's situation to be so serious.
"I... I'll try."
"What do you mean, you'll try?!"
"By the way... Kiana, aren't you going to fix my door?"
Bai Chen gave her a death stare.
"Hahaha, let's go downstairs and have breakfast!"
Kiana darted away in a flash.
"Don't run!"
You smashed my door and think you can run away? If you don't fix it today, don't even think about leaving!
Divine Prayer
Then everyone watched the two white-haired people wrestle together.
Kiana's terrifying brute strength was impossible to suppress without transforming. A door broke at least three or four times a month, and every time, it had something to do with Kiana.
Today, she was definitely going to pay the price!
After a long while, Kiana held a hammer with a miserable expression and slowly nailed the door back into place.
Meanwhile, Bai Chen encountered a woman outside who gave him an extremely bad feeling!
"Excuse me, do you know where the principal's office is?"
That familiar, flirtatious voice. There was no mistaking that woman—Rita Rossweisse!
As if I'd believe that a spy like you doesn't know where Theresa's office is. Otto must have sent you to make contact with me, right?
Although Bai Chen was displeased and wary inside, he didn't show it.
"Principal Theresa? Who are you? Why are you looking for her? If you're up to no good, I'm not taking you there."
Bai Chen tilted his head back to look at Rita and spoke with a hint of wariness.
"Wow."
Rita looked at Bai Chen's adorable face and crystal-clear, innocent eyes. The thoughts she had hidden away gradually began to stir.
There's a Mission
Not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble, Bai Chen merely pointed out where Theresa's office was and described the route in detail.
"...The third door on the left over there, the biggest door."
Bai Chen turned to leave after giving Rita directions, but before he could turn around, Rita grabbed his shoulder.
Hm?
Bai Chen struggled with all his strength a few times, only to find it useless. Rita's hand on his shoulder did not budge in the slightest.
"Ma'am?"
"Little friend, your directions were too complicated. I'm afraid I'll forget them halfway there. Sorry for the trouble, but could you come with me?"
Like hell I'd believe you! Otto must have his eyes on me! Rita is clinging to me like this because that bastard Otto ordered her to!
After failing to break free again, Bai Chen could only give up struggling. If he had known he would run into Rita after coming out, he should have stayed in the dormitory to supervise Kiana while she fixed the door.
That might have bought him some time. Maybe he could have avoided her.
Then Rita showed Bai Chen what cruelty truly was. A ten-minute walk to Theresa's office was dragged out for more than half an hour.
While subtly probing Bai Chen for information along the way, Rita also kept touching him all over. She even braided several pretty braids into Bai Chen's slightly long hair!
Where exactly did you pull out so many tools from? Being able to braid hair while walking was way too impressive!
Still, setting everything else aside, the hairstyle that had never been cared for did look much better after Rita tidied it up.
It was a little... feminine.
After being treated like a doll by Rita the whole way, Bai Chen knocked on the door and opened Theresa's office with a dead-eyed expression.
"You remembered to knock this time. Remember to do it next time too... Oh my god! Bai Chen, what happened to you?!"
Theresa had originally wanted to put on airs, but when she saw Bai Chen's ashen expression, she immediately shot to her feet in alarm.
Then she saw Rita behind him.
"Rita!! Why are you here now? Weren't you supposed to arrive this afternoon?"
Amid her surprise, Theresa quietly shoved the manga hidden beneath her documents even farther down, then sat back in her chair and stiffened her face to avoid being exposed.
Rita had noticed Theresa's little movement long ago, but she merely smiled and didn't expose her.
"Everything was Otto's decision, Lady Theresa. Besides the standard inspection, Rita has another mission to complete during this visit."
Rita politely gave a bow and explained the purpose of her trip.
"Grandpa? What does he want?"
Theresa looked somewhat confused.
"I believe Lady Theresa has recently received news that an unnatural Honkai energy reaction has appeared in a certain sea area near Shenzhou."
"Otto believes it is time for this year's new students to adapt to missions in advance, so he specially sent Rita to stay at your academy for a few days and select suitable candidates."
Rita's answer was almost flawless. This was indeed the time of year when new students were taken out to gain experience.
But...
"Originally, there would have been no need to select anyone else, but Rita believes this little brother is rather suitable."
Rita's hand moved so quickly it became an afterimage. She abruptly grabbed Bai Chen, who had already stepped halfway out of the office, and pulled him back inside.
"Huh? But he..."
Theresa wanted to stop Rita. After all, Bai Chen was special—more special than even a Herrscher.
"There is no problem, Lady Theresa. I examined his body on the way here. He is suitable to cooperate with me in completing this mission."
Rita rested her hand on Bai Chen's shoulder and smiled calmly.
Examined... his body? Theresa was somewhat puzzled.
As the person being discussed, Bai Chen recalled how Rita had been touching him all over. Had she tested his physical condition at that time?
Before you continue