Who Isn't a Herrscher?

"If this continues, before Mio returns, the Honkai Energy inside his body will burst out first."

After saying that, Fu Hua closed her crimson eyes, then raised her right hand, palm facing upward.

"Phew~"

Scarlet flames appeared in Fu Hua's hand, gently illuminating the room.

Feather of the Dust, the Eighth Divine Key—the Key of Consciousness.

As the Key of Consciousness, everything Feather of the Dust created was indistinguishable from reality. The force of its attacks, the damage inflicted—every detail would make the opponent's conscious mind believe it was real.

It could even use Feather of the Dust to create a space, conjure illusions, shatter an opponent's consciousness, and hypnotize them. Once an enemy fell into an illusion, it could enter their consciousness and examine their memories.

And now, Fu Hua was going to forcibly enter Luo Mio's Consciousness Space with Feather of the Dust.

Red-and-white feathers gradually began to glow crimson throughout the room.

"Wait!"

Suddenly, the little glowing orb's system interrupted Fu Hua's attempt to force her way into the Consciousness Space.

"Look..."

Fu Hua looked toward Luo Mio.

The Honkai patterns on Luo Mio's body were slowly fading away, while the Honkai Energy spreading out from within him was gradually returning to his body.

Before long, the Honkai Energy radiating from Luo Mio had completely vanished back into his body. The Honkai patterns on him had mostly faded as well, leaving only a few faint traces.

Fu Hua sensed for any remaining Honkai Energy. Only after confirming it repeatedly did she open her eyes.

The blue light on the little orb flickered once.

System: "It seems the host's consciousness has returned."

After withdrawing the blue barrier around Ikki and Luo Mio's beds, it flew into Luo Mio's head.

Fu Hua also withdrew the power of Feather of the Dust, which turned into red-and-white feathers and disappeared from the room.

"Tha..."

Pitch-black gloom engulfed Luo Mio's soul. When he came to again, the space around him was no longer the dark, void-like place from before.

Faint starlight softly dotted Luo Mio's Consciousness Space.

Luo Mio realized that he had returned to his own Consciousness Space.

"I didn't even get to finish saying thank you."

Luo Mio stood in his Consciousness Space, recalling his conversation with his Herrscher Personality just moments ago.

A gentle crimson glow suddenly lit up.

A red-and-white feather slowly drifted down, then scattered into crimson motes of light. A figure clothed in rich red and pure white appeared.

When Luo Mio saw the familiar figure, he happily greeted her.

"Teacher!"

"Mio!"

The crimson-and-white figure's face was as otherworldly as an immortal's. Concern showed in her crimson eyes as she walked toward Luo Mio.

"Your consciousness..." Fu Hua raised her hand and gently pressed it against Luo Mio's forehead. Crimson light flickered faintly.

Seeing Fu Hua's worried expression and feeling the warm light on his forehead, Luo Mio smiled as he only did around family.

"Don't worry, Teacher." Luo Mio comforted Fu Hua. "I'm fine."

Only after sensing that Luo Mio's consciousness had suffered no serious harm, and hearing his words, did Fu Hua finally relax and lower her hand.

Fu Hua did not speak with Luo Mio immediately. Instead, she turned around to face the little blue orb behind her and asked, "Explain yourself, System."

Before long, the system's guilty voice came from the little orb. "Huh? Explain what?"

"What did you mean when you said, 'Mio has returned'? You seemed to know who took Mio's consciousness away, didn't you?"

Fu Hua's crimson eyes sharpened unusually as she stared behind her.

System: "Uh..."

"Alright, Teacher. Don't make things difficult for it."

Luo Mio stopped Fu Hua, then looked at the system. "System, he has already told me most of it."

"..."

From the little orb, the system's guilty voice slowly said, "I-Is that so?"

Luo Mio looked at the guilty little orb and smiled. "Don't worry."

Luo Mio did not pursue the fact that the system had concealed the Herrscher of Finality Personality hidden within him, as well as that strange space and the existence inside it. Instead, he looked at the beautiful crimson figure beside him.

"Teacher, you've worked hard."

"Huh?" Fu Hua froze for a moment.

"Since eleven years ago, you've been using Feather of the Dust to suppress that Personality inside me, haven't you?" Luo Mio said as he looked at Fu Hua.

Fu Hua's shoulders relaxed.

"So you knew."

Luo Mio smiled.

"It's about time. I should leave."

Fu Hua nodded. Her clear, pleasant voice rang out as she said to Luo Mio, "Go. The disturbance in your body has mostly subsided."

"You should get some proper rest."

Then, Luo Mio's consciousness returned to his body.

On the bed, Luo Mio slowly opened his eyes.

After sensing that he had returned to his body, he got up and carefully made his way to the balcony without waking Ikki.

On the balcony, Luo Mio looked at the lonely moon shining through the night, guiding those who had lost their way.

A Honkai Personality, huh...

He smiled.

At first, I thought my mental enhancement ability had been given to me by Teacher's Feather of the Dust. So it was actually meant to resist Honkai's corrosion.

He clenched his hand into a fist, his azure eyes gleaming beautifully beneath the moonlight.

An Ordinary, Joyful Daily Life

Morning.

"Time to get up, Miohua."

Ikki stood beside Luo Mio's bed, waking him.

Hearing Ikki call for him, Luo Mio pulled the blanket around himself with one hand and curled up into a ball.

"Let me sleep a little longer. I didn't sleep well early this morning."

His sleepy voice slowly came from under the blanket.

After all, in the dead of night, his consciousness had inexplicably been dragged into a mysterious space. He had then spent a long time talking with his Herrscher Personality there. By the time he returned to his body, most of the night had already passed. He had even spent some time on the balcony watching the moon and feeling the cool breeze before finally going back to bed.

Since Luo Mio had said so, Ikki had no choice.

"Then I'll head out first."

Ikki said goodbye to Luo Mio, then left Room 44 in his school uniform.

The sound of the door closing followed, and the room fell quiet again.

Ah... I remember Ikki has a match this afternoon...

At noon, Luo Mio yawned as he opened the door, a few tears clinging to the corners of his eyes, and left the room.

With the look of someone who had just woken up, he headed toward the hotel restaurant.

"Little Mio!"

A lively young woman's voice rang out from behind Luo Mio.

With a thump, Luo Mio was embraced by a slender, soft body. Arms hooked around his neck, delicate pale arms filled his vision, while the sweet fragrance of a young woman's body filled his nose.

That familiar way of hugging him, that familiar tone and voice.

Luo Mio sighed, tilting his gray-haired head as his azure eyes looked at the girl hugging him.

"Momiji, why are you still the same as when we were kids?" he said with a wry smile.

The one hugging Luo Mio from behind was none other than Asagi Momiji, known as the "Will-o'-the-Wisp."

When Asagi Momiji had first become Nangou Torajiro's disciple and met Luo Mio, she had not been nearly this enthusiastic. But before long, she began greeting Luo Mio with an enthusiastic hug every time she saw him.

"Hehe." Asagi Momiji looked at Luo Mio adorably and smiled.

"Don't you have a match today?"

"I just finished mine not long ago, and then I saw you when I came back."

Asagi Momiji answered Luo Mio's question with a cheerful smile.

"What was the result?"

"Hmph, who do you think I am? Of course I won easily." Asagi Momiji proudly announced the result of her match.

"Since that's the case, could you please stop hugging me now, Momiji?"

"Aww~"

Hearing Asagi Momiji's drawn-out complaint, Luo Mio said helplessly, "We're right at the restaurant entrance. And look around you."

At that, Asagi Momiji looked around.

Students from all sorts of academies nearby were staring at Luo Mio and Asagi Momiji.

"I remember those two. They're Hagun's A-Rank Knight, Thousand Stars White Night, and last year's third-place winner at the Seven Stars Sword Dance Festival, Will-o'-the-Wisp, right?"

"Looks like they have a really good relationship."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, they're even hugging."

"Hey, what do you think their relationship is?"

"Could they be..."

"A man and a woman, holding each other."

The students' gossip drifted over in hushed voices.

Hey! Where are your eyes even looking?! I'm the one getting hugged here!

As the students began discussing their relationship, Asagi Momiji, who was clinging to Luo Mio's back, also flushed faintly.

Asagi Momiji shyly climbed down from Luo Mio's back.

"Phew." Once Asagi Momiji got off his back, Luo Mio let out a breath and said helplessly, "Momiji, shall we have lunch together?"

Asagi Momiji nodded with a shy expression.

After entering the restaurant, the two sat in a corner.

Once she noticed that no one nearby was looking at them, Asagi Momiji adorably puffed out her cheeks like a pufferfish.

Then she complained, "Why are you so disgusted by me, Little Mio? A cute, beautiful girl is hugging you. Shouldn't you be really happy inside?"

Luo Mio glanced at her and said flatly, "Are you sure you want me to tell you why?"

"Tell me!" Asagi Momiji stared intensely at Luo Mio.

Luo Mio looked at her for a few seconds, then turned his gaze elsewhere.