"There you are!!"
A girl with a spectacularly heaving chest came charging straight at him, breasts first, and flung herself into his arms, nestling happily against his chest.
"Lin Ke, how is it going? Have you remembered anything?"
Shakira blinked, asking the moment they met as she hugged Lin En's arm tightly.
Lin En shrugged, glanced around casually, and said:
"No, not a clue. Not only that, I can't even read anymore. I did learn a little about myself from those guys, but that's about it."
His name was Lin Ke, Link Lucifer.
He lived in the lower district.
He was usually quiet, withdrawn, and on unremarkable terms with his classmates. He was even a little gloomy.
His relationship with her, however, had been confirmed by others. He and Shakira apparently really were a couple. Both came from poor families in the lower district, so she was one of his few close fuck... friends.
"Is that so..."
Shakira seemed a little disappointed, her expression falling.
"I... I even went to Gear Street to look for you yesterday, but your door was shut. How could something like this happen..."
She suddenly raised her head and asked anxiously:
"Then... where were you last night? Do you remember?"
Lin En rubbed his head and pinched his chin.
"Well, the last place was probably [Clockwork Street]. I don't know anything else. Not only did my head hurt, but I'd also been stripped clean, so I suspect I was attacked yesterday. I almost didn't make it."
Lin En wasn't lying, of course.
Under normal circumstances, this body's original owner had probably been on the verge of death.
It just so happened that he had arrived in his body.
After all, who could survive having a hole blown open in their head? Hehehe. Other than him.
(oﾟ▽ﾟ)o
Shakira's gaze flickered slightly, but as Lin En looked over, she returned to her concerned expression, looking a little stunned.
"B-but didn't the Red Moon descend yesterday? How did you..."
"Survive?"
Lin En glanced at her and cheerfully finished her sentence.
"Because I was lucky, of course. Didn't you hear? Apparently, some badass monster descended last night, and the entire Exorcist Squad mobilized. I happened to run into them. Otherwise, I'd already be dead."
As he spoke, Lin En reached behind himself and pulled out his Flintlock Pistol.
He closed his eyes.
"They gave me this gun to defend myself!"
Shakira froze, looking astonished.
"I... I see..."
Her gaze flickered faintly, then she pressed herself against Lin En's chest, looking up at his face like a sweet, clingy little bird.
"Then... do you still want to come to my place? If Gear Street is still sealed off, you can rest there. Besides, I have so much I want to tell you... Maybe if you come over and we do some familiar things, all your memories will suddenly come back."
She hugged Lin En like a kitten.
"Nobody else is home."
Lin En stroked his chin.
"Well... wouldn't that be a little inappropriate?"
But before he could finish,
her slender, pale hand slid straight behind his head. Rising onto her toes, she held his chin with her other hand and kissed him.
"Come over, okay?"
[Ding! Your happiness +5]
Yes!
Yes!
How could I possibly say no!
Seriously!
(๑＞︶＜)و
She's invited me so warmly. Wouldn't refusing be a slap in her face?
More importantly, I'm only going to her place to look for my old memories. Nobody said anything about doing anything pleasurable. In that case, why wouldn't I go?
"Let's go! Right now!"
"Mm-hmm!"
Shakira's fingers brushed gently over the back of his head as she smiled, looking every bit like a girl deeply in love.
What Lin En didn't notice was that a small, inconspicuous trash can in the distance suddenly moved. It lifted slightly, revealing two little feet, then pattered along for a dozen meters.
Clack-
The trash can tipped upward, revealing a pair of wide, round eyes glaring at the shameless couple as they walked away.
A tiny nose sniffled.
He really doesn't want Hana Ye anymore...
"They're off to (beep-) ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅!"
They continued on their way.
Through their ongoing conversation, Lin En also gained a rough understanding of the city from the girl named Shakira.
"So you're saying that every night, most of the city gets encroached upon by a world called the [Spirit Realm]?"
Lin En asked hesitantly.
Watching his expression, Shakira blinked and nestled against him.
"Yes. That's why so few people dare to go out at night. You might take just one step outside your door, and when you try to go back, what you return to isn't your own home anymore, but some other terrifying place."
Lin En asked uncertainly, "Isn't there any way to deal with it?"
Shakira leaned against his shoulder and explained:
"Of course there is. You can put sacred statues in your home, for example, or buy the [Spirit-Sealing Talismans] issued specifically by the Church. Under normal circumstances, those give you a good chance of avoiding a Spirit Realm Overlay. But they aren't completely foolproof, which is why we have the Exorcist Squad."
"The Exorcist Squad?"
Shakira blinked.
"Yes! They patrol the various neighborhoods every night. As soon as they spot a Spirit Realm Overlay, they act. They're Clockwork City's most important line of defense against the Spirit Realm's encroachment, and our Arcane Academy is their most important source of recruits!"
After listening to her explanation, Lin En understood this place a little better.
No wonder.
He had barely arrived last night before running into those fully armed people.
And if that was how things worked, the blind little girl he had met was probably a member of the Exorcist Squad too.
Lin En pondered.
"Oh, right! Lin Ke."
Just then, Shakira suddenly asked a question.
"Do you still remember which Sequence your Origin Substance belongs to?"
Lin En glanced at her.
"Why are you suddenly asking about that?"
Shakira held his arm and replied innocently:
"Because normally, even if you lose your memories, [Origin Substance] is an inseparable part of your body. It's like breathing. You shouldn't forget it. Look... like this..."
She held out her hand.
Then, before Lin En's eyes, her nails suddenly grew with a series of cracking sounds, becoming sharp.
Scales and bone spurs gradually emerged across the back of her hand, instantly making the whole thing look extremely dangerous.
"Holy shit!"
Lin En jumped.
"That's your ability?"
But the transformation vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. Her hand instantly returned to its pale, slender shape, and she pressed her chest against him again, hugging Lin En as though wheedling.
"That's right."
She blinked.
"This is my first Sequence. It's called [Transmutation]. As the name suggests, it lets me easily change my body into another form. But it's still nowhere near as good as yours."
"So? Can you still use your abilities? It really only takes a thought! You told me before that one of your Sequences was [Flesh]!"
Lin En hesitated.
"Flesh?"
Shakira nodded and said softly:
"Yes. It lets you instantly boost your physical strength by a huge amount. Did you forget? It's because of that Sequence that every time... you leave me so satisfied!"
At those words, an extremely indecent image instantly appeared in Lin En's mind.
"Is it what I'm thinking?"
"Yes (blushing)."
"What are you thinking?"
"Oh, stop!"
Shakira's cheeks flushed slightly. Hugging his waist, she fidgeted shyly.
"It's... it's..."
But just then, a certain trash can on the street behind them let out a clang.
Shakira froze and was about to turn around.
At that very moment, however, Lin En reacted swiftly, catching her chin and turning her face toward his with a serious expression.
"Actually, I've been dying to show you my [Flesh] too, my dear lady! My [Flesh]-swells for you!"
[Ding! Shakira's embarrassment +10!] [Ding! Hana Ye's shock +20!]
Goddammit, once this is over, if I don't spank that damn little brat's ass into eight pieces, I'll castrate myself as an apology to heaven and earth! Fuck!
Before you continue