Yae Sakura picked up "Ling." Although the personality wasn't hers, the body was indeed that of Ling from the Previous Era. If her hair were a little longer and she wore a kimono, she would look even more like her younger sister, Yae Rin.
"Benefactor, is 'Ling' still in there?"
"Of course, she is."
Ye Feng said, "Higokumaru is a personality derived from 'Ling's' consciousness. It's just that Ling has fallen into too deep a sleep right now. Whether you can awaken her is up to you. After all, you and her sister aren't just similar; you're identical. And by the way, I'll be assisting you."
Yae Sakura looked at Ye Feng, her gaze seeming to say, 'How will you assist? By getting a perfectly fine girl pregnant?'
"That's right. This is also part of the plan."
Ye Feng said, "We can't make Ling's consciousness stronger, but we can make Higokumaru's consciousness weaker. In that way, Ling's consciousness will become stronger by comparison."
Alright, Yae Sakura felt that what Ye Feng said made sense. After all, this one-step, full-term pregnancy had instantly reverted Higokumaru to her human form. This was enough to show just how powerful this… technique… was. Even a Herrscher from fifty thousand years ago could hardly withstand it.
However, Yae Sakura's thoughts were too simple; she hadn't noticed the Honkai energy fluid that had evaporated into the air. She just assumed Ye Feng had only applied a single buff to Higokumaru.
Regardless, the miko, unsealed after 500 years, now had a "goal" in the "present." Otherwise, the immense sense of disorientation brought about by the time displacement would have drowned her. In Sakura Samsara, the main reason Yae Sakura gave up on being revived wasn't that she found satisfaction in the Stigma Space, but that she had nothing left to cherish in the outside world.
But now, Yae Sakura wanted to awaken the consciousness of "Ling."
Before long, she and Higokumaru "disconnected" and returned to the real world, waking up in a field of ruins.
Yae Sakura leaped onto a billboard standing in the seawater. In this gray-toned world, her sakura-colored hair and miko attire fluttered in the wind. She gazed at the devastated city, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion for a moment.
"That world… was it really a dream?" Yae Sakura murmured to herself.
However, Higokumaru seemed to have become much more docile. In the past, she would have immediately jumped out to fight for control of the body.
"Higokumaru."
For the first time, Yae Sakura called out to her proactively.
There was no response.
"Could she really be pregnant?"
That wasn't quite right, either. To be precise, it was a phantom pregnancy. She would have all the symptoms of pregnancy, but no life would be gestating.
It seemed she really was pregnant, then. Was this move really that devastating to Higokumaru? She was cowering and refusing to come out.
But thinking about it, it made sense. How could the dignified Herrscher of Erosion from the Previous Era show her face with a big belly? If the other Herrschers saw her, they would probably laugh at her for the rest of their lives.
---o---
St. Freya High School.
Although Kiana was suspected of having awakened a Stigma, she still had to attend school and take exams in this Far Eastern academy.
Recently, the library had been packed. The annual exam season had arrived again.
"I really don't get it. We're Valkyries, isn't it enough to just train in combat subjects?" Kiana said, her hands clasped behind her head.
"That's why Idiot Kiana, with a brain full of muscle, can't comprehend the greatness of 'knowledge'."
"Hmph, what are you talking about, you little munchkin? Knowledge? I know things too, I'm just too lazy to study. Otherwise, ten Bronyas would be no match for this young lady."
"Is that so? The Bronya does not believe you."
"Then let's compete! Whoever gets a better score on this exam."
"Although the probability of the Bronya winning is 99.99%, if Kiana wishes to challenge the Bronya, the Bronya will accommodate you."
"Hmph, then my probability is one hundred percent!"
—Although she had made such a bold declaration, deep down, Kiana knew perfectly well that if she started studying now… there was no way she could catch up in her cultural classes. Even a top-tier slacker like her had a rough idea of how many points she could score in those subjects.
At night, Kiana tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't bear the thought of losing to Bronya, especially not in front of Mei.
Ah, well... I'll just try to bluff my way through it when the time comes.
As her thoughts drifted, Kiana was gradually enveloped by sleep. Her eyelids closed, but then she opened them in a dream.
"Yo, you're awake. Congratulations, the surgery was a success. You're a cute girl now."
A familiar voice sounded in her ear.
Kiana shot up in alarm, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Ye Feng nervously.
"Don't look at me like a little rabbit seeing the big bad wolf. I'm not going to eat you."
"..."
Do you even believe that yourself? Did you forget so quickly? How did you mess with me last time? Have you forgotten?! Right here in the Valkyrie dorms, right on this bed!
"Last time was last time, this time is this time. Don't mix them up. Speaking of which, how was your body after you went back this morning?"
"Hmph, it was great! After all, that is this young lady's real body!" Kiana said proudly, hands on her hips, though it was unclear why she looked so proud.
Ye Feng nodded. So, an NPC's inherent "status" wouldn't carry over to the outside world. But the Honeysuckle Crest did appear.
So, is it that only buffs I add myself can take effect?
Seeing Ye Feng in deep thought, Kiana confirmed again, "This time… you really aren't going to do anything to me?"
"Is there any part of this body I'm not familiar with? Why would I need to lie to you? If you ask me another question that insults my intelligence, be careful or I'll call Mei over and fuck you again."
"..."
Kiana clamped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide.
Anything but that.
Even if Mei was just an NPC, completely devoid of emotion, Kiana still felt an intense sense of guilt, along with a tiny thrill of the forbidden.
Then, Ye Feng leaned his head in, staring intently at Kiana.
Kiana took a step back, her upper body leaning away. "What are you doing?"
"I told you, I'm not doing anything today. But, Tuna, you look like you have something on your mind. That bitter expression… could it be about the exams?"
"Eh?"
"Don't be so surprised. I was a student once, too. My grades in high school weren't ideal, so I'd get that same guilty feeling you have now before every exam. I could only ever make it into the top ten, never the top three."
The Tuna wanted to punch him after hearing that.
Was he even speaking human language?
"If it's about the exams, I can help you. I have a special little trick that can quickly improve your scores. Wanna try it, Tuna?"
Like a demon peddling a contract, Ye Feng revealed an extremely kind and amiable smile.
Author's Note: I only got to the hotel at 9:30. Started writing as soon as I arrived. I'm one of a kind.
By the way, is there a difference between booking online and booking at the front desk? Why is there a price difference of several dozen yuan?