Ye Feng's gentleness sent a chill through Higokumaru's body.
"Don't be afraid. I'm just giving you another buff."
Ye Feng's hand slid down her fair neck, giving it a squeeze before moving to her lower abdomen above the [censored] area.
A simple insignia, composed of "little demon wings" and a "heart-shaped lock," materialized there.
The design was a common style, but because her belly was so round, the stretched lines made it look rather lewd.
"What... what is this thing now? I have not violated your agreement. Why... why are you doing this?"
Higokumaru was truly frightened now.
Her voice trembled slightly.
She had even taken the attack from the Seven Thunders of Retribution for Yae Sakura.
That pink-haired miko wasn't even injured! She hadn't broken the agreement at all.
"Relax, this is a reward."
Ye Feng smiled. "Are you feeling any discomfort?"
"Hm?"
Higokumaru's trembling twin-tails steadied. She touched her large belly; it seemed there really was no uncomfortable sensation.
But Higokumaru didn't believe for a second that Ye Feng would do anything conscientious for her.
Ye Feng said, "You underestimate me. I'm a man who is clear about rewards and punishments."
"Did I do something to deserve a reward?"
"Take a guess."
I can't guess. Could it possibly be because I tried to counter-kill you by invading that data space?
"Fine. What effect does this reward have?"
Ye Feng smiled faintly. "You'll find out in the future."
"..."
Seeing Ye Feng's smile, Higokumaru's heart grew uneasy again.
But there was nothing she could do.
She could only secretly resolve that once she returned to reality, she would try to break through the "firewall" in one go and enter that incredibly dense data space.
Ye Feng suddenly seemed to remember something, his gaze carefully scrutinizing Higokumaru.
"...What is it now?"
Ye Feng flashed a brilliant smile. "Higokumaru, want to play a game?"
No!
She subconsciously wanted to refuse, but she didn't dare. The words died on her lips, and she asked weakly, "What... game?"
"Do you remember her?"
A watery light rippled in the air, revealing a scene both holy and dilapidated.
The sunlight was clear. Amidst the vine-covered ruins, a compassionate nun knelt on a broken bridge, praying.
Higokumaru blinked. "Who is that?"
Although she didn't recognize her, for some reason, an incredibly powerful resentment welled up from her instincts.
"You don't recognize her..."
Ye Feng had thought that the Herrscher of Erosion, who had once invaded the Flame-Chasers' systems, would have information on the Thirteen Flame-Chasers.
Ye Feng said, "She could be considered your mother."
In the Previous Era, Ling was imprisoned in a basement after her Herrscher reaction was detected.
Although Dr. MEI had issued an order not to harm her, the guarding soldiers, bound by Aponia's [Discipline] to "eliminate the Honkai," struck a fatal blow against Ling, who was still "human."
After Ling's death, the Herrscher of Erosion—the current Higokumaru—truly took form.
If one were to force the connection, Aponia was the "cause" of the Herrscher of Erosion's birth. Logically, it made sense.
"My... mother?"
Higokumaru frowned. "Stop joking! I feel... an inexplicable disgust for this human!"
This was only natural. Higokumaru's consciousness was born from Ling's, formed from a hatred of humanity.
Higokumaru hated all humans equally, but why did she seem to feel an extra, more intense loathing for this nun?
"Then you have all the more reason to play this game," Ye Feng said with a grin.
Without waiting for Higokumaru to refuse, Ye Feng directly pulled her into the simulated space.
Yae Sakura, on the other hand, was sent to the fountain plaza of St. Freya High School.
Ye Feng didn't give Higokumaru any background information. Instead, he let her choose an identity and improvise.
"Choose an identity..."
Although Higokumaru didn't know what Ye Feng was up to, it was likely some kind of live-action role-playing game.
An evil fox demon from the East, a Cardinal who masturbates on the night of the full moon, a pure succubus saint, a battle-hardened bitchy elf...
In the end, Higokumaru chose 「The Pot-Bellied Principal」.
The reason was simple: in this academy, named the 「Convent of the Holy Maiden」, Ye Feng was a student.
Although she didn't know why a place for training holy maidens would have a male student, it was part of the "setting."
As for why the head of this academy wasn't called a "Dean" but a "Principal"...
In Ye Feng's words, "pot-bellied" was a better fit for "Principal."
Tsk. Higokumaru touched her own large belly, feeling mocked.
Looking at Ye Feng, who had turned into a shota even shorter than herself, she felt he was so weak, such small fry, that she could crush him with a single swipe of her claw.
Hold back.
This guy is definitely trying to bait me into a trap.
"What do you plan on doing, pulling me in here?"
"Haven't decided yet. You can improvise as you please."
Higokumaru was stunned. What the hell did 'improvise as you please' mean?
Even in a game, you should get a mission first.
However, Ye Feng didn't bother explaining anything and simply left the principal's office.
Higokumaru then stared blankly around the room. It had luxurious, Baroque-style decorations. Through the large, arched window, she could see that the academy's architecture mostly employed columnar structures.
Elegant and graceful, with exquisite column capitals featuring 24 flutes and various curved mouldings, it created an atmosphere that was both solemn and majestic, yet possessed a holy beauty.
Just like a temple.
The Convent of the Holy Maiden truly lived up to its name. But that wasn't the point.
Higokumaru couldn't sense any virtual information like data.
"This world... it seems to be real, too?"
A heavy feeling grew in Higokumaru's heart.
"In here, can he create worlds at will?"
Higokumaru stared blankly at the azure sky, framed by the chalk-white columns.
「Time slowly pushed forward.」
Every minute and every second here felt real.
Higokumaru's spirit remained constantly on edge.
A month passed, but "Ye Feng's mission" never came.
Higokumaru gradually grew bolder.
She investigated Ye Feng's identity in this simulated world. He was an abandoned infant adopted by a nun—the very same woman Ye Feng had shown her earlier.
"Aponia."
Higokumaru noticed that here, only the three of them possessed self-awareness.
But the nun named Aponia seemed completely oblivious. She didn't sense the world's abnormality and was instead completely immersed in this simulation.
Noticing this fact, countless thoughts sprouted in Higokumaru's mind.
Since she's completely immersed... perhaps this is an opportunity. I could pry some information about Ye Feng from her.
Using the convenience of her position, the pot-bellied principal summoned the beautiful and delicate single mother to her office.
Then, she locked the door from the inside and said with a wicked grin:
"Ma'am, you wouldn't want your son to be expelled, would you?"
---o---