Under the two students' efforts, the classroom became neat and clean once again. Kiana returned to her seat, picked up her schoolbag, and walked toward the door.
However, this seemingly casual conversation left Li Wu sweating bullets.
If she guessed that this was some sort of discipline-play and his relationship with Raiden Mei was exposed, all subsequent main story missions would be instantly sentenced to death.
After all... mystery was the greatest form of allure. If the later heroines found out about his S&M-like relationship with Raiden Mei, he probably wouldn't even be able to get close to them.
Thinking of this, Li Wu's breathing involuntarily quickened.
"Your breathing is erratic. It seems my guess was correct; your relationship with her is definitely not as pure as it appears on the surface." Kiana's words landed with weight, sounding exceptionally clear in the classroom occupied only by the two of them.
"What do you want me to do?" Li Wu asked guiltily.
Kiana took a pack of tissues from her bag, pulled out two sheets, and handed them to Li Wu. She shifted her gaze upward, gesturing for him to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "...You misunderstand my intentions. I have no intention of using this to threaten you; such despicable behavior is beneath me. I am simply satisfying my own curiosity."
"Regardless of what you do in private, as long as it does not violate school rules and regulations, I will not interfere."
"Besides, think about it. Your grades are poor, your physical fitness is average, your interpersonal relationships are practically non-existent—much like Raiden Mei's—and you don't seem to have any dreams. I have absolutely no reason to use you, do I? It's hard to imagine how a person could degenerate to such a degree."
"..."
Truly, Garen buying an Infinity Edge: silence followed by a critical hit.
Every pause Kiana made was breaking through his defenses.
Li Wu's mouth twitched. He thought for a good while but couldn't think of a retort.
How can this white-haired Tuna's 37-degree Celsius [98.6°F] little mouth speak such cold, icy words?
The key point was that Kiana herself didn't seem to think she was roasting him. She spoke as if it were nothing, expressionless, as casually as if discussing the weather.
"Next time, could you use a questioning tone? When you state things as facts, it's too aggressive. Not everyone is as smart as you; if you talk like that, you won't have any friends," Li Wu complained.
"I am merely stating objective facts; I have no intention to attack. If you are angry, it only proves that you were hurt by the truth and need to temper your character."
Kiana's tone was peaceful, without a hint of mockery, yet her words were practically poison-dipped daggers, hurting people without blinking an eye.
"Besides, I don't have any friends to begin with. Is there a problem with that?"
Kiana tilted her head, asking in a flat tone.
"I have nothing more to say... Alright, beautiful, generous, and understanding Class Representative, this humble one understands! This topic ends here. You win, you're right, I took every word to heart, so please stop talking..."
Li Wu didn't want to argue with Kiana anymore.
This white-haired dumpling simply didn't distinguish between friend or foe. When she got ruthless, she even attacked herself. What was left to say? Surrender immediately!
"However, at the end of this semester, my mother is coming to Nagazora City to take me back to Europe. Perhaps I will be able to make friends after I return."
"Is that so? Then congratulations in advance."
"Is there anything else?"
"Anything else what?"
"Nothing. I congratulate you as well."
"I don't need it. My school life is a mess anyway. As long as I can live happily, that's enough."
Li Wu forced a bright smile, his gaze involuntarily darting away, avoiding Kiana to look at the students playing basketball on the playground outside the window.
Return by Death was both a gift and a curse.
He couldn't devote his energy to his studies and life like a normal person—in fact, he couldn't devote himself to life at all.
Cecilia Schariac, K423's mother in a social sense, died in the game's plot. But in the comic plot he created, she didn't die. Even the ancestor, Kallen, didn't die.
Li Wu clearly remembered that in the comic, the Overseer of Schicksal was Kallen Kaslana, not Otto Apocalypse from the game.
This change led to the Kaslana family being unprecedentedly powerful, with an influence on the world no less than that of a Herrscher. Otto, on the other hand, willingly stayed behind the scenes, assisting Kallen in managing the world.
As a Saintess who had survived from medieval Europe, Kallen possessed a spirit of compassion for all living beings and self-sacrifice. With Otto's help, she had made the world quite beautiful.
Readers often wondered: In a world described as so wonderful, why do the mercenaries kill without blinking an eye, and why are there death crises everywhere?
Wait...
Li Wu suddenly realized something, and his face instantly turned grim, as if he had seen a future with no future.
Raiden Mei and Kiana's personalities had undergone massive shifts. What about Kallen?
Did she really still hold the noble belief of "Even if sorrow fills the land, a single thought can save the world"?
I can only take it one step at a time, sigh...
Please let this Saintess not be blackened.
The shift in Li Wu's expression was minute, his eyes filled with anxiety.
After organizing all her textbooks, Kiana stood at the door carrying her schoolbag. After hesitating for a moment, she said:
"You just raised quite a flag. Everyone faces different hardships. I hope you don't push yourself too hard."
"Guaranteed. I can't absorb a single word from these books. If I can slack off in class, I will."
"Don't say that kind of thing in front of me. I won't hold it against you this time. She's here. Remember to keep our conversation confidential."
With that, Kiana walked out of the classroom.
Left alone standing by the window, Li Wu felt the messy wind outside wrapping the midsummer heat around his bones. His heart grew restless along with it.
[Kiana Kaslana thinks you live very freely. She envies your freedom. Affection has increased.]
[Kiana Kaslana sincerely congratulates you.]
[Kiana Kaslana quietly cursed you in her heart. She thinks her insult was very severe.]
Holy Ryomen Sukuna, what do you mean she congratulated me while secretly cursing me?
If you have the guts...
Fine, even if she cursed me to my face, I couldn't refute it. After all, every sentence was a fact.
Lies don't hurt; the truth is the sharpest knife.
Li Wu's understanding of Kiana deepened. After all, she was the Child of the Plane; he had to grind some affection points with her to make the subsequent plot much easier.
"Master!"
Raiden Mei, now changed into a new uniform, looked like an exquisitely dressed puppy eager to return home. She quickly ran up to Li Wu and bowed slightly. "Let's go home!"