From Kiana the Lord Ravager Onward: A Grand Fabricated History
Author: Better Hang Myself Than Write
As for Ruan Mei's invitation, Kiana immediately began calculating in her heart.
There was no need to think too hard about it. The reason Ruan Mei looked so interested was, in all likelihood, still because of Cecilia.
After all, compared to an Emanator of Destruction, an Emanator of Abundance was obviously far more attractive to Ruan Mei.
And most importantly of all—
that Emanator of Abundance was Kiana's mother.
As long as she managed to lure Kiana away, was she really supposed to worry that Cecilia wouldn't come looking for her eventually?
When the time came, she would not only get the chance to come into contact with the Emanator of Abundance she had been longing for, but would even get a free Emanator of Destruction thrown in on top.
What a deal.
Ruan Mei's intentions could not possibly have been more obvious.
Kiana smiled and said, "Miss Ruan Mei, are you trying to steal Big Sister Herta's girl right out from under her nose?"
Ruan Mei's expression did not change in the slightest. "I'm only stating facts."
"Stating facts?" Kiana tilted her head.
"But if Big Sister Herta finds out, she'll definitely get angry, won't she? You were just secretly badmouthing her."
"She won't know unless you tell her."
As she said this, Ruan Mei stepped a little closer to Kiana once more.
"So then, Miss Kiana… will you tell Herta?"
Kiana was just about to answer when she suddenly sensed a familiar fluctuation.
"No need to guess."
"I already know now."
A cool voice came from the doorway.
Herta was leaning against the doorframe, arms folded, wearing a smile that was not quite a smile.
"Ruan Mei, should I be thanking you for being so concerned about my little girl?"
Ruan Mei's movements stiffened for an instant, but she quickly recovered.
She slowly released Kiana's hand and turned to face Herta.
"Herta, why are you back so suddenly?"
"Because if I didn't come back now, my little girl would've been stolen away."
Herta strode into the room, her heels striking the floor in an impatient rhythm.
She walked straight over to Kiana's side and very naturally draped an arm around the girl's shoulders, the gesture carrying a clear hint of territorial claim.
"Ruan Mei, I invited you here to examine Kiana, not to poach her."
Ruan Mei tilted her head slightly and no longer bothered hiding it.
"I'm only stating facts. Herta, you really aren't a good guardian."
"You—"
"You left her alone on the space station for an entire week without checking on her once," Ruan Mei cut in, continuing calmly.
"Whereas the moment I met her, I was already seriously considering what she needed. Doesn't that say enough by itself?"
Herta choked for a moment.
She truly had not expected this.
It would have been one thing if Ruan Mei had quietly badmouthed her to Kiana behind her back.
But now Herta herself had shown up, and Ruan Mei still had no intention of backing down.
Ruan Mei, I really misjudged you!
Herta immediately shot back, unwilling to lose ground.
"That's because I went to find you!"
"I know." Ruan Mei nodded.
"That's exactly why I need to seize this chance even more."
"..."
The room suddenly fell quiet.
Kiana looked left, then right, doing her best not to laugh.
Good grief. She truly had not seen this development coming.
Two members of the Genius Society, actually squaring off over her here?
Even if Ruan Mei's real goal was Cecilia, this scene was still wonderfully entertaining.
Herta continued firing.
"Ruan Mei, we're here to do research, not steal people."
"Research can be done, and people can be stolen. The two do not conflict."
"Hmph. Then Kiana, you tell us. Who do you want to go with?"
At those words, both geniuses turned toward Kiana at the same time.
Because no matter how much they argued, in the end, nothing mattered more than the answer of the person involved.
Kiana appeared to hesitate for a moment before finally speaking.
"Well… I do think Big Sister Herta is pretty good. Leaving me on the space station for a whole week was a bit much, though…"
Herta's expression stiffened slightly.
She had just been about to explain herself when Kiana suddenly changed tone.
"But!"
"She came back to find me, didn't she? And she even brought a friend to examine me, so that means she really does care about me."
Only then did Herta's expression ease a little.
"But Miss Ruan Mei also has a point."
"Big Sister Herta really is a little irresponsible. What if she leaves me behind again in the future?"
Herta: "..."
Now it was Ruan Mei's turn for the corner of her lips to lift slightly.
"So then, do you want to leave with Ruan Mei?"
Kiana shook her head, and under the gaze of both geniuses, she finally gave her answer.
"Of course not."
"Miss Ruan Mei's offer is very tempting, but Big Sister Herta was the first person to reach out a hand to me after I arrived in this era."
Herta froze.
Ruan Mei froze too.
"Just because of that?" Ruan Mei sounded genuinely puzzled.
From her point of view, that reason felt rather childish.
But was that really the truth? Was Kiana actually rejecting Ruan Mei because of something so sentimental?
Of course not!
There was no way Kiana would reject Ruan Mei for such a hot-blooded reason. She had made this choice for her own careful little calculations.
If Kiana absolutely had to choose one between the two geniuses, then what she really wanted—
was both.
After all, Herta and Ruan Mei charged her at almost exactly the same efficiency. Neither was clearly better than the other.
But if Kiana chose to go with Ruan Mei, then with Herta's tsundere personality, trying to "recharge" off her again in the future would probably become extremely difficult.
On the other hand, if she chose Herta, then judging from Ruan Mei's temperament, Ruan Mei would almost certainly keep trying to stay in contact with her anyway. And if that happened, wouldn't Kiana still be free to shear wool from both of them as she pleased?
So yes, on the surface she was choosing Herta—
but what she was really choosing was, naturally, to keep them both.
And sure enough, the moment Herta heard Kiana's answer, she immediately started floating with pride.
She turned to Ruan Mei with a smug look on her face.
"Well? Ruan Mei, did you hear that? Kiana chose me."
Ruan Mei, however, was unexpectedly calm.
"Yes, I heard."
"In that case, I will naturally respect Miss Kiana's choice."
Ruan Mei was not the sort of person incapable of accepting failure.
Although she had certainly hoped to lure Kiana home with her, if Kiana preferred staying with Herta instead, then given her relationship with Herta…
wouldn't she just be able to move in and mooch off the arrangement anyway?
In any case, her main purpose was still to wait here for that Emanator of Abundance who would eventually come knocking.
So Ruan Mei decided to make a small concession to Herta—and reveal her true intention.
"Herta, don't forget Miss Kiana's real mother."
Unfortunately, Herta completely failed to receive the signal Ruan Mei was trying to send.
"Hmph. If she could leave Kiana all alone on Jarilo for that long, then I'd say that Cecilia isn't a good person either!"
Join here to read ahead.
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TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter105)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter95)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 55
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 40
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 45
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
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From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 31
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