Mei stepped on Ryn's foot, puffed up her cheeks, and said sulkily:
"That's not what I meant... What I mean is..."
"Is what?" Ryn turned to look at the fidgety, blushing Mei.
"A... a date!"
Mei mustered her courage and shouted it out, then looked at Ryn expectantly, waiting for his response.
"Now that you mention it, it really has been a long time... The last time we went on a date was... the last time..."
Ryn scratched his head in embarrassment. Truth be told, he had never really spent proper time with Mei.
The only times they were alone were when they were washing dishes, grocery shopping, or buying clothes... If that could even be counted as a date, it had been a long time ago...
"Mei... I'm sorry. Although I really want to go on a proper date with you... I've been really busy lately. I have a mission tomorrow afternoon and might not be back for a month..."
With an apologetic look, Ryn took out his phone. The calendar on it was completely filled with appointments...
"I see..." Mei lowered her head in disappointment. This was the first time she had ever gathered the courage to confess, was this how it was going to end?
Ryn stroked Mei's head, comforting her. "However, the mission isn't until tomorrow afternoon~ We still have the whole morning!"
"The whole morning?"
Mei's eyes lit up with renewed determination. Suddenly, an idea seemed to strike her, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
Mei stood on her tiptoes, pressing herself tightly against Ryn, close to his ear. She took a deep breath, her mind already made up.
Mei gently blew against Ryn's ear. Her alluring scent wafted over with the breeze, making Ryn's heart itch.
Mei whispered to Ryn, "I bought a very sexy piece of lingerie, but I'm not sure about the quality... Want to come and try it out?"
Ryn's body trembled, and he looked at Mei in disbelief. By now, Mei's face was completely red, steam was practically rising from her head, and she was so shy she was about to faint.
"Who taught you to say that? I can't believe you'd say something like that, Mei!"
Ryn's libido vanished in an instant. The Mei he knew would never say such a thing!
Mei covered her face and squatted down on the spot. She occasionally peeked at Ryn through her fingers, but seeing his serious expression, she felt like running away overnight by carrying a train.
Ahhh, damn you, Kika... What kind of terrible advice was that? It's completely useless! Ahhh, how can I face anyone now...
"Mei, you don't have to be like this... Never change yourself for someone else; that would be a desecration of yourself. Besides, we've always had enough time. We can take things slowly..."
Ryn also squatted down, gently cupping Mei's face, gazing into her eyes that were darting around shyly.
But Ryn's words seemed to have hit a nerve, and the girl's inner defenses suddenly crumbled.
"Stop with the grand principles, everyone knows them... What do you mean we have enough time... What do you mean we can take things slowly..."
Mei slapped Ryn's hands away, tears welling up in her eyes. The shyness was gone, replaced by panic and insecurity.
"You all accepted me when I had nothing, you became my hope, my everything... But now you're all drifting away from me. You can go out to fight, to carry out missions... while I can only wait at home for your return. Every day, I'm on edge, worrying about you, afraid that something might happen to you...
Even though you always return triumphant, you're all busy with your own things. You're like that, Kiana's like that, and so is Kika...
You can chat and laugh about mission details and battle procedures, while I can only listen from the side like an outsider.
It feels like my existence is permanently fixed as a cook... only able to watch you all from a distance.
As time goes on, the gap between us will only grow wider... Kiana and Bronya have incredible talent, you and Kika have strength I can't even touch. But what about me? I'm just an ordinary person! ..."
"Mei... I..." Ryn wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Because it was all true, facts that Ryn couldn't refute.
The Stigmata on Mei's waist began to glow, and the Herrscher of Thunder sneered, "Hmph, what's the point of telling him all this? Why must you, Raiden Mei, subject yourself to such grievance? You..."
"That's right... Why should I subject myself to this grievance?" Before the Herrscher of Thunder could finish, Mei had already made up her mind. She wiped away her tears and stood up.
Mei didn't realize the voice had come from the Herrscher of Thunder; she just took it as her own inner prompting, so she decided to follow her heart.
Mei wrapped her arms around Ryn's neck, staring at him intently.
"You're right, we do have enough time... Come with me. For the rest of the night, your time is all mine!"
"Yeah... Huh?!!" Ryn's eyes widened in astonishment.
Because Mei had led him to her room and opened a specific closet.
Inside that closet were all sorts of stockings, uniforms, and sexy lingerie...
Mei satisfyingly wiped Ryn's nosebleed. He was already like this before she had even put anything on. Once she did, wouldn't he be completely captivated?
"Mei... this... all this..."
"Hmph, a love for beauty is in a girl's nature, especially for a beautiful girl like me!" Mei said, her hands on her hips, more confident than ever.
"No, that's not what I mean... It's just..." Ryn scratched his head, embarrassed, and continued, "I know your fashion sense is great, and your outfits are always beautiful... but I never thought you had this kind of special hobby..."
"Hmph, and who do you think it's for!" Mei grabbed the flesh at Ryn's waist and gave it a sharp twist.
"Come on, help me pick one..." Mei took Ryn's hand and began to select tonight's winning lingerie.
"This isn't really necessary, you don't have to do this..."
"Shut up. I'm already willing to go this far, what are you being so coy for!"
"Then... how about this one! And these stockings..."
Mei picked up the clothes, ready to go to the bathroom to change, but she stopped and walked back.
Sitting on the bed, she lifted her elegant foot and rested it on Ryn's chest, letting it slide down gently.
"My dear Ryn, would you like to come and change me into it yourself?"
(10,000 words omitted here)
Inside the Stigmata Space, the Herrscher of Thunder stomped her foot in anger. This wasn't how things were supposed to go at all! What she had wanted to say was:
"Raiden Mei, don't subject yourself to this grievance. In the future, when we merge and become the complete Herrscher of Thunder, we'll just break Ryn's and Kiana's limbs, lock them in the basement, and do whatever we want with them!"