"???"
"Ouch!"
March clutched her head, looking at Wende with teary eyes.
"I was just kidding! You already told us about this thing..."
Seeing March's thoroughly wronged expression, Wende just felt a wave of exhaustion. How did he get controlled by the March-effect? Did his fist react faster than his brain?
"Anyway... I'll just sign it..."
Stelle glanced at the large bump that was now visibly forming on the top of March's head. She swallowed the trash talk she had prepared and could only sign her name on the contract with a sheepish grin.
"Hm?"
The moment she signed the contract, Stelle felt something tighten on her thigh. She looked down... and sure enough, it was a leg ring... but why was it on the same side as the one she was already wearing?
"Sigh... I've signed it too."
March shook her head, signing her name with a dejected look, before making the exact same expression as Stelle.
"Er... that has nothing to do with me."
Gently placing a hand on March's head and making the large bump disappear, Wende declared that he had no idea why that happened. Maybe this was... a miHoYo tradition? Even if a character already had a leg ring, they couldn't let it be symmetrical?
Wende couldn't figure it out. Maybe it was just part of the design?
"So, does this mean all our pulls are half-price now?"
March's focus would never disappoint Wende. And Stelle, as March's best friend, was naturally on the same page... which gave Wende a headache.
Including March and Stelle, a total of five people had now signed the contract. Himeko and Welt had signed on the Express, and Wendy was the very first. As for Dan Heng and Jingliu, they were still in class, and Tingyun was busy in the infirmary. He would have to call them over tonight to sign. At the very least, all members of the Express crew had to sign.
Of course, he didn't need to, and neither did Pom-Pom.
Wende wasn't sure if Pom-Pom could sign, but his reason told him it was better not to let Pom-Pom touch the thing. What if Pom-Pom bound itself directly to the Express... that would be ten thousand times more terrifying than the Express just running on the Star Rail!
And most critically, Wende didn't think he wanted to see Pom-Pom wearing a leg ring... although it did sound kind of hot...
Wait a minute! Wende, what are you thinking! Don't imagine it!
Wende's internal drama was running at full tilt. But given that March and Stelle were right beside him, he could completely blame his abnormal thoughts on the influence of the "March Aura."
It definitely wasn't his fault (totally).
However, seeing the two of them already excitedly pulling on the gacha, Wende couldn't say anything more.
Wait a second. How could they download Honkai: Star Rail on their phones too?
Suddenly, looking at the screen of their phones, Wende spotted the blind spot. What was this, "I play myself"?
"Hehe... I'll just all-in on the standard banner. I'll definitely get something this time, right?"
Stelle giggled foolishly, completely unaware that Wende was standing behind her with a dark expression.
Wende was finally experiencing the feeling of "the real me is right in front of you, yet you're playing on your phone."
---o---
That night, Wende called Dan Heng, Jingliu, and Tingyun over again. After they signed the contracts, they all had a meal together. Welt didn't come, as he was busy helping Joachim and Tesla clean up Anti-Entropy's mess.
As for the three little ones, they were probably too tired to even bother showing up.
However, Wende soon came to regret having everyone stay for dinner. All he could say was, three people arrived, and three people left. But the one who quietly climbed back in through the window in the middle of the night was a single person. Seemingly afraid of Wendy finding out, that night, Wende understood the true meaning of suffocation...
Henceforth, he decided never to have Jingliu stay for dinner again. She was a bit too much to handle, in every sense of the word.
The next morning, Wendy looked on with a confused expression as Wende washed the bedsheets.
Well, as an Aeon, what's wrong with having a strong constitution? So said the person who had successfully counter-attacked for the first time.
---o---
"Huh? Wende? Isn't it Teacher Jingliu's class today?"
Mei, already changed into her training uniform, looked at Wende in confusion. Had the classes been swapped? She hadn't received any notification.
"Oh, Jingliu had some business to attend to, so I'm covering her class. Don't worry, I'm her student too. I can guide you a little."
Wende stood before Mei with an air of breezy nonchalance. Like Jingliu, he didn't need a sword for class. Although he hadn't really used much of the swordsmanship Jingliu had taught him in his "memories," it was no problem to give Mei some pointers.
"In that case, Teacher Wende, please grant me your guidance!"
Mei took her stance, then charged at Wende with her blade.
---o---
"!"
Fu Hua's eyes shot open. She stared blankly at the ceiling above.
She... had been dreaming again. And she remembered all of them...
Ever since she went to help out at the infirmary that one time, she had started dreaming frequently. Each dream was different, but every single one felt as if it had really happened...
Although the dreams were fragmented and disconnected, she always felt that something was off about them... as if the contents of the dreams were things she had personally experienced.
Lately, she had often been distracted because of the dreams, easily slipping into the memories within them... and with each recollection, the memories became more and more complete.
Gradually, Fu Hua realized they weren't dreams, but actual memories... memories she had once lost. They were coming back. Though they were blurry and fragmented, they had certainly made her realize something.
And so, after class today, she came to the infirmary once again. Looking at the fox-eared Tingyun before her, she still felt a sense of unreality.
"She seems to have realized that her memories are starting to return. Aren't you going to report this to Wende and the others?"
Inside Tingyun's body, Phantylia perceived Fu Hua through Tingyun's senses and communicated with her in her subconscious.
"No need. When she remembers everything, she will go find Benefactor herself. The time is not yet right. Besides... when did you start caring so much about Benefactor's affairs?"
Watching Fu Hua leave, Tingyun suddenly felt that the Phantylia inside her had ill intentions.
"Oh? Compared to him, I'm more concerned about you, my silly little fox. Your dear roommate was not so well-behaved last night~"
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