Miss Riddler just wants to level up in peace.

To prevent infection, she cut off her synchronization with other parts of her body early on, so it is unknown.

"Huh? How could this be?"

You gave a hint, but it had no effect at all?

Fu Hua began to doubt her own memory, and thinking about Rita and Theresa's reactions, she wondered if she had mixed up the people in her memory.

So she increased the dosage.

"I am not a Herrscher, don't get me wrong, please look me in the eyes."

At such close range, no one can escape control.

Ottori thought so, and it was indeed true.

However, Ziyao wore a talisman that made her immune to all mental attacks, so Fu Hua's power had no effect on her.

"I know this is hard to accept, but please believe me... I genuinely want to help you!"

The girl gripped Fu Hua's hand tightly, her voice growing increasingly louder.

Isn't this going too far?

When Fu Hua noticed that Zi Yao's reaction was even more intense than before, and her wrist was sore from being squeezed, she felt like she had shot herself in the foot.

Ruined.

Rita sighed, she had expected this.

If I had been more assertive earlier, would Miss Zi have been able to escape my control?

Now it seems that the other party has completely become a puppet controlled by the Herrscher.

No, rather than being wise after the event, the biggest problem now is how to get rid of the Herrscher and keep our distance from her.

If they continue to sit at the same table, they might also suffer the consequences; we must cut our losses as soon as possible.

"Calm down, I believe you."

The girl pressed on relentlessly, her wholehearted concern for Fu Hua. Her bright, clear eyes made it impossible for Fu Hua to get angry, after all, it was Fu Hua who had orchestrated this whole thing.

The feeling of being cared for so much, and the accompanying helplessness, overshadowed any aversion to the word "lawyer".

"Really?"

“I always keep my word. I am a Lawyer, okay?”

“I’m not joking, Hua, you really do... possess that kind of power.”

As if someone who was always laughing and joking had suddenly become serious, Ziyao changed the subject and spoke in a calm tone.

Ottori's pupils contracted, completely unable to guess whether she was being controlled or not.

"The nature of power is never the primary factor; it is the user who determines it."

Ziyao still didn't let go, and even gripped Fu Hua's wrist until it turned red.

Although your methods were poor, in the end, you gained a very good accomplice.

In every sense.

Even without giving hints or distorting her understanding, the girl would probably help her anyway.

The real Fu Hua thought so.

"Okay, okay, really. From now on, don't forget what I just told you."

Perhaps out of sheer annoyance, Fu Hua blushed and gave a new hint.

Because she did whatever she wanted, she wasn't worried at all about what Rita and the others would think.

After she finished speaking, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Surely you won't be so fixated on this now, right?

To everyone's surprise, the girl still didn't let go, and in one sentence, she revealed her ability.

"Manipulating cognition...it's really convenient."

He said it to my face.

It doesn't just say she's a Herrscher, it also describes her abilities.

If it were anyone else, they would probably want to stick a rocket under their butt and escape from here immediately, flying as far away as possible.

"I'm the fourteenth in the family, so I'm your senior. Since you're going to take a new step and be different from yourself, we should change how we address you. How about I call you Xiao Shi?"

"It's not impossible."

I felt like I was taken advantage of.

At this moment, Xiao Shi was very clear that Zi Yao was not affected by her.

The girl's genuine willingness to help her is, how should I put it, it's a little itchy, something I'm too embarrassed to confront directly, yet it's something very important.

"In that case, let's consider this a new acquaintance."

Ziyao reintroduced everyone present, and finally it was the turn of the new girl.

"Xiao Shi, this is Ottoli."

Volume 1: Chapter 172: One Day of Xier

Everyone has things that leave a deep impression and are unforgettable.

Painful memories, unsettling images, fleeting moments of happiness...

The impressions, composed of fragments, are like stacked film prints, influencing and intertwining with each other.

It rained outside the shrine today.

Dark clouds stretched across the sky, obscuring the sun.

The rumble of thunder rolled on, foreshadowing that it would grow louder and louder.

A single-serving cake, a pair of chopsticks, and a pair of slippers.

A deserted living room, a clock that never tires.

These things all serve as a reminder of Seele's lonely situation.

Two circles were drawn on the calendar, indicating that two days had passed since the girls left.

She sat alone on the sofa, with wisps of steam rising from the hot tea on the table.

A light drizzle fell outside the window, raindrops pattering against the glass and wetting the raspberries placed outside.

When she was with everyone, she rarely thought about her life of wandering alone.

The surroundings suddenly became quiet, which felt very unsettling.

Memories slowly surface, making one feel how unreal the present happiness is.

In the endless sea, nothing changes, not even time exists, as if everything has been frozen.

I drifted for a very long time, and even the biting cold became numbing.

When the scale and emptiness are stretched infinitely, will the self be eroded if this continues for a longer period of time?

At that moment, I heard the sound of rain.

The rain drizzles on and on, seemingly never-ending.

When I opened my eyes, a girl with dark hair was sitting beside me, seemingly having been waiting for a very long time.

The kettle next to it was constantly steaming, emitting plumes of hot water.

Snowflakes were falling heavily outside the window, while the room was bathed in warm orange light, making it very cozy.

Legend has it that small animals will regard the first creature they see as an important relative.

After a long journey, I met someone who was waiting for me and cared about me.

I believe that no matter who it is, that moment will be frozen in their heart forever, and they will never forget it.

[Why is she blushing like that? Could it be that she's no longer lonely?]

"Here we go again, Seele, you always like to tease me."

[How boring. I was thinking of going to scare that lobster doctor, but he left too.]

Hey, aren't you afraid of that pink-haired ghost?

"Sister Ziyao said she's not a bad person, so it should be fine."

There's definitely some fear involved.

After everyone left, Seele didn't want to go near the side hall of the shrine where the Jizo shrine was kept.

Fortunately, it was a storage room, so there was usually no need to go inside.

Despite being called a shrine, this is actually a villa designed to resemble a shrine.

I heard this place was built for a shrine maiden, but unfortunately, due to some events, the shrine maiden disappeared, the developer was imprisoned, and the assets were transferred to Anti-Entropy.

Having grown accustomed to living in an orphanage, Seele was initially a little unaccustomed to such a large place, but she gradually adapted.

"Seele, how many people do you think can live here?"

There are probably about twenty people, and a bunch of guest rooms on the second floor. Cleaning them looks like a huge hassle.

Hei Xi complained that last Tuesday, as soon as she came out for an activity, Xi Lin asked her to help with cleaning.

I thought it would be easy, but the workload turned out to be ridiculously large, and it took me more than two hours to finish.

From then on, Hei Xi refused all cleaning work; she preferred to spar with the Honkai Beasts.

“The nearest city is at least 50 kilometers away. The shrine is running out of supplies, and Seele wants to go and buy some.”

However, to leave this place, one needs a means of transportation such as air travel.

The dense jungles and mountains were difficult to cross, requiring considerable time and effort.

Like a double-edged sword, it has both good and bad aspects.

The advantage is that it is isolated from the world. Fate cannot find this place. It is like an uninhabited desert island, and no one can disturb them.

The downside is that it's too isolated; it's difficult to even go out to buy something.