Flower Fairy: After transmigrating again, I became An'an's younger brother.

Xia Tong ignored Lucio, who was in the restroom wearing the "good student" mask again but with his eyes still sharp, and turned to walk towards the classroom.

The blue-purple Shadow Flower Fairy on his shoulder lay quietly, its wings occasionally fluttering slightly.

The Nine Thousand Years Old gracefully flapped its wings and flew beside Xia Tong.

Her gaze fell on the small figure perched obediently on Xia Tong's shoulder, fluttering its light blue-purple gradient wings.

The Shadow Flower Fairy seemed quite content with its new "seat," occasionally emitting soft chirping sounds, filled with a bewildered curiosity about everything around it.

"Child,"

The Ninth Prince extended a slender finger and gently pointed in the direction of the Shadow Flower Fairy, his tone inquisitive, "This little flower fairy is also... a 'Shadow'?"

Before Xia Tong could answer, Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old had already moved closer, his wine-red eyes curiously examining the little flower spirit. He even reached out his fingertip to poke it, but the little flower spirit warily dodged away.

"Hmm...it feels a little different."

The Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old tilted his head, a thoughtful expression on his face:

"It gives me a feeling... very 'mixed'. Part of its aura is pure shadow, much like ours; but another part is somewhat like the flower fairies that were just born on the continent of Labbel and don't yet have much self-awareness?"

She tilted her head, looking at Xia Tong with undisguised curiosity on her face:

"Kid, what have you created? This doesn't look like a simple shadow."

Xia Tong listened to their analysis as she walked along the corridor.

He reached out and gently touched the little flower fairy on his shoulder.

The little guy seemed to really enjoy this interaction, immediately forgetting his earlier "fright," and rubbed against his fingers, making a soft "chirp~" sound.

"Because my previous attack was originally intended to awaken the consciousness of Edwin's 'Shadow',"

Xia Tong shrugged, with a hint of "plans can't keep up with changes" in her tone.

"However, I missed the target and hit the potted plant instead. In addition, that plant itself has no self-awareness, so what I just did should be considered... helping it to 'become intelligent'."

For beings without self-awareness, the concepts of shadow and self are actually very vague.

Because the original body is "empty", the consciousness of the shadow awakened by Xia Tong becomes the first and only consciousness (this feels more like the Shadow Fairy Kings in the third and fourth seasons of the original series, whose original bodies were replaced by the consciousness of the shadow), so the Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old can feel the aura of both the original body and the shadow on him at the same time.

The Ninth Prince beside him nodded slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, indicating that he accepted the explanation.

Now she is more concerned with another practical issue:

"So, it's now... your creation? Will it stay with you forever?"

Xia Tong glanced at the little guy who was nestled obediently on her shoulder.

"Just take it with you. Since it's already been born, it's fate. We can't just abandon it, can we?"

His tone was relaxed, as if he had simply taken in a small animal that had accidentally wandered into his arms.

At this moment, Shadow Mountain Dream was still very concerned about the aura of the Guardian Contract that she had just sensed from Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old.

Therefore, she silently followed behind the group, her deep purple-red eyes fixed on the shadowy Ninth Prince flying ahead.

As they chatted and laughed, the classroom came into view.

The Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old transformed into a card and flew back into the pocket, while the Nine Thousand Years Old himself gracefully disappeared into the plum blossom pendant.

Dark Mountain Dream hesitated for a moment, her little face still showing unresolved confusion, but she obediently turned into pink light and flew back into Xia Tong's pocket.

Only the little flower fairy remained brazenly perched on his shoulder, curiously turning her "head" to look around.

Xia Tong smiled helplessly and gently tapped it with her finger:

"Little guy, you need to hide too."

The flower spirit perched on Xia Tong's shoulder then let out two confused chirps, "Chirp?" and flapped its wings twice.

Because they are truly newborn children, they can't understand what I'm saying like Tsubaki and the others?

Hmm, it seems we should use a more direct approach...

Thinking this, Xia Tong gently took the little flower spirit off her shoulder and held it steadily in her palm.

The little guy seemed to enjoy this feeling, making soft "chirping" sounds, and obediently folding his wings.

With the index finger of his other hand, he gently poked its small, blurry body made of light and shadow. The touch was cool and soft, like touching a condensed mist.

The little flower fairy wobbled as he poked her, making a "chirp?" sound. Seemingly finding it amusing, she even rubbed against his fingertips.

"Stay still, don't move around, and don't come out, understand?"

Xia Tong slowed down her speech, speaking each word carefully, while gently tapping the flower essence's "forehead".

The little flower fairy's body trembled slightly, and her "eyes" blinked.

Then it raised its "head", stared at Xia Tong for a moment, and then made a "chirp" sound, and rubbed against Xia Tong's fingertips.

I guess I understood that?

Xia Tong pulled up her school uniform a little and then carefully covered it with her school uniform jacket (because it was too big, about 15cm, almost half the size of the Flower Fairy King).

The Shadow Flower Spirit merely twitched its wings slightly under his manipulation before quietly settling down, appearing outwardly as nothing more than a soft, inconspicuous bulge.

After doing all this, Xia Tong went into the classroom through the back door.

Almost as soon as he sat back down, the school bell rang, and the teacher walked into the classroom as the bell rang.

Xia Tong then placed the flower essence into the drawer under her desk.

His gaze swept over the empty seat in the middle of the classroom—Lucio's seat was still empty.

A few seconds later, Lucio hurriedly walked in through the front door of the classroom, nodded slightly to the teacher in apology, and then quietly returned to his seat.

His expression had returned to the calm demeanor expected of a transfer student, but the moment he sat down, he glanced very quickly in Xia Tong's direction.

Xia Tong returned a perfectly ordinary smile, like any other classmate would, then lowered her head and opened her textbook.

Class began, and everything seemed to return to calm.

However, in Xia Tong's pocket—

The pink luster on the surface of the card formed from the dream of Shadow Mountain rippled slightly.

She was still thinking about the slight contractual fluctuation she had sensed from Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old that connected her to Xia Tong.

After much hesitation, she couldn't resist and carefully "poked" a simple and direct thought towards the card next to her that represented Shadow Camellia.

"Tsubaki..."

Dark Shadow Mountain Dream's thoughts were tinged with a hint of probing and softness, "Do you have one too?"

Shadow Camellia was somewhat surprised by her initiative in striking up a conversation, and the dark red luster on the surface of the card flickered.

However, perhaps it was because Xia Tong's affirmation of "ace" was still echoing in her mind that she was in a rare and sustained state of joy, and her response was less cold and sharp than usual.

"Hmm? What is it?"

The message from Shadow Camellia arrived, her tone gentler than usual, even carrying a barely perceptible upward inflection, indicating that she was in an exceptionally good mood.

Sensing that Shadow Tsubaki seemed easier to talk to than expected, Shadow Mountain Dream grew a little bolder, and her mind became clearer:

"That's it! The special connection between you and Xia Tong! The feeling of a protective contract! I think I felt it on Jiu Qian Sui just now... Chun, do you have it too?"

She asked directly, without any beating around the bush, and her cards glowed slightly in anticipation of the answer.

"Yes, I have."

Shadow Camellia's answer was crisp and concise.

Immediately afterward, before Shadow Mountain Dream could react, a clear and unique wave of contractual connection gently emanated from Shadow Camellia's card.

Shadow Mountain Dream's card trembled slightly.

How come they're all here? No way...

A simple thought of "I can't fall behind" and "I want to have it too" flashed with pink light, and Shadow Mountain Dream did not hesitate and took the initiative to form a guardian contract with Xia Tong, who was right next to her.

The plum blossom pendant next to it moved slightly.

The Nine Thousand Years Old had been quietly "watching" the interactions between these "Shadow" companions, and naturally, she clearly perceived them as well.

She was thinking—

Having witnessed Xia Tong's interactions with the Shadow Elf Kings, I felt the unique inclusiveness and power emanating from him.

Now that both her own shadow and Chun have made their choices, Yamamu is also taking such initiative...

Almost without hesitation, she released a faint, pure plum blossom fragrance, and a gentler, calmer yet incredibly solid contractual energy followed closely behind Dark Shadow Mountain Dream, quietly connecting with Xia Tong.

"Oh?"

The Shadow Nine Thousand Years Old card beside it emitted a mocking thought, clearly sensing the two almost simultaneous contractual connections.

"Why did you suddenly join in too? Just looking for fun?"

On the other side, Xia Tong, who was focused on "listening" in class, suddenly stiffened slightly.

He was looking at the writing on the blackboard when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a new, warm sense of connection that welled up within him.

???

Xia Tong's pupils dilated slightly, and a string of question marks flashed through her mind.

A mountain dream? A contract? Now? In class? What's going on? So suddenly?

Before he could even process the sudden "contract attack," almost the next second, another contract was linked to him.

!!!

Xia Tong almost lost control of her expression, and the fingers of her left hand, which was under the desk, curled up subconsciously.

Another one? How come it's the Ninth Thousand Years Old...?

These successive "contract attacks" came too quickly and too suddenly, leaving even him feeling bewildered and caught off guard.

Xia Tong calmly slipped her left hand into her pocket, her fingertips touching a few cool cards and pendants.

Magic flowed, and a subtle voice, tinged with obvious confusion and inquiry, was simultaneously transmitted to several "parties involved":

"...Suddenly, what happened? Shanmeng, the Ninth Prince?"