A beige pair of shorts revealed long, fair legs, but Kira Shigure didn't seem to mind.
Her bangs were damp with sweat, clinging to her forehead.
She looked like she had been busy for a while.
Kira Shigure: "It's all tidy now, come on in."
Li Mo: "Mm, but your stamina is terrible. Are you really an S-rank Valkyrie? How are you so exhausted after only five minutes?"
Kira Shigure: "None of your business!"
Kira Shigure was a little angry. It was all because of him that she was in this state now.
Li Mo: "You seem to have gained a little weight. Your waist is a bit thicker than the last time I saw you."
Kira Shigure: "..."
Li Mo: "Just kidding, don't be mad."
Seeing Kira Shigure's silence, Li Mo subconsciously thought she was sulking and quickly apologized.
A joke is only a joke if everyone finds it funny. If it makes the other person uncomfortable, you should stop immediately and apologize.
At least, in his normal state, Li Mo understood that.
To his surprise, Kira Shigure didn't seem angry at all. Instead, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Li Mo, are you really you?"
Li Mo wasn't surprised by her question. After all, his persona had changed so much.
Li Mo: "I think so. At least, my memories tell me I am."
Li Mo's words were very precise. In fact, he had no evidence to prove he was himself right now, unless he let the Misfortune Ghost in his sea of consciousness curse him once.
The Misfortune Ghost was parasitic in his consciousness, the two almost coexisting. When his consciousness fell silent, the Misfortune Ghost would also fall silent not long after.
Even if a new consciousness possessed all his memories and behavioral habits, and everyone perceived it as Li Mo, the Misfortune Ghost's unique judgment of Li Mo would not be wrong. It was what it was.
Similarity does not equal sameness.
Kira Shigure: "The logic of your speech is quite similar, it's just..."
Li Mo: "Too normal, right? I should be acting colder, more ruthless."
Kira Shigure: "..."
Li Mo: "Let's get down to business first. As for why I'm here, it's a bit long, so I'll be brief."
Li Mo sat on the sofa and briefly explained why he was here.
Kira Shigure had already guessed some of the general content. It was nothing more than triggering some unknown rule while dealing with a paranormal event and being teleported to a random world in his memory.
"Random" seemed random, but there was always a reason, it was just that the reason was unclear.
The haunted manor, the Knocking Ghost, the bizarre phenomena and strange rules—Li Mo described them in great detail. Everything else was glossed over with a single sentence.
Because if necessary, Kira Shigure would also join this paranormal event.
Of course, that would be a last resort.
Li Mo wouldn't drag her into a paranormal event casually.
"This abrupt transmigration has temporarily suppressed the contamination on me. I misjudged when I first arrived. The contamination is still there, just forcibly suppressed by some rule, which is why I'm acting like a normal person."
At this, Li Mo turned his back to Kira Shigure and took off his shirt, revealing healthy, tanned skin.
Not only was there no smell of a corpse, but even the frightening livor mortis from before had completely disappeared.
Blood flowed through his veins, his heart beat with a normal rhythm, his eyes were clear and focused most of the time.
These were all proofs that Li Mo was a complete, living person.
"I'll go find you some suitable clothes."
Seeing that Li Mo's clothes didn't fit, Kira Shigure stood up, walked to her bedroom, and picked out a set of clean, neat men's clothes from inside.
Returning to the living room, she handed them to Li Mo.
After changing, Li Mo was a little surprised because the clothes fit unexpectedly well.
But he didn't think too much of it. Kira Shigure couldn't possibly have his body data, unless she remembered the scene of their... activities with absolute clarity.
Li Mo asked curiously, "You even have men's clothes?"
Kira Shigure answered nonchalantly, "They weren't for you. I was going to my own fan meeting before, and I didn't want to be recognized on the way, so I ordered these clothes online. But they were too big when they arrived, so I just left them in the closet to collect dust."
A clumsy lie.
Li Mo didn't expose it. He had a vague idea of the real reason, but he couldn't show it.
Humans are creatures easily swayed by emotions. If he believed it too, he would surely become a slave to his emotions.
Li Mo's gaze shifted to the nascent warm sun outside the window. Wisps of faint light shone through the window gauze, forming mottled, chaotic patches of light and shadow on the floor.
"I'm planning to go to St. Freya Academy."
"That place is already sealed off. The Overseer believes in the existence of the Bizarre and has implemented a large-scale blockade against potential contamination. Ordinary people can't get in."
"Ordinary people can't get in, but the cute and capable Kira Shigure can definitely get me in, right?"
"Smooth-talker..."
Kira Shigure opened the refrigerator, took out a carton of milk, and handed it to Li Mo.
From Li Mo's self-report, he hadn't eaten for a long time. As an ordinary person, hunger was still a necessary thing to deal with, followed by sleep.
Li Mo's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the food and drinks in the refrigerator—a pile of milk and fruit.
"Then I won't be polite. I'm a little hungry."
"You've never been polite. Eat up, consider it a reward for you going to the trouble of finding food for me and Saori before."
At the same time, Cecilia, who was watching from the shadows, was very confused. She couldn't hear the conversation inside, but from Kira Shigure's and the other party's expressions, they seemed to be getting along very harmoniously. But there was a slight sense of dissonance, as if both were deliberately holding something back.
Awkward because they just started dating?
Speaking of which, Theresa once told me her daughter also got a boyfriend. Normally, her daughter is boisterous, but around her boyfriend, she's like a different person, changing from a hot-tempered little lion to a gentle little cat.
Kira Shigure suddenly asked, "Why the sudden thought of going back there? St. Freya Academy... for everyone who's experienced it, it shouldn't be a place with good memories..."
If time hadn't been rewound, then those who knew the scene of their own death would surely understand how desperate they were when they were eaten, and what mournful cries they uttered.
Li Mo shook his head, his eyes suddenly softening, glowing with a faint, tipsy warm light. The expression on his face was one Kira Shigure had never seen before.
"No, at least for me, it holds a lot of beauty... Even though it left many tears of blood, if I had to do it all over again, I would still make the same choice."
"I can't let it go, and I don't want to."
When one's true feelings are revealed, their words are always incredibly genuine and gentle.
In that brief time, to catch up with Kiana, he had indeed given a lot.
Every day, he would be covered in wounds, but even so, as long as he could close the distance between him and Kiana even a little, Li Mo felt it was worth it, extremely satisfying.
Kira Shigure: "..."
"Mm..."
Kira Shigure's voice was like a mosquito's buzz. She turned her head away, her cherry-pink lips tightly pursed.
She was a little stunned when she heard these words.
Then she came to her senses and understood what Li Mo meant.
Ghosts were terrifying, yes, but if you forgot important memories out of fear, Li Mo couldn't accept that.
That was where he and Kira Shigure first met.
"..."
Li Mo looked back and saw Kira Shigure with her head down, not speaking. The atmosphere in the room was a little cold.
Did I lead the conversation too far? Or did I make Kira Shigure remember some bad memories...
To make up for his mistake, Li Mo decided to liven up the atmosphere. It was rare to be back in a temporarily complete human state, he had to make good use of it.
"Your place is quite big. Where's that backflipping cat? Let me see it~~" Li Mo teased.
"..."
Kira Shigure looked up, her gaze questioning Li Mo for two seconds, as if confirming something.
After a few seconds of hesitation.
Kira Shigure knelt on the sofa with one knee, her hands tightly gripping Li Mo's shoulders, hesitating for a long time.
Finally, she leaned her head over, her mouth close to Li Mo's ear, and gently murmured, "Meow~~"
Her voice was soft and delicate, light and pleasant.
Instantly, a surge of heat rushed through Li Mo's heart, wild and unrestrained.
Kira-cat is still a cat.
Li Mo really wanted to say to Kira Shigure: Woman, you're playing with fire.
But unfortunately, his face betrayed him, his ears burning hot. He must have looked like a shy boy whose heart had been stirred.
So Li Mo gave a light cough and fell into silence and self-doubt.
But if Li Mo had looked up, he would have found Kira Shigure was even more reserved than him. After the coquettish meow, her head drooped like a touched mimosa.
Kira Shigure didn't dare to look up, afraid to meet Li Mo's gaze.
After swallowing a few times, her heart was still pounding.
Oh no... I must be out of my mind. He was just joking, how could you be so forward, Kira Shigure!
Isn't this clearly telling him, I'm your little kitty?
Will he misunderstand? No, no, this doesn't seem like a misunderstanding, it was all my own initiative!
Will Li Mo think I'm cheap?
After struggling internally for a long time, Kira Shigure cautiously looked up, glancing at Li Mo out of the corner of her eye.
Just then, Li Mo was also observing Kira Shigure's state. Their gazes met for a moment before they both quickly looked away.
"I'm a little sleepy. Is there a room I can sleep in?"
"Yes, yes, yes, come with me."
Kira Shigure shot up, hurriedly turning her body to face away from Li Mo.
After they could no longer see each other's expressions, their bodies relaxed considerably.
Li Mo followed Kira Shigure to a bedroom. The layout was simple.
"It's nine o'clock now. I'm going to sleep until noon, then get up for lunch, and try to get my schedule back on track."
Kira Shigure stood at the door. Although staying up late was nothing, it was best to get her sleep schedule back if possible.
"Okay, wake me up when you do. I'll cook for you," Li Mo replied.
Kira Shigure paused and asked, "Aren't you in a hurry to leave?"
Li Mo smiled and answered nonchalantly, "What does it matter? Isn't it nice to spend a little more time with you? It's a rare opportunity. I'll take you out to have some fun when you wake up."
This was indeed a joke.
Li Mo had thought of returning to the haunted manor through the bizarre cave next to St. Freya Academy, but without any Bizarre items, he might not be able to survive even if he knew the strange rules of the first few floors.
Because he was alone.
Even if he took Kira Shigure with him, and wouldn't trigger the "Being Alone" rule, that special Knocking Ghost would still be a difficult problem.
The Knocking Ghost was always targeting him. Even if he avoided all the rules, he would still be targeted.
So returning to the haunted manor through the bizarre cave now was no different from sending himself to his death.
He might as well follow the choices in his mind and see what the rule bestowed by the ninth room was.
Perhaps at the moment he completed all the choices and reached the end of regret, he could instantly return, just like the instant transmigration.
Kira Shigure: "...Mm."
After a simple exchange, Kira Shigure returned to her room, her heart unable to calm down for a long time.
In his normal state, Li Mo seemed to care a lot about the feelings of those around him, carefully maintaining the relationships between them.
The thick quilt covered her face. Kira Shigure lay on the bed, her mind a tangled mess, no thought lasting longer than half a minute.
Over and over again, she recalled the details of her interaction with Li Mo, feeling that her actions and words were so stupid.
Kira Shigure regretted it, but what was said was said, it was too late to take it back.
Under the chaotic thoughts, Kira Shigure's mental energy was quickly consumed, and she soon fell asleep.
Lately, she had been quite sleepy.
Li Mo didn't go to sleep immediately in his room. He was a little dazed about his normal human state.
"Is it because I haven't lived like a normal person for so long that even my speech has become awkward?"
"Oh well, I'll get used to it."
Li Mo sat on the bed. He did feel tired and sleepy.
Without the support of Bizarre power, the human mind is extremely prone to fatigue, thus becoming sluggish and slow.
Therefore, rest was very important.
Li Mo slowly closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and entered a state of sleep.
---||---
At noon, Kira Shigure's room was opened.
At one in the afternoon, Kira Shigure was sleeping.
At two in the afternoon, Kira Shigure was still sleeping.
At three in the afternoon, Kira Shigure sat up with a start, as if from a deathly illness.
"Awake? Still sleepy?" Li Mo asked, sitting on the side.
"What time is it?"
"A little after three in the afternoon."
"..."
Kira Shigure stood there stunned, shaking her head. "Why are you in my room??"
"Waiting for you to wake up to cook, of course. By the way, I took some money from your bedside cabinet to buy groceries, just letting you know. Tidy yourself up, we can eat in about half an hour."
After Li Mo finished, he stood up. As he was about to leave, Kira Shigure called out to him.
"Wait!"
"Is there anything else?"
"You... why didn't you wake me up earlier..."
"Emm... how should I put it? I'm a relatively easy-going person, I like to let things take their natural course. If you're so tired you can't get up, just sleep a little longer. Why make things hard for yourself? So I hope you can wake up naturally."
"Just for that?"
"There are other reasons. If there's a chance, you'll know."
Li Mo left the room, gently closing the door.
What other reasons? It was nothing more than the Kiana in his memory also liked to sleep in.
Li Mo remembered very clearly. Every morning when he woke up, he would see Kiana clinging to him like an octopus.
An hour was enough for a nap, but when Kiana slept, she would basically wake up in the afternoon.
He wouldn't wake her up. As long as Kiana was happy, Li Mo was willing to go along with her, letting her do what she wanted.
So Li Mo had plenty of experience with people who said they would just sleep for a while.
In the bedroom, Kira Shigure stared blankly at the closed door, then suddenly realized her appearance. She took out the mirror from her bedside cabinet and looked.
Her sky-blue hair was a mess, half of her pajamas had fallen off, revealing half of her body.
Overall, she looked very sloppy.
"So embarrassing..." Kira Shigure covered her face and said weakly.
"I have to save my image!"
After half an hour of simple tidying up, Kira Shigure finally left the room with a new look.
All the unused cosmetics and what-not—hand cream, moisturizer, everything—were opened for the first time.
Most Valkyries modified by Honkai Energy had excellent physical conditions. They could maintain the vitality of their cells even without these things.
After Li Mo finished all his work, he waited in the living room for the food to cook.
He was drinking a freshly bought ice-cold coke. The moment he saw Kira Shigure, he almost couldn't hold it in.
"Cough cough... cough cough!"
The coke went down the wrong pipe, making his eyes tear up from the discomfort.
"You can choke on coke? Your operations are as unexpected as ever. The probability of coke killing someone is very low, but it's definitely not zero, right~" Kira Shigure seized the moment of Li Mo's embarrassment and kicked him while he was down without hesitation.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Normally, Li Mo was serious and cold, there was never a chance, and even if there was, he wouldn't care.
After finally composing his expression, Li Mo saw the heavily made-up Kira Shigure. The pained expression disappeared, replaced by a suppressed smile.
I'm professionally trained. Unless I can't help it, I definitely won't laugh.
Li Mo kept hypnotizing himself in his mind.
But when he looked up, Kira Shigure's scarlet lips, the lipstick had been smeared out of the corners of her mouth, and her eyeliner was a mess, like she had dark circles.
And the white powder on her face, it was too obvious. Hadn't she done a secondary blending?
Li Mo: "Pfft..."
Kira Shigure: "What are you laughing at?"
Li Mo: "Nothing. I have a question for you. Kira, you've never worn makeup before, have you?"
Kira Shigure admitted it generously: "Of course. I've been very busy since becoming a Valkyrie, where would I have time to put on makeup? In the team, I usually interact with women, there's no need for makeup. Unless it's a special occasion, headquarters will send makeup artists to do our makeup for us, to facilitate the mission."
Li Mo: "No wonder your drawing is so abstract."
Kira Shigure: "..."
Kira Shigure was stunned. She had heard from her juniors in the team that girls were two different people before and after makeup. After putting on makeup, they were more attractive.
But looking at Li Mo's reaction, he didn't seem to be attracted to her at all.
"I, I was just trying it... after all, I haven't had a normal life for a long time..."
Kira Shigure quickly thought of an excuse, but it wasn't really an excuse.
Most of the time, she was carrying out high-risk missions issued by Schicksal, and also dealing with paranormal events with Li Mo.
The reason she could become an S-rank Valkyrie so quickly was inseparable from her selfless training. The amount of time she had to enjoy a normal life like an ordinary girl was not much in a year.
And the extra free time was spent practicing singing, cultivating her hobby. She had almost never done unnecessary things like makeup herself.
Li Mo was stunned for a moment, and also realized Kira Shigure's situation.
Unlike the original work, Kira Shigure didn't enter a Bubble Universe, but was simply chosen by Schicksal and joined the Valkyrie force.
While carrying out missions, she also trained her singing voice, cultivating her hobby.
It had been like this since she was young, a very pure life.
Li Mo was silent for a moment, walked to Kira Shigure's side, and pulled her to the dressing table.
Kira Shigure asked with confusion, "Why did you pull me here?"
Li Mo said meaningfully, "You guess."
Then he picked up the makeup remover and started working on Kira Shigure's face.
"Mmmph mmmph...!"
"Mmph hmm! Wai... wai mmph mmmph@#￥%"
Li Mo skillfully removed the makeup from Kira Shigure's face, then picked up the cosmetics and gently dabbed and embellished her face.
The lipstick couldn't be too thick. Like Kiana, Kira Shigure wasn't suited for that kind of gorgeous color. A lighter shade of pink could better reflect their innocence.
Her face just needed to be a little moisturized. Their skin was already very fair, there was no need to apply extra white powder.
Then comb her eyelashes into shape, long and three-dimensional...
After a flurry of activity, her face was done by Li Mo. Finally, it was her messy hair.
Li Mo was very patient, his gaze focused, meticulously combing Kira Shigure's hair.
The hair at her temples was curled, and the ponytail at the back of her head was tied with a sky-blue silk ribbon into a bow.
Kira Shigure didn't speak, quietly watching Li Mo in the mirror, seriously combing her hair.
This was the first time she had let a member of the opposite sex touch her so intimately.
Kira Shigure: "..."
"Li Mo."
"I'm here."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Their conversation was still simple and direct. Kira Shigure didn't ask Li Mo why he was so skilled, and Li Mo didn't ask Kira Shigure why she was so trusting.
Both knew very well that this distance was enough, not too far, not too close.
As long as they maintained this distance, neither needed to consider hurting the other.
After getting dressed up, Kira Shigure stood in front of the mirror, tilting her head left and right, examining herself for a long time.
As expected, before and after getting dressed up was different.
Kira Shigure thought her current self could attend a stage as an idol, while before, she was at most a singer with good looks.
"I'm so beautiful~"
"Stop admiring yourself. Let's eat first."
At the dining table, Kira Shigure was constantly taking selfies with her phone. Li Mo sat opposite her and smiled helplessly.
Girls always like to record their most beautiful moments.
Valkyries are also human. They also have the joys and sorrows of ordinary girls. Bearing a heavy responsibility doesn't mean depriving them of the right to enjoy life.
"Mm!"
In a good mood, Kira Shigure ate more than before, finishing a whole bowl of rice. A few days ago, she could only eat half a bowl at most before she couldn't eat anymore.
But in Li Mo's opinion, her appetite was still too small.
After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Is it not good?"
"No, no, I just can't eat anymore. I'm on a diet," Kira Shigure quickly explained.
Li Mo frowned, thinking if Kira Shigure had taken his earlier joke seriously.
He had said Kira Shigure had gained weight, but he didn't know if she really had. It was just a feeling, and feelings were subjective, not to be taken seriously.
"There's no need. Eat more. If you eat so little, how can you train normally?"
"This..."
Kira Shigure showed a difficult expression. The food Li Mo made wasn't bad, but she really had no appetite.
Li Mo picked up a piece of pressed duck meat and was about to put it in Kira Shigure's bowl.
The next second, Kira Shigure lowered her head, quickly bit the pressed duck from Li Mo's chopsticks, and sent it into her mouth.
"I'll jus haf thish 'n dat's it (I'll just have this and that's it)."
She mumbled while chewing.
Seeing this, Li Mo could only shake his head and eat the expensive food with a smile on his face.
He did miss these flavors. After all, he hadn't eaten in several days.
Warm, delicious food. Eat more while he was in a good state.
Li Mo: I'm gonna eat eat eat eat!!!
Kira Shigure didn't leave, but sat on the chair watching Li Mo chow down, and played on her phone.
"Heehee~"
Her phone was on silent. The shutter was pressed again and again, recording photos of Li Mo wolfing down his food.
Although the Li Mo in the photos looked a little rough, for some reason, looking at these photos made her mood much better.
The corners of her mouth curved up uncontrollably, like a wind-up doll, and she couldn't help but laugh.
The sunlight was gentle, the bright sky outside the window casting a faint stream of light into the room, like a stream, aimlessly flowing everywhere.
Spotless, brilliant.
No bizarre interference, no Honkai invasion.
At this moment, in this small room, only she and Li Mo were left.
It's strange. I'm usually so restless, but now I'm enjoying this peace.
"..."
Kira Shigure suddenly remembered the meaning of that lyric: May time stay forever at this moment.
She suddenly had an epiphany. Perhaps the author of the song had already foreseen the future ending when they wrote this lyric.
When this time passed, everything would move towards an irreversible end.
The relationship between them would be diluted by time, becoming blurry, hazy. No one could do anything, no way to change it.
It was regrettable yet powerless, only able to watch as the people or things they cared about became strangers.
Even so, they still couldn't forget. The memories were beautiful, but only memories were left.
Time had long changed.
Everything was logical, yet irretrievably sliding towards defeat.
Kira Shigure lowered her head, her clear eyes suddenly flickering, filled with swirling smoke, and also purified sparks.
She reached out and grasped her smooth hair. The lingering deliciousness in her throat disappeared, becoming bitter and astringent.
The honey she ate, only left a choking bitterness.
A strange feeling...
"Hmm?" Li Mo stopped eating, his attention focused on the choice that had suddenly appeared in his mind.
He had indeed been thinking about what to do after eating, but not all thoughts would become choices.
Li Mo tried to figure out the pattern of the choices appearing, but in the end, he could only come to one conclusion—there was no pattern.
Although the choices had many hints, Li Mo still couldn't figure out what these choices wanted him to do.
Because they were objective enough, without a trace of subjective emotion.
It was as if the choices, and the consequences after the choices, were laid out before him, letting him judge for himself.
It was a bit targeted, deliberately clearing the contamination on him temporarily, letting Li Mo make choices more like a living person.
[My staying in this world is meaningless. I say to Kira Shigure: "I need you to enter the bizarre cave alone, constantly recalling me during the process of passing through the cave, using me as a coordinate, to enter the world where the haunted manor is, and clear the first four floors." — The girl falls amidst the flawless white flowers, symbolizing death and sacrifice. From this, countless people are reborn.]
[May time stay forever at this moment. I do nothing, quietly accompanying Kira Shigure after eating, enjoying a moment of peace. — No one changes the status quo. All things will irretrievably slide towards defeat.]
[Towards tomorrow, I say to Kira Shigure: "Let's go, I'll take you to some special places, places very important to me." — Everything, will come to an end.]
"..."
"..."
"..."
Li Mo's eyes gradually sharpened, his expression grave. He had never expected the choices to become so severe.
The first choice was just short of saying Kira Shigure would die in the haunted manor.
The second and third were even stranger, clearly telling Li Mo the consequences were very serious.
Choosing the second option to slack off would let the Bizarre of the haunted manor spread, and in the end, it would become uncontrollable, impossible to limit or deal with.
The only one worth thinking about was the third option.
But that wasn't a good thing either, from the literal meaning.
Choosing the third option would very likely mean the end of this world.
Of course, it could also mean the end of the haunted manor incident. It just depended on whether this "everything" was literal or had a deeper meaning.
But no matter what, of the three options, none could be chosen directly.
Why did the choices and their corresponding consequences suddenly change so much?
Did I make a mistake in my previous choices?
If he didn't make a choice, he would never be able to leave here, and the haunted manor would still go out of control...
"Li Mo?" Watching the dazed Li Mo, Kira Shigure tilted her head and asked with confusion, "What's wrong? Did you remember something important? Let's deal with the important thing first, I can go with you."
Li Mo: "..."
"Kira, if I asked you to go to your death, what would you choose."
Li Mo lowered his head, his gaze shifting away.
Kira Shigure was stunned. Seeing Li Mo's solemn expression and grave eyes, she realized this wasn't a joke.
Li Mo wouldn't make this kind of joke.
Kira Shigure didn't feel dejected, nor did she show a sad expression.
She stood up, a faint smile on her lips as she slowly walked to Li Mo's side, her two hands reaching out to hold his head.
The flowing light from outside the window, as if flowing into Kira Shigure's azure eyes, shone brightly.
"You've asked the same question before. Listen carefully, this is Kira Shigure's second answer."
"Even if there's a third time, a fourth time, the answer will be the same."
"I would die for you."
Hearing the answer, Li Mo fell silent, pondering for a long time, then revealed a helpless, wry smile.
His judgment at this moment was lamentable.
Everything, will come to an end, didn't necessarily mean what he had thought.
Bizarre rules like to play on these easily misunderstood places, making people misunderstand and make wrong choices.
Just now, because of the severity of the consequences, Li Mo had almost lost his judgment.