"This... is a Kiana figure, right?" Mei's voice was soft, with a hint of asking the obvious.
Shu felt as if he had dropped dead at the very moment her voice sounded.
Cold sweat, almost instantly, oozed from his forehead, sliding down the flawless skin of the disguised Stelle to his chin.
He felt his back starting to get wet as well.
Mei didn't have Otto's script-reading-like insight, nor Kiana's illogical intuition.
Her gaze wasn't even as sharp as Bronya's, which could cut straight to the point. Most of the time, in their squad, Mei was the only one who was out of the loop.
Well... as the saying goes...
She was a bit... dorky...
At least compared to Kiana and the others, Mei was indeed a bit dorky.
But corresponding to her slow reaction time was Mei's superhuman concentration and processing ability once she did react.
Just like how Mei, after being teased by Kiana for several years, had a sudden epiphany on the rooftop and transformed into Mei-sama, pinning Kiana to the ground and—no, no, no...
In short, Shu knew very well what Mei's concentration was like, and now, Mei, whose eyes were practically glued to that figure, had obviously entered the zone!
Heaven knows how many clues Mei in this state could dig up "unintentionally"!
No, calm down, [Shu ]... you are the genuine Shu, and you've known Mei for almost six months. How can you get stage fright over something like this?
If that imposter sees this, he'll think he's the fake one!
He could already feel that the imposter over there, who was dealing with Bronya, had diverted a sliver of his attention over here!
And so, unknowingly, [Shu ]'s expression gradually became the same as Shu's, as resolute as if the shadows on his face were replaced with solid, thick lines.
His Adam's (imaginary) apple bobbed. He racked his brain and spat out two vague syllables.
"Should be..."
"Senior Mei!"
"It's Lady Mei!"
"Are you also interested in Lord Kiana's figure?"
Mei's question didn't just activate the playing-dead Shu.
The members of the [Kiana Energy Station], who were originally moved by the "meeting of kindred spirits" between "Stelle" and Bronya, also discovered the new focus of attention here.
They swarmed over, surrounding Shu and Mei, chattering away, their enthusiasm instantly ignited.
"Senior Mei, you have such good taste! This is a special Kiana-sama figure handmade by the Stelle sisters! A one-of-a-kind masterpiece!"
The badge girl had also squeezed over at some point, the excited blush still on her face.
But when she started introducing Kiana-related items, her professionalism briefly returned to her.
"That's right, that's right! The Stelle sisters are our fan club's 'special technical advisors'!" And it wasn't just the badge girl who was professional. The twin-tailed girl rushed to speak, her tone full of pride.
"Not just these figures, we also have matching badges, posters, and life-sized standees! These are all special benefits from the Stelle sisters to our [Kiana Energy Station]! Other fan clubs are so jealous!"
"The Stelle sisters just joined us two days ago!" The short-haired girl was a beat slower, but she managed to squeeze in.
"Although I always feel like they're not very familiar with Homu... but when it comes to making Lord Kiana's merchandise, it's like they have magic! Super amazing!"
"So Senior Mei, don't worry!" another fan patted her chest. "Although these merchandise are in principle mainly for our core members, you are Lord Kiana's best friend, so it's no problem at all if you want a set!
"The Stelle sisters will definitely agree!" she said, casting an encouraging look at the bewildered Shu that said, "We all understand, just agree to Senior's request quickly."
He wasn't just sweating profusely now; his heart was ashen.
The enthusiasm of these fans was like a surging flood, washing away all the explanations and excuses he had just constructed.
And on the other side, Shu, who was engaged in an "artistic negotiation" with Bronya about the price of the figures, felt a wonderful...
Schadenfreude rise in his heart after hearing the commotion here, especially after sensing Shu's almost tangible panic.
Ha! That's what you get for elbowing me just now!
That's what you get for playing dead!
Your karma has come back to bite you!
You imposter of insufficient purity!!
While maintaining a calm exterior, Shu quoted a tentative contribution point number to Bronya.
At the same time, he sent a crazed "taunt" to his other self through a special channel that only "he" could understand.
You've been targeted by Mei, haven't you?
You've been surrounded by the fan club, haven't you?
You can't explain yourself, can you?
Serves you right!
Come down to hell with me!
If we're going down, we're going down together. At least neither of us will be alone!
Mei quietly listened to the fans' chattering introductions, a hint of understanding flashing in her purple eyes, followed by a deeper, gentle smile.
She waited for everyone's enthusiasm to subside a little before speaking softly.
However, her first words were a bombshell.
"So as long as I join the [Kiana Energy Station], I'll get a whole set of Kiana merchandise like this?"
"Eh?" The fans were stunned.
The badge girl reacted the fastest, quickly explaining: "Ah, well... in theory, yes. The Stelle sisters are our group's exclusive welfare officers, but..."
She looked a little embarrassed at the still-stiff Shu, and then at the "Stelle-sister" over there who seemed to be seriously negotiating but was actually all ears, and lowered her voice.
"The Stelle sisters can't be in two places at once, after all. It takes a lot of effort to handcraft such exquisite things.
"If there are too many new members at once, they definitely won't be able to keep up, so... currently, it's generally the core members, or new members who have made outstanding contributions to the fan club, who can get a more complete set of merchandise.
"If you're an ordinary new member, you'll first receive a Kiana badge that represents your identity!"
"Outstanding contribution?" Mei repeated thoughtfully. Then, she tilted her head slightly, revealing a smile that made everyone who knew her feel a little "uneasy."
"I'm with Kiana a lot of the time. If the time is right, maybe... I could ask Kiana if she has time to come and hang out with everyone with me?
"Well, would that be considered an 'outstanding contribution' to the fan club?"
The shop instantly fell into another kind of silence.
The fans, including the badge girl, widened their eyes and mouths, as if they had heard some incredible tale.
Bring... bring Lord Kiana herself... to hang out?
With them, the fans... face to face?
This was no longer an "outstanding contribution"! This was practically the gospel! A miracle! The most glorious chapter in the fan club's history!
And what made their brains shut down even more than this was—
The meaning behind Senior Mei's words!
She... she was...
"Senior Mei!" The twin-tailed girl's voice changed due to excitement.
"Could it be that you... you want to... join our [Kiana Energy Station]?!"