The fans' cheers erupted like celebratory cannons in the not-so-spacious shop.
"Senior Mei is joining us—!!!"
"It's live Senior Mei! And a Senior Mei who comes with a promise from Lord Kiana!"
"Idiot! Of course Senior Mei is live! Don't say such weird things, okay!"
"We have risen! The [Kiana Energy Station] has officially ascended to godhood today!"
"Photos! Autographs! Please be sure to bring both lords to the next event!"
"Stelle sisters! Did you hear that! Our team has grown! And in a way we wouldn't even dare to dream of!"
The ecstatic roar almost blew the roof off.
The badge girl hugged the person next to her in excitement, the twin-tailed girl twisted in place with excitement, and the short-haired girl was already pulling at her own shirt, ready to ask Mei for an autograph.
Even Yae Sakura, behind the cash register, was infected by this sudden, fervent atmosphere, blinking her eyes in a daze, looking at this group of instantly frenzied... presumably human creatures.
However, it seemed that no one had noticed that in a corner that no one was paying attention to, two mice had already silently died.
Shu still maintained the posture of trading with Bronya, one hand frozen in mid-air, the other subconsciously holding onto the edge of the counter, his knuckles slightly white.
[Shu] still maintained the posture of looking up, dazedly watching the crowd that had suddenly started to carnival in front of him, only his hands were trembling slightly along with his heart.
His ears were filled with cement-like cheers, and everything in front of him was like a spinning angle grinder, frantically grinding his eyes.
He knew that such a metaphor was abstract, but he had to say that it was very vivid.
After a brief shutdown, his brain began an uncontrollable logical storm.
Joining the fan club? Mei?
Joining Kiana's fan club?
Why?
What's the motive? What's the purpose?
You can go to Kiana's room every night and hug Kiana herself to sleep! You don't even have to go to her room, Kiana will automatically spawn on your bed!
So why?
To experience fan culture?
Are you, Mei, the kind of person who pursues this kind of superficial excitement? Do you, Mei, even believe this reason yourself?
So why!!
To... support Kiana?
...
Wait...
Wait, wait, wait—
No!
The chaotic thoughts suddenly got stuck at a node.
So... Mei joined Kiana's fan club because...
The gears of logic slowly engaged with a rusty clicking sound. Although it was difficult and forced, it really fit.
And Shu, in this difficultly engaging gear, deduced an incredible conclusion.
—This is love!
...
The moment this realization surfaced, Shu suddenly smiled with relief.
Who could understand the sense of salvation that came with this answer?
It was like trying to solve a [1+1=?] problem with calculus. After spending countless brain cells building a complex model, someone suddenly slapped the answer [2] in front of you and told you: "Stop calculating, it's that simple."
The folds of his cerebral cortex were instantly smoothed out, stretched out, and there was a momentary relaxation, like strolling in a Norwegian forest, roaming in...
This is love...
I love you, my ass!
"Love"?
"Like"?
I actually came to such a conclusion that was already in the problem statement by analyzing Mei and Kiana?!
Have I been assimilated by the atmosphere of this shop?!
Have I been infected by the fans' headcanon virus?!
That's not the point!
The point is that now Mei is going to become our "group member"!
Mei!
Raiden Mei!
The cook of the First Exploration Team... an important member of the First Exploration Team!
Kiana's best friend!
A core member of the Fire Moth!
She joined this fan club sponsored by a Homu merchandise shop with two owners of unknown identity, mysterious origins, and extremely suspicious sources!
Could this chain of relationships get any more chaotic and dangerous?!
Otto, is this also your arrangement?!
What if she really brings Kiana to the fan club activities in the future?! How do we face them?!
Continue to pretend to be a shy merchandise production master? And display her figures in front of Kiana herself?!
Eek—!!
Goosebumps simultaneously appeared on the backs of both Shus' feet, rushing straight to the top of their heads.
Displaying the Kiana figures he made in front of Kiana?
What a cruel way to die!
Just thinking about that scene, Shu already had the urge to lie on the ground screaming and rolling, doing somersaults and jumping like a shaman, twisting himself into a pretzel like a maggot.
Damn brain, what are you so imaginative for?!
What to do, what to do, what to do... my other self! Quickly think of a way!
Desperate times call for desperate measures. At this moment, the heartbroken Shu even turned to his other [Shu] for help.
And when Shu saw the distress signal projected by [Shu] at the same time, the indignation of being disappointed in him instantly shattered the headless-fly-like panic.
Sure enough, a waste is a waste!
Once an imposter, always an imposter!
How could I have such a useless copy of myself?!
Just as the internal and external contrast reached its peak, and the two Shus' inner dramas were about to overflow their disguises, a calm and unwavering voice, which instantly penetrated all the noise, sounded.
It was Bronya.
She had finished her transaction at some point and was holding a small, exquisite box containing the "Zekkend" Homu figure.
Her gray eyes swept over the fervent fan group and landed on the slightly smiling Mei, who seemed a little embarrassed by the "commotion" she had caused but had no intention of taking back her words.
The corners of Bronya's mouth seemed to twitch up a millimeter.
"You can clearly ask the idiot Kiana directly, yet you're joining a fan club here to get the idiot Kiana's figures and merchandise? Mei-neechan, you..."
"Wah!!!"
Bronya's sharp comment made the fans erupt in another explosive cheer.
"It's true, isn't it! It's true, isn't it!! The rumors are true, aren't they!!"
"Although Senior Mei and Lord Kiana are both girls, they are actually in love with each other... wah!!"
"Does that mean... the fanfictions are right?"
"What fanfictions! I declare, from today on, those fanfictions are canon!"
"Then... could the other ones also be..."
"Senior Durandal and Lady Rita?"
"It's clearly Lady Theresa and Lady Rita!! Senior Durandal is clearly with Sushang..."
"Ah! Heresy!! Lord Durandal and Lady Rita are the most suitable!"
"Actually, I think... Lord Durandal and Alvitr..."
"No, no, no! Why are you all so fixated on one pair? Everyone is clearly Lord Durandal's wings!!"
"Senior Fu Hua is beautiful on her own!! On her own!!"
Shu felt like he was not feeling so good.