"What... Mei, you're not going to say anything weird to me, are you?"
"Weird words?"
Mei looked at Kiana, who had stopped abruptly, and a strange expression appeared on her face.
"Kiana, what do you mean by 'weird words'?"
"Um... it means... it means... it means something as weird as her."
Kiana truly didn't have the courage to recount the scene, so she could only point at MEI.
"Me?"
"Dr. MEI, did she say anything strange to Kiana?"
Mei looked at her with surprise.
In her opinion, although MEI was a little erratic when it came to Tian Shi, she was still quite reliable in serious matters.
"Strange words?"
Mei touched her chin and thought about it.
"No, I don't think I've invited Miss Kiana to the lab table yet."
"I see..."
The expression on MEI's face didn't seem fake, and since the other person's face was almost exactly the same as hers, Mei subconsciously believed what MEI said.
"Kiana, please don't cause trouble for Dr. MEI."
"I... guh..."
Kiana hesitated to speak.
Does she have any idea the damage her words did to me?
During this period, I dreamt about the scenes of that night, and even the appearance in the dreams gradually began to change from MEI to Mei, although the difference between the two people wasn't very obvious.
But this is a complete nightmare for her, alright?
(It would be better to say that you were too impatient at that time, Kiana-san. If you had observed her a little more carefully, you would have recognized that it wasn't Mei.)
Fu Hua added in her mind.
Mei and the current MEI are the type who look like the same person at first glance, but the more you look at them, the less they resemble each other.
There's such a huge difference in temperament that it's impossible to mistake them while getting along for a long time.
"Well... that's fine, but Mei, could you let go of this slightly... uh... slightly silly doll you have in your hand?"
Kiana really wanted to say the doll was ugly, but... to be honest, its appearance made it impossible for Kiana to find fault with it, so she immediately changed her words.
"But... Kiana, who gave you the courage to call others stupid?"
"Huh? What?"
Those words made Kiana surprised for a moment.
"It's Tian Shi, he's in your hand!"
Kiana bluntly said that, although she normally had a good impression of Tian Shi because of Fu Hua, but with the previous experience with MEI, Kiana was now panicking when she saw this combination.
It's already a psychological shadow.
"Huh? You mean Brother Tian?"
"Tian, Tian... Brother?"
Suddenly, Kiana covered her head and a bad feeling suddenly arose.
"Wait, Mei, why do you call him that?"
"It's because... well... Brother Tian is Brother Tian."
Speaking of this, Mei's face inexplicably turned red.
"No... Mei, do you have a history with this guy?"
Kiana said with an unacceptable look.
"Don't blush!"
"Or were you brainwashed after falling into his hands?"
"If we were like that, the first person we'd brainwash would be you, alright?"
Tian Shi frowned.
But Mei beside her was inexplicably distracted.
"Coercion... brainwashing... it feels like Seele... cough, never mind."
Mei came back to her senses and coughed lightly twice.
"No, what are you thinking, Kiana? It's just that Brother Tian and I have known each other for a long time."
"A long time...?"
"Well... I was 15 when I met Brother Tian."
"Mmm...the age of first love."
Rita, beside her, hummed ambiguously.
"I always feel like Rita is fanning the flames. Is it just an illusion?"
Indeed, Kiana's face darkened after hearing this.
Damn it... Even by first come, first served, isn't it her turn?
Isn't this a complete failure?
"Mei,why didn't you tell me before?"
Kiana asked reluctantly.
"Huh? Since this happened during the Anti-Entropy period, I wouldn't dare tell anyone if no one asked."
Mei scratched her head.
"Although my sister Edison seems to have some dirty dealings with the director, these things cannot be spoken about lightly, right?"
"During the Anti-Entropy era... Does that mean Bronya knew too?"
"Uh..."
"So, am I the only one excluded?"
"Well, you can't say that..."
Mei thought about it carefully, and it seemed to be true?
"But,how to explain it specifically? You can't just say we're friends simply because we read the book together, right?"
"I see." Kiana breathed deeply.
"I'll snatch you away from this guy, Mei!"
"Huh? Huh? Huh?"
"Wait? Snatch?"
"Well... I think maybe it's not necessary..."
"This idiot is really blind..."
Tian Shi flew out of Mei's arms with a helpless look on his face and ignored Kiana's declaration of war.
"So, what are you two doing here?"
Tian Shi looked at Senti who was beside her.
"Huh? This... uh..."
This question stumped Senti.
Although her original intention was to come here to "catch the adulterer," it would be inappropriate to say this in front of Master Tian.
"Will Master Tian get angry if I tell the truth?"
After all, my mission was to teach Kiana, but now I'm running here instead of doing my job.
"If you tell the truth, you will be kicked out..."
"Well...I wanted to give Master Tian a surprise. A surprise."
Senti quickly searched for an excuse.
"Surprise? I think I'm more surprised than happy."
"No, no, no... Master, where does it hurt? Let me help you with a massage."
Senti appeared with a smile on her face.
"Rita,
do you think this is being a bootlicker?"
Raven looked sideways at Rita, who was beside her.
"Who knows?"
"There's a saying that's been trending in China lately: 'A dog that licks you until you have nothing left'."
Raven said with a hint of meaning.
"Really? People who are kept always speak with confidence."
Rita chuckled.
"Besides... in the end, those who are left with nothing are called 'bootlickers': the winner takes it all, the loser is left with the boots. This is war, Miss Raven, and also, that's not how you use the word 'bootlicker'."
She has at least two or three opportunities to directly defeat Tian Shi, alright?
"Just one step away!"
"Rita, you are useless!"
"..."
"I've told you many times: don't open the door to strangers!"
"Master Raven... we weren't the ones who opened the door."
The pink-haired girl weakly raised her hand in response to Raven's scolding.
"It was that black-haired older sister who punched the door open."
Raven: "…"
"Oh, that seems right."
Raven glared fiercely at Senti.
What's wrong with the Herrscher? Can the Herrscher smash down other people's doors?
If it weren't for the 100 million that Mr. Tian Shi gave me, I would have to have a word with you today!
"Even if someone had removed the door, you should have immediately hidden instead of... forgetting it."
Raven suddenly thought of Kiana and Senti's personalities.
"Tsk... Now that I think about it, there doesn't seem to be a need to scold them."
"They're just two troublemakers."
"Not to mention these children, I couldn't even do it myself if I tried."
"Master Raven, what are we having for lunch today?"
"Rita, don't call me that. It just disgusts me."
Raven glared at Rita, who was imitating the children's tone.
"If I didn't make you feel bad, Mr. Raven, you wouldn't shout."
Rita had a cheerful smile on her face.
"…"
This bastard Rita is so vengeful. Didn't I secretly call her a 'bootlicker' earlier?
She used the idea of having a lover to disgust people back then, alright?
Although Raven herself doesn't believe there is anything disgusting about it.
After all, the power of eight zeros after the one is really too great.
"I really don't understand how Mr. Tian, who has such a good character, could get involved with a maid like you who has such bad character."
Looking at Rita and recalling Tian Shi's earlier bold and generous gesture, Raven sighed unconsciously.
"Hmm... maybe it's our compatibility?"
Rita offered a fake smile, devoid of any genuine amusement.
"I think Tian Shi and I get along surprisingly well."
"Relying on Mr. Tian Shi to compensate for your inner poverty?"
Raven joked cheerfully.
No one is wearing a combat uniform or armor today, so who is afraid of whom bare-handed?
"That's very unpleasant, Miss Ciora."
Rita said with a sarcastic smile.
"Tian Shi and I... Never mind. Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand, Miss Ciora."
Rita seemed genuinely disappointed and sighed.
"Let's leave this useless argument now. I'm going to the kitchen."
"Wait, wait, wait?"
"What do you mean 'you wouldn't understand'?"
"Why don't you say it first?"
"What happened between you and Mr. Tian?"
"A little gossip is fine!"
Obviously, Rita's behavior could be considered an admission of defeat, but Raven suddenly felt unhappy.
"Are you happy to leave me in such suspense?"
"Alright! Then I'll find out myself!"
"I'll go check the kitchen too. Miss Fu Hua, please help me keep an eye on the children."
"Huh? Ah... oh."
Senti, who was daydreaming, nodded and looked at the children.
"Then... does anyone want to play Cat's Tuck?"
"Wait, what are you doing? Are you trying to destroy my kitchen?"
The moment Raven entered the kitchen, she saw a scene that resembled an image of hell.
Innumerable pots, pans, knives, forks, and chopsticks floated in the air.
"If this falls..."
"Don't worry, Miss Raven, everything is guaranteed."
With a somewhat indifferent tone, Mei turned her head to look at Raven who had just entered the room.
"What's wrong with that face?"
Raven looked at Mei, the only one working at the cutting board, and her expression gradually turned strange.
"The devil horns on her head, the huge arm armors floating on both sides... how can I start to feel at ease?!"
"A brief introduction... the Herrscher of Thunder."
Mei, transformed into the Queen of Thunder, slowly replied while chopping vegetables.
The vegetables that had just been cut seemed to be possessed by a soul and jumped into the pot floating beside her.
"No, your introduction is anything but simple! Weren't you just a simple Valkyrie five minutes ago?"
"Do you think a Herrscher is just anyone's backyard cabbage?"
Raven's language was a double complaint in her heart.
"And the knife in your hand..."
"This..."
When speaking of the knife, Mei felt a little guilty.
"I asked her to take it."
MEI pushed up her glasses.
"I came up with this idea after discovering that Mei could transform into the Herrscher of Thunder, so I let her temporarily use the Seven Thunders of Purification."
"Then, Dr. MEI, can you explain to me why the Seven Thunders of Retribution turned into kitchen knives?"
Raven pulled the corner of her mouth as she looked at the Seven Thunders of Purification in Mei's hand, which was full of high-tech aura and flashed with purple light.
"You must know that the form of the Seven Thunders of Retribution changes depending on the user and the situation."
MEI's tone was calm and persuasive.
"Is that the reason why this thing turned into a kitchen knife?"
Raven's face was expressionless.
"Of course I knew that the Seven Thunders of Retribution could change form! Once, this thing transformed into a slingshot and almost killed her!"
"But! But! No matter how you look at it, turning this into a kitchen knife is ridiculous!"
"The sniper rifle in her hand turned into a kitchen knife in Mei's hand... Is this really okay?"
"Relax, the Seven Thunders of Retribution of the previous civilization were still katanas."
"Doctor, please don't try to confuse me with your bland tone. I'm not as foolish as Kiana."
Kiana, who was innocently caught in the crossfire, pursed her lips, but she wasn't angry after all: only a few minutes earlier, Mei, out of kindness, had explained the grudge between her and Raven.
"Well, now Kiana feels that the other party is truly magnanimous because she hasn't messed with her yet..."
"Forget it, it's just an insult to myself, I'll put up with it."
"I originally thought that the Seven Thunders of Retribution would take the form of a katana in Mei's hands, just like that old friend of the previous civilization. But now it seems that a kitchen knife might be more suitable for Mei."
After Raven exposed her intentions, MEI could no longer speak nonsense seriously.
"I've never seen this scene.jpg"
"What the hell is this aptitude?"
"Actually, I feel it's quite strange too."
At that moment, Mei also took a look at the Seven Thunders of Retribution in her hand.
"I feel like all the effort I've put into swordsmanship for more than a decade has been in vain... But, why are you so calm, Brother Tian?"
"Actually, I think it's quite reasonable..."
Tian Shi scratched his head.
"You've been practicing swordsmanship for over a decade. Your pure skill, stripped of all external factors, is almost that of a master, right? But you've only been studying cooking for five or six years... you've already reached the peak, right?"
"I think the difficulty of these two is not on the same level."
Although it sounds reasonable...
"How about you try it, Miss Rita?"
Mei handed the kitchen knife... uh, the Seven Thunders of Retribution to Rita, whose culinary skills were similar to hers.
The Seven Thunders of Retribution is one of those Divine Keys that is not very demanding about who uses it.
In theory, Rita can also use it, but there will be some differences in the degree of compatibility.
"Alright, I'll try... uh, the scythe."
Perhaps the Seven Thunders of Retribution was in a bad mood, and in Rita's hands, it turned into a scythe for harvesting wheat in the fields.
"So... the fact that this thing appears as a kitchen knife in Mei's hand is entirely due to Mei's personal reasons?"