If I wanted to try... she wouldn't refuse?
Kiana's mind went completely blank, freezing on the spot.
She stared, dumbfounded, at Ruan Mei—who remained as calm and composed as ever—and it took several long moments before her brain finally rebooted.
Startled, she took a step back, raising a hand to her mouth and coughing lightly to hide her fluster.
"N-no need! I was just joking."
There was no point in denying her thoughts—Ruan Mei had already read them directly.
She'd been caught. Absolutely, unmistakably caught!
Seeing Kiana's panicked attempt to escape the conversation, Ruan Mei's expression grew slightly uneasy. "A joke?"
"Y-yeah! Yeah!"
Kiana nodded frantically, her face red as she stammered on, "You said yourself that—that method wouldn't work anyway! So of course it was just a joke!"
She had the impulse but not the courage.
And she definitely wasn't mentally prepared for this!
Every word Ruan Mei spoke threw her off guard, leaving her with no time to react.
Children... and then... that kind of thing...
The more she thought about it, the hotter she felt—especially her face, which was practically steaming.
Watching her fluster, Ruan Mei's voice remained slow and even. "So those thoughts just now were a joke?"
"...Mm-hmm!"
"I see."
Ruan Mei seemed to accept that answer, nodding slightly as she motioned for Kiana to come closer.
Kiana hesitated.
She was afraid Ruan Mei would read her mind again—and see all the wild, inappropriate thoughts she was trying so hard to suppress.
Her reputation, her dignity—gone!
Control. She needed to stay in control!
Forcing those stray thoughts out of her mind, Kiana took a deep breath and slowly stepped closer to Ruan Mei.
"Let's not talk about this anymore, okay?"
She stopped before Ruan Mei, speaking softly, almost pleadingly. Inwardly, she scolded herself for ever bringing up the Schariac family... or the idea of transplanting them—or the Kaslanas—into this world.
"Not talk about it?"
Ruan Mei seemed lost in thought. Her gaze lingered on Kiana's flushed face, and once again, she raised a hand to gently stroke her cheek.
Feeling the warmth radiating from her, Ruan Mei's fingertips glided softly across her skin.
Then she asked, in the same calm tone that made Kiana's mind crash all over again, "Is it because you plan to find Raiden Mei instead?"
She didn't sound angry—only mildly curious.
Huh? Mei? Find Mei?
FIND MEI?!
Kiana's breath caught, her mind exploding into chaos. Even without fully processing what Ruan Mei meant, survival instinct kicked in.
She grabbed Ruan Mei's slender waist with both hands, leaning closer as she spoke in a rush, "You have to believe me! I wasn't thinking that!"
She really hadn't been.
Before Ruan Mei had said anything like that, she hadn't dared think in such directions.
...Okay, maybe she had thought about it once or twice.
But it was just curiosity! Just a passing thought!
Given how close they already were, it wasn't like she could do anything—so was it really wrong to think about it a little?
"Why not?"
Kiana froze. She'd forgotten—Ruan Mei didn't need her to explain. One touch, and she could read exactly what was going through her mind.
Her heart raced wildly. Why was this conversation going this way?!
"Why?"
Ruan Mei's tone was patient but insistent. Since Kiana hadn't answered, she asked again, softly but clearly.
"T-there's... there's no reason," Kiana stammered, her voice thin. "I just thought about it a little. Really, not that much."
That wasn't the kind of answer Ruan Mei wanted. Her gaze deepened, her eyes never leaving Kiana's as she repeated a third time—
"Why don't you dare?"
Why...
Cornered, Kiana licked her lips nervously. She didn't even dare think too loudly, afraid Ruan Mei would catch the next thought too.
"There's no reason," she whispered, embarrassed. "I just... don't dare."
"Just don't dare?"
"Yeah."
Ruan Mei seemed thoughtful and didn't press Kiana further about the "why." It was as if that answer was... satisfactory enough.
But before Kiana could breathe a sigh of relief, Ruan Mei's hand slid from her cheek to her chin, gently tilting it upward. Her knuckles applied just enough pressure to keep Kiana from looking away.
Then, under Kiana's surprised gaze, Ruan Mei's other hand slid to her waist and pulled her into an embrace. With practiced ease, she brought their breaths together.
It felt different from last time.
Was it because of her mood?
As she parted Kiana's lips, the usual chill in Ruan Mei's gaze melted into warmth. She was attentive, gentle, and unhurried.
A genius learned quickly.
With the experience from before as a foundation, Ruan Mei's technique this time had improved by leaps and bounds.
After a while—
Sensing that all the noise in Kiana's heart had faded, Ruan Mei finally let her go. Her hand that had been cupping Kiana's chin moved upward, her thumb brushing across Kiana's flushed lips.
"You don't need to hold back. No matter what thoughts you have, you can speak to me boldly. You're someone I love—someone special to me. Do you understand?"
Her voice was soft and tender.
Romantic words from a lover, and Kiana—already left weak-kneed—could hardly remain standing.
She was so embarrassed!
She had been thoroughly swept away by pleasure, and she blamed herself for reacting so sluggishly just now—letting Ruan Mei take the lead completely.
Thinking back on her pitiful behavior,
Kiana shut her eyes and steeled herself. She threw her arms around Ruan Mei and kissed her.
Her body still tingled with the remnants of their last kiss. The moment her lips touched Ruan Mei's cheek, that heat in her chest reignited.
So soft, so sweet...
Her lips landed on Ruan Mei's cheek, then moved slowly toward the corner of her mouth, and then—moist contact, followed by the press and parting of lips, their tongues intertwining in a deep, heart-pounding French kiss.
Kiana held her breath, determined not to lose to Ruan Mei, focusing with extra seriousness.
Ruan Mei matched her rhythm, her hands at Kiana's waist and back tightening and moving of their own accord.
Their familiar scents melded as they kissed—indistinguishably one.
Ruan Mei suddenly understood why Kiana would have such seemingly meaningless thoughts.
All fatigue melted away like magic.
Being close to Kiana, touching her—it filled her with pure happiness. It was even more intoxicating than their first time.
Touching Kiana's body through her clothes, she realized something:
She might be growing fond of this feeling—this way of releasing pressure, of soothing both body and mind.
Even through clothing...
What if there were no clothes at all?
The thought rose abruptly in Ruan Mei's mind—but just as it took form, Kiana, blushing furiously, ended the kiss.
"Not going to keep going?"
Continue?
Kiana felt her lower back weaken. If not for Ruan Mei holding her, with both of them leaning against the lab table, she would've already lost her footing.
If they kept going, the only place left to move would be the bed.
She swallowed nervously, her voice small and uncertain. "L-let's stop here for now, okay? We still have a lot to handle."
"...Alright."
Stopping here? Ruan Mei felt a twinge of regret, but what Kiana said wasn't wrong, so she didn't insist.
That was the end of it—for now.
As her tense body relaxed, Kiana looked at the faint blush on Ruan Mei's otherwise calm face, a strange emotion rising within her.
Humans really were strange creatures.
They always wanted to see sides of others that differed from the usual. Even without understanding love, there was still that inexplicable... something.
"Weren't you the one who said you didn't want to continue?"
Meeting Kiana's gaze, Ruan Mei reached out to tidy the few loose strands of hair by her face.
"Did I misunderstand?"
"N-no, you didn't! Don't overthink it!"
Kiana flinched and blinked rapidly, snapping out of her daze. Feeling guilty, she quickly looked away from Ruan Mei, fixing her gaze instead on the object inside the restraint apparatus.
The golden light bands shimmered beautifully.
"Ruan, what did you originally plan to use this for?"
She redirected the conversation toward the subject of the device—anything to cool things down.
"My original plan?" Ruan Mei glanced at it. "Must I use it for something specific? I hadn't thought that far."
"You said before you wanted to use this power to cultivate a family, right?" Ruan Mei mentioned her earlier idea again.
After reading Kiana's thoughts, she had already understood Kiana's intentions—and knew she had no real plan for continuing life.
That was understandable.
Neither of them had the time or the stability for such things right now.
"No, no, nothing like that. It was just a passing thought."
Kiana shook her head quickly.
She definitely wasn't about to suggest that Ruan Mei create new life and imbue it with this power. Whether or not their genes were involved, that sort of artificial creation felt... wrong.
She pushed the thought away at once. Dangerous ideas like that were best left unspoken!
"If you do have ideas, you can share them. This experiment does hold some scientific value," Ruan Mei said calmly.
"Let's... not. We don't have time to raise kids anyway," Kiana said awkwardly.
"Children? That wouldn't be an issue. I could implant artificial memories during the cultivation process."
Kiana waved her hands quickly. "N-no, let's not. It's not the right time for that either."
"Alright. I'll respect your opinion."
Ruan Mei looked a little disappointed, her gaze lingering on the restraint device. "There are some matters I need to handle in the Simulated Universe. Herta contacted me recently."
"Huh? Herta reached out to you?"
Ruan Mei nodded. "She's resolved the previous issues. I might have to stay at the Space Station for several months this time."
Kiana tilted her head, curious. "Will you only leave after the Simulated Universe project succeeds?"
"More or less."
There were many things on the Space Station that fascinated her. While constructing the Simulated Universe, she could also pursue several other experiments she had in mind.
However...
Over the past few months, the Honkai energy on this planet had stabilized, showing almost no further increase.
She had collected nearly all the data she could, though it was disappointing that she hadn't found the answers she'd been seeking.
"When the Space Station's work is done, come with me to Euphorion," Kiana said without thinking.
"Do you mean to visit Izumo as well?"
"To compare data between the two worlds. There might be new discoveries."
"Sounds good," Kiana said with a smile. "Once you finish your Simulated Universe project, I'll take you to Izumo myself."
Izumo...
Jyahnar was still waiting for her there. She really did need to make time to go back.
"Ruan, when do you plan to leave?"
"I'll be leaving in a bit."
Ruan Mei no longer looked at the results of her recent experiments. Her gaze instead settled on Kiana. "Could you help tidy up the lab for me?"
"All of it?"
"Yes. Better to clear everything out," Ruan Mei replied calmly. "This planet doesn't hold much value. I doubt we'll be returning."
If not for Belobog, Ruan Mei might've indulged freely in turning every idea in her mind into reality.
But there were still many forms of life on this planet.
Once her work at the Space Station concluded, she planned to construct a smaller Simulated Universe to deepen her understanding of Honkai energy.
That... could wait until they reached Izumo.
Kiana thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll see you off. When I have time, I'll visit you at the Space Station."
Ruan Mei looked at her for a moment before softly replying, "Alright." But deep down, she didn't quite believe Kiana would actually visit.
A thought struck her suddenly.
Once she left, Kiana would only have Acheron by her side. The next time they met...
A strange sense of irritation flickered in her chest.
"You won't change, will you?"
"Huh?"
Kiana blinked, scratching her head in confusion. "Ruan, what do you mean by 'change'? You mean my condition? I can't exactly guarantee that."
Ruan Mei shook her head.
Not that kind of change.
Then... she must mean—
Under Ruan Mei's steady gaze, realization dawned on Kiana. She smiled warmly. "Of course not! Ruan, you're really important to me. Don't worry, I'll think of you every day!"
Think of her...
Ruan Mei's expression softened.
"If you ever need my help, don't hesitate. You can reach out to me anytime."
She paused, then added quietly, "You're special to me too."
"I won't be polite about it," Kiana said with a grin.
Ruan Mei seemed about to say more, but her phone buzzed. She picked it up, frowned slightly.
"It's Herta."
Too many things to do—and all of them seemed to converge at once. Massaging her temples, she sighed. "Looks like I can't stay with you any longer."
"It's alright," Kiana said with an easy smile. "I'll walk you to your ship. I'll drop by the Space Station when I can."
Though disappointed she couldn't spend more time with Ruan Mei, Kiana didn't dwell on it.
After all, both she and Ruan Mei—and even Acheron—had their own goals to pursue.
Temporary separations were perfectly normal.
Kiana walked her out and watched as Ruan Mei departed, then returned alone to the lab she had left behind.
Ruan Mei hadn't cared much for this temporary laboratory.
But after some thought, Kiana decided not to destroy the instruments and materials. Instead, she stored everything within her Phase Shuttle space.
Who knew when they might prove useful again?
The space was large enough anyway. Moving the lab inside barely took any room at all.