Interlude: Within Reach・Kira Star

"You... why are you here?"

Kiana took a step forward, her eyes dazed. Her outstretched hand trembled slightly as it gently touched Li Mo's cheek. It was like touching a block of ice, but she didn't shrink back out of reflex.

"Nagazora City isn't already..."

The students present quickly recovered after a brief moment of confusion and moved out of the way to leave space for the two to talk. This new, lifeless-looking inspector seemed to have known Kiana for a long time, and their relationship was not shallow.

Even without looking at their body language, just by looking at their gazes that had never left each other from beginning to end, even the most slow-witted person could see that the two cared a lot about each other.

"I..." Li Mo hesitated, falling silent. He couldn't give an answer even after a long while.

In fact, he could have just lied to her like he had done with Saori Tsuruyo, making up a reason that Kiana couldn't verify. For example, he could have said that he was just out traveling, or that he had gone back to the Schicksal HQ to work.

"..."

But when he faced Kiana, he couldn't even utter a single lie.

A hiss came from the crowd, and then Theresa and Shigure Kira walked up to Li Mo.

"Kiana, you're just in time!"

Theresa rushed to Kiana's side, pushed her with both hands, and pushed her in front of Li Mo.

"This is the inspector sent by the headquarters. He will be entering our academy for the next half a month to evaluate the conditions and pros and cons of all aspects. You will be his guide. You know what to do."

Theresa had a half-smile on her face, constantly poking Kiana's spine, hinting at where she should go and where she shouldn't.

"Ah, me?" Kiana pointed at herself, her expression questioning like a cat.

"I guess it's not impossible..."

After a moment's hesitation, Kiana's ears drooped, and she looked down at the ground. Her right foot was like a compass, drawing one green trace after another on the ground with the tip of her shoe.

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, and out of a woman's intuition, Shigure Kira grabbed Li Mo's arm.

"Principal, you're too kind. We'll just wander around on our own. Students should still focus on their studies... don't put your mind on other improper things..."

Shigure Kira had a kind smile on her face, smiling at Theresa and Kiana beside her.

The atmosphere at the scene was a bit stiff. Theresa's small eyes showed great confusion. Why did these three people feel so strange?

Li Mo and Kira Star were partners. Looking at their intimate actions, they should be a couple. So what was going on with Kiana and Li Mo? There was no such person as Li Mo in Himeko's report, and wasn't Li Mo an inspector sent by Grandpa? How did Kiana have a relationship with him?

Theresa was puzzled and chose to give up thinking.

"Let's not worry about this for now. I'll take you to the place where you'll be staying. Don't worry, I, the principal, have already arranged everything. You just need to move in!"

"Alright, alright, everyone disperse. Go to class if you have class, and train if you have training. Just like before."

Theresa was full of confidence and walked at the forefront.

The students also gradually dispersed. Only Saori Tsuruyo looked back at Li Mo before she left. A familiar yet strange feeling welled up in her heart, and then she also followed the crowd and left.

After walking for about twenty minutes, Theresa brought Li Mo, Shigure Kira, and Kiana to the gate of the teachers' dormitory.

"This is the teachers' dormitory. The student dormitories are too lively at night, which might affect the inspector's rest."

Theresa avoided the fact that the student dormitories were full and chose another reason that seemed very considerate.

"Hmm?"

Theresa turned back and found that the three of them were very quiet. So quiet it was scary. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed that she was the only one introducing the academy along the way?!

No, this is really not right.

It was understandable that Li Mo was quiet. After all, from the first moment of contact, she knew that he was the type of gloomy man who didn't want to be approached or talked to.

Shigure Kira was more lively, cheerful and optimistic, and seemed a bit naive? However, it was inevitable that there would be some cognitive bias at the first contact. She might be enjoying the warmth of her boyfriend now and didn't want to break the ambiguity.

But why was Kiana so quiet? Shouldn't she be shouting all the way, "What are we having for lunch?", "So boring", "I want to go back and find Mei"?

Impossible. She usually made a mess in the dormitory. Except for being worry-free after she fell asleep, no one knew when a certain nerve in her would suddenly become abnormal, and then she would start her daily madness.

Now...

Theresa's eyes were one big and one small, her expression puzzled.

(Theresa: 0.o?)

Was this really her niece? Was she possessed by some demon?

Not saying a word, being dignified and virtuous was not Kiana's personality!

A sense of crisis arose spontaneously. Theresa felt that the situation was a bit strange. She would go back and ask Mei. Ask her if she knew Li Mo, hoping to get an answer from Mei.

But... going back to ask ≠ not asking now.

"Kiana, how come I haven't seen you say a word since we walked over? Are you that quiet?" Theresa asked in confusion.

"I... I've always been very quiet. What are you talking about, Auntie..."

Kiana buried her head, not speaking as loudly as before. Her white fingers were rubbing back and forth, not at all restless.

Theresa: I said a few words, and you're really pretending to be quiet?

Wait...

Looking at Kiana's actions, Theresa felt a strong sense of deja vu. That was more than a decade ago—at the Schicksal HQ, when Theresa and Cecilia were talking about their crushes, she was also so shy, stammering, and not saying a word.

Theresa: "..."

Theresa glanced at the inseparable Li Mo and Shigure Kira, and found that Li Mo had been looking at Kiana. Then she moved her gaze to Shigure Kira. In her eyes, there was only Li Mo. She didn't care about anyone else or the teachers' dormitory she had introduced.

Finally, Theresa looked at Kiana. She stood there, pacing restlessly. She probably didn't even realize how strange she was today, as if she had completely changed into another person.

No, you three?

It's fine, it's fine. At most, there are only two relationships between three people. Young people, I understand. Mei can break this situation, it doesn't matter.

Clearing her throat, Theresa said politely, "Miss Kira Star, please forgive me. You will be living with us in the teachers' dormitory from now on, so that you can better understand the situation of St. Freya High School."

Kira Star replied carelessly, "Yes, okay, no problem. The principal can make the decision."

"But... where does my husband live?"

Hearing the word "husband," Kiana's eyes froze, and her whole body froze like a stuck slide, completely still.

Husband? Husband?

Kiana was in a bit of a trance. Her azure pupils changed rapidly, switching between azure and gold. But gradually, a strange scarlet appeared in the pure color, and even the original color became dim.

Just before her pupils completely dilated, Kiana was suddenly knocked down by something.

At the moment she was about to fall to the ground, Li Mo threw Shigure Kira aside and caught her at an extremely terrifying speed.

"..."

"Are you... okay?"

Li Mo paused for a long time before he said this sentence. It was clearly a caring sentence, but his voice was extremely flat, as if he was asking perfunctorily.

Of the people present, only Shigure Kira knew the value of this sentence. Also, did her husband just throw her aside for another woman? Huh? Is this reasonable?

"Ngh..."

Kiana couldn't open her eyes. She felt that her body had become strange. It was as if there were three consciousnesses fighting in her mind.

One was cold, like the strange voice she had heard in her dreams at night, full of revenge and hatred. But this one was now cowering in a corner, not daring to participate in the collision of the other two consciousnesses at all.

One was chaotic, as if it had the colors of many people. It was completely impossible to distinguish who it was, and this consciousness was the most chaotic by the last one.

The two were like mortal enemies who had met on a narrow road. It was either you die or I live, with no room for relief.

The last one, and the most bizarre consciousness, was pure and empty. It didn't feel like it had any thoughts, but it was exceptionally familiar, and it also had its own color.

Seeing that Kiana did not open her eyes for a long time, Li Mo first took out a thermometer. Of course, this was not an ordinary thermometer, but a Bizarre thermometer, although it looked very ordinary in appearance.

"Does Kiana have a fever? How can she have a fever in the summer... is it heatstroke?" Theresa asked, looking at Li Mo using the thermometer to measure her temperature.

Li Mo was silent, quietly waiting for the result of the thermometer. The result made Li Mo frown slightly. It wasn't because the result was strange, but because it was too normal, so it seemed strange.

"Normal body temperature..." Li Mo murmured.

This situation should have been like being hit by a ghost's consciousness. Why couldn't the Bizarre thermometer detect it? In order to test whether the Bizarre thermometer could still be used, Li Mo leaned it against his left hand.

Not surprisingly, it was a few degrees below zero. He then leaned it against Shigure Kira's arm, and the temperature was normal.

The rule on the Bizarre thermometer had not disappeared, so why did this happen? Could it be that she really had a fever?

Li Mo's left fingers trembled slightly. "Usurp" was triggered, plundering the concept of heatstroke from Kiana. The expected dizziness soon came, but it disappeared in a few tenths of a second.

Li Mo in a state of three deaths, if he wanted to, could recover in less than a few tenths of a second. Even if he went through the door that was sure to kill him, it would be fine. After entering, he would just pick up his head and put it back on his neck.

However, it was now probably impossible to trigger the rule of sure death when opening the door. In a state of three deaths, he would most likely be judged as a ghost. A ghost opening the door would be unharmed.

"Usurp" had demanded a price, but this did not prove that Kiana had really had a heatstroke, because what he had usurped was a concept, not this symptom.

Kiana would never have a heatstroke again in the future.

Unexpectedly, the collision of consciousness ended at this moment, and Kiana gradually woke up. The moment she woke up, she immediately pushed Li Mo away, her butt landing on the ground, and then she stood up tremblingly.

"I... I'm going back to find Mei!!"

After leaving this sentence, Kiana bit her lip and fled into the teachers' dormitory.

Finally, after disappearing from Li Mo's sight, Kiana finally couldn't help but wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. So sad... so sad...

"Kiana?"

Bronya, who was watching TV on the sofa, tilted her head and asked. If it were before, Kiana would definitely bicker with Bronya, but today's Kiana was as if she hadn't heard anything. She ran straight into her room and locked the door.

The pillow pressed on her head, and her face was buried in the bedsheet.

"No... I can't get close to him anymore... that idiot..."

Outside the teachers' dormitory, Theresa's mouth twitched. What was wrong with her niece today?

The six-item AD carry didn't deal damage, and went back to base during a team fight. How could they still play?

"Ahaha... sorry, my niece is like this. Maybe she ate something wrong today. Back to the previous topic, the inspector's residence is not here. Follow me."

Theresa changed the subject and led Li Mo and Shigure Kira to the school.

Along the way, Shigure Kira held Li Mo's arm even tighter. Although she was still smiling, her smile seemed very stiff.

"Sorry," Li Mo said faintly.

Shigure Kira looked up, pursed her lips, and bit Li Mo's arm. It was a very light bite. When Shigure Kira released her mouth and looked at Li Mo again, her face was full of grievance, and her eyes were teary.

"Next time... don't just throw me aside..."

"Even for me, it's not every time I can convince myself..."

Shigure Kira said in a low voice. Although she had expected it and was mentally prepared, when she saw Li Mo's different attitude towards Kiana, her heart was more or less... no, not more or less, it was very uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that she wanted to die...

Her heart, which only beat for Li Mo, was like being held tightly by a hand, unable to breathe, and even the lucky beat was extremely painful.

She and Li Mo had been through so much, but in the end, when faced with a choice, Li Mo didn't even hesitate for a second for her. It wasn't that she couldn't accept the ending of Li Mo choosing Kiana, but that she couldn't accept Li Mo abandoning her without hesitation.

She had always been trying so hard to catch up with Li Mo.

In exchange for blood and tears, she got closer to Li Mo step by step, keeping up with his pace. Kiana had always been standing still, so why could she still far surpass her?

It was as if... from the very beginning, Kiana was standing at the finish line of a marathon, while she had just started.

Li Mo was stunned for a moment and reached out to hold Shigure Kira's hand.

"I'm angry..." Shigure Kira slapped away Li Mo's outstretched hand.

Li Mo continued to reach out, and Shigure Kira slapped it away again.

"I said I'm angry..."

Li Mo reached out for the third time. He thought it would be slapped away again, but instead, it was held tightly by Shigure Kira.

"..." Li Mo didn't quite understand this behavior.

Shigure Kira muttered in a low voice, "I'll forgive you this time. Your hand is so cold, you must need me to warm it up."

With that, she held Li Mo's hand even tighter, their fingers intertwined.

"I will win," Shigure Kira suddenly said.

Li Mo: "?"

Shigure Kira looked up, raised her face, and showed a confident smile, "I will win."

"The final winner will definitely be me!"

This was from Kira Star—a victory declaration after death and rebirth.

Kiana was the challenger!

Li Mo didn't quite understand what Shigure Kira was saying. From the time they boarded the airship until now, there seemed to be too many things he couldn't understand about Shigure Kira's behavior.

Was it a cognitive defect caused by multiple deaths... it didn't matter. Shigure Kira's smile was not fake. She smiled brightly, which meant she was in a good mood. Li Mo thought it was good for her to maintain this state.

Shigure Kira on the side was very proud, because MEI had told her. She was special. She had a characteristic that no one in the family could compare with, and no one could obtain. And that was exactly what Li Mo needed.

As for what it was... MEI didn't point it out directly, but from MEI's tone and expression at that time, it didn't seem like she was lying. So Kira Star was full of confidence. Persistence is victory. Her efforts would be rewarded sooner or later!

Soon, the three came to the principal's office, which was originally Theresa's office. However, the things that should be moved had already been moved. Except for a lot of books, there was only a bed, a desk, and oh, a chair left.

"Principal? You're letting my husband sleep here?" Shigure Kira pointed at the temporarily moved bed.

Li Mo's face was calm, and he walked in naturally.

He said lightly, "It's pretty good."

Everything here was still so familiar. The bed was much bigger, and the mattress looked very soft. It was not like the ordinary bed before, which was hard and uncomfortable to sleep on. Li Mo himself was tall and thin, so a hard bed was actually very uncomfortable to sleep on. But at that time, he was exhausted after training and didn't care about whether the bed was soft or not.

He would just fall asleep.

"I have no problem. It's almost noon now. Kira, let's go to the school cafeteria to eat."

After putting their luggage in the principal's office, Li Mo took Shigure Kira and walked into the school where St. Freya used to teach Valkyrie common sense. It was also the place where the funeral was held.

Now that he thought about it, that funeral, could it have been organized by Kiana for him after he died? He didn't know. The source of the Bizarre was easy to find, but the source of the ritual was always a mystery. The information of the ritual itself was completely insufficient to unveil it.

Theresa returned to the teachers' dormitory. After all, Mei's cooking was available in the teachers' dormitory at noon, which was much more delicious than the school cafeteria.

In the school, Li Mo and Shigure Kira walked on the campus, their young appearance like a campus couple, strolling in the garden.

"That little dwarf is not smart at all. She's not good to you. I hate her."

"The people in the school think you're a monster and stay away from you. I hate them."

"Kiana turned a blind eye to your help. I hate her, I hate her."

Shigure Kira pouted and kept complaining.

Li Mo was very calm. He familiarly led Shigure Kira to the cafeteria in his memory. He then skillfully ordered three of the most delicious dishes in the cafeteria, but was stunned when he picked up his chopsticks.

He had made a mistake.

This was Kiana's favorite food, fried food and iced cola that could greatly stimulate the taste buds. Shigure Kira liked to eat light food. After living in the haunted house for more than a decade, it was impossible for Li Mo not to know Shigure Kira's eating habits.

The two sat at the dining table and fell silent at the same time.

After a while, Shigure Kira couldn't help but ask, "This is... her favorite food, right?"

Li Mo hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to lie, so he nodded, "Yes."

"Good!"

Shigure Kira's voice suddenly became louder. She kept picking up the food she hated from the plate and putting it into her mouth, chewing painfully. For her now, the drink was fine, but the fried food was too greasy. It was very uncomfortable for people who were not used to eating this kind of food.

Every swallow, she had to try her best to control her whole body to avoid stomach acid reflux. Despite this, Shigure Kira still ate very quickly, leaving no room for objection. After eating two full plates with a painful expression, she already showed signs of wanting to vomit.

Shigure Kira weakly raised her tableware, and when she was about to pick up the food from the third plate, Li Mo grabbed her wrist.

"You're already full," Li Mo said calmly.

Shigure Kira sniffled and replied forcefully, "No! I can still eat!"

She was about to break free from Li Mo's restraint, but an S-rank Valkyrie's strength was like a firefly against the sun in front of Li Mo in a state of three deaths.

"You're full. You don't need to eat anymore. This is not your favorite food. You're eating in pain."

Li Mo was like reading a script, stating the facts in a flat tone.

"You're wrong. I just love to eat these. Let me go."

Seeing that Li Mo was not willing to let go, Shigure Kira stood up, preparing to use her left hand to serve.

Since it was not time for class to end, there were no students in the cafeteria, only the staff were watching the show from behind the windbreak.

Li Mo didn't know what to say. He looked straight at Shigure Kira. After thinking for a long time, he found a suitable sentence from his memory: "You should respect yourself."

But this sentence was like a needle, piercing into Shigure Kira's heart.

The fuse was lit, and the explosives instantly expanded and exploded.

"That's right! I should respect myself!" Shigure Kira shouted. "I just love to eat this!"

Li Mo let go of his hand and watched Shigure Kira eat the last plate of food while showing a pained expression and forcing down the nausea.

Li Mo: "..."

Reason told Li Mo that Shigure Kira was angry, but Li Mo didn't know how to comfort her. Moreover, Li Mo could feel that Shigure Kira was suppressing herself. She seemed to be making trouble without reason, but from beginning to end, she had not scolded him once, just vented in a self-abusive way.

Unreleased emotions will not disappear. They will only be released in a more ugly way one day in the future. So reason told Li Mo that he should let Shigure Kira's self-harming behavior go, as long as it did not endanger her life.

But...

Li Mo stood up, stretched out his hands, and gently hugged Shigure Kira's head.

Then—he kissed her forehead.

A simple and pure thing. But it was all the emotion that Li Mo could show now.

"I'm sorry," Li Mo apologized.

The next second, his cold and dry lips were covered by warmth and softness. It lasted for a full five minutes, ending with a long silver thread. The auntie in the cafeteria behind them was amazed and exclaimed that it was exciting.

"Hehe, the food here is not delicious at all. Let's go out of the academy to play."

Shigure Kira was like a person who had nothing to do. She once again showed her cheerful and optimistic side, stroking the long sky-blue hair behind her head with her hand, and pulling out a tissue from the table to wipe the grease from the corner of her mouth.

"It's disgusting. I'll never come back here again."

"Yes."

The three-death Li Mo would never understand how important a kiss from him was to Shigure Kira. As long as he bowed his head slightly, Shigure Kira could endure all grievances and injustice and return to his side.

Even if she was so angry the previous second, so nauseous that her stomach turned and she wanted to vomit several times, the next moment she could change back to the romantic appearance he was most keen to see in his memory.

The star hanging high in the night sky, as long as Li Mo reached out his hand, he could pick it—that star that lived alone in the north of the Milky Way, even if it lost its cool and clear moonlight, it would still twinkle with a faint light.

Fairness, equality, grievance, bitterness... the moment Li Mo bowed his head and admitted his mistake, Shigure Kira had forgotten everything and just wanted to return to his side and continue to accompany him.

Outside, the two went to the three holy places for dating. It was Shigure Kira who took Li Mo to play.

Aquarium, amusement park, Ferris wheel.

At six o'clock in the evening, since it was summer, the sky had not completely darkened yet.

Shigure Kira returned to St. Freya High School with Li Mo contentedly. At the gate of the academy, Shigure Kira puffed out her cheeks, "Why don't we not go back? The room that little dwarf prepared for you is not good at all. Let's stay in a hotel outside."

Li Mo shook his head, "MEI's file reminds me that the fantasy ghost can be active all day. But unlike the characteristics of most ghosts, the fantasy ghost's own rules will be reduced at night, so this is the time when it shows its flaws and is easiest to solve."

"We have already missed the daytime, we can't let go of the night."

"You can rest normally in the teachers' dormitory at night. I won't get tired and don't need sleep. Leave the matter of dealing with the fantasy ghost to me. MEI said that the probability of this ghost killing me is infinitely close to zero, not to mention that I still have these two."

Li Mo touched the Bizarre handgun and thermometer at his waist with his hand.

"Go back and sleep well. I'll make breakfast and wait for you outside the dormitory at eight in the morning."

Li Mo rubbed Shigure Kira's head.

"Yes..." Shigure Kira responded weakly. She was indeed a little sleepy. Living people have their physiological limits. It's fine to stay up for one night, but it's impossible to stay up all the time for so many nights.

After sending Shigure Kira back, Li Mo walked alone in the school, like the human-headed ghost of St. Freya before, wandering aimlessly on the campus.

He held the thermometer in his palm, constantly checking for any changes in the Bizarre aura around him. Not surprisingly, as long as he walked around with the thermometer a few more times at night, he would know where the fantasy ghost was.

If the fantasy ghost's mobility was damaged, then he only needed to walk around the campus once to find this ghost. Then he would use the Bizarre handgun to suppress it and fire four more shots to make it fall silent.

Unknowingly, Li Mo walked to the broadcasting room. Out of some special emotion, Li Mo pushed open the door of the broadcasting room and entered unscrupulously. Nothing happened. The broadcasting room was empty, with nothing inside. It was completely different from what he had seen before.

Li Mo suddenly had a flash of inspiration and walked to the classroom where he and Kiana used to have class.

As soon as he pushed open the door, Li Mo was stunned. He couldn't help but call out that name:

"Kiana, why are you here..."

Moreover, this Kiana seemed a bit strange. She wasn't wearing her daytime clothes, but a beige sweater.

"..."

That was what he had bought materials for and made for Kiana when he and Kiana lived in the rental house because they had no money. It was absolutely impossible to appear in the native world.