As expected, Su Luo had only taken a few steps away when Himeko's dark shadow fell over Theresa.
Himeko's face was grim as she stared at Theresa. "Firstly, I'm not interested in blind dates themselves. Secondly, the reasons those few blind dates failed had nothing to do with me; I was a victim too. And finally..."
She placed her hands on Theresa's shoulders. "I'm still very young... unlike you, Theresa."
Bring it on! Let's hurt each other! Who's afraid of whom!
"?"
Theresa glared, but then she noticed everyone else was reading the script, their expressions growing graver one by one.
To satisfy her curiosity.
She decided to let things slide with Himeko for the time being.
She held the script with both hands and flipped to the later pages.
After the brief warmth of Chapters Five and Six, the plot took a sharp, precipitous dive.
Kiana was actually captured by Otto?
Theresa couldn't help but continue flipping. When she saw herself leading the Hyperion to occupy the third airport on the east side of Schicksal Headquarters, she nodded lightly.
Now that was more like a Principal.
What was all that foolish...
It was all Su Luo's fault! Now he was even voicing Otto, taking advantage of her!
Theresa believed Su Luo was inextricably linked to her becoming a mascot in Honkai Impact 3rd.
Flip, flip again.
"..."
"Su Luo! Are you serious about this script!?"
Theresa finally understood why Himeko had lost her composure. Wasn't this plot far too much of a knife?
The others had also finished reading the script by this time.
Everyone's gaze focused on Su Luo.
The atmosphere suddenly became excessively heavy.
Su Luo inconspicuously retreated a few steps, only to have his path blocked by an even more inconspicuous Rita, who wore a smile.
The others also spread out, surrounding him.
But Kiana stood rooted to the spot, dazed.
Seeing this, everyone momentarily forgot about Su Luo and gathered around Kiana with concern.
They could deeply understand Kiana's current feelings; after all, the characters in Honkai Impact 3rd were so much like them.
So, while reading, it was very easy to truly put themselves into the characters' shoes.
This was also why Theresa always liked to complain about her in-game self in the script.
The sense of immersion was too strong; she just couldn't help it.
"Kiana."
Himeko raised a hand and patted Kiana's shoulder, comforting her, "This is just a script. Aren't I perfectly fine right here?"
As she spoke, she shot Su Luo an exasperated glance. "If it were really me, I definitely would have thought of a better way back then. What the hell does Su Luo know about Himeko? I'm Himeko, okay?"
No one understood Murata Himeko better than she did.
"Come on, cheer up. How about I take you out for drinks tonight to relax a bit?"
"Don't corrupt the kid!" Theresa lightly kicked Himeko's shin.
"Kiana's already so grown up; she's not a child anymore," Himeko retorted, not to be outdone.
"I'm fine."
Kiana returned to her usual energetic self. "I just realized that Honkai Impact 3rd really is, as Su Luo said, a healthy, positive, and heartwarming game."
Everyone: ???
"Mei, Kiana seems to have broken."
"Kiana."
Bronya was still surprised, but Mei had already stepped forward, wanting to hug Kiana.
Even Su Luo, who had uttered the words "healthy, positive, and uplifting," couldn't help but give her a sideways glance.
"I'm not broken~~"
Kiana dodged Mei's movement, an expression of exasperated amusement on her face. "This part of the plot really did touch me. I don't want to become strong only after experiencing sadness, like in the story."
She clenched her fists, full of vigor. "So, I've decided! From today onwards, Kiana will work even harder!!"
Everyone was momentarily stunned, but looking at the earnest Kiana, smiles gradually appeared on their faces.
"That's just like you, Kiana," Himeko said, roughly ruffling Kiana's hair.
"Hehe~~ But I'm still very grateful for everyone's concern just now."
Kiana giggled and turned around, joining the others in playful roughhousing.
Su Luo stood alone outside the circle of girls, watching them with a smile.
A young woman's voice sounded beside him.
"Su Luo, aren't you going to take this chance to raise everyone's affection level? Opportunities like this are rare."
"Hmm? Rita?"
Su Luo turned his head to look at Rita, who always maintained that inscrutable demeanor, and shook his head. "Reality isn't a game. How could there be such a thing as affection levels?"
"Tsk, such a pragmatic man. Behaving like this, you won't be liked by girls."
Rita raised a finger and tapped her lips. "Or perhaps, you're just saying that because you're too embarrassed?"
"Not at all," Su Luo said, his expression neutral.
"Hmph~~"
Rita gazed at him, his figure reflected in her wine-red eyes, her look searching.
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
"Clearly, all the girls here are so adorable." She took a few steps forward, drawing closer to Su Luo.
Su Luo took a slight half-step back, thought for a moment, and proposed a guess: "Are you perhaps trying to test whether I have any malicious intent towards everyone?"
"No."
Rita, however, denied it decisively. "You've helped us, helped miHoYo so much. I wouldn't doubt you, nor do I have any reason to doubt you."
"Although many people in the world have complicated minds, I believe you are different from others. You are special."
Rita's words were a bit...
The expression Su Luo was struggling to maintain on his face almost crumbled.
"I'm not flirting with you, you know. I'm just speaking the truth. Please don't misunderstand, hehe."
Su Luo: ...
Although he had long known that Rita was the kind of woman as dangerous as a poppy flower, she was even a little more 'mischievous' than he had imagined.
"You trust so easily..."
"You should understand better than I do just how much value Honkai Impact 3rd holds."
Rita's meaning was clear: Honkai Impact 3rd itself was far more valuable than they, the girls, were.
Su Luo found himself unable to refute this. Although, in reality, they plus the game itself constituted the complete Honkai Impact 3rd, it was difficult for him to explain this clearly to Rita.
"Ahem."
Su Luo coughed lightly into his fist. "As a secretary, rendering your boss speechless... that's not very good, is it?"
He attempted to forcibly regain control of the conversation.
A smirk played on Rita's lips.
However, before she could make a move.
Tap~~ Tap~~
Kiana broke away from the others and ran up to Su Luo, putting her hands together in a plea.
"From now on, I'll have to ask Su Luo to teach me many more things."
"You really don't stand on ceremony with me, do you?"
"Does Su Luo want me to stand on ceremony with you?"
She looked at him with her pure blue eyes, which held an unblemished, innocent emotion.
Su Luo spread his hands. "Alright, alright. Helping you is helping myself anyway. When you become more skilled, you can also help share my workload."
"So I've become a tool?"
He wanted to chuckle but then had another idea. He deliberately changed his voice, imbuing it with Otto's characteristic magnetism, his words carrying an air of strategic mastery.
"Hehe~ Kiana, this is your good fortune."
Instantly, everyone's gaze turned towards him.