"So, you're actually my great aunt?"
In a private room of a small restaurant by the Tama River, Miss Paramecium's rather bewildered voice rang out.
Beside her were Li Zihan, who was receiving Theresa on Raiden Ryoma's behalf, and Raiden Mei, who had come along with Li Zihan.
Directly in front of them was a white-haired dango dressed in a nun's habit—though without the wimple, as the frame for it was too tall for the nun—and Miss Captain, who had impersonated her great aunt.
After a certain photographer finished filming the touching reunion between Theresa and Kiana, he tossed the mirrorless camera into his shadow and then brought the three, who were quite embarrassed at the time, here.
"What else could it be?"
Miss Theresa, who was not only not recognized as a great aunt but was even mistaken for a cousin, sipped the bitter melon juice provided by a certain friendly photographer, her expression full of resentment.
Never mind that Kiana didn't even remember her and mistook Murata Himeko for her.
She, the dignified head of the Apocalypse family, director of Schicksal's Far East Branch, and principal of Saint Freya Academy, was actually mistaken for a child!
"Do I really look that much like a child?"
Principal of Student Aid, cough cough, Principal Theresa the Silly slammed the table in front of her, her voice several pitches higher than usual.
She, who was older, held a high status, and possessed formidable strength, was actually mistaken for a child!
Was the aura of dignity she exuded not obvious enough?!
Isn't it?
Everyone present simultaneously turned to look at the person who, despite being over forty, still looked the same as she did at twelve, their faces showing doubt.
Everyone present had different eye colors, but the meaning conveyed within them was unanimous.
Even Murata Himeko, Theresa's adjutant, was no different.
Seeing pairs of eyes all expressing the same sentiment, Theresa's hand holding the bitter melon juice trembled slightly, and her hands and feet felt a little cold.
What's wrong with this world? Why doesn't anyone know how to respect their elders anymore?
Fortunately, someone came to her rescue, preventing Ms. Theresa the Silly from continuing to be angry, trembling, and cold.
"Sorry, I forgot to remind her at the time."
Perhaps because lonely people attract each other, Miss Murata, who hadn't pushed Kiana away immediately, sipped her ice-cold beer and chuckled sheepishly.
"If it weren't for that, today's joke probably wouldn't have happened, right?"
"It was my fault for hugging you without asking clearly."
Kiana, who had never imagined her great aunt would be an expired loli, wore the same sheepish smile as Murata Himeko.
This isn't your fault.
Miss Mei, who had personally seen Li Zihan take out his mirrorless camera to film even before Theresa and Kiana had brushed past each other, sighed inwardly.
This awkward situation is entirely because a certain someone wanted to see a joke unfold.
Miss Mei, who just a short while ago thought Li Zihan would properly mend his ways, looked at the young man sitting beside her, her expression somewhat melancholic.
This guy's twisted personality might be much harder to correct than I imagined.
"Alright now, although a lot happened in between, isn't the final outcome pretty good?"
The young man, who had already acquired a set of comedy videos, said with a grin.
"Everyone's gotten to know each other quite a bit."
"That's true."
Theresa, vaguely realizing her dignity might be akin to that of the Young Mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but unwilling to admit this fact, decided to switch the topic.
"By the way, Kiana, I even held you when you were little. How could you forget me?"
"When was that?"
Kiana, who had no childhood memories, paused. The beginning of her memory was the snow-covered lands of Northern Europe; she had no memories before the age of nine.
"Not even a slight impression?"
Theresa sighed.
When she was with Kiana, Kiana was indeed too young to remember things clearly, but to have absolutely no impression at all was a bit much.
"Kiana's memories are incomplete."
Before Kiana could answer, the young man with a pair of red eyes spoke up.
Theresa and Kiana simultaneously widened their eyes in astonishment and instinctively asked.
"Kiana has amnesia?!"
"How do you know about this?!"
The two white-haired dangos asked as if perfectly synchronized, then glanced at each other again.
"You ask first."
Theresa, having already confirmed from Kiana's reaction that Kiana had indeed lost her memories before the age of nine, took a deep breath to calm herself somewhat, then spoke.
Kiana nodded and looked at the person who had almost casually revealed her secret.
Although she had learned from their brief previous interactions that Li Zihan possessed extremely strong intelligence-gathering abilities, for him to even know about her memory loss was too strange!
Could it be that this guy knew her dad?
Kiana, who had originally planned to ask Theresa about Siegfried, suddenly perked up.
"Ah Li, do you know my dad?"
As if possessed by a husky, Kiana turned her head towards Li Zihan and leaned closer.
The distance between the two, which wasn't very far to begin with, became even closer, her entire face almost pressed against Li Zihan's.
Her long eyelashes were curled and prominent, her lips as red as pearls, and her azure eyes made her entire facial features come alive, breathtakingly beautiful.
Undoubtedly, Kiana was a super beautiful girl.
Li Zihan looked at the exquisite little face in front of him and sighed inwardly.
This girl is very pretty, but unfortunately, she's a lesbian, and she's given up thinking, just like humanity's most ancient artificial satellite.
"Don't know him, nope."
Words that greatly disappointed Kiana came from Li Zihan's mouth.
"You're lying!"
"How could someone who doesn't know Dad know that I don't have memories before I was nine?"
Kiana widened her beautiful eyes and嚷嚷 (rǎngrǎng - yelled/shouted), the inherent beauty of her appearance instantly and completely ruined.
Li Zihan indeed didn't know a certain fellow who, once bestialized, would unleash unlimited NB attacks.
"Being able to know about your amnesia is probably due to my special abilities."
The young man shrugged and said.
As a lore enthusiast, Li Zihan had spent no small amount of time poring over settings and such in his previous life, so he naturally knew some information.
It could be said that if he were reborn in the ancient Moon World and died to become a Heroic Spirit, he would most likely have an inherent skill called Clairvoyance.
"Is that so?"
Kiana's pretty little face fell instantly, and her whole demeanor seemed to turn a shade grayer.
"However, I'm not completely ignorant of Siegfried's situation."
Li Zihan said.
"What is it?"
Kiana, who had traveled all the way from Northern Europe to the Far East for Siegfried's sake, once again looked at the young man whose intelligence network was almost unbelievably effective, her bright eyes filled with anticipation.
"He has never been far from you."