Even her chest had changed slightly — what was once flat had started to rise subtly, forming a gentle curve.
Seeing this, Fu Lin subconsciously touched his nose and thought to himself,
'Looks like that month of eating wasn't wasted. She's absorbed all the nutrition well. So that old antique must've been underfed…'
At that thought, Fu Lin quickly stopped himself, cleared his throat with two light coughs, then smiled and said,
"Ahem... You have grown taller. Your clothes are too small now. Since it's still early, wipe your mouth — I'll take you out to buy some clothes that fit."
-------------------------------
Deep within Schicksal's headquarters, in a dimly lit room, Otto and Amber stood side by side in silence, their eyes fixed on the massive screen suspended in midair.
After a long while, Otto pinched his chin, the corners of his lips slightly lifted in an almost imperceptible smile, and a soft voice rang out,
"Hm~... I suppose it's time to check on the progress of the K423 experiment."
Amber seemed as if she wanted to say something, but hesitated when the words reached her lips.
In the end, she couldn't hold back and spoke up,
"But..."
Hearing Amber's voice, Otto turned her head with interest and asked,
"But what?"
Amber sneaked a glance at Otto, who stood gracefully like a noble lady, and then cautiously said,
"Lord Otto, why are you going in person... and appearing in this form...?"
Otto was not angered by the question. On the contrary, he cheerfully spread his arms, showing off his flawless figure without reservation, and said slowly,
"Think about it — if I approach that boy with this body, and K423 happens to see it, hehe~ it's bound to be quite amusing~"
Faced with Otto's unique and slightly mischievous idea, Amber didn't know how to respond. She could only remain silent.
...
[ T / N : Here Otto is referred as she/ her due to the soulium body being that of a female. Don't be confused. ]
Elsewhere, due to the endless array of delicacies in Shenzhou, Kiana☆ had no choice but to temporarily set aside her grand plan to taste them all and instead traveled downstream with Fu Lin for some sightseeing.
Time passed quietly, and before they knew it, the two of them arrived in XY City — known as the Magic Metropolis.
When Kiana☆ first set foot in this land, a powerful visual impact hit her head-on, presenting a sharp contrast to all the cities they had visited before.
Countless towering skyscrapers lined the streets like majestic steel giants; vibrant neon lights interwove and reflected off one another, forming a splendid, colorful nightscape.
Kiana☆ widened her eyes and opened her mouth in awe. After a long pause, she couldn't help but exclaim from the heart,
"This place is so beautiful!"
Fu Lin, standing beside her, revealed a faint smile upon hearing this. He nodded slightly in agreement, then slowly shifted his gaze until it landed on a particularly eye-catching landmark in the distance — the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Gazing at the grand and magnificent structure, Fu Lin fell into a brief contemplation. Moments later, a sparkle lit up in his eyes as he silently made a decision in his heart.
With his hands behind his back and his posture straight, Fu Lin began to softly recite in a gentle yet magnetic voice,
Kiana☆ was completely captivated by Fu Lin's sudden recital, staring at him without blinking. After a while, as if waking from a dream, she said.
"Fu Lin, I don't really understand what you just said, but... it sounded so cool!"
Hearing Kiana's innocent and unfiltered words, Fu Lin was momentarily stunned. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
After a few seconds of silence, Fu Lin finally placed a hand over his forehead with a sigh and said slowly,
"Ugh, starting tomorrow, you're going to obediently get your butt into the library and study!"
Kiana☆ clearly hadn't expected that response and widened her eyes, forming her small mouth into a surprised "O" as she gasped, "Huh?!"
At that moment, in the midst of the crowded sea of people, the graceful Otto kept a wary eye out for any unwanted advances while coldly watching Fu Lin and Kiana☆ from afar.
A faint glint flickered in those emerald eyes, and the corners of her lips curved into a half-smile as she muttered,
"Finally... I've found you."
The next second, Otto cleverly pretended to be pushed by the surging crowd from behind and toppled straight toward Fu Lin's direction.
Fu Lin was startled, but his body reacted instinctively, quickly reaching out to catch her and asked,
"Are you alright?"
Otto covered her face with her sleeve, her body trembling slightly as she whimpered pitifully like a delicate flower,
"I'm so sorry~... there were just too many people, and I lost my balance..."
Before she finished speaking, another soft sob escaped her lips, so quiet it was like a whisper.
Anyone who saw her would be filled with compassion.
Fu Lin slowly let go of his hands, glanced around at the bustling crowd, and nodded slightly with a sigh,
"There are quite a lot of people indeed. Be more careful next time. Goodbye."
With that, he turned and took Kiana☆ by the hand, preparing to walk away with her.
Watching Fu Lin about to leave, Otto bit her lip in frustration, a surge of unspeakable dissatisfaction welling up inside her,
"..." This soulium body is the image of a stunning beauty, and this guy doesn't feel any pity at all?!
But of course, Otto wouldn't give up so easily. She immediately reached out a delicate hand, tightly grabbed Fu Lin's wrist, and deliberately called out in a tender, lilting voice,
"Big brother~ please wait! Could you help me? I think I hurt my foot...~"
"Hmm?"
The sudden call made Fu Lin, who had just started to leave, stop in his tracks. He blinked in surprise and slowly turned around.
When his gaze met Otto's — those limpid emerald eyes as serene and shimmering as an autumn lake — an inexplicable chill rose in his heart.
'Ugh—what is this strange, disgusting feeling coming from?'
Fu Lin wondered silently.
At that moment, Otto's willow-like brows knit together slightly, and her exquisite, beautiful face showed a look of pitiful pain that tugged at the heartstrings.
Fu Lin simply stood there, silently gazing at the golden-haired, green-eyed girl before him, as if time had frozen.
Otto, "..."
After a moment of brief yet endless silence, Fu Lin finally let out a soft sigh, then nodded slightly in agreement.
Seeing him accept, Otto was delighted and quickly said,
"Then, would you kindly help me over to that bench over there? My foot hurts so much~ I'm afraid I can't walk~"
As she spoke, Otto leaned gently toward Fu Lin, clearly intending to use his support to steady herself.
At that moment, Kiana☆ — who had been silently watching everything — suddenly flashed a look of vigilance in her eyes, then stepped forward and said crisply,
"Fu Lin, you said men and women shouldn't touch! Let me help instead!"
Hearing Kiana☆ volunteer, Otto was briefly startled. Then she smiled and nodded in response,
"Alright, thank you so much, little cutie. I'll be in your care~"