Maria led everyone into the underground shelter. The heavy metal doors slowly closed, sealing off the noise and danger from the outside world.
In this world where superpowered individuals kept appearing, humanity had gone through multiple uprisings. Those in positions of power, for the sake of their own safety, had secretly prepared numerous shelters.
This one, hidden beneath a pharmaceutical company occupied by the Queen of Insects, was connected to the underground laboratory through a secret passage. Its luxurious setup felt like stepping into a five-star hotel.
After everyone was settled, night quietly fell.
Shigure Kira finished washing up and lay down on the soft bed. The exhaustion of the past few days swept over her.
She gently turned off the light, preparing to drift into sleep, but sharply sensed the door being quietly pushed open. Soft footsteps slowly approached.
Her heart tightened. She pretended to be asleep, glancing through half-lidded eyes—and saw a familiar figure.
Kiana.
Confusion filled Shigure Kira's mind. She couldn't understand why Kiana had come to her room.
She continued to feign sleep, waiting to see what Kiana would do next.
Kiana carefully climbed onto the bed, moving as lightly as a cat, afraid of making even the slightest noise.
She lay down beside Shigure Kira, leaned close to her ear, and softly asked, "Kira, are you asleep?"
Shigure Kira remained silent, pondering Kiana's intentions.
Seeing no response, Kiana moved even closer, her voice low and ambiguous. "Kira, you like Cecilia, right? I can be her substitute."
Those sudden words were like a massive stone thrown into still water, stirring countless ripples in Shigure Kira's heart.
Her cheeks instantly burned, embarrassment and shock intertwining.
She could hardly believe it—Kiana had actually said something like that. Did this child even understand what she was saying?
"Hehe~ soft and nice."
Seeing that Shigure Kira still didn't respond, Kiana curled her lips into a mischievous smile, gently wrapping her arms around her. Then she closed her eyes and gradually drifted off to sleep.
After waiting for quite a while, nothing else happened.
Shigure Kira's tense body slowly relaxed.
She carefully opened her eyes, turned over, and looked at Kiana's face.
In the dim light, Kiana's appearance seemed increasingly similar to Cecilia's. That familiar face stirred a strange feeling within Shigure Kira.
But soon, reason dispelled that fleeting emotion.
No! This is Lady Cecilia's daughter! she cried inwardly.
Even if they came from different worlds.
And the Kiana before her wasn't the Kiana she once knew.
She tried her best to suppress her wandering thoughts, lying awake in the darkness, listening to Kiana's steady breathing and feeling her warm breath brush against her neck.
After a while...
Shigure Kira cautiously tried to free herself from Kiana's embrace. But the moment she moved, Kiana seemed to sense it, unconsciously tightening her hold—and even bit her lightly, as if dreaming of eating something delicious.
Shigure Kira instantly froze, her face burning red, her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest.
Caught in this anxious and conflicted turmoil, she eventually drifted into a hazy sleep.
In the morning, the shelter's specialized lighting system emitted a soft glow, waking Shigure Kira.
She slowly opened her eyes. Kiana was still asleep beside her.
Shigure Kira carefully got out of bed, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and stood by the bedside, gazing at Kiana for a long time.
The emotions in her heart were tangled like a mess of threads, impossible to sort out.
When she stepped out of the room, the shelter was already bustling with activity.
Seeing her, Maria walked over with concern. "You don't look too well. Didn't sleep well last night?"
Shigure Kira forced a small smile. "It's nothing. Maybe I'm just not used to a new place."
Meanwhile, Kiana also slowly woke up inside the room.
"Good. One night passed."
She stretched lazily, recalling last night's events. A satisfied smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
Next... things would be much simpler.
She quickly got dressed and walked out of the room with light steps.
In the dining hall, the Queen of Insects, Maria, Rin, and Susannah were sitting together having breakfast.
Kiana walked straight over and sat beside Shigure Kira.
She deliberately moved her chair closer, her arm brushing faintly against Kira's shoulder, nearly causing Kira to choke on her bread.
"Good morning, Kira~" Kiana smiled sweetly, her eyes curving like crescents. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Shigure Kira unconsciously tightened her grip on the fork, the tips of her ears turning slightly red. "I-it was... fine..."
The Queen of Insects elegantly sipped her tea, her gaze sweeping back and forth between the two.
She suddenly spoke. "Kiana, you seem to be in an especially good mood today."
"I am~" Kiana tilted her head, her silver hair falling across Shigure Kira's arm. "I had a wonderful dream. I dreamed about being with someone I like."
Rin and Susannah exchanged a glance.
Kiana liking Raiden Mei was something everyone at Chiba Academy knew.
Maria, on the other hand, glanced thoughtfully at Shigure Kira's unnatural expression and immediately understood.
Damn it! This girl made her move on the very first day?!
She shot Kiana a fierce glare and took a vicious bite out of the bread in her hand.
Breakfast ended in a strangely tense atmosphere.
The next night, noticing something unusual between Shigure Kira and Kiana, Maria decided to share a room with Shigure Kira.