Sakuramiya Hitomi felt as though she had a long, long dream.
She dread that she had married the president. At their wedding, it felt as though they were receiving blessings from the entire world.
Everyone was clapping and congratulating them,
"Happy wedding!"
Afterward, surrounded by flowers and romance, she began her life together with the president.
"This is where your father and I used to study. It is called Far Moon Academy."
Then, on a certain night after their marriage, the twin boy and girl she and the president had brought into the world snuggled together under the warm candlelight, happily listening to stories of their youth.
The children listened with great relish, asking questions born of an unrestrained imagination.
For example...
"Who is this expressionless big sister standing next to Dad?"
"Ahaha, her? She is your paternal aunt."
"Then who is this really pretty sister?"
"Haha, who knows? (Indifference)"
"And this one! This really cool-looking blonde big sister!"
"Umm... you two must study hard in the future, otherwise you will end up just like her!"
"Eh?!"
Seeing the two children so easily frightened, Sakuramiya Hitomi could not help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
But no matter how many stories there were, they would eventually run out. Especially since the children had limited energy and often grew sleepy right on schedule.
"Yawn..."
Watching the older brother yawn, the younger sister seed to catch it, letting out a yawn of her own.
Sakuramiya Hitomi smiled softly, putting down the photo album and asking warmly,
"Are you sleepy?"
"Mhm."
The younger sister rubbed her eyes and then stood up,
"We are going to find Mama to sleep."
"Eh?"
Hearing this, Sakuramiya Hitomi froze.
Her small face imdiately displayed a panicked and helpless expression. Looking at the two impossibly cute porcelain dolls in front of her, she asked tremblingly,
"Wait, what are you... what are you talking about? Isn't Mama right here?"
"Eh? But..."
"Click."
Right at that mont, the bedroom door behind them opened, and An Le walked in, wearing a gentle smile.
"Mama!!"
The mont they saw An Le, the two adorable children imdiately ran toward her.
Sakuramiya Hitomi's eyes widened. She reached out in disbelief, trying to call them back,
"Wait, I... I am your mother!! You are the children of
and the president, how could you..."
Hearing this, the two children snuggled in An Le's arms looked back at Sakuramiya Hitomi with innocent faces, saying sowhat hesitantly,
"We wanted to be born too, but..."
"But Mama Sakuramiya, you are too weak. Last ti you fainted just from a kiss, and this ti you fainted again before Dad even did anything..."
"It is simply impossible for you to have relations with Dad, so how could we ever exist?"
'Eh?'
Upon hearing these words, Sakuramiya Hitomi was instantly struck dumb.
"Crack."
In the next second, an incredibly harsh sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the entire Dream Realm.
"Waaahhhh!! I do not want that to happen!!"
Screaming like this, Sakuramiya Hitomi completely broke her defense, clutching her head as she sat up in bed at the speed of light.
"ow?"
Her panicked and helpless cries startled awake the little kittens curled up asleep by her bed. They all popped their heads up to look at her, displaying expressions of confusion.
At this mont, the room was dimly lit. The curtains were drawn tight, isolating the scenery outside.
"Haha... ha..."
In the dimness, Nara, who had been sitting on a chair playing on her mobile phone, locked her screen and looked over helplessly,
"Ah, you are awake?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi glanced around. Finding no sign of Yan Huan, she imdiately asked,
"The president! Where is the president?!"
But a second later, she finally realized sothing and covered her mouth.
"I can speak?!"
"Yes, congratulations, congratulations."
Nara stood up with a deadpan tone and turned on the table lamp. She then turned back to look at Sakuramiya Hitomi and said,
"Yan Huan has already left."
"Eh?"
Hearing this, Sakuramiya Hitomi pursed her lips, lowering her eyes as she muttered,
"I see."
'Did I still...'
'...fail to accomplish anything?'
But right after, Nara's ice-cold finger poked her cheek, prompting her to look up with a puffed-out face,
"Nara!"
"Pfft."
Nara retracted her hand and stood up straight.
"Look at you, sulking like you have been abandoned. I was the one who told Yan Huan to leave, so stop overthinking."
"Eh?! Wh-why? I obviously still..."
"Still what? What ti do you think it is? It is eight o'clock, big sister!"
Nara rolled her eyes and tossed her mobile phone to Sakuramiya Hitomi so she could see the ti for herself.
"Yan Huan arrived at two in the afternoon and stayed by your side until just now. You would not wake up, and if he had not left, your brother would have returned. If he had stayed any longer, they probably would have started arguing in the house again."
"S-so that is how it is!"
Hearing this, the trace of disappointnt Sakuramiya Hitomi felt upon waking up and not seeing her beloved finally dissipated entirely.
Nara was completely speechless. She snatched her phone back and turned around, seemingly planning to fetch her dinner.
"This constitution of yours..."
"Wait, Nara!!"
Sakuramiya Hitomi's voice rang out from behind, making Nara turn her head back,
"What is it?"
"I do not want to keep going on like this, Nara."
What she saw was Sakuramiya Hitomi's resolute gaze.
"I want to improve my body. No matter how cruel the training might be, I will accept it. Nara, you have a way, right?"
Hearing this, Nara rely sighed.
"...What do you take
for? Doraemon?"
"But, no matter what, I do not want to be like this anymore. I have to turn over a new leaf!!"
"...Well, whatever. Now that you ntion it, there might actually be a way."
Nara shifted her gaze thoughtfully, then looked back at Sakuramiya Hitomi and said,
"Wake up at six tomorrow morning and go sowhere with . Can you do that?"
"Eh? S-six o'clock?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi blinked, tightly gripping her bedding.
anwhile, in the South Ward.
"It seems the Modifier Side Effect on Sakuramiya has not reset to zero, and I do not have a second dose of Crab dicine. Surely the side effect does not only disappear on the day she abandons her Modifier?"
Yan Huan walked out of the subway, conversing with Myau-chan, who sat on his shoulder, in his mind.
"Actually, as long as she does not continue using it, the side effects will gradually fade away. It is just that the process will be quite slow, ow."
"Quite slow?"
Yan Huan glanced at Myau-chan.
Intuition told Yan Huan that the "quite slow" coming from this damn cat's mouth definitely ant "unimaginably slow."
"ow... so, if possible, you should check if the weekly Modifier rewards have anything that can improve her constitution, ow."
Yan Huan knew it.
The two rewards he had received in the two weeks prior to the High Table Dinner were extrely useless. Therefore, he simply continued experinting with the ability of that Devil's Bank.
And the conclusion was exactly as he expected:
The amount of money exchanged was directly linked to the level of the ability.
For instance, right now, Yan Huan's Modifier Level was 7. A level 7 ability could be exchanged for 1,000,000 in Linn currency.
Whereas the previous level 3 ability could only be exchanged for 50,000.
As such, as long as his Modifier Level went up, the exchanged amount would likely increase even further.
As it happened, playing that ga at the High Table Dinner yesterday had completely drained all his savings.
Now, by exchanging two useless level 7 abilities, he had recovered a huge chunk of his funds.
Though speaking of which...
A portion of the money he had thrown away yesterday was the paynt Aruiya's mother had given him.
If she found out that he took the money she gave him to dance with another girl...
"..."
Yan Huan was feeling increasingly uncertain about his internship starting next Monday.
"More importantly, I think I saw Ye Shiyu back at the Sakuramiya household."
"Ye Shiyu?"
Hearing this, Myau-chan just stared blankly at Yan Huan, sporting a highly punchable "you really are thirsty" expression.
Following that, it patted Yan Huan's face with its paw pads, consoling him,
"I know Sakuramiya's health is poor and she cannot do more things with you, but you should at least hold back, right? Just bear with it..."
"Bear with it my foot, you trash Myau-chan! I felt like I was being Hypnotized!!"
"ow?!"
Myau-chan's face filled with astonishnt, finally retracting its little paws.
"But Ye Shiyu was thousands of miles away from you, how could she Hypnotize you, ow?"
"How should I know?"
As they spoke, Yan Huan had already reached the entrance of his own ho. He pulled out his key and opened the door, revealing the small house filled with warm lighting inside.
"Xiao Huan, you are back?"
Hearing the door open, An Le, wearing her pajamas, imdiately walked out, looking at him with a smile.
"Have you eaten?"
"Buzz—"
Yet, for so unknown reason, the mont Yan Huan saw An Le's figure, the entire world outside the door abruptly fell dead silent.
Even the temperature in the room seed to drop significantly.
It felt even colder here than in Sakuramiya Hitomi's boudoir.
"I have not eaten yet."
Yan Huan walked into the living room, looking at the graphics tablet and computer An Le had set up on the table, and could not help but ask,
"Are you planning to release a new work recently?"
"Mhm... after all, I cannot go to the internship with Xiao Huan this sumr, so I have to find sothing to do. As it happens, Teacher Miyake sent
an invitation."
An Le stood with her hands behind her back, looking at Yan Huan. But as she spoke, her expression shifted slightly.
In the next second, she gently leaned in close to Yan Huan, sniffed him, and then nonchalantly pulled her head back, smiling.
"Xiao Huan has the scent of other cats on him."
Hearing this, Yan Huan froze for a mont, while Myau-chan continued standing united in hatred,
"Yes ow, yes ow, those ugly cats at the Sakuramiya house just love rubbing against Yan Huan, ow!"
"..."
'I am afraid the "cats" An Le is talking about are not the "cats" Myau-chan is talking about,' Yan Huan thought.
But after that single comnt, An Le did not say anything else. She simply turned and headed toward the entrance hall, continuing,
"However, when the ti cos, I can go hang out with Spencer, and drop by to see Xiao Huan at work along the way~"
"Rustle... rustle..."
Yan Huan turned his head, just about to smile and agree.
But he saw that behind him, An Le had taken off her pajamas at so unknown point.
Originally, she had only been wearing that one set of pajamas.
And now, replacing it, was a thin apron.
"Gulp."
'Is this...'
'A naked apron?!'
Looking at that barren apron struggling to defend against the onslaught of An Le's "behemoths," it looked as if it were already on the verge of collapse.
And even though the sight was already scorchingly hot, An Le doubled down, brushing the black hair at her temples and breathing out a fragrance like orchids as she asked Yan Huan,
"Xiao Huan, what... would you like to eat for dinner?"
"Gulp."
Yan Huan swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Obviously, the answer was already on the tip of his tongue.
"Of course, it is..."
Yan Huan took a deep breath, just about to raise his eyes to look at the lovely girl in front of him.
However, the next second, when he raised his head, what he saw...
Was Ye Shiyu's deep gaze, so close it felt as if it were about to fuse with his own eyes.
"!!"
She just stared intensely and with an expressionless face directly into Yan Huan's eyes.
After a long while, she finally spoke softly,
"Xiao Huan... you really are a bad boy... who has to be punished."
Saying that, she slowly raised her hand, seemingly aiming for Yan Huan's neck.
'Is she going to...'
"Buzz!!"
When that terrifying sound reached Yan Huan's ears, it was like a drop of freezing water gradually spreading, before suddenly planting a towering iceberg deep within his heart!!
That bone-piercing chill instantly drenched his entire body.
His eyes widened, and all worldly desires within him instantly receded. Even his body subconsciously took a step back.
"Mhm... Xiao Huan..."
anwhile, in front of him, An Le still thought everything was normal.
'In the next second, Xiao Huan will definitely pounce, wrap his arms tightly around , and then throw
onto the bed in the bedroom...'
'Hm?'
However, after waiting for several seconds, An Le never received Yan Huan's rough movents.
Clutching the apron on her body, she looked at Yan Huan, only to see the muscles all over his body pulled taut.
It was as if he were radiating an incomparably holy, golden Buddhist light from the inside out, capable of purifying all desires.
No such worldly desires.jpg
??"
An Le's eyes widened, completely stunned in place.
In front of her, Yan Huan, whose desire for fertility had instantly zeroed out, only felt his mind enter a state of absolute ethereal clarity.
He finally confird one thing this ti:
He had truly been Hypnotized!!
And...
Ye Shiyu seed to be able to see his current situation!!
"Xiao Huan, are... are you not in a good state today? Or... are you tired?"
Seeing Yan Huan acting unusually, An Le pursed her lips, raising her hand to ask probing,
"Do you want
to use my..."
"Shh!!"
Just as An Le was about to ntion the "Modifier," Yan Huan's expression changed instantly, glaring at her.
"..."
Locking eyes with Yan Huan for a second, she imdiately understood without words and took a step back.
While scanning the room, she casually walked over to the stove in the kitchen area, her expression entirely natural.
"Xiao Huan, you must be hungry... Let
cook you a bowl of noodles first."
"Okay."
Yan Huan also took a step back. Completely devoid of any reproductive desire, he was frighteningly calm. He imdiately began recalling everything that had happened today, trying to figure out when exactly he had fallen into the trap.
Luckily, when he visited Sakuramiya Hitomi's ho earlier, he was concerned about her feeling unwell, so he did not bring up anything regarding Modifiers.
'If Ye Shiyu can see , and if she found out that I know about the Modifiers...'
'It would probably trigger another storm of blood and gore.'
But after thinking for a long ti, Yan Huan still did not know if her Index Finger's abilities had evolved.
'Information...'
'Right, doesn't Little Finger know?!'
"Myau-chan!"
Yan Huan imdiately called out to Myau-chan in his mind. Soon after, the form of an ethereal black cat appeared.
Taking the opportunity, he turned his head toward An Le, who was cooking noodles, and asked nonchalantly,
"Wait, An Le, what happened to your little finger? Is it injured?"
"Eh?"
Hearing this, An Le paused slightly, imdiately understanding Yan Huan's intent.
They both had Modifier Avatars, and they could communicate with them within their minds!
And Modifier Avatars could hide and communicate with each other, totally invisible to anyone else!
So...
They could communicate entirely safely this way!
"Ah, Xiao Huan, you saw wrong..."
An Le said this while simultaneously summoning Little Finger.
"Yo, it is already this late, are we not playing a match tonight?"
The mont it spoke, the temperature of An Le's cheeks spiked.
After being shot a vicious glare, it seed to receive An Le's telepathic ssage. It then looked at Yan Huan with dead fish eyes, flawlessly relaying the ssage,
"Did sothing happen, Xiao Huan~"
Even the tone perfectly replicated An Le's soft and sweet tone, as delightful as a small cake.
It was just that, combined with its rolling eyes and fluctuating pitch, it gave off an air of ambiguous sarcasm.
"Thump!!"
Well, that was great. Just after finishing its sentence, it received a punch from An Le under the guise of her reaching for seasoning.
Yan Huan also moved his mind, looking at the black cat beside him.
Myau-chan cleared its throat, speaking ethereally toward An Le,
"I think I have been Hypnotized by Ye Shiyu, ow. I do not know how she managed it using her Modifier... Not only does she seem to be able to see what is happening on my end, but she also suppressed my physiological responses."
Hearing this, An Le's expression shifted slightly, displaying a "no wonder that happened earlier" look.
In the next second, the usually soft and sweet, non-confrontational An Le uncharacteristically puffed out her cheeks, revealing an unhappy expression.
The mont it heard the na "Ye Shiyu"—or rather, the na of the Modifier she possessed—Little Finger's face changed as it muttered,
"Index Finger... that is really, sigh... the most terrifying Modifier of them all."
"Therefore ow, Little Finger, I need you to tell
all the information you have on Index Finger."
"What use is telling you, isn't it just..."
Mid-sentence, it was as if Little Finger had the mic snatched away from it, blurting out,
"We must stop Ye Shiyu!"
Clearly, these resolute words with an entirely different tone ca from An Le.
The interrupted Little Finger glared at An Le, signaling her not to steal the mic, before saying,
"Believe , other than Thumb, nobody wants to encounter Index Finger. It is the 'Modifier Killer,' extrely terrifying... Then we must hurry up and stop Ye Shiyu!"
As it spoke, An Le snatched the mic once again.
"..."
Little Finger turned its head to look back at An Le with an expression like it had swallowed a fly, only to see her resolute gaze, sporting an "I cannot share the sa sky as Ye Shiyu" look.
It was as if she and Ye Shiyu shared so deep, irreconcilable grudge.
"..."
Glared at by An Le's equally terrifying eyes, Little Finger lost all its temper. It knew that An Le seed very easygoing, but when it ca to matters of principle, she would not yield an inch.
So fundantally, An Le's personality was actually extrely stubborn.
Helpless, Little Finger could only silently turn its head back to Yan Huan.
"Fine... Index Finger can Hypnotize, you guys probably know that much. And then, let
think, it is also highly skilled at activating its effects through a 'dium.'"
"A dium, ow?"
"Mhm... things like the fla of a lighter, a swinging pocket watch, or the sound of clapping... these are diums it favored in the past. But do not think you will be safe just by paying attention to these things."
Little Finger looked at Myau-chan, flicking its tongue with a sinister chuckle,
"Its diums can be gradually extended. For example, at first it might only be able to Hypnotize using the fla of a lighter, but later on it can use the fla from a stove, or the flas of a bonfire..."
"Its instinct is just like that. It will slowly lay the groundwork for danger..."
"And then, by the ti you realize sothing is wrong, it will already be too late."
'Does that an she can Hypnotize through electronic devices?'
'If that is the case, then there were plenty of opportunities for
to get Hypnotized today.'
Myau-chan cast a glance at Yan Huan, then proceeded to relay his thoughts,
"Personality? Did you not say that other Modifiers lacked Wisdom?"
"Of course! Who else is as smart as ?!"
"..."
Nobody bothered to respond to that.
"However, the personality I ntioned does not refer to Wisdom, but rather to Instinct—the Instinct that every one of our Finger-class Modifiers possesses."
"For example, I really enjoy causing people pain, Thumb really enjoys plundering other people's things, Middle Finger enjoys hiding behind the scenes to manipulate everything, Naless Finger... uh, I do not know about Naless Finger."
"Without Wisdom, they can only be pleased by the things they favor. Whatever you input, it will output accordingly... Mhm, just like a program?"
As it spoke, the expression on Little Finger's face gradually faded,
"And Index Finger is the most ruthless and terrifying of all the Fingers..."
"It is also the one that most resembles a program."
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