238 a dinner table full of gunpowder ends in a draw!

The group burst up to the villa door, only to hear a lively conversation spilling out from inside.

"Oh, grandma——, I don't know how to govern a country with idols, don't think of me like that! "

"The Huang Empire is defeated. Why do you want to snatch Rita? I don't understand it at all ~" This is the voice of Theresa,

"Lady Durandal, allow me~ Rita is a treasure, and treasures must be cherished," came Someone reply. Despite the situation, the teasing lilt in her voice was unmistakable.

Kongming froze. That voice...she knew that voice all too well.

"Theresa, how much longer until the others arrive? Rita's cooking smells Good!"

"They're almost here, Grandma. They even said they're bringing two extra guests. If we have more chopsticks, that probably means Fu Hua is tagging along as well."

" Oh? Another one, does Cheng Lixue recover so quickly? "

...

"Rita...?" Kongming's eyes lit up for a moment, but the excitement quickly faded. A pang of sadness stung her heart. Of everyone in that other world, Rita was the one she worried about the most.

"But... she's not my Rita," Kongming reminded herself. "Doesn't matter. As long as my backup plan is secure, she'll live a long life. If fate wills it, we'll meet again someday."

Luo Mo, ever the man of action, rapped three times on the door – a quick signal – and then barged right in, no invitation needed.

Inside, Theresa, Himeko, Kallen, Rita, and Durandal were gathered around the dining table. The spread was a feast for the eyes – colors, aromas, it looked like a professional chef had been at work. Laughter filled the air, a testament to the good food and even better company.

Naturally, Kallen was holding court in the head seat. When Fu Hua and Kongming walked in, she nearly jumped out of her chair, then grabbed her granddaughter and Luna for confirmation. This couldn't be real... another Theresa?

She tilted her head, utterly perplexed, and zeroed in on the young man beside Kongming.

" Luo Mo, who is this? "

Kallen had no clue who this newcomer was – she hadn't shown up in the game. Even if Kongming pulled a Luna-style surprise appearance, Kallen wouldn't have recognized her.

The others at the table were just as surprised, their eyes ping-ponging between Theresa, Luna, and Kongming. An awkward silence descended... it was true, their personalities were worlds apart, easy enough to tell them apart in that sense.

But looks-wise? Even Kallen, sharp as she was, couldn't see a single difference between them. It was like someone had hit the 'copy-paste' button a few too many times.

"Think of her like a sneak peek at the next event – this is Kongming," Luo Mo explained, then fumbled a bit, "She ended up here early...for mysterious reasons. Uh, but she's good people, I swear?"

Kallen propped her chin on her hand, a smirk playing on her lips. "...That's pretty vague, Luo Mo. So, let me get this straight - you two obviously know each other, and she's a friend."

Luo Mo chuckled nervously. "Well, Bishop, her whole story is kinda the big reveal later on..."

"Knife? " Kallen asked with a playful grin. Between the bustling live chats and forums, she'd definitely picked up some new lingo.

There was no way around it – this game was packed with vital Honkai lore. She couldn't risk skipping a single line! What if she missed a crucial detail and it came back to bite her later? Of course, as the hours passed, she found herself hooked on the story for its own sake.

'So this is why the next generation of Valkyries is obsessed with anime and games,' Kallen thought. 'Gotta admit, this stuff has a weird charm to it.'

"Well, this is a bit awkward..." Luo Mo mumbled, a nervous twitch at the corner of his mouth. He hadn't quite expected Kallen to put him on the spot like that.

Compared to others, if he can still spread false propaganda unscrupulously, Kallen is now his immediate boss, and at least a partner.

"Okay, I know your answer just by looking at you ~"

Kallen picked up the cup, took a sip of water, and said so.

" That's a real honor, " Luo Mo shifted uncomfortably.

He didn't want to give a direct answer – either way, admitting the game was a tearjerker or a fluff-fest would be bad. Prepping players for the emotional rollercoaster was like shooting himself in the foot... didn't they understand fewer tears meant fewer crystals for him?

"Well? Are you saying that my... story isn't very good?"

Kongming shook her feather fan lightly and asked with a smile on her face,

Even when she heard that her future seemed not good, she was not moved at all.

so what?

" However, I think that the encounter with this guy, Mr. Assassin, is good enough. Let's leave the future to the future. "

"Well, Ms. Kongming, a hypothetical for you," Rita interjected, her eyes gleaming with sharp curiosity. "What if you and your friend here are separated? Or, let's say the world decides they don't like you very much? What then?"

Despite Kongming being quite different from her usual target (ahem, Theresa), Rita couldn't deny she found this woman's spirit quite charming.

Maybe she really have a good impression of this kind of young girl, but unfortunately, Master Durandal grows up too fast, and I haven't been able to fully experience this process.

'Alas, this is really one of the biggest regrets in my life.' she'd sigh.

she can only look back at the previously recorded growth diary of Lady Durandal and miss it!

"Just live in the present, and moreover, "

Kongming glanced at Rita. If it were her, she would be willing to answer no matter how many questions she had. She calmly replied,

"It's not a big deal to be chased by people from a country. But if the world can't tolerate it, then one simply has to control everyone in the world."

"...You really are something else, Kongming. Come, sit, relax. It's just lunch, no need to conquer the world just yet." Kallen sighed, a fond smile playing on her lips.

She looked from Kongming, brimming with energy and talking a mile a minute, to Theresa, silently nursing her bitter melon juice.

As the saying goes, Sometimes, comparisons were just cruel.

Kongming's presence made Theresa seem… well, decidedly less useful.

what to do? Waiting online, can I change the inheritance position of bishop? I found better granddaughter.

Poor Theresa, oblivious to her plummeting stock in grandma's eyes, happily sipped her bitter melon juice. Ah well, ignorance was bliss. At least for now.

Then, Theresa took a sip and showed her eyes full of wisdom. She understood this situation. She understood it very well. After all, she had experienced it once.

" So, will this be my sister too? "

She asked confidently, her tone full of pride. Although she didn't know anything at all, she was going to have another annoying sister ~

This time, she won't make a fool of herself again!

She has already had the experience of guiding her sister's life, and even the knowledge that she originally didn't know has been learned.

"...Mr. Assassin, with all due respect, I must decline. I'm so sorry, it's... it's not you, it's me." Kongming stared at Theresa, trying desperately to find a trace of sisterly potential, and failing miserably.

Worse, an image from her own world kept flashing in her mind – Theresa, nearly identical. The whole idea was… mortifying. Her as this girl's sister? Absolutely not!

The very idea of this... this creature asking to be her sister made her want to reconsider her entire life. Okay, maybe a little dramatic, but still! This required careful consideration.

Okay, something about the 'sister' thing must have gotten lost in translation... was Theresa trying to claim the title of Luo Mo's favorite? That didn't make sense either. Kongming recalled their brief conversation earlier; Theresa had been oddly insistent about Luna.

Had she been secretly scheming with Luna behind the scenes? A clandestine power grab? But there was no formal declaration... this felt more like cat burglary than politics.

Confused, Kongming couldn't decipher the other girl's game. Was this some sort of... demonstration?

" Shut up, my dear student assistant principal..."

Luo Mo said helplessly, he would only think it was nonsense if Kongming really became Theresa's sister!

Luna just doesn't understand human society at all. To her, it's just a title.

Moreover, Luna become her sister really helped me a lot for her identity, so he agreed.

"Kongming isn't like Luna," Luo Mo explained, trying to tread lightly. "She was, well, a powerful figure in the Huang Empire." He recalled Kongming's elegant but forceful shoe-assisted negotiations and adjusted his wording ever so slightly.

Okay, maybe 'powerful' wasn't quite accurate. 'Emperor' didn't seem to carry the same weight here, and since Kongming wasn't keen to spill her secrets, he'd just have to go with vague and impressive.

Theresa fell silent. Though Luo Mo tried to be delicate, it was clear enough – Kongming wasn't just anyone.

Did she dislike Theresa? Find her annoying?

Theresa's mind spiraled, Why was she already being disliked when she hadn't even done anything wrong? This was so unfair!

Besides, all the little glances and touches between Luo Mo and Kongming were way too obvious! Was Kongming hiding something? Some shady secret identity?

Theresa was reeling. She wasn't used to being disliked – at least, not without good reason.

Yet here was Kongming, a practical carbon copy of herself, and for some reason, she gave off a distinctly unlikable vibe.

"Well, let's get this dinner started then! I've been waiting ages," she announced with a forced smile.

"Wonderful, thank you for your hospitality," Kongming replied, settling gracefully beside Luo Mo. Luna promptly plonked herself down on his other side, keeping a hawk eye on Kongming.

Luna observed Kongming, a sly smile playing on her lips. Did this woman really think her mere existence, her Theresa-like looks, constituted a victory? How absurd.

This was going to be a tense meal...

Kongming delicately picked up a piece of fish, maneuvering around the bones with practiced ease before placing it elegantly into her mouth. Even the trickiest, boniest dishes were no match for her flawless technique.

Frankly, only Rita and her meticulous manners could rival this level of dining grace. Even Kallen and Fu Hua, for all their composure, would take time to perfect such elegance.

After time, they will not make a fool of themselves, but to be elegant to this level, they need to be nurtured by their family background since childhood.

Theresa looked at the fish on the plate with hatred. To be honest, she usually didn't touch this troublesome thing at all, but now she could only give it a try.

It doesn't seem difficult to learn it.

It looked easy enough when Kongming did it.

Meanwhile, Luna was busy devouring fish, seemingly oblivious to the concept of bones. Theresa's eye twitched. Was Luna deliberately flaunting her incompetence?

"Well, Lady Luna, let me help you with that," Rita, seated beside Luna, stifled a laugh as she expertly deboned the fish. Luna's eyes showed a trace of gratitude and happiness.

Theresa, miffed by Rita's pointed comment about her helplessness, deliberately kept her distance. Fine, a mere fish wouldn't expose her!

She was Theresa Apocalypse, the leader of the Far East Branch! Surely she could master this... whatever this was.

Luo Mo winced, watching Kongming's graceful deboning technique and Rita's elegant finesse, A quick glance at Theresa was all he needed to know this wasn't going well.

"Gah!" Theresa muttered under her breath, glaring at the minefield of tiny bones on her plate. Why did this fish have to be so…bony? It wasn't like the boneless fillets she usually enjoyed!

"Lady Theresa... I know this is a different kind of fish, more flavorful, but...perhaps I misjudged... I thought you wouldn't touch this dish."

Rita smiled awkwardly. She really didn't mean it.

she would have been happy to have Theresa sit next to Luna and help handle the scene.

"Ah," Kongming let out a delicate chuckle. This Theresa was proving easier to handle than expected. A rival in love? Hardly, ha-ha just pebbles on the road.

It's not what you have, Theresa, it's how you use it, Kongming thought, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

From her observations after hearing the sound from outside earlier, Theresa was just an incompetent granddaughter, who reminded her of some old memory.

Luna...well, she was an adorable little sister, but not a competitor. she Still likes her reaction when she steals mr. assassin from Luna, hehe

Oh, the drama! The victory would be glorious! Kongming was destined to take her place in the palace with her emperor, and they would... well, let's just say the future looked very bright indeed.

Kongming 1 : 0 Theresa

" It seems that Mr. Stargazer is indeed from a wealthy family, which makes Rita even more curious. "

Rita's eye, which was not covered by the bangs on one side, flickered slightly. She was a completely different person from Theresa ~

"About that...could you please not call me Stargazer?" Kongming winced, offering Rita a slightly helpless look. "It's a title I hold dear, but it feels...strange, coming from anyone else."

"Oh? How fascinating," Rita mused. She'd never met someone who disliked their own honorific – a true setback for a maid of her caliber!

"But forgiveness may be difficult to obtain..." She couldn't resist adding a teasing note.

Kongming pursed her lips, but instead of the competitiveness she showed when fighting with others, there was inexplicable sadness in her eyes, which made Rita's heart tighten.

Maids are there to make guests feel more comfortable, not to cause trouble to them by insisting on their own habits.

With a soft smile, Rita shifted her tone. "Very well then, Kongming it is."

"Thank you," Kongming replied with a small nod. As always, a wave of warmth washed over her when Rita conceded. Perhaps it was just a fleeting resemblance, but something about Rita always reminded her of her cherished Prime Minister back home.

At this time, Theresa used chopsticks to smash the fish meat into pieces, and muttered: "What a hateful woman, how disgusting is she? She actually dislikes me..."

She quickly understood that it was just fish and meat,

Just like I am not good at eating fish, is the other person good at drinking bitter melon juice?

It's just that people's bodies are different. It's understandable.

Then Theresa grabbed the bitter melon juice and glanced provocatively at Kongming, then drank several sips and gave it another provocative look.

Kongming looked at the weird green liquid in the other person's bottle and felt bad.

But since the other party has sent a letter of challenge, is there any way to escape?

After staring at it, she made sure that the other person didn't show any unbearable expression, and his face didn't look like he was forcing himself to endure it. Just to be sure, she asked Luo Mo,

She observed Theresa closely. No gagging, no wincing, not even a hint of a grimace. For added confirmation, she turned to Luo Mo. "Mr. Assassin, what...exactly...is that?"

"Bitter melon juice," Luo Mo confirmed, barely suppressing a smile. Theresa religiously downed several bottles a day, making it impossible for him not to recognize the stuff.

Though, just because Theresa could stomach it didn't mean anyone else should...

"Kongming, wait! Don't drink that-" Luo Mo started, alarm rising in his voice, but it was too late.

"Hmph, just bitter melon juice? No big deal!" Kongming's competitive spirit flared. She locked eyes with Theresa, a silent 'bring it on' flashing between them.

Theresa, a wicked grin plastered on her face, eagerly passed a bottle to Kongming. What she didn't mention was that this wasn't ordinary Bitter melon juice.

Thanks to a certain engineer friend this was a hundred times more potent than her usual batch.

(Vill-V : I thought she wanted to make a new exotic poison, so I helped her. but she drank it all...)

Theresa, after much self-inflicted experimentation, had discovered her preferred level of bitterness – about ten times the normal concentration. Let's just say it was an acquired taste...

She'd gone without her beloved bitter melon juice for two whole days, and now just the thought of it made her mouth water. Sure, it was an acquired taste, but that was just weakness talking. Kongming was about to find out that some people were simply built differently!

As expected, Kongming took the tiniest of sips – wise move.

Her face contorted, stomach churning, a look of absolute horror crossing her eyes.

" Ugh ~", Kongming sputtered, the taste clearly violating her very existence. All strategizing ceased as she looked at Theresa solemnly, feeling respectful for the first time..

Who was this creature? What sort of iron stomach did she possess?

Sure enough, there are many talented people in the world, but you still need to be careful.

One must always respect their adversaries, and this bitter melon juice fiend had definitely earned Kongming's wary admiration.

Theresa, meanwhile, basked in her glorious victory. Had her reputation been restored?

" uh-huh? "Theresa, meanwhile, basked in her glorious victory. Had her reputation been restored?

"you are vicious-- "

Kongming shook the feather fan, not paying much attention, but pinching it tightly with her fingers.

Theresa won this round, fair and square. But Kongming, master tactician that she was, knew when to retreat and regroup.

As a true strategist, it was vital to learn from defeat.

A wise general never picks a fight they can't win.

Kongming resolved that, henceforth, all bitter melon juice challenges in future would be met with a polite but firm decline, Honestly, some wars just weren't worth fighting.

Kongming 1 : 1 Theresa

(Luna, watching from the sidelines: "Hey, what about me?")

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Edit: thanks RVN_RZGRZ for suggestions and improvements