The Rooftop Garden’s Unlikely Encounter

Click!

The shutter sound of a phone camera echoed.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Before Li Yue could even glimpse her own reflection after finishing her makeup, Mo Linyu, holding her triple-fold phone, had already snapped a massive close-up, spanning all three screens.

‘Admiring my masterpiece, naturally. Isn’t it just stunning?’

Li Yue glanced up at Mo Linyu’s phone screen.

Indeed, it was quite stunning.

According to the “Goddess,” the Hero’s appearance was crafted in her own image, making any possibility of it being unattractive nonexistent.

Her face, at least, was flawless, but perhaps there was a touch of personal bias in the figure?

“I don’t think this is the time for that. Shouldn’t we be touring the school next, and then… well, taking photos? Isn’t that what we’re here for today?”

As Li Yue posed the question, Alezno suddenly darted towards the changing room door, yanking it open with force.

Yet, upon opening it, she found nothing.

“Hmm? Loli, what’s wrong?” Mo Linyu inquired.

“I just heard someone outside the door.”

“This is a public changing room, so it’s perfectly normal for people to be around… but there’s no one here, is there?”

Li Yue pointed out, to which Alezno merely whispered, “Ah, I must have misheard.”

Mo Linyu wasn’t concerned; there was little danger here.

Even a kidnapper wouldn’t dare make a move in such a place, especially since she wasn’t the only “young lady” around, even during summer break.

“Come on, then. Let’s get down to business.”

****

The trio exited the gymnasium, re-emerging into the oppressive summer heat.

St. Mary’s Girls’ Academy, a venerable institution with a century of history, exuded an ancient, dignified nobility in every corner of its campus.

Ancient Western-style buildings stood embraced by lush, verdant trees, while a Gothic-spired chapel shimmered resplendently under the sun.

On the hour, the bell tower chimed with a sonorous peal, its resonance swallowing all other sounds, ironically rendering the atmosphere exceptionally quiet.

“Oh, just look at this environment. Studying in a place like this, it feels like anyone would start putting on airs.”

Li Yue rubbed her arms uncomfortably.

“Putting on airs? I’d prefer if you used a different phrase, perhaps… ‘cultivating one’s temperament’?”

“My apologies for being such a boorish lout; having me portray a young lady was clearly a grave misjudgment.”

“It’s fine. Photos are static, after all… even if you only act like a young lady for one second out of every minute, that’s enough.

Besides, you saw Pan Qi’s situation; not all young ladies are as refined and poised as I am.”

“You certainly know how to flatter yourself… Hmph, well, let’s just find a spot, snap the photos, and get this over with quickly.”

The outdoor temperature was excessively hot.

Li Yue tried her best to stay in the shade, but St. Mary’s uniform felt a bit too constricting compared to her usual breezy attire.

Mo Linyu turned to Alezno.

“Loli, do you have any recommendations?”

“…The rooftop?” Alezno suggested softly.

“No, we’re not going to your daily lunch spot.”

Li Yue’s words stung Alezno slightly, but she still explained, “There’s a garden on the roof of the main teaching building; it’s usually quite deserted… and during summer break, I doubt anyone else would go there.”

“Of course not! In this weather, you’d probably be roasted alive on a rooftop,” Li Yue retorted.

“…It’s actually not hot up there at all,” Alezno murmured.

“We’ll head down as soon as we’re done.

The more time you waste, the longer we’ll endure this scorching heat.”

Mo Linyu, for her part, agreed with the suggestion.

“Besides, if we finish quickly and go back, we can still grab lunch at the cafeteria.”

Though she, too, was feeling the oppressive heat, she was far better than Li Yue at suppressing any outward display of discomfort.

“Right, the cafeteria… So why don’t we just take photos there?”

“Too many people; it wouldn’t be convenient.”

****

“Alright, it’s genuinely not hot… Perhaps I underestimated the school’s profound legacy?”

But then again, this was an academy for affluent young ladies; how could a rooftop garden here be anything less than extraordinary?

More than a mere garden, it was a veritable conservatory.

A colossal glass dome enveloped the entire space, with chromatic glass panels regulating the indoor temperature.

Within, an artificially engineered environment boasted ideal warmth and humidity.

Soft lawns carpeted the ground, Western-style domed gazebos stood at each corner, and at the garden’s heart, a white jade fountain shimmered.

“A splendid view, almost unreal.”

Though it was summer break and the place was deserted, Li Yue could easily envision a group of young ladies seated in those gazebos, enjoying pastries, sipping afternoon tea, and chatting.

“Right, let’s take a photo here then.”

Mo Linyu retrieved her phone, then her makeup bag, spreading its contents across the stone table within the gazebo.

“Do you want to wipe off some sweat and touch up your makeup first?”

“Is that really necessary?”

Li Yue settled into the gazebo, then patted the seat beside her.

“Come on, little one.”

“Don’t treat me like a child; our ages aren’t that far apart.”

Alezno retorted, yet still obediently took a seat next to Li Yue.

“Smile! You two look less like friends and more like sworn enemies.”

“…I have a brilliant idea. How about I give you another headbutt?”

At Li Yue’s suggestion, Alezno instantly sprang up in fright, creating distance between them.

“Li Yue, don’t force her. She’s not Alezno, at least not right now…”

Mo Linyu cautioned, holding up her phone, which prompted Li Yue to raise her hands in surrender.

“Couldn’t I just headbutt Gongliang Kuixi later?”

“My time and my body belong solely to me.”

“Don’t be so tense~ I was just joking.”

Only then did Alezno sit back down next to Li Yue, offering a face to Mo Linyu’s camera that looked worse than crying.

Coupled with Li Yue’s roguish expression, they hardly resembled friends.

Instead, they looked like a victim of school bullying by a domineering young lady.

“Oh, Loli…”

However, just as Mo Linyu was about to voice her complaints, a figure burst forth from the garden’s entrance.

“Everyone, freeze! Caught red-handed! What do you have to say for yourselves now?”

“…Oh, you’ve misunderstood.”

Mo Linyu turned around, only to find Pan Qi, accompanied by several security guards, storming towards them.

Female security guards.

“Uh, are you the student council president or the head of security?” Li Yue asked.

“It makes little difference; this is both my duty and my right… and I distinctly warned you, I dislike influencers who come here to take photos and seek attention.

St. Mary’s is not a check-in spot for you online personalities.”

As she spoke, she motioned for the security guards to encircle the trio.

“…Oh? Online personalities.”

Li Yue rolled her eyes, saying with a self-deprecating air, “I am indeed a streamer, but perhaps I’m not popular enough, maybe even less appealing than a certain proxy streamer?”

“Don’t talk nonsense; you’re only making things worse…”

Mo Linyu pressed a hand to her forehead, looking at Pan Qi as she explained.

“Student Council President, we are not the kind of influencers you’re talking about.”

“Then what is the purpose of your photography?”

“Do you remember what I said earlier in the gymnasium? This is so Alezno has a way to report back to her parents…”

Mo Linyu then gestured towards Li Yue.

“…This way, she can claim to have befriended a ‘young lady’.”