I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

Amane's intention was that she hadn't felt any value in Hayasaka, and that Amane could do everything Hayasaka could, and even better at it. Therefore, Hayasaka's thinking was flawed from the start. There was no doubt that Hayasaka was excellent, so excellent that even Koenji might not be Hayasaka's match in terms of the sheer variety and proficiency of her abilities.

But such an excellent Amane doesn't need protection. She doesn't need much protection on campus, and Hayasaka, as a first-year student, can't offer her much help either.

Since arriving here, Tianyin has not come with the aim of dominating the first or second year students or even the entire school. This is not some high school with a lot of action. What Tianyin is pursuing is simply a comfortable life.

This means that unless there are special exams in the first and second years where they will act together again, the number of times she meets Hayasaka will decrease sharply. In other words, Amane, who has no interest in the first year, doesn't need Hayasaka's help at all.

Hayasaka can neither protect Amane nor help her subdue the first-year students, and Amane has already promoted her class to Class A. Hayasaka is a hero with no place to use his skills for Amane.

There's nothing they can use, so they have no value to them, and there's no need for them to have any interaction. Unless after graduation, when Amane might need Hayasaka's power, but right now... it's too early.

But Hayasaka didn't interpret those words the same way.

From Hayasaka's perspective, when Amane asked her what Amane was interested in about her, it meant that Amane was interested in her, but Hayasaka had to find out for herself what Amane was interested in.

Hayasaka also considered the situation where he was good at something, while Amane was even better at it. In that case, what would Amane be interested in about her?

Could it be...?

Hayasaka silently glanced down at her chest.

Amane subconsciously followed Hayasaka's gaze, but Hayasaka witnessed the whole scene.

Wait, what kind of plot twist is this? Before, she cried and begged Tianyin to push her down, but Tianyin ignored her completely. Why is she like this today...?

Could it be that Kamuro was right after all? She had finally waited for the day when Amane showed interest in her.

Is the goddess of fate about to descend upon Hayasaka Miyabi once again?

Chapter 102: Did I let you leave?

Clearly, the goddess of fate had taken a nap, and Hayasaka did not receive any special favor from her.

Amane stared thoughtfully at Hayasaka's chest. Any girl would feel disgusted if she were stared at like that. A girl with a frank or impulsive personality would step forward and angrily call the other person a "pervert" or take a more direct approach, such as slapping the other person to stop the "gaze invasion".

As the object of Amane's gaze, Hayasaka only blushed slightly, without experiencing any discomfort or emotion.

From the moment she was picked up by her mother and became 'Aya', she became the shadow and blade of the Miyako family, or to put it simply, the weapon of the Miyako family.

Hayasaka saw nothing wrong with Amane's actions, and the next head of the family was fully qualified to observe and use her as a weapon.

But... Hayasaka felt her heart beating faster and faster, and the temperature of her skin seemed to be rising, until finally every inch of Hayasaka's exposed skin seemed to have a faint pink hue.

It was like the behavior of a girl in love or with a crush waiting for her lover's confession, but Hayasaka kept trying to make a final excuse for her embarrassing behavior by saying, "It's too hot here."

For a moment, the two fell silent. Apart from the sound of their heartbeats, the only sounds were the splashing water from the nearby cubicle and a girl humming a more melodious country tune that was clearly not mainstream music.

Although the girl seemed to have a slight accent, causing her to occasionally hum a few lines that were completely off-key, making it impossible to understand the original lyrics.

Hmm? Why am I so bothered by the little tune a strange girl in the cubicle is humming?

That's because Hayasaka had to keep distracting himself to avoid being overwhelmed by the aura released by Amane.

Aura is like atmosphere. Atmosphere is invisible and intangible, and there are no rules or traces to follow. But the moment an atmosphere is created, everyone is deeply affected by it and cannot break free. Once someone says something or does something that "disrupts the atmosphere," everyone will immediately notice him. Aura is the same. When facing a person with a strong attitude, choosing a weak approach will cause you to fall into the other person's aura and make it difficult to put on a tough attitude.

If someone is enveloped by a powerful aura, then their every move will be clearly seen by the other party's 'eyes'.

Even if the other party's gaze wasn't directed at the target, it was the same. Hayasaka chose to minimize her presence as much as possible in order to avoid being observed by Amane, and because of Hayasaka's low presence, Amane's thoughts were never interrupted.

The two formed a remarkably harmonious relationship.

At this moment, Amane wasn't thinking about any erotic scenes; she was thinking about how to deal with people like Hayasaka in the future.

The fact that the old man bestowed the surname Hayasaka upon them shows that Hayasaka and the others were not simply treated as tools. Even after leaving 'Aya,' half of them would be sent to branches of the family or to companies or vassal families that cooperated with the Miyako family, where they would enjoy very high treatment. At the same time, they would be used as eyes to watch over each other's words and actions.

This almost guarantees that they will not be trusted, and their personal safety cannot be guaranteed if the relationship deteriorates or other situations arise. They will have to live a life of constant anxiety even after retirement, which explains why Hayasaka would go to great lengths to get close to her.

Amane isn't incapable of arranging Hayasaka's affairs, nor is she unable to feed a single person. The problem lies in the fact that Hayasaka's behavior is almost identical to Asahina's. They approach her for personal gain or to achieve a certain goal, and of course, they are willing to use their bodies as the price to pay.

However, none of them considered whether Amane could accept such an 'equivalent exchange'. Asahina aside, their relationship was ambiguous, just one step away from becoming a real relationship. But Asahina arbitrarily mixed an exchange of benefits into their relationship, which made Amane give up on continuing to develop her relationship with Asahina.

Hayasaka, on the other hand, made it clear from the start that she intended to use Amane to gain the freedom she desired.

She, Miyako Amane, is not some wish-granting machine.

"Sorry, I was a little distracted just now. I don't think it's appropriate to continue this topic now. What do you think, Hayasaka?"

Amane smiled and asked Hayasaka for his opinion.

Hayasaka's face quickly lost its color and turned pale. The atmosphere between the two had reached this point. Normally, as long as Amane was willing, Hayasaka would not have any extreme resistance, and everything would have fallen into place naturally.

But Tianyin chose to be the one who ruined the atmosphere. Is it because Tianyin doesn't know how to read the mood?

of course not.

The result is obvious.

Amane rejected Hayasaka's advances, making this Hayasaka's third rejection to date.

Three is a very subtle number. Often, people's tolerance and acceptance of something will not exceed this number. Once it exceeds this number, it will make people feel disgusted.

Amane refused three times, which means that Hayasaka's plan has basically failed.

Hayasaka bit her lip tightly, remaining silent.

In fact, Hayasaka had nothing to say. Her 'tacit understanding' with Amane was a transaction, and Amane naturally had the right to accept or refuse. She couldn't possibly feel wronged and then scream hysterically just because one of the parties in the transaction disagreed with the other, could she?

Despite the layers of packaging, a transaction is a transaction, fundamentally different from a confession. She has no right to be sad or angry. Even if she feels unwilling, she can only silently bear such emotions. This is the price she should accept.

Even though the deal fell through, life goes on.

"I understand."

Hayasaka nodded calmly, then turned and went back to the corner of the bathing area to wait for someone to leave the stall.

Sitting on a bench in the waiting area, Hayasaka immediately put aside all his emotions and began to review what had just happened.

Hayasaka's words and Amane's attitude were initially all positive, until Hayasaka brought up that matter, after which Amane's attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change.

However, what puzzled Hayasaka was that Amane had thought about it for a long time before finally choosing to refuse to trade with Hayasaka. It should be noted that Amane had refused almost instantly the previous two times.

So this attempt can't necessarily be considered a failure. It can only be said that Hayasaka was too reckless, choosing the wrong time and the wrong place to waste her last precious opportunity.

After being rejected three times for the same thing, the other party's opinion on the matter will hardly change. Therefore, this opportunity is the most precious and important. If the deal is accepted on the third attempt, then her behavior is considered perseverance and persistence. But if it is rejected more than three times, it will leave people with the impression that she is still greedy and annoying.

The difference is obvious even without explanation.

"What a terrible performance..."

After reviewing the situation, Hayasaka forced a bitter and ugly smile onto her face. She, who always prided herself on being reliable, was like a child in front of Amane. Amane's mere presence made it impossible for her to concentrate. What a terrifying young lady.

Just as Hayasaka sighed and was about to give up, a hand suddenly reached out to her.

"I don't think anyone will come out anytime soon. Do you want to wash with me? It would be too much trouble for you to clean with one hand, wouldn't it?"

Hayasaka hesitated when faced with Amane's invitation.

If their deal has been finalized, Hayasaka will definitely accept Amane's invitation, since it is very likely that the goods will be inspected.

But why did Amane invite her after rejecting her? Could it be that she pitied her? This thought was immediately dismissed by Hayasaka as soon as it popped into her mind.

Would someone like Tianyin really pity others?

"Huh? Master, cough cough... Miyako-senpai! What a coincidence... Ouch!"

The wooden door that was right next to the last cubicle was pushed open, and a red-haired figure had just appeared in Hayasaka's sight when Amane kicked her back without turning her head. Then, amidst the other person's exclamation, Amane considerately reached out and closed the door for her.

After completing all of this, Amane turned around and reached out her hand to Hayasaka again.

At this moment, sweat began to pour from Hayasaka's forehead.

If she wasn't mistaken, the one who got kicked back should have been Tianze, right?

Amane's attitude clearly indicated that she did not intend to give Hayasaka any reason to refuse her.

Left with no other choice, Hayasaka could only hold Amane's hand and be led into the last small cubicle.

The cubicle wasn't very big; it was designed for one person only, so it was quite crowded when two people squeezed in.

After turning on the shower, Amane skillfully helped Hayasaka untie her towel, leaving Hayasaka, who was about to shower second, stunned in place.

"I'll clean you up first, but be careful not to get your arms wet!"

"Yes, I'll be careful..."

Compared to Amane's cheerful voice, Hayasaka seemed quite downcast, because when she came in, she had wondered if Amane had tricked her into coming in...

The fact that they actually helped her take a bath completely shattered Hayasaka's last remaining hope.

Amane carefully turned off the shower head and began to wash Hayasaka's body, but after only a few washes, Amane's movements began to become sluggish.

Compared to her glamorous appearance, Hayasaka's body can only be described as a disaster. Hayasaka's skin tone was darker than the wheat-colored skin due to years of exposure to the sun. Amane thought that Hayasaka's skin under the towel would be whiter, but she did not expect that Hayasaka's skin was almost the same color except for her private parts.

This shows that Hayasaka had undergone the same brutal training as her. Hayasaka's abdomen even looked more slender and muscular than Amane's. When Amane placed her finger on it, she could hardly feel any fat; it was real muscle.

Unlike the cute and powerful female characters in anime or movies, even geniuses need to go through trials to become strong, let alone ordinary people.

A woman who wants to become strong must put in more effort than others. As for beauty and fair, smooth skin? Those are not what a strong person pursues.

Strength and wisdom are what truly matter.

People like Hayasaka who are naturally good-looking are already considered lucky. Otherwise, with that figure, not only would men be horrified, but even men would feel scared.

Even Tianyin, upon seeing such a figure, suppressed her desire to an almost imperceptible level.

Moving to Hayasaka's back, the crisscrossing scars of varying sizes were so glaring, like a cruel painting recording the pain and suffering Hayasaka had endured.

Some wounds were shallow, leaving only faint marks, while others were shocking. The most conspicuous wound ran across her back, reaching an astonishing 20 centimeters in length. The line of this scar was very smooth, like a cut from a sharp weapon such as a dagger. The reason it left a scar was probably because the weapon had been modified or coated with some kind of toxin; otherwise, there would be no reason for such a shallow wound to leave such a noticeable scar.

Besides this large scar, there are many smaller scars scattered across her back, shoulders, and arms. Although these smaller scars are not as noticeable as the large one, their sheer number and dense distribution are heartbreaking to see.

Amane underwent even more brutal training and combat than Hayasaka. However, because Amane could not feel pain, although her body was tempered, she did not feel the damage caused by this training and combat. Even in the most dangerous moments, she only felt the ebb tide of her life force rapidly fading away. Compared to the excruciating pain that Hayasaka had to experience, it was relatively gentle.

Is it worth it for you to work so hard?

"This question shouldn't be asked by you, Ms. Miyako. Whether it's worth it or not isn't up to me or us to decide, but rather it's up to you and those important figures to judge whether the results of our hard work are worthwhile."

Hayasaka turned around, mustered her courage, and met Amane's eyes, which had somehow become incredibly gentle.

"Miss Miyako..."

"Just call me Tianyin. At least it's okay for you to call me that in this school."

"Then please forgive my overstepping my bounds, Miss Tianyin. Do you think what I'm doing is worthwhile?"

Amane saw expectation and sadness in Hayasaka's eyes. Amane was moved by such a gaze. Hayasaka had given up his youth to protect the Miyako family, willingly becoming a shadow and a weapon. Such loyalty alone did not allow Amane to deny Hayasaka's efforts.

"Is there even a question? Of course it is..."

Just as Tenon was about to acknowledge Hayasaka's efforts, a faint female voice came from the next cubicle.

"Some people say that men are rational animals and women are emotional animals. Being too rational can easily turn a person into a heartless machine and tool, while being too emotional can make one susceptible to the sweet words of others, causing one to lose the rationality to make correct judgments and thus step into a trap. For an ordinary person, the highest pursuit is recognition, but for a person in a position of authority, giving recognition to subordinates is also a form of reward."

At this point, Tianze paused for a moment, and through the wooden board, Tianyin seemed to hear Tianze let out a sneer.

"Once you've received the reward of 'recognition,' you can't be greedy and keep asking others for more rewards!"

While exposing Hayasaka's little scheme in a flippant tone, Amasawa deliberately elongated his voice to make the sarcasm in his words more provocative to Hayasaka.

"Tianze Yixia!"

Click!

With a loud shout from Hayasaka, the thin wooden plank separating the cubicles was pierced through by Hayasaka's furious punch.

Hayasaka, having withdrawn her fist, glared angrily at Amasawa, who had ruined her plans, through the hole left by the punch.

Amane realized what was happening when Amane reminded her. After fighting with Hayasaka in the morning, Hayasaka said that he hoped to get her approval. Amane didn't pay much attention to it at the time, since she had encountered this situation many times before. Horikita, Karuizawa, Ichinose, and even Sakayanagi had all tried to gain Amane's approval, either openly or secretly.

One more Hayasaka wouldn't make a difference, but Amane overlooked Hayasaka's status as a subordinate of the Miyako family.

For a subordinate to give her recognition is undoubtedly the highest reward. However, just now, Hayasaka took advantage of Amane's empathy and compassion for her plight to seize the opportunity to gain undeniable recognition. At this moment, this recognition was mixed with various factors and was no longer pure recognition. Hayasaka planned to ask Amane to reserve a place for her in her lap the instant she received recognition, after Amane acknowledged that Hayasaka's efforts were worthwhile.

Amane, who had just accepted Hayasaka, would find it difficult to refuse Hayasaka's request from any standpoint.

However, this was an extremely emotional action taken by Amane after seeing the dense scars on Hayasaka's body caused by training. So how will Amane deal with Hayasaka after she calms down?

Amaze's words were both a reminder to Amane and a way to save Hayasaka, but Hayasaka, in his fury, probably wouldn't realize it.

Amane, however, gave a meaningful look to Amazawa Ichika, who still wore a playful smile despite Hayasaka's fury.

"Oh dear, are you angry because your little scheme was exposed, Hayasaka-san? Should I apologize to you? I'm so sorry for ruining your plan to become Amane-senpai's woman, Hayasaka-san. I hope you can forgive me for being a first-year student like us. I would be extremely grateful."

In the end, even Tianze couldn't help but laugh out loud, which undoubtedly added fuel to the fire for the enraged Hayasaka.

However, to the surprise of everyone, including Amane, Hayasaka regained his senses amidst Amasawa's deliberate mockery.

After a brief moment of thought, Hayasaka realized that the risks of her stubborn attempt to take advantage of the situation were too great. Rather than displaying her incompetent rage here, it would be better to take the opportunity provided by Amasawa and leave this incredibly embarrassing place as soon as possible.