Mission in another world with my transformed best friend

"It means exactly what it says. Honey just told you downstairs, 'Behind every identity, there must be a powerful force, whether it's an emperor, a hero... even a merchant is no exception.' Under the titles 'Hermit of the World' and 'Hermit', they are just two ordinary girls. So, it's only natural for girls like Martha and me, who have difficulty even protecting ourselves, to marry into a noble family for protection. At least it will guarantee our safety and a life free from worries about food and clothing. What do you think?"

Although Wang Kai was somewhat shocked, after considering it rationally, he nodded and replied.

"Although it's a bit frustrating, I have to admit that it was the right and very rational choice."

"Of course, let's start with Martha. A girl with such a pitiful background, and also a 'demi-human,' is one of the few in the entire continent's history to have married into a noble family. If this marriage had actually happened, Honey and I would at least have become 'history creators.' But I never expected you to secretly give her a 'hallucinogenic drug' beforehand. In the first few matchmaking attempts, she managed to dodge the question out of respect for me. Later, like many young people pressured to marry, she gets anxious whenever I mention even the slightest word, and the matter has been put on hold..."

"Holy crap, Martha's marriage has become a tool just to curry favor with you, this 'reclusive saint'? This world is too dangerous."

"Wait, I already said that we should abandon the worldview we had in the original world. Here, children can get engaged when they are seven or eight years old, and as for marriage age, as long as a girl is fertile, she can hold a wedding and get married."

Wang Kai looked surprised. His previous values ​​and morals had collapsed, but the collapse was too fast for him to understand.

Zhang Lan once again assumed the role of "teacher," sighed, closed her eyes, and began to lecture.

"I need to explain this to you. People of different races develop at completely different rates throughout their lives, which is one of the reasons why Martha suddenly grew so fast in just a few months."

"And the human race here is growing at a rate similar to ours before."

"As for those with long lifespans, such as dwarves, elves, goblins, and dragonmen, their development is completely different. Some of them look like children even when they are one or two hundred years old."

"Therefore, the age of marriage does not play any standard role here; it is entirely based on whether both parties are willing to form a family and reproduce."

……

Hearing these basic settings that resembled those of another world, Wang Kai had no choice but to accept them. Rather than saying that Martha's actions were premature due to her infatuation, they now seemed to be quite common. The only regret was that the speed at which her innocent and cute little sister persona collapsed was a bit too fast.

In any case, from now on, we must treat Martha as a real woman, and even if we are siblings or family, we must maintain a proper distance...

At this point, Zhang Lan's eyes darted around, and she reached out to pat Wang Kai's face, asking a question.

"Hey, your criticism just now was a bit incomplete. Why did you ignore the most crucial part?"

"The most crucial point? Right, there's you too... A woman like you who can make a lot of money and is a 'partner' of the Hani Chamber of Commerce, not to mention high-ranking officials and noble sons lining up to ask you to be their matchmaker, even the royal family might send someone over."

"Bingo, compared to Martha being pressured to get married repeatedly, I'm having a really tough time. Lately, whenever I appear in public, whether it's a new product launch, a business negotiation, or any other meeting, some unknown person secretly hands me some 'top-secret documents.' They're full of personal profiles of handsome young men, with a note that says: 'Reply if you think they're suitable, and we'll contact you immediately!'"

"This...this is just like the emperor 'choosing a concubine' every night. This kind of thing should have happened to me...I'm so envious and jealous...No, that's not right, I'm not interested in men either, I take back what I just said...My head hurts, I can't even complain anymore."

Hearing Wang Kai's incoherent speech in his confusion, Zhang Lan felt slightly relieved, and a smug smile appeared on her face.

Sensing something perhaps unchangeable behind that smug smile, Wang Kai became alert and tentatively asked a question.

"Zhang... no, Alice, you haven't really, completely turned into a girl, have you?"

"Hehe, isn't it a bit silly to ask that question to 'Alice,' who is 100% a girl?"

"I wasn't talking about your body, I was referring to your mind, which is XP..."

"I thought you had already figured it out."

Zhang Lan sighed slightly and continued.

“In the very beginning, when I first became ‘Alice,’ I was indeed a little shy even when taking a bath. But everything is difficult at the beginning, and these days, would anyone have any strange thoughts about their own body? After a few times, I had no reaction at all.”

"Later, even when I bathed with Martha, or took a bath with those 'Lafite girls' after coming here, I didn't have any extra thoughts in front of so many girls. They actually became interested in me, praising my beautiful hair and delicate skin, and asking me all sorts of questions about how I took care of myself. Fortunately, I wasn't interested in 'lesbian relationships,' so my XP changed, and things naturally turned out that way..."

Seeing that the conversation had reached its most crucial point, Wang Kai decided not to hide his true thoughts any longer and immediately pressed for an answer.

"Since you put it that way, will you find a boy you like in the future, fall in love with him, and then get married and start a family?"

"As 'Alice,' the answer to this question is just one word: Yes!"

"Then, what about 'Lan'?"

"This question is beyond my scope, so I can only remain silent."

"Your answer is practically meaningless..."

"I never promised to be completely honest with you before we started talking."

Seeing Wang Kai's slightly regretful expression, Zhang Lan also seemed a little helpless. Many things can only be understood intuitively and cannot be explained in words. There is really no need to say it out loud.

And if this trend continues, the two of them still have a very, very long road ahead of them...

"We've talked so much tonight, and I've repaid your life-saving grace. If there's nothing else, you should go downstairs and rest early. I'm so grateful to you for surviving today; otherwise, I would have been 'forever asleep' by now. And thank you for postponing tomorrow's press conference; otherwise, I really wouldn't have been in the mood to memorize those speeches. Well, goodnight..."

Just as Zhang Lan was about to end the "lap pillow" position, a hand suddenly touched her face, preventing her from getting up.

"Huh? Is there anything else you haven't finished saying? Then just say it. Why are you staring at me like that?"

"No, Alice..."

"Sigh... Well, Kyle, you go ahead and say it, I'm listening."

"Alice, Alice is my angel, my goddess... I will not allow you to marry any other man, I will not allow it."

Suddenly, Wang Kai in front of me seemed to have become a different person. Not only did his expression become somewhat distorted, but his tone of voice also became incoherent, as if he were possessed by some ghost.

Zhang Lan immediately sensed something was wrong. Before she could even wipe the smile off her face, she paused for a few seconds and then spoke.

"Wait, Your Majesty...you could you be...Kyle?"

"Alice, you finally recognized me! I've been in a dark, cold place for so long, thinking of you every single moment. And now, I finally hear your voice, and I open my eyes to see you right in front of me. That's wonderful! From this day forward, I will never leave you again, and I will never let you go for the rest of my life..."

This... could absolutely not be something Wang Kai was deliberately doing to scare people. It's probably very similar to the smug, even slightly obsessive, words of some "ultimate simps" who get the favor of their goddesses...

Having been in this strange world for several months and knowing about 70-80% of it, Zhang Lan could only think of one possibility at a moment's notice.

It seems that Wang Kai still carries the soul of "Kyle," who has regained control of his body—at least that's the current situation...