Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 449: Cecilia, Please Bless Me
Crunch, crunch!
In the otherwise harmonious dinner atmosphere, the only discordant element was Senti, who was noisily gnawing on bone-in meat. With eyes still red from crying, she glared at Sigurd with intense resentment, her gaze fixed firmly on him.
"Ah…."
Sigurd calmly took a sip of red wine and shifted his gaze toward Fu Hua and the Book of Fuxi.
Both of them immediately lowered their heads and continued eating in perfect sync, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Sigurd.
If this had simply been Senti throwing an unreasonable tantrum, the two of them—one playing the stern role and the other the gentle one—could probably have soothed her by now. The problem was that this time Senti's grudge actually had a reason; she really was innocent. After several failed attempts to persuade her, Fu Hua and the Book of Fuxi could no longer suppress her with a clear conscience.
The one who tied the knot must untie it—so they had decided to let Sigurd deal with it himself.
"Sigh…"
Sigurd let out a long sigh.
The last time he felt troubled by an overly willful brat… was also the previous time. Thinking about it carefully, a significant portion of his energy throughout his journey had been spent disciplining troublesome kids.
—Though for some reason, one of them eventually ended up on his bed.
Sigurd glanced sideways at Kiana, who was also focused on eating.
"(๑•́₃•̀๑) Mm… what?"
"Nothing. Eat more vegetables."
"Oh!"
After briefly reminding Kiana, Sigurd watched as she obediently piled a large mound of vegetables into her bowl. A satisfied look flashed through his eyes.
Then he organized his thoughts and said:
"One week from now will be the inauguration ceremony of the Star Ring Base. It will greatly improve global monitoring, support systems, and upgrades to orbital weaponry. I will attend the ceremony. From there, you can see our planet, as well as the sun, the moon, and the star-filled sky. The scenery is truly one of a kind."
"…." ×N
The clatter of utensils gradually stopped. Many of the girls unconsciously perked up their ears to listen—including Senti, who was still chewing through bones.
"In addition, because the working environment in space is rather special, the meals provided there are specially designed. Their taste, way of eating, and dining environment are all unique… I've heard they're extremely delicious. You can't eat them anywhere else."
"…." ×N
Everyone was still listening attentively, but a few food lovers—like Kiana, and also Senti, who shared a childlike fondness for snacks—now had a visible sparkle of longing in their eyes.
"Are you going or not?"
Sigurd calmly looked at Senti. The trap had finally been sprung.
Senti froze for a moment. She slowly finished chewing and swallowed, then bit her thumb, falling into deep hesitation.
(｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡) …
Even though her thinking was relatively simple and childish, Senti understood that this was Sigurd's way of compensating her. The space station sounded tempting, and the special space cuisine sounded tempting too.
But agreeing so easily still felt a little unsatisfying.
Go on a little trip and just write everything off? Is the dignity of the great Immortal Emperya really that cheap?
"Kevin recently took several pseudo-Herrscher cores and dragged Siegfried into seclusion. They'll probably make some breakthroughs. After that, I'll have him spar with you for a week."
Sigurd said calmly, lifting his wine glass for another sip.
Senti's expression changed several times. Finally she slammed the table and pointed at Sigurd.
(｀Δ´)╭☞
With an imposing posture—though still with grease at the corner of her mouth—Senti shouted loudly:
"I want one month!"
"Fine."
"You said it! No going back!"
"Fine."
Sigurd nodded peacefully.
Immediately, Senti's aggressive aura vanished. She scratched her head, chuckled foolishly, and picked up her chopsticks again, devouring food with loud enthusiasm.
While eating, she even grabbed some dishes and placed them onto the small plates of the Book of Fuxi and Fu Hua.
"Little Xuan, Old Timer, these fried meatballs and bok choy are super tasty! Hurry and try them!"
"Heh, look at that—you've become considerate. Worth praising."
"Thank you, Senti. Eat a little slower, the sauce is already dripping down your chin. Here, let me wipe it for you."
Both "parents" showed relieved and satisfied expressions. Fu Hua picked up a towel and wiped Senti's mouth, displaying a full glow of maternal warmth. Perhaps she had learned it from Sigurd—either way, she had recently been showing more and more awareness and temperament of a parent.
At this moment, Kiana and Sin Mal, who habitually occupied the seats on Sigurd's left and right, simultaneously tugged at his sleeve. Two pairs of sparkling eyes looked up at him with anticipation.
For Kiana, at least half of the motivation was probably for fun and food.
As for Sin Mal, there was no need to think about it—she simply wanted to cling to Sigurd.
"Kiana needs to be present to actually grasp the spatial coordinates. In the future, the transportation of military forces and the transfer of special resources will all require the authority of the Herrscher of the Void. As for Sin Mal… it wouldn't hurt for her to get familiar with it as well. I'll take you along. Mei should come too—it'll be a good chance to test whether she can handle the duties of a secretary. Anyone else want to go?"
Sigurd asked calmly.
As expected, he was met with hopeful gazes from almost all of the girls.
"Fu Hua and Little Xuan will go along as well—to help keep an eye on Senti."
The two people who were called smiled at the same time. Only Senti frowned fiercely.
Who needs supervision? Do they think I'm a child?
However, the deal had just been made, and having Fu Hua and the Book of Fuxi accompany her was clearly something Senti actually hoped for. In the end, she merely pouted and said nothing.
"Rozaliya and Liliya, prepare a few performances. After the ceremony, most of the personnel who built the Star Ring Base will withdraw, leaving only a small maintenance crew. Their wisdom and sweat forged this miraculous ring—they deserve to receive some recognition there."
"Yes!!!" ×2
The twins high-fived and responded loudly. Rozaliya's excitement went without saying, and even Liliya—who usually wore a more indifferent expression—couldn't help curling her lips into a smile, showing how much they were looking forward to it.
"Elysia will stay behind."
"Eh? Why? I protest! Allowing my beauty to bloom among the stars is a duty no human being can refuse!"
"Let's stop the shamelessness there. Your duty is to keep an eye on Dr. Mobius. We'll talk about it next time."
"I… fine…"
Elysia puffed out her cheeks. Her soft pink lips reflected the light with a cute and tempting sheen, making her look especially pitiful—but she had no way to refute Sigurd.
"Durandal and Rita should make the trip as well. Some military matters will be easier to understand on site."
"Yes, Durandal acknowledges the order!"
"Of course, Lord Sigurd~~"
The two beautiful women gave their obedient responses.
The ones left uncalled were all Herrschers.
"As for the rest—if you finish the work in your hands, I can take you along. If not, then you stay. We depart at noon three days from now. Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads in unison. Soon after, the lively dinner atmosphere resumed.
…
Late that night, after dinner, Sigurd did not return to his room to rest. Instead, he set out snacks and drinks in the Morning Court Hall, seemingly waiting for someone.
Time slowly passed.
At a certain moment, footsteps sounded.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Amid the clear footsteps, Bronya, wearing a dark blue punk-style jacket and shirt, chewing gum with her hands in her pockets, walked in while leading a petite black-clad nun.
After bringing the person in, Bronya unceremoniously walked straight up to the throne and sat down in Sigurd's lap.
Pop!
Bronya blew a bubble with her gum. Then she rubbed against him slightly, adjusting until she found the most comfortable position. Narrowing her eyes, she began enjoying Sigurd's warmth and scent.
Sigurd reached out and stroked Bronya's smooth, delicate neck and chin, affectionately petting the girl in his arms as if she were a cat.
At the same time, he casually said to Theresa, who was standing across from him:
"Sit."
Theresa's eyebrows twitched.
Good grief. This guy was flirting with Bronya so openly right in front of her—the aunt of Kiana. What kind of scumbag was this, being so brazen without the slightest shame?
But Kiana had her own ideas, and the relationship between the three of them left no room for outsiders to interfere. Theresa understood that. Apart from helplessly shaking her head and sighing, she could only sit down obediently.
"Bitter melon juice. I got the secret recipe from Otto. You might as well give it a try."
"Thank you… mm, it's good."
The familiar bitter yet refreshing taste spread across her tongue. Theresa's expression softened, and a faint smile appeared.
Sigurd looked at her and said:
"I'll be taking Kiana away. Siegfried won't be able to get through Kevin's training anytime soon. Himeko has gone to assume her post as city administrator… everyone who needed to be led away has already been led away. Has your answer changed?"
"An artificial Herrscher—and the extremely dangerous Herrscher of Binding at that. Other than me, who can both wield Judah and possesses a uniquely suitable physique, is there anyone more appropriate? Isn't that precisely why you and Grandpa came to me?"
"The risk will be difficult to control. If things go wrong, you could die."
"You already told me that last time. At worst, my life will be exchanged for a Herrscher of Binding core—that's worth it. It's better than letting Kiana and the others face it in the future, isn't it? Don't worry. I've already prepared myself."
Theresa spoke calmly, without the slightest hint of fear or hesitation.
The heroes of this world all possessed an extraordinary spirit of sacrifice. For them, as long as it was for something they believed worthwhile, death was no more than going out for a leisurely outing.
Sigurd lowered his eyes and rubbed Bronya's head. After a long silence, he finally said:
"Otto will personally perform the procedure. As for the outer military measures, Bronya will prepare everything and command the operation on-site… No matter what happens, come back alive."
"I'll do my best. If… I mean if something happens, take care of Kiana for me as well. And be sure to keep an eye on Grandpa—who knows if he still has some hidden schemes. And… the other Kiana. Help me save her, and help me say I'm sorry."
"The first two, I'll do. As for the last matter… although she herself seems constrained by various considerations and isn't willing to reveal it yet, the situation is special. I can tell you a piece of good news."
"Huh?"
Theresa blinked her big eyes in confusion. Then a look of surprise appeared on her face—she even stood up all at once.
Could it be… that there was good news about the other Kiana?
"The story begins with Siegfried bringing the original Kiana to break into the Schicksal headquarters, trying to rescue the current Kiana—"
Sigurd then proceeded with a clear and orderly explanation, slowly revealing Durandal's true identity.
More than an hour later, Theresa walked out of the Morning Court Hall, looking dazed.
"…Was that just now… a dream?"
Theresa looked up at the moon outside the corridor window. She took a deep breath, then began to smile—though her voice trembled with sobs.
"Cecilia… did you hear that? She's still alive. She's so healthy, beautiful, and strong now. She's become a Valkyrie far more outstanding than any of us! Cecilia… I didn't… I didn't break my promise! Uuuu…"
The small nun collapsed to her knees before the window, as if all her strength had left her. One hand braced against the wall as crystal-clear tears fell drop by drop onto the floor.
Grief and overwhelming joy mixed together, as though her heart were being torn apart.
"Yes… she's still alive… Now isn't the time to meet her yet! I must succeed. I must survive. I still have so, so many things to tell her! I want to watch her life become more and more beautiful with each passing day! I must stay alive!"
Theresa wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and stood up again.
She looked at the moon in the sky—the beautiful satellite that symbolized the child's name. With eyes filled with unwavering determination, she turned and left.
"Cecilia… please bless me."
The final whisper dissolved into the moonlight.
The nun was not praying to some vague, distant god. The one she prayed to was the even more intangible spirit of a dear friend.
And yet, that was the right choice.
Because simply speaking that name—every stroke of which seemed filled with gentleness—gave Theresa an endless source of strength.
Then, at last, Theresa's figure disappeared into the distance.
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Tn: I updated the story once every 2 days, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 490: There's Going to Be Trouble[1]
Link: https://www.patreon.com/Strijder/posts/honkai-strijder-161536858[2]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Strijder/posts/honkai-strijder-161536858
[2] https://www.patreon.com/Strijder/posts/honkai-strijder-161536858