The two squared off on the plain, taking their stances and confronting each other empty-handed. Bianka high ponytail shone under the direct sunlight. Her gaze was steady, her left palm in front, as she slowly approached the man who had also taken a lunge stance in a combat style.
On the open ground under the high sun, their wrists clashed. At that moment, the tension peaked, and both acted simultaneously!
"Bang!"
A palm struck away Lin arm. A pink fist brought the sound of wind to his face. Lin retreated and turned to let the fist brush past the back of his head. He followed with an elbow strike, but it was blocked by Bianka palm, making a dull thud.
They traded blows, the explosions of fist meeting flesh echoing. In ordinary close combat, there wasn't a huge gap between them. But Lin ultimately couldn't match Bianka physical fitness; even though she was holding back, Lin gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Finally, Lin desperate counter-punch was parried by Bianka. She raised her rounded, straight long leg, stopping it beside his neck.
"I win." She raised her eyebrows and smiled triumphantly.
Lin pulled back his hands, looked at his chest, took a deep breath, and stepped back. "Make whatever request you want."
"Heh heh. I'll tell you how I'll torment you after I think of it. Let's eat first!"
...
After regaining his sense of taste, Lin hadn't neglected himself when it came to eating. Today he made a small stewed mushroom feast and curry potato rice. Considering Bianka preference for heavy flavors, he made some minor adjustments. They had been stewing the potatoes during training, so they could eat as soon as they returned and lifted the lid.
The steaming, slightly spicy curry entered his mouth; just doing this provided a full sense of happiness. Lin sat down beside her with his bowl, but before his rear could touch the ground, she moved away while biting her spoon.
She blushed under Lin confused gaze. "I'm covered in sweat. It'll smell bad."
"...I can't smell it anyway." Lin thought she was making a fuss.
"How can you not smell it when you're this close?" The sweaty Bianka pushed him away with disdain. "Or do you really just like smelling other people?"
"That was you—"
Lin stopped mid-sentence. He noticed Bianka stunned look and realized he almost slipped up, so he changed his words. "That's your imagination."
The panic in Bianka eyes settled. She huffed, "Who knows, Scumbag-Mushroom."
A silence followed. Bianka buried her head in her food, clearly a bit distracted, which Lin saw, though he said nothing. Halfway through the meal, Bianka looked up, a grain of rice on her lip. "Scumbag-Mushroom, what kind of person is your lover?"
"..."
"I just want to know what kind of woman has such great tolerance to allow you to be surrounded by so many girls."
Lin put down his bowl and spoke tonelessly. "Someone who taught me a lot."
"Is that all?" Bianka asked curiously.
"Yes."
Lin actually didn't know how to describe Elysia. There wasn't an accurate word; or rather, Elysia was just a very "Elysian" person. But if Elysia knew he described her that way, she'd likely be very happy, as it was equivalent to regarding her as a unique existence—though she would also smile like a blooming flower and call herself a shy, flower-like girl.
Lowering her head for two more bites, Bianka asked vaguely, "Are you married?"
"...No."
"Don't want to get married?"
"Didn't have time."
"..."
Bianka stopped everything. Apology flashed in her eyes, and her expression was a bit strange. "Did something happen?"
"I just didn't have time." Lin simply repeated the phrase and said no more.
Bianka hesitated. She felt this wasn't like her; she usually said what was on her mind, which was why some called her too "straight-headed" and gave her nicknames in private. But as she recalled her previous question "Do you have a lover?" and connected it to what he just said, guilt spread in her heart.
"I have another question."
Lin glanced at the girl. She was serious by nature, even in these matters.
"You said before that if your time has passed..." Her face was full of gravity. "You would still continue to fight until the Honkai can no longer destroy the next 'time'."
"Assuming you can no longer return to your time, and everything in your memory has become the dust of time... would you be willing to... go to the world fifty thousand years in the future with me?"
The red clouds of sunset were reflected on the girl's translucent skin. Lin looked at her calmly without any movement, and she didn't look away from his gaze, responding with her straightforward, serious eyes.
Lin turned to look at the sunset. "...How old are you?"
The girl was stunned, then said solemnly, "19."
"I'm 30. It's not appropriate."
"You... you're 30?" Bianka was beyond shocked. "You clearly look less than 20... Wait, no! What are you thinking! Pervert! Scumbag-Mushroom! I'm asking if you're willing to fight for humanity with me!"
Lin nodded. "Yeah, I meant that too."
"You..."
Bianka gestured wildly for a while but couldn't squeeze out a sentence. She seemed to want to refute something desperately, but Lin normal, casual look made her unsure if she should. She forgot one thing: Rita often mentioned the word "Tsundere" to her, which was actually describing her.
Bianka was straightforward and good at using violence to suppress violence; her focus on results meant she often let her fists do the talking. But in matters related to emotions, she was completely in a state where Rita could easily tease her, with none of the valiant air of Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie. Only at times like this would her girlish side be seen.
The result of such a situation was...
"Scumbag-Mushroom!" she shouted in shame and urgency.
"Swoosh!"
"Eh?"
By the time Bianka snapped out of it, she had been pinned to the ground. Her magnificent long hair was spread out beneath her, and the distant red sunset was warm and dazzling in her peripheral vision. Breathing was very close; that breath hit her face, raising her temperature and heart rate.
W-What happened?
Lin face, close at hand, was still a toneless calm, but one of his hands held Bianka waist while the other pressed against the ground beside her head.
Is he... going to make a move on her?
Bianka, push him away...
The girl's hands pressed against Lin chest. With her monster-like strength, she only needed a casual push to send Lin flying, and she wanted to do that—to teach the delinquent a lesson. But when her hands were on Lin, she felt all her strength being drained away. Her eyes went hazy as she gave a soft nudge, as if inviting while resisting.
She whispered, "I... I'm covered in sweat... it's smelly..."
"...Let me sniff."
"Ugh~"
Seeing Lin face gradually approach, Bianka bit her lower lip, the strength in her hands fading further. She shyly turned her head away, revealing her jade-like collarbone and graceful, long neck.
She had secretly sniffed him before; now it was just compensation. Yes, just compensation...