Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 424: Analysis Failed
After another moment of contemplation, Wendy continued:
"Later, you started giving me daily physical checkups and preparing the experiment to remove the Gem. Honestly, don't you feel even a little ashamed? I'm a girl, you know! Making me crawl onto the experiment table every day, then poking and prodding my body—especially my legs—that's seriously rude!"
"I told you, we're discussing serious matters. And that was a standard experimental checkup. I have nothing to be ashamed of."
Sigurd lightly tapped her on the head with a hand chop.
Wendy puffed up her cheeks and glared at him irritably.
Her emotions interrupted again, she had to gather her thoughts for a while before continuing:
"After that, you performed modification experiments on yourself, used the chance to lure out Gray Serpent and Jackal, then Sister Cioara escaped and I was ambushed… Anyway, you saved me once. That time was… pretty unforgettable."
Wendy scratched her cheek, looking off to the side as her face turned red.
Back then, the still-young Sigurd had appeared bare-chested, radiating immense power. He wrapped an arm around her waist and, facing Kevin who had emerged from the Sea of Quanta, swung his sword with domineering force to drive the enemy back—That scene was so cool! Even now, just thinking about it made her heart race.
Sigurd nodded. "Continue."
"After that, you helped remove the Gem, then forcibly kept me in Anti-Entropy. Actually, I was quite happy at the time. I didn't know where else I could go, and I didn't want to return to Schicksal. Even though you said you were keeping me as a tool, it was still a place I willingly chose to stay… Anyway, thank you. If you hadn't kept me, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay with everyone."
Wendy pursed her lips, as if reluctantly admitting it.
Looking back now, if she had left back then, she might not have been able to live together with Sister Kiana, Sister Mei, Sister Bronya, Seele, Sin Mal, and the troublesome Rozaliya and Liliya. That would surely have been a huge regret.
"After that came the time studying and working in Anti-Entropy. When you give orders, you're practically inhuman—there were so many times you worked me to exhaustion. But I know you actually care about everyone. Every time, you carefully prepared safety measures, always helped us find weaknesses and fix them in time, guiding us step by step to where we are today… Ah, if I really think about it, there are just so many memories. I can't possibly finish listing them!"
Wendy scratched her head, brows furrowed in troubled frustration as she looked at Sigurd.
Sigurd also frowned, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"So, after saying all that, why exactly do you like me?"
"I was waiting for you to analyze it! If I could explain it clearly, would I need to recall so much!?"
"I… Could it be because I've been messing with you all this time?"
"Get lost! I'm not some pervert!"
"Then… because I helped you a lot?"
"Mm, that's somewhat possible."
"Or maybe it's just feelings that grew over time?"
"I… I can't rule that out…"
The two stared at each other, gradually running out of words.
After a long while, Wendy suddenly flipped the table.
"(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻! After all that talking it was completely useless! Then why did you make me say all those embarrassing things? You just wanted to see me make a fool of myself, didn't you!?"
"Not at all. If I wanted to laugh at you, I could do it anytime. I wouldn't need to waste time like this."
"Sigurd!!!"
"Bind."
Wendy lunged at him—only to be suspended upside down midair by blue light chains.
"Ahhh! Let me down, you jerk! I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson today!"
"Calm down. Losing your mind won't solve anything."
"You're the crazy one! Your whole family is crazy!"
"My whole family is just me."
Sigurd replied instinctively, then paused. That didn't seem quite right anymore. Now Kiana and Bronya were also within the scope of "family." And Sin Mal—sooner or later, she would be too.
So no, he wasn't alone anymore.
Wendy suddenly quieted down, guilt appearing on her face.
"Sorry… I shouldn't have brought that up."
She silently cursed herself for lacking tact. Knowing full well that in the face of the Honkai, everyone carried their own sorrows, she still kept poking at Sigurd's wounds. Perhaps… this was also one of the reasons he didn't like her?
Wendy looked at him with self-reproach and guilt.
With a flick of his fingers, Sigurd released the now-compliant Wendy and set her back into her seat.
After a stretch of silence between them, Sigurd sighed and stood up.
"Forget it. Let's stop here for today. I've noted the information, I'll analyze it properly later. For now, go back and rest."
He turned to leave.
The next second, a soft body carrying a faint sweet fragrance wrapped around him from behind.
"Wendy?"
"Let me… let me hug you."
"You should know my stance. We need to keep our distance."
"Just now. Just here. Can't you let me hug you once? I won't cry. Am I just supposed to deserve never getting any sweetness at all?!"
Her voice suddenly rose, tinged with the edge of tears.
Sigurd froze in place, at a loss.
Wendy tightened her arms, feeling his body warmth. After a long while, she spoke in a low, pained voice:
"Don't ask me when I started liking you or why I like you! I just like you. I like you very much. I want to stay with you forever! Why can't that be allowed? Is it really impossible?!"
"I can't take care of that many girls."
"I don't need you to take care of me! Just like before—talking and laughing, even if you scold me or hit me, it's fine. Just let me stay here, stay by your side. I only have this one request—can't even that be allowed?"
Having poured out so much of what she had kept buried in her heart, her emotions surged violently in the process. Now Wendy could no longer control her feelings or her thoughts. She had even forgotten her promise to Seele. She just wanted to express everything freely and get an answer right now.
And Sigurd, after a long silence heavy enough to unsettle the air, shook his head.
"Sorry."
Yes, sorry was all he had.
He had no intention of hurting any of the girls. But Kiana and the others… were more important.
Wendy held him, unable to respond. Yet Sigurd felt the dampness at his back—her tears soaking into his clothes.
After a long time, Wendy let go.
"Ahaha! I was just… just saying it casually! You don't have to take it seriously! Of course I won't hurt Sister Kiana and the others. Don't worry—I'll let everything go soon. It's late, I'm going to bed. Bye!"
She turned and fled, knocking over a chair in the process, then hurried away as if nothing had happened.
But no matter how slow he could be, Sigurd knew she wasn't telling the truth. She was just putting on a brave face and easing the awkwardness.
He remained where he was, looking at the floor Wendy had walked across. A few crystalline droplets lay there, reflecting the moonlight.
"Sigh…"
The moonlight was still beautiful.
Unfortunately, Sigurd no longer had the mood to admire it.
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