Chapter 189 Ellie: Su Mu and I are Best Friends! Hum-hum~ ♪
With Raiden Mei accompanying her, Kiana finally received permission from Dr. Tesla to go outside and breathe some fresh air. Although worried about Kiana's health, Mei respected her wishes. The two walked together through Nagazora, talking and reminiscing about the past.
After walking a while, they sat on a stone slab by the road, looking around at the ruined yet nostalgic scenery.
["Everywhere is the same—the streets, the buildings, they've all sunk underwater."]Kiana gazed at the surroundings, a look of remembrance appearing on her face. ["Mei, do you remember? Years ago, we navigated the city just like this."]
Mei recalled those events as well, her face softening with tenderness. ["Mhm, I remember. You'd be running while your stomach growled, and every third sentence was about food."]
["How can you only remember things like that? You've changed..."]
["Just kidding, I remember it all. You led me through the encirclement of zombies; we went to the shrine, the bridge... it's a pity those places are submerged now."]Mei paused for a moment. ["Back then, Bronya was with us too. Thinking back, it feels like it was just yesterday."]
Kiana sighed with emotion. ["Time flies. How has it already been three years?"]Raiden Mei nodded. ["In these three years, we've all changed a lot."]Kiana scratched her head. ["Really? I feel like not much has changed. You're still you, I'm still me—we're both just like before."]
Is it really the same? Watching the dialogue between Kiana and Raiden Mei, the viewers in the livestream couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.
"Yeah, it's already different... Kiana and I have both changed so much." Raiden Mei (real life) watched the white-haired girl in the game who used a smile to mask her inner pain, feeling a deep sadness in her heart.
"Hi-yah! Ellie also thinks there's been a big change! Compared to three years ago, Kiana and Mei have both become even more beautiful!!" Elysia's cheerful remark made the real Kiana stumble. She wiped her cold sweat and whispered to Su Mu.
"This... as expected of Elysia... in every sense of the word..." Su Mu shrugged. You think the title 'Lesbian Queen of the Realm' was just for show? This is the weight of Elysia's presence!
After a while, Kiana mentioned there was one place she wanted to see no matter what. she wanted to go to Senba Academy. Currently, Nagazora was flooded and filled with ruins, making it difficult to find the path. However, this didn't stop the two of them.
Gazing at the submerged Senba Academy, Kiana's gaze grew heavy. At this moment, she finally bared her heart to Mei.
["I still remember what happened that day... In these four months, I've passed through many cities and seen many people suffering because of the Honkai. I kept running and running, but I could never escape that nightmare."]
["Finally, I realized I can't just run. There are more important things waiting for me to do... I must face the people, face everyone... face my own destiny."]
Kiana took a deep breath. Although her expression was mournful, her eyes sparkled with determination.
["I am not Kiana Kaslana. I am not my dad's biological daughter. I am test subject K-423, the vessel for the Herrscher of the Void."]
[Kiana's words caused Mei to cry out in sorrow: "That's not true!"]
["It's okay, Mei... it's okay." Kiana replied. "Admitting this doesn't mean I'm giving up on myself. On the contrary, it helped me find what I should be doing."]
["Sealing the Herrscher of the Void is my responsibility. Beyond that, I can use her power to protect those who suffer and to mend the wounds the Honkai has inflicted on the world."]
["I helped many people in Arc City, and failed to help many others... but that time made me realize something."]
["Mei, perhaps my birth was just a farce, but I can turn it into something meaningful."]
["Perhaps my story isn't a happy one, but I can make this world a more beautiful place."]
["This is my promise to her."]
A promise to Murata Himeko—to her teacher.
As Kiana spoke calmly and powerfully of her resolve and her promise, the viewers felt that something was wrong. Indeed, the current Kiana was much more mature. But... the current Kiana was undoubtedly living with the mindset of someone waiting to die while fighting the Honkai. This self-destructive sentiment made the audience feel very uneasy.
[But Kiana has no other choice... her body has deteriorated to this point; she really can't hold on much longer.]
[Even if her mind doesn't break, her body will give out first...]
[Dr. Tesla didn't tell Kiana the truth, but Kiana must have sensed how bad her condition is long ago, right?]
[Omnipotent Dr. Tesla, please find a way!]
[If the Immortal (Fu Hua) was still here, things wouldn't be this bad... her departure means the last shackle is gone. Is Kiana really forced to face her fate alone?]
Despite the sadness in the stream, the in-game Kiana displayed a strong, cheerful smile, as if those tragic things had never happened. she looked just like the lively girl from the past—and it was in this moment that Raiden Mei realized Kiana had changed, yet her core remained the same. she was still that Kiana Kaslana, the dummy willing to sacrifice herself to protect others.
[Sigh...]
[Seeing the Tuna like this makes me so sad!]
[Sad? Then look at President Kiana! Looking at the real President makes me feel much better!]
[LMAO, true! Compared to the Tuna in the game, the real Kiana has a kind of... pure beauty?]
[Like a "Cheese Snow Leopard," right?]
The chat roared with laughter at that meme. The real Kiana's mouth twitched before she pounded the table in protest. "What do you mean! What do you mean by that! Do you all think I'm a dummy too!"
Raiden Mei sighed. "Kiana..." Su Mu, who had been quiet, patted her shoulder with a look of "pitying the mentally challenged." "There's no need to repeat something so obvious..."
Looking at their pitying expressions, Kiana was petrified. "Su Mu! Mei! You two... you've always seen me that way? Waaaaah!!"
Su Mu shrugged at the "heartbroken" Kiana. Don't you have any self-awareness? He and Mei were just stating facts.
"But, compared to the Kiana in the game, I'd rather her stay like she is now," Raiden Mei said, gently stroking Kiana's head with a soft look in her eyes. "Being carefree is good... having everyone by her side, not having to bear difficulties alone, finding solutions together... such a life is very happy."
Kiana rubbed against Mei's hand like a cat, looking satisfied. "Mhm! Mei understands me best!"
Su Mu smiled. "True, but she shouldn't be too lazy, or she'll just be a 'dead salted fish'."
Kiana pouted. "You really love to undermine the boss, don't you? Watch out or I'll scratch your face!" she bared her claws at Su Mu.
Suddenly, a series of camera shutter sounds rang out. They turned to see Elysia excitedly playing with her phone; in just a few minutes, she had taken dozens of photos of Kiana from different angles.
"Elysia! Wh-what are you doing!" Kiana was mortified. All her silly poses had been captured!
"Mhm? Recording beautiful moments, of course~ Kiana is so cute~ ♪" Elysia reached out to pat Kiana's head, but Kiana shivered—like a mouse meeting a cat—and instantly shrunk behind Mei's back.
"Talk with your words, don't get physical!"
Elysia held her forehead, looking deeply hurt. "Kiana dislikes Ellie so much? Miss Pink Elf is truly heartbroken, sob sob~"
Kiana turned into a master of roasting: "Where did you even learn that 'sob sob~' thing! And the point isn't whether I dislike you or not!"
Su Mu watched from the side, nearly wanting to applaud. Wow, spectacular. Kiana being terrified by the "Lesbian Queen"—the reputation of the Kaslana family was being dragged through the mud! Well, on second thought, it made sense. Elysia was not just a social powerhouse; she was an outspoken "enthusiast." If you are a normal person, you become a member of the Church of Ellie. But if you are a beautiful girl... you might get loved. Ahem.
"Seriously, Elysia is just weird! Why do I feel like you're interested in every girl in the company!"
"Eh? But isn't it normal to get along with pretty girls? Ellie doesn't understand what Kiana means~ ♪"
"I seriously doubt you have any male friends you're close to..."
"Of course I do! Su Mu is one!" Elysia giggled, looking at Su Mu and even giving him a wink.
"Am I?" Su Mu looked at her skeptically.
"Ya?" Elysia's eyes widened. she clearly hadn't expected Su Mu to question her. "I-Isn't that the case? I thought we were already best friends!"
Su Mu gave a dry laugh. Best friends? Ellie, oh Ellie. Before hearing about the "Gossip Trio" from Seele, he thought they were friends. But now... Elysia, I treated you as a friend, and you tried to sell me out! And you sold me to both Bronya and Seele at once! And you're actually enjoying it! Elysia, you're bad!
However, seeing Elysia's pitiful look as she stared at him with puppy-dog eyes, Su Mu couldn't bring himself to be harsh. "I guess," he said ambiguously, expressing both his dissatisfaction and his compromise.
"See, see~ ♪ Ellie has a good 'boy' friend too, right?" "B-boyfriend?" "A male friend, a male friend~ ♪ Hey, Kiana, were you nervous just now~? ♪" "WHO WAS NERVOUS!!"
After the farce, Elysia continued playing. In the following plot, Kiana clearly felt the water rising, and Honkai energy was seeping out of the earth and sea bit by bit. Nagazora was strange—as if something was about to erupt. No, I can't let her get involved. To keep Mei safe, Kiana chose to hide the truth.
On the way back, Kiana suggested a race, but they heard a strange cry on the road. When they reached the source, they found Benares lying on the ground, groaning in pain!
The moment she saw Benares, Mei's body tensed. she hadn't forgotten what a difficult opponent this Judgment-class beast was. It looked weak now, but who knew if it would suddenly attack? However, Kiana felt a very peculiar sensation. she instinctively walked toward Benares, stroking its wounds and using Honkai energy to heal its body. Benares did not resist; it was submissive to Kiana, allowing her to pet it.
["Kiana, what are you doing?"]
["It's heavily injured, but still trying its best to stand up." Kiana petted Benares. "It's strange. For some reason, it feels very familiar."]
Under Kiana's healing, Benares stood up, its injuries clearly improved. ["There, you've got your spirit back, haven't you?"]Benares struggled to hold its posture, then lowered its head submissively before them, showing zero hostility.
END OF CHAPTER
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