The time went back to the day she lost everything.
Sirin hugged tightly the backpack Shun had left for her, refusing to let go as if it were the last straw of life.
She lay powerlessly on the coal-slag-covered floor of the carriage, her body curled into a ball. Fierce winds howled around her, emitting sharp, piercing sounds as if they wanted to tear the world apart. However, this raging wind could not cover the sorrowful cries and endless grief coming from deep within the girl's heart.
Tears poured out from Sirin's swollen eyes like a bursting flood, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the cold coal slag, disappearing instantly—just like the happiness she once had, fleeting in the blink of an eye. Every tear carried her memories of the beautiful times in the past and the heart-wrenching despair of the present.
The wind blew harder and harder, messing up Sirin's originally smooth hair and letting it dance wildly in the wind. Even so, she still clung desperately to the backpack in her arms, as if doing so could retain the warmth and memories that had already faded.
What kind of feelings had little Shun been holding when he chose to lure away the pursuers for her? Why could he go to such lengths…
Sirin shifted her body and curled up even tighter into the coal slag. She opened the zipper of the backpack. Inside was filled with green bills. These were almost half of Shun's funds—more than fifty thousand US dollars. In this era, it was enough for Sirin to live a life without worries about food and clothing until she could support herself.
However, among the pile of green bills, a beige piece of paper stood out conspicuously. After taking it out, Sirin immediately zipped the backpack shut to prevent the wind from blowing all the money away.
"This is… a letter?" Sirin's fingers brushed over the blurry handwriting on the paper. It looked like it had been written with a thick charcoal pencil. When had little Shun written this?
Hello, dear Sirin:
First, please allow me to express my deepest apologies here. Because I know very well that the choice I made must be extremely difficult for you to bear and accept. However, things have come to this point. The current severe and complicated situation is already before us, and it really does not allow me to come up with a perfect, win-win solution to deal with this predicament.
For me, as long as Sirin, you can live smoothly and safely, that may already be the most perfect ending! To me, so-called death is nothing more than a long sleep. Perhaps one day in the future, when you are walking among the bustling crowd and casually turn your head, you will meet me again?
By the time you see this letter, I am most likely already walking the path to death—whether killed by the Valkyries or Honkai beasts sent by Schicksal, or by my own suicide, it's hard to say. However, I do hope it will be a decent way to die.
In short, for your future, surviving must be the first goal. For this reason, I hope you can listen to my arrangements and leave Siberia.
Go to Switzerland, as I mentioned before. I heard the natural environment there is very good—from the towering snow-capped mountains to the lush green forests, from the sapphire-blue lakes to the vast grasslands. Every scenery exudes charming appeal, making people yearn for it.
The fresh and pleasant air, the warm and gentle sunlight, and the picturesque scenery of all four seasons. Imagine strolling along mountain paths with soft grass underfoot, colorful wildflowers beside you, and a light breeze brushing your cheeks carrying the fragrance of flowers; or boating on a lake as calm as a mirror, admiring the beautiful scenery of green mountains and clear waters reflecting each other. How comfortable and relaxing that would be!
Sigh, even talking about it makes me want to go. I've always wanted to go there for sightseeing and vacation. It's also very suitable for living, except the cost might be a bit high.
Or go to Germany, to a place called Schariac territory, and find a person named Friedrich von Schariac. Although he probably doesn't know me at all right now…
However, as long as I say this sentence, he will definitely believe you: "Old man, your daughter's baptism day is…"
So, if you have no way out, go to Germany and find him. Tell the old guy to cough up some gold coins for you. Don't worry, he is a genuine rich dog. Supporting you is no problem.
I've said so much that this piece of paper is almost used up. Sure enough, the handwriting from this charcoal pencil is still too big…
Finally, let me say a farewell.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Sirin, I will not regret saving you.
I wish you, on every day that I am not there: good morning, good afternoon, good night.
Yours sincerely:
Shun
It was over… Sirin trembled as she held the fragile paper. The tears in her eyes had already dried up. At this moment, she finally had a feeling.
That was that she had truly lost everything forever. There was no news of Mom, and little Shun's chances did not look good.
Sirin was now all alone in this world, so she naturally could not be as willful as before. Let the old Sirin stay in the past.
From now on, she would have to walk the road ahead by herself.
Sirin closed a book full of historical charm. It introduced the history of Europe.
"Schicksal…" Sirin silently recited the name. Although she had searched through so many historical texts, mentions of this ancient religious organization were extremely rare.
But when she closed the book, she saw the two words "Schicksal" filling the page. This ancient organization had left its shadow in almost every major event in Europe.
Was it this organization that caused her to lose Mom and little Shun? Sirin very much wanted revenge, but… facing this behemoth, she could only live this life of hiding her identity.
She was too weak. Without power. From Shun's words and from the books, Sirin had deduced the existence of something called Honkai energy. Because she had come into contact with it, she had gained power beyond ordinary people. However, compared to Valkyries who had been in contact with large amounts of Honkai energy for years, she was still far too weak.
Honkai energy even had a beautifying effect. After coming into contact with it, her originally not-very-tall figure had quietly grown a little taller. Although she was still not tall, it made her entire person look more slender and upright. Her beautiful hair had also been nourished by some mysterious power—not only had its length increased, but it had become even softer, smoother, and more lustrous. At the same time, her skin had become extremely delicate and smooth, like warm, flawless white jade. A light touch would reveal a silk-like texture.
Combined with Sirin's own simple yet elegant attire—she wore a purple long robe with sleeves fluttering lightly in the wind, a light blue belt tied around her waist that perfectly accentuated her slender waist, and a small, exquisite beret on her head.
"Ana-senpai, I hope you can accept this!" Sirin looked up and saw a pure-hearted male college student who was 190 cm tall. With a shy face, he handed her a letter and then hurriedly ran away.
Mm, sometimes she encountered things like this too… Sirin didn't even think about it and threw the love letter into the trash can.
Come to think of it, being aloof and cold was also part of her persona… However, giving her a love letter… Did he know how old she was right now?
Two months ago, she had just turned 12 years old.