On December 6, 2009, Siegfried bought a lot of alcohol, just like any other day at this time.
"You should give her a name. Herrschers have humanity too. Try to treat her as your real daughter, and use love to move her." This was what Anti-Entropy's Tesla and Einstein had once said to him.
Siegfried shook his head and took a large swig of alcohol. Although she looked almost identical to "Kiana," she was not Kiana.
Beep beep beep—
The phone displayed "Warning: Honkai Beast detected." Siegfried put down his glass, picked up his phone, felt the Judgment of Shamash on his back, and went out.
Kiana also wanted to go with Siegfried, but every time Kiana wanted to go fight Honkai Beasts together, Siegfried would frown and say to her sternly.
"No, I won't allow you to fight. There's no need for that." Then he would slam the door shut, leaving Kiana alone in the house.
Kiana didn't know why her dad was willing to teach her how to fight but wouldn't let her fight. Every time her dad went out to fight, Kiana could only stand foolishly behind the door, waiting for Siegfried to come back. That way, Kiana could help Siegfried the moment he returned, and Siegfried could also see her right away.
At night, Siegfried returned home weakly, his face full of exhaustion, and then he collapsed right in front of Kiana.
Dad was injured in battle again. Kiana silently bandaged his wounds and helped him to bed to rest. The bed wasn't very big, and Siegfried's sturdy body took up the entire space. Kiana brought a chair and sat beside him, watching over Siegfried.
She didn't know how long had passed when the phone beeped again, displaying a Honkai Beast detection warning. Kiana picked up the phone and looked at her still-unconscious dad.
"I can't let my injured dad continue to fight. I have to prove to him that I can also become a warrior who can stand on her own."
Kiana picked up the Judgment of Shamash—in its dual pistol form—from the table and turned to leave.
The sky was already starting to brighten. Kiana followed the instructions on her phone and saw the Honkai Beast. It was a Templar-class Honkai Beast. Kiana had never seen such a monster before. It was several times larger than her, with its left arm being a shield that could cover its entire body, and its right arm was as threatening as a knight's lance.
The sun rose from the horizon. Kiana raised the Judgment of Shamash and aimed at the Honkai Beast, only to find that she couldn't use it at all. The Honkai Beast had already raised its lance and was charging towards her.
Kiana closed her eyes, having accepted her fate. But the expected death did not come. When Kiana opened her eyes, she saw the lance stopped right in front of her, with a hand gripping it tightly.
"What do you think you're doing to my daughter!" The enraged Siegfried crushed the lance in the Templar-class Honkai Beast's hand with his bare hands, then punched it repeatedly until it was a pulp.
After defeating the Honkai Beast, Kiana thought she was going to be scolded by Siegfried.
"I'm sorry... Dad... I just didn't want to see you get hurt anymore... I... I want to protect you too."
Siegfried looked at Kiana, and as he looked, tears started to fall. He smiled, knelt down, and hugged Kiana.
"That's right... Today is your birthday, isn't it? I've never celebrated it properly for you. I'm such an incompetent father...
Let's go buy a big cake and celebrate properly! Let's go... Kiana...
My most proud daughter, Kiana Kaslana!"
That day, I received the best birthday present from my dad—my name.
Then, my dad and I made a promise.
No matter how the world changes, as long as it's to protect the ones I love most, I must give it my all.
Because this is the responsibility that must be borne by those who inherit the name Kaslana.
After the day I got my name back, my dad was like a different person. He didn't know how to do housework but insisted on learning to cook, saying he wanted me to taste the flavor of home... but every time we finished eating, both of us would lie on the sofa, our lives flashing before our eyes.
Sometimes he would even force me to drink, saying that once I learned to drink, he would start teaching me how to flirt with men. But every time, I would pass out drunk after just a few sips.
I knew... Dad loved me in his own way. Although it was clumsy... it was very warm.
But the happiest thing was that I could finally fight alongside my dad to protect others.
Kiana still remembers the way her dad fought. I, too, want to be like him... to protect the people I love most, at all costs.
After Siegfried acknowledged her, that was Kiana's happiest time. Every day was filled with joyful laughter.
It was a happiness like a fairytale. Kiana wished it could go on like this forever. But reality is cruel. The happy days only lasted for a short year. Like an old bubble, it popped with a single poke. Just over ten days ago, Siegfried disappeared, taking with him all the evidence of his existence.
It was as if this person never existed in the world. But on the table was a black card—the Kaslana family's black card, with no credit limit, which proved that Siegfried had existed.
Kiana thought Siegfried was playing a joke on her, but after waiting for several days, he didn't appear. In the end, Kiana decided to go find him, to find Siegfried and ask him face to face why he suddenly disappeared, if he didn't want her anymore...
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Ryn was slapped by Kiana but didn't plan on doing anything more, so he just went to sleep. But Kiana, beside him, couldn't fall asleep. Although her eyes were tightly closed, the redness of her ears and cheeks showed that she was not asleep.
"Did he call me his wife?" "Does he like me..." "He even confessed today..."
Oh dear, this is so annoying. In the end, Kiana gave up thinking, grabbed Ryn's hand, bit it hard, and then, completely ignoring Ryn's yelps, turned over and went to sleep.
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A middle-aged man in a coat got off a flyer and rushed towards Siegfried. He then put Siegfried in a headlock under his arm and vigorously gave him a noogie.
"Siegfried, how'd you lose an arm? Never mind, that's not important. Why the hell did you ask me to meet in this godforsaken snowy place? Couldn't you have just said it over the phone! Bastard! I have to go teach my precious daughter swordsmanship tomorrow. I only get to see her on my days off. If she comes home tomorrow and doesn't see me, and then goes to the dojo and doesn't see the Homu Sword Saint, how sad will she be! Siegfried, you're truly a villain of the highest order."