Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 7: The Dream of Being a Hero of Justice
"Then, how about we chat for a while?"
Kiana rested her head on her knees, wearing an innocent, sweet smile. Her watery blue eyes shimmered in the firelight with a beautiful radiance that invited all sorts of imagination.
Sigurd paused, then pulled back one corner of the quilt and gestured for Kiana to crawl inside.
Kiana blinked, crawled over, and wrapped herself in the blanket.
The two pressed close together. Sigurd felt a chill at first, but it was soon dispelled by the warmth radiating from their bodies. The entire space beneath the quilt became wonderfully cozy and warm.
"Ahh, so warm!"
Kiana narrowed her eyes like a little cat and let out an adorable whimper.
Sigurd couldn't help but curl his lips into a slight smile.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Hmm, lots of things! Like, did you have a family before, Sig? Where did you live? Is there anyone you miss? What do you like? What do you want to do in the future? And so on, and so on."
"Why do you want to know so much? We've only known each other for two days, haven't we?"
"Sig, you big dummy!"
Kiana bumped her head against his, puffing up her cheeks as if she were a little annoyed.
"How long we've known each other isn't the point! We're friends, after all! Friends should get to know each other better!"
Sigurd rubbed his forehead where she'd bumped him. It hurt a little, but for some reason, his mood had inexplicably improved.
"I don't have any family anymore. I used to… live somewhere very, very far away. There's no one I miss, and I can't really say what I like. As for what I want to do in the future… I suppose I'd like to live a peaceful life, without so many worries."
"Wow, that's all?"
"How much more do you expect me to tell you?"
"Fine. You seem to be about the same age as me, so it's normal that you haven't experienced much. As for me, I'm a little better off than you, I guess. At least I still have a stinky old dad who's gone missing. But I think I had a serious illness once, and I forgot all my childhood memories. I don't know where I used to live, or who my family and friends were. I don't know any of that."
A look of disappointment crossed Kiana's face, but she quickly cheered up and continued.
"The only family member I know about now is my stinky old dad. I miss him a lot, and what I want to do is find him as soon as possible. As for what I like…"
"Cake or snacks?"
Sigurd suddenly interjected.
Kiana answered without thinking:
"I like both— Wait! What do you take me for?! What I like most is fighting for justice! So in the future, I'm definitely going to become a great hero who protects justice! Just you wait and see!"
Kiana raised her chin and curled her lips into a proud smile. Her face, illuminated by the firelight, was filled with pride and smugness.
Sigurd stared at her. Suddenly, he felt as though something deep inside him had been struck. He found himself unwilling to look away.
After a long while, Sigurd finally spoke slowly.
"A hero of justice, huh? That's not a bad dream. I happen to know a story about a hero of justice. Want to hear it?"
"Of course! Hurry up and tell me!"
"The story begins in a peaceful city called Fuyuki…"
As the night grew deeper, Sigurd used the framework and setting of the Holy Grail War to tell the story of that mortal hero, partly copying and partly adapting it.
At first, Kiana was captivated by the fantastical setting and the astonishing opening. Her bright, sparkling eyes were full of anticipation. Gradually, however, her energy began to fade.
After all, her consciousness had only just been affected by the Herrscher of the Void. It was perfectly normal for her to feel sleepy.
In the end, as Sigurd's voice gradually grew softer, Kiana fell asleep with her head resting against his shoulder, breathing peacefully like a little girl.
Sigurd silently watched her for a while. Then he pulled the quilt tighter, making sure to protect the warmth beneath it, before closing his eyes and gradually letting his thoughts drift away.
…
The next morning, the sky cleared.
Beneath the azure sky, only a few wispy clouds drifted lazily by. In the snow-covered mountains, frozen by the bitter winter, sunlight finally fell once again after a long absence.
One couldn't expect the sunlight in this season to feel warm and pleasant, but it still lifted one's spirits somewhat.
"Waaah! It's sunlight! What beautiful snow-covered mountains!"
Kiana raised both arms high and ran freely back and forth across the snow, as though doing so might let her fly. She was filled with childlike innocence and joy.
Even the usually strict Sigurd couldn't bring himself to interrupt Kiana's happiness in such a scene.
By the time Kiana had run to her heart's content and returned to the cave entrance with her little face flushed red, Sigurd had already finished preparing the donkey-less donkey cart.
Two reins were laid out at the front to serve as pulling ropes—pulling uphill and dragging downhill. The various supplies and belongings were bundled up and secured beneath a tarpaulin on the cart. Hidden along the edge of the tarp was a loaded pistol, ready to be drawn for self-defense should they encounter any danger.
Sigurd lifted one corner of the tarpaulin to show Kiana where the weapon was kept, then brushed the snowflakes off her clothes and said:
"We should get going."
"Have you figured out which way to go?"
"I've more or less worked it out. It should be close enough. Just follow me."
"Okay, then get on the cart."
Kiana picked up the two reins, holding one in each hand. She looked ready to demonstrate how a strongwoman could pull a cart all by herself.
Sigurd was taken aback.
"You're going to pull it yourself?"
"Of course! Your body is so weak, Sig. What if you develop another fever halfway there? Don't worry, I'm incredibly strong. This little bit of weight is nothing! Hurry up and get on!"
Sigurd shook his head helplessly and took one of the ropes from Kiana.
"When I designed the cart with two ropes, I meant for us to each pull one side."
"No way, no way! It's freezing out here. If you get another fever, you'll really be in danger!"
Faced with Kiana's insistence, Sigurd helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead. He had no idea how to explain that his body had suddenly gotten better without bringing up Honkai Energy.
He decided to approach the matter from another angle.
"According to my calculations, if we both pull together and put in a little effort, we should be able to reach the town we're heading for before sunset. There's a warm inn and professional doctors there. That's our best option. If you pull it alone, we'll definitely move more slowly, and we'll have to spend another night in the snowy mountains. That would be much riskier for me."
"Is that so? All right, then. Just don't push yourself too hard. If you feel unwell, you have to tell me. At worst, I'll work harder and put in more effort. I'm sure I can get us to town in time all by myself!"
Kiana didn't doubt him at all. She completely believed what Sigurd had said.
Sigurd rubbed his nose and looked up at the sky.
How should he put it? Although he had managed to get out of the situation perfectly, Kiana's complete trust in him made a sense of guilt well up inside him.
Kiana, meanwhile, hadn't noticed anything unusual about Sigurd. As she wrapped the rope around her hands, she continued chattering:
"If you knew things were like this, you should've called me back earlier! If we'd set out sooner, we could've reached our destination before dark."
"You're right. I'll keep that in mind next time. Let's get moving."
"Are you really okay, Sig?"
"I've rested well and recovered my strength. I might even surprise you. Let's go!"
Sigurd gave Kiana a heads-up about his suddenly enhanced strength.
He had already tested it. His grip strength had increased by at least six times, while his jumping power had grown to more than four times its previous level. Other improvements were difficult to quantify and couldn't be tested at the moment. Overall, his physical abilities now seemed to be slightly better than those of a healthy adult man.
As for Kiana, she could probably beat a bodybuilder at arm wrestling with such ease that he'd start questioning both his muscles and his life choices.
"Before we set off, put these on."
"Huh? Sunglasses? You prepared these too?"
"On a sunny day, snowy mountains look beautiful from a distance. But when you're actually in them, sunlight refracts irregularly off the snow and ice. The light intensity along the way will be high and unstable, putting a tremendous strain on your eyes. Don't be fooled by how beautiful everything looks now. If you don't wear sunglasses, your vision will be dazzled in no time."
"As expected of you Sig! You've thought of something that other people would never consider! And they're a little pair of sunglasses, too. Amazing! 👍"
Kiana gave him a thumbs-up, then happily put on the glasses.
Afterward, the two of them took hold of the thick ropes and set off, trudging through the snow and ice.