"What's the matter, Miss Asura?"
Himeko looked at her Captain with a teasing expression.
Although it seemed a bit implausible at first, now it seems... utterly interesting.
"Are there any difficulties with your work?"
"No, none."
Ragna forced a smile and gave a stiff reply.
"It's just a cappuccino, of course."
Himeko, I won't forget this grudge!
"Please wait a moment..."
...
"Thank you! Your coffee is delicious!"
At that moment, Rita relaxed and showed a slightly more lively side.
"I am delighted to receive your praise, young master."
Ragna said with a courteous smile.
However, an untimely voice resonated from the side.
"Mmm... it's not as good as Captain Ragna's coffee. It seems you still have room for improvement, Miss Asura."
Himeko, you brat, don't you want to live a normal life anymore?!
I'm not as good as myself, huh?
"You're done for!"
"Um... you don't have to call me 'young master' anymore... although I know it's part of the service, it's... it makes me feel a bit awkward..."
Rita blushed slightly.
"My name is Rita Rossweisse! You can just call me Rita!"
"Rita... what a beautiful name. I am Ragna, Ragna Lothbrok, pleased to meet you."
"Huh? That Asura...? And the name Ragna...?"
Rita's small face reflected confusion.
"To put it simply, it's a stage name."
Ragna said with a smile, pinching Himeko's ear.
"Because they said the name Ragna was too fierce, so they suggested changing it to the related name, Asura."
Asraci, daughter of Sigurd and Brynhildr in mythology, and wife of the legendary Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok—Ragna is another translation of Ragnar.
I have to admit, this name is quite beautiful.
"Ragna... that great Norse hero?"
Despite her young age, Rita possessed a surprisingly solid knowledge base.
"That's right, I am Ragna."
Ragna said with a smile.
"My mother wanted to raise me to be a warrior since I was little; that's why she gave me such a peculiar name. It turns out my surname is Lothbrok... Of course, it might not be a coincidence."
"Your... your mother?"
Rita paused.
"I thought this was something the father was supposed to do..."
"Haha, what can I do if my mother turns out to be a Valkyrie? There's nothing I can do about it, right?"
Ragna smiled wryly, and Himeko listened attentively; it was the first time she had heard her Captain discuss her background.
But thinking about it... is it really appropriate to call a small child a "Valkyrie"?
"A Valkyrie? Could it be the idols from the Schicksal organization...?"
"No, we are not idols; we are real soldiers. Fighting against natural disasters like yesterday's collapse is our duty."
Ragna said, petting Rita's head.
Himeko gently patted Ragna's other hand, which was still twisting her ear... Had her Captain said too much?
Compared to Valkyries, a semi-public profession, Honkai is something that shouldn't be discussed lightly, right?
"Ah! I see! No wonder you had a way to fight that monster!"
Rita's face showed an expression of admiration, but the next instant, confusion appeared on her face.
"Wait a moment... then, if that's the case... why would a Valkyrie work in a maid café?"
"Yes, for gods and devils~~"
"Stop saying those weird things."
Ragna said, applying slight pressure, which immediately made Himeko plead for mercy.
"And it's this kind of thing... um..."
Rita looked at Ragna and the maid shop, unsure how to describe it.
"Haha... please excuse my poor performance. This is a social practice I applied for, which lasts two weeks and ends tomorrow."
"Keep making things up."
Himeko secretly grumbled, but with her ears pinned by her Captain's hands, it was best not to be too presumptuous.
"Really...? Mmm... I understand the social custom."
Rita nodded, looking somewhat disappointed.
"Ah... this inexplicable sense of guilt..."
Ragna quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, young master, do you know what advantages a service provider has when interacting with people?"
"Advantage?"
Rita paused, her expression thoughtful.
"Could it be to steal information?"
In a way, it's not surprising that Rita could think of this so quickly.
"Haha, we Valkyries are not special agents, so we don't really get the chance to do that kind of work."
Ragna waved her hand.
Unfortunately, Rita will receive training in assassination and special operations in the future.
A long time ago—perhaps not so long in real-time—during a candid conversation, Rita said with some dejection: "Being a maid is probably the only thing I have in common with Lord Ragna."
Tian Shi experienced the cruel irony of fate again.
"However... well, your line of thinking is correct in a way: as service providers, we have a higher chance of coming into contact with 'real people'."
"Does that mean the guests won't pretend anything...?"
Rita thought for a moment and responded with some understanding.
"Your comprehension is excellent."
Ragna praised Rita.
"Many people in this world are accustomed to living under one mask after another, especially in this country."
A smile appeared on Ragna's face.
"It is often said that human relationships are like porcupines: they curl up for warmth, but they also prick each other because they are too close."
Ragna's analogy is indeed very famous.
"However, when one is placed in a very humble position and it is 'obvious' that they won't cause harm to others, the human instinct to defend against their own kind will subconsciously weaken, and it becomes easier to hear the voices of others and the true thoughts of people in society."
It's more or less like how people in ancient times went to the shopkeeper for information, right?
Tian Shi roughly understood at this point.
This summary is undoubtedly quite philosophical, but... is it "obvious" that she won't harm others?
To be honest, this obvious point is truly the essence.
Frankly, both of them have a very high-security index.
Rita is the typical maid, only showing her true feelings to a select few, and she could turn on strangers at any moment.
Well, let's mourn the body of Mr. Grey Serpent, whose eyeballs were plucked out.
Ragna... Ragna is much better, as long as you haven't seen Ragna wielding her greatsword like a berserker.
"I feel like I am witnessing some sort of handover..."
Seeing the young flower girl absorbing the maid's experience, Tian Shi couldn't help but sigh.
"You're making comments about anything again."
Himeko looked at Tian Shi, shrugged, and freed her ears from her Captain's grip.
"In that case, how about we take a photo?"
Did she say this to Tian Shi or the Captain?
Himeko smiled.
"Huh?"
Ragna, who was imparting maid-like experience to Rita, was stunned.
"I coincidentally brought my camera. How about we take a picture? I'm sure little Rita wants some memories too, right?"
"Really, is that okay?"
Rita's face reflected excitement.
"Of course! Come on, you two, please move closer."
Himeko raised the camera she had prepared in advance.
Seeing this, Ragna wanted to say something, but she could only swallow it and reluctantly stood beside the girl.
"Himeko, aren't you joining?"
Ragna suddenly said, seeing Himeko about to press the shutter.
"Huh... me?"
Himeko tilted her head slightly.
Perhaps Tian Shi is the one who most wishes to take a picture with them right now?
"Don't worry about me, some memories just can't be preserved."
Tian Shi sat on the chair next to them and smiled faintly at the two people, one large and one small.
Before his doll was born, there were many simulations that could not leave any memories... in a way, Tian Shi had already developed patience.
Although this is hardly a good thing.
"Doesn't this guy's carefree expression make it even harder to ignore him?"
Himeko couldn't help but mutter.
"Captain, do you know how to fold paper figures?"
"Paper dolls? I can do that..."
Ragna looked puzzled.
"Please make one for me, please!"
"I understand, don't worry, it won't take more than a few minutes."
Ragna pondered for a moment, nodded, and headed into the back room.
Less than two minutes later, Ragna came out with the adorable paper figure.
"Thank you."
Tian Shi did not beat around the bush when he saw the paper figure in front of him and took direct possession of it.
"Miss Rita, would you hold this paper figure, please?"
"Me?"
Rita was also a little confused at that moment.
"Don't you want Captain Ragna's gift?"
"Of course, I do!"
At that moment, Rita made no further objections.
She carefully held the paper figure and stood next to Ragna.
...
"Ready?... 1, 2, 3... Cheese!"
"By the way, you do know that girl, Rita, right?"
Himeko asked this question on the way back.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because... well, your behavior was too obvious, wasn't it? I should have known."
"That's right, I almost forgot, you're still a student who relies on intelligence."
"What do you mean by 'still'... Seriously, are you not going to give an explanation?"
Himeko was somewhat dissatisfied.
"And the way you treat your benefactor so indifferently is truly exasperating."
"As for an explanation, well, you know the rules, right?"
"Ha... that explanation is really sly. Alright, it will be according to the rules."
Having spent so much time together, Himeko also understands Tian Shi's limitations.
"So you're saying you will meet her in the future?"
"Who knows?"
Tian Shi shrugged.
"As for the second question... it's like, after a long time, I am looking after her again, or rather, looking after her in a very normal way."
"Wow, what a pathetic way to put it."
"Because most of the time, I am the one looking after others, even though I'm not the kind of person who likes to stand out."
Tian Shi sighed.
"As a result, I inexplicably became someone else's pillar and started taking care of her."
"You must have a very hard life."
Himeko pouted.
"If you're tired, rest. Who can tell you what to do? To be honest, I just realized today that maybe you're having a pretty rough time."
"Tired... Although I sometimes feel mentally exhausted, overall, I enjoy it."
Tian Shi smiled as he said this.
"And sometimes, seeing what you've changed gives you a sense of accomplishment."
"Ah... a change."
Himeko seemed to be thinking of her father.
"If only you had come sooner..."
"To be honest, Himeko, I actually had the ability to prevent your father from pursuing his dreams."
Tian Shi suddenly said.
Although he couldn't save Ryusuke Murata, he did have the ability to keep him half-dead for the rest of his life.
"Tsk, I knew it, but let's forget it. Letting Dad stop at the door of his dream would be worse than killing him outright, and who knows what even more unacceptable things might happen."
Himeko leaned on the lamppost and said, half-complaining.
"I thought you would never tell me."
"Did you notice?"
"A certain Alliance Leader has told me more than once that 'America is Anti-Entropy's backyard.' Surely the master knows what happens in that backyard, right? Didn't you just call me a 'smart' guy?"
Himeko looked sideways at Tian Shi, who seemed helpless.
"However, it seems Dad must have done something unacceptable, didn't he? After all, you... even though you like maids and lolis, you are usually quite upright most of the time. If Dad strayed from the right path, then he... tsk."
Himeko suddenly clicked her tongue.
She suddenly realized that her father's last letter was probably written by Tian Shi.
This guy is sometimes so considerate that it gets... a bit annoying.
But, without a doubt, it was that letter that helped her quickly emerge from the shadow of her father's death.
"Never mind, let's talk about your business."
Himeko suddenly lost interest in talking, but she was also a little surprised that she could accept it so quickly.
"My business...? I thought you would ask about your father next."
"Will you tell me if I ask? Tsk, that phrase sounds like it's straight out of a melodramatic soap opera."
Himeko shook her head.
"If you had asked me this morning, I would have certainly made up an excuse to dismiss you, but now..."
"Forget it, let's wait until you think it's appropriate to talk about it."
Himeko waved her hand; for some reason, she now felt that the supposed truth no longer mattered.
Judging by Tian Shi's attitude, perhaps what her father did was not entirely right...
"For example, ten years from now, when you turn twenty-seven?"
"It's a deal."
"Deal. By the way, what relationship will you have with little Rita in the future? Why are you so worried about her?"
[Himeko Compatibility +50% (Resolved heartache)]