The morning sun shone into the magnificent and beautiful campus, passing through the stained-glass windows and leaving colorful shadows in the corridors.
Green ivy climbed the walls of the campus, which seemed to have stood for many years, adding a verdant backdrop. Flowers bloomed in the campus garden, with bees flying gently among them. The crisp chirping of cicadas and the pleasant calls of birds echoed from the tall trees.
This was the breeding ground for humanity's warriors against the Honkai, the 'Valkyries'—'St. Freya High School'.
Ding-a-ling~ The school bell rang throughout the campus. It was morning, the time for the 'Valkyrie' cadets to begin their day of learning.
Although 'St. Freya High School' was the only institution in the world dedicated to training 'Valkyries', it still placed great importance on the basic education of its students. Thus, like any other ordinary high school in the world, the campus also taught students normal subjects such as math, language, English, physics, chemistry, geography, biology, and so on…
Of course, the most important thing for the students was to learn about the Honkai, with courses like "Honkai Chronicles," "Honkai Beast Encyclopedia," and "Introduction to Valkyrie Combat Techniques"… After all, upon graduation after three years, they would become members of a department under 'Schicksal', fighting the Honkai to protect ordinary humans.
"So… the first Valkyrie in the China region was Ji Xuanyuan… Of course, legends say there were two other Valkyries… but there aren't many records of them in history, so you just need to remember the Yellow Emperor…" A man who looked to be pushing thirty stood at the podium, holding a "Honkai Chronicles" textbook and speaking loudly. His handsome face was somewhat scruffy due to his unkempt appearance.
"Ahem… Kiana!… Kiana!~" The history teacher sighed helplessly, rubbing his black-framed glasses. He tapped the desk of a girl in the classroom with his rolled-up textbook.
".zzZZ" The white-haired girl slumped over her desk was still fast asleep, a glistening trail of drool at the corner of her mouth.
"…Kiana, Kiana~" Raiden Mei, sitting next to Kiana, helplessly reached out and poked her waist.
"Ah!… Is it time for lunch after school?!" Kiana shot up with a start, looking around in a daze.
"Haha!~" The previously quiet classroom erupted in laughter.
"…" The history teacher was speechless, once again adjusting his glasses as if they were about to fall off, a vein popping on his forehead. "Wipe the drool from your mouth…"
"Oh?! Y-Yes, sir!…" Kiana, having come to her senses, quickly and messily wiped her mouth, smearing away the glistening liquid.
"Go outside and wake yourself up properly…" The history teacher lowered his head, half-lidded eyes grabbing the back of the certain white-haired furball's collar, and tossed her outside like a kitten.
"…Slam!" The history teacher mercilessly shut the classroom door, leaving Kiana to stand outside as punishment. Including today, Kiana had slept in class five days a week… the other two days were weekends with no classes. The history teacher sighed, took off his glasses, and wiped them with a silk cloth. "Alright… let's continue. Next is another Chinese Valkyrie, 'Li Er'…"
"…" Kiana stood bored in the hallway, looking out the window… If she hadn't played Honkai God's Domain for so long last night, she wouldn't be this sleepy… Damn it, tonight I'm definitely going to pull that divine weapon! And clear that dungeon!
"Chirp chirp~" Bright sunlight streamed in through the hallway window. Outside, birds chirped merrily in the lush green trees. Kiana plopped down on the floor, squinting as the morning sun bathed her fair, delicate face.
'It's been four years since that bastard dad ran off…' Kiana suddenly remembered.
So that means I'm sixteen now… Kiana took out her phone, unlocked the screen, and glanced at the date—December 7th.
It's my birthday today… A smile graced the white-haired girl's face in the sunlight. I should celebrate with Mei and the others today. Maybe we can go shopping this afternoon!
Ding-a-ling!!~ The sharp bell rang again. It was the end-of-class bell at St. Freya High School, signaling that the students' morning classes were over.
"Kiana… Kiana~…" Mei covered her face, unable to watch. Kiana, who was sleeping on the floor with drool on her face, was now surrounded by a crowd of students. Even she felt embarrassed by the strange looks…
"Hm?!" Kiana rubbed her eyes and looked up at Mei. "Mei, what's wrong…?"
"Uh… school's out, let's go," Mei said gently, extending a hand to pull the still-dazed Kiana up from the floor.
"S-School's out?!" Kiana squinted. "Time flies so fast~" she lamented…
"Of course it's fast when you're sleeping!" Mei said, tapping Kiana on the head in exasperation. "I don't see how you're going to pass the upcoming exams…"
"Well… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it~" Kiana said, scratching her cheek with a finger, her eyes guiltily darting to the side.
"Alright, Mei, come hang out with me this afternoon!" Kiana smiled and linked her arm with Mei's.
"Ahem… no, I have something to do…" Raiden Mei quickly shook off Kiana's embrace. "Okay, Kiana, I have to go now. You're on your own for lunch today, bye-bye~" Raiden Mei swiftly picked up her school bag and fled, disappearing down the end of the corridor in a flash.
"Mei, don't go! Wait… I…" Kiana reached out, but Raiden Mei was long gone…
"…" Kiana lowered her head. Does Mei hate me?! She didn't even make me a bento for lunch…
Kiana fell into deep thought…
"…" Bronya Zaychik walked past Kiana without a word.
"Bronya! Shorty, I'll treat you to games today!~" Kiana's sharp eyes spotted Bronya.
"The Bronya refuses. The Bronya has something to do…" Bronya stopped and said with a deadpan expression.
"How could you?!…" Kiana watched helplessly as Bronya also hurried away.
"How come no one remembers it's my birthday today?!" a certain white-haired furball wailed at the heavens.
"Um… Kiana Kaslana-san." Suddenly, a girl's voice came from behind Kiana.
"Hm?!" Kiana turned around. The girl had long black hair, a slender figure, and wore black-framed glasses that gave her a very capable look.
"What's this~ It's just the class president…" Kiana said unhappily. The class president, Fu Hua, was her enemy at this school. She was always the one who reported Kiana to the teacher for not doing her homework… What a villain!
"…Principal Theresa heard that you weren't paying attention in history class, so she wants you to go to her office. She's going to spend the afternoon tutoring you…"
"Ahhhh! No! Not Auntie!" Kiana let out a miserable howl.
Click-clack~ Kiana walked back to her dorm, looking completely drained. After an entire afternoon of remedial history, a slacker like her felt like she had eaten crap…
"Mei should have made a delicious dinner, right?!" Kiana rubbed her empty stomach and muttered to herself. What would it be?! Beef stew with potatoes, or green pepper pork stir-fry, or perhaps mapo tofu?! A hamburger steak would be nice too!~ Hehe…
The nearly-starved Kiana had descended into a state of madness.
"Mei, I'm home~" Kiana opened the door and walked in.
"Huh?! What's going on? Did they go out?!" Kiana looked up to find the room completely dark, as if no one was home.
Click! With a crisp sound, the lights in the pitch-black room suddenly turned on. The sudden brightness made Kiana instinctively close her eyes.
Toot~ Pop!~ Theresa, wearing a triangular party hat and her perpetually unchanging nun's habit, puffed her cheeks and struggled to blow a paper party horn. Mei, holding a can of party string, twisted it open, and a shower of ribbons and foam-like confetti rained down on the bewildered Kiana's head. Beside them, a deadpan Bronya clapped a pair of plastic hand clappers.
"Oh! Kiana's back?! Come on, the birthday dinner is ready!" Murata Himeko said, emerging from the kitchen with a platter of food Mei had prepared.
"Huh?! You all knew it was my birthday?" Kiana said, still in a daze.
"Hmph~ Of course, you are my niece, after all!" Theresa puffed out her runway-flat chest proudly, trying to act mature.
"Of course we did!~" Mei said, smiling at Kiana.
"Mhm…" Bronya said, turning her head.
"Haha~… W-Well, of course…" Himeko's laugh was a bit forced.
Well, if I hadn't come back and seen Mei and the others preparing, I really wouldn't have known… ahem…
"Hey, hey~ Kiana, here's your birthday present!~" Mei picked up a beautifully decorated gift box from the table and pushed it into Kiana's arms. "Bronya and I made this together…" Mei said, pulling the nearby Bronya with one hand.
"This is…" Being European, Kiana was used to opening presents on the spot. She took the outfit out of the gift box and gasped in shock.
"Mhm… This is the outfit Bronya and I made—'Kiana's Formal Dress'!" Mei said.
"Wow!~" Kiana's eyes sparkled as she looked at the outfit in her hands. A silver crown-like headpiece with golden patterns, an off-the-shoulder formal dress as beautiful as a flower blooming in spring, and the waist of the dress seemed to be adorned with flowers, especially a khaki-colored flower that bloomed vividly at her waist.
The dress had a knee-length pleated skirt, making it look dignified and beautiful, yet also youthful like a dandelion in summer…
"Kiana, there's more!" Himeko interrupted Kiana, pointing at the cake that was already on the table. "There's also birthday cake!"
"Wow!~… Wait, why is this birthday cake in pieces…" Kiana said, looking at the sixteen small cakes on the table.
"Ahem… your aunt's finances have been a bit tight recently… and besides, aren't these your favorite Meow Meow Cakes?!" Theresa said gravely, her arms crossed.
"You're in charge of the entire St. Freya High School, how can you be short on money?!"
"But I still have to pay for that pile of… trouble you caused at Babylon School…" Theresa sighed heavily, her figure seeming somewhat desolate at that moment…
"Uh… well…" Kiana was at a loss for words.
"Well~ Alright, Kiana, come and blow out the candles!" Mei interjected, breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere.
"That's right, that's right~…" Himeko chimed in.
"Alright! Watch me in one go…" Kiana rolled up her sleeves, ready to go…
"Wait… Kiana, I have one more present for you…" Theresa suddenly said.
"Oh~ What is it, Auntie?"
"Don't call me Auntie, you idiot Kiana!" Theresa blushed and shouted.
"Alright, actually…" A gentle smile, like the warm winter sun, appeared on Theresa's fair and delicate face, full of nostalgia… "This gift… was prepared long ago by someone named Cecilia Schariac…"
"That's right, Kiana…" Theresa looked at Kiana, her azure eyes like lapis lazuli. "She is your mother…" she said. "Open it~" Theresa handed Kiana a slightly old gift box.
"…" With her head bowed, Kiana reached out and took the box. With trembling hands, she slowly opened it. Under the light… inside the box was a pair of pistols, colored orange-yellow and white, shaped like crescent moons.
"The words on the guns were written by your mother herself…" Theresa said.
"…" Silently, Kiana picked up the guns and looked at the small black text on the side. It read—'May the moonlight protect you, Kiana. With love, Siegfried, Cecilia, and Theresa.'
Clink! Kiana stared blankly at the dual pistols in her hands, speechless. Her mother, who had passed away before she was old enough to remember, had left something for her.
Drip! Drip!~
Perhaps out of excitement, or perhaps sorrow, crystalline tears dripped onto the guns, shattering into starlight.
"The name of these guns is 'Guardian of the Moon God'," Theresa said. "Although this comes very late, I must keep my promise and say this to you for her…"
"Hah~" Theresa took a deep breath and spoke in her gentlest voice.
"Mommy loves you~ Happy birthday, Kiana."
As if traveling through time, a beautiful silver-haired woman looked at her lovingly, her lips curved in a gentle smile.
After a long while… Kiana spoke, her voice choked with emotion.
"Mhm."
I always thought you abandoned me. It turns out you still hoped you could be by my side, protecting me… Mom.