In the early morning, Wendy opened her drowsy eyes and slowly sat up in bed.
Sunlight streamed through the window, shining on her legs and making her feel a trace of warmth…
Huh? What's going on? My legs… why can I feel them again?
Wendy stroked her thighs in astonishment. Her smooth, fair legs were free of any excess fat, their curves perfectly proportioned.
She… she could feel them? Her legs had sensation! What on earth was happening? Could it be…
Did her injuries get better just by moving to a new place?
Or perhaps…
Wendy couldn't help but entertain many possibilities, and her heart sank a little.
"Forget it. Since I've moved out of that place, I should just embrace a new life."
She touched her legs again, indulging in the warm sensation that traveled from her skin…
Slipping out of her pajamas and taking a little time to change into her regular clothes, Wendy used her arms to lift herself into her wheelchair. Then, she wheeled herself out and opened the bedroom door.
"Good morning, Miss Wendy."
Wende smiled at Wendy like a butler. He walked over to her and, seeing her slightly flustered expression, began pushing her toward the dining table.
"I've made a nutritionally balanced breakfast for you. But since I don't know your tastes, I made a little of everything."
Handing a spoon to Wendy, Wende sat down opposite her and began to introduce the breakfast spread.
"There's preserved egg and lean pork congee, as well as both savory and sweet versions of tofu pudding, and soup dumplings. These are classic breakfasts from Shenzhou. If you prefer a Western-style breakfast, I also prepared some small croissants, a light cream soup, and a mixed vegetable salad…"
"There's… so much…"
Looking at the wide variety of breakfast items before her, Wendy was momentarily dazzled, unsure of where to even begin.
Gazing at the smiling Wende, Wendy grew a little curious. Why on earth was he hired by Schicksal to monitor her? Wasn't he afraid…
"Hm? What's wrong? Is none of it to your liking?"
Noticing Wendy's curious gaze, Wende's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at her with a hint of confusion.
"No, no… I like all of it… Thank you…"
Wendy quickly waved her hands and, as if to prevent any further misunderstanding, picked up the spoon Wende had just given her. She gently scooped up some of the soft, white, sweet tofu pudding and put it in her mouth.
"Mm! Delicious!"
Wendy's eyes instantly lit up. So this was the famed cuisine of Shenzhou? It truly lived up to its reputation!
"I'm glad you like it."
Watching Wendy eat the sweet tofu pudding bite by bite, Wende silently made a mental note of her preference. There were still 39 days left, and as her private rehabilitation therapist, Wende was very responsible!
The short but warm breakfast time quickly passed. According to the official Schicksal Valkyrie schedule provided to Wende, the item originally listed as "Daily Training" had been changed to "Rehabilitation Training." The goal was to help Wendy get out of her wheelchair and return to a normal life.
However, the scientists at Schicksal didn't believe Wendy had any chance of standing again, unless the Gem of Desire was removed…
They had only sent Wende over as a superficial gesture.
But Wende knew all this. And who was he? He was the one and only Nanny-Daddy in Honkai: Star Rail, the Godfather to countless Trailblazers, a practitioner of the Path of Abundance, and the Astral Express's quartermaster and physician!
A condition that the Honkai world couldn't cure didn't mean he couldn't cure it, even with the presence of the "Gem of Desire."
The Primordial Chaos within Wende seemed to be on a much higher plane than the Honkai. As a result, ordinary Honkai energy had no effect on him at all. He even felt that the Honkai was afraid of him. When he had been carrying Wendy earlier, he had inadvertently come into contact with a wisp of Honkai energy emanating from her. Under the influence of his Chaos, that wisp had quickly retreated, showing no inclination to come out again.
Seeing this, Wende had silently circulated an extremely fine stream of Yang Qi throughout Wendy's limbs and meridians, continuously nourishing her body, which had been ravaged by Honkai corruption.
---o---
In the living room, Wendy's face was beet red. She was dressed only in a form-fitting tracksuit, and the ahoge on her head swayed back and forth with her emotional fluctuations, like a sensitive plant.
"Mr. Wende… didn't you say we were doing rehabilitation training… why are we doing… that… m-massage?"
Wendy's cyan-green eyes revealed a hint of confusion. This was completely different from the training at the Schicksal base. Besides… wasn't the so-called "rehabilitation training" just a cover for studying the Gem of Desire inside her? Why didn't she see any instruments in his hands… or, was he planning to do something untoward to her?
Wendy's train of thought was hyperactive, and her gaze toward Wende gradually grew dangerous.
"Sigh..."
Sensing Wendy's wary and increasingly hostile gaze, Wende sighed helplessly. People who live under long-term, high-intensity pressure inevitably become suspicious of everything around them. What's more, to Wendy, he was just a stranger she had known for only a day…
"Wendy, rest assured, I won't hurt you. I know you've heard that line many times, but I can guarantee it. I won't hurt you, because I am your doctor. My duty is to help you recover. I'm your rehabilitation therapist, remember?"
Wende spoke softly to appease her. He wouldn't hold a grudge because of her wariness; he was more afraid that Wendy's own thoughts would widen the gap between them.
"..."
Wendy still watched Wende guardedly, but the danger in her eyes had faded significantly. If it were those cold scientists from Schicksal, they would never say such pretty words to coax her… they would only force her to participate in their experiments…
"So, do you trust me?" Wende asked tentatively.
"I…"
Wendy hesitated. She wasn't sure if Wende's so-called "classical Shenzhou massage technique" could really help her stand again. After all, the root cause of her disability wasn't an illness…
Besides, physical contact with a stranger…
At that thought, Wendy's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. But looking into Wende's sincere eyes, she couldn't help but lower her guard.
That's right… he has no reason to lie to me…
Perhaps that Shenzhou massage technique really could help her stand again?
Maybe every person qualified to become a Herrscher has their own internal struggles, and for Wendy, the softness in her heart was the possibility of standing on her own two feet again…
Thus, after a brief internal battle, Wendy agreed to Wende's request to perform the massage therapy.
"Thank you for your trust, Miss Wendy," Wende said with a serious expression. The most crucial part of the doctor-patient relationship is the patient's trust in the doctor. Especially during rehabilitation, trust is the best medicine aside from the treatment itself.
And so, Wendy obediently lay down on the massage table Wende had prepared earlier.
Although she had agreed to his request, actually lying there still made her very nervous. Her muscles tensed up involuntarily…
"Miss Wendy…" Wende looked at the tense girl with a hint of helplessness. If she stayed like this, he couldn't possibly begin the massage properly.
"Y-Yes," Wendy's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, and her body was still trembling.
"Please, try to relax, okay?"
"Mm… okay…"
"Huuu…"
Wendy took a deep breath, trying to relax. She imagined herself lying on a cloud of cotton candy, basking in the sun…
Seeing Wendy gradually relax, Wende shook his head. It was time to begin.
---o---
An hour later, Wendy sat on the sofa with a flushed face, holding a special cold drink Wende had made to help her cool down.
Her long, slender legs were currently soaking in a wooden tub Wende had prepared, which contained some fragrant-smelling herbs…
Her whole body felt tingly and numb… Her legs, having just regained some sensation, seemed to have become much more sensitive. When Wende had kneaded her thighs just now, she had almost cried out several times, covering her face in shame.
Although it was embarrassing, for some reason, after Wende's series of massages, Wendy really felt that her legs had improved a lot. At the very least, her sense of touch had returned, and…
Gently splashing the warm water over her legs, Wendy couldn't help but sigh. It felt so warm…
Wende saw the smile on Wendy's face and nodded in satisfaction.
During the massage, he had coated his hands with a trace of pure Yang Qi and infused it into Wendy's body. Just as he had expected, the Gem of Desire truly feared the power of Primordial Chaos, and its corruption of Wendy's legs was steadily receding.
Wende chose not to get rid of its control over Wendy all at once, instead opting for a long-term, gentle approach.
If he suddenly used a forceful method to deal with the Gem of Desire in her body, the impact on Wendy would be unknown. But Schicksal would definitely not let him off the hook. Recalling a certain "Pure Love War God"...
Sigh, it was best to keep a low profile for the remaining 39 days. He would help Wendy fully recover a few days before he was scheduled to leave. He truly felt for this girl, who seemed to share a similar name with him.
---o---
"Lord Bishop? You're awake!?"
Amber, who had been standing vigil by Otto's bedside, spoke excitedly to the man who had just awoken on the hospital bed.
"Amber? Where am I…"
Otto looked at the excited Amber and frowned unconsciously. He was…
VMMMM!!
Countless memories that did not belong to him flooded his mind. This was… Luocha? That itinerant merchant who looked so similar to him…
"[Abundance]… is truly dangerous…" Otto muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"Lord Bishop?"
"Not to worry, Amber. Let's first deal with the matters of the past few days. How long was I unconscious?"
"One week, Lord Bishop."
"One week? Why does it feel… like I've lived for several hundred more years…"
---o---
"Principal! Himeko and Bronya are awake!"
In the Principal's office, Mei burst through the door and anxiously told Theresa.
"They're finally awake! Let's go!"
Theresa, who had just finished communicating with Schicksal HQ, immediately dashed towards the St. Freya Academy medical bay.
"Idiot Kiana, it's really me, Bronya. What? You can't recognize me after just a few days?" the newly awakened Bronya said, giving Kiana her classic deadpan expression as she looked at the emotional girl before her.
"Huh? Of course I recognize you! It's just…"
Kiana silently compared their heights and couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.
What's going on… how is the grown-up Bronya even taller than me now? How am I supposed to find reasons to make fun of her now… Kiana felt a sense of crisis!
"Hehe, she's still the same Bronya, her appearance has just caught up to her age. To be honest… I think I still miss the old Bronya more…" Himeko, who had also just woken up, said with a sigh.
"Himeko… ᗜ‸ᗜ"
"Alright, alright. The current Bronya is very beautiful too, isn't she?" Himeko said, smiling at Bronya.
"But speaking of which, I feel like something is off with me, but I can't quite put my finger on it…"
Staring at her own hands, Himeko felt as if some kind of change had occurred within her body, but what was it…
"..."
"!"
"What's wrong, Himeko? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Kiana asked, confused by Himeko's sudden look of shock.
"...... You might not believe this, but I really saw something. But… I don't think it was a ghost."
Recalling the mask that had flashed through her mind just now, Himeko's expression turned grave.
That mask, if she remembered correctly… it should belong to an Aeon from Honkai: Star Rail… was it called… Elation?
"Himeko… you saw it too?"
As Kiana looked on completely bewildered, Bronya spoke to Himeko.
"Yes. You too?" Himeko nodded, then looked at Bronya.
"Mm..."
"This is trouble…"
---o---
"So, you don't even have a phone?"
Wende looked at Wendy with some surprise. Without a phone, wouldn't she be bored?
"No…" Wendy shook her head, a hint of resignation in her eyes.
"Oh… no wonder…"
Wende stroked his chin. No wonder Wendy didn't recognize him. At first, he thought the influence of Star Rail wasn't big enough in the Honkai world, or that the system had put up many shields for him…
Turns out it was for this reason… huh?