"I will never let Bianka be lonely!"
"Little Li..."
"Uwaaa! These two! It's like they're both glowing with the Main Character Aura!"
Kiana hurriedly covered her eyes with her hands, then slipped over to the righteously posturing Fuli and elbowed him in the waist. "Shouldn't this young lady be the protagonist of this world? Why did God have to roll out a perfect character like Durandal just to slap me in the face?"
"Maybe you stole your protagonist status from her?"
The boy was happy to banter with Kiana-cat. "But don't worry. The 'Blonde Knight Princess' character setting isn't anything rare these days. At best, she's a popular supporting character. One day, you'll definitely step over her."
"That's right! This young lady is a super beautiful girl with the rare attribute of white hair and blue eyes!"
Kiana nodded solemnly. "Schicksal's Strongest Valkyrie or whatever—sooner or later, I'll step over her!"
Day by day, progress is made!
Don't think of anything weird!
"Then you need to work a little harder."
Bianka, who had arrived on Fuli's other side at some point, smiled faintly. "Don't be like today, where you have to rely on Little Li to win back your dignity."
"Hmph! Huh?"
Realizing who spoke, the big white cat hurriedly retreated, an awkward expression gradually surfacing on her pretty face.
What do you do when the person you're trash-talking catches you in the act? Online, waiting urgently!
"You scared my cat away."
Fuli leaned back against the turret base at the edge of the deck, speaking as the wind blew past.
The girl mimicked his posture, leaning against it and staring at the clouds filling the sky as she took up the topic. "I like cats too, but I don't view people as cats."
But she views Emperor-class Honkai Beasts as cats.
Fuli silently roasted the future cat named [Stan] in his heart, then said, "It was just a metaphor for a close relationship. The battle is over; aren't you leaving? Someone over there is quite dissatisfied, you know."
"Achoo!"
In the distance, Mei, who was discussing cooperation details with Theresa, let out a small sneeze.
"Do you want me to leave that badly?"
Bianka turned her head to look at him.
"Explosive barrels are scary, whether over there or over here."
Fuli shrugged. "Besides, we made a deal. I won, so you let us go for a week."
He could distinguish between closeness and distance. It was true that Durandal hit his strike zone (XP), but if he tried to collect every woman who fit his tastes into his harem like a stud pig in a pen, what would be the difference between him and an animal?
Moreover, his main goal right now was leveling up. With no woman in my heart, my blade is naturally god-like!
Quotes like 'Holding a girl in your arms doubles your damage' are heresy! Heresy!
"I understand. After I leave, I will send out a signal declaring that the Hyperion is my prey."
Even though she was effectively being shooed away, Bianka's favorability rating toward him rose instead of falling.
She also valued order. Putting herself in his shoes, if her best friend Rita suddenly got a boyfriend and spent all day clinging to him, ignoring her, the girl would also feel displeased.
"That really helps a lot."
Fuli put his palms together in sincere gratitude. Unlike Theresa, who had a big family and business meaning she had many concerns, Durandal—backed by the Immortal Blades—was universally recognized in the Honkai world as someone not to be messed with.
On one hand, this girl was stubborn; if she said she'd beat you to death, she'd beat you to death. On the other hand, there was the existence of that Frost Blade hiding in the shadows—Rita Rossweisse.
Who could guarantee they could handle a 24/7 assassination attempt from a assassin-type Limit-Breaker?
At the very least, Fuli didn't dare, because he had truly experienced how troublesome that maid could be in the previous loop.
Seeing that the boy's gratitude wasn't feigned, Bianka couldn't help but smile. "When I return, I will also ask the Council of Elders why they issued a mission to arrest Little Li."
"Forget about that. If you ask, wouldn't that confirm that our relationship is abnormal?"
Fuli paused here. "Wait, once you spread the news about me being your prey, it seems that would alert those people anyway? My words were a bit redundant."
He complained, "By the way, if Schicksal really decides they absolutely must kill me, I won't ask you to show mercy. But could you secretly give the Hyperion a heads-up before the army arrives? That way I can run to some gap in the world or the Sea of Quanta to hide."
"The Star-Gazer Institute under HQ is an armed organization specifically for World Bubble exploration missions. You'd be chased down even there," Bianka teased first, then her expression turned serious. "Don't worry. I dare not say my hands are spotlessly clean, but I will not attack an innocent person without cause."
Fuli retorted, "Who was the one who came aggressively to arrest a wanted criminal just now?"
"It's 'will not without cause,' not 'absolutely will not.'"
Bianka hesitated slightly but still spoke her heart to this 'boy she met for the first time.' "People with justice in their hearts might inadvertently destroy the world, while those with filthy hearts can pretend to be sanctimonious before their conspiracies are exposed. The human heart is unpredictable, and the world is fickle. I alone cannot, and do not have the power to, discern them all one by one."
"Therefore, I chose to join Schicksal, using the assistance of a super-large organization to save more people."
"I know that a large organization like this is full of filth inside, and sitting in my position, it is hard to escape the fate of being used as a gun by others."
She lowered her eyelids, but in an instant, her gaze turned firm again. "But no matter what, the current Schicksal stands at the forefront of fighting the Honkai. Perhaps my hands will be stained with the blood of innocent people for various reasons, but with Schicksal's help, the number of weak people I can save will definitely be far greater than that number!"
Durandal could certainly find a place to live in seclusion like those senior hermits in martial arts novels. That way, she could ensure she remained pure and her hands clean, avoiding the mixed reputation of being called Schicksal's Executioner, the Overseer's running dog, or having her methods criticized by the masses.
Please, she's an S-Rank, holding a super divine weapon like the Holy Sword capable of cutting space.
So what if the Earth is destroyed? So what if the Finality descends?
At worst, she could find a quiet World Bubble to live in seclusion, continuing to live a beautiful life of envying mandarin ducks but not immortals with a potential lover.
The problem was, if everyone stood high above, detached from the mundane world with an attitude that it was none of their business, refusing to be the muddy traveler rolling in the dust of the mortal world, how would humanity stumble forward amidst the Honkai and various natural and man-made disasters?
A hero with flaws criticized by people, or a saint with no flaws but no use—the girl chose to become the former.
Do more, make more mistakes. Do less, make fewer mistakes. Do nothing, make no mistakes.
Then, let me make more mistakes.
Of course, this didn't mean Bianka followed orders blindly. For example, now that she had spoken with Fuli and judged that he was definitely not a villain, the girl took the initiative to abandon her duty to arrest him.
Furthermore, every time she returned from a similar mission, her childhood friend named Rita Rossweisse would thoughtfully present all the relevant data she had investigated, leaving it to Bianka to judge whether intervention was needed.
This was the tacit understanding between best friends.
It was just that in the eyes of the upright knight maiden, there was no need to mention any of this.
"So, even if it seems hypocritical to you, I still want to apologize."
She bowed deeply to Fuli, her butterfly-shaped collarbone clearly visible beneath her neckline. "I didn't know before if you were innocent, and I don't know if there were innocent people among those I defeated in the past, but this is the path I—Bianka Durandal Ataegina—have chosen!"
Bianka's voice was crisp and firm. Even Mei and the others talking in the distance stopped what they were doing to listen seriously to the girl's philosophy.
Theresa and Himeko felt deeply moved. What is a good person? What is a bad person? Let alone Bianka, even to this day, they couldn't give a definitive answer.
Can't tell. We really can't tell.
The shadows of dark clouds cast mottled light and shade on the sea surface, as if nature's brush was gently sketching on the water. The color of the sea gradually shifted from bright azure to deep blue, the ripples appearing even more delicate in the dim light.
Fuli's voice accompanied the sea breeze. "Indeed, super-large organizations like Schicksal or Anti-Entropy that have been running for a long time are basically piles of spaghetti code built on a mountain of sh*t. It's true that they can run, but it's also true that they have a ton of internal bugs."
He helped the knight maiden up, gazing at her devastatingly beautiful yet anxious face, and the corners of his mouth lifted.
"I will never criticize a diligent big idiot who, with the dignity of a dignified S-Rank, humbles herself to do practical work down on earth. Because that's exactly what the bad guys want to see: using various twisted logic and one-sided arguments to shift the conflict from 'enemy vs. us' to 'justice vs. justice'."
The most typical example was Cocolia. Whether in the previous loop or this one, did that bastard feel even a shred of guilt for causing the Third Eruption?
And what about Mei? If the Third Eruption had truly occurred, given her personality, how could she blame all the sins of slaughtering millions solely on the culprit Cocolia and completely absolve herself?
The same applied to Bianka's situation.
In the end, someone was using her enthusiasm for protecting the weak to commit evil; it wasn't the girl acting out of malice.
Seeing Kiana, who had been indignant just a moment ago, now wearing a thoughtful expression, Fuli cut straight to the point again. "You know, Bianka? Just now, when I saw you saying those words with such a helpless look, the first thought that popped into my head was to invite you to join the Hyperion and get away from all that filth."
"Hey, no way!"
The School Principal, who was listening intently, jumped out to intervene.
No matter what, Durandal is one of Schicksal's people! How can I let you take her away so easily!
Himeko grabbed her and pulled her back, covering her mouth and whispering in her ear, "Calm down, calm down. Words spoken before 'but' are meaningless."
"That's not necessarily true."
Fuli continued smoothly, "Generally speaking, a small workshop like the Hyperion really can't accommodate a rising World-Honored One like Durandal right now, nor can it help her achieve her ideal of saving the weak. But that absolutely doesn't mean the future us won't have that opportunity."
"One day in the future, when the Hyperion becomes a colossal entity on the same level as Schicksal and Anti-Entropy... want to jump ship and come over?"
He extended his hand to her, issuing the invitation solemnly. "I guarantee there won't be any infighting between factions. As long as I'm here, I will never treat you as a tool or use you as a gun. The Immortal Blades, with their illustrious military exploits and far-reaching fame—even if there is a super troublesome maid inside—still make me very envious."
With the silver-white aerial battleship as the background outlining the handsome profile of the boy's face, the sunlight piercing through the clouds illuminated his figure, radiating confidence.
Fuli stood there in the oncoming sea breeze, his pristine white eyes gazing at the beauty before him, yet seemingly looking far into the distance where the sea met the sky. His posture was as straight as an exquisite display in a gift shop, his hair swaying like dandelions above a city.
Bianka was almost entranced. It wasn't until she heard Mei's blunt and deliberate coughing sound from not far away that she turned her face slightly awkwardly. "I... I will consider it."
Her hand went to her chest.
Oh no! It feels like a myocardial infarction! (Heart attack from love).
"Oh! NO!"
Theresa, however, felt like her sky was falling.
On one side was a ragtag team established a month ago; on the other was a super-large organization fighting for the top spot in the world.
If she's actually considering it despite such a huge gap, then when the two sides are truly on the same starting line, do we even need to guess how Durandal will choose?
My future right-hand woman for when I'm promoted to Overseer... has one arm already been torn off?!
"Calm down, calm down! Don't forget the premise!"
Himeko restrained her again, whispering in her ear, "It's just a kid joking around. do you really think they can become a super-large organization before you become Overseer and reform Schicksal?"
Theresa froze upon hearing this, then quickly stopped struggling.
True. The only organizations on Earth that can currently be called super-large are Schicksal and Anti-Entropy. The Taixu United Front led by Shenzhou has barely squeezed in recently. The others are large-scale at best.
If you, Hyperion, want to catch up to a super-large organization, you, Fuli, might as well just marry into St. Freya.
Ukraine losing and merging into Russia is also a way to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, right? (A cynical political analogy).
"You'll consider it, huh."
On Fuli's side, Bianka's shy yet firm answer made him unable to resist teasing her. "Does this count as me entering the probation period on Lord Durandal's spare tire list?"
"I don't like the term 'spare tire'."
The girl said seriously, "And even if such a list existed, only you, Little Li, would be on it."
The strong had their own persistence.
Even if she harbored a distinct affection for Fuli in her heart, to uphold her own philosophy, Bianka—whose promise was worth a thousand gold—would not easily make a promise to consider joining the Hyperion.
However, when Fuli demonstrated potential capable of defeating her at full power while at the same level, and the Hyperion, established only a month ago, was enough to stand up to an S-Rank Valkyrie...
Combining these factors, that was a different story.
But soon, Bianka fidgeted a little.
She pointed at Kiana and Mei nearby, whispering shyly, "Statement in advance: even if we fight side by side in the future, don't you dare make me dress like them on a daily basis!"
Fuli blinked after hearing this. At first, he didn't understand what she meant.
A moment later, he realized what was going on, his face filled with a sense of being wronged and helplessness. "We at Hyperion believe in clothing freedom! As long as you don't run around stark naked, you can wear whatever you want!"
Bianka let out an "Oh." She had been wondering why Bronya was dressed normally, thinking Fuli just wasn't interested in flat chests. Turns out she was overthinking it.
"Sorry, I misunderstood you on my own."
She tapped her toe on the ground, embarrassed, her face slightly red. The sudden display of maidenly charm from the usually valiant Knight Lord made many hearts flutter.
Bianka, however, was not calm inside.
As a girl herself, she naturally understood what it meant to appear before the opposite sex dressed like that.
Unless they were extremely familiar, or apart from blood-related siblings and various explicit adult venues, where in reality would such a terrible scene occur?
The burden is heavy and the road is long...
Wait! What kind of nonsense am I thinking about?!
The Goose shook her head foolishly, trying to return to her persona of a valiant and noble knight.
"Hey?"
A hand waved in front of the daydreaming Bianka's eyes.
The girl looked up and met Fuli's concerned crimson eyes.
"I'm fine, just thinking about some things."
She paused, then spoke again, "I need to return to HQ to report, so I won't stay and disturb everyone any longer."
"Go, go!"
Kiana-cat jumped out again, placing one hand on her hip and pointing at Bianka. "Durandal, this young lady admits that the current you is stronger, but don't get cocky!"
"It won't take long. Yeah."
A classic scene from Battle Through the Heavens flashed through her mind. She wiped her nose, her whole body radiating fighting spirit. "Three years! At most three years, this young lady will definitely catch up! I'll make you admit defeat wholeheartedly!"
The Herrscher of Finality vs. Palatinus Equinox... well, the former can indeed make the latter admit defeat (lol).
"Alright, I'll be waiting for you."
The current Bianka didn't think much of it.
She turned around and continued talking to Fuli beside her.
This attitude made Kiana fume with rage, but the parting conversation between the two made her prick up her ears despite herself.
"Before I leave, I have one last question."
Bianka's feet left the ground as she hovered in the air. "I don't know if you are aware, but I actually don't have any memories of my childhood."
In 2008, when the girl (cured by Otto) opened her eyes in confusion, she was already in an orphanage funded by Schicksal.
As someone who had lost her memory by chance, not only was the name [Bianka Ataegina] chosen by herself, but even her birthday of January 1, 2000, was filled in by Bianka herself. The girl didn't even know her real age.
"And the moment I saw your file, up until now, my brain has been throbbing faintly."
Her elongated shadow covered Fuli's figure. Hovering in mid-air, she asked, "Did we meet somewhere when we were little?"
The gathering clouds began to drizzle. Raindrops fell pitter-patter on the ship's window glass, blooming into irregular, beautiful arcs.
Their reflections seemed to touch and separate, merge and part, as if foreshadowing a fork in the road named Fate.
But in the end, after thinking for a long time, Fuli shook his head.
"It's true that before I was eight, I ran around the world for a while led by those irresponsible parents of mine. But I definitely haven't met a golden-haired girl as impressive as you, nor did I have any memorable experiences with one. A white-haired one, on the other hand, yes."
As he spoke, he glanced at Kiana-cat, who was listening intently, earning a shy and annoyed "Aaaah, here he goes again!" expression from the girl.
Well...
The identity of the 8-year-old fiancée, along with her appearance and name, was inherited by a clone. The clone grew up and got entangled with the fiancé.
Meanwhile, the fiancée fell from thousands of meters in the air, didn't die, changed her face, grew up, and reappeared in front of the fiancé, but lost all memories of the past.
—With this kind of ghostly plot development, even if you let Fuli, the party involved, take a hit of epic-level copium a hundred times, he wouldn't be able to guess even a bit of it.
"Is that so... Alright."
Bianka, who also couldn't possibly guess in that direction, smiled helplessly. "Then, Little Li, see you in a week."
"I'll make a big feast to bribe you then. Super lavish!"
"Then I'll be waiting with anticipation."
With that, the slightly melancholic Golden Knight Princess turned and left, turning into a supersonic meteor shuttling through the rain clouds.
"Hey! Have you looked enough?"
Fuli stared at the girl's retreating figure for a long time until he withdrew his gaze at Kiana's subtle call.
"Anyway, you felt the oppression of a true powerhouse this time, right?"
He put his hands in his pockets, putting on an arrogant look of not knowing what a rival was.
Kiana huffed, too lazy to pay attention to him. Bronya, however, roasted, "Bro is obviously praising Durandal to elevate himself. It's just like Liu Bang praising Xiang Yu to raise his own gold content."
"That premise relies on the person being praise-worthy. You don't see Zhu Yuanzhang praising Zhang Shicheng and Chen Youliang lavishly, do you? Eh? Mei?"
Fuli, who was speaking with fervor, had his hand grabbed.
"Put history aside for now."
Mei dragged him toward Massive Electric Corp. "That Outer Path power of yours is very interesting. I need to research it thoroughly."
Pausing for a moment, the girl added, "Be mentally prepared. I don't intend to let you sleep tonight."
"Nooo! Sister Mei, I don't want to die!!!"
The boy's elongated cry of misery echoed over the Hyperion.
...