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"I want to eliminate her. Without her, I can be purely myself—Kiana—and finally see you, talk to you... More than anyone else, I despise my origins."
After a long silence, Kiana quietly explained her feelings and motivations.
Lying on Zeke's chest, she listened to his heartbeat, steady as reality itself, and breathed in his scent, familiar as ever. No longer did she conceal her thoughts.
In that moment, all she wanted was to lay bare everything inside her for Zeke to see—to make him understand her dependence, her attachment, every emotion within her heart.
She yearned for Zeke to know, to look at her, solely at her, forever and always.
"It's okay; never blame yourself..." Zeke whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Do you remember? That night, it was you who held me close, giving me the most precious warmth, allowing me to survive. I don't know this Herrscher of the Void or any supposed 'true' Kiana. The only one I recognize is you. You're my pride."
Zeke sensed Kiana's emotions and glimpsed everything she concealed beneath her cheerful facade: the cautious affection, the secret delight when clinging to him, the somber inner turmoil during moments alone—deep-seated guilt and resentment entangled with profound attachment, all contradictorily intertwined.
Unable to articulate his feelings at that moment, Zeke simply wanted to hold her like this, ensuring she would never again experience any sadness.
"Thank you, Zeke. Thank you..." Tears streamed down Kiana's face as she smiled, feeling her life had reached its fullest point.
"In the future, don't hide your worries like this anymore. If there's something bothering you, please tell me."
"I will."
"Don't dwell too much on your past or origins. Those who truly care for you won't blame you for mistakes not of your making. As for anyone who does...just distance yourself from them; they're not important."
"Mm-hmm."
"And I...is this considered a confession?"
"Would you accept it?"
"...I thought you might be interested in girls? Like Vera and Mei, for example."
"It's just my personality, silly!" She gently nudged Zeke's chest, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
Kiana bashfully blushed as she gently nudged Zeke's chest.
Zeke blinked blankly.
"Uh... I never really thought about romance, let alone with you."
"Oh... It's okay. I just wanted to tell you. Knowing is enough; acceptance isn't necessary."
"You sound like a desperate clinger-on."
"What kind of response is that? What can I do now? The feelings are already there; they won't change."
Kiana once again bumped her head against Zeke's chest, softly complaining while pouting, regaining some of her usual lively demeanor.
As she implied, when love reaches its peak, she no longer cared whether she would receive reciprocation. Just being able to stay by Zeke's side was sufficient for her.
"I'll take my time considering it... Regarding the Herrscher of the Void and Sirin, keep up your strong stance, suppressing her. Ideally, harnessing her Authority would be beneficial. Your strength must be formidable enough for me to feel assured."
"Alright, whatever Zeke says goes. I'll ensure she receives proper attention, all to assist you."
Kiana's expression turned somber.
Her inner conflict seemed complex but was actually straightforward to resolve—Zeke merely needed to clarify his stance, and that would suffice.
Regardless of her emotions, Kiana would forever remember: The Herrscher of the Void had caused Zeke's family tragedy, leading to his hardships from a young age. His frail body, vulnerable as if a gust could knock him over during their first encounter, was all due to Sirin.
Based on this alone, Kiana could never forgive Sirin.
Zeke gently patted Kiana's head.
"Don't dwell too much on it. My situation...is quite unique. For me, the day we met marked my arrival in this world; everything before then wasn't part of my experiences."
Explaining the intricacies of being a reincarnator, especially involving the Honkai World's narrative, is challenging. Perhaps someday, when the opportunity arises and the timing feels right, he'll carefully piece together the story for her.
"Oh..." Kiana murmured skeptically. She trusted Zeke completely, yet couldn't help doubting these words were mere comfort—after all, it's all Sirin's fault, so believing that suffices.
Outside, the sunlight grew warmer, casting its glow upon the tightly embraced couple. It enveloped them like a golden aura, creating a scene reminiscent of a meticulously crafted painting, breathtakingly beautiful.
Eventually, Kiana drifted off to sleep, still clinging affectionately to Zeke's embrace.
The familiar office transformed into a pitch-black starlit void. Ahead, golden chains bound Sirin's limbs and torso, suspending her in mid-air.
"Now we can have a proper conversation, but keep your voice low. She hasn't slept this peacefully for a long time; we mustn't wake her."
Zeke gently stroked Kiana's back, lifting his gaze to coldly observe Sirin's expression filled with humiliation and anger.
"Hmph! Just another fake idiot, yet you treat her like a treasure?"
"Whish!"
A white beam pierced Sirin, creating bloody wounds that caused intense pain. However, her cries were muffled by tape materialized by Zeke, preventing any sound from escaping.
As he had mentioned earlier, during their separation, Kiana likely hadn't enjoyed a good night's sleep for quite some time. At this moment, nothing should disturb her rest.
"Sirin, I know your story from Babylon Labs. Frankly, you've committed many sins and deserve death, but it's not entirely your fault; there are aspects worth sympathizing with. Personally, I hold no significant grudge against you... However, Kiana is an irreplaceable treasure. Anyone who dares to insult her will pay dearly, mark my words!"
Sirin's wounds slowly healed as she gritted her teeth, defiantly glaring at Zeke.
"You once encountered the God of Honkai. Can you describe what kind of existence that was?" Zeke asked while removing the tape covering Sirin's mouth.
"Dream on! I won't tell you anything."
"No matter, I didn't expect you to provide a clear description anyway. I just wanted to glimpse your memories."
"You..."
"Stay still," Zeke said coldly. As he faced Sirin, his blue eyes, resembling gemstones, gradually infused with a dazzling golden hue.
After a moment, he lowered his hand, frowning slightly.
The insights gained were minimal. Sirin's knowledge was vague, only confirming the presence of an immense, indescribable being. Its specific characteristics remained elusive.
Recovering from the discomfort of having her memories invaded, Sirin seethed through clenched teeth:
"I will kill you! Not just you—every human deserves to die!"
"What about Cecilia? She genuinely cared for and loved you as her own daughter. Even until her death, she wanted to provide you with a mother's warmth."
"...All lies!" Sirin spat contemptuously, but the momentary hesitation upon hearing that name revealed much.
Zeke sighed.
"Enough is enough; this ultimately concerns only you and Kiana. You harbor resentment, while Kiana cannot let go of those sins. Whether you eventually reach reconciliation or remain perpetually at odds, I won't interfere excessively... However, should Kiana get hurt, it might interest you to know: Fu Hua, who severed your connection with the God of Honkai years ago, has become even stronger now. And she stands as my ally."
"You dare threaten me?"
"I'm merely stating facts. Your fate doesn't concern me, but Kiana must remain unharmed. Consider this a warning; choose your path wisely."
With a wave of Zeke's hand, golden chains dragged Sirin deep into the darkness of consciousness, preventing her from interfering with Kiana's dream realm for some time.
Finally, Zeke gently patted Kiana on the head one last time, smiling, before departing from her consciousness domain.
In the depths of this dim consciousness world, amidst the crisp clinking of chains, Sirin pressed her hand against her chest.
"No way... Impossible!"
Despite being distinct personalities, they shared the same body and soul—markedly different yet deeply intertwined.
Only Sirin could fully grasp how Kiana's emotions affected her.
"Ahhh!" Sirin let out a hysterical scream.
Hatred entwined with the overwhelming happiness from Kiana surged within her chest. Reluctant to succumb, after venting wildly through her cries, she panted heavily, staring into the darkness before her with vacant eyes. Finally, she erupted into a somber laughter.
"Hah... Ha ha ha!"
What a ludicrous world!
If only—if only Zeke had appeared at Babylon Labs back then; if it were not that fake idiot who gave him warmth but herself, how would things be now?
Cecilia... Cecilia... Ich liebe dich...
The name, the enchanted phrase—those memories resurfaced once again.
Sirin agonizingly clutched her head.
Why? Why did you all have to appear only when it was too late?!
What must I do to finally free myself?
"Ha ha ha!!!" Sirin laughed uproariously as tears streamed down her cheeks.