"Why did you... kiss me?" Raiden Ei looked at Himeko, a trace of confusion in her eyes as she played the part of a pure, innocent little lamb.
"Uh..." Himeko choked on her words, her gaze flickering as a bashful flush crept across her cheeks.
Could she really say she'd just gotten used to it after joking around with Kiana too much?
She had completely overlooked the fact that Ei didn't know the first thing about the world. After all, Ei was a puppet who had been born barely a day ago...
"It's a way of showing affection," Himeko blurted out, forcing herself to use that excuse to gloss over the moment.
Hearing this, Ei's expression turned solemn. She gave a small, knowing nod. "Is that so? I understand."
Phew...
Himeko couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh of relief, wiping away imaginary sweat from her forehead in her mind.
Smooch.
Ei leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. It was a fleeting touch, landing in the exact same spot where Himeko had just kissed her.
"!"
Himeko froze instantly, her eyes widening in stunned silence as she stared at the girl in front of her.
"I like you, too," Ei said, her gaze steady and serious. She seized the opportunity to express the genuine fondness she felt for this responsible, hardworking, and deeply kind Valkyrie.
Because her feelings were so sincere, her gaze was incredibly piercing, striking Himeko right in the heart.
"!" In a split second, Himeko's face turned beet red. Her brain short-circuited, and it looked as though steam was practically venting from her head.
Hahahahaha—!!!
Watching her reaction, Ei couldn't help but roar with laughter internally. Seeing the usually composed Himeko this flustered was a rare treasure indeed!
At that moment, Himeko's lifelong obsession with finding a good man felt a sudden, slight shift in direction.
However...
Ring! Ring!
Suddenly, the phone on Himeko's nightstand began to vibrate violently, letting out a sharp, piercing alarm.
"Huh?!"
In an instant, Himeko's brain snapped back into gear. Her expression sharpened immediately as she let go of Ei.
"What happened?" Ei asked, frowning slightly. She watched with confusion as Himeko turned around and scrambled across the bed to grab the phone.
The thing was... with Ei sitting right behind her, the blanket had already slipped off Himeko's smooth, pale back.
"..."
Ei burned that image deep into her memory.
"What? Another massive Honkai energy spike in Nagazora? And a suspected Herrscher? How is that possible!" Himeko spoke with urgent disbelief.
Oh? A new Herrscher? Is it Yuna?
Listening to Himeko, Ei immediately thought of the Honkai Impact 3rd manga chapters regarding the aftermath in Nagazora—the Herrscher of Poison who had nearly become the Fourth Herrscher.
"Right, I understand. I'll head to the Overseer's office immediately."
It was only after Himeko hung up the phone that she realized the position she was in. The lingering flush on her cheeks deepened until she was glowing red once more. She turned her head back stiffly.
She was met with Ei's dead-serious face.
"Has an enemy appeared?" Ei's purple eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light as she locked eyes with Himeko. "Please, leave it to me."
"..." Himeko realized that Ei had no concept of modesty. The girl didn't feel a shred of embarrassment about seeing her exposed like this.
Himeko breathed a sigh of relief, though a small part of her found the situation strangely thrilling.
"Alright, come with me to Theresa's office." Considering Ei's capabilities, Himeko decided it was best to bring her along.
Once the two had changed and stepped out of the room, they found Mei in the kitchen, wearing an apron and preparing breakfast. Miso soup bubbled in the pot, and the rich, savory aroma of grilled fish filled the air.
"Himeko, Ei, breakfast is almost ready." Raiden Mei turned slightly, offering them a gentle, warm smile.
"Mei, Ei and I won't be eating at home today."
Himeko hurried toward the door, her expression grave. Ei followed close behind, offering only a brief explanation.
"An enemy has appeared. I am going to eliminate them. Do not worry."
"What?" Mei's expression turned to one of pure bewilderment.
"The Logistics Department detected an abnormal Honkai reaction in Nagazora. It has nothing to do with you girls. Go to class after you eat," Himeko called back as she opened the door and stepped out.
"Wait for my return," Ei said to Mei, making sure to maintain her "mother-daughter" persona before following Himeko out of the dorm.
A few minutes later, they arrived at Theresa's office.
"Oh? Ei came too?" Theresa asked, already seated behind her desk and looking a bit puzzled.
"Ei is very powerful; she might be able to help us," Himeko explained. She then asked urgently, "Theresa, what's the situation in Nagazora?"
"The Logistics Department says the residual Honkai energy in Nagazora is coalescing. It's attempting to manifest a new Herrscher," Theresa said, turning back with a grim look. "The energy is gathering slowly, so the Herrscher might not fully awaken for a while, but it's a threat we can't ignore."
Ei listened quietly, mentally retracing the events of the original plot. Himeko hadn't fully recovered from her last battle with the Third Herrscher, so Theresa was supposed to go alone.
However, Theresa would be caught off guard and severely wounded by the Herrscher of Poison, Yuna, only to be saved by Yae Sakura sacrificing herself.
Hmm...
But now, Ei was here. She had no intention of letting Yae Sakura turn into Theresa's Stigmata like in the original story—even if that ending wasn't necessarily "bad" for Sakura.
"So, do you need me to go clear it out?" Himeko was already prepared for deployment.
Theresa shook her head slightly. "No, you haven't recovered yet. Leave it to me this time. Besides..."
Theresa looked toward Ei.
Ei met her gaze, her face cold and resolute. "And me."
"Ei... with her there, it should be foolproof." Himeko's tense expression softened slightly.
During yesterday's testing at the Research Department, Ei's strength and energy readings had already hit the standards of an S-Rank Valkyrie.
Of course, if S-Rank wasn't the hard ceiling—if there weren't "Durandal-level" benchmarks—Ei's rating would have been even higher.
--+--