Life at St. Freya Academy seed to have settled into a state of absolute peace. It was as if so strange, gentle magic perated the grounds, compelling all who resided there to forget their worries and troubles.
On the television, the classic scene from "Titanic" was playing. The male lead, his voice raw with emotion, was demanding to know why the female lead had returned to the sinking ship for him. In response, she affectionately caressed his face before uttering that tiless line: "You jump, I jump, right?"
It was a deeply moving mont, but Rovel didn't dare to move a single muscle.
"My dear i..." Rovel began, his voice a careful, placating murmur. He was trying to summon back the gentle, doting Head Chef he knew and loved.
"What is it, my dear Mr. Ruobai?" i purred, snuggling deeper into his arms.
"How about... we put the knife down before we continue watching?" Rovel suggested, gently pressing his index finger against the razor-sharp tip of the kitchen knife she was holding, nudging it a fraction of an inch away from his side. "It would be terrible if you accidentally hurt yourself."
"Don't you worry, Mr. Ruobai. I know exactly what I'm doing," i whispered. She captured his hand, pressing it flat against his torso. Then, with a silent, deliberate motion, she guided her own hand—the one holding the knife—until its point rested firmly against Rovel's kidney.
He could feel the faint, stinging pressure of the blade's tip through his shirt.
"Mornin'..." A hungover Hiko shuffled into the living room, scratching at her ssy crimson hair. She blinked, her eyes struggling to focus on the scene before her. "What kind of ga are you two lovebirds playing so early?"
The strap of Hiko's nightshirt had slipped, revealing the smooth expanse of her left shoulder. The small beauty mark just above her chest only added to her disheveled charm.
i calmly explained what had transpired, her tone suggesting she was seeking a sympathetic ear from her teacher.
To her surprise, Hiko rely strode to the fridge, cracked open a can of beer, and plopped down on the sofa next to Rovel, slinging a casual arm around his shoulders.
"Not bad, kid. You've got so nerve, saying things like that right to i's face," Hiko said, clearly amused. She gave his back a hearty slap that made him wince.
"Major Hiko, how could you..." i was stunned. Was this really the appropriate reaction?
"i, you're thinking about this all wrong." Hiko wagged an index finger back and forth before taking a long gulp of beer, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Haaa... buuurp..."
Rovel and i exchanged a look, both montarily speechless. She had been drinking like that all last night, and now she was starting again the mont she woke up. A true alcoholic.
"This kind of thing is bound to happen," Hiko declared, waving her hand dismissively. "Look, it's simple. If the girl's got the upper hand, the guy's happy to go along for the ride. If the guy's stronger, the girl's pinned against the wall. A teenage boy's mind has a hundred and one dirty thoughts. It's normal for him to have these little fantasies."
She gestured toward Rovel. "Once he sees just how formidable you are, i, he won't have room for any other ideas." Hiko paused, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "On the other hand, if you can't handle him... well, then you don't really have any grounds to complain, do you?"
Hiko's train of thought had suddenly and spectacularly gone off the rails.
"Major Hiko, what are you talking about!" i's face flushed with embarrassnt. She was starting to suspect Hiko hadn't sobered up from last night. No, wait, it was entirely possible she was already drunk again.
"How about I test him out for you first?" Hiko continued, her playful gaze landing on Rovel. She gently caressed his cheek. "I was very satisfied with this kid's performance yesterday. I wouldn't mind a repeat."
"Major Hiko!"
Seeing the genuine anger flare in i's eyes, Hiko finally backed down. "Sorry, sorry! Just kidding."
After all, i was in charge of the als. If she pushed too far, she might find herself eating shredded ginger stir-fried with shredded potatoes, or green peppers stir-fried with chili peppers for dinner. She wouldn't be able to stomach that.
"Besides," Hiko mused, changing the subject, "the male-to-female ratio in our world is so unbalanced that polygamy isn't exactly uncommon. If it wasn't, humanity would have probably died out by now..."
Her eyes suddenly lit up with a new line of inquiry. "Hmm... wait a minute. Can Descenders even have children?" she asked, posing a question that struck at the very heart of the matter.
"This..." Rovel and i looked at each other. How was anyone supposed to know that?
"Aren't your bodies digitized?" Hiko murmured, thinking aloud. "No, that's not right. When I examined your body last ti, I found it wasn't all that different from ours. Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any major issues."
"Why did the topic suddenly get so deep?" Rovel complained. "i and I haven't even reached that step yet."
"Oh, it's only a matter of ti. It's better to plan ahead," Hiko said nonchalantly.
'She's clearly been single her whole life, yet her theoretical knowledge is surprisingly extensive,' Rovel thought. Of course, he didn't dare say that out loud.
"i," he said, turning to her. "How about we go practice kendo? It's been a while."
"Yes," she agreed instantly. "I feel like I'm getting a bit rusty."
The two found their common ground and hurriedly made their escape, leaving Hiko alone on the sofa.
"Honestly, those two kids..." Hiko chuckled, downing the rest of her beer. She set the can down, stretched, and began to limber up.
Suddenly, her expression changed. A secure communication from Theresa was coming through.
"What's wrong, Theresa? It's vacation ti," Hiko asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"A new Herrscher reaction has appeared in Nagazora City," Theresa's voice was grim and direct, cutting straight to the point.
Hiko froze, all traces of her earlier laziness vanishing in an instant.
"According to satellite monitoring, after Raiden i left, the Honkai Energy concentration in the center of Nagazora dropped significantly. However, it seems to have gradually shifted and reconcentrated over Chiba Academy."
"Just now, the Honkai Energy concentration at Chiba Academy reached 1300 HW. The satellite also captured specific images."
Theresa transmitted the satellite photos to Hiko's device. The image was chilling. The grounds of Chiba Academy were covered in a thicket of nacing thorns, and at its very center, a lone, purple-haired girl was kneeling amidst them.
"Understood. I'm heading over now." Hiko was already sprinting towards the Hyperion's launch bay.
"By the way, take Rovel with you," Theresa added. "According to the records I found, this girl seems to know both him and i."
"But i's current situation is unstable. If the Herrscher core inside her is reactivated by a high concentration of Honkai Energy, it would be extrely dangerous. You'll only take Rovel this ti."
"If possible, perhaps..." Theresa's voice trailed off, but Hiko understood her unspoken aning perfectly.
If this new Herrscher was as controllable as i had been, she could be brought back to St. Freya Academy, trained, and turned into an excellent Valkyrie.
"Yeah. I understand."
Hiko reached the Hyperion first, imdiately beginning the pre-flight launch sequence for the battleship.
"Hiko, I'm here!" Rovel arrived shortly after. i was with him, but only to see him off. She was keenly aware of her own situation. Faced with this crisis, she was consud with worry but powerless to help directly.
"Mr. Ruobai, please be careful," i urged, her eyes full of concern.
"I will. Don't worry," Rovel nodded, his expression firm.
As the massive form of the Hyperion ascended into the sky and disappeared over the horizon, Raiden i finally turned to leave, a reluctant sigh escaping her lips.
'Asaka Yuno...'
The image of the purple-haired girl flashed through her mind. She never would have expected it. She never would have expected that girl, of all people, would beco a Herrscher, just like her.
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