Lounge.
Although she could sleep anywhere without caring about the bed, returning to a familiar place always gave her a stronger sense of security.
Kiana pasted so of the photos she had brought back onto the photo wall and looked at the results of her trip with satisfaction.
Although she hadn't found the person she most wanted to see on her trip to Izumo, she had recalled many mories and t quite a few people along the way.
"Is that Acheron?"
Ruan i stood beside her, noticing that so of the photos she was putting up were clearly not taken recently.
Kiana turned her head to look at the one Ruan i was pointing at. It was a photo she had taken out from her storage space—one taken long ago in Izumo.
A faint trace of longing appeared in her eyes. She gently stroked the photo and said softly, "Yes, it was taken in Izumo a long ti ago."
Ruan i nodded slightly and didn't ask further.
"Ruan..."
Kiana seed to recall sothing. She withdrew her hand, wanting to talk to Ruan i.
But Ruan i placed her index finger on Kiana's lips. "I know you have many things you want to tell , but there's no need to rush."
"Go get so sleep, dear."
Looking into Ruan i's beautiful eyes, Kiana, though not particularly tired at first, soon felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her.
Sleepiness touched her lashes and brow. She helplessly swallowed back what she had wanted to say, muttering softly, "Alright, alright, I'll rest now. I'll tell you everything after I wake up."
Ruan i sat beside her, watching as Kiana succumbed to sleep the mont she touched the bed.
But Ruan i herself had no intention of sleeping.
She picked up Kiana's hand again, examining the marks left by the Honkai energy's corrosion.
The marks were fading. Even without intervention, they would likely disappear in a few days.
"Why would sothing like this happen? Could it be..."
A certain possibility crossed her mind.
She gently placed Kiana's hand back down and gazed at her face. Kiana didn't seem to be sleeping soundly.
Ruan i touched her forehead lightly, and Kiana fell into a deep, childlike sleep.
Things seed to be slipping out of her control.
Ruan i thought idly.
Her indulgence toward Kiana stemd from curiosity and a need—but both the reason and the cause were matters of the past.
Now, the result was this.
She had grown accustod to Kiana's presence beside her—to a life that included her. She found herself moved by Kiana's every word and gesture, stirred by unnecessary emotions.
Even though she had ways to resolve such feelings.
But...
Ruan i thought back to the other planets she had visited with Kiana, to their shared experiences—mories that were, to her, pleasant ones.
She had assud things would always remain this way.
Kiana seed to have a special kind of charm that made others trust and accept her more easily.
If Kiana were to leave...
Ruan i lowered her gaze in thought.
Then she would have to finish all her research—all the verifications she desired—before that happened.
Ti passed quietly.
Kiana slept for more than ten hours straight.
When she finally woke, she felt refreshed and clear-headed—far better than before.
"Ruan?"
Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and called for Ruan i, but the scientist wasn't in the room.
"Did she go to the lab?"
Stretching lazily, Kiana leaned against the bed and pulled out her phone.
She checked if there were any ssages from the company.
Although she didn't expect the IPC to have found any leads so soon, she still hoped for a miracle.
Even if the chances were next to none.
Opening the Interastral Peace Corporation's internal network, Kiana noticed a ssage that had been sent to her days ago.
"Seriously? There's news?!"
Kiana stared at the notification from the IPC, rubbing her eyes in disbelief before pinching herself.
Was she dreaming?
A sharp pain made her hiss softly—it was real.
She wasn't dreaming.
It was true.
The IPC really had sent her news!
"Calm down, calm down, Kiana—you don't even know if it's real or a scam yet. Let's verify first."
Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her excitent.
Kiana quickly read through the IPC's ssage again and again, afraid of missing or misunderstanding any detail.
"Soone claims to know i's whereabouts... but they want to add as a friend and only tell in person?"
After going over it several tis, Kiana finally sumd up the aning—and felt both restless and uneasy.
"The location is... the Herta Space Station?"
Why was this connected to the Herta Space Station? She didn't recall anyone related to Acheron being there in the story.
Kiana's face twisted in confusion.
Could the person claiming to know i's whereabouts be a scamr?
But would a scamr really be this bold?
Herta Space Station?
Could it be so staff mber loafing around the station, desperate about their future and trying to make a big score before quitting?
She kept scrolling through the unread ssages until she found that the IPC had also attached a docunt.
Kiana downloaded the file that had been sent days ago and opened it. Inside were several photos—and two pieces of information that instantly made her eyes light up.
"Izumo" and "Edict Edge."
"They really found it?!"
Uncontrollable joy surged through her chest. Kiana imdiately ssaged the assigned custor service representative, asking to add that contact directly so she could talk in person.
After sending the ssage, she looked back at the attached photos. They weren't formal photos, but screenshots—clearly taken from surveillance footage.
Judging by the images, there was no mistake. That was i after the Honkai Eruption in Izumo.
Credibility 50%.
The IPC representative quickly forwarded her a contact link.
Kiana hurriedly clicked on it, and the page redirected to another interface.
When she saw the person's profile picture, her pupils contracted sharply—her eyes widening in disbelief.
"S–Sirin?!"
Even though her aura and appearance had changed since their days in Izumo, Kiana recognized her instantly.
There was no mistake.
It was Sirin.
Absolutely Sirin!
Kiana's eyes filled with joy. "If it's Sirin, then it makes perfect sense she'd know i's whereabouts!"
After all, they had left together.
They must have stayed in contact.
Maybe... they were even together right now!
Overco with excitent, Kiana didn't stop to think—if i and Sirin were truly together, and i knew she was alive, why was Sirin the one contacting her and not i?
She sent the friend request.
Heart pounding, Kiana waited, but no response ca. Growing impatient, she began pacing back and forth around the room.
"Did she not see the ssage?"
Before this, when she hadn't known anything, she could endure the uncertainty. But now that she had Sirin's contact in her grasp, every passing second felt unbearable.
If she could just reach Sirin, she could finally learn what had happened—what Sirin and i had gone through after that day.
She waited, unable to tell how much ti had passed.
Still no response.
Kiana didn't know when Sirin would see her friend request.
Eventually, she got out of bed, tidied herself up, and went out to look for Ruan i—wherever she might be now.
The Stigmata were important, but so was Sirin's ssage. This was the closest she had co to finding i in a long ti.
The Stigmata wouldn't run away—but people would!
When she didn't see Ruan i in the lounge, Kiana headed toward the laboratory. Taking the elevator down, she soon spotted Ruan i sitting in the outer room of the lab.
Full of excitent, Kiana started forward—but suddenly froze at the doorway, staring in surprise at the other figure inside.
A projection.
And not a stranger's projection, either.
"Ruan... you're talking to soone? Uh, I'll leave you to it. I'll co back later."
Awkwardly, Kiana turned to go, not wanting to intrude on what was clearly a discussion between two geniuses.
If she listened in, she'd probably just sound like an idiot who couldn't follow the conversation.
The projection inside wasn't just anyone.
It was Herta—the true master of the Herta Space Station and, like Ruan i, a mber of the Genius Society.
Herta noticed the uninvited guest and called out, "Wait, don't go yet!"
Ruan i wasn't supposed to be in seclusion?
Then why was soone else here—and such a noisy one at that?
At first glance, it even looked like they were on rather good terms.
Well, whatever their relationship was, it didn't matter much. Herta used the opportunity to address the girl who had suddenly appeared.
Whoever she was, if she could be here—and speak to Ruan i so casually—she was at least soone of note in Ruan i's eyes.
As for why Herta called it an illusion of familiarity?
Simple.
She could tell what kind of person Ruan i was with just one glance. People often said she lacked empathy, but compared to her, Ruan i was no better—and perhaps even worse.
Ruan i glanced at Herta's projection, then said softly to the hesitant Kiana, "Since Miss Herta has extended an invitation, Kiana, co sit with us."
Since Ruan i had spoken, Kiana couldn't very well refuse.
But what was Herta contacting Ruan i for?
Could it be about the Simulated Universe?
Right—back in the ga's story, Ruan i had been one of Herta's collaborators. You could even encounter Ruan i's events within the Simulated Universe itself.
Kiana rembered how, in her previous life, she had spent countless hours grinding in the Golden Calyx just to get Ruan i's buffs.
"Kiana? You're Kiana?"
When Herta heard Ruan i address her by na, her curiosity, which had been mild at first, instantly deepened.
Her eyes lit up with intrigue as she looked Kiana over.
"You know ?"
Now Kiana was truly surprised.
She knew Herta because of the ga's story and her unforgettable eccentric personality—but Herta? How could she possibly know her?
Unless... the Herta Space Station, Herta herself—could it be... "You know Sirin?"
Ruan i, originally the center of this conversation, was montarily sidelined. She lifted her gaze, looking between the two—one real, one projection.
Sirin... who was that?
And how did Herta know Kiana?
"Hah, interesting. Well, well—so that deal with her was completed that easily. Not even a hint of accomplishnt left for ."
Though she said that, Herta was clearly studying Kiana, trying to discern what made her so special.
Originally, she hadn't cared much.
But the person Sirin was looking for... was now standing beside Ruan i.
That, at least, explained a few of her doubts.
The Honkai Ruan i was researching had to be the sa one from Euphorion. And this girl by her side? Proof enough.
"Sirin's still on the Herta Space Station?"
"I'm not your ssenger," Herta replied curtly. "Add later—I'll send you her contact info."
Because of Sirin—and because of Ruan i—Herta had developed a mild interest in Kiana. She didn't mind giving her a friend slot.
She had even changed her mind mid-conversation.
Sirin had ntioned that the existence of those anomalies was all because of the girl nad Kiana.
anwhile, Ruan i hadn't tried to chat further, her deanor exactly the sa as before—utterly unshaken, no matter what was said.
Herta's intent to probe Ruan i's stance vanished completely once she realized this girl, Kiana, was connected to the Honkai.
"Ruan i, have you given any more thought to what I said? Or do I really have to co in person again before you'll agree to co out of seclusion?"
What was she talking about? The Simulated Universe project?
Herta was coming here herself?
"I've already given you my answer before," Ruan i replied calmly. "I don't have ti to join your project. Find soone else."
It was the third rejection.
Ruan i showed no sign of impatience, but she did wonder just how many tis Herta intended to pester her before giving up.
If she didn't still harbor so mild curiosity about visiting Herta's Simulated Universe soday, she might have blocked her already.
Because, frankly, it was getting annoying.
Eavesdropping quietly, Kiana glanced at Ruan i in surprise. Had she heard that right?
Ruan i had refused Herta's invitation?
If her guess was right, they were definitely talking about the Simulated Universe right now.
So Ruan i wasn't joining?
If Ruan i didn't take part, then... wouldn't that an there'd be no Ruan i events in the Simulated Universe?
"The Honkai you've been studying—I've already looked into it. A very interesting little thing," Herta said. "But are you really going to give up such a rare opportunity for the sake of those 'little things'? Pass this up, and you may never get another chance like it. Let remind you—this is a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity to study the Aeons themselves."
That Herta had managed to locate traces of the Honkai didn't surprise Ruan i. She had dropped a few hints before. With Herta's abilities, finding them wasn't difficult.
But...
Little things?
Herta continued, "You're interested in anomalies—I can help you. Just agree to join my project."
"Anomalies?"
What did that have to do with anomalies?
Ruan i looked at Herta, puzzled. Now she was certain that what Herta was referring to and what she herself was studying were not the sa thing.
Honkai and anomalies?
Could Herta be talking about those pieces of equipnt?
Kiana's expression turned odd. Just monts ago, she had been wondering how Sirin managed to get involved with Herta.
Now she had her answer.
Through the anomalies.
The equipnt she had given Sirin really did resemble anomalies—each piece carried unique abilities.
Not particularly strong, but distinct.
"Aren't they anomalies?" Herta asked, realizing sothing was off. But after a brief pause, she said, "Never mind. There's no point continuing this over comms. Let's discuss it face-to-face."
If the conversation couldn't achieve results remotely, she would use her last resort—personally traveling to Ruan i's secluded planet to invite her once more.
If that failed again...
Then she would give up on trying to recruit Ruan i entirely.
She truly wanted Ruan i on her team, enough to make the trip herself and talk it through properly.
But if even that failed—if, after eting in person, she still couldn't persuade her—then she wouldn't waste another second of her ti.
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