Night had deepened. A few windows in the top-floor studio of Arc City Tower still glowed with a faint, cold blue light.
And in a private group chat with only a handful of members, the message alert was pinging at a frantic pace.
[Miss Pink Elf ♪] started a new topic.
The member list showed Nuwa, Eden, Bronie, and the people from Tai Xu Sect: Lin Zhaoyu, Cheng Lingshuang, Su Mei, and Fu Hua.
[Miss Pink Elf ♪]: Has anyone else noticed that things between Kiana and Su Yu have been a little... weird these past few days?
The moment the topic went up, the chat room fell briefly silent.
Girls' intuition is startlingly sharp, especially in a workplace where everyone runs into everyone else all day long.
[Genius Hacker]: Weird? You mean the kind of weird where that white-haired idiot peeks into the break room first and only goes in once she's sure Su Yu isn't there?
[Musician]: I haven't noticed anything in particular. Su Yu seems the same as ever these past few days, though he does sometimes stare off into space over the reports.
[Taixuan · Eldest Senior Sister]: The Director has been rather busy lately, that's true. As for Little Grandmaster Kiana... her movements have been a bit stiff during mocap these past few days.
[Miss Pink Elf ♪]: Right? Right?! Elysia's radar is never wrong! Kiana is definitely avoiding him! So, has Su Yu done anything strange lately to make her angry?
One by one, everyone typed out some version of "no idea."
[Taixuan · Fifth Sister (On Long-Term Leave)]: Eldest Senior Brother did come by to give us some pointers on mocap issues.
[Taixu · Acting Sect Leader]: That's true.
Fu Hua's reply came very quickly.
In truth, behind that short line, Su Yu had passed on the complete Tai Xu Sword Qi to them without holding anything back.
It had not only made Tai Xu Sect's martial arts whole again, but also fulfilled a long-cherished wish of Fu Hua's father.
Lately, Fu Hua had been immersed in studying Tai Xu Sword Qi. As her understanding of the sword's intent deepened, the Bond linking her to Su Yu was quietly strengthened as well.
And the far more ancient consciousness dwelling within Yu Ducheng had gained a steadier, more resilient form as a result.
Now, even if she manifested in the outside world for long stretches, she would no longer suffer the exhaustion that used to follow.
At that very moment, deep within Yu Ducheng.
Fenghuang stood with her arms crossed, watching the spiritual currents before her settle into calm.
"By now, Su Yu probably doesn't need me to keep borrowing his body to hold the fort anymore."
There was a note of self-mocking lightness in Fenghuang's voice.
"What did you call that state again? Heaven-Tier Combat Skill: Ghost Possession?"
Su Yu's consciousness answered unhurriedly from the other end: "Maybe Squad Monitor could take over my body while I sleep and finish tomorrow's paperwork for me."
Fenghuang's eye twitched. All she offered was a wry smile.
"Nice scheme. You want me to give up even my sleep to work for you, don't you?"
The discussion in the group chat was still going.
[Miss Pink Elf ♪]: Anyway, that's the situation! If Kiana can't go back to her old carefree self, the one who shouts for feasts every day, the air in our studio is going to freeze solid! That's a Destruction-level blow to everyone's creative spirit!
[Miss Pink Elf ♪]: So! The clever Miss Pink Elf has already put a brilliant countermeasure into action!
[Miss Pink Elf ♪]: Isn't Skyward Elementary about to hold its sports day? I'm sending Su Yu and Kiana together to play little Griseo's dad and mom and join in with her! A group event full of family atmosphere is the ultimate trick for breaking the awkwardness and bringing two people closer!
[Genius Hacker]: ...Are you sure this isn't just stirring the pot? Still, it sounds like fun. I can't go to the scene in person, but I can reroute a drone feed and set up an encrypted live stream for you.
A row of thumbs-up and eager emojis flashed rapidly across the chat room.
And so this midnight secret meeting came to a close in an atmosphere of instant agreement.
*
The next morning, daylight filtered through a layer of pale gray clouds and cast hard, cold patches of light across the glass curtain walls of Starfire Furnace.
Su Yu was standing at the washbasin in his dorm when the translucent task panel popped up on his retina without warning.
[High-tier Bond task detected: One Day as Husband and Wife, a Hundred Days of Devotion.]
The bold text scrolled rapidly across the translucent screen, and the smug tone hadn't changed in the slightest.
[Congratulations, Host. Without ever setting foot in the hall of marriage, you have successfully acquired a daughter just past ten years old. Does this painless fatherhood experience fill you with joy and surprise? A friendly reminder: under this world's current legal standards for marriage and childbearing age, your present conduct carries a high risk of electric-shock punishment.]
[Task requirement: Help Griseo and Kiana win the glory of being the focus of the entire field at today's sports day.]
[Task reward: Upon completion, the level of the [Star] Bond associated with Griseo will be greatly increased.]
[Additional note: Since the Bond level between [Fool] Kiana and the Host has been locked since the moment of binding, her share of the reward will be automatically converted into efficient charging of the [Spatial Warp Device], and will be made up in full as double emotion points at final settlement.]
Su Yu's gaze stopped on the last few lines.
[A small word of advice from the System: Have you noticed lately that the "cat overlord" you adopted shows certain indescribable fluctuations in her emotional state? To avoid being forced to experience a basement scenario one day, we strongly recommend making all necessary physical and psychological preparations as soon as possible.]
Su Yu raised a hand and pressed his temple, somewhat helplessly.
He dismissed the screen, grabbed a towel to dry his hands, and pushed open the door.
The corridors of the Starfire Furnace training facility were unusually quiet.
Su Yu stopped in front of Kiana's dorm door. He raised his knuckles and rapped on the panel three times.
The crisp knocks echoed down the empty hallway, but there was no answer from inside.
He knocked twice more, harder. Still dead silence.
Su Yu took the spare key out of his pocket, slid it into the lock, and turned it half a turn to the right.
The blackout curtains in the room were drawn tight, letting in only a thin thread of morning light at the edges.
The heater was running, and warm air hung in the room, carrying the faint scent of girl's body wash.
Su Yu's gaze crossed the entryway and landed on the single bed that took up a good part of the room.
Kiana lay sprawled across it, sleeping like the dead.
[Passage omitted: sexualized content involving a minor character.]
Su Yu stood in the doorway for a few seconds.
The electronic clock on the wall flipped a digit. It was getting late.
He looked away and walked to the bedside.
Looking at that face, sound asleep and oblivious to everything, he reached out and patted Kiana's shoulder twice.
"Wake up, Kiana."
Kiana's eyelashes fluttered.
She opened her eyes to a bleary slit, her unfocused gaze drifting around before it finally settled on Su Yu's face, bent slightly over her.
Time seemed to hit pause for that one second.
The next instant, Kiana's eyes flew wide open, her pupils shrinking sharply in sheer panic.
"Y-y-you—I-I-I—"
She shot up off the mattress like a spring, and her back slammed into the padded headboard with a thump.
Her hands flailed in the air, then clutched at the hem of her oversized T-shirt and tugged it down hard.
"Did I sleepwalk again?!" Her eyes darted wildly around the room. "Is this your room?!"
Only when she spotted the bookshelf in the corner, which she herself had haphazardly crammed with manga, did she let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging.
But right after that, a tide of embarrassment surged up and swallowed her whole.
She laced her fingers tightly together in front of her and didn't dare lift her eyes to Su Yu's.
The absurd, feverish dream from last night was replaying in her head like a high-definition remaster. With the very person from it standing right beside her bed, her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and she wanted to hoist the whole bed onto her back and flee into the night—no, run away for days on end!!
"Go wash up," Su Yu said, not calling attention to her odd behavior. "After breakfast, I'll wait for you at the parking lot."
He turned and walked toward the door.
"Mm..." Kiana answered faintly.
The door closed before her eyes.
Kiana collapsed onto the bed.
[Passage omitted: sexualized content involving a minor character.]
*
Thirty minutes later.
The cold morning wind was shut out behind the SUV's heavy doors. The cabin was warm, filled with the faint scent of black coffee and of Su Yu.
The moment she got in, Kiana didn't sprawl against the seat the way she usually did.
She looked unusually cramped. Her back was ramrod straight, her hands folded awkwardly over her knees.
Her eyes were fixed on the windshield straight ahead, as if she could pull her attention away from the man next to her, who was starting the engine.
She didn't dare breathe too hard, afraid of giving away how fast her heart was racing.
"Why are you sitting like a recruit about to be drilled?" Su Yu held the wheel with one hand and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Is your seat belt stuck?"
"Ah... I, I'll do it right now."
Kiana reached in a panic for the seat belt, but her fingers were trembling, and she failed twice to pull it out smoothly.
Su Yu unclipped his own belt, and his tall frame leaned naturally toward the passenger seat.
Kiana's body froze on instinct.
The distance between them closed in an instant, and the warmth of him was right there.
Kiana bit down hard on her lower lip. She squeezed her eyes shut in a fluster, her lashes quivering uncontrollably.
Why is he getting so close all of a sudden?!
"Click."
The crisp snap of the seat belt buckling sounded by her ear.
Su Yu sat back in the driver's seat and looked at Kiana, eyes still screwed shut, puzzled. "Why are you holding your breath with your eyes closed? Carsick? We haven't even left the base parking lot."
"N-no! Who's nervous! I'm thinking about tactics for the sports day!"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Kiana raised her voice to cover her guilt, then immediately turned away and presented the back of her head to Su Yu.
While she kicked herself for being so embarrassing, she was also a little relieved that Su Yu was a clueless block of wood.
The car glided onto the main road, but Kiana's torment had only just begun.
Morning rush hour in Arc City was a mess.
Su Yu glanced at the navigation screen, a slight frown forming.
"The main road's blocked up ahead. There's a side street nearby."
[Passage omitted: sexualized content involving a minor character.]
"Are you hot? Your forehead's covered in sweat."
"I... yes! I'm hot! The heater's too strong in here!"
Kiana grabbed at the excuse like a lifeline and quickly pressed the window button.
"Whoooosh!"
The biting December wind of Nagazora poured into the cabin.
The cold wind against her burning cheeks finally cooled her overloaded CPU a little.
Facing into the wind, she cursed her own stupidity ten thousand times. Kiana Kaslana, what is wrong with you?!
Su Yu was just driving, plain and simple!
In the last five minutes before the car reached the gates of Skyward Elementary, the window slid back up and the cabin settled into quiet again.
To give her wildly pounding heart a way to save face, Kiana took a deep breath and spoke in a muffled voice:
"Um... when we get to the school, don't say anything weird."
"Elysia was talking complete nonsense up on that rooftop! Today we're only going to the sports day as Griseo's 'big brother and big sister' and 'family representatives.' We are NOT going to play... to play her mom and dad or whatever. Don't embarrass the Golden Courtyard."
"Of course I know."
Su Yu kept his eyes on the road, a note of resignation in his voice.
"Young lady, you know that if I told the teachers I was Griseo's biological father, security would pin me to the ground on the spot and call the Arc City police."
He paused.
"Then you'd have to figure out how to bail me out of jail."
Hearing that perfectly sensible answer, the stone hanging over Kiana's heart finally dropped.
But for some reason, along with her relief came a trace of bitterness she didn't even want to admit to herself.
Right. Just ordinary family representatives.
What was I expecting?
Someone like me, with no femininity at all, who'll have to fight Honkai later... I don't deserve fantasies like that in the first place.
Out of the corner of his eye, Su Yu glanced at the white-haired girl in the passenger seat, who seemed to be breathing with care, and tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel.
"Kiana, aren't you a little too tense?"
"I... who's tense?!" Kiana thrust out her chest in rebuttal. "I'm just thinking about tactics for the sports day!"
"Really? With how you look, like you're facing a deadly enemy, I thought what lay ahead wasn't Skyward Elementary but the nest of a Judgment-class Honkai Beast."
Su Yu chuckled, his tone turning gentle and wistful.
"Honestly, there's no need to be so wound up. Just treat it like a normal day out."
"Remember? Not long after you came to this world, we went to HOMU Paradise with Griseo and played the whole day, didn't we?"
At the words "HOMU Paradise," Kiana was briefly stunned.
"That giant HOMEI you hug every night when you sleep was a gift from Griseo. She won it for you at the quiz contest with her photographic memory."
With the old memory brought up, the warm recollection of that day came flooding into Kiana's heart like a gentle current: eating ice cream, watching fireworks, no doom or duty weighing on anyone.
Her body, which had been wound tight by that ridiculous dream and by the weight of the word "guardian," loosened a little without her noticing.
Kiana tucked her chin deeper into the collar of her hoodie and mumbled in a small voice:
"But... can I really play Griseo's guardian properly? I feel like I can't even take care of myself..."
Su Yu turned to look at the girl in the passenger seat, who carried the fate of saving the world yet remained so childlike in daily life.
He raised an eyebrow and stroked his chin with exaggerated seriousness. "What's there to worry about? There are different types of parents, you know."
"If Kiana really became a mom someday, she'd definitely be the type who..."
Su Yu deliberately drew out the words, painting a picture.
"Fights her kid for the last bag of chips and hogs the computer and the game controller every night."
"Probably every morning when the kid heads off to school with a backpack, you'd still be yelling from behind, 'Hey! After school, remember to bring me a full-sugar bubble tea and two grilled starch sausages!'"
Hearing a scene so vivid, one that fit her usual behavior perfectly, Kiana's fair cheeks flushed red in an instant.
"I—! How could I ever become such an irresponsible parent?!"
Kiana was mortified.
"You're the one who'd be the weird parent! A schemer like you would definitely teach your kid at home how to do a villain's 'mwahaha' laugh, then send him off to school to put on airs and corrupt the other kids! Yes! Definitely!"
Watching Kiana wave her little fists in protest, Su Yu finally couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing with a snort.
Kiana's pretty mismatched eyes went wide as she stared blankly at the man beside her, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
"What... what are you laughing at?!"
"Nothing."
Su Yu finally got his laughter under control and turned back.
"I just think you look better like this."
Kiana was struck dumb by the sudden, straightforward compliment, but she still refused to back down and grumbled under her breath.
"You like watching girls get mad at you? Su Yu, do you have some kind of weird fetish?!"
"Hahaha..."
Su Yu burst into laughter. He reached out his right hand, set it on Kiana's head, and gently ruffled the tuft of hair sticking up.
Kiana didn't dodge. Her eyes simply felt strangely hot.
"These past few days you've been avoiding me, brooding by yourself."
Su Yu put away his joking tone.
"I think Elysia noticed something was off with you, too. That's why she forced a task like this on us. She wanted to make you happy."
Kiana's heart skipped a beat.
He saw it? He even saw through what Elysia was trying to do?
"But today, you don't have to think about anything."
Su Yu flicked her forehead lightly.
"Forget your worries about Honkai for now and focus on the sports day itself, all right?"
"I remember you always wanted a chance to repay Griseo for the HOMEI. So use your Kaslana super Strength and bring home first place in every event for Griseo. What do you say?"
Kiana was stunned for a moment.
Right. Why was she thinking so much?
Even if parting was destined, at least right now, at this very moment, Su Yu needed her.
"Hmph! You don't have to tell me, I'll take first place anyway!"
Kiana took a deep breath and lifted her chin high, and the glow of a Kaslana blazed to life again in her mismatched eyes.
"Then I'm counting on you, Number One Mom."
Smiling, Su Yu held up his right fist to the girl in the passenger seat.
Kiana looked at the fist hanging in midair, and the corners of her mouth finally curled upward without restraint.
Without a moment's hesitation, she swung out her own little fist to meet it.
Their fists bumped lightly together inside the cabin.
"Leave it to me! Number One... cough Number One Dad."
Five minutes later, the SUV slowly rolled into the parents' parking area at Skyward Elementary.
The campus was already bustling with noise.
Brightly colored pennants fluttered in the winter sunshine, and a stirring "Athletes' March" played across the field.
Elementary schoolchildren in all sorts of colorful sportswear darted across the grounds like flocks of chirping sparrows, excitedly tugging their parents along by the hand.
Over the loudspeakers came the steady "testing, testing" of teachers checking the microphones, and the whole school brimmed with a festive mood.
Sitting in the car, Kiana quickly turned her gaze out the window.
Thump, thump.
Her heart was hammering wildly in her chest, so fast it nearly leapt out of her throat.
To hide the heat in her cheeks that simply wouldn't go down, Kiana desperately tried to hypnotize herself with explanations that weren't remotely convincing:
That's right! My heart is beating this fast purely because I'm about to show off the Kaslana's power in front of everyone and win first place! That's why I'm so excited!
It's... it's not because Su Yu said I looked good just now!
And it's definitely not because of that deadly line, [Number One Dad and Mom]!
Absolutely not!!
Yet no matter how many thousands of times she denied it in her head, the instant the car doors unlocked,
Kiana faced the lively clamor outside the window and the warm winter sun, and the corners of the white-haired girl's mouth rose, beyond her control, into a sweet curve.
____
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