Chapter 359: Sigurd the Weakling
Dinner carried with it an oddly heavy atmosphere.
Normally, Seele's smile was soft and healing, sweet enough to warm a room. But tonight, her face was clouded with obvious gloom.
Wendy too sat in silence, chewing her food absentmindedly, her eyes unfocused as though her mind was elsewhere.
The strange tension spread across the table, and even Kiana—who already knew the reason behind it—lost her usual mischief. She nudged Sigurd in the waist with her elbow, throwing him a sharp glare filled with frustration and blame.
Do something, Sig!
Her puffed-up cheeks and furrowed brows only made her look more like a sulking, adorable hamster as she munched away.
Sigurd finally set down his chopsticks. He raised a hand.
Smack!
"Uuuugh!!"
Kiana clutched her forehead, hissing through her teeth. Unable to hold back her irritation, she balled up her tiny fists and began hammering them against Sigurd's side.
"Haah…"
Sigurd bore the blows without flinching, as if they were nothing more than the tapping of raindrops. His fingers twitched, and one by one, gift boxes of different sizes and colors materialized at the sides of the girls—everyone except Seele and Wendy.
"Presents. Open them later," Sigurd said calmly, before standing. With one hand he grabbed Seele by the collar, and with the other, Wendy, lifting both as easily as if they were kittens. He walked straight toward the door.
"Eh—Si–Sigurd-oniichan?"
"Wah!? What are you doing!?"
He ignored their protests, carrying them both out of the dining hall until the door closed behind him.
"…He just… left?"
Kiana tilted her head, rubbing her sore forehead, her face full of question marks.
At that moment, the Vodka Twins peeked out from behind her, each hugging a gift box.
"Kiana, what's going on with Seele and Wendy? They were acting super weird tonight. I didn't even dare ask Sigurd to sign our performance application."
Rozaliya's bright, sparkling eyes stared straight at Kiana, while beside her, Liliya silently nodded, also watching Kiana.
Kiana frowned. "Performance application?"
Suspicious, she snatched a document out of Liliya's arms.
The very next second, Rozaliya's face turned pale, and Liliya averted her gaze stiffly.
Flipping through the pages, Kiana saw that the top sheet was indeed a performance application form. But beneath it was a sheet of carbon copy paper… and beneath that—just as she expected—were marriage certificate forms.
"You… two…!! Knock it off already!"
'Little brats! Sig already has me! If you want a rich husband, go hunt one outside, dammit!'
With a snap of her fingers, Kiana tossed the documents into a swirling black hole, shredding them into nothingness. Then she clamped a hand down on each of the sisters' heads, her fingers digging in.
"Hurts, hurts, hurts!" Rozaliya yelped.
"Ow!" Liliya squeaked.
Both twins teared up instantly, giving her pitiful, puppy-dog expressions.
Kiana snorted, shoved them away, and said, "Go back and eat your dinner!"
Rozaliya stomped her foot, fists raised in protest. "Stupid Kiana! I'll remember this!"
Still clutching her head, Liliya muttered woodenly, "Vodka Sisters… never give up."
Kiana's eyebrow twitched.
She decided these two reckless little pests needed a lesson.
"You're asking for it! And another thing—you call me Big Sister Kiana!!"
With that declaration, Kiana lunged at them, fists of justice raised high.
But the twins were ready. Exchanging a glance, they moved in perfect sync, catching Kiana's arms from both sides and locking them in place.
"What—!?"
"Hmph, hmph, hmph! Behold the Vodka Sisters' ultimate combo technique! Let's go, Liliya!"
"Together, Sister Rozaliya!"
"Secret Art—Vodka Twin Tickling!" ×2
"Wait—no, stop—ahaha! Hahaha—quit it! Ahahaha!"
The three of them rolled around on the floor in a tangled mess. Our noble, aloof, and almighty Herrscher of the Void—yes, the terrifying empress herself—was reduced to a helpless, wriggling caterpillar, completely overwhelmed by the relentless tickling of the Vodka Sisters.
"Haah—" ×2
Bronya and Raiden Mei exchanged a glance, sighed in unison, and each gently placed food into the quiet Sin Mal's bowl. They smiled softly with relief, then lowered their heads and went back to eating, showing no intention of intervening in the chaos.
…
The scene shifted to the long-forgotten high-altitude observation deck.
Tonight, a sea of drifting clouds flowed gently beneath the platform, while above stretched a crystal-clear starry sky with a luminous full moon hanging brilliantly overhead. The view was breathtaking. Thanks to the cutting-edge climate regulation system, the air was perfectly pleasant, wrapping everything in comfortable stillness.
"If you don't feel like eating, at least drink some warm milk. You're Herrschers—you won't starve to death."
Sigurd set two steaming cups of milk on the table, pushing one toward Seele and the other toward Wendy. For himself, he only poured hot water and took a slow sip.
The two girls glanced at each other, hesitant. But eventually, both lifted their cups and followed his suggestion, drinking quietly.
Even though food was no longer essential to sustain their lives, the warmth and fullness spreading through their stomachs brought a faint comfort. The gloom clouding their faces lightened, if only a little.
Satisfied, Sigurd nodded.
"Good. Now it's just us here. Is there anything you want to say to me?"
Both girls' lips parted, but the words stalled. After a long silence, Seele finally smiled sweetly and said:
"Welcome home, Sigurd-oniichan."
Wendy glanced at her, hesitated again, then murmured under her breath:
"…Mm. Anyway—welcome back."
Sigurd nodded once more, accepting their words of welcome. He reached out and affectionately patted each of their heads before standing.
He stopped before Seele, leaned down, and reached toward her snow-white neck.
"This is the Moonlit Eye Stone, a national treasure of an ancient kingdom. By day it looks like a deep black gem, but under moonlight it turns a vivid crimson. Legends say it was once the eye of a wise ancient king… In short, it can harmonize with Honkai energy. For Herrschers, its effect is faint, but still better than nothing."
As he explained, he clasped a silver necklace in place around Seele's neck, the crimson gemstone glimmering under the moonlight.
The fine silver chain contrasted elegantly against her pale, delicate skin, while the gemstone—like flowing, liquid scarlet—added a touch of striking beauty to her snowy purity. Together, it was a perfect match.
"See? I knew it would suit you."
Ruffling her hair gently, Sigurd's eyes softened with admiration, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Seele's hand rose to touch the crimson gem resting against her chest. Her face flushed pink as she lowered her gaze, her voice timid.
"Thank you… for the gift, Sigurd-oniichan. Seele… Seele will treasure it."
Sigurd nodded, then turned his attention to Wendy. He gently picked up a strand of her smooth hair, its deep black streaked with green.
Wendy puffed out her cheeks. She didn't resist, but her eyes darted sideways, sulking.
"What are you doing? Don't tell me you're cutting my hair again?"
"No. The technology's improved—I don't need to pluck your hair anymore." Sigurd's tone was calm, matter-of-fact. "This is called the Noble's Blossom, an heirloom of an ancient aristocratic house. It looks like blue flower petals, and when worn in the hair, it increases attack power and range. Same as Seele's—it's not all that effective for someone on a Herrscher's level, but it's better than nothing. You can just wear it as an ornament. Suits you better than being used for spare parts."
He fastened the delicate blue ornament into Wendy's hair. Taking a step back, he studied her quietly, then allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
Wendy raised a hand to touch it. The sullen look she had worn all evening melted away, and her pale cheeks bloomed with color.
"…I… I will just think of it as compensation for all the hair you took before. But I'm not going to thank you!"
Sigurd ruffled her head lightly without replying, then returned to his seat.
The two girls—once quiet and gloomy—were now filled with shy delight, their earlier melancholy nowhere to be seen.
Interlacing his fingers, Sigurd leaned forward and spoke solemnly.
"Now… let's talk about something serious. As you both know, I'm a man who made promises to three different girls. 'Scumbag' is probably the right word for that."
The girls both froze, blinking.
"You're still young," Sigurd continued. "You haven't met many people yet. It's natural to get swept up in feelings and lose yourself for a while. But… I think it's best not to cling to me. I hope you can let go sooner rather than later. Don't waste your lives on me."
"..."
Silence. Both Seele and Wendy lowered their heads, offering no response.
Sigurd sighed and shook his head. After a pause, he went on.
"I never imagined that the first thing I'd have to deal with after coming back wouldn't be the Honkai, or founding a nation, but… your feelings. You know what state the world is in right now. From here on, I'll be busy—most of my focus has to go toward fighting the Honkai. I can't watch over your moods every moment of the day. But Herrschers are important strategic forces. Your emotions directly affect the strength of that power."
He poured two more cups of warm milk, placing them in front of the girls, and then rose to leave.
"Think carefully about it when you go back. And get some rest."
There was nothing else he could say.
For all his brilliance and might, the all-powerful Lord Sigurd—when it came to matters of the heart—was nothing but a hopeless weakling, stumbling and flustered every time.
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