About half an hour later, Cecilia quietly slipped out of Shigure Kira's room again.
"Kira really is full of energy," Cecilia whispered, breathing a sigh of relief at the door. Shigure Kira had been restless ever since getting into bed, perhaps a result of a lack of security from prolonged loneliness.
Cecilia had to hold her in her arms and lull her to sleep like a baby.
Remembering Bianka, whose sleeping posture was also not the most elegant, Cecilia felt an urge to go back to that room and check on her.
Although the room had a thermostat, Bianka might still catch a cold if she kicked off the blankets again.
But speaking of which... something about that child's physical condition seemed off.
"Honey, there you are," Siegfried said, walking down the hallway with a bewildered look. "Where did you go just now? I've been looking for you..."
As he spoke, Siegfried's gaze shifted to the door of the room behind Cecilia.
He remembered that was...
"It's getting late," Cecilia said, seemingly intentionally. "Everyone's already asleep..."
Siegfried looked away and nodded. "Right... but are we going to rest now? We don't have anything to do tomorrow, do we..."
He was used to staying up late. If he had something to do the next day, his sleep schedule would be more regular. But if he knew he had nothing to do, his sleep schedule would become a complete mess...
He didn't have a biological clock anyway; it had been worn away during his decade-plus of adventuring.
"Aren't you going to train Bianka tomorrow?" Cecilia said with a smile. Siegfried's face immediately turned a little awkward.
He scratched his head. "I can train her... but we just took her in. Is it okay to start training right away? Maybe... we should let her get used to the environment here first?"
Don't be fooled by Siegfried's carefree demeanor; he was actually very concerned about Bianka's condition.
Kaslanas were slow on the uptake, not emotionally inept. On the contrary, their emotional sensitivity was higher than most people's. It was just that they were used to doing things their own way and wouldn't easily change for others, which made them seem particularly...
...straightforward.
A Kaslana family secret: "The hunter often strikes in the guise of the prey!"
Bianka's troubled look didn't escape him. Siegfried could even clearly sense the entire process of Bianka's attitude toward him changing from rejection to reliance, and the lingering sense of nervousness she had felt ever since she arrived.
This child was found in the wilderness. It was desolate outside, so Bianka must have been sleeping rough and might not have even seen another person for days.
It was normal for such a young child to be nervous after returning to human society after a long period of loneliness.
Siegfried felt it was his duty to help Bianka readjust to human society. If such a young child wasn't guided back in time... it would be too pitiful...
"I was thinking the same thing..." Cecilia nodded in agreement with Siegfried's words. On these matters, her and Siegfried's thoughts would often align with astonishing accuracy.
Many times, the two of them didn't need to communicate at all. They would just act on their thoughts, and more often than not, they would end up doing the same thing.
Like right now, they were both silently contemplating the same problem.
How could they reintroduce Bianka to society?
Kiana was a natural extrovert; they had never had to worry about such things before. Worrying about Bianka like this was a strange new experience.
As she thought, Cecilia's gaze fell on a paper flower in a vase on the cabinet behind Siegfried.
That's... the paper flower from the little flower seller on the commercial street, right?
Cecilia had encountered that little girl many times and would always buy a paper flower to give her a little income.
But the price of a single paper flower was too little, only five milliliters of water...
But Cecilia had found a starting point.
"Siegfried, how about we take that child out for a stroll tomorrow?" Cecilia suggested to Siegfried.
Siegfried was stunned for a moment. He followed her gaze and saw the paper flower with its cheap perfume scent, and he understood her idea.
Although Bianka was reserved in every way, she could still conduct a normal transaction, which meant she still retained some basic social skills. If they started from there, they might be able to build up her confidence more quickly.
"Sigh..." Siegfried looked at the paper flower and couldn't help but sigh. "Honkai..."
"Is our great hero Siegfried sighing now?" Cecilia smiled, standing on her tiptoes to pat the head of Siegfried, who was a whole head taller than her, and gave him her usual smile.
"I'm just sighing for the Honkai Beasts that are about to be destroyed by me!" Siegfried said with a feigned depth, the look of pity on his face making Cecilia chuckle.
"Alright, it's time for us to rest," Cecilia said, mimicking Shigure Kira. She wrapped her arms around Siegfried's waist and buried her head in his chest.
His solid chest gave her an inexplicable sense of security, and her tone softened.
"I've been tired all day~" she said, as if pouting, and also like a child who had done a good deed and was seeking praise. "Doesn't... my husband have anything to say?"
Of course, Siegfried had something to say. He bent down, scooped Cecilia up in his arms, and turned back to his room. Not long after, an indecent sound came from Siegfried's room.
It was Siegfried's snoring.
Siegfried was the most tired of all today. Using "Judgment" twice, eliminating the Honkai Beast, and the injury to his arm...
Even Siegfried was physically and mentally exhausted after all that. And now, with the warmest embrace, it was no wonder he fell into a deep sleep so quickly.
Cecilia listened to Siegfried's snoring in the darkness, feeling his restless sleeping posture. For some reason, she was once again reminded of Bianka, whose sleeping posture was also not the most graceful.
Kiana is like that too...
She shifted, finding a comfortable position, and rested her head on Siegfried's arm, slowly closing her eyes.
So fragrant... If it weren't for the golden hair being too conspicuous, Cecilia would feel like she had gone back a few years, to when Kiana hadn't grown up yet...
Perhaps... she really is my daughter?