135. Kiana and Durandal
The white-haired girl stared blankly out the window, seemingly searching for a vanished figure. Across from her, the blonde knight sat with her eyes closed, the silence freezing the air, creating an uncomfortably awkward atmosphere.
Just then, a waiter pushed in a trolley, breaking the silence.
Dishes were placed on the table, and in the most prominent center was a dish meticulously decorated with heart patterns—clearly a couple's special.
The waiter intended to make a few lighthearted remarks, as was customary, but his gaze swept across the table. The man who had made the reservation was nowhere to be seen; instead, a strange young woman stood there. The cold, stiff atmosphere between them was almost palpable.
The waiter wisely kept quiet, leaving only a "Please enjoy your meal," before quickly turning and leaving.
The waiter's departure brought back the silence, but the atmosphere subtly eased—at least, their attention had returned to a focus.
Durandal's gaze fell on the prominent heart-shaped pattern in the center, plunging her into a brief silence. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a real couple at the next table, affectionately feeding each other, while the waiter enthusiastically explained the meaning of their "couple's meal."
"I see," Durandal nodded slightly, seemingly understanding.
She felt she needed to break the suffocating silence, so she chose a topic she considered obvious: "I didn't realize you two were a couple." Her voice was calm and direct, without a hint of probing.
Kiana instantly snapped, like a cat with its fur standing on end.
"What nonsense are you spouting, Durandal!"
What couple?! They're clearly enemies! How could this girl just randomly strike up a conversation like that? Although… what was with that inexplicable surge of joy in her heart?
Seeing Kiana's obviously overreaction, Durandal tilted her head in confusion, her eyes filled with bewilderment.
"Isn't it? But this is a couple's meal." She first pointed to the conspicuous heart on the table, then gestured to the couple putting on a sweet feeding show next to them.
"It is a couple's meal, that's true," Kiana muttered, burying her face in her arms in annoyance, leaning on the table, "but we're not a couple! It's Xiling... Xiling ordered it because he wanted to!"
Kiana's mutterings, though soft, reached Durandal's ears clearly.
Realizing she had made a misunderstanding, the strongest Valkyrie apologized without hesitation:
"Sorry, I misunderstood. So you two aren't a couple."
Kiana buried her face even deeper, just then—
"Gurgle..."
A clear sound came from Kiana's direction; it was her uncooperative stomach protesting.
Kiana froze instantly, her scalp tingling with embarrassment. However, immediately afterward—
"Gurgle..."
Another almost simultaneous, soft rumble came from across the table. Kiana jerked her head up, her gaze meeting Durandal's, who instinctively clutched her stomach, her expression slightly uneasy. Their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away.
Kiana sat up straight, cleared her throat, and broke the double awkwardness:
"Ahem... um... if you don't mind... we can eat together? It's not good to waste food."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Durandal nodded politely.
The two silently picked up their utensils. As Kiana ate, she couldn't help but steal glances at the blonde knight across from her. Durandal's eating posture was undoubtedly elegant and proper, but her chewing and swallowing speed was anything but slow, even faster than the preoccupied Kiana. As Kiana chewed her food, her mind repeatedly pondered the question stuck in her throat.
Just as Kiana hesitated, Durandal stopped what she was doing and looked at her calmly:
"Ask whatever you want. As long as it doesn't involve Schicksal's core secrets, I can tell you anything I know."
Hearing this, Kiana took a deep breath and put down the food in her hands.
"Why..."
"Why are you on Otto's side?"
Kiana's voice was initially very calm, but as she spoke, anger rose within her.
"Do you know the whole truth? Do you know the experiments Schicksal conducted? Do you know what Otto did?"
"I've heard your story. You're clearly not a bad person, so why did you choose to stand on Otto's side? Why did you choose to help Schicksal?"
The girl's voice was completely lost control by the end, yet her loud cries went unnoticed, as if her voice had been blocked out.
Facing Kiana's agitated questioning, Durandal put down her cutlery, straightening her back ramrod straight. Her gaze was equally earnest and frank, unwavering, meeting the girl's golden eyes, gleaming with excitement.
"I know something about the darkness of Schicksal, I've heard about those experiments, but I still stand on Schicksal's side."
"Perhaps in your eyes, Schicksal is utterly despicable, but it is this very Schicksal that you see as despicable, handling countless Honkai events on this planet, saving countless lives."
"There is no absolute good or evil, right or wrong in this world, only missions, and I fight for my mission."
Hearing Durandal's words, Kiana's agitated emotions gradually calmed down. Although she wanted to deny it, what the other said... wasn't wrong. She lowered her head, her voice tinged with resentment.
"But this…is so unfair."
"…I'm sorry."
"It's none of your business."
Looking at Kiana, who had fallen silent and was enveloped in a low mood, Durandal pondered for a moment, then tried to speak, attempting to dispel the invisible cloud of gloom:
"After today, Schicksal should withdraw all arrest warrants for you." Her voice carried a hint of comfort.
"You can also…try to return to a normal life."
She had thought this was good news, something that would improve Kiana's mood. However, Kiana simply raised her head, her finger weakly poking her chest:
"I am the Herrscher of the Void."
She was the Herrscher of the Void, not a normal person to begin with. How could she possibly return to a so-called normal life?
Durandal also realized this and fell silent. But just then, a pair of chopsticks appeared between the two of them, picking up a few slices of meat and placing them in a bowl full of white rice.
Both of them looked over at the same time and saw Xiling eating his rice while curiously observing them.
Seeing the two girls looking at him, Xiling smiled and said, "Oh, you two, having a good chat?"
"Xiling! Are you alright?" Kiana, seeing Xiling return, suppressed her resentment and instead showed a worried expression.
"Hmm... what could be wrong with me?" Xiling gave her a look that said, "What are you talking about, silly girl?" and then looked at Durandal.
"Otto's fine, he just didn't come along."
"By the way, are you all full? Why is there still so much food?" Xiling looked left and right, then at the pile of food.
"We've only just started, Durandal, let's continue eating." Kiana invited Durandal again.
Seeing the smile that had returned to the white-haired girl's face, Durandal herself didn't realize that a relaxed smile had quietly crept onto her lips. She nodded politely to Xiling.
The three of them then picked up their chopsticks again, the silence replaced by the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the sound of chewing, and the atmosphere strangely eased considerably.
After a bishop sent a message, Durandal stopped and turned to Xiling and Kiana as they left the restaurant after their meal.
"Thank you for your hospitality," she said.
"Next time, please let me treat you both."
"Sure! It's a deal, next time it's your treat!" Kiana readily agreed, without a hint of formality.
"Take care on your way home," Xiling waved casually.
Durandal said nothing more, nodded slightly to the two of them, turned, and strode away in a certain direction, quickly disappearing around the corner.
"Alright, we're full, shouldn't we go home?" Xiling stretched and turned to leave, only to find that the person behind him hadn't followed. He turned back in confusion and saw Kiana still standing there, her toes lightly tapping the ground.
"What's wrong? Come on, let's go home and sleep," Xiling called again.
Kiana looked up, her eyes filled with displeasure.
"Seeing Otto's face...it makes me feel suffocated, I'm unhappy."
"I understand, but I guess you won't see him much more often. Okay, don't be unhappy, let's go."
Xiling stepped forward to pull Kiana away, but Kiana seemed rooted to the spot, letting Xiling drag her a few steps, her body limp and powerless, like a sulking child refusing to walk.
Xiling glanced at her disdainfully.
"Hey, Kiana, how old are you? Three and a half? So childish?"
"Someone said I'm just a..."
"Okay, okay, okay..." Xiling immediately surrendered.
"So what do we do now, little Kiana? Should I hire a sedan chair to carry you home?"
"Turn your back!" Kiana suddenly pointed at Xiling.
Xiling's lips twitched, speechless.
"Seriously, officer? We're all grown up, playing these tricks? It's embarrassing, okay?"
"Are you going to turn back or not?!"
Xiling turned back speechlessly, not forgetting to "kindly" remind her, "Let's make this clear first, don't cover your face later!"
He had barely finished speaking when he heard two hurried footsteps behind him, and then—a fragrant, soft body leaped up! Two slender yet strong arms instantly wrapped around his neck, and Kiana, like a koala, clung firmly to Xiling's back.
"Hurry up and get in position! I'm going to fall off!" Kiana wriggled on his back, adjusting her posture, while still giving orders. Xiling sighed and grabbed her thighs, bouncing her up a bit to prevent the young lady from slipping.
The girl, being held up, shifted upwards again, as if trying to find a more comfortable position.
"Let's go home!" Kiana, now on Xiling's back, pointed arrogantly into the distance, like a knight on horseback.
Xiling, being used as her mount, couldn't help but smile.
The next second, as if imbued with a soul, the horse suddenly reared up and let out a deafening neigh in the bustling street:
"The young lady has arrived—make way!"
All the passersby stopped in their tracks, countless eyes instantly focusing on the boy carrying the girl and the white-haired girl on his back.
Kiana, bathed in the gazes of the crowd, blushed instantly!
And her horse had already begun to move...