"Huh?" Kiana was slightly taken aback and subconsciously said, "She's very nice. Although a bit shy, she's a cute girl."
Then, as if she had thought of something, Kiana's cheeks turned a little red, and she shook her head repeatedly, hurriedly explaining, "Don't get the wrong idea. My body and soul belong to Mei-senpai; there's no room for a second person!"
"I...
What on earth are you thinking!" Ming Yu was stunned. He was walking upstairs and nearly lost his footing and fell. Was the Paramecium's train of thought always this bizarre? How did she manage to interpret that meaning from his one sentence?
Composing himself, Ming Yu continued, "It's just that she'll be enrolling in St. Freya High School soon, and I wanted to ask you to take care of her a little."
Although he had Theresa's assurance that Higokumaru would have no problem with the enrollment process, Ming Yu was a little worried about whether she could integrate into the academy.
He and Higokumaru shared a deep empathy for that sense of otherworldly alienation and loneliness.
To this day, he couldn't say he had truly integrated into St. Freya. He hadn't been able to establish sufficiently stable relationships with others; he was only somewhat closer to Kiana and her friends. In light of this, he was also a bit concerned about Higokumaru's social life.
Theresa could only guarantee Higokumaru's smooth enrollment; such psychological issues were not within the scope of her duties.
After all, she was the Principal of St. Freya and the supreme commander of the Far East Branch. She didn't have the spare time to worry about whether a student's social interactions were going well.
Therefore, Ming Yu could only entrust this matter to Kiana, who was also a student.
"But, when it comes to taking care of someone, wouldn't it be more convenient for you?" Kiana asked, puzzled.
After a pause, she added with a hint of sourness, "Besides, you two are living together!"
Even she and Mei hadn't reached that stage yet. Their apartment still had the two big third wheels, Bronya and Auntie Himeko. At this thought, Kiana couldn't help but puff out her cheeks slightly.
"There are some things that aren't appropriate for me to say in my position. Also, after I pass the Valkyrie Rank-Up Exam and join a Valkyrie squad, I'll have to go on missions to fight the Honkai. I won't always be at the academy," Ming Yu explained.
According to his agreement with Theresa, he would have no shortage of missions in the future. While he wouldn't be on missions all year round, it would certainly be more than the average St. Freya student.
To allow the students of St. Freya to have a somewhat normal high school life, Theresa assigned them pitifully few missions. Even an A-rank Valkyrie like Fu Hua only had a mission every few months.
This was almost unimaginable in other branches, a sheer waste of resources!
Although the Far East Branch was heavily criticized for this, Theresa never intended to change this policy.
But for Ming Yu, this mercy was unnecessary.
Officially, his status as a Divine Key wielder meant Theresa had to accelerate his training to make him a warrior who could stand on his own as soon as possible. After all, if the full power of a Divine Key could be unleashed, it would be a force powerful enough to rival a Herrscher, and Ming Yu would become the Far East Branch's ace against them.
Privately, Ming Yu clearly had ulterior motives for entering St. Freya. Theresa couldn't possibly let a ticking time bomb like him stay in St. Freya indefinitely; it would be too dangerous for the children at the academy.
Therefore, no matter the consideration, sending Ming Yu out on missions against the Honkai was the best solution.
"So that's how it is... But couldn't you just ask Mei and the others? It'd be the same, right?" Kiana scratched her head, still a bit confused. Based on Ming Yu's usual way of thinking, wasn't Mei more reliable for these kinds of delicate matters?
"Because you are a Kaslana knight!" Ming Yu let out a long breath and said slowly.
Although Kiana was a Paramecium and often acted without thinking, she was undoubtedly the most genuine "Kaslana Knight."
The knights have eight virtues: humility, honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, and soul.
While Kiana was a world away from humility, most of the others could be found in her.
Whatever she promises, she will surely do; whatever she resolves to do, she will achieve it at all costs.
That's why in the Anti-Entropy Invasion arc, even if it meant defying the father she had searched for for so long and abandoning the Kaslana family's long-held mission to fight the Honkai, she still chose to protect Mei, to guard the one girl she was determined to protect.
Call it stubbornness or impulsiveness, but a Kiana like that, while seeming a bit foolish, was exceptionally reliable!
So reliable that as long as she made a promise, one could believe without reservation that the agreement would be carried out flawlessly.
"Hehe~" Kiana smiled a little embarrassedly, but still promised with confidence, "Just leave it to me! I'll definitely help you take good care of Higokumaru!"
Hearing Kiana's agreement, a smile appeared on Ming Yu's lips, but he pressed on relentlessly, "Even if Higokumaru isn't exactly human?"
"Huh? Not... human?" Kiana's mouth hung open, not quite understanding what Ming Yu meant.
"To be strictly defined, Higokumaru is probably something between a Honkai Zombie and a Herrscher," Ming Yu gently stroked his chin, staring into Kiana's eyes and pressing, "Even so, can you still do it? Can you take care of her without any reservations?"
"Although she doesn't have much power right now, if this is exposed, there's no guarantee that others won't look at her differently," Ming Yu explained, his tone becoming a bit more serious.
The fact that Higokumaru's body was not human could not be hidden from everyone. Once exposed, it would surely deal a significant blow to her.
Whether it was the interest of the Schicksal higher-ups in a strange existence like Higokumaru, or the peculiar looks she might get from the people at St. Freya, none of it could be ignored.
Theresa could cut off the claws reaching out from the higher-ups, but she was powerless to intervene in matters between students. She had to rely on people like Kiana.
If he asked Mei or Bronya, they might also be responsible, but they would inevitably have some reservations in their hearts, unable to be as completely uninhibited as Kiana.
Although Kiana's name meant "Moonlight," this girl was as warm as the sun, radiating a light that pierced straight into people's hearts.
Only someone like her could give Higokumaru enough support and warmth at such a time.
Looking at Ming Yu's intense gaze, Kiana didn't dwell too much on Higokumaru's special nature, but instead thought of Mei's situation. If Mei's condition were exposed, it probably wouldn't be much better than Higokumaru's.
Thinking of this, Kiana grinned, revealing a radiant smile, and patted her chest, saying, "Well! For something like this, you can leave it to me with confidence!"