Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

"It seems they're gone." The leader of the pursuit squad looked at the snow sliding off the rooftop, his expression grim. He hadn't expected anyone to be able to scale the wall without any tools.

"Should we continue the pursuit?"

"Expand the search area. Report the situation to headquarters." The leader glanced at the onlookers, pulled his hood over his face, and quickly left.

After the squad departed, the civilians relaxed, murmuring amongst themselves. "Those aristocratic families are becoming more and more brazen. The Joyce family has been practically wiped out, yet they still want to eliminate every last member."

"I heard it's because they haven't captured the most important member of the younger generation. I bet the Joyce family left their most valuable assets to that boy, which is why they're so relentless."

"But he's just a child. Even if he's clever, he can't possibly threaten an entire family, can he?" One of the citizens, intrigued by the gossip, expressed doubt. The ruthlessness of these pursuers was well-known; the bakery owner on 26th Street had been beaten to death in his own shop.

"You never know. That boy is a true prodigy. According to my uncle, the Joyce family had already declined years ago. It was that boy who revived their fortunes." The gossipmonger, seeing he had everyone's attention, lowered his voice conspiratorially. "He's a child burdened by the weight of the world."

…

"Ow!" A sizzling sausage, radiating heat in the winter air, burned the girl's lip, eliciting a soft whimper.

Ren smiled at Kiana, who was wolfing down her food, and gently wiped a smear of mustard from her cheek.

"There's no need to rush. They won't catch up so easily."

"Mmm-hmm." Kiana wanted to reply, but her mouth was full of hot food, and she could only manage a muffled sound.

Ren chuckled, gesturing for her to finish eating. He took a bite of his own sausage-filled roll.

As a nation focused on industrial development, Germany's cuisine was relatively standardized. Bread, cereal, and sausages dominated most meals. Even in this era of cultural flourishing, most people's breakfast consisted of bread and porridge. A slightly more luxurious option was a roll filled with grilled sausage and mustard.

The all-meat sausage roll was undeniably delicious and filling, almost too much for even Ren to finish.

As Kiana finished her portion, Ren still had more than half of his left. He tore off a piece and offered it to her.

"I'm full."

As a phantom conjured from his own mind, Ren knew Kiana's appetite well. Even a large roll wouldn't fully satisfy a Kaslana. He pressed the bread into her hand. "No, you're not."

"..."

Finally, with Kiana deliberately slowing down, they finished the last of the bread together.

However, despite having warm clothes and full stomachs, their money was running low. Kiana frowned, wondering where else she could find temporary work, still concerned about Ren's injuries.

Of course, Ren wasn't going to let her do any more manual labor, being exploited by those unscrupulous employers. He took her hand and led her towards the more bustling streets of the city.

This era, at the tail end of post-modernism, was a golden age for artistic expression and fashion. The wide streets, besides the passing cars, were lined with street performers with guitars and artists with easels.

They placed their wide-brimmed hats on the ground, softly singing their original compositions. If a well-dressed lady enjoyed their performance, she would drop some coins into the hat as a tip.

Nearby was the National Gallery, and the area was frequented by art enthusiasts.

After buying some paints with their remaining funds, Ren set up his own small stall.

"Uh, are you going to be a street artist?" Kiana wasn't surprised by Ren's artistic skills; she had seen his magical girl comics before. She was just wondering if this method would be effective, given the number of other artists around.

"To be precise, I'm going to sell paintings." Ren chose a spot, set up his canvas, and scanned the passing crowd.

While Kiana was still trying to understand his plan, Ren gestured for her to stand a bit further away.

As a group of elegantly dressed women approached, Ren suddenly beckoned Kiana, calling out in a cheerful voice, "Beautiful ladies, would you be interested in having your portrait painted?"

Before Kiana could react, the women stopped, intrigued. However, Ren hadn't been addressing them but had winked at Kiana.

A confused Kiana walked over to Ren, unsure of what he was doing.

"C-Can I…?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course. Just give me a few minutes, and I'll capture your most beautiful side." Ren said confidently, glancing at the women watching them.

He quickly picked up his brush and began to paint.

Ren's artistic skills were exceptional, surpassing even the high standards of this era, limited by the 20th-century techniques. His painting quickly attracted attention, especially from the group of women, who were completely captivated.

The girl on the canvas possessed a unique charm. Despite being a quick sketch, it was almost gallery-worthy.

A few minutes later, Ren finished the painting and excitedly showed it to Kiana.

"So, what do you think? Are you satisfied?"

Even Kiana was stunned by the painting. She had never imagined herself looking so beautiful in Ren's eyes.

"I…"

Before she could finish, Ren interrupted, feigning disappointment. "You don't like it? I'm sorry, my skills are still lacking."

As if his artwork had been rejected, Ren's shoulders slumped. Kiana quickly tried to explain, but seeing Ren gesture for her to be quiet, she stopped.

As expected, after Kiana's apparent rejection of such a perfect painting, the onlookers, even more eager than Ren, spoke up. "Not satisfied with this? She has no taste!"

"Sir, please paint us! We'll pay handsomely."

Ren pretended to be hesitant, but seemingly swayed by their enthusiasm, he finally agreed.

He painted quickly and skillfully, each painting fetching a price of over 3,000 marks.

While Ren was busy making a fortune, Kiana stood awkwardly at the edge of the crowd, watching him surrounded by a group of women.

Having experienced the modern era, Kiana now understood Ren's tactic. He had used her as a shill, deliberately making her appear dissatisfied to create a sense of "missed opportunity" and "hidden gem" among the onlookers, drawing them to his paintings.

However, even though she knew it was just a money-making scheme, she couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness.

As Kiana was lost in thought, she noticed that Ren hadn't discarded her portrait but had placed it in the most prominent position, using it as an advertisement. She looked at Ren, and he, as if sensing her gaze, looked back, offering a reassuring smile.

The strange feeling of loneliness vanished, and Kiana couldn't help but smile.

"Idiot, you could have just told me the plan."