Honkai: Starting to Wander with Kiana

Night came early. Without the sun, the temperature dropped quickly, and Ryn and Kiana returned home. Dinner was a simple meal of Honkai Beast meat. After killing two, they each had one, avoiding the awkwardness of dividing them as they did at lunch.

After battling the beasts earlier, Ryn realized he needed to learn how to fight properly. So, he asked Kiana for help. The result was him spending the entire afternoon getting hit. It was the first time he understood how terrible his combat skills were.

Though he had strength, he lacked technique. Despite hours of practice, he couldn't land a single hit on Kiana. Every attack was dodged, and she countered with three strikes. Though they were both holding back, the constant hits still hurt.

The small cabin had been home to Kiana and Siegfried for years, but most of its equipment was powered by the Honkai energy Siegfried used. With his disappearance, two-thirds of the equipment stopped working.

For instance, the oil lamp—why was it powered by Heavenly Fire? Ridiculous.

On the sofa, Ryn and Kiana were locked in a staring contest. The moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating them. Kiana's ice-blue eyes and Ryn's red ones reflected an otherworldly glow, blinking in synchronization.

Ryn didn't care about losing face and stared at Kiana, thinking, "She's so cute, I could look at her forever."

Kiana had no idea why Ryn kept staring, but following the logic of "If you stare at me, I'll stare back," she kept her eyes fixed on him.

Eventually, it was Kiana who gave in. "I'm going back to bed. It's getting cold out here," she said before leaving.

After a moment's thought, Ryn followed her into the room. The cabin only had two rooms—Kiana's bedroom and a storage room full of various items. Siegfried had never mentioned where he slept.

"What are you doing in here, perv?!" Kiana snapped as Ryn entered.

"I'm going to sleep. I didn't see any other beds," he replied, trying to crawl under the covers. But Kiana wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, blocking him from getting in.

"Yesterday was an accident! You're not a girl. How can we sleep together? Go sleep on the sofa, that's where my dad used to sleep."

Ryn lay back and thought for a moment. "From what you said, your dad had that Heavenly Fire Judgment, so he could sleep on the sofa without freezing. But if I sleep there, I'll probably freeze like I did when we first met. Ha ha ha, so let me in."

"But my stupid old dad said I'm grown up now. I can't sleep with boys, and I can't let them touch me. He told me to stay away from weirdos. And you're the weirdest!"

"Your dad's not wrong. If some guy tries to grope you, I'll help you deal with him. But seriously, I'll freeze out there. Can't you let your knight sleep with you just this once? Don't worry, I'm a gentleman."

Ryn, with righteous conviction, tugged at the quilt. Once Kiana loosened her grip, he pulled it over and slipped in beside her.

"You sly dog. This is the only time."

"Yes, yes, yes."

A few minutes later.

"Pervert! What are you doing with your hand?!" Kiana slapped away his hand from her waist, but Ryn pretended to be asleep, keeping his eyes closed.

"Hmph. Since you're asleep, I'll let it slide."

After a while, Ryn peeked open one eye. Once he confirmed Kiana was asleep, he sighed in relief.

"Heh-heh. Looks like my plan to sleep next to my wife is ruined."

Soon, Kiana turned suddenly and slapped Ryn across the face.

Ryn.exe crashed.

When Kiana opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Siegfried smashing the glass in front of her and pulling her from the nutrient solution.

Kiana had no memories of her childhood and felt lost in the world. Everything was new to her. She considered Siegfried the closest person to her, but despite his care, Siegfried often seemed emotionally distant, spending his days drinking and hunting Honkai Beasts.

He treated her well, but never spoke unless she initiated, never smiled at her, and never celebrated her birthday. Instead, he would get drunk and call out Kiana's and Cecilia's names. Sometimes he'd fall asleep on the floor after drinking, and Kiana would quietly cover him with a blanket, staying by his side.

Kiana often felt she didn't understand why Siegfried was so cold, but still, she continued to care for him.

He was an irresponsible, lousy dad. But she also knew Siegfried was a hero protecting the world. After leaving Schicksal, he became a lone warrior still battling against the Honkai.

One day, as Kiana bandaged Siegfried's wounds, she noticed the increasing number of scars and asked, "Why do you keep protecting others when you're hurt like this?"

Siegfried smiled and replied, "Maybe it's because seeing people hurt by the Honkai makes the blood of the Kaslana family boil."

That was the first time Kiana saw her dad smile and understood what the Kaslana name meant. From that moment, Kiana decided she would also become a warrior like him, willing to protect others no matter what.

Kiana asked Siegfried to teach her to fight, and he began to teach her the Kaslana gun kata technique. However, since Siegfried only knew half of it, Kiana learned a "half" technique. Despite that, father and daughter relied on their instincts in battle.