Honkai: Starting to Wander with Kiana

December 6, 2009. Siegfried bought a lot of alcohol at his usual time.

"You should give her a name. Even a Herrscher has humanity. Try treating her as your real daughter and transform her through love." These were the words Tesla and Einstein from Anti-Entropy once told him.

Siegfried shook his head and took a large gulp of alcohol. Though she looked almost identical to "Kiana," she wasn't Kiana.

Beep beep beep—

His phone displayed: "Warning: Honkai Beast detected." Siegfried put down his glass, grabbed his phone, checked his Sword of Shamash, and headed out.

Kiana wanted to follow Siegfried, but whenever she tried to join him in fighting Honkai Beasts, he would furrow his brow and sternly tell her:

"No, I won't let you fight. There's no need for that." Then he would slam the door shut, leaving Kiana alone in the house.

Kiana didn't understand why her dad was willing to teach her combat but wouldn't let her fight. Every time Siegfried went out to battle, Kiana could only stand foolishly behind the door, waiting for his return. This way, when Siegfried came back, she could help him immediately, and he could see her right away.

Late at night, Siegfried returned home weakened, his face full of exhaustion, and collapsed right in front of Kiana.

Dad was wounded in battle again. Kiana quietly bandaged his wounds and helped him to bed. The bed wasn't very large—Siegfried's muscular frame took up the entire space. Kiana pulled up a chair and sat beside him, watching over him.

Time passed, and suddenly her phone started beeping with another alert about a Honkai Beast. Kiana checked her phone, then looked at her still-unconscious father.

"I can't let Dad keep fighting while he's injured. I need to prove to him that I can be a capable warrior too."

Kiana grabbed the Sword of Shamash from the table—in its dual-gun form—and left.

Dawn was breaking when Kiana, following her phone's directions, spotted the Honkai Beast. It was a Temple-class beast, unlike any monster she'd ever seen. Its size dwarfed her many times over, with its left arm forming a shield that covered its entire body, while its right arm extended into a threatening knight's lance.

As the sun rose over the horizon, Kiana raised the Sword of Shamash toward the Honkai Beast, only to discover she couldn't activate it. The beast had already raised its lance and was charging straight at her.

Kiana closed her eyes, accepting her fate. But the expected death never came. When she opened her eyes, she saw the lance stopped right in front of her, held back by a single hand.

"What do you think you're doing to my daughter!" Siegfried roared in fury, crushing the Temple-class Honkai Beast's lance with his bare hands before ruthlessly pummeling the creature into submission.

After defeating the Honkai Beast, Kiana braced herself for her father's anger.

"I'm sorry... Dad... I just couldn't bear to see you hurt anymore... I... want to protect you too."

Siegfried looked at Kiana, and as he did, tears began streaming down his face. He smiled, kneeling down to embrace her.

"That's right... today's your birthday, isn't it? I've never properly celebrated it before. I'm such a failure as a father..."

"Let's buy a big cake and celebrate properly! Come on... Kiana..."

"My most precious daughter, Kiana Kaslana!"

That day, I received the greatest birthday gift from my father—my name.

Then Dad and I made a promise.

No matter how the world changes, if it's to protect those we love, we must give everything we have.

Because that's the responsibility that comes with bearing the Kaslana name.

Since the day I found my name, Dad became like a different person. Though he couldn't do housework, he insisted on learning to cook, saying he wanted me to taste what home cooking was like... But after every meal, we'd both end up sprawled on the couch, feeling like we were spinning.

Sometimes he'd force me to drink, saying once I learned to handle alcohol, he'd teach me how to flirt with boys. But each time I'd pass out after just a few sips.

I know... Dad was loving me in his own way. Clumsy... but warm.

But what made me happiest was finally being able to fight alongside Dad to protect others.

Kiana still remembers how her father fought. Like him... I'll do whatever it takes to protect those I love.

After Siegfried accepted me, those were Kiana's happiest days, filled with joy and laughter every day.

Like a fairy tale happiness, Kiana wished it could last forever. But reality is cruel—the happy days lasted barely a year. Like a fragile bubble, it burst. Just over ten days ago, Siegfried disappeared, taking with him all evidence he ever existed.

It was as if he'd never existed in this world. But on the table lay a black card—the Kaslana family's unlimited black card—proving that Siegfried had been real.

Kiana thought Siegfried was playing a prank, but after waiting several days, he still hadn't appeared. Finally, Kiana decided to search for him, to ask him face-to-face why he suddenly vanished, if he didn't want her anymore...

After Kiana smacked Ryn, he gave up and fell asleep. But beside him, Kiana remained awake. Though her eyes were tightly shut, her reddened ears and cheeks showed she wasn't sleeping.

"Did he just call me his wife?" "Does he like me...?" "He confessed today..."

Ugh, this is so frustrating. Finally, Kiana gave up thinking, grabbed Ryn's hand, and bit it hard. Ignoring his yelps of pain, she turned over and went to sleep.

A middle-aged man in a coat leaped from the aircraft and rushed at Siegfried, trapping him under his arm and grinding his fist against Siegfried's head.

"Siegfried, what happened to your arm? Never mind, that's not important. Why did you make me meet you in this frozen wasteland? Couldn't you just call? You idiot! I'm supposed to teach my precious daughter swordsmanship tomorrow—I only get to see her on my days off. If she comes home tomorrow and can't find me, then goes to the dojo and can't find the Hum Sword Saint either, she'll be heartbroken! Siegfried, you've really done it this time!"