48: Chapter 45 Linbei in Progress

Sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains, falling onto Kaiwen's face.

She lay there for a while with her eyes half-closed, listening to the distant sound of waves outside the window, reluctant to move.

It had been almost a month since she arrived at St. Freya Academy.

From the ruins of Changkong City to the medical bay of the hyperion, and then to this bedroom in the third-floor apartment.

Sometimes, Kaiwen felt that what had happened over this past month was even more absurd than the dozen-plus years of her previous life combined.

But that's just how people are—no matter how ridiculous things get, life goes on.

Kaiwen rolled over, dawdled for a few minutes, and finally dragged herself out of bed.

She washed up, changed her clothes, gathered her white hair in front of the mirror, and zipped up her hoodie.

Opening her bedroom door, she found someone already in the living room.

Kiana was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, remote in hand, watching the morning news on TV.

Hearing the door, she turned her head and greeted, "Up already?"

"Yeah."

But as her gaze swept over the black hoodie Kaiwen was wearing, her face fell again.

"Why are you wearing this again?"

She looked Kaiwen up and down in her black hoodie, her tone filled with disgust. "Didn't we buy you a few decent clothes before? Why are you still wearing this weird outfit?"

"Those are too formal, it feels uncomfortable," Kaiwen pulled at the sleeves of her hoodie as she walked toward the kitchen with full confidence. "This one is so comfy, breathable, and easy to move around in."

"But it looks terrible." Kiana stared at her back, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "If you walk out looking like that, people will think we can't afford decent clothes."

"How could they? Everyone is so nice, they wouldn't think that."

Kiana opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything more, turning back to watch the news.

Kaiwen calmly walked into the kitchen, picked up a piece of toast, and popped it into her mouth.

"Morning, Kaiwen."

A gentle voice came from behind her.

Raiden Mei came over from the other side of the kitchen carrying a pot of freshly cooked miso soup. Her apron was neatly tied, and her black hair was tied back with a simple hairband.

Smiling faintly, she set the soup pot on the table, then turned around to fetch a few bowls from the cabinet and arranged them neatly.

On her neck, the metal suppressor quietly emitted a faint blue light.

"I added tofu and kelp to the soup today, give it a try." Mei pushed a bowl of soup in front of Kaiwen, her gaze calm, with a faint smile on her lips.

Kaiwen picked up the bowl and took a sip.

Delicious.

Delicious as always.

Yet, looking at Mei gently serving food for Kiana, Kaiwen still felt an indescribable sense of weirdness in her heart.

A month ago, Mei's eyes were filled with heart-wrenching guilt and self-blame.

But starting from some unknown day, that heavy guilt completely vanished.

In its place was the Raiden Mei before her now, who woke up early every day to make breakfast for everyone.

The change was so drastic that Kaiwen even suspected for a time whether the Herrscher of Thunder had hijacked her account.

Yet she secretly had Rin inside her body sense it a few times, but didn't catch even the slightest trace of a Herrscher's Honkai Energy fluctuation.

As for the psychological evaluation, the academy's doctor went so far as to state that Mei's mental state was healthier and more stable than most Valkyries.

Even when Kaiwen took her to the back mountain to watch the sunset or to town for desserts during this time, the calmness and gentleness Mei displayed were impeccably genuine.

It seemed... she really had just worked things out on her own.

The only thing Kaiwen occasionally still paid attention to was that suppressor around Mei's neck, which was always faintly glowing.

"Kaiwen? What are you daydreaming about?" Perhaps sensing Kaiwen's gaze, Mei subconsciously raised a hand to pull her collar up, covering the metal ring, and chuckled lightly. "The soup won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Oh, it's nothing." Kaiwen withdrew her gaze, lowering her head to continue drinking her soup.

After breakfast, Bronya finally walked out of her room.

Kids, after all—it was normal for them to dislike breakfast and love sleeping in.

Once they were ready, the four of them pushed open the apartment door and stepped into the morning light, walking onto the academy's tree-lined avenue.

The leaves were just beginning to turn yellow, swaying gently in the breeze.

Walking side by side, though they didn't speak much, after a month together, an inexplicable tacit understanding had formed among them.

"Student Kaiwen—!"

A crisp voice came from the intersection ahead.

A Valkyrie trainee with a short ponytail jogged over, holding a chubby orange cat in her arms.

"Good morning!" She trotted up to Kaiwen, slightly out of breath, and raised the orange cat in her arms forward. "Look! Soda is in super high spirits today!"

The orange cat lazily flicked its Tail and yawned.

"Morning, Nagi." Kaiwen smiled and scratched the orange cat's chin. "Mm, gained quite a bit of weight."

"That's all because Kaiwen helped me rescue it from the tree at the logistics warehouse!" Nagi held Soda tightly, her face filled with gratitude. "Otherwise Soda would definitely still be starving now..."

"Cats love to run wild. Just remember to close the windows next time." Kaiwen patted Nagi on the head.

Nagi nodded earnestly, waved at Kaiwen, and trotted off happily with the cat.

The group continued forward along the tree-lined avenue.

Before walking too far, a logistics worker pushing a supply cart approached them, dripping with sweat.

"Morning, Uncle Yamashita." Kaiwen greeted casually, lending a hand to stabilize a cardboard box that was about to tilt over.

"Morning, Kaiwen!" The middle-aged man grinned, waving a rough hand at her. "The cafeteria has fresh croquettes today, remember to take your friends to try them!"

"Got it."

Walking a bit further, by the edge of the training grounds, two Valkyrie trainees in training suits were doing morning stretches.

Seeing Kaiwen pass by, one of them took the initiative to wave at her.

"Senior Kaiwen! The exertion technique you taught me yesterday was super useful!"

"Don't call me senior, I enrolled later than you did." Kaiwen smiled. "When practicing, be careful not to push your center of gravity too far forward, or you'll get hurt again."

"Okay, okay! Thank you!"

Passing by the guard post, even the Valkyrie on duty gave a gentle nod of greeting when she saw Kaiwen pass.

During the less than ten-minute walk from the apartment to the teaching area, Kaiwen greeted six or seven people, calling out everyone's name without making a single mistake.

Logistics workers, reserve Valkyries, Valkyries on duty, even the gardener auntie watering flowers by the roadside had become familiar faces to her.

Walking beside her, Mei watched this scene with a gentle smile, remarking softly:

"Kaiwen really has great popularity at the academy."

"Really?" Kaiwen scratched the back of her head. "It's just chatting along the way."

Bronya followed behind holding Project Bunny, her gray eyes sweeping over Kaiwen as she spoke expressionlessly:

"According to Bronya's observations, within one month of enrollment, Sister Kaiwen has established effective social relationships with more than 120 staff members and trainees in the academy. This number is twenty-four times that of Sister Kiana."

Kiana paused in her tracks and shot a cold glance at Bronya.

Bronya added without batting an eye, "Sister Kiana's current number of effective social contacts is five, four of whom live under the same roof."

"...Are you that free?"