After making her appearance at the beginning of the banquet, Durandal remained outside the festivities.
Her emotions were restrained; she found it somewhat challenging to adjust to the tone and gaze associated with farewells.
Schicksal's Valkyries had fulfilled their historical mission. Apart from a few who would continue serving Schicksal, most would depart.
Durandal was no exception.
Despite Amber and Theresa's attempts to persuade her to stay, Durandal respectfully declined each time.
The Valkyries all had their own lives to pursue, as did she.
Unlike others, Durandal hadn't entirely lost her powers. As the pinnacle creation of Project Stigma, she seemed unaffected by any unique consequences.
However, none of that mattered now.
"Lady Durandal."
Rita, dressed elegantly in a long lilac gown, radiated grace like a blooming rose. She looked at Durandal with a gentle smile and said, "Won't you join the banquet, Lady Durandal? Many people wish to bid you farewell."
"No need to call me 'Lady' anymore," Durandal smiled and said. "Just use my name; I won't be any 'Lady' from now on."
"As for attending the banquet, let's skip it. That environment isn't suitable for me."
At that moment, Durandal was dressed casually, appearing more ready for training than attending a formal event. Neither Rita nor Amber insisted she change into a gown, despite Rita having purchased several for her.
"I've already settled into our new home," Rita mentioned cheerfully, blushing slightly as if envisioning something delightful. "When the time comes, Lady Durandal... Durandal can return with me."
Durandal nodded, "I appreciate your help going forward."
After their discussion, it was decided that Durandal would live with Rita.
Considering how accustomed she had become to Rita's care, Durandal couldn't fathom living alone if they were separated. The thought itself seemed far from pleasant.
"It's no trouble at all. Living together with you, Lady Durandal, is also an honor for me."
"I've told you, no need to call me 'Lady' anymore." Durandal sighed and asked, "So, what are your plans now, Rita?"
"That depends on you," she replied with a warm smile. "If Durandal chooses not to engage in any activities, then I will simply accompany you."
"As for me, I might go back to school." She hesitated before adding, "Even as Valkyrja, it's crucial to adapt to human society."
Durandal still didn't want to disconnect from human society completely. While she didn't find her previous education at Schicksal burdensome, adapting better required embracing the mainstream pace of life in this world.
Although diminished, Schicksal maintained friendly relations with some countries. Her desire to enroll and continue her studies wouldn't be difficult to fulfill.
Just then, Xia Chen and Ana emerged outside, noticing Durandal and Rita standing nearby.
"Lady Durandal, Lady Rita," Ana greeted them warmly. "I didn't expect to find you here; we've been searching for quite some time."
Rita smiled warmly, "At this point, there's no need for formalities like 'Lady.' Just call us by our names."
"No, that wouldn't be appropriate," Ana shook her head. "In my heart, both of you have cared for numerous Valkyries and are heroes to humanity. How can I address such esteemed figures casually?"
Ana was unusually steadfast on this matter.
Xia Chen chuckled, "By treating them with such reverence, it almost feels like idolizing gods. I believe Durandal and Rita now prefer being seen as ordinary individuals."
Ana appeared somewhat hesitant.
Durandal smiled, "Xia Chen is right, although hearing you call me by my first name does sound strange."
"Then how should I address you? Should I say Little Sister Durandal?"
Durandal paused, noticing Xia Chen's growing boldness. She turned away, concealing her thoughts. Rita didn't mind Xia Chen's casual use of their names; considering his age, it wasn't entirely inappropriate.
Curious, she asked, "I'm not sure what your plans are moving forward."
Ana glanced at Xia Chen and replied, "Xia Chen hopes for me to continue studying, but I don't think academia suits me much. Instead, I might open a small shop or travel around with Xia Chen, since we still have some savings."
Xia Chen casually replied, "Such a life can easily become monotonous. I hope to find a hobby during this time to keep me engaged."
He had discussed their future with Ana before.
However, neither of them had concrete plans. Ana once believed her entire life would be dedicated to Schicksal, never considering what she might do after not becoming a Valkyrie.
As for Xia Chen, prior to his transmigration, he was merely a freshman student with limited experience and no grand aspirations.
"But let's set aside these troubling thoughts for now," Ana said. "Here's to the upcoming new life - cheers!"
She held up her phone and asked Durandal, "Lady Durandal, shall we take a photo together?"
Durandal hesitated briefly before nodding.
No one knew if fate would bring them another meeting in the future, so preserving a memory seemed like a comforting idea.
"Click."
With the sound of the camera shutter, a photograph was captured.
In the picture, each of the four individuals displayed different expressions, reflecting anticipation and trepidation towards the approaching new chapter of their lives.
The victory celebration concluded with Xia Chen getting thoroughly intoxicated and being escorted to his room by Ana.
The next day, many individuals from Schicksal had already departed, leaving behind empty spaces.
Most Valkyries and researchers vacated this once-proud location as the world's order began to restructure, forcing them to accept the new reality.
Xia Chen woke up beside Ana's bed, noticing the peacefully sleeping girl next to him.
A momentary hint of loss flashed across his eyes, but he quickly adjusted to the situation.
"It's time to wake up, dear wife," he gently patted Ana's waist and said, "We have a busy day ahead of us today."
"Ah, so early?" Ana mumbled sleepily, "Can't we just let others handle the moving?"
"We also need to bid farewell to our friends," Xia Chen reminded her, "Don't forget, Alvitr and Susannah will be leaving today, and Wendy is departing too. We should see them off properly."
These individuals were close acquaintances of Xia Chen within Schicksal, all of whom had promised to attend his wedding with Ana.
Ana opened her eyes, playfully insisting, "I won't get up without a kiss first."
"Seriously, acting like a child." Xia Chen chuckled despite himself.
Nevertheless, he leaned down and kissed her softly.
Only when Ana nearly ran out of breath did they finally part lips.
"All right, now I'm fully energized."
The young girl embraced the boy joyfully and exclaimed, "Now begins our brand new life!"
Epilogue:
"Books, Homu toys, gaming console... Ah, Big Sister Bronya, everything is packed."
Seele counted the items and smiled, saying, "I think we haven't left anything behind."
Looking at the gray-haired girl before her, she couldn't help but ask, "But Big Sister Bronya, have you really thought this through?"
"Yes." Bronya tilted her head and replied, "Is there something wrong, Seele?"
"Not really, it just surprises me that Bronya wants to start a game development studio," Seele paused briefly before adding, "I worry if I can be of much help to you, Big Sister Bronya."
"Just having you by my side is the best help possible."
Bronya gave a gentle smile, then belatedly asked, "Are you feeling reluctant to leave everyone, Seele?"
"Mm-hmm." Seele nodded and said, "I don't want to part from everyone at the orphanage; they truly won't be able to bear your absence either, Big Sister Bronya."
"It's alright," Bronya reassured her. "We can visit them often after leaving."
"What about Kia and Mei? Will we also have to separate from them?"
It was clear that Seele cherished her past deeply.
Bronya smiled warmly. "Yes."
"They all have their own lives to lead now."
After Honkai's defeat, everyone had discussed their plans for the future.
Bronya was the quickest to envision her path ahead. She loved games, so she decided to make them. Failure didn't concern her; even if things didn't work out, it wouldn't matter—she'd earn enough money either way to keep doing what she enjoyed.
Starting a small game development studio was Bronya's simple dream.
Seele was the second to decide on her future, wanting to follow Bronya. If possible, she hoped Bronya would stay at the orphanage. But as Bronya had said before, everyone must forge their own path.
Kiana and Raiden Mei hadn't yet figured out their next steps, but they were likely to remain with Schicksal.
Theresa also wanted Durandal and Rita to stay, but both declined.
A girl's life should not be bound by such constraints.
"Okay, if there's nothing else we need to take care of, let's say our goodbyes."
Taking a deep breath, Bronya said, "Seele, from here on out, it's just us charting our own course."
"Mm-hmm, okay."
Together, Bronya and Seele arrived at Schicksal Headquarters.
Countless people bid farewell here, promising to meet again someday. But everyone knew that once they parted ways, their next encounter might not happen for years—if ever.
Despite this, no one was willing to pierce through the veil of these white lies.
"Hey, Bronya."
Kiana and Mei approached at some point. "Congratulations! Now you can chase your dreams," Kiana said. "Mei and I don't have much to give you as a parting gift, but please accept this."
"That's...a Homu plushie?"
In Kiana's arms lay the Homu doll she hadn't been particularly fond of before. She used to grumble about how uninteresting this yellow bunny could be, yet now she offered Bronya her own Homu toy.
"Thank you." A smile played on Bronya's lips. "I also have something for you both, Kiana and Big Sister Mei."
She produced two necklaces, one for each.
"What is this..." Intrigued, Raiden Mei examined the necklaces. "Bronya, do these hold any special meaning?"
"It doesn't mean anything," Bronya paused before adding, "Inside each necklace is a chip. Just activate it, and you'll find photos related to me."
"Alright then."
Smiling, Mei replied, "I'll gladly accept this gift. Oh, here's something for you both." She handed over homemade snacks she had brought along. "Enjoy these on your journey; it's all I can offer right now."
Their smiles were radiant, treating the separation as merely a temporary farewell.
After all, they were still young, knowing that future reunions would be easy when missing each other.
In their vibrant youth, parting didn't seem like a particularly painful or sorrowful event.
Just then, Xia Chen arrived with Ana.
"There you are," Xia Chen greeted them, "Leaving again so soon?"
"Hello, Xia Chen, Big Sister Ana," Seele waved back, saying, "Yes, Bronya and I are departing together."
"Ah, is Seele finally going to be with Bronya?" Xia Chen teased, "I suggest you settle down in the Netherlands; same-sex marriage is legal there."
Seele's cheeks flushed involuntarily.
Instead, it was Xia Chen who felt Ana's pinch, "Ignore him, he always speaks without thinking."
"It's...it's okay," Seele timidly responded, unable to hide the joy in her eyes.
The young girl had surpassed the age of innocence, fully understanding these matters already.
Xia Chen chuckled softly, "The gaze when one falls in love cannot be hidden."
Bronya, standing nearby, merely rubbed her nose and said, "It's getting late, Seele, we need to leave now."
"Alright, Big Sister Bronya."
They bid farewell to Xia Chen, Kiana, and the others. Soon, Schicksal Headquarters saw two more departures.
"We should go too." Xia Chen and Ana waved goodbye to Kiana, "Perhaps we'll meet again someday."
"Yes," Kiana and Mei nodded, "If the opportunity arises, we will see each other again."
After bidding farewell to Ana and Xia Chen, Kiana exchanged glances with Raiden Mei.
Mei cautiously asked, "Kiana, you could leave too. Your mission is complete; it's time for you to start a new life."
"But I don't enjoy studying or working. Even if I go out there, what can I really do?" Kiana replied. "These past few days, Auntie has been helping me explore my options, but without combat, I find everything else unfulfilling or just not interesting."
"I might as well stay here; after all, Auntie will take care of me, right?"
Kiana made it clear she intended to remain at Schicksal.
The idea of starting anew, relearning, and integrating into society was deeply uncomfortable for her. It wasn't that she couldn't learn, but rather she had grown accustomed to this freedom.
"Speaking of, Mei, isn't your father planning to reopen his company? Wouldn't you want to assist him?"
Raiden Mei occasionally kept in touch with her father, Raiden Ryoma, who was one of the top scholars in the field of physics, boasting extensive connections.
His new venture also focused on physics research, and he had repeatedly invited Raiden Mei to help, only to be declined each time.
"It's not my forte, so I prefer not to get involved. Staying with Schicksal actually suits me well."
Kiana couldn't help but cheer excitedly, "Then I can enjoy Mei's cooking every day!"
"Indeed, as I've always said," Mei replied with a smile, "I will take care of you for a lifetime."
Epilogue:
Xia Chen and Ana swiftly embarked on their journey home.
They didn't return to the ancient castle of House Schariac but settled down in a new place within France. Within just three days, all the neighbors knew about the envious young couple who had moved in.
In the end, Ana did not go back to school. Following Xia Chen's suggestion and insistence, she opened a café.
Moreover, they hired a new employee—Wendy.
"Uh, although our bond is strong, I still don't quite understand why you're here."
On the first day of the café's opening, Xia Chen came to support Ana and saw Wendy assisting her busily. The newly opened café had few customers yet; instead, they were occupied with calibrating machines and adjusting water temperatures.
He was somewhat surprised, "Could it be that you've already spent all the money Schicksal gave you?"
"I donated most of it," Wendy casually explained. "Although Honkai has ended, its effects haven't completely vanished. I personally don't need much money, so I chose to donate it to those in need."
"After that, I started looking for work, and coincidentally, this place needed help."
Wendy's casual explanation left Xia Chen feeling genuinely impressed.
The severance pay from Schicksal was a substantial sum; even without working daily, just living off the interest would be more than enough for most people to sustain themselves comfortably.
Yet Wendy didn't keep any of it.
No, she only retained her weapon used during her time at Schicksal; apart from that, she took virtually nothing with her.
Xia Chen savored the coffee Wendy served him, noticing the girl's radiant smile. "I learned some brewing techniques while at Schicksal. Give it a try and see how my skills fare."
He took a sip.
Honestly, Xia Chen couldn't discern much difference between hand-brewed coffee and instant coffee, but that didn't stop him from praising her enthusiastically, "It's fantastic, almost like a master brewer!"
"Thanks to Ana's quality ingredients," Wendy replied modestly, still displaying a hint of happiness on her face.
"Well, we're running a business here, so using good ingredients is a must, right? We never intended to make significant profits from this anyway," Ana chimed in nonchalantly from the side.
She had no suspicions about Wendy and Xia Chen's relationship; after all, they had spent time alone together before. Ana trusted both their characters, knowing them as highly rational individuals.
Although Ana could tell that Wendy harbored feelings for Xia Chen, she chose not to restrict their interactions.
Despite occasionally feeling jealous, Ana was not malicious. Moreover, she had full confidence in herself.
Xia Chen instinctively held Ana's hand and asked, "Have you been working hard?"
"You know I have," Ana replied with a grin. "If it weren't for Wendy's help, I would have been exhausted long ago. We definitely need to give Wendy a raise later."
Wendy, slightly flustered, responded, "No, no, that's not necessary. I haven't done much."
"Come on, there's no need to be so formal with me," the girl said. "After all, I used to be your captain. Don't worry, you won't be underappreciated."
"Yes, don't hold back around her; she's quite wealthy," Xia Chen teased. "Not just you, even I benefit from being associated with her."
Wendy chuckled, "It's not as dramatic as you make it sound." Curiously, she asked, "And what about you? What do you plan to do next?"
"I might continue my education," Xia Chen pondered before replying. "Since financial issues are resolved, it's time to pursue intellectual fulfillment. However, I probably won't attend a traditional school. Instead, I could open a bookstore near this café."
"If life isn't consumed by chasing money, the days ahead become much easier."
He had already envisioned his upcoming vibrant life.
"Yes, we've made plans," Ana said. "We'll travel together every two weeks. Wendy, you're welcome to join us."
"Would I be intruding?" Wendy hesitated, adding, "As they say in Shenzhou, I might just be a third wheel."
"Not at all, Xia Chen and I see each other daily; it's become quite routine by now. Hehehe, who wouldn't enjoy spending time with beautiful girls?"
With that, Ana playfully pinched Wendy's cheek.
Xia Chen nodded in agreement, "I concur."
"Go sip your coffee." Ana pouted, clearly feeling jealous again.
Xia Chen smiled warmly.
Three days later, work began on renovating his bookstore right next to the café.
The bookstore's interior mimicked the coffee shop design, and Wendy even negotiated with a nearby bakery for direct pastry supplies. As for pricing, they decided to sell pastries at cost, foregoing any profit margin.
Ana wasn't concerned about maximizing profitability from this venture. She divided her wealth into three portions: one entrusted to generate enough income for herself, Xia Chen, and their potential future family to live comfortably without worries; another portion was allocated for daily expenses; and the last part reserved for personal shopping.
Her reputation as a young heiress held true.
Xia Chen also had a substantial sum of money, most of which he invested in savings accounts. A smaller portion was earmarked for buying houses, one in France and another in Shenzhou.
Wendy, however, didn't have such financial freedom but found joy in her current situation nonetheless.
She never had many friends, but over these few days, Ana and Wendy bonded like close sisters, enjoying good food and fun activities together.
The young girl relished this lifestyle, and as a result, her feelings towards Xia Chen seemed to diminish slightly.
Emotions often intensify during loneliness, but once that solitude fades, so does the depth of those emotions.
Their lives gradually settled into a comfortable routine.
The coffee shop and bookstore were never particularly bustling, but due to their high-quality offerings and cozy atmosphere, both establishments quickly attracted a loyal customer base.
As a long-distance couple, Xia Chen and Ana soon received numerous blessings from locals. Especially when news spread about their plans to marry, everyone praised them for being truly remarkable.
They didn't strictly adhere to their bi-weekly travel agreement; primarily because neither was keen on moving around much. After a mutual decision, they opted to postpone their trips until later.
Wendy found this situation both amusing and exasperating.
Ana quickly took charge of the coffee shop, becoming engrossed in culinary arts. Meanwhile, Xia Chen immersed himself in reading, expanding his knowledge. Whenever there were no customers at her café, she would often visit the bookstore herself to read and broaden her horizons.
Schicksal successfully transformed its operations. Externally, the Schicksal Financial Group emerged as a massive financial company under Amber and Theresa's management. Some Valkyries who didn't leave also became responsible for overseeing new ventures within the conglomerate.
The group diversified significantly, far beyond just coffee shops and bookstores.
As for the departed Valkyries, they each pursued their own paths: careers, education, relationships, or serving in military organizations of other countries...
Soon, the term "Valkyrie" would become a historical footnote.
The world will continue to improve.