Kiana felt completely refreshed after her bath. She casually gathered her hair, then sat down in a chair, still dripping slightly. Ren, moving with familiar ease, grabbed a dry towel and started helping her with her hair.
Honestly, compared to combat, Honkai Energy was probably way more useful in daily life. With just a slight activation of his Flamescion authority—borrowed, of course—he could conveniently and quickly dry her hair.
As the temperature rose, the scent of shampoo filled the air. Strands of white hair flowed through his fingers, making Ren feel a strange sort of tickle in his heart.
But looking at the girl's profile, he reigned in his thoughts and asked casually, "Are you still investigating today?"
Even though he knew she'd been investigating him lately, since Kiana hadn't brought it up, Ren certainly wasn't going to. Still, if possible, he wanted to spend more peaceful, everyday moments with her before time ran out.
The girl shook her head slightly, offering a small smile. "No need. I've already found the answer I was looking for."
The answer... does she mean my identity?
Ren fell silent, maintaining his outward calm. Whether his heart stirred remained hidden.
"Then how about we go out for a walk today? You haven't really rested much lately," he suggested.
"Okay."
...
Since Kiana had woken up much later than usual, by the time she finished breakfast, it was already nearing noon. It was lunchtime, and being a weekend, the streets were especially crowded.
"A city reborn from flames... it really feels full of life," Kiana couldn't help but remark as they walked. The ruins from just a few months ago had transformed into such a bustling place.
"It's because people have more time to appreciate the meaning of their own lives."
As the Herrscher of Dominance, Ren understood the root of people's exhaustion. That's why ARC City had none of the grueling "996" work culture or forced overtime. Except for service industries, everyone even had a decent lunch break scheduled.
"Technological advancement shouldn't just serve the administrators; it should liberate every ordinary person."
"Hmm..." Kiana didn't fully grasp Ren's words. As a Valkyrie, she hadn't learned about these things in a classroom, but she could sense that the people in this city were genuinely happy.
During her time wandering, she'd met many people and knew firsthand how sensitive and fragile hearts could become under the shadow of the Honkai. But now, ARC City offered people shelter and hope, allowing them to live their lives in peace.
Just as she was about to say something, a little girl suddenly popped her head out from beside her, enthusiastically handing her a promotional flyer.
"Big sister! Interested in learning about the super-duper ultra-cute Kiana-chan? Magical Girl Kiana is already on its twentieth volume!"
The girl's infectious enthusiasm felt strangely familiar to Kiana.
She suddenly remembered receiving a similar flyer when she first escaped Anti-Entropy and returned to ARC City. The girl handing them out... seemed to be the same one.
Still, super-duper ultra-cute Kiana...
Hearing her own name spoken by a stranger gave Kiana an inexplicable sense of embarrassment. More importantly, the title 'Magical Girl' didn't seem to fit her at all.
"Huh? Big sister, you look really familiar." Just as Kiana was about to refuse, the girl had already circled around to face her, eyes wide, staring intently.
Just when Kiana thought she was about to be recognized, the girl finally averted her gaze and bowed her head apologetically. "Sorry, big sister! I accidentally mistook you for Kiana-chan."
Kiana breathed a sigh of relief. When she returned to ARC City, the city was enveloped in Honkai Energy. After everything ended, everyone had fallen unconscious. Plus, so much time had passed; people should have forgotten by now.
"To make it up to you, sister, let me give you a free set of Kiana-chan manga!"
Only then did Kiana notice the girl was handing out flyers for a bookstore. Though, calling it a bookstore felt generous; it looked more like an idol fan club headquarters.
Looking around, stacks upon stacks of various manga editions filled the shelves. Promotional posters plastered the walls. Only a small section near the edge held other books.
Wait, Magical Girl Kiana... wasn't that the manga Ren originally drew to make money?
She whipped her head around to look at Ren, catching his contemplative expression as he gazed at the bookstore.
"Ren, this is...?"
"Uh, yeah, I didn't expect this manga to get so popular either. It's already reached twenty volumes without me realizing," Ren shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
He wasn't exactly lying. At least, he hadn't used his powers to forcibly alter people's perceptions. However, as one of the initial promotional tools, large-scale pushing was definitely involved. Coupled with The Obsidian Concord group's extensive output in the cultural sphere, it had unwittingly gathered a considerable online fanbase.
"You shouldn't have exposed my identity like that," Kiana sighed, giving Ren a sideways glance. She could only accept it resignedly. She didn't want to be famous, especially not after causing a major Honkai Eruption.
"Don't worry, the Kiana in the manga isn't that closely related to you."
At the little girl's strong insistence, they entered the bookstore. The manager was a young woman, probably in her twenties.
After a brief chat, Kiana learned she was the little girl's older sister. Handing out flyers wasn't child labor; the girl was just doing it voluntarily.
"Kiana-chan is super popular at our school!"
Clearly, Ren's initial efforts in ARC City had cultivated a large group of young fans. After the city's reconstruction, the trend even seemed to be spreading to adults.
"Big sister, let me give this big sister a copy!" the little girl called out to the manager, and before Kiana could react, shoved the latest volume into her hands.
"This..." Kiana naturally didn't want to accept handouts, but the girl was just too enthusiastic. She instinctively looked up at the manager, who simply waved her hand, indicating she should just take it.
"It's fine. This shop was opened mainly for her anyway. As long as she can promote her favorite manga character, she's happier than anyone."
Faced with this, Kiana could only accept the book silently. As she casually flipped it open, her hand suddenly froze.
"Coral Island Journey: The Magical Girl's Ultimate Strike..."
Honkai Energy, Honkai Beasts...
For decades, to avoid panic, Schicksal had intentionally suppressed information related to the Honkai. Ordinary people rarely encountered it. Yet, in this manga, the Honkai was presented directly to the public as the world-building premise for a magical girl story.
Fortunately, aside from the Honkai setting, other details were altered to varying degrees. The manga's protagonist, Kiana, was mysterious and powerful, yet cleverly written to avoid a direct link to the real Kiana.
She glanced at Ren, who met her gaze calmly.
"Public opinion is currently completely controlled by Schicksal. But Honkai disasters can't be hidden forever. If Otto decides to reveal everything one day, it won't just cause panic; it could put you in a very dangerous position."
"Rather than let that happen, it's better to subtly disseminate the information. Suppression is less effective than guidance. It's better if the public is mentally prepared."
As the mastermind behind the scenes, how could Ren not understand the importance of public opinion? From the very beginning, he had prepared for an information war.
Events proved him right.
Mainstream media was still firmly in Schicksal's grip, allowing them to suppress information related to Kiana with impunity. But online, The Obsidian Concord's cultural propaganda efforts were also spreading globally. While still relatively insignificant compared to Schicksal's influence, it meant Otto no longer had absolute control over the narrative.
Kiana didn't understand all this, but she trusted Ren wouldn't harm her. So, she just gave a soft "Mm," and didn't say anything more.
They found a quiet corner in the bookstore and started flipping through the magical girl story together.
Compared to Kiana's actual experiences, the manga's plot was heavily edited. Even so, the artistically enhanced portrayal of the manga Kiana felt inspiring and exciting.
Even though many of these things actually happened to me, why does reading it feel completely different? Is this really my story?
Kiana felt a twinge of self-doubt. She looked over at the little girl, who was standing by the entrance, enthusiastically handing out flyers. Watching her bright smile, Kiana felt an indescribable emotion stir within her.
"Can someone like me... really be a hero?" she murmured to herself.
"Of course. Whether in stories or reality, children's admiration is always pure. A star might not notice its own light, but in the darkness, it shines clearly in everyone's eyes." Ren squeezed her hand gently and smiled.
"From the moment you charged towards that falling meteor over ARC City, you were already a hero in others' eyes."
...
The magical girl story was just a small interlude. After saying goodbye to the girls, the two resumed their leisurely stroll.
They had no specific destination, just wandered aimlessly through the streets.
With the Elysian Realm chapter closed and the investigation into the Herrscher of Dominance concluded, both Ren and Kiana were enjoying some long-overdue free time.
"Want some ice cream?"
"Mhm."
They got two ice creams from a nearby vending machine and continued walking down the noisy street. People bustled past, but it didn't feel overly crowded. Unconsciously, they found themselves walking closer and closer together.
The breeze carried the last remnants of summer, mingling with the cool crispness of early autumn. By the time their wandering ended, the distant setting sun was casting a golden glow across their faces.
"Speaking of which, the weather seems to be getting colder."
Due to the freezing of the Pacific Ocean and the ice storm on Coral Island, the temperature in Shenzhou hadn't really gotten very high. Even though it was only November, there was already a distinct chill in the air. Only around noon, when the sun was bright, could you still feel a touch of summer heat.
"Yeah. How about we buy some new clothes?" Ren suggested, remembering Himeko's comment from the morning.
"We don't really need to, I still have plenty of clothes..."
"No, no, no, a girl's wardrobe is never full! You didn't have much choice before, but now you can treat yourself better. Besides, Himeko's not short on cash right now; we can just put it on her tab."
Without waiting for Kiana's agreement, he pulled her into a clothing store.
As soon as they entered, a sales assistant hurried over. The moment she saw Kiana, however, her eyes widened.
"Ci—" The saleswoman quickly clamped her hand over her mouth.
Indeed, this was the same hotel receptionist who had recognized Kiana before. She thought landing a job in city registration and running into Kiana again was incredible luck; she never expected to encounter her a third time after switching careers to become a sales assistant.
"Is something wrong?" Kiana asked, looking puzzled.
"I'm sorry! I'll definitely keep your secret!" Ignoring Kiana's bewildered expression, the sales assistant bowed respectfully and then began diligently helping them.
It had to be said, the sales assistant had excellent taste. Everything she picked out looked remarkably good on Kiana.
Though Ren suspected it was more because Kiana herself was pretty enough to look good in anything.
At first, Kiana felt a little self-conscious about trying on new clothes. But when she saw the look of amazement in Ren's eyes, a wave of inexplicable happiness washed over her. She stopped resisting and started trying on more outfits.
"Ren, how does this one look?"
The changing room door opened again, revealing the girl in a white dress. Unlike the practical clothes she usually wore for combat, Kiana in the long dress looked like a completely different person, radiating youthful charm and cuteness.
Her bare shoulders were smooth like jade, and the curve of her collarbone was delicate and alluring, like fine porcelain. Ren's breath hitched. He stood frozen, unable to tear his eyes away.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Ren's reaction made Kiana blush. She hadn't really worn off-the-shoulder dresses like this before and didn't have strong feelings about the style, but she hadn't expected Ren to react so strongly.
"You look beautiful," Ren praised sincerely. What truly stunned him wasn't the dress itself, but the realization that his feelings for Kiana had always been more focused on a soul level. He'd almost forgotten that the girl herself possessed a captivating physical charm.
This sudden glimpse of her girlish side had triggered a primal, instinctive flutter within him.
"Mm, thanks. But we came to buy autumn clothes, so let's put this one back," Kiana said. Although she liked the dress, she wasn't one to waste money. After giving Ren a quick twirl, she headed back into the changing room.
Once she was gone, Ren decisively gave the sales assistant a knowing look. The assistant understood immediately and began bagging up all the clothes Kiana had previously tried on.
While Ren was waiting for Kiana to change, a flash of black caught his eye. A black cat darted past in his peripheral vision. He followed its path and saw it finally stop at the feet of a figure leaning against a wall nearby.
The moment the figure sensed Ren's gaze, they turned their head. Their eyes met for an instant before the figure vanished.
"..." Ren fell silent, then glanced towards the changing room.
Kiana probably wouldn't be out for a little while. Maybe he should check things out first.
He took a few steps, then suddenly turned back and called towards the changing room, "Kiana, I'm stepping out for a bit!"
Almost forgot. In those cheesy romance dramas, leaving abruptly like this was prime territory for misunderstandings. To avoid triggering any unnecessary drama flags, it was best to give her a heads-up.
"Okay~!"
Hearing her reply, Ren finally left with peace of mind.