Chapter 298

Nodding obediently, Seele indicated that she would listen. Since Shen Gonglin asked her to keep it a secret, she would keep it a secret. Maybe he was just going to talk to the Doctor about something important.

"Okay, Seele, what are you doing wandering around here? Have you eaten? Whether you have or not, come with me to get something to eat. I'm a little hungry."

Satisfied with Seele's reaction, Shen Gonglin stopped his wall-slamming act. He vaguely thought he heard a spitting sound, but he was not sure if it was just his imagination. He then pulled Seele towards the restaurant. He had gotten up a little late today and Shen Gonglin was hungry.

"Seele has already eaten... Shen Gonglin, the restaurant is over here. At this time, there should still be food left. Let's go find Sister Bronya first. Sister Bronya also ate quite late today."

I kindly led Shen Gonglin in the right direction, but why does Shen Gonglin's eyes suddenly become more sinister after I pointed it out? I only pointed out the right way, Shen Gonglin... he shouldn't be that petty, right?

Chapter Twenty-One

Their training is truly arduous. Even a delicate girl like Seele has to undergo such high-intensity training, so it's easy to imagine that Bronya and Kiana must be enduring even more. Watching the blue-haired girls sweating profusely on the training field, Shen Gonglin felt a strange pang of guilt. They were all working so hard, while she...

There's nothing we can do about it; cherries are just so delicious.

After swallowing the cherry that the android girl 2B offered him, Shen Gonglin slumped on the bench like a boneless young master, watching Bronya and Seele training over there. When was it finally time to eat? Shen Gonglin was starving.

"Are you hungry? Wait a moment, Seele's training is almost over... Seele is really growing. Even though it's already the highest difficulty, she can still handle it. Everyone is working hard to become stronger."

Bronya approached Shen Gonglin. She glanced at Shen Gonglin being fed by the android girl and felt a little strange. However, Bronya wasn't jealous of the girl. Shen Gonglin was probably hungry. She had been delayed today, and it should have been mealtime by now. This girl did nothing all day, but she was always on time to eat.

"Yeah, yeah, Seele is amazing... But this intensity seems a bit too much for her, look, she's even swaying a little when she walks."

Shen Gonglin praised Seele as if reading aloud to Bronya. Bronya, who was a sister-obsessed girl, would be happy if she praised Seele. However, Shen Gonglin pointed out Seele's problem as she walked over. This girl was really going all out. She thought she would send another Seele to fight, but in the end she insisted on going it alone. She was really going all out.

"Seele! What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Bronya noticed Seele's bravado and quickly ran over to support Seele arm. The girl's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat; she was really pushing herself too hard.

"It's alright, Sister Bronya, I'm just a little dizzy, I'll be fine soon..."

She gave Bronya a reassuring smile. Although her face was a little pale, Seele was still very happy because she had survived the most difficult training all by herself. Seele must have grown a lot by now.

"Your lips are all pale, it might be low blood sugar. You say you won't push yourself, but isn't this just pushing yourself too hard?"

Bronya scolded Seele in a low voice. She really acted like an older sister in front of Seele. This little sister was disobedient this time. She shouldn't have listened to her and made her undergo the most difficult simulation training. It was a rigorous test for her mind and body.

"The closer the training is to the limit, the more potential it can unleash. Didn't Sister Bronya say that when she almost got injured last time?"

Bronya brought up some of her own words to deal with her, and Bronya, who was adopting the older sister's attitude, was immediately speechless. It was indeed something she had said. Well, Seele has learned to talk back now. This disobedient side of her must have been learned from Shen Gonglin. Otherwise, her younger sister wouldn't be so willful.

"That's because I..."

Bronya couldn't bring herself to say it. As the older sister, she should set a good example, but it seemed she had become a negative example for Seele. She had told her not to be stubborn, but it seemed she had been the one being stubborn all along. Really, couldn't Seele learn from Shen Gonglin?... It wasn't that she wanted Seele to completely emulate him, but if Seele became as lazy as Shen Gonglin, Bronya felt she would have a real headache.

"Seele know that my sister has been training hard with Mr. Welt. So, I want to work harder so that I can stand by my sister's side and fight alongside her, even if it's just a little bit. I want to share the responsibility for my sister and for everyone."

The girl clenched her small fist and said very seriously, "Seele feels very happy with her life now. Everyone is together, and we can eat delicious food every day. Seele wants to protect this life, so she can't leave all the responsibility to others. This is the life she wants, so she has to protect it herself."

"Seele ..."

Bronya was very pleased with Seele's performance, but Seele blushed slightly. She thought, "Sister Bronya probably didn't hear me, did she? My stomach was growling with hunger just now, so it seems she didn't hear me. Thank goodness, I just said something so cool, how could I ruin the atmosphere so quickly?"

"Alright, alright, you two stop talking. Let's finish our sisterly love show in the room, okay? Bronya, didn't you hear Seele's stomach growling? Hurry up and go eat. If you're not enthusiastic about eating, you're probably out of your mind."

Just when Seele thought she could get away with it, Shen Gonglin mentioned it, and Seele, who was pointed out, immediately couldn't hold back anymore. This Shen Gonglin... she's really annoying!

"Yes, I'm sorry! Why did I have to ruin the mood at a time like this? I'm so sorry, Sister Bronya. Seele, you're still such a useless person..."

Seele apologized dejectedly, but Shen Gonglin didn't understand why she was apologizing at all. Bronya, on the other hand, reached out and patted Seele's head. Neither Shen Gonglin nor Seele had changed. This scene of "family harmony" between the sister-in-law and brother-in-law made Bronya very happy.

"As Seele of Seele, let's go. When you have low blood sugar, you should eat well. If we go now, we might still make it before the restaurant closes."

Bronya, being very understanding, didn't dwell on Seele's rumbling stomach, attributing it to low blood sugar. The highly emotionally intelligent Bronya knew how to save face for her younger sister, and Seele breathed a sigh of relief. Shen Gonglin even ran out immediately; he was getting impatient. If it weren't for waiting for the two of them to finish training, he would have gone over to eat long ago. Right now, he felt like he could eat a whole pig in three bites!

"Hurry up, I'm starving. If the restaurant is closed, you two are in charge of cooking for me. Honestly, I'm definitely going to have a good meal when we go to Salt Lake City tomorrow."

Watching Shen Gonglin's retreating figure, Bronya and Seele quickly followed. Salt Lake City, is Shen Gonglin going to Salt Lake City tomorrow?

"Wait a minute, Shen Gonglin, you're going the wrong way. The restaurant is this way... Seele, I'm worried about letting this guy go to Salt Lake City alone tomorrow. Could you go with him? Also, there's something else I'd like to ask you to do."

She hurriedly followed after Shen Gonglin's figure. Bronya had entrusted Seele with this task, and she couldn't let Shen Gonglin wander around outside alone like this.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Schicksal Aid

"Phew, thank goodness we made it in time... The cafeteria almost closed, Bronya, you guys are so slow."

Finally arriving at the restaurant, seeing the lights still on inside, Shen Gonglin breathed a sigh of relief. Bronya and Seele behind her looked at Shen Gonglin with speechless expressions. This guy's skill at shifting blame was still so masterful. If he hadn't wandered off and gotten lost, they would have arrived long ago. Now it had become their responsibility again. Sigh, what could they do with Shen Gonglin? They could only tolerate him.

"It's good that we made it. There are fewer people at this time, which is nice. Shen Gonglin, what would you like to eat? I can give you one... Wait, isn't that... Miss Kiana?"

Seeing the somewhat lonely figure in the restaurant, Bronya and the others walked over. It was Kiana, who was eating. The portion of food on the table seemed normal, but it seemed a little small for Kiana.

"Excuse me, may we sit here?"

Seele greeted Kiana, wanting to get along well with everyone. Although she had met Kiana a few times, their relationship still felt a bit distant, unlike with Sister Bronya and the others. She had heard that Sister Bronya had slept with Kiana yesterday.

"Huh? It's you guys. There's no one here. Please sit down... Shen Gonglin, where did you go? I looked for you everywhere and couldn't find you. Didn't you promise to have dinner with me?"

Upon seeing Seele and Bronya, Kiana nodded quietly. She only became noticeably more lively when she saw Shen Gonglin. She had no appetite earlier, but seeing Shen Gonglin immediately cheered her up. She decided not to leave and would eat a little more.

Kiana, is this all you're eating today?

Bronya looked at the food on the table. These Valkyrie expend a lot of energy in their daily training, so their food requirements are higher than those of ordinary girls. She knew Kiana's usual appetite. Could it be that Kiana had some health problem today?

"I didn't have much of an appetite just now, which isn't normal for me... It's definitely not something wrong with my body. Didn't Shen Gonglin heal me yesterday? Besides, I haven't finished eating yet. I can definitely have another serving. Did you guys just finish training?"

She ordered another meal, which was more in line with Kiana's personality. Seeing the girl enjoying her meal, Bronya felt a little relieved. With Shen Gonglin around, Kiana would be in a good mood, so she didn't need to worry too much about that.

"Seele, could you pass me this lemonade... Is it okay if I call you by your name like this?"

Kiana's appetite was greatly increased, and she happily ate her meal, but she accidentally choked. She patted the table and asked Seele to bring her some water. After regaining her senses, Kiana smiled at Seele and said that she and Seele had known each other for a while, but they didn't seem to have had a proper conversation yet.

"Of course! That's what everyone calls me, hehe. It feels so much more friendly when we call each other by our first names. Speaking of which, I've never run into Kiana in the cafeteria before, except for yesterday and today. Is it because we eat at different times?"

A cheerful smile appeared on Seele's face, and then Seele raised the question. She and Sister Bronya had only eaten at this time by chance, but Kiana seemed to do it often. After Seele asked the question, Kiana's expression suddenly turned somewhat strange. This time of day...

"Hmm... yes, I usually come around this time..."

Seele nodded upon hearing this. Was it because the training was too strenuous that they avoided peak periods? But judging from Kiana's expression, it didn't seem like that. So what was the reason?

Kiana, how's the Class President doing?

Bronya took the initiative to start the conversation. Logically, it should be Shen Gonglin comes at this time, but this girl is carefree and only cares about eating. She eats three meals a day on time, but how come she doesn't gain weight? Moreover, she is not sensible at all. She is such a naive and innocent girl.

"We still haven't found any trace of the Herrscher of Consciousness. She said she would continue to track her down."

Bronya and Kiana were talking about the Herrscher of Consciousness. Since the Mount Tai Xu incident, the Herrscher of Consciousness had disappeared without a trace. Shen Gonglin listened to their conversation but didn't intend to say anything. Little Herrscher of Consciousness was currently residing in his consciousness, but the girl didn't seem willing to let him reveal her whereabouts. Shen Gonglin respected her on this point, guessing that she was just embarrassed.

This girl seems to want to go out for a stroll lately. Shen Gonglin has tried to persuade her several times, but she still insists. Shen Gonglin is also planning to let her go out for some fresh air, but with this girl's brains, Shen Gonglin is really afraid that if she lets her out, she will be fooled by someone. After all, she is not as smart as herself.

"I see... I wonder where the Herrscher went. Schicksal also said there was no news of her."

Bronya shook her head, but Kiana scoffed at the news. Schicksal? She was completely unwilling to believe in Schicksal. Could she trust Otto's words? That guy was the biggest villain.

"The current Schicksal can be trusted. Otto disappeared after the Herrscher of Consciousness appeared. It is said that Durandal is now acting as the commander of the Valkyrie forces. Faced with this situation, due to Shen Gonglin's relationship with Schicksal, Anti-Entropy and Schicksal have reached a tacit understanding. The information that Rita shared with Anti-Entropy a few days ago is just that. The two sides have temporarily ceased hostilities and are exchanging information to a considerable extent."

Bronya said that it seems that Schicksal and Anti-Entropy have broken free from their previous hostility. A while ago, Schicksal even sent a batch of supplies to Anti-Entropy... Although it was just a batch of strawberry cakes, it showed Schicksal's attitude.

That said, the fact that they sent over a strawberry cake must mean that the maid wanted to improve Shen Gonglin's life. She really cares about him.

"So, all we can do right now is deal with the recent frequent Honkai incidents. Headmistress Theresa has become Rosaria and Liliya's mentors and takes them with her when they go into battle to train their combat skills. Although the twins are very enthusiastic, they are also very difficult to manage, and the headmistress has a terrible headache."

When the topic of the twin sisters came up, Bronya's tone became lighter, and Kiana followed suit, realizing that everyone was doing what they were supposed to do.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Task for Seele

Hearing Bronya talk about this, Kiana smiled knowingly. How interesting! These things happened to them before, even though it was only a few months ago, but why does it feel so surreal now? It's like a lifetime ago. It's quite fascinating.

These ordinary daily routines will eventually turn into memories that are both desirable and unattainable, and it is these beautiful memories that support their yearning for a better life.

"Haha, it feels like seeing our past selves. Auntie is always like this, saying she's not good at raising children, but she's actually very professional."

With their spirits lifted, Kiana and Bronya discussed the funny things that had happened to them in the past. These were memories that only they knew. It was truly a happy thing to still have their old companions by their side. And one day, those familiar friends would reunite.

Hmm, I feel like I can't join the conversation at all. Sister Bronya and Kiana are very good friends.

The two girls were talking so enthusiastically that they unconsciously ignored the other girl. However, Seele didn't mind and just listened quietly. Meanwhile, Shen Gonglin was focused on eating and enjoying his meal. Seele, who couldn't get a word in edgewise, could only move closer to Shen Gonglin. He didn't seem to be in the mood to reminisce with them.

"I always felt that I was from a completely different world from them."

Her gaze shifted, and a red light quietly crept into her blue eyes. "That's what my other self said, "Seele thought. She knew the girl was talking to her. Before the girl could even retort, Shen Gonglin was focused on eating, reached out and patted her head. She had heard what the girl had just said. Was this girl about to turn evil? Perfect, she had plenty of experience dealing with evil girls.

"What are you barking about... What nonsense are you spouting? Aren't they all taking good care of you? It's just that you don't understand what they're talking about, so you can't say anything. Don't you see that I'm the same way? As long as you try to deepen your understanding, let them understand you better, and you understand them better, you will definitely be able to become good friends with more people. Don't worry."

Taking the opportunity, Shen Gonglin wiped her oily hands on Seele's body, comforting Seele. The girl looked up, her blue eyes filled with laughter. She thought so too; Shen Gonglin was right.

[Tch, I feel like I'm not needed. Seele, this guy dared to touch your head! Quick, give him a good whack with a scythe and let him know our heads aren't made of dough!]

But I don't want to hurt Shen Gonglin...

[You don't miss me, but I do!]

The two personalities of the girl chattered away in their minds, while Shen Gonglin continued his work after wiping his hands. He felt that he seemed to be eating more lately. The Class President said that this was a good sign, and that it might be a sign of physical development. So Shen Gonglin had been very serious about eating lately. However, he suddenly remembered something else. Ai had asked him to do something else.

"By the way, is any of you free tomorrow? I'm going to Salt Lake City to buy some things. Ai Yin said there are still a lot of things to buy for the Anti-Entropy anniversary sale. Because I'm so reliable, she entrusted this task to me. Is anyone willing to come with me? If we buy too much, I'm afraid I won't be able to carry it all back."

After revealing Einstein's request to him, Shen Gonglin looked extremely arrogant. It was unclear what he was being arrogant about; perhaps it was because he felt he had been entrusted with such an important task. But in reality, Einstein just wanted to give him something to do. This guy spent all day loitering around the base doing nothing, and Einstein was genuinely worried that he would get bored out of his mind.

It's just buying things, nothing should go wrong. Ai Yin even specifically asked him to bring a few people with him, so that everything would be foolproof.

"Hey, Salt Lake City, I'm going there tomorrow too. We've received several reports of mechs going out of control for no reason recently, and we're short-handed, so the Doctor asked me to go check it out. Shen Gonglin, if you're going, we can go together."

Kiana was the first to raise her hand. She was supposed to go to Salt Lake City for a mission tomorrow, and now that Shen Gonglin was going too, that was perfect. In any case, Kiana was very happy to be able to go out with Shen Gonglin.

"Bronya has training tomorrow... but Seele can go with you. Seele has had too many training sessions lately, and it's time for her to relax."

Bronya spoke calmly, while Seele was slightly taken aback. She didn't know that Bronya had arranged such a thing for her. However, seeing Bronya's nonchalant expression, Seele nodded. Although she didn't know what Sister Bronya's plans were, she was sure that she would do the right thing as long as she listened to her.

"Alright! I'll go back and get ready then. Shen Gonglin, you're coming with me too. You still haven't told me where you went last night. You don't know, the Class President tried to sneak up on you again last night. You have to be careful when you sleep from now on... How about I stay with you from now on? That way I can protect you closely. What do you think?"

Kiana stood up excitedly. It had been a long time since she'd had a relaxing activity, and Kiana was already quite impatient. She pulled Shen Gonglin to say goodbye to Bronya and the others before leaving the restaurant. Only after their figures had completely disappeared did Seele look at Bronya and speak.

"Sister Bronya, could it be that this is the favor you asked me to do?"

When I came to the restaurant before, I heard that Shen Gonglin was going to Salt Lake City. Bronya said she wanted to Seele a favor, and now it should be Sister Bronya's request. But why is it her? Seele feels that Bronya is not just worried that Shen Gonglin will get lost. She must have other considerations.

"Seele is truly Seele, so perceptive. I'm sorry for making the decision without your permission. I hope Seele won't be angry with me."

Bronya nodded, not at all surprised by Seele's reaction. After all, her younger sister was so thoughtful, so having her accompany her was definitely the right thing to do.

"No, no, how could I possibly blame Sister Bronya? I'm happy to go out with Kiana too, but... Sister Bronya, you must have other plans for letting me go with Kiana and Shen Gonglin, right?"

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Mature Bronya

Seele tilted her head and looked at Bronya curiously. She was a thoughtful girl and knew Bronya very well. Although her older sister looked like a little girl, she was actually a very reliable adult. Seele admired Bronya very much, and she knew that there must be a deeper meaning behind what Bronya asked her to do.

"Yes, that's why Bronya wanted to Seele to accompany Kiana to relax, so that she could feel more at ease."

Bronya nodded in response to Seele's question. She didn't need Seele to do anything else; she just needed her to keep Kiana company and help her relax. Seele had a natural advantage in this regard, and she was sure she could help Kiana Shen Gonglin. Bronya had felt quite sad seeing Kiana eating alone earlier, which was why she hadn't stopped Kiana from taking Rin away.

With him by her side, Kiana can probably finally relax completely.

"Huh? But why me? Sister Bronya has spent more time with Kiana and knows her better. Wouldn't Sister Bronya be a better choice to accompany Kiana?"

Seele was quite surprised by this. Her relationship with Kiana was far less close than Kiana's relationship with her Sister Bronya, yet Kiana chose to have her stay with her. Why was that?

"That's why some things are harder to say because we understand them so well. At first, Kiana came to eat with us, but there were also many Anti-Entropy employees in the cafeteria at the same time. When they saw Kiana, they showed a lot of concern."

Bronya told Seele this, explaining why Kiana always ate alone. Although she trusted her, Bronya was genuinely worried about her.

"The tables near Kiana are always empty, even when Einstein sits next to her."

Understanding Kiana's situation, Seele began to feel indignant on her behalf. The girl clenched her small fists, her blue eyes filled with resentment. How could Kiana be treated like this? Although she wasn't very familiar with Kiana, Seele knew how hardworking and great she was. She shouldn't be treated this way.

"But... but Kiana can control herself, and she's trying so hard to protect everyone... how can you treat her like this..."

After imagining Kiana's treatment for a moment, Seele felt sad for her. Being isolated must be very uncomfortable. So, Miss Kiana has been suffering from this kind of unfair treatment all along? I really feel sorry for her.

"Sigh... Seele, we all know these things, but for ordinary people, fear and worry are not emotions that can be easily overcome—this situation will come sooner or later, so Kiana did not argue, but chose to back down and avoid the crowd. Of course, she did not care about other people's opinions, but she did not want to add any additional variables to the current stable situation."

I can understand Kiana's situation quite well. After all, the Herrscher of the Void had a huge impact before. Back in the War of Schicksal, the Herrscher of the Void wiped out most of the mechs that Anti-Entropy participated in the battle with a snap of her fingers. This was a huge shock to Anti-Entropy. So, for ordinary people and those who are not familiar with Kiana, this kind of treatment is perfectly normal.

"I see. No wonder Sister Bronya interrupted me earlier. She didn't want Kiana to talk about this topic."

Seele suddenly realized that she had been asking Kiana why she had come at this time, but Sister Bronya had cleverly changed the subject. As expected of Sister Bronya was so amazing.

"Yes, Kiana has really changed. She's become more mature and calm, and she no longer keeps everything bottled up inside. But for her, the world has changed a lot... Only when I'm with Shen Gonglin can I still see the shadow of the Kiana I used to know. She understands our thoughts. What she needs now is the kindness of others."

Thinking of Kiana's appearance just now, Bronya's face showed a nostalgic expression. How long had it been since she had seen that carefree smile? Although it seemed silly, she had to admit that seeing Kiana like that made Bronya's whole heart relax.