Birthday Cake

On the third day, Seigfried did not continue waiting in the cabin. Since someone knew he was there, that person's perception had to be incredibly sharp.

There was no point in that, so he continued walking across the snowfield as usual, searching for traces of Honkai Beasts.

"Phew... Seigfried, is something wrong? Have you decided to join Anti-Entropy?"

Seigfried connected a call to Welt. After quite a while, Welt's slightly breathless voice came through. Hearing it, Seigfried could not help imagining Welt's private life. As expected of Anti-Entropy's leader—he was truly shamelessly enviable.

"Welt, I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

Seigfried had no desire to listen to someone doing that sort of thing, so he asked in advance. If Welt really was doing something embarrassing, he would hang up immediately. He did not want to scare Welt limp.

"No. I've been doing rehabilitation these past few years," Welt said, not thinking much of it.

"You still haven't fully recovered?"

Seigfried felt awkward as well. His thoughts had been too dirty. He then asked with concern. During the Second Honkai Outbreak, in that top-tier battle, the MVP award absolutely had to go to Welt. Even his body had been blown apart by Sirin. Although he had activated Walter Yang's passive skill, his recovery over the years had been relatively slow, and he still could not return to one hundred percent.

"Not yet. My body still feels a little weak," Welt said helplessly.

Even though he had used the Herrscher of Reason's authority to construct a new body, it simply could not compare to his original one. It felt mismatched somehow. Still, he could now exert seventy or eighty percent of his peak strength. However, Einstein and the others would not let him fight. If he fought another monster like a Herrscher, this body might collapse too.

"Seigfried, what did you call me for?"

St. Freya had not yet been established, so Welt was staying in one of Anti-Entropy's secret bases.

"Has Anti-Entropy sent anyone to my current location?" Seigfried asked indirectly. Not many people knew where he was. One was Otto, whom he believed had not found him yet, and the other was Anti-Entropy, with whom he had been in frequent contact.

"Anti-Entropy? Probably not. I'm in a rest period right now, so I haven't been involved in managing Anti-Entropy's affairs for quite some time. Those radicals might do something, though. Is there something wrong?" Welt's expression turned serious as well.

Many people were interested in K423, the experimental clone Seigfried had taken away half a year ago, so Welt had no choice but to take it seriously. He knew Seigfried treasured this "daughter" greatly. If Anti-Entropy really did something and made Seigfried lose her again, then Anti-Entropy would have to bear Jie Mie's fury. In Welt's current condition, he might not even be able to stop him.

"Haha, it's nothing. I've just had a strange feeling lately," Seigfried said with a laugh, changing the subject.

It seemed that person was not Welt. Although he hated Schicksal for various reasons now, he had to admit that Anti-Entropy truly could not compare. Setting combat strength aside, its internal structure was a mess—there were conservatives and radicals alike. Meanwhile, with that detestable Otto in charge of Schicksal, once he gave an order, those beneath him acted swiftly and decisively.

Back when Welt was still at his peak, Anti-Entropy had been doing fairly well. But as Welt gradually withdrew due to his physical condition, factionalism within Anti-Entropy had become increasingly severe.

If Anti-Entropy's radicals really came after them, Seigfried would genuinely hit them with one hell of an attack.

After chatting with Welt for a bit, Seigfried ended the call and continued patrolling, checking the surroundings for Honkai Beasts.

December 7, 2007...

"Captain, is anyone besides Kiana celebrating a birthday today?"

Mei placed the finished birthday cake on the table and asked curiously. She had not asked Zhang Wei these past few days whom he had been delivering boxed meals to.

"It's little Kiana from this world. Today is her birthday, so I'm bringing her a cake. This should be her first time eating one!" Zhang Wei adjusted his Captain's hat and flashed a cheerful smile.

Little Kiana had only been out of the incubation chamber for so long. He did not believe Otto would kindly buy a cake for an experimental subject like Kiana. As for Seigfried, there was no need to even consider it. How could some tiny village deep in the mountains and forests possibly sell cakes?

"Little Kiana, I see. I really want to meet her!"

Mei came to a realization. She wondered what Kiana of this world was like now. That Kiana who kept shouting "sis juice" clearly had some serious problem. Kiana as a child should be adorable.

"What's the big deal? I'll take you to see her sometime!"

"Then it's a promise!"

Zhang Wei nodded, picked up the cake, and left. He placed it in front of the cabin with practiced ease. Having delivered dinner to little Kiana every day, he was already thoroughly familiar with the routine.

"No one again. I wanted to see who it was!" Little Kiana muttered gloomily as she pushed open the door.

"Kiana, get back inside quickly. Don't freeze!" Seigfried called out. It was December now, and the low temperatures outside were not something a child could endure.

"Got it, Dad!"

"What a big box. I wonder what delicious thing is inside!" Kiana hugged the cake box, which was half as large as her body, her face full of anticipation.

"Kiana, this letter is for you. You should be able to read it yourself, right?"

When Seigfried saw the cake, his expression froze. It was his daughter's birthday. Other than preparing a gift, something like a cake was genuinely difficult to get in a place like this. As for making one himself, forget it. The cake he made might send little Kiana off on her birthday.

"Mm, I can read it!" Little Kiana read it aloud word by word.

[Happy birthday, little Kiana. I don't think your dad prepared a cake for you, did he? It would be such a shame for a little princess to celebrate her birthday without a cake. This is your birthday cake...]

Hearing the contents of the letter, Seigfried felt deeply embarrassed. If they did not live in a place like this, would he really be short on money to buy a cake?

Especially when little Kiana nodded in firm agreement, it hurt this old father's heart even more.

Little Kiana looked at her gray-haired father, then casually tossed the hurtful letter into the fireplace. That was how she had handled them before.

"Happy birthday, Kiana!"

Seigfried did not stay dejected for long. He stuck candles into the cake, took out his gift, and smiled gently.

"Happy birthday!"

At the same time, everyone aboard the Hyperion was celebrating Kiana's birthday as well. By sheer coincidence, the two Kianas, one older and one younger, made different birthday wishes at the same time before blowing out the candles.