Bronya: Why Did My Head Suddenly Feel Heavy?

Hello, I'm Bronya Zaychek, the strategist and brains of the Fire-Chasing Squad.

Well, although I play a crucial role in the team, capable of both physically restraining people with stockings and skillfully hacking into systems, there's one very embarrassing thing...

Kiana: Kaslana & Saniat hybrid, with a promising future;

Mei: Natural Stigmata Holder & Gem of Conquest Host, a king's start;

Wendy: A definite S-Rank Valkyrie candidate & Gem of Desire host, protagonist template;

Seele: A natural Stigmata holder, and her Stigmata development level is the highest in the team... although the dominant personality (Stigmata consciousness) is in control;

Arin Sisters: Fusion Warrior;

Xing: Needless to say, this cheater is either farming dungeons or waiting to farm dungeons!

Bronya: A trained mercenary, a top assassin, and a genius hacker?

In the Honkai World, besides strength, bloodline is also very important. At the very least, you need a Herrscher Core to show off, right?

Bronya, the only ordinary human in the Fire-Chasing Squad, cursed and clicked the downvote.

That day, after Bronya finished organizing the squad's attendance records, she picked up the group photo on the table and her gaze fell on the boy in the photo whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Honestly, laughing so happily, you're just like Kiana, that carefree idiot, yet somehow different. Speaking of which, you've been Luming Lady for so long now, when will you finally turn back into the Sachi I know?"

P. S.: Sorry, according to the author's outline, although there will be several more appearances of Sachi, Luming Lady will be the main character for a long time... I didn't expect the idol route to take this long when I started it!

Ya Ya sighed, her fingers tracing the photo frame, her eyes filled with tender reminiscence. "Being an idol is a little awkward, but as long as you're happy. And don't forget to save me a seat at the wedding, at least before Wendy, I got here first..."

The two Seele outside the door looked at each other, hesitating whether to tell her about it, but then decided against it.

"Tsk, Wendy said last time that ever since this guy started adopting a female form, not only has his luck with women not decreased at all, but his attractiveness to men has actually increased. Are you some kind of femme fatale?!" Bronya gritted her teeth in anger, thinking about those stinky men next door to her wife. Does this guy even know how charming he is? He should tone it down a bit!

When discussing their relationship, Bronya recalled an incident from the past.

Time point: Hidden storyline at the end of the Cocolia Orphanage dungeon.

"This is truly... an unexpected surprise, thank goodness!"

Late at night, the two little ones squeezed together to play Yugi as usual. Bronya won a round decisively and playfully poked her lover's cheek with her finger. Hmm, it feels good.

Fortunately, he moved her hand away and yawned wearily. "Is that enough for today? It's time to rest."

"No, according to the plan, you have to accompany me to explore that newly developed Yugi tonight. Don't even think about running away before then!" Ya Ya grabbed his neck and said threateningly.

Their grey and red eyes met, and for some reason, Bronya exuded an aura of resentment. What was going on? She'd only been out there for a few days, and casually cleared the Quantum Sea beginner dungeon to bring Seele back, right? I even managed to squeeze in a fight with Zack! Do you know how hard I worked?

PS: I also managed to clear the Genshin Impact Sumeru dungeon.

"Hmph, what are you looking at? How long has it been since you spent time with me? If you don't make it up to me tonight, I'll break up with you!" Bronya poked his forehead fiercely and puffed out her cheeks in a huff.

Kawaii~

Xing sighed helplessly, patted the grumpy silver wolf's head, and gestured for her to look at the door. "Stop playing Yugi all the time, spend more time with the people around you. Your sister Seele has been waiting for you, aren't you going to go see her? The sisters haven't seen each other for so many years, there must be a lot to talk about, right?"

"She's been back for several days now, and we've said everything we could... Didn't I tell her to go to bed early tonight? She's been staying up until now, what time is it? I'll go and talk to her..." Bronya was about to put White Seele to sleep before returning to the battlefield when Xing caught her off guard and picked her up in a princess carry. "Alright, go to sleep now, that's enough for tonight, or I'll delete your Yugi save."

"Hey, you!" Bronya was about to explode when a soft kiss sealed her cherry lips, swallowing back all the words she was about to say.

"Is this enough?" Xing wiped the saliva from their lips and looked at the shy little girl with a half-smile.

Ha, you're nowhere near as good as your voice actor! Hmm, it seems I'm not quite sure about the Little Angel's abilities in this area.

"... Damn it, that was too sudden!" Ya Ya had just come to her senses, wanted to punch him in the chest with her little fists and beat him to death, but the clever little boy was thick-skinned and had high HP, so she couldn't even deal 1 point of damage.

"I've told you so many times to play less Yugi, or you won't grow tall or develop properly..." On the way to Bronya's bed, Xing nagged like a mother hen, "Also, spend more time with White Seele. To her, I'm just an outsider. You're her older sister. You need to find a way to help her overcome her psychological obstacles. She's very gentle, but that gentleness might also harm her, or even cause a big mistake unintentionally."

"If in the future, White Seele lets an enemy go because of her soft heart, and that despicable enemy not only shows no gratitude but also takes the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, injuring or even killing one of us, then that is her responsibility. Even if White Seele did not mean it, this experience will haunt her for the rest of her life, possibly causing her to be tormented by guilt, alienating her from others, and..."

Bronya felt a chill run down her spine and quickly interrupted the spellcasting, "Stop, stop, stop! Don't chant anymore! When did you become as talkative as the class monitor? You keep rambling on and on, but what you said..."

Bronya suddenly fell silent. She looked at her legs, which were draped over Sachi's arm, and a complex look flashed in her eyes. "I understand. I will guide her properly."

"Mmm, sweet dreams." Sachi nodded, lowered her head and kissed her lover's brow. Bronya trembled slightly, seriously suspecting that this guy had been given a shot of vodka before playing the Yugi and had his meridians opened up. Why was he being so proactive today?

Pushing open the door, White Seele, unable to stay awake any longer, collapsed onto Black Seele's shoulder and fell asleep. Seeing them arrive, Black Seele, who was standing guard for her cousin, waved to them, "Good evening, elder sister and Brother Xing ~"

Black Seele's electronic voice sent a shiver down their spines. After placing Bronya on the bed, Sachi was about to turn and leave when Black Seele, with a mischievous grin, called out to him, "Hey, aren't you going to sleep with your big sister, Sachi-nii-nii?"

"I don't mind, but if White Seele wakes up and finds me in Bronya's bed, her reaction will probably be quite adorable." Xing exerted a little force, delivering a chop to her head. "Behave yourself, stop trying to be mischievous, or I'll let you experience the joy of swimming in the ocean of knowledge again~"

Black Seele's delicate body trembled violently, and her expression immediately turned terrified. Damn it, I never want to study advanced mathematics in my life. Is such a difficult thing really meant for humans to learn?

After teasing Black Seele, Sachi felt refreshed and in high spirits. He was just about to go back to pet his cat, play with his bird, and stroke his fox before going to bed when Bronya called out to him, "Sachi, are you free in three days?"

"What's up?"

"There's a place I need you to go with me. Remember, don't tell anyone."

Looking into Bronya's sincere eyes, Sachi believed that this time she truly had something she could only tell him and could not confide in anyone else.

Fortunately, he didn't say anything or ask anything; he simply nodded slightly.

Three days later, Siberia—

In the midst of a fierce blizzard, young boys and girls, bundled up in cotton-padded clothes, struggled to make their way through the icy landscape.

"Why is it here again? Didn't we just come here a few days ago?"

"Last time you were the one who called for help from Mother Cocolia. I saw that you weren't in good condition at the time, so I told you to go back and rest first, and come back with me when you're better. Is there anything you're unhappy about?"

"No, but where are we going?"

You'll see when you get there!

Bronya seemed unsure of the exact location of her destination, stopping several times to check her smart device before finally stopping amidst a jumble of rubble.

Fortunately, it was noticed that there was a tremor in the palm of their clasped hands. Bronya seemed to be trying her best to control her emotions, and her body was trembling uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Xing quickly hugged her and was about to ask when he noticed two icicles frozen on Bronya's face.

A warm flame emanated from the boy, dispelling the surrounding chill. He wiped away Bronya's tears and asked no more questions.

Fortunately, I vaguely guessed what it was.

Bronya's eyes reddened as she tried her best to control her emotions. The two stood there for a long time, and the surrounding ice and snow melted, revealing the soil buried deep beneath, which contrasted sharply with the thick white snow on the outside.

As her emotions gradually calmed down, she choked back tears and said to him, "Later, you're not allowed to say anything out of line, understand?"

"Um."

Bronya, holding Xing's hand, walked forward along the rocky mountain path.

The mountain path wasn't long, and we soon reached its end.

At the end, a tombstone covered in snow stood alone, with no flowers in front of it—perhaps buried under the snow, or perhaps carried away by other animals.

Upon seeing the grave, Bronya's emotions, which she had been suppressing, overwhelmed her again. She released Sachi's hand, threw herself onto the tombstone, and burst into tears.

"Mom, I've come to see you..."

Xing stood there stunned. Even though he had guessed it beforehand, when he actually saw this scene, the deepest part of his heart was still deeply touched.

This is not something that can be understood simply by reading words on paper, nor is it the kind of excitement that can be felt through a few painted faces. Rather, it is a resonance that can only be experienced by truly immersing oneself in this world and living alongside those who once existed only on the screen.

This is why readers can only be readers, and authors can only be authors.

She cried so heartbrokenly, as if she wanted to tell her mother all the sad things she had encountered over the years. She wanted to tell her mother that she had suffered many hardships in the past, but now she had made many new friends, met many bad people with bad intentions, but also met many good people who were willing to treat her sincerely.

She also got a boyfriend. Although he's a bit of a womanizer, he's generally a good person, and he's both handsome and strong. With his help, Seele was regained, and...

The leaping flames in his hand formed a divine sword that brought fire to all things. Fortunately, he wielded the Heavenly Fire Judgment - Oath of Protection, and swung it towards the white sky—

The red pillars of light from the traditional clouds brought a brief respite to this land that is perpetually covered in ice and snow, and the snow on the ground gradually receded.

One sword strikes, piercing the earth.

After unleashing this seemingly effortless yet all-out sword strike, the weapon in his hand shattered instantly. He himself gasped for breath and moved to sit down next to Bronya, quietly keeping Bronya company as she reminisced with her long-lost mother.

This is not some "Mother Cocolia," but the truly great person who gave Bronya Zaychek life, enabling her to come into this world.

Fortunately, upon looking at the tombstone, she learned that Bronya's mother's name was Alexandra.

Even the longest story eventually comes to an end, and even the finest wine eventually runs out.

After an unknown amount of time, Bronya's emotions gradually calmed down. Only then did she realize with surprise that the thick snow around her had melted away, and flowers and grass spread across this lifeless land.

A few shriveled fruits were hidden among the flowers and plants. They were so inconspicuous that neither of them noticed them, and even if they had, they probably wouldn't have cared.

She turned to look at the guy who was playing with the grass, knowing full well that it must have been his doing; only someone who controlled the power of death could do this in such a short time.

"Look, your future son-in-law is quite romantic; he's brought some plants to beautify this place... Mom, do you like him? If you don't say, I'll take that as your consent."

Bronya stroked the cold tombstone and spoke softly. Just then, Sachi, who had been silent all along, spoke up.

"Bronya, close your eyes, and open them when I tell you to."

"... Don't do that kind of thing at her grave."

"It's not what you think..."

Bronya did as she was told and obediently closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt something being put on her fingers and quickly opened her eyes.

It was a ring woven from fresh grass, with a small flower pinned to the top, serving as a substitute for a diamond.

"It's not hard to buy a diamond ring that costs a few thousand, but that would be too perfunctory. So I tried to make one myself... Sorry, it's a bit ugly since it was my first time."

Fortunately, he turned his head away, looking a little shy. Bronya peeked at the spot where he had just sat down; several similar rings lay discarded there, indicating that the guy had tried them several times.

"Pfft, it really is ugly. Who would give a ring like this when proposing to their girlfriend?" Bronya put the ring in her pocket and mercilessly mocked Xing's craftsmanship.

"Sorry... I'll carve one out of gemstones next time."

"Don't worry about such trivial matters. I'm not the kind of girl who's materialistic."

On the ground covered with flowers and fragrant grass, the boy and girl embraced each other, and the tombstone beside them silently witnessed the scene. If the mother is watching from heaven, she would surely bless her daughter.

"... I'm going to visit my dad next, can you stay with me some more?"

"Of course, dear Bronya."

"Then... would you like to hear my story? About how I grew up here. Although you should have obtained my memories through the Bonded Weaponry, a firsthand account is not the same as a quick read."

"Hmm." Sachi didn't ask why Bronya's parents weren't buried together. Rather, she said that in the land after the Second Honkai Impact, it was already quite good that there was a grave after death.

Unlike his Sister Natasha, who didn't even have a grave to visit during the Qingming Festival.

And so, Bronya and Sachi walked step by step through the snow, and she told him her story.

The matryoshka dolls left by my father, Uncle Maxim, and the computer that I hadn't even had a chance to enjoy before it was destroyed in the fire along with the matryoshka dolls...

The girl told a story, and the boy listened attentively. They walked through a large, messy group of tombstones and stopped in front of a grave on the edge of a cliff.

Bronya looked at the tombstone and softly read the name and epitaph engraved on it, "Alexei Sidavich Zaitsev... He was a sinner, but he always tried his best to keep his family and friends from hunger and cold."

Like her mother, Bronya also had many things she wanted to say to her father. Fortunately, he accompanied her as she reminisced with her father until Bronya could no longer think of anything to say or shed a single tear.

Should we move them to another place?

"Where can they go? For them, staying here is at least less disturbing and more peaceful."

"At least, shouldn't we bury them in one place?"

"... I agree with this idea."

With Xing's help, Bronya moved her parents' graves to a secluded place and buried them together.

There won't even be any Honkai Beast here.

Bronya stood before her parents' graves, lost in thought for a long time, until the snow returned and swallowed the vibrant earth once more. Only then did she snap out of her reverie and embark on her journey home with Sachi.

But on the way back, something strange happened.

Without any warning, Xing suddenly erupted, activating all four of his Stigmata. He shielded Bronya in his arms with one hand and wielded the Greatsword Heavenly Fire with the other. His eyes turned black and white, Red Feathers floated around them, golden chains extended from the cross, a dark red gravity field appeared, and patterns that eroded reality were faintly visible all around.

Bronya could sense that Sachi seemed to be on guard against something, but this state lasted for a long time. Sachi slowly turned off the mode of full power, looking completely confused.

"What's wrong?" Bronya asked, afraid of disturbing him.

Just a moment ago, my instincts gave me a danger warning, but I didn't sense anything nearby that could threaten us, only a few scattered Honkai Beast. "I suspect I was mistaken, since the feeling was only for a brief moment and there's always the possibility of it being an illusion."

Even so, Sachi and Bronya remained extremely vigilant, carefully returning to the spaceship they had come from. Only after safely returning to the St. Freya Academy did they dare to lower their guard this time.

What they didn't know was that as the spaceship took off, a white figure stood in the snow, watching them leave.

"What are the chances of an ordinary person becoming Herrscher? Hmm, what are the chances of an ordinary person's lover being Herrscher? Heh, and this Herrscher seems to have quite a few Stigmata..."

The woman wore a strange bodysuit, her head was adorned with feathers, her long, snow-white hair had purple highlights, and her blue-purple eyes watched with interest the spaceship that was about to disappear from her sight.

"Sin Kaslana, huh? Bronya Zaychek, you have a very incredible friend."

Author's Note—

I don't know why, but I seem to be more and more easily affected by the emotions of the characters in books. Last time, when I wrote about Tiga looking back, I couldn't help but cry. This time, when I wrote about Ya Ya sweeping the grave... I don't know why, but my eyes also felt a little sore.

This is a problem. If things continue like this, how am I supposed to continue writing the later parts of the story...?