Alicia is the Real Golden Finger in Honkai!

Gwen interrupted Kiana directly, not letting her continue. Escaping has no end—

"Since you know she'll kill if she takes over your body, killing the people you care about, why did you let her out?"

The words, carrying a hint of deterrent power, entered her ears, instantly scattering the thoughts swirling in Kiana's mind, leaving her brain blank.

"...I..."

After a long silence, Kiana spoke again, her voice low, "I can't beat her..."

At this moment, Kiana had lost the irritability that had appeared under the stimulation of fear and unease. Instead, she was exceptionally fragile, like a homeless stray cat curled up and trembling.

"Then make yourself stronger, strong enough that she can't beat you."

Gwen's words were as simple and direct as before.

"But... but... but I..."

Although she really wanted to agree, the moment she remembered the feeling of her body being instantly taken over that night, Kiana felt as if her throat was being choked, overwhelmed by a terrible sense of suffocation, and all her courage vanished.

"You can't?"

Gwen spoke those three words for Kiana, causing the girl to nod almost imperceptibly. She looked at Gwen pitifully, like a kitten begging for food from a passerby.

Chapter 68: Kiana is Still a Coward

"I can help you."

Gwen's expression softened slightly as he gazed into the girl's dim eyes. "But all I can do is help you. The demon in your heart can only be defeated by yourself."

"I..."

She subconsciously wanted to agree, but the suffocating feeling of everything being taken away resurfaced, causing Kiana's words to get stuck in her throat, unable to say anything.

"If you remember that night, you should recall that Mei, like you, is also a Herrscher."

Although Mei's second consciousness was incomparable to the Herrscher consciousness in Kiana's body, it didn't stop Gwen from using it to motivate Kiana. "However, with my help, Mei succeeded. She awakened her power steadily without being taken over by the Herrscher consciousness."

How can you not do it?

"It's different..."

Although she didn't know that the Herrscher consciousness in her body was the only villain among the secondary personalities in the Honkai world, Kiana instinctively wanted to refute something.

"Perhaps it's different."

Without giving Kiana a chance to continue being an ostrich, Gwen interrupted her directly, saying calmly, "Or perhaps it's the same... But if you don't even dare to try, then it doesn't matter if they are different or the same."

"Or perhaps..."

The gentle expression that had just appeared on his face vanished, returning to its previous calmness. "Facing the one who took everything from you, you don't even have the courage to resist, nor the courage to avenge Siegfried?"

"I..."

Kiana opened her mouth, her gaze evasive. She didn't dare to meet Siegfried's eyes, lowered her head, and said in a low voice, "Gwen, you... you will help me, right?"

"Heaven helps those who help themselves. Heaven aids those who help themselves, and abandons those who abandon themselves... I can only help Kiana who is willing to resist. I can't help a coward waiting to die."

Gwen replied immediately, slightly increasing the grip on Kiana's small hand.

"Then... please help me, okay?"

She raised her head, her slightly trembling eyes meeting Gwen's. She was still a little timid, but no longer evasive. "I... I don't want to hurt anyone else anymore."

"As long as you don't give up, I will always stand by your side."

Holding Kiana's small hand, Gwen said softly. A gentle light quietly entered Kiana's body, guiding her heart along with Gwen's words.

"Mhm, I'll work hard..."

Kiana's hoarse voice finally gained a bit of life, and Gwen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew... it looks like a happy ending for everyone."

Seeing that Gwen had resolved the issue, Alicia, who had been worried, finally relaxed. "I didn't expect you to be so eloquent, Gwen."

"I'm just a support who used a few underhanded tactics. Kiana herself made the real choice."

Gwen didn't readily accept Alicia's praise—

At least, in Gwen's own opinion, his persuasion skills were only average.

"Hey, you can't say that.

Even though Kiana herself made the decision, you're the one who made her make that decision~?"

With the heavy burden lifted from her heart, Alicia also breathed a sigh of relief, her tone regaining its previous liveliness and ease.

"Heh, then I'll trouble you, Alicia, to remember my contribution..."

Chatting with Alicia in his mind, Gwen also said to Kiana:

"Since you've already made your choice, you should rest well first.

Your current weak body can't handle my training."

"Mhm, I'll rest well and try to get discharged as soon as possible."

Nodding, Kiana tried her best to force a smile, but ultimately failed.

"Heh, alright, don't push yourself."

Gwen chuckled softly, placing Kiana's warmed little hand back under the covers, and asked:

"Do you want to eat anything else?"

"Um... can you give me the other half of the apple?

I want to finish it."

"Okay."

Nodding, Gwen picked up the half-eaten apple that had been placed aside and asked with a smile:

"Do you need me to feed you?"

"Am I disabled? Do I need you to feed me?"

Gwen received a glare from Kiana, who then extended her little hand from under the covers. She took the apple, which she had already taken bites out of, looked at it carefully, and then slowly began to eat.

Compared to her dazed state earlier, Kiana wasn't eating quickly now, but she was eating very carefully.

Soon, only the core of the apple remained.

"I want to rest for a bit..."

Kiana said softly, gently tossing the apple core into the trash can.

"Mhm, sleep. I'll watch you sleep."

Gwen nodded.

"...I can't sleep when you're watching me."

Blinking, Kiana, who hadn't expected Gwen's reply, continued:

"I'm afraid some coward will commit suicide after I leave."

Gwen's answer made Kiana's expression freeze. Her small face then flushed slightly, and she dared not look at Gwen, saying in a low voice:

"I'm not a coward."

"I didn't name anyone specifically. Don't assume it's about you."

Gwen chuckled as he looked at Kiana, causing the girl's face to turn even redder. She directly pushed the pillow down, turned over, and burrowed into the covers, refusing to look at Gwen.

"Heh heh..."

Gwen remained silent, only chuckling softly, which prompted the girl to stubbornly bury her head under the covers.

Shaking his head with a light smile, Gwen quietly withdrew from the room, leaving the space to Kiana—

Although she seemed to have been persuaded, perhaps the girl still needed some private space to cry her heart out...

"How did it go?"

Raiden Mei, who had been watching the situation in the ward through the window, asked eagerly as Gwen emerged.

"I've managed to persuade Kiana, for now."

Gwen sighed softly and said:

"However, as I mentioned before, Kiana's issues are much more complex than yours.

It will take a long time for her to fully overcome this."

"That's good..."

A look of relief appeared on Raiden Mei's face, and she also breathed a sigh of relief. Then she said:

"By the way, Gwen, Bishop Otto just came by. He's in the lounge over there now and asked you to go see him when you came out."

"Alright, I'll go see him. Mei, you go rest over there for a while."

Although he had just racked his brains to persuade Kiana, since Otto had arrived, Gwen couldn't refuse to meet him.

After speaking, Gwen walked towards the lounge on the side.

The layout was the same as the lounge when Gwen first arrived. Otto, sitting at the table in the center, greeted Gwen with a smile as he entered:

"It seems you succeeded, my friend."

Chapter 69 Schicksal HQ (×) TPC Far East Base (√)

"It's not a success, I merely managed to pull her back from suicidal tendencies.

There's still a long way to go to reach the level of a Herrscher of Humanity."

Shaking his head, Gwen sighed and sat down opposite Otto:

"Did something happen? You couldn't even wait for me to come find you and came here to wait for me instead."

"Nothing significant has happened recently."

Shaking his head, Otto said:

"I came here simply to answer some of your questions—

After all, many things are not suitable for the internet; it's better to discuss them in person.

I assume Kiana... Kiana should still remember what happened before?"

"According to her, she remembers everything—"

Meeting Otto's emerald eyes, Gwen slowly said:

"She remembered everything, from waking up in the shattered cultivation pod to the overlooked accidents before."

"Oh?"

Raising an eyebrow, Otto showed a hint of surprise on his face:

"It seems that Herrscher lady gave her all those memories."

"Whether she remembered them herself under the Herrscher's consciousness stimulation, or if the Herrscher gave them to her to keep her in line, we have no way of knowing."