Fu Hua in the Kitchen

Kiana was right, she really did arrive in five minutes.

The white-haired girl took off her helmet and got off the vehicle. If she were riding a motorcycle, the strands of hair that fell loose as she tossed her head would have looked exceptionally cool.

Unfortunately, she arrived in a very common electric scooter, the kind that's common in Shenzhou. Bronya had been sitting at the very front of the scooter, Kiana was driving in the middle, and Satou Yunona was sitting in the back, hugging Bronya's waist.

This scene resembled that of a parent picking up two children from school on an electric scooter. Even though Kiana's movements of driving and getting out of the scooter were so practiced and natural, it still revealed a touch of humor.

The only difference between this vehicle and an ordinary electric scooter is that it seems to have undergone significant modifications by the equipment department. Although it appears to be a simple electric scooter on the surface, its speed is already outside the normal range.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to get to the coffee shop in five minutes.

"Don't look at me like that! This is Aunt Himeko's car for grocery shopping, not mine." Kiana smoothed her wind-blown hair and said to Su Qing'an in an annoyed tone.

"Is this Himeko's? In that case, this car seems surprisingly plain." Su Qing'an said.

"It's said that Aunt Himeko broke a cart she used for grocery shopping when she was drunk one time. I heard she was even scolded by the Class President and the headmaster afterwards. This electric cart was probably assigned to Aunt Himeko directly by the headmaster."

So, what kind of car did Himeko use to go grocery shopping?

I have a feeling that I can taste something unusual and dangerous in it.

Su Qing'an was speechless.

Kiana, recounting gossip she'd heard from who-knows-where, knelt down to remove Bronya's helmet and continued:

"I suspect she secretly had the car modified later. The first time I drove it, I almost got into trouble because of the serious discrepancy between the speedometer reading and the actual speed."

Bronya shook her head, her two spiraling gray twin tails swaying with her movements. Kiana's speed was really fast; for a moment, she even had the illusion that Heavy Cannon Rabbit.

Bronya glanced at the coffee shop in front of her; this was her first time here, and she was quite curious about it.

After hearing Kiana's words, she uttered a pointed remark without expression:

"Idiot Kiana, she must have turned the bitrate up to the maximum all at once. Otherwise, Bronya believes that with Kiana's abnormally human physical abilities, she wouldn't have gotten into trouble so easily."

"Hahaha... No way. Who would floor the gas pedal the moment they start driving? Hahahaha." Kiana flashed a clean and straightforward smile.

Even though there was no hint of embarrassment, Su Qing'an and Satou Yunona still felt that Bronya's comment was very likely true.

The reason is that even though this person was called an idiot, he surprisingly didn't get angry and started arguing with Bronya.

"Oh dear, let's not talk about that anymore." Kiana said, pulling the two into the coffee shop. She glanced at the empty shop and turned to ask:

"By the way, where's the Class President?"

Su Qing'an said upon hearing this:

"She's in the kitchen. Please have a seat for a while."

What kind of coffee does Bronya like?

Compared to the familiar Satou Yunona and Kiana, Su Qing'an was only unsure about Bronya's taste.

If we consider their relationship in isolation, it can only be described as that of friends or acquaintances.

"Bronya doesn't like things that are too bitter," Bronya said.

That's probably similar to the tastes of a normal high school girl.

This reflects common taste preferences; not everyone is like Yuno, who prefers bitterness.

"Kiana, would you like to make it yourself?"

"No, you can have it from Su Qing'an." Kiana declared, displaying her lazy nature.

This person has become lazier than before for some reason.

Without specifically asking Satou Yunona, he went behind the bar to prepare to make coffee.

Of all the people he knew, only Satou Yunona's relationship with him gradually turned out this way because of coffee.

Therefore, Su Qing'an knew her preferences very well.

He chose a simple espresso; in fact, often the simpler the thing, the more it tests one's abilities.

Good espresso is hard to make at home because it requires a professional and high-quality coffee machine.

The quality of a cup of coffee can be affected by factors such as the pressure of the machine, the smoothness of the water circulation system, and even the ease of use of the portafilter and tamper.

In this respect, the facilities at the coffee shop in the St. Freya Academy are no worse than, or rather, exactly the same as, the coffee shop in Changkong City.

Since both coffee shops were run by Himeko, it seems that in consideration of his nostalgia, Himeko made the facilities and layout very similar to the previous coffee shop, and the equipment was exactly the same.

A good espresso requires extremely high pressure to force water to flow rapidly through tightly packed coffee grounds, extracting an essence from the finely ground powder, which is as coarse as granulated sugar.

The time cannot exceed 30 seconds.

The temperature must not exceed 90℃.

The force required to manually press the flour must be at least 20 kilograms.

A characteristic of properly brewed espresso is the presence of reddish-brown foam floating on the surface.

We call it coffee crema, and even this has precise thickness requirements.

Su Qing'an was already skilled enough to do these things before he entered the State of Still Water, and now it's even easier for him.

His State of Still Water and learning ability already make him an easy world-class master in various fields, but what if he really had a choice?

Su Qing'an had no desire to wield a sword or a knife, rather than become a world-class motorcyclist or butler.

What he truly wanted was that life of running that coffee shop alone, where almost no one came, but there were still a few friends occasionally making noise.

Those years have become a light in the Mind Lake.

In that not-too-distant future, the demon known as the Inner Demon will return once more, and perhaps this light can help him protect something then.

Within half an hour, Su Qing'an had brought three cups of coffee to the table.

Espresso.

Two mochas.

The espresso was naturally given to Satou Yunona, while the two mochas were placed in front of Kiana and Bronya.

However, compared to Kiana's mocha, Bronya's mocha had more chocolate syrup and was decorated with delicate flower patterns drawn with cocoa powder. Su Qing'an then gave the little girl a few marshmallows, seemingly afraid that she would find it bitter.

Satou Yunona took a sip of coffee; she had been silent ever since she came in.

Compared to Su Qing'an's sense of powerlessness and sorrow, Satou Yunona's feelings were perhaps even stronger.

Satou Yunona certainly wasn't blaming Su Qing'an for not being strong enough. Given her personality, even if that were true, she would only blame herself.

The mere sight of Su Qing'an involuntarily brought back memories of the Kyoto Kambara Yuu Kyo-Yuzen.

Besides...

That day, Kambara Shuichi looking at them as they Dogezza).

The coffee is so bitter today.

I'm thinking of adding a few sugar cubes.

Thinking this, she put the coffee back on the saucer without saying a word.

Su Qing'an quietly placed a cup of warm milk and a dish of sugar cubes next to her coffee.

He knew Satou Yunona's preferences, but he thought that perhaps a slightly sweeter flavor would suit her today.

The girl glanced at him, then carefully placed a sugar cube—something she hadn't liked before—into her coffee.

Kiana watched her slowly stir the coffee and felt a pang of sadness. She knew all along that Satou Yunona would eventually have to face these things that would make her sad.

Even though she knew it all along, she still couldn't help but feel saddened by her tragedy.

She didn't like making Satou Yunona sad.

Satou Yunona took a sip of coffee; the taste of the sugar cube she had added directly didn't really blend with the flavor of the espresso.

"It tastes really strange," she said.

That was only natural; she didn't like putting sugar in her coffee anyway, but she still couldn't help laughing.

This person is always very sensitive in these kinds of situations, which makes those who notice this sensitivity feel a sense of tenderness.

Unfortunately... it was only gentleness.

But this temperature is already sufficient.

Bronya held the cup in her little hands and took a sip of mocha.

The chocolate syrup and bitterness blend perfectly, creating a unique flavor that enhances the aroma of the cocoa powder.

Although it was slightly bitter, the bitterness was actually a pleasant taste and wouldn't make Bronya dislike it.

She ate a marshmallow and then enjoyed the sweet and bitter interplay of flavors as the sugar melted in her mouth with the warmth of the coffee.

"Bronya thinks Su Qing'an's coffee is delicious," she said sincerely.

If possible, Bronya wanted everyone from the old orphanage to be able to drink coffee like this; perhaps some of them wouldn't need a cup of coffee.

But coffee mixed with the atmosphere and the sea breeze outside the window always tastes different.

And there is one person Bronya will absolutely, positively, one day be able to drink coffee like that.

That was the unwavering conviction in this little girl's heart.

"Yes, you're welcome to come over if you want to drink some in the future," Su Qing'an replied.

It's a pleasant thing for him to have his homemade coffee appreciated and liked.

That's why Satou Yunona was able to overcome the barrier of the boy's aloof appearance and become his friend.

The girl, wearing a clean white apron and carrying a plate, walked out of the kitchen.

Looking at the scene before her, she smiled faintly and said:

"It seems quite lively already, Su Qing'an."

Before Su Qing'an could answer, she stepped forward and steadily placed the tray on the table.

"Let's have some dessert, everyone."

On the tray was a plate of freshly baked cookies and several brownies.

"Class President, long time no see." Although she was a little bad at dealing with Fu Hua's personality, Kiana still greeted her politely and respectfully.

"Fu Hua, may I ask you some questions about my studies later?" Satou Yunona asked earnestly.

"Okay, sure. You're welcome anytime I'm free," Fu Hua replied matter-of-factly.

She would never hesitate to share all her knowledge, skills, and experience with anyone who was a student at the St. Freya Academy.

"Class President, can Bronya have a cookie?" Bronya tilted her head and asked Fu Hua.

Even though her face didn't change, Fu Hua could still see the little girl's struggle and worries.

"Of course you can, but Mei is probably cooking for you guys, so remember to eat less." Fu Hua couldn't help but find Bronya's slightly naive and innocent appearance amusing and nostalgic. She subconsciously patted Bronya's head.

Bronya obediently did not refuse; the cool temperature of the girl's fingertips somehow gave her an incredible warmth, a gentleness that seemed to encompass everything yet would never be easily revealed.

"Hmm." Bronya nodded.

She thought that the Class President wasn't as rigid as he seemed on the surface.

The girl could understand that it was the [Ashes] of memories resonating within her, these déjà vu attempts to awaken something.

Even though Fu Hua understands that such feelings are nothing more than a futile struggle, she still feels happy.

Because that is proof that she has survived to this day.

Whether it is joy, sorrow, or pain, she gains a real sense of being alive when she senses the corresponding emotions.

This, besides that promise, is one of the reasons that has sustained her to this point.

Then, Su Qing'an broke that feeling.

He whispered in the girl's ear:

"Hua, I can understand if you can make cookies in this short time, but how did you make brownies? Just putting them in the oven takes forty-five minutes, not to mention the time needed for them to cool."

Fu Hua pulled the boy to a distance that was slightly further away from the others.

"Are you curious? That's just a little trick."

The girl first gave a joking smile, then her expression became slightly more serious as she continued:

"Su Qing'an, haven't you been underestimating the Honkai Energy control of the Void Sword Qi all along?"

"I don't know your specific level in this area, but I want to tell you that Honkai Energy is far more complex than that."

"Just like Honkai, Honkai Energy is something that humanity has yet to fully understand."

The art style had been dragged from everyday life to Honkai world, leaving Su Qing'an with mixed feelings. Had his imagination been stifled?

No, Su Qing'an, who came from another world, experienced more magical events than anyone else, so his perspective could not be too narrow.

He was just...

I don't like Honkai, and I don't like Honkai Energy.

Therefore, he has always subconsciously refused to think about any uses for the Void Sword Qi other than those it provides.

"Honkai Energy... Hua, is it really impossible for humanity to defeat the Honkai by relying on forces outside of Honkai?" He couldn't help but ask the question he already knew the answer to.

"... No." Fu Hua's expression suddenly darkened upon hearing this, as if she had found something unpleasant in her lingering memories. However, she quickly regained her composure and gave her answer.

"I see." Su Qing'an didn't say anything more. He understood that this was the result Fu Hua had drawn from her countless experiences fighting against the Honkai.

Expressing a denial here is not only meaningless but also disrespectful to Fu Hua.

Because if you were to ask who is the most sorrowful and grief-stricken about this matter,

That must be Hua, not Su Qing'an.

Can the power of Honkai truly defeat Honkai?

While continuing the conversation in a relaxed atmosphere, Su Qing'an still harbored doubts in her heart.

The day when this doubt fully takes root and sprouts is still a very, very long way off.