Rita Arrives as Promised, Martial Arts

The wind chimes swayed, and the silhouettes on the wooden floor swayed along with them.

The crisp, melodious sounds blended into the quiet conversations and soft laughter of the girls, becoming mere embellishments.

The coffee shop's tables were scattered with people, where the youthful and beautiful Valkyrie were enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

Although most of the Valkyrie at the St. Freya Academy are orphans with no background, their average appearance is strangely high.

This place is less like an ordinary coffee shop and more like a tea party for aristocratic ladies.

Su Qing'an and Kiana, who were standing to the side, were the waiters.

In fact, although etiquette class at the St. Freya Academy is not a required course in theory, the girls always enjoy it very much. Perhaps every girl has imagined herself as elegant as a white swan, exuding nobility and composure in her demeanor, and showing a confident smile to others.

But most of those moments exist only in the little theater of thought during a mental breakdown before sleep; the real opportunity to shine belongs to only a small minority of people.

Theresa understood girls of this era very well.

It's like an ordinary boy on his 15th birthday, daydreaming in class about transforming into a superhero and saving the world, when a helicopter suddenly appears out of nowhere, defying all logic.

The roar of the propellers and the flow of air changed the world before our eyes.

A beautiful young woman, as sharp as a blade, stepped out of the helicopter.

As she draped her trench coat over his shoulders, she said to him in a serious tone, "Adults don't have time for you to waste at school. We have to go save the world."

It was like a dream come true in an instant.

Theresa is like that; she tries her best to perfectly fulfill all the fantasies a girl should have at this time.

Most Valkyrie meet their end on the battlefield, and even the Logistics Department face high-risk jobs.

St. Freya Academy always runs a large deficit every year. Theoretically, the funding provided by Schicksal is generous enough that it shouldn't be like this every year.

All these unnecessary expenses, which led to the deficit, were spent on indulging in this beautiful fantasy and tenderness.

Some people at headquarters described Theresa as a spendthrift spendthrift, and that was indeed the case. She treated her students like her own children, giving them everything they deserved.

She's a half-baked idealist. She might not be very outstanding, and in the eyes of other branches, she's someone who acts recklessly because of connections. But to everyone at the St. Freya Academy, she's the best headmistress.

That is why few people would pass up such an opportunity, to the point that in terms of etiquette and demeanor, many of them are no less than true nobles.

Using this skill to disguise one's identity and carry out a successful assassination is also a viable option.

Incidentally, the teacher for this course is also Nishikujo Sara. In every sense, this woman is terrifying. The number of teachers at the St. Freya Academy can be counted on one hand, and she alone is responsible for one-third of the subjects in the academy, making her quite versatile.

Her course videos are recorded on the equipment provided by the academy, and their number of likes is second only to Theresa's concert likes.

In Number One Under Heaven. St. Freya Academy, where the academy is considered the best in the world, this is already a kind of limit.

From this perspective, Theresa's throne is very secure; she enjoys popular support and is unlikely to be betrayed.

Although Murata Himeko is also a teacher, she spends a large part of her time helping the headmaster with his work, so the subjects she is responsible for are relatively limited, which makes her quite busy.

The girls' casual glances as they chatted made Kiana, who was standing by the bar, feel uneasy.

The girl was wearing St. Freya's school uniform with a brown apron printed with bear paws over it; her outfit was unremarkable.

Even though she felt a little awkward because of those gazes, when that beautiful face adopted a cold expression, she unconsciously gained a bit more presence.

Kiana inwardly complained about the current situation with a touch of helplessness.

Why are they all looking at Su Qing'an?

This situation is just like the otaku who come to a maid cafe, each one with ulterior motives.

How could a shut-in come to a maid cafe to seriously drink coffee? They might as well go to Starbucks, which is cheaper and more affordable.

All they cared about was the potential absolute territory and the beautiful smiles of the maids.

Kiana glanced speechlessly at Su Qing'an behind the bar.

Also, why is this person so calm...?

The boy seemed oblivious to the gazes coming from all directions, focusing intently on grinding coffee beans. His hands held the pestle steadily and quietly, crushing a few coffee beans bit by bit into the mortar.

Unlike the convenience of grinding with a machine, this method requires a lot of patience.

Su Qing'an has always chosen this method.

It wasn't because he thought it would produce a much better quality than machine grinding; it was simply because he liked doing it this way.

The hand-cranked coffee grinder that Himeko gave him was almost covered in dust; he had never used it, and in this coffee shop, it seemed to be just an insignificant decoration.

Kiana eventually gave up thinking about it; after all, this wasn't the first or second time this had happened.

If Su Qing'an doesn't care, then what does she care about?

No one was sitting in the nearby area; it seemed to be a customary rule among the students out of politeness.

So Kiana sat down on the bench in front of the bar without any problem, her little leather shoes resting on the surface of the bar, and stretched lazily with a carefree air.

During this time, a section of her snow-white waist was revealed, which forcefully drew the gaze that was drifting towards Su Qing'an.

Kiana's keen intuition made her instinctively cover up the exposed waistline behind her.

Ah, the people at this school are really dangerous.

The girl suppressed her urge to complain and spoke to the boy who was grinding coffee beans:

"Su Qing'an, did you know that a very dangerous woman has recently arrived at the academy?"

Su Qing'an didn't look up. He had been really free lately, and neither Fu Hua, Himeko, nor anyone else allowed him to do any training in the short term.

From a doctor's perspective, Nishikujo Sara even advised him to stay put for a few weeks.

The consequences of reckless behavior can be seen in the severity of interpersonal relationships, as well as in physical health.

The battle in the Stigmata Space seemed to have intensified the erosion of the Artificial Stigmata. Although Nishikujo Sara did not mention it to him, he could understand the answer with his sword heart.

Perhaps, I shouldn't use Artificial Stigmata for a long time to come.

But things are beyond our control, and the three times he used it were all out of necessity.

Even at the St. Freya Academy, which is theoretically safe, he still had a brush with death.

He replied:

"Danger?"

In what sense?

Kiana, propping her head up with her hand, replied helplessly:

"It's dangerous in every sense of the word."

"Whether it's her combat prowess as Valkyrie, her negotiation skills and psychological manipulation, or her elusive techniques... in short, she's very dangerous."

Su Qing'an stopped grinding coffee beans abruptly. He looked at the girl, whose expression revealed a hint of displeasure, which he found somewhat amusing.

Su Qing'an couldn't help but ask:

Did you suffer a loss because of her?

Kiana pouted and muttered:

"I didn't lose at all; I was just a little careless."

Did they lose during a simulated battle or drill?

Having seen the answer at a glance, Su Qing'an frowned and asked:

"Kiana, what are the distinguishing features of the person you're talking about?"

Upon hearing this, the girl thought for a moment and then said seriously:

"Judging by her outfit alone, she's wearing a very provocative maid outfit. Roughly speaking, her height should be between 167 and 170 cm, her weight between 100 and 110 kg, and her measurements should be 92-61-92."

"All things considered, she has an excellent figure. She's probably a few years older than me, and her looks are those of a standard beauty. Her hair is gray-blonde, and her eyes are burgundy. In short, she can be very eye-catching if she wants to."

Are you some kind of detective?

Su Qing'an began to suspect that Kiana might also have many strange skills that he was unaware of but had not yet revealed.

He couldn't understand why someone could know almost everything about a person's measurements and weight on the first meeting.

Kiana's confident demeanor was particularly convincing, which made people even more curious about what she actually did during the battle.

Seemingly noticing the change in the boy's eyes, Kiana stopped talking and quickly explained:

"Ahem, Su Qing'an, don't misunderstand. This is necessary data collection before the battle."

Su Qing'an said quietly:

"Including measurements?"

Kiana remained strangely silent for a moment, then answered in almost the same tone:

"My dad taught me all of this. He taught me how to collect combat data and all that, step by step. Back then, he laughed and patted me on the shoulder, saying I was very talented."

"In short, I can no longer forget this skill."

Su Qing'an asked:

"Like instinct?"

Kiana nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

"Like instinct."

In many ways, it's both incredibly powerful and abnormal.

The boy spoke his mind frankly:

"If Mei finds out, will she say you're a pervert?"

"So, don't you already know Mei's measurements perfectly well?"

Kiana instinctively rattled off a string of numbers without thinking:

"89, 62, 90".

After realizing what she had said, the girl slammed her head on the bar counter with a heavy thud that made Su Qing'an want to facepalm in exasperation.

She clasped her hands together and pleaded:

"Please! You absolutely mustn't tell Mei!"

If Mei finds out, I'll be socially dead.

The boy sighed helplessly and said:

"Don't worry, you know my personality. I won't tell Mei on purpose, as long as you don't let it slip like you did today."

Kiana breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Her little leather shoes swayed lightly in the air, occasionally tapping against the countertop, as if releasing her earlier tension.

She said in a complaining tone:

"I knew you wouldn't tell, Su Qing'an, but I still couldn't help but panic for a moment."

"However, Kiana, I can't say I'm not wrong, but I don't know what will happen to the person sitting behind you."

Su Qing'an watched Kiana's expression gradually stiffen after hearing those words, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

He then looked at the coffee table closest to the two of them.

A maid who perfectly embodied all the qualities Kiana had described was giving the two of them a polite and friendly smile.

Rita Rossweisse.

This woman, who was both completely unfamiliar and somewhat familiar to Su Qing'an, was now vividly present before him.

Amidst their starkly contrasting gazes, the maid whispered:

"Greetings, my name is Rita Losweiser."

"I will be visiting your school for a while, and I look forward to your guidance."

Rita gave a slight bow, then her wine-red eyes filled with laughter. Her gaze lingered on the girl's stiff, adorable face as she said:

"Don't worry, Miss Kiana. Being talkative is not a lady's behavior. I just didn't expect Miss Kiana to know so much about Rita. I'm truly flattered."

Kiana watched as the maid let out a small groan, ignoring the veiled insults in her words, and instead gritted her teeth and said:

"Even though you can't say it's good, and it was wrong of me to give you your physical data, how can you appear and disappear so mysteriously?!"

The maid smiled and said:

"Miss Kiana, you're joking. This is just a basic skill for maids; there's nothing to make a fuss about."

"At least, the person behind you noticed me a long time ago."

"Right, Mr. Su?"

Su Qing'an methodically crushed the last coffee bean thoroughly into the mortar, then put down the pestle, picked up the white towel beside him, wiped his hands, and said:

"Kiana, I already saw Rita when I asked you about her appearance."

Ignoring Kiana's increasingly sinister gaze, he continued:

"To explain it as basic maid skills is far too modest. It seems that Miss Rita's master must be quite extraordinary."

"I was able to spot you simply because I happened to be standing at a vantage point with an unobstructed view, but Miss Rita's abilities cannot be so easily dismissed."

Su Qing'an looked up and stared intently at the other woman. In that instant, he realized from experience that she was definitely not a normal maid. More than her pretty face and alluring figure, he cared about her almost instinctive, honed skills.

He couldn't deny that, instinctively, a very youthful restlessness had arisen within him.

Even though I've gotten used to being in a place like St. Freya Academy where there are beautiful girls everywhere, some feelings are unavoidable.

Ultimately, he's still only 17 years old, both mentally and physically.

But that's all.

Su Qing'an said calmly:

"Martial artists are very straightforward. Someone like Miss Rita should understand that beating around the bush with me is inconvenient, which is why she chose to meet me in a place like this."

"Whatever Miss Rita wants to get from me, know, or test, no matter what."

"Just like you and Kiana did, let's have a fight and let you make your own judgment."

As the boy spoke, he had already adjusted his physique to its optimal state using the State of Still Water. In the brief moment of the subtle stretching of his muscles and bones, his whole body relaxed and flowed quietly with his breath.

These were the micro-management maneuvers he was used to before a battle.

Su Qing'an has never liked fighting, and even when he proposed a fight to Rita, he didn't feel any fighting spirit.

He once asked Chen Junxuan about this matter, whether it was normal for a martial artist to not feel the desire to fight.

A willingness to fight and a competitive spirit are probably in the nature of martial artists.

But if one has absolutely no interest in fighting, and feels no passion or joy whatsoever, is one unsuitable for the path of martial arts?

That was a brief period of doubt and confusion.

But it was only after the old man's answer and the realization he gained after seeing Fu Hua that Su Qing'an cleared away his confusion.

"Everyone has different reasons for practicing martial arts, Qing'an."

"For me, martial arts is no longer a tool for fighting and violence; it's a habit ingrained in my bones, a pastime for solace, and an imprint that ignites memories."

"For you, it's simply about not being overwhelmed by something."

"I can see you're scared. But it's okay, being scared is human nature. Whatever the reason for your fear, the fear buried deep inside you will eventually dissipate little by little."

Su Qing'an thought to herself at that time, "I know you are very strong, teacher. Ordinary people are as weak as other species in your hands. Even when you are empty-handed and others are also empty-handed, you can still fight a hundred people at once."

But what good is strength if you're that strong?

The boundaries of martial arts are so clear in this Honkai and ravaged modern world that they are already a product of the old era.

Rifles displayed on the assembly line of a military factory can easily kill a warrior, and a slight increase in Honkai Energy concentration will turn them into zombies that are not even considered Zombie.

I'm not learning it because martial arts are supposed to be incredibly powerful; it's just that it's the only thing I can access in a short time.

From the very beginning, Su Qing'an did not believe that martial arts could help him get rid of his fear.

But the old man's eyes, which were fixed on him, were deep and held a hidden smile. His next words seemed to see right through him.

"Martial arts may no longer be a match for guns and cannons, but the true meaning of martial arts lies in cultivating inner strength through self-discipline and tempering oneself."

"Whether one is brave and aggressive or quiet and reserved, it's a different choice for each person, and a different path of martial arts for each person."

"Qing'an, when you're no longer afraid, that's when you should make your own choice."

As time has passed, Su Qing'an is no longer afraid, but perhaps he has vaguely begun to make his own choice.

But before the day I truly understand, I must accumulate enough strength.

Like a flower that lies dormant in autumn and winter, striving to bloom in the height of summer.

Whether that bouquet of flowers is iris or Fusang will be revealed in the end.

Rita Losweisse, S-rank Valkyrie of the Schicksal S Rank.

Su Qing'an silently recited the name in her heart.

Perhaps I can learn something from this woman.

This is his real reason for proposing the fight.