Eve of Departure

In the early morning, a great sun rose.

Sunlight streamed into the room.

On the pages of the brand-new calendar, dazzling arcs of light refracted, the ground was covered in golden hues, and dust motes danced clearly visible in the wind and light.

The furniture and various daily necessities in the room had been moved from the storage by Himeko and Kiana.

Even though he said he could manage alone, the two refused his proposal, citing that he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries.

This single room dormitory was about sixty square meters, equipped with all the necessary facilities. Himeko seemed regretful that day that he didn't choose to live with her.

If Himeko had been living alone, Su Qing'an might have considered it, but now three girls were living in her house, so it didn't seem appropriate for him to move in.

Kiana didn't care whether he moved in or not. For the past three days, she had been dragging him to play games from time to time, occasionally complaining that Bronya was a little fox, like a "green tea" as they say online, which made Su Qing'an can't help but laugh.

Kiana had returned to her normal, lively self. It seemed that the people around her recently allowed her to open up, and Su Qing'an saw her cold expression less and less.

This was a good thing, wasn't it?

For a girl who had experienced many hardships and tragedies since childhood, her experiences in Changkong City were just an accident in her life. The future she would face after overcoming it was even more arduous.

These carefree, leisurely times, without needing to ponder the meaning of life, were precious to Kiana Kaslana.

Her days at St. Freya Academy would be the last safe harbor in her future memories.

And from then on, storms and turbulent waves on the sea would rush towards her.

All Su Qing'an could do was to become stronger, a little stronger, before that day arrived.

He opened the window, and the branches of an ancient tree came into view. Its posture, bathed in the early sun, resembled the Fusang from Shenzhou legends.

Breathing in the fresh air, the young man smiled as he watched the girl quietly practicing punches under the tree.

Hua.

Every time I see you, no matter what mood I was in before, I feel happy.

Was this some strange habit?

He opened the door and walked under the tree, tacitly waiting for the girl to finish a set of martial arts movements. Looking at the serene and harmonious movements, he understood that these were not killing punches, but rather exercises for health and body conditioning.

Before practicing, she took off her red glasses. Her eyes, unobstructed, were like autumn water.

Her face, in the sunlight, appeared even more flawless like white jade, her crystal-clear skin shimmering with an ivory glow.

The girl seemed to have just showered, her gray hair slightly damp and tied back with a black string.

Su Qing'an felt his heart pounding as fiercely as when he was chased by Ganesha, and he had never felt this way even when riding his Kawasaki H2R across the brink of death.

The guards in his heart were as useless as the low-level soldiers in a game he used to play called Dynasty Warriors. Just a few more glances and they were utterly defeated.

To him, the girl's beautiful eyes and the movements of her punches were as sharp as swords, piercing his heart in an instant, irresistible.

What a strange feeling, he told himself.

Then he also started practicing, the same martial art the girl was practicing.

Fifteen minutes later, they both stopped their movements simultaneously, their actions almost identical, harmonious, and natural.

The morning warm-up was over.

"Fu Hua, you're here very early today," the young man said casually.

"Martial arts are endless; diligence is the most basic requirement," Fu Hua said after wiping her glasses and putting them on.

For the past three days, Fu Hua had been coming to the tree to practice punches every morning.

When asked the reason, her reply was that she had always liked to practice in the morning under this tree.

It just so happened that his dormitory was very close by.

Su Qing'an didn't think Fu Hua had any special feelings for him.

Even if Fu Hua had an excellent memory, the restart of the worldline after his death would erase everything, just as Kiana no longer recognized him before.

The resurrection of gods was never a convenient or fun game.

Even with the possibility of resurrection after his next death, he would not take his own life lightly.

"Miss Changguang asked me to give this to you," Fu Hua said with a hint of helplessness, handing him a long, silver metal case with the Destiny logo printed on it. "It should be your sword, reforged. Miss Changguang is really reckless. She probably worked overtime without sleeping that day. After I took the case, she just collapsed on the table and fell asleep."

The subsequent gentle image of the girl carrying her to bed and tucking her in was another story.

"Mhm, thank you," he replied, taking the rather heavy case. "Miss Changguang is undoubtedly an excellent sword-maker, but sometimes I wish she would pay more attention to her health. It wasn't that urgent, and this makes me feel a bit guilty."

"I'll have to find a time to thank her properly."

"Are you planning to go to Changkong City today?" Fu Hua asked.

"Yes, the weapon has been reforged, so there's no reason to delay," Su Qing'an replied.

"... Is that person very important to you?" Abruptly, Fu Hua asked this question.

Su Qing'an froze for a moment at the question, then replied earnestly:

"To the 'me' before, Sato and the stray cat were the only lively things in my dead life."

"She was a very ordinary child, always loudly complaining about people and things she disliked. She really liked the coffee I made. When she drank coffee, she was so quiet, unlike her usual chatty self. I really liked the way she earnestly praised me after finishing it," the young man recounted his memories, his expression pleasant.

"Whether it was for the 'me' before or the 'me' now, Sato is a very important existence. The habit of making coffee for her is like my habit of feeding the cat at the coffee shop every evening."

"If I can't see her, I feel very unsettled."

So, for the sake of the Su Qing'an of the past, and for his current self, not going to take a look there would leave him feeling unwilling.

Although it was foolish, stupid, and illogical, he still had no intention of giving up.

Su Qing'an was a man who survived being chased by an Emperor-class Honkai Beast for this so-called idiotic promise. He had already done something so foolish, so what was wrong with taking a look back?

It was like playing a 100-floor tower-climbing RPG. After painstakingly defeating the Great Demon King boss on the 99th floor, you wouldn't give up halfway and refuse to go to the final floor, regardless of whether the last level held a reward chest or even greater despair.

"I understand. I'm sorry for asking strange questions." Fu Hua brushed a strand of gray hair from her shoulder. Whether it was his illusion or not, the pink lips of the young woman seemed to curve upwards slightly.

"Are you going to see Headmaster Theresa now?" she asked.

"Yes." Su Qing'an nodded. He needed to ask Theresa for the qualifications to travel to Changkong City.

"Be careful. Most of the Honkai Beasts in Changkong City have been cleared out by the Far East Branch, but there's no ruling out unexpected occurrences. This is also why the Headmaster is considering it before agreeing."

Fu Hua cautioned him earnestly, her calm expression making him feel that the smile he had seen earlier was just an illusion.

"Thank you. I'll be careful. Then, goodbye." After bidding farewell to Fu Hua, Su Qing'an walked towards the Headmaster's office.

As the young man's retreating figure disappeared, the young woman continued practicing her punches.

"Lord Fu Hua! Why haven't you been coming to the training room for morning practice lately? We haven't been able to find you to ask training questions," said a student from her class.

"It's nothing. I just feel that the morning air under this tree is better lately," the young woman retracted her stance and said calmly.

Although it was already winter, the slightly cool air became warm under the sunlight.

The weather today was very good.