Arknights, Suika's Messenger Journey

Trembling, she accepted the letter. The moment she saw the name on it, her whole body collapsed like a lump of mud.

"Mom, Mom, is it a letter from Dad?"

A boy who looked even younger than Suika, perhaps only just learning to talk, ran out from inside.

When he saw his mother collapsed on the ground and the helpless Suika beside her, he spread his arms and stood between them.

"Who are you? Why are you bullying Mom? My dad's a general. If he finds out, he'll beat you up."

Looking into the little boy's eyes, Suika reached out and patted his head.

"Your father went on an expedition to the Northlands with his comrades. He may not be able to come back for a very long time. While Dad is away, remember to protect your mother!"

"Ah, he can't come back for New Year's either?"

"He can't."

"What about my birthday?"

"Not then either."

"Then what about Mom's birthday? He always came back every year before!"

"I'm afraid not then, either."

Suika calmly shook her head.

"Stop..." The young lady supported herself against the wall and rose to her feet.

"Thank you for bringing news of my husband. But I have things to do, so I can't entertain you two."

After saying that to Suika and Hoshiguma, who stood some distance away, she pulled her child back inside.

Happy Angels Don't Get Sad

"Let's go to the next house!" Hoshiguma walked over to Suika and spoke.

Suika sighed. She had already done everything she could; all that remained was to hope the family was strong enough.

When they arrived at another house, Suika looked at the people inside, then turned to Hoshiguma.

"Why don't you do this one... The last woman had a child, but this family has two elderly people. I'm really afraid something will happen."

Hoshiguma rubbed Suika's hair, her gaze becoming much gentler. She had considered many possibilities regarding the identity of this mysterious Oni girl, but from her actions, it was clear that she was also an emotionally sensitive little girl.

"Fine, I'll be the villain this time!"

After saying that, Hoshiguma picked up the letter and went inside.

"Whew... What a sin..." Not daring to look at what was happening inside, Suika turned her attention to the surroundings.

Just then, a slender hand patted her shoulder.

When she turned around, a red-haired Sankta appeared before her.

"Hmm, exaggerated horns, a bow, weird chains wrapped around her, and she's a messenger...

Texas, I found her!"

The Sankta turned and called out toward the distance.

Hearing her, Texas, who had just bought a pack of Pocky, walked over with one stick between her teeth.

Looking at the chocolate stick in the other girl's mouth, Suika asked curiously,

"Won't a Perro get sick from eating chocolate?"

"Of course not... No, Texas is a Lupo, not a Perro." Exusiai answered casually before remembering Texas's race and immediately correcting herself.

Of course, Suika knew Texas was a Lupo. It was just that these two were clearly the same species in zoological terms, yet on magical Terra, they had somehow become two different races.

Suika was quite curious whether a husky from the Three Dumb Sled Dogs, if it had a human form, would be mistaken for a Lupo by people unfamiliar with it.

After all, just judging by appearances, those things really did look very wolfish.

"You aren't afraid of me?" Exusiai had not expected this child to be so bold. A stranger was talking to her, yet she was not frightened at all.

Of course, she could not possibly know that although this was their first meeting, to Suika, Angel and Texas already counted as old friends.

"Why would I be afraid of you? We're on a public street. It's not like you can abduct me.

And besides, people who trick children are usually the plain-looking sort who don't draw attention. Compared to you, she has a better chance of succeeding.

With that thing on your head, if you really took me away, anyone asking around would find you immediately, wouldn't they?

At least in Lungmen, I haven't seen anyone else like you."

Suika pointed at the approaching Texas and said calmly.

"Mm-hmm, that makes sense...

Let me tell you, we are two of the Dark Four Heavenly Kings under the terrifying Demon King. The Demon King sent us specifically to take you away."

Facing the calm child before her, Exusiai theatrically raised both hands, looking as though she wanted to scare her.

"Wow! So scary. Hoshiguma, someone's scaring a child...

Quick, use your leather shoes to kick her butt hard..."

Out of the corner of her eye, Suika spotted Hoshiguma coming out of the house. She immediately spoke in an odd tone with flawless Columbian Great Yanese.

"Hoshiguma... Who's that?" Exusiai turned around in confusion, only to see a wall in front of her.

When she lifted her head, she realized it was not a wall at all, but an unusually tall female Oni.

At that moment, the woman was looking down at her.

Swallowing, Exusiai gave an awkward smile.

"Haha, ma'am, I saw this little sister standing here alone, so I was just teasing her."

Hoshiguma looked Exusiai up and down as she laughed sheepishly.

"It's you, that Sankta from Penguin Logistics?"

"Huh? You know me?" Exusiai was surprised that the other woman had immediately identified her.

"Yesterday, after we were brought back to the Guard Department, Officer Hoshiguma here was the one who took my statement.

Hello, Officer. I didn't expect to see you here."

Texas's voice sounded beside Exusiai's ear like heavenly music, rescuing her from the situation.

From what Suika had said just now, Texas could tell that she and Hoshiguma definitely knew each other. Considering they were both Oni, their relationship might even be quite close. So after thinking for a few seconds, Texas said,

"Exusiai just likes to joke around. She saw this little sister standing outside alone, so she came over to say hello."

Hoshiguma gave Texas a slight nod.

"Ah-ha, so you're an officer. My apologies, my apologies." Upon hearing Texas reveal Hoshiguma's identity, Exusiai was inwardly in tears. If she had known there was a cop beside this child, she would never have teased her like that.

"You two work for that penguin with absolutely terrible drinking manners?"

Only after hearing Hoshiguma identify the two did Suika deliberately pretend to think for a moment, then speak loudly as though she had remembered something.

"Um, the boss does occasionally do unexpected things when he gets drunk, but saying he has terrible drinking manners is a bit much."

Exusiai believed in taking money and solving problems. Emperor was still her boss, after all, so when someone slandered him while she was out, she had to at least try to smooth things over.

"His drinking manners are good? He insisted on becoming sworn siblings with me, saying something about being brothers born of different fathers and mothers..." As soon as Suika said that, even Exusiai could not keep herself together.

Yi Si had mentioned this before, but hearing it come from this child made it sound even more absurd.

After all, Emperor was a top singer famous throughout Terra. If word got out that he had gotten drunk and insisted on becoming sworn siblings with a little girl delivering letters...

Once something like that spread, she could already imagine people saying when they mentioned her, "Oh, I know you. You work for that company whose boss wanted to become sworn siblings with a little girl."

She could not help making the expression from the famous painting The Scream—No, not this kind of thing!!!

As Hoshiguma watched Suika talk with Exusiai, a strange glint flashed through her eyes. She had never heard that Suika had come into contact with Emperor from Penguin Logistics.

She knew about Penguin Logistics as well. It was not far from here, but it was not in this district. Logically speaking, Suika's deliveries should not have taken her over there.

"Remember that urgent letter I delivered before? That letter was sent to Penguin Logistics."

After Suika said that, Hoshiguma suddenly understood.

She had only thought about how Penguin Logistics was not in this district, forgetting that urgent letters were not generally assigned according to districts. They were given to messengers who had time.

Because of that letter, Suika had drunk several people under the table. The worst-off one had slept for a full day and night before waking up.

At the time, the Guard Department officers had been afraid he might drink himself to death. Hoshiguma had kept watch until he woke up before finally putting her mind at ease.

Ancients? Furries?

Suika had mentioned this matter before, but enough time had passed that Hoshiguma had subconsciously forgotten it.

"What did Emperor want with my little sister?"

Ignoring the grinning Exusiai, Hoshiguma looked toward Texas, who was clearly much more composed.

"The boss asked us to tell your younger sister that he greatly enjoyed their last meeting and hopes to have another opportunity to meet her again."

Texas shot Exusiai a helpless glance. If Exusiai had not decided to tease Suika, they would not have ended up in such a passive position.

Hoshiguma nodded.

"Thank Emperor for his regard. However, we need to go back now. You two..."

Hearing Hoshiguma's dismissal, Texas pulled Exusiai along.

"We naturally won't obstruct Officer Hoshiguma. We only came to say hello to your younger sister. Let's go, Exusiai."

After seeing the two from Penguin Logistics off, Hoshiguma led Suika into the house.

"How was that family..." Once the Penguin Logistics pair—more precisely, Exusiai—had left, the atmosphere became heavy again.

Only then did Suika get the chance to ask about the family in the second house.

Hoshiguma shook her head.

"I know that family. They originally had five children, four sons and one daughter. The eldest and second eldest both died at the border before, and then the third son enlisted...

This time, it was the third son's death notice.

Luckily, their fourth child works in the Guard Department, and their youngest daughter opened a clothing shop on another street nearby.

With a son and daughter, they won't be left without anyone to care for them in old age."

After dinner, Hoshiguma rode her motorcycle back to the Guard Department. With nothing to do, Suika clasped her hands behind her back and wandered through the streets.

"Little Suika!"

Suddenly, she heard Granny Wang's voice. Looking over, she found Granny Wang standing at her doorway, her face full of worry.

"Granny Wang, what's wrong?"

Suika walked closer and asked.

"Sigh, it's about my youngest son...

I heard about Wan Sheng's family. Sigh, he was a good child. He used to be the most beloved by all the neighbors, but who would have thought he'd be gone just like that? Leaving behind a widow and orphan, how are they supposed to live..."

Granny Wang rambled on for a while. Suika did not become impatient; instead, she sat on a small stool nearby and listened patiently.

"Old people just like reminiscing about the past. I hope you don't mind...

It's like this. The place where my child enlisted isn't very far from Wan Sheng's.

I don't know how things are over there, so I want to write a letter. Could you make another trip to the post office for me..."

As she spoke, Granny Wang's face took on a slightly embarrassed look.

"No problem, Granny Wang. Go ahead and write it. It's still early, so I'll treat the trip to the post office as a walk."

Checking the time, Suika saw that because she had ridden back in Hoshiguma's vehicle, they had not spent much time on the road. It was only noon, so even if she made another trip to the post office, it would not be too late by the time she returned.

Before long, the old woman brought out the newly written letter. After Suika helped her seal the envelope, she headed out.

However, instead of going straight to the post office, she first returned to the entrance of the place where she lived.

Because she had previously told the local neighbors that she was a messenger, and that anyone who wanted to send a letter but did not want to travel far to the post office could leave it in the mailbox by her door, people often came here to drop off letters.

Sure enough, when she opened the mailbox, there was another brand-new letter inside. After taking it with her, she finally headed toward the post office.