Honkai Transformations - 21
--+--
The bathroom fell silent.
Raiden Ei looked at Kiana in silence for a moment before slowly opening her arms and gently pulling her into an embrace.
Kiana froze for a second, then her expression softened slightly.
"Kiana."
One of Ei's hands wrapped around Kiana's back while the other rested lightly atop her damp hair.
"I believe in you."
Ei didn't say much, but her voice carried a steady certainty to it, as though she were affirming Kiana herself—believing without question that she'd pass the makeup exam.
"Mmn…"
And right now, that was exactly what Kiana needed.
"Kiana, do you know why I agreed to let you look at my chest earlier today?"
The moment she heard that, Kiana's face instantly turned red again. Held against Ei's chest, she suddenly became shy like a newlywed bride.
"Wh-What does that have to do with the makeup exam…"
"It does." Ei nodded lightly, secretly grinning to herself.
If she didn't bring it up now, how was she supposed to unlock the route conditions later?
She leaned down slightly so that the slightly shorter Kiana was level with her gaze.
"You've never been someone who hides how you feel. You openly chase after the things you love, and you never want your friends to worry about you… So the fact that you quietly hid away to deal with your emotions by yourself… that's precious."
Ei gently stroked Kiana's little head, not minding at all that her hair was still wet from the bath.
As if she'd care.
This is amazing, alright?!
"So I believe in you. I believe you'll pass the makeup exam. Not because you're stupid, and not because you're especially smart either, but because… you're Kiana."
A faint smile curled at Ei's lips as she felt the soft rise and fall against her chest—not huge, but definitely more than enough to notice—and she continued softly:
"The Kiana who stood in front of me the very first time we met and shouted that no matter who I was, I wasn't allowed to hurt Mei… Would that kind of courage really lose to a few test questions?"
When Kiana heard that, she suddenly let out an indignant little huff.
"I-I'm not gonna lose to some stupid test questions!"
Hearing Kiana suddenly sound full of energy again, Ei smiled and nodded.
"Mm. I believe you… Kiana. I know you can do it."
The earnest focus in her eyes made Kiana's cheeks flush red all over again.
Just as Ei was thinking this trip had already been a complete success, and that Kiana's affection level had probably risen enough from this unexpected event, she prepared to let go.
But suddenly, Kiana reached out and lightly tugged on the corner of her clothes.
"Ei."
"Mm?"
"Um… about that…"
Kiana lowered her head, her ears so red they looked ready to drip blood.
"When I… when I pass the makeup exam…"
Ei paused for a second, the curve of her lips lifting even higher.
"I understand." She didn't say it outright, only nodded softly. "When that time comes, I'll be waiting for you, Kiana."
Kiana's face immediately turned scarlet all the way to the tips of her ears.
She hurriedly let go and spun around, pretending she was going to wash up again.
"Th-Then it's a promise! I'm definitely gonna pass!"
Yes!
That's the spirit!!
And then, once I turn into someone else later, I'll tell you the Raiden Ei you've been desperately waiting for might already be gone forever!!!
Hahahahaha!!!
Just imagining that scene made Ei so excited she practically wanted to roll around on the floor.
"I believe in you."
Ei nodded again, but as she looked at Kiana's back, at the graceful curve of her figure…
Her fingers suddenly twitched with temptation again.
"But… Kiana."
"W-What now?"
Kiana responded nervously, shyly turning sideways to look back at her.
Ei stepped forward again and wrapped her in another embrace.
Both hands slipped around from behind Kiana and settled atop her chest.
"I'm curious… why do you like these so much…"
Kiana's body stiffened for an instant before trembling faintly from embarrassment.
"Is it because… my body is very similar to Mei's?"
"I… I…"
Kiana's reaction practically confirmed Ei's words were true.
"…"
Ei gently held the soft weight in her hands, remaining silent for a moment before continuing quietly:
"You're someone Mei loves, and you love Mei too… so I can understand you, Kiana…"
"But… when that day finally comes, Kiana… I hope that when you look at me, besides seeing the body shape that reminds you of Mei… you'll also be able to see me. See the part that belongs to Raiden Ei herself…"
After saying that, Ei looked into Kiana's trembling sapphire-blue eyes, her gaze direct and sincere as she lowered her head and pressed her lips against Kiana's pink ones.
Perfect~
Holding Kiana's trembling body in her arms, Ei felt delighted to the extreme.
There was no way Kiana would ever forget today now.
She really couldn't wait for the next time she met her as Raiden Ei again—just imagining Kiana's furious, devastated expression was exciting~
A little while later.
Ei sat on the couch playing games with Yae Sakura, the two of them equally terrible and equally determined to ruin each other.
Nearby, Raiden Mei glanced toward Kiana's room with a puzzled expression, her tone carrying both relief and concern as she murmured:
"Kiana said she was going to stay up all night studying after her bath… She's finally starting to work hard, huh? Though… she really shouldn't stay up so late. I should go talk to her in a bit…"
Hearing Mei say that, the corners of Ei's lips rose by a few extra pixels.
Yeah, why had Kiana suddenly become so fired up and motivated?
Such a mystery~
Ei simply smiled without saying a word, quietly hiding her accomplishments.
Soon enough, it was late into the night.
"Haa…"
After returning to her room, Ei lay down on the bed.
"Ei, wanna have a few drinks again tonight?"
Himeko skillfully pulled two bottles of vodka out from the storage drawer beneath her bed and smiled toward Ei.
"Won't that affect tutoring Kiana tomorrow?" Ei asked curiously.
"It's fine."
Himeko shook her head with a smile, setting the vodka on the bedside table before sitting sideways on the bed with one hand propping herself up.
The curves beneath her pajama top swayed dramatically.
"As long as we drink a little less than usual~"
"If that's the case… alright."
Ei nodded lightly, and Himeko immediately got up, carrying the two bottles of vodka as she familiarly settled herself onto Ei's bed.
Looks like tonight was going to be another dangerously seductive one~
Ever since arriving at St. Freya Academy, Ei hadn't managed to get a proper night's sleep even once during these past six days.
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 22
--+--
"Heh... I didn't expect it to end up like this..."
Perched atop the massive eagle statue bordering St. Freya Academy, Seele gripped her scythe tightly, her gaze sweeping over the campus below that now looked like a miniature model.
"To think I'd actually become Seele." She looked down, inspecting her own body. Taking in the pale, seemingly fragile frame and her stylishly cool outfit, a hint of deep contemplation flickered in her blue eyes.
"Blue sky... white clouds, and a refreshing breeze..."
Seele murmured softly. Standing high atop the statue, the sea breeze brushing past her, the warm, comforting sunlight, and the pristine blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds all brought her a profound sense of peace.
"This place is actually quite nice... but for now..." Seele hadn't forgotten her mission: she had to act as if she had absolutely no idea where she was.
And so...
"The others must have noticed I'm missing by now. I need to take this chance to snatch up some weakling and interrogate them about where exactly I am."
A flash of annoyance crossed Seele's eyes. Right now, she had zero interest in dealing with this whole mess.
But she had to play the part regardless.
How irritating!
--+--
Down below, in the Valkyrie dorms of St. Freya Academy.
Just as Seele suspected, everyone had realized she was gone.
"Ei was already gone by the time I woke up."
Himeko stood in the middle of the dorm, her sharp expression clouded with confusion.
"Where else could Ei go? She's already started treating this place like home, hasn't she?" Theresa added, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"Besides, there's no way Ei would just up and leave the dorms—leave Mei—without a very good reason!"
"Mei." Hearing Theresa's words, Kiana immediately turned to Mei, asking urgently, "Did Ei say anything to you about going out?"
"No. I haven't seen her since we went to our rooms last night." Raiden Mei shook her head, her expression a mix of worry and bewilderment.
She was certain that Ei wouldn't just wander off for no reason.
"Bronya is accessing the St. Freya security system. Searching through surveillance footage from 8:00 PM last night to the present."
Standing beside them, Bronya had already obtained authorization from Ai-chan and was busy filtering through data.
Suddenly, as the others watched her, her expression froze. Her silver-gray eyes widened in a split second.
"Bronya? Did you find Ei?" Kiana pressed instantly.
After a brief silence, Bronya shook her head, delivering the bad news.
"Bronya has not detected any footage of Sister Ei leaving the dormitory."
"How is that possible..."
Theresa murmured, her voice thick with confusion.
A dark realization began to settle over her—a chilling thought that was beginning to take root in everyone's mind.
"Based on what you told me before, Ei arrived at St. Freya Academy without any of you noticing," Yae Sakura said, her voice calm and analytical. "Could it be... that just like how she arrived, she has simply returned to her original world?"
"..."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Theresa's eyes were filled with a deep sense of helplessness, loss, and sorrow. Beside her, Kiana silently clenched her fists, the corners of her eyes turning slightly red.
You just promised me... you said you'd come see me whenever I was feeling down...
Yesterday... just yesterday you promised you'd watch me pass my make-up exam... How could you just disappear like that?
The atmosphere was suffocatingly low, everyone feeling the weight of the sudden vacancy.
"Sister Ei might still be on campus. We should search the academy grounds first," Bronya suggested softly, providing a glimmer of hope that made Kiana and Theresa's eyes light up.
"Right! Maybe she just slipped out to get some fresh air while we weren't looking!"
Kiana clenched her fists and nodded vigorously before bolting out the door.
"I—I'll go look too!" Theresa scrambled after her.
Fu Hua and Yae Sakura followed suit immediately.
"Bronya will help as well."
Bronya stood up to follow the group. However, just as she reached the door, Himeko looked at her back and asked seriously:
"Bronya, did you really find nothing just now?"
"...Nothing."
"I see... Well, then I'll head to the Science Department and initiate a wide-range search across the Far East region."
"Understood."
One by one, they emptied the room.
But once alone, Bronya hurried toward the edge of the academy grounds.
Before long, she had flown to the golden beach just outside the school. The shore was a brilliant yellow, the soft sand constantly washed over by waves with frothy white edges. The rhythmic sound of the crashing surf was usually enough to put anyone at ease.
"Seele! Where are you?!"
The usually expressionless look on Bronya's small face had finally shattered, replaced by a look of desperate anxiety. She hovered over the sand, shouting at the top of her lungs.
But the only response was the harsh, raucous cries of seagulls startled into the air.
"I know you're here, Seele! It's me, Bronya!"
She didn't give up, her voice cracking with urgency.
However, the moment the name "Bronya" left her lips...
A blur of deep blue streaked out from the dense coastal thickets, appearing instantly behind her.
Just as Project Bunny was about to manifest, a hand snatched her.
"Bronya? Bronya Rand... you're the daughter of the Supreme Guardian? And you're this small?"
A voice—familiar yet strangely different—rang out behind Bronya. She couldn't turn around; Seele was currently dangling her by the back of her collar.
"You aren't a dwarf, are you?" Seele didn't bother hiding her sharp tongue, mocking Bronya as she held her aloft. "So this is still the Overworld? You damn bureaucrats, sucking the life out of us in the Underworld... just to build yourselves a place like this? A... resort?"
She paused for a few seconds on the last word, deciding it was the most fitting description.
However, Seele suddenly felt Bronya's body trembling in her grip.
"Hey, kid, are you scared?"
Seele felt a flicker of suspicion. With a huff of impatience, she spun Bronya around to face her.
That's when she saw it. Bronya's face was streaked with tears, and her silver-gray eyes were locked onto Seele, overflowing with pure, unadulterated joy.
"Seele... it really is you!"
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 23
--+--
"What do you mean, it's 'really me'? Don't tell me you actually know who I am?"
Seele glared at Bronya, her expression still sharp with sarcasm. "You're from the Overworld—did you seriously go out of your way to dig up dirt on me?"
But as she looked down at Bronya's tear-streaked face, she couldn't bring herself to stay harsh. With a huff, she set the girl down on the sand and pulled her hand back.
"Alright, stop the waterworks! It's not like I'm going to do anything to you. Though, if you don't tell me where on earth we are or how to get back, I can't guarantee I won't change my mind!"
The moment Seele let go, however, Bronya didn't run. Instead, she threw her arms wide and pulled Seele into a crushing hug.
"It's me... Seele, it's Bronya..." Her voice was thick with sobs, trembling uncontrollably.
"Yeah, yeah! I know who you are. Cocolia Rand's daughter, the next Supreme Guardian! Happy now?!"
"No... that's not it. Seele, I'm Bronya... the big sister Bronya you know..."
Bronya clung to Seele's waist, her small frame shaking—whether from the rush of joy or something else entirely, it was hard to say. She looked up, gazing through a veil of tears at the girl who felt so familiar yet so foreign.
Long hair, black on the outside and blue within; deep azure eyes; and that face—the face that had appeared in her dreams a thousand times.
They were identical.
But Seele... she wasn't like this. She shouldn't be so cold, bristling with thorns like a cornered hedgehog.
"Seele... don't you remember... you..."
Listening to Bronya's rambling, Seele felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.
I should have stayed hidden, she thought.
It was obvious Bronya was mistaking her for some other Seele she knew. But that wasn't her.
"What a pain in the neck," Seele muttered, looking at Bronya with blatant distaste. She reached out, lifting the girl by the collar to try and put some distance between them. "Keep it back! You're getting snot and tears all over my clothes!"
"Bronya won't let go!" Bronya wailed, her voice cracking. "Bronya doesn't want to let go! It took so much... just to see you again!"
"You...!"
For a second, Seele's temper just evaporated. She looked exasperated and annoyed, struggling with herself for a long moment before finally forcing her voice to soften. It still came out sounding a bit rough, though.
"Listen, kid. I've never met you before in my life. Are you sure you haven't got me confused with someone else?"
"No! Bronya... would never mistake you!"
Bronya seemed completely overwhelmed by her emotions. Seele had never seen her like this in the game...
Wait, no. The Bronya in the game was exactly like this. After finally finding Seele in the Sea of Quanta, she had been just as hysterical, refusing to let go for anything.
Just you wait!
Fretting and frustrated, Seele decided to pin the blame on the "other" Seele.
If I ever end up turning into Bronya one day, I am going to give that Sea of Quanta Seele such a hard time. I'll make her chase you around and wipe her nose on your clothes just like you're doing to me!
"Don't you remember... back at the orphanage..."
"Orphanage?" Seele's brows knit together. "What are you talking about? I don't remember any pipsqueak like you being at the orphanage."
Just as she was about to press for more details, the sound of frantic, heavy footsteps crashed through the nearby brush.
"More trouble," Seele spat, her posture shifting into something wild and aggressive.
A group of people burst from the thicket onto the beach. Himeko, Kiana, Theresa—the whole gang was there.
"Bronya!"
Himeko and the others froze the moment they saw the scene: Bronya, crying her eyes out for the first time in memory, seemingly held captive in Seele's grip.
"Let go of Bronya!"
Kiana was the first to jump forward, her face a mask of fury and desperation. "Do it now! Or else this Lady is gonna make you regret it!!"
"Make me regret it? That's a laugh. How?" Seele arched an eyebrow, firing back without a second thought. "Is everyone from the Overworld this unreasonable?!"
"Let her go. I'm only saying it once."
Himeko cut her off, her voice so cold it could have dropped icicles. Seele had no doubt that Himeko had already hailed Ai-chan; for all she knew, the Hyperion was already warming up its engines to head this way.
That is, assuming the damage from the Third Honkai Eruption had been patched up...
"And if I say no?" Seele let out a cold smirk. The scythe she'd traded from Sampo shimmered into existence in her hand.
The air grew thick with tension. Kiana and the others began to fan out, silently surrounding her. In Theresa's hands, the Oath of Judah began to glow with a faint, golden light.
"Stop..."
Bronya's voice broke the silence. It was low and raspy, barely audible over the crashing waves, but they all heard it.
"Don't hurt her."
"Bronya?" Kiana looked at her, eyes wide with confusion. "Don't worry, we won't let this person lay another finger on you!"
But Bronya looked up at Seele, and though the tears were still falling, her silver-gray eyes had regained their steady, logical light.
"You are not... the Seele that Bronya knows."
Finally figured it out, huh?
Seele felt a flicker of perverse amusement. It wasn't every day you got to see Bronya break down like that.
And she was the one who caused it—best of all, she didn't even have to do the heavy lifting to fix it. The girl was handling her own recovery. Still, she felt a tiny twinge of guilt.
"Bronya knows... the Seele she loves would never forget her."
"What are you even talking about, kid?" Seele raised an eyebrow, putting on her best look of confused disgust. "You're saying there's another 'me' running around somewhere?"
"Yes. In this world, there is another Seele. The Seele who grew up with Bronya in the orphanage."
"Give me a break. I think I'd know if I had a twin, and besides, aren't you the daughter of the Supreme Guardian Cocolia? Don't try to play friend with me."
Seele gave a dismissive laugh.
"Cocolia?" Theresa asked, sounding bewildered. "Wait a second, isn't Cocolia an executive of Anti-Entropy? Since when did she become a... Supreme Guardian?"
"Because you do not belong to this world," Bronya said, her voice now firm and certain. "You have come to another world entirely."
"Another world?"
Seele looked at her, her expression shifting into one of pure, unadulterated skepticism. "And you really expect me to buy that?"
Nearby, as they listened to Bronya's explanation, Kiana and the others finally began to piece together exactly what was happening.
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 24
--+--
"She... she's also from another world?" Kiana stared at Seele, her voice laced with disbelief.
"So that's how it is..."
Theresa watched Seele, a look of sudden realization washing over her face. "Ei is gone, but now another person from a different world has appeared... What on earth is going on here?"
"What are you all even talking about?" Seele snapped, her eyes flashing with a spark of temper. "What 'other world'! Listen, I don't care who you people are! Just tell me where the hell I am, right now!"
"Please... just calm down first!" Theresa hurriedly took a few steps forward, her expression earnest and urgent. "Listen to us. We don't mean you any harm! And... this really isn't the world you came from. You've arrived here through some means we don't quite understand yet."
"Bronya, and everyone else, won't hurt you," Bronya added, her gaze fixed intently on Seele as she spoke in a soft, steady voice. "Because... you are Seele."
"..."
Seele, however, only shot her a look of pure disdain. She fell silent for a moment, scanning the group gathered on the beach before looking at her surroundings.
"The ocean... the sand, even these bushes... none of this could possibly exist in Belobog. Cocolia might be a fool who abandoned the Underworld, but even she wouldn't be stupid enough to waste resources building a place like this..."
The others exchanged uneasy glances as they overheard Seele's whispered musings.
"Maybe this really isn't Belobog after all..." Seele finally let go of Bronya, though her expression remained fierce. "Kid, I don't care if you know some other 'Seele' or not, but... go wipe your nose already. You look like a mess. Holding you hostage isn't exactly worth my time anyway."
"How... how did you get here?" Himeko asked, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion.
"I don't know," Seele said impatiently. "I was minding my own business in the Underworld, about to teach some rowdy vagrants a lesson, and then—blink of an eye—I'm here. Now, tell me, how do I get back home?"
She hoisted her scythe onto her shoulder, her gaze turning serious. "Based on what you were just saying, it sounds like I'm not the only one who ended up here from another world?"
"You're certainly not the first," Theresa replied with a shake of her head. She stepped forward slowly.
Though Seele still gripped her scythe, her stance relaxed ever so slightly. "Before you, there was someone named Raiden Ei. She stayed at our dorms for seven days before she vanished... and then, you appeared."
"Vanished?" Seele murmured the word, her brow furrowing. "Did she go back?"
"We... we don't know." Theresa's eyes dimmed with a touch of melancholy. "She might have returned home, but we're going to keep looking for her regardless."
"So, what you're saying is I have to stay here for seven days?" Seele ignored the second half of Theresa's sentence, taking a deep breath as if the idea was hard to swallow. "Oleg... and Natasha, they're going to be worried sick!"
"Seele." Bronya reached out, her fingers catching the hem of Seele's clothes. "Bronya will help you... return to your world."
"Ugh, don't. Just don't." Seele looked at Bronya with that same mix of annoyance and wariness. "I can't believe it... I travel to a whole different world only to run into another Bronya."
"In Seele's world... is the relationship between Bronya and Seele not good?" Bronya asked, her voice trembling slightly with disbelief.
"It's not exactly that." Seele shook her head, her gaze softening into something more complex. "Let's just say we're like oil and water."
"Oil and water? Isn't that even worse than just not getting along?" Theresa found it hard to believe, but after a moment's thought, she turned back to Seele. "Seele, until you can return to your world, why don't you stay at St. Freya Academy? It's safe here."
"No thanks. If I'm going back in seven days anyway, it doesn't matter where I wait." Seele shook her head, her tone indifferent. "Since this was all just a misunderstanding, let's just act like we never saw each other."
"Seele... please don't leave Bronya behind."
"Kid, I don't even know you!" Seele looked at her with exasperation, but Bronya stepped closer, clinging to Seele's sleeve like a literal child.
"I've never seen Bronya make a face like that before..." Kiana whispered, watching the younger girl's desperate expression.
"Bronya..." Raiden Mei looked on, her eyes filled with concern for her friend.
"But you have nowhere else to go, and you don't have any currency for this world. You won't be able to get anywhere," Theresa added, striking while the iron was hot. "Stay with us. We won't restrict your freedom, and we'll provide you with... some financial support."
"..." Seele looked at them, her expression finally flickering with hesitation.
"Oh! And one more thing!" Theresa's eyes lit up as another thought struck her. "You mentioned your world is facing some kind of crisis. If that's the case, St. Freya can provide you with technological and material support before we find a way to send you back!"
"...Fine. Thank you." Hearing that, Seele seemed completely swayed and gave a sharp nod.
"Great!" Theresa beamed, while Bronya continued to clutch Seele's hem. Seele looked down at her, sighing in resignation.
"Alright, kid, I'm staying. Can you let go of my clothes now?"
"...Okay." Bronya slowly released her grip, her movements so cautious it was as if she feared Seele might vanish the moment she let go.
"It really is hard to believe... the 'me' in this world actually knows you. And... it looks like we're friends?" Seele muttered to herself, her heart a tangled mess of emotions.
"Seele... is Bronya's little sister."
"Ha? Sister? No way!" Seele's contrarian streak flared up instantly. "How could a crybaby kid like you be the older sister to another version of me?"
"Bronya also finds it hard to believe that the Seele of another world is... so strong."
"Hmph!"
With the misunderstanding cleared up, Seele followed behind Theresa and the others toward St. Freya. Bronya, however, remained floating right by her side, unwilling to be parted.
"Seele, you mentioned the Underworld earlier," Theresa asked softly as they walked, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of place is that?"
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 25
--+--
"The Underworld?"
Seele's expression went cold for a moment, a flash of irritation crossing her eyes as if she'd just remembered something particularly grating.
"The Belobog Underworld is a place abandoned by the Overworld bureaucrats—abandoned by Cocolia, the Supreme Guardian herself."
"...Seele."
Bronya gazed at her, unable to stop herself from reaching out again to clutch Seele's collar.
"Kid, that's none of your business." Seele looked down at Bronya before continuing, "Since you aren't the Bronya from my world, I'm not going to hold those things against you."
"I see..."
Bronya nodded, though her eyes remained clouded with unease.
"Where I come from," Seele sighed, scanning their surroundings with a complicated look, "people struggle to survive in the dark every single day. They fight Fragmentum monsters and tear each other apart over a scrap of resources. But here... you have beaches, buildings that look like paintings, flowers, grass... even trees..."
"Surviving in the dark?" Himeko caught the discrepancy, her brow furrowing. "Are you saying... this 'Underworld' you mentioned..."
"That's right. It's underground." Seele nodded calmly, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You... live underground?" Kiana's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Where else would we live?" Seele shot her a mocking glance. "Did you think we were like you? That we could just bask in the sun and look at the ocean? That we could feel... a breeze as nice as this?"
As she finished, she looked up at the deep blue sky, her expression shifting.
"Besides... this is the first time I've ever seen a real sky—one that isn't choked by the Eternal Freeze."
The group fell silent. Looking at the girl who seemed so prickly and distant, they felt a heavy weight settle in their chests.
"So... how do you get by?" Theresa asked cautiously, her voice soft, as if terrified of offending her.
"We trade ore from the mines for supplies. We scavenge the remains of Fragmentum monsters for food," Seele said flatly, though her gaze grew more distant.
Slowly, she began to detail the reality of the Underworld for Theresa and the others.
She spoke of Boulder Town, Wildfire, the vagrant camps, and the robot settlements that had cropped up recently. She told them everything—including how the Overworld had turned its back on them.
"Cocolia... why would she abandon the Underworld?"
Theresa struggled to wrap her head around this alternate Cocolia's decision. "The people of the Underworld are her subjects too! How could she do such a thing?"
"Yeah! That's way over the line!" Kiana added, nodding fiercely, her face flushed with anger.
"Regardless, it's already happened." Seele watched the girls get worked up, yet her own expression remained stoic.
There was no sorrow or rage in her eyes—only a numb sense of normalcy.
It was the look of someone born into the dark who had long since forgotten what life in the sunlight was supposed to be like.
"You..."
Looking at her like that, everyone felt a dull ache in their hearts. Especially Bronya.
"Bronya... does not believe that the Bronya of another world would treat Seele this way. She would not treat people in need like that..." Bronya whispered, a hint of anger coloring her tone.
Oh? So you mean... you actually believe Cocolia is capable of doing those things?
A sense of playful irony rose within Seele, but her face remained as unreadable as it had been back when she was still Raiden Ei.
"Believe what you want, heh." Seele let out a cold snort but didn't press the little Bronya further.
However, her detached attitude only made Bronya feel more frantic and a sliver of grief. She had never imagined a version of Seele who would view her as an enemy.
"Alright, everyone. Why don't we head over to the Research Department first?" Theresa stepped in to play peacemaker, trying her best to thaw the icy atmosphere.
"Fine." Seele followed Theresa and the others toward the academy buildings.
On the way, her eyes couldn't help but drift to the roadside—to the flowers in the green belts and the lush, vibrant trees.
The atmosphere remained stiff and stifling. It wasn't until after she'd finished her physical exam at the Research Department—just like last time—that Seele began walking toward the Valkyrie dorms with the rest of the group.
However...
"There's a strange energy inside you. The Research Department couldn't even identify what it is," Theresa murmured, looking at Seele in wonder.
"Energy?" Seele arched an eyebrow. After a moment of thought, she said casually, "Oh, you mean the Power of Paths. I forgot to mention it, but that's the power we get from an Aeon once we set foot on their Path. Natasha says my power comes from The Hunt, and its elemental property is Quantum. Why? Does your world not have Aeons?"
"Aeons? More gods?" Himeko looked perplexed. "Raiden Ei's world had gods—she's a god herself."
"Is that so? So you're saying there are no gods in your world?" Seele looked at Himeko, her confusion growing.
"None," Himeko shook her head.
"A world without gods... if the Fragmentum ever hits you, you're in for a nightmare," Seele remarked, clicking her tongue.
"But our world has something very similar to the Fragmentum and its monsters."
"...Then I take it back. You're already living the nightmare."
After a bit of back-and-forth, Seele followed them into the Valkyrie dorms. Standing in the middle of the room, Seele looked around.
Though her face remained neutral, everyone could tell she was incredibly curious about this brand-new environment.
"Major Himeko, please let Seele stay in the same room as Bronya." Bronya looked at Himeko, a trace of pleading in her eyes.
"Well..."
Himeko hesitated. Seele had been nothing but hostile toward Bronya, and if their counterparts in the other world were enemies...
"Not a chance." Seele shivered, goosebumps erupting on her pale arms as a look of pure disgust crossed her face. "Share a room with Bronya? I'd be worried about the Silvermane Guards breaking down the door in the middle of the night!"
"But this isn't Belobog." Bronya looked at Seele, her expression dead serious and determined. "And Bronya... will find a way to help Seele. I will find a way to get you home, and then... I will solve the problems facing Seele and the Underworld."
Seele went silent.
She looked down at the little girl who barely reached her waist. Witnessing that stubborn, earnest stare, Seele felt a flicker of flustered uncertainty.
Deep down, she felt a twinge of guilt. After all, she wasn't actually the Seele from the "Star Rail" world, but Bronya clearly took the whole thing to heart.
Fine, fine... I'll stop teasing her later.
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 26
--+--
"I don't need all this stuff."
That afternoon, Seele stood beside a mountain of daily necessities Theresa had ordered. Her cheeks were pulled tight, making her look for all the world like a bristling little kitten.
Watching her, Theresa and the others could tell Seele just didn't want to feel like she owed them too much.
"It's alright, just take them. You're going to need these over the next seven days," Theresa said, her blue eyes crinkling with a look of earnest sincerity.
She felt like she'd finally figured Seele out. On the surface, the girl was cold and prickly, but underneath all those thorns, she was actually quite kind and attentive.
"I'm still not convinced it'll only be seven days." Seele looked at the pile of random items, her voice tinged with disbelief. "And even if it is, buying this much… do you guys just have more Credits than you know what to do with?"
"Seele…" Bronya stepped forward, holding a neatly folded pair of pajamas printed with a HOWO pattern. "These are new. No one has worn them."
"..." Seele looked down at the pajamas in Bronya's hands. As her gaze fell on the HOWO design, a spark of longing flickered in her eyes.
Her DNA was screaming!
Her instincts were telling her that she absolutely adored things this cute.
"Fine, I guess I'll take them," Seele said, her face still a mask of reluctance as she reached out and snatched the adorable pajamas, clutching them tight. "Thanks."
Hearing that little thank-you, Bronya's eyes lit up instantly. "Mhm!"
After that, Seele sat in the living room and began going through the items one by one, inspecting them with curiosity.
Toothbrush, towel, comb.
She gave those a quick glance before setting them aside, clearly familiar with them. However, when she picked up a skincare product and popped the cap for a sniff, her brow furrowed.
"What is this? It smells weird."
"It is for your skin." Bronya walked over and took the bottle. She squeezed out a bit of the thick, milky liquid, rubbed it between her small palms, and then reached for Seele's hand.
Seele flinched slightly, wanting to pull away. But when she saw the pure, serious look in Bronya's eyes, she went quiet and stayed still, letting Bronya take her hand and gently massage the cream into her skin.
The others took in the scene. Kiana, however, couldn't help but feel a bit huffy.
"Hey, you…"
"Kiana…" Bronya turned, giving her a soft shake of the head. There wasn't a hint of anger toward Seele in her silver-gray eyes.
Kiana let out a frustrated grunt and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm going to go find Ei!"
With that, she turned on her heel and stomped out the door.
"Kiana…" Raiden Mei watched her go with a helpless sigh. She turned back to Seele with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Seele… Kiana is just a little…"
"..."
Seele didn't say a word. She simply withdrew her hand and turned to Himeko with a calm expression. "Anyway, enough small talk. Where's my room?"
A few moments later.
Seele stood in the bedroom with a blank face, watching as Bronya directed Project Bunny to place a single bed—complete with Homu-patterned sheets—right next to Bronya's own bed.
"Is this seriously the only room left?" Seele asked, looking at Himeko with a complicated expression.
"Yeah, sorry. The dorm only has so many rooms, and Bronya's is the only one with enough space for another bed."
Himeko nodded, looking perfectly apologetic. In reality, she was totally playing favorites for Bronya. She knew how much Seele meant to the girl, so she was happy to help.
'Well, don't mind if I do~'
Inside, Seele was actually feeling quite smug. Even though she looked like Seele now, her inner self was still the same person she'd been back when she was Raiden Ei.
"Seele, Bronya will not disturb your sleep," Bronya said softly and earnestly.
"I… that's not what I meant." Seele sighed, eventually giving a helpless nod. "But let's get one thing straight, kid—don't go confusing me with that friend of yours."
"Bronya understands."
Despite her words, the look Bronya gave Seele remained incredibly tender.
"Tsk, what a pain."
Seele looked around the room, feeling a bit restless with nothing to do.
"So, what exactly do you need from me? What do I have to do to get back before the seven days are up?"
"I'm afraid we don't know yet. We have to wait for the Research Division to finish their analysis," Theresa said, a shadow of sadness and complexity crossing her face. "Ei…"
A heavy silence settled over the room.
To them, Ei's departure had been far too sudden. They hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye, and they had no idea what she might face once she returned to her own side.
"I'll go start on dinner. It's almost time anyway," Raiden Mei said, trying to break the gloomy atmosphere.
"Mhm… I'll help too."
Yae Sakura, who had been quiet until now, nodded and followed Mei out.
"I'll go track down that idiot Kiana."
"I'll lend a hand in the kitchen."
Himeko and Fu Hua followed suit, heading out of the room. Soon, only Theresa, Seele, and Bronya were left.
"Seele… there's something I want to talk to you about."
Theresa walked to the door, closed it, and returned to Seele's side. She gently took Seele's hand and led her toward the bed.
"What is it?" Seele's brow knit slightly. Her tone was still detached, as if she couldn't care less.
"It's about Bronya, and the Cocolia of our world."
At this, Theresa glanced at Bronya, her eyes asking for permission. Bronya went quiet for a moment, then gave a slight nod, her gaze dimming.
"Why so mysterious…?"
Seele muttered, looking impatient, but in her heart, she already knew exactly what Theresa wanted to say.
This was actually perfect… she could use this to shift her attitude toward Bronya.
'Right… I'll use this body to help Bronya settle some of her regrets.'
"Seele, the Cocolia in our world isn't a Great Guardian. She is one of the many leaders of a massive organization…"
Theresa began to softly recount the story of Cocolia.
Seele listened in silence, her brow furrowed with a spark of genuine curiosity. Once Theresa finished explaining Cocolia's background, she moved on to the orphanage Cocolia had founded and protected…
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 27
--+--
"Huh?! What do you mean?! The 'me' in this world was raised by Cocolia?!"
Seele's eyes widened, her voice thick with shock and disbelief.
"Yes," Bronya replied, standing nearby with a slight nod. "Bronya and Seele... and the other children at the orphanage... were all taken in by Mother Cocolia. We grew up together."
"Your world... is seriously messed up..."
Seele couldn't help but pull a face like she'd just swallowed a fly, her teeth baring in a reflexive grimace of disgust.
"However, Bronya's situation isn't like the relationship between Cocolia and Bronya in your world. When we first met her..."
Theresa began to recount the story Kiana and Raiden Mei had told her—how they had first encountered Bronya and how they eventually destroyed the chip that was being used to control her.
"...Cocolia treated Bronya as nothing more than a weapon."
As she listened to Theresa, Seele's expression shifted into genuine shock. "Wait... Cocolia... she used a child as small as Bronya as a weapon? She even controlled her emotions and her body?!"
"Mhm." Theresa nodded, her gaze softening with a protective, motherly affection as she looked at Bronya.
"So, Seele, I was hoping... that you wouldn't project your feelings toward the Bronya and Cocolia of your world onto the Bronya standing here."
"...Is that true?" Seele didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked down at Bronya, her voice laced with lingering disbelief.
"It is true."
Bronya gave a faint, expressionless nod.
Yet, looking into Bronya's calm eyes, Seele noticed they seemed to be trembling ever so slightly.
"..."
At that, Seele fell silent.
I'm such a jerk...
Even though I already knew most of this, I think I took the joke too far. I've actually made her sad.
"I'm... sorry," Seele muttered after a long silence, her voice small and awkward. "I... I didn't know all that..."
Her cheeks began to flush a faint red. After a brief stutter, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Fine... it's my fault. I shouldn't have been so mean to you before I knew your story. My bad."
"It is fine, Seele. That is all in the past." Bronya shook her head. Her gaze remained calm, but as she watched Seele, her eyes seemed to brighten just a fraction.
This only made Seele look more flustered, her expression a mix of awkwardness and genuine regret. She looked like she really was beating herself up inside!
"Seele, Bronya does not blame you." Bronya reached out and took Seele's hand in hers.
This time, Seele's hand only stiffened for a split second before it went limp and yielding.
This caused the corners of Bronya's mouth to curve up slightly, revealing a small, happy smile.
Watching the two of them, Theresa felt a wave of relief wash over her.
"Well, I'll leave you two to chat! I've got to head out for a bit!"
Theresa stood up abruptly and marched toward the door.
"Wait, what?!"
Seele instinctively reached out her other hand, but before she could get a word out, Theresa's short legs were already pitter-pattering away. She hurried out the door, thoughtfully clicking it shut behind her.
You're just going to leave Bronya to me? Leaving her alone in this room with me just like that?!
Seele stared at the closed door, screaming internally.
I mean, I'm not actually going to do anything to her, but you're making me feel like I'm about to turn into some kind of predator—or worse!
Meanwhile, Bronya was gazing at Seele. Beneath the joy and relief in her eyes, a deeper emotion began to stir.
Seele... Bronya will never let anything happen to you again!!
Bronya... cannot bear to lose Seele a second time...
For some reason, Seele felt a sudden chill run down her spine, but she brushed it off.
"..."
With Theresa gone, Seele suddenly realized she had no idea how to start a conversation.
She just stood there, her hand held tightly by Bronya. She could feel the strength and the softness of those smaller hands trying their best to wrap completely around hers.
"Bronya."
Seele hesitated, looking at the girl. She eventually spoke in a soft voice, "You told me your story, but... what about the other Seele? Did... something happen to her?"
"...Yes."
The moment Seele asked, the light in Bronya's eyes vanished for a heartbeat.
Seele felt that chill down her spine again.
It feels like Bronya's on the verge of a total mental breakdown... Okay, mental note: stop using 'Seele' to trigger her.
Once I get the power to dive into the Sea of Quanta, I'll just go in and fish her out myself.
"Seele... Bronya's sister... to protect Bronya... she volunteered for the experiment first. And then... she disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Seele acted surprised.
"Mhm... she... fell into the Sea of Quanta..."
"The Sea of Quanta?"
"Yes." Bronya nodded, her grip on Seele's hand tightening. "It is... a place difficult to describe. An invisible, shoreless sea that exists... between worlds."
"To protect Bronya, Seele agreed to Mother Cocolia's experiment. She entered the Sea of Quanta of her own accord, and then..."
Watching the light fade from Bronya's eyes, Seele's discomfort grew.
She looked exactly like someone who had tried to find a casual topic of conversation, only to realize they had poked a fresh wound and now had no idea how to fix it.
"Later, Bronya asked Mother Cocolia to let her participate in the experiment too. But during the trial, Bronya only saw Seele one last time. Since then... Bronya has never been able to find her again..."
"Well, maybe... maybe she's still alive?"
Seele tried, rather clumsily, to comfort her. "Look, you said yourself you saw her at the end. That means she must still be in that 'Sea of Quanta' place. She's definitely still alive, it's just... it's just..."
As she trailed off, Seele's voice grew weak, and she suddenly slapped herself across the forehead.
"Ugh, what am I even saying!"
"Bronya does not blame Seele." Bronya reached up, taking Seele's other hand down and clasping it firmly between her own, effectively pinning her in place.
"This morning... when Bronya saw you on the surveillance footage... Bronya thought... that Seele had finally come home..."
Seele opened her mouth to speak, but looking at Bronya—whose eyes were once again rimmed with red—the words simply wouldn't come.
"Bronya knows you are not her," Bronya whispered, her voice growing faint. "But to see Seele again... even if it is the Seele of another world... Bronya is already very happy..."
Is... is that so?
Seele looked into Bronya's eyes. There was an intensity there that made her skin crawl, a gaze that felt slightly... off.
I'm probably just imagining things. But I've already stabbed her in the heart enough for one day... I'd better stop pushing her buttons.
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 28
--+--
A short while later.
Seele sat at the dining table, staring wide-eyed at the spread of delicacies laid out before her.
Cream stew, grilled fish, garden salad, pork miso soup, and several refined side dishes filled the long table to the brim.
"Please, dig in. Mei and Sakura are quite the chefs," Himeko said. For once, she wasn't holding a drink, instead looking at Seele with a gentle, sincere expression.
"This... isn't this way too much?"
Seele's eyes widened slightly, her jaw practically dropping.
"Is the world you live in really this abundant? Can we even finish all this?"
"It's not much at all—in fact, it's just enough for me!" Kiana sat across from Mei, a confident, cheeky grin flashing across her face.
However, when her gaze drifted to the empty seat beside Seele, her expression dimmed.
That was where Ei used to sit. The Science Department had already filed their report: no abnormal energy readings had been detected within the academy. Even the surveillance footage showed no sign of Raiden Ei leaving.
It was official. Raiden Ei had vanished as silently and abruptly as she had first appeared.
"Alright, alright, let's eat. Everyone's starving," Himeko said, breaking the heavy silence. She picked up her chopsticks and gave everyone a reassuring smile.
"Seele... try this." Bronya ladled a bowl of cream stew and placed it carefully in front of her.
"Thanks..."
Seele looked a bit conflicted, her expression a mix of awkwardness and resignation.
She clearly wasn't used to being coddled by someone who looked like a child. Still, she nodded, picked up her spoon, and took a bite of the stew.
Then...
Seele's eyes lit up instantly.
"What is... this? The meat is so tender... the vegetables are bursting with broth, and there are... I can't quite place them, but the spices are incredible..."
"It's cream stew," Bronya said softly, her tone earnest. Watching Seele lose her reservations and begin eagerly shoveling spoonful after spoonful into her mouth, the corners of Bronya's lips curled into a happy arc.
"And this... Seele, try the fried saury Mei-nee-sama made..."
Bronya placed a piece of fried fish into Seele's bowl.
By now, Seele was lost in the culinary bliss, hardly noticing as she popped the fish into her mouth. At that moment, she discovered something fascinating!
It turned out that after transforming, her perception of the world shifted to match the character she had become. The food prepared by Mei and Yae Sakura bloomed across her taste buds with a deliciousness she had never experienced before.
"It's amazing!"
"I'm glad you like it." Raiden Mei watched the two of them getting along so well and couldn't help but let out a relieved smile.
"It looks like... something interesting happened while we weren't looking," Himeko added, a relaxed, playful smirk playing on her lips.
Seele's movements froze. She looked a bit fidgety, hesitating for a moment as she glanced at everyone around the table. Finally, she let out a helpless sigh.
"Fine, fine. I was out of line earlier. I thought... I thought you were just more of those scumbag bureaucrats from the Overworld. I misjudged you. I'm sorry."
"Hmph, that's more like it," Kiana snorted.
"Seele... salad."
"...Okay."
"Seele... pork cutlet."
Bronya began a relentless campaign of piling food into Seele's bowl, piece by piece, until the mountain of food almost hid Seele's face.
"Enough, enough! I can get it myself," Seele said, looking utterly defeated by the hospitality.
In that moment, she realized the greatest perk of transforming into Seele.
She had hit the jackpot: she'd gained a "loli-mom!"
"Okay," Bronya nodded obediently. Yet, the second Seele's bowl showed signs of emptying, Bronya's chopsticks would fly out again, stacking it high once more.
Seele had hoped Kiana might swoop in and compete for the food, but the girl was uncharacteristically somber, eating quietly. She seemed still lost in the gloom of Ei's sudden disappearance.
Sigh...
Seele let out a silent, weary sigh.
If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have played the "mysterious vanishing act." Now, she felt like Bronya was trying to fatten her up like a prize pig.
And besides!
Kiana's make-up exam was only six days away, and AI Kallen was still tucked away in the Schicksal database. When exactly were they planning to start the tutoring sessions? Seele wondered anxiously.
After dinner.
"Seele, does Seele need Bronya to show her how to use the appliances?"
It was late, and everyone was getting ready for bed. Bronya stood by the bathroom door, watching Seele with a serious, questioning gaze.
"No need, I'm not an idiot," Seele replied helplessly. "And besides! It's not like the Underworld is completely primitive."
"Understood. Bronya sees."
Bronya nodded. Just as Seele breathed a sigh of relief, Bronya added, "Then Bronya will go make Seele's bed. That way, when Seele is ready for sleep, she can lie down right away."
"Bronya..."
Seele looked at her, her expression bordering on a total meltdown. "I have to ask... are you treating me like a toddler?"
"No... Bronya is just worried that Seele won't be used to life in this world."
Bronya's gaze remained dead serious.
"Fine... I give up." Seele sighed, a look of total surrender crossing her face.
Seeing this, a tiny smile finally touched Bronya's lips. She closed the bathroom door and turned to leave.
"Why do I feel like... this kid has me wrapped around her finger?"
Seele let out a soft sigh, but internally, a sense of delight began to bloom.
So what if she was a "loli-mom?"
"Loli-moms" were the best!
Being cared for in such meticulous detail by a prim and proper little girl was a feeling that was simply to die for.
If she'd only say something like, 'Stay home and don't open the door for strangers, Mommy will be back from school to protect you soon,' it would be perfect!!!
After finishing her bath, Seele walked into her room.
She found Bronya already in her pajamas, kneeling on the bed, carefully smoothing out the corners of the duvet.
"Um... thanks."
Seele stepped forward and offered a soft word of gratitude.
"You are welcome." Bronya climbed down from the bed and stood before Seele in her slippers, looking up at her with those earnest eyes.
She looked just like a delicate porcelain doll.
Seele was certain that even if she picked her up and squeezed her right now, Bronya wouldn't put up a fight at all.
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 29
--+--
"Seele, do you want Bronya to wake you up tomorrow?"
"No need. You really are treating me like a little kid, huh?"
At that, Seele couldn't help but laugh a little.
"No." Bronya looked at her seriously. "Bronya just wants Seele to feel more comfortable here."
"Alright, alright." Seele sighed helplessly and nodded, then picked up the pajamas on the bed and started changing.
As she undressed, the pale skin of her body was exposed, along with several scars left behind from past battles. Bronya's gaze flickered slightly.
"Seele… do those injuries still hurt?"
"Of course not."
By now, Seele had already taken off everything on her upper body, only a pair of pink shorts left underneath.
She'd bought all of these clothes in this world. And she didn't mind changing in front of Bronya at all, because Bronya was still just a kid to her.
Seele didn't even have the kind of thoughts she'd once had around Mei or Kiana—like using Raiden Ei's body to seduce them a little.
"These scars are from ages ago already." Seele lifted the pajamas, about to put them on.
But Bronya suddenly stepped closer, gently placing a hand against her skin.
The cool, soft touch almost made Seele break out in goosebumps.
"What are you doing?"
Bronya didn't answer immediately. Instead, her fingertips carefully traced over a faint scar along Seele's waist.
"Did it hurt?"
"Didn't I just tell you? It stopped hurting a long time ago."
"No… Bronya means back then."
"Back then?"
Seele froze slightly. Looking into Bronya's lifted eyes, she saw guilt and heartache written plainly across them.
"Don't worry about it, kid."
Seele sighed helplessly before laughing softly. She set the pajamas down and raised a hand, gently patting Bronya's head.
"I'm a fighter. One of Wildfire's core members. Getting hurt during battles is normal. People in the Underworld get injured all the time. And honestly, it only hurts for a little while when it first happens. You used to be a soldier too, right? You should understand that."
Bronya stayed silent.
Even though she already knew about Seele's experiences, she still carefully traced every scar across Seele's body one by one.
If you keep touching me like this, I'm seriously going to get excited.
Seele was starting to lose composure a little, but at the same time, she just couldn't bring herself to make a move on Bronya.
Bronya looked way too young. Doing anything would make Seele feel unbearably guilty.
"Bronya, that's enough."
Seele stepped back and finally slipped the pajamas on.
"Alright, it's getting late. We should sleep."
After saying that, she climbed into bed, ready to finally enjoy what kind of dreams she'd have after going more than seven days without sleep.
But the moment she lay down, she noticed Bronya's eyes turning red, her expression filled with sadness and self-blame.
Seele instantly shot upright.
"Huh? What's wrong now?"
"Bronya… feels a little sad…"
"Sad about what? These scars?" Seele climbed back off the bed again, panicking slightly at Bronya's reddened eyes.
"Bronya, listen to me carefully."
She leaned down slightly, rubbing Bronya's head gently.
"These injuries weren't caused by you. And I've never even met the 'you' from another world. You don't need to feel guilty for me, and you don't need to make up for someone else's mistakes."
Bronya looked at her, but tears still slipped down her cheeks.
"But Bronya… still feels heartbroken."
Seeing her like this, Seele could only sigh and open her arms, pulling Bronya into a hug.
"Alright, alright. Stop crying."
Her movements were a little clumsy as she patted Bronya's back.
"Seriously… kids who cry too much won't grow taller."
Only after a long while did Bronya finally stop crying. She lifted her head from Seele's embrace.
"Seele."
"Yeah?"
At this point, Seele was genuinely afraid Bronya might start crying again, and her whole body tensed instinctively.
"From now on…" Bronya looked at Seele with slightly reddened eyes and softly asked, "Can Bronya still hug you like this?"
"Sure, sure. As long as you stop crying, anything's fine." Seele nodded repeatedly, her voice sincere and serious.
Just let me keep hugging a gorgeous older-woman type forever—woohoo!
Honestly, if she thought about it another way, Bronya was an intelligent, experienced woman. She'd served in the military overseas and had even once been controlled by Anti-Entropy extremists!
With all that life experience, couldn't Bronya practically count as a mature beauty herself?!
As Seele thought about it, her mindset gradually began shifting.
"Mhm…"
Bronya smiled happily at last. She wrapped her arms around Seele's neck and gently kissed her on the cheek.
"Thank you, Seele."
"Mhm."
Seele nodded, completely unfazed.
Still midway through mentally reframing things, she genuinely didn't think there was anything strange about a child like Bronya kissing her cheek.
But that reaction made Bronya both happy… and a little disappointed.
Seele still saw her as a child…
"Alright, now it's time to sleep." Seele led her toward the bed, originally intending for Bronya to return to her own.
But Bronya looked up at her, her voice careful and hopeful.
"Seele… can Bronya sleep with you tonight?"
"Huh?"
Seele froze, looking like she wanted to refuse, yet hesitated.
Sleep together?
It wasn't that she minded sharing a bed with Bronya. Honestly, she did have a thing for mature women.
But what Seele worried about was whether, after falling asleep, she might absentmindedly end up doing something to Bronya.
Still, after seeing the faint redness lingering in Bronya's eyes, she finally gave up resisting and nodded.
"Alright."
"Mhm!"
Bronya smiled brightly. Holding Seele's hand, she pulled her beneath the blankets, then immediately wrapped both arms around Seele's waist and buried herself completely in her embrace.
Seele really doesn't know how to say no…
"Goodnight, Seele."
"Mhm." Seele looked down at Bronya and nodded, though her body still felt stiff, completely unaccustomed to sleeping while being held.
"…Goodnight."
After closing her eyes, Seele immediately began replaying the events of the day in her head.
Something feels… off about Bronya.
She was treating Seele as though she were the Seele from this world, taking care of her that way—yet she also knew she wasn't truly that Seele.
The feeling was strangely complicated.
Seele had every reason to suspect she was being used as a replacement.
Like how Yae Sakura once treated Theresa as a stand-in for Kallen, Bronya was pampering her as though she were another Seele.
Whatever.
No point overthinking it.
Having a gorgeous older-woman-type mom wasn't bad either.
Seele peacefully kept her eyes shut.
At this rate, these seven days of transformation would probably pass by pretty smoothly…
Her thoughts drifted back to the soft kiss Bronya had given her earlier.
Mm… not bad…
Only—
As Seele slept with her eyes closed, Bronya quietly opened hers again within Seele's arms. She gazed at Seele's gradually calming breathing, her eyes becoming impossibly firm and resolute.
Bronya… doesn't want to lose Seele again.
But… in six days, Seele will return to her own world. Back to that impoverished Underworld…
What should Bronya do?
--+--
Honkai Transformations - 30
--+--
Early the next morning.
"Good morning, Seele."
"Morning..."
Seele's eyes were still heavy with sleep. She looked down at Bronya, who was sprawled across her, one arm draped snugly just below the curve of her chest. Seele couldn't help but let out a long yawn.
"Haaa..." She exhaled deeply, a wave of pure relaxation washing over her.
"Is sleeping with Bronya... comfortable?" Bronya asked softly, her small face a picture of dead-serious curiosity as she watched Seele's blissful expression.
The question caught Seele completely off guard.
"What do you mean 'sleeping with you is comfortable'?! Don't say things that people could totally misinterpret!" Seele shot back, unable to stop herself from playing the straight man to Bronya's odd comment.
She sat up, though she had to admit—it was comfortable.
Waking up with a petite girl hugging her tight wasn't half bad. Sure, she no longer woke up to the occasional sight of "panna cotta" and "red beans" pressed against her face, but having a girl nestled in her arms first thing in the morning was a pretty great feeling in its own right.
After washing up and getting ready for the day, Seele took her seat at the dining table.
As usual, the spread was a lavish array of delicious breakfast dishes. However, Seele frowned slightly as she looked at the feast. She turned toward Mei and the others, looking a bit puzzled.
"Am I really just supposed to spend these seven days like this? Just eating and drinking? Don't you guys want me to help out with anything?"
"Of course not," Theresa said firmly. She had arrived early that morning and was now watching Seele with a gentle gaze.
"All you need to do is relax and make yourself at home. Besides, I've already put people to work organizing research data and looking into equipment that might be able to help your world."
"I can actually take that stuff back with me?" Seele asked, her interest piqued.
"We... don't really know."
Theresa shook her head, her expression a mix of helplessness and contemplation. "The last person who crossed over to our world... when she left, the clothes she arrived in vanished. Even the pajamas she wore while sleeping here disappeared. So, we suspect that in six days, you'll likely be able to take whatever you have on you."
They actually thought of that?
Seele was surprised. To be honest, she had been a bit careless herself; back when she transformed, her original clothes had simply vanished into thin air. It was a bit of a shame.
She had been wondering: if she transformed into a different character, could she take the clothes from her previous form and... well, take a deep, nostalgic sniff of them?
...Never mind. That's gross. Forget I thought that.
Though, if it were Mei's clothes... that might be a different story.
"If that's the case, then I'll leave it in your hands," Seele said with a solemn nod.
"Mhm! For these next six days, just enjoy your stay with us," Theresa replied, finally breaking into a relieved smile.
"Alright."
Just as Seele nodded, Himeko turned her attention toward Kiana. "And you... Kiana, your tutoring starts now. You've only got six days until your big make-up exam."
"Huh? Right now?!" Kiana, who had been absent-mindedly picking at her food, froze in shock.
Poor thing...
Watching her, Seele felt a twinge of wicked delight. No matter how many world-shaking events occurred, some people just couldn't escape the nightmare of school and exams.
"Bronya's equipment is all calibrated," Bronya added quietly from her spot next to Seele. "After breakfast, Kiana will come to Bronya's room. We will enter the virtual space to begin the cram session."
"Got it!"
Kiana nodded with sudden, fierce determination. Seele could see a flicker of lingering regret in her eyes. It was obvious she was still thinking about Raiden Ei.
After all, Ei was essentially a Mei from another world, and they had made a promise before she suddenly vanished. Given Kiana's nature as a hot-headed idiot, it wasn't surprising that she'd channel that energy into working hard.
"Seele."
Bronya looked at Seele, her eyes holding a trace of hesitation. "This afternoon, after Bronya finishes tutoring Kiana... may Bronya show you around this world?"
"Sure," Seele replied, keeping her tone casual. "Don't worry about me while you're helping your friend. I can just wander around on my own."
"Seele..."
Bronya looked visibly crestfallen. Seeing that pouty face, Seele's heart skipped a beat, and she started to panic.
"Okay, okay! I promise. This afternoon, I'll go wherever you want to take me."
"Good." The corners of Bronya's mouth curled up into a tiny, triumphant smile.
Seele crossed her arms, looking exasperated and stressed—like someone who was being wrapped around a finger without even realizing it, thinking the "kid" was just being difficult.
Kiana and Mei watched the exchange with growing suspicion in their eyes.
Theresa, on the other hand, looked on with a satisfied, sentimental smile. "I can't believe how close you two have gotten in just one day."
"Have we?" Seele raised an eyebrow, looking annoyed. "I just don't want to see the kid cry."
"Right, right," Theresa laughed, looking even more pleased.
You clearly have no idea what's actually going on~
Seele felt a surge of internal amusement. Bronya was clearly obsessed with her; the girl probably thought that by acting a little sad, she could make Seele jump through hoops to please her.
But in reality, this was a total win-win!
Bronya was attached to her—maybe even a little possessive—because she was "Seele."
And Seele? She was busy enjoying that possessiveness and those little moments where Bronya crossed the line.
What do they call that? The best hunters always disguise themselves as the prey! Seele preened inwardly at her own cleverness.
Breakfast ended quickly. Bronya, looking reluctant to leave but determined to get the job done, led Kiana and Yae Sakura into her room. They donned the Homu helmets to enter the virtual world for history lessons—and to give Yae Sakura a chance to see the Kallen of the past.
I really didn't expect to just be a background character in this part of the story, Seele mused, though she had no desire to force her way into that particular plotline.
"I'd really like to go outside," Seele murmured, standing on the balcony and looking out at the beautiful scenery of St. Freya High, which looked more like a sprawling European Gothic estate than a school.
"Would you like me to accompany you for a walk?" Theresa asked, stepping up beside her with a sincere look.
"Oh? Is that okay?"
Seele's eyes lit up. She couldn't wait to use this body to truly experience this world. After all, the character she had transformed into had grown up in the dust-choked streets of the Underworld.
--+--