PE Durandal - 151
--+--
Seeing Durandal seemingly lost in thought over her proposal, Elysia’s lips curled into a playful smirk.
Taking advantage of the height difference from her seat on the other girl’s lap, she leaned in and pressed a light kiss to the furrow of Durandal’s brow.
"Alright, alright. Since I’m such a cute and understanding girl, I’ll give you another option besides 'Goose,'" she giggled. "How about I just call you Bianka?"
"Bianka?"
The name certainly rolled off the tongue more naturally than Durandal. At most, if anyone else looked confused, she could just explain it away as a nickname.
"Fine. From now on, I’ll call you Ellie, and you call me Bianka."
Durandal finally relaxed her brow. She reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Elysia’s ear, revealing a glimpse of her fair neck and delicate ear—a sight Durandal felt she could never grow tired of, no matter how many times she saw it.
"Bianka~♪"
Having secured her permission, Elysia couldn’t wait to test it out, her voice practically singing the name.
"Mm-hmm."
Durandal looked at the stunning girl before her, who acted as if she had just been handed her favorite toy. After a soft acknowledgment, Durandal gave Elysia’s cute nose a playful pinch. "Ellie, Eden could be back at any moment. So... don't play with fire for now."
Elysia didn't look the least bit embarrassed at having her intentions read so easily. Instead, a mischievous smile spread across her face. "I won't play with fire, but is it really so wrong to collect a little interest?"
"Interest?" Durandal looked genuinely puzzled. "Do I owe you something?"
"Bianka, you’re the one stopping me from 'playing.' Shouldn’t I be compensated for the emotional distress caused to my fragile, wounded heart?" Elysia pouted, looking for all the world like she might burst into tears if Durandal dared to argue.
Durandal didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Picking up the phone she had set aside earlier, she composed a quick message to Eden. She explained that she and Elysia were heading out for a stroll and probably wouldn't be back at the hotel until after dinner.
She suggested Eden stay at the sanatorium for the time being, and they would pick her up later that evening to head back and rest.
Once the message was sent, Durandal held the screen up for Elysia to see.
After scanning the text, Elysia took the opportunity to push Durandal back onto the bed. "So, that means I can collect everything—principal and interest—right now, doesn't it? Bianka~♪"
Elysia leaned over her, her voice dropping into a sultry, captivating lilt.
"Yes."
Durandal’s response was, as always, short and to the point. With a swift, fluid roll, she reversed their positions in a single motion, pinning Elysia beneath her.
--+--
While Durandal and Elysia were "settling their debts" back at the hotel, Eden received Durandal’s message.
She had actually just finished her work and was about to say her goodbyes to Aponia so she could reunite with the pair at the hotel. Now, however, she had no choice but to drop those plans and stay at the sanatorium a while longer.
As for whether Durandal and Elysia were actually out for a stroll... well, that didn't really matter.
"Aponia..."
"Ow! Good grief!"
Eden was just about to say something when a sharp cry of pain rang out from the courtyard outside the office.
Eden paused, curious.
The scene felt strangely familiar. It reminded her of a story Connie once told her about Vill-V’s dramatic entrances. Apparently, Vill-V had once tried to hop the wall and ended up landing flat on her backside, leaving Durandal to help her inside.
Eden looked at Aponia with a questioning glance, but Aponia only offered a helpless expression in return. "It seems the neighbor’s cat noticed the commotion and decided to come investigate."
"A cat?" Eden asked skeptically. That voice had sounded distinctly human.
Aponia didn't quite know how to explain it. "You’ll understand when you see her," she said, standing up to lead the way outside.
Eden followed closely behind. When they reached the source of the noise, she immediately spotted a girl sprawled out on the ground in a rather ungraceful heap.
Even by summer standards, her outfit was incredibly "breezy." She had light brown, shoulder-length hair with two thin braids framing her face, and wore black, nearly knee-high boots.
With Eden’s natural eye for fashion, her first thought was that the girl looked like a dancer with Middle Eastern or North African flair; her second thought was that she looked like a thief.
Furthermore, seeing the way she lay on the ground, only to reflexively curl up like a startled animal when she noticed them approaching, Eden realized why Aponia had used the word "cat." The description was spot on.
"In through the wall again, I see..."
Though Aponia and the girl were neighbors, they weren't exactly close. Still, Aponia knew the girl often hopped the fence to play with the children at the sanatorium. Sometimes, extra supplies would mysteriously appear at the facility, usually thanks to her.
Of course, small, inconsequential trinkets would occasionally go missing too—also likely her handiwork.
Given the massive stir at the sanatorium today, Aponia knew that while others might stay away out of fear of her, this girl was certainly not among them. She would inevitably sneak in to see what was going on.
As for why a girl so familiar with the route would trip in broad daylight and make such a racket...
Aponia glanced at the wall where the supplies were stacked. Knowing the girl always jumped over at that spot, Aponia usually kept the area clear so she wouldn't get hurt. She hadn't expected Durandal and the others to use that exact patch of empty ground for the supply drop.
The girl’s fall was one of those classic accidents—like when you’re walking down the stairs and think there’s one more step when you’ve already hit the floor, leading to a clumsy, jarring stumble. She had vaulted over the wall with practiced ease, not realizing the landing zone was now piled high with crates.
Aponia sighed and leaned down, helping the dazed girl to her feet. "Try the front door next time. Stop climbing the walls."
The girl scratched the back of her head sheepishly, though one look at her face made it clear she’d probably do it again tomorrow.
"Oh, come on! I’ll be careful next time, I promise. This was just a fluke!" the girl chirped, waving off the concern with a nonchalant grin.
--+--
PE Durandal - 152
--+--
The young girl turned her azure eyes toward the person standing beside Aponia, full of curiosity. It was Eden—a woman who exuded an air of elegance and distinction.
Though her clothing didn’t bear any obvious labels, the fabric and craftsmanship were clearly exquisite, marking her instantly as someone of immense wealth.
"Sister Aponia, who is this?"
"A patron of the sanatorium, Miss Eden."
Aponia offered a brief introduction before turning to Eden. "And this is..."
Halfway through the sentence, Aponia realized that while she and the girl were "old acquaintances," she had never actually learned her name. She turned back to the girl, feeling a bit sheepish. "I apologize. I’ve realized I still don’t know your name."
The girl didn't seem surprised; she had always kept a low profile, believing that the less presence she had, the better. But since Aponia had asked directly, she couldn't well refuse.
"The name's Pardofelis. You can call me Pardo, or Felis, whatever you like!"
Pardo seemed quite the chatterbox. As she spoke, she circled Eden, stroking her chin with a contemplative look. "Something's off. The name Eden... and your face. The more I look at you, the more familiar you seem."
Unable to pinpoint where she might have seen her, Pardo eventually gave up and asked directly, "Are you some kind of celebrity?"
"A celebrity? Perhaps." Eden looked at the blunt girl with a faint smile. "I wear many hats—singer, opera performer, host. These roles have given me a certain degree of exposure. But since you reside in the slums of Sundown Alley, where my works haven't yet circulated, you must have recognized me from Entrepreneur magazine. I was featured in an exclusive interview last month."
"Entrepreneur magazine!"
Once Eden mentioned it, it all clicked for Pardo. Why else would the name and face feel so familiar? She was the cover girl for the latest issue!
That particular issue had made quite an impression on Pardo. Usually, the people on that cover were much older, grizzled veterans of industry.
Seeing someone as young and beautiful as Eden—to the point where the magazine looked more like a fashion spread—was a first.
Pardo had never imagined she’d cross paths with such a "big shot." She had always defined herself as a mere "commoner."
She read Entrepreneur to daydream about one day becoming a successful merchant, but she knew her own place in the world.
"E-E-E-Eden..."
Once the realization of who was standing before her hit, the previously carefree Pardo became incredibly stiff. For a long while, she couldn't even manage to say the name properly.
Seeing how cute the girl looked, Eden spoke up. "Just call me Sister Eden. You call Aponia that, don't you?"
"E..."
Yet, Pardo still choked on the syllable.
In the end, she suddenly turned and scrambled up the garden wall in a few fluid motions, leaving nothing but the back of a fleeing figure for Eden and Aponia to see.
"Sister Aponia, I’ll come back to see you in a few days!"
With that, she leaped down the other side and vanished.
"What an interesting child." Eden’s gaze couldn't pierce the wall, but she continued to watch the direction in which Pardo had disappeared.
"Are you interested in Pardo, Miss Eden?" Aponia asked.
Eden nodded. "I prefer to call her Felis. She reminds me of the younger members in our organization—full of a certain vitality. Being around them always fills me with a sense of purpose."
"I understand," Aponia said with a nod. "It’s much the same way I feel about the children in the sanatorium; being with them reignites the hope in my own heart."
"I was just about to bring this up, Aponia. The leader and her deputy are out exploring Sundown Alley to get a feel for the people, and they won't be coming to pick me up until tonight. Since we have the time, why don't you tell me more about this Felis?"
Eden finally resumed the conversation that Pardo’s surprise appearance had interrupted. Aponia didn't mind hosting Eden until evening; after all, she had donated so much to the sanatorium.
If the living conditions here weren't so dire, she would have invited Eden and her party to stay for the next two weeks.
Aponia felt a genuine connection with Eden—not quite close enough to be "best friends," but heading in that direction. As the story of a "Robin Hood" who loved "stocking up on supplies" unfolded, Eden grew thoughtful.
"I think I know how to draw Felis out," Eden mused.
"Draw her out?" Aponia looked at her, puzzled as to why Eden was so fixated on the girl.
Eden didn't hide her intentions. "Aponia, since you’ve read the files the leader prepared and joined the Schicksal organization, you must understand that the Honkai radiation levels in Sundown Alley are higher than in most places.”
“That is why so many children suffering from Honkai sickness gather here. Those with poor Honkai adaptability and resistance simply don't survive long enough to grow up. That’s why there are only children here, no elderly."
"Which is to say, those who can still remain active in Sundown Alley today—whether it's you or that girl Felis—possess the basic requirements to join Schicksal. Felis’s hobby of 'collecting supplies,' in my eyes, makes her perfectly suited to be my subordinate. It is never easy to recruit for Schicksal.”
”We need people who can survive at certain concentrations of Honkai radiation and who possess talents we can utilize. Felis is clearly such a person."
As Eden explained, Aponia understood her plan.
"Is there anything I need to do to help?" Aponia asked.
"Indeed." Eden looked toward the dorms. "Since Felis likes to lurk around and eavesdrop when you tell stories to the children, you could tell them a story about me.”
“Tell them that my favorite thing to do when I'm feeling a bit tipsy is to distribute priceless jewels everywhere. I trust that with Felis’s talents, once she hears such a story, she will surely find where I’m staying and personally 'deliver her services' to me!"
--+--
PE Durandal - 153
--+--
Pardo, fleeing as if her life depended on it, suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine.
Her small frame shuddered, and she couldn't help but glance back suspiciously, muttering to herself, "What's going on? Is someone bad-mouthing me behind my back?"
As she spoke, the memory of her pathetic display back at the sanitarium washed over her, and she couldn't help but cover her face in embarrassment.
How humiliating. To think she had made such a fool of herself in front of that wealthy (emphasis on the wealthy) lady named Eden.
Pardo had realized that while she was an expert at dealing with all sorts of colorful characters and could navigate the streets of Sundown Alley with ease, she always seemed to stumble when faced with someone as "high-class" as Eden.
"I hope that Miss Eden leaves the sanitarium soon," Pardo thought, glancing up at the slightly overcast sky.
At dinner time, Durandal and Elysia arrived at the sanitarium right on cue. Since they had been active all day, the pair didn't stand on ceremony and sat down to join the meal.
"Wow, the food tonight is so rich! There's so much meat!"
Sitting in the cafeteria, the trio could clearly hear the exclamations of joy from the children nearby.
Aponia watched the scene in the cafeteria with a faint smile, then sighed with a touch of emotion. "It has been a long time since the children had such a hearty meal. Thank you."
"No need for thanks. Since you’ve agreed to join Schicksal, we’re all family now. With the resources Schicksal has, we can certainly afford to feed these children, right, Eden?"
Durandal turned to look at the primary cash cow and financial powerhouse of Schicksal.
Currently, eighty percent of Schicksal’s revenue was generated by the various businesses operating under Eden’s name.
If it weren't for Eden’s immense success in the business world, Entrepreneur magazine wouldn’t have sought her out for an exclusive interview, let alone put her on the cover.
Of course, Entrepreneur would have actually preferred to interview the big boss behind Eden.
After all, Eden only kept thirty percent of the profits from the companies under her name, with the remaining seventy percent flowing directly into the coffers of Schicksal.
Naturally, Durandal had flatly refused the magazine's interview request.
She had only agreed to become one of the faces of Schicksal because of Elysia, and because she wanted to cultivate a more approachable, public-friendly image for the organization.
Given that, agreeing to be featured in a magazine as prestigious as Entrepreneur clearly ran counter to her intentions, so Durandal wouldn't entertain the idea for a moment.
Eden nodded at Durandal with a smile, then turned to Aponia. "Schicksal’s financial chain is currently very healthy, with massive cash flow. Instead of letting the money sit in trusts and risk getting swindled, it’s much better to do something meaningful with it."
Aponia said nothing more. It wasn’t that she wasn't truly convinced by Durandal and Eden, but rather that she had buried that wave of gratitude deep within her heart.
After dinner, the trio did not leave immediately.
The children, energized by the sumptuous meal, were a bit restless. Elysia suggested they hold a small storytime to celebrate, hoping to captivate the children's attention and keep them from running wild, which would only add to the burden of Aponia’s management.
Durandal, Eden, and Aponia had no objections.
Once the children were settled, Aponia was the first to take the stage.
She looked at the children, her voice gentle. "I shall tell you a story. Let me see..."
Aponia produced a storybook from nowhere and asked, "How about [The Nightingale of the Century's End]?"
Before she could even begin, a girl's voice piped up from the crowd, dissenting: "No! We’ve already heard that one eight hundred times!"
Aponia, ever patient, simply nodded and flipped to the next page. "Then, how about [Carl the Happy Boy]?"
This time, a boy retorted, "Eight hundred and one times."
Aponia: "..."
At this point, even Aponia found it hard to keep a straight face.
Thankfully, the boy who had spoken up earlier piped in again, "Sister Aponia, I want to hear the story about the little sprite from Sundown Alley!"
Aponia blinked. "The... little sprite from Sundown Alley?"
"Yes! It’s a tiny creature that loves to play pranks and hide people’s things!" the boy said excitedly.
The girl beside him chimed in, "I’ve seen it with my own eyes! Right by the drain in the slums! I don't know what kind of magic she used, but all that was left in my pocket was one little cookie."
The girl's accidental confession earned her a reprimand from another child: "Did you sneak out of the sanitarium behind Sister Aponia's back again?"
Aponia’s tone turned slightly more serious. "The outside is dangerous. Children should not leave the sanitarium. If this happens again, Sister will be very upset."
Of course, a tone like that wouldn't scare the girl who had snuck out.
"Sister wouldn't get upset; she’d just make me listen to those scary stories!" the girl pouted.
"Is a story about naughty children who don't listen and get punished really that scary?" Aponia asked rhetorically.
The child who had called out the girl for sneaking out jumped in: "Hearing it a thousand times makes it pretty scary..."
"Sister, Sister, I won't be a bad kid anymore, just tell us the story about the sprite!"
"Yeah, any new story is fine!"
The children clamored for the story of the sprite, or really, anything at all, so long as it was new.
"What a persistent bunch of little ones..."
Aponia looked at them with a touch of indulgence. She pondered for a moment, saying, "Let me think..."
"Oh, Aponia, don't hog all the spotlight in front of the children. You really should give us a chance, too~?"
Elysia winked at Aponia. She could tell that without that book in her hands, Aponia didn't really know how to tell stories—at most, she could only improvise little cautionary tales about naughty children getting punished to try and scare them.
Whether the children were actually scared was debatable, but they were certainly tired of hearing those same old stories until they were sick of them.
Aponia realized that Elysia was helping her out of a tight spot.
She returned a friendly smile and looked at the children. "Since everyone wants to hear a new story, why don't we let Sister Elysia here tell it to you? How does that sound?"
The children’s eyes immediately fixed upon Elysia.
--+--
PE Durandal - 154
--+--
"Right!"
The children at the sanitarium had yet to reach their rebellious teenage years, but even so, they were full of curiosity and eager to get closer to Elysia, with her beauty and sweet voice.
Elysia was quite fond of these children, especially admiring how they maintained a healthy, sunny, and positive attitude despite the torment of their illnesses, rather than sinking into despair.
However, Elysia wasn't exactly a natural storyteller. A flicker of an idea crossed her mind, and she decided to play a game with them instead.
Knowing the children were physically frail and couldn't handle anything too strenuous, she borrowed a storybook from Aponia and turned to them.
"How about a game of 'pass-the-parcel'? I’ll pass this book to someone here, then I’ll turn my back and call stop. Whoever is holding the book when I stop has to accept a 'penalty'—they’ll have to perform a talent for everyone. How does that sound?"
It wasn't too intense, yet highly interactive—it was the best little game Elysia could come up with on the fly.
The children were thrilled.
And so, the game began.
It even reached a point where the children coaxed Durandal, Eden, and Aponia into joining in.
Under Elysia's "precise control," all three of them inevitably ended up with a penalty, each performing a little talent of their own.
Seeing that the children were worn out from the excitement, Elysia gestured for Eden to take her place. She asked Eden to sing some lullabies to soothe their nerves and wind down the atmosphere.
Durandal was the last to take the stage.
As she looked at the children below, fairy tales from a world that didn't exist in this one began to drift into her mind.
She cleared her throat and said, "I'll start by telling you the story of The Three Little Pigs."
The Three Little Pigs is a famous English fairy tale.
Like many classic stories, it has several versions; the early ones were actually quite grim—the three brothers face different fates against the Big Bad Wolf.
The eldest builds a house of straw, the second a house of wood, and the youngest, being diligent, builds a house of brick. In the end, only the youngest's house survives, and he even cooks the wolf and eats him.
Of course, the version Durandal told was the sanitized one, modified for children.
The bits about wolves eating pigs and pigs eating wolves were removed, turning it into a story where the youngest brother protects his siblings and uses his wits to drive the wolf away.
Many of those fairy tales from Earth are essentially fables, weaving moral lessons into the narrative—the perfect blend of education and entertainment.
The Three Little Pigs is no different; it teaches that if you want something done right, you should do it properly rather than cutting corners.
The children at the sanitarium had never heard anything like this before.
Once the story ended, they immediately clamored for more.
Durandal had plenty more in her repertoire, so she moved on to The Tortoise and the Hare, warning them against arrogance and complacency—cautioning them not to lose out like the hare did simply because they had a slight advantage.
After two stories back-to-back, the children were still begging for more, but it was already nine o'clock at night.
Aponia gently intervened, putting a stop to the storytelling and organizing the children to head back to their dorms for bed.
Of course, this was only possible because Durandal promised to come back and tell them more tomorrow.
Otherwise, those children wouldn't have budged, even if they were risking Aponia's displeasure.
By the time the children were tucked in and Aponia returned, it was ten o'clock.
She looked at the three of them with an apologetic smile. "I’m truly sorry for all the trouble tonight!"
"Don't be sorry! We had a wonderful time, didn't we? Right, Eden? Right, Bianka?"
Elysia glanced at her two companions as she asked.
Eden looked a bit puzzled. "Bianka?"
Then, she looked toward Durandal, seemingly having realized something.
Elysia was clearly speaking to her and Durandal, meaning "Bianka" was simply referring to her.
Noticing Eden's confusion, Durandal nodded, offering a brief explanation. "Bianka is sort of my nickname. Elysia likes to call me that."
"I see." Eden’s expression cleared.
"Aponia, you've had a long day. You should get some rest now; we’ll be heading out."
After saying their goodbyes to Aponia, Durandal left the sanitarium with Elysia and Eden, making their way toward the inn they had booked earlier.
Perhaps because it was late, Durandal could feel a gaze from the shadows—a feeling that was growing increasingly brazen.
Durandal sighed. She decided to strike first before they could make their move.
With a flash of motion, she appeared directly behind a man with a scarred face and a jagged line across his eye.
The man felt the world blur, and suddenly, one of the three beauties he had been tracking vanished into thin air.
A bad premonition washed over him.
Before he could even turn around, a sharp object pressed against his spine—the tip of the lance Durandal had summoned.
"I ask, you answer. Think carefully before you speak. If you don't, while I won't take your life, one thrust of this lance will ensure you spend the rest of your days confined to a bed. Do you understand?"
Durandal's icy voice cut through the air behind the scarred man.
"Yes, yes! I’ll cooperate! Spare me, Superwoman!"
Durandal: "..."
How on earth did she become a "Superwoman"?
Well, to be fair, in some ways, he wasn't exactly wrong.
Durandal wasn't looking for this thug for no reason. Just like back in the Siberian town, she wanted to find the "boss" of Sundown Alley to send a message: keep your people in check, or you'll regret crossing paths with us.
The man spilled everything he knew like beans falling out of a bag.
As it turned out, Sundown Alley was a cesspool of mixed characters; there wasn't one single boss who ruled over everyone. Instead, there were several "big brothers" who each controlled their own sector.
Those sectors were divided into Theft, Extortion, Prostitution, Gambling, and Drugs.
The man himself was in the Extortion business—his usual routine involved robbery, and if he spotted someone decent-looking, he’d try to take advantage of them too.
He had been tailing the three of them because he wanted both their money and their beauty.
Of all these sectors, the most legendary was arguably the one focused on Theft.
It was said that the most skilled thief in Sundown Alley had once visited the homes of the other four bosses, yet no one had ever seen their true face.
People didn't even know if the culprit was man or woman, old or young.
--+--
PE Durandal - 155
--+--
For the scarred man, that legendary thief who came and went like a dragon in the mist—as elusive as they were skilled—was someone Durandal found remarkably easy to identify.
One had to wonder: was this the same person who, in the original timeline, dared to pilfer even from Fire Moth?
Though, as it turned out, that very caper was what inadvertently led to Pardofelis becoming a Flame-Chaser.
Having identified the local kingpins of Sundown Alley, Durandal knocked the scarred man unconscious and tossed him into a nearby side alley. She had no intention of killing him, but if one of his many enemies decided to settle a score, well, that was no longer her concern.
"Elysia, please keep an eye on Eden. I have some business to handle."
Walking back to the pair, Durandal spoke briefly before turning to leave.
"Is the leader going to…?"
Eden watched Durandal’s retreating figure, slightly bewildered.
"Eden, you’ve heard the story of how Connie joined us, right? Bianka is going to find others like her in this neighborhood. We’ll be staying here for another half-month, and while we aren't relocating the sanatorium, our increasing aid might attract unwanted attention. While we'll certainly have guards posted eventually, it's better to avoid trouble before it starts. Giving them a heads-up is necessary."
The sanatorium had managed to coexist peacefully with the major factions in Sundown Alley, largely thanks to Aponia’s intimidating presence and the fact that the place was so dirt-poor there was nothing to plunder—just a horde of dependents that anyone with a brain would avoid.
However, as Elysia pointed out, the sanatorium was now receiving funding from Schicksal, which changed the equation entirely.
Rather than having the future Schicksal personnel constantly playing a game of cat-and-mouse with the local gangs, it was better for Durandal to pay them a visit first and beat some sense into them.
Eden had never dealt with such matters—her upbringing had been quite sheltered—but she understood the logic. After listening to Elysia’s explanation, she nodded in agreement.
"Well then, let’s head back to the hotel, shall we? If two beautiful, flower-like maidens like us just stand around on this street, aren't we basically tempting people to commit crimes? Bianka doesn't want to kill, and neither do I!"
With that, Elysia signaled for Eden to follow, and the two picked up their pace, heading toward their hotel.
Perhaps the sight of Durandal disciplining the scarred man had been witnessed by the watchful eyes of the neighborhood, for Elysia and Eden’s journey was smooth. No one dared to block their path, and they returned to the hotel safely.
"Until Bianka gets back, I’ll just hang out in your room, Eden!"
Elysia took Eden’s room key and handed it back to her with a wink. "Eden, you don't mind having me, right?"
"Of course not! Let's have a girl's night and talk over tea."
Eden took the key, opened the door, and invited Elysia inside.
--+--
On the other side of town, Durandal followed the leads provided by the scarred man to the territory of the area's top local thug.
According to his information, she walked into a hardware store and headed straight for the back door.
A fresh face like Durandal walking through the shop, ignoring a group of shirtless, burly men, naturally drew their ire.
Before long, a man appeared before her, blocking her path.
However, before he could utter a lewd comment or ask what she was doing, Durandal materialized Abyss Flower and used the side of the lance to send him flying with a single, brutal swing.
Her tone was icy. "I'm here to see your boss. Out of my way!"
As she spoke, she glanced at the surrounding men who had begun to crowd around.
Under her gaze, the hulking men turned pale and quickly looked away, pretending they hadn't seen a thing.
The display was just too eerie—and too violent.
Never mind the fact that she had manifested a heavy-looking lance out of thin air.
The man she had just swatted aside was their top enforcer—a brute who had blood on his hands, always stood at the front of every turf war, and weighed nearly two hundred pounds.
To see him launched across the room so effortlessly? Even if these thugs were lent ten times their courage, none would dare step forward to get their ribs broken.
They didn't even dare to help their enforcer up or take him to the hospital.
Even the skinny informant in the crowd, usually the first to go running to the boss, was frozen in his tracks, terrified to slip into the back room to deliver a warning.
Thus, the gang leader was sitting in his room, happily counting the loot from his recent robberies, when the door was kicked open and a lance was pressed directly against his throat. Only then did he realize what was happening.
"M-mercy, my lady! Please!"
The gang leader’s eyes bulged. He hadn't even seen Durandal move before his life was in her hands.
Terrified that a slight tremor of her hand would make him a ghost under her lance, he begged frantically, pushing the cash he had been counting toward her. "Money! I have money, it's all yours! Just show mercy and spare my life!"
Was it true that like attracts like? Because he was a robber, he assumed anyone who came knocking must be doing so to steal his money.
Though Durandal had once worked with Elysia as a "Pink-Gold Thief" to rob the rich and give to the poor, she had long since washed her hands of that life.
Regardless, Durandal casually tossed a bag onto the table and signaled for him to pack the loot inside.
Ahem. She kept several bags on her at all times—not for convenience during raids, of course, but because Elysia loved shopping, and one had to be prepared!
Besides, this was all stolen money. Rather than letting it be squandered by this scoundrel, it was better to take it back to the sanatorium to help those poor children.
Terrified for his life, the gang leader packed every cent into the bag with lightning speed, then looked up at Durandal with a sycophantic grin. "My lady, it’s all here!"
"I didn't come here for this money."
Durandal finally spoke, informing him that Schicksal would soon be operating out of the sanatorium.
"I’m here to warn you: you had best keep yourself and your underlings in check. Don’t you dare lay a finger on the sanatorium or my companions. Otherwise, this will be your fate."
With that, Durandal gave the Abyss Flower a slight flick, and the solid wooden table the gang leader had used to count his money disintegrated into fine powder.
--+--
PE Durandal - 156
--+--
Durandal’s little display was enough to make the boss of the black market hardware store shrink back in sheer terror.
He realized then that if he hadn’t been so quick to read the room, he would have ended up just like that table—left without so much as a corpse to bury.
As for Durandal claiming she wasn't here for the money?
Well, after she finished grilling him about the locations of the bosses in other sectors and left with a bulging bag of cash, the boss decided that wasn't extortion at all. It was a "tribute" he had insisted she take. How could such a formidable lady be interested in mere money?
After leaving the hardware store, Durandal headed toward the nearest gambling den.
This time, she didn't barge straight into the back office like she had at the hardware store.
The previous boss had warned her that, generally speaking, the ringleaders of these dens lived outside the city limits. As for exactly where, he wasn’t quite sure.
They only ever showed up from the outskirts with a squad of elites when someone caused a scene that the regular bouncers couldn't handle.
So, Durandal decided to simply force their hand. She was going to tear the place down.
Walking into the gambling den, Durandal dumped the "tribute" she’d just collected from the hardware store onto the floor and looked at the staff. "Convert all of this into chips for me."
Inspired by the hardware store boss, Durandal figured that if you're going to shear the sheep, you might as well get all the wool.
While she didn't particularly enjoy gambling, it was the most efficient way to smoke out the boss and, incidentally, seize the illegal gains of the establishment.
And so, on that unremarkable summer night, the legendary "God of Gamblers" of Sundown Alley was born.
By the time the chips in front of Durandal were piled mountain-high and the dealer’s face had turned a ghostly shade of pale, the boss finally made his fashionably late entrance.
On his way over, the boss had already heard the report from his flunky.
A master had arrived. They had deployed their most seasoned dealer, and even with the most time-tested cheating techniques, they couldn't stop the stranger’s winning streak.
It left him no choice but to take the table himself.
The boss didn't try to intimidate her upon arrival; he simply shoved the dealer aside. Confident in his own sleight of hand, he rolled up his sleeves and looked at Durandal. "Miss, I’ll play against you."
"Fine."
It made no difference to Durandal—she was going to win regardless.
After all, the Honkai is omnipotent. A little gambling was hardly a challenge. With the power of Honkai energy assisting her, even a real God of Gamblers would have been forced to drink his own tears.
Sure enough, an hour later, Durandal had won every chip in the house. The boss, eyes bloodshot from the crushing defeat, wanted to keep going, but he realized he had run out of chips.
Looking over at Durandal, the pile was so massive that it couldn't even fit on the table anymore; it was spilling out onto the floor.
The boss's face darkened. He snapped out of his gambling trance instantly. He decided it was time to play dirty.
"Miss, I don't suppose you've heard the saying 'know when to stop'?"
He shot a cold, sharp glance at the bouncers already standing behind Durandal.
Durandal let out a mocking laugh. "I only know how to press my advantage!"
With that, she stood up.
She didn't reach for her weapon. The gambling den was cramped and packed with people—staff and customers alike—leaving no room to swing a lance. But Durandal wasn't helpless without one.
At the very least, she had mastered the martial arts techniques that Fu Hua had refined over thousands of years.
In a blur of motion, Durandal spun, tilted her head to dodge a fist flying toward her face, and then clamped her right hand over the attacker’s wrist. With a sharp twist and a squeeze, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the room.
"My hand! My hand!"
The bouncer pulled back, his mind reeling from the agony. Through blurred vision, he could see his hand twisted into a grotesque shape; calling it a "shattered bone" would be an understatement.
The fight didn't end with the loss of one man. Durandal unleashed a flurry of strikes, a rhythmic thud-thud-thud-thud as she dropped every bouncer in the room.
Only then did the boss realize the battle was lost.
Trembling, he pulled a stack of checks from his coat, scribbled a figure with his pen, signed it, and handed it to her with shaking hands. "This... this is the total value of all the chips in the den. We don't have this much cash on hand, so I can only offer you a check."
The boss looked genuinely worried that the check would offend her.
But Durandal wasn't some two-bit thug who only took cash.
To a "model citizen" like her—someone with a clean record and excellent ties to various local governments—a check was far more convenient than lugging around a bag of physical money.
Durandal pocketed the check and, just like at the hardware store, explained her purpose to the stunned boss.
The boss: "?"
That's it?
She caused this much chaos and cleaned out his entire treasury for something like that?
He dared not be angry, nor did he dare speak. He put on a forced smile and personally escorted Durandal to the entrance of a nearby brothel.
As she left, he cast a sympathetic look at the pimp who had come out to greet them.
The pimp had seen the gambling boss arriving with a beautiful blonde and thought she was here to start trouble. He never expected the boss to just drop her off and leave without a word.
Is he restocking my inventory? he wondered. But we haven't even talked about the price!
The pimp never imagined the "trouble" was the blonde herself until he stepped inside, took one kick to the groin, and collapsed in agony. It was too late for regrets.
Durandal thoughtfully used Abyss Flower to numb the pimp's pain, then ordered him to round up every male employee in the place who wasn't a client.
She then proceeded, with tireless dedication, to perform a "physical castration" on every one of them before finally stating her business.
The pimp: "?"
Just for this? He had lost his manhood forever? And so had every man in his establishment?
He decided he might as well retire. Maybe he’d head to Shenzhou and become a eunuch in the Emperor’s palace.
Wait, there's no Emperor in Shenzhou anymore?
...Never mind, then.
After visiting three locations, Durandal stood outside the final stop of the night—a bar—with a $100 million check in her pocket.
Before she even stepped through the door, she could already sense a murderous intent radiating from within.
--+--
PE Durandal - 157
--+--
"Oh? Truly worthy of a drug-trafficking organization, to have picked up news of me from the others so quickly? Interesting..."
Although the opposition had concealed themselves well enough, Durandal, a veteran of countless battles, sensed them the very first instant.
To be safe, Durandal quietly adjusted her attire; the Guardian form of Bright Knight: Excelsis was perfectly suited for the situation at hand.
Wrapped in heavy black armor, she felt a sense of calm settle over her. Without hesitation, she stepped into the bar.
The moment Durandal crossed the threshold—BANG BANG BANG BANG—several gunshots rang out in the confined space.
A band of outlaws indeed!
Durandal’s expression turned icy. She blocked all the incoming bullets with her shield, the impacts emitting crisp clink-clink-clink sounds.
That single volley of gunfire had exposed the shooters' positions. Durandal charged forward with her shield, dashing through the space. Within a few breaths, the men who had opened fire were knocked unconscious by her blunt-force approach.
As Durandal scanned the room, searching for the drug lord, a sudden, explosive roar erupted from the bar counter nearby, accompanied by flames reaching toward the ceiling.
"They actually prepared a bomb. They really do think highly of me."
Without hesitation, Durandal switched her Bright Knight: Excelsis form to Dea Anchora armor. Before she could be engulfed by the blast, she vaulted into the sky, masked by the swirling dust and debris.
As for the gunmen she had knocked out earlier...
Since their boss didn't care about their lives, Durandal certainly wouldn't waste her mercy on them.
High above, Durandal looked down. Before long, a cold-looking middle-aged man arrived at the ruined bar, surrounded by a group of henchmen.
The man stared at the wreckage without a hint of distress; instead, his face was filled with satisfaction. "With this, the person who came to wreck my place should be nothing but scattered remains by now..."
He had learned through informants placed in three other organizations that someone had been picking off their operations one by one. Guessing that he would be next, he had set up an ambush with gunmen and a timed explosive at the bar counter.
The moment anyone stepped through the door, it would trigger an infrared sensor, starting the bomb's countdown. He had used similar methods to kill police officers who had come to arrest him before; the routine was second nature to him.
However, he hadn't counted on the fact that Durandal was not someone who could be measured by common logic.
Just as the man ordered his subordinates to inspect the ruins, Durandal dove straight down from the sky, appearing in the air just three meters in front of him.
At that distance, the man noticed her instantly.
Looking closely at her appearance, she matched the description brought back by his informants perfectly—wavy gold hair with streaks of white, a cold, stunningly beautiful face, and eyes as resolute as ice.
The man had felt a shred of regret earlier that such a beauty had been blown to bits before he could even see her. But now, he wanted to slap himself for ever having that thought!
He no longer felt regret, but he knew his life was coming to an end.
The man assumed that since he had designed such a death trap for her, she wouldn't show him any courtesy and would kill him immediately. He didn't even attempt a futile plea for mercy, standing there foolishly, waiting for the end.
Yet, he was wrong.
Durandal didn't strike. Such people weren't worth her breaking her precedent against killing.
Of course, she had no intention of letting him go, either.
In truth, she hadn't just been "saying hello" to those other three organizations. Once Schicksal grew stronger, she would ensure that every den of iniquity like this was completely purged.
But the man’s actions had simply accelerated her timeline for handling the criminal underworld of Sundown Alley.
She knocked the man and his subordinates unconscious, found a rope to bind them all together, and, once packed up, headed to the nearest police station.
She had verified that this station was not in league with the drug lord—in fact, many officers had died at his hands. Handing them over here meant she wouldn't have to worry about them being released moments later.
The people at the station would certainly teach this man and his crew a lesson, and in a few months, they would undoubtedly face a firing squad.
Additionally, Durandal kindly called the fire department to tend to the bar, ensuring the sparks or flames wouldn't spread to nearby shops or homes.
Just as she finished everything and planned to head back to the inn, she caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.
"Pardo?"
Though it was her first time meeting the girl, Durandal recognized her instantly. It was definitely Pardofelis, lying in an open space not far from the bar.
Filled with some curiosity, Durandal walked over. She discovered the girl wasn't just lying there—she had been knocked unconscious by the shockwave of the explosion, and there was a scorched, bullet-pierced hole in her chest.
Durandal wasn't worried about her life, as there was no scent of blood. She reached into the girl's chest area and found a cat-shaped pouch, also punctured by a bullet.
She opened it to reveal a coin with a bullet embedded right in the center. It was this coin that had saved Pardofelis' life.
"What a lucky child, truly."
At this moment, Pardofelis looked to be about the same age as Hua or Carole—perhaps fifteen or sixteen—so the term "child" felt fitting enough.
Durandal looked around. Pardo’s position was quite close to the bar; logically, she should have been hit by flying debris or sparks.
But thanks to her unreasonable luck, while the ground around her was scorched and pitted with rubble, she remained entirely unscathed save for the mark left by that bullet.
"Forget it. Even if I left her here, her luck would likely keep her safe, but since I've seen her, I might as well take her back."
With that thought, Durandal summoned Abyss Flower to heal the internal injuries caused by the shockwave.
She then had Krishna carry Pardofelis as she made her way back to the inn.
--+--
PE Durandal - 158
--+--
The massive explosion at the bar naturally drew a crowd, a significant portion of whom belonged to the three criminal factions that had been eyeing the area.
When they saw Durandal standing there, completely unharmed, accompanied by a magnificent black horse carrying a seemingly familiar girl, yet saw no sign of the drug dealers—their most ruthless and formidable leaders—they realized the truth: the worst of their lot had been taken down.
Just like that, any lingering illusions vanished.
They all accepted the grim reality that Sundown Alley was about to fall under the banner of Schicksal.
Some had already begun plotting their exit from the district.
With natural disasters occurring so frequently in recent years, "lawless zones" like Sundown Alley were popping up everywhere; there was no reason to go down with a ship that had already been claimed by someone else.
Meanwhile, Elysia and Eden were having a small tea party in their hotel when the blast shook them.
They hurried to the window, watching the explosion unfold in the distance; the shockwave was strong enough to make their window rattle in its frame.
"Was that the Leader's doing?" Eden asked, her voice tinged with genuine concern.
Elysia shook her head. "Bianka wouldn't cause such a scene just to deal with common criminals. It’s more likely the other way around—they tried to use such methods against her."
"Then... will the Leader be alright?" The worry on Eden’s face only deepened.
Elysia didn't doubt for a second that Durandal could handle herself, though she struggled to find the words to explain this blind faith to Eden.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long. She pointed toward the street, where Durandal had just appeared atop Krishna. "Don't worry, look—isn't that Bianka returning now?"
Of course, as she spoke, Elysia narrowed her eyes. Her eyesight was sharp, and she noticed that Krishna was carrying a girl on her back.
"Wait, isn't that Pardo? Why is she with the Leader?"
Eden followed Elysia’s gaze, her relief replaced by surprise. She recognized the girl as Pardofelis, the one who had snuck into the nursing home earlier that day to scout the situation.
"Is this that kitten-like girl you mentioned earlier?"
Hearing Eden say that, the sudden spark of jealousy in Elysia’s heart dimmed slightly, replaced by a fresh wave of curiosity.
Could it be...?
Elysia knew Durandal’s secret.
Seeing her head out and return with a girl, it was hard not to draw parallels to how she had been recruiting members for Schicksal. Was this girl, too, destined to be a warrior against the Honkai?
"Eden, let’s go down and greet them!"
With no time to overthink it, Elysia beckoned to Eden. The two left the room and hurried down to the hotel entrance just as Durandal arrived, Krishna carrying a slumbering Pardofelis.
Seeing them, Durandal waved. "Eden, come here and give me a hand."
Eden stepped forward, and Durandal entrusted her with the task of carrying Pardofelis to her room to rest. Eden didn’t hesitate.
While Elysia and Durandal were certainly more powerful, they needed to avoid potential rumors; Eden had no such concerns.
Besides, having seen Pardofelis earlier, she knew the girl was still just a child, malnourished and thin. As someone who maintained her figure through constant training, Eden found the girl light as a feather.
As she lifted Pardofelis from Krishna’s back, her thoughts were confirmed. The girl was even lighter than she had imagined; through the thin fabric of her clothes, Eden could almost feel the sharp edges of her bones.
"Leader, what happened to her?" Eden asked once she had the girl settled in her arms, looking at Durandal with concern. Elysia, standing nearby, mirrored her expression.
"Let’s head back to the room first. You must be tired of holding her like that," Durandal replied.
She snapped her fingers, and Krishna dissolved back into her body.
Her powers retracted, and her outfit shifted back into the standard Schicksal uniform designed by Eden. The group returned to Eden’s room.
Eden carefully placed Pardofelis on her bed. Only then did she notice the charred, gaping hole in the chest area of the girl's clothes. Had she not smelled the lack of blood, she might have assumed the girl was already gone.
Durandal signaled for Eden to check the chest bag on Pardofelis. Inside, they found the coin that had successfully stopped a bullet. Durandal then recounted what she had seen.
"I found her unconscious just as I was about to leave. She must have arrived at the bar even earlier than I did, only to be spotted by a gunman. They likely tried to silence her, but the coin in her bag saved her life. In her panic, she must have played dead on the floor.”
"Later, when the explosion happened at the bar, she was too close. Even though she wasn't hit by debris, the shockwave knocked her unconscious. It’s fortunate she ran into me; otherwise, at such close range, the internal trauma from the blast alone would have been enough to kill her. As for the rest, we’ll have to wait until she wakes up."
Before returning, Durandal had already used Abyss Flower to mend the girl's internal injuries.
Her continued unconsciousness was simply her body’s natural defense mechanism kicking in; she would wake up soon.
After giving the briefing, Durandal entrusted Pardofelis to Eden’s care and took Elysia back to their room.
The moment they were inside, Elysia looked at her. "So, you’ve known her for a long time, haven't you? This Pardofelis."
Durandal nodded. "That's right."
She hadn't intended to hide it. Back in the other room, she had called Pardofelis by her name without hesitation—despite the fact that, by all accounts, they should have been meeting for the first time.
Elysia, having suspected as much all along, had caught it immediately.
And, she suspected, Eden had likely figured it out by now as well.
--+--
PE Durandal - 159
--+--
Durandal offered a few more details, "That girl is incredibly lucky, but I’d say her actual ability is just average. I hadn't planned on actively seeking her out or recruiting her into Schicksal, but as fate would have it, we crossed paths in that situation, and I ended up bringing her back."
Elysia chuckled at this.
She reached out to smooth Durandal's hair and adjust her clothes—Honkai energy, unfortunately, doesn't come with a self-cleaning feature, so the golden-haired beauty, fresh from the explosion site, was looking more than a little disheveled.
"Well, her luck certainly is impressive. Before you got back, Eden and I were chatting in her room, and she mentioned meeting Pardo at the nursing home earlier today. It’s a pity they didn't get to talk much before the girl bolted.”
“Later, Eden asked Aponia for some information on her, and we decided we wanted to recruit her for the logistics department. I just didn't expect that before we could make a move, you—our fearless leader—would already have beaten us to the punch."
"Is that so?"
A faint smile touched Durandal's lips. "I suppose that must be her good fortune at work again. It seems Schicksal really is a decent place for her to find shelter."
"I think so, too. Alright, off you go to get cleaned up~♪"
Though Elysia urged Durandal to hit the shower, she was the first one to start undressing.
Durandal’s eyes widened. "Was feeding you full this afternoon not enough?"
Elysia’s movements paused at the remark, and she shot Durandal a sidelong glance. "I’m just checking to see if someone is playing tough! Don't let me find a single scratch or bruise on you later, or else... hmph~"
With that, Elysia stripped off her clothes, leaving Durandal with nothing but a perfect, jade-like back to admire.
Watching Elysia walk away, Durandal could only sigh, bend down to pick up the discarded garments, and follow her into the bathroom.
It was obvious: she clearly hadn't been "fed" enough yet.
After all, with a stripped-down Elysia standing right there, how could she possibly resist?
The straightforward Durandal was simply no match for such temptation.
While Durandal and Elysia were busy preparing for their bath, next door, Pardofelis—whom Eden had settled onto the bed—finally stirred to consciousness.
Before Pardo could even figure out her current situation, a gentle female voice drifted toward her: "Felis, are you awake?"
"Mew-ow!"
Waking up to a voice that sounded both strange and vaguely familiar, Pardo let out a startled, tremulous meow—an instinctive reaction she hadn't had since she was a tiny stray cat, digging for scraps and jumping at the slightest disturbance.
Eden couldn't help but laugh at the reaction. She pointed to her own nose and sighed, "Am I really that frightening? I’d like to think I have a bit more poise and grace than that."
Once Pardo fully cleared her head and recognized Eden as the young, beautiful, and wealthy woman she had met at the nursing home earlier, her heart settled.
She shook her head repeatedly, giving a sheepish laugh. "Of course not! Sister Eden isn't scary at all! I was just a bit groggy from waking up, that's all."
As she spoke, Pardo sat up. She recognized that she was in the only star-rated hotel in Sundown Alley; she used to follow stray cats there to scavenge for food when she was little.
"Sister Eden, how did I end up here?"
Pardo glanced around with slight unease, her hand pressing into the soft, springy mattress. She felt a lingering sense of unreality, as if she were trapped in a dream.
She had actually woken up in such a comfortable bed!
As if reading her thoughts, Eden felt a strange tug at her heartstrings, warmed by this somewhat over-familiar girl, and her voice softened further.
"Don't you remember what happened? It was the leader... well, her name is Durandal. She was the one who brought you back from the bar."
Eden provided a hint, and at the mention of the bar, the terrifying events of earlier finally rushed back to Pardo.
Just as Durandal had suspected, Pardo had been out on a routine "supply run." She visited that bar quite often, mostly because the place was up to no good, but it always had plenty of cash on hand.
She would swipe a portion of their ill-gotten gains to distribute to the folks in the slums and the sanatorium.
The people at the bar weren't oblivious to the thief, but they could never catch her.
Besides, the reputation of the "Robin Hood of Sundown Alley" had begun to spread—other thieves even operated under her banner, forming a loose, unofficial power base.
The drug dealers didn't want any trouble, so as long as Pardo didn't push things too far, they usually turned a blind eye.
But today, for some reason, the moment she slipped in, she was spotted by a few men clutching guns, as if they had been waiting for someone.
One of them didn't say a word; he just raised his weapon and fired.
She thought she was a goner. Her chest had felt like it was smashed by a massive weight—it was agonizing.
But the piercing wound she expected never came.
At the time, Pardo didn't have the luxury of thinking; she knew that if she didn't collapse and play dead, the next volley of bullets would finish her off.
She might not be that lucky a second time.
So, she lay there, wondering how long she had to pretend before she could make a break for it, when a massive blast rocked the bar nearby. After that, she lost consciousness.
When she woke up, she was already in Eden’s bed.
"It seems the leader was right. As for why you weren't killed, take a look at the pouch you were wearing."
Eden had peeked at the pouch earlier before tucking it safely away.
Hearing this, Pardo quickly pulled the pouch from her chest and found a charred, smoking hole matching the one in her clothes. She opened it and shook out a coin with a bullet embedded directly into it.
"I can't believe... you saved me."
That coin had been a stroke of pure chance. After her frantic escape from the nursing home, she had run toward some vending machines out of habit. She’d looked down and spotted the coin—likely dropped by someone buying a drink earlier.
Usually, Pardo would take any coin she found and stash it in her piggy bank at home.
But she had been wandering the streets and hadn't made it home yet, so she had just shoved the coin into her chest pouch.
She never imagined that such an impulsive act would end up saving her life!
--+--
PE Durandal - 160
--+--
Seeing that Pardofelis had completely caught on, Eden sat down on the edge of the bed and asked naturally, "Felis, what are your plans for the future?"
Pardofelis looked at Eden, her gaze somewhat vacant, not quite understanding why she would ask such a thing.
"I mean, are you going to keep playing the 'Robin Hood' of Sundown Alley forever?"
While recounting her movements from earlier that evening, Durandal had also revealed to Eden the 'nickname' Pardofelis had earned around Sundown Alley, which prompted her question.
Pardofelis felt a wave of embarrassment at the mention of it.
Her bare feet, which had been slipped out of her shoes, curled up, all five toes bunching together.
"Sister Eden... that 'Robin Hood' business—it's not nearly as dramatic as it sounds. I’ve only done a few small things I was capable of. I prefer to call my actions 'stocking up,' and being a merchant is exactly what I want to do!"
"I thought as much."
Eden wore an expression of knowing. "Ever since you recognized me and I guessed that you at least skim through Entrepreneur magazine, I knew what your aspirations were."
Eden had originally wanted to say, 'I guessed you subscribed to Entrepreneur magazine.'
But after a moment’s thought, she remembered the title of 'Sundown Alley's Robin Hood' and changed her tune.
Who knew if the girl actually paid for a subscription?
She might have just 'restocked' it from some random newsstand!
"Then, Miss Felis, as someone who aspires to be a merchant, would you be willing to work alongside an entrepreneur who has graced the cover of Entrepreneur magazine and learn how to become a top-tier businessperson?"
Eden had her own ways of talent scouting.
The method Durandal used—tossing the harsh truths of the world at recruits—might not work on someone like Pardofelis.
Eden could tell that the girl before her was extremely cautious and seemed to lack self-confidence; it would likely be impossible for her to connect herself with grand concepts like 'saving the world.'
If the girl actually knew what Schicksal and Eden were really up to, she might be talking fine one second, only to vanish into thin air the next.
Even just asking her to shadow her to learn about business might make the girl shrink away in hesitation.
However, at least this wouldn't scare her off directly.
Besides, Eden didn't plan on succeeding on the first try; she still had her 'trump card' arranged over at Aponia’s place.
As expected, a flicker of pleasant surprise crossed Pardofelis's eyes, followed immediately by hesitation.
Finally, she slowly shook her head. "Sister Eden, someone as ordinary as me, how could I ever be a powerhouse like you? I don't want to manage a huge corporation.”
“I just want to be a small, independent shopkeeper with a store of my own, selling little trinkets I've scavenged from here and there that my customers happen to like.”
“If you're looking for help, there are plenty of kids at the sanitarium around my age; they're much smarter than me. You should ask them instead!"
Seeing Pardofelis subconsciously cross her arms in a defensive posture, Eden understood that it wasn't the right time to push.
She didn't press the matter, only saying softly, "I can give you time to consider it. Whenever you've made up your mind, you can come find me here. I expect to be staying in this area for another half a month."
Pardofelis nodded distractedly.
"As for now... it's quite late. Go wash up, and let’s get some rest."
With that, Eden stood up from the bed, took a nightgown from her suitcase, and handed it to Pardofelis. "This is for you. Just make do with this for tonight."
"F-for me?"
Pardofelis took the nightgown. Just from the cool texture of the fabric, she knew this piece was incredibly expensive.
"Mmhmm. You were just brought back from an explosion site by the leader—don't tell me you think you’re clean right now, do you?"
Though Eden felt a great deal of pity for Pardofelis, it didn't mean she could tolerate sleeping next to someone covered in all the dust and grime from an explosion.
Stung by Eden's remark, Pardofelis lowered her head in embarrassment, realizing her clothes were indeed quite dirty.
Although she had grown up following stray cats to scavenge for discarded food, she was still very particular about her personal hygiene.
After all, if she hadn't been careful, she likely would have died from some unknown disease long ago.
"I... I can go back."
The thought of sleeping in this bed—and with a wealthy woman who had been on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine right beside her—made Pardofelis feel entirely restless.
But Eden simply shook her head, her tone becoming brooks-no-argument. "You aren't leaving tonight."
Seeing Pardofelis's eyes widen with sudden wariness as she grabbed an air-conditioning blanket to cover her chest, Eden didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
After a long pause, she said with a touch of exasperation, "I’m not about to have any twisted ideas about a half-grown kid like you! You know the situation in [Sundown Alley] better than I do. At this hour, do you really dare to wander the streets?"
Pardofelis wanted to say that she did.
But upon seeing the look in Eden’s eyes, and feeling the luxurious, comfortable texture of the giant mattress beneath her, the words died in her throat.
Watching Pardofelis abandon the idea of leaving, Eden breathed a sigh of relief.
As she thought, this little girl was much easier to deal with than her business partners or competitors.
Indeed, Eden had no designs on the scrawny Pardofelis, but her decision to keep the girl here had nothing to do with the safety of Sundown Alley.
After all, everyone had seen Pardofelis being carried back on Krishna by Durandal, who had just turned Sundown Alley upside down.
Right now, even if Pardofelis sauntered into the territory of those local gangs to 'restock,' they wouldn't dare let out a peep!
The only reason she used that excuse was to recruit her.
Though the initial attempt had failed, that didn't stop Eden from using something like sleeping in the same bed to bridge the gap between them.
Once they became close confidants who shared everything, wouldn't it be twice the result for half the effort when she extended another invitation?
"You rest here for a bit; I’ll go wash up first."
With that, Eden pulled another nightgown from her suitcase and headed toward the bathroom.
Half an hour later, Eden stepped out. Seeing that Pardofelis was still on the bed, she felt completely at ease.
"Your turn."
Pardofelis nodded blankly, took the nightgown, and ducked into the bathroom, which was still lingering with steam and a light fragrance.
Seeing the bed was empty, Eden picked up the room telephone and had the hotel staff come up to change all the dirty sheets and duvet covers.
Only then, feeling refreshed, did she lie flat on the bed, applying a facial mask while waiting for Pardofelis to return.
--+--