Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

A skilled hunter knows the art of waiting.

Extraordinary achievements cannot be accomplished overnight.

Bronya possesses great patience.

She fully understands that despite clarifying their relationship, Kiana's inherently impulsive and childlike nature introduces considerable uncertainty into her confession towards Zeke.

Given Zeke's character, he wouldn't make a move on Kiana unless her intentions and feelings were clear, along with his own thoughts on the matter. This wasn't due to any passive nature; rather, Kiana was simply too important to him. Regardless of the issue, big or small, Zeke would always proceed with utmost caution concerning anything involving her.

If Zeke decided to wait and observe, even if Kiana learned "One Hundred Eight Techniques to Make Men Irresistible" from Cocolia, she still wouldn't take that crucial step forward.

Confident in her approach, Bronya could afford to patiently bide her time.

She waited for three days.

During this period, she observed changes in Seele, ensuring her safety.

Only after Zeke determined that Seele's condition had fully stabilized did Bronya begin considering her next move.

"Seele, let's go to the Far East and visit Dr. Einstein. When it comes to training Herrschers, no one is better qualified to advise us," Bronya suggested during dinner one day.

Seele held her chopsticks between her lips, momentarily pausing before tilting her head slightly.

"Huh?"

It wasn't just her; the other girls also looked somewhat bewildered by the sudden topic shift.

Only Zeke nodded slowly in agreement.

"Great idea! Mei and Wendy are there too; you'll have plenty to discuss," Zeke said to Seele, clearly endorsing Bronya's suggestion.

With both Bronya, who had significant influence, and Zeke agreeing on this matter, it was virtually settled—no one would object, not even Seele herself.

Sure enough, after pondering for a moment, Seele smiled sweetly and nodded. "Okay, I'll do my best."

Feeling the warmth and happiness from Bronya and Zeke's concern, she eagerly agreed.

Kiana scratched her head, sounding reluctant. "But then won't I miss out on eating Seele's cooking?"

"Don't worry, Big Sister Kiana, Seele will be back soon. Please bear with me just a little longer."

"All right, if it's for your sake." Sighing, Kiana speared a large piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth. The rich, savory juices bursting across her palate made her close her eyes contentedly.

Then, without missing a beat, Bronya suggested, "I think Kiana should go along as well—to look after Seele, but also...because their situations are quite similar, wouldn't you agree?"

Her final question carried a profound undertone.

Clearly, she had already discerned some truths that neither Zeke nor Kiana had openly revealed—the identity of Herrscher of the Void.

Zeke wasn't surprised; although he hadn't publicized this matter, neither had he taken measures to keep it entirely secret. Given Bronya's intelligence and resourcefulness, uncovering Kiana's identity from various clues was hardly unexpected.

Kiana choked on her food, covering her mouth as she struggled to swallow amidst gulps before timidly shrinking back.

"Uh... Bronya already knows?"

"If you're referring to your being the Herrscher of the Void, yes, Bronya figured that out long ago."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. Bronya doesn't have strong memories of her parents anyway, nor would I confuse Kiana with the Herrscher," Bronya said expressionlessly, without any visible emotional fluctuation throughout.

Her words largely reflected the truth.

To some, this might sound uncomfortable, but Bronya's childhood was filled with coldness and cruelty. Under the weight of those experiences, her initial affection for her parents indeed vanished long ago.

Of course, if someone else were responsible for all that suffering, Bronya wouldn't hesitate to treat them to a handful of "special" peanuts—extremely hot, hard, supersonic, infused with Honkai Energy, and guaranteed to explode upon impact.

However, since it was Kiana, there was nothing she could do about it.

"B-Bronya, QAQ!" Tears welled up at the corners of Kiana's eyes.

Being friends with Bronya is truly amazing! she thought to herself.

Bronya glanced briefly at her and silently continued eating. The conversation had gone far enough; there was no need for further advice.

Zeke observed Bronya for a moment, his expression softening slightly as he let out a sigh of relief.

He knew Bronya wouldn't unfairly blame Kiana, but unlike himself, her biological parents were genuine victims of the Siberian Major Honkai Eruption. How Bronya ultimately chose to settle this debt would depend entirely on her stance.

The current situation couldn't have been better.

While feeling reassured, Zeke also sensed a twinge of indebtedness toward Bronya.

Finally, he agreed, "Let's do as you suggest, Kiana. Indeed, it's time for a systematic study of Herrscher powers. In this regard, Dr. Ein's expertise and authority are unquestionable."

Kiana looked at Zeke, then Bronya, and could only obediently nod.

At that moment, feelings of guilt and gratitude intertwined within her heart, leaving no room for resistance.

The dinner concluded amid a slightly awkward atmosphere.

Then, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, Bronya turned to Sin.

"Sin, why don't you come with us? Keep an eye on Seele and Kiana."

"Huh? Why?"

"When I think about it, considering Kiana's personality, she can barely take care of herself, let alone look after Seele. Originally, Bronya planned to go herself, but with the weapons arsenal upgrades ongoing, I can't leave right now. After much consideration, I trust only you, Sin. Please help me out."

Bronya took Sin's hand earnestly as she spoke.

With that exquisite face directed towards her, those pure, flawless eyes gazing intently, and the calm plea—"Please help me out"—Sin found it utterly impossible to refuse.

"Yes! Leave it to me, Bronya! You can count on me for anything!"

Sin eagerly agreed, her heterochromatic eyes—blue and gold—seeming to sparkle with excitement.

Zeke paused, intending to suggest they didn't need to rush and could wait another couple of days. However, considering Bronya had just expressed forgiveness toward Kiana, he didn't want to contradict her wishes at that moment.

Besides, there was nothing wrong with her plan, so why not let her proceed?

"Then it's settled. If you encounter any issues during the weapon upgrade, feel free to come find me anytime."

Zeke gently patted Bronya on the head, his rare tender smile surfacing.

Bronya looked up and responded matter-of-factly:

"Bronya understands; I was planning to seek Zeke's assistance from the start."

"Do you have a specific direction in mind?"

"My personal combat capabilities are limited, so instead of focusing on tackling strong individual enemies, I intend to maximize battlefield suppression advantages by coordinating with larger forces, leaning towards large-scale battles."

"That's a solid approach. I'll do my best to assist you."

As they exchanged glances, both wore smiles reflecting their shared understanding, creating an exceptionally harmonious atmosphere.

The next day, Anti-Entropy's airship departed from the headquarters base with Seele, Kiana, Sin, and for some inexplicable reason, the Vodka Sisters in tow.

After seeing them off, Zeke and Bronya walked back side by side.

"We recently received a batch of premium black teas that you haven't tried yet, Bronya. Would you be interested? It would pair perfectly with Seele's freshly baked pastries."

"Hmm... Sure, it's rare to have those headache-inducing troublemakers away. A bit of relaxation sounds nice."

"Agreed, Bronya thinks so too. How about experiencing my tea ceremony skills? I specifically trained under an expert." Bronya puffed out her chest confidently.

Zeke's lips curved up; he found her uncharacteristic liveliness quite charming.

"I'll eagerly look forward to your expertise then."

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you, Zeke." Bronya tapped her chest, her mood visibly uplifted as her lips formed a sweet smile.

No, must resist, don't laugh out loud— Bronya cautioned herself internally while facing Zeke.