Early morning... it always brings a sense of tranquility to those who rise early. The sun has just risen, and all of creation is still in its nocturnal slumber, not yet awakened. The world seems to belong to you alone.
The orphanage had no rule about morning reading. Everyone who woke up early was quiet, because there were always a few children in the orphanage who liked to sleep in.
In the back garden, a trace of sleepiness still lingered on Seele's face. She tilted the watering can in her hand, watching the fine streams of water flow from its spout, forming a faint rainbow under the sunlight.
So pretty...
Seele carefully maintained the flow of water, watching the faint rainbow in a daze.
Such beauty existed in the small details of life. Unfortunately... life only existed here.
Seele's expression darkened slightly. She knew very well what the outside world was like... Even though Cocolia had protected them, the children, very well, she hadn't seen a single zombie appear since the initial Honkai outbreak.
And the several live broadcasts from the MOTH had deliberately avoided bloody and terrifying scenes, but the tip of the iceberg they had revealed was enough for Seele to understand that the world was already riddled with wounds.
Bronya-oneechan... what is she doing now...
Seele gently bit her lip.
Bronya-oneechan should be on that train called the Hyperion, in charge of opening up the MOTH's external railway, right?
The MOTH's broadcast said that Bronya-oneechan's captain was the warrior who had defeated the Herrscher. With him around, Bronya-oneechan should be very safe... right...
Although she didn't know him, Seele understood that such a person couldn't possibly be idle. If he was willing to stand up and face such a terrifying Herrscher alone, then when other dangers arose, he would surely shoulder his responsibilities as well.
Bronya-oneechan would also face those difficulties with him.
I knew it... Bronya-oneechan's situation has always been very dangerous...
When she first heard the news, Mother Cocolia, who had been very happy, had walked out with a grim expression. Sin Mal had directly started cursing in agitation, even though Bronya-oneechan wasn't in front of her.
For those few days, Rozaliya and Liliya had been much more subdued. They were also very scared of Sin and Mother Cocolia in that state, weren't they?
Sighing softly, Seele picked up the now-empty watering can and walked towards the faucet.
What were her own thoughts?
It must be very dangerous! If...
No, I can't think like that. That's Bronya-oneechan! So many mercenaries were defeated by her back then. She'll be fine! She'll definitely save more people, just like she saved me...
Bronya-oneechan is so amazing. She gets to be by the side of someone so powerful. The person who's her teammate is someone like the "Last Knight of Kaslana—the Last Gold from the Age of Glory and Splendor."
Bronya-oneechan can even be compared to them. The pressure she's under must be immense...
In the end, worry still got the upper hand. Seele placed the watering can under the faucet and turned the handle.
Water gushed out, filling the watering can.
Where is Bronya-oneechan now? Seele remembered that there was a train station near the orphanage, right? Will Bronya-oneechan come here?
Seele thought for a moment, recalling Cocolia's face, which was so dark it looked like it would drip water, and Sin's angry curses...
If Bronya-oneechan came back now, she would be scolded by both Mother Cocolia and Sin, wouldn't she?
Seele was very conflicted. She turned off the faucet and bent down to pick up the watering can. It seemed she had filled it with a bit too much water while she was daydreaming, and she struggled a little to lift it.
"Seele!" Rozaliya's shout came from behind. Seele turned around and saw Rozaliya leaning against the window, waving at her. "Hurry up and finish watering and come back for breakfast! We're having bacon and egg toast today!"
"Coming!" Seele replied, then reined in her wandering thoughts.
She couldn't let everyone wait too long. She had to finish watering quickly...
Looking up, Seele thought she saw something through the orphanage's iron gate. She paused, put down the watering can, and rubbed her eyes.
Looking again, there seemed to be a few dark figures outside the orphanage... One was very large and round... and there seemed to be a small figure sitting on top of it.
There were several other figures next to the largest one... and among them was one...
Like a burning flame...
"Huh?" Rozaliya hadn't left right away. She had also seen the stunned Seele staring at the gate. Curiosity immediately prompted her to look in the direction Seele was staring.
Like a little monkey, Rozaliya raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, her entire body leaning out the window. "That's..."
A few people... and a... bear?
A bear?!
"Liliya! There's a super big bear outside!!" Rozaliya suddenly turned back and shouted at Liliya behind her.
Liliya, who was setting the table, raised her expressionless face and sighed.
"Is this another of Rozaliya's new excuses to be lazy?" she muttered expressionlessly, while also putting down the knife, fork, and plate in her hand and walking towards Rozaliya.
Rozaliya jumped down from the small stool she was standing on and began to explain animatedly to Liliya.
"It's not this time! There really is a super big bear outside! It's thiiiis big!"
Rozaliya stood on her tiptoes and stretched her arms as wide as she could. Liliya paused for a moment. Rozaliya impatiently pulled Liliya up onto the small stool again. The two of them squeezed together on the stool and looked out.
Rozaliya pointed. "Look! It's right there!"
Liliya narrowed her eyes. In the direction Rozaliya was pointing, there really was a very large bear, fluffy and chubby, with a person riding on its back...
A person...
Both Liliya and Rozaliya narrowed their eyes at the same time and fell into a brief silence.
"Liliya, do you see it?" Rozaliya asked seriously.
"Rozaliya, Liliya sees it very clearly." The two of them seemed to have entered some strange state of synchronization.
"Is that Bronya?" Rozaliya asked.
"That is Bronya," Liliya answered.
They looked at each other, then turned back at the same time and shouted in unison at Sin, who was entering the room with a large basin of toast.
"Sin! Bronya's back!!"