Schicksal, Valkyrie Residence.
Unconsciously, Himeko had been at Schicksal Headquarters for almost half a year.
To be honest, Schicksal Headquarters in 2006 was much quieter than it would be eleven years later.
Tian Shi vaguely remembered that Rita's room was now Ragna's.
Or perhaps Rita deliberately chose Ragna's room?
The Immortal Blade was never founded.
If I am lucky enough to return to Schicksal Headquarters three or four years from now, I might even see Rita and Bianca around... or Kiana.
But that is a story for another time.
"Hey, what's the matter? How do you make dumplings? You just put the filling in the dough and pinch it closed, right?"
"Although your description is logically correct, I feel I can let go of my expectations now after you've explained it this way."
Lying on the sofa, Tian Shi watched Himeko, who was playing with the dough, with trembling eyes.
"By the way, is the dumpling filling ready?"
"Of course, it's ready, I'm not the type of person who lacks common sense, pork filling is perfectly normal, right?"
Himeko was quite displeased that Tian Shi was looking down on her cooking skills; Himeko now has a strange confidence in her own abilities.
"Hah! Thank goodness!"
Tian Shi muttered.
"What kind of weird tone is that? It doesn't matter! I can do it without you, I can still fill the dough and wrap it," Himeko said angrily.
Honestly, I'm trying to encourage her, and her attitude is very discouraging.
"What does 'letting go of expectations' mean? My cooking skills have been steadily improving!"
Himeko adjusted her cheongsam.
Speaking of which, why is the slit on this ghost cheongsam so high?
Himeko looked at her bright red cheongsam with some discomfort, which gave her chills from time to time.
"Shall we have a competition?"
Tian Shi asked, floating closer with a smile.
"Let's have a competition to see who makes the best dumplings..."
...
Knock knock!
"Himeko! We're coming in now!"
Ragna and the rest of the Assault Valkyries came in carrying large bags full of things.
"...Does Schicksal not properly protect the privacy of Valkyries?"
Himeko's lips twitched as she watched her senior teammates enter.
"This is the Captain's right, Himeko~ Here, a New Year's gift for a subordinate."
"Captain, you even brought me a gift!... It should be me who's always tasked with giving you the gift..."
Himeko accepted the gift with a flattered expression.
"How about you open it and take a look?"
Ragna insisted with a smile.
"Here... now?"
Although Himeko was usually very outgoing, she still retained the reserved nature expected of someone from the East.
"It's fine, open it and take a look."
At Ragna's insistence, Himeko stopped making excuses and opened the bag expectantly, pulling out its contents.
"Huh... a maid outfit?"
Himeko's eyes reflected great confusion.
"Well, here's the maid outfit I ordered from the logistics department, with white stockings... or do you prefer black stockings, Himeko?"
"No, um, white stockings are fine."
Although the gift was a bit strange, it felt even better to the touch than the cheongsam she was wearing.
In any case, Himeko accepted the strange gift with mixed feelings of gratitude.
"White stockings are perfect for a sixteen-year-old girl, your Captain has great taste."
Tian Shi stroked his chin and commented.
Although Himeko is usually perceived as someone who wears seductive black stockings, at only sixteen years old, white stockings actually suit her better.
However, this comment only earned Himeko a glare.
"So you're saying everyone brought...?"
"I brought you gifts."
The seniors smiled and held up the bags they were carrying; for some reason, Himeko suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
"Look, Himeko, black lace lingerie~"
"I'm wearing black stockings If you don't like the Captain's maid uniform stockings, you can wear these"
"You win at lingerie, Himeko~"
...
Himeko's face darkened as she watched her senior teammates enthusiastically and openly display those... things that were not appropriate to show in public.
If it were just panties or something, there wouldn't be a problem.
Hey! I see someone holding "a massage device"!
How shameless!
"Ehm... isn't it a bit inappropriate to hold these things like this in public?"
Although, according to Tian Shi, Himeko has become a bit "rebellious," deep down she is still a pure girl.
"Huh... isn't this your home? Where are we in public?"
Himeko's seniors smiled knowingly.
"Keep it; you'll surely need it someday."
Without saying a word, the seniors handed Himeko the gifts they had brought.
"Don't worry, they are all brand new. Do you think your seniors would try to trick you with second-hand things?"
"I don't think that's the point."
Himeko looked at Tian Shi, who was beside her, and then stiffly hugged the "gifts" in her arms.
There is someone of the opposite sex here!
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, these girls are all a bit anxious, although they are not old enough to be considered 'single women' yet."
Ragna sighed.
The Assault Valkyries are still quite young; Ragna and the others are only eighteen or nineteen.
"But maybe they've just hit puberty?"
"These are all the experiences of our predecessors; if you don't consider it now, you'll end up single... although, Captain, someone like you will certainly have no trouble getting married."
"Why am I suddenly no longer worried about getting married?"
Ragna asked, quite displeased.
"Besides, even Ms. Lewis has started dating someone recently and seems to be already preparing for her wedding. What's the rush?"
"Human?"
"Or a gorilla?"
"After all, it's Veteran Lewis..."
Everyone, except Himeko and Ragna, showed expressions of disbelief mixed with a hint of fear.
"You guys really don't have any respect for your elders." Ragna was speechless.
"Don't you consider the possibility that Ms. Lewis stole a bandit's husband?"
"Captain, you are not showing much respect either, are you?"
Although she didn't know who the Lewis everyone was talking about was, Himeko couldn't help but complain.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but the fact that Ms. Lewis can get married... well, personally I think it should be included among the ten most fantastic events of the year, or among the ten most inspiring figures of the year?"
Ragna seemed apologetic, then opened her phone and handed it to Himeko.
"Look, this is a picture of Lewis."
"What kind of ape did this old woman marry?"
Bang!
"You could show some respect for your elders!" Ragna said with irritation, lightly tapping Himeko on the head.
"But looking at it from this perspective, it's quite inspiring, isn't it?"
"Yes, I honestly think this veteran is incredible."
If it weren't for the other person wearing an old-fashioned combat uniform, Himeko would even have suspected it was a man.
"Indeed, this veteran is truly extraordinary. She participated in the legendary Second Honkai War as a ground squad captain, leading the team to intercept the Herrschers head-on and serving as the rear guard in Siberia. In a sense, she is a 'living legend'."
Himeko is no longer a rookie who has just started studying Honkai.
Although she doesn't fully understand some of the technical terms, she has learned about the Second Honkai War.
"That's truly impressive..."
"So don't worry about staying single; it's just those rumors spreading fear."
Ragna patted Himeko on the shoulder.
"And what about the specific marriage rate of Valkyries?"
Himeko wasn't stupid; she had figured out part of the truth.
"Uh... one hundred..."
"Fifty percent?"
Himeko asked, trying to guess as low as possible.
"Or not even fifty percent, just thirty percent?"
"One in a hundred... one in a hundred," Ragna said, looking away guiltily.
"..."
This is no longer just a matter of low probability!
"Here's a Schicksal joke: Lewis is already married, and there are still Valkyries who can't find a boyfriend," Tian Shi said softly.
"This joke is probably enough to break the defenses of half the Schicksal Valkyries."
"For specific details, you can ask the veterans in the logistics department. Most veterans who retire from the front lines will move to the rear to work as logistics staff or local instructors."
Ragna scratched her face.
"But, to be honest, we are not at the point of considering these kinds of issues yet. Don't follow their example and don't make a fool of yourselves."
"The Captain is not in any rush... I can already imagine how embarrassing it will be for you to hang out with those single ladies after you retire. Don't worry, I'll send you the first invitation when I get married."
"That's very bold for a girl who doesn't even have a boyfriend yet to say."
Ragna looked at the Valkyrie who had spoken.
"Don't pass on this 'single woman' anxiety to Himeko... by the way, Himeko, what are you doing? Making dumplings?"
"Yes, I'm about to make them."
"I see... Would you mind if we had a few... uh, a dozen more mouths?"
Ragna looked at the people behind her, with a slight headache.
"If you don't mind, how about we hold the New Year's party in your room this year?"
"Well, I feel quite bad spending the holidays alone anyway, so this is a good opportunity for you, Captain, to try my cooking."
As Himeko spoke, she almost imperceptibly looked at Tian Shi.
You say I cook badly? Today I will prove you wrong! I will show you what a true cooking master is!
"?"
Ragna didn't understand what holidays had to do with feeling bad, but since Himeko had already consented, she didn't press the matter.
"How opportune! I have also prepared some ingredients for the party; we can't rely only on a few dumplings for so many people. Stop being useless in front of the younger ones and get to work! Those who know how to cook, cook; those who don't know, stay here and help Himeko with cleaning and household chores."
"Captain, what if I can't do either?"
"Can I just stay in bed waiting for dinner?"
"Which toilet do you prefer at Schicksal?"
"It's a joke."
...
"What a noise!" Tian Shi observed the lively room.
"The New Year's atmosphere is starting to set in... By the way, for those dumplings, pinch the center to close it, with your left hand, make a small wave in the upper half of the dough and pinch it closed; then, make two more waves, pinch the edges of the left half to close it in the same way."
"What?"
Himeko, who was making the dough balls, looked up.
"How to make dumplings," Tian Shi said, shrugging.
"Initially, I thought of waiting for your dumplings to fall apart when you put them in the pot and laugh at you, but now, at least, I should try to look good in front of your friends, right?"
"You are really the worst kind of person," Himeko said, although annoyed.
Nevertheless, she obediently followed Tian Shi's instructions for kneading the dumpling dough.
"I don't remember you being so unpleasant normally."
"Because I want revenge for that time you called me a maid fetishist."
"Ha, that hit a sensitive spot, right?" Himeko retorted sarcastically.
"Wasn't a certain person criticizing the maid outfit the Captain gave me?"
"That... that was simply a gesture of appreciation," Tian Shi said, feeling a little guilty.
He had to admit that Tian Shi fantasized about Himeko wearing a maid outfit.
"How about you admire my cheongsam?"
"The slit is quite high."
Tian Shi looked at her carefully this time and answered sincerely.
"It's quite cold," Himeko complained.
"I'm already thinking about whether I should wear thermal pants underneath."
"..."
Wearing thermal pants under a cheongsam? What a diabolical idea!
"Perhaps you could try wearing stockings?"
For cheongsams, wearing light pink stockings is still acceptable.
"You're very good at this," Himeko said, adjusting the hem.
"You're even better at it than my senior teammates."
"If you can't understand me at all, then there is a problem, isn't there?" Tian Shi commented as he watched Himeko's increasingly skillful movements in preparing dumplings.
"..."
Himeko paused for a moment, pondered Tian Shi's words, and nodded silently.
"Sometimes you can even say something philosophical."
Precisely because she could understand what the other person was thinking most of the time, Himeko was willing to get closer to Tian Shi, although it was partly due to her own hypocrisy.
Himeko had to admit that Tian Shi was her "partner who depended on her to survive."
"But now that you mention it... you are still hiding many things from me, aren't you?"
Himeko's eyes instantly sharpened.
She hadn't forgotten that the affable and easy-to-understand guy in front of her was the leader of Anti-Entropy.
"Mmm... like what?"
Apart from the indescribable future and the simulator itself, Tian Shi had nothing to hide from Himeko.
After all, he was not a ruthless schemer who came up with a new plan every two minutes.
However, in that "nothing" lies the cause of Ryusuke's death.
Other than that, Tian Shi only has the experiences he simulated previously left.
If Himeko wants to hear them, Tian Shi can tell them to her like a story, since everything happened a long time ago.
"For example... uh... if I knew, why would I ask?"
"Hey, isn't this a bit unreasonable? Should I tell you my height, weight, blood type, and... well, you know, my Honkai compatibility?"
"You are a ghost and you are mentioning Honkai compatibility... Okay, I'm still a little interested."
"It's because of things like this that I can't take you seriously."