Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 5: Honkai Energy Can Corrode
"So, you saw me burning with a fever and barely conscious, yet you just watched from a distance without coming over to help?"
"Ahem! I wasn't following you that closely, so I couldn't keep track of every little detail! Anyway, just give me your hand."
Under Sigurd's somewhat accusatory questioning, Siegfried awkwardly scratched his head.
Sigurd didn't hesitate and extended his hand.
One large hand and one small hand clasped together.
Then, a pattern resembling an electrical circuit lit up on the back of Sigurd's hand, emitting an eerie peach-pink glow. The glowing markings extended from his wrist and spread up his arm.
Sigurd pulled open his collar to take a look. The glowing patterns had extended past his heart and covered most of his body.
"What is this?"
Sigurd's expression darkened as an ominous premonition crept into his mind.
"Marks left by Honkai Energy corrosion," Siegfried answered.
The expected answer brought a complicated expression to Sigurd's face. He withdrew his hand and looked at its back. The markings had already disappeared, leaving it looking perfectly normal. He fell into thought for a moment before asking:
"Is this because of Kiana?"
"That wasn't her intention. She was so worried about your condition that she let her emotional defenses collapse, allowing the Herrscher's power to erupt. Essentially, it was a torrent of extremely high-concentration Honkai Energy, and you were practically standing at the very center of the eruption…"
Siegfried paused before continuing apologetically.
"If you're angry, you can take a couple of swings at my face. But please, don't blame Kiana. She absolutely, absolutely never intended to hurt you."
Siegfried spoke with considerable remorse. In fact, this was the real reason he had revealed himself: he wanted to explain the situation to Sigurd and warn him about the precautions he needed to take before things potentially took a turn for the worst. At the same time, he hoped to steer the outcome toward one that wouldn't cause Kiana too much emotional harm.
Sigurd lowered his hand and cast his eyes downward.
"I won't blame Kiana for this. You can rest assured. However, you still need to tell me what condition I'm in right now."
"Of course. Actually, although this was an unintended mistake on Kiana's part, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. For more than 99% of ordinary people, Honkai Energy is a deadly poison. Even the slightest exposure can take their lives. As for the less than 1% who can survive Honkai Energy corrosion, almost all of them are women. In other words, men with resistance to Honkai Energy are truly one in a million."
At this point, Siegfried paused and pointed at himself.
"The Kaslana family is an exception, so don't count me. Even though I've been exposed to Honkai Energy since birth, I've only encountered two men in my entire life who could adapt to it. One was a fellow who had lived for 500 years, and I don't even know whether he could be considered human. The other was a Herrscher who possessed human emotions, so technically, he wasn't even human either. Put simply, you're the only ordinary man I've ever met who possesses resistance to Honkai Energy."
"Do you understand just how unusual that makes you?"
Sigurd nodded.
Indeed, Otto and Yang couldn't be judged by ordinary standards. Looking at the entire storyline of Honkai Impact 3rd, men really were a rare species.
Siegfried sighed and continued, "For ordinary people, Honkai Energy is deadly poison. But for those who possess resistance to it, as long as the energy remains within their tolerance, it becomes a miraculous power. It can strengthen the fragile human body and grant people incredible abilities. In other words, those who can wield Honkai Energy are essentially superhumans in the eyes of ordinary people."
"Back then, you were seriously ill. There was no medicine to be found in the middle of a frozen wilderness, and you were also caught in the aftermath of the clash between my power and the Herrscher's. Under normal circumstances, you would have been as good as dead. However, the Honkai Energy released by Kiana entered your body. Since you possess resistance to it, that energy ended up strengthening your body instead. Your illness was miraculously cured without medicine, and you survived that enormous shock completely unharmed."
"This was your good fortune, but even more so, Kiana's. Otherwise, I don't know how Kiana could have faced the fact that she had taken the life of a friend…"
"Ah, sorry. I seem to have been speaking in Kiana's defense this whole time."
Only then did Siegfried realize that, despite the conversation being about Sigurd, who had been the one exposed to danger and suffered the consequences, he had spent almost the entire time trying to defend Kiana.
Sigurd shook his head.
"I can understand. As a father, it's only natural to prioritize your daughter. Go on. What will happen to me from now on? You've repeatedly emphasized how dangerous Honkai Energy is. I assume this gift doesn't come without a price, does it?"
Siegfried breathed a sigh of relief before continuing.
"Of course, there is a price. No matter what, Honkai Energy is fundamentally a force incompatible with life. Even within the Kaslana family, which is renowned for possessing absolute resistance to Honkai Energy, there have been many family heads throughout history who died young because they overused it. My arm was lost for the same reason."
"In short, when it comes to Honkai Energy, avoid using it whenever possible. If you absolutely must use it, the shorter the duration and the smaller the amount, the better. But even if you manage to follow those precautions, I can hardly guarantee that you'll live to old age."
"For the vast majority of people who wield Honkai Energy, especially those who use it in combat, peacefully enjoying their later years is practically an impossible dream. Far too many admirable people have had their flower-like lives cut short before they could truly blossom, sacrificing themselves to protect this world."
"Old age? Hah! Even I have never dared to dream of something like that!"
Once again, Siegfried casually pulled out a cigarette with one hand and lit it using the campfire. As he exhaled clouds of smoke, he let out a long sigh. There was melancholy in his expression, but also nostalgia.
Was he remembering those Valkyries who once smiled as brightly as flowers, only to never return after being sent on a mission one day?
Among those memories, the one that weighed most heavily on his heart, and had shaken his beliefs and entire life more than anything else, was undoubtedly his beloved wife, Cecilia, who had practically died right before his eyes.
"Anyway, my advice is simple: keep your powers under control, and preferably, never use Honkai Energy at all. This power that has awakened inside your body will eventually take your life."
In response to Siegfried's warning, Sigurd poked at the campfire before raising his head and saying:
"Weren't you just asking me to look after Kiana? Now you're making it sound as though you're advising me to leave her as soon as possible. After all, it seems that the most dangerous place for her is right by her side."
"..."
Siegfried was left speechless. He tossed his cigarette butt into the fire and stood up.
"Who knows? I believe in what I've seen with my own eyes, and I believe in Kiana's choices. That's why I hope you'll stay by her side and take good care of her. But considering your own life…"
He paused before continuing with a laugh.
"Well, your life is yours to decide, of course! That's my advice to you as an adult. Anyway, Kiana is about to return, so I'd better go. Don't tell her I was here. Please."
Siegfried walked out of the cave in his usual carefree manner and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night.
Just as he had said, it wasn't long before Kiana returned to the cave, munching on a snowball as though it were a snack and taking little steps with her short legs.
"Sigurd! This lady is back!"
Kiana called out energetically. Her childish, sweet voice was filled with carefree innocence.
"Oh, welcome back."
Sigurd was still wrapped in his blanket. Without even raising his head, he gave her a perfunctory response.
Kiana dropped the snowball, which already had a large bite taken out of it, and walked over to the campfire to warm her hands.
"Don't look so gloomy. Smile a little!"
"I don't feel like smiling. What are the surroundings like outside? Could you see any buildings, smoke from chimneys, or anything like that?"
"There's nothing at all…"
She had barely gotten a few words out when Kiana suddenly wrinkled her nose.
Sniff! Sniff!
"Wait a minute! This smell… Is it Dad's smell? Could it be that stupid old man stayed in this cave before?"
Kiana's eyes lit up as she spoke.
Sigurd opened his mouth. For a moment, he hesitated between telling her the truth—that her father had just been here but hadn't wanted to see her—and concealing what had happened.
In the end, he said, "Your father smokes, doesn't he?"
"Yeah! How did you know?"
"The kind-hearted uncle who rescued us came by again just now to check on us. He just left, so the smell you're picking up is probably the cigarette smoke he left behind."
"But this smell really does resemble his!"
"Across the vast continent of Europe, there are only a handful of popular cigarette brands. It's perfectly normal for two smokers to enjoy the same brand."
"I see…"
Kiana sat down dejectedly, her lips pouting. She lowered her head, and tears began to glisten uncontrollably in her eyes.
"I thought I'd finally found a clue… Stupid Dad, where on earth have you run off to?"
Sigurd lowered his head as well, making sure Kiana couldn't see the complicated expression on his face.
I'm sorry, Kiana.
He silently apologized to her.
The fact that Siegfried had been so close yet deliberately avoided meeting her was difficult to explain without hurting her. There was a good chance Kiana would immediately interpret it as her father having abandoned her.
Besides, if he brought up Siegfried, Kiana would undoubtedly start asking questions. The Herrscher situation, the fact that Sigurd had been corroded by Honkai Energy, and everything else would be difficult to explain away under those circumstances.
And then there was Siegfried's own decision.
What a headache! There are so many things you can't easily explain when you're dealing with a teary-eyed little girl!
Perhaps I should tell her everything when Kiana is a little older and stronger…
Wait. Doesn't that mean I've already decided to stay with her until she grows up?
Sigurd stroked his chin and fell into deep thought.
Danger was practically guaranteed wherever Kiana went. Leaving aside the unpredictability of the Herrscher situation, if their bond continued to deepen, he would almost certainly end up on Otto's list of potential sacrifices for that ridiculous plan of his: using love to awaken the humanity of a Herrscher.
By the time that happened, it would be too late to walk away.
From a safety perspective, the best option would be to part ways with Kiana as soon as they reached the next town.
After all, Siegfried was keeping an eye on things from behind the scenes. Otto would undoubtedly be secretly monitoring Kiana's safety as well. And Kiana herself still had the ultimate safety net of the Herrscher of the Void.
Surely, nothing too dangerous could happen to her, right?
"Sig, I'm hungry."
"Didn't you just eat?"
"This lady had to brave the darkness and freezing cold to scout the surroundings! That takes a lot of energy! Hurry up and make me some food!"
"...Am I your servant?"
"Aren't you?"
Kiana blinked her innocent, wide eyes and asked as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
In response, Sigurd grabbed her cheeks.
Her soft, chubby baby face felt wonderful to the touch. It was practically begging to be pinched and stretched mercilessly in both directions.
"Waaaaah!!!"