"Hey there, sweetheart. Why don't you come hang out with us for a bit?"
Here it comes!
The classic setup strikes again!
Sizing up the group of thuggish young men who looked like they'd walked straight out of a bad movie, Shin felt a surge of anticipation rising in his chest.
If there was one thing Sicily was famous for, it was the Mafia.
These days, most of Sicily's Mafia had gone underground, weaving themselves into the fabric of everyday businesses. They rarely appeared in public, but their influence remained deeply entrenched, touching every corner of Sicilian life.
And as the main character, how could Shin pass up the chance to go head-to-head with the Mafia?
Even if these guys were just low-level punks and not true members, well, in stories like these, beating the small fry usually brought out the real deal. It was only a matter of time before he ran into the actual Sicilian Mafia.
Bang! Bang!
While Shin was still indulging in this fantasy, Kiana had already charged forward, landing two solid punches and flattening the thugs without breaking a sweat.
Dusting off her hands with a look of satisfaction, she turned to Shin with concern on her face.
"Sicily's safety isn't great. Are you okay?"
Glancing at the heap of groaning bodies in the alley and then back at the worried silver-haired girl, Shin fell silent.
Seriously, these days, you couldn't even find competent thugs anymore.
"Miss Kiana, your charm is truly overwhelming."
After a long pause, that was all Shin could say.
No doubt about it, even at just fourteen, Kiana was already a stunner.
That long, rare silver hair gave her an almost ethereal presence. If she put on a flowy, elegant dress, people might genuinely mistake her for a runaway fairy from some hidden realm.
Well, as long as she didn't speak.
"Hehe~"
The moment Shin's compliment landed, Kiana beamed with a goofy grin, utterly shattering her ethereal image.
"Wanna grab some fruit?" Shin nodded toward a street vendor nearby. "My treat."
The seafood pasta earlier was certainly filling, but that didn't mean dessert was off the table.
As soon as she heard "my treat," Kiana's hesitation vanished completely. "I want grapes!"
It had been a while since she'd had fruit or sweets. The pay for a beach lifeguard wasn't much, and being underage meant her salary was even more pitiful.
With someone offering to treat her, she wasn't about to turn it down.
She picked out a bunch of big, plump grapes and looked up at Shin with wide, expectant eyes, just like a kitten waiting to be fed.
Chuckling, Shin handed her another bunch.
With his current resources, he could easily buy out the whole stand without batting an eye.
All thanks to World Serpent's generosity.
Kiana's grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Hey, Shin, you're from Shenzhou, right? Are you here studying in Dimonelt?"
They were strolling along the street, munching grapes to aid digestion, when Kiana finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
Dimonelt was the name of the city they were in.
It wasn't a tourist hotspot, and the season was off anyway. Kiana hadn't seen many other foreigners around.
"Nope. Just here traveling with my sister."
Shin shook his head.
All the real task-related work had been handled by Raven. These past few days had honestly felt more like a vacation. He just wasn't sure if World Serpent would reimburse him.
"Traveling, huh…"
Kiana's tone carried a hint of envy.
"What about you? You're German, right?"
Shin asked in return.
Technically, the three great houses of Schicksal could all be traced back to Germany. After all, Vienna had served as Schicksal's headquarters for over a thousand years.
"German? I don't really know. I grew up in Siberia…"
Kiana's voice dropped, her expression dimming.
She had no memory of anything before she was eight, and her father rarely spoke about the past.
They moved constantly, like they were always hiding from something.
It wasn't until much later, after Siegfried went missing and she made her way out of that snowy wilderness on her own that she learned the place was called Siberia.
Before Shin could offer any words of comfort, Kiana's gloomy look vanished as quickly as it came. Her blue eyes sparkled with renewed energy.
"Anyway, I guess I'm sort of traveling too. I'm just saving up for the next leg of the journey."
Chasing down signs of Honkai, scraping by with odd jobs when funds were low, that's how she had always lived.
"By yourself?"
Shin asked.
"I'm strong, you know!"
Kiana puffed out her chest.
"You're honestly one of the most impressive people I've ever met."
Shin's praise was genuine.
She'd started this journey when she was only twelve, and in just two years, she'd traversed most of Europe.
If this kept up, Shin figured he'd have to go all the way to the Far East to catch up with her.
Compared to a certain blond troublemaker, this girl was the real traveler.
"Hmph! You haven't even seen my best tricks!"
Kiana shot a grape seed impressively far, her face full of pride.
Beating up a few local punks was nothing. She'd taken down Honkai beasts the size of buildings before.
Of course, that wasn't exactly something you could demonstrate on command. And besides, she didn't want to scare anyone.
"Wish I could see that someday."
Shin grinned.
"Maybe next time. If the chance comes."
Kiana waved him off.
Honkai beasts weren't exactly easy to come by.
And honestly, she'd rather Shin never had to see one at all.
"Got any idea where you're heading next?"
Shin asked.
"Next…" Kiana thought for a moment as she nibbled on another grape. "Probably East."
She'd searched all over Europe with no sign of her father. It was time to try her luck in the East.
She believed that as long as she kept following the trail of the Honkai, she'd reunite with him one day.
Because that was the only thread connecting them now.
"The East… that's a long way."
Shin said softly.
And it wasn't just a physical distance, the cultural gap was massive too.
For a girl her age, that was no small challenge.
"I'll get there eventually."
Kiana's smile lit up like the stars. Her whole demeanor said that no matter what hardships lay ahead, she'd take them all in stride.
"You really are amazing, Kiana."
Shin said once more, with heartfelt admiration.
Even though he'd spent just as long on the road, traveling from Shenzhou to Northern Europe, he knew her hardships far outweighed his own.
Because he had cheats.
"Of course I am!"
Kiana puffed up again, proud and unashamed. The Kaslana family had never been big on humility.
"If you ever make it to Shenzhou, drop me a message through this email."
Shin pulled out a slip of paper and jotted down a string of letters.
"When that day comes, I'll treat you to the best meal in all of Shenzhou."
Kiana stared at the neatly written address, her eyes beginning to glisten.
She'd always been alone on her journey, never knowing what tomorrow held.
But now, someone from a faraway place had extended a hand, made a promise, and planted a seed of hope in her heart.
For the first time, she was looking forward to one particular stop on her long road ahead.
"Haha! I'm gonna order a whole table full then! Don't think you're getting off easy!"
She threatened with mock ferocity, eyes glinting with tears.
"Yeah. It's a promise."
Shin nodded, smiling gently. "When the time comes, I want to hear all about your journey."
Like something straight out of a fairytale, two travelers meeting for the first time made a promise about the future.
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!