"It's you...? Luo Lin? Why are you here?" Kiana felt dizzy, her entire body feeling unsteady. But she still tried to blink her eyes to clear her vision, staring at the somewhat constrained Luo Lin. "You're not an ordinary student... Oh, I see, I was fooled by you..."
The white-haired girl pursed her lips, tears streaming down her cheeks. So, all that concern, all those cheerful moments... were they all fake?
"No wonder Sister Sirin was so angry..."
It seemed that after seeing Luo Lin exposed, Sirin immediately severed the connection, leaving the immense power of the Herrscher within the white-haired girl's body.
Without the help of the purple-haired girl, these powers became restless, causing Kiana to clutch her head in pain and groan.
"Mom... where did my mom go?" Kiana stared with bloodshot eyes, her voice hoarse.
Luo Lin opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. The white-haired girl stubbornly straightened up and staggered towards Luo Lin. "Give me back... my mom..."
Kiana's voice grew weaker, her steps slower. Facing the fading gaze of the white-haired girl, Luo Lin felt a pang in her heart. After all, Kiana was just a child. From the moment she gained consciousness in the cultivation tank until now, she had experienced too many problems that were not meant for someone her age.
Escaping destiny, gaining the name "Kiana," wandering alone... If it weren't for Luo Lin, this butterfly stirring fate, Kiana would have faced even more hardships, lost her teacher, parted with her friends...
At the same time, she would have gained strong beliefs. These hardships would forge Kiana into someone with a heart as precious as gold. She would persist in her battle, not just for herself, but for those who believed in her, cherished her—friends, teachers, and everything she wanted to protect...
In the end, Kiana would create a better tomorrow with her companions—even if that world might not have her in it. Is that enough?
No, this is not what Luo Lin wants. Luo Lin has always believed that suffering is just suffering, it is meaningless in itself. It can be covered up, forgotten, but it leaves behind traces that can never be erased.
Does Kiana have to lose Teacher Himeko before she starts to think about everything regarding the Herrscher? Does Kiana have to experience the departure of Raiden Mei before she realizes that her self-destructive pursuit of death will bring pain and sorrow to those around her?
But after all this, the innocent and lively Kiana, with her energetic smile, would never return. Herrscher of Flamescion who brings hope to others, the fire leading everyone forward, clashed with Otto in 2017 during the Kolostein plan... How old was Kiana at that time? Just 19, not even 20 yet.
Oh, this is calculated based on Bianca's birth date. Bianca was born in 1998, and Kiana was born and gained consciousness in the cultivation tank around 2006.
A child who is actually eleven years old shoulders the heavy responsibility of saving the world... what a bitter joke.
The white-haired girl didn't have to go through so much suffering. She could have gently mastered the power of the Herrscher, studied knowledge calmly, and fought against those bad guys related to the Collapse after making adequate preparations.
What about those crises? Don't we have a bunch of adults here! Like Siegfried, like Walter, Tesla, Ryouma, Theresa...
Of course, there's also Luo Lin herself. Her identity on this world's ID clearly states she was born in 1994, so she should be 19 this year, virtually 20... Even though she fell into a parallel world in the middle, accelerating several years, including the days before transmigrating, Luo Lin is still a forty-year-old geezer!
Theresa is only forty-one this year...
Oh, right, aren't there Otto, Fu Hua, Kevin... The last two are heavyweight figures, instantly raising the average age of the group by thousands of years...
See, there are quite a few reliable adults, right?
All those tragedies, all those regrets... Luo Lin will reverse them all!
So, Kiana, don't look at me with such fierce eyes, okay?
I haven't had a chance to explain everything to you yet. Don't ignore your own body like this. Stop and let me treat you quickly!
The girl couldn't help but call out, "Kiana! Don't force yourself anymore..."
"Don't call me like that! Only my mom can... uh..."
Kiana staggered and fell forward.
Luo Lin stepped forward, reaching out to embrace the white-haired girl's body. Kiana bit her lip, resistance clearly written on her face as she struggled.
"Let go!"
"Kiana..."
Luo Lin didn't dare to press too hard, fearing to provoke the white-haired girl. The healing skill had long been applied to Kiana, stabilizing her body.
The white-haired girl had little strength left, but she still tried to control Luo Lin with her fists, elbows, and heels.
It didn't hurt, but Luo Lin felt as if she were being struck by Fu Hua's martial arts at their peak, her complexion turning paler.
"Give... my mom... back... to... me..."
Kiana couldn't hold on any longer and passed out.
Luo Lin held the white-haired girl, who was no longer struggling, and slowly knelt halfway to the ground.
Siegfried stood beside Luo Lin, his expression complicated.
"In the end, it's still exposed. You didn't have to make it so complicated, did you?"
"I didn't want it to be like this, but Cecilia's appearance is beyond my control. Every time I open my eyes, I see Sirin. She calls me Mom. Should I tell her it's all fake and wait for her to transform into a Herrscher and wreak havoc on the entire city? And Kiana..."
Luo Lin wiped away the remaining tears on Kiana's face with her fingers, softly saying, "I just wanted... I wanted them to be less lonely, less pitiful... even if it's just a dream, even if it's just..."
Siegfried frowned, speaking bluntly, "Your attitude just now, so lofty, as if you were the master of fate... who do you think you are? An all-powerful hero? A genie who can fulfill everyone's wishes? Can you solve all the world's problems by yourself?"
"Maybe I can..."
Luo Lin believed that the invincible system could indeed accomplish all of this, as long as she was given enough time to develop...
The white-haired man thought for a moment, then smirked mockingly, "Ah, the great, all-powerful Luo Lin, how do you explain the situation now?"
"... "
"You're just one person, Luo Lin. No matter what adventures you've had, one person can't save the world—humans don't need an all-powerful savior."
Siegfried's words struck Luo Lin's heart, causing the girl to close her eyes in pain.
'Fu Hua', standing by, wanted to speak several times but was stopped by Elysia. Miss Pink Elf, with her bright eyes, watched Luo Lin's figure solemnly and said, "It's not the time yet, Hua. Just wait a little, she's undergoing a transformation."
'Fu Hua' wanted to retort, but in the presence of the pink-haired girl, all her resentment and doubts strangely disappeared. She could only mumble a few words and obediently stand in place.
The previously confident Raiden Mei was completely unsuited to this heavy atmosphere. She tugged at her collar, not daring to ask or say anything.
As time passed by, everyone could feel the concentration of Honkai energy in the air gradually increasing, along with faint fluctuations of Honkai energy—what was Sirin doing? Perhaps she was restoring her own power?
"...Is it arrogance? The so-called foresight brought by the plot makes me think I can save everything?... To make myself arrogantly cover up the truth, thinking everything is under control? In fact, I'm just..."
An ordinary person who makes mistakes.
But so what? Ordinary people can also save the world, correct their mistakes, stand up straight after getting beaten... and then, remember these valuable experiences and try not to make the same mistakes again—of course, it's best not to make mistakes again.
Carefully thinking about it, all the tragedies in this world are related to the Honkai. It's not wrong to fight against the Honkai no matter how you think about it.
Luo Lin opened her eyes. Although she hadn't determined her own path yet, she had made a choice.
"What did you think of?" Siegfried asked.
"I'm going to find Sirin, just me... um, maybe bring Fu Hua along? Yes, bring her."
The white-haired man was somewhat frustrated. "After thinking for so long, is this the conclusion you've reached? You might as well say we'll go together and fight the Herrscher side by side."
"Sirin, like Kiana, is a good kid... just like Cecilia, I believe in her."
The girl clapped her hands, her tone cheerful. "And besides, don't you all have my back? If my attempt fails, you can try."
"... "
Siegfried caught a glimpse of the white figure passing behind Luo Lin—that was Cecilia. She wore an expression full of apology and plea, making the words that surged up in the man's throat dissipated.
He said heavily, "Then... go ahead and try. The most important thing is to come back alive."
"Don't worry, I don't want to die yet. There are too many things I want to do—I still want to take a stroll in the Elysian Realm."
What did you say? A stroll in the Elysian Realm?
Elysia perked up her ears, only to be disappointed when Luo Lin didn't continue speaking.
Luo Lin waved to Raiden Mei. "Mei, come here, help me take care of Kiana."
"Me?"
"Aren't you Kiana's senior?"
"Oh, right, but how did you know..." Raiden Mei blinked, sounding suspicious, "Luo Lin... wait a minute, I've heard this name before, you...?"
"Well, you're not mistaken, but for now, take care of your friend first."
Luo Lin handed the white-haired girl to Raiden Mei's arms. The girl took over in a flurry, her face full of concern for Kiana.
See, I didn't ask the wrong person after all.
Luo Lin walked over to Senti and patted her shoulder.
"Let's go, Fu Hua, I have something to tell you on the way."
'Fu Hua' hesitated. "What are you planning to do...?"
"I want to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Sirin—just trust me."
Luo Lin gazed into the distance, squinting slightly.