How joyful our reunion had been, how sorrowful our parting.
When the time came to separate, Seele couldn't leave with everyone else.
Bronya had originally planned to stay in the Sea of Quanta to keep Seele company, but Seele and Ryn firmly refused. Bronya currently lacked the ability to survive in the Sea of Quanta.
"Don't worry, Seele. I've already gained the ability to travel to the Sea of Quanta... I'll visit you often from now on. Don't hide from me when I come, okay? Don't let me lose track of you," Ryn said with a smile.
"Yes, Seele trusts Brother Ryn. Everyone, please live well and wait for my return! Goodbye, Brother Ryn, Sister Bronya, Sister Kallen," Seele waved goodbye to them.
"Bronya will definitely wait for Seele to come back."
Entering the Sea of Quanta is incredibly complex, but exiting is surprisingly simple. It's hard to describe the sensation—like being expelled by the Sea itself...
Ryn removed the Homu virtual reality connector and sighed. In just a few hours, he'd experienced so much. When they entered, there were three of them; now, they had gained an older sister.
With a striking resemblance to Kiana—a mature version of her—Kallen was the spitting image.
"So this is your era? It's all so novel..." Kallen wandered around Kiana's room, her eyes widening at the unfamiliar objects.
Ryn gently laid Kiana on the bed and tucked her in. Then, he turned to Kallen. "I've already asked Bronya to inform Himeko. She's the owner of this house and will surely welcome you warmly."
"Ara ara, I heard someone discussing me even before I entered? So this is the legendary Kallen Kaslana?"
Himeko, still half-dressed, dragged the tiny Bronya into Kiana's room and threw an arm around Kallen's shoulders.
Himeko, still in her underwear, charged in like a wrecking ball, knocking Kallen off her feet.
"Just so you know, Bronya tried to get Himeko to put on a coat, but she was too excited and ran over before Bronya could stop her."
Bronya insisted she had tried to hold her back, but Himeko had dragged her along.
"Huh, are people this open in this era?"
"Himeko! I'm still here!! You damn... Cortana, take a picture!" Ryn shouted angrily at Himeko, feeling completely disrespected.
"Already on it, already on it. We can sell it to the students and get some good stuff."
"Tell me more. How do you plan to sell it?"
Thump!
Ryn and Cortana huddled together in a corner, both nursing massive lumps on their heads.
Himeko puffed out her chest, flexing her fist the size of a sandbag. "I can do whatever I want in my own home. Besides, we're all family here. What's there to be embarrassed about?"
Himeko was a straightforward and cheerful woman. Though she constantly complained about being single, she rejected every man who confessed their feelings for her.
Fighting the Honkai isn't a game. Valkyries have short lifespans, especially those like Himeko who chose to have Artificial Stigmata implanted for greater power. Though she longed for a sweet romance, Himeko wasn't sure she'd live past 35, so her love life always ended before it began.
For Himeko, the house was filled with girls except for Ryn. And since Ryn had already punched through her armor, he'd definitely seen her body. What was there to be embarrassed about?
"I'm still a guy, you know!"
"You spend all day cooing with Kiana but haven't made a move yet. What am I supposed to be afraid of? Are you...impotent?"
Himeko's scornful gaze made Ryn want to tell her he possessed the Seven Virtues.
The Seven Virtues.
But he knew he'd be beaten to death if he said it out loud, so he could only continue huddling in the corner, covering his head.
"When I first heard the name Kallen Kaslana, I nearly died of fright! Schicksal members are supposed to memorize the Saintess's story! Now you're standing right in front of me...let me touch you." Himeko said, her eyes wide with surprise as she ran her hands over Kallen's body. Her actions were sacrilegious, yet her desire surged in that moment.
"Enough," Kallen slapped away Himeko's groping hand. She was slightly angry at Himeko's behavior, but her good upbringing prevented her from lashing out. Kallen then ran to Ryn's side and said to Himeko, "I... I'm not the Kallen you know. Everything I have now was given to me by Ryn."
"Mhm, I know," Himeko waved her hand dismissively. "So? What does that prove? You've fallen into a den of thieves and now you want to run? There's no room left at my place. If you want to sleep tonight, you'll have to share with me. It's better to be honest with each other sooner rather than later, Kallen. You don't want to end up with nowhere to sleep tonight, do you?"
Himeko's house actually had several spare rooms, but the opportunity to defile a Saintess of Schicksal was too tempting to resist.
"Thank you, but I can stay awake all night," Kallen said, waving Himeko away. Himeko's eyes were practically hearts at this point, and Kallen was terrified.
"Alright, stop teasing Kallen," Ryn said, looking at Himeko with a helpless expression. "She can stay at my place tonight. I have plenty of empty rooms there."
"Tch, can't even have a little fun," Himeko pouted, her face filled with regret. "Fine, I'll stop. I actually have a spare room here too. Kallen can sleep here. When Theresa comes over, she can arrange a cover identity for Kallen."
"Hmm... I'll go to Ryn's place!" Kallen didn't hesitate for a moment. Himeko was clearly up to no good, and staying here was too dangerous.
"Don't worry, it was just a little teasing to warm things up. If you don't like it, I won't do it again. This damn Yuri Academy has corrupted me too. Just a heads-up: watch out for the female students. They might devour you whole," Himeko said with a shrug and a smile.
A supreme beauty like Kallen, a mature and alluring woman, was hard to resist. If just one student caught sight of her, word would spread like wildfire, and Kallen would instantly become the dream girl of the entire Academy.
Ryn cut Himeko off abruptly, saying, "Kallen comes from a different era than ours. You're all too trendy for me to keep up with. Don't corrupt her."
Glancing at Kiana lying in bed, Ryn pulled Himeko aside and said, "Kiana might be in trouble. I'll stay here tonight to keep her company. Kallen can stay with you for now, but don't get any funny ideas!"