Clack—
Under the guidance of Ikaros and the Angeloids, the spacecraft slowly docked at the space station's berth.
All communication signals with Earth were blocked. Schicksal's ground control center had no idea what was happening. They scrambled to set up astronomical telescopes, but still—nothing could be seen.
"Ah... amazing..."
Theresa and Himeko had originally planned to suit up in spacesuits, only to discover that the station was enveloped by an energy barrier.
The interior's gravity, atmosphere, and temperature were no different from Earth's.
Cautiously, the group of Valkyries followed Kiana down the ramp.
They peered around nervously at the Honkai-1 space station and the massive Eternal Snowfall hovering outside in orbit.
"So... this is your home, Kiana? Wait, are you actually an alien?" Mei asked, half in awe, half in disbelief.
"Hmm... not really," Kiana said nonchalantly. "The Starsea Empire's homeworld isn't in this world. This is just one of our observation outposts."
"But I've never actually been to the homeworld myself. Commander said we'll return there once everything here is taken care of."
"Oh..."
Everyone trembled as they followed behind Kiana.
Along the way, several shipgirls and lolis greeted her warmly.
"Yo, you've grown up so fast! The Commander's waiting for you in the reception hall, hurry along."
"Are these your friends? Not bad~."
"Dinner together? Nah, I've got research tasks to finish..."
Bronya, Durandal, and the others didn't dare make a sound.
"So this is... Kiana's real home..."
They were still struggling to process everything.
After boarding a small shuttle, they ascended to the main structure's upper levels. Passing through a long skybridge, they arrived before a massive reinforced door.
"Master is inside. Please enter."
Clack—
The hatch slid open, revealing a spacious hall.
Setsuna sat behind a desk, dismissing a holographic display as he looked up to greet them.
"Welcome, everyone. As you can see, I am the Commander of the Starsea Empire."
"Kiana has been in your care."
"..."
Theresa stood frozen for a moment—Setsuna didn't look like what she had imagined. He was much younger.
"Mom!!——"
Kiana leapt into Cecilia's arms, rubbing affectionately against her.
Then she snuggled into Setsuna's embrace.
"Oh, you've grown taller."
Setsuna ruffled the white-haired girl's head.
From Earth's perspective, over two years had passed—Kiana had grown a little taller, her face more mature, her childishness replaced with bright, youthful charm.
"How was life at St. Freya?"
"It was great! I learned so many new things and made lots of friends! I'm now an A-rank Valkyrie!"
Kiana puffed her chest out proudly.
Though still far from legends like Kallen and Cecilia—the two S-rank Valkyries—earning her rank through her own hard work filled her with pride.
"You said before that I could bring friends to visit once I grew up. These are my friends."
"And my teachers too—they've taken really good care of me. It's fine if I brought them, right?" Kiana asked, pouting a little.
"Of course," Setsuna nodded, giving a polite nod toward the group.
"While Kiana was studying at St. Freya, I'm grateful for your care and guidance. Thank you."
Shigure Kira, Himeko, and the others were visibly flustered.
"I-It's only natural..."
They had thought she was just an orphaned student, someone in need of care and kindness.
But now... if they had known the truth earlier, they would've been terrified to even breathe around her.
"P-please wait!!!"
Theresa took two steps forward, looking up at Cecilia and Kallen—her memories suddenly aligning with the figures before her.
"Excuse me, but... are you—"
"Oh, you must be that girl from the Apocalypse family? The principal of St. Freya Academy?" Cecilia asked with a gentle smile.
"Nice to meet you. I am Cecilia Schariac—Kiana's mother."
"Ah??!"
Theresa froze in shock.
The long-missing Saint of the Schariac family... was Kiana's mother?
She counted on her fingers for a long while, her face slowly gaining an expression of profound enlightenment.
"So... Kiana is a student at St. Freya... she calls the Commander her father... and Cecilia is her mother..."
"So... all these years you were missing, you went and had a child with an alien?!!"
The conclusion was so explosive that Theresa's brain outright crashed.
A Valkyrie abducted by aliens, bore a child, and the daughter returned to St. Freya... her mind spun wild with overactive imagination.
Then she looked over at the woman beside Cecilia—Kallen Kaslana, the legendary Valkyrie who'd vanished five centuries ago.
Her expression grew even more "enlightened."
Pfft—
Cecilia nearly burst out laughing.
"If you insist on putting it that way... fine. But I'm no longer part of Schicksal or the Schariac family. I'm a member of the Starsea Empire now."
"Ah..."
Theresa's pupils dilated in disbelief.
Seeing the group of bewildered Valkyries, Setsuna waved his hand lightly.
"I know you must have many questions. How about this—why not stay here for a while?"
"Since you're all Kiana's friends, you'll be treated accordingly. Welcome to the Starsea Empire."
...
At Kiana's enthusiastic insistence, the Valkyries from the Schicksal spacecraft—along with their instructors and Theresa—settled into the space station.
Kiana truly wanted to host her friends properly. Every day, she dragged Mei, Bronya, and Durandal around the station to show them everything.
"Look, this is the dorm area! That's the cafeteria! They've got all kinds of cuisine here—Eastern, Western, Mediterranean..."
"I'll take you to eat at the Totsuki chefs' restaurant! They're the Commander's personal cooks, and it takes forever to book a seat!!"
"This is Sister Illustrious—she's a shipgirl, super powerful! She can even transform into a giant battleship! And this is Sister Tohru—she's a dragon, a real dragon!!!"
The advanced technologies around them dazzled everyone. It was the first time any of them had seen such beings—shipgirls, Spirits, dragonkin, and more.
Beyond the silly, cheerful Kiana they knew, they were beginning to see another side of her: a girl from the Starsea Empire—the daughter of Cecilia Schariac.
"Incredible..."
At first, Raiden Mei, Bronya, and the others were stiff and awkward, too intimidated to speak.
But under Kiana's bright and carefree influence, they gradually relaxed.
Everything around them was the pinnacle of advancement and science fiction.
They realized that all of Schicksal's so-called "leaps in technology" were nothing compared to the might of a true interstellar civilization.
"Look, this is the toy the Commander gave me! He said I'm still too young to pilot armed warships."
Kiana pointed to a small spacecraft docked nearby.
"It can maneuver freely within 30 light-years and has a faster-than-light engine. It's way more fun than Schicksal's ship! Want to take a ride?"
"...Faster-than-light?..."
Himeko felt her worldview collapsing again.
Of course the daughter of a galactic emperor would call an FTL-capable vessel a toy.
Utterly unfair.
With nothing else to do, Fujimaru Ritsuka volunteered as tour guide, leading them around the station.
Aside from all the futuristic gadgets, what everyone was most curious about was the Eternal Snowfall hovering beside the space station.
"Excuse me, what is that?" Theresa asked, pointing at the colossal warship.
As the leader of the space exploration team, she couldn't shake the ominous feeling that this ship's presence in the Solar System spelled trouble.
"That's the flagship of the Starsea Empire—the Eternal Snowfall. It's also the Commander's vessel," Gudako explained.
After a moment of thought, fearing she might scare them, she quickly added:
"Don't worry, we're a peaceful people. The flagship just accompanies the Commander on expeditions—it's totally normal!"
"Oh... right." Theresa and Himeko nodded uncertainly.
"And that thing mounted on the bow—is it... an engine?" Theresa asked.
"That's the Fallen Star Lance, used for long-range, interstellar-scale bombardment. Oh, you know, just a little self-defense capability for when we're traveling between galaxies," Gudako said casually.
"Uh... huh..."
Theresa swallowed hard, then pointed under the warship.
"And what's that under the hull? A cargo bay?"
"That's the neutron annihilation module—used for dealing with rebels..." Gudako replied absentmindedly.
"...Rebels?!"
"Oh no, I mean planetary sanitation! You know, for cleaning up worlds after conquest—totally normal equipment for peaceful operations!"
"...Right."
Himeko and Theresa fell silent in thought.
Truly, the Starsea Empire was a peace-loving alien civilization.
How wonderful that they had come to the Solar System.
...
"Whoa—whoa—whoa—whoa—!"
"This is the starship assembly plant, that's the recreation zone, and over there's the Research Division—let's not disturb them, okay~?"
Kiana enthusiastically led Bronya, Raiden Mei, and Durandal—her closest friends—on a grand tour of the station.
Although it was technically just a 'space station,' its sheer scale was staggering. A single level was larger than an entire European nation.
And since there was no gravity in space, structures could be built as multi-layered composites. If flattened out, the total surface area might rival the Eurasian continent itself.
Even after days of exploring, they would never see everything.
"Phew—"
"So big..."
The freshly spacefaring 'natives' followed the white-haired bundle of energy in awe, their eyes wide at every turn.
After a full day of sightseeing, Durandal stretched and yawned.
"Ah... I think I'm getting hungry. Should we grab something to eat?"
"I'll do it! Let's go back and cook!" Mei said confidently.
"The dorms here have kitchens—it's like a luxury apartment! And there are so many ingredients I've never seen before... I want to try a few new dishes!"
Before she could finish, Kiana crossed her arms and wagged a finger smugly.
"Humph! Raiden Mei, I admit your cooking is the best at St. Freya—but here in the Starsea Empire, there are super, super, super amazing chefs!"
"They're at least three times better than you—no, maybe even five!"
"...?"
"Hey! Who was it that begged me for dinner every day back at St. Freya?!"
The master chef felt provoked.
Sure, she admitted this civilization's tech far surpassed Earth's... but after years of cooking for Kiana, Bronya, and occasionally Himeko, Mei's skills had been tempered to perfection.
"Don't believe me? Come on then!!"
Kiana grabbed her by the hand and led the group, winding through the labyrinthine halls of the space station.
"Don't say I didn't warn you—before eating, you might want to prepare a spare set of clothes."
"...What?"
...
A few minutes later, they were seated in the top-floor restaurant of the space station—with Setsuna joining them.
The dining area was elegantly designed. Through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see the entire starfield stretching endlessly into the void.
It felt as though they were dining in the heart of the cosmos itself.
"Wow..."
It was their first time dining with Setsuna, and the girls couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"C-Commander, hello... I'm Raiden Mei... p-pleased to meet you..."
Mei gave a proper lady's bow, displaying impeccable etiquette.
If not for Kiana constantly calling Setsuna "Dad," Mei would've assumed he was an older brother instead.
Handsome, composed—yet far too young for someone said to command a galactic empire.
Then again, with such advanced technology, anti-aging treatments were probably commonplace.
"No need to be so formal. Relax."
"I already know who you are—Kiana's told me all about you. If not for you all, she wouldn't have made it as a Valkyrie."
Setsuna patted Kiana's head fondly.
"Grr..."
The white-haired dumpling puffed her cheeks.
"I could've passed my exams on my own!"
"Who stayed up tutoring you until 1 A.M. every night?! You couldn't even solve questions that a paramecium could understand—I had to explain them five times!"
"Bronya can confirm: without Mei and Durandal's help, Kiana's chance of passing was zero percent."
The group broke into playful bickering, making Setsuna smile.
Truly, the trio's bond was strong—and now they had Durandal added into the mix.
But soon, everyone's attention shifted toward the food being served.
Erina Nakiri and Rindou Kobayashi appeared one after another, presenting an array of exquisitely crafted dishes.
Every time a lid was lifted, the plates seemed to emit a faint golden light.
"These are the Commander's personal chefs—they're super amazing—"
Kiana introduced proudly.
"Thank you for the compliment," Erina replied with her usual elegance.
Erina brushed a lock of hair aside gracefully.
"The Commander wished for you all to be properly hosted. I wasn't sure about your tastes, so I made some adjustments to St. Freya's standard dishes. Please don't find them lacking."
"Oh..."
Raiden Mei blinked, momentarily dazed.
These dishes had long surpassed the realm of home cooking—nothing like anything she'd ever made or tasted before. From their presentation alone, it was impossible to even tell what ingredients were used.
"This is the Rainbow Jelly Terrine, this one is a Chimera Custard Pie, and here's something inspired by data we gathered from another world—Tofu Trilogy..."
The bizarre names left Mei completely dumbfounded.
"What's a Chimera?"
"A type of magical beast, imported from the world of Konosuba. We actually considered whether Honkai Beasts could be eaten—but they seem to be a hybrid of silicon-based and energy-based lifeforms, so they're unsuitable for cooking."
Erina answered casually.
"???"
Mei could only marvel—so this was what it meant to be a Starsea Empire chef: bold, avant-garde, and impossibly advanced. Comparing Earth's chefs to them really was wishful thinking.
"Uh... wait, are magical beasts really edible?"
Skeptical but curious, they each cut off a small bite and put it into their mouths.
The next instant, indescribable flavor exploded across their tongues.
"Ahhhhh—power! I can feel the power welling up inside me!!!——"
Mei, Bronya, and Durandal felt as though they were swept into a vivid illusion.
For a moment, they were transported to a fantasy realm—a world of swords and magic—embarking on a grand, perilous adventure.
"Kya!..."
Thump!Snap!Sizzle—
With a gasp and a flash of light, just like everyone who'd ever eaten a Totsuki chef's meal before, Raiden Mei's clothes exploded.
Her entire outfit, including her stockings, disintegrated into shreds.
"Ahhh!!!—"
Durandal and Bronya were in the same boat.
Bronya's twin drills sprang loose, cascading into flowing silver hair.
Huff... huff...
Their faces flushed red as they leaned over the table, gasping for breath before they finally regained composure.
"Ah..."
Mei glanced down and realized she was practically naked. Her blush deepened as she hastily grabbed a tablecloth to cover herself.
Setsuna glanced up briefly—his view was a sea of pure white.
The Angeloids serving them were unfazed, politely handing out fresh clothes.
"Please consider wearing loose-fitting attire during meals, and have spare clothing ready to avoid... unexpected wardrobe malfunctions."
"Uh..."
It took the girls half an hour to calm down.
Their first dinner with the Commander—and they ended up stripping right at the table?
Why did this happen?!
"Ugh... I'll never get married now..."
Mei hugged herself, groaning, sneaking glances toward Setsuna.
He, of course, had not exploded and was calmly enjoying his meal.
"Bronya suspects hallucinogens were involved."
"No," Setsuna said seriously. "That's just a Totsuki chef's gift. You could call it a culinary resonance—their cooking triggers a burst of spiritual energy, resulting in... explosive reactions."
"Wha—why would anyone have such an ability?!"
Erina simply smiled, saying nothing.
"No... I'll resist..."
Still unconvinced, Mei took a small bite of a side dish.
"Yaaa~~—!"
BOOM—
Setsuna looked up again.
Hmm. Bigger than Kiana's. Slightly smaller than Cecilia's.
...
Huff... huff...
By dusk, when Kiana and her friends finally returned to their dorm, they looked like they'd been through a war—panting and collapsed on the sofa.
"Why... did eating dinner turn into this...?"
Almost every dish had caused an explosion.
At first, Mei and Durandal were mortified—ready to dig a hole and hide. But after the fifth or sixth time, they grew numb.
Clothes exploded? Fine. Whatever.
"I told you, our chefs are amazing, didn't I?" Kiana said proudly.
"..."
Mei sighed, defeated. No matter how good her cooking was, she could never make someone's clothes literally burst apart.
"But the taste really was divine," Bronya admitted, gazing dreamily at the ceiling.
"Mhm..."
"And the Commander... he's actually really handsome," Durandal mused. "I always thought Kiana's father would be some stern old man—but he's so gentle, and surprisingly approachable. He knows things even we've never heard of..."
"With those looks, that knowledge, and that power... if he were at St. Freya, the girls would be lining up for him," she added.
"Yeah..." Mei murmured dreamily, her thoughts wandering. Teenage imagination truly knew no limits.
"If only he'd come to the academy earlier..."
"I suppose only that Saint of the Schariac family could be worthy of him... no wonder..."
Their minds started drifting into strange territory.
"?"
Kiana blinked, glancing at her dormmates.
Wait a minute... I brought you here as friends... and now you're trying to become my stepmoms?!