"Thank you very much for taking care of Bronya. I am her older sister, Inaba Tsukiyo. Due to certain reasons, I was away from this child for a period of time."
After their exchange, Inaba Tsukiyo brought Bronya to the other two. This bit of courtesy was necessary, as Bronya had been with them earlier.
Although it seemed like they had a bit of an argument, it was a sign of friendship, because if they didn't get along, who would argue?
"Eh? Well… actually, it's nothing. Bronya also took care of me in many ways. I'm Raiden Mei. Please take care of me."
Looking at the girl in front of her, who was even shorter than Bronya, Raiden Mei felt a little flustered.
Although she looked petite, for some reason, Raiden Mei felt that the other person was very mature, like someone in her thirties, or even older.
"Oh? So you're this little midget's older sister? You really are sisters, both so short."
The white-haired girl nearby, hearing Inaba Tsukiyo's words, blurted them out without thinking, which made Bronya's pupils widen slightly. She remembered… [Clang!]
As the white-haired girl laughed loudly, a sharp blade was pressed against her neck, its biting aura stinging her cheeks.
But she didn't have time to worry about the pain in her cheeks, because Inaba Tsukiyo was holding the blade against her neck, her eyes wide open, looking terrifying.
"Kiana!!!"
Seeing Inaba Tsukiyo hold the blade to Kiana's neck, Raiden Mei anxiously tried to help, but Bronya stopped her.
"Older Sister Mei, don't worry. Older Sister Tsukiyo will only teach her a small lesson. For Older Sister Tsukiyo, her height has always been a forbidden topic. This can be considered a lesson for this ape."
"This… Is it really okay? She… is so strong."
Raiden Mei had also studied swordsmanship; Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū was the style she mastered.
Compared to most of her peers, Raiden Mei could be considered outstanding.
However, she hadn't been able to clearly see Inaba Tsukiyo's movements just now. By the time she reacted, Inaba Tsukiyo had already placed the blade against Kiana's neck.
Bronya nodded. She understood Inaba Tsukiyo's strength better than anyone. After all, when she was a special forces soldier, she had acted alongside Inaba Tsukiyo.
Taking out all the members of an entire base by herself—Inaba Tsukiyo had made quite a name for herself during her time in the special forces.
"Do you know what it means for trouble to come from your mouth? You're certainly skilled to have survived this disaster, but if you don't even have basic manners, it's very easy for big trouble to happen."
She moved the blade in her hand slightly forward, the cold edge touching Kiana's delicate skin. This made Kiana realize that Inaba Tsukiyo was serious, that she might genuinely hurt someone.
"I… I understand. I get it! It's my fault! I spoke without thinking, please forgive me! Please, I beg you."
Kiana, with a strong will to survive, quickly raised both hands, adopting a 'I am guilty, I admit my mistake' posture, leaving Inaba Tsukiyo with no issues to find.
Nodding in satisfaction, Inaba Tsukiyo retracted mikazuki munechika, ignoring Kiana, who slumped weakly to the ground, and went over to Bronya.
"Although I really want to know how you've spent these past few months, now isn't the time for chatting. Once we're in a safe place, can you explain it to me?"
"…Mm, Bronya promises Older Sister Tsukiyo. However, Bronya hopes Older Sister Tsukiyo won't casually reveal things about Bronya, at least not now."
After a moment of hesitation, Bronya finally nodded, agreeing to Inaba Tsukiyo's request.
However, she still had a mission to complete. If she accidentally revealed her involvement with Anti-Entropy, it would likely cause unnecessary trouble.
Bronya's answer made Inaba Tsukiyo frown.
Bronya should have survived that experiment with the help of the quantumized Seele, but as for Cocolia, Inaba Tsukiyo would absolutely not let her off.
Originally, she had planned to look for an organization to deal with Anti-Entropy after some time, but now she would wait a bit longer. She had a premonition that her meeting with Cocolia would come soon.
With Inaba Tsukiyo's addition, the pressure on the three became much lighter.
Although a large number of Honkai Beasts and Death Soldiers still appeared on the way, under Inaba Tsukiyo's combat prowess, the four successfully found a suitable house to rest in.
Changkong City's technology was advanced. Although a crisis had erupted, most households still had water and electricity.
Inaba Tsukiyo was very lucky, finding a room with abundant ingredients. Tonight, she could treat herself well.
Kiana had no cooking skills. Although Bronya could cook, she was refused by Inaba Tsukiyo and Raiden Mei, who told them to take a shower first.
Raiden Mei originally wanted to cook by herself, but under Inaba Tsukiyo's strong pressure, she ultimately agreed to Inaba Tsukiyo's request.
She had been worried that Inaba Tsukiyo might cut up the kitchen, but to her surprise, Inaba Tsukiyo's technique was excellent, just like someone who often cooked.
"That's amazing, Miss Inaba. I didn't expect you to be so good at cooking."
"If you can't cook, you can't take care of people. Although my eyes can't see, simple things like cooking are still no problem."
Stir-frying the delicious dish in the pan, Inaba Tsukiyo answered with a faint smile.
If she couldn't cook, she would probably be complained about. Inaba Tsukiyo only started researching cooking to prevent her from constantly eating sweets.
"I see… Miss Inaba, you really like taking care of people… Hmm? Wait a minute."
Raiden Mei, who was still cutting vegetables, suddenly realized something and nearly cut her finger, looking at Inaba Tsukiyo's eyes with a shocked expression.
Just like when they first met, although her eyes had opened briefly in between, most of the time they were closed. Good heavens, this person was really blind.
"Could it be… Miss Inaba has already cultivated to the realm of Mind's Eye?"
"Mind's Eye? Perhaps. I can indeed see things with my mind that my eyes cannot. Just like now, I see you half a meter beside me. However, I cannot see your face."
"I see… I'm sorry, Miss Inaba. I didn't know…"
"No need to apologize. I haven't been able to see for so many years; I'm not that fragile anymore, Miss Raiden."
The two fell silent. Inaba Tsukiyo and Raiden Mei didn't know what to say.
Raiden Mei had too many questions about Inaba Tsukiyo, both regarding her background and her strength.
"What's wrong? You keep looking at me. Are you hungry? We still have to wait a bit longer before eating."
"No… It's just that I feel Classmate Inaba is so amazing. Unlike me, she can survive well in such a dangerous situation even alone. Not like me, every time I encounter danger, Kiana and Bronya protect me."
At this, tears welled up in Raiden Mei's eyes, and a sense of powerlessness washed over her.
Although she had survived, Raiden Mei felt it was all due to Kiana and Bronya's protection. Without them, she wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Oh? Do you think if they weren't protecting you, they might have escaped? You don't have such naive thoughts, do you?"
"Eh?"
"I can tell you're a swordswoman, just like me. Although you're the inheritor of a different school, you're currently lost. If your heart is lost, it will only slow down your attacks."
Putting down the pot in her hand, Inaba Tsukiyo picked up the plates and walked towards the dining table.
Although Raiden Mei looked like an ordinary girl, Inaba Tsukiyo could sense that Raiden Mei, like herself, was a swordswoman, and one who had been training since childhood.
The idea of only surviving by relying on Kiana and Bronya was just Raiden Mei underestimating herself, or perhaps her swordsmanship hadn't yet grown to the point where she could contend with Honkai Beasts.
"As a swordswoman, the heart is the most important. If you cannot maintain a good mindset, your blade will become dull. Think carefully, when you were surviving with Bronya and Miss kaslana, did you truly want to always rely on them?"
She pointed towards the bathroom, where Bronya and Kiana were currently bathing together.
Because of her legs, it was much easier with Kiana's help, but they had been arguing non-stop since earlier.
Kiana was no match for Bronya in terms of verbal sparring, and even if she wanted to fight, a cannon barrel larger than her head was pointed directly at her. Just ask if she was scared.
Bronya had also told Inaba Tsukiyo that Raiden Mei had been very kind to her during this time, while Kiana was just an ape that hadn't fully evolved yet.
She and Kiana were not friends; after all, it's impossible for humans and apes to be friends.
If that analogy isn't quite fitting, then changing 'apes' to 'paramecium' would also be very appropriate.
Single-celled organism, no brain, Idiot Kiana… This was Inaba Tsukiyo's first impression of Kiana, based on Bronya's understanding.
After a few hours of interaction, Inaba Tsukiyo found that Bronya's description was entirely accurate; Kiana indeed gave off a single-celled organism vibe.
"They have always believed in you, and they have never considered you a burden. Would a girl named Raiden Mei think she would only be a burden to others?"
"…Of course not!"
Wiping away her tears, Raiden Mei's gaze was filled with determination, unlike her previous fragility.
"As a master of the Hokushin Itto-ryu, I will absolutely not be a burden to others! I… want to become their support."
"…You already are."
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