Raiden Mei had asked him to meet her half an hour later than usual, and Hua Yi hadn't thought much of it. It was a school day, after all; Mei likely had things to attend to.
He didn't let that half hour go to waste. Seizing a rare opportunity, he stepped into an equipment shop in Nagazora and purchased an unsharpened metal sword.
It wasn't a weapon meant for fighting the Honkai, but simply for practice. Ordinary weapons couldn't act as vessels for Honkai energy,
nor were they sharp enough to pierce a Honkai Beast's defense. Compared to a shinai, this metal sword was much heavier, making his practice more efficient though naturally, more exhausting.
He intended to use it for solitary training in his dormitory. As for his swordsmanship sessions with Raiden Mei, he would naturally stick to using her shinai; even an unsharpened metal blade was far too dangerous for sparring, and using it for practice duels was hardly a wise move.
By the time Hua Yi skillfully slipped into Senba Academy, Mei was waiting.
"I made these. Please, try them and see if they're to your liking."
Mei produced a snack Strawberry Daifuku, a type of wagashi, or traditional Japanese confection. With a glutinous rice skin wrapping a strawberry filling, it was a perfect after-dinner dessert. It seemed Mei had intentionally delayed their meeting just to prepare this.
Hua Yi stared at the box, which was slightly larger than an adult's palm and held four Strawberry Daifuku. He paused for a moment before meeting the girl's eyes. They were as deep as ever, shimmering with a gentle, relaxing smile.
"What is it? Have you already had dinner? Are you full?" Seeing that Hua Yi wasn't eating but was instead just staring at her, Mei asked with a hint of worry.
"No, I haven't eaten yet. I'm actually starving." Hua Yi shook his head, picked up a piece, and popped it into his mouth.
It was smooth, soft, and chewy, bursting with the refreshing fragrance of fresh strawberries. For Hua Yi, who had been suppressing his appetite lately, the already excellent flavor felt even more divine, causing him to pause for a second in appreciation.
He truly hoped that one day, he could eat the snacks Mei made without any pressure, living a leisurely life of idle comfort.
Seeing Hua Yi remain silent after finishing a piece, Mei looked slightly troubled. Although she was confident in her cooking, she worried that a boy's palate might differ from a girl's. Was a sweet snack like this not to his taste?
"The flavor..."
"It's delicious. Thank you."
This Strawberry Daifuku, along with the kindness Mei had infused into it, made Hua Yi let out a silent breath. This was exactly why he wanted to get stronger, no matter the cost.
In the original timeline, even after becoming a Herrscher, Raiden Mei wouldn't have been treated as a mortal enemy to be eliminated by Schicksal for various reasons. But now that he, the butterfly, had entered the scene,
the so-called original world path was no longer absolute. Hua Yi didn't want a worse outcome to occur, nor did he want to settle for the original one; he wanted to make the future even better.
Hua Yi's expression of gratitude was flawless. If he were to replicate this look and demeanor back in his class at Tachikawa Academy, his classmates would surely be thrilled, perhaps even feeling as though they had finally "conquered" him.
To Mei, however, his thanks didn't seem as simple or pure as she had imagined. Beyond the gratitude, the weight he carried on his shoulders seemed to have increased rather than diminished.
Hua Yi indeed hid it well. His words and actions from start to finish were beyond reproach; his gentle tone and that smile which seemed to hold so many layers might even make a girl feel he was interested in her, acting deliberately to win her over.
But Mei didn't feel that was the case. Highly sensitive to the emotions of others due to her past experiences, she could sense that Hua Yi bore her no ill will in fact, he held a great deal of kindness and affection for her but it felt suppressed by something else. To Mei, his behavior felt peculiar.
During yesterday's swordsmanship practice, Mei had become certain that this eccentricity stemmed from an unknown pressure, an intense desire to grow stronger.
No normal person would practice swordsmanship for two hours straight. To Hua Yi, who was constantly pushing himself to the limit, such a duration didn't seem long, but in Mei's eyes, only a fanatic would go that far. Yet, until she had spoken up yesterday, Hua Yi hadn't shown a shred of joy or excitement over his own progress.
There were things Mei was already sure of. What she struggled to understand was why Hua Yi went out of his way to talk to her. Was it truly just to keep her from being lonely? They shared no bond from the past, so it was strange... but it certainly made her happy.
"Shall we go for a walk? We can chat while we stroll outside."
Now, in addition to basking in the warmth provided by Hua Yi's company, Mei wanted to do something for him. She had often heard that walking was a great way to soothe the mind, so she decided to give it a try.
Her suggestion made Hua Yi's eyes flicker. He could tell what her true intention was. He realized he might have slipped up during their previous practice session.
"A boy and girl strolling together at night? That sounds a bit like a date, doesn't it?"
If Mei didn't intend to dig deeper into his stress, then all the better. Hua Yi cast aside his unnecessary worries and looked at the elegant girl before him with a playful smile. Realizing the implication, Mei's face flushed slightly.
"It's just friends hanging out. Don't overthink it."
"Oh, is that all? What a pity. It looks like I'll have to keep working hard then."
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