Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

First, Zeke dismantled his listening devices and wiped away any unnecessary traces.

Then, he headed straight for the hardware store on the western side of town.

He wasn't there to purchase anything; rather, during favorable weather seasons, the store owner doubled as a hunter. His storage room contained hunting gear such as rifles, crossbows, slingshots, and trapping equipment.

Due to concerns about secrecy and limited funds, Zeke decided against buying items. Instead, after ensuring the owner had closed up shop, he stealthily entered the warehouse to scavenge what he needed.

Finally, with a small bundle strapped to his back, he quietly slipped away.

'Sorry, boss, but I'll return it eventually.'

"Um, mister, have you seen my dad before? He's really tall with white hair and blue eyes, just like me. His name is Siegfried—Kas... Kaslana."

Leaning over the counter at a general store, Kiana asked the owner about her missing father but found herself distracted by the enticing snacks gleaming beneath the glass display, nearly forgetting her original purpose.

Luckily, Siegfried held slightly more weight in her heart than typical treats, preventing the conversation from veering off-topic.

Even so, before the shopkeeper could respond, Kiana had already slapped several bills on the counter.

The boss glanced at the money and replied, "No, I haven't seen him or heard of anyone fitting that description. This town isn't big; if even someone well-informed like myself hasn't heard of your father, he likely hasn't been here... So, which flavors would you like?"

"These, these, and also this one and that one." Kiana pointed through the glass, swallowing eagerly as she selected her items.

The shopkeeper efficiently packed them into bags while saying:

"Lost from your dad? In that case, I suggest you report it to the police. Head this way and take a right at the second intersection; the station is at the end of the street."

Although, those two rookie cops there were pretty useless—more like mere decorations.

With these thoughts, the shopkeeper shook his head and advised her further,

"Forget about them. My advice would be to leave here quickly and seek help from other relatives outside town. Also, no matter what, stay away from that house over there—the people living inside aren't exactly upstanding citizens." He pointed toward the house Zeke had been eavesdropping on earlier, letting out a resigned sigh.

Kiana blinked, took the snacks, thanked him, and left.

"What good could the cops possibly do? They've never been helpful anyway. As for other relatives, all I remember is that stinky old man. Since I can't recall anything from my past, how am I supposed to know if I have any more family? Stupid Dad, where the heck...crunch crunch...are you?!" Kiana muttered, growing angrier with each thought as she devoured the snacks.

Surprisingly, they tasted quite sweet.

Instantly, Kiana's mood lifted.

(?.?)

(^ω^)

(?? д ??)!!!

Suddenly, a hand rested on Kiana's shoulder from behind.

"I remember this being your travel expenses, right?" Zeke's eerie voice spoke up from behind her.

"S-so what?! I'll just earn it back later!" Kiana forced herself to sound calm and even attempted to whistle nonchalantly, though all that came out were meaningless "shoo" sounds.

"Forget it. Come with me; we have serious business to attend to."

"Huh?"

Kiana turned around to see Zeke carrying a bulging backpack, his expression grave.

"What kind of serious business? Did you find another way to make money?" As she asked, Kiana's eyes lit up with greed.

Zeke led Kiana along, stroking his chin as they walked. "Make money? Sort of. If executed properly, it could yield substantial rewards. Let me ask first: Can you withstand bullets with your bare body?"

"Of course not! How could any human block bullets?" Kiana looked at him incredulously, clearly thinking he was joking.

Zeke glanced at her. In reality, this white-haired girl was a dormant Herrscher—far removed from ordinary humans. However, for now, considering her appearance resembled a twelve- or thirteen-year-old, having lesser abilities wasn't surprising.

"Then we need a meticulous plan. Remember, follow my lead later no matter what happens, and stay calm regardless of the situation."

"What's going on that requires such seriousness?"

"Just trust me. If you can't do this, I'm not sure about your safety, but I'll certainly die."

"Huh?"

"In any case, if you don't want to witness my death right before your eyes, listen carefully. Kiana Kaslana, from this moment on, my life is entrusted into your hands."

Under Zeke's serious gaze, Kiana momentarily froze before slowly nodding.

"I may not fully understand yet, but I get it. On the honor of the Kaslanas, I swear to protect Zeke!" She firmly patted her chest, exuding confidence and determination.

Despite knowing him for only a short time, and despite his intimidating moments when he even withheld her payment, Kiana believed Zeke was truly a good person.

Kiana's understanding of the world was limited; she hadn't even ventured alone across Europe yet. This was arguably the most innocent and naive phase of her life.

Nevertheless, she instinctively felt that Zeke genuinely cared for her.

Apart from her grumpy old dad, Zeke was the only person Kiana knew who treated her kindly.

Thus, trusting Zeke seemed like the obvious choice to Kiana, with her pure and simple mindset.

As night fell, Zeke and Kiana lay prone at the foot of a slope, with the dangerous thugs' hideout just ahead. The snow-covered hillside provided natural cover, sparing Zeke the trouble of piling sandbags.

"Zeke, why are we here?"

"To kill them."

"Huh? You want to murder people? Are you crazy?"

"The ones inside are those hooligans you stole from yesterday—or rather, desperate criminals. They're after us now. They have cars, while we lack proper transportation; since escape isn't feasible, we must strike first."

Simplifying his explanation, Zeke simultaneously checked their weapons—bullets for the hunting rifle, crossbow bolts, and more—to ensure they were fully loaded.

"This..." Kia still hesitated. "Couldn't we steal one of their vehicles instead? It feels too risky."

In truth, it wasn't danger that Kia feared; her nature leaned heavily towards bravery and recklessness.

What she resisted was taking someone's life, especially seeing the unnerving calmness on Zeke's face when discussing murder.

He appeared as a mere eleven- or twelve-year-old child, cautious even about eating extra bread lest it upset his stomach. In the darkening twilight, he struggled to see, and during nights, his body shivered uncontrollably from the cold. Yet this same Zeke, who seemed so vulnerable, was now handling a hunting rifle, calmly declaring his intent to kill.

It felt suffocatingly distressing to Kia.

Zeke shouldn't be like this.

But Kiana couldn't quite articulate what kind of life Zeke should have led or what thoughts he ought to harbor.

"Click!"

The shotgun was loaded and cocked.

Zeke adjusted his collar, exhaling a puff of warm breath, before saying,

"Kiana, I believe you know by now that you're no ordinary person. Your future will be far more challenging than you can imagine. From this moment on, learn to be ruthless; it may serve you well."

"...I don't want to learn that. Let's just quietly leave instead, Zeke! We can always report them later!" Kiana didn't fully grasp the profound meaning behind Zeke's words. She tried to persuade him using the term "report," though even she doubted its effectiveness.

Zeke merely looked up at the sky, nearing true nightfall, and replied,

"I could certainly run away, and if I wanted, they'd never find me. But I refuse."

"Why?"

"Because just like you, to survive in this cruel world, I must adapt to ruthlessness and killing. You can choose not to participate, but once darkness falls, my vision becomes severely impaired. Without your help, I'll die. So, Kiana, make your choice: assist me or leave."

"I...I..." Stuttering throughout the day, Kiana reluctantly decided to compromise. It seemed she had no other option; how could she abandon Zeke?

Having recently parted from her only living relative at merely twelve or thirteen years old, Kiana was still in a phase where her worldview was not fully established. Influencing her now could potentially alter some aspects of her character.

If left unchecked for a few more years, after experiencing various trials on her journey and with Siegfried's influence deeply ingrained in her mind, Kiana would inevitably become the original mischievous, kind-hearted, and innocent Kiana—only to later confront her embarrassing lineage, endure repeated losses, and transform into that frustratingly tragic Void Drifter, making fans wish they could punch the screenwriter.

Compared to that outcome, Zeke preferred her to be less naive and virtuous. Even if she couldn't be the likable protagonist, he hoped she wouldn't live such a burdensome life. This was Zeke's sole wish for Kiana at present.