NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31: Chapter 31.
After a full day of intense tutoring, I reviewed Kiana's final practice tests and nodded in approval.
"Alright, looks like you're good to go. Best of luck tomorrow, Kiana."
"Phew, finally done! That was exhausting!" Kiana flopped back in her chair, eyes sparkling with relief despite her tired voice.
Bronya, sitting next to her, nodded approvingly and stood up, giving Kiana a light pat on the shoulder.
"Dumb Kiana has worked hard. Good job!"
Bronya and I said our goodbyes and headed for the door. Kiana waved sleepily, barely managing a response between yawns.
"Yeah…goodnight…"
---
The Next Day: Exam Day
After pulling an all-nighter and pouring her focus into the test, Kiana finally completed her exam with everything she had. Two days later, she received her scores—much higher than she'd expected.
"I did it!" Kiana cried, clutching her results with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Right then, I walked by, smiling as I congratulated her.
"Well done, Kiana. Looks like my temporary tutoring job is officially done."
Kiana beamed back at me, and for a second, her mind flashed through the past few months. She and I had gone from constantly butting heads to being…well, close friends. Sure, she still found me mysterious—where had I come from? And my powers… Could I be a Lawmaker, like Mei?
But she brushed the thought aside, laughing to herself. Whatever the future held, we'd stay friends. She was sure of it.
****
"Well, guess I can finally relax now," I said with a content sigh, feeling like I'd finally gotten a break. But before I could savor it, Fu Hua suddenly appeared behind me, her face stern and unyielding.
"Yumeji, you owe me a lot of make-up training sessions after all that tutoring for Kiana."
I paled. "Please, have mercy, Master!"
Ignoring my pleas, Fu Hua grabbed me by the collar and practically dragged me to the training grounds. Kiana, who had seen the whole thing, chased after us, looking worried.
"Kiana! Help me!" I called to her, throwing her a look of sheer desperation. But before she could say anything, Fu Hua stopped, giving Kiana a fierce look that practically froze her in her tracks. Still, Kiana managed to gather her courage.
"Class President, isn't this a bit much? I mean, it's not like Yumeji did anything wrong, right?"
"This is training,"
Fu Hua replied bluntly, her tone steely.
"Training? This is totally just punishment!" Kiana protested, unwilling to let it go.
"Right? Master, can't you take it just a little easier on me?"
I added, hoping Fu Hua might soften her stance.
Fu Hua looked down at me, still lying face-down on the ground, a pitiful sight if there ever was one. Finally, she let out a sigh and loosened her grip.
"Fine. Maybe I was a bit too harsh." With that, she finally released me.
As Fu Hua walked away, Kiana approached and shot me a sympathetic look.
"Don't feel too bad. You look, uh…kind of terrible right now," she said, trying not to laugh.
"Terrible? How so?"
I managed a smile, wondering if I'd overdone it with my dramatic performance.
"Your face is pitch-black," she teased, breaking into a laugh.
"Thanks, Kiana,"
I chuckled, feeling relieved. "You know, you treat me like a little brother sometimes—even though we're the same age."
Kiana chuckled awkwardly, a hint of something unreadable in her eyes. Then, clearing her throat, she changed the subject.
"So…how about a pizza? You still owe me that."
I nodded, quick to take her up on it.
"Sure. Let's go!"
We headed to the pizza place near the dorms, grabbing a booth and chatting between slices. Time seemed to pass so naturally as we talked and laughed, a quiet comfort settling between us. Days and weeks drifted by like that, peaceful and steady, as our friendship only grew stronger.
*****
Summary:
Theresa received an urgent mission to deal with a sudden Honkai attack at a school. The situation took a dire turn as she encountered a formidable fake Herrscher. Outmatched and on the verge of defeat, she was unexpectedly saved by Sakura, who, as a parting gift, transferred her Stigmata to Theresa before vanishing.
With the new power granted by Sakura's Stigmata, Theresa not only regained her strength but gained a significant boost, allowing her to successfully defeat the fake Herrscher and complete her mission with ease. Later, Himeko observed that Theresa's Stigmata appeared to be entirely unique, which led them to wonder if more such Stigmata could be discovered. During their discussion, Theresa handed Himeko a document on the legendary Emperor Xuanyuan and the fabled Xuanyuan Sword.
Theresa shared that, according to history, Emperor Xuanyuan—the one who drove Chiyou back and protected the Nine Provinces—had also wielded a power similar to the Stigmata, which enabled him to use the Xuanyuan Sword in battle. She believed that, by locating and studying this ancient power, they might unlock additional Stigmata as powerful weapons against the Honkai threat. With this goal in mind, Theresa tasked Himeko with searching for the Xuanyuan Sword, opening a new path of hope in their struggle.
*****
Though the mission was a bit convoluted, our main objective was clear: find the Xuanyuan Sword, rumored to be hidden somewhere in Guangzhou. So, here we were—me, Kiana, Fu Hua, and Himeko-sensei—sitting in a bustling Chinese restaurant in the heart of Guangzhou, discussing our plan.
___
At a Chinese restaurant somewhere in Guangzhou
Kiana's PoV
Kiana sat quietly, eyes glazing over as her friends continued their discussion about Xuanyuan Sword. They were deep in thought, sorting through layers of strategy, but she was starting to tune out. Glancing to her side, she noticed Yumeji browsing the menu, looking equally uninterested in the mission talk. Somehow, the silence between them felt comforting—like they both knew exactly what the other was feeling: a twinge of boredom mixed with a touch of exhaustion.
Yumeji looked up, finally breaking the silence. "How about a dumpling to ease the stress, Kiana? I mean, since we're already at a Chinese restaurant and all."
His easygoing suggestion made Kiana smile. She appreciated how Yumeji seemed to focus on the small pleasures—like good food—even in the middle of tense situations like this.
"Are you secretly Chinese, Yumeji?" she teased.
"Or do you just love dumplings that much?"
Yumeji chuckled, eyes crinkling with amusement.
"Pure Japanese, thank you. But come on, isn't it fun trying out food from different countries? Besides, dumplings are delicious."
She laughed and picked up her chopsticks, taking a tentative bite of a dumpling. The flavors blossomed on her tongue, and she couldn't help but widen her eyes in appreciation.
"Wow, that's really good. No wonder you like them."
"Told you." Yumeji gave a small smile of triumph. "Oh, and I brought along this popular Manhua. Want to read a bit to pass the time?"
Curious, Kiana glanced over at the Manhua in his hand, a spark of interest lighting up her face.
"Nice! I've heard about that one."
At that moment, Himeko noticed the two of them and raised a brow, clearly amused.
"What are you two chatting about over there?"
Caught in the middle of an impromptu break, Kiana felt a pang of guilt as she realized she and Yumeji had drifted from the mission discussion, while Fu Hua and Himeko were fully engrossed in it.
---
Meanwhile, at the table...
Himeko eyed the Manhua Yumeji was holding with mild curiosity before returning to her usual serious expression.
"Is that Manhua really that popular? It's got action and mystery, right?"
Her attention soon shifted back to the mission, though, as she mulled over the clues they had. She was visibly deep in thought, clearly focused on piecing together where the Xuanyuan Sword might be located—if only the hints weren't so elusive.
Yumeji, seeing her look so intensely focused, decided to lighten the mood a little.
"You seem really invested in this search for the Xuanyuan Sword, Himeko-sensei. Got something on your mind?"
Himeko's face softened briefly, and she sighed, a trace of worry flickering in her eyes.
"We need to find it before anyone else does. If it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be devastating. That's what we're trying to prevent."
With that, she returned to her thoughts, while Yumeji and Kiana continued their playful banter, exchanging quiet laughs. Yumeji knew full well the real reason behind Himeko's concern, but he decided not to say anything. There were some things better left unsaid, especially now—mentioning them would only complicate matters further.
---
A little later
As they sat there, a stranger approached their table—a young man with a confident look, his eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Sorry to intrude~ I couldn't help but overhear… did I just hear you mention Jiuzhou? Isn't that where Emperor Xuanyuan once fought Chiyou?"