"Maybe... you could try thinking of nothing at all. Just be your usual self—act first, be a little braver... and more, well, direct?"
Eden tilted her head back slightly, glancing at the ceiling, then turned her face with a soft smile toward Elysia.
"Who knows? That might be the right way."
Her voice was gentle, almost a whisper, meant only for Elysia.
"After all, even you know it yourself—every time you overthink, telling yourself just a little is enough, just move forward a tiny step... and that those tiny steps will add up eventually..."
"That's not necessarily a bad approach..."
"But!"
Eden paused briefly.
"Sometimes, being overly cautious isn't all good. Be a little bold now and then, take a risk—maybe you'll find a pleasant surprise."
"Oh, wait... maybe 'surprise' isn't quite the word?"
"After all, we both know—if you speak up, Kiana probably won't refuse. If you're willing to ask, she'll surely say yes."
"If it's something so easily within reach... then why hesitate?"
Elysia mumbled under her breath, a little helpless.
"It's not that simple!"
Right.
How could it be that simple?
If it really were, why didn't Eden make a move herself?
Was she considering Elysia's feelings? Or was it something else?
No matter the reason.
Whether it was being mindful of her best friend's delicate emotions, thinking about the other girls, or simply feeling too shy and wanting to back off at the last moment—it was all the same!
How could it be that easy?!
Even Kiana herself didn't dare say those words lightly.
So how could Elysia possibly do it?
She was truly a glass cannon—all attack, no defense.
She might seem alluring and flirtatious on the surface.
But the moment someone responded and flirted back, she'd turn and flee in a panic.
And it wasn't like this was the first time, either.
Eden had seen it more than once—Elysia getting flustered, her face bright red because of Kiana.
Once you become aware of something, once you recognize your true feelings, it's not so easy to act like nothing's changed.
That was true for Elysia and for Eden, too.
Sakura quietly watched Kiana from a distance.
But her hearing was sharp, and she was also tuned in to Eden and Elysia's conversation.
She couldn't help but wonder—
What were her own feelings toward Kiana, really?
Even though her little sister often said how much she adored the young lady, that she wanted to marry her together with her big sister when she grew up... and since the future was already laid out like that, there shouldn't be any reason to hesitate.
But!
Her sister was naive, still a child—straightforward, yes, but you couldn't take her words too seriously.
What about her, though?
She wasn't a child anymore.
It was time she gave it some thought.
She did have feelings for the young lady.
But...she still felt a little lost.
After all, Miss Sakura wasn't very experienced with this kind of emotion, nor did she pay much attention to her own heart.
It was just that Rin often chattered in her ear about it.
And she had, intentionally or not, been paying more attention to Kiana lately.
At the very least, she didn't dislike it.
Meanwhile, on the other side—Kiana was still telling her mother what she knew about Jyahnar.
Not exactly listing every detail, but enough that everyone listening gradually formed a rough idea of her.
A first impression was starting to take shape.
Combined with the chibi version of Jyahnar they'd seen earlier in the sky video—her personality, tone, preferences—it all felt more fleshed out, and a little less unfamiliar.
"Jyahnar's a quiet girl. Not exactly cold, but she's a lot like me—she only cares about the things she cares about. In fact, I still have a bit of a soft heart, but she... doesn't."
"Oh, and she probably likes sea blue best. But an entire room in sea blue might feel a bit off. How about using that color for accents instead, and pairing it with other easy-on-the-eyes shades?"
"Mom, no seafood today—add more beans! And no fatty meat... Jyahnar definitely won't like it."
Don't ask how Kiana knew all this.
If you did, the answer was: Herrscher.
If she didn't even understand her own companion Honkai beast—
Well, that'd be pretty strange, wouldn't it?
"She'll probably prefer a quiet room. So don't put her on the street side."
"Alright!"
"Oh, and the room right across from mine—the one that should be the beauty's—let's give that one to Jyahnar. She'll love it."
"Sure thing, Kiana."
Kiana held her mother's hand, almost as if she were introducing her future daughter-in-law in advance.
After all, Jyahnar was different from the others.
In the earlier video series, she hadn't been reviewed at all.
Even though she'd appeared before, it was only briefly, like a dragonfly skimming the water—shallow and fleeting.
So there was still some sense of distance.
At first, it was her mother who was worried, asking all sorts of questions. But now, Kiana had gradually steered the conversation and couldn't seem to stop.
Even though what she knew about Jyahnar came from game settings in her past life, or her impressions from the game's story, the way she talked about it sounded pretty convincing.
Elysia watched, her heart tinged with a hint of sourness.
The young lady had never introduced her to her mother so seriously.
What was with this feeling—like an awkward bride about to meet her in-laws, with her husband desperately covering for her?
I don't want this!
Eden sighed softly.
Aponia continued watching quietly.
Even Miss Sakura felt a subtle shift in mood and couldn't help murmuring, "It's getting late. Shouldn't we bring Miss Jyahnar back first?"
"Yeah... you're right!" Kiana snapped out of it and nodded in agreement.
She'd told her mother about Jyahnar's possible preferences, favorite colors, even given plenty of suggestions on how to decorate Jyahnar's room.
But in the end, these were all just what Kiana assumed Jyahnar would like.
Like how she thought Jyahnar resembled a manta ray, so she probably didn't like seafood.
Or how, because Jyahnar was her companion Honkai beast and she herself disliked celery, Jyahnar must not like it either.
Kiana's mother saw right through it, but she noted everything down anyway.
Still, she knew well enough—no matter how much they talked or prepared, it wasn't a big deal.
Even if they put Jyahnar in a storage room, all they'd have to say was, "Kiana wanted you here."
And most likely, Jyahnar wouldn't hesitate for a second.
So, when the time came, they could simply mention that the room's layout and all the purchases were based on Kiana's suggestions—that she said you'd prefer it this way, so they did it.
Without a doubt, that would win her over easily.
Once she realized that, Kiana's mother stopped worrying about the rest.
She relaxed, nodded with a smile, and told Kiana to go ahead without worry—she'd handle the rest.
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T/N: New Honkai Fic Up!
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
20+ advanced chaps on my patreon.
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.