Morning.
"Kiana" woke up in her family's oversized mansion.
Still half-asleep, her body moved on muscle memory alone. She rolled out of bed, fumbled into her slippers, and staggered toward the sink.
Splash.
Cold water hit her face, making her shiver. The fog in her head vanished almost instantly, and she fully woke up.
Then she saw the girl in the mirror, unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.
She froze for a moment before realization set in.
"…Oh. Right. That's me now."
Humans really are frighteningly adaptable creatures.
Kiana had thought that becoming like this would be something she could never accept.
But after an entire day to process it, she had not broken down or lost control.
Still, she knew the real trial was only beginning.
Today was the first day of the new term at Chiba Academy. According to the identity Li Mu had prepared for her, she would be enrolling as Kiana.
And just imagining herself stepping onto campus, facing the scrutiny of familiar and unfamiliar faces alike in this body, sent pressure crashing down on her chest.
Backing out was not an option.
Last night, Li Mu had sent her information about the disasters Honkai would bring in the future. After reading it, all she could do was pray that such an ending would never come to pass.
Thinking of that, and of the promise Li Mu had made her, Kiana clenched her fist at her reflection. A determined smile tugged at her lips.
Courage welled up from within.
She was no longer afraid.
She wanted to protect everything.
She had to—
"I'm going to become a god."
…
Chiba Academy.
First Year, Class B.
As class time approached, the room buzzed with chatter.
All of it had nothing to do with the purple-haired girl wearing glasses in the back seat by the window.
Students formed little groups on their own, but no one interacted with her. She was like someone excluded from the world itself.
Mei.
At Chiba Academy, it was a name everyone knew.
Ever since enrolling, she had never once relinquished first place in grade-wide exams.
She was an insurmountable peak, like Everest itself, crushing the dignity of every so-called top student or prodigy who dared challenge her.
Over time, everyone lost the courage to even try.
But geniuses were always lonely.
After all, how many people could comfortably chat with someone who casually talked about Poincaré, casually mentioned Goldbach, and spent her free time writing papers that made old professors beat their chests in frustration?
When someone this inhuman truly stood among ordinary people, how were they supposed to interact with her?
The sages had already answered that long ago.
Revere from a distance.
So the students consciously ignored Mei, treating her like a god who did not belong among mortals.
For Mei herself, this was not necessarily a bad thing.
She did not need to navigate complicated relationships and could devote her limited energy to more meaningful pursuits.
At least, that was how it had been.
Until today.
Under the curious gazes of the class, the homeroom teacher brought in a girl no one had seen before.
White hair. Blue eyes. A cool, distant air.
She wore the standard Chiba Academy girls' uniform, hugged her books to her chest, and followed behind the teacher.
For some reason, there was a trace of nervousness on her otherwise aloof face. That contradiction gave her an air of mystery.
This was Kiana, placed here by Li Mu.
The classroom instantly erupted again.
The teacher cleared their throat lightly, signaling everyone to quiet down, then made the introduction.
"This is Kiana, a transfer student from Austria. She will be joining our class from today onward."
"I hope everyone shows Chiba Academy's spirit of friendliness and makes her feel welcome."
Turning to Kiana, the teacher smiled warmly. "Kiana, there are still plenty of empty seats. Go ahead and choose one."
"Yes, teacher."
Kiana stepped down from the podium, hugging her books. At once, every girl with an empty seat nearby looked at her expectantly.
In the end, Kiana stopped beside the purple-haired girl by the window.
"Um… may I sit here?"
Mei, lost in her own world, was pulled back by the voice. She looked up and met Kiana's gaze, waiting patiently for an answer.
Only then did Mei realize the stranger was talking to her.
She said nothing, merely nodded once.
Kiana set her books down and sat beside her, a faint trace of happiness flickering in her eyes.
Teachers and students alike looked surprised at her choice, but no one commented.
After all, the legendary Mei of Chiba Academy naturally attracted curious newcomers.
They would soon back away, repelled by her inhuman aura. This new student would be no different.
…
Time passed quickly. Soon, the entire school day came to an end.
Kiana awkwardly turned down one girl after another who called her "big sister" and tried to get close. She practically fled the classroom.
She had not forgotten her objective.
According to Li Mu, she needed to protect Mei at Chiba Academy.
Mei possessed extraordinary talent and would be a crucial force against Honkai in the future.
Of course, Kiana also had a small selfish desire.
She wanted to be Mei's friend.
Only by becoming close could she truly protect her.
Kiana thought so, and she acted on it.
She had always been decisive.
So when Mei left campus after school, Kiana chased after her and blurted out without hesitation,
"Mei, please be my friend!"
Mei, who was flipping through her notebook as she walked, stopped and turned around, only to see the white-haired girl who had just become her desk mate charging toward her.
"Mei, please be my friend!"
Mei studied Kiana for a moment, then coldly adjusted her glasses, a sharp glint flashing across the lenses.
"Sorry. I'm not interested."
Life at rock bottom had already drained her dry. She had no spare energy for relationships. If not for the generous scholarship, she would not even be attending school.
She turned away, intending to ignore this strange new classmate.
But as she took a step forward, her wrist suddenly felt heavy. Her body tilted as momentum yanked her arm forward.
Thump.
Mei looked down to see that the white-haired girl had been dragged off balance by the motion and was now kneeling on the ground.
Frowning, Mei looked at her.
Grabbing someone's wrist like that was far too rude. Her evaluation of this white-haired girl dropped another notch.
Kiana froze as well, realizing she was kneeling on the ground.
But since things had already come this far, she figured she might as well commit.
She tightened her grip on Mei's wrist, her voice pleading.
"Mei, please. Be my friend. This is really important to me."
Mei stared at the increasingly pushy girl, then asked coldly,
"Do you even know me? Do you know what I'm like? Do you know what kind of person I am?"
Kiana blinked and answered honestly.
"No. But we can become friends first, and then get to know each other."
Mei took a deep breath.
"Listen. I have no interest in making friends right now."
"I have important matters to deal with. I don't have the energy for things like friendships."
Kiana still did not let go.
"You can tell me what's troubling you. I can help."
Something snapped inside Mei.
She wrenched her wrist free and stared at Kiana coldly.
"You have no idea what I'm dealing with."
Her words cut like knives.
"The promises you make so lightly, the way you act like you're handing out charity…"
"…it's incredibly condescending."
She turned and walked away.
Watching Mei's retreating figure, Kiana felt deeply wronged.
She had genuinely wanted to be friends. She could not understand why Mei reacted so strongly.
…
After leaving Chiba Academy, Mei did not go straight home.
She stopped by a nearby convenience store and picked up several discounted boxed meals.
By the time she returned home, the sky had darkened.
She inserted the key, the lock clicked, and the door opened.
The smell of alcohol mixed with fermented rot rushed out immediately, making her frown.
She was used to it by now.
After letting the air circulate a bit, Mei stepped inside.
"I'm home."
As always, there was no response.
The only other living person in the apartment, her father Ryoma, was sprawled on the couch, snoring.
Empty bottles littered the table. Vomit stained the floor.
Mei opened the windows without changing expression, then cleaned up the bottles, wiped the floor, fetched a bucket and mop, and washed everything down.
Only after finishing did she take out the boxed meals, placing one near her father and the other in front of herself.
Life's hardships were the best teachers.
Before all this, Mei had never imagined she could handle housework so efficiently.
Just as she was about to eat, a ringtone sounded from the couch.
Her father's phone.
She hesitated, then picked it up.
A polite but unfamiliar voice came through.
"Mr. Ryoma, your debt will be due in a few days."
"We hope you will repay it on time and not make things difficult for us."
…
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