"How do you feel today?"
Himeko asked Angel about her health while feeding her.
Angel nodded gently. "It's almost healed, and it doesn't hurt anymore."
"That's good," Himeko replied with a sincere smile. Despite her busyness these days, the dark circles under her eyes seemed to disappear.
Saint Freya's main force was out, and although Theresa didn't die under Angel's secret care, she was injured. The normal operation of the academy and the branch fell on Himeko, the second-in-command and chief steward. In addition, the Hyperion was almost completely destroyed, leaving endless work.
But the real difficulty wasn't the work. It was knowing the truth of Nagazora and having to cover it up, feeling guilt and heartache like a blunt knife cutting flesh.
"Get well soon. I'm waiting for you to come home and cook."
"Yeah."
Himeko bore a heavy burden in her heart, and Angel wanted to comfort her, but even the person who tied the bell didn't know how to untie it in this situation.
Both had their concerns, so naturally, there wasn't much to say.
So, Himeko left soon after.
Angel leaned back, her silent expression vaguely unhappy.
At this time, a long-ignored white-haired girl next to her scratched her butt with one hand, held an apple with the other, and made a crisp sound.
"What's wrong? Do you think everyone is too cautious with you?"
"..."
"That can't be helped. They're afraid of upsetting you."
"Aren't you afraid of upsetting me?"
Angel turned her head expressionlessly and saw Kiana chewing the fresh apple Himeko brought to comfort her, smelling the sweet fruit fragrance.
Kiana puffed up and laughed heartlessly. "You keep saying I have a serious problem. You aren't afraid of provoking me, so what should I be afraid of?"
This is the freedom brought by sharing secrets.
Since everyone has problems, they are the same, so naturally, there are fewer concerns.
Besides, Kiana isn't responsible for Nagazora City, and her psychological burden is the lightest among everyone.
Angel commented on Kiana word by word with a wooden face: "You are so heartless."
"Hey! You're going too far! I sacrificed my precious vacation time to be here with you!"
Kiana threw the fruit core into the trash can with an indignant look on her face.
Angel glanced at the trash can filled with fruit cores, peels, melon seeds, and various snack packaging bags, then moved her eyes to the bedside and saw the running game console. She then said woodenly, "Are you sure you are here to accompany me, instead of finding a place where no one will criticize you for indulging?"
"Just tell me whether I accompany you or not?"
Kiana smiled, picked up another apple, and started to chew it.
Angel sighed. She was a little suspicious whether the little angel who comforted her so attentively before was her hallucination.
Angel ignored Kiana, who finished eating the apple and started playing games again. She just looked up at the ceiling, thinking about ending this deadlock as soon as possible.
Otherwise, everyone would feel bad, and so would she.
'It's just that nothing I do now works. Who can believe that I actually got revenge and walked out? There's no way to explain this.'
'In that case, then don't do anything!'
'You mean?'
'Let us build a window period, the cooling-off period, keep some distance first, so that everyone can adjust their thoughts and emotions.'
'Does that mean I should leave for a while?'
Angel pondered this idea. It appears to be a good idea, it was better than sitting here and being awkward with everyone.
While thinking, Angel slowly moved her eyes to Kiana who was concentrating on the game.
"Huh? What? Do you want to play too?""
"Go. I just want to remind you to go to bed early tonight."
"Huh?"
"Just go to bed early."
Angel's mouth curled up slightly, her voice softened, and she even looked at Kiana kindly.
Kiana suddenly got goosebumps and looked at Angel suspiciously.
"I don't want to. I want to play until the early morning during this rare holiday! And are you trying to trick me?"
Angel sighed helplessly, ignoring Kiana's suspicion, and asked softly, "Then do you still eat apples? I'll peel a few."
"Of course I will!"
Kiana nodded decisively, watching Angel get up and walk to the bathroom. After a while, she didn't find anything unusual, so she scratched her head and continued to play games.
"Come on, apple."
"Oh, feed me. My hands are busy now."
"I can't do anything about you."
"Mmm! Sweet, so good..."
Bang!
The sound of falling unconscious. This is Kiana's last memory of the day.
...
Himeko came to the ward at her usual time after work, but the room was empty.
After a while, she came to the bedside, picked up a note with sloppy handwriting, and became more and more confused.
After a while, she seemed to understand something, sat down on the bed exhausted, and let out a helpless and bitter chuckle. "Silly girl."
Himeko whispered, left a note for others who might visit later, and then went to Theresa's office.
At that time, Theresa was facing the computer screen with an extremely solemn and thoughtful expression on her sleep-deprived face.
"You didn't sneak a peek at the comics when I wasn't around?"
"Don't slander me! I'm not that kind of person!"
Theresa retorted as usual, thinking that Himeko had a new document for her to approve, but she didn't expect the other party to hand her a note.
[To Himeko, aunt, and everyone: I'm Kiana. I took Angel out to play, and I'm taking an indefinite number of days off. That's it, bye~]
"What the hell?"
A little confused from working overtime, Theresa showed an indescribable expression on her face.
Himeko smiled slightly. "Angel imitated Kiana's handwriting."
"Huh?"
"I checked on the way here, but they've already flown away and can't be caught."
"Huh???"
Theresa scratched her head, unable to figure out how this could happen.
Himeko sat down on the sofa softly, closed her eyes tiredly, and spoke sadly, "The child wanted to go out and relax, and probably wanted to give us some time to calm down and think."
"I can understand that, but why did she take my eldest niece with her?"
"Maybe it's because they usually get along well, or... because only Kiana isn't responsible for the events in Nagazora City."
Theresa's pupils shrank.
After holding her breath for a while, she put down the note and kicked the table leg a little angrily.
"Guessing is the most annoying! I want to tell her everything!"
"I've thought about it, really, I have, more than once."
"Himeko..."
"But I can't. Let's not talk about the fact that I am Mei and Bronya's teacher. Even if we don't consider their positions, can the child really bear to tear the warm campus apart and turn it into something else? Theresa, every time I think of this future, I feel scared."
This should be the first time Himeko told Theresa about her fears since they started working together.
Not only was Theresa stunned, but Himeko herself felt strange.
Since the Valkyrie Assault Team was completely wiped out in Siberia, as the last spark, Himeko thought she was no longer afraid of anything. Even if she died, she would finally catch up with Captain Ragnar.
Himeko recalled the captain and the team members from the past.
Theresa sat beside her in her trance. "Angel's A-rank promotion order."
"...Have you signed it?"
Himeko sat up suddenly with the certificate proving that all the formalities were complete.
Theresa nodded. "What else? The two East Shenzou Sea battles, one against Chiyou and one against the ELF, were no less significant than the Second Eruption War, and Angel performed extremely well. Especially this time, the recovery of the Gem of Serenity couldn't have happened without her desperately trying to entangle Shamash. In addition, she completed several highly-rated missions before. With such strength and experience, what reason do I have to suppress her?"
"That's true."
Himeko smiled bitterly. She is also a senior A-rank Valkyrie, but her mission experience before promotion doesn't compare to any East Shenzou Sea battle. It's better to say that Angel's experience is enough to be promoted to S-rank.
Think about it, could Rita do what she did?
In any way, Angel should not continue to stay at B-rank.
"In principle, after I pass, I must enter the Schicksal internal network and make it public within one month at the latest."
"In other words, we have to be prepared to face everything."
"Go tell Mei and Bronya... and explain to Fu Hua. After all, she is Angel's master; maybe she can help. Give yourself a few days off after you're done. Most of our people have recovered from their injuries and returned to work. You won't be needed in the next two days, and you're not welcome in the principal's office! Goodbye!"
Theresa pushed Himeko out the door. After that, leaning against the closed door, Theresa slowly sat down on the ground and sighed.
"Cecilia, I really have no way to deal with this kind of thing. If it were you, what would you do?"