Night.
The bright moon sat high in the frosty sky, quietly looking down upon St. Freya Academy.
The windows of the Valkyrie dormitory were all dark; it was long past lights-out.
Bronya tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
In the past, she stayed up late playing games, but tonight was completely different.
Bronya put down her handheld console, her mind filled with her "husband's" powerful… muscles.
The dream was continuous. It seemed such a thing was possible.
But for Bronya to actually feel comfortable, that feeling was unprecedented…
Why was this happening?
That kind of dream, that kind of content, that kind of craving…
Was Bronya a sexually frustrated girl?
Or was this just what puberty was like?
Doesn't Kiana also make insect-like chirps at night?
Idiot Kiana was far more unrestrained than Bronya.
So, this must be normal.
All girls in puberty go through this.
…Probably?
In that case, would she dream of it again tonight?
Healthy legs, a career she loved,
Riding her beloved motorcycle through the city at dusk,
And… a considerate husband, a warm home.
Were these the things Bronya craved in her heart?
If not, why did she keep dreaming about them?
Bronya squeezed her eyes shut, tossing and turning restlessly.
---o---
The night grew deeper. A faint, thin mist rose from the small grove outside the window.
In the desolate late autumn, the cold moonlight shone upon the buildings, casting a pale white veil over the snowy campus.
Bronya opened her eyes.
It was another beautiful morning.
Big Duck Duck woke up in the warm embrace of her husband. The feeling of them holding each other was not repulsive.
The bedsheets, warmed by their body heat, made one reluctant to leave.
Big Duck Duck's smooth, fair legs were wrapped around Ye Feng's, as if she were hugging a pillow, wishing she could melt into him.
Realizing her own posture, a trace of shyness flashed across Bronya's face.
She carefully tried to move her legs, wanting to get away.
The moment she was about to move, she met her husband's eyes.
Bronya's heart panicked, and she froze.
The two of them stared at each other.
"Good morning."
His gentle voice was as refreshing as a clear blue sky.
Bronya felt like her ears were about to get pregnant.
Her husband's voice was truly pleasant, especially when he was on top of her, "inquiring" about things. The contrast held an even greater charm.
It was intoxicating.
"G-Good morning…"
The two of them shared a pillow, lying very close to each other.
When they spoke, their warm breath would puff onto the other's face.
"Even the scent of Big Duck Duck in the morning is so fresh."
"Eeeh?"
"…Don't suddenly say things like that."
Bronya's smooth, fair face was as red and hot as a cooked crab.
Bronya had never heard words of love before.
Though this didn't quite count as a pickup line; it was a genuine expression from her husband.
But it was more moving than any pickup line.
Flustered, Bronya shrank her head under the covers.
Then, she quietly peeked out again, revealing only a pair of clear and bright, silver-gray eyes.
"…Bronya is hungry. Bronya wants to eat the noodles you make."
"You little glutton."
Ye Feng flicked Big Duck Duck's smooth forehead and got up to head out of the bedroom.
Bronya clutched the sheets and watched her husband's back, her heart filled with a serene tranquility.
And a little bit of warmth.
---o---
On the way to work today, Bronya was once again the one driving the motorcycle, with Ye Feng sitting behind her.
She sped along, half-worried about traffic police appearing.
Bronya didn't remember how her license had been revoked last time.
But her husband had been able to get it back so easily… it must have something to do with [Schicksal], right?
Bronya had learned from publicly available information on [Schicksal]'s internal network:
The Honkai was over. The Herrscher of the End had been stopped at the moon.
Sealed by their own hands, everyone had become heroes of that war.
The former Schicksal Overseer, Otto Apocalypse, had died in the line of duty, and his position was inherited by his granddaughter, Theresa.
The world had welcomed an era of peace.
Cause for celebration, pass the Coca-Cola.
Nowadays, [Schicksal] had gradually stepped into the public eye, occasionally appearing in the mass media.
But even heroes had to obey traffic laws.
She sped past the blue and white sign that read, "Unsafe driving, family members shed two rows of tears," at 180 km/h. Another three kilometers and they would be at the company.
Bronya took off her helmet, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight.
"My wife is so cool."
Ye Feng looked at Big Duck Duck with an adoring gaze.
Bronya was clearly enjoying it, but was too embarrassed to show it, so she could only change the subject.
"Aratoh is about to enter open beta. We still have a lot of work to do."
"Don't be too nervous. The feedback from the closed beta was great. Even Kiana played it and said it was good."
…Kiana?
Speaking of which, she had dreamt of Kiana and the others again last night.
Her time at the academy was truly nostalgic.
She wondered how they were doing now… Once this game's open beta is over, she would go see them.
But, Kiana was a beta tester?
Could her feedback data really be trusted?
…It should be fine. Bronya had looked it over herself, and it was indeed very interesting.
It could stimulate the player's potential for skillful operation.
"The closer we get to the final stages, the less we can afford to be careless."
"That's true. This is the Bronya I know."
"Mm, let's go up."
---o---
Her days at the company were fulfilling, though her days at home were also fulfilling.
But they were two completely different experiences.
The only thing they had in common was that they were both very happy.
And these two joys, in turn, brought even more joy.
Bronya had obtained a happiness that felt like a dream.
Work was enjoyable.
Developing the game was fun.
The feeling of working hard together with her husband was also something she had never felt before.
Discussing the game's design, jointly anticipating the results after its release.
Moving toward the same goal.
The clock on the wall unknowingly ticked past midnight.
Big Duck Duck was pulled into the restroom by Ye Feng.
"??"
It took a moment for Bronya to realize. "Why did you bring me here?"
"Mhm, that's right. To do it."
"?"
Bronya met Ye Feng's eyes and understood her husband's needs.
Her heart panicked, and she tried to bolt for the door.
But she was held from behind by Ye Feng.
His hands wrapped around Big Duck Duck's waist; it was slender and soft.
"Good wife, if I don't replenish my Duck Duck energy soon, I'm going to wither away."
Wh-What energy?
"…Don't be like this. Let's… go home…?"
"Big Duck Duck is too charming. I can't wait that long. Besides, you said not in the office, so here is fine, right?"
"Eh? That's not what Bronya meant… N-No, not in here… Mmmph~~"
Under Ye Feng's assertiveness, Big Duck Duck was on her tiptoes, half-pushing and half-complying as she was pulled into a stall by him, her hands braced on the toilet lid.
However, she didn't notice that in another stall, a camera was aimed right at them…