When Takatsuki returned to the Familia, it was already past midnight, and then he saw an unexpected person.
"Kiana!? Why are you at the door?"
It was Kiana sitting on the steps at the entrance. She seemed to have been sitting there for a long time. As soon as she heard Takatsuki's voice, she immediately looked up, and after confirming it was Takatsuki, she immediately jumped up and rushed towards Takatsuki, grabbing his shoulders.
"Takatsuki! Hestia said you know about my past! Is that right!"
Upon hearing Kiana's words, Takatsuki knew Hestia had sold him out.
"Yes, didn't she tell you?"
However, Takatsuki remembered telling her, but Kiana's answer quickly resolved Takatsuki's confusion: "Hestia told me you know about my past and my origins, Takatsuki… can you tell me…?"
Looking at Kiana, who seemed eager to know, Takatsuki sighed: "Alright, what do you want to know?"
"Everything! Who exactly am I, and why was I born, and… why did that idiot old man adopt me…"
The more she spoke, the lower Kiana's head dropped, and the weaker her grip became. Although Hestia seemed to have somehow soothed her emotions, she was now filled with confusion.
"Then, let's start with Sirin's story."
Takatsuki put an arm around Kiana's waist and led her to sit on the steps by the door. If it were the usual Kiana, she would have rebelled by now, but at this moment, she offered no resistance, allowing Takatsuki to lead her to sit down.
Takatsuki was not good at storytelling; he merely summarized what he knew. But compared to others, Kiana seemed to empathize with what Takatsuki said, and was more deeply affected.
"Finally, Sirin wished that if there was an afterlife, she hoped to truly become Cecilia's daughter."
Sirin's story wasn't long. Perhaps the war lasted a long time, but Takatsuki didn't need to detail those events, merely mentioning them briefly, as he couldn't remember them clearly. Although he had once briefly looked at what netizens had summarized about the situation at the time, Takatsuki hadn't paid much attention, or rather, he only focused on Sirin's final redemption, which was also a poignant part of that time.
"After recovering Sirin's Herrscher Core, Ottar, the Archbishop of Schicksal, in order to gain the power of the Herrscher of the Void to complete his plan, initiated an experiment called the Sirin Project. This involved implanting Herrscher Cores into clones to create a controllable Herrscher of the Void. And you, Kiana, K423, were the only successful product. Sirin's soul entered your body from the Herrscher Core, giving rise to two personalities: one born from hope and wishes for the future, and one born bearing past memories and pain."
The story shifted from the Second Eruption to the true Kiana, Siegfried, and Theresa's plan to rescue K423. Takatsuki had played this part in the Chronicles and read some fanfiction, so he knew a bit about it, plus some embellishment…
The story continued to Siegfried sacrificing his arm to suppress the Herrscher of the Void, and then deliberately keeping his distance from Kiana, even following her, to avoid provoking the Herrscher of the Void.
"So, that stinky old man was always around me! And you knew too, Takatsuki! You didn't tell me!"
Hearing this, Kiana became somewhat agitated. She had never imagined that she had always lived in a lie, even if that lie was for her own good.
"Takatsuki, you once said you knew me when I was very young. Was that a lie too? My sister is already dead… and I've taken her place, and you already knew my origins…"
Hearing Kiana's words, Takatsuki showed a puzzled expression: "Your sister? She's not dead."
"!!!!"
Kiana immediately looked up: "But, wasn't she hit in the head and fell out of the airship? And that stinky old man also…"
"Siegfried just thought she died. After all, he wouldn't have been able to look for her at the time. If no one else helped, she probably would have died for sure. And Kiana, although you think I've been deceiving you, in reality, the Kiana we know has always been only you."
Takatsuki shook his head and said seriously to Kiana.
"But I… took away my sister's place and identity…"
"She originally wanted to give you a reason to live, and she also accepted you as her family, so she treated you as her younger sister and went to save you. So if she knew about this, she wouldn't be angry about it; instead, she would be happy for you."
Kiana lowered her head, seemingly pondering Takatsuki's words. Takatsuki did not disturb her, as the information in these matters was a bit overwhelming, and even an outsider would need some time to accept it, let alone the person involved.
"Takatsuki, do you know my older sister?"
It was a while before Kiana suddenly spoke.
"Sort of, but she doesn't know me."
Durandal, who wouldn't know her? The Strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal. But she probably doesn't know him.
"I want to see her. I want to ask her in person..."
"Uh..." Kiana's words made Takatsuki awkward: "Her memories were erased by Ottar. She doesn't remember her past anymore. But she already has a new name, experiences, and life. If you go to ask her abruptly, you'll only bother her."
"But she must want to find her past! And she can't be kept in the dark by Ottar!"
...
Hearing Kiana's words, Takatsuki was speechless and could only say: "Actually, she's doing very well now and isn't very bothered by her past."
After listening to Takatsuki's words, Kiana suddenly grabbed Takatsuki's hand and revealed a familiar yet sly smile: "I want to see her! I want to see the truth with my own eyes! Takatsuki, I haven't settled the score with you for all the times you've deceived and hidden things from me! If you can help me, I'll let this matter go."
"It's 'wipe the slate clean,' don't use it if you don't know how. You're really something."
In the end, Takatsuki realized that Kiana's emotions had actually returned to normal. After all, that was her personality; she liked to bury many things deep in her heart and bear them alone. Takatsuki didn't know how much Kiana had chosen to shoulder by herself, but at least, he could fulfill her small wish. Anyway, he had already spoiled so much, so let the plot collapse!
"She is Schicksal's Strongest Valkyrie, Bianka Durandal Ataegina."
Takatsuki slowly spoke the true Kiana's current name, and seeing Kiana's shocked expression, he revealed a playful smile: "So, Kiana, you're the same person, and you even have a Herrscher Core inside you. Why is your older sister the Strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, while you're still just a B-rank Valkyrie?"
"Strongest... I can do it too! Annoying Takatsuki! You just watch me! I want to see her! Let's go to Schicksal to see her after we get back!"
Kiana stubbornly retorted a couple of times, but she hadn't forgotten her initial goal.
"Going directly is definitely not an option. Do you understand the consequences if Ottar finds out the truth about you?"
Takatsuki specifically mentioned Schicksal for this reason. After all, the other party wasn't just any ordinary Valkyrie, but Schicksal's most important Valkyrie.
"Then what should we do! Takatsuki, you have to think of a way! You promised me! If I don't get to see my sister, this miss will never forgive you!"
By the end, Kiana directly used a girl's privilege and resorted to being unreasonable.