Honkai: Strijder

Chapter 58

The next day, the group boarded the return flight.

They had already spent three days on their trip, so it wasn’t a disappointing experience.

The incident of Kiana falling off the cliff had cast a shadow over the final leg of the journey.

Kiana was leaning against Sigurd’s chest.

The seats were quite spacious, and since both of them were children, they fit comfortably together.

Kiana wriggled in his embrace.

“Sig, they said I’m fine. I want to sit on my own.”

“Don’t make a fuss. I’m going to take a nap.”

Considering that she still had bandages on her head, Sigurd didn’t tap her on the head this time.

He just closed his eyes and ordered softly.

Kiana pouted but didn’t resist. She adjusted her position a bit to make herself more comfortable.

“Sig, you should gain some weight. Your bones are poking me.”@@@@

Actually, rather than him being too skinny, the reason why he is like that is mainly because he was too small.

Over the past half year, Kiana’s clothes had gone up a size, but Sigurd hadn’t changed much.

Half a year ago, when they sat like this, Kiana felt just right.

Now, she felt a bit cramped.

“Enough chattering...”

Sigurd’s voice was weak as he spoke.

He lightly patted her hand on his back and gradually settled into even breathing.

Sensing Sigurd’s change, Kiana quieted down completely.

Nestled in Sigurd’s arms, she sighed soundlessly.

Turning her head, she saw Sin Mal looking at her with a smile full of meaning.

Seeing Kiana’s gaze, Sin Mal put her index finger to her lips:

“Shh!”

Kiana mimicked covering her mouth, nodding vigorously.

Then, the only sounds in their ears were the rumble of the engines and Sigurd’s steady heartbeat.

Soon, Kiana yawned.

“Yes! Thank you for your understanding. We will reinforce our training and discipline to ensure that such errors never happen again!”

“Very well, work hard. By the way, would you be interested in joining the Starfire Faction? Unlike the Radicals, we are a united and respectful faction, and we won’t place spies among your ranks.”

“Well, this...”

Until the plane landed, Sigurd, who had awakened incompletely, listened with indifference to Cocolia trying to sway the Snow Fox Squad’s loyalty.

Captain Bronk obviously looked somewhat uncertain.

Cocolia was offering a generous reward, displaying excellent attitude, and considering the prior blunder of the Snow Fox Squad, along with the unsettling actions of the Radicals, Bronk felt torn.

Cocolia took out a white card, a pure white one with no extra text or patterns, only a sequence of black digits etched on the card’s surface.

“My contact information. You can consider it and let me know your decision.”

“Yes, we will... consider it carefully.”

Bronksolemnly accepted the card.

From the moment she took the card,Bronk’s only option was to join. The variables were whether he joined voluntarily or was marginalized by the Radicals and then compelled to join.

“Ha~”

Sigurd yawned, nonchalantly disregarding Cocolia’s manipulations.

Managing forces was Cocolia’s hobby, not his.

As for his own hobbies...

“Sig!”

A certain white-haired patient darted toward him like a cannonball, stumbling him in his not fully awakened state.

“I remembered! You said that if I performed better in training, I’d get a month’s supply of high-class pastries! Quickly tell me the result, did I win?”

Kiana grabbed Sigurd’s hand, bouncing with excitement.

She was completely unaware... that from the time they met until now, aside from the initial period of austerity, had Sigurd ever given her anything other than the cheaper types of pastries?

Sigurd patted his slightly aching back where Kiana had collided with him, casting her a faint glance.

Even though she had bandages on, Kaslana’s constitution was no joke, and her lively appearance clearly indicated that she wasn’t a wounded patient.

Locking her throat, pressing her down, and delivering an unmerciful knee strike to her abdomen, he stated unequivocally:

Splurt—

“No pastries for you today.”

After delivering this message, he looked at Kiana writhing on the ground in apparent pain. A pleased smile played at the corners of his lips.

This hobby... was... not right! How could this be a hobby!?

Sigurd covered his face and took a step back, feeling like something was amiss.