Chapter 600 - 600: Turned Into Gacha?! - 600

Kiana was pulled back to reality by Firefly's voice.

She was in a bad way. Was she hungry? Naturally, she was, but whether it was to make up for something or simply a form of self-punishment, Kiana's only answer to that question was silence.

"You should get some rest. I'll go prepare something to eat."

Seeing her like this, Firefly knew she needed space. Without saying another word, she left the room.

She could certainly help with the physical side of things, but the mental wounds were something only Kiana could sort out for herself.

There hadn't even been time for introductions; their brief, first encounter ended just like that.

With no one else around, Kiana finally let herself fall back onto the bed.

The unfamiliar scent lingering on the pillow drifted into her nose, belatedly. Despite the strange surroundings and the strange smell, it gave her a sense of relaxation she hadn't felt in a very long time.

'If the situation is truly as that girl described, then it's possible she and the pilot of that mech are not on the same side. Perhaps the mech pilot discovered your condition and had you brought here for treatment.'

After saying this, Fu Hua looked at the distracted Kiana and added a reminder: 'Kiana, you cannot keep engaging in such high-intensity combat. I told you last time—this will only make your body deteriorate further. Not only will you fall into even greater danger, but you will also make all the efforts of your friends and mentors go to waste.'

"Do you really have the nerve to bring them up?"

Gone was the fiery rage and shouting from before; Kiana's retort was unnervingly calm. She had vaguely guessed by now that Fu Hua was, in fact, on her side and genuinely wanted to help her.

But wasn't it a little too late for that now?

Even if she knew Fu Hua might have had her reasons, she no longer had the heart to try and understand them.

On this point, Fu Hua could only respond with silence.

Neither spoke again, and the silence between them stretched on for nearly half an hour, until a knock at the door finally shattered the heavy atmosphere.

"Are you resting?"

Firefly's voice followed: "I've prepared some food. If you're awake, would you like to come eat with me?"

"..."

After a moment of thought, the white-haired girl sat up. Regardless of anything else, the fact remained that this person had helped her. Her body felt much lighter now, and that was all thanks to her; at the very least, she owed her a face-to-face thank you.

Thinking of her earlier silence and indifference, a wave of guilt washed over Kiana. Only then did she notice she hadn't even taken her shoes off, leaving clear, dusty prints on the pristine white sheets.

Then again, she had been unconscious—hardly a good time to be worrying about footwear.

"Coming."

Kiana felt awkward looking at her own dusty white Valkyrie armor and sports jacket, but she walked to the door and opened it quickly.

"Sorry, I made a mess of your bed and floor... I'll clean it up in a bit!"

The living room was just as she had imagined—filled with warm-toned lighting and an inviting layout.

The same light-colored wallpaper from the bedroom added a bit of character, further enhancing the room's cozy atmosphere.

Seeing Kiana standing at the door, Firefly smiled. Even though she already knew her name, she asked, "It's alright. But before that, would you mind telling me your name?"

"Ah... I'm... Kiana." The girl's face stiffened slightly, but she managed to force a smile.

"I'm Firefly."

Seeming not to notice Kiana's mood, Firefly introduced herself and turned toward the dining table.

I don't smell any dinner, Kiana thought, puzzled. There was no aroma of a meal, but the scent of butter and bread was overwhelming.

Her confusion didn't last long. When they arrived at the table and saw an array of different cakes laid out, even Kiana, with all her troubles, fell into a stunned silence.

"What do you think? It's not too bad, right? I learned these from the net. I've tried them a few times, and the results were pretty good!"

Seeming to crave validation and a positive review, Firefly looked at Kiana with eyes full of anticipation.

"...Uh... haha, they all look delicious! I can practically taste the sweetness already without even having a bite!" Kiana was certain she must look like a total airhead right now.

After all, that laugh was completely forced.

She didn't dislike desserts—in fact, she loved them. For her, sweets were the best way to satisfy her appetite and relax her mind. But... calling dessert "dinner" was...

Wait, Firefly didn't actually say "dinner." She just said she was preparing "food."

"Um... Firefly, is this what you usually eat for dinner?" Kiana couldn't help but ask.

"Hm... not exactly. I occasionally eat at restaurants outside, and I make some Xianzhou-style dishes sometimes..." Seeing that Kiana didn't look entirely satisfied, Firefly's gaze drifted away.

"But... since this is my first time hosting a guest, I wanted to make something I was most confident in..."

As she spoke, she pointed to the cake rolls, which were the most numerous items on the table.

They were brown on the outside with a beige, tree-ring-like spiral in the center. It looked exactly like a piece of a tree that had been sawed through.

"Ah... ahahaha, it looks so exquisite! And the color is so unique, I've never seen a cake roll like this before!" Kiana scrambled to offer comfort.

She grabbed a fork and dug into the cake roll with an air of practiced familiarity, but she immediately felt a strange sensation.

Before she could think about what that sensation was, she shoved a piece into her mouth.

"Mmph—!!!"

Hard. That was Kiana's first reaction.

It wasn't that it was impossible to chew—with Kiana's teeth, she could probably crush actual wood if she really wanted to—but for a cake, it had an unnecessary amount of toughness and hardness.

There was a gritty texture in there that should have been bran, but in this cake, it was distractingly prominent.

A woody aroma erupted in her mouth; the rough texture, combined with a sensation akin to chewing on a branch and releasing essential oils, made the entire experience feel like a strange, chewable challenge.

But... this is a cake, right? Why am I getting all these sensations from a cake?

Chewing like a machine, she finally managed to swallow the bite. Kiana's smile was hanging by a thread.

"What a... unique sensation. This is my first time having a cake like this."

Hearing this, Firefly didn't smile. Seeing Kiana's strained expression, she looked a bit disappointed.

"Hm... if you don't really like the taste, Kiana, you don't have to force yourself. I know this isn't exactly for everyone."

...Oh, so it wasn't a side effect of Honkai radiation messing with my taste buds after all?

Kiana was speechless.

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T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL