บท 110: Bronya's warning

Ring….Ring….

The bell chimed, its echo signaling the end of class, and a welcomed break.

Adam stood up with Mei and Kiana, not even bothering to take a bento with him

Why would he?

No, he didn't take a bento because he didn't need to eat, and neither did he not take one because he already ate honkai beast balls….

It was just that-

With Mei- the Herrscher of Cooking- by his side, the silver-haired boy did not need to concern himself with making a bento

After all, Mei's bentos are always so delicious. And when giving a bento to him, she always looks like a gentle wife looking after her husband

With such a pleasant and enjoyable experience, why would he need to make extra effort and prepare food for himself?

He does occasionally enjoy cooking… But still, most times he does it out of necessity

-Or well, he did that in the past. Now he just eats monsters and strange substances

"Let's go to our usual spot"

Stepping out in the hallway with his hands in his pockets, Adam spoke out to Kiana and Mei who were beside him

"Yeah! Let's go! I can't wait to eat Mei-senpai's cooking!! "

Kiana smiled brightly, a small skip in her steps

"Ah- No offense, Adam-senpai!" She paused slightly, shifting her eyes towards him "It's just that… Well, I don't know how to explain it… It's like your cooked meals are missing… something?"

She tilted her head with doubt, clearly confused as she struggled to explain her strange feelings

"Don't worry" Adam shook his head, not perturbed at all "And I agree with you. I also like Mei's cooking more than mine"

True, Kiana is sharp. His cooking certainly misses something

-It lacks 'heart'

No, literally. This is not a pompous metaphor, but that's just how it is

He is literally mechanically following techniques and recipes from the vast knowledge stored in his mind from the internet

Beyond the fact that he has no motivation to cook as his body doesn't need sustenance…

He also wants to make the best food possible whenever he cooks, so he either mechanically cooks, or lets [Great Sage] guide his movements

What? It's not that he is lazy! He is just teaching [Great Sage] the joys of cooking.

He obviously wants her to have fond memories of both of them cooking together!

[(¬⤙¬ )]

….

"Besides…" Snapping out of his thoughts, Adam glanced at Mei "It feels great to have someone show their care to you by cooking you a delicious meal…"

He smiled at the purple-haired girl

"-Especially when that someone is a beautiful girl like Mei"

The blonde(?)'s voice at the end took a teasing note. Though this was his honest opinion

"Mhm…."

The aforementioned girl smiled shyly, cheeks reddening at his words

"T-thank you" Her eyelashes fluttered as she fidgeted "And I also like cooking for you, too"

Mei's smile widened as she looked at Adam, though her cheeks were still in a pink hue out of shyness

"Mou~! Mei-senpai, Adam-senpai, are you two ignoring me again!?"

Kiana's annoyed voice interrupted their subtle 'flirting'

"You two…." She pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest "Honestly, you are always like this!"

The white-haired girl stomped on the ground, huffing as she turned her head away while the pout was still present on her face

"Heh"

Seeing her like this, Adam couldn't help but chuckle

"...."

Mei said nothing, only smiling widely at Kiana

"Hmph!"

-Which caused the Kaslana to pout and huff even harder

…

"Wait."

A soft, almost mechanical voice interrupted them, stopping them in their tracks

They turned around as one, startled by the familiar yet unnervingly calm voice.

And there she was

Bronya, the new, silver-haired transfer student with blank eyes who is also the daughter of the new president of ME corporation

"The new transfer student- Bronya-san?"

Mei asked, tilting her head slightly in concern.

"....." Kiana narrowed her eyes, her usual enthusiasm dimming into suspicion.

"What is it?"

Adam tilted his head at Bronya casually

"....."

Bronya didn't answer immediately.

She lowered her eyes briefly, eyelashes fluttering as she seemed to gather herself.

When she looked back up, her expression was as blank as ever, but there was a strange intensity in her silver eyes, as if she were wrestling with something heavy

"Matruska wants to talk to you"

The new transfer student spoke out, her voice quiet but firm.

"Oh, really?" Adam sneered, his expression hardening "I have nothing to discuss with that woman. Tell her to stop bothering me"

He turned, hands in his pockets, clearly intending to leave,

"Wait-!"

The sudden urgency in her tone surprised them all.

She took a step forward, her silver eyes darting between Adam and Mei, and for the first time, an emotion flickered across her blank face.

Distress.

"Bronya… implores you…." She said softly. Her gaze lingered on Mei, her expression finally breaking into something close to pleading. "Please… leave Nagazora City."

"Leave Nagazora?"

Mei's voice was gentle yet firm, her brows knitting together in confusion as she stepped closer to Adam

"Bronya-san, why are you saying this? We have no reason to leave."

"Yes!" Kiana chimed in, her voice rising, full of spirited energy. She clenched her fists in front of her. "This is our city too! Mei-senpai, Adam-senpai, and I—we're not going anywhere without a good reason!"

Bronya's eyes, normally blank and cool, flickered with something unreadable, though her expression remained carefully neutral.

She stared directly at Adam, her gaze unnervingly steady.

"Bronya understands…" she said, voice emotionless as always. "Bronya is merely… following orders. Matrushka is adamant that you must leave Nagazora immediately. There will be… consequences if you don't."

The blond(?) boy's face hardened, a dangerous sharpness creeping into his normally relaxed expression.

"Consequences?" He repeated coldly, turning to face Bronya fully. "Does that woman think she can do whatever she wants without suffering from 'consequences' herself?"

The new transfer student held his gaze, and in that moment, a spark of understanding flickered in her silver eyes.

"Bronya is not privy to the details," She murmured. "However, Matrushka has… dangerous plans. Plans that….. involve you"

"Tch!" Kiana's face twisted in anger, her usual cheer replaced by an uncharacteristic scowl as she positioned herself between Adam and Bronya, as if ready to shield him. "Tell that 'Matrushka' she can shove her 'plans'. If she tries anything, she'll have to deal with me!"

"Kiana…"

Mei began softly, gently placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"....."

Kiana quieted, but her eyes never left Bronya, still blazing with protective determination.

"Bronya-san…" Mei stepped forward, her tone more understanding. "If your… 'Matrushka' has something against us, then why not tell us what it is? We can help."

"You misunderstand"

The silver-haired girl's eyes softened, a hint of conflict evident in the slight downturn of her mouth..

"Matrushka does not require your assistance… but only your absence." She glanced meaningfully at Adam. "And you, especially. She doesn't want you affected"

"Haha… I didn't expect that woman to still care about me" Adam gave an obviously fake laugh, eyes flashing briefly. "But let her try. Whatever she's plotting, I'm not afraid."

"Adam…" Bronya's face betrayed no emotion, but her hands clenched slightly, a subtle tension running through her posture. "If you don't leave, then Bronya will have no choice but to force you."

Something seem to flicker behind her. But it disappeared right after, like an illusion

"Bronya-san, wait!" The purple-haired girl's eyes widened. "This doesn't have to end in a fight. Can't we find a solution without any… violence?"

"Yes, exactly!" The white-haired girl burst in, her arms crossed defiantly. "You don't want to fight us, and we definitely don't want to fight you. So why are you listening to that woman anyway?"

"....."

The new transfer student faltered, her mouth opening slightly as if to respond, but no words came.

After a pause, she finally straightened, her expression once again locked into cool neutrality.

"Bronya…. has her reasons"

With that, she turned away, disappearing into the crowd, leaving the three of them to stand in tense silence.

…

Kiana and Mei stood frozen, watching as Bronya's silver hair disappeared into the bustling crowd of students in the hallway.

The tension lingered, and the air around them felt charged with a strange energy.

After a moment of silence, Kiana turned to Adam, eyebrows raised, suspicion creeping into her gaze.

"Adam-senpai, how do you know her?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I mean, she just transferred in today, right? And she's already giving you weird, ominous warnings about leaving town?"

Mei's brow furrowed as she turned to him as well.

"Kiana's right… We've never seen her before, and yet, she knew exactly who you are. And… it felt like there was some sort of history between you two." Her voice softened, but her eyes remained focused on him. "Do you… know her from somewhere?"

Adam stayed silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed in the direction Bronya had gone.

"...."

His normally relaxed expression was apprehensive, eyebrows furrowed as if he were choosing his words carefully

The blond(?) boy let out a long breath before turning back to them, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were serious.

"Yeah," he admitted finally, putting his hands in his pockets once more "I know her. Bronya and I… let's just say that we had been companions for a time"

"Really?" Kiana's eyes widened, her curiosity piqued. "When? And what's up with this 'Matrushka' she kept talking about?"

"That's… complicated." Adam hesitated, his gaze drifting away again. "The woman Bronya calls 'Mother' is…. Uh- let's just say crazy. That is also why I left her permanently"

"But now she's back….." Mei murmured, a worried look crossing her face. "And she sent Bronya to give you that warning?"

"Yeah…." The silver-haired boy's tone lengthened, eyes narrowing "She is crazy, but she never purposely does anything without purpose. If she's sending Bronya to try to convince me to leave, then…. Something will happen very soon"

"Well, if she wants a fight, she'll get one!" Kiana's initial suspicion was quickly replaced with determination as she put a hand on Adam's shoulder. "And we're not letting you face her alone!"

"Exactly" Mei agreed, her voice steady, though a hint of worry remained in her eyes. "If that woman is trying to hurt you, then we are not leaving you . We're your friends, Adam, and you shouldn't face this alone"

"Thanks" Adam gave a small smile, his gaze softening "I appreciate it…. Though Mei, I don't think you should get involved"

"Why…?"

The purple haired girl asked him, a small frown on her face

"As you are right now…. Well, saying that you are a burden would be too harsh…. But you really shouldn't mess with that woman, trust me, it won't turn out well"

He closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping him

"....."

Mei's eyes turned downcast, biting her lip as she clenched her fists

"I see…."

She replied simply, disappointment present in her voice. But she still chose to trust his judgment

…

As they began to walk toward their usual spot, Kiana's curiosity got the better of her again. "But seriously, Adam-senpai… who is this 'Matrushka', exactly?"

"She's… a cadre of a very powerful organization that controls one part of the world" Adam's expression grew darker. "I genuinely have no idea how she got that position, but there is no denying the fact that she can mobilize a formidable force that can crush armies"

He didn't seem concerned at all by the fact that she could mobilize such an army.

In fact, it seemed as though he was just befuddled and confused as to why and how that woman got into such a position of power

"Actually, she was someone who was a decent person with good intentions" He smiled wryly, but there wasn't any humor in his eyes. "But something happened, and…. She changed. In fact, I have no doubt that she wouldn't mind sacrificing an entire city for her goals"

The Kaslana's eyes widened, and Mei's hand went to her mouth in shock.

"She's that powerful and ruthless?"

The purple-haired swordsman whispered, her tone a mix of sympathy and horror.

"She's powerful in status, yeah." The blond(?) boy nodded slowly. "But she's also brutal, and she won't stop until she gets what she wants. And right now, she wants me out of Nagazora. Whatever, she is planning, it is something that can indirectly endanger me…. So she wants me to get out of this place"

"Well, too bad for her! " Kiana clenched her fists, her expression fierce. "You're here, and we're not going to let some creepy major organization cadre scare us out of town!"

"If she's truly that dangerous…. we'll just have to be wary." Mei nodded firmly, her gaze blazing sharply "And if she does something that will endanger you, Adam, then we have to be even more careful"

"...."

Adam didn't say anything. His blue eyes continued to dart between Kiana and Mei rapidly

….

Truthfully, he had expected the silver-haired girl to transfer to this class eventually

After all, even though he interacted with Bronya, Seele, and Cocolia when they were at the orphanage, he didn't change much plot-wise

So Cocolia would still go through with causing a honkai eruption, and she would obviously send Bronya here to carry out her will

…But, he never expected Bronya out of all people to personally come to him and warn him

Actually, he didn't expect that crazy woman Cocolia to still be a bit sane and care about him enough so that she would send Bronya to warn him and make him leave Nagazora City

No, actually, was this done out of Bronya's will, or was it on Cocolia's order?

He really couldn't say for sure

Adam had a great relationship with the silver-haired girl in the past… But after he stopped visiting that Orphanage, he never contacted them again, so he is not so sure now

….

"Don't do anything reckless"

Adam sighed as he looked at the two determined girls in front of him

….

Unfortunately, Bronya came to him and warned him bluntly when he was with Kiana and Mei

So now, they knew something was wrong, and were also worried

But now, what else can he say? If these girls want to get involved, he won't stop them

Why would he?

Adam is not a dumbass who will shoulder every burden by himself, especially when his other companions want to share this burden, yet also have the capability to do so at the same time

Honestly… If he didn't have any power, Adam would indeed be shameless enough to hug Kiana, Mei, and Bronya's thighs, so they could protect him

What was that? Hiding behind a powerful woman and letting her take care of you is shameful?

Adam would like to go on Twitter and cancel whoever said that, by calling them a 'misogynist'

Unfortunately(Fortunately), there is no Twitter in the Honkai world

But still, he will never stop Kiana and Mei from doing whatever they think is right. On the contrary, he will guide them so they are more prepared

Still though….

Seeing the determination in Kiana's and Mei's faces, he felt a strange warmth—a reassurance that he didn't have to carry this, and other burdens on his own.

…

Ring…. Ring…..

The bell chimed once again, signaling the end of the break.

"Mei, Kiana…."

The blonde(?) boy looked at the two girls who were on both his sides

With a beautiful and lively silver-haired girl on his left side, and a pretty and gentle purple-haired girl on his right….. Adam felt that he was a winner in life

"Ahem, let's not talk about this anymore" He coughed, eyes darting between the two girls "Break is over, so let's go to class"

"Adam-senpai…" The white-haired warrior's face fell immediately, her lips pressing into a pout "Who cares about school now? We should be making a plan to stop this 'Matrushka' villain and save Nagazora! This is serious!"

It seemed that after the weird transfer student left, Kiana reverted back to her usual cheerful self

"Kiana-chan…."

"Let's forget about this for now"

Adam waved his hand in dismissal, interrupting Mei

"We need to go to class…" He raised an eyebrow, a smirk slowly appearing on his face "And Kiana, isn't that the perfect opportunity for you to interact with her?"

"Eh? Interact? With her?" Kiana tilted her head, blinking in confusion "Aren't you two familiar? So shouldn't you be the one to interact with her, Adam-senpai?"

"Maybe" The boy shrugged, raising an eyebrow at her "But aren't you curious?"

"...."

The white-haired girl remained silent

...

----------------

A/N:

Haha, you thought Adam only knew Bianka, but it was also her, Bronya!

... And some other little girls

...

Anyway, I have subtly foreshadowed that Adam actually visited the Cocolia Orphanage. He did that after he left the Orphanage where Bianka was present

For more details, you will find out in the next episodes of Dragon Ba-

Ahem, anyway.

This was a longer chapter because yesterday was the day that celebrated my soul descending upon this world.

So even though the interactions with Bronya were awkward, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter.