Chương 13: Chapter 13: Dreaming to Be a Champion of Justice
"How about we chat instead?" Kiana rested her head on her knees, wearing an innocent and sweet smile. Her bright blue eyes shimmered enchantingly under the flickering firelight, evoking a sense of captivating beauty.
Zeke hesitated momentarily before lifting one corner of the quilt, gesturing for Kiana to join him underneath.
With a blink, Kiana crawled over and wrapped herself within the blanket.
As they lay close together, Zeke initially felt a chill, which swiftly dissipated as their combined warmth enveloped them, creating a cozy and comforting atmosphere throughout the quilt.
"So cozy (>.<)!" Kiana's eyes narrowed like a kitten's as she let out an adorable purr.
Zeke couldn't help but slightly curl his lips upward and asked,
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Hmm, there's so much! Like, did Zeke have any family before, where did you live, if there's anyone you miss, what you like, or what you want to do in the future, and so on."
"Why does it matter knowing all that? We've only known each other for two days!"
"Zeke, you big dummy!" Kiana gently bumped her head against Zeke's, puffing up her cheeks in apparent mild irritation. "The length of our friendship doesn't matter! As friends, we should learn more about each other!"
Rubbing the spot where their heads collided, Zeke felt a slight pain, yet curiously, his mood seemed uplifted.
"I don't have any family now. Before... I lived somewhere very, very far away, I suppose. There isn't anyone I particularly miss, and it's hard to say what my likes are. As for what I want to do in the future, probably just living quietly without too many worries."
"Woah, is that all you've got?"
"So, how much more do you expect me to reveal?"
"Alright then, considering we seem to be around the same age, it's normal not to have many experiences yet. On my end, I'm slightly better off—I still have that smelly old man of a dad who went missing. But, I think I had some illness when I was younger, which wiped out all my childhood memories. I don't know where I lived before, who my family or friends were; it's all a blank."
A look of sadness briefly crossed Kiana's face, but she quickly rallied and continued:
"The only relative I remember now is that smelly dad, and I miss him dearly. My goal is simply to find him as soon as possible. As for what I like..."
"Cake or snacks?" Zeke unexpectedly interjected.
Caught off guard, Kiana responded instinctively:
"I love both... Wait! What kind of person do you take me for? What I truly cherish most is fighting for justice. So, my future aspiration is undoubtedly to become a great hero, defending righteousness! Just wait and see!"
Kiana lifted her head, her lips curling upwards proudly, her face illuminated by the flickering firelight, filled with confidence and satisfaction.
Zeke stared at her intently, feeling as if something deep within his heart had been struck, unwilling to look away.
After a moment, Zeke slowly began: "A partner of justice, that's not a bad dream either. As it happens, I know a story about such a hero. Would you like to hear it?"
"Of course, start telling me."
"The tale begins in a peaceful city named Fuyuki..."
As night grew deeper, Zeke recounted the story of this mortal hero, weaving elements from the Holy Grail War framework with both borrowed and original details.
Initially captivated by the imaginative premise and thrilling opening, Kiana's bright, sparkling eyes brimmed with anticipation. Gradually, however, she couldn't resist the onset of weariness.
Considering how her consciousness was recently affected by the Herrscher of the Void, feeling drowsy was only natural.
Finally, amidst the softening cadence of Zeke's storytelling until silence fell, Kiana leaned against his shoulder and drifted off to sleep, breathing peacefully like a little girl.
Zeke gently pulled up the blanket, ensuring its warmth enveloped them securely, then closed his eyes, gradually letting his thoughts drift away.
The next morning, the sky cleared.
Underneath the azure heavens, only a few wispy clouds drifted lazily by. Within the frigid, snow-capped mountains, sunlight finally shone through after a long absence.
One couldn't expect warmth from winter sun, but it still lifted spirits somewhat.
"Wow! It's sunshine! What a beautiful snowy mountain!"
Kiana raised her arms high and sprinted freely across the snow, as if she could take flight just like that, filled with innocence and joy.
Even Zeke, typically strict, didn't want to disrupt Kiana's happiness amidst this scene.
Once Kiana had run her fill and returned to the cave entrance, flushed red, Zeke had already packed up the donkey cart.
Two reins were placed at the front for traction; they could be pulled uphill or used to brake downhill. The cart itself was laden with various supplies securely wrapped in canvas. Hidden beneath the edges of the canvas lay loaded pistols, ready to be drawn instantly for self-defense against any dangers encountered.
Zeke lifted a corner of the canvas, showing Kiana where the weapons were stored, then patted away the snowflakes clinging to her clothes before saying:
"We should get going."
"Do you know which way to go?"
"I've got a general sense of it; close enough. Just follow me."
"Okay, then hop on."
Kiana picked up both reins, one in each hand, ready to demonstrate her Herculean strength by pulling the cart solo.
Zeke blinked, taken aback. "You're gonna pull it yourself?"
"Well, yeah! You're so frail, Zeke. What if you start running a fever again halfway through? Don't worry, I'm incredibly strong—this weight is nothing for me. Go ahead and climb aboard!"
Shaking his head wordlessly, Zeke took one of the reins from Kiana's hands. "I designed two reins so we could each take one side."
"No way! In this freezing weather, getting sick would be seriously dangerous!"
Faced with Kiana's stubbornness, Zeke sighed helplessly, unsure how to explain his sudden recovery without mentioning Honkai Energy. Ultimately, he decided to approach it from a different angle:
"Based on my calculations, if we work together and push ourselves a bit, we should be able to reach the planned town before dark. There, we'll find warm lodgings and professional medical help—the best choice for us. If you go alone, our pace will undoubtedly slow down, forcing us to spend the night in these mountains. For me, that scenario carries higher risks."
"Is that so? Alright then, but please don't overexert yourself. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, let me know right away. Worst comes to worst, this young lady can give it her all and still make it to the town in time, even solo."
Kiana trusted Zeke's explanation without any suspicion.
Zeke rubbed his nose and looked up at the sky, feeling somewhat conflicted. While he had seamlessly evaded the truth, Kiana's unwavering trust stirred a sense of guilt within him.
Unaware of Zeke's internal struggle, Kiana continued wrapping the rope around her hand as she chattered, "Knowing how things turned out, you should have called me back earlier. By departing sooner, we might've reached our destination before darkness fell."
"You're right. I'll keep that in mind next time. Let's hurry and get going."
"Are you really okay, Zeke?"
"I've rested well and regained my energy; I might even surprise you this time. Let's go!"
Zeke wanted to prepare Kiana for his suddenly enhanced physical abilities.
He had already conducted some tests—his grip strength increased by approximately sixfold, while his jumping power improved by over four times. It was challenging to quantify other enhancements, and there wasn't much opportunity to test them now. Overall, his current physique should surpass that of a robust adult male slightly.
As for Kiana, she could effortlessly crush a bodybuilder in an arm-wrestling match, leaving him questioning both their muscles and life choices.
"Before we start, put these on."
"Huh? Sunglasses? You brought those too?"
"On a sunny day, snow-capped mountains look beautiful from afar. However, when you're amidst it, sunlight refracts unpredictably through ice and snow, creating intense and unstable light conditions along the way. This can be extremely taxing on human eyes. Don't let the present beauty fool you; without sunglasses, your vision will soon become strained."
"As expected of Zeke, noticing details others overlook! And they're even small-sized sunglasses, impressive!"
Kiana gave him a thumbs-up and happily put on her sunglasses.
With their rope tethered, they trudged through the snow, embarking on their journey forward.
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