Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

Zeke spent half a day sightseeing with Durandal and later shared dinner together.

Her personality was straightforward, almost rigidly so, but also quite genuine. By discussing Honkai and justice extensively, he easily gained her favor, leading her to address him by his first name.

"It's been delightful chatting with you. Goodnight, Zeke."

"Goodnight, Durandal."

After waving goodbye, Durandal headed to her quarters, while Rita followed closely behind Zeke, seemingly intent on attending to him until bedtime.

At a corner, they unexpectedly encountered Otto and Amber.

Being Otto's domain, if he desired, he could orchestrate chance meetings with anyone at any location.

"Good evening, dear friend. Did you enjoy your afternoon?"

"It's been quite enjoyable. If only I hadn't seen you; I probably would've slept better tonight."

"Your lack of tact remains unchanged," Rita replied dryly.

Zeke got straight to the point: "Perfect timing. Can you tell me where Fu Hua is?"

Since she wasn't at Schicksal Headquarters, Zeke had dispatched worker drones to search Taixuan Mountain without success. He then attempted hacking into satellites to scan surveillance footage worldwide. The data volume was immense, but given enough time, finding one person should have been possible.

Yet, still no trace of her.

Either Fu Hua intentionally concealed herself using some means, or Otto deliberately deleted and hid all relevant information. Even Schicksal's central archive yielded nothing useful.

Considering Fu Hua was one of Otto's hidden trump cards, multiple layers of secrecy were unsurprising.

Otto narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "Seeing as Dita and Durandal bore no fruit, you now seek my old friend?"

"Yes, regardless of whether we can recruit her, I'm highly interested in the Heartfelt Fist Technique and Taixuan Sword Qi."

"Why not ask me directly? I have both techniques, you know."

"Have you mastered them?"

"...No."

"Then what's with your bluster? It sounds like you've already got them under control."

Zeke shot a sidelong glance at Otto, his expression wooden yet filled with unmistakable disdain.

Taken aback, Otto shook his head with a smile.

"You seem to be growing increasingly disrespectful lately, don't you think?"

"Not really... Haven't I always been this way?"

"Nonsense! In the past, you addressed me as 'Mr. Otto' with utmost reverence! Where did that charming, well-behaved Zeke go?" Otto exaggerated his expression, almost appearing on the verge of tears—unfortunately, his acting was too clumsy. Whether intentional or simply poor skills remained unclear.

Zeke looked towards Amber.

Ashamed, she lowered her head.

He then turned back to Otto and sighed, "So, can you answer my question now?"

"No."

Otto regained his elegant and composed demeanor as he gave this curt response.

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Zeke, I've already made many concessions for you. You should know, I'm no pushover to be taken advantage of at will." Otto spoke with a cheerful smile, his dark purple bishop's robes shimmering deeply under the light. Despite his amiable expression, Rita felt a chill run through her heart.

Is it happening now?

Yesterday, Rita had noticed that despite appearing inseparable, there was something peculiar about the relationship between these two men. There were tangible clues too—her orders included not only attending to Sir Zeke but also guarding him closely whenever Director Otto was absent, hinting subtly at surveillance.

For years, the Lord Bishop had wielded absolute authority within Schicksal. The sudden emergence of Zeke Kaslana, adorned with numerous titles, could this be a proxy put forth by the Kaslana family? Might it actually signify a power struggle between Apocalypse and Kaslana factions?

As Rita pieced together more scenarios, she increasingly felt entangled in an extraordinary situation. She lowered her head further, striving to minimize her presence, unwilling to play any conspicuous role amidst such intrigue.

However, contrary to Rita's apprehensions, Zeke merely furrowed his brow innocently and complained:

"Is this where you draw the line? Didn't you tell me just yesterday that the world would bend to my will?"

"The world may yield for you, but not I, Otto Apocalypse."

"You're really wasting your time playing word games with me."

"Oh, come now, we're friends here. I trust you won't take offense."

Otto gazed at Zeke, smiling warmly.

As Zeke walked, he turned back towards Otto, mirroring his smile.

Similar bishop robes, similar smiles.

Despite their noticeable differences in height and appearance, Amber and Rita, following closely behind them, felt as if they were witnessing a reflection in a mirror amidst the pair's exchange.

"Fine then, I'll find another way."

"Forgive me, Zeke. He is also an old friend, and I must treat both of you fairly."

"Spare me the nonsense."

"All right, all right, let's drop it. By the way, where have you hidden Judgment of Shamash? Would you mind sharing that information with me? You know, there's a secretive group coveting this Divine Key too."

"I have my own plans; don't worry about it. It's certainly not for you anyway."

Engaging in light-hearted banter, the two continued down the long corridor, stepping into the night, exchanging words effortlessly amid laughter.

On his second night at Schicksal, Zeke woke up slightly irked once again the next morning.

Perhaps it was due to Otto?

Uncertain, he rubbed his eyes and yawned, feeling somewhat inclined to return home.

However, Zeke prided himself on possessing adult maturity, capable of overcoming such sentiments.

There were still numerous topics to discuss: Honkai Beast gene fusion techniques, machinery technologies, artificial Stigma development, cloning methodologies, Valkyrie Armor advancements... Otto's mind was a treasure trove, just as Schicksal Headquarters itself. Leaving without fully exploring these resources might not grant him such lenient access from Otto during his next visit.

After all, Otto's level of caution significantly differed between nurturing young prodigies and dealing with fully established ones—it was like night and day.

Moreover, as Kiana matured, Otto's Artificial Herrscher Project advanced steadily. By their next meeting, the atmosphere between them would undoubtedly shift.

"Rita, assist me with dressing."

"Yes, Sir Zeke."

In this manner, while delving into Otto's technological reserves daily, Zeke spent nearly half a month at Schicksal Headquarters.

Finally, after patiently waiting, he got to meet Vera Crowe again.

"Big Bro Zeke!"

"Good morning! Seems like you've gained some weight?" As the little girl sprinted towards him, Zeke caught her and lifted her up slightly, noticing the subtle difference in her weight.

"Big Bro Zeke!"

Though still soft-spoken, there was now a hint of embarrassed indignation in her voice.

Despite her young age, Vera had a keen awareness of being ladylike and was quite sensitive about her weight.

Zeke couldn't help but think—Such a mature kid for her age.

She was barely past toddlerhood; why worry about weight instead of focusing on growth and development?

He gently put her down, ruffled her fluffy hair, and flashed a genuinely warm smile.

"It's been a while. How have you been feeling?"

"Yes, I'm very healthy now! Kiana... I mean, Big Sister Kiana from before, isn't she here with you?" Vera tiptoed, searching behind Zeke, suspecting that Kiana might be hiding to play a prank. However, she found no trace of her friend.

Disappointment clearly showed on the little girl's face.

"Regarding Kiana, there was also an incident at her home, so she's tied up for now. However, she asked me to pass on her greetings and requested some photos of you."

"I see. Well then, please tell Big Sister Kiana that I'm doing great here, and I miss her dearly."

"Certainly. She misses you just as much; sometimes, she even whispers your name in her dreams."

"Really?"

With delight shining in Vera's eyes, Zeke nodded gently.

He picked her up, sat down, and placed her on his lap before turning to face Otto across from them.

"Vera mentioned 'the other Kiana' earlier. So, you've allowed our Kiana to interact with her?"

"It couldn't be helped. My young lady occasionally feels quite moody, and little Vera can get lonely by herself. Isn't it perfect if they play together?" As he sipped his tea, Otto flashed Little Vera a warm smile, projecting the image of a harmless, kind individual.

Zeke ruffled the girl's hair affectionately and offered her a snack, asking, "Is it truly that simple?"

"Just as simple as that. We're friends after all; why would I harbor any ill intentions?"

Otto's innocent grin belied his words.

Zeke remained silent, knowing better than to believe him. If these assurances were trustworthy, he'd be beating up the Final Herrscher tomorrow himself.

Holding little Vera, Zeke fell silent for a moment before asking a question he already knew the answer to: "Then, can I take Vera with me?"

"Best not to. Little Vera's condition is more complex than we anticipated. To prevent any relapse, I still recommend staying here for several more years; safety comes first. As for other matters, she has a long life ahead of her. There's no rush to leave until her full recovery is confirmed."

Otto sighed, seemingly genuinely concerned about Vera's well-being.

Zeke paused and then nodded silently.

He understood that Vera was both a potential sacrifice for the Artificial Herrscher Project and leverage against him. Regardless of his intentions, Otto would not let go of her easily.

Safety is paramount... Yes, keeping Vera here ensures her safety at least. If they were to depart, who knows how many unforeseen contingencies Otto had prepared?

Seeming to sense Zeke's unease, Vera patted his hand gently and looked up, saying:

"It's okay, Big Bro Zeke. Vera agrees, health is most important. Papa must think so too. So, Vera will stay here and diligently undergo regular check-ups. Besides, Young Lady treats me really well."

From Vera's optimistic words and expression, Zeke realized that Otto's influence had been quite effective—it appeared he hadn't done anything harmful to her either.

Zeke sighed with relief and raised his eyebrows, deliberately avoiding Robbins' heartache. With a smile, he asked, "The Young Lady... sister? That's what you call her?"

Vera nodded, grinning sweetly. "She doesn't let me call her Big Sister Kiana, saying it would be confusing with the other Big Sister Kiana. Big Bro Zeke, do you think these two Big Sister Kianas might actually be sisters? Young Lady won't tell me, and Uncle Otto didn't say either."

"...Yes, they're twin sisters. However, due to some family issues, their relationship may not be very close. But from what I see now, she hasn't taken any resentment out on you because of that."

"Nope, although Young Lady doesn't like smiling much and can look a bit scary, she's truly very nice. She gives me treats, tells me stories, helps comb my hair, teaches me reading, and even trains with me! She's amazing, just like Big Bro Zeke."

Zeke raised his eyebrows, genuinely surprised this time.

Was True Kiana naturally too kind-hearted, or did Little Vera have a special affinity for connecting with Kianas? And being compared to him—what exactly does that mean?

"Can I meet her?" Zeke asked, directing the question as much at Otto as at Vera.

"It seems not possible right now. Big Sister has been sleeping these past few days and says she doesn't want to see anyone. You came at an unfortunate time, Big Bro Zeke."

After hearing Vera's response, Zeke turned to Otto.

Otto's answer was a smiling shake of his head.

Well, it seems meeting True Kiana herself might not be achievable this time, somewhat disappointing.

Zeke then looked down at Vera and said:

"Since that young lady has been teaching you, I assume your studies haven't fallen behind? Just my luck, I brought along some test papers; let's use this opportunity for a quick assessment."

"Eh?!?"

"You know, learning is like rowing upstream - if you don't advance, you retreat. This test is necessary."

"Big Bro Zeke... you're mean!" Vera glared with her teary, wide eyes, utterly surprised that upon their reunion, the first "gift" from Zeke would actually be a pop quiz!