Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

Inside the grand hall of the Golden Courtyard,

In the snowy white courtyard villa, the interior of the grand hall was filled with an entirely different sense of comfort and relaxation.

Compared to Vill-V's previously refurbished villa, this place was far more thoughtfully designed in terms of functionality. It also provided warmth, making it even more comfortable.

"Ah, that scared me to death, Luo Mo… I thought you were planning to drop another emotional bomb in this animation too?"

Startled by the sudden blue screen at the end of the video, Elysia patted her chest, looking visibly worried.

After all, this was a product from that company!

No matter how you put it, they had quite the reputation… for their love of hidden emotional gut punches.

Even though this really did look like a peaceful daily life in the Golden Courtyard, one couldn't help but wonder, would it suddenly turn into something like Elysian Realm, where in the end, only tragic souls remained?

The peaceful conclusion for the characters was, of course, something Elysia didn't dislike. But that didn't mean the sorrow woven into the story was any less real.

An all members perish ending… No matter how you looked at it, that was far from the best possible outcome.

On the other hand…

"Hm… A short slice-of-life segment in the Golden Courtyard? Haha, did you really observe us and then create a short film about it, Luo Mo? That's quite an interesting idea."

Vill-V smacked the table, loudly exclaiming in admiration.

"It's just like what people online have been saying: What if they lived in a normal world without Honkai? And you actually went and made it happen."

"But honestly, if such a world really existed, we wouldn't have been able to meet each other."

She smiled playfully, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

At the moment, she wasn't wearing her usual magician's hat. Her light brown hair, slightly curled at the ends, was full of energy, just like her bright and lively personality.

"Like what Ellie said at the beginning, our meeting itself was already a rare miracle… But what if, somehow, it was possible?"

Luo Mo rested his chin on one hand, casually responding.

Indeed… Vill-V made a good point!

Hearing the online comments, he immediately went and created this response for the players. A company that cared this much about its fans, surely, people would be thrilled?

Curious, he opened his private messages to check the latest reactions and comments.

And then… he wordlessly closed them.

They still thought it was another emotional gut punch? Some even suspected this time the hidden tragedy was buried extra deep?

Why was this happening?

Luo Mo was utterly confused.

"Anyway…"

Elysia stretched out the word playfully, drawing everyone's attention before chuckling, "As expected of me, huh? I've really become a trending blogger. I've wanted to do something like this for a while now."

"Looks like even in an alternate world, I still have the same ambitions♪"

"But turning it into a sneaky way to slack off at work… Shouldn't we at least apologize properly?"

Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she covered her mouth with a laugh, making no effort to hide her amusement.

Still, she didn't forget to check in on Kevin,

"Kevin, what do you think about your job? Griseo is still just as adorable as ever!"

"A signature…? Huh? That's not a career path I ever considered."

Kevin hesitated before shaking his head slightly.

He had always thought his job would involve physical labor, he was more skilled at playing basketball, for example…

Never did he expect it to be signing autographs instead. In a way, though, this was still a test of physical endurance.

"I don't think I'm particularly cute… It's just too much, I'm afraid of freezing. This outfit is too thick."

Older Griseo muttered under her breath.

She had heard about the festival being celebrated here and had started visiting frequently.

However, Uncle Su had warned her that until she passed the necessary evaluations, she should remain an observer and avoid interfering with the world's natural development.

Yes, that tower… That grand tower.

She had always wanted to see it, but in the end, she never agreed. Besides, given the other party's current status, it probably wouldn't be easy to meet them either.

"It's just… it's too thick. I don't even wear this many layers right now!"

Little Griseo's ahoge perked up as she protested, mimicking her older counterpart's unhappy expression.

And she had a reason for saying so.

In the anime, when Griseo appeared closer in view, it became obvious that her outfit was different from usual…

A few large words appeared on the screen: Previous Day, Golden Courtyard Dining Table… Where?

Apparently, after receiving the Valkyrie Dining Table, they were surprised to find that the Golden Courtyard… had no dining table at all.

After a long and exhausting day, Kevin returned home carrying a bag of flour, only to be met with a pair of large, innocent, and sparkling eyes.

A pair of bright purple eyes blinked at him, seemingly confused as to why someone was blocking the way.

Her blue hair was tightly wrapped under a hat and scarf, covering her ears snugly. She even wore fuzzy earmuffs for extra warmth. Dressed in a soft pink wool coat, she looked round and cozy—forming a stark contrast with Kosma, who stood beside her in a heavy overcoat.

Griseo looked at him with bright anticipation.

Kevin had no choice but to step aside and curiously ask her a question.

"Mm," Griseo nodded, blinking her big eyes. "Kosma said this is something that can only be done at night."

Kevin tilted his head slightly, staring at the dark-haired boy.

It was as if nothing was said. And at the same time, everything was said.

Kosma sighed and covered his face with his hand, looking exasperated.

Meanwhile, Griseo was full of excitement. She finally pulled her hands out from her oversized sleeves, raising one above her head in a strange pose while holding a bundle of sparklers in the other.

Then, with a completely serious expression, she recited:

"A true hero must brave the long night and ignite a spark of hope for the new dawn!"

And then—

In the total silence, she held out the sparklers in front of her and earnestly asked:

"Kosma bought a lot. Do you want to join us?"

Cold. And silence.

The freezing wind carried flurries of snow across the doorstep, making the sparklers in her hand seem almost like a joke.

Kosma hesitated, then awkwardly turned back, taking Griseo inside…

As for the words Griseo had just spoken, it wasn't hard to guess who had taught her.

----------

In the Golden Courtyard.

While the name matched the animation, the setting was completely different, blended with various small inventions powered by Honkai Energy.

But settling in that kind of warmth felt very similar on the inside.

"Is it only at night that we can do such things?"

Theresa furrowed her brows deeply. The moment she heard those words, her face turned slightly red as she glared at Kosma.

As a teacher, she was quite angry.

"Haha—well, it's not exactly wrong, but… when it comes from Griseo's mouth, it inevitably takes on a different nuance," Irene remarked with a laugh.

"…This is just… a misunderstanding."

Kosma gave up trying to explain. Or perhaps, ever since that initial moment when Griseo said Kosma liked children under 12, he had already given up resisting.

He just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly, or drag on for so long.

"Lighting a spark of hope for the Newborn Flame… but is it just fireworks? That really is very much like Kosma. And that hand gesture—it feels oddly familiar," Elysia commented as she lightly clapped her hands, making Kosma feel even more awkward.

"Ugh…"

Hua smacked her forehead, recalling something.

That hand gesture was indeed very familiar—the confident and commanding style of movement Elysia had taught.

Even though, looking back, Kosma seemed quite interested.

---------

Meanwhile, in the video being played in the grand hall, things were even livelier.

It wasn't about the number of people present, but rather what they were doing.

Clearly, everyone was making dumplings, preparing a feast for the New Year's Eve dinner.

First, there was the health-conscious group: Hua and Su. Around them, the atmosphere was peaceful and calm.

Hua was in charge of meticulously wiping the table, both hands firmly pressing down on the rolling pin as she skillfully kneaded the dough. Though there was still a hint of inexperience, it was clear she was quite proficient at it.

Beside her, Su had his eyes closed as he used chopsticks with precision, carefully stitching the dumpling wrappers together using a small clip. The patterns he created were perfect.

His dexterity was remarkable, skills he had learned from work manifesting even in this simple task. His hands moved like fluttering butterflies, effortlessly weaving through the process… so much so that Hua, watching from the side, became completely dazed.

She seriously wondered whether her eyesight was failing her or if Su's technique was just too bizarre.

Was this dumpling-making, or a surgical procedure?

"Uh… Su, we don't wrap dumplings like this where I'm from."

"Maybe it's just a regional difference?"

Su calmly responded, not slowing down at all. Even with his eyes closed, his highly difficult movements were fluid, as if second nature. With a final flourish of the clip, He secured the dumpling wrapper with a perfect finishing touch.

A flawless shape!

"..." Kevin was at a loss for words.

----

[What kind of "regional difference" is this?! Who the hell wraps dumplings like that?]

[Internal force · Dough Rolling! Look, look! Hua-sensei is using secret techniques, soft force kneading!]

["Occupational Hazard"—but no mental illness!]

---

But eventually, Kevin found a topic to focus on. Perhaps it was because of their close friendship, or because he understood Su too well, either way, he didn't argue with his technique.

Instead, he started asking about what the others at the table were doing.

And, well, it wasn't his fault. Even if Kevin still had a long way to go in improving his cooking skills, he was at least interested in making noodles. Observing and analyzing things was something he was good at.

But what his friends were doing…

It had reached a point where he simply couldn't comprehend it.

Over there, a seasoned martial artist in a pink apron was tossing a sheet of dough high into the air, spinning it mid-flight. The moment it landed, he immediately struck it with both fists, moving at such high speed that afterimages trailed behind him.

Flour scattered through the air like a snowstorm as he burst into crazed laughter:

"Hahaha, battle time!"

Then, he attacked the dough even more fiercely, not so much kneading it as declaring war against some unseen enemy.

Beside him, Mobius hadn't even bothered to put her tools away. She was holding a test tube filled with an eerie green liquid. If it weren't for the setting, one might think she was conducting some sort of horrifying experiment.

Just then, a certain green-haired, cat-eared mechanical assistant rushed by at full speed, knocking the test tube over. A few drops landed on the dough, instantly dyeing it green.

Vill-V took the opportunity to grab the hand crank of a machine, capturing the green-haired Klein and further modifying the situation.

So really, it was no wonder Kevin was confused.

But in the next moment, Elysia playfully pushed him forward to try it himself. Faced with her enthusiasm, it was truly difficult to refuse.

Noodles and dumplings—surely, they weren't that different, right?

"Meow—"

In another corner, a large ragdoll cat stretched lazily, arched its back, and promptly fell back into a deep sleep.

Bathed in the warm glow of the golden lights, no one paid attention to it.

Elsewhere, under Griseo's expectant gaze, Kosma finally gave in to the pressure and handed over some of his dough.

And then…

Griseo proceeded to mold the dumplings into various strange shapes.

Everyone was doing their best to make dumplings. Even Kevin had joined in.

Unfortunately…

His dumplings were constantly falling apart.

Just like he had said before, he had never done this before.

(T/C: the Kaslana LoL~)

-----------

In the Golden Courtyard's hall

"Uh... Are you guys really making dumplings like this?"

Theresa was extremely shocked. Even though she wasn't very knowledgeable about making dumplings, the way those people in the video were doing it seemed quite strange.

Everyone's movements felt fresh and unusual.

But in certain matters that were traditionally simple and unchanging, this wasn't necessarily a complete compliment.

Clearly, Theresa, the academy dean, was both fearful and amazed.

"... I don't know. I've never seen anyone make them this way before, but I suppose it's not impossible?"

"Besides... I-I also want to try making soft, cute dumplings like these."

The older Griseo shook her head in confusion, offering her explanation.

"It's hard to say about the others. But Kalpas and Mobius, their precision is surprisingly accurate. How interesting. That green-haired robot, does it represent Klein or is it Vill-V mocking Mobius?"

Elysia asked with curiosity.

She had never imagined that something like this could be a simultaneous food festival event.

Making dumplings together, truthfully, she really wanted to experience it herself~

…Speaking of which, what exactly makes the dumplings pink? Are they adding some special ingredient?

As she pondered, she also paid attention to the others' responses.

"I actually hope it's not Klein... That would be a disaster. Not only would Griseo be chasing after it, but Vill-V would also be trying to 'fix' it."

Mobius tossed the thought aside with some distaste.

If a robot like that appeared in the Fire Moth base, she would have to track down the source and deal with it properly.

But in the video... Hmph, she'd let it slide for Klein's sake.

"Dumplings, huh... I wonder if modern civilization has made any progress in their techniques?"

Hua spoke softly, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

She was also looking forward to seeing how things had developed, especially from such a close perspective.

"Ha!—I'm not trying to justify anything! But when wiping one's face, you have to control the force carefully. If there's no strength at all, how can the dumplings turn out well?"

Kalpas scoffed coldly, taking this minor matter quite seriously.

Clearly, he was really explaining himself, though still as stubborn as ever.

"There are many ways to make dumplings, and the methods vary wildly. But with all the talents gathered here... In the end, we might end up with around thirteen different types of dumplings."

Luo Mo frowned slightly, smiling as he spoke.

Of course, he was exaggerating. Even within that group of stuffed-animal-wearing MiMi characters, there was at least one lazy person…

Speaking of which, no one actually thought that thing was some kind of bizarre fusion between a napkin flower and a canned good, right?

No matter what, he wouldn't make something that weird!

That would be outright terrifying.

"Isn't this... incredibly interesting? Why not? Everyone's approach is unique..."

Elysia's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Luo Mo by the shoulders.

She was absolutely set on this idea.

"Forgive my bluntness... But making dumplings—dumplings... Fine, we'll just make them together tonight."

Hua sighed and lowered her head in resignation.

She couldn't understand how a simple, traditional dish could end up with thirteen different variations... Just imagining the taste was unsettling.

She didn't even want to think about it.

"I want dumplings! Kosma..."

Little Griseo's eyes sparkled like stars as she placed her hands in front of her chest, staring at Kosma with an eager gaze that he couldn't resist.

At this moment, she looked just as lively as a character in an animated film—her cuteness rivaling even her animated self.

So, in silence, Kosma could only give a gentle nod, signaling his agreement.