Honkai Impact: My Power Grows When Valkyries Fall For Me — Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Kiana Outside the Window

He watched as Rita boarded another small aircraft that had been waiting on the tarmac. The drone of its engines swelled, then gradually faded as the craft lifted off, finally vanishing into the deep night sky above St. Freya.

Only Lucian and Theresa remained on the landing pad. A cool sea breeze swept past, brushing the long bangs from Lucian’s forehead.

Theresa looked up, her expression exceptionally serious under the stark lights of the helipad as she scrutinized him from head to toe.

“Besides your hair getting longer,” she began, her voice tight with concern, “do you feel unwell anywhere else?”

“What about your eyes? Is your vision affected? Does your body feel sore? Do you feel any… disorder in your energy?”

The barrage of questions left Lucian a bit overwhelmed. He managed an awkward smile. “I’m fine, Theresa. Really.”

“It’s just my hair,” he added, gesturing to the black strands that kept falling into his eyes. “It’s a little in the way. Otherwise, I feel no different than usual.”

Theresa’s small brow furrowed, clearly unsatisfied with his answer. “No. Tomorrow, you’re coming with me to the Medical Department for a full checkup. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“But…”

Lucian started to decline, but the genuine worry swimming in Theresa’s eyes made him swallow the words. Knowing her, if he refused now, she would probably just drag him there by the ear tomorrow morning.

“…I understand,” he conceded with a sigh.

“That’s more like it…” Theresa’s expression softened slightly, though the crease between her brows remained as she turned her gaze back to Lucian’s hair. After a moment of thought, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and reached out a hand.

Lucian instinctively leaned down, watching as her hand moved toward the back of his head.

Her fingers were cool to the touch. She gently gathered the strands of hair that were obscuring his vision and tucked them neatly behind his ear.

“Eh?”

The gesture was so natural, so unexpectedly intimate, that Lucian froze. A subtle tension ran through his body, and he found himself holding his breath.

Theresa didn’t seem to notice his reaction. After she was done, she took half a step back, looked up to examine her handiwork, and then nodded in satisfaction.

“Is that more comfortable?”

“Yeah… thanks.” Lucian nodded, raising a hand to touch the earlobe her fingers had just brushed against.

“Come on,” Theresa said, turning away. Her small figure cast a long, slanted shadow under the lights. “I’ll walk you back to the dormitory.”

“I can go back by myself. You should get some rest too, Theresa.”

“Stop nagging and just come with me,” she retorted without looking back, her tone leaving no room for argument. “It’s not that far anyway.”

Lucian shook his head with a helpless smile and had no choice but to follow.

——————

St. Freya Academy was exceptionally quiet at night. The two walked side-by-side along the moonlit path leading to the dormitory area, the sound of their footsteps a soft, rhythmic counterpoint to the silent campus.

Lucian’s long hair swayed gently with his steps. He instinctively raised a hand to tidy it again, but Theresa’s light laugh stopped him.

“Don’t keep messing with it; you’ll get used to it.” She sounded like a seasoned veteran imparting wisdom. “Look at how long my hair is. Have I ever complained that it’s in the way?”

Lucian glanced at Theresa’s shoulder-length silver hair, which was indeed combed neatly and held back from her face.

‘But isn’t that because you have it tied up with a hairband?’he thought.’Meanwhile, my hair is just a loose, messy mop…’

“…You’re different, Theresa,” he said aloud.

“What’s different?” she asked, tilting her head. Then, as if a mischievous thought had struck her, the corners of her mouth curled into a playful arc. “Oh~ You don’t think it’s strange for a boy to have long hair, do you?”

“I’m just not used to it.”

“That’s true. It’ll be better once you tie it up when you get back.” She turned her head, scrutinizing him again. Moonlight cascaded over his loose black hair, making his purple eyes seem exceptionally calm in the darkness. “Maybe Kiana and the others will even find it novel.”

A hint of anticipation for a good show colored her tone.

The corner of Lucian’s mouth twitched helplessly. He didn’t respond, but he could already imagine the over-the-top reaction Kiana would have when she saw him like this.

The two soon arrived in front of his dormitory. The small villa stood silently under the moon, its windows dark and empty.

“We’re here.” Theresa stopped and looked up at the single-occupancy dormitory that belonged to Lucian. “Get some good rest. I’ll come find you tomorrow morning to go to the Medical Department, so don’t even think about sleeping in.”

“I know, Headmaster,” Lucian replied with a hint of a weary smile.

“That’s more like it.” Theresa nodded in satisfaction, then waved her small hand. “Sleep early. I’m leaving.”

With that, she turned and walked toward her own dormitory.

Lucian stood at the entrance, watching until her figure disappeared into the night. Only then did he turn, take out his key, and open the door.

It was pitch black inside. He didn’t turn on the light immediately, instead using the pale moonlight filtering through the window to handle to the floor-length mirror in the living room.

The figure in the mirror was blurry in the gloom, but the cascade of unnaturally long black hair was still clearly visible. He quietly stared at his reflection for a long time.

Finally, he reached out, his fingertips touching the cool surface of the mirror as if to confirm the reality of the image staring back at him.

“It’s so long…” he murmured to himself. His tone lacked any real resistance, containing only a faint, resigned helplessness.

He went to the bathroom for a quick wash. As the water streamed through his hair, the feeling of its weight became more apparent. He found himself carefully washing and combing the long strands, a careful process that felt strangely foreign, like something a girl would do.

After blow-drying his hair, he returned to the bedroom and lay down. The long locks scattered across the pillow, a tactile sensation completely different from anything he had experienced before.

The feeling was somewhat novel, but the moment Lucian rolled over, a section of his hair got pinned beneath him, tugging at his scalp with a slight, stinging pain.

He had to shift his position to free it. Just as he settled, the phone by his pillow suddenly lit up, letting out a soft buzz.

Lucian raised an eyebrow and picked it up. It was a message from Kiana.

【Idiot Desk Mate: Are you asleep?】

Looking at the familiar, affectionate nickname on the screen, the corners of Lucian’s mouth curled up involuntarily as his fingertips tapped out a reply.

【Lucian: Not yet, just got in bed. What’s up?】

The reply came almost instantly.

【Idiot Desk Mate: Nothing much, just asking if your mission went smoothly and if you’re back.】

【Lucian: It went well. I’m already back in my dorm.】

【Idiot Desk Mate: That’s good! Any injuries?】

【Lucian: No, everything is fine.】

After a brief pause, another message popped up on the screen.

【Idiot Desk Mate: Um…】

【Idiot Desk Mate: I can’t really sleep. Can I come see you? Just for a bit!】

【Lucian: Theresa is letting you leave the dorm?】

After he sent the message, the other side of the screen went quiet. Just as Lucian was wondering if Kiana had been thwarted by one of Himeko’s iron-fisted curfews, a new reply appeared.

【Idiot Desk Mate: Hehe, this lady has her ways! Wait for me!】

Lucian shook his head with a fond, helpless smile. That girl was always so unpredictable.

He didn’t reply again. Instead, he put down his phone, got up to turn on the bedside lamp, and casually gathered his scattered hair before leaning against the headboard to wait.

About ten minutes later, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible rustling sound came from outside the window.

He listened intently. He could vaguely make out the sound of bushes being carefully pushed aside, followed by a very light thud, as if something had landed softly on the grass.

“?”

Curious, he got up and walked to the window, pulling back a corner of the curtain. By the dim glow of the landscape lights in the courtyard, he saw a white figure sneaking around, squatting by the flowerbed just outside his window and looking up toward his room.

It was Kiana.

She was in her pajamas, her silver hair a conspicuous beacon in the darkness.

Looking at her hunched-over, comically stealthy form, Lucian felt a wave of both amusement and exasperation.

He gently pushed open the window. The cool night breeze rushed in, carrying with it a faint, familiar scent that was uniquely Kiana.

“Come in quickly, it’s cold outside.”

He stepped aside to make room. Kiana didn’t need to be told twice. She immediately scrambled through the open window and into his room with surprising agility.

“Hehe,” she chirped, dusting off her hands with a triumphant grin. “Pretty impressive, right~”