Honkai Impact: My Power Grows When Valkyries Fall For Me — Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Mei’s Gift

Tucking the note away, Lucian took a deep, steadying breath before turning to leave the security room.

Even though it was a holiday, he knew he couldn’t spend it relaxing. His birthday was important, yes, but the chilling warning scrawled on that paper made it impossible for him to enjoy a day of leisure with a clear conscience. The weight of it settled on his shoulders, steering his feet toward the training grounds.

——————

The vast training ground was quiet, the silence punctuated only by the low, ambient hum of machinery and Lucian’s own slightly ragged breathing.

He stood in the center of the Reaction Training Area, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Holographic light points flickered into existence before him, one after another, and he gripped the training pistol tightly, his movements becoming a blur of practiced motion.

Energy beams lanced out, accurately shattering target after target. The numbers on the electronic scoreboard overhead jumped with each successful hit. After two solid weeks of this grueling regimen, his performance had improved by leaps and bounds.

As the final light point disintegrated under his shot, Lucian lowered the training gun and let out a long, slow sigh. His chest rose and fell, the fabric of his shirt damp with sweat. He glanced up at the final score—‘81’—frozen on the screen. It was a world of difference from the dismal results he’d been getting just two weeks ago.

“Quite an improvement…” he muttered to himself, swiping the back of his hand across his brow to clear the sweat.

Just then, the door to the training room was pushed open with a soft hiss, and a figure walked in, her steps almost silent.

Lucian turned his head and saw Mei. She held two bottles of sports drink in her hands, a gentle smile gracing her features as she approached.

“Take a break,” she said, her voice as soft as her smile. “I saw you’ve been in here for a long time.”

Lucian offered a grateful nod, accepting the drink she offered. He twisted the cap open and took a long swallow, the cool liquid a welcome relief, washing away some of the bone-deep fatigue.

“What brings you here?” he asked, his voice a little hoarse.

“You weren’t in the security room today,” Mei explained, her own voice a soothing balm. “I guessed you’d probably be here.”

She walked to his side, her gaze drifting up to the large screen. Her eyebrows rose in mild surprise. “81 points… You’re making fast progress.”

Lucian followed her gaze, a hand instinctively going up to scratch the back of his head in a sheepish gesture. “It’s still a long way from a Valkyrie’s level.”

“Don’t put yourself down like that, Lucian.” Mei’s smile was warm and encouraging. The two of them found a bench at the edge of the training ground and sat down.

Lucian took a few more sips of his drink, feeling the cool liquid slide down his throat and chase away the last vestiges of his exhaustion. He watched Mei as she sat beside him, her presence a calm anchor in the sterile training room. He could see a swirl of emotions in her amethyst eyes, though he couldn’t quite decipher them.

“Oh, right…” As if suddenly remembering something, Mei reached into her small bag and pulled out a palm-sized, carefully wrapped square box.

“Happy birthday, Lucian.” Her smile softened. “I know the official celebration is tonight… but I wanted to give this to you first.”

Lucian looked at the small box, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “What’s this?”

He took the carefully wrapped gift. It had a solid, reassuring weight in his hand. He looked up from the box to Mei’s face. The girl’s profile, illuminated by the stark overhead lights of the training room, was rendered in soft, gentle lines.

“You can open it and see,” Mei said softly. Her fingers unconsciously toyed with the corner of her shirt, a subtle gesture that betrayed a hint of nervousness.

Lucian nodded and carefully lifted the lid. Nestled inside on a bed of soft fabric was a simple, ancient-styled purple magatama necklace. The comma-shaped stone was about the size of his thumb joint, its entire body a deep, warm crimson-purple that seemed to absorb the light.

“This is…”

He picked it up gently. The magatama shimmered with a restrained, inner luster under the lights.

“It’s a necklace I made myself,” Mei confessed, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s not made from any precious materials, just ordinary jade. I carved it myself.”

She finally met his gaze, a trace of shy vulnerability in her eyes. “I just thought… purple suits your eyes. And… I hope it can bring you a little luck and peace.”

Her voice was so soft, laced with a shyness that was almost imperceptible. She watched him, her breath held, waiting for his reaction.

Lucian’s fingertips gently stroked the smooth, warm surface of the magatama. He looked from the stone to Mei’s expectant eyes, a hint of an indescribable stirring in his chest.

“You carved it yourself…” His voice was thick with surprise and something more, something he couldn’t name.

He raised his eyes to meet hers again. In the deep purple of her irises, he could clearly see the reflection of his own stunned face.

“Thank you, Mei,” he said, his voice sincere.

He lifted the necklace from the box and, after a moment’s hesitation, put it on. The magatama came to rest just below his collarbone, its cool touch a stark contrast against his skin before it was quickly warmed by his body heat.

“How does it look?” he asked.

Mei’s gaze fell to his neck. The touch of deep purple rested quietly there, a perfect, almost fated complement to his features. Her heart gave a sudden, sharp thump against her ribs. She quickly averted her eyes, a faint blush warming her cheeks.

“Mm… It suits you very well,” she said softly.

“In that case,” Lucian said, a thoughtful smile touching his lips, “I should give you a gift too, Mei.”

He extended his right hand, palm facing up. A faint purple light began to gather there, and the ambient Honkai Energy in the room seemed to answer an invisible call, flowing in thin, shimmering threads toward his palm.

“Huh?” Mei looked confused. “But today is your birthday. Why are you giving me a gift instead?”

“Gifts don’t have to be only for birthdays,” he replied, his eyes focused on the growing light. “Consider it my return gift.”

The light slowly coalesced, taking shape and solidifying until it formed an exquisite hair ornament. Its main body was a purple Iris bud, poised as if on the verge of blooming, the veins on its petals impossibly clear. It didn’t have the crystalline, artificial texture of a construct, but rather the delicate, organic feel of a real flower.

“This is…” Mei breathed, her eyes wide.

“It’s made from Honkai Energy,” Lucian explained, gently offering it to her. “Its structure is very stable. It won’t dissipate or release any errant energy.” He paused, a self-deprecating smile on his face. “It’s… probably the most ‘delicate’ thing I can make at the moment.”

Mei carefully took the hair ornament from his hand, placing it in her own palm to examine it more closely.

“It really won’t dissipate?” she asked, marveling at its craftsmanship.

“As long as I don’t die,” Lucian said, his tone surprisingly serious, “it will maintain this form.”

“It’s very beautiful…” she whispered.

Lucian’s smile widened. “I’m glad you like it. Shall I help you put it on?”

Mei was startled for a moment, then a fresh blush bloomed across her cheeks. She gave a small, shy nod. “Mm.”

She turned around, presenting her back to him, her deep purple hair cascading down like a silken waterfall. Lucian’s fingers brushed against the soft strands as he pinned the Iris ornament slightly behind her ear. His movements were a little clumsy, betraying his inexperience, but they were gentle.

“Done.”

Mei turned back around, her hand rising to gently touch the hair ornament. The Iris adorned her hair perfectly, nestled in just the right spot.

“Thank you…” she said, her gaze soft as she looked at Lucian. “I really like it.”

Their eyes met, and for a long moment, the air grew thick with unspoken feelings. The atmosphere became charged, intimate—

BANG!

The training room door was slammed open with explosive force.

“Lucian! I knew you’d be here!”

Kiana burst in like a silver-and-white hurricane, her signature braid swaying wildly with her energetic movements. Her sharp eyes immediately spotted Lucian and Mei standing close together, and she skidded to a halt, her gaze sweeping back and forth between them.

“Huh? You two… what are you doing?” Kiana blinked her big, curious eyes, her tone dripping with suspicion.

Mei instinctively took half a step back, the blush that had just faded from her face returning with a vengeance. “K-Kiana? What brings you here?”

“I’m here to find Lucian, of course!” Kiana declared, marching right up to them. “Aunt Himeko said it’s his birthday today and we’re celebrating tonight, so she told me to come find him early and see what he’s up to…”

She planted herself in front of Lucian, pinching her chin thoughtfully as she tilted her head, scrutinizing him from top to bottom like a detective examining a clue.

“And here you are, hiding with Mei… Hmm?”

Her gaze shifted, darting from the purple magatama on Lucian’s neck to the new Iris hair ornament on Mei’s head. Her eyes narrowed.

Seeing Kiana’s theatrical display, Lucian felt a familiar mix of amusement and exasperation.

“I was just training,” he explained patiently. “This necklace is a birthday gift from Mei.”

“A gift?”

Kiana’s attention was immediately captured. She leaned in closer to Lucian, her nose almost touching his chest as she stared at the purple magatama.

“This? Mei gave it to you?”

“Mm-hmm.” Lucian nodded.

Kiana’s head swiveled to look at the Iris in Mei’s hair. “And this? Lucian gave it to you?”

Mei nodded gently. “Yes.”

“Oh…” Kiana drew the syllable out, her expression shifting from suspicion to dawning comprehension, which was then immediately replaced by a look of undisguised displeasure.

Her eyes swept between Lucian and Mei one last time, a pout forming on her lips. Her gaze finally settled on Lucian, pinning him in place.

“Then where’s my gift?”