Honkai Star Rail: My Chat Group is Full of Broken Timelines — Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Firefly Couldn’t Sleep, Either

“Going to the Sky-Faring Commission to pick up the starship will have to wait,” Kazuki mused, stroking his chin. ‘Great-Uncle knows, which means Sister Yukong has definitely gotten the news by now. If I show my face over there, I’m guaranteed to get an earful.’

With that thought, Kazuki decided to simply walk home. His residence wasn’t far from the Seat of Divine Foresight to begin with; it was a pleasant ten-minute stroll.

He pushed open the heavy, vermilion-lacquered main gate, locking it securely behind him. Then, he pressed a hidden switch on the courtyard wall, activating the anti-eavesdropping array. A faint blue lattice of light pulsed once between the seams of the bricks before vanishing, blanketing the small courtyard in an invisible, soundproof barrier.

Kazuki opened the chat group interface. He had been glancing at the messages sporadically on his way back. While others would occasionally chime in with a word or two, Firefly’s replies were always instantaneous, as if her eyes were glued to the screen.

He thought for a moment before tagging her directly.

【Cliffhanger King: @Titania II, I’m all set on my end. You can apply to enter my world now.】

【Titania II: Okay.】

Her message appeared the very instant he sent his. The next second, a new prompt materialized on the interface: [Group Member (Titania II) has requested to enter your world.]

The moment Kazuki tapped “Approve,” a soft globe of white light began to swirl in the center of the courtyard. As the light gently faded, it revealed a girl clad in a form-fitting, silver-white combat suit.

White hair cascaded over her shoulders, the tips still shimmering with a faint, residual glow. Her glassy eyes, wide with a quiet curiosity, took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

“Group Owner Kazuki… is this your world?” She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the artificial rockery in the corner, the lotus pads floating in the pond, the cool pavilion nestled under the veranda, and the maple tree, its leaves beginning to shed their crimson splendor.

These scenes were skillfully condensed within the confines of the small courtyard, lacking the impressive grandeur of famous mountains and great rivers, but possessing a perfectly balanced, intimate elegance.

For Firefly, this was the most tranquil scene she had ever witnessed, a world away from the acrid smoke of gunpowder and the chitinous shrieks of the Swarm. There was only the gentle rustling of leaves caressed by the evening breeze.

Seeing the quiet wonder sparkling in her eyes, Kazuki was suddenly reminded of an old saying: “If she is inexperienced in the world, show her all its splendor; if she has weathered life’s storms, take her on a Merry-Go-Round.”

Strangely enough, Firefly seemed to be a perfect fusion of both. As a girl, she was truly a novice to the ways of the world; years of relentless warfare had left her with gaps in even the most basic common sense.

But as a soldier of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, Firefly was a veteran among veterans, someone who had truly weathered the fiercest storms life could throw at her. Taking her on a Merry-Go-Round right now would probably make her immensely happy.

While Kazuki was lost in his thoughts, Firefly had already wandered over to the edge of his pond, her attention captured by the fish swimming contentedly within their small world.

“What are you looking at?” Kazuki walked over, following her gaze. To be honest, he wasn’t particularly fond of keeping fish. He’d only stocked the pond because a friend had insisted, “A pond without fish is just stagnant water,” and had unceremoniously shoved a few Koi into his hands. An automatic feeder took care of them, so he rarely paid the little creatures any mind.

“What are these creatures?” Firefly’s voice was laced with genuine curiosity, her fingertip hovering just above the water’s surface.

“They’re carp. Koi, to be specific,” Kazuki explained with a small smile. “Compared to the bizarre-looking things you find out in the galaxy, these are practically harmless.”

He had once skimmed a book titled the “Abstract Galactic Creatures Compendium,” and the lifeforms depicted within were utterly alien, their forms defying all terrestrial logic. In a way, they fit right in with the Path-Deviants that ran rampant across the cosmos.

“Then… Group Owner, do you raise them for food?” Firefly asked, her tone completely matter-of-fact. In her world, any living creature on a battlefield was either an enemy or a potential ration.

“Of course not,” Kazuki chuckled. “They’re just for decoration. See? With the fish swimming around, the water feels more alive.”

“So, it’s for beauty?” Firefly nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face as she turned her gaze back to the pond. This time, her gaze held a different quality—the focused appreciation of a soldier examining an exquisitely crafted weapon.

“Mmm… they are quite pretty,” she murmured. Perhaps common sense differed between worlds, but the appreciation for beauty seemed to be universal. The colorful scales, shimmering under the ambient light, looked like scattered starlight submerged in water.

She stood up and surveyed the entire courtyard. “Group Owner, your courtyard is also arranged very beautifully.” Though she didn’t understand the principles of garden design, she could feel the casual yet deliberate harmony of the space, like a poem that didn’t need to be written down.

“Thanks for the compliment, but I can’t take the credit,” Kazuki shrugged. “My family arranged it. I’m just borrowing the place.”

He glanced at her. “Let’s call it a night for now, Firefly. You must be tired after all that fighting. How about I show you around the Luofu tomorrow?”

“Okay,” Firefly gave a crisp nod. Her voice betrayed no weariness, but she didn’t refuse his offer.

“The guest room has been empty for a while. Let me get it ready for you.” Kazuki led her along the covered walkway and pushed open the door to a south-facing room. It was simply furnished with a wooden bed and a desk. The window looked out onto the maple tree, giving the room a tranquil air.

After helping Firefly make the bed and showing her the washing facilities, Kazuki returned to his own room. It was only after he had cleaned up and was lying in bed that a wave of surrealism washed over him. Today had been far too eventful.

First, receiving a system that was decades late, then meeting alternate versions of familiar characters… It was hard to imagine what other “surprises” the universe had in store for him.

Just as drowsiness began to pull him under, a conspicuous red dot popped into his field of vision, ruthlessly chasing away his sleep. He tapped it and saw a private message notification from the chat group. As the Group Owner, he hadn’t disabled the feature.

【Titania II: Group Owner, are you there?】

Kazuki had to stifle a laugh. Did no one ever teach her the unspoken rules of online messaging? Nine times out of ten, a conversation starting with “are you there” was from someone about to cause trouble. Then again, considering her life, it was entirely possible no one ever had.

【Cliffhanger King: Auto-reply: The user is currently unavailable. Please do not disturb.】

【Titania II: Sorry, I just can’t sleep. Since you’re asleep, never mind.】

【Cliffhanger King: Silly, I don’t fall asleep that easily; I’m not a pig. If you can’t sleep, want to come sit in the courtyard? I can go for days without sleep anyway.】

He pushed open his door and saw that Firefly was already sitting in the cool pavilion. She sat with a ramrod-straight spine, her hands resting primly on her knees, the very picture of a soldier awaiting new orders. Moonlight spilled over her white hair, bathing it in a soft, silvery sheen.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked softly, approaching the pavilion.

Firefly nodded, her head tilted up towards the moon hanging in the night sky. Starlight twinkled in her glassy eyes.

“It’s… too quiet here.”

The silence was so deep it was almost uncomfortable, a stark reminder of long, solitary nights spent on the battlefield. And yet, this quiet was imbued with an indescribable warmth that had always been absent back then.