The woman coughed and turned in bed as she struggled to breathe.
The red-haired woman turned her body towards the wall, drenched in sweat.
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," the girl said, her chest rising and falling with each difficult breath.
As she put her feet on the floor, the woman noticed something.
"The floor is usually cold... actually, it should be cold right now..."
She looked at the air conditioner and noticed it was set to 19 degrees Celsius.
"Indeed, it should be cold..." the woman got up from bed.
"Oh, is it me who's hot?" the woman said as she reached for her shirt near her heart.
Her woman's body was hot, as if it were on fire.
Slowly, she walked towards the bathroom.
Upon reaching the bathroom, the woman looked at herself in the mirror.
"You look like a mess, Himeko," the woman said to herself.
Himeko felt her chest tighten and her heart ache.
"If this continues, I won't last much longer..." Himeko said with a tired smile.
A noise caught Himeko's attention from her.
Himeko picked up the device from her pocket.
"Theresa?" Himeko looked at the phone.
"Oh, I forgot today is my graduation ceremony," Himeko said, staring at the phone.
The red-haired woman looked at herself in the mirror.
"I guess complaining here won't help at all," Himeko said as she started undressing to take a shower.
"I'll try to hold on as long as possible," said the newly graduated Valkyrie, preparing to take a shower.
"What determination..."
Himeko blinked as she heard a voice in her head.
The newly graduated Valkyrie stood still, waiting for it to happen again, but nothing happened.
"It must be my imagination," Himeko said, turning on the shower.
"I want to see that determination and how long you'll last," the voice said, but Himeko couldn't hear it over the water falling on the floor.
The Tale of the Red Oni and Blue Oni
-06-
She opened her eyes, waking up from her sleep, and found herself staring at the ceiling of her room.
As she got out of bed, the girl yawned sleepily while walking towards the door.
As she walked through the corridor, she caught a pleasant scent in the air.
"I smell Mei senpai's cooking."
The white-haired girl sniffed the air as she slowly made her way down the corridor.
Upon reaching the living room, she saw the Japanese girl with purple hair in the kitchen, wearing an apron and humming a cheerful tune while swaying her hips to the rhythm of the song she was murmuring.
She seems to be in a good mood.
"Mei senpai, what are you doing?" Kiana said with a smile as she approached the kitchen.
Mei turned around with a smile on her face, but upon noticing who it was, the smile slightly diminished, although it was hard for anyone to notice.
"Oh, Kiana-chan, how are you? I'm preparing breakfast. It'll be ready for everyone to eat soon," Mei said with a radiant smile.
Kiana displayed a silly smile when Mei used 'chan.'
Indeed, Mei was in a great mood today.
"I'm making extra portions since Mr. John and Fu Hua joined us for breakfast," said the Raiden heiress with a smile.
Kiana's mood went from 100 to 0 in a second.
"The guy is still here..." Kiana said grumpily.
Mei stopped what she was doing and looked at Kiana with a puzzled expression.
"Kiana, is there any reason why you hate Mr. John? I don't recall him doing anything to cause this hostility," Mei said, looking at the Kaslana girl.
"I just don't like him. I feel like he's up to something," Kiana said, sitting at the dining table.
"I don't think Mr. John is a bad person, Kiana," Mei said, turning her attention back to the food she was preparing.
"Why don't you ever take my side..." Kiana whispered, pouting.
Mei turned her head to look at the Kaslana girl.
"That's not true, Kiana," Mei said.
Kiana blinked.
Did she hear me?
"You should give him a chance. Maybe you have more in common than you think," Mei said, tasting a bit of her food from her. "It needs a bit more salt," Mei murmured.
Kiana grimace.
"That's not going to happen," the girl said, crossing her arms.
"Men are all the same. Disgusting," Kiana said, turning her head away.
Mei made a face; it was clear that Kiana didn't like boys.
"Besides, I have to be prepared for when he tries to make a move on you, Mei," Kiana said, causing the Raiden heiress to quickly turn her head to look at the Kaslana girl.
"Kiana!" Mei exclaimed, her face turning red with embarrassment.
"I have to protect my senpai," Kiana said, crossing her arms.
"KIANA!" Mei shouted, feeling embarrassed.
"Just because he's older than us, he thinks he can use his charm to win over any girl. Mark my words, Mei, that guy will come at you in the most cliché way possible."
"Arrogant and with a massive ego, he'll say, 'Hey, sweetie, why are you alone? Don't you think it's better to spend time with me?' And then he'll grab whoever he finds by the waist with a strong and masculine grip, making it impossible to resist his charm, and they'll do whatever he wants ! " Kiana said in her delirium.
Mei, upon hearing this, was left speechless. Everything Kiana said was very... specific.
"Kiana, your face is red..." for some reason, Mei didn't like that.
"Huh?" the girl said, touching her face and feeling her warmth.
Mei was about to speak but was interrupted by someone.
"It seems like you want that to happen to you, tuna," Himeko said, leaning against the hallway with her hair loose and wearing pajamas.
"WHAT?!" Kiana snapped her neck so quickly that it made a cracking sound.
The girl's face was as red as a tomato.
"You're delusional, Auntie. Why would I want something like that from a guy? Girls are beautiful, they have soft skin and angelic voices. Why would I want that from a guy who's a brute, rude, with muscles and a deep voice?!" Kiana said, her face turning red.
Why was she saying this?
It was because of that guy, bringing strange thoughts into her head. He had to leave, she knew what she liked... right?
Her Mei was proof of that ... right? ...
"Hm, really? So someone rough with a broad chest?" Himeko said.
Kiana crossed her arms and nodded.
"That's right," Kiana agreed.
"Strong arms and a firm grip?" Himeko said, her voice now a bit lower.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about..." Kiana blinked and stared ahead for a few, contemplating what she had just said.
"Aunt Himeko!" Kiana shouted, looking at Himeko, but she noticed that the crimson-haired woman was looking at the wall as if imagining something.
"Pervert," Kiana said, her face red.
Himeko snapped out of her trance and blinked, then looked at the Kaslana girl.
"Hey! You're the one who was daydreaming, don't come and blame me," Himeko said, a bit embarrassed, as she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.
Mei simply stared at the two of them, tightly gripping the wooden spoon she was holding.
The heiress didn't like this... she really didn't.
Something inside her was greatly disturbed by the words of the two Valkyries.
Mei felt someone tug at the sleeve of her shirt.
The heiress blinked and looked at who it was.
"Bronya?" Mei said.
Bronya simply pointed her finger at the stove and said, "It's burning."
Mei turned and looked at the stove, noticing that the food was burning.
"Eh?! My food!" shouted the Raiden heiress as she ran to fix the mess.
"Eh?! My breakfast!" exclaimed Kiana, smelling the burnt food.
Himeko looked at Mei and Kiana frantically trying to save the food and gave a half-smile.
Bronya simply sat at the dining table, watching the two girls in distress.
Bronya turned her head and looked at Himeko.
"Where is Mister John?" Bronya asked Himeko.
Himeko looked at Bronya and blinked.
"He hasn't woken up yet?" Himeko said, uncertain, to the Russian girl.
The crimson Valkyrie, who was the Russian girl, heard the voice of the Kaslana girl from the kitchen.
"A lazy one, really, what one could expect from a boy," Kiana said.
Bronya spoke, challenging Kiana.
"DaBronya went to wake up Mister John, but he wasn't in the room," Bronya said, causing Himeko to raise an eyebrow.
"So... where is he?" Himeko asked, confused, but it was Mei who answered.
"Mister John went out for a run," the heiress said.
"Ehh, really? If I had known he was a morning person, I would have prepared my outfit to go along," Himeko said, chin in hand.
Kiana looked at Mei a bit strangely.
"Mei senpai, how do you know he went out for a run if you don't speak English?" the Kaslana girl said.
"Well... I speak a little bit, it was enough to understand him," the Raiden heiress said, a little nervous.
She would have to thank the Herrscher later...
Kiana really didn't like that.
"Breakfast is beyond saving. What are we going to do?" Bronya said, capturing everyone's attention.
Mei looked at the burnt food and nodded.
"Indeed, there's no way to salvage it. I'm sorry..." the heiress lowered her head in disappointment, holding the blackened pan.
"Don't be like that, Mei. I guarantee it's still edible," Kiana said, giving a thumbs-up.
Himeko looked at the pan and smelled the burnt odor in the apartment.
"I don't think so..." the crimson Valkyrie said.
"Hey!" Kiana exclaimed.
"How about we all go out for breakfast today? I was actually thinking of leaving St. Freya anyway," Himeko said, making everyone look at her.
"Eh? Really!" Kiana jumped with joy.
Mei was unsure about what Himeko said, the heiress was about to ask, but Bronya was quicker.
"Why would Lady Himeko leave St. Freya today?" Bronya said.
"Well, John owes me a drink. So why not have breakfast outside? Well, I was expecting it to be just the two of us, but why not?" the Valkyrie said with a smile.
Kiana made a grimace.
"Pervert," the Kaslana girl said.
A vein pulsed on Himeko's forehead from her.
"Don't make me leave you here hungry, Kiana," Himeko said, clenching her fist.
"What?! No, please!" Kiana cried out in fear.
"Well, then don't provoke me! Now we have to wait for John and Fu Hua," Himeko said, looking at the clock. It was still early.
Mei blinked when Himeko mentioned the class representative.
"Speaking of the class representative, shouldn't she be here? Fu Hua said she would be here a while ago. It's not like her to be late," Mei said, making all the girls think the same thing.
"Well, wondering about it won't change anything. Get ready for when they both arrive, we're going out," Himeko said.
"Okay," Kiana and Bronya said.
The two looked at each other, and a competitive spark shot from their eyes as they stared each other down.
"Ah... what are you two..." Himeko said, confused, but she stopped talking when both girls started running, scaring the Valkyrie.
"The bathroom is mine, dwarf," Kiana ran down the hallway.
"DaBronya is more efficient, so DaBronya will go first," the Russian girl ran.
Himeko stared at the two as they disappeared down the hallway, mouth agape.
The crimson Valkyrie looked at Mei.
"What?" Himeko said.
But all Mei did was give a half-smile to the Valkyrie.
You know what, I'm not going to ask…
-06-
Fu Hua was heading towards Himeko's apartment lost in thought.
"You know, if you gave me control, you wouldn't be in this state," the voice said.
Fu Hua scowled.
"If you think I'm going to let you out, you're mistaken," Fu Hua said as she walked.
"You took a beating. What happens to you happens to me," the voice in the girl's head said.
"I didn't take a beating! We were just training, my life wasn't in danger," Fu Hua said, a little irritated.
"Then why are your arms bandaged?" the voice said.
After Fu Hua and John's fight, the Valkyrie felt tremendous pain in both her arms, leading her to go to the infirmary.
It still hurt a bit, but it was getting better now.
What surprised Fu Hua was the immense strength she displayed. For a moment, when the Valkyrie blocked the punch with both arms, she thought her bones would break.
"Between you and me, we both know I'm the best," the voice said, making Fu Hua uncomfortable.
Even though the voice was right, Fu Hua would n't stoop down to her level by trying to argue against the accusation.
"After all, what is a mortal compared to the Herrscher of Sentience?" the Herrscher said with all its arrogance.
Fu Hua scowled.
"Now stop looking at the ground while you walk and look ahead," the voice said, catching Fu Hua's attention from her.
When the girl looked ahead, she saw someone she didn't expect to see so early in the morning, at least not in this location in the middle of the campus.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. How about a rematch?" The Herrscher said.
Fu Hua ignored the Herrscher and approached the man.
John was completely sweaty, hands on his knees, catching his breath.
"Mr. John, are you alright?" Fu Hua said as she approached the man.
He looked as though he had been drenched in sweat, with his shirt clinging to his body, revealing some transparent patches. This made Fu Hua avert her gauze slightly.
The man lifted his head as he caught his breath.
"Ah, Fu Hua girl, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" John said, sweat trickling down his chin.
"I was invited to have coffee with you. What are you doing here? It seems like you ran a marathon," said Fu Hua, attentively observing the man's condition.
"I feel like I've run a marathon," the man replied, pulling up his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face, revealing his exposed midriff.
Fu Hua was about to look away, but then she noticed a gigantic scar on the man's stomach, as well as several smaller ones.
After cleaning his face, John noticed the girl staring and quickly covered his belly again before starting to walk.
"No more running around for today..." the man muttered as he made his way back to Himeko's apartment.
Fu Hua blinked, surprised, as the man slowly walked away from her.
The Valkyrie hurried to catch up with him.
As they walked, Fu Hua would occasionally steal glances at the man, which didn't go unnoticed.
"Is there something on my face, Fu Hua girl?" he asked.
The man's comment caught Fu Hua off guard.
"Eh... no, , it's just... you have a lot of scars on your stomach," the Chinese girl said.
The man snorted.
"The question is, where I don't have scars..." he whispered, as if speaking to himself.
The Valkyrie stopped in her tracks upon hearing what the man said.
After a moment, she snapped back to reality and ran to catch up with him.
"Eh... Mr. John... how did you get those scars?" Fu Hua asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
The man continued walking without looking at her.
"You're looking at the unluckiest man in your life," John said in a lazy tone.
Fu Hua was a bit puzzled by her response.
What did he mean by that?
As they walked towards Himeko's apartment, Fu Hua noticed a wistful expression on the man's face, as if he was missing something.
"If you keep staring like that, I'm going to feel embarrassed," the man said without looking at her.
"Eh?" Fu Hua was taken back when she realized he had noticed her gauze.
"W-What? No, I wasn't..." the girl stammered, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Finally, the man turned his head to look at her and smiled.
"Just kidding. I shouldn't take everything so seriously, Fu Hua girl," he said with a smile.
Fu Hua blinked and stood still for a moment as the man continued walking.
"you come ?" he asked, still smiling as he looked straight ahead.
Fu Hua's face turned slightly red as she stared at his back.
Shaking her head, she quickly rushed to catch up with John. However, her mind was filled with one lingering thought.
What a beautiful smile... he should smile more often...
It was a departure from the usual stern expression he wore, always seeming annoyed with everything and everyone. But when he smiled at her...
"It was truly beautiful, don't you think?" whispered the Herrscher of Sentience.
-06-
The white-haired girl frowned as she sat on the couch, dressed in casual attire—a black sports bra, a yellow crop top that exposed her midriff, and short denim shorts that showcased her legs.
"What's taking them so long? Why don't we just leave them and go already!" Kiana exclaimed impatiently.
Mei looked at the girl and sighed.
"Take it easy, Kiana. You will eat soon enough. Just be patient," said the Raiden heiress.
Mei was wearing a slightly short white dress with a white coat and some blue accents wrapped around her hips, along with thigh-high stockings.
Kiana sighed in defeat.
"So, where are we exactly going?" Kiana asked, resting her chin on both hands.
"Hong Kong," Himeko replied lazily, looking at her phone without paying much attention to Kiana.
The crimson valkyrie was wearing a small black crop top that exposed her midriff, a black coat draped over her shoulders, and short blue shorts. She also had large sunglasses perched on top of her head.
"Eh?! That's so far away!" Kiana exclaimed, looking at her teacher.
Himeko merely glanced up from her phone and responded to the girl.
"We'll be taking a ship. The captain owes me in favor," Himeko said before returning her attention to her phone.
"Professor Himeko, are you saying that St. Freya will spend an absurd amount of money on fuel just so we can eat in another country?" Bronya asked, raising her eyes from her handheld console.
Bronya was wearing a gray shirt with white stripes and a black skirt with navy blue accents.
Himeko winced at the girl's comment.
"As I said, the ship's captain owes me a favor ..." Himeko could n't bring herself to look at Bronya as the Russian girl stared at her, so the valkyrie opted to focus on her phone instead.
"Look, the two of them are already approaching," Himeko said, prompting the girls to look ahead.
The girls saw John approaching, engaged in conversation with Fu Hua. The man was covered in sweat.
Kiana stood up from where she was sitting and ran towards the approaching duo, drawing their attention.
"What took you two so long? What were you doing..." Kiana yelled, pointing her finger at them, but she stopped when she noticed something. The man's white shirt was clinging to his body and transparent in some areas due to sweat, making his physique more prominent.
Kiana simply closed her mouth and looked down in embarrassment.
John raised an eyebrow at the girl, not understanding a word of what Kaslana said.
Himeko pocketed her phone and walked up to the two, passing by Kiana, who was looking at the ground with a red face.
"Change of plans, we're going to Hong Kong," Himeko said in English with a smile.
Fu Hua and John blinked in surprise.
"Is there a reason for us to go to Hong Kong?" John asked.
"Well, let's just say there was an accident..." Himeko replied, causing the Raiden heiress to turn her head in embarrassment.
John looked at Mei when she turned her head in shame.
"I see..." John said.
Mei wouldn't normally be able to understand the conversation taking place, but she made a deal with the Herrscher so that the Honkai inside her could translate the conversation for her. However, she had to sacrifice something for it to happen...
Fu Hua tilted her head to the side.
"Why Hong Kong? And how are we going to get there?" Fu Hua asked in Japanese, expressing her doubts, which made Himeko slightly embarrassed.
"The esteemed Himeko will be using in favor of the ship's captain to transport us," Bronya explained, playing on her handheld console.
Fu Hua looked at Himeko with even more doubt.
"Isn't that going to cost an absurd amount of money in fuel?" Fu Hua asked, but the way the Chinese girl was looking at the crimson valkyrie seemed like she was reprimanding Himeko.
Himeko simply looked away.
John, looking at the girls without understanding what they were saying, began walking towards the apartment.
"Well, I'm going to take a shower and change," the man said as he passed by the girls.
But before he left, he noticed that Kiana was looking at him, especially her belly. He looked down at his own stomach and noticed that her sweaty shirt was clinging to her abdomen.
John placed his hand on Kiana's right shoulder, causing the girl to jump in surprise at the man's action.
"Are you okay, girl?" John asked Kaslana.
Kiana simply looked at the man with a red face and took a step back, staring at John's face.
The man was confused by the girl's behavior. Kiana quickly ran behind Himeko, using the valkyrie as a sort of protective barrier while staring at the man.
John blinked and shrugged, then proceeded to enter the building to take a shower at Himeko's apartment.
Himeko smiled at the Kaslana girl.
"Kiana, he's already gone, you can stop squeezing my arm," Himeko looked at Kiana's hand gripping her arm.
"Eh?!" Kiana blinked and moved away from Himeko, her face turning as red as a tomato.
"Did something happen, Kiana?" Fu Hua asked the Kaslana.
Himeko smiled at the girl.
"You were staring for a while, did something catch your attention?" Himeko said, placing her hand on her hip.
"You better not even try, tuna. I have a date, and I don't like thieves, okay?" Himeko said with a smile.
"Pervert," Bronya said to Kiana.
"EH?!" Kiana was indignant, her face turning red, and an argument ensued between the two valkyries.
Mei simply stared at Kiana, and the heiress didn't like that…
"I'm starting to dislike this girl," said the Herrscher of Thunder.
Mei didn't respond, but she felt a similar sentiment.
The heiress widened her eyes and shook her head, trying to dismiss those thoughts from her mind. After all, Kiana was her best friend...
Friend... Yes, a friend...
Mei simply watched the quarrel between Kiana and Bronya, while one of her eyes shifted briefly to Herrscher's eye
-6-.
The man turned on the shower, letting the cold water hit his tired and stressed body.
As the man felt the cool water on his body, he closed his eyes.
...
"Senpai, you have to clean up your room. This place is a mess!"
"Senpai, do you want me to cook for you?"
"Do you want me to teach you how to cook, Senpai?"
"Senpai."
"Senpai."
"Senpai…"
"Senpai, it's unfair what you're doing to me…"
"I can be the girl you've always dreamed of..."
"Don't be like that... I want you to be happy... I hope... we meet again... and I hope that next time I have a body that pleases you... Senpai," said the bloodied heir of the Raiden Company in the man's arms. The boy pushed John into a triangular, purple opening.
The man lost his balance and walked into the opening.
The only thing the man saw was Mei Raiden being surrounded and preparing to fight, but before that, the boy winked at John.
"Sorry for being born like this, if I had the chance to choose, I would be the best girlfriend you could ask for... goodbye, Senpai," said the gothic boy with a feminine appearance.
John reached out his arm as if he wanted to hold the boy's hand, but all he saw was BLACK.
...
John sat in the bathroom, holding his knees and staring ahead as if in a trance.
"I can't believe... I miss... that brat..."
The shower water hit the man's head as he stared at the wall.
The image of the Raiden girl appeared in John's mind.
"..."
"They are so similar... no... it's as if they were the same person, but this Mei has a different personality... it's like this Mei is what my Mei wanted to be..."
"..."
"No... they are different people... yes, they are different... I will go back... and Mei will be there, being annoying as always, as if nothing has changed... Yes, everything will be as it was before... as it was before," the man said, feeling the shower water hitting his head as he stared at the wall.
The image of the gothic boy in the rain appeared in his mind.
"Why are you wearing a skirt?" John asked, with a backpack on his back as he entered the campus.
The boy smiled.
"It looks good on me. Don't you like it, Senpai?" said the boy, approaching him, but the man just rolled his eyes.
"We've talked about this. You're going to end up getting hurt..." John said as he walked.
His boy's smile grew even wider.
"You say that, but one day you'll give up, Senpai, and I'll win, and then you'll regret rejecting me," said the boy, walking beside him.
"In your dreams..." John said without looking at Mei.
The man simply stared at the wall.
"Damn brat, even in death, he manages to test my patience," the man said, getting up.
The image of Mei, bloodied, while John held the wound in the boy's stomach, appeared in his mind.
"We'll meet again, Senpai..."
John turned off the shower.
"It seems we've met again... Mei..."
The image of Mei wearing a St. Freya school uniform appeared in the man's mind.
And then wearing her combat uniform.
"Why are you always following me, Mei..." the man began drying himself with a towel.
"Well... it doesn't matter. You're not My Mei. Anyway, I'm going back, and that brat will be waiting for me..."
Even though John knew the boy was already dead, he wanted to go back... at least to be able to bury his only friend's body.
"I'm going back..."
-6-
"Why Hong Kong?" John asked Himeko, sitting on the bench next to the man.
"I like the food, and besides, St. Freya has some small bases there. We can stay until Monday, spend the weekend," now it made a bit more sense. Himeko was avoiding her work since it was Friday, and if she stayed at St. Freya, the director could ask her to do something, which meant more work.
Himeko looked the man up and down.
"Well, Sweetie, you look like you're headed for another day at the press rather than a date," Himeko said, smiling and leaning her shoulder against the man.
The man raised an eyebrow at the woman.
"We're not going on a date, Himeko. I only have this outfit and the racing suit that Theresa gave me," John said to Himeko.
So it was Theresa who gave him that outfit.
"How cruel, you said you would drink with me, Sweetie," Himeko said, putting her arm around the man's neck.
John rolled his eyes at the woman's behavior.
"I said I would accompany you, but I would n't drink alcohol," John said, trying to remove Himeko's arm from her neck, but she tightened her grip, causing the man to sigh in defeat.
"Don't be a killjoy. I bet I can convince you to have at least one drink with me," Himeko winked at the man.
"In your dreams..." John said.
"Professor Himeko has no shame ..." Bronya said, looking at her tutor.
Fu Hua tilted her head at her teacher's attitude, she was being even...
"Himeko, you're suffocating Mr. John!" Raiden heiress said, making Himeko look at the man who was turning purple.
"Oh, sorry," Himeko stopped pressing the man between her breasts.
Kiana just narrowed her eyes at the man.
Who did he think he was, coming out of nowhere and thinking he could do whatever he wanted? She would keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't do anything to the girls, not with Kiana Kaslana around.
Kiana blinked and noticed that the man's hair was all messed up because of Himeko. The man usually had a slicked-back hairstyle, but his messy hair gave him a different look. It was as if he wasn't angry and scowling like he always did; he had a friendly appearance...
Kiana's face heated up.
The girl blinked in surprise.
No, I won't fall for your tricks. You won't do whatever you want here...
The Kaslana girl looked away, not wanting to keep staring at the man. She was feeling something strange in her stomach.
Bronya observed the Kaslana girl and raised an eyebrow.
"Kiana, idiotyska..." the Russian girl whispered.
-A-
Author
New chapter, it took a while, laziness, hope you like it.
See you in the next chapter.
Grand Order next update