As they walked, a comfortable silence enveloped Kevin and the little girl, allowing him to observe her closely. It wasn't just her physical appearance he scrutinized but the peculiar energy emanating from her. To his surprise, this wasn't the familiar aura of Honkai energy he had grown accustomed to battling. Instead, it bore a subtle but distinct difference—less potent and noticeably less corruptive than the dark tendrils of the Honkai.
Kevin focused his senses further and realized that this energy also permeated their surroundings, albeit in a much lesser density than the concentrated aura around the girl. He couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed it before. Perhaps he had been too distracted by his own tumultuous thoughts, his yearning for the sweet release of death blinding him to the subtle nuances of his environment.
Now, with his senses attuned to this unfamiliar energy, Kevin discerned its nature. It was similar to Honkai energy, yet distinct. Unlike the relentless, corruptive force of the Honkai, this energy felt calmer, more tranquil—like a gentle wave lapping against the shore instead of a raging tempest consuming everything in its path.
A small, knowing smile curled on Kevin's lips as he walked alongside the little girl. His thoughts raced with newfound clarity. He had long harbored a belief that the people of this era would triumph over the Honkai, a conviction reinforced when they defeated him and proved their ability to overcome the destructive force. With his demise, Kevin knew it was only a matter of time before this era found a way to conquer the Honkai energy once and for all. Now, with this confirmation of a different, less corruptive energy, a sense of reassurance washed over him like a soothing tide. It was a testament to humanity's resilience and ingenuity, a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows that had plagued him for so long.
As Kevin walked, the weight of his fulfilled promise settled upon him like a comforting blanket. A profound relief flooded him, the burden he had carried for thousands of years finally lifting from his shoulders. The promise to defeat the Honkai, which had haunted him through countless battles and sacrifices, was now fulfilled. And more remarkably, it was accomplished without resorting to his desperate plan—a plan born from desperation and despair. While the emptiness of losing his purpose gnawed at him, Kevin couldn't deny the overwhelming contentment that washed over him. The threat that had cost him his era, his friends, his loved ones, was finally vanquished, and the dream of his era, the dream he had once abandoned, had been achieved in the intended way. But because of that, it begged a question.
What had she been fighting before, and what had traumatized her so deeply? The thought gnawed at him, filling him with unease. He fervently hoped that she wasn't a Valkyrie—the elite soldiers of Schicksal—or that she was an adult with a child-like body for some reason. The idea of the current era employing a literal child in their battles against lingering threats was deeply troubling. It hinted at a dire situation, one where Schicksal and Anti-Entropy might have become corrupted or faced a threat so severe that desperate measures were deemed necessary.
Realizing the urgency of addressing his concerns, Kevin quickened his pace until the city loomed on the horizon. "Wait," he called out, causing the girl to stop and turn towards him, her expression a mixture of confusion and genuine concern.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. "Oh, uhm, are you perhaps tired?" she added, her words rushed and anxious.
Kevin took a deep breath, aware of the delicate nature of the situation. "No, it's not that," he replied gently. "I just... I need to ask you something important." He met her gaze, bracing himself for the conversation that was about to unfold.
"Are you a Valkyrie?" Kevin asked bluntly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter as he often did. The little girl's eyes widened in surprise, her expression shifting from confusion to nervousness.
"Are you a Valkyrie?" he repeated, his tone unwavering.
The girl blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. "What... what is a Valkyrie?" she stammered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
Kevin studied her carefully, noting the genuine confusion in her eyes. For a moment, he remained silent, his gaze fixed on her as he contemplated his next move. Sensing her growing unease, he finally broke the silence." Never mind then."
The awkward silence that followed Kevin's dismissal hung heavy in the air, leaving the little girl unsure of what to make of the exchange. However, before the tension could escalate further, a sudden outburst shattered the quietude. A new voice, emanating from the stick the girl held, shouted at Kevin, incredulous at his supposed mistake. "How could you mistake Illya's appearance as a Valkyrie when it's clearly a Magical Girl costume?" the stick exclaimed, its words tinged with indignation.
Yet, as the tirade continued, Aponia's disciple, filtered most of the outburst, recognizing it as a potential mental attack. Indeed, the stick's rants spiraled into a brain rot of endless praise for Illya's costume, gushing over its symbolism and significance as a reflection of the pure-hearted innocence of youth.
As the stick, Ruby, continued its impassioned defense of Illya's costume, the girl, revealed to be Illya herself, grew increasingly flustered. With a beet-red face, she shook the stick violently, her embarrassment palpable. "Ruby, shut up!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration. "You're embarrassing me!"
Ruby, undeterred by Illya's outburst, apologized for potentially ruining her date but insisted that she couldn't let Kevin slide for not recognizing her master's transformation into a magical girl. Illya's embarrassment only deepened at Ruby's teasing, her cheeks aflame as she vehemently denied understanding what Ruby meant. "I just helped him, that's it, and we just met!" she protested.
As Illya's embarrassment deepened and she vehemently denied Ruby's teasing, the stick persisted, its playful banter only intensifying. "Oh, come on, Illya! Meeting a mysterious boy alone in the forest? That sounds like the beginning of a romantic route if I've ever heard one!" Ruby teased, its voice laced with amusement. "And let's not forget the part where he's not fully human but a phantasmal. Now that's the plot twist we've been waiting for!"
Illya's cheeks burned brighter at Ruby's teasing, her embarrassment reaching new heights as she struggled to contain her mortification. However, as Ruby continued to jest about Kevin's supposed secret and his lack of knowledge about magical girls, a realization dawned upon the mischievous stick. "Wait a minute," Ruby interrupted itself, a flicker of realization crossing its voice. "Maybe that's why he doesn't know about magical girls! He doesn't even wear clothes before!"
