HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

The air among the trees was invigorating, filled with the vibrant hues of lush greenery and colorful flora. A few cherry blossom trees, seemingly planted within the last few years, added a touch of grace to this breathtaking natural scene.

Perhaps due to the morning dew, a thin mist enveloped the area. As occasional breezes swept through, leaves rustled, producing a soothing symphony akin to wind chimes, transporting the heart to a state of serene contentment.

It was truly a divine realm on earth, captured in a vivid tableau.

Traversing through the forest, one would stumble upon a crystal-clear stream—no, too meager to call it a river, merely a brook—the epitome of serenity.

The creek's waters were shallow; even in the deepest spots, it barely reached a person's thigh, with most parts being less than knee-deep.

In the center of the creek, near the sakura tree, through the gossamer mist, a maiden's figure was faintly visible.

She possessed dainty curves, exuding a deadly allure like ripe peaches, yet she had an ethereal aura untouched by the world. As her delicate wrists gently moved, an indescribable hazy beauty was evident, almost suffocating in its intensity.

The girl stood up like a lotus emerging from the water, her fair, tender skin exposed to the air amidst the soft sound of trickling water. Her striking silvery-white hair cascaded down her back, creating a stunning sight.

She began to dry herself, her shapely figure on full display, seemingly unconcerned about her surroundings.

This girl was like an elf, a vision of perfection from any angle.

As the girl prepared to leave, she noticed something that astonished her.

...Blood?

Puzzled, she gazed at a pool of reddish liquid in the creek.

"How... could there be blood here?" the girl wondered, her expression filled with curiosity. This particular section of the creek was rarely visited, not even by animals—only small birds occasionally passed through.

Blood here now? With this thought, Serenade stood up and followed the trail of blood. She hadn't taken more than a few steps when she saw a black figure moving along the creek.

Serenade hurried over, her eyes widening in shock.

It was a young girl dressed as a nun.

She had silvery long hair as beautiful as a painting, and her face was lovely like a pure lotus.

The nun's hands, usually so clean, were tightly gripping a strange black box as if it held immense value. Though she appeared peaceful, almost asleep, the horrifying wound on her abdomen and her pallid complexion told a different story.

It seemed she had been pursued, fallen unconscious, and dropped into the river. If not rescued soon, she would die...

But that wasn't what astonished Serenade the most...

The most shocking thing was... this girl was identical to... her current self!

Shape, facial features, hair color...

Everything, every detail, was exactly the same.

"This is... K... Kallen!"

Amazing! I found another version of myself in this little stream! Serenade couldn't help but marvel at this peculiar world...

Upon calculating the timeline, it dawned on her—this must be the moment when Kallen inexplicably washed up in Yae Village.

Serenade had initially thought that by altering the fates of Yae Sakura and Yae Rin, Kallen wouldn't appear anymore. What a surprising twist!

She had still come.

This time, it wasn't Yae Sakura who found Kallen, but Serenade herself.

Kallen finding Kallen?

Me finding myself?

However... the little Kallen before her looked incredibly frail. Without intervention, she might face imminent peril.

Serenade didn't think twice. She hastily lifted Kallen from the water and carried her ashore.

As she did so... she noticed the black box tightly clutched in Kallen's grasp. Judging by the way Kallen clung to it, the box seemed more precious than her own life—it was something she wouldn't release, even as death approached.

This box...

The black box...

A memory from long ago resurfaced in Serenade's mind.

Could this be... the box that seals the Twelfth Herrscher?

In the Sakura chapter, Sakura endured such agonizing experiences. Her emotional emptiness made her vulnerable to being consumed and controlled by the Herrscher of Corruption...

Gradually, this had led to Yae Sakura's painful cycle of reincarnation spanning over five hundred years, only finally achieving liberation after half a millennium.

The root cause of all this suffering was none other than this box.

However, at present, Yae Rin remained alive, and thus Yae Sakura's heart would not be hollowed out as before. This time, the Herrscher of Corruption should not be able to exert control, right?

"Hmm... Holding it so tightly..."

Serenade attempted to retrieve the black box from Kallen's embrace, but discovered that despite having fallen unconscious, her hands clutched it tightly.

"With your arms wrapped around like this, how am I supposed to help you cleanse and heal... Truly acting like a little pig..."

Having acquired a "self," managing one's own affairs naturally became unavoidable for Serenade.

Since Serenade had taken charge of fetching the little pig Kallen for Yae Sakura, then... she must take responsibility to treat and mend Kallen's injuries. And for Serenade, this task was not at all difficult.

Staring at the black box Kallen clutched so tightly, Serenade realized that forcing it away would surely hurt her.

So, she had to think of something else...

"Never mind. This isn't really a place to handle such matters anyway. Let's head back to the shrine first..."

Looking around, Serenade decided to carry Kallen back to the shrine for treatment.

She got dressed, then gently picked up Kallen in her arms, cradling her like a princess. Since she couldn't carry Kallen on her back—Kallen's hands were firmly wrapped around that black box—she had no choice but to hold her this way.

But... the feeling of carrying oneself like this... it was truly quite peculiar.

Holding Kallen, Serenade swiftly returned to the shrine. However, upon arrival, she encountered Yae Rin.

"Kallen-nee, you're back! Huh? Who are you holding, Kallen-nee?"

Noticing that Serenade had returned, Yae Rin immediately turned towards her and spotted the bloodstained maiden cradled in Serenade's arms.

This made Yae Rin quite unhappy, as it had been a long time since Kallen-nee had held her like this. Now, she was actually holding another girl.

But her unhappiness lasted only a moment. Upon seeing the blood on the maiden's body, Yae Rin realized something instantly and felt she shouldn't be feeling this way.

When did I become so selfish?

No, I'm only being selfish towards my Sis and Kallen.

Upon seeing the bloodstained maiden in Kallen's arms, Yae Rin's expression turned slightly more serious. She picked up the Mosquito Honkai beast next to her and hurried over to Serenade.

"Kallen... Kallen-nee, she... she..." As Yae Rin approached, she noticed the young woman dressed in a nun's outfit, who looked exactly like her Kallen-nee. It was as if they were perfect twins.

Two Kallen-nees... How could there be two of her?