Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

"Chirp!"

Cocolia refilled Zeke's teacup with new leaves—ones that he had produced out of thin air. The source and purpose of this invisible device remained unclear, but it was undoubtedly more than just a hidden mini-fridge.

Once again, Cocolia marveled at the unfathomable technological prowess displayed by Zeke.

On the side, Kiana and Sin each held plates of petit fours, happily munching away.

Whether they were simple-minded fools or Yandere murderers, no girl could resist sweet cake.

None!

As she poured herself a cup as well, her keen sense of smell detected a distinct difference in aroma from earlier. She took a sip.

Fresh, fragrant, leaving a lingering taste—it was the natural essence of tea blended with the scent of money!

"Ahh! Delicious!" Cocolia closed her eyes, savoring the moment. How long had it been since she last tasted... Wait, no! She'd never enjoyed such exquisite black tea before!

In her military days, despite earning decent compensation, most of her income went to support orphanages. She lived modestly, focusing only on basic necessities like food and shelter.

Later, when she joined Anti-Entropy and gained some capital, maintaining and expanding her influence devoured her funds like a ravenous beast. Strictly speaking, it wasn't even hers but belonged to Anti-Entropy; scraping together enough for the children's care was already quite challenging. She dared not spend anything on herself.

It would be hard to believe that such a prominent figure within Anti-Entropy lived so frugally. Every time Cocolia thought about it, she felt emotionally overwhelmed inside.

Then, her mood calmed down again.

Not because of the tea, but after a brief moment of fear, she realized that if all this effort hadn't even taken out her bodyguard, clearly they weren't targeting her.

At least, not yet.

So why rush? Just wait for Zeke's next move. It's merely a case of strength versus weakness. After all, Cocolia had faced countless challenges throughout her life.

As she straightened up with pride, the impressive swell beneath her blouse left Kiana awestruck, her mouth agape while nibbling on a small cake. The tiny spoon clattered onto her plate.

"Oh? You already understand the importance of appearances at such a young age? Don't worry; you have plenty of time... Just remember to drink lots of milk."

Cocolia glanced down, taking note of her own imposing peaks and deep valleys. With feigned warmth, she imparted upon Kiana the sole breast enhancement tip available to the impoverished: consuming ample amounts of dairy. Her expression couldn't quite hide her smugness.

Naively, she assumed Kiana was envious.

Yet Zeke observed Kiana discreetly swallowing saliva and her chubby hands subtly clenching twice.

It wasn't envy, or rather, only a tiny fraction of it stemmed from envy. The majority was more like... Tsk! Absolutely indecent!

Why did providing her with standard sex education materials lead to this outcome? Is the Kaslana bloodline truly that potent? Well, let's overlook it for now since we're not alone.

Zeke sighed, feeling somewhat drained.

Sin remained unaffected. In her eyes, Cocolia was merely a sly fox flaunting her sinful allure.

Zeke found slight solace in this; at least not every child would be like Kiana, making him contemplate remaining childless.

If his future child were a boy... Boys should be manageable; initial discipline could involve a stick, escalating to electric shocks if necessary. If all else fails, breaking their legs and making them bedridden for two months would eventually teach obedience.

But if it's a girl... He imagined a fluffy little white-haired bundle just like Kiana, sweetly calling him "Papa" most of the time but drooling over attractive older women whenever they crossed her path.

Zeke clutched at his heart, feeling momentarily breathless.

As Kiana slowly savored her cake, her gaze followed Cocolia's movements without noticing Zeke's discomfort.

However, Sin cast him a concerned look.

"Zeke, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"...No, I'm fine. Just pondering a serious matter. You can keep eating."

"Well... okay, but please let me know if you really don't feel well."

"Yes, you're such a good girl." Zeke gently stroked Sin's hair, finding some solace within him.

Sin giggled, her cheeks flushing adorably with innocence and joy, resembling a caring little sweetheart.

Then Zeke turned to Cocolia. He had already laid down his marker, but merely maintaining this standoff wouldn't lead anywhere productive.

"Let's have an open and honest discussion," he said. "I need Anti-Entropy's resources and protection. In return, I'll help strengthen your power base and ensure your path to authority is secure. You know very well that I possess such capabilities. So, shall we cooperate or not? Give me your answer."

"That's it?"

"What else did you expect? Now that introductions are done, let's get straight to business; I dislike wasting time."

"You call this an introduction? Just for this, you crippled my entire Titan force! Do you realize how much they're worth?"

Clack!

Zeke tossed a briefcase onto the table.

There was no lock. Suspiciously, Cocolia opened it, revealing a neat stack of US dollars inside.

Her eyes instantly lit up.

"A token of greeting."

Zeke responded nonchalantly.

Cocolia had once been part of the military and now belonged to Anti-Entropy; both organizations operated under strict discipline and principles. Before she held sufficient authority, there were limits to how much wealth she could amass through unconventional means. Moreover, she always enjoyed generously donating to orphanages, and eventually, this passion led her to establish one herself.

Her poverty was a prominent feature in Zeke's investigation findings.

"Smack!"

Wiping the corner of her mouth, Cocolia smiled graciously and said,

"I won't hesitate to accept then."

"And your response?"

"It's mutually beneficial—why would I refuse?"

"What about these Titan robots...?"

"Well, if they're beyond repair, so be it. Once our research department assimilates your technology, we can produce as many as needed. It's no big deal; don't worry about them."

After all, someone within Anti-Entropy would compensate for the cost of the robots, while the cash in front of her would directly fill her own pockets.

Knowing well which mattered more, Cocolia understood her priorities clearly.

As for Zeke, he glanced at the Titan wreckage, noting that the damage wasn't severe, and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Is there anything you need from me right away?" Cocolia politely inquired.

Zeke promptly replied, "Yes, indeed."

Cocolia's smile briefly stiffened. However, it was just as well; even she wouldn't feel secure accepting such substantial benefits without giving anything in return.

"Please tell me. As long as it's within my power, I'll do my utmost to help," Cocolia replied earnestly, careful not to commit herself too fully.

Zeke beckoned Kiana and Sin over.

"You two, come here."

"Huh? What for?" ?_?

"Need some assistance, Zeke? Leave it to me—I can handle anything!"

Zeke shot a cold glance at Kiana, silently adding another tally against her in his mind. Without showing any emotion, he said evenly,

"Now, address...Cocolia as 'Mother'."

"Wha—?!" × 3