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

"Cocolia... Mom?"

"I don't want to!"

The former was Sin's hesitant voice, while the latter was Kiana's firm rejection.

Sin, though somewhat uneasy, understood that since it was Zeke's task, she would strive to carry it out.

Kiana, however, had an inexplicable intuition, accurately distinguishing between serious matters and trivial ones. When it came to serious matters, she could be very obedient. But this time was different; regardless of whether it was important or not, she simply refused. From the depths of her heart, a resolute sentiment emerged—I don't want to.

"I do have a mom—even though...even though I don't remember her, she's my mom, the best mom in the whole world! Zeke, I won't do it—not this one thing, no matter what you say!" Kiana stammered pitifully as she clutched at the edge of Zeke's shirt with teary eyes fixed unwaveringly on him.

She didn't quite understand why she felt so wronged and resistant; it was just an inexplicable surge of emotion within her that compelled her to look at Zeke, the only person she could rely on now, with pleading, dependent eyes.

Zeke hesitated for a moment before gently wiping away her tears with his thumb. With his other hand, he patted her head and said softly, "If you don't want to, then we won't call her 'Mom.' We won't, okay?"

His tone and expression were both tender.

Seeing how close Kiana was to crying, Zeke felt as if someone had momentarily squeezed his heart.

"Mm-hmm." Sniffling, Kiana nodded.

The intense emotions, arising swiftly and without reason, dissipated just as quickly once Zeke promised not to force the issue. She regained her composure rapidly.

Through her tears, Kiana managed a smile. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Zeke gently patted her head and handed her the last piece of cake on the table.

Kiana eagerly accepted it, devouring more than half within moments, finally wiping away all traces of tears.

Only then did Zeke let out a sigh of relief.

"As long as she doesn't cry, that's good... As long as she doesn't cry..." he repeated to himself mentally, momentarily distracted until Cocolia's sharp rap on the table brought him back to reality.

"Snap!"

"Hey! Explain this—what do you mean by this?"

"The letter already stated it: I want you to adopt these two girls. Your personality may be extreme, but your affection for children is genuine. Having Sin and Kiana call you 'Mom' will strengthen our alliance emotionally."

Additionally, if Otto ever targeted Kiana, Cocolia could potentially become an ally—but Zeke didn't voice this reason, as it delved too deep, even touching upon Kiana's true origins.

Cocolia narrowed her eyes.

"...Is it wise to be so blunt about your intentions?"

"My purpose is clear; there's no need to hide it. This is an open strategy. Based on my understanding of you, I knew you would agree," Zeke replied nonchalantly, occasionally glancing at Kiana to ensure her emotions remained stable before feeling slightly reassured.

It was unclear how much of this sentiment belonged to Sirin and how much to Kiana, but what mattered was that Kia no longer felt like crying.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Cocolia slammed her fist onto the table, shattering it with a cold, interrogative tone: "Is this why you wanted them to call me 'Mom'?"

Zeke finally shifted his attention toward her slightly. After a moment's silence, he replied, "Not...just for that."

"What else is there?"

"Well, they're both children who lost their mothers at a young age. If they could experience maternal love during their upbringing, perhaps their lives would feel more complete? That's what I believe." Zeke glanced gently at Sin and then at Kiana.

Cocolia let out a long breath and nodded. "That sounds somewhat reasonable."

"As you can see, Kiana isn't willing, so adopting only Sin will suffice... Wait, Sin, do you also feel uncomfortable about it? Don't force yourself; if you don't want to, just say no—it won't have significant consequences."

Realizing his oversight, Zeke understood that he couldn't make such decisions unilaterally, especially when involving the sensitive and crucial concept of motherhood. The children's own wishes must not be ignored.

"I..." Sin hesitated before asking, "If I agree, will it help Zeke?"

"Honestly, yes. But don't feel pressured; your own wishes matter more."

"Then, would I have to be separated from Zeke?"

"No need for that. Afterward, I'll reside at the orphanage, so we can see each other every day. And Bronya too—she's also Cocolia's adopted daughter, so you'll get to spend time with her as well. However, this doesn't depend on whether you accept or not, so don't worry about it."

Bronya was involved too?

Sin's eyes sparkled brightly.

Seeing Zeke and Bronya daily would make her life complete, and if she could also assist Zeke... forget calling Cocolia 'Mom', even addressing her as 'Grandma' wouldn't be an issue!

"Mother Cocolia, I'm Sin Mal, pleased to meet you! I promise to be very obedient and well-behaved, please like me!" Sin lifted her dress gracefully, performing a refined curtsy—a etiquette lesson taught by those despicable foster parents, aimed at gaining favor during her first meeting with Cocolia.

She had already met Cocolia once before. But seeing her again, now without those insatiable and repulsive spouses present, softened Cocolia's expression. After a moment of hesitation, she gently stroked Sin's hair.

"All right then, from today onwards, you're my daughter. Whenever you face any troubles or difficulties, feel free to talk to me and rely on me. I am your mother... And by the way, when did I agree to let you stay at my orphanage?" Cocolia turned towards Zeke, questioning him with a cold expression.

Zeke responded without hesitation: "It's part of our collaboration agreement."

"No, don't even think about it, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you also call me... Mother Cocolia!"

"Huh (ОдO?)—" This gasp came from Kiana after finishing her cake.

Wow, aiming to be Zeke's mom too? In all her life, Kiana had never encountered someone so audacious. Has she always been this bold?

"Don't you only adopt girls?"

"It's not just girls; I adopt children affected by Honkai Energy. It happens that most survivors tend to be girls. These children face threats from both Honkai Energy and schemers, inevitably leading to constant trouble. Who else but me can protect them?"

This was Cocolia's original intention, which sounded commendable, but later she strayed from it. Zeke gave her a mild glance; if Otto was considered the root of all evil in this world, Cocolia wasn't far behind.

"Unlike them, I'm emotionally mature and don't need another mother figure. We three will settle at your orphanage; feel free to make any requests."

"All those living there are my children, do you understand?" Cocolia stood firm, showing no signs of backing down.

Zeke glanced at Kiana before turning back to Cocolia. His patience for drawn-out negotiations had worn thin.

Zzzt!

A laser beam struck near Cocolia's feet, leaving behind a charred hole just wide enough for a finger.

Leaning forward with hands on his knees, Zeke rested his chin upon one hand and looked up, his gaze icy as he stared at Cocolia.

"Haven't you forgotten who holds the upper hand here? Or perhaps you think you could stop me if I decided to harm those children?"

"You..." The cold stare sent shivers down Cocolia's spine. Amidst the shifting atmosphere, she nearly forgot that this man was capable of effortlessly decimating her entire guard force.

"I won't deny you have maternal instincts, but simultaneously, you're also despicable scum not worth sparing. Don't assume allowing you to adopt them is solely for my benefit. It's actually to protect you, lest one day I find you intolerable and decide to end you outright."

His cold tone and genuine threat sent chills down Cocolia's spine.

She realized Zeke wasn't joking around.

"If you...if you find me so disagreeable, why let me adopt them? Didn't you say you wanted them to experience maternal love?"

"Being a villain doesn't preclude being a good mother."

Despite Cocolia's extreme nature, as long as Zeke maintained control, her maternal instincts posed no harm. At least, her love for her children was genuine.

"Give me an answer: accept or die. I have other options; your suitability merely made you my preferred choice."

"W-would you harm my children?"

"They possess immense potential, worth nurturing. Utilizing their abilities under my guidance is far better than leaving them to your whims."

"...Fine."

Cocolia ultimately acquiesced. Zeke had clearly expressed his intentions towards the children. Alive, she could still watch over them and intervene when necessary. Dead, she would be utterly powerless.

For now, she had no choice but to yield, though silently vowing retribution—Just wait! She gritted her teeth, careful not to show any resentment, knowing it would only escalate risks without benefit.

Zeke observed her, fully aware of her thoughts, yet simply nodded silently.

Then, he retracted his overly cold aura, turned around, and patted Kiana's head.

"Huh?" With the spoon still in her mouth, Kiana looked up at him, question marks written all over her face.

"I'll make something delicious for you tonight."

"You're cooking yourself?"

"Yes."

"Yay... Wait, is there some kind of scheme behind this?"

Kiana's excitement quickly turned to suspicion. She didn't notice anything unusual about Zeke earlier, so she failed to realize he was trying to make amends.

Zeke rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself."

"I'm eating it! Sinbara, let me tell you, Zeke makes delicious meals—it's just that he's too lazy and hardly ever cooks anymore. You're in for a treat tonight; thank Miss Kiana!"

Kiana jumped up, proudly patting Sin on the shoulder. She had found a point to one-up Sin: having enjoyed Zeke's cooking multiple times while Sin hadn't yet indulged.

Victory! Kiana cheered inwardly.

"It's Sin Mal, you stupid paramecium!" Sin retorted unhappily. If Zeke weren't watching nearby, she would have delivered a fierce kick with her pretty boot right onto Kiana's rear, teaching her not to gloat!

The two girls engaged in a verbal spat, stopping short of physical confrontation.

As Zeke observed this scene, he felt slightly relieved.

His exchange with Cocolia did not end smoothly; he rushed it, resorting to simplicity and brute force. However, from the moment Kiana nearly broke into tears, Zeke lost all patience with those negotiations.

Besides, what he said was true.

So, let it be.

Zeke gazed into the distance, where amidst the vast snowy landscape, subtle signs of spring sprouted quietly—just as he himself had taken a significant step forward.