Chapter 46: The Monster in the Woods

"T-two Kallen-nees... Am I still dreaming?"

Yae Rin, carrying a small Honkai Beast, stood dumbstruck at the sight of two identical girls before her.

She had seen Kallen before, but... due to Kallen's injuries and her weak complexion, although they looked very similar, there were noticeable differences.

Now, both Kallens wore clothes familiar to Yae Rin—clothes that Serenade had worn before.

Then, with identical facial features, height, hair style, and color, even Yae Rin couldn't tell who her "Kallen" was.

"Rin, over here..."

While Yae Rin was confused, the "Kallen" standing to the right—Serenade—beckoned to her.

Hearing Serenade's familiar voice and gesture, Yae Rin finally realized that this was her "Kallen".

"Kallen-nee..." Yae Rin called out.

Upon hearing Serenade's voice, Yae Rin rushed over, carrying the Mosquito Honkai Beast in her arms. She looked pleadingly at Serenade, occasionally glancing at the other Kallen standing beside her.

"..."

The Kallen next to Serenade was once again helpless upon hearing Yae Rin's affectionate tone.

The way you so warmly call for Kallen-nee, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were addressing me...

So why are there two of me?

"Kallen-nee, what's the name of this other sister who looks just like you?" Yae Rin asked softly in Serenade's ear, stealing several glances at the other Kallen.

But... although Yae Rin's voice was very soft, Kallen is a powerful Valkyrie, not an ordinary person, and she did hear it. However, out of consideration, Kallen wisely chose not to speak up.

"Rin, this one is the real Kallen. My true name is Serenade..."

In order for Yae Rin to accept this, Serenade began to think of ways to explain her relationship with Kallen to the girl.

Then...

As expected of Yae Rin, who is even more mature than Yae Sakura. She immediately understood and didn't have any other thoughts about it.

In fact, it made sense. Despite Yae Rin's young appearance, if it weren't for her poor health in the past, she might have been the one taking care of her older sister.

In both the Sakura Chapter and the Repayment Chapter, we see Yae Rin constantly worried about her older sister, Yae Sakura.

One could say she's a "wise beyond her years" type...

And incredibly mature...

-

"So, I should actually call you Serenade-nee instead of Kallen-nee now, right?"

Understanding this, Yae Rin nodded and looked up at Serenade with a smiling face.

"That's right! You're truly clever, Rin," Serenade praised, unable to resist stroking Yae Rin's head at her smile.

"It doesn't matter what you call me though... Can you tell me about the state of the Honkai Beast in her arms?"

Kallen observed their interaction from the side, unconcerned about names. What she couldn't grasp was...

The Honkai Beast in Yae Rin's arms was acting like a pet!

This completely shattered Kallen's worldview.

What were Honkai Beasts? They were creatures infected by Honkai energy, their sole consciousness driven by destruction and slaughter...

So the sight of this Honkai Beast made Kallen feel as if she were dreaming; it was simply not supposed to happen.

"That Honkai Beast... Isn't it obvious?" Serenade asked matter-of-factly. "Its self-consciousness has overcome the Honkai nature."

"Self-consciousness has overcome the Honkai nature?" Kallen echoed, seeking clarification.

"You must understand that apart from the will of honkai, both humans and animals possess their own inherent awareness. While suppressing the will of honkai is generally very difficult, there are exceptions..."

Serenade hastily rattled off a flurry of improvised explanations to Kallen...

As she continued weaving her tale, Serenade found herself almost believing her own bs.

However, seeing Kallen's half-comprehending expression, Serenade felt her efforts were not wasted. She had successfully ensnared Kallen in her web of words.

"It makes sense to a point, but..."

"There are no 'buts' about it. In any case, what matters is that this Honkai Beast is harmless. Oh right, Rin, did you come here for something?" Serenade quickly cut off Kallen's question. If I keep rambling, she thought, I'll surely get caught.

Better to change the subject.

"Oh, I almost forgot! My sister has finished cooking. I came to call Kal... I mean, Serenade for dinner." Yae Rin, who was listening nearby, instantly caught on.

"That settles it! Kallen, Rin, let's go eat first!"

As she spoke, Serenade promptly led Kallen and Yae Rin towards the living room.

Another few days passed, and Kallen had fully recovered.

Perhaps it was because Kallen looked identical to Serenade, or maybe she naturally had an affinity for Yae Sakura. Either way, Sakura took a strong liking to Kallen.

In no time at all, they'd become close friends, with Sakura treating Kallen as if she'd known her for ages.

Of course, with an extra hungry mouth to feed now, Sakura started making even larger rice balls!

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying a few cherry blossoms that drifted across people's line of sight.

The villagers were living peaceful and leisurely days, but suddenly one day, their tranquility was shattered.

"Miss Miko! Lord Godly Being! It's a major emergency!"

An urgent cry echoed from outside the shrine, sounding extremely anxious.

Sakura, who had heard the commotion, stepped out. A breathless villager had sprinted to her, pointing down the mountain, and reported in a panic, "Monsters have reappeared in the forest, miss! Several villagers are still out there!"

The news darkened Yae Sakura's face. She calmed the villager, sent him on his way, and then turned to walk back into the shrine.

Then... Yae Sakura returned to her room, picking up her weapons. She wiped the beautiful Void Blade with a towel, then examined it carefully.

The blade's cold edge refracted a chilling light in the lamplight.

She drew two pistols, inserting them into her belt. After confirming everything was set, Yae Sakura turned to leave her room.

But as soon as Yae Sakura stepped out, she found herself face-to-face with Serenade and Kallen.

"What's going on? Has something happened?" Serenade asked, seeing Yae Sakura's serious demeanor and sensing the mounting tension.

"Monsters have appeared in the forest beyond the village. There are still villagers out there." Yae Sakura glanced at Serenade and Kallen, choosing not to hide the situation.