Interlude: Anna's Letter

To Lin Wei:

Greetings.

Is this formal greeting a bit jarring? Thinking back to our first meeting, the impression I left you with was pretty terrible, wasn't it? So, I'm hoping to use this to slightly improve my image in your eyes. Hehe, just a little bit of wilfulness on my part, hope you don't mind.

Oops, does my tone sound too formal again? Sorry… Even though we haven't known each other long, I still hope we can have a more relaxed way of interacting. I believe you feel the same way, right?

In the short time since we parted, I often find myself thinking about the things you said to me.

You said people's eyes can deceive, ears can deceive, and that what we see and hear isn't always the truth. You also said the world isn't as good as I think, nor as bad as I've seen it, and so many other things too.

They keep echoing in my ears, and I've been trying to understand what you were trying to tell me. Maybe I'm just too slow, but I never really understood it fully. But now, I think I'm starting to get it.

Before this, I had some misunderstandings with my captain, and it led to some friction. Because of certain events, I once thought she was cold and cruel, indifferent to her comrades, indifferent to responsibility… Looking back now, I was so ridiculously wrong. You were right, I was too shallow, always stubbornly believing that what I saw, heard, and thought was the truth of the world, and always doing silly things.

Haha, just like a childish kid. No wonder you like to pat my head. Do you see me as a kid too?

I've already sincerely apologized to her, and Captain has forgiven me—or rather, she never blamed me in the first place. I'm really grateful to her.

And I'm also grateful to you, Lin Wei. Without your help, I might not have realized my shortcomings so quickly, nor understood so quickly what my captain stands for, and what it all represents.

Because of this, I think I'm beginning to understand what you meant when you said that to me.

This world is indeed not as beautiful as I naively imagined it to be in my ivory tower; but it's also not as terrible as I saw and experienced after officially becoming a Valkyrie and stepping onto the battlefield.

I understand now, this world is indeed cruel and terrible, its true colors aren't so bright and dazzling, but instead filled with frustration and sadness. But there are always some people, using their own ways, to make it a little less terrible. There are many of them, using their brilliant will, in this storm-battered, turbulent flower garden, carefully cultivating and protecting one beautiful flower after another.

But this flower garden that can birth so many beautiful flowers, this world that can create such brilliant wills, is it really just as terrible and depressing as it seems on the surface?

So, I think I'm starting to have an answer:

To protect humanity from the Honkai's invasion, to keep the flowers from being ruined by wind and rain, to let these brilliant wills shine forever, to make this depressing and sad world a little better.

This is the path I, Valkyrie Anna Schariac, should take.

I believe you, who said those words to me, must also think so, right?

Thank you, Lin Wei. Now I believe, our paths will surely cross again in the future!

Just you wait and see! When we meet again, that once-clumsy girl will definitely make you look at her in a new light!

Hehe, just thinking about it makes me excited!

Oh dear, without realizing it, I've already written so much, but I clearly still have so much more to say…

Wishing you peace and smoothness, and all good things.

—Anna Schariac"

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Finished writing, checked it over, and clicked send.

Anna was too shy to leave these words on paper. Seeing the "sent successfully" notification, Anna couldn't help but blush. Expressing her heartfelt feelings to someone in a letter format was just too embarrassing.

It was sent already, too late to regret it now—though, actually, she didn't really regret it at all.

How will he see me? Anna thought, shy but happy.

After a moment, Anna started writing another letter.

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To Yuno:

Greetings.

I wonder if your body and your powers are doing okay now? I hope Ms. Nagamitsu's help can get you back to a normal life soon.

I'm so sorry for not contacting you for so long. I hope you don't blame me, because my intention was actually not to let you see me in such a terrible state, and make you worry about me.

After leaving Schicksal HQ, I joined the Snow Lotus Squad, and I'm now stationed in Manila, Philippines. Life here, compared to when I was at HQ, is like living in two completely different worlds.

The climate here is humid and rainy, which was really unbearable at first, but I'm gradually getting used to life here now. The current me won't make you worry anymore.

But, as a good friend, I still want to apologize to you, not for now, but for those days back at HQ.

My wilfulness back then must have caused you a lot of trouble, right? I'm really sorry…

There's also something else, I hesitated for a long time, but I feel like I need to apologize to you even more about this.

Back then, I always deliberately avoided mentioning your past in front of you, afraid that those past hurts would wound you. But thinking about it now, that deliberate avoidance was the real harm to you.

Because, I believe, what you wanted was friendship and understanding from a friend; not some kind of pity or sympathy, right?

Although I didn't do it intentionally, as a good friend, I still feel it's necessary to apologize to you.

I've experienced some things now, seen some people, understood some things, and gradually realized what a strong, respectable girl you are, far more excellent than I am now!

So, I'm sorry, Yuno.

I hope you won't laugh at my past recklessness and immaturity.

Also, Manila is beautiful this season, full of life. I really want to share these things with you. So, if you can, I'd really like to invite you to come here and experience it together!

I've also prepared a gift for you, I hope you'll like it.

—Anna Schariac"

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Checked it was correct, confirmed send.

Then, taking a deep breath, she started writing another letter.

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To Bianca:

Greetings.

I'm currently in the Philippines. Since joining the Snow Lotus Squad, I've been stationed in Manila, fighting on different fronts, just like you, to protect Earth and humanity. This world is really vast. The culture and climate here are completely different from Europe, which has really opened my eyes. I'm sure you, who are currently traveling around the globe on missions, must have even deeper experiences than me, right?

I remember back at HQ, you were always a shining star in the crowd. Everyone flocked around you, praising your extraordinary talent. But I know, it's that strong sense of mission in your heart that drives you forward, and you put in several times the effort of ordinary people to become as strong as you are now.

I also want to share some of my feelings with you. After leaving HQ, I experienced some things I never imagined before, and had some unprecedented thoughts. I discovered that the Valkyrie identity and responsibility are not as pure and beautiful as I previously thought. But I'm still proud of my identity, because now I understand: being a Valkyrie doesn't represent beauty, but it represents that I can create beauty.

Just thinking about it makes me feel like I'm filled with endless strength!

So, Bianca, I will definitely keep chasing after your back, and I believe one day, I will catch up to you, and walk alongside you!

Ah, sorry, did I accidentally write a declaration of war?

Please don't mind it, I just don't know how to express my feelings… Anyway, please keep going strong, and wish you all the best.

Also, please send my regards to Miss Rita. I've prepared a gift for you and Miss Rita each, I hope you both will like them.

—Anna Schariac"

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Checked it was correct, confirmed send.

"Oops, I think I forgot to ask Lin Wei for his address. I should have prepared a gift for him too."

Anna fell into a kind of regretful distress.