Honkai Impact 3: Noah's Ark

19:《Time》

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《Saturday, 8:15 AM》

The visitors came just before breakfast.

"Hey, we're here," said Himeko's voice beyond the door.

"Ah." Kiana stood up from her chair beside the bed, nearly knocking over the bowl of potato chips she had just prepared as she walked to the door. Noah suddenly felt deprived; he didn't realize that he liked the lavender scent of the girl's shampoo until it disappeared. The girl opened the door to find that the entirety of the Fifth had come, dressed as they normally would inside the dorms.

"Good morning, Kiana," Mei greeted her with a warm smile.

The white-haired girl grinned. "Good morning hehe~"

The guests filed into the room. Other than greetings, none of them spoke as they settled in. Noah gazed wearily at the women who had gathered around him and wondered why he suddenly felt small. Kiana took back her place beside him and Noah could tell that her fingers brushed his.

A few seconds passed where the Valkyries simply exchanged glances. Then Himeko sighed and leaned back on her chair.

"How are you boy?"

Noah turned to her. Belatedly, he realized that he hadn't actually spoken that often to his commanding officer apart from the first day and the brief conversations they had around the dinner table.

"I'm doing fine ma'am," he said.

She glanced at his stump. "Right," she said.

Someone chuckled. The boy turned to Fu Hua but she was the perfect image of apt attention.

He turned back, face deadpan. "Yes, apart from my missing right arm, broken ribs, lacerations, and bruises, I am fine."

That sent a wave of giggling throughout the room. Noah smiled as the still air began moving again and watched his family's happy faces. He glanced Kiana and she, too, grinned.

"Well, we're all glad you got back, even if it's not in one piece," the Major continued once she caught her breath. "There's a lot of catching up to do since you've been asleep for so long."

To that Noah agreed. He turned to the girls—his classmates.

"Kiana told me you all passed," he said.

"That is correct," Bronya replied. "However, it is worth noting that Idiot Kiana nearly failed hers again in the written exam."

"I-I didn't!"

"Kiana, 37.5 out of 50 in the History test is still 75%," Mei countered.

The sky-eyed girl stood. "Well it's not my fault that Schicskal lost to China when they invaded just before the Black Plague!"

He heard another chuckle. Fu Hua still appeared innocent.

"So everyone got promoted?" the boy continued as the target of the teasing sat down. He was answered by smiles and approval from the Valkyrie trainees. Kiana did tell him the night before, but he wanted to make sure. Besides, the girl was already acting like she forgot everything. It was almost 3 AM, after all.

Either way, he was satisfied.

"Noah." The boy turned to Mei. "I don't think you've seen the gifts that everyone sent you the past few days."

"Ah!" Kiana stood again, but she was stopped. Himeko put a hand on her shoulder.

"The Bronya believes it is a good idea to first begin with Kiana's present." The twin pigtailed girl nodded at the class representative, who began rummaging through the pile that had been left on the counter.