Honkai Won’t Stop Chasing Me

"I—I understand! Zeno will protect Big Sister properly from now on! I'll grow up to be a Silvermane Guard, just like Lord Gepard!"

The little boy nodded solemnly at Gepard.

Gepard smiled warmly and pinned a badge onto Zeno's chest. "Good! I'll be waiting for you!"

"Hey!" Serval cut in, interrupting the conversation. "Why's the mood getting so heavy again? Maybe we should call it a day? Let these siblings rest and recover properly. Oh, and little bro—you still got energy left? I wanna talk to you for a bit."

Meanwhile, Stelle sat quietly on a nearby chair. Catching a whiff of gossip, she immediately followed them out like a bloodhound on a trail.

Of course, the Landau siblings didn't mind. Stelle was a comrade who'd fought alongside them through life and death. Having her as a witness might even be for the best.

"Little bro, what you said to that miner boy just now—was that how you really feel?"

"Of course. And it wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment thought. It's something I've always believed.

People shouldn't always face their problems alone, keeping their struggles locked inside forever.

They should learn to rely on others—at least those closest to them."

"That's so like you, little bro."

"You could've just said those words to me directly, but you had to use someone else as a roundabout way to say it.

And you have the nerve to say I'm the one hiding things? You're not being straightforward either!"

"What else would you expect? We're family."

Serval took a deep breath. "I've changed my mind."

Stelle, still munching on watermelon, asked, "Changed your mind about what?"

"Change of plans. I'm staying in Belobog. I won't be boarding the Astral Express."

Gepard didn't show any excitement. Instead, he spoke with deliberate seriousness,

"I only wanted you to let go of the burden in your heart. I wasn't trying to force you to stay."

Serval glanced around.

"Don't worry, little bro. This is a choice I've thought through carefully.

The truth is, I wanted to leave because I was running away. I didn't want to see anything that reminded me of her.

I've never been good at handling these things. Whenever I face problems like this, my first instinct is to escape.

But starting today, I'm going to change! Because I won't have to face these problems alone anymore."

Serval ruffled Gepard's hair. "Right, little bro?"

For once, Gepard didn't resist. "Yeah, Sis!"

"Thanks to you, I've also seen the state of the people in the Underworld. It made me realize—maybe I can still help. Maybe I can still do something for this city.

Little bro, Trailblazer—there's one last thing I need your help with!"

Stelle kept crunching on seeds. "C'mon, can't I just stay here and quietly snack?"

"Hey, just this once! Absolutely the last time!" Her tone shifted, her eyes turning melancholic. "I want to see the Stellaron. The place where Cocolia… made her final stand."

Stelle sighed. "Fine, if that's how it's gotta be…"

——

After the scene transition, the screen filled with a vast expanse of snow. The subtitle read: "Everwinter Hill."

The camera panned down to reveal Stelle staring up at the spot where the Stellaron had once been contained.

"This place is freezing!" Serval rubbed her arms as she walked up beside Stelle, though she still carried the guitar Cocolia had given her.

"Whoa!" Serval followed Stelle's gaze and saw the massive structure before them.

"Is this the Stellaron containment device? The people of the past actually mastered technology this complex? It's incredible!"

Gepard nodded. "This is where Her Majesty Cocolia fell in battle."

Serval closed her eyes. "Heh. She got what she deserved."

"I thought you came here to pay your respects?"

Serval didn't directly answer Stelle's question.

"Maybe. But the main reason is for myself.

I came to perform a 'farewell concert.'

And I'd like the two of you to witness this historic moment!

The venue isn't great, and the equipment's shoddy—sorry about that!"

Serval took a few steps forward, raising her guitar high before shouting at the sky:

"Watch me, Cocolia! Don't you dare look away.

Because I—!"

"Will never!"

"Live!"

"In your!"

"Shadow!"

"Again!"

With a resounding crash, Serval smashed the electric guitar she and Cocolia had built together—

Shattering it along with the lingering obsessions of her past.

[Serval Sis is amazing!]

[Exactly! No pain is insurmountable. No matter how much it hurts, time will give us the answers!]

[This part with Serval was done so well. You could really feel her stepping out of the shadows, leaving the past behind.]

[Like Bo Ya breaking his zither and cutting its strings, because Serval's Bo Ya is already dead in her memories.]

[Honestly, I thought everything was just average at first, but this final moment made it all worth it.]

[Serval's such a great person. It was Cocolia who failed her.]

[A farewell to the past! A farewell to lingering regrets—well done, well done!]

[Yeah, as someone who's been through it, no matter why two people drift apart, living in their shadow isn't the answer. The only way forward is to stand bravely in the sunlight and live even more brilliantly than before!]

[Thanks, man. I get it now!]

——

Gepard watched Serval, who was still catching her breath, and asked softly,

"Feel better?"

"Much better. The only regret is not getting to see that woman's expression—what a shame!

Alright, everything that needed doing is done. Thanks for putting up with me for so long, you two.

Tonight, my treat—let's throw a celebration at Old Goethe's place!"

In the next moment,

The scene shifted to the three of them. Even Gepard, for once, was enjoying himself unreservedly, lost in the moment.

The screen gradually faded to black.

The audience checked the time—about an hour and a half had passed. Was the Express logo not coming?

Only when they checked the progress bar did they realize—

The runtime was actually two and a half hours?!

Damn it!

They had no choice but to keep watching.

——

"A few days later." White text stood out starkly against the black screen.

Stelle was in front of Belobog's Museum when her phone started buzzing incessantly.

She checked it—Serval and Gepard had added her to a new group chat.

[Serval: Trailblazer!]

[Gepard: You there?]

[Stelle: Uh, why'd you make a group chat? What are you trying to do to me?]

[Serval: Ah, don't get the wrong idea. You probably already guessed.]

[Gepard: We wanted to ask for your help with something.]

[Stelle: Hello, the user you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.]

[Stelle: Pick up.]

[Stelle: ...]

[Serval: C'mon, don't mess around! This is really important!]

[Gepard: Could you come to the sorting room at Belobog's Grand Museum? We can talk there.]

[Stelle: Are you doing this on purpose? I'm literally right outside the museum! Whatever, since I'm already here…]