Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

Nino's adoptive father suddenly stood up.

"That's impossible! She wrote to us last week... just last week!"

"...I'm sorry, she was caught up in this disaster and unfortunately passed away."

Kevin said, his head down.

"My sister... Mr. Kevin, is it confirmed? Has my sister's body been found? Is it really..."

Nino's cousin also looked flustered and was somewhat incoherent.

“Her death is confirmed; my companion watched her breathe her last. But I’m sorry… Miss Nino left no body.”

Perhaps fearing that the Fire Moth might do something to Nino's body, Qianjie personally cremated her body after her death, and Mei didn't say much after learning about it.

"No body?! Not even a body... Nino... Nino, she..."

Nino's adoptive mother, overcome with emotion, grabbed Kevin's shoulders tightly.

"Nino is a good girl, she's such a good girl... She shouldn't have to go through this. God, are you really going to be this cruel? If you're going to punish us, you might as well give it all to us!"

"We're so sorry for that child..."

Nino's adoptive father collapsed back onto the sofa, burying his face in his hands and weeping bitterly.

“We’ve always been critical of that child… but she’s so sensible, she’s real family to us, Mr. Kevin… to be honest, given our family’s circumstances, I was initially reluctant to adopt that child.”

Nino's adoptive father, tears streaming down his face, choked out:

“We raised her, but we never treated her like our own child… But Nino is really a good child, she is such a good child.”

During her university years, she never asked us for a single penny. Sometimes we wanted to send her some money, but she never accepted it.

In fact, because her younger brother went to university, she sent money home every month without fail, rain or shine.

My wife and I went to her school once, worried, only to find her sitting happily on the beach with a sandwich in her hand...

She was never this happy while she was with us. We feel terrible for her, but we don't know how to make it up to her...

But, but Mr. Kevin, this isn't true, this isn't true!

"It's almost the end of the year, and my sister said she'll come back to celebrate the New Year with us this year..."

Nino's cousin hugged his excited father, pursed his lips,

"My parents have planned to celebrate the New Year together, and they've bought my sister's favorite dish from when she was little... plus a lot of gifts."

I thought we could finally be a family. I like my older sister; she's very kind to me, and talking to her is always fun. Actually, when I was in college, I often went to see her, and she always took me out to play, just like my own sister…”

"She's your older sister...she should be your older sister. It's all our fault...it's all my fault."

Nino's foster mother squatted on the ground and cried.

"I...I...I...I'm so sorry for that child. I just want to see her one last time, just one last time! Mr. Kevin, is there really no body? Not even a glimpse of her?!"

"………Feel sorry."

Kevin lowered his head again, opened the box, and inside were Nino's various manuscripts and photographs, as well as a tattered doll.

“Miss Nino’s personal belongings are all here… A book and a hat were taken by her friend. The rest are here. According to Miss Nino’s will, her entire estate will be transferred to her brother’s account.”

"..."

Nino's younger brother stared blankly at the tattered doll, which he had bought with his allowance when he was a child.

Because he didn't recall his sister ever receiving any gifts, he got angry and bought this with his allowance.

He still remembers the surprised look on his sister's face when she received the doll. She reached out, touched her head, and smiled for the first time.

Nino's adoptive father picked up the photos one by one, the backgrounds of which were from various countries, but only the girl remained unchanged.

The old man stroked the girls in the photos with his fingers, tears dripping onto them, and he pressed his hand to his face.

"They're so big now..."

"I'm sorry, there's not much I can do... Although you might be angry to hear this, the compensation has already been deposited into this young man's account. I'm very sorry."

Kevin lowered his head again and got up to leave.

"Mr. Kevin."

Nino's brother suddenly looked up at him.

"what happened?"

"What...is there a relationship between you and my sister?"

He hesitated for a moment and asked.

"...The person who saved her in Hera City was my friend."

Kevin hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Two of Miss Nino's important friends are unable to attend due to special circumstances, and I feel obligated to come on their behalf."

"My sister's friend must be a very good person."

Nino's brother nodded and said nothing more.

As Kevin was leaving, he suddenly turned around, and a long-suppressed sob could be heard coming from the room.

"...Your sister's friends are all very nice, and your sister is very nice too."

Kevin muttered to himself, then turned and walked away without looking back.

………………

Dear Dad, Mom, and my little brother Otto:

See the letter.

After my parents and sister Bianca died, you were my only family. (The current Bianca's name comes from Otto's sister.)

Perhaps this sounds arrogant. But I am all alone, with no one else to rely on. If possible, I hope you can hear my last words. If you find them annoying, you can simply discard them.

I am a bad girl who has caused a lot of trouble for many people, including you. I don't expect your forgiveness, but I hope that in the end, I can say my last words to you like a child.

Please take care of yourself and stay healthy.

Your sincere,

尼诺

Chapter Ninety-Three: Prologue to the Immaculate Earth

The sage said—

Love is patient, love is kind.

Love is not jealous, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres; love never fails.

……

Love is extraordinary, and love has no limits.

Enduring love and hate eventually transform into a static state, the static state of life.

Yes, death.

Death is God's revelation; death is God's warning.

Once you cross the gate of all beings, all are equal.

Give love to all beings, give them liberation.

Endless and without end, yet without dust.

That is the kingdom of God, the land of God that washes away sin.

Pray...

Pray...

Pray...

Those who pray will eventually have their sins washed away; those who pray will eventually overcome death, walk the thorny path after death, and reach heaven.

May that peaceful and serene path lead to—

There is nothing that will bother you anymore.

……

A monastery located on a western continent—

This is a remote monastery. Although it is somewhat famous, its conditions are rather basic due to its rural location.

It is a clear afternoon now.

Agnes washed the sheets for the church children as usual, meticulously turning them over and over so that not a single wrinkle was left.

She looked up at the children playing in the distance, and focused her gaze on one of the girls. She was very pretty and looked like she was almost an adult.

"Agnes, what are you looking at?"

The middle-aged nun next to her walked over, placed the clothes next to Agnes, and struck up a conversation.

"...I was looking at that girl."

Agnes pointed to the outstanding girl.

"Ah, it's Cass."

The middle-aged nun's expression changed slightly, and after a moment she leaned close to Agnes's ear and whispered...

"Don't get involved with her, Agnes. You're different from her. You're beautiful too, but you're a registered person."

But this monastery is full of orphans without identities after the collapse of the monastery, and the abbot wouldn't let such a beautiful child go to waste; he'd probably...

The middle-aged woman stopped there; Agnes knew what she wanted to say without even hearing the rest.

"...The Honkai survivors are already pitiful enough."

For reasons unknown, Agnes lowered her head, scrubbing the clothes vigorously, and whispered something.