Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

Is this your daughter?

Looking at Agnes, who was being held tightly in the priest's arms, the man holding the knife spoke angrily.

"Very well... I can finally let them, let Mom and Dad rest in peace. You killed my whole family and turned me into a monster! Today I will make you experience the same pain!"

"I do not……"

Agnes couldn't say her words because the priest sealed her mouth; perhaps, in the man's eyes, the priest was protecting her.

"go to hell!"

The man's face contorted in rage as he slashed the priest's carotid artery with the knife, even slicing across Agnes's right eye.

"Ah... Ahhhhh!!! No... I'm not... Ahhhhh!"

Agnes cried out, looking at the priest, but the priest just stared at her without saying a word.

Prayer, guilt, hesitation... and also resolve.

There were so many things in those eyes that Agnes didn't want to understand. The priest didn't repent before he died. He suddenly got up and pinned Agnes down, letting the man hack wildly at his back.

"..."

When the man kicked the priest away, Agnes just stared blankly at the night sky.

She had no room to defend herself. Who else could the pastor be willing to risk his life to protect but his own daughter?

"Ha...hahaha...don't be afraid, little sister...if I kill you, I'll kill myself too. It's fair to exchange the lives of one family for the lives of another."

The man gripped the knife, licked his lips, and placed it against Agnes's neck.

The next second, the girl's fragile throat will be cut open, and blood will flow out.

It should be so.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

But the girl, who should have been waiting to be killed, somehow found the strength and courage to knock the man over.

The man lost his balance and fell to the ground, dropping the knife.

"Why, why, why!!!"

The girl grabbed a knife and stabbed the man in the stomach repeatedly, once, twice, three times...

"Why did you betray me?! Why, why, why! I trusted you so much... Why?! Why?!"

The man couldn't utter a word; his throat throbbed, and finally, only blood bubbles escaped from his mouth before he gradually stopped breathing.

"I am Agnes...I am Agnes...I am Agnes!"

Agnes gripped the knife, her expression growing increasingly ferocious. She slung the knife behind her back and returned to the monastery. She went to the underground storeroom, the only place in the monastery where people could be hidden.

"Daddy...is that Daddy? Daddy, I want to go out...Waaah, don't lock me up."

Agnes's voice came from the warehouse, and she seemed unaware of why she was locked up there.

"Aegonise, don't be afraid, it's me."

Agnes slowly walked over.

“Agnes? Is that you? That’s wonderful… Dad…”

Agnes breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the familiar voice. She quickly peeked out to confirm Agnes's presence.

But when she looked up, she saw a face covered in blood.

"Aaaaaaah!!! Love, love Gwyneth... What's wrong with you... What's that on your face? Dad, where's Dad? You, you..."

She hurriedly crawled backward, because she couldn't tell whether she was in front of a human or a ghost.

“Agnes, don’t be afraid. Someone was trying to do something wrong at the convent. The teacher has caught him and sent me to find you.”

Agnes smiled.

"This is just pig's blood. That person was a pig thief who also had a knife. The teacher was slightly injured, and a pig died."

"Yes, is that so..."

Agnes breathed a sigh of relief and was no longer afraid of the approaching "Agnes".

"Then what about Dad...?"

Agnes froze, staring blankly at her stomach, where a gleaming knife was stuck.

"I am Agnes."

"Agnes" covered Agnes's mouth.

"It was true before, it is true now, and it will be true in the future. Don't argue with me about this name... okay?"

"Ugh... Ugh ugh ugh?!"

Agnes struggled frantically, kicking her legs, her face contorted with pain.

Goodbye, I was never your substitute.

…………

That night...

Ten-year-old Agnes left the convent alone.

Chapter Ninety-Five: A Thousand Tribulations

"Uh, you were fired too?"

Alicia paused slightly in her grip on the chopsticks.

"……The same to you?"

Melutina stopped picking up the spoon.

"Hmm... Mei said that the number of fusion warriors has surged, so they need to change the existing organization and make some new recruits serve as front-line squad leaders, so they removed me?"

Alicia shrugged.

"...Me too. Eden seems to have returned to her original job and is now doing her publicity work."

Melutina nodded, thought for a moment, and then considered the possibility that even Susana might be assigned as a squad leader...

A slight chill ran through her.

"Haha, don't be so pessimistic. Young people always need to grow up."

"As expected of someone with such seniority and mature, steady love... mmm..."

Before Melutina could finish speaking, Alicia reached out and grabbed her face.

"uh-huh??"

"As expected of the mature and composed Miss Alicia, those young girls are no match for you."

Melutina put it another way.

"Even the all-powerful Miss Alicia can't do everything. For example, right now I can't do anything but sit here and eat noodles with Kevin."

Alicia reluctantly picked up her chopsticks and handed the soy sauce to Kevin next to her.

"..."

Kevin nodded, holding sesame seeds in one hand and soy sauce in the other.

"...Um, Kevin wasn't dismissed too, was he?"

Melutina's lips twitched.

"No, but he is no longer serving as the front-line squad leader, and all the original members of the first squad have been assigned to command the new recruits."

Alicia shook her head.

"Once the main force's organization stabilizes, even the poisonous pupa might be disbanded."

"Wouldn't that make things easier for Sakura? That's good, she can spend more time with her sister."

Melutina didn't care about any of that.

"Aside from Qianjie, probably no one would be bothered by the disintegration of the poisonous cocoons."

"Even if he survives a thousand tribulations, he will continue to act recklessly, and Mei can't do anything about it."

Kevin finally spoke his first words.

"Speaking of newcomers, have you heard of anyone?"

"Hmm, let me think... Kevin specifically mentioned it, so he must be quite famous?"

Alicia poked her chin with her finger, thought for a moment,

"Hmm? Padofilis?"

"what……"

Melutina also showed a complicated expression for a moment.

"...My uniform keeps going missing lately."

Kevin paused for a moment and then said,

"Then I saw them on some... weird trading websites."

"I've already lost three of my bows."

Melutina tapped her horn; there was nothing there.

"Hmm...actually, I'm also lacking some jewelry..."

Alicia is deep in thought.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The three leaders of the Fire Moth silently stared at each other for three seconds, then unanimously continued to lower their heads and eat their noodles.