Every time Elias' fingers passed over one of Bronya's scars, it vanished—as though it had never existed.
In just a few short moments, the once-battered body of the girl had become flawless once more. It was as if every curse upon her had been purified.
"Alright, that should do it."
Elias clapped his hands with satisfaction.
Not only had he healed the surface wounds, but also the internal injuries and lingering damage. Bronya's body was now fully recovered. As for the wounds in her heart... he believed House of the Hearth would gradually help her heal those too.
Since he was already there, Elias went ahead and washed Bronya's hair as well. Her usually tight twin tails, once let down, revealed soft natural curls.
No high-end conditioner or shampoo could compare to the Herrscher of Death's powers—every strand of her pale gray hair touched by his hands gleamed like it had been cleansed of every trace of grime.
"Bronya can handle her own maintenance. You don't need to go to such trouble."
"Hey now~ What's with this talk of 'maintenance'? Bronya, you're a human being, not a machine. You need to take care of your body. For a girl, too many scars can ruin your beauty—makes it harder to get married someday."
"Bronya doesn't understand... But... does this mean... I really don't have to take on missions anymore?"
"That's right. From now on, no one will hurt you—and you don't have to hurt anyone else either. Bronya, congratulations. You've made it through the deepest depths of hell... and arrived in paradise."
"..."
Elias gently stroked the girl's hair.
Then he rinsed her off with warm water. Bronya, like a small animal, shook her head and scattered water droplets everywhere—splashing Elias in the process.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw someone new. All the pain she had accepted as just another part of life—was gone.
Bronya was stunned. She had never felt so light.
Her eyes drifted to Elias. She felt like she should say something, but didn't know what. She struggled to form the words.
In the end, all that tangled emotion condensed into the simplest of phrases.
"...Thank you."
"No need for thanks—I told you, we're family," Elias replied with a small shake of his head.
"Mm."
"But... if it's not too much to ask—can you call me 'Papa'? Just like the other kids at House of the Hearth. I really want to hear you say it."
It was a small selfish request. Elias looked toward Bronya with anticipation, while she hesitated slightly.
From her perspective, being fully healed in exchange for nothing but a single word... felt far too little.
Shouldn't she offer more?
Elias seemed to understand what she was thinking. He gently patted her head.
"For me, that's more than enough."
"...Understood. In that case... thank you for saving Bronya, Papa Elias."
"Mm~ What a lovely sound."
Elias' heart skipped a beat. He was overjoyed.
She finally called him Papa! For a moment, he was so excited he hugged Bronya tight, rubbing his cheek against hers—and even considered going for the full 'cheek kiss, hug, and lift' routine.
"Mmm~"
Bronya let out a soft, cute sound.
But she didn't resist. As Elias embraced her, a strange, indescribable warmth bloomed inside her.
Even the heart that had remained calm in the face of gunfire now beat a little faster.
Hugs were such a strange thing.
They could convey warmth, reliance, comfort. For the one being hugged, it was like a safe harbor for the soul.
Someone had once said:
In this hopelessly cruel world, it's only when you're embraced by someone important to you that you can truly feel alive.
"Dry yourself off and change clothes. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Understood. Bronya will comply."
She instinctively raised her hand in salute—only to realize a second later that she was no longer a child soldier.
Elias gave her head one more affectionate pat before leaving the bathroom and returning to his sanctuary—the kitchen—where he began his passionate culinary battle with the ingredients. He even hummed a nameless tune.
It was clear his mood was excellent.
Bronya—soft, fragrant, and adorable. Hehehe~
...
"Kids, dinner's ready~!"
"Yaaay~~!" xN
When they saw the table filled with a sumptuous feast, the girls of House of the Hearth lit up with joy. They warmly welcomed and thanked Bronya for joining the family.
The last time they had such a lavish spread was when Seele first arrived.
Gurgle!
Bronya couldn't help but gulp.
For her, even a can of low-quality beef stew was a rare treat—her usual meals consisted of energy drinks and ration bars.
But the vibrant, fragrant spread before her now... it was something not even the little match girl could dream up, no matter how many matches she struck.
"Alright, go wash your hands and dig in."
"Yes, Papa Elias!" xN
The girls dashed toward the sinks. Bronya, having already bathed, simply took a seat. She hesitated, staring at the wide variety of dishes—there were so many options, she didn't know where to start.
Elias gave her a gentle nod, encouraging her to eat whatever she liked.
In the end, Bronya chose the borscht. The bright red soup had a dollop of white sour cream, and its rich aroma was irresistible.
"D-Delicious... This is so good."
For the first time in her life, Bronya used the word "delicious" to describe food. That first sip of soup had already surpassed everything she'd ever eaten before.
Acting on pure instinct, she raised the bowl with both hands and eagerly drank it all down. In no time, the entire bowl was empty.
She touched her lips, savoring the lingering flavor, while a warm sensation filled her belly. Her shoulders relaxed, and the tension she'd carried for so long began to ease.
For the first time, she felt a desire beyond survival—she wanted... to eat more food like this.
"Om nom, ahh, gulp gulp~!"
"Looks like you really enjoyed it. Go ahead, eat as much as you like—there's plenty more in the pot."
"Mm! This is the most delicious food Bronya has ever eaten. It's... so good! Mm..."
Suddenly, she noticed something warm trailing down her cheeks. Startled, she set her spoon down and touched her face.
It was her tears.
"Bronya thought... she had no tears left to cry."
"These are different. These are tears of happiness."
Elias gently slid his own bowl of borscht over to Bronya and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You were half right, Bronya. You did run out of tears—but only the ones for sadness. From now on... every tear you shed will be one of happiness."
"Tears... of happiness?"
"Yeah. Just like this."
"...I see. That's... wonderful."
Bronya looked down at the sparkling tears on her fingertips, then at the delicious food before her, and finally at the man beside her—Papa Elias, who treated her with such kindness.
For the first time, a smile bloomed on her face.
Elias found himself a little stunned. For a moment, he almost thought an angel had descended into his home.
(Yep. Improving my cooking really was the right move.)
He glanced at his own hands.
Recently, Elias had been enjoying cooking more and more.
Though thanks to his Herrscher powers there were no marks to show it, he'd once cut his fingers so many times while learning to cook that he took more damage than when fighting Honkai Beasts.
But he never minded. Because he had come to understand a simple truth:
(In this world, the only one who can wield a blade and still bring happiness to others—is a chef.)
"Waaah! So sneaky! Bronya's already eating! Let's hurry up and eat too!"
"Yeah, Papa Elias' food is best when it's hot!"
"Ah! Papa gave his borscht to Bronya. So lucky—I want some too~!"
"Alright, alright. There's plenty left in the pot. Anyone who wants more, go get seconds."
"Yay~!" xN
As all the children gathered around and began devouring their food with excitement, Bronya watched in a bit of a daze.
In her old life, eating had simply been a mechanical task—replenishing energy as quickly as possible. But that worldview had just been shattered.
Now, with a table full of fragrant dishes, surrounded by laughing, joyful girls her age, and with the warmth of the fireplace painting everything in a soft glow...
Bronya didn't know any words to describe what she felt. After all, her knowledge was limited to killing and using weapons.
But even so, she still voiced her truest feelings.
"...It's so warm here. I really like it."
"That's because this is home, Bronya," Elias said warmly.
"So this is... home. Bronya thinks... she understands a little now."
"Mm. And you'll come to understand even more. You'll experience more warmth and happiness. I'll say it again: Welcome to House of the Hearth, Bronya."
After dinner came the traditional music concert.
Elias first played Deep Sea Girl, the same piece he had performed for Seele the night before. Then he followed it with Cyberangel—yes, the high-energy anthem from Honkai Impact 3rd's "ZERO Exception," Bronya Zaychik's very own character song.
As Elias expected, Bronya reacted just like Mei had when hearing Diva of Disruptive World—she was surprised, and deeply moved.
"Corrupt binary codes infecting my mind
Perform invocation with numbing freeze
Querying for a variable and seizing the time
To recomplie and trigger my destiny
Though my wings've been bloodstained and could never rid
I will try hard to soar to the heaven I dreamed
There is no 'exception' in this library
For I know I will always go with you
Superhot projectiles pierce the wind
I charged up my armor into lightspeed
Querying for a variable and seizing the time
In a new day coming not so far away
...
Though my wings've been bloodstained and could never rid
I will try hard to soar to the heaven I dreamed
There is no "exception" in this library
For I know I will always go with my heart"
...
As the final note fell, thunderous applause erupted.
"Well? What do you think? Sound good?"
Elias turned to ask Bronya, who was seated among the audience.
"Mm! It sounded amazing! Bronya has never heard a song so beautiful, and... for some reason, it really resonated with me."
"Really? Then I'll teach you how to sing it. Once you learn, sing it for me, okay?"
"...Bronya will do her best!"
Something stirred inside her—motivation. Bronya nodded firmly, promising to try her hardest.
Elias looked pleased. A brilliant idea suddenly struck him—why not teach Kiana, Mei, and the others to sing their own character songs and then have them perform for him?
And of course, Fu Hua's, Himeko's, Elysia's... Just imagining real-life characters singing their own songs was too entertaining.
"Wah! Papa Elias is being biased again!"
"Oh no! The Vodka Girls are facing an unprecedented crisis!"
"Yeah! Bronya's gonna be a new rival for Rozaliya and Liliya!"
"Waaah! We won't give up the House of the Hearth's top idol throne without a fight!"
The moment they heard Bronya was going to learn to sing, Rozaliya and Liliya were in an uproar. The pair immediately imagined themselves as worldwide super idols—only to be dethroned by rising star Bronya.
...Not that they needed to worry. In the original timeline, they never even debuted. And let's be honest, the true #1 idol of House of the Hearth...
Had always been Papa Elias!
"Alright, you two. Settle down. Don't forget—you start your morning runs tomorrow."
"Waaah, Papa, don't remind us!"
"Liliya had finally managed to forget about it!"
"...I should probably have you two checked by a neurologist. Not sure if there's any saving you."
Elias gave them a dramatic look of exasperation. The two immediately latched onto his leg, wailing and begging not to be thrown into the non-recyclable trash bin.
Of course, Elias was just joking.
Though Rozaliya and Liliya were notorious troublemakers who often stirred chaos, their boundless energy and optimism brought joy to everyone at House of the Hearth. They were an irreplaceable part of the family.
Elias genuinely cared for them deeply.
...
After dinner came free playtime. Most of the children went out to play in the snow—right around the house, where all danger had already been cleared by Elias.
Others found hobbies indoors. Elias had bought all kinds of books and toys to keep them entertained. As for him?
His favorite pastime was simple:
Doing nothing.
Just sitting in the rocking chair by the fireplace,
Quietly enjoying the warmth and tranquility,
Savoring every peaceful second.
"Ah~ bliss~"
Watching the flickering flames in the hearth, Elias pulled a blanket over himself and leaned back, eyes half-closed, basking in the peace after a long day of work.
Just as he was beginning to nod off, he noticed a sweet, blue-black-haired girl watching him intently.
"Hmm? Seele, not going out to play? Then again, our little Seele is such a quiet, well-behaved girl."
"Papa Elias, don't say it like that... Seele's not that good..."
"Heh, like I wouldn't know you by now."
He patted the armrest beside him, gesturing for her to join. Seele lit up with joy and leaned in, her cheeks flushing red as she gently sat on his lap.
"Hmm? Bronya, you're not going to play either?"
Elias looked up and noticed the duck had also walked over.
"Bronya doesn't like playing in the snow. It's cold at night. The fireplace is warmer and more comfortable."
"Mm, then come join us by the fire. Ahh~ This is the life. Er... why are you sitting on my lap too?"
Elias had just started to close his eyes for a nap when he felt an increase in leg weight. Opening his eyes, he saw the duck had quietly sat down as well.
"Is that not allowed?"
Bronya tilted her head slightly, expressionless.
"Of course it's allowed... Uh, just don't start squirming around like Rozaliya and Liliya do, alright?"
"I won't. Bronya will be good."
"Mm. Then the two of you can be Papa's pillows for a while. Haa~ Today's been a little tiring."
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