Chapter 70: A Sister's Wisdom

“And what troubles me even more… is that I’ve found a way,” Bronya’s voice was low, heavy with the weight of his dilemma. “A method that could definitively… determine the relationship between us. But I… I find myself hesitating to see it through.”

Chen, still cloaked in the guise of Furina, blinked. ‘A way? What kind of way?’he wondered.’Did this kid, Young Master Bronya, secretly stash away some high-tech testing equipment? Or… did Dr. Natasha find some kind of lead?’

But a moment later, a wave of relief washed over him, and he had to suppress a smirk. What was there to be afraid of? His own Bronya form was a perfect, one-to-one replica of the original from the game. If this boy really wanted to run a DNA test or some kind of bloodline verification, the results would only point to one conclusion: he was Bronya. Biologically speaking, the fact was irrefutable.

So, not only was Chen not panicking, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to give things a little nudge.

“Hesitating?” Chen raised a delicate blue eyebrow. He crossed his arms, his voice taking on a knowing, almost theatrical edge. “Young man, what you’re hesitating about probably isn’t the method itself, but the changes the result might bring, wouldn’t you agree?”

He took a step closer, his cerulean eyes glinting in the dim light of the Underworld alley. “Are you afraid? Afraid that once a certain connection is confirmed, a simple relationship will curdle into complex responsibilities and entanglements? Afraid that knowing the truth will rob you of this… detached position, where you can stand back and judge things rationally? Or perhaps…”

Chen leaned in just enough to make it personal, his gaze locking onto Bronya’s. “Perhaps, deep in your heart, you already lean towards believing in that connection. You’re just terrified of what you’ll have to shoulder once that belief is proven true.”

Bronya’s breath caught in his throat. Once again, this girl’s words had sliced through his defenses with unnerving accuracy, piercing the most hidden corner of his heart.

He was, indeed, afraid. He was afraid that after confirmation, the girl named Bronya would truly and irrefutably become someone he had to face with a completely different identity—that of a sister.

Seeing his silence and the storm of conflict in his eyes, Chen let out a soft sigh, allowing the cynical mask of his performance to soften into something more gentle.

“Fine. Seeing how torn up you are, I’ll tell you my story in exchange.” He leaned casually against the rusted frame of an abandoned mine cart, the cold metal a stark contrast to his elegant attire. Tilting his head back, he stared up at the cavern’s rocky ceiling, where no stars would ever shine. His voice, when he spoke again, carried a genuine, wistful melancholy.

“Me? I’ve been an orphan since I was a child. I never knew where I came from, or who my parents were.”

“The place I lived was an orphanage,” he continued, his gaze becoming distant, as if truly lost in memory. “But compared to the others, I was quite lucky. Someone eventually adopted me.”

“I was very lonely back then. I had almost no friends. The mother who adopted me… she was rarely around because of her work.”

Bronya listened quietly, his own troubles momentarily forgotten as he was drawn into this strange and lonely tale.

“Later on…” Chen’s voice softened. “I met someone. Someone who, to me, was like an anchor in a storm.”

A warm, nostalgic curve touched the corner of his lips. “She was strong, reliable… and sometimes a bit clumsy, but she would always appear right when I needed her most. She was the one who pulled me out of that loneliness. She gave me a place where I could finally rely on someone else.”

“She made me understand,” Chen said, turning his head to look back at Bronya, “that bloodlines and origins aren’t the only things that define our relationships, our sense of belonging.”

“What truly matters are the moments spent together. The trust and warmth you give to each other. And… that fierce desire to protect the other person, to wish for their happiness.”

“My sister…” he said, a smile gracing his features, an expression of both deep relief and gentle encouragement. “She and I aren’t related by blood. But the bond between us is deeper than anything shared by most blood-kin.”

“So, young man,” Chen concluded, his voice soft but firm, “is that method you’re hesitating over, and the answer it might provide, really that important? Instead of seeking a confirmation, perhaps you should ask yourself: How do you want to treat this person standing before you now? What do you want to get from her? And what do you want to do for her?”

“If that connection truly exists, would you change how you treat her now, just because of an extra title? And if it doesn’t exist… could you really push her away with a clear conscience? Or would you simply see her as a problem that needs to be dealt with?”

Chen’s words were like a gentle but powerful gale, blowing away the dense fog that had clouded Bronya’s heart. He stared, dumbfounded, at the blue-haired girl who called herself Furina. The story she told was so simple, yet it overflowed with an inexplicable, genuine resonance that touched him deeply, especially the part about a sister and the bond they shared.

The bloodline test… the clear, simple answer he had been craving. In the face of her words, it suddenly seemed to lose its definitive power.

He was right. Even if the test proved Bronya was related to him by blood, then what? How was he supposed to face this sister who had appeared out of nowhere? And if it proved they weren’t related, could he truly go back to treating her like a common stranger? Was his involuntary concern, his instinct to protect, his inner conflict, really just because of a possibly similar face?

Bronya fell into an even deeper state of thought. But this time, the direction of his contemplation had begun to shift.

Seeing Bronya lost in his own world, Chen knew his words had hit their mark. He stretched languidly and pushed himself off the mine cart.

“Alright, my story is finished, and my advice has been given,” he declared, patting some non-existent dust from his sleeves. “The rest is up to you to figure out, my melancholy young man.”

“It’s getting late, and I should be on my way. Good luck. I hope that by tomorrow… you’ll have found your own answer.”

With that, he gave a final, cheerful wave and turned to melt back into the shadows of the alley.

“Miss Furina.”

Bronya’s voice called out, stopping him. When Chen turned, he saw that the boy’s eyes were much clearer, much firmer than before.

“Thank you,” Bronya said, his voice steady. “Your story… it was very inspiring. Also…” He paused, as if steeling himself after making a decision. “Tomorrow, my companions and I will be heading to the Mechanical Settlement. If you… are still nearby, perhaps we could travel together? It… might not be peaceful there.”

Chen turned back fully, a bright and slightly mischievous smile breaking across his face as he gave a theatrical wink.

“We’ll see! If fate allows, perhaps we shall meet again! See ya, young man!”

As his voice faded, the ethereal image of a deep blue butterfly materialized around him. In a flash, his figure dissolved into a stream of shimmering light, vanishing in an instant from the end of the alley. All that remained were a few lingering motes of quantum energy and the echo of a soft laugh drifting on the cool cavern air.

Bronya stood there for a long time, gazing at the spot where she had disappeared. Finally, he slowly turned and began walking back toward the hotel, his steps seeming a little heavier, yet far more certain than before.

Meanwhile, a safe distance away…

Only after confirming that Bronya was well out of sight did Chen release the transformation. The dazzling light of Seele’s abilities faded, and in a quiet corner, he shifted back into the familiar form of Bronya Rand. He pulled up his hood and slipped silently back towards the Goethe Hotel.

“Phew…” he breathed, sneaking into his room and gently clicking the door shut behind him. A smug, triumphant grin spread across his face. “Tonight’s psychological counseling service was a complete and utter success.”

He flopped onto his bed, feeling immensely pleased with himself.

‘Now, Young Master Bronya,’he thought with a chuckle,’you’d better be ready to properly accept all this sisterly love I’m sending your way~’

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]