Honkai Impact 3rd - The Interference

Chapter 96 - Fake, It's All Fake.

It was undeniable. The woman standing before Wan and Kiana was Cecilia Schariac, the Legendary Valkyrie of Schicksal from a long-lost era.

Wan's breath caught in his throat as he gazed at her, his admiration palpable. 'She is beautiful,' he thought.

And he was right. Her white hair framed a face of serene elegance, while her blue eyes seemed to pierce through one's very soul. Her smile, gentle and inviting, was the perfect complement to her kind expression.

It was perfection.

Yet, Wan maintained his composure. Cecilia Schariac was supposed to be dead, and they were now in the past. They needed to be cautious with their words; any mistake could alter the future in unpredictable ways.

"Are you two alright?" Cecilia asked, her voice as gentle as her smile, catching Wan off guard.

"A-ah, yeah... we're fine–"

Before Wan could finish, Kiana, who had been standing beside him, suddenly darted forward and enveloped Cecilia in a tight embrace, much to Wan's astonishment.

"Mama!" Kiana cried out, her voice trembling with emotion.

"K-Kiana, no!" Wan exclaimed, clutching his head in disbelief.

However, Wan was too late. Kiana had already embraced Cecilia, who could only respond with a confused expression, tilting her head slightly while maintaining her gentle smile.

"Mama?" Cecilia asked curiously, a hint of amusement coloring her tone.

Wan panicked. He clutched his head in desperation and fear, his thoughts racing wildly.

'Kiana! What are you doing? You can't just drop a bombshell like that! We're in the past, and you should still be a child–'

His frantic thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Kiana's bold proclamation.

"Yes! It's me! Your daughter! Kiana Kaslana!"

'Kiana Noooo!!!' Wan's mind screamed in silent agony.

Kiana tightened her embrace around Cecilia, who seemed shocked by the young woman's statement.

"Kiana? That's my daughter's name, but she's still a child—" Cecilia's words trailed off as something caught her eye.

Kiana's face was buried in Cecilia's chest, her tears soaking into the Valkyrie's clothes. Cecilia could only look down in silence, feeling the intensity of Kiana's grip, as if the girl's life depended on it. There was a palpable sense of longing in Kiana's embrace.

"Mama..." Kiana whispered through her tears.

Cecilia's mouth opened in surprise, but then she closed her eyes. Instinctively, her gentle nature took over. She reached out and softly stroked Kiana's hair, a comforting gesture that spoke volumes.

"Mama... Mama..." Kiana continued, chanting the word over and over. Each repetition pierced Cecilia's heart.

"Shh... there, there," Cecilia whispered, smiling gently. She tightened her embrace, enveloping Kiana in a warmth and love the girl had always yearned for.

This was something profoundly new for Kiana.

All her life, she had never known her mother, nor had she heard her voice. Her father had only told her that her mother had died when she was very young. The only things she knew about Cecilia were from tales and stories.

Growing up without a mother's love leaves a void.

Throughout her years of traveling the world, Kiana had observed many things, but what struck her the most was seeing how other children, whom she passed by on her journeys, received their mothers' love—the kind of love she had never felt.