Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

Amber is a transparent and beautiful fossilized substance. Originally fragile resin, it transforms over time into a hard gemstone—symbolizing growth and metamorphosis, as well as beauty.

On a day many years ago, the weather unknown,

Amber opened her eyes for the first time within the human culture tank, gazing upon the laboratory ceiling and witnessing this vibrant, colorful world for the very first time.

She lacked Lady Theresa's exceptional combat prowess, her intelligence, or her kindness. At that moment, Amber was merely a worthless artificial body—ordinary and valueless, even on the brink of death due to genetic defects.

Yet despite her humble existence, she experienced an even more demeaning emotion: fear.

Fear of her frail body, fear of approaching death.

At the time, she had no common knowledge, could not comprehend words, nor speak them.

So, Amber uttered feeble, meaningless murmurs as she instinctively reached out towards the golden-haired man standing before the culture tank, observing her.

This immensely dignified man quietly watched her, noting her futile attempts to grasp anything with her trembling hands, seeing the terror and tears in her eyes.

Then, for a fleeting moment, his expression shifted.

Even now, Amber couldn't explain what this change on Otto's face signified—what emotions or thoughts it conveyed—but she would remember that image forever.

Later, Otto lifted her out of the culture tank and placed her onto the experimental table.

He began injecting numerous liquids into Amber's body.

Intermittently, she felt her heartbeat strengthen, only to quickly lose that vitality once more.

It was clear: one by one, these priceless elixirs, worth their weight in gold, had no effect on a flawed homunculus.

This outcome seemed to infuriate Otto, casting an especially dark shadow over his features.

"Five hundred years have passed! I refuse to believe there's nothing I can do!"

He started trying different approaches—from various scientific instruments of every shape and size, to artifacts carrying Honkai Energy, all the way to diverse equipment materializing from golden ripples.

Otto experimented with many methods; some were utterly ineffective, but most yielded slight improvements, allowing Amber's life to persist.

But all these efforts merely prolonged Amber's life by mere moments.

Otto's meticulously groomed golden hair began to split at the ends; his face was stained with smudges from operating machinery, and he carelessly loosened his elegant attire and tie.

Transforming from a refined Aristocrat resembling a masterpiece painting into a disheveled figure, Amber lost track of how much time had passed.

All she knew was that gradually, her fear faded away as she focused solely on Otto before her. Through his frantic movements and haggard appearance, it felt as if she could see the entire world unfolding.

"Why can't this work...? The genetic flaw is causing the body's functions to malfunction... Body... Organs..."

"Yes! If the biological systems cannot function properly, we should abandon them altogether and replace them with more efficient machines! What matters most is keeping you alive!"

"I can do this! I must succeed!"

Otto covered his face with one hand and let out a deranged laughter.

At that moment, his emotions were strangely off-kilter, as if he were a gambler who had lost everything but suddenly received a small stake again, desperately striving to win it all back.

Otto began cutting into Amber's body.

Whether due to a sudden pang of conscience or not, he injected her with what seemed like an anesthetic, ensuring she felt no pain. She merely watched impassively as her body was sliced open, and bloody organs were extracted one by one.

Then, cold machinery started filling her body.

"The heart... replace it..."

"The lungs and left liver are unusable too..."

"The hands... switch them for mechanical ones; they'll be more stable."

"No! If the cells age, these instruments will eventually become incompatible... Regardless, since your genes are already flawed, we might as well disrupt your aging process entirely!"

"A mechanism to substitute vitality... Honkai... Honkai Energy is omnipotent!"

Blood stained the intricate bishop robes and smeared Otto's face, combined with his near-mad grin—it would likely have terrified someone else into losing control.

But Amber simply lay on the experimental table, watching Otto unblinkingly with her emotionless eyes. A sense of security emerged within the doll's mind.

This was how her life began.

"Mm..."

From her delicate, pale pink lips emerged a soft and enchanting murmur as Amber stirred awake under the sunlight streaming through the window.

Her icy blue eyes gazed vacantly at the ceiling. Though no emotion showed on her face, she was indeed lost in thought.

"What's on your mind?"

"I think...I had a dream."

"Oh? Was it about me perhaps?"

"Indeed, Lady He—Hera is the only person Amber dreams of."

As Amber sat up, the breathtaking flash of snow-white skin beneath her nightgown revealed a gentle swell, truly awe-inspiring.

Then, turning towards the exquisite beauty seated close by at the edge of her bed, she asked:

"Lady Hera, did you come here so early for any particular mission?"

"Not really. But I picked a beautiful flower this morning, and I'd like to give it to you."

A snow-white lily appeared in Hera's hand, pristine as freshly fallen snow, exuding delicate allure.

Amber's small mouth slightly parted, momentarily taken aback before recalling today's date.

Ah, right—it's my birthday once again.

Few people could count on Otto remembering their birthdays specifically.

Theresa was one, Amber another, and now Zeke seemed to be yet another—of course, most important of all was Kallen; Otto never forgot anything about her.

In any case, every year on Theresa's birthday, she would receive a meticulously chosen, valuable gift from Otto.

Amber received similar treatment, though usually nothing quite so precious. Sometimes it was an improved prosthetic arm, other times a box of pastries bought from a street vendor, or perhaps intriguing gadgets or useful weapons. Occasionally, as today, it might simply be a flower casually plucked by Otto from the roadside.

Regardless of its type or worth, on this day each year, Otto unfailingly presented Amber with a gift, without interruption.

"Thank you, Lady Hera."

"You're welcome. You belong to me, just as you initially promised—to always watch over me and serve me forever."

Hera gently grasped Amber's delicate chin, tilting her head up, and gazed at her with a radiant smile, filled with intense affection and devotion.

As Amber met those jewel-like, sparkling emerald eyes, an uncommonly warm smile graced her lips.

Amber replied slowly, "It's my honor."

Her own life had always been worth nothing; even if she disappeared, it wouldn't inconvenience Director Otto—yet that was for the best. Because she held little value, whenever he needed her, she could readily sacrifice everything without worrying about upsetting him or disrupting his plans.

To Amber, this version of herself was perfect.

"Haha, well then, I'll be off now. See you later."

Hera stood up and promptly left the room.

Within it lingered faint traces of Hera's sweet scent.

Amber took a deep breath.

She felt indifferent towards the allure of conventional beauty most people yearned for. However, since these were the lingering scents of Otto, they brought her extraordinary comfort.

The delicate face, nearly identical to Kiana's present appearance, blossomed with a radiant smile more lovely than any flower.

Spending half an hour, Amber preserved this lily as a permanent crystal specimen. Then, she opened a secret compartment beneath her bed filled with numerous small items and carefully placed the crystal inside.

"Flowers aren't so bad..." Amber murmured, crouching beside the box and gently caressing various trinkets with her fingertips.

"I wonder what next year's gift will be..."

Today, she felt the sunlight was much more pleasant than yesterday.