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

Time is both the most overlooked entity in the world and the one thing we can never hold onto.

Not too long ago, the orphanage was merely a small haven of joy for its children.

Now, everyone had grown accustomed to the lively atmosphere resembling a grand feast during dinner each day.

"The seventh... The eighth... Come on, Rozaliya, pass Big Sister Kiana!"

At the dining table, despite facing Chef Seele's meticulously prepared gourmet meal, nobody could spare a moment to enjoy it fully.

At the center of the long dining table, two stacks of small steamed buns stood before Kiana and Rozaliya as they puffed up their cheeks, competing to see who could cram more buns into their mouths—a bizarre contest, but undeniably entertaining.

Kiana had already reached nine buns, her cheeks bulging as she struggled to fit in a tenth with great difficulty.

Rozaliya, meanwhile, had just managed eight and was now striving for number nine.

No one knew when this game started, who proposed it, or what the stakes were.

All anyone knew was that by the time they noticed, the atmosphere had become utterly electrified.

Kiana: "(¬?¬)σ?~EUR?*~#?!"

Rozaliya: "(*°ー°)v@&EUR??!"

Kiana: "(`ー?)┛%***?※!"

Rozaliya: "(`??)ψΨい∝廾!"

Just like the mysterious origins of the competition itself, no one understood the alien language muffled by their stuffed mouths—yet somehow, it didn't hinder their communication or dampen their fierce determination to outdo each other.

"Go, Rozaliya! Victory is within reach."

Liliya, Rozaliya's inseparable twin sister, cheered her on.

Standing next to Kiana, Seele opened her mouth wide and exclaimed enthusiastically, "Go, Big Sister Kiana!"

"You two dummies... I still have some buns left here!" Wendy appeared indifferent at first but then pushed her plate toward them.

"Wow... That's incredible..." Raiden Mei murmured, covering her mouth with one hand.

Despite being naturally shy, she had gradually warmed up to the children by now. However, her reserved demeanor kept her from fully participating in this frenzied atmosphere.

She couldn't help but pick up a small bun, holding it near her lips, wondering how many she could possibly fit if she tried. Then, she also pushed her plate forward.

"Um, you can use these too." Raiden Mei smiled, feeling a sudden sense of excitement!

The children were captivated by the competition, while even the adults watched with amusement.

Even Raven, who had just faced another rejection of her culinary skills, munched on a bun, eyes glued to the spectacle—How wonderful to be young! They make such a lively game out of eating. I wonder if they'd enjoy themselves as much with my homemade buns?

"Yawn..."

Zeke rested his chin on one hand and yawned, watching with keen interest without interrupting for health concerns or anything.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the live finals of Anti-Entropy's inaugural Dumpling-Stuffing Competition! I'm your host, Bronya, here to provide commentary throughout this event."

Bronya cradled her Homu plushie in one arm while holding a microphone she'd found in Rozaliya and Liliya's practice room with the other. With a straight face, she delivered her matter-of-fact yet somewhat childlike commentary.

Don't ask—yes, even the Silver Wolf of Urals has a playful side.

Loyal Sin stood nearby, diligently raising the lighting fixture to create the ambiance of a televised show.

"As we can see, Kiana, the hot favorite to win this competition, has already stuffed eleven dumplings into her mouth. She's nearing her limit but still attempting to fit in a twelfth. What kind of unwavering belief and determination could sustain her at this stage? Surely there must be a touching story behind it all."

"Now let's shift our focus to another dark horse contender, Rozaliya. Oh, she's starting to roll her eyes now. Ten dumplings seem to have reached her limit—is the outcome about to be decided?"

"Wait, Rozaliya's twin sister Liliya has entered the scene now. She's holding down her sister's head and attempting to force-feed her an eleventh bun."

"Contestant Rozaliya is struggling, rolling her eyes as if resisting. However, Liliya ignores these signals completely, pinning Rozaliya's flailing hands with her legs while calmly continuing to shove buns into her mouth. This display of sisterly devotion, striving against all odds for their sibling's victory, truly brings tears to one's eyes."

Expressionless, Bronya pulled out a white handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes, seemingly wiping away tears of emotion—the only question being: Why were those gem-like pure gray pupils entirely still, showing no signs whatsoever of tearing up?

"Well then, without realizing it, we've approached the end of the competition. Will Contestant Kiana score once more, setting a new record for this event? Or can Contestant Rozaliya catch up, turning the tide with her little sister's heartfelt assistance? Let's wait and see."

"Countdown: 30 seconds... 29... 28..."

As Bronya began the countdown, Kiana visibly grew anxious.

"!!!" She closed her eyes and shoved more buns into her mouth with all her might, refusing to stop just yet.

Liliya's expression shifted as well. Narrowing her eyes, she pressed Rozaliya's head harder, forcing even more buns into her mouth.

"Three... Two... One!"

"Time's up! The competition is over. Our champion, achieving a record-breaking score of twelve points, is contestant Kiana."

"Although contestant Rozaliya received heartfelt assistance from her sister Liliya, they unfortunately stopped at eleven points. Nonetheless, we cannot deny their remarkable effort; they truly gave it their all."

"Let us give a warm round of applause for the determination and skill displayed by both contestants."

Clap! Clap! Clap! xN

Amidst the applause, Seele brought over trash bins so that Kiana and Rozaliya could spit out the excess buns—they were simply too stuffed to continue eating.

Zeke watched this scene unfold with a smile creeping across his lips.

Wasting food is wrong, but for just this once, he decided not to scold them.

"Not bad, Rozaliya!" Kiana wiped her mouth after spitting out the buns and remarked sideways at her opponent.

Rozaliya, panting heavily, had Liliya's head locked under one arm while pounding on it with her other hand.

Hearing Kiana's comment, she continued her relentless retaliation against Liliya while defiantly responding, "Don't think you're that great. You only won because you're a few years older than me. Just wait—you'll see how easily I can beat you once I've grown stronger!"

"Oh? Quite the big talk there! Well then, from my perch atop victory, I eagerly await your challenge anytime."

"It won't be long now. As long as you don't run away, victory will soon return to my grasp!"

Their gazes met, seemingly sparking with intensity.

Meanwhile, Wendy seemed to recall something and discreetly pulled out a sports-themed manga from beneath her seat. Flipping to the last page, she quietly compared their dialogue with the lines written within.

"Not just similar—they're literally the same lines! I expect nothing less from you two, memorizing those quotes!"

Wendy hid her grinning mouth behind the comic book, thoroughly amused though no one else could see.

"Pfft!" Beside her, Raven also snuck a peek at the dialogue on the page and quickly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Bronya spun around dramatically, like a scene transition straight out of a TV show, then flashed a stoic victory sign as she announced:

"All right, it's time for the medal ceremony. These championship gold and silver medals were generously crafted by Dr. Tesla herself. May both competitors cherish them well."

The two medals descended from midair, landing in Kiana and Rozaliya's hands.

Slightly larger than a coin, the gold medal featured a miniature portrait of Tesla, while Einstein adorned the silver. Beautiful crystalline structures resembling gemstones depicted their hair in red and blue respectively.

The craftsmanship was incredibly intricate; there was no hint that these had been hastily made.

Einstein and Welt turned simultaneously toward Tesla.

"What's with those looks? A competition deserves prizes, and these medals were crafted by yours truly, the genius herself! Got any complaints?" With her arms crossed, Tesla let out a proud snort.

If she had to sum up why she intervened, it would simply be: Well done; well deserved!

Kiana and Rozaliya exchanged glances.

"Medals too?" they echoed simultaneously.

Only they knew how this contest had begun.

Initially, Kiana was chewing on two stuffed buns, looking like a greedy little squirrel, while Rozaliya mirrored her state. Then unexpectedly, their eyes met for just a moment—and that's when the race started.

No words or gestures were needed; their wavelengths aligned, conveying everything without speaking aloud.

Regardless of the circumstances, there were rewards to claim. Silently, both girls pocketed their medals, wearing identical sly grins as if they'd struck gold.