Reincarnate in Honkai as Arthur Pendragon

The dawn light timidly filtered through the branches, painting the forest in golden and pale blue hues. A couple of birds chirped in the distance, and the occasional crackle of frost melting broke the morning silence.

Arthur slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he felt was the icy tickle of the morning on his face... and the warm weight of Kiana still asleep, hugging his side. Her breath was soft and steady, and a strand of her white hair brushed against his chin.

For a moment, he stayed like that, without moving.

Not because he couldn't.

But because I didn't want to.

It was hard to believe that just yesterday they had fought for their lives. That, in this very forest, deformed and inhuman creatures had attacked them. But now... there was calm. There was peace. And that was enough.

Finally, Arthur sighed and carefully moved, trying not to wake her as he sat down.

He failed.

Kiana murmured something unintelligible, rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, and looked at him with a sleepy grimace. "Is it already daytime?"

Arthur nodded with a faint smile, his voice barely a whisper.

"Yes... and we have a long way ahead of us."

Kiana let out a soft groan, burying her face in the blanket for a few seconds before resurfacing with her hair completely disheveled.

"It can't be... I swear I just closed my eyes for a moment."

"You slept like a rock," he joked as he stretched, feeling the crack of his cold muscles. "And you snored."

"Lies!"

"Truth."

"Proof or it didn't happen!"

Arthur looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "I'll take that as a confession."

Kiana puffed up her cheeks, crossing her arms under the blanket. "Damn traitor."

"Come on, Kaslana, admit it." Sleeping next to me was the best part of your night.

She looked at him with feigned indignation, but ended up letting out a giggle.

"Just because you were warm."

They remained silent for a moment longer, the kind of comfortable silence that doesn't need to be filled. Then Arthur stood up with a sigh, checking the bag.

"We could eat the pancakes we bought."

Kiana peeked immediately, her eyes shining as if she had just seen gold.

"Give me that!"

Arthur raised the bag out of reach with a mocking smile.

"First breakfast. Yesterday you almost used me as a killer pillow."

"That was unintentional!" "Blame the cold!"

"Sure, sure..."

Finally, they sat down next to the remaining cold embers, sharing the last warm bites from the previous day. Between slightly tough pancakes and somewhat bruised fruits, the breakfast wasn't perfect... but it was more than many could ask for in their situation.

And with their stomachs fuller and spirits lifted, they resumed their journey.

The snow crunched under their boots with each step, a steady rhythm marking their progress through the trees. The forest slowly opened up, leaving behind the thicket that had protected them during the night. As the sun rose, the golden rays pierced through the bare branches, painting patches of light on the white ground.

Kiana walked ahead, whistling a cheerful melody and moving her arms energetically, as if the cold didn't affect her at all. Arthur followed her a few steps behind, with the backpack slung over his shoulder and his eyes attentive to the improvised path they had chosen.

"You know? I didn't think traveling on foot could be so... peaceful," said Arthur, breaking the silence.

Kiana turned her head with a smile. "It's because you're going with me. Admit it."

Arthur let out a laugh. "And what if you were leading me in circles?"

Kiana shrugged. "Then we would get lost... in style."

The wind blew gently, causing some loose flakes to descend from the branches as if the forest were breathing with them.

They continued walking, leaving a trail of fresh footprints on the virgin snow. The air, although cold, was not biting. And each step brought them closer to that unpronounceable city... and whatever awaited them there.

"Do you think there are more infected over there?" asked Arthur, without looking at her.

Kiana pressed her lips together. "If there are any... we face them. Together."

The silence that followed was not one of fear, but of determination.

The forest was once again filled with the crunch of their steps and the whisper of the wind.

And so, with the sun above their heads and the snow beneath their feet, they continued walking.

After almost an hour of walking in silence, the forest began to open up. The trees were no longer so close together, and a slight slope led them to a small plain covered in frost.

Arthur squinted.

"Do you see that?"

Kiana stopped beside her. "A house?"

It was a wooden cabin, old but sturdy, with smoke coming out of a small chimney. It had an improvised fence and a couple of logs stacked by the entrance.

Arthur and Kiana approached cautiously.

Before they could knock on the door, it opened with a creak.

Squeeeak

From the inner shadows, a small figure appeared: a girl with dark hair tied up in messy pigtails.

"Grandma, I'm back, I'll go get some firewood."

" ¡...!"

He stopped dead in his tracks.

Her eyes, large and dark, fixed on Arthur and Kiana with a mix of surprise and fear. For a second, no one moved.

Then, with a sudden gesture, the girl took a step back and pushed the door forcefully.

Click!

The old wood creaked as it slammed shut, leaving Arthur and Kiana in front of a closed door.

Kiana blinked, "Do you think we scared her?"

Arthur lowered the hand he still had raised and sighed. "Definitely." Although I didn't expect anyone to live here, much less a girl alone...

"And what if she's in danger?" Kiana took a step towards the door. "And what if he needs help?"

Arthur gently stopped her by the arm. "If she's alone, forcing the entry won't help. Maybe if we wait a bit... or if we try to talk to her more calmly."

Kiana frowned, clearly impatient, but nodded.

Arthur slowly approached the wooden door. He knocked twice with his knuckles, just enough to be heard without sounding threatening.

"Hello... we don't want to hurt you," he said clearly. "We're just passing through.Is your grandmother home?"

Silence.

The wind blew through the trees, lifting some snow into small whirlwinds.

Arthur waited.

Then, from the other side, a trembling voice responded:

"Who are you?"

The girl's trembling voice slipped through the cracks of the door like a sigh caught in the wind.

Arthur responded calmly, taking a step forward while keeping his hands empty.

"My name is Arthur. She is Kiana. We're just passing through, traveling. We saw the smoke from the chimney and thought there might be someone here."

"What do they want?"

Arthur maintained a calm tone.

"We don't want to hurt you. We just want a place to spend the cold for a moment. We promise to leave if you don't want us here."

Kiana stepped forward.

"Are you alone? You said something about your grandmother."

The girl didn't respond immediately. Then a faint creak was heard, as if she were leaning her body against the door from the inside.

"He hasn't moved since yesterday... It's very hot. I don't know...what to do."

The voice broke.

Arthur and Kiana exchanged a serious look.

"Can we see her?" Arthur asked softly.

Eternal seconds passed, until finally the slow sound of the bolt being withdrawn was heard. The door opened just a little, revealing a child's face with large, wet eyes.

"I don't know them... but I don't know what to do..."

Arthur nodded. "Then let us help you."

And with that brief silent agreement, the door opened completely.

The girl stepped aside, allowing Arthur and Kiana to enter. The interior of the cabin was modest, with old wooden furniture, a small fire burning in the fireplace, and the air permeated with smoke and humidity. On a bed by the wall, wrapped in several blankets, lay an old woman with a pale face and weak breathing.

The girl approached quickly, kneeling by her side.

"Grandma... some people came..."

The woman opened her eyes slightly, her pupils barely focusing. A dry whisper escaped her lips:

"Who...?"

Arthur approached cautiously, crouching next to the bed.

"My name is Arthur. This is Kiana. We don't want to bother... but we saw the smoke. We just wanted to know if you needed help."

The elderly woman made a slight, almost imperceptible gesture. Her lips trembled as she spoke.

"My granddaughter... alone since yesterday. I couldn't get up..."

Kiana knelt on the other side, carefully taking the old woman's hand. It was icy.

"The fever is high," she murmured. "He has no strength."

Arthur looked around. There was an empty bucket, some dirty rags, and remnants of herbs in a wooden bowl.

"Do you have medicine?" "Food?" he asked.

The girl shook her head.

"There's almost nothing left... I was going to go out for firewood, but... I don't know what to give him to make him better."

Arthur took a deep breath. He turned to Kiana.

"We can try to bring down the fever. Heat water, look for herbs if there are any nearby. And let her eat something."

Kiana nodded, already searching through her things for a small jar of dry powder.

"It's not much, but it will help relieve her a bit."

The girl looked at them with wide, uncertain eyes... but also with a spark of hope.

Arthur smiled at her gently.

"We're going to do everything we can. I promise."

Kiana stood up with determination, handing Arthur the jar of medicinal herbs.

Arthur went straight to the fireplace. He placed a pot of water he found in a corner and stoked the fire with some dry logs. As the heat began to fill the cabin, the girl watched in silence, gripping her grandmother's hand tightly.

"What's your name?" Kiana asked softly, looking at the little girl.

"My name is Emilia," the girl replied, her voice barely audible.

"Alright, Emilia. Let's take care of your grandmother together, okay?"

Emilia nodded slowly, without letting go of her grandmother's hand.

The elderly woman opened her eyes with difficulty and looked at her granddaughter.

"Emilia... you were brave..."

"Rest, Grandma. They will help you," the girl whispered, swallowing hard.

Shortly after, Arthur returned with the hot water. Kiana mixed the herbs in a cup, stirred, and blew on it to cool it down. Carefully, Arthur held the old woman's head and gave her small sips, one by one.

For a while, the only sounds were the crackling of the fire, the dripping of water melting from the roof, and the labored breathing of the sick woman.

When giving her the medicine, Kiana adjusted the blankets. The elderly woman seemed to relax a bit, her breathing became less labored.

Arthur sat down next to Emilia, offering her a small food bar he had with him.

"You have to eat something too."

The girl accepted it shyly and began to chew in silence. Her eyes remained fixed on her grandmother, as if she were afraid to blink and lose her.

An hour passed. Then two.

The fever subsided, but the woman did not wake up again. Her body remained weak, increasingly still.

When night fell again, Arthur covered the old woman with an extra blanket, while Kiana and Emilia sat together near the fire.

Suddenly, the girl spoke softly:

"I thought... I wouldn't be able to say goodbye."

"You're not alone, Emilia," said Kiana, hugging her gently. "And it's not too late yet."

From the other side of the cabin, Arthur watched them with a serious expression.

They didn't know if they would be able to save the old woman. But they had arrived in time so that she wouldn't leave without anyone by her side. And, for now, that was enough.

At least, for one more night.