Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players-Chapter 219: The Lost Eight Years, and Siegfried’s Charming Conversation Skills

Chapter 219 - 219: The Lost Eight Years, and Siegfried's Charming Conversation Skills

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra Chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels - There are at least twice as many available Chapters on Patreon, compared to here on Webnovel.

Additionally, there are also free extra Chapters available for Free Members, so head on over:

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

Version 6.3, "Symphony of Truth," finally arrived. As usual, Brother Cake started by drawing cards immediately; however, this version posed a dilemma for casual players.

If they chose to fully upgrade Bronya, subsequent decisions regarding Primogenitor and Finality would require careful consideration.

Undoubtedly, most Captains opted to wait for the End Insect. This anticipation was partly fueled by leaked information suggesting that these three characters had a powerful combined attack skill.

Of course, such leaks should not be entirely trusted, but they significantly influenced players' judgments—a tradition among MiHoYo gamers. Whether it's Honkai Impact 3 or Genshin Impact, using insider intel to anticipate wish pools and plan accordingly has become customary. Without this knowledge, obtaining desired characters for each update would heavily rely on luck—or heavy spending.

However, excessive spending was out of the question; maybe just doubling up once for the first recharge bonus was reasonable enough. After all, nobody's money grows on trees, so players tended to be highly attentive to any insider leaks.

Of course, whales like Brother Cake didn't mind much, but even they found this wish pool schedule somewhat overwhelming. The introduction of three initial S-rank characters—Duck of Truth, Primogenitor, and Finality—in quick succession was daunting. Previously, such high-profile Herrschers were released only once per major update cycle, accompanied by animated shorts and theme songs.

Now, Duck of Truth received neither fanfare nor promotional content, and it seemed certain that the next update would feature two initial S-rank characters simultaneously.

Perhaps due to their experience with Vill-V, Ellie, and Corruption Ana's concurrent pools earlier, players had somewhat adjusted and weren't as vocal about their concerns this time around.

At least, Brother Cake's bullet comment section remained quite harmonious.

Following tradition after wishing from the pools, it was time to dive into the new Chapter's story. Chapter 34 continued the pattern set by the previous version, filled with various unspecified settings. Nonetheless, the plot itself remained engaging.

There was the reunion of Kiana and her sister with Siegfried, arguably the most emotional moment in this Chapter.

After countless years, Kiana, Durandal, and Siegfried had been separated, often unaware of each other's existence. Now, they finally reunited once more.

This scene was undeniably heartwarming.

However, as Brother Cake watched the animated sequence, he furrowed his brow.

"Honestly, it feels like...they don't quite seem like a family, even though it is genuinely touching..."

Realizing his comment might sound off, Brother Cake paused briefly before hastily clarifying.

"I'm not saying the storyline isn't good; it's just that I get a sense, as if someone has truly died here, meaning... she should have experienced all this, but now her name, her very existence, are gone, and moreover..."

Brother Cake shook his head.

[Brother Cake, you're referring to the original Kiana from before age eight, right?]

[Hiss—seems exactly like that!]

[The true Kiana sacrificed her kindness to save Sirin, giving birth to this story. Yet, it's as if she died in that plane crash herself.]

[Durandal inherited none of Kiana's memories; she has no knowledge of Cecilia and Siegried's love for their daughter. She became entirely a different person.]

[Ahhh, my mother-in-law!]

[The plot is great, deeply moving, but what truly breaks my heart is eight-year-old Kiana.]

[In essence, the "true Kiana Kaslana" perished during that accident. The ones who survived were Sirin Kaslana and Bianka Durandal. Neither of them holds any memories of eight-year-old Kiana; to them, she exists only as an outsider's recollection, a mere tale.]

[While such storytelling isn't inherently wrong, the writer completely severed Kiana's character here. They transformed into two distinct, beautiful individuals. Only the "eight-year-old Kaslana" truly died in that crash.]

["I'm not you anymore," those words are genuinely heartbreaking.]

Soon, similar bullet comments flooded the screen. Combined with Brother Cake's earlier remarks, even viewers who initially paid little attention found themselves emotionally stirred.

Because...it was indeed true.

The real Kiana had died. The forgotten eight years were the essence of the genuine Kiana, encompassing her personality and worldview, now entirely erased.

Due to this, Durandal struggled to call Siegfried "Dad," as there truly was no connection left between them. All she knew about him came from her experiences within the Stigmata space.

As for Cecilia, her role was merely providing assistance during Durandal's breakthrough to Heavenly Yuan. She embodied Bianka Akagina, having little relation to Kiana Kaslana.

Moreover, their personalities diverged significantly, despite carrying faint traces of the Kaslana family traits. In reality, they were worlds apart.

It seemed evident that the scriptwriters never intended to address these complexities from the start, leading naturally to this unresolvable mess.

If it weren't mentioned at all, there wouldn't be any issue. However, with this cutscene animation directly implying...

Many things work like this: if left untouched, they remain inconsequential, but once addressed, complications arise.

Despite that, overall, Captains seemed to accept this aspect of the storyline.

"Feels like Dumb Goose's bond with the bugs is actually deeper than with Siegfried. In her story arc, she admits her feelings towards Siegfried were more about respect."

"That's true," Brother Cake nodded after glancing at this bullet comment.

Durandal and Kiana had numerous interactions, perhaps due to their sisterly connection, which made their relationship quite... Additionally, as allies against Otto, their camaraderie further solidified this sentiment - indeed, it was accurate.

As for Siegfried, he held what significance? To Durandal, Siegfried was merely a legendary figure spoken of by others. One day, she suddenly learned he was her father, but there existed no emotional attachment whatsoever.

Meanwhile, in the Honkai World, Siegfried studied Durandal before him, his eyes briefly gleaming but quickly dimming.

As a father and adult, how could he not discern Durandal's thoughts?

If left alone with her now, it would undoubtedly be unbearably awkward for him. He felt torn between wanting to acknowledge their connection yet fearing to do so, and hesitating to ask about it despite his curiosity.

Having Kiana present served as a buffer between them.

Simultaneously, Siegfried couldn't help but recall someone else—a girl who unexpectedly approached him a year ago while he was secretly protecting Kiana, calling him "father-in-law." She had become a formidable force in her own right and completed a significant deal with him.

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out as hoped, largely due to his own mistakes.

However...

Siegfried glanced around, feeling somewhat intrigued.

Kiana and Durandal noticed his unusual demeanor; Durandal instinctively tensed, while Kiana experienced a peculiar sensation.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

"Why isn't that girl here?" Siegfried scratched the back of his head.

"Which girl?"

A sense of unease immediately washed over Kiana.

"You know, Miss Ana," Siegfried said with a light laugh, nostalgia evident in his eyes.

"Kiana, do you remember what happened in Singapore? That was our first encounter with her, did you know? The moment we met, she called me 'father-in-law,' and I thought..."

"Singapore..." Durandal murmured softly. She recalled that incident; she had been there too at the time. However, "father-in-law"...?

"Now it seems clear that's who she must have meant!" Siegfried raised his head, directing his gaze toward Durandal. For him, this presented a rare opportunity; otherwise, he genuinely wouldn't know how to face his daughter.

"So even back then, she already..." Durandal lowered her head, recalling the girl's radiant smile. During their time together, Ana had indeed said some peculiar things, including in her sleep when she talked in her dreams.

If all of that were true, then Ana truly was quite...

"As I said, where did that young lady go? I still wanted to thank her," Siegfried continued. Perhaps due to sheer awkwardness or overwhelming excitement, he failed to notice the unusual tension in the air. Of course, the most likely reason was simply his prolonged lack of normal social interaction.

"Ana-sensei..."

Kiana wore a troubled expression, unsure where to begin. She had many thoughts—Ana-sensei had done so much for her and her dad; if she mentioned it now...

"She left."

Before Kiana could resolve her dilemma, Durandal spoke up calmly from beside them.

Kiana turned toward Durandal, at a loss for words. She didn't know how to comfort her, remembering that Ana-sensei seemed close with her sister...

But honestly, for Kiana as well, Ana's departure was also... And Ana had sacrificed herself for Kiana, for this generation... She...

"My apologies, please excuse me."

With those words, Durandal turned and walked away.

While other topics might have been merely awkward, Siegfried's mention of this struck directly at Durandal's core. If Rita were present, regardless of Siegfried's status, she wouldn't have hesitated to show her displeasure.

As Siegfried watched Durandal depart, he also seemed at a loss for words.

In the end, his gaze turned pleadingly towards Kiana.

Kiana understood her smelly dad's thoughts and feelings, but regarding Ana-sensei, she too felt...

"Dad, maybe you should ask Dr. Tesla and Dr. Einstein instead."

Of course, these moments never appeared in the original storyline; if they had, it could've likely elicited another wave of tears from viewers. However, including them would have altered the intended meaning behind that part of the animation.

Perhaps more significantly, due to Ana's existence, her information was absent from the projections' reflections. Consequently, the screenwriters may not have considered incorporating these scenes.

In the real world,

the discussion about Kiana's family continued for quite some time, mainly because Brother Cake himself was genuinely intrigued, thus spending more hours on it.

This was entirely understandable; after all, with the story nearing its end, such leisurely moments might never return again.

The future of "Honkai Impact 3" remained uncertain. Naturally, given Brother Cake's attachment, he intended to keep playing this game that had accompanied him for six years—not just for nostalgia but also as a tribute to his youth.

It must be said, the amount of content in this version, much like the previous one, is substantial and satisfying. However, precisely due to this abundance, it feels somewhat rushed.

Considering Honkai Impact 3's past tendencies, these plotlines could have been stretched across multiple updates. Instead, they chose to unveil everything within just a few versions.

While exhilarating, the rough pacing and complexity detract from the overall experience for Captains.

However, during gameplay, Brother Cake found it enjoyable enough. Typically, unless there were significant issues, players wouldn't overly scrutinize their experience; they often reflect more deeply after completing the Chapter.

This Chapter was titled "The Moon's Origin and Finality," and soon, the narrative reached the part about the origin.

Unexpectedly, Vill-V from the Elysian Realm left behind a beacon that unlocked the backdoor created by Elysia. Utilizing these, Raiden Mei managed to reunite with Elysia, ultimately becoming the Herrscher of Origin.

As part of the storyline, this segment built upon the events of the Elysian Realm, carrying some tear-jerking moments. However, honestly, the appearance of Herrscher of Origin Raiden Mei did not fully meet the Captains' expectations.

Of course, perhaps their expectations were simply too high, given that the story is nearing its conclusion.