"Okay…" Yuno mumbled, deflated by the simple response. The fire in her eyes died down, replaced by confusion.
After a long pause, she admitted, "I don't know…" Deep down, she was grateful to him for saving her, for giving her a second chance. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him.
Now, with her anger and fear subsided, emptiness filled the void, leaving her lost and uncertain.
Lin Wei simply smiled. "At least it made you feel a little better." He sensed her fragile mental state and wanted her to release the pent-up emotions. Perhaps the trauma was too deep, the power within too corrosive, or maybe it was both. Either way, her condition was worrying.
If Durandal hadn't been there to physically help her vent, or if Lin Wei hadn't stumbled in like a calming presence, the lifeline Fu Hua had implanted might have snapped under the pressure.
"…Sorry," Yuno murmured, coming back to herself. "I must have been… awful to watch." Ashamed, she turned to leave.
She took a couple of steps, then hesitated, remembering her forgotten manners. Turning back, she bowed deeply to Lin Wei before trying to leave again.
The bow was an apology, a farewell, and a thank you all rolled into one. She wasn't sure which sentiment was strongest.
I've probably disappointed both Anna and Rita, she thought sadly.
"If you're really sorry," Lin Wei called out, stopping her in her tracks, "help me clean up."
Yuno froze, then nodded eagerly.
Lin Wei chuckled, feigning obliviousness. "Otherwise, Rita's going to be furious when she sees this mess." He suspected Rita was intentionally staying away, and he wasn't about to interfere.
He decided to help the troubled girl; letting her leave now would only deepen her self-loathing.
Guess I owe her one, he thought. He didn't owe Fu Hua anything for the initial incident, but he felt responsible for her current state. His seemingly selfless act had been driven by his own sense of morality.
Not everyone could ignore such realities, especially a girl battling a monstrous transformation. Maybe Yuno was right; perhaps ending her suffering back then would have been kinder.
But things had changed. Now, he felt obligated to help. Especially since Yuno recognized him and seemed ready to side with him against Otto. This weighed heavily on him, fueling his desire to make amends.
Another debt to repay.
Avoiding her tendrils, Yuno clumsily attempted to clean with her bare hands, constantly snatching tasks from Lin Wei. She stubbornly insisted on fixing the mess herself, only making it worse. Soon, even the remaining sofa cushion was entangled.
"You know," Lin Wei said with a straight face, "I'm starting to think St. Freya High School would be a good fit for you." It was a haven for the unusual. Yuno wouldn't be the strangest person there.
She might even make some Herrscher friends and learn to control her Honkai powers. That had been his original plan, thwarted by Otto's interference. Well, both Yuno and I can blame Otto for this mess.
After much frantic effort, the debris was piled haphazardly in a corner, the room still a disaster. Yuno was disheartened. Housework felt alien, a forgotten human activity. She felt utterly useless.
"Actually, this would be a lot easier if you used… you know…" Lin Wei gestured vaguely, aware that her tendrils would be perfect for the job.
Yuno cringed, interpreting his comment as sarcasm.
"Do you hate them that much?" he asked, noticing her discomfort. "They seem like pretty useful tools to me." He smiled. "Any power can be a tool, right?"
Yuno stared at him, then looked down. She was used to using her power for destruction, for battle, for inflicting and enduring pain.
Rita had advised her against relying on it, against embracing her monstrous form. She'd tried to change, but progress was slow. She was still a mess.
Now, in front of Lin Wei, she was even more reluctant to reveal that side of herself, even though he'd already seen it.
"You really don't like… this, do you?" Lin Wei muttered, studying her expression. "What are those Schicksal folks even doing? Why aren't they helping you?"
His concern warmed her. "I'm different. They can't really help… Being a Herrscher isn't the same as being a Valkyrie." The Valkyries' combat experience was irrelevant to her situation.
Even Durandal likely had no better solution. But Durandal believed in atonement through suffering, in the value of force.
So she pushed Yuno to train, to control her power, while simultaneously allowing her to unleash it freely. That was her way.
Yuno sensed his anger on her behalf. The genuine care made her chest ache with a bittersweet warmth. It was different from Anna's bright, cheerful friendship, which banished her loneliness and filled her with gratitude.
Lin Wei's presence ignited a deeper longing, a desperate urge to connect, yet held back by a strange hesitancy. She wanted to reach out, yet she was afraid.
His warmth, his concern, his anger at her unfair treatment… it felt like a parent defending their child, offering a safe haven. She knew his kindness wasn't entirely selfless, but the genuine warmth moved her to tears.
"…Do you… hate me?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "I almost attacked you. I yelled at you. I destroyed your apartment. I disturbed you…"
Lin Wei listened patiently, his smile softening. "You were just a little girl having a tantrum. Why would I hate you?" Yuno craved acceptance and validation, and he wouldn't deny her that.
His words melted the icy wall around her heart. Tears flowed freely, a mix of relief, gratitude, and lingering frustration. "Don't… talk to me like I'm a child… I'm…"
Lin Wei rolled his eyes. "Do I look that old? I haven't even graduated college yet! What are you talking about?!"
Yae Sakura, amused by his exasperated reaction, chuckled softly within his mindscape.
"Um…" Yuno felt her cheeks flush. She'd put her foot in her mouth again.
Don't close the door now that it's finally open. Lin Wei mentally sighed.
"Never mind," he said, changing the subject. "Yuno, I have a question. When I was talking to Otto, you looked like you recognized me. Did you?" That observation had prompted him to interact with her further.
"Yes."
"How?" he asked, surprised. She'd been unconscious back in Nagazora City.
"It… told me."
"Told you what?" Lin Wei pressed, intrigued.
Suddenly, Yuno's expression changed. She looked up sharply, her gaze fixed on a point in the air where a large, black cross materialized.
"Embrace of the Shadow Knight: Luna Kindred!" Before Yuno could react, the cross clicked open, unleashing a dozen dark chains.
Panicked, Yuno assumed it was a trap, a betrayal. Fury surged through her, her energy spiking. But the chains shot outwards, tearing through the apartment.
Lin Wei closed his eyes, waited a few seconds, then waved his hand. The cross and chains vanished, leaving only gaping holes in the walls as evidence. "Odd. No Honkai reaction?" he muttered to himself.
Opening his eyes, he saw Yuno pale and wary, tendrils bristling defensively.
"Sorry, Yuno. My bad," he said calmly. "Otto and I are enemies. And Schicksal can't know about my connection to Anna. I thought Rita might be eavesdropping." Having someone with stealth abilities is a real headache sometimes, he thought.
His explanation eased Yuno's fear. Her tendrils receded.
After a moment, she asked hesitantly, "I told Captain Durandal…"
"Told her what?"
"When I asked to see you, she refused. I told her… I promised Anna in Manila that I'd look after you…" She looked at him anxiously. "Did I do something wrong?"
So that's why Rita hasn't shown up. I thought she was spying on us… Lin Wei was stunned into silence.
Finally, he took a deep breath. "You did nothing wrong. You did your best. But… I can't stay here anymore."
He walked towards her, his expression serious. "I'm leaving. Will you come with me?"