Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

"Mom, I think you're deliberately making things difficult for my brother and me!" Siegfried said helplessly.

She did enjoy this role-playing. Although the Kaslana family wasn't exactly known for its strict rules, it was still a large and influential family. Even if she were a girl, she should at least learn some proper ladylike manners.

But boys don't need that. Boys only need to practice swordsmanship and drink and eat heartily! Ever since she developed six-pack abs at the age of six, Siegfried felt that, just like her name suggested, she was destined to slay a dragon to prove her strength. Moreover, she found that perhaps because there were always a lot of girls around her, Siegfried gradually felt that her orientation had changed slightly.

So while he might say nice things, Siegfried had no intention of returning to his female form.

“Alright, alright, I’ll protect my brother, but he’s different from me, Mom. I’m ‘Kaslana’s Genius Young Master,’ while he might end up with a nickname like ‘Kaslana’s Useless Young Lady.’” Siegfried sighed. “What about a name? Like me, he needs an ambiguous name.”

“Of course there is. You are the dragon slayer Siegfried, and him... well, I am a weak and delicate young lady.” Claire touched her lips thoughtfully.

Then she pulled the book out from under the hospital bed.

Siegfried stared in disbelief. "You bring all this with you when you give birth?"

“Of course, we have to name him as soon as possible. If he’s a girl, everything will be fine. If he’s a boy, I have to find out right now. Otherwise, someone will come in and say, ‘Is Claire a boy or a girl?’ ‘Claire, quickly tell me the gender so I can name him.’ ‘I’m the child’s godmother, I’ll name him.’ Then we won’t be able to keep it a secret.”

"...Mom, you have such a divergent mind, you think of so many things."

“Hmm… let me see. Your story is from the Nibelungenlied, and your brother’s name… um…” She slammed her little fist down, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise. “This is it! This one has a great meaning! ‘A battlefield princess who is on par with men’ ‘The Icelandic queen who possesses both bravery and beauty’, Brunhilde!”

"Brynhild Kaslana!" The white-haired baby boy in the swaddling clothes received his first name after fifty thousand years.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Cecilia...is my sister-in-law?

In the early summer of 1996, cicadas chirped incessantly.

Siegfried skateboards along the long street next to the University of Bergen.

She was in a very good mood because today was the day the Schariac family delegation was visiting Norway. As the current head of the Kaslana family, Siegfried inherited the Kaslana family's consistent free spirit; she loved military uniforms more than dresses, and all talk of reception and social etiquette was utter nonsense to her.

But the Shaniat family is an exception.

It's not that Siegfried admired this legendary family that produced beautiful girls generation after generation because of his sexual orientation. It's just that, unlike other messy, outdated, and clichéd aristocratic families, Shaniat and Kaslana were truly good friends for generations, or even good friends for generations without any vested interests involved.

Many people imagine powerful and influential families as ruthless and heartless. The Kaslana family, facing a generational gap and lacking power and influence, would inevitably be abandoned by its former allies. They imagine things like annulment of the engagement, humiliation, and being told, "Your Kaslana family is no longer what it used to be, how dare you stand here?"

But Shaniat and Kaslana are exceptions.

Siegfried himself knew that the Kaslana family was a family that had always been single-minded, only concerned with fighting and never caring about the continuation of the family line. Everyone thought the line would end this year, but thankfully she and her brother at least ensured they weren't the only descendants, giving them some hope for continued growth.

While the Schariac family has expanded into a vast clan empire, arguably comprising half of the Destiny, their family traditions... aren't much better than Kaslana's. The Schariac family produces no men; all members are bound by blood, leading to excessive unity. A lineage of only girls naturally transforms into an extremely sentimental and traditional family.

What binds the Shaniat family together is not profit but family ties, which results in the Shaniat girls being almost all saintly and virtuous. Because of their strong sense of loyalty, Shaniat has always tried to lend a helping hand to families like Kaslana's, which have been linked by marriage for generations. Even when he himself had declined to the point where only a few people remained, Shaniat still tried to arrange marriages, sending his most outstanding young saintess to Kaslana to help stabilize the situation.

Thinking about this, Siegfried realized that one of the few problems with the Schariac family was that they shared a common ailment among large families—a penchant for arranged marriages.

Of course, this is unavoidable. Unlike the Kaslana, the Schariac family's genetic issues mean that their newborns are all female, and they must rely on marriage with outsiders to continue their lineage. Even so, the Schariac family still prefers internal relationships, exhibiting a significant tendency towards lesbian relationships. Fortunately, the Schariac family is large and powerful, ensuring a sufficient supply of newborns, preventing them from going extinct like the Kaslana family, which is obsessed with tantric relationships.

...Therefore, marriage alliances are a good thing.

Without a marriage alliance, Siegfried would never have met a woman of exceptional talent like the contemporary saint of Shaniat.

—The entire Hordaland County of Norway was enveloped in a joyous and expectant atmosphere because of the visit of the Schariac delegation. Welcome banners were hung everywhere on the surrounding buildings and streetlights, plastic cannons were set off every few meters along the streets, and even the large billboards on buildings were replaced with promotional images welcoming the Schariac family.

Of course, extraordinary families can't advertise themselves so openly and directly, but this time the Shaniat family came under the guise of a renowned conglomerate making a multi-billion dollar investment. It's said that the dowry money for that little saintess's marriage was also intended to revitalize the economy of a developing country.

Although all the advertisement photos have different backgrounds, they all feature the same figure, the same girl.

Cecilia Schariac is the genius of this generation of the Schariac family, a little saint who was born with the full bloodline of the saintess.

"..." Siegfried licked his lips, looking quite expectant.

Then she continued on her skateboard toward the entrance of the University of Bergen. Dressed in men's clothing, with long white hair that only reached her shoulders, she looked like a handsome college boy, so she entered the school smoothly.

Before long, she saw Brunhilde standing by the artificial lake, quietly reading a book.

Wearing a long black short-sleeved shirt, with her shorts covering her upper body and revealing her slender thighs and open-toed boots, the "girl" with waist-length white hair swayed in the wind as she sat obediently on a bench. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her beautiful face.

This outfit is very youthful and fashionable, but it's hard to tell if it's for a girl or a girl. To be precise, a normal person would only think that she is a petite and pretty teenage girl. Siegfried knew that this was his bottom line. He could tolerate being dressed even prettier than most girls, but he would rather die than comply with feminine clothing such as skirts, stockings, and high heels.

Brunhilde is now fourteen years old. At fourteen, studying at the University of Bergen might not seem like much in the Schariac family, but in the rather stubborn Kaslana family, Brunhilde is a genius among geniuses.

Unfortunately, geniuses on the supernatural side are not proven by academic qualifications. Just as Siegfried predicted, Brunhilde indeed became the "useless young lady" in everyone's eyes, and the evaluation was agreed upon by the entire supernatural side as "good for nothing except her appearance".

“Every time I see you, I think,” Siegfried walked up to his younger brother from behind, reached out and pinched his little face with a sigh, “You’re only fourteen and you’ve grown up to be so outrageous. If you were a girl, what would the Saintess and the Shaniat family have to do with this year? Why can’t we switch genders?”

Brunhilde reluctantly pulled her sister's hand away, but then blurted out something surprising, "Sis, you're not interested in me, are you? Don't you only like women?"

"I haven't seen a prettier child than my Bubu yet. Besides, I have to tease you often to keep your positive experience of women, otherwise I'll worry."

"worry about what?"

"I'm worried that if you're surrounded by boys, you'll end up like me, with the same orientation. You're the little male wolf that Mom and I raised, you'll be hunting other female wolves in the future... The thought of my handsome little brother possibly falling for some man makes my heart ache! That possibility is absolutely impossible! I can't save you now, but you have to be normal!"

"You just think that because you like women who can't have children, you're forcing me to come, aren't you?"

Siegfried chuckled, unconcerned that her brother had seen through her blunder, and instead sat down beside him.

"I know, Bubu, you're pretty and young, so I bet a lot of girls at school are hostile towards you, and boys are pursuing you too. You must be really bothered by it. I'm sorry, things will be fine once you finish your schoolwork..."

“I think you need to think this through, sis. I’m only fourteen. Any man who dares to express his love to me can get me called the police. And I’m only fourteen. I don’t pose a gender competition threat to female college students. They’re not hostile to me. On the contrary, I’m doing pretty well. I have an endless supply of snacks to eat every day in class.”

"It's so nice between girls," Siegfried remarked sincerely. Although her handsome appearance attracted many suitors, she genuinely longed to experience the kind of "sisterly, forceful love" that Brunhilde felt—being surrounded and pampered. However, her appearance destined her to be the dominant one, and she probably would never experience that in her lifetime.

"Why are you so late? I'm starving." Brunhilde closed the book.

"Hey, the Shaniat family is arriving this afternoon. The government has closed several streets, and there's traffic everywhere. I came on my skateboard." Siegfried sighed. "Even though I'm a Valkyrie, I can't be speeding at 100 kilometers per hour in the city. Well, at least I have food to eat."

Brunhilde wasn't incapable of eating in the school cafeteria; although she appeared to be a frail young lady, she inherited Kaslana's fine tradition and wasn't delicate. But what Siegfried delivered wasn't just lunch, but his very lifeblood.

Opening the lunchbox, besides the food, there was also a bright green reagent inside. Brunhilde skillfully took out the reagent, unscrewed the cap, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and drank it down.

"How is it?" Siegfried asked nervously.

"What can happen? It's just like that." Brunhilde calmly put away the test tube. "I don't feel anything."

Siegfried clearly looked disappointed, but still raised an eyebrow and said, "But we still have to thank the Schariac family, Bubu. This Holy Blood Serum is extremely precious even to the Schariac family. Hmph, you have to thank your older sister, Cecilia only gave you the serum because I'm her future husband! Shouldn't you give me a kiss?"

Brunhilde gave a slight smile. "Thank you, sister."

"I knew my little sister was the cutest!"

"It's my brother."

Saintess Serum HSN-A01 is the purest serum from the contemporary Saint Cecilia. It is mild in nature and rarely causes rejection. This serum is extremely precious, but its uses are limited; it is generally used to activate the bloodlines of members of the Shaniat family.

The Schariac family already has a Saintess, but other members of the family possess some degree of Honkai energy. Injecting the serum could potentially activate their own bloodline power, granting them greater control over Honkai energy. In other words, the blood of the Schariac Saintess itself represents unlimited control over Honkai energy; even possessing just a small amount would be immensely beneficial.

However, extracting the Saintess's serum is very difficult. Cecilia is only twenty years old and is still the strongest combat unit in Schicksal. It is not realistic to keep drawing her blood.

But by sheer coincidence, perhaps because of the help given to the Kaslana family, the saintess they had never met was willing to provide Kaslana, this useless young lady, with serum once a week to help "her" come into contact with and comprehend Honkai energy, allowing her to step into the realm of the extraordinary.

This assistance has even lasted for ten years.

For the past decade, many have questioned the Shaniat family, feeling that even in a marriage of convenience, it's a waste for a saintess to take such good care of her fiancé's useless younger sister. The serum requires blood, making it incredibly precious, and Brunhilde, at fourteen, still hasn't even reached the level of a C-rank Valkyrie.

You could even say he's worse than an ordinary person; at least an ordinary person, even if they can't awaken Honkai energy, isn't a complete failure. Brunhilde, on the other hand, was born weak and sickly, and even ten years of serum couldn't make her as robust and healthy as an ordinary person.

Of course, only the Kaslana and Schariac families knew why. Brunhilde was, after all, a boy. If he were unlucky enough to have Honkai energy in his body but couldn't adapt, he wouldn't only fail to become stronger but would also weaken his body. To some extent, the reason the Schariac family allowed Cecilia to continue to lavishly provide Brunhilde with the serum was because, without it, Brunhilde, as a boy with Honkai energy in his body but unable to awaken it, might not even survive to adulthood.

Therefore, the entire Kaslana family was grateful to Shaniat for this. Brunhilde, too, admired the saintess she had never met.

"Both families have discussed it, so we'll skip the welcome banquet. The main purpose of this trip is for me and Cecilia to meet," Siegfried said enthusiastically, pulling his brother along. "Although it's a marriage alliance, what era are we living in? It's definitely better to have a free love affair. I know Bergen's shopping streets very well. Hey, I'm a seasoned player in the dating scene. I know exactly where to go shopping with this girl this afternoon!"

Brunhilde blinked and scooped a spoonful of tender meat. "Congratulations, sister, on your upcoming journey to become the top star on the extraordinary side. But what does this have to do with me? What are you talking to me about?"

"I just don't understand, are you still the Valkyrie?"

"No."

"...This is Cecilia's blind date, the Holy Maiden of Destiny, the strongest Valkyrie in history! I get to go shopping and date with the Holy Maiden! This is the most amazing day of your life! The entire supernatural world is about to explode. Countless people are green with envy. Don't you understand what I mean?" Siegfried said, exasperated. "I dragged you along for such a great opportunity, and you still look so indifferent? Don't tell me you don't want to see your Cecilia sister with your own eyes. You have her blood flowing in your veins!"

"Don't be so ambiguous..." Brunhilde said helplessly, "Hey, this is your blind date, how can you bring your younger brother along? Who brings their younger siblings on a date? Are you out of your mind?"

"Bubu... I'm doing this for your own good, because it's such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"I'll see Cecilia whenever I want after you marry her, it won't make a difference if we meet again soon."

Siegfried was furious. "Why don't you know what's good for you, brother? Are you going or not?! You have to go today! I've already asked for leave for your afternoon classes. You're free this afternoon, so you have to come with me today, no questions asked!"

The 1.4-meter-tall, fair-haired pretty boy gave a disdainful look, and curled his lip: "I get it, you're scared. I never thought that your sister, who's been through countless romances, would be scared one day. Knowing that the other person is a big shot, and someone you're going to marry, you're this nervous? You want me to be your wingman? Sister, I'm only fourteen."

Siegfried's face flushed red and then paled, but she didn't argue. Instead, she shook her brother's arm and pleaded, "Come on, come on, come on! I've spoiled you all these years, shouldn't you repay your sister? Wait until I win over Cecilia and introduce you to some lovely girls from Shaniat! Do you know the witch Maria? She's only seventeen, a perfect match for you, three years older than you..."

"Alright, alright, I'll keep you company." Brunhilde thought for a moment and decided it was best to go.

For his sister, with her carefree personality, to be so nervous meant it must be very important to her, so helping out wouldn't hurt. He, too, had always admired Miss Cecilia, the world-renowned saintess, and had relied on her serum for so many years… He really should meet this future sister-in-law… Hmm, maybe his own sister was the sister-in-law?

Just treat yourself as her best friend and be her wingman!

Chapter Thirty-Five: A maidservant helped her up, her delicate frame weak and frail, just after receiving the emperor's favor.

Hordaland County midday news.

According to the German Press Agency (dpa), the Schariac consortium is expected to arrive at Bergen International Airport at 1:30 p.m.

“People from all walks of life in Norway will welcome Miss Cecilia at Bergen International Airport, led by Bergen Mayor Holland.”

"It is understood that this will be the first time Hordaland County has faced an investment order of tens of billions of euros since the Mitsubishi Group's investment in 1979. This demonstrates the flourishing state of Norway, the enthusiastic response from citizens, and the already transformed streets. We are truly impressed..."

Hearing the eloquent speech on the radio, Cecilia blinked and couldn't help but laugh.

“I always thought the four Nordic countries were countries with very high average incomes, the kind that didn’t lack money at all. I didn’t expect the welcoming ceremony to be so grand.” She looked out of the porthole at the rising clouds and felt the weightlessness of the plane landing. “I feel like the billions of dollars in subsidies given to Kaslana were a little too much.”