Space station 13: Dependence

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.

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

["We've reclaimed thirty percent of the legacy, which is better than expected."]

[You use this money to foster Kafka's various hobbies, creating more mental anchors for her.]

[You send her to a children's activity center. However, Kafka does not make any friends; her aloofness leaves others feeling uneasy.]

[You have her continue attending school. But the school calls with complaints - Kafka, finding it too noisy, silences the teacher for an entire class using her Word Spirit Technique.]

[You buy her a game about catching mythical creatures. But Kafka dismisses it as something for kids, showing no interest. Instead, you start playing it enthusiastically...]

[Silver Wolf: Too childish for kids, yet just right for adults.]

After several attempts, you realize seeking help from others is unfeasible. Most people would simply keep their distance from a cold and emotionless young girl.

Thus, you must personally step in.

One morning,

in the kitchen, Kafka donned a newly purchased apron adorned with fruit patterns.

She lifted her arms, and Su Qing tied the apron behind her.

Upon seeing how slender she was, he realized the apron had still been bought too large.

Su Qing tied the straps into a bow knot. "Do you remember the method I taught you for making sandwiches?"

Kafka glanced down at the fruits on the apron, then looked up at Su Qing with a nod.

"Great," Su Qing said. "There's also a recipe nearby; just follow the steps one by one."

In reality, before Kafka arrived in this simulation, Su Qing hardly touched the kitchen at all. He typically ordered takeout.

The main reason was his fear of getting carried away again and diving back into the culinary profession.

[Herta: Excellent, the patient has a relatively clear self-awareness.]

[Stelle: Su Qing: If I'm a chef in reality and still a chef in the simulation, isn't that defeating the purpose?!]

After assigning Kafka her task, Su Qing returned to the living room. Sitting down on a chair, he began reading the newspaper, occasionally glancing towards the kitchen.

Watching the bustling, inexperienced figure within it, the young girl clearly had little experience with cooking. Her loose purple hair gently swayed as she frequently paused for a moment before continuing.

Su Qing felt slightly guilty, but mostly harbored nine parts of the sentiment, "I could easily do better myself."

[March 7th: Admit it, your hands are itching to cook, right?]

Su Qing decided to focus solely on reading the newspaper.

After some time passed,

he put down the paper, picked up the sandwich made by Kafka, tasted it carefully, and commented, "The eggs are somewhat overcooked, one side of the bread is not heated enough while the other is burnt, there's too much lettuce, and the bacon should have been distributed more evenly."

[Seele: Zero points!]

[Herta: Negative points!]

[Firefly: Don't be so strict with a beginner.]

Little Kafka, wearing her fruit-patterned apron, stood by the table with a bewildered and confused expression, unsure how to react.

"Haha."

Su Qing smiled. "But for your first attempt, it's already quite good. Go pour two glasses of milk; let's sit down and eat together."

"In the future, you'll be responsible for cooking while I handle cleaning up and selecting ingredients..." Su Qing crossed his arms, pondering momentarily before reluctantly adding, "No, why don't you also take charge of selecting ingredients?"

One reason was that he couldn't have a growing Kafka relying solely on takeout food. Another aspect was assigning her "responsibilities" and "missions" beyond combat—in daily life as well.

This would give Kafka daily goals and purpose. Even if these aims were bestowed upon her by others, they were still better than having none at all.

After breakfast, they tidied up.

Kafka studied a recipe book and proposed the meal plan for the next day.

"Great, let's do it your way." Su Qing patted her head gently, then softly rubbed it, expressing approval and affirmation.

Kafka didn't shy away, her small body swaying slightly with the affectionate gesture. Her smooth purple hair became somewhat tousled, gently standing up in places after being ruffled.

She shook her head, smoothing out her hair, and continued examining the recipe book in her hands.

[Silver Wolf: Kafka learned to make sandwiches from here?]

[Kafka: Yes, that's right.]

[March 7th: Ah?]

[Silver Wolf: During missions, Kafka occasionally made us sandwiches, and they were quite decent. Surprising to know Su Qing taught her.]

[Kafka: Too bad I didn't grasp the essence of it. At that time, Su Qing never cooked, so I assumed he wasn't skilled in culinary arts.]

Apart from "duties" and "missions," cultivating hobbies can significantly add meaning to the monotonous routine of daily life.

On yet another afternoon,

Su Qing had just completed a mission earlier that morning and felt somewhat weary, planning to take a break.

However, before resting, he glanced towards the television set and said, "That's a record player I found at a roadside shop, along with several vinyl records."

Kafka followed his gaze.

"You'll be responsible for the record player from now on," Su Qing continued. "Every day during breaks, play a few tunes. Go ahead and choose one to try out first."

"Okay," replied Kafka.

Although emotionally detached and indifferent to most things, from another perspective, she was genuinely obedient and compliant.

Whenever faced with Su Qing's requests, she never questioned why. If Su Qing asked, she would always carry them out without hesitation.

Kafka stood up and approached the record player.

It was a vintage-looking device with golden speakers, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

As Su Qing sat on the sofa, he spoke, "Don't pick the very first one directly."

Little Kafka's hand recoiled as if electrocuted, withdrawing her fingertips from the initial record.

[Himeko: (smiling) Caught you there.]

She browsed through the stack of nearly a dozen records and finally picked one.

Su Qing asked again, "Why did you choose this one?"

Kafka turned around, holding the record. "Mom and dad used to listen to this song."

Su Qing remained silent for a moment.

The room fell quiet briefly.

Then Kafka continued, "Also, this music is quite gentle, suitable for playing now."

"Hmm, that's right. Each time you select a record, tell me your reasoning," Su Qing instructed. "Do you know how to play it?"

Kafka nodded, opened the packaging, placed the record on the turntable, and positioned the stylus over its groove.

As the turntable began spinning, beautiful and soothing melodies emanated from the golden horn speaker.

She returned to her seat on the couch.

After a morning of relentless activity, the demon hunter closed his eyes, enjoying the peaceful afternoon as he listened to the music and rested for a while.

Beside Su Qing, Kafka quietly watched the record player. In her lovely purple eyes, the rotating black vinyl was reflected.

It was uncertain whether the music once cherished by her parents could still provide her with a small measure of comfort now.

After some time passed,

Kafka felt drowsy too. Looking around, she noticed all the throw pillows were on the sofa furthest to the right, separated from her by Su Qing.

Little Kafka stared at Su Qing for a few seconds.

Instead of getting up, she chose to simply shift closer. Then gently, her head leaned towards him and rested on Su Qing's shoulder.

A moment later.

Su Qing opened his eyes and glanced sideways.

He noticed Kafka's left hand wrapped around herself, lightly gripping the edge of his shirt. Her fair legs were tucked together, curled up on the sofa.

From Su Qing's perspective, the girl resembled a timid little purple kitten, huddled and leaning against him.

Watching her for a brief moment, Su Qing casually picked up a nearby blanket, draped it over both himself and Kafka, then closed his eyes again.

In the afternoon.

Golden sunlight streamed into the living room, casting a radiant glow on the equally golden record player. Even the music seemed warmer with this illumination.

As Kafka slept, her expression gradually relaxed.

A strand of violet hair fell softly across her cheek.

At that moment, nothing unusual was visible; her sleeping form appeared peaceful and serene, just like any ordinary, adorable little girl.

[March 7th: Wow, what a heartwarming scene! I must take a screenshot to remember this.]

[Silver Wolf: My teammate looked so cute as a kid, makes me feel quite proud.]

[Stelle: Having such an adorable young Kafka as my "daughter" also boosts my pride.]

[Seele: The above comments are outrageous.]

[Himeko: If only Kafka could stay this charming and adorable when she grows up.]

[Fu Xuan: +1]

[Fu Xuan: Unfortunately, that's not very realistic.]

[At that moment, Kafka was also sitting on a sofa, leaning against a cushion just like her younger self.]

[The pillow felt soft and luxurious, yet it couldn't quite replicate the sensation from before.]

[Kafka, feeling languid, decided to recline sideways on the sofa. Her slender legs crossed gracefully as her mature body adjusted slightly into a comfortable position.]

[With her phone held before her eyes, she rested her cheek upon it.]

[As Kafka watched the live stream, she found herself somewhat envious of her younger self.]

At the psychological clinic, Katherine had just finished her workday.

She was already aware that Su Qing had become a Copper Rank Demon Hunter; after all, he diligently clocked in for his shifts.

On the day Su Qing received his copper badge, she noticed him occasionally patting his shoulder and sighing, "Ah, dust again." This behavior both surprised and amused her.

[March 7th: Ha ha, that's hilarious.]

[Qingque: How did you know I played nine rounds of Imperial Jade Fortress yesterday, winning seven with five consecutive victories?]

[Stelle: Who asked you?]

Katherine tidied up, preparing to leave work.

It happened to be a relatively quiet day, so she planned to visit Kafka.

In terms of combat skills and character, Katherine held great trust in Su Qing.

However, she constantly worries that given Su Qing's dedication to her profession, she might mold little Kafka into a cold-hearted female assassin...

[Fu Xuan: Oh no, it seems my words have become a self-fulfilling prophecy.]

[Sushang: How do you pronounce "cheng" in this phrase?]

[Sparkle: It's pronounced as "yu" (third tone).]

[Sushang: ?????]

After making contact, Katherine arrived at Su Qing's doorstep.

She pressed the doorbell, eliciting a chime.

In the living room, Katherine observed Kafka closely. Having only met her at the clinic before, she had yet to see how the girl behaved in everyday life.

Upon arriving, it seemed Kafka was maintaining her weapons and firearms. After Katherine's entrance, Kafka promptly prepared tea for her guest.

As Katherine sipped her tea, she watched Kafka move towards the gramophone and play some music.

Finally, little Kafka conscientiously tied an apron around herself and headed to the kitchen to cook.

Throughout this time,

Su Qing remained seated at the table, reading the newspaper without uttering a single word.

Katherine looked on, astonished by the entire scene.

Regaining her composure, she approached the table and whispered, "Are you exploiting child labor here?"

Su Qing put down the newspaper. "It doesn't count as exploitation if I don't pay her."

"Devil!" exclaimed Katherine.

"I'm not," Su Qing corrected her, "I'm actually a demon hunter."

Just to clarify, whenever Kafka assisted in battles, he ensured she received fair compensation. However, Kafka simply saved the money, hardly spending any of it.

Katherine glanced again at the stoic young chef cooking nearby and lowered her voice. "But she's remarkable. Her current lifestyle is even better than my most optimistic expectations. How did you manage it?"

Su Qing summarized his approach, "Pay close attention and think carefully. Try to put yourself in her shoes and consider what she truly needs. That's essentially it."

Katherine shook her head, "Achieving even these points is incredibly difficult."

Su Qing pondered for a moment, "I find the process quite interesting, almost like playing a character development game..."

"Ah, wait, that's not what I meant." Su Qing realized his choice of words might be misleading. By 'development', he was referring to nurturing his teammate.

Would this be misinterpreted?

Unexpectedly, Katherine looked at him, silent for a beat before asking, "Do you still need more subjects for such nurturing? Like someone who could also earn their own income, perhaps a psychologist?"

Speechless, Su Qing replied, "What are you talking about?"

Katherine insisted, "Because! Even I don't think I could invest such care and thoughtfulness!!"

Su Qing's exceptional efforts challenged Katherine's perception of her own skills as a psychologist.

After some time, dinner was ready.

Both Su Qing and Katherine had empty seats next to them.

Katherine glanced over with a warm smile, gently patting the chair beside her, looking very inviting.

Su Qing, on the other hand, kept his head lowered, engrossed in reading the newspaper, completely hiding his face.

Little Kafka glanced at both of them, without hesitation, and chose to sit next to Su Qing.

Thud!

Katherine facepalmed onto the table.

[Seele: Sounds good, right? A well-placed headbutt always works.]

[Bronya: You make a convincing argument with that line.]

[Seele: ?]

[Bronya: After all, every time you use your ultimate move, it's essentially a headbutt.]

[Seele: ...]

[Seele: ?]

[Silver Wolf: Laughing so hard, classic comeback!]

[Himeko: Although Katherine is also very approachable, considering the previous simulations, I completely understand why Kafka made this choice.]

[Stelle: +1]

[Qingque: +2.]

Katherine observed that Su Qing was genuinely straightforward. Aside from his work, he had no unhealthy hobbies and approached everything with utmost dedication.

Reflecting back, Kafka indeed made the best choice instantly.

After dinner,

"Your hair is getting quite long," Katherine noted, admiring the girl's beautiful purple locks.

Originally shoulder-length, Kafka's hair was now nearly reaching a point where it could be considered long.

"Thanks for reminding me," Su Qing nodded. "I'll get it trimmed another day; don't want it to hinder my combat."

Kafka agreed, "Okay."

"...Wait, if it affects her combat, couldn't she just tie it up?" Katherine suggested.

Su Qing looked surprised. "Oh, right, that's true."

Katherine placed a hand on her forehead, realizing there would inevitably be some parenting challenges with Su Qing.

She then patted his shoulder and said, "Why don't you help her tie her hair?"

Su Qing pointed at himself, astonished. "Me? Tie her hair?"

He seemed more suited to blasting demon heads than styling hair.

Regardless of his doubts,

in front of the living room mirror, under Katherine's guidance, Su Qing cautiously began learning how to braid a girl's hair.

The scene unfolded in the reflection.

Little Kafka sat on a chair, gazing into the mirror.

With one hand holding the young girl's cascading purple locks, Su Qing gently combed them using the other hand.

Katherine stood nearby, occasionally offering advice.

Despite Su Qing's utmost care, his occasional missteps still tugged at Kafka's hair, causing slight discomfort.

However, Kafka didn't seem bothered by this, much like how she didn't particularly mind whether her hair was long or short.

Her attention, reflected through the mirror, remained focused on the two figures behind her.

Behind them, the two engaged in casual conversation, touching on work-related topics and aspects of daily life.

Their tones ranged from cheerful to grumbling, all revolving around mundane everyday matters.

Yet compared to the act of combing hair, these familiar scenes unfolding in her memory held more significance for Kafka. They captured her attention, making her more inclined to listen...

[Natasha: Aww, getting teary-eyed.]

[Natasha: Kids really need a mother's presence.]

[Yukong: Agreed.]

[Cocolia: +1]

[Kafka: Disagree.]

[Firefly: Actually...]

[Firefly: @Kafka, if you don't mind, I could try taking on the role of your mother.]

[Kafka: Trying to take advantage already, huh?]

[Firefly: No, I genuinely want to help...]

[Silver Wolf (unmasking bluntly): And conveniently live happily ever after with Su Qing, right?]

[Firefly (blushing): That's not it, I'm not implying that.]

[Stelle: Wow, a mom who pilots mechas.]

[Stelle: Talk about having major bragging rights if this gets out.]

[Firefly: Ah? Is being able to pilot a mecha considered a desirable trait for a mother?]

[Stelle: Absolutely!]

***

***

[Eat, sleep, battle demons.]

["This is a simple yet exhilarating life."]

["Time flies; in the blink of an eye, three years have passed with this lifestyle."]

["During these three years:"]

["Under your guidance, Kafka's strength gradually increased."]

["Kafka possesses remarkable talent for the Word Spirit Technique, and simultaneously, she learned some new combat techniques as well."]

["You've nurtured an exceptional teammate, making your battles against demons significantly easier. Most importantly, the efficiency of your fights has greatly improved."]

["On the other hand, due to your patient guidance and companionship, compared to three years ago, Kafka's mental state has become considerably more stable."]

["Not only did her mind not further retreat inward, but it steadily improved and recovered instead."]

["Of course, you didn't neglect your primary duty. The bulk of your efforts remained focused on hunting demons."]

["In terms of advancement, you faced a temporary stagnation period."]

["Tianyi-5 emphasizes connections and background, causing you to remain at the Bronze Rank for a while."]

["However, ultimately, your achievements and inexplicably growing reputation could not be overlooked, leading to your successful promotion."]

["You became the youngest Silver-Rank demon hunter in Tianyi-5's history."]

[Under your guidance, Kafka is now undergoing the assessment for becoming a Junior Demon Hunter.]

In a weapons store, Kafka was selecting ammunition.

Over three years, Kafka had grown significantly taller than her peers, with a striking and graceful figure, accentuated by her long legs.

Her once slender frame gradually developed subtle curves, beginning to showcase feminine allure.

Kafka kept her purple hair long, usually styled neatly into a single ponytail that swayed with each of her movements.

More profound than these physical changes, though less apparent, were the emotional shifts.

During these three years, seemingly quite naturally, she developed a sense of "dependence" towards Su Qing.

This dependence took root and grew steadily over time.

By now, it may have reached a level beyond even her own awareness...