Snezhevna is Kseniya's surname.
Or rather, it is the surname bestowed upon her and other adopted children by the Fatui.
Its meaning is "Daughter of Snow," also known as "Daughter of Snezhnaya."
Kseniya Snezhevna
The full meaning is "the hospitable daughter of Snezhnaya."
She had thought she would die in a foreign land, never expecting that the person who subdued her with ease was actually the rookie Fatui recruit she had once crossed paths with.
She had considered whether he might be undercover like her—but she never imagined he would...
This wasn't just undercover anymore—this was unbelievable!
He was actually that legendary Battousai, famed throughout Inazuma?!
"Shh."
Placing a finger to his lips, Bai Luo covered Kseniya with the blanket and walked toward the door.
Hurried footsteps were already approaching from outside.
"Lord Battousai, are you alright? We heard sounds of a fight."
Rapid knocking followed as the patrolling soldier anxiously inquired.
Though the name Himura Kenshin had spread, the resistance soldiers still preferred to call him Battousai.
Himura Kenshin was a name—but Battousai had become a symbol of hope.
After hiding the Mist Grass Lantern by the door, Bai Luo pushed it open.
"It's nothing, just a few Electro Cicins. I drove them away."
The room was in disarray, littered with traces of lingering Electro energy.
But judging by Bai Luo's condition, he seemed unharmed.
Of course—this was the man who had wounded a god. How could mere Electro Cicins harm him?
Still, the extent of the furniture damage suggested something more like a Specter than a Cicin.
Perhaps Lord Battousai had mistaken them?
"Would you like us to arrange a new room for you?"
The night patrol soldier asked warmly.
"Just some damaged furniture. The bed is fine. I often sleep rough in the wild—a bed is already a luxury."
"Understood. We'll continue our patrol then. Call us if you need anything."
Only after confirming Bai Luo was unharmed did the soldier leave.
Bai Luo then turned his gaze back to Kseniya on the bed.
To confirm her identity, all he needed was to check for the mark he had left on her.
But in his Battousai state, without Hei's abilities, he couldn't verify it.
The Divine Priestess's situation was unusual—he wasn't sure if the jellyfish-like creatures floating in the air had surveillance functions, so he didn't dare risk switching to Hei's form.
Fortunately, he had his signature move—[Judgment by Chest Size]—a foolproof method to identify any woman. Otherwise, this might have ended in tragedy.
Walking to the bed, he picked up the nearby stool—scorched by Electro—and gave it a light shake.
Hmm... Still usable.
Sitting down, he spoke softly, "They're gone. You can come out now."
The figure under the blanket remained silent for half a minute before slowly emerging.
Humiliating. Absolutely humiliating.
Losing to the legendary Battousai was one thing.
But losing to someone she knew—a former junior of hers—
Just end me. Let me restart this life.
"Back then, I wondered why I couldn't find you in camp. So you were sent to Watatsumi Island?"
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Bai Luo took the initiative to break the ice.
"Yeah. The resistance on Watatsumi was making big moves back then. Plus, I'd learned some shrine maiden skills from Lyudochka, so the higher-ups assigned me here as one."
Kseniya sat on the bed in a seiza-like pose, explaining the situation in detail.
She wasn't the reserved type to begin with, and with Bai Luo's deliberate easing of tension, she gradually regained her usual liveliness.
"I see. No wonder you blended in with Sangonomiya's shrine maidens. But isn't sneaking out at night risky?"
"Relax. Big sis might be a shrine maiden now, but they obviously don't trust me much. So I don't room with the others—I live alone in Mouun Village."
Letting her become a shrine maiden and serve near Sangonomiya Kokomi was already the limit.
After all, she wasn't a native Watatsumi soldier.
Her promotion was partly due to Igor's efforts, but Sangonomiya also wanted to send a message to the resistance recruits:
Even outsiders will be treated equally.
But whether this equal treatment is truly genuine—or just in name—is a matter of perspective.
"Honestly, you're full of surprises. Who'd have thought the little guy who got lost in Chinju Forest would become the legendary Battousai? When you make it big, don't forget to pull big sis up with you, alright?"
Her seiza gradually shifted into a casual cross-legged pose as Kseniya grew more relaxed.
It was as if they were back in that forest, sitting in that tattered tent, boiling milk scavenged from Hilichurls and steeping tea looted from Kairagi.
Too bad there was no jam, no Fire-Water, and no gentle moonlight now.
"I'd love to, but given my current position, there's not much room for promotion."
"Don't lose heart! Big sis believes in you. Even if you're not a native Snezhnayan, the Fatui don't care about nationality. That Instructor guy got lucky—he's from Liyue too, just like you."
"Honestly, instead of letting him be the 12th Harbinger, they should've picked you. Our Bai Luo is good-looking and strong—'Battousai' sounds way cooler than some boring 'Instructor' anyway"
Her legs dangled playfully off the bed as she giggled, far more cheerful than during their fight.
This was the laugh that suited her best.
"You're right. One day, I'll drag that Instructor down and make him taste our hand-brewed milk tea. Oh, and Childe too."
Bai Luo smirked mysteriously, putting on a fierce expression.
"Whoa, whoa—keep that talk between us. If anyone overhears, it'll be a disaster."
She could rant all she wanted—people in high-stress jobs needed to vent.
But Bai Luo was different. With his potential, even if the Tsaritsa didn't make an exception to appoint a 13th Harbinger, he could easily replace any retiring—or deceased—Harbinger in the future.
His prospects were limitless.
She definitely didn't want her careless chatter to ruin that bright future for him.
"Don't worry, I know. It's just the two of us here. Remember that saying?"
"Hehe, that one? Of course big sis remembers."
"The world is big, but I'm the biggest!"
They burst into laughter together.
Bai Luo rarely let his guard down around others—not even with Childe or Morax.
He was always cautious, always avoiding potential dangers.
So far, the only ones who could make him truly relax were Collei... and Kseniya.
In this wretched era, seeing you alive with my own eyes—
It really is wonderful.