Kiana and Mei were left in the teachers' dormitory, a decision that Himeko and Theresa made unanimously. However, rather than calling it a teachers' dormitory, it was more like a villa.
Compared to the Golden Courtyard, the interior decoration was not as luxurious, but its scale could be considered a mansion.
After all, the bathroom was large, and there were several of them. The kitchen was fully equipped, although it seemed that it was not used often. Even Bronya's bedroom was a single room, but the interior decoration seemed to be similar to that of the Golden Courtyard. There was a cool computer, a bookcase dedicated to Homu and various figurines.
After leaving the teaching building, Bronie complained in her heart that Otto had nothing to do. She picked some vegetables at the vegetable market and brought them to Kiana's dormitory.
Thinking of making something delicious for the children, Bronie started cooking and stewing soup early.
After all, Mei also had to go to school, so she basically had no time to make the delicious stew that took time. So Bronie chose some delicacies that they couldn't eat normally.
"It seems that you are usually quite free?"
Himeko followed behind her all the way and just watched her.
Bronie felt a little strange.
How to say it, it's just that Himeko's eyes looking at her were a little strange.
"Nothing, this can be regarded as one of my jobs. After all, if you understand the relationship between the people around the Herrscher, it is also a beneficial thing for mankind to some extent."
"That's true. After all, the Herrschers of the previous era are not as easy to talk to as the Herrschers of the current civilization. The Herrschers of the previous era are completely puppets. Humanity has been completely erased from the moment the Herrscher core descended in their bodies, but the current wra, even the second Herrscher acts with hatred for humans."
"Is there a thing like this?"
Himeko had never heard of this.
No, it should be said that most of the Schicksal Valkyries had never heard of such a thing.
After all, the Herrscher is the enemy of human civilization, and the Honkai is a goal that must be defeated. Even if there is only a 1% chance, they will choose to ignore and destroy the Herrscher. The lesson that the Second Herrscher brought to human civilization is also great enough.
Although Himeko has not experienced such a thing, she almost didn't come back when she was on a mission in Siberia and Ragna.
"There are not many people who are willing to take the initiative to see these facts. Some Valkyries don't even know what they are fighting for. They shout empty slogans and have more revenge in their hearts. This is the real situation of the vast majority of Valkyries. Fortunately, Mei met you."
"In fact, Theresa and I have been trying to change all this, and many people have changed because of us, and even started to try to change others."
"Oh? It seems that you have a student who makes you proud?"
Hearing Bronie's question, Himeko also smiled.
"Yes, Wendy is a very gentle child. After graduation, she seemed to want to take the initiative to devote herself to that environment and change that bad environment. And the cause of all this is still because of your game!"
"Oh? What game?"
Bronie didn't expect Wendy to be related to the game, which made Bronie curious.
"At first, she talked about Undertale, and later Persona, which gave her the confidence to do this. She seems to have found her own way..."
"Is that so? Then I can only wish her to find her own freedom. Wendy, it sounds like a very gentle and a little naughty name."
"Yes, it is indeed a little naughty!"
Himeko noticed Bronie's complicated mood and knew that Wendy's path was destined to be difficult.
So, although she was happy, she was inevitably a little worried.
As for why Himeko was not worried? It was probably because she could contact Wendy occasionally, and Wendy's condition was indeed very good.
At least the information conveyed by Wendy was not bad.
"But by the way, how old are you now, Bronie?"
"Eh? Why do you ask this? I'm only 21 now."
"Nothing, I just feel like you act like the mother of Bronya and Kiana. You should find a boyfriend early when you're so young, otherwise, you won't have a chance when you get older. But now that you're so successful, your partner will feel inferior, right?"
Okay, the old woman started talking about love. Although she's not yet 30, she seems to be getting close.
"The saying that an elder sister is like a mother is not just a random statement. Kiana was abandoned by her father when she was a child, so she lived with me for a while. Bronya didn't have a good life in the past, and the care she gets now is what she deserves. As for the other half, I already have one. Although it's not a man, it's really sincere."
"Huh?"
Himeko never thought that Bronie actually already had a partner!?
When talking about Elysia, Bronie's eyes became a little gentler.
"Actually, if you have met Ellie, you will definitely feel her beauty. Everyone has their own excellence. The root cause of inferiority comes from jealousy, and true love will not be tested by such emotions."
Jealousy?
Even if it is a bad mood, both parties can feel each other and then completely digest this part of the bad mood. So Himeko, who has such troubles, has never really encountered true love.
After hearing what Bronie said, Himeko opened her mouth for a long time and didn't know what to say.
Okay, okay, you show your affection like this, right!
Himeko now feels like someone is pouring freshly squeezed concentrated lemon juice into her mouth.
It's really sour.
"But don't worry, you can always find your true love, no matter if the other person is a man or a woman. When you really feel moved, you will understand it yourself. But a beautiful encounter usually starts with curiosity. So get to know others more, be more curious, maybe you will really meet someone one day!"
On weekdays, although the bar that Himeko frequents is a solitary bar with a relatively quiet environment, she tends to drink too much. When she gets wild, she scares away many boys.
Moreover, after being in the Valkyrie Corps for many years, her military temperament sometimes frightens people when she lets it slip.
After that, people tend to distance themselves, regardless of whether they are curious or not.
"Not in a hurry? Of course you're not in a hurry, but how can I not be in a hurry~"
"Actually, if you want a child, adopting one isn't a bad idea. If you care about the gender of your partner, that can be easily addressed with technology. But is the feeling of wanting offspring really something that only comes from pursuing love? I don't think so."
"...That's true. This thing can't be forced, but you know that our Valkyries have defects in their lifespan, right?"
"I'm dealing with it."
"Huh?"
Himeko didn't expect Bronie to respond.
"When facing their own death, Valkyries are more or less afraid. This fear can lead to psychological distortions, so even if they lose the power to fight Honkai, I pull them back from the brink of death. I've been working to eliminate the side effects of the incomplete and crude artificial stigmata."
Bronie had considered this since she arrived in this world and began working with Mobius.
Unfortunately, she had limited interactions with Valkyries and had few samples to work with. But Otto was also studying the stigmata and had tried to extract Kallen's genes from them.
Later, nothing useful was extracted from Kallen's body. It wasn't until recently that Otto learned that Kallen had given her stigmata to Yae Sakura.
Bronie recently learned from Otto how the artificial stigmata were created. With the materials and other necessary elements now available, Bronie had naturally begun her own research on the artificial stigmata, investigating their side effects.
In short, artificial stigmata inevitably damage the human body during operation, much like adding new hardware to the human body and overloading it for mining. To treat this, one must focus on both the stigmata and the body's recovery. Otto was also working on this. However, Otto's main focus was on resurrecting Kallen.
After realizing the biological approach wasn't working, Otto gave up on it.
Currently, the treatment for artificial stigmata within Schicksal is mostly relying on outdated methods, with few new breakthroughs. The main focus has been on using the power of the stigmata to enhance the body's recovery ability in other parts of the Valkyrie's body, but that's just a temporary solution.
It's not that no one within Schicksal is conducting research, but most of the research funds are allocated by Otto himself, and the by-products of his research are used to fund Schicksal's other projects. The money earned is then funneled into other research areas.
Due to these constraints, the final research funds are limited, which led to the Valkyrie rehabilitation plan being shelved.
Theresa was aware of this and once mentioned it to Himeko, who felt disappointed upon hearing it.
"How are the research results!?"
"For me, it's just an exam, so it's not a breakthrough. But for the current artificial stigma healing technology in Schicksal, it is indeed a breakthrough, right? But for those Valkyries, who have lost the power to fight against the Honkai and the opportunity for revenge, will they resent me instead?"
"It's so effective!"
Hearing Bronie's response, Himeko felt happy in her heart. However, Bronie didn't seem like someone from Schicksal, and even if such a technology existed, it seemed troublesome to promote.
Would she even see it happen in her lifetime?
Sensing Himeko's concerns, Bronie comforted her, "Don't worry. Otto's greatest strength is that he listens to advice, so there's no need to worry about promotion being hindered. I have at least nine reasons he cannot refuse."
"You're so great? 21 years old?"
"Come on, I made a lot of money from games when I was 16. What good would it do for me to lie to you? Geniuses always act one step ahead of others. Even when it comes to finding a girlfriend, I'm faster than you!"
Damn, that hits my weak point!
For a Valkyrie of Schicksal, after the age of 25, one is considered relatively old, and by the age of 30, retirement is often considered. Most Valkyries find their partner around the age of 20, either someone else from the army or another Valkyrie.
At this point, Himeko couldn't judge whether Bronie's words were true, but her intuition told her they probably were.
"It's amazing... When I was your age, I was still in college..."
At that time, Bronie had read the mangas of Honkai Impact 3rd, so she knew what Himeko was like at that time. Although her mother had passed away, she had a father who loved her very much. But later, because of the execution of the Schicksal plan, he died in an unknown corner. Even the truth about his death was completely covered up.
"Things have passed; people always have to look forward. I've repeated it countless times in the game."
"Yes, people always have to look forward, but if someone's past is buried by too many lies and falsehoods, they can easily lose themselves. You know, back then, my dream was to be an astronaut..."
As she spoke, Himeko began to tell her story. Her father had rarely invited her university professors to visit their home, and shortly after that, she suddenly fell seriously ill.
After she recovered, she received the news of her father's death. Himeko suspected her illness was somehow related to her father's death. If it had been a simple Honkai accident, she, as an A-level Valkyrie, could have found some relevant information.
But the key point was that her father was a Schicksal researcher, and as an A-level Valkyrie, she couldn't find any relevant information about his death!
Lies had covered up the truth, and her father—the only family she had—disappeared without explanation. This had a huge impact on Himeko.
Bronie could understand this, but what if her memory of her father wasn't as pure as she thought?
What if Himeko's father had once threatened others with her life?
Welt believed this possibility was too cruel for Himeko, but that was just the Himeko from back then. In 2006, Bronie hadn't yet arrived in this world, so she didn't know the full picture.
However, Bronie could tell Himeko the truth from another perspective by accessing the databases of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy.
"Himeko, are you really prepared? Even if your real father wasn't as beautiful in your memory, it would completely shatter your previous understanding. Do you want to pursue the truth fully?"
Bronie's words stunned Himeko.
"But this is just my guess. Think about it—this level of confidentiality, aside from the Herrscher, likely involves the core secrets of Schicksal and may even involve more people. In your memory, your father was a good researcher under Schicksal, but in reality, there are also researchers in Schicksal with no moral boundaries."
Before meeting Bronie, Himeko hadn't had much hope of uncovering the truth and had even begun to give up.
But now, the truth was right in front of her!
"Not as beautiful? Although the reason I became a Valkyrie wasn't entirely pure at first, it's different now. I now clearly understand why I became a Valkyrie and why I fight. It's not just for the truth, so please tell me—I'm ready!"