At St. Freya Academy after dark, Theresa stood before the grand doors of St. Freya Cathedral, glancing left and right to ensure she was alone before entering. She opened the secret passage leading to the underground confidential database.
However, perhaps due to the Headmaster's excessive nervousness, she forgot to close the entrance behind her once she had entered the subterranean corridor.
"Hmm, so the confidential database Theresa mentioned is actually beneath the Cathedral? You'd never guess such a passage was hidden here from looking at it normally."
"Kiana" surveyed the dark, cavernous underground passage before her. Without the slightest hesitation, she stepped inside.
-
"She just waltzed right in as if she owned the place?!"
"Didn't she even consider there might be identity verification mechanisms or security devices?"
In the Consciousness Space, Kiana, who had been observing the outside world through her simulated persona, blinked in surprise.
"If you hadn't experienced these things, you would have done the same... This simulated persona was created based on your personality without those memories—remember how brave yet naive you used to be?"
Muninn's voice rang out, though the silver-haired girl's tone carried a hint of embarrassment.
Originally a slender 1.6 meters tall, she had shrunk to the size of a 60-centimeter Armed Puppet, now clutched in Little Sirin's hand. She was being forced to clink against another Armed Puppet, a Kevin Doll, which had inexplicably been stuffed into the Consciousness Space as well.
The silver-haired girl and the white-haired Kevin Doll half-heartedly clashed their mini-Shamash and mini-Mjolnir, grunting and shouting mock battle cries. A silent consensus formed between them:
Let's hurry and appease this little Old Ancestor so she'll put us down. We'd rather not be clutched like dimwitted toys and used for clinking games.
-
"Little Sirin? Let them go..."
Kiana sensed the awkward situation and addressed the purple-haired girl behind her.
"Hmm, fine."
Little Sirin released her grip on the Kevin Doll and Muninn, who both shot Kiana grateful glances.
"Hmm, will the other bad Sirin go cause trouble soon?" the girl asked, leaning closer with curiosity, her gaze fixed on the simulated view of the outside world transmitted through the artificial persona.
"That? It'll probably be a while yet—" Kiana scratched her chin, sounding uncertain. After all, the artificial persona had only just entered the virtual Snowfield.
"Then won't you stop her, Big Sister Kiana?"
"Of course I'll stop her eventually, but let her blow off some steam first—"
"Besides, all she does is smash things. As long as no one gets hurt, it'll be easy to clean up."
"It sounds like letting a dog that's been cooped up all day run wild," Little Sirin observed.
Of course, the Queen wasn't present at that moment. Otherwise, a full-blown battle would have been inevitable.
"Uh... you're right, I guess. The way you describe it, Little Sirin, suddenly makes the whole thing seem so comical."
"Hmm... does it?" The purple-haired girl tilted her head in confusion.
"Anyway, let's change the subject—Little Sirin, you should be able to go outside and play soon, right?" Kiana said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"When that happens, we can use Honkai energy to create a physical body for you. Muninn, you agree, right?" The white-haired Knight girl turned to Muninn, who was bouncing around, stretching her limbs.
"Ah, create a body? That's easy! I can create a physical form based on your memories, Little Sirin," Muninn replied cheerfully, as this was well within her capabilities.
"But Muninn—after Little Sirin goes outside, can she protect herself? She probably doesn't have a Herrscher Core anymore..." Kiana looked worriedly at the purple-haired girl beside her, as if she had just realized something. "Should I give her the Herrscher of the Void Core?"
"About that... Kiana, your concerns are unnecessary. Come, Little Sirin, show your big sister Kiana what you've got."
Muninn snapped her fingers, and a peculiar Zombie Girl wearing a bulky penguin costume materialized before the trio. Kiana found the Zombie Girl strangely familiar.
"Isn't that the one from Senba Academy...?"
"Exactly! Come on, Sirin, show Kiana how you fight."
Muninn grinned mischievously at Little Sirin.
"Ah, Sirin's fighting style..."
Little Sirin hesitated, thinking for a moment. Under Kiana's curious gaze, she relented and pulled out a weapon from who-knows-where—a wand-like staff adorned with a golden star at its tip.
"Uh... a magic wand?"
"It's Sirin's magic~"
"Watch closely, Big sister Kiana! Sirin will only demonstrate once~"
The purple-haired girl focused her energy, turned to face the motionless penguin Zombie Girl, and raised the wand—
"Avada Kedavra!"
With a determined shout, the wand swung down forcefully, striking the penguin Zombie Girl's head. Like hammering playdough, the blow instantly flattened the creature into a cookie-like pancake.
Kiana even saw a damage number pop up after the star-tipped wand struck the zombie's head: 2147483647.
"I don't understand... but I'm deeply shaken..."
Kiana pinched the flesh of her arm. Ouch, that hurts. It doesn't seem like I'm dreaming.
"So you're still worried about Little Sirin's safety, huh?" Muninn teased, her voice barely concealing a laugh.
"I'm not worried about Little Sirin's safety anymore... but I'm starting to worry about the safety of anyone foolish enough to try harming her..."
"They probably won't live long enough to see the police come to rescue them..."
Having witnessed such extraordinary power, Kiana began to seriously ponder what would happen if Little Sirin accidentally swung someone into a wall with too much force.
"Don't overthink it," Muninn reassured her. "The puppet guarding Little Sirin is a gift from your Old Ancestor Kevin Kaslana and Snow. Like Bella, it's an Armed Puppet. With enough energy, it can hold its own against your sister Durandal for a short time."
"Just leave Sirin's safety to him... No one in their right mind would dare to mess with a little girl protected by a flying puppet wielding a flaming Great Sword."
Muninn's expression clearly conveyed You can rest assured, but Kiana remained skeptical.
"But what if they do...?"
"Then they're no ordinary criminals! We need to come down on them hard!"
"Alright..."