"Europe is our stronghold... but each nation has its own customs and traditions. For example, the Valkyries of the Siberia Branch are far more brazen in their demeanor than those of other branches..."
Otto rubbed his temples again, his headache returning.
"The United Kingdom Branch, being close to North America and the only non-continental European nation, has always maintained an ambiguous relationship with Schicksal, oscillating between cooperation and distance... And everyone knows their historical role in stirring up trouble..."
"Those meddling Brits... What about France?"
"France... France surrendered."
The Lord Overseer cracked a low-grade "French surrender" joke.
"Upon learning that the Far East Branch, led by two Herrschers and two S-rank Valkyries, was attacking the European Headquarters, the France Branch immediately raised the white flag—"
"They're probably enjoying ice cream with the Fourth Herrscher right now, getting along splendidly..."
Otto forced a strained smile.
"Being confronted by a fully realized Herrscher who can communicate rationally... surrendering doesn't seem so unreasonable, does it?"
"But after the Fourth Herrscher arrived, those French Valkyries... lined the streets, waving ice cream cones in welcome. The entire Branch acted like it was a holiday... How could the subordinate Branches of the European Headquarters produce such vermin...?"
It was clear that Lord Overseer's resentment ran deep.
"Ever since World War II, that nation has been like this. Nothing will change them—not even the end of the world," Nagamitsu shrugged.
"But why did you cede the entire East District, Lord Overseer?"
"We were dragged out of bed early this morning to move the entire laboratory. Do you know how much trouble that was? Those Immortal Blades Valkyries are so clumsy sometimes, they nearly broke the experimental equipment!"
"This is the Open Strategy—"
"Miss Houraiji Kyuusyou is betting I won't publicly deny Snow's identity as the Schicksal Young Sovereign. By doing so, she aims to split Schicksal in two, giving her more leverage to save the Herrscher girl, K-423."
"And we've allowed them to take all the Valkyries and most of Schicksal's researchers, except for the Immortal Blades..."
"The East and West District research institutes have always been at odds. I've known this all along. Handing the East District over to the Far East Branch was indeed the best choice... In a way, they share the same ideals."
"The further out you go in the East District, the more accepting the researchers are of the Far East Branch. Nagamitsu, your Saint-1504 Research Institute, being the innermost institute in the East District, doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with the West District researchers either, does it?"
"Suddenly, I feel like changing jobs..."
"Ha ha, don't be so hasty..."
Otto shook his head and continued, "Besides their compatibility with the East District, they can also buy us time..."
"What we need most right now is time—"
The blonde girl gazed at the laboratory's surveillance monitor. The Honkai energy there was surging, as if the girl's body was about to awaken.
"Little Theresa couldn't possibly abandon the innocent researchers scattered across these Eastern region institutes. Whether driven by conscience, duty, or mission, neither the Far East Branch nor Anti-Entropy would stand idly by while these defenseless researchers perish in the impending catastrophe."
"They'll need considerable time to evacuate these researchers scattered throughout the East District, and every step requires manual intervention. Anti-Entropy's Titans can't handle such delicate tasks; only the Valkyries can."
"And Houraiji Kyuusyou—she won't ignore the Valkyrie units scattered across the East District either. The Divine Authority Squad must consolidate and reorganize all Valkyrie forces in the region. This massive influx of new recruits also means they'll have to rebuild their lower command structures and even establish new higher-level leadership."
"The Valkyrie forces I left behind in Schicksal East District are far from negligible. It will take my 'dear' son-in-law quite some time to digest this meticulously prepared 'gift' from her father-in-law."
The blonde Schicksal Overseer struck a pose on the table reminiscent of Commander Ikari. Nagamitsu discerned the "harmonious family relations" radiating from the highest echelons of Schicksal's network.
Hmm, very harmonious indeed. Watching the monitors, Nagamitsu observed Houraiji Kyuusyou vehemently scolding and commanding the regrouping Valkyrie Force. On the other side, Theresa, aided by Murata Himeko and her adjutant, frantically directed wave after wave of researchers to evacuation shelters.
—And before her, the Lord Overseer leisurely prepared to open a bottle of champagne.
Nagamitsu nodded with conviction. Yes, truly harmonious family relations!
"With this, two factions of the Three-Party Coalition—the Divine Authority Force and the Far East Branch—have already been bogged down by these tedious matters."
"They still need to convince the East District members to believe I have a biological daughter—though I do, in fact, have one. But ever since their arrival and announcement of my 'Princess's' existence, I've never publicly acknowledged her, though I haven't denied it either."
"The people of the East District are now in a state of skepticism... but—could my 'good' son-in-law also be a natural-born leader?"
The blonde man watched the surveillance footage with keen interest. The purple-haired girl stood on a high platform, shouting commands. After a brief period of confusion, the hastily assembled Valkyrie Force split into several smaller squads, which were then dispatched to various key points.
"In any case... their advance has been halted for now, and Anti-Entropy's power alone poses no significant threat—"
With a wave of his hand, Otto dismissed Nagamitsu. He then turned his gaze to the footage from Third Airport, where rows of Anti-Entropy Titans patrolled in formation. A sigh escaped his lips.
"After all, my old friend... has been gone for far too long... Isn't that right, Joyce?"
The blonde man watched the figure standing beside the Titan on the monitor. He spoke his name with a hint of nostalgia, but the Schicksal Overseer quickly sensed something amiss.
"Joyce?! Welt Joyce?! What are you doing here?!"
Otto stared wide-eyed at the young man with indigo hair chatting casually with Theresa on the surveillance monitor, his voice filled with disbelief.
"A clone? No, that's not right... That smile, that demeanor—it's Welt Joyce himself?! Impossible! Joyce should have died during the Second Eruption, when he met with the successor to the Herrscher of Reason..."
The Schicksal Overseer watched the indigo-haired man on the screen, endlessly hypothesizing and dismissing possibilities, until the man seemed to notice the surveillance.
The indigo-haired youth looked up, flexed his fist at the camera, and mouthed a message to Otto:
"Otto Apocalypse, my old friend, let's settle those old scores from over fifty years ago, you old bastard."
"Ha... You've returned as well, old friend. But the debts I owe you all... can probably never be repaid."
The blonde man gazed at Joyce's image on the screen, his expression unreadable, but one thing he knew for certain: the Joyce standing in the Third Airport was indeed the First Herrscher of old.
"My old friend, don't stand in my way this time..."
In the end, only a lingering sigh remained in the room.