After leaving Francis's house, Lucius shifted more of his attention to Shenzhou.
Because Nicholas had already guaranteed he would quickly complete the preliminary arrangements. At that time, news about the Great Honkai would spread limitedly worldwide, facilitating Fire Moth's later public revelation of Honkai's existence.
Seeing him so confident, after some thought Lucius decided to let him handle it.
After all, he was just one person. Even if he could split his consciousness into many portions, he couldn't manage everything comprehensively.
This old geezer having such high execution ability was actually a good thing—at least it saved him some effort.
You must know, to protect those counterparts scattered around the world and prevent them from dying prematurely due to various unknown AOE attacks causing a dead save, he'd spent great effort protecting them.
Besides quantum-state mechs hidden in the dark, on those sufficiently important characters, he'd leave a consciousness clone existing through Fenghuang Down to ensure nothing could go wrong.
Even Nicholas, this old geezer, due to his important role in the current plot node, Lucius had considered leaving a clone in his consciousness.
Only because Sa had already left her tentacles in the other's consciousness first did he abandon this.
However, looking on the bright side, it did save him some effort.
After all, the Fenghuang Down in his hand was just a mimic. Even if it could carry his separated consciousness, it couldn't help him bear the mental burden caused by consciousness separation.
In that case, better to let Nicholas, this old geezer, exercise his subjective initiative, quickly complete the plot, then smoothly roll into Black Dolphin Prison.
But soon Lucius discovered he seemed somewhat too optimistic.
Through consciousness clones scattered around the world, he found that after some time passed, openly there still didn't seem to be any trace of information about Honkai.
This made him doubt Nicholas's ability. So he checked his recent work status and was almost laughed at in anger.
Because during this time, not to mention what Nicholas had done—basically it could be said he'd done nothing.
His proposal about publicly announcing the Honkai phenomenon to the people was still sitting on his desk, quietly gathering dust.
As for Nicholas himself, during this time besides work, he'd been fooling around with his "lovers."
"Old geezer, didn't you guarantee me you'd quickly push the proposal forward?!"
At Nicholas's residence, Lucius angrily gave him several slaps, grabbing his collar for questioning.
After taking several slaps from Lucius, Nicholas's face instead showed grievance.
"It is quick. Only a few days have passed..."
Hearing this, Lucius suddenly realized this old geezer who'd lived over five hundred years might have a different sense of time from normal people.
His so-called "quickly"—who knew if it meant several months or several years?
Thinking of this, Lucius only felt mentally exhausted.
Then he released Nicholas's collar and backhanded him several doses of his favorite Fenghuang Down.
"Listen, old geezer. From now on, you'll feel work is life's meaning. Whenever resting, your heart will feel guilty..."
Borrowing Fenghuang Down's power, he performed psychological suggestion on Nicholas, ensuring he'd become a workaholic for the coming period.
"Unfortunately, if not for needing to guard against Sa, directly restarting his personality would be more convenient..."
Psychological suggestion's effect was far inferior to directly interfering with consciousness, because it itself was just a psychology technique. If willpower was sufficiently remarkable, breaking free was possible.
"However, if this old geezer's willpower was sufficiently remarkable, in these five hundred years he wouldn't have lived like a dog donkey."
After giving Nicholas mental suggestion and adding the workaholic buff, the plan to establish Schicksal finally began steadily advancing.
His consciousness clones scattered around the world finally began discovering some ambiguous information about Honkai on the market during this recent period.
He knew Nicholas, this old geezer, had finally started exerting himself.
After inspecting a round and finding nothing requiring handling around Otto, Lucius prepared to shift attention to Shenzhou.
But soon he discovered some changes had occurred around Nicholas.
...
In the spacious family head's residence, Nicholas and a burly, blonde young man sat face to face.
On the table before them sat an international chess set.
On the black-and-white stone chessboard, both sides' pieces went back and forth, quite spectacular.
"Ferdinand, your chess skill has declined compared to before. You mustn't slack off!"
Hearing Nicholas's gentle tone, this eldest son of Nicholas lightly smiled, his face brimming with sunshine and confidence. He said: "Clearly it's Father whose chess skill has improved again."
Facing his son's sunshine-filled face, Nicholas examined him carefully. After a moment, he lightly sighed.
"Ferdinand, my dearest son, I'm very sorry about what happened before. You know, I just missed your mother too much."
"Recently, your temperament has increasingly resembled your mother's, to the point where I became possessed and did such things to you."
Speaking to here, Nicholas's face filled with regret. He said: "This matter was my fault. If you're dissatisfied in your heart, just tell your father."
But after he spoke these words, he saw Ferdinand's face opposite show great alarm. He hurriedly grasped his hand.
"Father, this cannot be!"
"You are my father, who gave me life and raised me. Dedicating everything to you is proper."
Ferdinand spoke with deep emotion, like a loyal, filial son.
Nicholas stared at him carefully and found his eyes resolute, not seeing any other emotions within.
Finally, Nicholas nodded. The regret on his face receded, replaced by a satisfied smile.
"Ferdinand, my most beloved son, that you can understand Father's difficulties is wonderful. I've clearly felt your filial piety."
Then he took from his bosom a seal ring cast from gold and handed it to Ferdinand.
"This is our family's seal. Accept it! From now on, the family's future course is entrusted to your hands. I hope you won't disappoint me and our ancestors."
Looking at the seal ring Nicholas handed over, Ferdinand's face showed disbelief. He paused before accepting it, examining it carefully.
Soon, his voice trembled somewhat.
"This texture, these patterns... This is the real seal ring."
"Of course." Nicholas said with a smile: "You've already proven your loyalty and filial piety to me and the family. Naturally I won't be stingy about sharing the power in my hands."
Then Nicholas took out another document and handed it to Ferdinand.
Ferdinand accepted it and discovered this was actually the anti-Honkai vaccine project his father had been busy with recently.
Thus, Ferdinand's eyes showed even more shock, even more surprised than when receiving that seal ring.
Because he already knew this project was an important step for Father to complete his ambition—could be said to be more important than these sons of his.
"Ferdinand, you're the most filial child. I'm reassured entrusting this matter to you. Don't disappoint me!"
Hearing Nicholas's earnest tone, Ferdinand looked at the documents and seal ring in his hands. Gradually, the corners of his mouth pulled into a smile.
Only this smile was no longer sunshine-filled like before, but full of savagery.
"The family's power has finally reached my hands... Old bastard, I've endured you for a long time!"
Seeing Ferdinand suddenly change face, Nicholas's face showed astonishment.
"Ferdinand?"
Nicholas's voice had just emerged when he saw his eldest son opposite grab the stone chessboard before him, then without hesitation slam it toward his head.
"Thunk!"
Accompanied by a dull sound, Nicholas powerlessly fell toward the floor beside the table.
But Ferdinand didn't stop there. Instead, he grabbed the chessboard in his hand and smashed it down again and again on the fallen Nicholas's head, beating until the chessboard was covered in blood.
At this moment, his face no longer had the initial sunshine, but was filled with humiliation, rage, and madness.
"You old bastard, go sell hooks in hell!!!"
Only after beating Nicholas's head into a mosaic did he throw away the chessboard in his hand, saying with a crying voice: "Old bastard, I finally killed you, finally killed you!"
At this time, applause suddenly rang out.
"Not bad. You have my ruthless energy. Worthy of being my son."
Hearing this voice, Ferdinand's originally relaxed body stiffened again. He looked toward where the voice came from, his entire person falling into an icy abyss.
Because someone pushed open this room's door and walked in without concern.
And this person was indistinguishable from Nicholas lying on the ground!
"You, you..."
As if anticipating what Ferdinand would say, he preempted: "Of course I'm human, and also your beloved father. As for what you killed... just a clone I controlled through synesthesia."
Hearing this, Ferdinand instantly erupted, charging toward Nicholas.
But he was pressed down by autonomous machines that suddenly emerged from quantum state around him, unable to break free.
"Old bastard, I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Facing Ferdinand's roar, Nicholas squatted down, his face carrying mockery.
"I can't remember how many children have said this to me, but no matter how many times I see it, my heart always fills with pleasure."
"I just love watching you rage impotently."
After speaking, he knocked him unconscious while sneering: "Ungrateful white-eyed wolf. Dad gave you life, raised you, yet you dare have complaints!"
At this moment, footsteps sounded. Nicholas stood up and unsurprisingly saw a woman with seventy percent resemblance to himself walk in. She was his daughter.
"Lisa, you were right. Your eldest brother truly had treasonous thoughts."
"Indeed, you're the most filial child."
These words had some sincerity. After all, she was a daughter and couldn't be used as consumable materials, so he truly had some thoughts of cultivating this daughter.
And this meticulous daughter hadn't disappointed his trust, warning him in advance that his eldest son Ferdinand might have treasonous thoughts.
Hearing this, the woman named Lisa slightly lowered her head and respectfully said: "Eldest Brother isn't bad himself, just hasn't comprehended Father's love."
"Very good, my daughter." Nicholas was extremely satisfied. "You've proven your loyalty and filial piety through your actions. I'll give you the opportunity to take over this family."
Speaking to here, he picked up those documents from the ground and handed them to Lisa.
"I need to go out. Next, matters regarding advancing the anti-Honkai vaccine will be handed over to you. This will also accumulate some qualifications for you, facilitating your later ascent to a higher stage."
Then he glanced at Ferdinand unconscious on the ground and sneered: "As for your eldest brother, heh... You know what to do."
"Of course, Father. I'll make him deeply comprehend your love." Lisa respectfully replied.
Nicholas nodded with satisfaction, then prepared to leave the manor to meet his "lovers."
But the excited Nicholas didn't notice the strange light emanating from his daughter's eyes as she lowered her head.
Not until he was about to leave the room did he hear Lisa say: "Father, I've already arranged your itinerary."
Nicholas somewhat puzzled turned back and asked: "I don't recall having you arrange an itinerary yesterday... click!"
His words weren't finished when the door behind him was opened from outside.
Nicholas subconsciously turned back and met eyes with a person whose appearance was identical to his own.
However, this "Nicholas's" expression was somewhat vacant. But what concerned him more was what the other held in their hands.
It was a gun, and at this moment the pitch-black muzzle was pointed straight at his forehead.
"Bang!"
Gunfire rang out, but Nicholas had already rolled aside first, simultaneously quickly jumping behind the desk as cover.
At this moment, Lisa's voice timely rang out.
"Thanks to Eldest Brother eliminating your substitute, your true body could appear before me."
"Also, answering your earlier question, what I arranged for you... is a journey to the River Styx."
At this moment, Nicholas hiding behind the desk realized he'd been betrayed by his children again.
However, after experiencing initial panic, he quickly calmed down, because he could feel those autonomous machines set up to protect himself were still under control.
Thus, thinking of the moment he'd almost lost his life just now, his anger instantly ignited.
"You unfilial daughter! I rarely gave true sincerity, yet you disappoint me so!"
"Kill her!"
Just as he issued the command, sounds of metal colliding continuously came, intermixed with sounds of heavy objects falling.
Nicholas's expression changed, because he discovered those mechanical guards connected to his brain signals had extinguished one by one.
He mustered courage to raise his head and saw Lisa toss out a disc flashing with blue light, while those mechanical guards lay paralyzed on the ground as if crashed, motionless.
"Perhaps you should have given these machines some autonomy, rather than having them motionless without your commands."
Hearing Lisa's words, watching that gun-wielding "himself" walk closer step by step, Nicholas felt his hair stand on end—that fear of directly facing death he hadn't experienced in who knows how long.
"Daughter, we're father and daughter. Anything can be discussed!"
"No need. With your clone here, the family's control will soon fall into my hands."
"And what restricts all this is you, who's still alive. But soon you'll be a dead 'substitute.'"
Lisa waved her hand, issuing a command to the Nicholas clone beside her.
"Kill him!"
Watching that "himself" raise the gun, Nicholas's face filled with fear.
"No, no no, don't kill me!"
"Bang!"
The bullet shot out, its trajectory aimed at Nicholas's forehead.
Barring accidents, this bullet would blast through Nicholas's forehead, scattering his brain tissue across parts of this residence.
But before that, a small hand lightly deflected it.
Thus, the bullet's trajectory changed, grazing past Nicholas's face.
Then, before Lisa and that Nicholas clone noticed the newcomer, they saw red feathers drift past their eyes, and then both fell to the ground.
A moment later, Nicholas, still shaken, looked at "Otto" who'd appeared in the room at some unknown time. Excited tears almost flowed as he hurriedly approached him.
"Otto, my good son..."
Before Nicholas finished speaking, Lucius controlling Otto's body kicked him flying.
"Ugh... Don't come near me!"
Looking at Nicholas whose pants were already wet below, Lucius showed disgust.
Then he took away Ferdinand, Lisa, and the Nicholas clone from the room, finally adding several more psychological suggestions to Nicholas.
"Stop messing with your children, and stop causing me any more trouble. Your sole meaning of existence now is work. Besides this, nothing else!"
He didn't want to care at all about the mess in this old geezer's household. He just wanted to quickly finish the Schicksal establishment plot, then throw this old geezer into Black Dolphin Prison.
Presumably at that time, his eldest son named Ferdinand would be very happy to visit him there...
After adding psychological suggestions to Nicholas until they nearly tore the old geezer's spirit apart, Lucius finally stopped using Fenghuang Down.
This way, Nicholas completely became an emotionless work machine.
"This way he shouldn't cause me any more trouble..."
Lucius didn't believe this person who could be scared into wetting his pants by a single bullet had willpower capable of breaking free from mental suggestions.
However, he hadn't expected this old geezer in certain aspects seemed to truly have willpower beyond ordinary people...
After experiencing the crisis of nearly dying, Nicholas completely threw himself into work, becoming an emotionless work machine. Fire Moth's next meeting would convene in a few days. At that time, they would determine whether to publicly announce Honkai's existence to the people.
However, besides work, as a not-so-upstanding person, Nicholas still had some upstanding hobbies.
That was... keeping a diary.
Because his life was too long, causing some memories to easily be forgotten, he'd developed the habit of diary-keeping.
[Monday: Work, no worldly desires]
[Tuesday: Work, getting aroused, no good, need to continue working]
[Wednesday: Work, work, work]
[Thursday: Work, want to, really want to! Miss Alice's fiery red lips... No good, must continue working]
[Friday: I'm an emotionless work machine!]
[Saturday: Continue working... Arousal? Something meaningless, where's the pleasure of work!]
[Sunday: Work... I've worked a whole week, what's wrong with having some fun?!]
"Rip!"
Nicholas tore off the diary page he'd just written, his face alternating between sage-like calm and flushed, panting like a bull.
At this moment, a fierce dispute was occurring in his mind.
On one side was work's temptation, while on the other... was his lover's fiery red lips.
Ultimately, all of this was crushed by completely erupted lust.
"I've worked so long, what's wrong with going out to have some fun!"
"No, constantly suppressing my desires will only reduce work efficiency. I'm improving work efficiency. I'm working!"
Thinking of this, Nicholas's face showed complete smoothness, his breathing involuntarily quickening.
He tidied up slightly, then had the butler arrange a vehicle to go out and rendezvous with his lover.
...
But Nicholas didn't know that during this time he'd been immersed in work, someone outside the manor was even more anxious than him.
In a bush outside the manor, a small white furball lay on the ground using leaf cover—it was precisely Kallen, preparing to eliminate Nicholas.
At this moment, she held a monocular telescope in her hand, looking toward the manor's direction.
"Tsk... Nicholas, this old geezer, how can he be so cautious?"
As a well-known figure in high society, Nicholas couldn't possibly never leave his home. But relying on superhuman perception, she could sense that during this time, the "Nicholas" leaving the manor was just a substitute.
The real Nicholas had been holed up in the manor, never stepping out once.
After carefully observing for a while, Kallen somewhat helplessly put away the monocular telescope.
"Sigh... probably no chance today either. Forget it, better go home and do homework..."
Thinking of this, Kallen prepared to get up and go home.
At this moment, she saw some movement at the manor gate's direction.
As the manor gate opened, an extended black Maybach drove out. Relying on vision far exceeding ordinary people, she saw the blonde man sitting in the Maybach.
"Another substitute..."
Kallen glanced once, about to withdraw her gaze.
But soon she noticed something wrong and hurriedly focused on that figure in the car.
"Tsk... this one actually seems to really be Nicholas, that old geezer!"
After confirming multiple times, Kallen's originally gloomy little face gradually revealed a savage smile.
"Old geezer, finally caught an opportunity!"
Nicholas didn't know great disaster was about to befall him.
Quite the contrary, after leaving the manor gate, he only felt refreshed, like the pleasure of flying out of a birdcage.
As someone who'd carved cowardice into his creed, he never placed his life in danger. So even when going out, he remotely controlled synesthesia clones.
But even someone as cautious as him had exceptions.
That was when getting laid...
Thinking of soon seeing that soul-stirring figure, Nicholas only felt his spirit soar.
"The road is so quiet, with mechs guarding around—truly a reassuring feeling... bang!"
Just as he was thinking this, the vehicle shook violently as if hitting a road post.
Nicholas was about to reprimand the driver when he heard knocking at his ear.
He subconsciously turned his head and saw outside the window glass, a figure hanging there at some unknown time.
The next moment, the glass before him shattered explosively. A dull pain appeared in his mind.
At the last moment before consciousness fell into darkness, he seemed to see a small fist and a bright... white?
...
Nicholas was awakened by pain in his forehead. Vaguely, he seemed to hear a clear voice at his ear.
However, this voice's tone didn't seem too happy?
"Actually truly has no pseudo-divine power... Damn it, this is a decoy!"
This voice was naturally Kallen's.
When originally about to eliminate Nicholas, she suddenly discovered he had no pseudo-divine power.
And this situation had only one possibility—she'd been set up!
However, Kallen quickly thought that since Nicholas would propose establishing Schicksal, he must have contact with the other pseudo-divine existence.
Through information in Nicholas's brain, she might be able to find the other's information.
Thus she acted decisively, kidnapping the knocked-out Nicholas from the Maybach, preparing to extract information from his brain.
And now, the place they were in was precisely the secret base she'd previously built—a place no detector could find.
Looking at Nicholas bound to a restraint frame, Kallen's small face showed some irritation.
"Not having Fenghuang Down is truly troublesome... Forget it, better use some physical methods to interrogate!"
At this moment, the bound Nicholas's consciousness finally awakened, simultaneously realizing what had happened.
After hearing Kallen's words, he immediately shuddered, subconsciously saying: "Don't attack, don't attack, I'll talk! I'll say everything!"
"You're so eager to answer before I even asked—most likely wanting to fool me with false intelligence... Sure enough, better first remove the prefrontal lobe and make you into a question-answering machine..."
Hearing this, Nicholas's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"No, don't!"
But as Kallen approached with a scalpel, after seeing Kallen's appearance, Nicholas froze.
"You're... Kallen?"
"It's me." Kallen didn't deny it, only holding the cold-gleaming scalpel approaching Nicholas. "Don't move. I'm going to perform a small surgery on you."
Although he didn't know why Francis's daughter would be the one kidnapping him, Nicholas obviously realized what Kallen intended to do. He hurriedly pleaded.
"Wait! Kallen, we're in-laws! Without me, Otto will definitely resent you!"
Saying this, Nicholas saw Kallen indeed stop.
But just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Kallen say:
"With an old geezer like you influencing him, Otto still became a person worthy of respect. I often think, if you hadn't existed back then, perhaps he wouldn't have fallen to such an end."
"And now, there happens to be such an opportunity."
Seeing the blade approach him, Nicholas's heart was enveloped in panic.
"Kallen, don't do this. Without me, Otto will lack fatherly love!"
But Kallen didn't care at all, instead saying:
"Although he lost his father, he still has me!"
"I'll care for him like a mother, guide him like a father. He'll become a true great hero!"
"As for you... I'll personally dig that person's information from your mind. Daring to knock me out—he and I are irreconcilable!"
Hearing the determination in Kallen's tone and the blade she was gesturing with to decide where to cut, Nicholas only felt immense despair surge.
"Wah! Otto, quickly save Dad! Dad doesn't want to die!"
Looking at Nicholas's tearful, ugly state, Kallen's heart produced not a trace of pity, but became more resolute.
In her past five hundred years of life, she'd comprehended a principle.
—Keeping one menace will create ten more menaces in the future. Not killing one person now means killing hundreds or thousands later.
Initially, she'd also been viewed as indecisive because of a gentle heart, causing some subhuman creatures to push boundaries, engaging in corruption and forming cliques.
Her strategic ability was limited. She couldn't play political struggles against those political creatures at all.
Thus, in just a few decades, the rebuilt Schicksal became rife with corruption, greatly trending toward returning to old Schicksal.
Taking advantage of this, old era remnants that had originally lurked down also rose with the momentum, greatly trending toward reopening civil war.
She lacked Otto's strategy, couldn't meticulously plan the entire situation. At that most critical moment, all she could rely on was her only advantage—martial force.
So to guard the fruits exchanged with his, Otto's, and many more people's lives, she had to bury her past simple self in her heart and face this blood-drenched world directly.
Therefore, that day she killed many people, many many people.
So many that Klosterneuburg's great plaza was filled with gallows, so many that the Danube's surface was stained blood-red.
For this, she cried for a day and night—not for those hanged vermin, but for her past self that could never return.
When making a summary afterward, she discovered things shouldn't have reached this point.
If at the very beginning, when those vermin just showed their heads, she'd acted to eliminate them, others wouldn't have followed suit. Those below wanting to climb and form interest networks would have to weigh carefully. The vermin's proliferation speed would have greatly decreased.
The corruption trend wouldn't have swept the entire new Schicksal, to the point where for survival she had to scrape bone to remove poison.
And all of this was because of her own indecision after the menace showed signs.
Thus, having become Archbishop, she comprehended life's first philosophy.
—Keeping one menace will create ten more menaces in the future. Not killing one person now means killing hundreds or thousands later!
"So, Nicholas, for this world's survival, please献出 the memories in your brain, then die."
"As for Otto, although he lost you, he still has me!"
Having spoken, she was about to act.
But at this moment, through the blade's mirror-bright surface, she saw a crimson feather flash past.
The next moment, Kallen unhesitatingly charged toward the rear side.
Simultaneously, golden light surged in her azure eyes. Around her, illusory golden chains appeared from thin air.
And before where she charged, Lucius's figure was slowly manifesting.
Watching Kallen charging toward him, the corner of his eye couldn't help twitching as he complained: "This world definitely has something wrong."
The power level transmitted from this cub Kallen's body was very high, but unfortunately... the output was far insufficient.
Facing Kallen pouncing toward him, Lucius's gray pupils were instantly invaded by purple.
The next moment, terrifying thunder dispersed in this enclosed space, shattering those illusory golden chains around Kallen.
A hundred martial arts—this was the Herrscher of Thunder's authority.
Although he was far inferior to Mei in application, just the complete Herrscher's output could suppress most enemies.
And among these most enemies, this strange Kallen was no exception.
Thus, after those golden chains were shattered, the gold in Kallen's eyes rapidly faded. Her entire person became weak.
"Thud!"
The white furball pouncing toward Lucius powerlessly fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Lucius walked forward and squatted down, extending a finger to tap her small head.
After finding no movement, a crimson feather appeared in his hand. He pressed it on Kallen's head in one motion.
"Let me see what's going on with you, this aberrant Kallen."
But what Lucius hadn't expected was that the moment Fenghuang Down entered her consciousness, it was crushed by a powerful force. This was the first time he'd encountered this after obtaining Fenghuang Down.
"Doesn't matter."
Lucius's face showed confidence. Holding a handful of feathers in his hand, he slapped them all on Kallen's head.
One dose of Fenghuang Down not enough?
No problem, then use ten doses!
This time, when these Fenghuang Downs fell into Kallen's consciousness ocean, they still encountered that powerful force.
Only when one Fenghuang Down was annihilated, another took the opportunity to steal her memories.
By the time all ten Fenghuang Down feathers were completely annihilated, Lucius had already obtained sufficient information.
"Pseudo-divine power?"
"Constraint authority?"
"Archbishop Kallen?"
Reading this information, Lucius's face showed increasing delight. His gaze toward the unconscious white furball on the ground also became increasingly fervent.
As long as he could pull this Kallen onto the cart, it would solve Otto's greatest difficulty in the future rush. Even Theresa and the Divine Key Oath of Judah would no longer be problems.
Now, Lucius's heart had only one thought.
—Must earn her onto the mountain!
As if stimulated by the fervent light in Lucius's eyes, the white furball on the ground trembled, somewhat confusedly climbing up from the ground.
Then she met Lucius's eyes that seemed about to burn.
Kallen immediately felt something was wrong. She retreated backward while asking with a vigilant expression: "Who exactly are you?"
"That question isn't important. Archbishop, you want to save this world, right?"
Hearing Lucius's words, Kallen's expression turned ugly.
"You read my memories!"
Kallen examined the surrounding environment, contemplating an escape plan.
This person before her suspected to possess complete Herrscher authority—absolutely not something her current greatly weakened self could handle. The only plan now was to flee quickly.
Regarding Kallen's vigilance, Lucius responded with maximum sincerity, saying earnestly:
"Archbishop, I already know your origins and your purpose. You want to save this world. I happen to also want to save this world. We should be fellow travelers."
"Although Otto is still young, you still have me!"
"I can also be your companion, saving this world on the brink of destruction together with you!"
"...Huh?"
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