In the reception room, Mei and Ryoma calmed down after their initial emotional reunion and sat back on the sofa, conversing.
Before Ryoma, a figure identical to Mei emerged from her body. Its crimson pupils scrutinized her biological father for a moment before returning to Mei's body.
Because it was a Stand, Ryoma did not discover the existence of another personality within his daughter.
For Ryoma, he and Mei had only been separated for half a year, but for Mei, more than a year had passed.
After confirming that her affairs were fine, the stone in her heart was finally lifted.
After not seeing each other for so long, and then suddenly meeting, Mei realized that she might not have been as eager to be with her father as she had imagined.
Or rather, the void in her heart had already been filled.
Seeing her father safe and sound, she felt relieved.
In their conversation, Mei learned that Ryoma had not been subjected to any abuse in prison. Although he was framed by a colleague, Cocolia merely wanted to restrict Ryoma, not kill him.
However, Ryoma was furious about Mei's experiences.
"What! That vixen Cocolia! To do such a thing!"
Ryoma had originally wanted to ask about Mei's situation at Senba Academy and if she had been affected by his circumstances. However, he learned that not only Senba Academy, but Nagazora itself was gone.
And all of this, even if Mei didn't say it, he knew, was done by that vixen Cocolia.
"Dad, I'm doing very well now, don't worry."
Mei saying this reminded Ryoma of the distinguished guest the Alliance Leader Welt had mentioned earlier.
He didn't think his daughter would be that distinguished guest, even if she had the Gem of Conquest within her. Unless she became a human Herrscher like the Alliance Leader, it wouldn't be possible.
But looking at her now, Mei was clearly not in a Herrscher state.
Then there was only one possibility for the distinguished guest.
"Mei, who was the person who brought you here just now?"
"Dad, are you talking about Takatsuki... He..."
Mei's face flushed slightly, and she answered shyly: "Just... a friend."
A friend? Would a friend go to such lengths? Would his own daughter react like this to a friend?
Ryoma immediately understood that this guy, who came from who knows where, had stolen his precious daughter whom he had painstakingly raised.
But it's okay, he's out now.
"Mei, Dad is out now. I'll probably go to support the Anti-Entropy European branch. Now that the Alliance Leader is back, the previous incidents won't happen again. Come to the European branch with Dad."
Ryoma suppressed the anger in his heart and spoke gently to Mei. He had previously neglected his daughter due to work, and now, he wanted to make up for that missing responsibility.
But he didn't expect Mei's face to stiffen upon hearing his words.
"Dad... I'm doing very well now, and I have many important friends and teachers. I... I won't go."
You're saying this because of friends and teachers!? You're doing this for that guy named Takatsuki, aren't you!
Although the anger in his heart was hard to suppress, he still didn't lash out at his daughter and continued to speak amiably: "What is the identity of that Takatsuki? Is he someone you met at your new school?"
Mei shook her head: "Takatsuki is someone I met in Nagazora. Dad, you should know him. His name is Takatsuki. He was the one who helped me escape from Nagazora and then I joined St. Freya Academy."
"Takatsuki?"
Ryoma was puzzled, 'I know him?'
Searching his memories, Ryoma found the name from the depths of his mind.
"He's that brat you used to talk about, the one who bothered you every day!?"
Mei nodded, blushing: "Takatsuki didn't bother me... he just gave me flowers and left."
"Isn't that bothering you!"
What on earth happened during the time he was locked up? A brat he originally looked down on, and didn't even plan to bother with, had actually become someone his daughter couldn't let go of, and their relationship...
Ryoma scrutinized his daughter.
Can't tell...
He couldn't discern his daughter's current relationship with Takatsuki, but he could imagine his daughter's reaction to being rescued by a hero.
Which young girl wouldn't harbor romantic feelings?
Moreover, Mei was very special. She had the Gem of Conquest within her, which meant that during the Honkai Eruption in Nagazora, she would 100% awaken as a Herrscher.
It should be noted that Ryoma had long anticipated this situation. To prevent his daughter from becoming an unstoppable Herrscher, he had specifically forged a katana, the Plasma Shadow, a katana theoretically capable of freezing even a Herrscher. This weapon was prepared for his daughter, ready for him, as her father, to stop her if she became a Herrscher.
Did that brat named Takatsuki turn his daughter back?
Ryoma wasn't sure.
"Mei, you want to stay at St. Freya Academy because of that brat... that Takatsuki, right?"
"..."
"Not... entirely."
Alright, confirmed, it's that brat.
"St. Freya Academy is in the territory of Schicksal, our Anti-Entropy's adversary, do you know that?"
Mei nodded: "Takatsuki told me, but the Headmaster is a very good person. And Takatsuki said that among Schicksal's people, only the Archon Otto is bad, everyone else is good."
"Is that Takatsuki guy from Schicksal?"
How does this brat know so much? He even knows about Otto.
"No, Takatsuki... he's just a very capable person."
Mei only then realized that she didn't know Takatsuki's past or background. However, she had personally experienced the miraculous aspects of Takatsuki, and compared to that, other matters seemed less important.
Ryoma didn't know what kind of spell that brat Takatsuki had cast on his daughter, but he was certain that Takatsuki was not from Anti-Entropy.
Although his daughter denied it, Ryoma noticed a slight pause in her answer. He judged that Mei probably didn't know either.
It seemed that brat might be from Schicksal.
However, he directly spoke ill of Otto, so he should be one of those who dislike Otto's style and know about the hidden truths.
Among Schicksal, there are those who are ignorant and simply want to fight Honkai, those who know the truth but choose to follow Otto, and naturally, those who know the truth and oppose him.
Anti-Entropy was originally a branch of Schicksal, but it split due to differing ideologies.
"I'm going to see that Takatsuki."
After thinking for a moment, Ryoma stood up.
"Oh, why does Dad want to see Takatsuki?"
Of course, it's to judge if that guy is worthy of his daughter!
"Nothing, just want to see what kind of person Mei said was more formidable."