Himeko was completely dazed.
She could tell that the Herrscher in front of her truly cared about her.
But, sister, I really don't know you...
Himeko opened her mouth, but in the end, nothing came out. Her hand unconsciously drifted away from the fiery greatsword.
To be honest, the way this Herrscher was hugging her right now left her completely defenseless. If she struck now... she might not be able to kill her, but causing a heavy injury wouldn't be a problem.
Yet Himeko didn't do it.
Firstly, if something happened to the Herrscher, what would happen if that Erdtree disappeared? The evacuation of Nagazora City had only just begun.
Secondly... the other party didn't seem to harbor any actual malice toward her.
"Rest easy, Himeko. I won't let the Honkai erupt," Xia Yu continued to hold her, saying, "Just stay here and watch. The Honkai... won't be an issue."
"Herrscher..." Himeko didn't know what to say. This was a far cry from the fight to the death she had imagined.
She had prepared herself mentally, only for it to turn out like this... it was disorienting.
Even the Valkyries on the Hyperion had strange expressions as they listened in.
'Ah... Major Himeko, you actually have someone like this on the outside... does Academy Principal Theresa know?'
'Well, I don't know if Academy Principal Theresa knows, but the one down there definitely knows. Otherwise, that song...'
'Hiss, that makes sense!'
For a moment, the bridge was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
It had to be cheerful; they had thought this would be a fierce battle and had prepared themselves to never return. After all, for a Herrscher, sinking a warship didn't require much effort.
As it turned out, it seemed they didn't have to risk their lives after all.
They were firm Valkyries dedicated to fighting the Honkai, and if sacrifice were truly required, they would take up their weapons and fight to the last. Otherwise, they wouldn't be on this ship. Everyone knew exactly what kind of mission it was to approach a Herrscher at a time like this.
However, since they could coexist peacefully, that was obviously better, even if some of their views hadn't quite shifted yet.
"But... that is a Herrscher after all..." someone was still worried. "Can her words really be trusted?"
"There's no other way. Look at that Erdtree," someone sighed helplessly. "What choice do we have but to believe her?"
For the Valkyries, fighting Herrschers was the education they had received from the very beginning. Honestly, if the Third Herrscher hadn't contained the Honkai Energy and saved millions of people in Nagazora City upon her birth, their reaction would have been much more intense.
With the facts before them, even the most stubborn person had to suppress the distrust in their heart.
After all, millions of lives in Nagazora City were still under her threat.
"The current warmth doesn't prove anything," someone more rational said. "Let's wait and see if she stops us from evacuating the residents. If she does... then her sinister intentions will speak for themselves."
"If she really doesn't interfere from beginning to end... we might be encountering another figure like the First Herrscher."
Since they were Valkyries raised by Theresa, their ideology wasn't that radical. If it were any other branch, things would have long since turned upside down.
Not only them, but in Schicksal's online conference, the data transmitted back from the Hyperion was being broadcast live.
Yes, when that song echoed through ME Corp, Theresa was also listening.
"Grandpa, I really didn't... it wasn't me!" Theresa's face was so red she could have cosplayed as Lord Guan. "That really wasn't me!"
"I know, Theresa, I know," Otto laughed with a helpless look. "It's just, sigh, I thought... never mind. Oh, that Captain is named Himeko, right?"
"Grandpa!!!" Theresa jumped up in a fit of rage, grabbing Oath of Judah in desperation. "I told you, that wasn't me!"
"Overseer Otto, I also don't think that was Senpai Theresa," Durandal spoke up from the side. "It was likely spread by someone with ulterior motives to... uh, to..."
At this point, she couldn't go on. What could this be used for?
To throw mud at Theresa?
But at Schicksal... honestly, did this even count as a scandal? So many Valkyries had private affairs and exchanged flirtatious glances...
It was practically becoming the trend!
Then who threw the mud?
The Herrscher?
Impossible, absolutely impossible. Why would a Herrscher bother with this?
Anti-Entropy?
Emmm, not very likely either.
After all, Anti-Entropy wasn't that bored; they wouldn't have the leisure for such things.
"Alright, alright, Theresa, stop it. Business first," Otto coughed twice as he watched the overheating Theresa. He turned serious and looked at Durandal. "Durandal, how much longer until you arrive?"
"Twenty minutes!" Durandal said seriously.
"Good. When you arrive, enter Nagazora City directly and make contact with that Herrscher," Otto nodded. "Since she hasn't harmed Major Himeko, perhaps the following negotiations will yield extraordinary results."
"But Overseer Otto," Durandal frowned. "That Herrscher addressed Major Himeko as teacher..."
"Ahem, no need to worry about that," Otto said helplessly, looking at Durandal and wondering if he had raised her to be too honest.
This stubborn girl—didn't she see that he and Theresa were both tactfully avoiding the subject?
"No, I mean, let's not dwell on such things for now. It's better to first calm the impact of the Great Honkai and figure out how she constrains the Honkai Energy," Otto amended. "Such matters are clearly the person's privacy. We shouldn't pry when we aren't even familiar yet."
"Durandal understands!" Durandal saluted him.
"Then Grandpa, I'll go over too," Theresa added hurriedly.
She was still worried about Himeko, and she had heard a familiar name from the scene.
Kiana—spoken from the mouth of that Herrscher.
That name... even if there was only a sliver of hope, she didn't want to give up. After all, that was Cecilia's daughter.
"No," Otto refused her request once more. "Theresa, you must stay and act as Schicksal's pillar of stability. If this is a trap and three of Schicksal's S-Rank Valkyries are lost in Nagazora City at once, it would undoubtedly be a massive blow to the future of humanity!"
"I understand, Grandpa." Hearing this, no matter how unwilling Theresa was, she could only suppress her worry in the face of such a greater cause.
Back on the ME Corp rooftop, Xia Yu finally let go of Himeko.
"Otto is truly subhuman," Xia Yu said loudly. "Himeko, your body is already riddled with holes, yet he actually sent you on such a suicide mission!"
"Exactly, exactly," Kiana, who was holding Mei in her arms, chimed in frantically. "That guy called Otto is just too wicked!"
She didn't know any Otto; it was purely because Big Sister Acheron had spoken up, so she had to help out with a few words!
But what she didn't notice was that a flash of helplessness crossed the face of the Mei in her arms. Then, Mei's eyes closed and opened; the weak aura vanished, and a hint of lightning flickered in her eyes.
Then, the Herrscher of Thunder restrained her sharp edge and found a comfortable position in Kiana's arms, fully enjoying the embrace.
Bronya, meanwhile, whispered to Xia Yu, "Sister Acheron, this... Miss Himeko, she has an outgoing signal on her person."
As the only one among the three girls who knew who Otto was, she still issued a warning.
"This is standard procedure," Himeko blinked. "After all, even if I die, I have to die with some value. Besides, I don't mind the Overseer's decision. Dying on the battlefield is better than dying in a hospital bed."
"I know, I know it all, Himeko," Xia Yu's eyes were full of gentleness as she looked at her. "As for Otto... hmph, I am the Herrscher of Thunder. Do you think your communications can be hidden from me?"
"That's right, I said it specifically for him to hear!" Xia Yu sneered. "Otto, I know what you're planning! I know your five-hundred-year-old wish. I know her name, and I know how she died."
"The world allows consciousness to match a new vessel, but it does not allow the vessel to collect a dissipated consciousness. I know all about the sins you've committed for her over these years!"
"Sometimes I'm truly curious. What? After all you've done in these five hundred years, do you plan to confess to her once it's all over? Confess the choice you made that day?"
"That day, when you watched her smash the shackles on her hands, tear the noose from her neck, and stand before the Honkai Beast and that little girl... I wonder what you were feeling? I'm quite curious."
In Schicksal headquarters, Otto stood up abruptly. Five hundred years... confession... and the choice made that day?
These keywords struck his nerves directly.
"I'm telling you, Kiana is mine, and no one can take her away!" She leaned into Himeko's ear and whispered, "If you dare interfere again, believe it or not, I will destroy the Cosmic Juggernaut directly and make sure you never get to see him!"
This sentence was very quiet—so quiet that Kiana and Bronya behind them couldn't hear it.
But it was also very loud—so loud that Otto, far away in Schicksal headquarters, felt it was deafening.
"Overseer..." Amber, standing nearby, showed a bit of concern.
"No... I'm fine, I'm fine." Otto gripped the table tightly with both hands.
He wasn't angry; on the contrary, a surge of ecstasy welled up in his heart.
As the Schicksal Overseer, Otto had all the intelligence Rita had, and he had just seen the intelligence Rita didn't have.
Naturally, he would think even further.
'If she says that... then... then... does it mean my plan...'
Had succeeded in some future?
After all, if it hadn't succeeded, how could she know? She even knew about that incident five hundred years ago... Otto knew all too well that someone like himself... no matter how crushing the defeat, would never speak of those secrets buried deep in his heart.
Unless... unless...