"Fine, that girl is indeed related to me. She is Bianka's, no, she should be called Kiana's clone, K423. The reason Bianka fell from that plane back then was because she and her father, Siegfried, took K423 from me."
"And my goal was to verify whether humans could master the power of Herrschers. This isn't an isolated case. For example, the current Sovereign of Anti-Entropy, that First Herrscher, masters the power of a Herrscher with a human heart and even helps humanity fight against the Honkai."
"Combined with the powerful adaptability to Honkai energy inherited by the Kaslana and Schariac families since ancient times, the perfect individual born from these two is Kiana Kaslana."
"I combined the genes of the deceased Second Herrscher with Kiana Kaslana's genes to create many experimental subjects. I wanted these subjects to adapt to the Second Herrscher's Core, using this to create an experimental subject capable of hosting the Second Herrscher's power, and then, through teaching, instill the strongest human emotion, love."
"The power brought by the emotion of love is peerless. It can overcome countless difficulties. If humans can truly master the power of Herrschers through this, then the day we defeat the Honkai will come much sooner."
"You should be able to tell, Caelus. I'm not lying."
Otto seemingly confessed everything. Although he withheld some things, he did state the purpose of his plan without lying.
After staring in silence for a moment, Caelus put away the Contradictory Spiral and then looked at Otto, saying, "You must have hidden parts of your plan, but there shouldn't be anything in your plan detrimental to Bianka, right?"
"No, she is my student and Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, the main force for defeating the Honkai in the future."
Otto said this. Indeed, his future plans had no intention of harming Durandal. The one who would suffer the most was K423.
"In that case, it has nothing to do with me."
Although Caelus had certain moral principles, he still lacked the compassion of a normal person. He would only want to help those he valued or those he considered friends. As for other irrelevant people, they were none of his business.
Durandal frowned. Back then, why did she and her father go to such lengths to take K423 away?
Moreover, with Otto's calculating mind, if he really intended to hide it, such a thing would never have been exposed. In other words, he had actively exposed K423's existence.
So, what was his purpose?
Caelus looked at Durandal, who was already taller than him. The person before him was no longer the little glutton who followed behind him back then. She had grown up, had her own responsibilities, her own comrades, and a goal she wanted to strive for her whole life, becoming a Valkyrie capable of protecting others.
"You're already taller than me."
Caelus took out a Light Cone he had made from his system inventory. Pictured on that Light Cone was a white dove holding an olive branch.
At a glance, it gave off a sense of tranquility and holiness, as if just by looking at the image, all the resentment and unwillingness in one's heart would be calmed.
"This is a coming-of-age gift for you."
Durandal took the Light Cone, clearly sensing the extraordinary power contained within. She did not refuse. After putting it away, she stepped forward to compare their heights and said with a smile,
"I really am taller than you now."
"That proves you've been eating well all these years and have kept up with your training. You've grown well. You're already an adult who can take care of yourself."
"Mhm. During the time we were apart, you must have traveled to many worlds and experienced many special stories, right?"
"Yeah, I've made some new friends and seen some different changes. Even I have grown quite a bit without realizing it. At least now, my emotions are indeed a bit richer."
As the two chatted, the conversation stalled a bit. Durandal's life over the years had been very repetitive, either out on missions or undergoing high-intensity training at Schicksal HQ and investigating the events of the past.
Caelus himself was not a particularly talkative person. After a few sentences, the conversation reached a dead end, so the atmosphere between the two became a bit awkward for a moment.
Cyrene stepped forward at this time, breaking the awkward silence, and asked Durandal to take the two of them on a tour of Schicksal HQ.
Durandal breathed a sigh of relief, then led Caelus and Cyrene out of Otto's office with a smile, beginning to introduce the friends and comrades she had made over the years along the way.
After the group left, Otto leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.
"Fortunately, the plan didn't involve Durandal too much, and fortunately, an uncontrollable factor like him didn't pay too much attention to K423. Otherwise, if he were to stand on K423's side, subsequent plans would be really hard to execute."
Regarding a Traveler like Caelus, who traversed multiple worlds, Otto could not imagine how many special methods he possessed. The man had even said he could resurrect Kallen, but Otto could not believe that the person resurrected would truly be the Kallen in his heart.
This completely uninfluenceable, uncontrollable factor made Otto feel very helpless. Back then, the power Siegfried unleashed during the Second Honkai Eruption already made Otto feel things were getting out of control, which was why he launched the Honkai fission bomb, intending to eliminate that uncontrollable factor.
Although he did not succeed in eliminating the factor, he at least managed to significantly weaken Siegfried's combat strength.
But who would have thought that an even more exaggerated uncontrollable existence would suddenly appear?
"Is this a trial of fate for me? Or is it that even the heavens can't stand a villain like me living in this world, so they have sent down a calamity for me?"
Otto gave a self-deprecating laugh, then sat up and turned on his computer.
Kallen Fantasy, launch!
Rita and more members of Durandal's Immortal Blades squad were hiding in a dark corner, watching their captain chatting and laughing with a man.
"No! Our Lady Durandal is going to be stolen away! I've never seen the Captain smile so happily!"
A member of the Immortal Blades said this sadly, even pulling out a handkerchief from somewhere and biting it.
"Even the Captain, who's as straightforward as a block of wood, can get a boyfriend? Then where is the love that belongs to me?"
A woman who had been single since birth and was almost 27 said this, then squatted in a corner and started drawing circles.
"Dammit! Is the pairing I just started shipping already sunk?"
"Ah, who are you shipping?"
"Of course, Lady Rita and Lady Durandal!"
After a moment of silence, Caelus said to Durandal, "It seems you have already found your other half?"
"No!"
Durandal shouted, somewhat annoyed, her face flushing red.
"My orientation is normal!"
(To be continued.)