The Mediterranean Sea. The floating island clusters of Schicksal Headquarters.
Daylight had already passed. The intense beams that once sprayed from every corner and seam gradually dimmed. Slowly, the setting sun gathered its final rays, and night descended.
Artificial radiance replaced the light of the star, illuminating the nine floating island clusters in blazing brilliance, bright as day.
People moved about everywhere on the islands. Burly soldiers laughed loudly, the clamor of toasts and banter filling nearly every corner of the archipelago.
At mealtime, the cooks set up their cauldrons and began preparing dinner for the army. The Servitor Army, Imperial Auxilia, and Astartes warriors sat separately according to their respective units and departments.
Yet even as they relaxed to eat, a distinct killing aura lingered around them. Armor remained on their bodies, weapons never left their hands. Patrols, rotating shifts, visible and hidden sentries—routine measures all remained in place. Each squad's formation was never dispersed.
Among them, the ones conversing most freely and loudly were, without question, the Astartes.
Next came the Imperial Auxilia, then the Servitor Army. Judging purely by the volume of their voices, the internal hierarchy within the Imperial military was displayed vividly.
Forming tactical squads of roughly ten—the most basic unit in a Legion's structure—the Astartes warriors sat cross-legged in circles, arms slung over each other's shoulders, talking animatedly, stuffing their mouths with meat and downing large bowls of liquor. The atmosphere was exuberant.
As the wars across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East under Alex's command gradually came to an end, more and more senior Imperial officers and Astartes units gathered at Schicksal Headquarters.
The scale was unprecedented. Since Otto had relocated Schicksal Headquarters to the floating islands, this was the first time all nine islands were completely filled. Imperial soldiers were everywhere. Even landing pads, gardens, and plazas had been requisitioned.
With such numbers, the food reserves of Schicksal Headquarters' cafeteria were utterly insufficient. Even if every chef worked themselves to death, they could not possibly prepare enough meals.
Previously, they had only served the Valkyrie forces and ordinary Schicksal employees—how many were there? All normal people with average, even modest appetites.
Now... not to mention the massive appetites of the Astartes, even the Servitor Army and Imperial Auxilia were like bottomless pits.
Thus, large numbers of cooks from Imperial Navy vessels disembarked onto the floating islands of Schicksal Headquarters, bringing with them high-capacity cooking equipment and ingredients from other worlds.
True, the Empire had standard-issue compressed biscuits, energy bars, nutrient solutions, and other rapid field rations. But since they could set up proper kitchens and this was not an urgent assault mission, why chew on dry, flavorless rations?
Under Selene's influence, though far from the exaggerated extremes of some gourmet worlds, becoming a chef was still considered a respectable career within the Empire.
As a result, all official Imperial departments were equipped with rather decent cafeterias.
Scientific research had also shown that eating delicious meals genuinely helped ease tension. For soldiers of the Imperial Army—especially the Servitor Army—whose nerves were perpetually taut, mealtime was one of their few moments of relaxation.
At this moment, on a corner of the floating island Midgard—
"Bronya-nee, the side effects of overusing your Herrscher authority haven't faded yet. You're still very weak. Please lie down and rest for a while longer."
The girl's voice was clear and gentle, soft and melodious, carrying the innocent tremor of an unblemished maiden.
Seele Vollerei set down her bowl and chopsticks and reached out to support the frail gray-haired girl. Sea-blue pupils brimmed with worry and heartache.
"Mm... it's Seele." Her tone was characteristically flat and emotionless.
There was no blinding white light... so this wasn't the infirmary of the Hyperion.
Murmuring, the girl's delicate face showed almost no emotional fluctuation. She opened her eyes. Her pupils gradually focused, and her vision cleared. In Bronya's pale gray irises was reflected Seele's anxious expression.
"Seele, Kiana, the Principal, the Class Monitor... everyone—how are they? Did we succeed? Otto—"
Without even caring about her own condition, Bronya asked urgently.
Mid-sentence, her gaze unintentionally drifted past Seele. In an instant, her pupils contracted sharply. The confusion vanished from her face. Trembling, she reached out, struggling to sit up.
"Th-that... what is that?"
Against the dim night sky floated countless steel fortresses. Their cold metallic hulls gleamed faintly beneath equally cold lights.
Warships stretching over a dozen kilometers in length bristled with innumerable gun barrels. Massive macro cannons pointed toward the endless darkness of the heavens. Gigantic golden double-headed eagle statues stood among weapons of violence, and their sharpened prows split the sky like blades.
"It's okay, Bronya-nee. This is Schicksal Headquarters." Gently settling Bronya against her lap, Seele followed her gaze. "That's the fleet of the Imperial Navy."
"The Empire?"
Catching her breath and carefully digesting Seele's words, Bronya gradually calmed, though confusion filled her face.
"What exactly happened... while Bronya was unconscious?" With Seele's support, Bronya straightened her upper body, her pale gray eyes scanning the surroundings.
Struggling to stand, Bronya pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her drill-shaped twin gray ponytails, letting out a soft hum.
"They're soldiers." It was a statement, not a question.
It was still the floating island cluster of Schicksal Headquarters, yet the people upon it were utterly different from what Bronya remembered.
Aside from a small number of Valkyries gathered quietly together, eating with restraint and silence, there was another force Bronya had never seen before.
These soldiers, exuding the bearing of career military men, reminded her of her days as the "Silver Wolf of the Urals."
After her parents' deaths, Bronya had been taken in and trained from childhood by a mysterious military organization into a cold-blooded killing machine. As one of its elite operatives who had carried out numerous assassination missions, she was intimately familiar with the atmosphere of armed forces.
"Yes. The Holy Selene Empire. The Imperial Army." A female voice sounded from behind them—half sigh, half boast.
It was an extremely familiar voice. Instantly, the joy in Bronya's eyes could no longer be concealed. She turned around and murmured softly, "Sister Mei."
Though the gentle, Yamato Nadeshiko-like aura she once carried was gone—replaced by something sharper and more mature—Bronya still addressed her just as she had at St. Freya Academy.
"Mm. Long time no see, Bronya." Sitting beside Kiana across from her, Raiden Mei's violet-red eyes revealed undisguised tenderness. "I'm back."
"That's great! Bronya, you're finally awake. If you slept through a feast like this, that would've been such a waste. The ingredients in Sister Selene's army are incredible—I haven't even heard of half of them. Apparently, quite a few come from alien behemoths. They're supposed to be good for recovery." That was Kiana.
"Bronya, it's good that you're alright." That was Fu Hua.
"Mmmph—mm—... oh, you're awake." That was Li Sushang, speaking through a mouthful of food.
"Bronya-nee, you worried Rozaliya and Liliya to death." ×2. The red-and-blue Olenyeva twins.
"That's wonderful... everyone..."
The scene behind her came into view. On either side of the simple long dining table sat the companions Bronya cherished, all safe and unharmed.
Kiana, Raiden Mei, Fu Hua, and Li Sushang sat across from her. Rozaliya and Liliya sat beside her.
The table was laden with all kinds of dishes, mostly meat. There was pork and beef Bronya recognized, but most of it was unfamiliar. High-protein, high-fat portions piled high.
The massive muscle fibers and thick bones made Bronya suspect these were not Earth species at all. According to Kiana, could they truly be alien behemoths?
Seeing this, Bronya finally relaxed, a gentle smile forming on her lips. After a pause, she suddenly realized several people were missing and hurriedly asked,
"Where are the Principal and Durandal? And... Dr. Einstein and Dr. Tesla?"
"Theresa, huh..."
Still devouring her food, Li Sushang waved generously with puffed cheeks and casually pointed toward the central plaza of the floating island.
"Over there. She's at the big table with the important figures." She lifted a large glass of low-alcohol mead and gulped it down. "Did you forget the Archbishop's final order Otto issued? Who knows where that guy disappeared to. Principal Theresa is now the current Archbishop of Schicksal."
As the present Archbishop of Schicksal—who had surrendered Schicksal to the Empire with virtually no organized resistance—Theresa naturally received preferential treatment. She had the qualification to dine with the Astartes Legion Commanders.
However...
"The Principal is over there...? Huh? Why can't I see her... where is she?"
Following Li Sushang's gesture, Bronya saw only round tables occupied by Imperial officers.
From their ornate uniforms, magnificent epaulettes, and ribbons and medals symbolizing honor, Bronya could tell they were high-ranking officers within the Imperial military.
The most eye-catching table was undoubtedly the one at the very center—those heavily armored giants who stood half a head taller than anyone else present. Each of them radiated incomparably powerful energy fluctuations.
"Heh, I said important figures, didn't I?" Li Sushang exhaled in satisfaction, setting down her glass and wiping her mouth excitedly.
"They certainly are important figures..."
Bronya nodded stiffly. Only then did she finally spot Theresa.
Between a golden-armored giant and a black-armored giant, a tuft of white hair protruded conspicuously above the tabletop. Looking closer—it was indeed Theresa.
But the table specially prepared for the Astartes Legion Commanders was simply too tall for her.
Towering figures sat beside her, their broad backs casting vast shadows that completely enveloped Theresa.
On her chair, she had stacked five or six books just to barely reach the tabletop. Yet with knife and fork in hand, she still found herself unable to proceed.
"Mm... mm..."
It absolutely wasn't because the table was too large for her short arms to reach...
The serving platters were also astonishingly massive. Even the glass cups the Legion Commanders used for toasts were nearly the size of Theresa's upper body.
Seated among these giants, Theresa felt like a dwarf, utterly out of place. At this moment, she had only one thought—
I want to go to the kids' table!
"Hm? Archbishop Theresa, is something wrong?"
Having just clinked glasses with Alex and taken a hearty drink, Vulkan noticed Theresa's resentful expression from the corner of his eye. Immediately, wearing what he believed to be a gentle smile, he leaned down kindly to ask.
"Here." Vulkan personally cut a large slice of Class 1 Danger Beast—Earth Dragon tenderloin and handed it to her. "Relax, Your Grace. We're on the same side now."
"Oh." Barely louder than a mosquito, Theresa lowered her head, cheeks flushed. "Thank you..."
Seeing this, the other Legion Commanders burst into laughter.
"Loga just sent a report. North Africa and the Middle East have been completely cleaned up. He's bringing the spoils here as we speak," Alex said.
"Spoils? And specially delivered here? Looks like Loga had quite the harvest," remarked the master of the Astartes Fifth Legion—the White Scars—Jaghatai Khan, who had just returned from racing across the Eastern European plains.
Leaning lazily against his chair, his long black hair tied high, sharp brows and a tall nose accentuated by a dense, steel-needle beard, Jaghatai wore a specially crafted suit of masterwork power armor draped with a broad white fur cloak.
"That works out. Our warzone was probably the first to conclude," Sanguinius added.
"Mm..."
Theresa also realized that she simply had no way of joining in such topics. She could only lower her head and focus on eating.
...
"Theresa seems to be enjoying herself," Li Sushang said, resting her chin on her hand. "I kind of want to—ow!"
Smack.
"Which eye of yours says she's enjoying it?" Fu Hua lightly tapped the back of Li Sushang's head and withdrew her hand as Li Sushang yelped. "Eat properly."
"Hehe, don't be so strict... Huh? Master Hua, what are you writing?"
Turning her attention back to the notebook in front of her, Fu Hua continued writing rapidly without even lifting her head.
"A task assigned by Her Majesty Selene."
"Oh, carry on then. I won't disturb you, Master Hua."
Snapping back to reality, Bronya looked toward Kiana and the others across the long table. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but her thoughts were in complete disarray. She did not even know where to begin.
How long was I unconscious? How did the world change so drastically? Where did these soldiers, these warships, these giants come from?
"Class Monitor, who is this 'Her Majesty Selene' you mentioned?" Bronya keenly grasped the key point.
Suddenly, Bronya sensed a gaze from the Imaginary Space. The Herrscher Core of Reason within her body began issuing frantic warnings. She immediately turned her eyes in that direction.
Riiip—
Like the shattering of glass, violet-red sparks burst into existence. Centered on that point, irregular streaks of light spread outward through the air.
A crack tore open real space. When it expanded to roughly the size of a dinner plate, a green-haired loli crawled out of it.
"Ouch!"