"...How should we deal with her?"
That sentence continued to echo in Fu Hua's ears.
Regarding the other "Hua" born within her own body, Fu Hua's feelings were complicated. But overall, she did not wish for her to be killed.
Not only was she unsure of Selene's true intentions, more importantly—Fu Hua knew that girl's temperament all too well.
She had no filter on her mouth, loved to boast, acted without considering the consequences... and her rebellious streak was even stronger than Fu Hua's original self.
Though she had inherited the fifty thousand years of memories within this body, her personality was completely different.
Fu Hua herself had always submitted to "authority." Ever since her days as a soldier of MOTH in the Previous Era fifty thousand years ago, she had followed authority—handing over the act of thinking to those wiser than herself, carrying out plans assigned by others, never questioning the reasons, never asking about the outcome.
She was a warrior. A blade. That was how Fu Hua defined herself.
Whether obeying Captain HIMEKO, following Dr. MEI, or later listening to Otto, Fu Hua rarely held opinions of her own. She simply drifted with the current.
Even after Kiana became her emotional pillar—easing the loneliness in her heart and mending the flaws in her personality—Fu Hua still preferred to be the executor.
Especially after choosing to submit to Selene. Whether it was for the greater preservation of human civilization, or because she was simply better suited to that position, Fu Hua had placed herself correctly.
But the other "Hua" born within her had completely overturned Fu Hua's former mindset.
In her own words:
"What about Dr. MEI? What about Kevin? And Otto? None of them will ever command me again! I'm strong enough on my own. I don't need to rely on anyone anymore. I will end the Honkai with my own methods—I will turn all things upside down!"
Before, that might not have been a major issue.
But now... it was a serious one.
Especially that line—"The Purple Star cannot possibly bend to my will."
The Purple Star—the imperial star—symbolized the sovereign. And the Holy Selene Empire was, without question, a feudal autocracy under absolute imperial rule.
Fu Hua did not dare gamble that Selene was ignorant of Shenzhou culture and try to gloss it over.
With Senti acting so brazenly under Selene's command—jumping around in front of Imperial generals like Esdeath and Liver—Fu Hua deeply suspected that unruly child had probably been beaten severely.
If things went badly, once she was captured and brought back, she might even be executed in front of Fu Hua as a warning to others.
"Y-Your Majesty?!"
Looking up and suddenly finding Selene's face close at hand, Fu Hua trembled and quickly stepped back, drawing several deep breaths before parting her lips with a complicated expression.
"Tell me your thoughts," Selene said lightly, dabbing her hands with a napkin as she looked down at Fu Hua with interest.
As for that "Hua," Selene only knew that Kevin and Otto had both played a role in her birth.
Back then, when Kevin Kaslana awakened and attempted to kill Kiana, Fu Hua had intervened to stop him. She forcibly dragged Kevin into the dreamscape of Fenghuang Down and battled him fiercely. In the end, the Fenghuang Down ran out of energy, Fu Hua was defeated, and she fell into slumber...
Her body was later struck in the head by Otto, suffering severe brain damage and entering another twenty-year cycle of reincarnation. But Otto did not wish to wait that long. He placed Fu Hua into a cultivation chamber, accelerating her recovery. Her injuries healed completely, and her physical condition even surpassed her peak five hundred years ago.
Yet this was only physical recovery. Her spirit—especially the damage to her brain—fell into great chaos. Upon awakening, her consciousness, formed from the interplay of id, ego, and superego, strangely reached a significant degree of consensus.
This resulted in the birth of a chaotic consciousness—one that acted purely on instinct and her original desires, unrestrained by her former moral boundaries.
Then, seeking to exploit the situation, the Will of the Honkai chose the unconscious Fu Hua as the vessel for the birth of the Eighth Herrscher—the Herrscher of Sentience—attempting to dismantle the newborn will within her from the inside.
And clearly, Selene's "overbearing mother"—the Will of the Honkai—had once again failed spectacularly.
Not only did the Herrscher consciousness fail to seize dominance, the fifty thousand years of memories belonging to the Immortal were simply too vast. Under the overwhelming flood of memory, the Herrscher consciousness was squeezed into a secondary position.
The newborn Herrscher merged into the newborn consciousness, believing herself to be Hua—the Immortal Phoenix—Fu Hua. She too took the eradication of the Honkai as her mission.
Regarding the Will of the Honkai's maneuvering, Selene could only offer one evaluation—pathetically incompetent.
"I..."
If Selene spared "Hua" out of consideration for her—or for Kiana's sake—the debt Fu Hua owed would only grow heavier.
Fu Hua knew clearly that if Kiana learned of this, she would help without hesitation. But was it wise to expend Kiana's goodwill with her elder sister?
From Fu Hua's long years guarding Shenzhou, she had learned that emperors—especially strong and capable ones—were often cold-hearted. Their emotions were maintained by value. They were clearly priced. They fluctuated.
Across from her, Selene watched Fu Hua with a faint smile. Yet Fu Hua, whose body was far smaller and more delicate by comparison, trembled slightly as if under immense pressure.
Hm? Is this question really that difficult? As long as she gives me an excuse and asks to let her stay to atone for her crimes, forget sharing a body—I'd immediately make her a new one.
Tap. Tap.
Her fingers drummed lightly on the table while her other hand swirled the thick-bottomed glass.
It could only be said that Fu Hua and Selene were not thinking on the same wavelength at all.
Still, Fu Hua's tendency to over-interpret was understandable. On one hand, she worried too much herself. On the other, Selene's brutal style—slaughtering entire clans at the slightest disagreement—was genuinely intimidating.
For someone as rigid and serious as Fu Hua, it was difficult to adapt quickly to someone as emotionally unpredictable as Selene. Caution was not excessive.
Do you know? The same action, when performed by someone of status and power, creates an entirely different perception. Every movement of those above invites endless interpretation. An ordinary person? Who would bother analyzing you?
For example, the same neutral stance—if you are weak, you are called a fence-sitter. If you are strong, you are called a wise strategist manipulating the board.
After a long silence, Fu Hua finally spoke.
"Your Majesty, I hope you can spare her. In return, I am willing to—"
"Alright."
"—pay any pri... what?"
Selene's immediate reply, cutting her off mid-sentence, left Fu Hua momentarily doubting her own hearing as she stared at her in shock.
"What? Isn't it perfectly normal for me to be magnanimous?" Selene asked, puzzled.
Fu Hua's expression turned solemn with respect. She immediately cupped her fists in salute. Previously, she had thought Selene a capricious tyrant. It seemed she had been mistaken.
"Your Majesty Selene, please."
Overcome with emotion, Fu Hua even forgot to temper her eagerness. Rising onto her toes, she seized the wine flask and poured Selene a cup.
Clink!
The glasses touched lightly.
Fu Hua drained hers in a single gulp. It was obvious—she was truly happy.
And just at that moment—
"Senior Alex, what are you all doing? You specifically had me bring that prisoner over..."
A tall figure clad in gray armor and carrying a power hammer stepped around the folding screen and into Selene's sight.
"???"
The pleased expression on Lorgar's face froze instantly.
"Your Majesty!"
Clang!
In that instant, like a fanatic pilgrim performing an act of worship, Lorgar dropped to both knees without hesitation. He set down his power hammer, braced both hands against the ground, and pressed his forehead to the floor. Tears welled up uncontrollably as his voice trembled.
Fu Hua, who had just downed an entire cup of honeyed wine in one breath, stared at Lorgar's frenzied posture. A string of question marks practically filled her mind.
A fanatic?
Though she very much wanted to ask Selene about it, the awkward atmosphere made it difficult for her to speak.
"Yes, yes, Beloved Minister Lorgar. Rise," Selene said calmly, clearly accustomed to such scenes. Activating her ability, she helped him to his feet and pointed toward an empty seat at the banquet table. "You handled it well. You've worked hard. Take a seat."
"Yes!"
He had just stepped forward when he suddenly remembered something. After glancing at Selene and receiving her silent permission, he turned around and called out, "Bring her in."
"Mew... it smells so good... I'm so hungry..."
"Silence! Kneel!"
The voice arrived before the person. Hearing the familiar tone, Fu Hua turned her head.
"Pardofelis?"
"Pardofelis." At the children's table, where she had been teasing Theresa, Mobius also looked over.
"Hey, big guy, I'm not a bad person. Even if you're interrogating me, could you at least let me eat a few bites first, I—huh?! Wah—! Sister Hua! I missed you so much! Didn't I, Canned Food!"
The moment she spotted Fu Hua seated at the table, Pardofelis' cat ears twitched violently. With tears brimming in her eyes, she cried out.
Sister Hua is sitting with those big guys. They're allies? Then didn't I get beaten for nothing?
"Hm? You little thief cat, didn't you see me?" Mobius snorted coldly when she noticed Pardofelis' attention fixed entirely on Fu Hua.
"Ah, M-M-Mobius? Hehe, Snake Sister, I didn't expect you to be here too! Ahaha..."
Scratching the back of her head, Pardofelis laughed awkwardly, her gaze darting around.
Then she seemed to recall something. While everyone else was feasting and drinking, only she had been getting beaten. Indignation flooded her as she wailed.
"Waaah, Senior Hua! Sister Hua, it's me! Tell these big guys we're on the same side! They beat the wrong person!"
"Is this cute little one always this energetic?" Selene rested her chin on her hand and asked.
Her soft brown short hair paired perfectly with her cat ears, giving one the urge to reach out and pet them... though unfortunately, they were currently bald.
"Yes," Fu Hua nodded.
In Fu Hua's impression, Pardofelis' temperament seemed entirely detached from MOTH's usual grim seriousness. She was someone who could find happiness easily. She lazed around and avoided missions whenever possible.
"This... Your Majesty, did we truly capture the wrong person?"
Seeing that neither Fu Hua nor Selene appeared hostile toward her—and noticing the suppressed laughter in the eyes of the others—Lorgar felt somewhat embarrassed.
You bunch of bastards. No wonder you made me bring the trophy over. You just wanted to see me make a fool of myself.
Thinking of how he had hurried over eagerly the moment he received the news, Lorgar felt his face heat up.
Shaking her head, Selene's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"No mistake. She is an enemy."
"For now," Selene added. "Capturing one of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers alive—Lorgar, well done. Prepare a design blueprint suited to you—armor or weapon—and submit it later."
The weakest among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers was still a Flame-Chaser. Was the cat not worthy?
Upon hearing this, Lorgar clenched his fists in excitement.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"You earned it. Sit." She gestured invitingly.
For someone like Lorgar—a zealot eager for recognition—Selene handled him effortlessly. After all, she did not need to establish any so-called imperial truth or force an entire Legion to kneel.
Anything that benefited her rule was correct.
"Waaah, I got beaten for nothing. If I hadn't run fast earlier, my tail would've caught fire. No, wait—it already did. Waaah—!"
"Not for nothing. The ones being beaten are MOTH. The ones being beaten are you Flame-Chasers."
"Y-You..."
Under Selene's crimson gaze, Pardofelis' fur stood on end.
"You're the one who fought Boss Kevin and the others..."
"No need to think about it. Kevin Kaslana is already dead."
Selene cut her off, flashing a grin that was half playful, half menacing.
"I killed him. Aside from the few of you, the other Flame-Chasers..."
She made a throat-slitting gesture.
"Wuuu..."
Curling her tail beneath herself, Pardofelis squatted down and covered her head.
"I am the Herrscher of Finality. The entire world has already submitted at my feet," Selene said as she casually placed a perfectly sliced piece of steak into her mouth, casting a sidelong glance at the cat beneath her. "And you?"
"Then Sister Hua and Dr. Mobius..." Pardofelis peeked up timidly.
"An advisor and a maid," Selene said calmly despite Mobius' protest. "What do you wish to become, little cat?"
"Hehe, hello, big sister I don't recognize. My name is Pardofelis. You can just call me Pardo."
"..."
Stare—
Snap.
With a single snap of her fingers, a member of the Dark Angels Honor Guard stepped forward. The sharp teeth of a chainsword were leveled horizontally before Pardofelis.
"Do you want this chainsword—or this cup of wine?"
Selene slid a goblet of honeyed wine to the edge of the table and clasped her hands together.
"Choose one."
Under Selene's gaze, Pardofelis' upright ears flattened completely against her head. She trembled uncontrollably.
"Pardo..." Fu Hua called softly at the right moment.
Meeting Fu Hua's complicated green eyes, Pardofelis forced herself to muster every ounce of courage. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shouted—
"I—I—I'll take the wine!"
"Oh? A clever choice. Congratulations—you've seized the future."
...
An ice-blue meteor streaked across the night sky, diving downward at over Mach thirty.
Anyone capable of witnessing such a surreal sight would surely be stunned beyond words. Her ice-blue hair flowed behind her, yet remained utterly unaffected by the intense heat generated from atmospheric friction.
Gazing toward the brilliantly illuminated cluster of floating islands ahead, the woman glanced at the crystalline prison cage in her hand.
"We've arrived."