Vienna, 1480, night, Nagamitsu's Forge.
"Otto, something terrible has happened! Something has happened at your house!"
Kallen rushed in from outside.
Kallen, who is now 27 years old, has completely left her childhood behind and is now a mature woman who can take responsibility for the Kaslana family after the death of her father, Francis.
"My brother? Or my sister?"
Otto said calmly.
"Miss Lisa"
Seeing Otto's expression, Kallen knew that her close friend had probably been prepared for this from the beginning.
"The servants told me that Miss Lisa returned to the House of Schicksal first, and shortly after, there was a slight disturbance at the House of Schicksal."
"And now?"
"It has calmed down"
Kallen felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing Otto's indifferent expression.
As she grew up, Kallen began to have a vague awareness of certain things.
"If nothing unexpected happens... this is a power grab, isn't it?"
"Kallen, you have finally understood the essence of things"
Otto gave Kallen a kind smile.
"That's right, my father has lived too long; it's only natural that sister Lisa cannot suppress her ambition... Hmm, this is a true misfortune for the family."
"So, Otto, what role did you play in this?"
"?"
Otto looked at Kallen, apparently surprised that she would ask such a question.
"I just looked around, but Lingshuang and Eleonor are not here... Where did they go?"
"Here, I am just a woodcutter and a fisherwoman; God can be my witness"
"Yes, Otto did not participate directly in the political struggles of the Schicksal family," Tian Shi said softly.
"At most, she only fanned the flames of the various parties' ambitions; otherwise, they wouldn't have found Otto here."
"So you're saying that you've watched how things reached this point, right..."
Kallen's expression softened considerably.
"Some things are beyond my control, like the plan for the Eastern Expedition ten years ago"
Otto explained from the side: "The only thing we can do is minimize the impact in this regard."
"Human nature... ambition..."
Kallen is no longer the naive and reckless girl she once was, so she sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.
"So you had this planned from the beginning, didn't you?"
"That's right, the plan was made ten years ago"
"Do you need me to give you some privacy?", Tian Shi perceived that the atmosphere had become a bit awkward.
"It would be beneficial for both of you to have an open and honest conversation."
"It's not necessary, my Lord, you are the person we both respect the most; there is no need for you to leave"
Kallen shook her head.
"Then I will have to trouble you, my Lord; I feel like I haven't even had a private conversation with Kallen"
Otto, on the contrary, smiled and accepted Tian Shi's suggestion.
"Alright, I'll step outside for a while"
Tian Shi nodded and then floated out.
However, with Tian Shi's departure, the atmosphere between Kallen and Otto suddenly became somewhat tense.
"Kallen, we can't be left with nothing to talk about after leaving God, can we?", Otto joked, looking at the silent Kallen.
"You're welcome"
Kallen looked at Otto, who hadn't changed at all over the years, and her face showed a strange mix of emotion and... sympathy.
"I never imagined that the two of us... well, would speak to each other this way"
"I always feel like I see other thoughts in your eyes"
Otto, unusually, perceived malice from Kallen.
"But... it's quite unexpected that the atmosphere between us has become so tense"
"It's not a ruckus, nor is it a stalemate"
Kallen shook her head, found a place to sit, and the tense atmosphere between them eased.
If both of them really came to a fight, would she have come to inform Otto that there was a change in her family's situation?
"Right now I don't understand what you want to do; I thought you were going to be a great scientist, but in the last two years I've realized that's not the case... and then I realized that I don't understand you anymore."
"You're only realizing that now!"
Otto pointed at Kallen and burst out laughing, something completely out of place.
If we talk about who Otto feels most comfortable with, it's only her best friend, Kallen; even Tian Shi has to take a back seat.
"I actually didn't try to hide what I did back then!"
"Because I felt you were helping me!"
Ten years earlier, during Schicksal's Eastern Expedition, Kallen felt that Otto had no reason to get involved in this mess, but she herself couldn't help it.
"And ask yourself honestly, didn't you take advantage of my stupidity back then?"
"Back then... well, it wasn't exactly bullying; it's just that at that moment, God's interests, mine, and yours were aligned, so there was no way I could kick you out."
Back then, out of the three, Otto wanted to gather followers for Tian Shi, Tian Shi wanted to visit his apprentice, and Kallen had no idea she was going to the battlefield.
What could Otto do? She took her along!
How could her only friend really make her suffer?
So Kallen got away with the whole Eastern Expedition disaster.
Except for the beating she received at the end, Kallen had nothing to do with the rest of the Expedition.
No one could blame Kallen.
"So I was just a bystander, huh..."
Kallen sighed.
"And now? Do you want the position of Archbishop of Schicksal? Does God know about this?"
"Yes"
Otto did not hide her agreement and nodded.
"Couldn't you just tell me directly?"
Kallen complained a little.
Setting aside her relationship with Otto, she would have been the first to defend her, if only out of respect for God.
In terms of talent, Otto is far ahead of the rest.
"Your participation will only complicate things, and you'll be more aware of it, especially given your past as a troublemaker."
Now that both sides have laid their cards on the table, Otto no longer hides her true intentions in her words.
Furthermore, without Tian Shi, it is no longer necessary for all of them to pretend to be ladies: not everyone can be as carefree as Higokumaru.
"Me, a troublemaker?", Kallen was immediately annoyed.
"Isn't it true? God and I clean up your mess every day."
"Alright"
Kallen gave up; she really had been a bit naive back then.
"If you directly raise your flag in my support, believe me, I will be assassinated tonight."
Otto offered a brief explanation.
"No one can kill you, no matter what...", Kallen argued.
"But you don't plan on being a great scientist anymore, do you?"
This is all old news.
"It's hard to keep childhood dreams into adulthood; on the contrary, people like you, Kallen, who have stayed true to your original intentions for more than 20 years, are the minority."
Otto shrugged, showing no memory of her past.
"It's really hard to be happy with that assessment."
Kallen couldn't help but sigh while looking at Otto, who seemed completely unconcerned.
"And what about the Archbishop of Schicksal? To be honest, in terms of motivation, I'm more motivated to compete for the position of Archbishop of Schicksal."
Kallen really wants to make the world a better place, but she also genuinely dislikes the Archbishop of Schicksal.
"Me? I guess I was just acting out of selfishness, wasn't I?"
Otto shrugged and looked at Kallen, whose expression was starting to look strange.
"Don't misunderstand me; I want to spread the glory of God throughout the world... which doesn't conflict at all with your goal."
"My Lord God...", Kallen scratched her face as she spoke.
"Otto, your idea is really hard to describe… Does God know what your goal is?"
"I didn't say it, but the divine being should have noticed: God supports my becoming an archbishop."
Since Tian Shi saw Otto's immoral plan back then, Otto realized that sometimes God doesn't speak of them not because he is good at hiding it, but because he feels it is not necessary to worry.
Strictly speaking, could this be considered a way of letting one's own child go?
But thinking about it, if she had carried out that plan back then, the two of them probably wouldn't be sitting together now having a heart-to-heart conversation; they would have simply broken up.
"For God, our path is under our own feet... God will only tell us what to do, not 'what we must do'... As long as I don't choose a path that leads me to the abyss, God will not interfere."
"Alright... to be honest, I thought your purpose was a bit more ambitious."
Kallen put her hand to her face.
Her confrontation with Otto this time was largely due to her concern that Otto might become the kind of ambitious woman who wreaks havoc on the world; after all, Kallen knew Otto had such abilities.
"Isn't this ambition?"
Otto arched an eyebrow.
"Do you know what area I've been researching all these years?"
"Immortality... don't think I'm stupid, but if you're simply seeking immortality, I have no objections."
Kallen genuinely felt that as long as the Schicksal organization did not interfere with or plunder the secular world, that was the greatest kindness, and she didn't care about ever being immortal.
Otto remained silent; she expected Kallen to react more strongly.
"I really don't need to interfere with ordinary people."
"Then why should I care what you do?"
Suddenly, I felt a sense of unease, as if I had been rejected.
Otto sighed, rubbing her forehead.
With her mature personality and insightful perspective that reaches the heart of the matter... Kaslana in her mature phase is surprisingly difficult to deal with.
"Well... it's not a denial; after all, immortality is really quite remarkable."
Kallen waved her hand.
"But speaking of that, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"Go ahead, ask; it's been hard enough getting you to ask me even once in the last two years."
The reason they've grown a bit distant in the last two years is partly because Kallen has noticed some differences in their values, and partly because... Kallen can now handle most things very well without Otto.
"What is your vision of God?"
Kallen asked directly.
"I feel like there's something wrong with the way you're treating God right now."
(Is it that obvious already? Or is mature Kaslana's intelligence bonus a bit excessive?)
Hearing this question, Otto smiled.
"Of course, I respect him as a father."
I shouldn't repeat my twisted "everything for God" statement in front of Kallen.
It was a bit difficult to say these words to Kallen.
Besides, being too twisted might cause both of them to separate again; after all, Otto knows she can do anything for God.
Kallen's twisted intuition might have also perceived it, and, adhering to the idea that it's better to avoid trouble, Otto still chose her old reason.
"Um... I'm sure your family has had a hard time."
"Please don't look at me with that 'Are you hungry for love?' face; you already know what my family situation is like."
"That's why I'm making this face."
"What you said actually makes a lot of sense..."
Otto's lips twitched.
"Does God know about this?"
Kallen asked again, but judging by Otto's expression, Kallen understood immediately.
"Alright, it seems he doesn't know and I don't think you dare to say it."
"Kallen, I'm starting to think you're just looking for a fight."
Otto made a face of disgust.
There's no way she dares to say that!
If she had said this when she was fourteen or fifteen, she might have been able to say it with some effort, but now she is the same age as Kallen, twenty-seven.
Saying it so suddenly makes her look like a daddy's girl; besides, this is all old news, alright!
"Let's not talk about that, Kallen; after this era ends, the next time we see God will be in five hundred years. Do you want to witness it with me?"
"Is there a part for me too?"
"If I have something to eat, how can you go hungry? Anyway, with just a nod, I'll give you a nap; when you wake up, five hundred years will have passed."
Void Archive simulates many places where all things can hibernate, so Otto thought that since there were so many places, she certainly couldn't leave Kallen out.
"In that case... I have no reason to refuse."
Kallen thought for a moment and nodded.
"However, I need to settle my position as head of the family and see who I should pass the torch to."
"You really don't miss a thing."
"Anyway, I have no intention of getting married; the heir will be adopted or chosen from among my siblings' children... So, what will I hold on to in this position? Besides, I never wanted to be the head of the family, okay?"
Kallen sighed.
Before, she thought it was nothing, but after her father passed away and she took over all the affairs of the Kaslana family, she realized how problematic it was.
Sometimes I even think about dissolving the family... but unfortunately, I can't.
"After all, it's about blood ties."
Otto shook her head.
"In that case, I'll save a spot for you... Well, I'll take care of my sister's affairs."
"Wait! I have another question for you."
Kallen pulled Otto aside.
"Question?"
"Um... it's about you treating God as your father."
"?"
"Ahem..."
Kallen looked around.
"Would you mind treating me like your mother?"
"Roll!"
Otto's expression twitched slightly and she immediately pushed Kallen.
"Get lost, get lost!"
Otto never expected Kallen to ask such a question.
"Hey! Wait! I'm really prepared to be a good mother!"
Kallen tried to grab Otto again.
"Roll!"
"And don't you think my figure is quite suitable?"
"Roll!"
"If you mention this, then we really have nothing to say to each other!"
Otto, unable to take it anymore, slapped Kallen on the chest, twisting the neckline of her elegant dress and revealing a patch of white skin.
That makes it even more infuriating.
And speaking of that, hasn't this thing gotten even bigger...?
What does it mean to be elegant and graceful?
Now, at twenty-seven, Kallen is precisely that.
Her maturity has not only allowed her to grow intellectually, but Otto also noticed for the first time that Kallen has developed a strong sense of femininity.
In the past, this would have been considered a ghost story...
I'm so angry I'll give her another slap.
"Otto, why did you hit me? If it really comes to this, let's settle things separately! It suits me to be your mother!"
Kallen grabbed her chest and pulled up the collar of her shirt.
"..."
That makes some sense, doesn't it?
After all, they both knew each other quite well...
Bah! That makes no sense at all!
"Get out! Kallen Kaslana! From today on, we are no longer friends!"
Meanwhile, Void Archive inside Otto's consciousness was already laughing hysterically.
(If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet sooner or later. But I never thought Kallen would trick Otto! I can't believe it... It's hilarious!)
That's right, the definition of Void Archive is "to be tricked": you can't even trick Tian Shi when you lie, so why do you think you can trick your childhood friend who has now upgraded her intelligence?
People are no longer what they used to be!
"Did you two have a fight?"
Hearing Otto's roar, Tian Shi looked out with a strange expression...
This shouldn't be the case; there's no reason for these two to be fighting right now.
"Wait? Did they really start fighting?"
Tian Shi naturally noticed Kallen's neckline.
"Uh..."
Kallen went silent when she saw Tian Shi arrive.
"That's right! We're breaking all ties! Kallen Kaslana! From today on, she goes her way and I go mine! We will never see each other again!"
...
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