Over the next ten minutes, Durandal discussed the matter of opening the Eye of the Deep with Su and Welt before ending the communication.
After concluding the exchange with her allies, Durandal looked at Rita Rossweisse, who was standing beside her, waiting for her analysis of the current situation.
Faced with Durandal's questioning gaze, Rita thought for a moment before immediately sharing her assessment.
"Judging by Anti-Entropy's willingness to directly provide us with the coordinates of an important location like 'Abyssal City,' it seems they are genuinely prepared to cooperate with us this time."
"However, that being said, Lady Durandal—are you truly planning to go there alone?"
Even though Rita was confident that their temporary ally, Anti-Entropy, had no intention of causing trouble, they had been enemies for many years. Even with their current cooperation in the face of the World Serpent, it was impossible for them to trust each other not to backstab.
Especially now, with Schicksal's Bishop, Otto, absent from the organization, and their strongest warrior, Leo Ash, missing…
Putting herself in their shoes, if Rita were a high-ranking member of Anti-Entropy right now, she would very likely use this opportunity to suppress Schicksal, which had lost its leader and main fighter.
Because of this, even though Rita sensed their sincerity, she still didn't want Durandal to go to Anti-Entropy's territory alone.
Leo Ash was already missing. If something happened to Durandal now, then…
Looking back at Isla Ash, who was calmly handling her duties, Rita said nothing, but her heart couldn't help but fill with apprehension and sorrow.
Seven days ago, on the day of the battle between Kevin and Leo Ash, when Kiana had seized the Key of the Void, Schicksal's overall combat strength had plummeted significantly.
The Herrscher of the Void, possessing three Herrscher Cores, embarking on a massacre of innocents—that, at least, hadn't happened.
Ever since the Herrscher of the Void, Sirin, had awakened prematurely because of Leo Ash, she had surprisingly used the Key of the Void to hide away, not going on a rampage during Schicksal's weakest moment.
But precisely because of this, even though Schicksal's forces had assembled, they couldn't find her, suppress her, and bring her back to headquarters.
As for Yuna and Mei, who were injured at the time, although their bodies were healed by Abyss Flower, their power had dropped drastically after losing their Herrscher Cores.
Schicksal HQ had designed suitable Godsbane Armors for them as quickly as possible—[Thunder Knight: Moon Shadow] and [Plague Knight: Moon Bud]—to compensate for their diminished strength, but comparing Godsbane Armor to a Herrscher Core…
It could only be said that it was better than nothing.
As for Leo Ash's whereabouts, according to calculations by Schicksal HQ using data from Anti-Entropy, there was a high probability that he was within the Sea of Quanta.
Rita and Durandal, both having entered a World Bubble in the Sea of Quanta before, felt a small measure of relief upon hearing this.
However, a small measure of relief didn't mean Rita was no longer worried about him.
Rita hadn't seen the moment Leo Ash disappeared before everyone's eyes.
But judging by the expressions on Mei, Durandal, and Yuna's faces when they returned, she felt the scene of his disappearance must have terrified everyone.
An important family member had gone missing, and her comrades who witnessed it were traumatized. Under these circumstances, it would be a miracle if she could remain calm.
What troubled Rita even more was that it had been seven days since the Seventh Eruption, and Otto was still missing in action.
She didn't know what Otto was thinking, but from Amber's actions during this time, Rita could roughly guess some of his intentions.
During this period, Amber, as one of Theresa's secretaries, had vehemently tried to prevent the cooperation between Schicksal and Anti-Entropy.
Anyone unfamiliar with Amber might think she had a deep-seated grudge against Anti-Entropy, which was why she would choose to reject their offered assistance in such an urgent situation.
But Rita, as one of Otto's confidantes, knew very well that Amber's attitude towards Anti-Entropy was usually neutral.
Anti-Entropy was Schicksal's enemy, and Amber would only follow Bishop Otto's orders when dealing with such an enemy.
So, to look at it another way, the fact that Amber was acting so out of character must mean that Bishop Otto was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
In the past, Rita wouldn't have overthought Bishop Otto's actions.
But now, having realized that her boss was not only not a good person but might not even be serious about fighting the Honkai, as a Valkyrie fighting against the Honkai, it would be a miracle if her mind wasn't filled with doubts.
Moreover, Otto's current actions, using Amber to obstruct the alliance between Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, were, in Rita's eyes, essentially obstructing their efforts to save Leo Ash.
With this thought in her mind, Rita's dissatisfaction with Otto naturally grew even stronger.
Furthermore, Rita had obtained something else.
In these seven days, Wendy, who had regained her consciousness after being injected with the 'HSN serum' by Leo Ash, had secretly left Schicksal HQ one day.
Before leaving, she left a letter, and in it, she explicitly mentioned one thing—that scoundrel Otto was colluding with a World Serpent executive.
Rita, of course, handed this letter to Bishop Theresa immediately after reading it.
She herself would have preferred to conceal the letter, but although Wendy wasn't mistreated by Schicksal after her defeat, her room was still filled with surveillance cameras.
Rita's act of entering Wendy's room out of concern had already been recorded.
If she had chosen to hide the letter, Rita felt that when Otto returned, he would likely have her dealt with.
After obtaining the information from Wendy's letter, Rita sorted through what she knew and pieced together a rough idea of Otto's clandestine activities during this time.
Fu Hua becomes the Fifth Herrscher → Otto is attacked by Herrscher Fu Hua and temporarily disappears → While missing, Otto begins new clandestine activities → Wendy discovers Otto's collaboration with World Serpent and, stimulated by the 'Bishop's betrayal,' becomes a Herrscher → To ally with World Serpent, Otto even hands over the Gem of Haste → After Leo Ash defeats Kevin, Otto even obstructs everyone's search for Leo Ash.
In the past, Rita saw Otto as just a ruthless man who would stop at nothing to fight the Honkai.
But now, upon discovering that Otto not only had no intention of fighting the Honkai but was actively siding with the enemy to help World Serpent while everyone else was trying to stop the Stigmata Project, Rita's dissatisfaction with him had reached its peak.
If not for her consideration of the bigger picture—realizing that exposing Otto's actions now would not only lack evidence but also put her side at a disadvantage due to insufficient strength—Rita would have seriously considered telling her trusted companions the truth.
But now… the time was not right.
Not just Lady Durandal, but even Miss Yuna and Miss Mei had complete trust in Otto.
His public persona was so well-crafted that everyone believed that, at worst, he was not a good person, but he was still committed to fighting the Honkai.
But now…
"Auntie Rita."
At that moment, hearing Isla Ash's soft call, Rita immediately smiled and leaned down, getting closer to the young girl.
"What is it, Isla?"
"Well, I feel like Auntie Rita is troubled by something."
Although Rita tried her best to hide her surprise, a fleeting smile on the girl's face told her she had already been found out.
"I'm just a child. I don't understand what you adults are worrying about."
"But sometimes, when faced with an unsolvable problem, waiting can also be a good solution."
…
*Setting aside whether this viewpoint is correct or not, those are not words a child should be saying.*
*Leo's child… she's truly too smart.*
*But, this child…*
With a hint of doubt, Rita gently stroked Isla Ash's hair and said softly.
"Isla, Auntie will take your advice to heart."
"But you are a child, after all. Sometimes, it's okay for children to rely on adults a little."
"Mm, I know."
After a small nod, Isla Ash immediately added.
"But even if children have the privilege to be coddled, it must be used at the right time."
"Right now, Mama Kiana is missing, and although Mama Yuna loves me, she doesn't dare to get close because she can't let go of some of her thoughts."
"In this situation, if I were to act spoiled or even cry and throw tantrums, it would only make the already low morale in Schicksal even worse, wouldn't it?"
Closing the light screen in front of her, Isla continued speaking to the impassive Rita and the utterly astonished Durandal.
"Daddy is Schicksal's strongest warrior, and right now, we've told the other uncles and aunties in Schicksal that 'Knight Leo Ash has gone on a secret mission against World Serpent'."
"At a time like this, if I, as Knight Leo Ash's child, show any unusual emotions…"
At that moment, Isla Ash let out a long sigh, one that shouldn't have come from someone her age.
"The uncles and aunties at Schicksal are all very sharp. If I show even the slightest crack, they could deduce a lot of information we can't afford to expose."
"So, being spoiled—that can wait until Daddy comes back!"
Mentioning Leo Ash, Isla Ash suddenly clenched her small fists in frustration.
"I am also a member of Schicksal! To fight against the Honkai, I must also do my best not to hold everyone back!"
Hearing Isla Ash's words, Durandal looked at Rita with great confusion.
Although Durandal said nothing, Rita, having been with her for years, easily understood her meaning.
*This child—how can she be so smart?*
*That's a good question, but… who knows?*
Honestly, if someone told Rita right now that Isla Ash had the mental acuity of a twenty or thirty-year-old, she would believe it without hesitation.
She was still a child who should be cuddling in her parents' arms, but now, not only could she handle some of Schicksal's simpler affairs, but she was also mindful of her words and actions in her daily life just to prevent information leaks.
Frankly, it was only because Schicksal HQ was full of elites. If this were a branch office, Rita suspected most of her colleagues there wouldn't have Isla Ash's level of vigilance.
*Isla, right now, in all of Schicksal HQ… the most exceptional person isn't someone else, it's you.*
*This child is only a few months old. Who on earth…*
*—Taught her to be like this???*
…
Within a certain World Bubble
On the way to the Headmaster's office, Leo Ash used the Schicksal database within this World Bubble to finally figure out his identity.
Leo Ash, the adopted son of Cecilia Schariac, Matriarch of the Schariac family.
In this World Bubble, Siegfried had burned out his life to swing his sword and stop Sirin's core from going berserk.
However, because Cecilia couldn't reach Siegfried's side in time in this World Bubble, she wasn't caught in the fission missile launched by Otto.
After realizing something was wrong with Bishop Otto, a disheartened Theresa and Cecilia chose to leave Schicksal HQ and return their S-rank Valkyrie titles, coming to the Far East to establish St. Freya High School.
As for why Leo Ash had no contact with Rita this time and was instead adopted by Cecilia, the reason was simple.
The Ash family's vacation destination this time wasn't Europe but the Far East. So, Cecilia, who happened to be out beating up Honkai Beasts, conveniently rescued the only child who survived that Honkai Eruption and adopted him.
*Wait, if you strip away the details and just look at the basic setting, this is way too familiar.*
[So, what are you trying to say?]
*It's not what I'm trying to say, it's why didn't you say anything?*
[Even this System has things it fears.]
[If I were to say anything unnecessary at this time…]
*Unnecessary words?*
[The world would probably be completely destroyed because of a few words from this System and an action you shouldn't have taken.]
[So Host, you absolutely must not make a move on Cecilia!]
[The World Bubble's setting doesn't count!]
[She's not a widow, so you don't have to worry about her living like one!]
...…