Hearing 'Fu Hua's' words, Wendy was stunned for a moment before realizing—this abrupt change in personality, was it the Herrscher Personality suddenly surfacing?
However, although the woman's body was suddenly under the control of her Herrscher Personality, Wendy could sense that the other party held no malice towards her.
How strange. Compared to my own Herrscher Personality that's always trying to take over my body, Senior Fu Hua's Herrscher Personality seems surprisingly easy to talk to.
Just as Wendy was about to respond, the woman's eyes reverted to their original color.
Realizing that she had once again failed to suppress the Herrscher of Sentience's personality, Fu Hua spoke to Wendy apologetically.
"Pay no mind to what she said."
"I will teach you the method to cultivate the Edge of Taixu to help you control your Herrscher Core and the Honkai Energy within you."
"But... you do not need to call me 'Master.'"
"I am not qualified to be addressed as such by anyone."
Seeing a flicker of sorrow in Fu Hua's eyes, Wendy naturally didn't press the matter further.
At the same time, as Fu Hua spoke those words, countless images flashed through her mind.
She had forgotten many memories, but forgetting them didn't mean she couldn't deduce what those lost memories were based on other recollections and the information in Schicksal's database.
In the past, as the master of the Seven Swords of Taixu, Fu Hua was once ambushed and killed by them for certain reasons.
After that, during the Second Eruption fourteen years ago, Fu Hua once again forgot some memories when she faced Sirin directly.
But even then, though Fu Hua had forgotten, she still clearly felt that the Valkyrie by her side was someone important to her.
Afterwards, upon returning to Schicksal, Fu Hua checked the database and learned that the Valkyrie who had sacrificed herself was named Cheng Lixue.
Combining that with the fact that the woman had called her 'Master' just before she lost consciousness, Cheng Lixue must have also been a disciple she had trained.
And this year, after meeting Leo Ash, their relationship had been twisted due to Fenghuang Down, but looking back now, perhaps it was because she saw the boy as a promising talent that she had devoted herself so wholeheartedly to training him.
However, both Cheng Lixue and Leo Ash had died in battle against powerful enemies.
In the past, my actions were so intolerable that even my disciples couldn't bear them.
And now, as a master, I can't even protect the disciple who needed my protection...
I am simply not qualified to be anyone's master.
Immortal Red Kite, MANTIS... in the end, the me of today...
—is just an incompetent person, held back by a Herrscher Personality, completely unable to continue the fight against the Honkai.
.......
Inside a certain World Bubble. St. Freya High School.
After receiving brain-overloading information from Leo Ash, Cecilia pondered for some time before reluctantly setting aside her doubts and choosing to continue discussing future plans with him.
According to Leo Ash's deduction, since he was able to enter this World Bubble, it meant that the bubble wasn't completely sealed.
And Cecilia, as the head of the Far East Branch within this World Bubble, could use her authority to have its members explore the surrounding environment.
Since Leo Ash had landed at St. Freya High School, it meant the 'entrance/exit' of this World Bubble must be nearby.
As long as they could find it, their chances of leaving this World Bubble would greatly increase.
As for other matters...
Cecilia was in a hurry to get out and see her husband and daughter.
Leo Ash was in a hurry to get out and deal with the Honkai.
But being in a hurry doesn't solve anything.
Otto was in a hurry to save Kallen, and Kevin was in a hurry to save the world, but even they could only carry out their plans step by step.
Facing this unknown World Bubble, Leo Ash felt that finding the exit would inevitably take a few days.
After getting some access permissions for the school from Cecilia, Leo Ash had intended to leave.
However, just as he was about to depart, Cecilia suddenly looked at Rin, who was beside him.
"Miss, could I ask you to stay and chat with me for a bit?"
Upon hearing Cecilia's words, Rin subconsciously glanced at Leo Ash.
But in that instant, she suddenly realized—someone else is inviting me, why am I asking for this guy's opinion!
"Alright, since Mrs. Schariac has something to discuss with her, I won't disturb you."
Glancing at the inexplicably angry Rin, Leo Ash couldn't be bothered to waste time thinking about it.
When a woman gets angry for no reason, trying to guess what she's thinking and then placate her...
—It's so much trouble.
I have a lot to do right now, and I can't be bothered with whatever issue she has.
Besides...
Glancing at Cecilia, whose eyes now held a strange look, Leo Ash figured that the woman before him might be able to resolve the hatred in Rin's heart.
Although Rin hated everything in this world because of what she'd been through fifty thousand years ago, in the original story, when she learned that Theresa was willing to let go of her resentment towards Otto and forgive him for killing Cecilia, she immediately gave up her own hatred and eventually became that 'big sister' type.
Even with knowledge of how to deal with her, Leo Ash couldn't resolve the hatred in Rin's heart. In the past, it was because his heart wasn't as purely good as Theresa's, and now...
—He had just discovered that he really was an Avenger. Under these circumstances, facing Rin who could sense others' emotions, how could he possibly persuade her to give up her hatred for humanity.
He worried that if he tried to reason with her, Rin might resonate with his own inner feelings, making her hatred for humanity even worse.
But Cecilia was different.
Even when facing Sirin, who had tried to destroy the world, Cecilia had still shown her 'love'.
If Cecilia could alleviate some of the hatred in Rin's heart, that would be a good thing for Leo Ash.
After Leo Ash left, Rin looked at the woman before her who made her feel very uncomfortable and snapped.
"What is it? We don't know each other. Why did you suddenly ask me to stay? What nonsense do you want to talk about?"
"Miss..."
Seeing the clearly irritated Rin, Cecilia gave a wry smile and spoke softly.
"Before, when my soul was attached to Mr. Ash, I could feel that he carried a soul filled with resentment."
"So, you're here to persuade me to give up my revenge?"
As soon as she said this, Rin burst out laughing.
"Well, you're quite the saint, but it's a shame—you have no idea what I've been through."
"I inexplicably became a Herrscher and was inexplicably imprisoned by the anti-Honkai organization from what you call the Previous Era."
"Back then, I trusted that organization, so I didn't cry or resist. But in the end, guess what happened to me?"
Looking at Cecilia's sorrowful eyes, Rin sneered.
"They decided that Herrschers were the enemy. Even though I hadn't done anything to threaten them, they still used their weapons to kill me when I had no power at all."
"I did absolutely nothing wrong, yet I lost my life because of their desire to 'defeat the Honkai.'"
"Even my sister died in that chaos trying to protect me."
"To have my life and my family taken from me for no reason—and you want me to give up my hatred?!"
Looking at the woman's troubled expression, Rin continued with a cold smile.
"If you were in my situation, can you guarantee you wouldn't hate those enemies?"
"Besides, Cecilia Schariac, based on the information Leo Ash gave you, your family and loved ones were also persecuted by Otto."
"Do you dare guarantee that if your enemy, Otto, appeared before you, you could let go of the hatred in your heart?"
"Perhaps not."
When Rin heard Cecilia say this so decisively, she was momentarily stunned.
In Rin's mind, this woman, after saying all that, would surely follow up with some sanctimonious words to persuade her.
And at that moment, Rin, who could feel others' emotions, was already prepared with rebuttals for Cecilia's hypocritical platitudes.
However, when Cecilia uttered that unexpectedly decisive sentence, a dumbfounded Rin was suddenly at a loss for how to continue the conversation.
"To your question, I can answer you with certainty—if Otto Apocalypse were to appear before me, I might not be able to contain the rage in my heart and would likely attack him."
"However, I still hope you can understand one thing."
"Otto is the one who wronged me, so I feel anger towards him."
"But the ones who wronged you, besides the long-gone anti-Honkai organization of the Previous Era, there is something else."
"It was the Honkai that made you a Herrscher, and it is the Honkai that has caused so many tragedies."
"When your true enemy is the Honkai, then... why do you want to take your revenge on the people of our era?"
To be honest, when Rin first saw this woman and learned of her past, her only impression of Cecilia was that of a 'silly, sweet girl betrayed by her boss'.
But, as the strongest Valkyrie in Schicksal, at least on the surface, Cecilia Schariac had to deal with a great many things.
Such a person might seem gentle, but as one of the heads of a combat unit, how could she truly be a naive girl who understood nothing?
And now, as Cecilia pointed out Rin's other enemy with a hint of confusion, Rin really felt...
—This woman... actually makes a lot of sense???
The people of this era have no grudge against me.
The Honkai that turned me into a Herrscher is my greatest enemy.
Strange, in the past... why have I never realized this obvious problem????
At that moment, Rin suddenly thought of another Herrscher from this era.
That person was not only her 'colleague' but also from the same era as her.
Hua, a warrior of the Previous Era's anti-Honkai organization, Fire Moth.
After being chosen by the Honkai and granted a Herrscher Core, she was clearly 'bewitched' by the Honkai to some extent.
Although the Honkai's method of bewitching her was to have her Herrscher Personality do things that 'seemed fine but actually served the Honkai's interests', it was enough to show that the Honkai could influence a Herrscher's personal will.
So, for these fifty thousand years... I've been played like a fiddle by my greatest enemy?
At the thought of having so shamefully become her enemy's pawn, Rin felt her heart completely consumed by killing intent.
However, even realizing this, Rin, feeling like she was in a difficult position, still looked at Cecilia with a sinister expression.
"You think—I'm just going to believe your words completely?"
"You must be just like the Honkai, planning to use me!"
"That's not it."
Gently shaking her head, Cecilia said softly to Rin.
"I said all this not because I want you to join us, but because I hope that after seeing who your true enemy is, you won't engage in pointless battles with us."
"I want everyone to be able to live happily, and Miss Rin, in my eyes, you have that right as well."
"Tch, spare me your hypocritical words, I'm not listening!"
With that, Rin turned and left Cecilia's sight with a dark expression.
However, watching her depart, Cecilia knew in her heart that Rin's hatred for the people of this era had already lessened considerably.
Although it wouldn't be easy to expect Rin to completely abandon a conviction held for tens of thousands of years, Cecilia believed that a good start was always a good thing.
But...
Alas, I wish for everyone to find happiness, but not everyone thinks the same way.
Otto, after failing to kill Siegfried, he still did all those strange things to Siegfried and Kiana.
And not only that, he even resurrected that child, Sirin.
Although Cecilia tried to give Sirin the maternal love that could warm her heart in her final moments, it didn't mean Cecilia thought Sirin would give up her hatred because of her feelings.
Sirin, I still hope you can live happily.
But, if you still intend to destroy the world as you did back then...
—I will definitely do everything in my power to stop you, just like I did before.
..