To be honest, before hearing what Bronya had to say, Yuna had tried to guess what she might bring up.
But after considering several possibilities, the one thing Yuna never expected was for Bronya to use Otto as the breakthrough point to explain the problem she had discovered.
Of course, Yuna didn't immediately interrupt Bronya.
Her plan to continue operating as a Schicksal Valkyrie didn't conflict with her trust in Bronya.
Since her comrade had something to say, it was better to let her finish before raising any questions.
Seeing that neither Mei nor Yuna were interrupting her, Bronya continued straightforwardly.
"I know that anyone with even a basic understanding of Lord Bishop Otto won't think he's a good person."
"And for those who know what kind of man he is, whether the leader guiding everyone against the Honkai is a good person or not isn't really something to be concerned about."
"I used to think that way too, but..."
"—What if his actions have been consistently promoting the development of the Honkai?"
"This..."
Hearing the point Bronya raised, Mei looked at Yuna with a hint of confusion.
"That's not possible, is it? To actively allow the Honkai to develop, even promote it, isn't that..."
'Isn't that something only an idiot like Cocolia would do?' — Just before Mei blurted this out, she was shot a harsh glare by Yuna.
Only then did she remember that Bronya was Cocolia's adoptive daughter.
It wasn't really Mei's fault that her reaction was so slow. It was mainly because, in her eyes, the cruel and foolish Cocolia and the well-behaved and intelligent Bronya didn't seem like mother and daughter in any sense.
It was because the difference between them was so vast that she had subconsciously forgotten their relationship.
"Big Sister Yuna, there's no need to be so cautious about this."
Seeing Yuna glare at Mei, Bronya sighed softly.
"In fact, since breaking free from Mother's control, I've come to realize just how insane and reckless her past ideas were."
"But let's look at it from another angle. As one of Anti-Entropy's executives, if Mother wanted to promote the development of the Honkai, she could truly cause some major problems. So..."
"—If it's Lord Bishop Otto, who has more ability, power, and has lived for five hundred years, who intends to do this, then the problem is far more serious."
Listening to Bronya's words, Yuna immediately asked.
"For you to say that, you must have evidence, right?"
"I don't have much concrete evidence, but Bronya has found some details."
After opening her modified information screen, Bronya displayed a series of data she had compiled during this time in front of her two comrades.
"Lord Bishop Otto's sirin project was publicly announced as a plan to analyze the remains of Sirin, the Herrscher of the Void, to enhance Schicksal's combat technology with Herrscher power."
"And in the days that followed, Lord Bishop Otto even publicly declared that the 'Time Fracture System' integrated into some of the Valkyrie battlesuits we use is one of the products of this project."
"Without a detailed investigation, no one would question Lord Bishop Otto's claims, right?"
"But unfortunately for him, Bronya happened to have investigated this information in detail recently for another matter."
After tapping on a data point on the light screen, Bronya spoke to the two with a serious expression.
"During the period from when Lord Bishop Otto announced the start of the sirin project to when he developed the Time Fracture system, the number of data analysis reports from the biological research lab far exceeded that of any other Schicksal research project."
"At first, Bronya thought the reports from the biological research lab were mainly based on data analysis from the 'dissection of Sirin's remains,' but..."
"After Bronya spent three days brute-forcing this firewall, she opened these reports and found that while there were reports on Sirin's dissection, the majority of them were actually focused on two points."
"How to fuse Herrscher Core fragments with a biological Host, and how to make such a created Host develop consciousness after mixing Sirin's DNA with other DNA."
For Mei and Yuna, much of what Bronya had said so far went over their heads.
It wasn't that they weren't intelligent enough, but rather that they couldn't digest information they had never been exposed to so quickly.
But once the topic shifted to Herrscher-related information, the situation changed.
Both of them were Herrschers, and even special Herrschers at that, who had their cores taken away only to have them return by re-condensing them within their bodies.
They both knew perfectly well what Bronya's words meant now.
Seeing the two lost in thought, Bronya didn't stop, but continued with her previous topic.
"Mass-producing clones, conducting Herrscher Core fusion experiments with them, and simultaneously trying to awaken their consciousness to bring the Herrscher of the Void into the world once more."
"In my opinion, this is the true goal of the so-called sirin project—Lord Bishop Otto's idea was clearly not to use the Herrscher of the Void's power to develop new technologies."
"In his pursuit of efficiency, he directly used Sirin's DNA to ensure every clone was a Herrscher Host, while also mixing in another person's DNA to enhance the overall strength of these clone Hosts."
"Speaking of which, Big Sister Mei, Big Sister Yuna, you should understand now why I said Big Sister Kiana wasn't suited to hear today's topic."
"...So, that's how it is."
Yuna, who was carefully examining the information and data, felt a chill gradually creep onto her face.
"The revival plan for the Herrscher of the Void... the Herrscher of the Void Kiana who appeared before us..."
"Kiana Kaslana's true identity is one of these Hosts, isn't it?"
"Yes. From the results, Lord Bishop Otto's plan succeeded. And it is precisely because of this that Bronya feels this man is far too dangerous."
Bronya, who had regained her emotions, showed a rare trace of fear on her face as she thought about the information she had deduced.
"And what he has done doesn't stop there. Dr. Magi, who developed the HSN serum, had a granddaughter who was an A-rank Valkyrie at headquarters. She died in the Gem of Serenity fusion experiment because her compatibility was too low."
"Sometime after that, Wendy, an A-rank Valkyrie from Oceania, also became an experimental subject for the Gem of Desire."
"In that failed experiment, although she didn't die, the Gem of Desire entered her body and crippled her legs."
"And after I joined Schicksal, I roughly estimated its total combat strength and discovered something."
"As long as Schicksal dispatched its Mechanized Units, two S-rank Valkyries, Headmaster Theresa, and the Hyperion, it would have been incredibly easy to stop Mother's actions before she could trigger the Third Eruption."
"Perhaps the conservative faction of Anti-Entropy had some trump cards, but with the combined strength of Schicksal HQ and the Far East Branch, dealing with the Titan mechs under Mother's command would have been more than enough."
"But Lord Bishop Otto chose to remain idle, only dispatching a group of agents, including Brother Leo Ash, to infiltrate Nagazora City to protect Big Sister Kiana, the Artificial Herrscher he created."
As these matters directly involved her, Mei's expression also began to darken.
Since joining Schicksal, Otto, who had given her a good impression, was once someone Mei trusted.
Even after learning that Lord Bishop Otto was not a good person, Mei had actively found excuses for him.
But now, with Bronya's prompting, Mei suddenly realized something.
She had known for a long time that Schicksal's forces were strong enough to crush Cocolia.
But her inner trust in Otto had caused her to overlook this fact that she should have noticed long ago.
In fact, as a Valkyrie of the Far East Branch, Mei was familiar with its military strength.
With the Far East Branch's power, if just two out of the three—Fu Hua in her Godsbane Armor, Theresa with her Divine Key, and Himeko connected to the Nexus System—were deployed, along with the mid-to-lower-level forces of the branch, it would have been enough to defeat Cocolia's troops.
An enemy that even Schicksal's strongest branch could handle was somehow able to complete her plan even after Schicksal HQ appeared on the battlefield?
Was Schicksal HQ such an incompetent organization?
The answer was clearly no.
In less than a month at Schicksal HQ, Mei, after losing her core, had sparred and exchanged pointers with many of the seniors at headquarters.
Although it felt disloyal to the seniors at the Far East Branch, Mei was certain that the overall strength of the Valkyrie seniors at Schicksal HQ was a whole tier above those at the Far East Branch.
Could a headquarters with such powerful seniors be a place full of incompetent freeloaders?
Once someone pointed it out, a little deduction was all it took for Mei to realize—Cocolia was only able to cause trouble because Schicksal HQ was holding back at the time.
And for an organization to collectively hold back against an enemy plotting against them, there could be no other reason than a direct order from the top.
"Bronya, what are you trying to say?"
Yuna, who had already caught Bronya's underlying meaning, now had a visibly changed expression.
"My meaning is already very clear."
Taking a deep breath, Bronya closed the now-useless information screen.
"The Third Eruption did indeed break out because of Mother's evil deeds."
"But Lord Bishop Otto's inaction is enough to show that he was happy to see it happen. Otherwise, with Schicksal's strength, they could have leveled Nagazora City before Big Sister Mei even became a Herrscher."
It was irrefutable.
In Yuna's view, Bronya's words were practically flawless, as the information she provided about Nagazora City was something anyone could access.
Schicksal did indeed have the power to crush Anti-Entropy's radical faction. For Schicksal, preventing the Third Eruption would have been a simple matter.
But the Third Eruption still happened. This either meant Schicksal's commander, Otto, was an incompetent fool who was played by an enemy far weaker than him, or it meant Otto had no intention of stopping the plan at all.
And in many cases, just looking at who benefited from the great battle was enough to explain everything.
After the Third Eruption, Cocolia's forces suffered heavy losses, and her adoptive daughter was forced to join Schicksal. Meanwhile, Schicksal not only successfully protected the Herrscher of the Void's Host but also had two other Herrscher Hosts, Yuna and Mei, join Schicksal and become Valkyries under Otto.
So, my mother died not just because of my incompetence and Cocolia's atrocities, but also because Otto stood by and watched?!
"Big Sister Yuna."
Looking at her comrade's gradually contorting expression, Bronya sighed softly.
"If you feel you can't suppress your Herrscher Personality, we'll have to end our chat here for today."
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
After roaring 'get back' at her Herrscher Personality in her mind, the ferocious look on Yuna's face slowly faded.
However, in its place, a palpable weariness was now visible on her face.
"The topic you're about to bring up is related to the Fourth Eruption, isn't it?"
"I'm not an idiot. Otto was already scheming during the Third Eruption. So, for him to suddenly dispatch me, a B-rank from the Far East Branch, to pursue Dr. Magi who stole the Gem of Serenity right before the Fourth Eruption began, was in itself a very strange thing."
"Yes, now that you've thought of it, Big Sister Yuna, things become much simpler."
Seeing the exhaustion on Yuna's face, Bronya, feeling a pang of sympathy, decided to stop talking.
But now that they had realized this truth that should have been obvious, an undeniable shadow of gloom settled in Mei and Yuna's hearts.
[That little girl... What she says makes a lot of sense.]
[We all knew that man was no good, but it seems his level of depravity far exceeds our imagination.]
Yes, we were all too naive.
"He revived the Herrscher of the Void, implanted the Gem of Desire into Wendy, indirectly causing her to become the Herrscher of Wind, allowed Cocolia's atrocities which led to the birth of the Herrscher of Thunder, and actively promoted the birth of the Herrscher of Death."
Counting Otto's 'kill count' in this regard on her fingers, Yuna suddenly let out a small laugh.
"Of the Herrschers that have appeared so far, besides Welt, the Herrscher of Reason, whom we know almost nothing about, the awakening and revival of the Herrschers of the Void, Wind, Thunder, and Death are all related to Otto."
"And as for Senior, who became the Herrscher of Binding, and Class Rep Fu Hua, who transformed into the Herrscher of Sentience..."
Mentioning the two comrades who had not returned to Schicksal HQ, the smile on Yuna's face suddenly became more unsettling.
"Hey, Bronya, Mei, don't you think..."
"That Class Rep and Senior becoming Herrschers also has something to do with that son of a bitch Otto?"
...
...
The two fell silent. After a moment of thought, they already had the answer in their hearts.
Although the three of them still called Fu Hua 'Class Rep,' after everything that had happened, even an idiot could see that Fu Hua was definitely more than just an ordinary A-rank Valkyrie.
And now that she had left Schicksal for Shenzhou, Shenzhou suddenly had a surge of confidence, publicly announcing that the 'Immortal Red Kite has returned to Shenzhou.' This suggested that even if she and the legendary Immortal Red Kite weren't the same person, they were definitely closely related.
Such an elite Valkyrie, who had long since obtained her Godsbane Armor...
All the signs indicated that Fu Hua had known Otto for a long time.
Then, looking back at all the monstrous things Otto had done, the two who had experienced Herrscher transformation were almost driven to despair again.
So Class Rep Fu Hua became a Herrscher because she discovered Otto's true face and couldn't deal with him, which is why she despaired?
"No wonder..."
Thinking of this, Bronya muttered to herself in exasperation.
"No wonder, in the recording, Class Rep said to Miss Amber, who was still near Otto's 'corpse' at the time, 'From this day forward, I am in charge of Schicksal!'"
"So, even before she became a Herrscher, she was already dissatisfied with Otto being the Archbishop of Schicksal. That's why she said that the moment she transformed."
"So... the Herrscher of Sentience that attached itself to Class Rep, did it also become a Herrscher because of Otto?"
Listening to Bronya's explanation, Mei asked with a slightly strange expression.
"Isn't that analysis a bit of a stretch?"
"No, if Otto really is that kind of person, Class Rep, who has known him for longer, might know even more of his dark secrets."
Yuna, who was now in an incredibly strange mood, also had a bizarre smile on her face.
"We haven't seen Class Rep since then."
"What do you think? If we go to Mount Taixu to have a chat with Class Rep, will she tell us everything she knows from the past?"
"If Class Rep's personality hasn't completely changed, then she probably will..."
As if remembering something, Bronya's tone suddenly became hesitant.
"Bronya analyzed these things based on the information in the database."
"So—how much does Brother Leo know?"
That Leo Ash was completely unaware of Otto's true nature and just thought he was a bad guy—that answer was clearly wrong.
In fact, with a little thought, the three would realize that every time Leo acted, it was as if he had 'predicted' something in advance, always managing to prevent the worst from happening at the most critical moment.
In Nagazora City, Leo helped Raiden Mei stabilize her mind in advance, and then, after she became a Herrscher, he immediately suppressed the Herrscher Personality in her body with HSN serum.
Also in Nagazora City, according to Kiana's past stories during casual chats, before Leo went to stop the Third Eruption, he had also rescued Kiana from Cocolia's pursuit, preventing the Herrscher of the Void's personality from being catalyzed.
On the eve of the Fourth Eruption, Leo, as if sensing something, left the three of them, who were moving slowly, and rushed to Yuna's side, stopping her from going on a killing spree as the Herrscher of Death.
During the Fifth Eruption, although Leo didn't fight the Herrscher of Sentience, his actions at the time were clearly aimed at calming down the emotionally unstable Herrscher.
For a person to prevent a major disaster once might be luck, but to act correctly every single time as if predicting future events, treating him as a 'clueless idiot who knows nothing'...
—Whoever thinks that is the real idiot!
Thinking back now, Leo, who had taken all these actions, must have known far more than any of them.
And considering that Leo usually only spoke up to solve their psychological problems and otherwise kept to himself, preferring to quietly solve problems on his own, he probably knew much more than they imagined.
"If, and I'm just hypothesizing..."
Looking at the two beside her, whose states were clearly becoming more and more unstable, Bronya felt a little regretful today.
It seemed she had said a bit too much. If she were to voice this final analysis, the possibility of Mei and Yuna both going berserk at the same time... should be very low.
But the probability of them exploding with anger on the spot was definitely ridiculously high!
"Bronya, don't worry. Mei and I are people who have experienced despair more than once."
Yuna gently placed her hands on Bronya's shoulders, her eyes fixed on the most intelligent member of their team.
"So, just say it. What is the last thing you want to say?"
"Alright, Big Sister Yuna, Big Sister Mei, although it might be too late to say this now, you must remain calm."
"I'm just saying, is it possible that..."
"—Brother Leo transforming into the Herrscher of Binding twenty-three days ago wasn't because Kevin stabbed him."
"Being smarter than us and having access to so much information, he might have already discovered Lord Bishop Otto's true face long ago."
"An Avenger who has always sought revenge against the Honkai discovers that his own superior is the one who has been promoting the Honkai's development..."
Bronya suddenly hung her head in dejection.
"No, just putting myself in Brother Leo's shoes makes me feel really uncomfortable."
"His despair wasn't because of that one sword strike from an enemy who broke a promise."
"He is such a powerful and intelligent person. How could someone like him suddenly fall into despair just because a mortal enemy didn't keep their word?"
"The more likely reason for Brother Leo becoming a Herrscher in despair is that he discovered all the things Otto was doing. While constantly cleaning up Otto's messes, he found out the truth."
"As Schicksal's strongest knight, not only could he not solve the Honkai problem, but he could only watch as the Honkai accelerated due to Otto's actions, while his other colleagues had to risk their lives in battle because of Otto's inexplicable behavior. That's what gradually pushed him into despair."
After this analysis, the three of them were speechless upon hearing Bronya's final words.
In the current era they lived in, a total of seven Herrschers had been born, and six of them were born or awakened because of Otto's deliberate actions.
It was an outrageous theory, and frankly, the three of them really didn't want to believe it.
But the even more outrageous problem was—when they used this absurd theory to reverse-engineer some information and Otto's actions, they found that it all checked out.
After a few minutes of mutual silence, Mei spoke in an incredibly bitter tone.
"I think I understand why Uncle Siegfried left Schicksal."
"As long as that man Otto is alive, no matter how hard everyone in Schicksal tries..."
"—All we can do is delay the Honkai's destruction of humanity."
"Yes, that's why Bronya thinks no one else can know about this."
Bronya, shedding her previous dejected demeanor, now had a sharp look in her eyes.
"This matter is too outrageous. If the seniors at Schicksal HQ find out, they will either think 'those little bitches from Anti-Entropy are up to no good again, starting rumors' or they will believe us, which would cause morale to collapse."
"What we can do now is find Class Rep and the administrators at Anti-Entropy to discuss a strategy to deal with Otto."
"Otto is definitely a capable man, but precisely because he is capable, as long as he is alive and allows or even assists the Honkai's development, he is humanity's greatest enemy."
"If we don't stop his actions, we might have to face even more Herrschers that he cultivates."
Looking at the two before her, who she had convinced and who now shared her righteous indignation, a trace of guilt inevitably surfaced in Bronya's heart.
Although Bronya telling them this information was indeed a sign of her trust in them, at the same time...
—She said these things not entirely because she felt Otto was a serious problem.
Otto was a serious problem, yes, but just a few months ago, Bronya was still one of Cocolia's child soldiers.
For a child soldier with feelings, her most fervent wish right now wasn't world peace, but to be able to save her comrades.
In fact, after talking with her orphanage comrades who had been rescued by the Far East Branch during this time, Bronya discovered to her horror that her good friends, Liliya and Rozaliya Olenyeva, were not only not with the other comrades but were also suspected to have been captured by World Serpent.
World Serpent ignored everyone else and specifically captured the two sisters, Rozaliya and Liliya, which was telling enough.
And considering World Serpent's expertise in biological modification, Bronya's heart had long been filled with a sense of foreboding.
The reason she hoped that scoundrel Otto would step down quickly was partly because Otto was truly too dangerous.
But at the same time, she also hoped that after Otto stepped down, she could gain higher authority, allowing her to use resources to rescue Seele, whose current situation was unknown, as well as Rozaliya and Liliya, who had fallen into the hands of World Serpent.
Having such thoughts wasn't a big problem, but the thought that she was having these selfish ideas while everyone else was fighting for the world filled the girl with a sense of guilt that she couldn't just brush aside.
However, the guilt in her heart did not stop her. Even though Bronya was still very dissatisfied with her own actions, she intended to use these selfish means to try and save her comrades.
Seele, Liliya, Rozaliya, I will find a way to save you as soon as possible, so...
—Please, just hold on a little longer.
.
Next day. Shenzhou. At the foot of Mount Taixu.
At the foot of Mount Taixu, Li Pu saw Leo Ash arriving as promised and immediately walked quickly towards him.
Although the words Immortal Red Kite conveyed to everyone yesterday had no mandatory tone, as a martial artist of Shenzhou who grew up listening to the legends of Immortal Red Kite, Li Pu, like other martial artists in Shenzhou, was full of admiration for the Immortal.
And now, with the Immortal appearing before everyone, teaching them divine arts, and protecting Shenzhou, thus elevating its international status, it was only natural for everyone to want to help Immortal Red Kite get things done to repay her kindness.
And with Leo Ash arriving as promised, Li Pu was now completely at ease.
"Lord Leo Ash—"
"Brother Li."
Looking at the warrior before him, Leo Ash said helplessly.
"We are all comrades fighting against the Honkai. There's no need for such titles at a time like this. We can address each other as equals."
"Alright then, Brother Ash, Immortal Red Kite has been waiting for you on the mountain for a long time. Please head up quickly."
"Mm, I understand. I'll go see my master now."
Watching Leo Ash weave small magic circles in the air with mana, using them as footholds to leap his way up, Li Pu couldn't help but think...
—My name might be Li Pu (reasonable), but this man is the one who's truly li pu (unreasonable).
Alas, a disciple of Immortal Red Kite should possess such power.
Legend has it that he started his career using Herrschers as stepping stones, fighting exclusively in high-stakes battles, a powerhouse who fought his way up from the bottom.
And he's a person from Shenzhou.
Yet he ended up joining Schicksal. What a pity.
I wonder if the Immortal will be able to convince him to stay today.
If both Leo Ash and Immortal Red Kite became the guardian deities of 'Shenzhou,' then at that time...
—We in Shenzhou would no longer need to worry about being suppressed by Schicksal.
However, despite having this thought, Li Pu knew very well that it was just a fantasy.
Schicksal not only offered good benefits and high salaries, but they had also unearthed many relics from the Previous Era over the years.
For a powerhouse like him who only fought in high-stakes battles, the equipment Schicksal had that was suitable for such experts was something Shenzhou lacked.
Oh, wait, Shenzhou now has high-end equipment made of Soulium.
But that equipment was compensation from Leo Ash when he took Chiyou's corpse and gave it to Shenzhou!
Thinking that their own high-end equipment was a gift from him, Li Pu felt even more strongly that he should stop daydreaming.
Never mind, let the big shots worry about these things.
A small fry like me should just focus on how to master the Edge of Taixu that the Immortal taught us.
..
Mount Taixu Summit
At the summit of Mount Taixu, Fu Hua felt the Herrscher Personality that should have been completely suppressed within her heart stirring restlessly again.
[You Herrscher, let me out! I want to see my disciple! What's so wrong with just wanting to see him once!]
...To this day, you still think that I am the Herrscher Personality?
[What else? Let me tell you, don't think I'm afraid of you just because the Honkai has your back!]
[If the Honkai consciousness wasn't constantly supporting you, how could I, Fu Hua, a MANTIS, possibly lose to a creature like you!]
Facing the unreasonable Herrscher of Sentience, Fu Hua deeply understood what it meant to be the thief crying 'stop thief'.
In fact, she believed that suppressing this Herrscher Personality was something she should be able to do.
In her own eyes, her efficiency in suppressing the Herrscher Personality during this period had been truly pathetic.
Leo Ash had injected her with a seemingly unusual HSN serum.
Su had used his psychic powers to help her suppress the Herrscher Personality.
Her injuries had also completely healed, allowing her to use the power of a MANTIS that was previously almost inaccessible.
With so many factors in her favor, Fu Hua still took this long to suppress a single Herrscher Personality.
She was truly useless.
And the Honkai consciousness was truly troublesome.
"Noisy."
After unconsciously uttering these words, Fu Hua slowly opened her eyes.
Just now, did I actually feel a flicker of an improper impulse because of the Herrscher of Sentience's repetitive phrases?
Have I become this incompetent?
"Ma-master."
Wendy, who was practicing her swordplay in front of Fu Hua, heard Fu Hua's indignant words and immediately began to tremble.
"I-I wasn't slacking off!"
"...Wendy, I wasn't talking to you."
Seeing the young girl react this way because of her, Fu Hua only felt—that she was even more useless.
In Fu Hua's mind, an incompetent master like her should no longer be addressed as such.
But every time, Wendy would agree not to, only to forget about it moments later, so Fu Hua couldn't be bothered to correct her anymore.
During this time of suppressing her Herrscher Personality, Fu Hua had felt the vitality befitting a young girl from Wendy.
And yet, such a cheerful and vibrant girl was now frightened by two words from me.
I... am truly incompetent.
"Master?"
Seeing the fleeting look of loneliness on Fu Hua's face, Wendy stopped trembling and looked at Fu Hua with a worried expression.
"Are you not feeling well? Or is that son of a bitch Honkai causing trouble again?"
"...I'm fine, Wendy."
"It's just that your senior brother has probably arrived."
Looking at the young man who had just stepped onto the summit and appeared before her, Fu Hua continued speaking to Wendy.
"You may leave for now. I have something to discuss with your senior brother—"
"Senior Brother Leo Ash!"
Before Fu Hua could finish, Wendy transformed into a gust of wind and rushed directly towards the man before her.
Before Fu Hua could say or do anything, Leo Ash, who had just seen Fu Hua and landed on the ground, was suddenly embraced by Wendy who had charged into his arms.
"Um, miss, have you ever heard an old saying in our Shenzhou..."
Feeling the soft touch from the girl's body, Leo Ash looked helplessly at the girl in his arms.
"Men and women shouldn't be so familiar."
"Now, how about you let me go?"
"Eh? But I don't want to?"
Seeing the Schicksal knight she had always dreamed would come to save her—and who actually did save her—appear right before her eyes, Wendy not only didn't leave Leo's embrace but hugged him even tighter.
"I've long heard from Master that Second Senior Brother Leo Ash is a genius who even amazed her. Seeing Senior Brother again today..."
"Yes, I'll just ask directly."
Wendy suddenly looked up at Leo Ash and asked him with deep affection.
"Senior Brother, are you..."
"Married?"
What am I supposed to say?
Have we even known each other for more than three minutes????
Why did things turn out like this????
[Isn't it obvious? This silly kid was abducted by World Serpent for so long, only to see her own boss do bad things for them, and that's why she despaired and became a Herrscher.]
[And just when she was at her most desperate, you appeared out of nowhere and saved her from the clutches of the Honkai—]
Correction, I beat her up.
[Is there a difference? In her eyes, you are her savior and her prince charming.]
[The person she fantasized would come to save her really did save her from the Honkai. The reason she's not just drooling over you is because—]
I think I know what you're trying to say.
Wendy didn't notice anything unusual at the moment.
But Leo, who could see Fu Hua's expression, saw from his master's face...
—A visibly palpable anger!!!!
She hasn't done anything more stimulating to me because Fu Hua is here.
But, Junior Sister Wendy, have you not noticed...
—Right now, there's a chill in the air that shouldn't be here.
..