Although she couldn't help but feel a little resentment towards Leo Ash, Kiana wasn't exactly angry about it.
By now, she was no longer as obsessed as she had been before.
But even now, she still felt she had to bear the sins committed by Sirin.
No matter what others thought, said, or did, the Kiana of today felt that she *was* Sirin.
Just because she had died once, everything from the past was just... erased?
She didn't feel that using such a reason to escape was something she should do.
And after learning all that, Leo Ash still chose to envelop her, this sinner, with such warmth. So now...
While he was still so busy, how could Kiana bear to disturb him any further?
As for those thoughts she once had when she didn't know her origins—those "I want to have Senior all to myself" ideas—they had now turned to dust.
In these past two months, Kiana, Mei, Fu Hua, and Anna had all laid their cards on the table with each other.
While no one could say they were *happy* about Leo Ash sleeping around, at this point, nobody expected to have him all to themselves anymore.
More than monopolizing Leo Ash, the few of them present at the time actually just hoped Leo Ash could relax mentally, even just a little.
But looking at it now, that was truly a luxury they couldn't afford.
It wasn't just Kiana; in these two months, the number of times Leo Ash had sought out the others for intimacy could be counted on one hand.
If Leo Ash had *only* skipped Kiana, Kiana would, at most, just be a little upset.
But now Leo Ash wasn't seeking *anyone* out, and that meant the situation wasn't good.
If she weren't afraid of disturbing Leo Ash's work, Kiana felt she would have stormed the Bishop's office these past two days, straddled Leo Ash, and demanded to know what he was so busy with.
But for now, reason temporarily suppressed Kiana's wild idea, so she hadn't taken direct action. Instead, she and her big sister were preparing to find someone to have a good chat with after their mission.
However, when the two Kaslanas arrived at the door of a certain room, both of them suddenly frowned slightly.
As Kiana used her fingerprint to unlock the door, they unsurprisingly saw that the room was completely empty.
"How strange."
Staring at the empty room, Bianka muttered to herself in confusion.
"Ever since Leo Ash took office as Bishop, Isla has spent most of her time in her room helping to handle those affairs."
"At this time of day, she rarely goes out."
"Ugh, I didn't contact her beforehand because I wanted to surprise her, but now..."
After taking out her communicator and dialing Isla Ash's contact code, Kiana waited a few seconds, only to receive a 'Call Rejected' notification.
"Eh????"
Realizing something was truly wrong, Kiana's eyes sharpened.
"Isla... At a time like this, someone actually dares to make a move on my daughter?!"
"Ah, I don't think you should jump to conclusions."
Seeing Kiana's pupils actually starting to shift from azure blue to a molten gold, Bianka said helplessly.
"Otto is dead, World Serpent isn't causing trouble right now, and Anti-Entropy is basically one step away from moving their HQ into our HQ and announcing a merger."
"Besides, Isla's actual strength is quite good. We even helped her build a custom Godsbane Armor in the last two months. Unless the attacker is Herrscher-level or higher, it would be very difficult to take Isla away without a sound."
"Oh, right."
Kiana, just remembering that her daughter was already a super-expert, suddenly felt a pang of loneliness.
Her daughter was wonderful in every way, but for her as a mother, her daughter being *too* outstanding made her own role feel awkward.
Isla Ash had already revealed her abilities. Wielding weakened versions of the Authorities of [Binding], [Poison], and [Void], combined with the Key of Domination Leo Ash had passed down and the Godsbane Armor Schicksal built for her, she wouldn't be immediately defeated even against an ordinary Herrscher.
And to silently abduct Isla, Schicksal's high-priority protectee, the attacker would need the power to instantly defeat Isla and knock her unconscious.
After all, Isla thinks fast and has the Herrscher of the Void's Authority. If she realized she was outmatched, she would definitely flee without a second thought and contact everyone else in HQ to gang up on the intruder.
In other words, the probability of something happening to Isla was extremely low, so...
"Hey, Bronya?"
"Ah, it's me, Kiana. Can you help me look up where Isla has been today?"
Kiana, having reached Bronya, heard her companion's reply after five seconds.
"Sister Kiana, Isla is currently... right at Dr. Magi's lab."
"Huh? Oh, thanks. I'll head over and see what's going on."
After hanging up, Kiana's anxiety immediately grew.
"Isla went to Dr. Magi's lab..."
Hearing this, a sharp light flashed in Bianka's eyes.
"Dr. Magi... Although neither Leo Ash nor Otto punished him, I haven't forgotten the things he did in the past."
"Could it be—he intends to harm Isla?!"
"...If only it were that simple."
Kiana, growing more uneasy, let out a heavy breath and said to her sister beside her.
"If Dr. Magi intended to harm Isla, then nothing bad would happen to Isla."
"But now, I really..."
At that moment, Kiana, who was about to say more, suddenly felt a dreadful palpitation.
Not only her, but Bianka beside her also suddenly felt a similar sensation.
Both stunned for a second, they tacitly suppressed this abnormal feeling and pretended that nothing was wrong.
"Anyway, let's head to Dr. Magi's lab. We'll find out what happened when we get there."
"Yeah, let's go now."
Normally, in such a hurry, Kiana should have used the Herrscher of the Void's power to teleport herself and Bianka straight there.
But at this moment, for some reason, she felt an intense aversion to this power she had gradually grown accustomed to over the past few months.
If this were a normal day, and Bianka said nothing about her *not* using this power, Kiana would definitely have noticed something was wrong.
But now, with her mind preoccupied, Kiana was in a daze and completely failed to realize that Bianka *not* questioning her strange behavior was, in itself, very strange.
And so, the two sisters began to make their way toward Dr. Magi's lab.
...
A few minutes earlier. Dr. Magi's Laboratory
Seeing the child who had suddenly used an Authority to jump to this location, Dr. Magi paused his research, slightly puzzled, and gave Isla Ash a kindly smile.
"Isla, what brings you here today?"
"Eh?"
Hearing Dr. Magi's question, Isla Ash asked back, confused.
"I came to play with Grandpa Magi. Is Grandpa Magi not happy to see me?"
"It's not that, it's just..."
Recalling Isla Ash's usual behavior, Dr. Magi felt this was very strange.
As everyone knew, Schicksal's current Bishop, Leo Ash, had become an Avenger bent on revenge against the Honkai due to his parents' deaths. And this Avenger, to get his revenge, had become Schicksal's number one tryhard.
And, whether it was regrettable or reassuring, Isla Ash—the clone World Serpent created from the genes of Leo Ash, Kiana Kaslana, and Yuna—had, as Leo Ash's daughter, unsurprisingly become a miniature tryhard herself.
Usually, this polite, less-than-one-year-old child, while not a combatant, was already extremely proficient in handling logistical affairs.
Even the Schicksal staff who had worked in logistics for many years had to admit that after just a short time, Isla Ash was already doing a better job than they were.
So, since then, Isla Ash spent most of her time on official business, and what little time remained was spent only with her family and close friends.
Don't be fooled by Isla Ash affectionately calling him 'Grandpa Magi'; the two had actually met only a handful of times.
Under these circumstances, for Leo Ash's daughter to come looking for him, Dr. Magi felt something was wrong no matter how he looked at it.
"Alright, I was just joking with you, Grandpa Magi. You're being too serious."
After flashing a cunning smile, Isla Ash quickly said to Dr. Magi with a grin.
"Dad needs to get some of the newest HSN serum to keep on hand. Since I can use my Authority, I volunteered to come and get it."
"Ah, this..."
Logically speaking, if Leo Ash's daughter came to get serum, Dr. Magi shouldn't have to worry about anything.
After all, in the current situation, Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were basically cooperating again, and World Serpent couldn't possibly turn Leo Ash's daughter against them.
But still, Dr. Magi felt something was off.
But looking at the child's innocent, smiling face, he felt that maybe he was just overthinking things.
It was ridiculous. In the current situation, Isla Ash could suppress or even defeat any combatant below Herrscher-level.
And the Herrscher-level fighters... aside from World Serpent's Lord Kevin, who was rumored to have been defeated by Leo Ash, aren't all the remaining Herrscher-level fighters on our side?
I must be worrying too much.
Watching Dr. Magi hesitantly go to the warehouse to fetch her enough of the new HSN serum, Isla Ash's expression didn't change, but she finally relaxed a little.
"Thank you, Grandpa Magi. I'll head back to Dad now."
"Ah, be careful on your way."
Dr. Magi, having said something useless, felt the unease in his heart growing.
Then, to prevent any accidents, he decided he should follow procedure and ask Leo Ash directly what was going on.
The result...
"What do you mean, Bishop Leo Ash went out today?"
After receiving the message from the staff, Dr. Magi's anxiety magnified countless times.
"Isla... was lying..."
He immediately connected a call to another person, speaking to one of Isla Ash's 'mothers,' Yuna.
"Yuna, go find out where Isla Ash is right now."
"Doctor? What happened to Isla!"
Hearing Yuna's anxious tone, Dr. Magi quickly told her.
"She just came here using Leo Ash's name to get a batch of HSN serum, but I checked with the staff, and Leo Ash already left for the day."
"That child...!"
Hearing the dial tone after the call cut off, Dr. Magi immediately prepared to contact Isla Ash's *other* mother.
But just as he was about to complete the call...
"Old man Magi, is Isla here?"
An extremely anxious Kiana, who hadn't even knocked, ripped the door off its hinges with Bianka and looked at the shocked Dr. Magi.
"Kiana... I was just about to contact you."
Seeing the panic on Kiana's face, Dr. Magi knew something bad was definitely about to happen.
"Isla lied to me, said Bishop Leo Ash needed serum, and just left here with a large batch of it."
"...That child!!!"
"Sister Kiana."
Given the emergency, Bronya hacked directly into Kiana's communicator and spoke.
"Sister Yuna told me what happened. I've also tracked Isla. She's in her room right now."
"Tch..."
Hearing this, Kiana, for some reason, still didn't want to use the Herrscher of the Void's Authority.
Under the circumstances, the two sisters, who had just rushed over from near Isla Ash's room, could only sprint all the way back to find her and demand an explanation.
However, just as they were about to enter Isla Ash's room, they saw Yuna, who had also heard the news, arrive.
Without a word, the three exchanged a look and rushed the door.
After Kiana opened the door with her fingerprint, they saw Isla Ash acting as if nothing was wrong, processing electronic documents just like any other day.
However, the three, knowing the truth, would not be fooled by Isla Ash's facade.
"Eh? Mom Kiana, Mom Yuna, Aunt Bianka... you all..."
Watching the three approach, Isla Ash instinctively shrank back, only to have Yuna and Kiana grab her by the wrists.
Seeing the needle marks on Isla Ash's wrists, both of their hearts sank.
"These... this feeling..."
Both of them, having been exposed to or even injected with HSN serum before, quickly recognized the 'scent' of HSN serum emanating from the puncture marks.
"Um... can I say something now?"
Looking at her two mothers, who looked like they were about to break down, Isla Ash said cautiously.
"I knew you'd make a big fuss, which is why I didn't want to let you know."
"A big fuss?!"
Hearing her daughter's choice of words, Kiana said, extremely alarmed.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing! The HSN serum is—"
"Kiana, wait."
Yuna, pulling Kiana back a step, looked grim but at least remained calm.
"Isla, what exactly is going on?"
"Tell us everything, in detail. Otherwise, we won't be able to rest easy."
"Um, where should I start?"
To Bianka, who remained silent, Isla Ash truly looked like nothing was wrong, not showing the slightest hint of discomfort.
But considering she was Leo Ash's daughter—and that big scoundrel had fooled Bianka for years—Bianka felt she couldn't trust Isla's performance.
"Well, if I have to explain, I guess the reason can only be..."
After hesitating for a moment, Isla Ash spoke carefully to her two moms and one aunt.
"It's probably because... I'm Dad's daughter?"
Feeling the bloodcurdling stares from the three of them, Isla Ash sensed that she probably wouldn't be able to bluff her way out of this today.
"Okay, that might be a bit too abstract. But the reason I needed the HSN serum definitely wasn't to do anything bad, okay!"
"We know you weren't planning on doing anything bad, Isla."
After saying this helplessly, Yuna added internally.
*If she were just planning some mischief, we wouldn't be this worried.*
*The problem is, although Isla's way of addressing her seniors has changed a little, she's fundamentally the same.*
*My daughter is so well-behaved, so obedient, she would never pull a prank.*
*Therefore, for her to use this HSN serum on herself—it must mean Isla determined that she* needed *it!*
And what made Yuna feel even more faint was that there wasn't just one needle mark; Isla had used more than one dose.
She knew that Dr. Magi had developed multiple versions of the HSN serum since the Fourth Eruption.
The serum Isla had taken was the strongest version Dr. Magi currently had available.
Months ago, the HSN serum could already suppress a Herrscher's power after their defeat.
The current HSN serum was even stronger. While it couldn't turn a Herrscher back into a normal person with one shot, Isla had taken *more* than one...
"Hey, Mom, don't make that face!"
Seeing Yuna's eyes gradually lose focus, Isla Ash quickly explained.
"My meaning is simple—because I'm Dad's daughter, I inherited his genes, so naturally, I also inherited his traits."
"Dad gets stronger really fast, so my own rate of improvement has also... gotten a little out of control."
Seeing the worry in their eyes, Isla Ash scratched her head, embarrassed.
"I felt like if this continued, I might lose control of my power and something bad might happen, so I went to Grandpa Magi for the serum—I lied to him about it, so please don't blame him, okay!"
"Of course we won't blame Dr. Magi, but right now—you need to go for a full-body checkup, immediately!"
*I feel completely fine right now*—Isla Ash absolutely did not dare to say that.
Everything she had said so far was the truth, and not half-truths either.
Facing the people closest to her, once Isla Ash realized she couldn't hide it, she knew she had to tell them everything she knew without reservation to stop them from overthinking.
Under these circumstances, being dragged by the three of them to Schicksal's medical bay for an examination was an unavoidable fate.
While Isla Ash was being examined, all the Schicksal higher-ups who weren't on missions gathered in the infirmary, waiting nervously for Isla's medical report.
After all, Isla wasn't just Leo Ash's daughter; she was a junior they all cared about.
Basically, as soon as Bronya sent out the news, everyone had dropped what they were doing and rushed over.
Dr. Magi, in particular, looked so guilty he seemed like he was about to find a rope and hang himself, which terrified Isla.
Before the test results were even out, the group had already started a heated discussion.
After a few minutes, the people present were divided into the 'Isla is definitely overworked and must rest' faction, the 'Damn it, this must be the Honkai's doing' faction, and the 'Her father is a terrible role model, he needs a stern lecture when he gets back' faction.
Isla Ash truly felt that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her body.
But the pressure from the adults outside made her feel like she had really screwed up this time.
She just felt her power was increasing a bit too quickly, and she wanted to use the HSN serum to suppress it just in case. Why did things turn out like this?
"Alright, everyone, please calm down for a moment."
About twenty minutes later, Himeko displayed Isla's electronic report for all to see, her expression grim.
"This is... serious."
"Wait, let me see..."
Siegfried pulled up Isla's physical exam report from last week and compared it with the new one, looking puzzled.
"Isla's physical data today isn't that different from last week's, is it?"
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"It would be, if there were no other variables."
Cecilia, now back in her role as the 'Matriarch of the Schariac family,' looked at the report and immediately saw the problem.
"But, there *is* a variable. Isla."
"After being injected with at least five doses of the newest HSN serum, her Honkai Energy levels are still the same as last week..."
Hearing his wife point out this crucial fact, Siegfried instantly understood why most of the experts in the room had fallen silent.
If there was no variable, then two reports taken a week apart showing similar data would mean she was in good health.
But if she took *five* high-strength HSN serum doses and was *still* just as strong as last week, *and* was moving around normally—something was one hundred percent wrong!
Unlike Cecilia, who had assisted Dr. Magi in developing the new 'God-Slaying Spear' bioweapon, Siegfried didn't know the exact potency of the latest HSN serum.
But he was certain that if *he* took five doses of HSN serum, assuming he wasn't using his Power of Salvation, he wouldn't even be able to move, let alone fight.
It couldn't be helped. While Dr. Magi hadn't been a good person in the past, his morality didn't affect his intellect.
The man was a genius acknowledged even by Otto. And in the time since, the old man, seeking redemption, had shown everyone that geniuses don't play by the rules.
A lightweight HSN serum could already suppress a Herrscher Personality of the Herrscher of Domination. And now Isla had taken five doses of the *latest* version and her Honkai Energy levels were *still* near her previous levels... this was enough to show just how terrifying her Honkai Energy levels must have been *before*.
Even making the most conservative estimate, Siegfried felt that Isla, before the five serum doses, had to have possessed Herrscher-level Honkai Energy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Magi, who was frantically running calculations on a light screen, looked paler and paler the more he calculated.
As Otto's partner in the 'Artificial Herrscher Experiment,' Dr. Magi was one of the Schicksal scientists who best understood Herrscher Cores, Honkai Energy intensity, and Herrscher power levels.
Siegfried's 'conservative estimate' was just a wild guess.
But Dr. Magi was different. He couldn't get an exact number in such a short time, but his estimate would be nine-tenths of the way there.
After roughing out the numbers, Dr. Magi suddenly collapsed into his seat.
"No... it can't be."
"Doctor, what is it?!"
Seeing the disbelief in Dr. Magi's eyes, Yuna immediately created a vine chair, helped him up, and asked cautiously.
"Isla is..."
"If my estimates are correct... before those five serum doses were administered, her maximum Honkai Energy intensity might have reached 3200HW."
"What?!?!"
Hearing that number, Wendy froze.
"No, wait, I remember when I was tested, my normal Honkai Energy intensity was only around 2000HW! I can only get close to 3000HW when I go all out."
"Isla... already had Herrscher-level combat power?"
"To be precise, Herrscher-level energy."
Dr. Magi looked at the complex equations he'd scribbled, let out a heavy breath, and turned his complicated gaze toward Isla Ash, who was now too scared to speak.
"And, the key point isn't just Isla's energy levels."
"The most critical problem is that the examination results clearly show she still only possesses those Pseudo-Herrscher Cores."
"In other words, with only Pseudo-Herrscher Cores, her Honkai Energy intensity has already reached the level of a strong, single-core Herrscher."
"If she had a *real* core..."
Dr. Magi didn't finish.
But having said that much, everyone understood the severity of the problem.
Without a normal Herrscher Core, Isla was already as strong as a high-intensity single-core Herrscher.
If she were given a core, she would instantly transform into a super-Herrscher with terrifying energy levels.
For everyone here, this was absolutely not good news.
After all, if one's Honkai Energy intensity is too high, the wielder cannot control that power.
A Herrscher who cannot control their Honkai Energy will either be tortured into madness or be exploited by the Honkai, with a high probability of being converted into one of Its apostles.
Although Isla Ash had shown astonishing intelligence... she wasn't even one year old!
Expecting a one-year-old child to have the willpower to resist the Honkai's corruption of body and mind was obviously asking the impossible.
At this point, no one was blaming Dr. Magi for casually giving Isla the HSN serum.
The serum would have been needed sooner or later; waiting would only have made the problem worse.
And Dr. Magi, after giving her the serum, had immediately notified Yuna and tried to notify Kiana, which meant he had already kept the situation within a range they could, for now, accept.
In fact, Yuna and Kiana were incredibly grateful to Dr. Magi right now—if he hadn't developed the HSN serum, their daughter would be facing a much more severe problem.
But the problem wasn't over.
There had to be a reason for Isla's ridiculous power creep. If they didn't find the cause, the HSN serum would one day be unable to suppress her power.
At that moment, the Oath of Judah, which Theresa had incidentally brought along, suddenly flew from the corner of the room to Isla's side.
Seeing Judah acting on its own and flying around again, Theresa grabbed its chains, exasperated.
"Judah, stop messing around! Right now..."
"Grandma Theresa, I think... Judah might have something to tell me."
Seeing the Key of Binding about to be dragged away by Theresa, Isla Ash quickly pleaded.
"Can you let me touch it for a second?"
"...Fine."
Theresa gently placed Judah on the floor. Watching Isla stroking it, she felt something was off.
As the wielder of the Key of Binding for decades, Theresa could sense that Judah had its own consciousness, but she had never been able to directly converse with it.
But Isla was different. From the way she stroked Judah's surface and nodded frequently, it seemed she really *could* talk to it.
*Come to think of it, Isla isn't just terrifyingly smart; she's terrifying in other ways, too.*
*Her power growth and her affinity with the Divine Keys are both way too high.*
*I have no proof, but my gut tells me World Serpent never intended this when they created her.*
*So—was Isla's birth really just an accident?*
*No.*
*Something's definitely wrong.*
*But I can't put my finger on why—dammit! If only I were smarter, I wouldn't be agonizing over this!*
At that moment, Theresa forced herself to memorize her current thoughts, deciding she had to call a meeting about this later.
Ultimately, there were many things they should have discussed long ago.
But from the beginning of this year until now, everyone in Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had been spinning like tops.
Cocolia was scheming, Otto was scheming, World Serpent was scheming, the Honkai was scheming.
Theresa, who used to be able to squat in the Far East Branch reading manga and slacking off, had been forced to become the tryhard she never wanted to be. She was either on the way to a mission or patrolling the school and Schicksal HQ to guard against a sudden attack from World Serpent.
The Honkai was accelerating. Everyone could see that now.
Because of this, everyone was so busy fighting the Honkai that they forgot to deal with the smaller details they should have noticed long ago.
*What a mess... Why did things turn out this way?*
"Um, Grandma Theresa."
After finishing her communication with the Oath of Judah, Isla spoke softly to Theresa.
"Could I borrow Judah for a while? Judah said... it might be able to help me suppress the power that's growing so fast inside me."
"...That's not a problem."
Hearing Isla's request, Theresa walked over to her and gently stroked the head of the child, who was only slightly shorter than her.
"But you have to promise Grandma, next time something happens, you can't hide it from everyone and try to handle it yourself, okay?"
"Using the HSN serum to suppress your power was the right choice this time, but it might not be next time."
"Grandma wants you to act like a child and rely on the people who love you a little more, not like that father of yours, who you shouldn't be learning from, who always tries to handle serious problems all by himself."
"Ah, I understand."
Watching the little girl nod obediently, Theresa couldn't help but feel—*this child truly is Leo Ash's daughter.*
Seeing her nod so agreeably, Theresa even felt like she was watching Leo Ash's shadow, just going through the motions to placate her.
But right now, even if she knew the child was just placating her, Theresa was helpless.
*Sigh, this father-daughter pair is going to be the death of me.*
*Like father, like daughter. And I can't control either of them, nor can I help them.*
At that moment, the enraged Theresa realized that the true source of her anger was her own powerlessness.
Even though Cecilia was alive now, the fact remained that fourteen years ago, Theresa had failed to protect her.
And now, fourteen years later, facing the juniors she doted on and tried to protect, Theresa still couldn't be the reliable elder who could shield them...
"Forget it, I'm leaving."
Watching Theresa suddenly storm off in a huff, the others exchanged glances, completely baffled by her mood.
But even with Theresa gone, the people present weren't about to drop the unfinished business.
"Kiana."
Seeing the endless worry in her second daughter's eyes, Cecilia spoke gently.
"For the time being, you and Yuna shouldn't go out on missions."
"Spend more time with Isla. As for your mission quotas, Siegfried and I will work to cover them."
"...I understand, Mom."
After saying this, Kiana locked eyes with her daughter but said no more, simply staring at the trembling Isla.
Faced with the gazes of her two mothers, Isla didn't dare say another word.
"Hm, I see. I get it."
Li Sushang, who had been quiet on the sidelines because she didn't have the technical knowledge to contribute, suddenly spoke up.
"I didn't want to bother Martial Uncle, but since this is an emergency, I used my Quantum Entanglement to contact him."
"He heard the news and said he's coming back immediately. He also told me to tell Isla—don't overthink it."
Feeling the worried gazes of everyone, Isla sighed helplessly.
"Um, I'm really not as bad as everyone thinks."
"It's just that this was so sudden, I thought it would be better to wait until the situation stabilized before saying anything—I'm sorry, I was wrong!"
After being stared at by Yuna for one second, Isla immediately capitulated.
"I'll never do it again!"
"Sigh..."
Facing her daughter's instant surrender, Yuna knew she was just saying what they wanted to hear.
She was just like her father, similar in so, so many ways.
What else could she say...
—*She really is Senior's daughter.*
*When it comes to giving me a headache, you two, father and daughter, have truly shown me what a natural nemesis is.*
....
A few minutes ago. Leo Ash's home.
In Leo Ash's house, Rita, currently on the bed, had already put her small waistcoat back on over her maid uniform.
After the intense exercise, Rita's expression hadn't changed much, but she could feel...
Leo Ash's mood had, for the time being, relaxed slightly.
*It's still far from my ideal state, but at least... this act of love wasn't entirely useless.*
As for Leo Ash, he was silent, but he could truly feel the heavy love coming from Rita.
Unlike the others, whose actions still carried a trace of shyness, Rita's every move, every gesture, seemed to stir the impulses deep in Leo Ash's heart.
And yet, no matter how provocative her demeanor and actions were, that final barrier told him she was still a pure maiden.
Only after they had completed their ritual of love did Leo Ash realize how meticulous Rita's care for him was.
Thinking back, she had probably seen through him long ago, perhaps even observed and understood that aspect of his... preferences.
"What's wrong, Leo?"
Looking at the man before her, Rita smiled lightly, tracing circles on his chest with her finger.
"Going silent right after our tryst will cause your charm to drop significantly, you know."
"Although Kiana, Mei, Lady Fu Hua, and Lady Anna all love you very much, I hope you won't take that love for granted and become complacent."
"I know, Sis—"
"Rita."
She cut off Leo Ash's address with a kiss, emphasizing.
"At least for now, I want you to call me Rita."
Staring into her eyes, which were brimming with love, Leo Ash responded without hesitation, with a kiss of his own.
"I understand."
"Thank you, Rita."
"Mm, that's better."
Rita gazed at the man before her and suddenly sighed with emotion.
"My Leo... has truly become an adult."
"Even certain... body parts..."
Seeing Leo Ash's incredibly awkward expression, Rita suddenly stopped and whispered in his ear.
"What, you weren't this shy during the ritual. Now that the ritual is over, why are you suddenly embarrassed?"
"That... uh..."
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."
Seeing Leo Ash's mortified look, Rita's smile suddenly faded.
"About your parents, I am so sorry. But I believe that if heaven truly exists, they would not want their child to keep tormenting himself over something that was beyond his control."
"Leo, I chose to complete our ritual here today because I want you to understand—your parents, who loved you dearly, would surely want you to live happily."
"In the days to come, I will be by your side, Lady Bianka will be by your side, and Isla, Kiana, Mei, Lady Anna, and Lady Fu Hua will all be by your side."
"And not just them. Lady Theresa, who sees you as her junior, and Senior Wraith, who trained you as her disciple, will also walk this path with you. So promise me..."
"—From today on, before you fight the Honkai, please take good care of yourself first. Can you?"
Faced with Rita's heartfelt words, Leo Ash nodded slightly and replied.
"I understand. I promise you, Rita..."
When Rita noticed he was about to use that *other* address again, she blocked his mouth with her lips once more.
Finally, as they parted, Leo Ash looked at the clearly pouting Rita and raised his hands in surrender.
"I'm sorry, I'll be more careful in the future."
"It's fine, I'm not blaming you. After all, you are my precious family."
Picking up her maid uniform from the rail, Rita began to dress.
Just as Leo Ash was about to do the same, he unexpectedly received a communication from someone else via Quantum Entanglement.
[Martial Uncle? Can you hear me? I know I shouldn't bother you, but I have something urgent I must report!]
[Sushang? If it's urgent, say it.]
[It's like this... Aaaah, I don't understand all these formulas and special terms!]
[Anyway, something happened with Isla! But she's in a stable condition right now. I think—you should probably come back right away.]