"We can't rule out that possibility."
Herta frowned, already thinking of a possible solution. The first problem to overcome would be resistance to Honkai energy.
If everyone could awaken a stigmata...
Then she recalled another rule of this world's civilization: the stronger the civilization, the stronger the Honkai becomes.
According to that principle, if everyone were able to awaken a stigmata, the Honkai energy in this world might escalate to levels approaching what she had experienced before.
It might even surpass that.
Like that little follower of Kiana's?
Herta thought back to when she had researched stigmata with Kiana on Jarilo-VI. There had been a Honkai Beast that occasionally trailed behind Kiana, only to be coaxed away by her.
It had been a planet-class Honkai Beast. Unfortunately, Kiana had never given her the chance to study it. And just like Acheron, that Honkai Beast had shown not the slightest interest in her proposals.
So achieving this would be extremely difficult.
First, a feasible method was required. Second, one would have to withstand the Honkai growing stronger alongside humanity.
To find that delicate point of balance would require countless simulations and solid data to support the conclusions.
But in her current state—unable to access anything in the trial world again, and unable to forcibly detach herself without extreme measures—
Neither of those conditions could be met.
As for why...
For a Self-Annihilator walking the Path of Nihility, the fact that she could still preserve her memories and emotions was already remarkable.
And you expected her to conduct research?
If she tried to forcibly interact with the trial world through her ability to communicate with Acheron, it would inevitably trigger logical errors within the world's framework.
In a severe case, it might even cause the world to collapse, ending the trial ahead of time.
That was not the outcome Herta wanted. After attempting it once, she gave up the idea of interacting with the world.
Meanwhile, Acheron thought about what Kiana had always wanted to accomplish. If the topic were coexistence between Honkai and humanity, then such a possibility might indeed exist.
"Mei, why are you here all by yourself?" Kiana's voice rang out from the forest behind her. She stepped out from between the trees. "We agreed this was a vacation. Sneaking off alone like this isn't allowed."
There always seemed to be a smile on her face.
"You're here."
Kiana nodded, curiously taking in the beach and the boundless ocean stretching to the horizon.
It was beautiful.
The afterglow of the setting sun shimmered across the sea, the rippling light dazzling to behold. And the person standing quietly by the shore, her expression faintly indifferent, was beautiful as well.
"Are you still thinking about what we talked about earlier?" Kiana walked to Acheron's side, her voice tinged with emotion. "Compared to the outside world, this island really does feel like... a paradise removed from worldly strife."
"The Honkai Beasts here are different," Acheron said, recalling Herta's words. "The Honkai Beasts here—how are they different from the Honkai creatures we're used to seeing? If we can figure that out, could we reduce some of the conflicts in the future?"
As she voiced her questions, she looked at Kiana beside her and continued, "If we understand this, could we prevent more tragedies?"
"Maybe?"
Kiana wasn't entirely sure either. The situation here had truly exceeded her expectations. Honkai Beasts like these were exceedingly rare.
This was the first time she had ever encountered something like this.
To be honest, she was genuinely surprised.
"Herrschers can be different. If Honkai Beasts display special circumstances, it's not impossible to understand." She took Acheron's hand and smiled. "Mei, you're special too. As long as we keep moving forward, we'll definitely be able to prevent even more tragedies!"
Her smile was radiant, carrying the particular confidence of youth, as though she had never experienced any crushing setbacks.
"That's right. And not just that. Maybe in the future we'll even find the source of Honkai and drive it out of this world entirely!"
Everything had gone unusually smoothly lately. Ever since meeting Acheron in Nagazora, no matter what trouble they encountered, it had always been resolved.
It was hard not to grow confident.
To believe that things would continue this way.
"Do you want to save this world?"
"What are you talking about, Mei?" Kiana looked at her, puzzled and confused. "Of course I do. Even if not for others, at least for myself, I have to work hard, right?"
"For others... or for yourself?"
"Why can't it be both?" Used to Acheron occasionally asking strange questions, Kiana didn't react much. She didn't brush it off either. Instead, she thought seriously before answering. "I want you, and Bronya, and Auntie... everyone I know to keep living on!"
"...That does sound like you."
"Stop thinking about such philosophical questions all the time. If you think too much, the pressure gets huge!" Kiana tugged Acheron back the way she had come. "The event's about to start. We can't just leave Bronya there by herself."
Their vacation was nearing its end.
They hadn't stayed on the island long. After compiling a report about the situation and submitting it, they remained two more days before returning to St. Freya.
It hadn't been long since the Fourth Herrscher incident. There wasn't much need for them at the moment. Anti-Entropy had stolen the Fourth Herrscher's remains, and combined with their recent unusual movements, it had drawn Schicksal's attention.
Kiana trained with Acheron and occasionally went to see Theresa, participating in the trials Theresa had meticulously prepared for her.
And so the days passed, one after another.
Until one day.
St. Freya's alarm rang out, echoing through every corner of the academy, announcing that an external enemy had invaded the school that trained Valkyries.
Kiana had just come out of one of Theresa's trials, baring her teeth in frustration as she told herself she would definitely do better next time. Her expression instantly turned grave.
She rushed outside and heard the sounds of battle. Fighting had already broken out. The academy's internal systems had been infiltrated and were extremely unstable.
"Hey? Can you hear me?"
Just as Kiana was about to join the fight, she suddenly stopped. Bronya's voice came through her earpiece. The audio stuttered slightly, as though affected by interference.
"Bronya?" Kiana quickly replied. "Where are you? Do you know what's going on?"
"Long story short, Anti-Entropy has invaded." The voice still stuttered, but it was clear enough. "Raiden Mei and I are heading to intercept their main force. Listen to me—I suspect their real target is the Second Herrscher's remains beneath the church!"
"The Second Herrscher's remains?"
Kiana was stunned. She hadn't even known that the Second Herrscher's remains were beneath St. Freya's church.
"I saw it by accident while hacking the system," Bronya explained briefly before continuing. "We'll talk in detail later. For now, listen carefully. We can handle their main force. You head to the church district first. Don't let Anti-Entropy's plan succeed."
"The church district, right? Got it—leave it to me!"
Kiana trusted Acheron's strength. With Bronya there as well, it was clear the church district needed her more right now.
In direct combat, hardly anyone could stand against Acheron. And if she used her Herrscher powers, she would only become stronger.
So Kiana did not hesitate.
After hearing Bronya explain the situation, she immediately changed direction and sprinted toward the church, hoping to arrive before Anti-Entropy did.
At the same time, doubts surfaced in her mind.
The Second Herrscher's remains—why were they here?
Why had Theresa never mentioned it?
And what exactly was Anti-Entropy planning to do by collecting Herrscher remains?
Her speed was astonishing. She reached the church district quickly. On the way, she had been wondering how to access the underground area. She had been here before, but she had never known there was a subterranean section.
Yet the moment she arrived, she saw familiar enemies—the standardized Anti-Entropy mechs that had once blocked her path.
"So the Anti-Entropy bastards are already here?"
Her expression shifted slightly, and she accelerated further. At the same time, she drew her weapon and pulled the trigger from tricky angles, targeting the mechs' weakest structural points.
After undergoing relentless special training day after day,
she was nothing like the girl she had been back in Nagazora.
To her now, these mechs were little more than minor nuisances.
Her skills still fell short of Acheron's.
But only Acheron's.
Dismantling mechs along the way, Kiana broke through the outer defenses and charged straight into the church.
Static crackled in her earpiece.
"Kiana? You went to the church?!"
The voice coming through sounded anxious.
"I know it's dangerous, but don't worry! Anti-Entropy's people aren't my match. I'm fine!"
"Cocolia has already infiltrated the church?" Theresa's voice shifted again. After a brief pause, it steadied considerably. "Do not act recklessly. Do not go to the underground area. Guard the church entrance and wait for me to arrive!"
"Huh? Why?" Kiana asked, confused. "If we just stand here doing nothing, the enemy won't give us another chance!"
"Quiet!" Theresa's tone, rare and unquestionable, rang out sharply. "Follow my orders. No matter what happens, you are not to go to the underground area!"
"But the Second Herrscher's remains are down there!" Kiana protested. "If Cocolia transfers them away—"
"Even if the remains are taken, you are not to go underground!" Theresa snapped forcefully.
Kiana frowned. Theresa's reaction was far too abnormal, and suspicion bloomed in her heart.
Was the church basement some kind of forbidden zone?
Why was Theresa reacting so strongly?
It was just the Second Herrscher's remains.
To say that even if they were stolen, she still wasn't allowed to go down there...
Kiana pressed her lips together. With Theresa taking such a stance, it was impossible not to grow suspicious. She even found herself wondering whether her father's body might also be down there.
That couldn't be it... right?
The thought made her restless. But gritting her teeth, she stayed where she was, her gaze sweeping across the church interior until it landed on a door that shouldn't have existed directly ahead.
Once Cocolia was caught, she would definitely demand an explanation from Theresa—why she was so adamant about forbidding her from entering the underground area.
Yes, why couldn't she go?
Herta, who had been following Kiana all along, stroked her chin as she listened to the exchange between Kiana and Theresa.
Most of the time she shadowed Kiana, and this time was no exception. So she witnessed everything firsthand.
"She can't go. But I'm different."
Herta walked straight through the door, descended the stairs leading downward, and entered the underground section of the church.
There was only a single passage.
Following it downward and then forward, she arrived at a massive underground laboratory.
There, Herta saw a woman. The resemblance between this woman and the Supreme Guardian in Belobog was uncanny—more than similar. They were practically identical.
What a "familiar face."
How many was that now?
Herta swept her gaze across the surroundings and quickly formed a preliminary conclusion. This was a biological laboratory. Considering that the Second Herrscher was stored here,
the laboratory's purpose was self-evident.
There was nothing here that Kiana feared. Aside from Cocolia and the corpse before her, there were no other humanoid beings.
"Another one."
The body lying there had striking purple hair—instantly recognizable.
Sirin?
Taking advantage of her invisibility, Herta walked straight to Cocolia's side. She glanced at Cocolia holding Sirin's hand, muttering words too faint to make sense of, then examined the condition of the corpse.
There were no visible signs of decay. It looked as though she were merely asleep.
"Nothing special."
Herta felt puzzled. Had Theresa said those things to Kiana just to mislead her?
It was only a corpse.
What was there to hide?
Cocolia released Sirin's hand and stood up, her expression returning to cold indifference. Her original objective had been the Second Herrscher's remains, yet now she seemed to have cast that goal aside.
Annoyance at having been misled flickered across her face as she headed back up through the only available passage.
Looking for the Herrscher Core?
Herta deduced the answer.
Outside, Kiana waited, her heart full of curiosity and confusion. After a while, she heard nothing further from Theresa, nor had she arrived yet.
Probably a few more minutes.
Just as Kiana wondered whether she should close the door and block the path entirely, footsteps reached her ears.
She immediately tensed, tightening her grip on her pistols, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the door leading underground.
Who was it?
Cocolia?
The answer soon appeared. A woman stepped out from within. Seeing Kiana blocking the entrance, she raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Kiana Kaslana? Theresa actually dares to let you guard this place alone?"
"Cocolia?" Kiana asked calmly. "You invaded St. Freya just to take a look at the Second Herrscher's remains? Your main force from Anti-Entropy is probably getting dismantled by now. I didn't expect you to be this extravagant."
"Mechs aren't cheap, are they? Why not stop building them altogether and quit researching ancient civilization tech? Just wire the money straight to me instead. They're nothing but scrap I tear apart on a whim anyway. At least giving me the money would save you from manufacturing more trash."
Having her expensive creations dismissed as trash, combined with the fact that this operation had failed to obtain what she wanted, Cocolia was already in a foul mood. It felt like a loss.
But seeing the girl before her mock her so brazenly, she suddenly remembered something about her. The anger brewing in her eyes was replaced by a flicker of amusement.
"Kiana Kaslana? Heh. I heard you've been looking for Siegfried, haven't you?"