"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Welcome to Heliopolis Life Sciences... I'm Cioara, your guide for today."
"May I have your names, please?" Raven asked after introducing herself.
"Rita Rossweisse."
"Houraiji Kyuusyou."
"Miss Rita and Miss Kyuusyou, I see. Where would you like to begin?"
Damn, two Schicksal S-rank Valkyries... Jackal, you're in for a one-sided beatdown...
Raven grumbled internally, grateful that thanks to a certain white-haired young lady's arrangements, she wouldn't have to actually fight them.
"Since this is an inspection... Miss Cioara, could you please give us a brief overview?" Rita said with a smile.
"Then let's start with the history of Heliopolis Life Sciences... It's not a very long one, certainly nothing compared to a centuries-old organization like Schicksal—"
"After the Second Eruption ended, Heliopolis Life Sciences began providing free medical aid to those affected by the Honkai worldwide. To facilitate local drug transportation, the company established industrial zones like this one for production in those regions."
"Although Arc City's industrial zone is on the outskirts... it's still much faster than shipping from thousands of miles away—after all, as the saying goes, 'Time is money, efficiency is life.'"
Cioara led the two of them on a tour of Heliopolis Life Sciences' surface-level research labs and production lines.
"And that's the gist of it... In short, Heliopolis Life Sciences owes its current scale and reputation to Schicksal's funding..."
"If you'd like to continue sightseeing, please feel free. Ah, I have other matters to attend to... so I won't be able to accompany you any further."
Cioara waved, intending to take her leave. Being around two S-rank Valkyries was adding immense pressure to her already exhausted mind and body. Moreover, the Valkyrie named Houraiji Kyuusyou had been staring at her intently, and she couldn't tell if it was genuine interest or if her acting had slipped up somewhere.
"Very well, we won't trouble you further, Miss Cioara. However, Schicksal has one more matter that requires your company's assistance—"
"Please, go ahead..."
"Your company has close ties with this city's medical system. We'd like to review all medical records related to Honkai energy leaks from the past five months. Additionally, regarding the massive Honkai construct that appeared in Arc City a few days ago, and the warrior who eliminated it... did anyone from your company witness it or have any leads?"
"Well... as for that warrior, we've only heard descriptions from the Arc City Guards and Valkyries who were present. They said she was a young girl with white hair and blue eyes... This must be what they call 'heroes emerging from the young' in Shenzhou..."
"But as for leaking medical records... Miss Rita, isn't that inappropriate?"
Even though Imhotep had instructed her beforehand to accommodate most of Schicksal's requests, she still had to put on a show... Otherwise, it would seem too suspicious.
"I assure you, this will only benefit Arc City, not harm it. I've heard the entire city is under martial law due to frequent Honkai Beast attacks. To fulfill our duty to protect the people, sometimes we must bend a few rules."
"Besides, isn't investigating the source of a disaster to prevent future harm another way of saving lives?"
"....Alright, Miss Rita, you've convinced me. I'll provide you both with the information you want. However... even though various forces have been active in the city recently, keeping civilian casualties to a minimum... it's still becoming increasingly dangerous. Miss Rita, Miss Kyuusyou, please be careful."
"You needn't worry about our safety, Miss Cioara... I'm just curious—"
"Miss Cioara... you said you've never seen or met the white-haired, blue-eyed girl who made that fleeting appearance a few days ago, correct?"
Before Rita could speak, Kyuusyou fixed her gaze on the little Island Bomber before her, posing a soul-piercing question.
"Th-That's right. I don't know her. Why do you ask?"
The Black Dodo instinctively sensed trouble...
"Really—?"
"Please, don't joke... If Heliopolis Life Sciences truly knew such a powerful individual, you wouldn't have seen so many armed guards when you arrived. Maintaining this level of security is a massive expense..."
Cold sweat poured down Cioara's back. The aura radiating from the purple-haired woman before her was terrifying—like that of a scorned woman who'd just been dumped by her boyfriend.
The innocent little Raven wanted nothing more than to crawl as far away as possible, rather than remain in the presence of this living embodiment of resentment.
"Why don't you turn around and see what just popped up behind you?"
Kyuusyou placed a hand on Cioara's shoulder with a deceptively friendly smile. Cioara stiffly turned her head—
"Miss Imhotep?! Wh-What are you doing here?"
Behind the three of them, a sleepy-looking, white-haired angel had emerged from the VIP reception room. She yawned listlessly, seemingly oblivious to the people in front of her.
"....Hmm?... Mmm~ Those unlucky kids were too noisy, so I slipped over here to sleep.... I don't have any other property or place to stay in Arc City. You want me to sleep on the streets?"
The girl squinted and yawned again, replying casually. She grabbed a toothbrush and cup from a nearby table, draped a towel over her shoulder, and seemed ready to wash up... then, as if remembering something, she shouted back into the VIP room—
"Irene—I want a beef sandwich for breakfast!"
"....Lady Imhotep, I suggest you look over here. Immediately."
Feeling the two gazes behind her, as sharp as blades, and the "small" hand of one of them gripping her ever tighter, the young Black Dodo felt her very life flickering like a candle in the wind. Then came the even more fatal reply...
"What's there to see? It's not like I haven't seen your face before. I've even touched it with my own hands. If you need something, go find Irene! Don't bother me while I'm washing up. I still need to change."
My dear ancestor, I'm begging you, just look at me! Just one glance! I'm about to be strangled to death by a Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie!
At some point—probably when the white-haired girl said, "I've even touched your face"—the small hand on Raven's shoulder had silently crept up to the back of her neck....
Poor Miss Cioara could almost hear her own vertebrae groaning in protest.
Someone save me—I'm too young to die—!!!