Otto had been staying at the Far East Branch for several days now. (Current Crystals: 740, Friendship Points: 1820) He was in no hurry to see Raiden Mei. Although he had lived through an eternity in the illusion, only half a night had passed in the real world.
Death hadn't had enough time to settle.
He still had to maintain his status as a dead man.
However, Otto had been keeping a close eye on Mei's movements. She was currently undergoing Valkyrie training at Schicksal HQ.
Compared to Kiana, she was a true novice.
Still, based on the data from the past few days, it was clear Mei was pushing herself exceptionally hard.
He would have to appear before her soon, before that tightly wound string inside her finally snapped.
"Black tea."
Otto held a newspaper in his hands, speaking in a leisurely tone.
But the pink-haired fox in the nun's habit beside him didn't move.
Otto lifted his head, his gaze settling silently on Yae Sakura.
Only when she felt his eyes on her did Sakura realize Otto was speaking to her.
"Oh, oh." Still not accustomed to her duties, Yae Sakura scrambled to boil water and brew the tea.
After taking a sip of the scalding hot tea, Otto's brow furrowed slightly.
Yae Sakura was still a long way from being a secretary who could attend to his every comfort.
"Pack your things. We're preparing to leave," Otto said slowly, setting down the teacup.
"I have nothing to pack," Yae Sakura replied. She had no worldly possessions, not even a change of clothes.
In the few days since she had awakened, she had been in this world.
Only after witnessing the many marvels of this era did the reality of having traveled five hundred years into the future truly sink in.
There were so many convenient things.
If you wanted hot water for a bath, you didn't have to draw water from a well and boil it; you just had to turn a thing called a "faucet."
There were also things that terrified her.
Like the television.
The first time she saw images on a TV screen, she almost jumped out of her skin, thinking it was another existence like the Black Box, trapping people inside.
"Very well." Otto nodded. He, on the other hand, had plenty of possessions, but he couldn't be bothered to pack either.
Once they got to St. Freya Academy, Theresa's things would be his things anyway.
Yes, Otto was preparing to go to St. Freya Academy to pick up Kiana. It wasn't because Kiana was more important to him than Mei, but simply a matter of convenience, as both the Far East and Extreme East branches were in Asia.
Otto stood up. He had only taken a single sip of the tea Sakura made. His original purpose was simply to teach her obedience.
He liked an obedient fox.
"Let's go," Otto said, leaving the room. He didn't go looking for Fu Hua, as she had already departed from the Far East Branch ahead of him.
He wasn't taking Fu Hua to St. Freya. Instead, he had sent her to HQ with Anna Schariac to report for duty.
It was a no-brainer. At St. Freya, he had a date with Kiana's lips.
What would he do if Fu Hua smelled Kiana's taste on him?
Over the past few days, Otto had been helping Fu Hua solve her "dry lips problem" on a daily basis.
Fu Hua's attitude towards him had softened considerably. When they were alone, she no longer resisted when he held her hand.
As long as Otto didn't do anything to betray her, she couldn't maintain her icy mask in his presence.
However, Otto and Fu Hua weren't stuck together like a clingy newlywed couple. Fu Hua was no young girl; her vast experience made her more rational. A proper distance could allow their feelings to grow more effectively.
He was slowly turning up the heat on Fu Hua.
After Yae Sakura awakened, Otto had been completely forthright, introducing her to Fu Hua as his secretary.
But Fu Hua showed no signs of jealousy.
She figured a lazy dog like Otto only got a secretary so he could slack off even more.
After all, having been in Schicksal for many years, she had seen with her own eyes how Amber worked herself to death around the clock.
Besides, Yae Sakura looked identical to her comrade from the Previous Era, Sakura. Because of this, Fu Hua's attitude toward her was also quite gentle.
---o---
In high spirits, Otto led Yae Sakura to the Far East Branch's landing pad, where an airship was already waiting for him.
Yae Sakura's eyes went wide, her body stiffening as she stared in disbelief at the technological behemoth before her.
It was like standing before a god.
She had been Otto's secretary for several days, but she had been confined to her room to maintain his hidden presence.
This first trip outside left her completely stunned.
With a practiced motion, Otto patted Yae Sakura's waist and said with a smile to the village girl, "Let's go."
Only after the pat did Otto realize he had momentarily mistaken her for Fu Hua.
But so what? If he didn't touch his own secretary, was he supposed to leave her for someone else?
With that thought, Otto patted her slender waist again.
Yae Sakura, still awestruck by the massive airship, didn't notice Otto's intimate gesture. It wasn't until he waved a hand in front of her face that she snapped out of her daze.
What is this thing? It's too big, too oppressive!
Yae Sakura patted her heaving chest. The world five hundred years later was truly terrifying.
Is this some kind of demon beast?
Yae Sakura grew nervous.
"Come with me. Don't be afraid."
Seeing her state, Otto extended a hand to her. Yae Sakura looked at the airship, then tremblingly placed her hand in his.
The unknown is always frightening.
Moreover, she could smell danger from this monster. It was something that could easily kill her.
But being held by Otto's warm hand, Yae Sakura felt an inexplicable sense of security.
Holding her slightly cold hand, Otto felt like an adult leading a child through a zoo.
He led her forward, his pace slow to match hers.
The short distance took them a long time to cross.
Stepping onto the ramp, they looked like a newlywed couple walking the red carpet.
Once he had led her onto the Schicksal warship and onto the deck, before they even entered the lounge, the malicious Otto immediately ordered the ship to take off and head for St. Freya Academy.
He was being wicked.
He enjoyed bullying Yae Sakura.
He genuinely derived pleasure from teasing her.
"It's flying!?"
Standing at the edge of the deck, Yae Sakura watched in shock as the ground grew more and more distant. The hair on her arms stood on end, her heart seemed to stop for a moment, and her legs went weak, almost causing her to collapse.
Yae Sakura, who had spent her entire life with her feet firmly on the ground, had never been in the sky. She felt light-headed, her steps unsteady like an anemic person on the verge of fainting.
Her pitiful state made Otto wonder: if she became a Herrscher and had to fly, would she pass out from fright?
After all, even giants can have a fear of heights.
Fortunately, the "kind-hearted" Otto wrapped an arm around Yae Sakura's waist, letting her lean on him for support. He even thoughtfully held down the hem of her nun's habit, which was being whipped up by the wind. This, however, did little to alleviate her terror.
What if I fall?
Sakura worried, her fox ears drooping. She gripped Otto's arm tightly, like a drowning person clutching at a straw.
Otto was now the only one she could rely on.