Enoxia, who was just about to move into a new home, received a message from the fragment she had left inside Kiana’s body.
“What happened now?”
Sirin put down the table she was holding. I have to say, the authority of the Herrscher of the Void is way more efficient for moving houses than any moving company.
“It’s about Kiana fainting. Otto’s plan is going even more smoothly than expected. Meri did nothing at all, and Kiana just went ahead and touched the stone tablet on her own. My other fragments around the world also confirmed that two Emperor-class Honkai beasts have appeared on Coral Island.”
After listening to Enoxia give a rough summary of what just happened on Coral Island, Sirin showed an unhappy expression:
“These Valkyries of Schicksal are way too blindly obedient to their superiors. They never even suspected that a second Emperor-class Honkai beast would appear at the target location, and that they themselves were being used as cannon fodder by the higher-ups.”
Enoxia’s expression remained calm:
“Rather than saying they’re blindly obeying the higher-ups, it’s more accurate to say Otto’s personal authority is just too great. Valkyries from the Schariac and Kaslana families, when they join Schicksal, swear their loyalty to Otto personally.”
“I think I’ve mentioned this to you before, but before the Snow Wolf Squad was formed, Cecilia’s public identity, besides being an S-rank Valkyrie, was also directly under Otto, kind of like his personal Valkyrie. Otherwise, the marriage between Cecilia and Siegfried probably would have really been ruined by the pressure from people like Shigure Kira.”
Obviously, Sirin couldn’t care less about Siegfried. When it came to Schicksal, the only person she had ever respected from start to finish was Cecilia.
“So, what exactly did Otto cook up for Kiana?”
Enoxia fell into thought, trying to figure out how to explain it clearly in a way Sirin would understand.
“Let me think… it should be… a device that resonates with the Kaslana Stigma? Stigmata are essentially devices that record information, so they can naturally receive information too. When other people touch that stone, nothing happens. Only someone with the Kaslana Stigma will receive the information inside upon contact. Considering that among the Valkyries on this mission, only Kiana had awakened the Kaslana family’s Stigma…”
“Mmm… you can just think of it as a computer that only Kiana can activate by touching it, and that forcefully transmits information to her. As for all that stuff on the surface that looks like Martian text, it’s just camouflage to fool people, completely meaningless. The real stone tablet was already sent to Schicksal headquarters by Meri a long time ago.”
Sirin scratched her head:
“So… what will Kiana see?”
Enoxia shrugged:
“What else could it be? It’s definitely the modified version of the Second Eruption according to Otto. It’s perfect for stirring up Kiana, making her watch Cecilia ‘die.'”
Hearing this, Sirin immediately clenched her fists, rage rising in her heart.
Enoxia patted her on the head:
“No need to be angry. According to the plan, Otto has less than a year left to live. When the time comes, you can collect everything he owes you and Cecilia, principal and interest included, all at once.”
“As for Coral Island, let’s just wait and see. Schicksal currently has four S-rank Valkyries and Fu Hua. There’s no way they can’t handle just two measly Emperor-class Honkai beasts.”
Just as Enoxia predicted, Kiana felt the world spin around her, and after that, the scenery changed. When she came to her senses, she found herself standing in the middle of a snowy plain.
“Wasn’t I just at the base on Coral Island? How did I end up here? Where is this place?”
“Hey, hey! Is anyone there?… Dang it, even my communicator has no signal. I just touched that stupid stone, how did I end up in a place like this?”
Kiana looked around and found no one nearby. No matter how much she shouted, no one answered. The only thing that caught her eye in the distance was a tall tower.
After walking for a while on the snowy plain, Kiana felt pretty emotional:
“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve seen this much snow. I remember… before that deadbeat dad of mine went missing, we also lived in a house that was surrounded by snow everywhere once winter came.”
Remembering the past, Kiana’s originally irritated mood became much happier.
“Back then, I could have snowball fights with Dad. One time, he threw a snowball with all his might, and it actually shattered a rock bigger than he was!”
“Oh wait, if I hadn’t dodged back then… wouldn’t that have been really dangerous? What was that stupid dad of mine even thinking?”
Then, one day, Siegfried suddenly disappeared. Kiana searched from Europe to Asia, from Siberia to the Far East, but even now, there’s still no news at all.
“Come to think of it… what is Dad doing right now? It’s been so long with no news, I kind of miss her.”
Kiana kept walking toward the tower. Along the way, not to mention people, she didn’t even see any plants or animals. Her only companions were the gentle rustling sound of falling snow and the crunch of her shoes packing down the snow.
A wave of loneliness hit Kiana. She found it strange—she had lived alone for several years before, so she should have been used to it by now. Why was she feeling lonely?
Right now, the thing taking up the most space in Kiana’s head was the dinner Mei had made, followed by playing games with Bronya.
She felt that even Theresa’s hellish training, and that one time when Himeko got drunk, took off all her clothes, and passed out naked on her bed… even those memories…
“Wait, what was that last image?! Anyway, I really want to see everyone again…”
Kiana didn’t know how long she had been walking on the endless snowy plain, but finally, she spotted some living things in her eyes: a few cedar trees. But what caught her attention were the several zombies and Honkai beasts nearby.
“Ah, finally, I can stretch my legs a bit! I was getting so bored!”
But as she fought, Kiana noticed something was off. The zombies and Honkai beasts here were way too weak compared to the ones she had faced in New Zealand and Nagazora. She felt like she had just finished warming up, and there were already no enemies left around.
A little disappointed, Kiana continued walking forward. But as she walked, she noticed something strange again.
“Hey, I’ve been walking for so long, so why does that tower still feel so far away? It can’t be that I’m lost, right?”
“Am I going to be stuck all alone in this creepy place forever, with only Honkai beasts for company…”
Kiana shook her head vigorously, using a physical method to force the negative feelings out of her mind.
“Mei, Bronya, and everyone—they must all be waiting for me! I’ll definitely find a way out and be reunited with everyone!”
Just then, Kiana’s communicator, which had been silent for so long, let out a sound.
“Yes! The communicator has a signal!”
Following the signal on her communicator, she spotted a small, short figure not far away. As she got closer, she saw that it was Theresa.
“Who… who are you?”
Facing the unfamiliar girl who had run up to her, Theresa looked completely confused.
“Theresa, don’t you recognize me? I’m your niece, Kiana!”
Theresa looked even more puzzled:
“Kiana… Kiana Kaslana?”
But just a few seconds later, a look of sudden understanding appeared on Theresa’s face. Just as Kiana thought her aunt’s brain had returned to normal, Theresa actually pulled out the Oath of Judah.
“Hmph! You dirty Herrscher of the Void, trying to fool me with illusions! My niece isn’t even two years old yet!”
“Huh?!”
