Honkai: Oh No, I’ve Become the Herrscher of Corruption?! - Chapter 26

As the world returned to normal, everything before Siegfried’s eyes began moving again. Watching the bustling crowd in the store, he rubbed his temples.

“Was that… just a nightmare? I must be too stressed from work…” He touched the back of his head and walked back to where the two were picking out clothes. By then, Sirin had already changed into a red dress.

“How does this look?” she asked with a proud expression. Cecilia grinned, her eyes crinkling with joy.

“Beautiful! My daughter looks good in anything. We’ll take this one too— Oh, dear, you’re back. Are you feeling unwell?”

Cecilia immediately noticed something was off about her husband.

“I’m fine,” Siegfried forced a smile.

“You’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Don’t push yourself too hard.” As she spoke, Cecilia handed him her half-finished drink. Siegfried took a sip from the straw, the cool sweetness instantly washing away his mental fatigue.

The three stopped in front of a pet shop, where a plump orange cat lounged on a circular platform, completely unfazed by the people petting it—in fact, it seemed to enjoy the attention.

Just as Sirin approached, the person petting the cat lost interest and walked away. The cat locked eyes with her and let out a soft “meow.”

“Sirin, it’s very gentle. Want to try petting it?” Cecilia, noticing Sirin’s curiosity, beckoned her over.

Sirin’s cheeks warmed slightly as she tiptoed toward the cat. Unable to resist any longer, she reached out and stroked its fur. The softness overwhelmed her, stirring a long-buried memory.

She remembered something—or someone—she had once petted like this.

“Bella… Yes… Bella…”

The name flashed through her mind, and a flood of memories followed—not about Benares, but the real Bella.

Memory Fragment: The Past

“I… I’m Bella.” On her first day at Babylon Tower, a gray-haired girl extended her hand to Sirin with a sweet smile.

“H-Hello… I’m Sirin.” Hesitant but polite, Sirin shook her hand.

“Sirin… That’s a lovely name. Were you brought here by Schicksal too?”

Sirin nodded at the girl’s innocent smile.

“Then we’re friends now! I’m from Cologne. Where are you from?”

The two hit it off instantly, chatting like old friends. But neither knew what horrors awaited them.

“Subject 44.” A researcher emotionlessly called out before dragging Bella away.

“Bella!” Sirin lunged forward, clinging to the man’s leg, but a child was no match for an adult. With a kick, he sent her sprawling.

Ignoring the pain, Sirin scrambled up and sprinted toward the closing iron door. She banged on the small window, but all she got was Bella’s desperate shake of the head—the researcher didn’t even glance her way.

Another scientist arrived, holding a syringe filled with a strange liquid and a grotesque device.

“Here?”

“Might as well. Easier to clean up.”

The first researcher pinned Bella down while the second secured the device onto her.

“No…”

“Please, no…”

“NO!!!”

Bella’s screams fell on deaf ears. The researcher coldly injected the liquid—pure Honkai energy—directly into her veins.

“AAAAAHHHH—!!!”

Sirin turned away, covering her ears. She knew all too well—this was only the beginning.

“Heart rate: 113.”

“[Unintelligible data]: 867.”

The researchers recorded the data indifferently, as if Bella were nothing more than a malfunctioning machine.

When the experiment ended, one of them sighed. “Still not meeting the parameters. This subject can’t be reused. Useless… My reports are going to be a nightmare.”

Bella was tossed back into the cell like trash. Sirin ignored the researcher’s disgusted look and threw herself over Bella’s trembling body.

“Bella! Bella, talk to me!”

But this time, Bella didn’t cry or vent her pain. Her eyes held only peace—and resignation.

“Bella… When will this end?”

“One day, Sirin… We’ll leave this place together.”

“Promise? If you leave without me, I’ll… I’ll…” Sirin couldn’t bring herself to finish the threat.

“I’d never lie to you. You’re my best friend. Want to pinky swear?”

In that cold, dark cell, two little girls intertwined their fingers.

“Pinky promise—a hundred years, no breaking.”

“Bella… You said once we escaped, you’d open a flower shop next to my clothing store. So we could see each other every day…”

Bella only smiled silently.

Now, in this illusion, the memories struck Sirin like a tidal wave.

“They’re not my parents! My mother died long ago! They’re Schicksal—just like those researchers! Everyone from Schicksal… DESERVES TO DIE!”

A surge of power erupted from her, blasting Cecilia and Siegfried off their feet.

“CRASH—!” The ceiling light shattered, swinging precariously before plummeting toward Sirin. She tried to teleport away using the Void Archives’ power—but nothing happened.

Cecilia lunged, shielding Sirin as the light fixture smashed onto her back.

“Don’t be afraid, Sirin. No matter what… I’ll protect you. Ich liebe dich.”

“You—!” This was the first time in years someone had held her like this. Unlike Enoxia’s embrace, Cecilia’s warmth felt… like a mother’s.

“She’s a Schicksal Valkyrie… So why…?” Tears streamed down Sirin’s face as she stopped resisting, melting into Cecilia’s arms.

Then, a black mist seeped into the world, swallowing everything. Even as the void consumed them, Cecilia never let go.

When the illusion shattered, the trio regained their full memories—and saw two new figures: Enoxia and Welt.

“I tried corrupting this dream with the Herrscher of Corruption’s power. Surprisingly, it worked on the first try. The Herrscher of IceFall is vicious—forcing you into a shared dream.” Enoxia briefed them on what she knew.

“This illusion… was the Herrscher of IceFall’ doing? And the ‘clear condition’ was the death of the person we most wanted to see?!” Siegfried’s jaw dropped.

“Its regeneration, realistic illusions, and ability to devour Divine Keys shouldn’t be within its authority. The reason remains unknown.” Enoxia clenched her fists in frustration.

“Wait, so you’re saying…”

“Yes. In a shared dream, all three of your ‘most desired people’ were real. Without external interference, only one of you could’ve survived.”

Welt had deduced—through clues from Joachim’s illusion—that death in the dream meant brain death in reality. Like Elysia’s illusion, Joachim’s had also chosen self-erasure to awaken Welt.

“Thankfully, my worst fear didn’t come true—all three of you realizing it was an illusion at the same time. Cecilia, since you were conscious the whole time… you didn’t realize Siegfried and Sirin were real, did you?”

Cecilia shook her head. “No. I thought they were just… incredibly lifelike illusions.”

Then Sirin spoke, her voice trembling. “Why? If you knew from the start I wasn’t your daughter… why treat me like this?!”

Cecilia smiled softly.

“Sirin… Ich liebe dich. That’s all.”