Honkai: Oh No, I’ve Become the Herrscher of Corruption?! - Chapter 42

February 11, 11:00 AM

Three Valkyries entered a hospital during their search and rescue mission.

“Captain, this hospital was already confirmed evacuated. Is there still a need to search?”

“Headquarters reported that a machine in this hospital was activated last night. There might be injured survivors who took refuge here. If there’s even a possibility, we can’t give up!” the captain replied sternly.

“Understood, Captain!”

Armed with their equipment, the three entered the hospital and soon found the only operational device inside.

“This… This is Lady Cecilia! And next to her… Is that her weapon?”

“Don’t touch it recklessly! Lady Cecilia’s weapon corrupts its wielder. Only a Valkyrie as powerful as her could control it. Contact Lady Theresa immediately!”

…

February 14

The moment Siegfried regained mobility, devastating news struck him like a bolt of lightning.

“Theresa, tell me… What exactly happened?!” Siegfried gripped her shoulders, shaking her violently.

Tears welled in Theresa’s eyes as she trembled. “Grandfather said… She sacrificed herself to save others by unleashing the Schariac’s holy blood—the power to slay a Herrscher. But once released… even Black Abyss White Flower couldn’t reverse its effects.”

Siegfried collapsed into a chair, his strength draining away.

“Siegfried! I know this is unbearable. Kiana lost her mother—must she also grow up with a broken father?!”

Theresa’s raised voice drew attention. The door creaked open, and Kiana peeked in before tiptoeing to Theresa’s side.

“Auntie, you’re crying! Grown-ups shouldn’t cry, you know?” Kiana puffed her cheeks, hands on her hips.

Theresa crouched down, gently patting her head. “You’re right, Kiana. You’re so brave. I’ll learn from you.”

Kiana blinked, glancing between Theresa and Siegfried. “Auntie… Where’s Mommy? It’s just you and Daddy here.”

Theresa’s heart shattered. She clenched her fists, forcing back the flood of tears.

“Your… Your mother… She… went on a mission… far, far away. It’ll be… a long time… before she comes back.”

“Oh…” Kiana nodded. “Then I’ll go to bed early. Maybe when I wake up, Mommy will be back! Auntie, make sure to tell her how good I was, okay?” She scampered off to her room.

The moment the door closed, Theresa rushed to the bathroom, muffling her sobs with a towel as tears burst forth like a broken dam.

February 15, Afternoon – Schicksal Headquarters, Cheng Lixue’s Home

Meditating quietly, Cheng Lixue sensed someone approaching—fast, urgent, almost frantic.

Not wanting her door to be slammed open, she rose and swung it wide. The moment she saw the visitor, her eyes widened in shock.

“Master?! You’re back from South America—alive!” Over a month since Fu Hua’s disappearance, her sudden return left Cheng Lixue breathless with joy.

Fu Hua’s gaze immediately fell on Cheng Lixue’s empty left sleeve. Guilt and remorse surged through her.

Noticing Fu Hua’s stare, Cheng Lixue smiled faintly. “It’s fine. The Overseer said I’ll get a new arm soon—maybe even stronger than the original. Please, sit. Let me make you tea.”

Fu Hua stopped her. “Lixue, don’t trouble yourself. If only I’d returned sooner, you wouldn’t have—”

“Master,” Cheng Lixue interrupted, “you were gone for over a month. You must’ve faced a formidable enemy. If even you found them troublesome, of course you had to eliminate them completely.”

Her words, though almost accurate, were excuses Fu Hua hadn’t even offered. The kindness only deepened Fu Hua’s guilt.

“Hm? Lixue, your body…”

“As expected of Master. You noticed immediately.” Cheng Lixue sighed. “After I was injured, the captain used Black Abyss White Flower’s Zeroth Power to heal me and Siegfried. According to the scans, I’ve theoretically broken through my lifespan’s limit—a silver lining. But the captain…” Her voice trailed off.

The memory of Cecilia’s lifeless body resurfaced, weighing heavily on her heart. Before Fu Hua could console her, Cheng Lixue shook off the sorrow herself.

“Um…” She hesitated, fidgeting slightly.

“What is it?”

“Master… Are you actually much older than me? You and the Overseer seem to have known each other for ages. I never questioned it before, but now that my lifespan has expanded… Is it the same for you…?”

(Not much… Just a mere 50,000 years.)

Fu Hua nodded. “You’re right. Otto and I… go way back.”

“Grrr—” Fu Hua’s stomach growled loudly, ruining the moment. She hadn’t eaten since returning from South America, rushing straight to Cheng Lixue upon hearing of Schicksal’s losses.

“You haven’t eaten? Let me cook for you.” Cheng Lixue turned toward the kitchen.

“Wait.” Fu Hua held up a hand. “It’s wrong for the injured to serve the able. I’ll handle it.”

“…Yes.” Cheng Lixue’s eyes dimmed. If she could’ve cooked, maybe Fu Hua would’ve stayed longer.

Smiling, Fu Hua feigned ignorance. “Lixue, the kitchen’s this way, right?”

“Yes— Huh? Master, you’re…?” Realization dawned on Cheng Lixue.

“Mm. I’m free these days. Consider this your master taking care of you for a while.”

As Fu Hua stepped into the kitchen, Cheng Lixue’s eyes shimmered with tears.

…

February 16, Morning – A Hidden Underground Facility

“That’s everything. Regarding the Schariac’s holy blood, I’ve explained it as plainly as I can within your understanding.” Enoxia spoke calmly to the girl before her—Sirin.

“So… the moment she unleashed it, she was doomed to die?” Sirin staggered back, saved from falling only by Bella’s quick support.

“That’s Schicksal’s conclusion. To the world, she’s dead. But don’t despair. If I’m telling you this, there’s a way to bring her back—in another form. However, for it to work, we first need a data space.”

Meanwhile, on the Siberian tundra, a silver-haired girl knelt in the snow, gazing blankly at her surroundings. Any Valkyrie who saw her would gasp—

For she looked exactly like Cecilia.

“Why… am I here…?”