HHR 63-73 (Patreon)

Chapters per day. Uggh. Still too busy to drop all to correct the dates.

Chapter 63: I'm Sorry, Rita

No! No, that's not how I meant to speak!

The strongest Valkyrie roared inwardly.

I wanted to question him with a more forceful, stern tone, so why...?

"...So it turned out like this."

Watching the blonde girl's forced composure, her legs trembling with fear and incomprehension and beads of sweat forming on her forehead, the young shopkeeper sat dejectedly on Bronie's bed.

He picked up his coat from the ground, casually draped it over his shoulders and, staring ahead with a distracted look, beckoned to the blonde girl.

"Come, sit down. Let's have a proper talk."

The instant she heard those words, her body moved before she could even think.

In less than a second, Durandal sat down next to the shopkeeper with a whoosh, like a golden retriever obeying its master's command.

Her obedient demeanor caused Raiden Mei, Kiana, and Fu Hua to simultaneously take a step back. A hint of scrutinizing suspicion appeared in the shopkeeper's sidelong glances.

The shopkeeper's lips twitched for a long time. He wanted to protest but felt that none of the reasons he had given could be explained in detail to these girls he had just met.

Besides, even if he explained, the facts wouldn't be erased.

So he could only prop his forehead up, look up at the sky, and sigh, unsure how to describe the powerlessness and frustration in his heart.

"Huh... why, why...?"

The confusion and bewilderment that surged into his chest caused the eyes of the strongest Valkyrie, who had been invincible throughout Schicksal, to completely lose focus. Her usually resolute pupils shrank and trembled like worms, becoming a chaotic mess.

But before that… an overwhelming sense of security and warmth was forcefully shoved into her brain, making Durandal's already confused thoughts, a result of her body losing control, even more chaotic.

Despite her reason telling her that everything about this boy and everything happening to her was very wrong, that she should maintain a safe distance and be wary, no matter how she tried to control her limbs, her body—no, not just her body but her brain and thoughts—completely refused any movement away from the boy.

At this point, no matter how unwilling or resentful she was, Durandal could only be forced to admit that she had suffered an unprecedented and crushing defeat.

She bit her tongue hard, trying to suppress the feelings of comfort and warmth flooding her mind with pain. Then she focused all her attention, trying to decipher the boy's intentions.

"Gulp—! You… what have you done to my body…?! What… what do you want to do to me?!"

The shopkeeper rested his elbows on his knees, his hands crossed below his nose.

He didn't immediately answer Durandal's anxious question but gestured toward the door.

"Bronie, could you please see them out first? I have something to discuss with this… Valkyrie."

Bronie shrugged. "Sigh, well, you'd better be careful not to accidentally push her over, although she's probably completely powerless against you now, neither physically nor mentally…"

"Wh—"

Instantly, Durandal's mind went blank, her heart pounding wildly.

Although she was slow-witted, she wasn't lacking in knowledge; in fact, her biology and physiology scores were near perfect.

After all, only by fully understanding one's own body's structure could one unleash its full potential and power.

Before Durandal's mind could be further overwhelmed by this intense thought, the shopkeeper rolled his eyes.

"Don't stir things up! Who would do something so tasteless?! I already said it was an accident! An accident, you understand?!"

The strongest Valkyrie's expression instantly calmed down, as if she had entered a state of sagehood.

Huh… so he's not going to do it? I thought tonight he was definitely going to…

No, no, no, that's not right! Why am I feeling regretful about something like this?! Has my brain really been broken?!

Damn it, who is this man?! How can he so ruthlessly manipulate my body and will?!

On the surface, Durandal was calm, but deep down she was frantically banging her head on the ground, feeling a chill run down her spine.

No, this guy is too dangerous.

We absolutely cannot put him in the original world! Even if… even if…

Durandal bit her lip, quietly making up her mind.

"Having seen the whole thing, I'm inclined to believe it was an accident. But whether Miss Kongming and the others believe it, I don't know," Bronie chuckled mischievously. "So, want me to go and sound out Kongming for you?"

"…" The manager was silent for a moment. "I'll cover your losses tonight, plus a brand-new Cyber Frontier game cartridge."

Bronie held up five fingers and gently shook them. "Five more nights, consecutively."

"Hiss… you're asking for too much! I'd rather face Kongming and the others myself!" the manager gasped.

He knew that the "nights" Bronie spoke of didn't just mean "companionship," but "exclusivity." If Bronie monopolized his café for five consecutive nights, Kongming and Luna would definitely tear him down.

He held up three fingers, his neck stiff. "Three nights, no more!"

Bronie also withdrew two fingers. "Three consecutive nights. I'll book the time, no bargaining."

"...Three consecutive nights it is, then." The manager lowered his head dejectedly, adopting a resigned expression.

"Bingo~ Just wait for my good news."

With that, Bronie grabbed Raiden Mei's arm and left. Before the door closed, the manager clearly saw the unwilling expressions written all over the girls' faces, as if a grand performance had been forcibly interrupted halfway through.

"..."

For some reason, listening to Bronie and the manager's conversation, Durandal suddenly felt an uncomfortable, heart-wrenching feeling.

She lowered her head, silently puffing out her cheeks.

"Alright, everyone else has left for now." The shopkeeper, supporting himself on his knees, stood up and walked to face Durandal. "Now, it's about time we talked about our business."

Looking at Durandal's humiliated expression, he instinctively reached out to touch her blonde hair, but then remembered his ability and abruptly stopped himself.

However, before he could withdraw his hand, Durandal grabbed his arm, gritting her teeth and enduring the humiliation and shame, placing his hand on her head, her voice trembling with tears.

"This... are you satisfied now...?! Damn it, don't be so smug! I'll break free from your control one day!"

"...Would you believe me if I said this wasn't my intention?"

Although Durandal wanted to shout "No way!" the moment the shopkeeper finished speaking, an indescribable sense of trust welled up from the depths of her heart, just like how she had submitted to him a few minutes earlier.

Oh no, if this continues, even the very thought of resisting might...

"Sigh..."

Looking at Durandal's face, which seemed to be in a state of utter turmoil, the shopkeeper sighed softly. "First, tell me honestly, why did you suddenly come to my door? And which side are you on, Durandal's side? Are you from Nagazora City, Arc City, or... perhaps from somewhere else?"

"I..." Durandal gritted her teeth, her desire to submit to the other party battling fiercely with her rationality to resist it, but ultimately the former prevailed slightly. "Sir... Nagazora City."

"Nagazora City?"

The shopkeeper was somewhat surprised.

Among those people, does anyone still remember me?

That shouldn't be the case. While the Cocoon's power can't affect my consciousness, for people in their world, before encountering Finality or the Miss Tuna, the cocoon's interference should be absolute.

"Did something coincidental happen? Like, after I left, someone who looks a lot like the café employee appeared beside them?"

"Theresa? Or Rita?"

"It's Headmistress Theresa."

Even though the question wasn't actually asked, Durandal's answer came out on her own.

"Headmistress Theresa looks a lot like one of your café employees, so she awakened Mei's memories."

"And… um…"

Durandal hesitated for a moment. "Please, may I ask, what is the Cocoon?"

"You can read my mind?" The shopkeeper was stunned.

"Just a little bit, I can read your intentions…" Durandal's knees rubbed together restlessly, but the unease of having her body and consciousness completely controlled was largely alleviated as the other's thoughts flowed into her mind.

Durandal couldn't say whether her thoughts had been interfered with again, but the shopkeeper's words and actions—or at least his words and actions in front of her at the moment—weren't significantly different from the shopkeeper's own thoughts.

If the thoughts she read weren't deceiving her, then although the fact that her body and mind were being manipulated by the other hadn't changed, this whole thing was truly just an incredibly coincidental accident.

The shopkeeper thought for a moment. "That's quite convenient then. Can you read in my thoughts on why you are completely controlled by me?"

Hearing this question, Durandal fell silent immediately.

Because she had gleaned the answer from the shopkeeper's earlier contemplation.

"Is it because I inverted a collapsing Bubble World into my own body, and you... fully integrated the rules of the Sea of Quanta, thus drawing the Bubble World within me back there?"

The shopkeeper breathed a long sigh of relief. "It's good that you understand it's a misunderstanding. That's roughly it, and..."

Durandal continued, following the shopkeeper's train of thought.

"...Furthermore, because your current position in the Sea of Quanta is quite similar to the 'Cocoon' that controls Honkai in the real world, the Bubble World that's attracted to you will be placed back under the rules you set the moment it comes into contact with you."

"However, at the same time, because the Bubble World and I are still one on a material level, as that Bubble World is reaccepted by you, even my body... is completely controlled by you."

"As for why my will is also controlled by you like my body—no, it should be said that I suddenly feel a desire akin to obedience toward you—it's because you possess a special ability to increase others' favorability through physical contact."

"Normally, the influence of this special ability should be subtle and cumulative, but because my body was controlled by you first, your ability to increase favorability through contact was simultaneously amplified infinitely."

"So... that's why I... sob..."

Finally, Durandal covered her flushed face, letting out a mournful whimper like a small animal.

"So. You understand now, right?" The shopkeeper, resting his forehead on his hand, sighed deeply. "It's just a damn, utter coincidence."

A soft "Mmm" escaped Durandal's fingers, her entire face turning red from her neck to her ears.

"So, now that we understand the situation, what's next?" The store manager asked calmly.

"I don't know…" Durandal loosened her grip and shook her head blankly.

By reading the other person's thoughts, Durandal had completely understood the whole story.

However, it was precisely because she understood everything that she felt an unprecedented sense of bewilderment and helplessness rising within her.

This shopkeeper had integrated the rules of the Sea of Quanta and prevented the Bubble Worlds from continuing to suffer its corruption. For this alone, even Durandal had to admire him, and she didn't mind offering him the highest respect for his great achievement.

She wasn't the kind of person to act irrationally. Knowing that the whole absurd incident was actually just an accident, she found it difficult to genuinely resent the shopkeeper.

Furthermore, Durandal knew that the Bubble World within her, after being incorporated into the shopkeeper's order system, was no longer in danger of collapsing.

Therefore, on this level, she shouldn't just not resent the shopkeeper, but rather be grateful to him.

The problem was that having her body and heart taken away so irrationally made it difficult for Durandal to feel genuinely happy.

"I... what should I do, Rita..."

----

Chapter Sixty-Four: Backyard on Fire

While Durandal was caught in a dilemma, the shopkeeper wasn't exactly having an easy time either.

Durandal was undoubtedly a stunningly beautiful woman with a large bust, long legs, and a fantastic figure.

If their feelings for each other were strong enough, the shopkeeper wouldn't mind developing a slightly more than friendly relationship with this righteous, knight-like girl. In that case, even if he were to suffer some kind of beating from Luna and Kongming, it would simply be his own way of dealing with his uncontrollable perverted nature.

Although the torture might have been excruciating for him, in the Store Manager's eyes, being jealous and punished by his existing wives after flirting with other girls was simply a testament to their deep affection for him.

And after that… even the Store Manager himself admitted that having such thoughts about the girls who had chosen to entrust their futures to him was a bit cunning. Honestly, he had long been sleeping with everyone on the Hyperion. Even if he did flirt with other girls, it would just be a matter of making his already large bed and blankets even bigger.

The girls who chose to stay by his side had already accepted this reality.

Not to mention anything far back—just tonight, when Sirin came to him, he had already mentally prepared himself for a long period of turmoil.

And, without mercy, he would devour this adorable magical girl completely, both sexually and physically.

As a result… Sirin didn't get to eat, and when he was getting close to Kongming and Rita, he was caught in the act by those two slutty girls. While Luna and Rita were trying to fight over him, the Store Manager was already brainstorming ways to ease the tension between the two. But before he could put his ideas into action, Bronie interfered again, dragging him into a striptease game that lasted over two hours.

The Store Manager was a good guy who followed the rules, so after giving up his underwear to Bronie, he was mentally prepared to be toyed with, experiencing both pain and pleasure. But just as he was mentally prepared, four more people barged in to cause trouble.

Upon first seeing Raiden Mei's attire, the Store Manager had already roughly guessed their intentions.

Frankly speaking, his memories of these Valkyries, who originally belonged to the original world—the so-called "main story" in the game before his transmigration—were quite faint.

If it weren't for the frequent encounters with their counterparts in various bizarre Bubble Worlds during his travels in the Sea of Quanta, he might not even recognize Raiden Mei and Kiana today.

Therefore, even though Raiden Mei and Kiana misunderstood him, the Store Manager didn't bother to argue.

Even though he extended a helping hand to Kiana out of kindness as a former Hyperion captain, the Store Manager had no intention of building a deeper relationship with them.

He was the former captain of the Hyperion, the "Sea Sustainer" who reconstructed the rules of the Sea of Quanta and managed the existence of the Bubble World. Although the Hyperion Café, located at a stationary point, connected different worlds, his special status made his relationship with the native world increasingly incompatible.

If he didn't use his power as captain and simply stayed in the native world, things would be fine. But once he used his power, both the native world's inherent rules and the rules controlled by the "Cocoon" would relentlessly expel him.

Of course, as the rule-maker and maintainer, the Store Manager's own life level had reached the same level as the "Cocoon" and even the "world rules" themselves. Therefore, even these two things could only eliminate the memes containing him, not erase his existence.

In a sense, while the Store Manager can connect with the real world through the Hyperion café, he himself is a truly "non-existent person."

—Since he can't ultimately be remembered by the people of the real world, he might as well interact with them with an attitude of "it's no big deal if they forget me" before they forget him.

In one's life, one will encounter countless passersby who leave little impression. Or rather, apart from those with hyperthymesia like Fu Hua, remembering everyone one meets is unrealistic.

Therefore, he has always maintained a relatively distant attitude toward Kiana and the others. Even when he shows kindness, he hopes they understand that these small acts of kindness are merely small favors to him.

He doesn't need to charge much, nor does he need them to pay much; he simply wants to leave each other with a dignified ending when his meme is erased someday.

As a result, even he hadn't expected that, despite having planned everything perfectly and arranged everything flawlessly… such an unexpected event as Durandal would still occur.

The Store Manager thought he had met quite a few Durandals in Bubble Worlds, but the situation with this "Original" was still completely beyond his expectations from beginning to end.

While Kiana and Raiden Mei's situations—even with his largely forgotten memories of them in his pre-transmigration days—allowed him to at least glimpse the different Bubble Worlds within the Sea of Quanta and prepare accordingly, Durandal's bizarre situation—"having a Bubble World within him"—would be completely unrecorded by any Bubble World.

So what to do now?

The Store Manager, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts, sighed inwardly.

Although feigning distress at this situation was a bit like playing the victim, which every man would find amusing, he wasn't the type to lose his way at the sight of a beautiful woman. Besides, none of his wives were inferior to Durandal. Given the Store Manager's personality, he certainly wouldn't do anything heinous to a defenseless girl under these circumstances.

Even if Durandal were put back, her mind and body would remain completely bound to her current state—meaning that even if he didn't intend to touch her, she would likely never be able to accept anyone else in her life.

Moreover, this control based on order couldn't even be lifted unless he reconstructed the rules of the Sea of Quanta entirely…

Thinking this, the Store Manager couldn't help but cover his face, utterly devastated.

He had spent countless years completely reshaping the rules of the Sea of Quanta, extending the theoretical lifespan of all Bubble Worlds to a near-infinite number.

Now, was he really going to overturn all those achievements here and now to reconstruct the rules of the Sea of Quanta?

Before the Store Manager could make a judgment, Durandal herself jumped up.

"No! No way! You can't do this!"

If she could completely disregard the idea of being entirely controlled by the Store Manager, Durandal certainly didn't want to become the Store Manager's possession for no reason. If possible, she hoped the Store Manager would help her immediately break free from this unreasonable control.

But when she read the so-called "method" to break free, her kind and honest nature still asserted itself without hesitation.

He'd forgotten that, because she was unconsciously under my control, this girl had also become able to read his thoughts without being taught.

The Store Manager sighed inwardly, a self-deprecating smile creeping across his face as he looked up at the blonde Valkyrie who had suddenly jumped in front of him.

"Are you sure? If you don't do this, you'll be mine for life."

"I..."

Durandal opened her mouth, unsure what to say.

"Alright, let's call it a day for tonight," the Store Manager sighed softly. "This whole thing has been a disaster for both of us… no, maybe not for me, but in any case, after this unexpected turn of events, neither of us has lost our composure."

"..." Durandal didn't speak, only pursing her lips and silently watching the Store Manager's face, as if entrusting all her thoughts to him.

"So, let's both give each other some time to cool off."

The Store Manager lowered his head and waved his hand. "If you stay here, I doubt you'll get a good night's sleep. Why don't you go back first… well, it's best to discuss it with your colleagues. I'll try to find a compromise during this time."

"Let's handle it this way for now. Any other opinions?"

Durandal shook her head, then nodded.

"?"

The Store Manager was puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"I have no objections, but I can't do it," Durandal spoke succinctly. "I can't leave your side."

Her calm expression left one wondering whether she was resigned to her fate or had already accepted the situation.

"Uh..." The Store Manager's expression froze. "No, it can't be that bad, can it? You can't defy my will, can you? I told you to leave, but you wouldn't?"

"..." Durandal didn't speak, only staring intently into the Store Manager's eyes, a slight blush creeping onto her dignified face, her voice trembling slightly.

"You... don't you know what you're thinking?"

"What am I thinking?" the Store Manager instinctively retorted, then his face instantly darkened.

Before Raiden Mei and Durandal barged in, he was indeed mentally prepared to be toyed with by Bronie, experiencing both pain and pleasure, because he had been completely defeated by her in the striptease game.

In many cases, human desires are actually intangible; only when faced with certain situations are those desires hidden deep within the heart awakened.

So even if he didn't consciously think about these things, because the shameful play that was halfway through was suddenly interrupted, did that strange desire accumulate and get captured by the unconscious Durandal?

Wait, if that's the case, then wouldn't that mean—

"Why did you specifically remind me?!" The Store Manager covered his face. "Aren't you digging your own grave?"

"Wh-what?" Durandal was momentarily stunned. "It was clearly you… Waaah!!"

"See? It turned out like this…" the Store Manager sighed deeply.

The coercive force controlling Durandal's mind and body was directly proportional to the intensity and clarity of the Store Manager's own desires.

If the desire wasn't very strong, Durandal could resist to some extent; but if she didn't know the means to achieve her desire, she naturally couldn't execute it accurately.

If the Store Manager had only subconsciously generated a desire and hidden it deep within his heart, then even if Durandal unconsciously detected it, she could barely resist the coercive force—

—then, once that desire was given reality by the Store Manager's thoughts, Durandal completely lost the power to resist.

"No, no! Stop! What—what am I doing??"

First, she shakily pulled off her high boots, revealing her long legs encased in black stockings. Then, mimicking Bronie's earlier actions, she aimed for the Store Manager's waist and then his knees, pressing her entire body against him.

She grabbed the hem of the Store Manager's shirt, preparing to pull back the jacket draped over his shoulders.

Meanwhile, the utterly dejected Store Manager made a more sensible and effective decision.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth wide.

"Bronie—!! Help—!!!"

Bang!

The door was kicked open by a small foot in a slipper.

"Store Manager, what's wrong with you…?"

Characters, actions, scene, posture, movements.

This woman-on-top scene completely stunned Bronie, who had barged into the bedroom.

The astute Miss Haxxor immediately grasped the key point and instinctively asked, "She... she couldn't fight back against you, could she?"

"Don't ask that question yet," the Store Manager said rapidly. "Well, Bronie, just pretend she doesn't exist. Let's continue what we were doing—"

"—What were you doing?"

A cool, calm, youthful voice suddenly rang in his ears.

The Store Manager's words came to an abrupt halt.

Sometime during the night, Kongming, who had been leaning against the bedroom doorway, had changed into her usual formal attire. She gently fanned herself with a feather fan, her smile as radiant as a flower.

"Why did you stop talking? Store Manager, what were you and Bronie going to continue with? I'm a little confused."

"Indeed."

With a crisp click of high heels on the floor, two slender women slowly entered the room.

"What Lord Kongming said, Miss Luna and I are also very curious about."

Rita smiled. She now dressed in a formal gown—which could probably be considered a combat outfit for a maid these days.

"And why, when such a big thing happened, did you only call out Miss Bronie's name when you were calling out...?"

"Store Manager, can you give us an explanation that everyone can accept?"

---

Chapter 65: Rita Doesn't Harm Rita

For a long time before becoming the Store Manager, this former Hyperion captain, surrounded by beauties, firmly believed in one fact:

That is—

—The so-called Shura field is not scary at all.

It is a magnificent palace in the clouds, a refreshing mountain hot spring, a profusion of flowers, a star surrounded by admirers, a beautiful picture drawn by countless threads called destiny, and at the same time, the supreme romance that all men yearn for.

Girls who get jealous over their own affairs are all adorable angels.

Imagine countless girls who like you surrounding you, their cute faces pouting slightly, indignant; their clear, misty eyes filled with anger and defiance; their delicate, fair hands tightly gripping something on your body—perhaps the hem of your clothes, the cuff, or something else.

They completely surround you, their sweet fragrance filling the air, their clear, melodious voices like sweet whispers…

Just kidding! Surrounded by layers of alluring angels in what feels like paradise, what's there to be afraid of?

Yes—even now, surrounded by Rita, Luna, Kongming, and even Sirin, who had squeezed in among the three, forming a fan shape in front of him, with a flushed Durandal standing next to him, and three scoundrels hiding at the door who were eager to watch the drama unfold, he—the former captain of the Hyperion and Store Manager of the café—felt absolutely no fear.

On the bed in the bedroom, the young-looking Store Manager sat upright, head held high, looking directly at the angels who surrounded him. His tone was as serious as if he were discussing a very important matter.

"I heard that staying up late isn't good for girls' skin. It's so late, so why don't you all go home and get some sleep? I can put my business aside for now and discuss it tomorrow morning."

Kongming narrowed her eyes and lightly waved her feather fan. "I'm forever young."

Rita smiled. "Rita is the ageless dream witch."

Luna crossed her arms. "For vampires, day and night are reversed."

Sirin thought for a moment. "Magical girls... are omnipotent?"

Bronie shrugged. "Then I, a hacker who can bring my imaginary creations into reality, am omnipotent too."

Damn! These women are impeccable!

The Store Manager's lips twitched, his expression growing increasingly awkward.

Outside, Kiana and Raiden Mei leaned against the broken bedroom door on either side of Bronie, furtively peeking into the open room.

All their previous feelings of selflessness and complex emotions toward the Store Manager who had helped them had vanished. Even the usually composed Fu Hua floated silently on the doorframe, her eyes downcast, subtly extending her senses into the bedroom.

Of course, given the sensory abilities of those inside, noticing the three Valkyries eavesdropping and waiting to see what would happen was an easy task.

But at this moment, neither the girls preparing to torture the Store Manager, nor the Store Manager himself, drenched in cold sweat, nor even Miss Durandal, whose face was flushed red, could spare any extra energy to deal with these three petty thieves.

Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic.

The Store Manager desperately tried to calm his pounding heart, cold sweat pouring down his face like a waterfall.

First and foremost, it must be clear that this whole incident was nothing more than a perfectly coincidental misunderstanding.

Since it was a misunderstanding, there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

Yes, there was nothing to fear now.

The Store Manager felt much more at ease and coughed. "Let's talk about Durandal first, I..."

"We already know the whole story about Miss Durandal from Miss Bronie, so you don't need to explain anything about her. We already understand that it was just a simple accident."

Rita interrupted the Store Manager with a smile. She walked up to Durandal and, amid a mixture of astonishment, disbelief, and a hint of fear on Durandal's face, extended her slender, jade-like hand to caress the blonde Valkyrie's beautiful, refined face.

"Hmm, although I've seen this honest face many times in different Bubble Worlds, Rita truly never imagined that my prototype in this world would fall for the owner of this face."

A bolt from the blue.

What... what the heck?!

Durandal, already struggling to control her body, felt as if the world had collapsed, her already chaotic thoughts becoming increasingly dizzy.

Why are you dragging me into your relationship problems with the Store Manager?!

“Oh dear, judging from your expression…” Rita's face showed a hint of surprise. “So your ‘Rita Rossweisse’ hasn’t confessed her feelings to you yet?”

“That’s truly… regrettable. You should forget what Rita just said. After all, these things are meaningless unless said by the person themselves.”

“I don’t want my unintentional words to trouble the ‘me’ from another world.”

Rita’s smile was genuine.

“You should understand me, shouldn’t you, Miss Durandal?”

"..."

"You're asking me this question?! How am I supposed to answer that?!

Forgetting what you said... it's easier said than done!

And, my Rita... Ri... Ri-Rita is in love with me???"

Thirteen-year-old Durandal, though knowledgeable, clearly didn't possess any knowledge that violated ethics.

Durandal felt a wave of dizziness.

If someone else had said this to her, she probably would have just laughed it off.

After all, this upright blonde Valkyrie had always believed that the relationship between herself and her lieutenant was purely comradeship.

In her understanding, girls couldn't possibly fall in love with each other.

But the problem was... the person who said those words wasn't just anyone but "Rita Rossweisse" herself from another world.

Rita from another world told me that Rita from my world is in love with me…

This complicated relationship successfully fried Durandal's brain, turning one sweating bucket into two.

While this thought was rather unkind, with the golden goose relieving some of the pressure of the Store Manager whose stress had lessened considerably, almost wanting to let out a long sigh of relief.

But before he could put this thought into action, a foot clad in white stockings suddenly stepped into the rod between his knees.

This sudden attack triggered a series of overreactions.

First, the unsuspecting Store Manager let out a rather embarrassing sound. “Ooh-hoo~”

Following closely behind, Durandal, having caught the Store Manager's thought, squeezed her legs together. “Ugh…!”

The sound of black stockings rubbing gently echoed in the bedroom.

Durandal's face, already flushed from being teased by "Rita," became even more alluring.

The strongest Valkyrie completely lost her usual sharpness, trembling as she complained in a voice almost like a sob.

"You... you shouldn't suddenly... suddenly think about this kind of thing..."

...Is this my fault?!

The Store Manager, his face stiff, gave a forced laugh at Kongming, who had suddenly appeared before him with an expressionless face.

"Um, Lord Kongming, what's wrong with you..."

"What, if Bronie can do it, why can't I?"

Kongming squinted, extending her feather fan toward the Store Manager's chin, then gently lifted it. "Once you're satisfied, the coercive force imposed on this woman will be lifted, won't it?"

“No, that’s not the issue. There are other people watching over us, aren’t there?” the Store Manager said, a mixture of pain and pleasure.

“Okay, at least give me some face…”

“When you called Bronie, you didn’t seem to consider the other people on the second floor.”

Kongming tilted her head, suddenly frowning and clicking her tongue slightly.

“Tsk, this seems a bit too slow…”

“Kongming, why don’t you take a break?”

Rita smiled and withdrew her hand from Durandal’s face. She patted Kongming’s shoulder. “In this café, probably no one knows better than Rita how to satisfy the Store Manager. At this crucial juncture, it’s better to leave the Store Manager’s problems to me first.”

“After all, none of you here would want Miss Durandal to develop such an absurd coincidence with the Store Manager, would you?”

“Tch…” Kongming uttered a sound filled with resentment.

Despite her deep reluctance, she had to admit Rita was right.

The enemies they needed to deal with were already enough with the people in the café.

Kongming couldn't be bothered with Sirin's complete and utter devotion after receiving help from the Store Manager, but Durandal's sudden and unbreakable bond with the Store Manager due to a mere unexpected coincidence... that was something she refused to accept!

However, it was unrealistic to expect Kongming to simply hand over the Store Manager to Rita right there and then. So she took a step back, crossed her arms, and spoke calmly, "Fine, you can't possibly satisfy the Store Manager by yourself. I'm not so impatient that I can't even wait a little while."

They're planning to attack together!??

Inside, Durandal's body swayed precariously.

Outside, Kiana and Raiden Mei understood the implication of Kongming's words, making them swallow hard in unison. Their pretty faces were flushed crimson with embarrassment, yet they refused to look away.

"How indecent! How indecent..." Fu Hua, floating on the doorframe, shook her head in exasperation, her face slightly red, and darted back into Kiana's body.

Compared to Kiana and Raiden Mei, this old woman still had some sense of shame.

In the bedroom, Durandal's face grew increasingly flushed as the 'battle' intensified.

----

2013, Nagazora City.

When Durandal reappeared after vanishing into the void, it was already dawn. The two S-rank Valkyries  had stood in the cold wind all night. Seeing her, they immediately rushed to greet her.

Rita and Theresa both sported dark circles under their eyes. These two S-rank Valkyries hadn't expected Durandal to be gone for nearly seven hours, so the moment she appeared, both Valkyries showed barely concealed excitement.

"Durandal, why did you disappear for so long?! What happened—"

Before Theresa could finish her question, Rita suddenly leaped past her and lunged toward Durandal.

"Lord Durandal!!"

With an urgent cry, Durandal was instantly enveloped in a warm embrace.

Seeing this, Theresa blinked, stunned for a few seconds. Then, a look of paternal relief appeared on her face.

"What's this? Rita looks intimating and cold usually, but isn't she actually quite humane?

"The relationship between these two juniors seems even better than I imagined"—just as Theresa was thinking this, she suddenly saw Durandal silently place her hands on Rita's shoulders and gently push her away.

"Huh?"

In an instant, with a simultaneous soft exclamation, a clear look of bewilderment flashed across the faces of Theresa and Rita.

She was... pushed away?

"I... I'm fine, Rita. You're overreacting. Theresa-senpai is still here."

A noticeable unease flashed across Durandal's face.

If it were the old Durandal, she would probably have accepted Rita's concern and hug without any hesitation. After all, they had been comrades-in-arms for almost two years, and it was only natural for comrades to care for and encourage each other.

But after hearing the words of the "Rita" in the coffee shop, Durandal suddenly felt an urge to run far away from her.

Of course, Rita and Theresa would never know this thought, so seeing Durandal's expression, they both couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Oh, she was just shy. It's alright then.

"What? In your eyes, am I really such an unreasonable person?"

Theresa put her hands on her hips. "You still haven't told us what you've been through. Do you know how long we've been waiting for you here?! What's going on with that coffee shop?"

"This..."

Hearing these two questions, Durandal's face immediately became conflicted.

Rita knew her captain so well, so when she saw thr instant her captain showed a conflicted expression, she dighed softly. "It seems the situation at this 'invisible café' is far more complicated than we imagined."

----

Chapter Sixty-Six: Mother-in-Law Arrives!

Whether the café was complicated or not, Durandal didn't know; her mind was already a complete mess. So, when Rita offered a way out, she didn't take it. Instead, she stared blankly ahead, her soul seemingly drifting away.

In the past few hours, this fearless and strongest Valkyrie had suffered the biggest shock of her life.

First, she was suddenly kidnapped and taken away, body and soul, by the young Store Manager.

Then, a barrage of shocking facts struck her like a series of blunt blows to the head.

Finally, the people in the store... well, they actually started... started doing things right in front of her! Things that made her so ashamed she almost fainted.

Durandal had once read a sentence in a book—"For a person, the heaviest blow is often not the loss of life, but having to accept some unbearable truth."

At that time, with her limited life experience, she couldn't fully understand the meaning of that sentence. But after last night's absurdity, Durandal suddenly felt an extremely strong empathy for the author who wrote that sentence.

If she could, she would rather face a million Honkai beasts than face everything that happened last night. But time cannot be reversed, the dead cannot be brought back to life, and her soul and memories, utterly tainted, could never be made clean again.

Since that's the case, she might as well just give up.

A weak laugh escaped Durandal's lips.

Anyway, the Bubble World matter was sorted out by the Store Manager.

Now that Bianka's top priority was resolved, why not just go and resign from Archbishop Otto's service, then obediently return to that store and become the Store Manager's decorative object or plaything…? That didn't seem so unacceptable.

No... rather than accepting it or not, judging from the behavior of those "Rita," "Theresa," and the other girls, this kind of life... was quite comfortable.

Recalling the infatuated looks those girls had displayed before her, Durandal, her blood rushing to her head, couldn't help but feel dizzy.

To be honest, the Store Manager wasn't bad-looking at all. He had a handsome, refined appearance, a clear, crisp voice, and an attitude that clearly doted on the girls… If only she was like those girls, clinging to him and expressing my feelings and love…

Aaaaaah! What am I thinking?! No! This isn't my thinking! I absolutely refuse to believe this is my thinking!

It must be... it must be the Store Manager. He's thinking nonsense again! I'm just being influenced by him!

But, but... but wasn't he already exhausted from being with those girls?! Why would he have such terrible thoughts?! Impure! So impure!

Instinctively blaming the Store Manager for all the terrible thoughts surfacing in her mind, Durandal shook her head violently.

She took a long, deep breath.

The cold winter air was very useful at times like this.

A biting wind, sharp as a blade, mercilessly jolted her chaotic and dejected thoughts.

No, she couldn't be fooled by the Store Manager's sweet talk.

Even if those girls was happy and comfortable, it was ultimately none of her business.

Just as Durandal regained her confidence and dignity as Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, she suddenly felt two worried gazes focus on her face.

"Lady Durandal, are you... really alright?"

Rita asked uneasily, a deeply concealed hostility flashing within her wine-red pupils.

"You seem quite shaken. Did that coffee shop do something bad to you?"

"No, no, no, no!!!" Durandal nearly jumped up. "The Store Manager at that coffee shop didn't do anything to me!"

"..." Although Durandal's defense of the Store Manager was almost desperate, Rita's heart sank slightly upon seeing her captain's reaction.

Because she hadn't asked who had done anything bad to Durandal.

However, upon hearing the question, Durandal unconsciously blurted out, "the Store Manager at that coffee shop."

What bad thing did the Store Manager at that coffee shop do to Durandal-sama?

Rita narrowed her eyes slightly, silently speculating in her mind.

Furthermore, after doing something bad to Lady Durandal, did that Store Manager even coerce her?

Given Lady Durandal's strength and pride, it's hard to imagine anyone in this world could make her kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Judging from Lady Durandal's behavior, she didn't seem to have suffered any physical harm, but rather seemed to have suffered a great mental setback.

A mental setback... a mental setback.

Could it be that, as Lady Theresa suspected, that café was one of the experimental sites where Archbishop Otto was conducting inhumane experiments?

Lady Durandal is a kind child. After witnessing some of Schicksal's darkness and evil firsthand, her upright and kind nature must find it extremely unbearable.

However, due to the close relationship between the so-called "Store Manager" and Archbishop Otto, she couldn't easily take action against these dark and sinful things.

Instead, she was warned by him to keep the café's secret, and thus felt uneasy, driven by guilt…

Yes, that must be it.

Rita sighed softly in her heart, lowering her eyes slightly and glancing at Theresa, whose face was full of confusion.

This commander of the Far East branch hadn't worked with Lady Durandal for long, so although she noticed something was wrong with Lady Durandal, she didn't realize why she was acting this way.

Feeling that she had a fairly good idea of the truth, Rita suddenly felt a strong sense of responsibility.

"Lady Theresa, since Lady Durandal is unwilling to reveal the details of that café to us, it means that everything she saw in that café has caused her some unspeakable trouble."

Durandal paused for a moment, then quickly nodded.

"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely right! Rita, you truly are my adjutant. You understand me so well!"

Wait a minute...

Halfway through silently praising Rita, Durandal suddenly realized something was very wrong.

Rita... why does she understand me so well?

If it were before today, Durandal would probably have attributed it to Rita's exceptional sense of responsibility and attention to detail.

However, after suddenly hearing from another "Rita Rossweisse" that her adjutant might be plotting against her, a chill ran down her spine.

"A hidden secret?" Theresa frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes. "You two, you're not trying to cover up Grandpa's misdeeds, are you?"

“How could that be? Does Lady Theresa perhaps see Rita and Lord Durandal as cold-blooded and ruthless?” Rita smiled gently. “Your relationship with the Archbishop is much closer than mine, even than Lord Durandal's. Therefore, you should understand better than any of us that since the Archbishop dared to set up an experimental site in your territory, he must have been prepared for you to discover it, wouldn't you say?”

Theresa's expression softened slightly. She was silent for a moment, then nodded gently.

“Do you remember how we found this café?” Rita continued.

“It was... through Mei…”

Theresa paused, startled.

“It seems you’ve already realized,” Rita spoke softly. “You told me and Lord Durandal that the Honkai energy fluctuations that Schicksal detected, which exceeded the Herrscher level, were actually caused by Mei. And the reason that Honkai energy disappeared so quickly after being detected was precisely because the Store Manager of this shop used some unknown method to control the Herrscher consciousness within Mei.”

“Then, given that it’s now confirmed that this café was actually an experimental ground set up by the Archbishop, we can reasonably deduce that the so-called 'Store Manager' Mei mentioned is actually one of the Archbishop’s experimental results.”

“…”

Huh? Is that so? How come I didn’t know?

Durandal looked surprised.

Theresa’s expression grew increasingly serious.

"Hmm... that sounds reasonable, doesn't it?"

"From a normal perspective, since His Holiness the Archbishop has already achieved experimental results that allow him to control the consciousness of a Herrscher, he has absolutely no need to hide these results."

"Yet he chose to conceal everything from everyone. Not only that, even the straightforward Durandal chose to remain silent after learning all this. This means that, in their judgment, only by doing so could the experiment achieve its maximum effectiveness."

Rita paused.

"Even under these circumstances, you still doubt and want to get the truth from Durandal?"

Theresa remained silent, her expression complex.

Being able to control the consciousness of a Herrscher—if Otto truly can do this, then it can almost be said that Schicksal has taken a crucial, decisive step in the fight against the Honkai.

She wasn't a researcher with in-depth knowledge of Honkai, so she didn't understand the underlying principles of this ability. Therefore, even knowing that Otto and even Durandal believed that only by “keeping everything hidden from everyone” could this ability be maximized, Theresa couldn't effectively refute it.

After a long silence, she couldn't help but ask.

"But in this experimental facility, there might be your own clones!? Don't you care?”

“Of course I care, but if this is a sacrifice necessary to fight the Honkai…”

Rita sighed softly. Although she didn't finish her sentence, Theresa understood her implication.

Listening to Rita and Theresa's conversation, Durandal was completely bewildered. She blinked her clear, aqua-like blue eyes, looking at one and then the other, feeling like a completely out-of-place third wheel.

"No, can someone tell me why Rita and Theresa's conversation has gone off on such a tangent?!"

She can understand not understanding the café, but why can't she understand anything in her own world?!

"Tsk..."

Theresa couldn't help but click her tongue.

As a Valkyrie, she couldn't criticize Rita's choices, but from the headmistress's perspective, she couldn't agree with them.

"Since you're unwilling to talk about it, I can't force you." Theresa pursed her lips sullenly, then suddenly turned to look at Durandal's bewildered face. "Durandal, you should still be able to see that café, right?"

"Huh? Ah... yeah." Durandal nodded. "Yes, I can still see it. What do you want to do?"

“It’s nothing.” Theresa turned her head, her gaze fixed intently on the empty void. “Since you’re unwilling to give me information about that café, I’ll find a way to investigate it myself.”

“As long as I know it’s still here, one day I can find this café myself, just like you, like Mei before!”

....

Hyperion Café.

The young Store Manager slumped against the empty bar like a dead dog.

“So tired…”

A voice that sounded almost like he was dying escaped from the Store Manager’s mouth, along with a puff of white mist.

“…Rita, can we take a day off?”

“Of course not. This is only our second day of business. The day off was your own decision. As the Store Manager, how can you so easily back down at the last minute?”

A gentle and elegant voice came from the kitchen.

However, to the Store Manager, that voice sounded like the low howl of a demon.

"Seven hours..." the Store Manager complained, his voice almost tearful. "You guys have kept me up for seven whole hours! I haven't slept a wink all night!"

"Tch, what's there to complain about? You think you were the only one who didn't sleep last night?"

Smack! A small hand slapped the Store Manager on the head.

"Alright, cheer up! Today's my first day at work. As the Store Manager of this café, you should set a good example for this newbie."

"Aren't you tired? Sirin, you even made two uniforms for Kiana and Mei last night."

The Store Manager raised his eyes, turning his gaze to the purple-haired girl with her hand on his head.

“If you feel sleepy, just drink a stimulant potion.” Sirin gave him a bewildered look, then reached under the Store Manager’s armpits, trying to lift him up like a stagnant pool. “So, please don’t look so listless! Principal Cecilia and Broboli are coming later! You can’t go see them looking like this!!”

“What?!” The Store Manager was shocked. He couldn't help but exclaim.

"My mother-in-law is coming to visit today?! Why didn’t you say so sooner?!”

----

Chapter 67: Sirin’s Past

“Mother-in-law?” Sirin was stunned, momentarily confused. “Who, who?”

“Principal Cecilia, isn’t she your adoptive mother?” the Store Manager instinctively replied.

“She’s my adoptive mother… that’s true.” Sirin also realized what was happening, nodded blankly, then her expression suddenly changed, and a bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead. “Wait, wait, now that you mention it… I… I don’t think I’ve introduced the Store Manager to Headmaster Cecilia yet.”

“You haven’t told her about me?” the Store Manager was stunned.

“I don’t think I’d have had a chance. After joining the Magic Security Bureau, we magical girls who are deployed to the front lines rarely contact our families.”

Sirin’s cold sweat deepened, and her voice trembled slightly.

"Besides, she’s the headmistress of the Magic Academy… Captain, you know, after Broboli and the others’ accident, for a long time, I was somewhat averse to the Magic Academy, so…”

“So she might not just be here to see me, but also to see you.” The Store Manager looked up at the flustered Sirin.

"But… isn’t the headmistress your adoptive mother? Why are you so afraid of her?”

"What do you know?!"

Sirin couldn't help but snap at the Store Manager, but then realized her tone was a bit harsh, so she lowered her voice again, her grip on the Store Manager's head softening slightly.

"You know perfectly well that after Broboli-senpai and Vollerei-senpai's incident, I couldn't trust the Magic Security Bureau at all."

"Back then, I thought the Magic Academy, which was always training magical girls, was just like the Magic Security Bureau, using everyone as expendable resources. But who could have imagined..."

Sirin's tone unconsciously became slightly awkward halfway through her sentence.

"Who could have imagined that Headmistress Cecilia had actually preserved the souls of those magical girls who used forbidden magic… and even used her power to…"

By the end, Sirin's voice had become barely audible, and an emotion of embarrassment spread through her eyes.

For a long time, she harbored a strong aversion to the Magic Security Bureau and the Magic Academy. Since the Magic Security Bureau was a group that treated magical girls' lives like disposable resources, logically speaking, the Magic Academy, which trained magical girls for the Magic Security Bureau, couldn't escape responsibility either.

After all, it was none other than Cecilia's Magic Academy that taught them the "forbidden magic" that could only be used at the cost of their souls.

Because of this connection, although Sirin still considered Cecilia as her mother, after the magical girls Broboli and Vollerei "sacrificed" themselves at the Dark Lord's castle, the camaraderie cultivated over years of academy life made it difficult for her to know how to treat the headmistress and mother figure who founded the Magic Academy.

This complex mix of resentment and maternal love only recently eased after the Store Manager reshaped the rules of his Bubble World. Sirin realized… she had misunderstood the Magic Academy and Cecilia all along.

While the Magic Security Bureau members remained scum who treated magical girls like disposable resources, the Magic Academy and Cecilia consistently protected them in their own way.

These magical girls had always believed that "forbidden magic," which required the sacrifice of one's soul, meant burning oneself out completely.

But in reality, using forbidden magic didn't require burning one's soul.

In fact, quite the opposite; only by using forbidden magic could frozen souls be preserved intact.

Having understood Cecilia's good intentions, Sirin's misunderstanding of the Magic Academy naturally dissipated. However, it was precisely this clarification, coupled with the embarrassment and shame of wrongly accusing her own mother, that made Sirin lose the courage to face Cecilia again.

Seeing Sirin's embarrassed expression, the Store Manager couldn't help but raise his arm and gently pat Sirin's hair.

"You don't need to worry so much. You should know your mother better than I do, and you should know that she couldn't possibly be genuinely angry with you, right?"

“That’s true… but I still feel a little uneasy.”

Sirin’s voice sounded noticeably anxious.

“If you really feel uneasy, then apologize to her.”

The Store Manager shrugged, appearing nonchalant. “We’re all family; there’s nothing we can’t talk about.”

“Hmph, easy for you to say. Didn’t you almost jump for joy when you heard Principal Cecilia was coming?”

Sirin sneered, giving a disgruntled look. “What, you’re so good at lecturing me, but you can’t do it yourself?”

“I…” The Store Manager stammered, lowering his head dejectedly. “She’s your mother, not mine…”

“Uh…”

For some reason, seeing the Store Manager’s dejected expression made Sirin’s heart tighten.

"I… I didn’t mean it that way, I’m sorry.”

“No, what you said isn’t entirely wrong.”

The Store Manager scratched his head, honestly admitting he was indeed a little flustered.

No, more accurately, he was incredibly flustered.

In most Bubble Worlds that reflect certain information about the original world, the name Cecilia Schariac is almost always intertwined with a tragic history. She is also a figure who leaves her mark on history within that history.

Therefore, even now, with few memories remaining of his past, the name Cecilia is still quite familiar to the Store Manager.

Of course, since this name is etched in history, it also means that in these Bubble Worlds, Cecilia is essentially a figure living only in people's memories.

To put it simply, she's basically a dead person.

In any Bubble World with St. Freya Academy where the headmistress is Theresa, regardless of whether that Bubble World is peaceful or dangerous, or whether it has been invaded by Honkai, Cecilia will inevitably have already passed away for some reason.

During his travels through countless Bubble Worlds in the Sea of Quanta, the Store Manager encountered many people with vastly different identities and experiences, such as Kiana, Bronya, Raiden Mei, Fu Hua, Durandal, Rita, Theresa, and others.

But this one and only Valkyrie, the strongest in the history of the previous generation of Schicksal, was someone the Store Manager had never even faced directly despite traveling through so many Bubble Worlds.

—Undoubtedly, even including the concept of "identity," this was the first time the Store Manager and Cecilia had met.

If it were simply meeting a stranger, the Store Manager wouldn't be panicked; at most, he would feel a little nervous.

After all, putting aside his personality before transmigrating, the experiences Yu Fan had encountered in these years in this world meant he couldn't possibly be someone who feared social interaction or meeting strangers.

But that person's name was Cecilia.

The biological mother of Kiana Kaslana (original), now known as Bianka Durandal Ataegina; the social mother of Kiana Kaslana; and the psychological mother of Sirin.

Now, let's recall what the Store Manager did to her three beloved daughters yesterday.

First, he harassed 2013 Kiana and then mercilessly knocked her unconscious with a flick on the forehead.

This Kiana was relatively easy to deal with; the Store Manager had perfectly valid reasons and motives for his actions, making him quite confident. So even when facing her elder, the Store Manager showed no fear and could even be described as self-righteous.

But the other girls—Kiana, Durandal, and Sirin—were the real heavyweights. To sum it up in one sentence—

—to prevent Durandal whose body and soul he had unintentionally controlled from losing her virginity on the spot, he accidentally alerted Sirin while calling for Bronie to "put out the fire" so to speak.

During this series of absurd events, Kiana and Durandal witnessed the entire spectacle, allowing these two innocent young girls to experience an action-packed "drama" that would likely have an unprecedented impact on their worldview and values.

The thought of soon facing the mother of these three girls, for various reasons, sent a chill down the Store Manager's spine, his legs trembling as if they were cramping.

No, he couldn't panic. He needed to think of the good things first.

First, the best news—Durandal wasn't in the coffee shop.

Once he was satisfied enough to stop unconsciously sending "commands" to Durandal, he wisely released the golden retriever whose brain was probably a complete mess back into her original world.

Therefore, he didn't need to face a mother whose "biological daughter had suddenly been taken over by a man who appeared out of nowhere using a seemingly despicable, but actually coincidental, means."

Secondly, although he let Kiana witness an action-packed spectacle that would profoundly impact her life, ultimately, it was Kiana who chose to peek, and it had nothing to do with him.

Finally, and most importantly—

—this Cecilia of the Bubble World isn't really their mother!

Yeah, what am I afraid of?

The Store Manager, now reassured, suddenly felt confident again.

However, before becoming completely arrogant, the Store Manager still had some things he wanted to confirm with Sirin.

"Sirin, how much do you know about mother-in-law?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… her interpersonal relationships and her personality..."

Sirin frowned, suddenly releasing her hands from rubbing the Store Manager's head, and spoke somewhat warily, "Why are you asking these questions?"

"Uh..." The Store Manager tilted his head, a little confused. "Do I need a reason to get along with my mother-in-law?"

While that made sense, Sirin didn't immediately lower her guard.

"Let me make this clear first. Headmistress Cecilia is a married woman, so don't you dare do anything rash, Store Manager."

"What do you take me for, a human walking pile driver?" The Store Manager was somewhat amused and exasperated.

"...Anyway, I'll let you off easy, but don't even think about getting your hands on Principal Cecilia."

"Don't worry about it," the Store Manager muttered under his breath. "If it weren't so hard to avoid, I wouldn't want to face her..."

While Cecilia isn't strictly speaking Kiana and Durandal's mother, the problem is, how can parallel universe counterparts be so clearly distinguished?

If he could, he'd rather not face Cecilia himself, and even if he had to, it shouldn't be in such a rushed situation.

He should at least have three days—no, a week's worth of buffer time!

And, to make matters worse, he'd dragged Kiana and Raiden Mei along as laborers on the day Cecilia was supposed to visit.

The thought of those two sleeping upstairs made the young Store Manager's blood boil.

Although the Store Manager knew his anger was unfounded, what kind of store manager would be completely drained and drag their exhausted body to work, dealing with all sorts of unexpected situations, while their own employees were still in bed?

Sirin realized something was amiss. She turned and glanced into the kitchen behind her, then whispered in the Store Manager's ear, "By the way, Store Manager, are we the only ones in the store today—just the two of us and Rita? Where are Bronie and the others?"

"Luna's usually the type to be sleepy during the day. After a whole night of tossing and turning, she's probably asleep by now. Bronie and Kongming probably won't be getting out of bed anytime soon either," the Store Manager sighed. "Actually, judging from yesterday's situation, the two of us and Rita were the ones acting strangely."

"Strangely strange?"

"Of course not! Humans are creatures that need to sleep!"

The Store Manager suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"But then again, how many normal humans are there in this store..."

He looked up at the wall clock; it was eight o'clock. Sunlight streamed in through the frosted glass windows. It seemed to be a beautiful day outside.

--

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Rita's Social Demise

The Store Manager thought for a moment, then suddenly opened the drawer in front of him, took out a plain white tag the size of an A4 sheet of paper, and then stood up and walked toward the front door.

"Where are you going?" Sirin asked.

“Put up a sign on the door,” the Shop Manager said succinctly. “And change the ‘Closed’ sign to ‘Open’.”

Durandal in Nagazora City had probably already taken all the store information back to Schicksal headquarters and would not be back anytime soon. But the Shop Manager suddenly remembered that Rita from another timeline had also taken the store's information back with her.

While he was not sure how Schicksal headquarters in that world would react to the store, considering he had brought Kiana to the store and temporarily taken her Void power, based on the Shop Manager's understanding of the Schicksal Overseer, he would probably immediately summon Schicksal's top combat force to Arc City.

Hmm. Given Schicksal's reaction speed, Durandal's people should already be in Arc City.

He wonders if Rita in Arc City slept well last night…

Thinking these random thoughts, he walked by the door, lowered his head, and muttered to speaking to himself as he wrote on the sign:

“Durandal and dogs are not not allowed…”

After writing it, the Shop Manager thought for a moment, feeling that the sentence was a bit too hostile and insulting, so he crossed out the words.

“Durandal (crossed out) and dogs (crossed out) are not allowed, hmm, that’s fine for now.”

With such a stern warning, surely no other fool will suddenly wander in, right?

The Shop Manager habged the sign on the doorknob, praising himself for his cleverness.

----

—2017, Arc City airspace, the transport ship Eos.

Durandal has always been a person with a very strict sense of time.

So, after receiving Overseer Otto's orders, she made only brief preparations and traversed nearly a third of the world map to reach the designated mission location, taking no more than two hours in total.

Having taken full control of the Eos from the garrison crew after arriving in Arc City, she had already been in the main control room for some time.

Out of concern for her comrade, Durandal did not immediately knock on Rita's door upon arriving at the Eos.

Although oblivious to Rita's feelings, Durandal's observational skills were quite sharp, and she had already noticed something amiss with Rita during the visual communication the previous night.

Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing had become slightly rapid, and her eyes were misty. If it were not for her lieutenant's repeated denials of any physical harm, Durandal would have thought Rita had been poisoned by some incurable toxin.

Anyway, now that she, as the captain, was by Rita's side, the vice-captain naturally had some breathing room. So, after learning that Rita had already returned to her room, Durandal decided not to disturb her, as that would be inconsiderate. She remained in the control room, repeatedly reviewing the mission reports and notes uploaded by Rita.

The strange café, another long-haired "Rita Rossweisse" with extremely high attainments in consciousness, the Herrscher body K423 hammering screws in that café, and the young Shop Manager who claimed to have seized the power of the Void and demonstrated the ability to cut through space… this was roughly the information Rita had recorded.

To be honest, even with Durandal's composure and calmness, she still felt a sense of absurdity upon seeing the report, followed by the same unease Rita felt upon first seeing the café.

Durandal was not worried about the "Rita Rossweisse," the manipulator of consciousness.

After all, no matter how skilled Rita was at manipulating consciousness, Durandal did not believe that Rita's understanding of consciousness could compare to that of a prehistoric piooner she had encountered who had lived for nearly fifty thousand years.

What worried her more was the Shop Manager, who was completely subservient to the manipulating Rita.

In their previous encounter, Rita and all the other members of the Immortal Blades team lurking in the shadows were easily controlled and captured by the mind-manipulating Rita. This meant that if they clashed again, she would likely face a situation where she had no teammates available.

With her current strength, could she defeat the Shop Manager who had stolen and completely controlled the power of the Void?

While Durandal was confident, she was not arrogant.

The Shop Manager's anomalies had completely exceeded her expectations.

Furthermore, if he could seize the power of the Herrscher of the Void, did that mean he could also seize the power of other Herrschers?

If that Shop Manager could do that, then not only would she avoid a direct confrontation, but to counter Honkai, she would also have to ensure the Shop Manager's safety.

Thinking about this, Durandal could not help but feel a headache coming on.

While she possessed a wealth of knowledge, to be honest, negotiation had never been her strong suit since childhood.

Durandal was far more adept at persuading others with her fists than with words. When the effectiveness of her fists was greatly diminished, this strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal unconsciously felt a sense of helplessness.

Speaking of which, why has Rita not woken up yet…?

Sitting in the control room, Durandal unconsciously raised her head.

She glanced at the sky displayed on the monitor, her brows furrowing deeply.

The spring sunshine was brilliant, and even looking at the screen, Durandal could not help but feel a considerable sense of warmth.

Undoubtedly, Arc City would be enjoying a long-awaited good day today.

Meanwhile, the bright sky meant it was already close to eight o'clock.

Had she been sitting here for that long?

No. Compared to everyone else, why has Rita not woken up yet?

Durandal arrived on the Eos a little before one in the morning, so about seven hours had passed.

But based on Durandal's understanding of Rita, no matter what happened the night before, as long as she slept for four hours, this capable adjutant would be fully recovered the next day.

In the early days after meeting Rita, Durandal always worried that her adjutant's almost ascetic lifestyle might suddenly kill her one day. But now that she had gotten used to it, seeing Rita sleeping soundly for over seven hours—no, including the time it took her to get here, maybe eight hours—made Durandal feel something was amiss.

She silently counted down the seconds in her mind, and the instant the clock struck exactly eight, Durandal walked out of the control room without hesitation, heading straight for Rita's room.

Tap tap tap—

"Rita, are you awake?"

The knocking and Durandal's voice faded, and silence returned.

There was no response from inside, only the faint sound of slightly hurried breathing.

"Rita?"

Durandal's expression hardened, and the knocking intensified.

"Are you alright?! Give me an answer!"

Still no response.

Durandal tried turning the doorknob, but it would not budge; it was probably locked from the inside. Rita did not respond, and now was no time to worry about the lock.

"I'm coming in!"

She loudly proclaimed her intrusion, forcefully pushing the door open. The interlocking metal lock creaked and twisted under the strain, and Durandal rudely forced the door open.

"Rita! Are you alright…"

For a moment.

Upon seeing the scene inside, Durandal's mind went completely blank.

Water.

The sheets were soaked with an unknown amount of water. Rita's mosaic-covered body lay curled up on her side, her alluring face filled with a dazed and intoxicated expression. Her watery eyes were unfocused. If it were not for the movement of her body and the rise and fall of her chest, Durandal might have thought Rita was unconscious with her eyes open.

The next instant, a strange scent filled her nostrils, causing Durandal's face to flush crimson.

"You... you... you... I... I... I..."

The fearless, strongest Valkyrie took a crucial step backward, a step that signified defeat and resignation. Her eyes were glazed, her expression panicked like a child who had done something wrong.

Was it the sound of footsteps that awakened Rita's consciousness? The mosaic-covered woman on the bed suddenly shuddered, her vision slowly regaining focus, and her breathing, which had been rapid and irregular, became heavy again.

Rita blinked, somewhat confused. She followed the sound of footsteps, her gaze fixed on the source. Seeing Durandal, her expression brightened, and she instinctively tried to get out of bed.

“Lady Durandal, you…”

Huh?

Why are my feet wet?

Rita froze, her neck stiffening as if realizing something terrible.

With a series of metallic cracking sounds, Rita's neck trembled and lowered like a robot.

She saw her body, the wet floor and sheets, and the clothes scattered everywhere.

She looked up again at the terrified Durandal, pondered for a moment, and finally slapped her palm, naturally arriving at one conclusion.

—Ah.

I feel like I have lost my reason for living in this world.

She pursed her lips, smiled slightly at Durandal, and then reached out. A massive scythe appeared out of thin air in a flash of pale blue light.

Finally, Rita unhesitatingly slashed the scythe toward her own neck, her smiling expression utterly serene.

Durandal gasped, her face contorted in horror. "Hiss—! Wait! What are you doing!?"

Her outstretched hand gripped the hilt of the scythe that was about to be swung.

“Lady Durandal, please let go.” Rita laughed, the scythe hilt in her hand trembling uncontrollably. “Rita no longer deserves to appear before you.”

“Y-you, you, don’t be impulsive! Rita!!” Durandal was at a loss, her voice trembling. To prevent her adjutant from committing suicide, she racked her brains to defend her. “I—I have at least read ‘The Body for Girls.’ This kind of thing is just normal behavior for women—it is not strange at all!! I also occasionally… ugh, ugh, ugh!! What am I saying! Nothing at all!!!”

A faint glimmer of hope appeared in Rita’s eyes.

“Anyway, please don’t do anything rash! We can talk this out!” Durandal continued, staring into Rita’s eyes for a long time. After confirming that Rita had finally abandoned her plan to slit her throat, she quietly snatched the scythe from her hand. “I will take your weapon for now. It was wrong of me to barge into your room like that. I… I… I will go out first. I will come back in after you have sorted things out!”

“Please, please don’t do anything foolish!!”

After saying this, Durandal grabbed the huge azure scythe and fled from Rita’s room, slamming the door she had just torn shut behind her.

The poor door dangled precariously in the frame.

"Ugh..."

Just as Durandal rushed out the door, she abruptly crouched down, hands covering her head, steam rising from her hair, her eyes darting around erratically. "What was I doing...? Why could I not have trusted Rita a little more..."

Before she could finish speaking, the rickety door creaked open.

"I am sorry to have worried you, Lady Durandal."

Durandal abruptly stood up and turned around.

"No, no, no, it is nothing! You do not need to apologize! I—"

The words caught in her throat. Rita, dressed impeccably in a maid's outfit, made one wonder if what she had just witnessed half a minute ago was a hallucination from eating too many mushrooms.

After a long pause, Durandal slumped her shoulders and sighed deeply.

"Anyway, it is good that you are alright."

She patted Rita's shoulder, opened her mouth, but could not speak immediately, hesitating whether to discuss mission-related matters with her adjutant, who had just suffered a major emotional blow.

---

Chapter Sixty-Nine: No Gain No Die

Fortunately, although the humiliation upon waking had driven her to the point of wanting to slit her own throat on the spot, Rita was still the Valkyrie Durandal knew.

Seeing the captain's predicament, Rita, who had just suffered a major setback, stepped forward to take charge. "Regarding the report about that café, Lady Durandal, what are your thoughts?"

Durandal was silent for a moment. She spent ten seconds forcing herself to forget everything she had just witnessed in Rita's bedroom, then spent another second recalling the mission reports she had repeatedly reviewed since arriving on the Eos.

She calmly and concisely stated her assessment.

“On my way to Arc City, I located the café using the coordinates provided in your mission report. However, to prevent their detection system from detecting my arrival, I have not made contact with the café yet. I have only confirmed its existence within the limits of my visual field.”

“…A wise choice.” Rita sighed softly. “Because of my reckless actions, the café's Shop Manager seems to have developed some unfriendly feelings toward us at Schicksal. Lady Durandal, I will take full responsibility for this failure.”

“Speaking pessimistically does not sound like you, Rita. Our operation is not over yet. As for your handling of the situation, I will decide after everything is concluded.”

Durandal's expression softened slightly but immediately turned serious at the beeping of her communicator.

She connected to the visual communication. A projection screen unfolded in mid-air, displaying Overseer Otto's face.

“Overseer.” Durandal nodded in greeting.

“It seems you have reunited with Rita, Durandal.”

Otto on the other end of the communication smiled gently.

“Has the situation with that café been confirmed?”

Durandal nodded. “Confirmed. That café was not Rita’s hallucination; it is a real building. However, just as Rita reported, apart from me being able to see it with the naked eye, neither satellite imagery nor any other non-Immortal Blades team members seem able to detect its existence.”

“In other words, it is a café that only you, Rita, and test subject K423 can see.” Otto’s expression turned thoughtful. “Since all man-made equipment cannot capture images of that café, then I am also very likely unable to see its existence.”

Durandal’s expression shifted slightly.

Indeed, Overseer Otto's current body is made of soulium. In a sense, it falls under the category of man-made equipment. Since existing man-made equipment cannot detect the existence of that café, by the same logic, in Otto's vision, the café's location should also be a void devoid of anything.

Otto did not seem frustrated by his inability to access the café. He stroked his chin and turned his gaze to Rita. "However, according to your reports, during your contact with that café, you were standing on the 'edge' of the café and spoke with their Shop Manager, right?"

"Yes," Rita nodded. "And it was during this time that another Rita in that café took control of all the non-Immortal Blades team members lurking around."

Otto narrowed his eyes slightly. "So, although only the two of you and the experimental subject K423 among our people can visually see and interact with that café, those inside can freely observe and interfere with our world, right?"

Rita pondered for a moment, then nodded somewhat uncertainly. "At least based on the information we have now, that seems to be the case."

Otto stroked his chin, then suddenly smiled. "In other words, we have to get the people in that café to voluntarily step out of that distorted edge of space. Only then can we have a fair conversation with their Shop Manager."

Seeing Otto's upturned lips, Rita and Durandal exchanged a thoughtful glance.

"But how do we lure the people in that café out?" Rita asked softly.

“The people in that coffee shop must have very strong reconnaissance capabilities, otherwise the members of the Immortal Blades team would not have been taken down without even making a sound,” Otto said with a chuckle. “However, no matter how strong the reconnaissance capabilities are, there must be limits. Otherwise, the moment you and Durandal reunited, the people in that coffee shop should have taken the initiative to attack.”

Rita disagreed with Otto's overly hasty judgment: "Is it possible that they don't harbor any hostility towards us and therefore won't attack first?"

"Of course, that's possible, even quite possible," Otto said calmly. "But since that café chose to seize the Herrscher of the Void's power right under our noses, they should be prepared to fight Schicksal. If they aren't, then there are only two possibilities."

"First, that café possesses immense power, so much so that they can easily ignore us."

"Second, the people in that café are too naive, so naive that they believe we can stand by and watch the Herrscher of the Void's power be taken away without doing anything."

Here, Otto paused. "Regardless of the situation, the choice we need to make is the same: negotiation requires both sides to be on equal footing. Dialogue with unequal positions will only degenerate into unfair coercion."

"Even if that café is truly powerful, we must find a way to break this preconceived notion."

"To put it bluntly, it's what's called bluffing."

"The Anti-Entropy people have used this tactic on me before, and it was quite effective."

"And if that café is the latter case—"

As he spoke, a cruel smile gradually crept onto Otto's lips.

"An existence capable of helping us control the Herrschers... of course, we must do everything in our power to keep it firmly in our grasp."

"Of course, it's to fight against the Honkai."

Looking at Otto's cold expression tinged with a hint of mockery, Durandal and Rita couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

But they had to admit that Otto's words were quite persuasive.

Otto chuckled. His voice was gentle and composed, possessing a captivating charm.

"This operation is extremely important. Success is the only option; failure is not an option. I've already loaded the body, tuned to its optimal condition, onto the transport ship bound for Arc City. After we rendezvous, I will upload my consciousness to that body and personally formulate the operational details for this mission. In the meantime, you two will remain on standby on the Eos."

"Anything else to report?"

Rita pondered for a moment. "What's the response from Heliopolis Life Sciences?"

"Heliopolis Life Sciences? Oh, that company that's been providing Shenzhou with free aid. Look at my memory. Once I find something interesting, I immediately forget all this trivial stuff."

Otto patted his head somewhat affectedly.

"Resource delivery to Heliopolis Life Sciences cannot be stopped, of course. However, now that K423's whereabouts are clear, you no longer need to rely on that company's medical records and information channels. Deliver the medication before I arrive in Arc City. As for the so-called inspection, just give it a perfunctory answer. I doubt the people at that company are genuinely welcoming us."

"Understood." Rita responded to Otto, then turned to Durandal. "The medications that need to be delivered are all on the Eos. Lord Durandal, please come with me to Heliopolis Life Sciences."

Durandal nodded. "Alright, but if we're going to conduct an inspection, let's do it properly. I will also inspect the Heliopolis Life Sciences work area with you, Overseer. We will complete the inspection as soon as possible. After the inspection, please send the transport ship's coordinates."

"Okay, that's all for now." Otto nodded. "Good luck, my lovely Valkyries."

With that, Otto hung up the communication, and the surrounding air returned to silence.

At the same moment, at the Hyperion Café.

On the second floor, in a makeshift bedroom.

Kiana and Raiden Mei lay on the bed, their eyes, thick with dark circles, staring blankly at the bedroom ceiling.

"Good morning, Mei."

"Good morning, Kiana."

The weak greetings escaped from the two exhausted girls.

"Mei, didn't you sleep last night?" Kiana asked blankly.

"You didn't either..." Raiden Mei replied blankly. "How could I possibly sleep at a time like this..."

"..."

Silence.

Then a sigh, unanimously uttered and filled with weariness and exhaustion, escaped their lips.

"Get up..." Raiden Mei spoke.

"You're right..." Kiana echoed.

The two girls sat up like zombies, then turned to look at each other. Their faces were ashen, and they couldn't help but sigh deeply again.

Life is tough, the girl sighed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"May I come in?"

...Although she had mentally complained countless times, no matter how many times she heard that nightmarish voice speak in such a polite tone, Kiana always felt a profound sense of discomfort.

Sigh.

Why wasn't the Sirin she knew this lovely person?

Even when the Store Manager was holding her, she was more...

Slap. Kiana suddenly slapped herself lightly, her face turning bright red with shame.

"Ugh, what nonsense am I thinking?!"

Kiana stammered, her voice slightly guilty. "B-yes, we're awake. The door's unlocked, please come in."

The sudden slap startled Raiden Mei, but seeing Kiana's flushed face and hearing her guilty voice, she pretty much guessed what she was thinking. She helplessly rubbed her forehead.

Click. The doorknob turned, and the door was pushed open from the outside. Sirin, dressed in a school uniform, placed two sets of clothes on the bedside table.

"Since you two haven't woken up yet, I brought you your uniforms. They were custom-made for you, so they shouldn't be too ill-fitting."

After putting down the clothes, Sirin looked at the two girls sitting on the bed, her brow furrowing slightly. "You two look terrible. Shouldn't you lie down a little longer?"

"No, no, no need." Kiana patted her cheeks.

Although she did feel a little sleepy, admitting it would inevitably steer the conversation toward "what you two did last night."

So she immediately threw off her blanket, shoved her feet into slippers, and lied, saying, "We just overslept a little. Sleeping any longer will only make us feel worse. I'm going to the bathroom to wash my face, then I'll go downstairs to report to the Store Manager right away."

"Oh, and one more thing." Reaching the door, Kiana suddenly turned back and gave Sirin a bright smile. "Thank you for bringing us the clothes."

With that, Kiana ran off in a flurry of footsteps.

"Uh..." Sirin blushed slightly, scratching her head. "I didn't rush her. Is she always this impulsive?"

"Yeah." Raiden Mei also got out of bed, smiling gently, but her eyes held a strange complexity. "It's nice to see her clumsy side here again."

"Clumsy... that doesn't sound like a good word," Sirin said, her tone complicated.

"You're right, 'reckless' isn't exactly a good description, but that's just how Kiana is."

Raiden Mei walked to Sirin's side, lowered her head slightly, and looked at the magical girl who was almost as tall as Theresa with a touch of melancholy.

Suddenly, she couldn't resist gently patting her head.

Sirin was startled. "What are you doing all of a sudden?"

"Ah, I'm sorry." Raiden Mei awkwardly withdrew her hand, clearly realizing that her unconscious action was quite impolite. "It's just that I really didn't expect Sirin to be so likable. She's completely different from my previous stereotypes."

----

Chapter Seventy: Herrscher of the Void: I'm Broken Down, I'm Giving Up

"...I'm not even sure if you're praising me or scolding me."

Sirin stood with her hands on her hips, a somewhat speechless expression on her face, then suddenly sighed.

"Forget it. I'm not particularly interested in the situation in your world. What a Sirin from another world would become... I can't control that, and I don't have the time to argue about it."

Raiden Mei's hands tightened slightly, speaking nervously. "You've already noticed?"

"Don't misunderstand me. Don't let my young age fool you. I've traveled to far more worlds with the Captain than any of you who haven't even left your own world." Sirin raised her chin, striking a triumphant pose. "It's just a 'me' from another world. It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Ouch—a headache.

For some reason, the moment she heard the word "Captain," a slight, uncontrollable sharp pain shot through the depths of Raiden Mei's mind, as if something had suddenly been shattered.

Unfamiliar scenes flashed before her eyes like lightning, yet she couldn't grasp them at all, only watching helplessly as those memories, which should have been hers but were now utterly foreign, slipped through her fingers like sand.

In those unfamiliar scenes, there was always the figure of a red-haired boy, the "ship" insignia on his military cap faintly visible.

Raiden Mei pursed her lips, a sudden, inexplicable tightness in her chest. She lowered her gaze and asked softly.

"Excuse me, the captain you speak of... is...?"

"Why are you asking that?" Hearing this question, Sirin frowned, her expression becoming somewhat wary.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it." Raiden Mei waved her hand, a somewhat forced smile on her face. "It's just that, like Sirin said, for those of us who 'haven't yet ventured beyond our own world,' it's inevitable to feel a little curious about people who can travel between different worlds. If you don't want to answer, just pretend I didn't ask."

"...Telling you wouldn't hurt."

Perhaps because Raiden Mei's expression was genuinely sincere, the gentle Sirin's hardened heart finally softened.

Even so, she still didn't directly reveal the information that "the Store Manager of this café is the Captain," but instead spoke ambiguously.

"If you're looking for the Captain, I advise you to save your breath. After all, that person hasn't been a captain for a long time, and apart from necessary social interactions, he probably doesn't want others intruding into his private space."

"Has... he hasn't been a captain for a long time?" Raiden Mei said softly, her emotions uncontrollably sinking.

Clearly, she and Sirin were talking about a complete stranger she had never met before, yet upon hearing those words, Raiden Mei still felt a powerful sense of loss well up in her chest, as if a vast, formless, unknowable, and immeasurable "meaning" had suddenly vanished.

She took a deep breath, silently suppressing the immense disappointment within her, and then gave Sirin a genuine smile.

"Thank you for telling me all this."

Fast footsteps sounded outside the door. Kiana, still wearing a loose set of pajamas, returned to the bedroom after washing up.

"Mei, I've used the bathroom."

"Okay, I know." Raiden Mei nodded and walked toward the door. "You should get along well with Sirin. Don't underestimate her just because she's young."

"How could I possibly bully her!" Kiana complained. "Does Mei think I'm such a bad person?"

"That's hard to say. You were arguing with Bronya over some trivial matter not long ago," Raiden Mei said quietly, then couldn't help but chuckle.

"I... I was..." Kiana wanted to defend herself but found herself at a loss for words and could only stammer incoherently.

"Hey, you two, how long are you going to treat me like I'm invisible? Why do you start your conversation with the premise that I'll be bullied? Do I look that easy to bully?"

Sirin crossed her arms and couldn't help but roll her eyes, but after seeing the interaction between Raiden Mei and Kiana, she couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Fine... I can't be bothered arguing with you two.

To be honest, when Raiden Mei suddenly asked about the Captain, Sirin had already silently raised her alarm to the maximum.

Because, according to past practice, the connection between these former Hyperion members and the Captain mostly began with a curiosity about the unknown, which usually turned into affection in a very short time. By the time they realized they couldn't live without that person, it was already too late.

Of course, Sirin didn't regret this naive yet unwavering affection, and she believed that most people willing to stay by the Captain's side felt the same way.

Even if she could go back in time and choose again, Sirin would still reach out to the "Captain" on the night when her best friend lost her soul, firmly grasping that hand that seemed so natural—a hand representing reliance and unconditional trust—and never letting go.

However, as a normal human woman, her natural protective instincts made Sirin, who had made this choice, somewhat unwilling to see other girls make the same decision.

Therefore, almost instinctively, she tried to break off the faintly visible flag above Raiden Mei's head and secretly breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that the other party wasn't really interested in the Captain.

"I'll go back downstairs to help out. You two, get your uniforms on and report to the Store Manager as soon as possible."

Sirin's expression turned stern. "Several customers have reserved a table for dinner tonight. Those customers are very important to this café. I don't know if you've ever worked as café staff before, so take advantage of the lower daytime hours to get used to the job. Even though you two are just temporary staff, don't embarrass this café in front of the customers."

"Okay, okay! It's just café staff. I've done it before, and Mei is very capable. I promise you in Kaslana's name she won't let us down!"

Kiana waved casually, then unfolded the shop uniform Sirin had given them from the bedside table, her eyes lighting up:

"Wow, this uniform is quite nice! Mei, look!"

"Hmm... indeed, the workmanship and materials are quite exquisite."

Having initially thought the café uniforms would be rather ordinary, Raiden Mei couldn't help but show a hint of surprise upon seeing the dark green suit Kiana had unfolded.

While Kiana simply found the outfits aesthetically pleasing, Raiden Mei, as a former young lady, could see that these uniforms were far from simple.

In their world, wearing these two suits would be perfectly acceptable, even in places reserved for the aristocracy. Perhaps those old-fashioned ladies would even inquire with astonishment about the designer and spend a considerable sum to have a similar suit custom-made.

"Hmph, these are custom-made clothes for you, after all. Isn't it only natural that they're meticulously crafted?"

Seeing the surprised expressions on Raiden Mei and Kiana's faces, Sirin, her vanity greatly satisfied, raised her nose.

"You made both of these outfits?" Raiden Mei asked in surprise.

"Is that strange? I am a fashion designer," Sirin said matter-of-factly.

"..."

For some reason, after hearing Sirin's confident assertion, Kiana suddenly fell silent, her expression inexplicably tense.

Raiden Mei keenly sensed Kiana's unease.

Although Kiana claimed that the Herrscher of the Void's will had been completely suppressed by the Store Manager, she ultimately did not witness the Store Manager actually suppressing it.

Therefore, even now, Raiden Mei remained completely focused on Kiana's every move, afraid that she wouldn't be able to control her immediately if she lost control.

"Kiana, what's wrong?" Raiden Mei asked cautiously.

"Ah, I'm fine..." Kiana instinctively shook her head, not wanting Raiden Mei to worry too much, but then she suddenly stopped talking, a conflicted expression appearing on her face. "Hmm, no, I can't say I'm fine."

Hearing Kiana bring up her unusual behavior, Raiden Mei breathed a slight sigh of relief because it meant that Kiana was gradually becoming less resistant to receiving their help.

Raiden Mei wasn't actually afraid to face the problems Kiana was experiencing; after all, she had likely encountered similar issues herself.

Moreover, they now had the help of this café.

More than the issue of the Herrscher, what Raiden Mei feared most was that Kiana would still stubbornly choose to bear those problems alone, unwilling to seek help or communicate with others.

The fact that she could proactively point out the abnormality in her body was already a significant improvement.

“Is… the Herrscher Persona within you starting to stir again?” Raiden Mei asked.

“…No, that’s not right. You misunderstand, Mei.” Kiana shook her head and looked down at her chest, her hand gently covering it.

“Rather than restless… it seems more like she's been too docile.”

“What do you mean?” Raiden Mei frowned slightly.

Just then, Kiana’s body suddenly trembled, and Fu Hua’s semi-transparent figure appeared in mid-air.

“Let me explain,” Fu Hua spoke, her expression quite complex. “Although the Herrscher of the Void’s consciousness is temporarily suppressed deep within her by my abilities and Kiana’s personal will, her struggle has never truly ceased.”

“But right after Sirin finished speaking, the Herrscher consciousness within Kiana suddenly stopped all struggle and activity… as if it had suddenly given up its struggle for control of the body.”

“How does this concern me?” Sirin was taken aback. “And what was that sentence I just said?”

“You said it—the sentence about being a fashion designer,” Fu Hua said softly.

“A fashion designer… is that so strange?” Sirin scratched her head, looking completely bewildered.

“No, what’s strange isn’t that you’re a fashion designer, but that you became one,” Fu Hua said. “Of course, I’m not saying it’s strange that you became a fashion designer. It’s just that after hearing that you became one, the Herrscher consciousness within Kiana suddenly stopped all its struggling movements.”

“Herrscher consciousness… the same consciousness that suddenly attacked me last night?” Sirin frowned, her expression turning grim, likely because she recalled the scene of being nearly killed by the out-of-control Kiana last night.

“Hmm.” Fu Hua nodded. “You just said that during your travels between different worlds with that ‘Captain,’ you met several ‘selves’ from other worlds, right?”

“Yes. I guess your world’s ‘Sirin’ probably left you with some rather unpleasant impressions.” Sirin crossed her arms. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t all have that wary, somewhat incredulous expression when you saw my face.”

“If you’re offended by this, we can apologize. Miss Kongming is right; it was our problem to have the wrong target. We shouldn’t have imposed our preconceived notions about the ‘Sirin’ we knew on you,” Fu Hua said.

Fu Hua’s frankness left Sirin somewhat bewildered.

“Let’s skip the apology… After all, even my past self, when first arriving in another world, would subconsciously assume those familiar faces were people I already knew. I won’t impose on you what I couldn’t do myself.”

“Do you want to know what our world’s ‘Sirin’ is like?” Fu Hua asked softly. “Although not truly the same person, the Herrscher consciousness within Kiana’s body reacting to your words and actions has already briefly proven that you two still share a considerable degree of commonality.”

“Wait, what do you mean by that?!” Sirin’s eyes widened, her thoughts stalling.

“You mean last night, the will within Kiana that suddenly attacked me was your world’s ‘me’?”

----

Chapter 71: Memories That Jump Between Sides

Sirin’s utterly astonished voice silenced Fu Hua.

Deep down, she didn’t want to discuss that incredibly tragic history in front of this angelic child. Besides, even in their original world, the Sirin who became a Herrscher in the Second Honkai War wasn’t always a wicked child.

Fu Hua herself wasn’t entirely clear on the specific details of Sirin’s birth, because Schicksal had never revealed the true reason for the Second Herrscher’s creation, and she had little memory of the Second Honkai War.

Even so, based on Fu Hua’s understanding of Schicksal, since Schicksal deliberately ignored the process of the Second Herrscher’s birth, she was almost certain that Sirin’s submission to Honkai was largely inextricably linked to Schicksal’s sordid history.

Does anything in this world exist that can judge Schicksal’s sins?

Perhaps, but it most likely doesn’t exist on Earth now.

With the Second Honkai War long over, Fu Hua didn’t want to dwell on Schicksal’s actions during the war, as it was meaningless. Similarly, given her personality, she couldn’t simply place all the blame for the Second Honkai War on Sirin.

Just as she couldn’t place all the blame for the Herrscher’s resurgence on Kiana now.

Fu Hua’s silence elicited a hint of displeasure from Sirin, but she didn’t press the matter further.

Instead, she turned and left without looking back, her hurried footsteps fading into the distance.

“Uh…”

Because Sirin’s departure was so abrupt and her expression unusually serious, Kiana didn’t dare stop her immediately. A slightly embarrassed look appeared on her face.

“Did we… make her angry?”

“It’s probably normal to feel angry,” Raiden Mei sighed. “Although I didn’t witness Kiana losing control last night, we almost hurt that child. Honestly, the fact that she’s willing to talk to us calmly like this already shows how gentle she is.”

At that moment, a clear, questioning voice drifted from outside the open door.

“Captain, what exactly is my relationship with that girl named Kiana? Don’t treat me like a child like those others do. I know you definitely know, and I want the truth.”

Captain?

This title made Raiden Mei pause for a moment.

“I told you not to call me Captain in the store… Sigh, never mind.” The Store Manager’s clear, youthful voice drifted from the first floor. “You suddenly came here asking this question, so what did they say to you? What did they say to you?”

The speaker didn’t refuse, nor did he express confusion about Sirin’s question, indicating that he was indeed very knowledgeable about Kiana.

The moment Raiden Mei realized this, her face paled slightly.

The Store Manager was the Captain Sirin mentioned, and that Captain was very familiar with things about them…

Had he actually known them for a long time?

Although Raiden Mei couldn’t definitively conclude this, her mind uncontrollably replayed those fragmented images that had been flashing incessantly not long ago.

“…” Her head started to throb again.

Raiden Mei’s body swayed slightly, and Kiana, noticing something was wrong, immediately steadied her.

“Mei, what’s wrong?” Kiana asked. “Why do you look so pale all of a sudden? Did you not sleep well last night?”

“Heh, worried about me? You haven’t even solved your own problems yet." Raiden Mei forced a slightly stiff smile.

Looking at Kiana’s concerned expression, she suddenly reached out and gently pressed Kiana’s smooth forehead. “I’m fine. I’m just a little tired. Seeing your weird face makes everything better.”

“That’s good… wait, did I just get yelled at?” Kiana looked confused.

Raiden Mei didn’t answer Kiana’s question. Instead, she took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and her expression brightened again.

It’s just that he's familiar with us. That alone isn’t enough to confirm that the Cap… the Store Manager really already knows us.

Sirin had mentioned it before, hadn’t she?

During their travels through various worlds, they occasionally encountered the same beings in different worlds.

Kongming, who bore a striking resemblance to Principal Theresa; Bronie, with her slightly eccentric personality; Rita; even Sirin herself… these shop assistants were almost all people they had met before, some even quite familiar.

Since they could see familiar faces in this shop, conversely, the Store Manager must have also encountered people very similar to them in the past, such as “Kiana” or “Raiden Mei.”

At this moment, Sirin’s confident voice came again from the first floor.

“She said that the consciousness that suddenly attacked me last night came from Sirin of their world. Is that correct?”

This question made the two people and one soul on the second floor prick up their ears.

They were all very curious about what judgment the seemingly incredibly powerful and knowledgeable Store Manager would make on this matter.

“No.”

In the next instant, that casual conclusion left all three of them stunned.

Not only the three of them, but Sirin was also clearly taken aback by the Store Manager’s answer.

She quickly pressed, “No? But Kiana and the others clearly said…?”

“That idiot doesn’t know anything! You believe everything she says?” The Store Manager interrupted Sirin without hesitation.

“…”

Kiana’s vision blurred. Almost instinctively, she wanted to rush downstairs to confront the Store Manager, but thankfully Raiden Mei and Fu Hua reached out in time, pressing down on her shoulders.

“Calm down! Don’t be impulsive!” Fu Hua whispered.

“Yes, Kiana!” Raiden Mei whispered, secretly relieved. “You know yourself, we only met the store manager of this café last night. It’s perfectly understandable that he doesn’t know what happened to you.”

“I… of course I know.” Kiana pouted, looking rather aggrieved. “But he doesn’t have to keep yelling at me like that…”

Downstairs, behind the bar, Sirin glanced discreetly toward the stairwell to the second floor.

"If the will within her isn’t the ‘me’ from that world, then who is she, and why is she so hostile toward me?”

The Store Manager took a sip of steaming milk and looked at Sirin. “Why are you so concerned about her? Is it just because the will within her suddenly hurt you?”

“…”

This question left Sirin speechless for a moment. She wasn’t the cold-blooded type unwilling to lend a helping hand, but during her travels with the Captain, she had come to understand that she couldn’t prevent all tragedies.

Even someone like the Store Manager who had reshaped the rules of the Sea of Quanta and the Bubble Worlds could only guarantee that the Bubble Worlds wouldn’t perish due to their own fragility and the Sea of Quanta’s encroachment. He couldn’t interfere excessively with the birth, aging, sickness, and death experienced by the humans within those Bubble Worlds.

“…I just couldn’t stand it.” Sirin turned her head away, speaking stubbornly. “If the Captain doesn’t want to tell me, then I won’t keep asking.”

“Who said I didn’t want to tell you?”

The Store Manager patted Sirin’s head. “I just think that these things should be discussed properly once the parties involved are here.”

“Hey, you guys on the second floor, have you finished eavesdropping? Shouldn’t you change into your uniforms and come down to report to me?”

“Or do I need to come and invite you down?”

—Three minutes later, Raiden Mei and Kiana, now in their uniforms, appeared at the bar on the first floor, while Sirin sat next to the Store Manager, listening in.

“…Did you already know we could hear you?”

Kiana asked with an unfriendly expression, her teeth grinding together.

“Otherwise, do you think I’m the kind of person who only talks badly about others behind their backs?” The Store Manager shrugged.

Kiana was even more annoyed by his nonchalant attitude, but she didn’t choose to provoke a fight at this moment.

After all, the Store Manager had helped her control the Herrscher consciousness within her; it was better to swallow her insults for now.

“What do you mean by saying I don’t understand anything?” Suppressing her resentment, Kiana went straight to the point. “Do you think you know more about the true nature of the Herrscher consciousness than I do?”

“Saying you don’t understand anything, of course, means it literally,” the Store Manager spoke casually. “If you really understood Sirin from your world, would you have allowed the Herrscher consciousness within you to act like this?”

This time, not only Kiana, but even the gentle Raiden Mei couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger.

Those images that flashed through her mind were indeed just her imagination, she told herself silently as she looked directly at the Store Manager’s face.

“Store Manager, I respect your abilities and thank you for helping Kiana, but please don’t reopen Kiana’s wounds.”

“You have no idea what Kiana has gone through these past few days—”

“She accidentally entered a dream world and reunited with her family, then was kidnapped by Schicksal. Her body was taken over by the Herrscher consciousness within her, and during this time of losing control, she harmed her companions and killed her mentor. After regaining her body, she went into exile in Arc City and also dealt with… no, that doesn’t seem to have happened yet.”

The Store Manager closed one eye, touching his forehead with his finger.

“Anyway, that’s roughly how I remember it. Is there anything I’ve missed?”

Silence.

An eerie silence.

Apart from the sounds of Rita working in the kitchen, the entire bar and the first-floor hall were shrouded in pin-drop silence.

Raiden Mei’s pupils contracted sharply.

Kiana’s face paled with each word the Store Manager spoke, and she even took a step back.

An indescribable chill cut through her spine like a knife.

“Judging from your reaction, I must have gotten it all right,” the Store Manager chuckled, his tone inexplicably self-deprecating. “I thought I’d forgotten everything, but it seems I still remember it quite clearly.”

Kiana and Raiden Mei didn’t understand the Store Manager’s self-deprecating expression, but Sirin noticed it.

She pursed her lips, suddenly regretting her intervention in Kiana’s affairs.

But what was done couldn’t be reversed, so she could only silently place her hands on the Store Manager’s, trying to transfer her body heat to him as much as possible.

The Store Manager took Sirin’s hand in his, gently touching her soft palm. His eyes closed slightly, indicating that she shouldn’t worry.

“You… how did you know…? No! How could you know so much!?”

Kiana raised her arms like a startled cat, her blue eyes filled with fear and wariness.

“Instead of questioning why I know so much, shouldn’t you be more concerned about your own situation?”

Fhe Store Manager turned his gaze back to Kiana.

“Let me make this clear: while my ability can forcibly seize the power of a Herrscher’s core, its effect is limited to this café. This means that once you step outside, the Herrscher’s power and the erosion caused by the Herrscher’s core will return to your body.”

“Therefore, if you truly want to permanently control the Herrscher consciousness within you and prevent yourself from losing control, you only have two paths before you.”

“First, commit suicide immediately. But if you really do, the Herrscher core, now without a body, will probably go berserk and slaughter everyone in Arc City in an instant.”

“If you’re lucky, after slaughtering the city, the people of your world will probably be able to suppress the out-of-control Herrscher core in time and retrieve it.”

“If you’re a little unlucky, and there’s still a Herrscher body in Arc City… hehe, we can’t rule out the possibility of immediately creating another Herrscher of the Void.”

“What—” Kiana gasped, her eyes filled with horror and lingering fear.

“How could this be? If I committed suicide…”

“What, didn’t you study history well?”

The Store Manager smiled.

"No, judging from your situation, it’s probably because Schicksal simply didn’t dare tell you the true outcome of the Second Honkai War.”

----

Chapter 72: Thus, the three starters from different worlds gathered here

It was later determined that the total number of casualties exceeded eight figures. All A-rank Valkyries perished, and the property damage was incalculable. The Second Honkai War was the most devastating Honkai disaster in human history snd inflicted indelible wounds on Schicksal and human civilization.

As Valkyrie trainees studying at St. Freya Academy, Raiden Mei and Kiana had, of course, read about major historical events like the Second Honkai War more than once in their history textbooks.

But in the history they learned, the Second Honkai War and the Second Herrscher at that time were ultimately brought under Schicksal’s control.

They, of course, had no way of knowing that at the very end of the Second Honkai War, long before Schicksal launched the Honkai energy fission bomb, Sirin had already been defeated by Siegfried, who was in a semi-collapsed state. It was at Sirin’s death that the Herrscher of the Void’s core also lost control, nearly causing a horrific disaster that engulfed half of the Asian continent.

“Back then, Schicksal could suppress the out-of-control Herrscher core with Cecilia’s sacrifice. However, for Schicksal now without a Holy Blood holder like Cecilia, simply using the Black Abyss White Flower won’t be enough to completely neutralize the Honkai energy released by the Herrscher of the Void’s core.”

The milky white liquid in the glass was completely gone after the Store Manager finished the last sip. He grabbed a napkin from the edge of the bar, gently wiped his mouth, then crumpled it and threw it into the wastebasket.

“Ah~ If it were Theresa, she could use the 0th power of the Binding Key to control the out-of-control Honkai energy radiation. But if things really develop to that point, she’ll probably only end up on the same path as your mentor, paying the price with her own life for your loss of control.”

“So, knowing this, are you still planning to use suicide as your last resort?”

The Store Manager propped his cheek with the back of his hand, smiling as he watched Kiana’s face grow increasingly pale. His tone was flippant and casual, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated to himself.

“…” Kiana lowered her head, clenching her teeth tightly, her entire body trembling slightly under the weight of guilt and terror.

This indescribable terror wasn’t just because she knew that even suicide couldn’t completely solve the problems caused by the Herrscher of the Void, but also because the Store Manager’s words gave her the illusion that her entire being was completely controlled and dominated by him.

Raiden Mei turned her head slightly, looking at Kiana’s pale face and cold sweat.

After a moment’s hesitation, she didn’t speak up for Kiana as usual, but instead fell silent.

Although Kiana felt an unspeakable fear at the Store Manager’s words, it was precisely this fear that clouded her usual sharpness, preventing her from immediately noticing a crucial matter.

But as an observer, Raiden Mei realized that matter.

Undoubtedly, the Store Manager’s words and condescending tone carried a chilling, oppressive aura. However, if one disregarded his tone and the superior attitude he displayed by exploiting information asymmetry and focused solely on his purpose, it became clear that everything he said was aimed at dissuading Kiana from resorting to suicide as a last resort.

Even if you commit suicide, you are the embodiment of disaster. The mess you leave behind will still kill your elders and companions!

Although Raiden Mei felt some pity for Kiana, who was terrified to the point of questioning her existence, she had to admit that the Store Manager’s words were far more effective than her own attempts to stop Kiana from harming herself.

The silence lasted a long time, until finally, the sound of fingernails tapping on the table shattered the frozen air.

“Alright, seeing how scared you are, you probably aren’t planning on using that first, simple but ineffective method to solve your problems.”

“Then let’s talk about the second method.”

The Store Manager spoke with a faint smile.

“However, I probably don’t need to give you any hints about this so-called second method, since all your efforts during this time have been aimed at completely controlling that power.”

“Having spent the night in this café, you've probably noticed that neither Sirin nor I are from your world.”“To be honest, I don't intend to meddle in other worlds' affairs. If I had to clean up every mess every world makes, this café might as well close down.”“Of course, since I've already made a promise to you, I'll naturally help you resolve Kiana's troubles.”“But—”Suddenly, the Store Manager changed the subject:“Before that, shouldn't you compensate for the losses caused last night?”This unexpected turn of events caught Kiana and Raiden Mei off guard. They exchanged a glance. Both saw similar bewilderment and shock in each other's eyes. They could not comprehend why the topic had taken such a dramatic turn.The next second, they understood why, because the café's door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.Raiden Mei and Kiana realized the café was already open, and discussing Kiana's issues in front of other customers was clearly unwise.The two girls took a deep breath, composed themselves, turned around simultaneously, then froze.The customer who entered was a capable woman in a military uniform with a well-proportioned figure and elegant posture. The sound of her high heels hitting the floor was incredibly crisp.The customer immediately spotted the Store Manager sitting behind the bar.Upon seeing her face, a mixture of embarrassment and slight indignation appeared on her expression.She opened her mouth as if to say something, but at that moment, a startled shout abruptly cut her off.“Bronya…?”The speaker was Raiden Mei.Upon seeing the customer's face, a look of disbelief crossed her face, and she blurted out the name that had been on her mind.“Hmm?” Hearing someone call her name, the customer instinctively looked at Raiden Mei, scrutinizing her face with obvious confusion.“Yes, I am Bronya. May I ask who you are…?”The Store Manager's lips curled slightly. He swirled his empty glass, leisurely stood up, lifted the curtain, and walked into the kitchen. The sound of running water immediately filled the kitchen.“Wait, aren’t you the girl from yesterday?”Before Raiden Mei could answer the customer's question, her body jolted as if she had suddenly realized something, and her expression became tense.She rushed to Raiden Mei and asked worriedly. “Mother... no, did Cocolia do anything bad to you?”“Cocolia? The bad person is…”Looking at the other woman's anxious yet polite demeanor, Raiden Mei was a little confused. She was completely unable to understand why Bronya would suddenly mention Cocolia's name.The elegant girl in military uniform recalled everything that had happened in the shop yesterday afternoon. Her expression turned serious. “If I remember correctly, yesterday afternoon, she declared that she would turn you into something called a Herrscher. I think that's the name.”Raiden Mei was even more confused. “But I'm already a Herrscher.”Hearing this, the girl in military uniform immediately showed a pained expression.“Damn it… was it still too late?”She subtly turned her head to the side, glancing at the curtain behind the bar.After confirming that the Store Manager was washing something in the kitchen and would not be out for a while, she reached out and grasped Raiden Mei's hands. Her eyes shone with a resolute, guardian-like authority. She whispered."If you encounter any trouble, you can tell me. Although I'm not from your side, I am also a believer in the Amber Lord. If you seek refuge with the Architects, as the Great Guardian, in the name of Preservation, I will do my best to protect your safety.”“Huh?”Amber Lord? Protection? Architects?Raiden Mei's eyes were filled with confusion.What… what is all this? This Bronya… why does she seem so strange?“Hey, that's enough already.”Just then, the Store Manager lifted the kitchen curtain, holding a tray with two glasses of kiwi juice, four steaming slices of cheese toast, and four servings of grilled sausages.“Even though she's temporary, she's still one of my employees. Isn't it a bit unreasonable of you to poach her right in front of me, the Store Manager?”“Store... employee?” The girl in military uniform froze, blinking blankly, momentarily unable to believe her ears.“Yeah, I do run a coffee shop, so it's not surprising I hire a few people when I'm short-staffed.”He placed the tray on the counter and then gestured to Raiden Mei with his chin. “Go find a table and have breakfast with Kiana.”Raiden Mei was momentarily stunned. “Huh? This… is this for us?”“Who else would it be for if not you? Rita and Sirin have already eaten, and Kongming and Bronie probably won't get up until noon. I don't usually eat too much for breakfast, so a cup of hot milk will do. Only you two are still hungry.”“Time is limited, so I can only toast a few pieces of bread for you to eat first. Kiana has such a big appetite. I don't know if it'll be enough. Let me know if it isn't.”Kiana and Raiden Mei were both dumbfounded.Just moments before, the Store Manager had been arrogant and domineering. Now, the two girls clearly felt a strange sense of care emanating from him.No, to be precise, this care itself was not strange.At least for Raiden Mei and Kiana, they had felt similar warmth from their elders—a warmth that was gentle and natural. Logically, however, it should not be coming from this Store Manager.The Store Manager looked completely unaware of the confusion his unintentional actions had caused Raiden Mei and Kiana. After casually instructing the two temporary staff on breakfast, he turned his gaze to Bronya, whose expression was complex.A slight smile played on his lips, and his face displayed the gentle smile he always gave to customers."So, Miss, what would you like to drink?”The difference between his attitude toward strangers and customers and his attitude toward Kiana and Raiden Mei was immediately apparent.Before the Store Manager spoke to Bronya, Raiden Mei and Kiana could at least console themselves that perhaps it was just the Store Manager's meticulous approach to work. Now, their feelings were becoming increasingly chaotic.The elegant girl in military uniform pursed her lips, glanced stealthily at the plates on the bar, and subtly swallowed. “Does this café offer breakfast?”Before she finished speaking, a very loud gurgling sound followed.The voice was anything but elegant. The capable Guardian froze for a moment, then her face flushed crimson rapidly. She slammed her hand on the bar, frantically trying to explain herself.“No, no, no, that's not it! I just... I just haven't had breakfast yet…!”“Why are you explaining this to a store manager at a coffee shop?”The Store Manager's lips twitched as if he were suppressing a laugh. He pulled open a drawer behind the bar and took out a menu.“Breakfast is available, of course. What would you like?”“Nothing too complicated, just the same as theirs…” The Guardian lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper.“Alright, shall I show you to a seat?”“No, no need.” Bronya turned her gaze to Raiden Mei. “Would it be alright if we shared a table?”“Uh…” Raiden Mei glanced at the empty lobby, feeling a surge of anger rising in her chest. She was unsure whether to vent it or not.“Okay, okay!” Seeing that Raiden Mei seemed a little hesitant, Kiana quickly agreed.“I'm also curious about how you and Mei met. Your name is Bronya, right? What a coincidence. I also know a girl named Bronya!”“Really?” Bronya, dressed in military uniform, smiled. “It seems the three of us are truly destined for each other. I hope we can get along well.”-----Chapter 73 Stelle: Godfather! Hang Up!Outside the frosted window, the sky was a calm, cloudless blue. A hazy light shrouded the area, and the misty sunlight streamed into the café's lobby, casting a warm glow on the three girls' faces.“The Bronya you know is actually a little girl.”TThe Guardian in military uniform sipped her sweet-and-sour kiwi juice, then took a small bite of crisp toast. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.“Yes, she's so small, almost like our little sister.” Raiden Mei's lips curved into a slight, cheerful smile.“Tch, what kind of little sister would try to take things from an adult?” Kiana took a bite of her sausage. Her tone was slightly reproachful, but judging from her crescent-shaped eyes, her true feelings were clearly not as resentful as they appeared.“Heh, you call yourself an adult, yet you're getting angry with a little sister.” Raiden Mei shook her head helplessly and said meaningfully, “Compared to Bronya, it's hard to say who's more childish.”“Who told that little rascal to always act so superior in front of me? She knows perfectly well I like Mei the most, yet she always jumps in and gets in my way.” Kiana chewed on the half-eaten sausage in her mouth indignantly. She chewed so forcefully that it was as if she considered the sausage her enemy. “It's infuriating!”“Pfft.” Bronya in her military uniform could not help but cover her mouth and chuckle. “It seems you and that Bronya are closer than I thought.”“Uh… I can't deny it.” Kiana raised her empty left hand and scratched her silver hair. “Although she's always so annoying, Bronya is indeed a comrade we can all trust.”As they spoke, Kiana could not help but sigh softly. “I wonder when Bronya will find her childhood playmate.”“Trust her. Although there have been constant conflicts along the way, everyone has witnessed Bronya's abilities and convictions.” Raiden Mei chuckled softly, turned her head to gaze at the hazy yet warm sunlight outside the window, and sighed again, just like Kiana. “Even so... Bronya's situation does make one somewhat worried.”“How so?” Bronya in her military uniform put down her cup. “Has the Bronya you know encountered some trouble?”“Rather than trouble...” Raiden Mei hesitated, then suddenly turned her gaze to Bronya before her. “Oh, right, I almost forgot. Bronya... is it alright if I call you that?”Bronya in her military uniform smiled. “Of course, no problem. I've enjoyed interacting with you all very much. If I am of any help to you, feel free to treat me like the friend you know.”“Then just call me Mei,” Raiden Mei said after a moment's thought. “Bronya, can you tell me why you suddenly asked me that question when you first saw me? And why did you say Cocolia declared yesterday afternoon that she would turn me into something called a Herrscher?”“Hmm? You didn't know that yourself?” Bronya was taken aback.“No, I know she had plans to turn me into a Herrscher, but that was a decision made a long time ago.” Raiden Mei shook her head.Bronya hesitated for a moment. “When I came here yesterday, I saw you slumped over a table in this café. Then Cocolia, or rather Cocolia from your world, suddenly barged in. She tried to take you away and said a lot of things I couldn’t understand at all.”“However, the café’s Store Manager told me that Cocolia’s actions were tantamount to forcing an innocent citizen down a path of crime. As a Great Guardian upholding the will of Preservation, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing, so I stopped Cocolia.”Raiden Mei froze.She and Kiana was equally stunned. They exchanged a glance. She spoke in astonishment.“Yesterday? But I only came to this café for the first time last night.”“Huh?” Bronya was also stunned. “But I clearly saw…”Just then, the café door suddenly opened again.The three people sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window instinctively turned their heads.A strikingly cool-looking gray-haired girl pushed open the café door, her expression aloof. Her fitted trench coat and slit skirt swayed gently in the breeze.Raiden Mei and Kiana's eyes narrowed slightly. They did not recognize this aloof girl with slightly disheveled gray hair. The sight outside the door the moment she opened it gave both girls, who had grown up on Earth, the illusion that they were dreaming.“Huh? Those buildings outside...”Not only them, but even Fu Hua, who was seeing the scene through Kiana's eyes, could not help but exclaim in astonishment.“…Ancient Shenzhou style?”Vehicles resembling wooden boats sped through the azure sky. Stars larger than the sun floated in the air. Towering ancient buildings stood in clusters, and the Jade Gate, spanning heaven and earth, emitted a mysterious glow in the distance.Although the architectural style was extremely similar to the ancient Shenzhou style that Fu Hua was familiar with, there was no doubt that the scene outside the door which resembled something out of a science fiction movie, was definitely not something that ancient Shenzhou should have.Compared to Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Fu Hua within Kiana, Bronya, though initially surprised by the scene outside, quickly composed herself as the supreme ruler of Belobog. She immediately stood up and greeted the customer outside.“Trailblazer, long time no see.”The aloof, gray-haired woman glanced at Bronya. “But didn’t we just meet yesterday?”Bronya was momentarily speechless, a profound sense of powerlessness washing over her.Deep down, Bronya held considerable admiration for this valiant beauty who had saved Jarilo-VI with a single, incinerating celestial fire.However, she had to admit that, having undergone rigorous education, she was quite inept at communicating with such an eccentric and aloof girl.She still vividly remembered the first time she faced the other girl when Sampo lured her to the Underworld. Just a short while ago, she had been on Cocolia's orders to hunt him down.Upon meeting, the girl brazenly extended her hands toward her, who had just uttered those threatening words, and said, “Arrest me!”—a bizarre statement that completely baffled the usually composed and capable Bronya.Despite this, Bronya had to admit that this straightforward style of speaking was quite to her liking.If only this girl's thought process were a little more normal.After a long silence, Bronya sighed softly. “Trailblazer, what are you doing at this café?”“What else can I do at a café?” the gray-haired girl asked casually.Bronya fell silent again.“Uh, I mean, if I just want coffee, I probably don’t need to go to this special kind of coffee shop, right?”The Store Manager behind the counter could not take it anymore.“Hey, what kind of nonsense are you spouting to my customer? Are you here to cause trouble?”“No, no, I didn’t mean that!” Bronya was almost numb with frustration. “I just meant that, compared to simply drinking coffee, the Trailblazer coming to your coffee shop which connects different worlds must have some other, more profound purpose!”“That’s certainly true.” The aloof Trailblazer stroked her chin. She closed the shop door, then strode gracefully to the counter with light, crisp footsteps. Her gaze toward the Store Manager was calm and indifferent.Just as Bronya, Raiden Mei, and Kiana thought this cool and aloof girl was about to offer some insightful opinion, the Trailblazer extended her hand to the Store Manager and spoke succinctly."Anything else? I'll hang up.”The young Store Manager's eye twitched violently.He stared dumbfounded at the self-righteous Trailblazer. His mind went blank for a moment, yet surprisingly, the words did not sound out of place coming from her.Bronya tilted her head, somewhat confused by the Trailblazer's words. Raiden Mei also showed obvious bewilderment.Only Kiana, the seasoned but terrible video game player, jumped up immediately.“Hey! What are you asking the Store Manager for?! I hate cheaters more than anything when I play games!”Trailblazer turned her head, glanced at the snarling Kiana, paused for a moment, and nodded.“Indeed. If you don’t have any, do you have Ancient Dream Blossom and Stellar Jades? Fuel would also be fine.”The Store Manager rolled his eyes, shook his hand helplessly, and said irritably, “We don’t have Ancient Dream Blossom, Stellar Jades, or fuel, but we do have some Crystal and Sakura’s chewed sake left. Do you want some?”“Yes.”“What the hell?! I've been quitting the game for so long. Where am I supposed to find you crystals?!”The Store Manager could not help but smack the Trailblazer on the head. He rubbed his forehead for a while, finally letting out a weak breath. “You've arrived in a new place again?”“Yeah, Xianzhou Luofu. Now we're at Starskiff Haven.” Trailblazer pulled over a bar stool, sat down, and crossed her arms on the bar. “And I've run into some trouble again.”The Store Manager chuckled weakly. “What a troublesome journey, but at least no one's chasing you this time.”“Yeah, a stroke of luck.” Trailblazer nodded.Bronya's face flushed slightly. Raiden Mei and Kiana scratched their heads simultaneously, their blank expressions silently declaring that they were completely oblivious to the situation.“Where are your companions? Are you alone today?” the Store Manager asked.“I’m the only one who found this café.” The Trailblazer nodded. Her expression remained detached, but what she said was off-topic.“Store Manager, is your café one of those travel shops in the game? The kind I unlock every time I enter a new area?”“…Wait, if that’s the case, why didn’t we find your café at the Herta Space Station?”Suddenly, the Trailblazer touched her chin, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. “Could it be that there's some area in the space station I haven't unlocked yet?”The Store Manager nodded knowingly. “It will probably be available in the next update.”“The Store Manager knows?” The Trailblazer's eyes lit up. “Do you know roughly how long the update will take?”“About forty-two days… Pshaw! What update?! Do you really think your journey is a game?!” The Store Manager's eyes widened as he roared.“…But you clearly stated the exact number of days.” The Trailblazer met the Store Manager's gaze without flinching. Her cool, emotionless voice remained indifferent, yet the Store Manager detected a faint hint of grievance.“It's just a metaphor! Do you understand what a metaphor is?”The Store Manager leaned forward slightly, gesturing as he spoke. He rolled his eyes, thought for a moment, then suddenly pointed at Bronya."If you were really treating this as a game, the first thing you should do is get Bronya onto the train.”“Wait, what does this have to do with me?!” Bronya looked completely bewildered.“Hmm...” The Trailblazer turned her head, narrowed her eyes, and scrutinized Bronya with an appraising gaze.That look sent a chill down Bronya's spine.“Is Bronya some kind of powerful character?” Miss Trailblazer asked.“Yeah, a permanent 5-Star meta character. One support is as strong as two. A super-powerful support character that combines speed boost, damage increase, and speed acceleration. Anyway, she's much stronger than your Uncle Yang and your two unawakened companions.” The Store Manager shrugged and grinned mischievously. “Aren't you a little tempted?”Miss Trailblazer's eyes immediately lit up.Feeling Miss Trailblazer's extremely aggressive gaze, the Guardian swallowed hard, took a shaky step back, and could not help but chuckle awkwardly. “No, no, don't make such scary jokes, Miss Trailblazer and Mr. Store Manager.”Miss Trailblazer touched her chin, remaining silent, while Bronya's back was completely soaked with cold sweat.