People often say that brief separations can rekindle passion like newlyweds, and there is indeed truth to this sentiment.
After more than a month apart, their reunion feast left all three thoroughly satisfied.
As the primary combatant, it goes without saying that Kiana indulged until she felt stuffed multiple times. Even Bronya, primarily serving in a support role, reluctantly accepted extra servings of snacks, leaving her so full she struggled to keep her eyes open in the morning.
Even Zeke, with his unwavering principles, made an exception today by letting them sleep through breakfast without forcing them to wake up and eat.
By the time all three girls finally got out of bed, washed up, and gathered in Zeke's living room for some rest, it was nearly evening.
At this point, Sin had already sensed something amiss and came knocking on their door.
"Darn you, my Zeke..."
Watching Kiana resting her head on Zeke's lap nearby, exuding a captivating allure between youthfulness and maturity—especially that intoxicating charm after a satisfying meal—nearly made Sin grind her teeth to dust.
"Curses! If only...if only..."
"If only Zeke didn't uphold his age standards, your wish would have been granted long ago, right?" Bronya noticed the change in pressure during Sin's massage and weakly remarked, lifting her eyelids slightly.
Indeed, Zeke was a man of strong principles, but many of those principles seemed to blur around Kiana. For instance, considering her actual biological age, this paramecium-like girl should be no more than twelve or thirteen years old, falling within the range he typically deemed off-limits. Yet, he still acted upon his desires—proving that Zeke indeed held double standards.
Bronya only thought these words to herself. Kiana's unique background wasn't exactly a pleasant topic, so she refrained from commenting or teasing about it in reality.
Sin, feeling dejected, wrapped her arms tightly around Bronya and held her close.
"Bronya, I'm not happy!"
"Just give it another couple of years; Zeke will let you near eventually... Also, could you loosen your grip a bit? Bronya can hardly breathe."
"Oh..."
Sin relaxed her hold slightly, allowing Bronya's breathing to return to normal. After Mobius's experiment, Sin underwent a transformative evolution physically. While there were occasional minor mishaps now, they generally weren't significant issues.
Zeke, on the other hand, remained oblivious to Bronya and Sin's interaction. He focused on gently brushing aside strands of hair from Kiana's forehead while feeding her fruits and pastries. However, his vacant gaze indicated that he was actually lost in thought.
"Zeke... nom!"
"Hm?"
"You're feeding me too fast! Slow down!"
"Who would've thought even a little glutton like you could eat too slowly?"
Zeke refocused his attention and noticed Kiana chewing with her cheeks puffed out, giving him a resentful look. With amusement, he feigned seriousness to tease her.
This intensified Kiana's disgruntled expression.
"It's not my fault I have a big appetite! But never mind that... You seem troubled again. What's on your mind?"
"...Nothing."
"Liar! Never mind, it must be some more complicated issues I shouldn't know about. Just tell me when you're ready... Wait, is it because we haven't had enough fun yet? Are both of us still unsatisfied?" Kiana's eyes widened, drawing in a sharp breath, visibly alarmed.
In response, Zeke playfully smacked her bottom, eliciting a crisp sound.
"Smack!"
"Aiya!"
Kiana rubbed her rear, pursing her glossy lips indignantly. However, feeling weak and vulnerable, she lacked the energy to persist against the head of the household.
Shaking his head, Zeke couldn't help but chuckle. He gently tapped Kiana's forehead and sighed, "Carefree as always... But that's what makes you, well, you."
"What do you mean? It sounds like you think I'm clueless."
"You know deep down if I'm lying or not. However, there is indeed something I can't disclose to you yet; it might make you angry and upset later... My apologies."
In that final apology, Zeke's tone carried a hint of helplessness.
Instantly, Kiana sat up, her antenna-like hair swaying atop her head. After a brief moment of bewilderment, her eyes sharpened with suspicion.
"Did you finally make your move on Seele and the others? You scumbag, just when I started trusting you again, now you're cheating on me! Unbelievable! How could you!"
"Snap!"
"Aieeee!"
Kiana rubbed her reddening forehead, shrunk her neck, and playfully stuck out her tongue.
Zeke retracted his finger, gently stroking her head as he said:
"I truly am sorry, but there are things I must do. The current uncertainties have surpassed my expectations, and for our future, I need to accelerate my plans... When the time comes, you'll be allowed to vent your anger, but don't ignore me entirely."
Zeke looked directly into Kiana's eyes, waves of guilt washing over him. Despite promising never to cause her pain, today, he seemed to be the one inflicting the most sorrow upon her—a betrayal of his own words.
Yet, after lifting a corner of the mysterious veil surrounding the Young Lady, concerns about their future and fears of civilization's end left Zeke with no choice. Only by taking control of the immense variables posed by the last two Herrschers could they stand a better chance against the final battle.
I'm doing the right thing, Zeke reassured himself, yet involuntarily lowered his gaze and broke eye contact with Kiana.
"Huh?" Kiana tilted her head, growing increasingly puzzled by Zeke's cryptic words tinged with distress. Anxiety also began to creep into her heart.
Zeke refrained from further explanation. Revealing Theresa's involvement now would only cause Kiana to lose control on the spot, adding more uncertainty to the situation.
"That's all for now. I've instructed them to bring dinner here; you two can eat at this table. I need some quiet time alone to think."
With that, Zeke stood up and left the room.
Kiana watched him depart, bewildered, then turned her questioning gaze towards Bronya.
"Don't look at me; Bronya won't reveal anything."
"I... really am not a child anymore..." Kiana felt lost and dejected, lowering her head.
She had endured countless hardships, fearlessly pushing herself to master the Divine Essence and harness two Herrscher abilities. All she desired was for Zeke to acknowledge her as an equal partner, someone he could rely upon—nothing more.
Yet it seemed that Zeke still saw her as a delicate child needing constant protection, unchanged from the beginning. This excessive protectiveness now brought Kiana more disappointment than comfort.
Zeke entered Otto's room.
As expected, Otto was enjoying afternoon tea with Theresa. However, alongside Amber serving them, there was another familiar red-haired and alluring woman present—Murata Himeko, one of Theresa's trusted confidantes.
"Welcome, my dear friend."
"Hmm."
Zeke pulled out a chair and sat down. With graceful poise, Amber set up the teaware and poured him a cup.
Zeke nodded gratefully to Amber before turning his gaze towards Murata Himeko, who appeared somewhat melancholic.
"Colonel Himeko, it has been a while."
"A long time indeed, Zeke... Your Majesty." Himeko looked at Zeke, nodding respectfully, but her voice carried complex emotions that were hard to decipher.
Zeke surmised she must have learned something significant, so without hesitation, he addressed Otto directly:
"Are you certain about leading this experiment alone?"
"My friend, regarding Stigmata, Pseudo-Herrschers, Herrschers, and Void Portals, do you possess any information I am not aware of?"
"...No, not anymore."
"In that case, whether it's successful or not, leading this experiment myself would yield the same outcome as if you were to lead it. In failure, both of us would bear consequences regardless. Whether there's one person or two, who wields the scalpel makes no difference, don't you agree?"
Otto smiled gently, his handsome features exuding warmth and composure, declining Zeke's offer to accompany him.
As Otto had stated, he possessed all relevant data for the experiment. The entire plan was devised jointly by himself and Zeke, even incorporating Mobius's insights; there was little room for further improvement.
Under these circumstances, whether Zeke stayed behind, joined Otto, or they both participated together, it would have no impact on the result.
Zeke fell silent, unable to respond.
Meanwhile, Otto raised his hand, affectionately patting Theresa's head with a smile, and sighed, "Besides, on this unpredictable journey ahead, I hope to be the one guiding Little Theresa through it. What do you think, my dear, obedient granddaughter?"
"Ah, although Grandpa is often shamelessly cunning, this time, I trust him. Zeke, worry not about me here; just ensure Kiana and...the others are well taken care of."
Theresa paused, leaving Durandal's name unspoken within her heart. Yet, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward, as if she were embarking not on a terrifying experiment to become an Artificial Herrscher but rather visiting beloved family.
Otto's eyebrows twitched, barely managing to maintain his smile.
Oh, my little Theresa, how deeply do you mistrust me?
Rubbing his temples with frustration and resignation, Otto sighed like a misunderstood good person.