Compared to Fu Hua, the Herrscher of Sentience didn't seem to have encountered much trouble.
She wasn't exhausted either.
When she entered Theresa's consciousness and saw that pure white space, she clicked her tongue in surprise.
Then, suddenly, memories surged into her head — painfully stabbing into her mind.
She clearly felt it.
The Herrscher of Binding was at least somewhat related to the game's memories, having deliberately recreated this scene.
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?
Still, the illusion barrier within that consciousness had given her quite the headache.
Fortunately, with Fu Hua's interference in the real world, the Herrscher's will became destabilized — and that difficult barrier gradually dissolved.
She also saw the real Theresa, slowly reclaiming control within her own mind.
Senti didn't forget to make a quick retreat.
Inside the body, Theresa's consciousness once again took the high ground.
And then… she immediately turned her attention to her injured grandmother's condition.
That entire span of time hadn't been very long. In fact, it was extremely brief.
The battle — from beginning to end — had lasted only a few minutes.
The Herrscher of Binding had been swiftly declared defeated.
But the disruption caused was anything but small.
Everyone within the academy had felt it.
Some of the regular students still lay unconscious, and it was uncertain whether they could fully recover.
Within St. Freya, electronic devices and energy systems all needed thorough inspection and repairs.
No one could guarantee whether things would still work properly after being shut down for several minutes.
Still, in Luo Mo's heart, the heavy stone he'd been carrying was now completely lifted.
Just moments ago, he'd seen that illusory figure behind Kallen—
It was Otto.
Though he didn't understand the mechanism or why Otto's image would appear in her Stigmata...
Still, the result was undeniably a good one.
There had been almost no casualties.
That might not sound entirely appropriate to say,
but if the Herrscher of Binding hadn't been defeated…
the distance to death would've been alarmingly close.
As the threat ended and the crisis calmed, those who hadn't been affected directly by the Herrscher's control quickly arrived.
Kiana, Bronya, Wendy, and Cecilia all rushed over to check on the situation.
Once they confirmed everything was under control, Cecilia immediately took over St. Freya's current affairs.
Kiana and the others supported the medical wing, assisting in treatment and emergency aid.
The academy had to call in nearly all remaining medical staff, because aside from those with special Stigmata or Herrscher resistance, almost everyone else had suffered injuries of some kind.
It wasn't that waiting a few extra minutes would've been fatal…
but right now, the infirmary was packed full.
You had to remember, not every student had been on break.
And among the injured, students were only a small portion — the majority were faculty and staff.
Those with lower Honkai resistance or regular human physiology had no defense against the Binding field.
That made them suffer the worst.
The once relaxed, peaceful academy had suddenly become a place of busy emergency operations.
---
Outside the Academy.
Watching the golden Binding barrier fade, and sensing Elysia's presence, Kevin stared silently toward the villa where his allies stayed.
He didn't say a word.
Instead, he simply loosened the tension in his chest and turned to leave.
The Herrscher of Binding had ended this way.
It wasn't something he had expected.
But the result… wasn't bad.
In fact, compared to what they might've had to sacrifice, this outcome was far better.
---
Meanwhile, within the barrier just earlier,
the two Herrschers who had borne the most pressure — the Herrscher of Domination and the Herrscher of Ice — both slowly recovered.
Though no one was sure exactly what role they'd played, the fact that the threat was over was more than enough.
Su and Anna exchanged glances.
Although they'd felt suffocated during the peak of the Binding's pressure, the moment it lifted, they felt a strange relief…
and maybe even… a slight addiction to it?
Su brushed back her hair, her heart a bit chaotic.
Ever since becoming a Herrscher, she hadn't shown any signs of deterioration or collapse.
Which… could be seen as a good sign.
Although the fact that she didn't feel any exhaustion was suspicious, deep down she couldn't convince herself that it was something truly good.
No, no. Now wasn't the time to think about that!
Her job was to become a Valkyrie — to help save the world!
A bead of sweat slid down her cheek.
She shook her head furiously to push away the intrusive thoughts.
"Forget it. Looks like a lot of people were involved in there. Once the boss gets back to HQ, we'll ask him.
For now… let's keep working overtime."
"Why does that sound so weird somehow? Also, this is the first time I've learned that you're a Herrscher too… The Herrscher of Domination?"
Anna gave her a suspicious side glance.
She didn't know why.
Maybe it had something to do with that Herrscher of Sentience, but from beginning to end, her own Herrscher core had never shown any irregularities.
No signs of rampage either — though because of that, she hadn't had a restful night's sleep in a while.
Would the Honkai seriously think that even if she did go berserk, she wouldn't be able to cause much trouble anyway?
Ahaha… That's just too sad.
Hopefully that's not the reason...
She thought bitterly and without joy.
Even in the game, she wasn't particularly exceptional — and in real life, it was much the same.
Honestly... thanks, I guess?
But… she didn't hate it.
The game had at least brought some fun and color back into her life.
"Herrscher of ice — it's fine. Let's just go."
Su scratched her head awkwardly. She still couldn't talk about this whole Herrscher thing without feeling a bit of emotional weight.
"On the bright side, if we made it through this, maybe we'll gain another Herrscher on our side?"
She smiled and reached out her hand, helping Anna to her feet.
"I didn't expect you to have that kind of mindset… As expected of the Herrscher of Domination."
Anna held her hand and stood up, still teasing her.
They had both been under immense pressure just now — it wasn't something easily endured.
"Well, if I'm an anomaly," Su muttered, scratching her head again, "I'd prefer having more 'same-type anomalies' around. That way… I won't stand out too much."
She knew that line of thinking wasn't really right —
but if everyone was a Herrscher, then technically, no one was a Herrscher, right?
---
Half a day passed.
After talking things out with Kiana, Mei, and the other seniors, Theresa's emotions finally began to stabilize.
She also began to fully understand that she, the Head of the Academy, had really become a Herrscher.
Luo Mo could now proudly say something like:
"If you're afraid you can't blend in with humans, then just blend in with the Herrschers. No problem."
But Theresa clearly didn't have a heart that big.
The way she'd been raised never allowed her to feel truly at ease —
and more than her new Herrscher identity, the thing that haunted her mind… was her grandmother.
Just now, the Herrscher of Binding had drained all of St. Freya's elevated Honkai Energy levels —
and rendered nearly all detection devices useless.
Now, the Herrschers could use their powers however they wanted — and no one could stop them.
And in truth, they were using their powers freely —
partly to let off some steam, and partly because there were just too many things that needed doing.
Mei was using her electromagnetic powers to inspect damage, checking each room one by one.
Sirin had gone directly to HQ and transferred in medical staff and rescue equipment — making transport far more efficient.
Seele used her power of life and death to stabilize severely injured Valkyries.
Bronya could temporarily replicate — or even invent — components to relieve mechanical pressure.
Wendy, unsure of what else to do, simply blew away the storm clouds and snowfall, clearing the sky and easing weather-related rescue challenges.
The Herrscher team was each holding their positions and contributing effectively, leaving even the usually composed Theresa speechless.
Luo Mo nodded repeatedly in approval.
Good.
With their help, St. Freya was clearly on its way to full recovery — regaining both its vitality and energy.
The only challenge was maintaining proper distance between Herrschers and normal people, and controlling Honkai Energy usage with precision.
Fortunately, they had been training daily in that exact field — and had become quite good at it.
Even Elysia was so impressed she couldn't help but praise them — and not-so-subtly offered to "help"...
"Let me persuade Theresa," she said.
"I guarantee results!"
Seeing her smiling sweetly like that, Luo Mo flatly rejected her on the spot.
"No thanks. I've got this covered."
Theresa, after all, had only just been overloaded by too many events all at once.
She just needed some peace and quiet to think.
"So just let me calm down a little, okay? I just... I just..."
Theresa glared at the two whispering troublemakers and snapped —
But her voice stopped short after those two words. Her face twisted slightly in pain, and her tone turned helpless.
She pulled her knees up onto the sofa, head drooping between her legs, looking dazed.
"...I never thought I'd become a Herrscher.
And worse, I ended up hurting my students."
She slowly raised her head, eyes blank, staring at the tabletop.
There was panic in her gaze — the intelligence she usually displayed now laced with fear and confusion.
She seemed utterly unable to accept this new reality.
Just like… how Kiana had been at the beginning of the game.
The difference was that Kiana had buried it all deep in her heart. She never had time nor the chance to face what she'd become.
Theresa was different.
She had enough peace and freedom now to actually think things through in a calm environment.
But some things…
can't just be overcome by trying to be strong.
Like becoming a Herrscher.
Luo Mo sat beside her, sipping a cup of tea, occasionally glancing at her.
It wasn't because she might get taller from becoming a Herrscher…
(Though honestly, that part was still hard to believe.)
He mostly cared about how she was feeling. That was all.
"So," he said softly, "there's no need to worry too much. See? You've experienced it now.
Becoming a Herrscher didn't end in disaster —
And you can even use that power to help more people."
He comforted her now and then.
Not bad — using their Herrscher powers to help rebuild the academy had been his idea.
It was also his way of helping this "tough-acting" Headmistress ease her heart a little.
Earlier, she'd looked so calm and proper in front of all the students...
But that one person who had been trapped in her own memories — that was still her.
Theresa's blank gaze finally started to refocus.
No longer wearing that dignified ceremonial Herrscher attire, now she was just sitting in a light-pink set of cozy pajamas — but her current power was no doubt even more formidable than before.
As the Herrscher of Binding, she absolutely had the power to keep all the misbehaving students in line.
Luo Mo shrugged, reached out with both hands, and gently pushed her face to the side.
Their eyes met.
He saw the faint anger and shame deep in her eyes, and teased:
"Looks like St. Freya has just gained another powerful Herrscher general. This academy really is developing non-stop. At this rate, we might end up collecting every single Herrscher out there.
And you, as the Dean — if you didn't become one too, how would you even manage them all?"
"So don't overthink it. Instead of fearing this power, why not start trying to control it tomorrow? Who knows — it might not even be that hard."
"The past is the past. What's ahead matters more."
"..."
Theresa's eyes were slightly red.
She fidgeted with her fingers in front of her chest.
She had to admit, the first sentence he said made her want to punch him on the spot —
but okay, the next few lines did sound like proper comfort.
So… she decided to forgive him. For now.
"...Hey," she asked, "do you think I might still grow taller?"
She asked without looking at him, acting casual.
"Eh? How would I know? Wait — shouldn't you be worrying about Herrscher stuff right now?!"
Luo Mo instinctively answered, then immediately turned to stare at her wide-eyed.
How could she be asking this kind of question right now?
"Ahh~"
She let out a soft chuckle, her gaze turning firm as she looked away from him.
"I learned it from you. You always act dumb about the important things, and end up going way off-topic."
"...Do I? Well, fine. I guess I do."
Seeing her tear-filled eyes, Luo Mo couldn't help but soften his tone.
He could only grumble and admit defeat.
"I'm not blaming you for anything," Theresa said.
"You've done a lot. I saw it. That moment when the Herrscher of Binding couldn't take the Judas weapon with her? That was hilarious."
She chuckled softly.
There wasn't much sadness left in her voice now.
---
Luo Mo stayed quiet and just looked at her.
Right now, just being a quiet listener was enough.
"Also... that experience of confronting 'another version of myself'… It wasn't very useful. I got locked up right away anyway."
She wiped her eyes, trying to breathe steadily clearly not wanting to cry.
She had to protect her proud image as the wise, composed Head Dean!
But...
She was still scared.
Scared that she might actually kill the people she loved the most — and all she could do was watch helplessly behind a curtain of fog.
Even though she was prepared...
In the end, she still couldn't stop it.
Only by going through it herself... could she truly understand that pain.
And in that moment, she felt like she finally understood how Kiana must have felt in the game.
"And that whole 'willpower' thing?
It's useless. She — that other me — only showed up for a few minutes...
Even if... even if I defeated her later in that internal battle... I'd already hurt so many people by then."
Theresa clenched her fists, full of guilt and self-reproach.
She was choking back her sobs.
Tears fell freely, but she did her best to keep her voice quiet.
More than once, she thought to herself:
If the Herrscher of Binding had to emerge from within me or Grandma...
If it had been Grandma instead... would she have won right away?
And me… was I the weakest link they chose to exploit?
"Later-stage Herrschers are incredibly hard to stop,"
Luo Mo said gently,
"And there's no way to predict or prevent them. Don't blame yourself."
He patted her soft hair gently — soothing her.
Like stroking a small cat, he quietly ran his fingers through her hair,
trying to show a more reliable side of himself.
He had never seen the proud Headmistress cry in silence before.
For a moment… he genuinely felt sorry for her.
"..."
Theresa's body stiffened slightly, then slowly relaxed.
She said nothing, allowing herself to release her emotions.
She understood the logic — but how was she supposed to endure all of this?
All she knew was...
She couldn't do anything.
She hadn't been able to stop any of it.
Even now, Grandma was still unconscious.
---
Time passed, one second at a time.
"Hey, Luo Mo…"
"That spot you keep patting... are you trying to see if I've got a traitor bone or something?"
Theresa spoke in a low, dramatic voice, glaring at him.
Her hair was now a complete mess from all the head pats.
"Ahem. Don't worry. You don't have a traitor bone."
Luo Mo scratched his nose and stared straight ahead, answering seriously.
He was confident in this professional assessment.
Also… her fluffy hair was strangely addictive.
"...Hmph."
Theresa didn't push it any further.
She took a deep breath, stood up, and headed toward her grandma's room.
Luo Mo hesitated a moment, then followed behind.
Speaking of which... he'd forgotten something.
The bitter melon tonic.
What if… it actually helped Kallen?
Not that he had high hopes — that stuff only worked barely, and it was unbelievably bitter.
According to their one and only test subject, Triny: "Triny who stands in the snow"
or
"I'd rather stay bedridden for ten more days than drink that thing again."