"Hmph, it doesn't matter who comes. I am the noble Queen of the Void! I will never yield to despicable and ugly humans—You are?!"
Even pinned immovably to the icy ground, her consciousness nearly conquered by Ren Amamiya's corrosive power, the Herrscher of the Void remained just as stubborn as before once Ren slowed the invasion of her mind via Jizo Mitama: Etched Form.
She scoffed dismissively. As the Herrscher struggled to turn her small purple head towards Hare's direction, she saw her emerge slowly from the impenetrable purple dream shield. A familiar figure with smooth, waist-length white hair, a slender and well-proportioned build, and a serene expression on her flawless face. Her pair of blue-purple eyes stared directly at her.
The Herrscher's eyes widened in stunned disbelief. Hare's familiar face and figure instantly overlapped with another woman from the Herrscher's past memories.
However, the Herrscher quickly snapped back to reality, her delicate brows knitting tightly together.
"...Who are you? You might look like her, but you are definitely not her! Don't try to disguise yourself as her and put on some disgusting sob story in front of me!!"
The Herrscher, who had been struggling frantically just moments ago, finally fell quiet. Undisguised disgust surfaced on her mud-streaked face. It was as if something precious within her had been trampled upon. Although Hare had volunteered to persuade her, the Herrscher's attitude undeniably worsened upon seeing Hare's true face.
Ren silently increased his vigilance towards the Herrscher. While he wasn't using Jizo Mitama: Etched Form's power to completely dominate her consciousness, the corrosive force applied to both her and Benares was enough to keep them immobilized for a time, unable to gather strength to resist. If Hare's persuasion failed, Ren could immediately use his Key's power to turn the Herrscher into a Shadow puppet obeying his commands.
"I am indeed not her, just as you are not the true Sirin," Hare began, gently placing a hand over her heart. Her voice was warm and soft as she addressed the tense Herrscher. "The real Cecilia Schariac died alongside Sirin long ago. And I... my name is Misteln Schariac. I am merely an existence brought into being by Cecilia's sacrifice, like a continuation of Cecilia herself."
During the Second Eruption, Cecilia had used the power of [Holy Blood Liberation] at the cost of half her blood, neutralizing the rampaging Honkai energy from the Herrscher Cores. At the same time, Cecilia's own Stigmata briefly bridged the gap between reality and the Imaginary Sea, allowing the Ideal form of the Schariac Stigmata to descend upon the world in human form.
Therefore, Hare possessed an appearance remarkably similar to Cecilia's, and even held Cecilia's complete memories. However, to Hare herself, Cecilia's memories were like watching a movie—lacking personal immersion or feeling, no different from the transcribed records of other humans, just holding a unique status.
These movie-like transcribed records didn't affect the Stigma Ideal's personality. Hare was just Hare. She was Misteln Schariac, not Cecilia Schariac reincarnated. If Hare had followed her original plan to the end, transcribing her own existence information when the Stigma Project activated, the newborn second-generation Hare wouldn't have been influenced by her memories either, becoming another distinct, entirely new individual.
"Cecilia's... continuation?" The Herrscher's golden eyes flickered slightly. She stared blankly at Hare, making it impossible to read her current emotions.
"Yes. You could also understand me as Cecilia's epitaph. I hold Cecilia's memories from before her death, recording her past joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness... If you are willing, I am prepared to inherit Cecilia's will, give you warmth like family, and create a safe harbor where you can rest peacefully." Hare took a deep breath, her tone firm and earnest as she spoke to the fallen Herrscher.
"What a joke! A mere tombstone wants to be Cecilia's replacement? To do things for Cecilia that she herself couldn't achieve? Born only after Cecilia died, yet you dare dream of becoming my mother?! There's a limit to delusions!!!" A savage expression suddenly contorted the Herrscher's blank face. As if deeply insulted, she began struggling violently again.
Her fury surged like an erupting volcano, causing the corrosive power binding her to tremble intensely. Ren almost lost his grip on suppressing her movements, nearly allowing her to regain control of her body.
"...Ich liebe dich [I love you], Sirin."
Just as the Herrscher's emotions reached their peak, about to forcefully break free from the corrosive control, Hare's soft words, whispered from her parted lips, instantly halted the Herrscher's struggles. She froze completely, as if time itself had stopped, her mind turning into a vast blankness.
The phrase Hare uttered seemed to possess some wondrous magic. The Herrscher, who was moments away from breaking free, suddenly lost all will to resist. A huge vulnerability, a gap, appeared in her consciousness. If Ren wished, turning the current Herrscher into his puppet Shadow wouldn't even take a second.
However, it was clear Hare had some deep connection with the true Herrscher of the Void. What she was speaking of now was a past unknown even to Ren. Perhaps Hare truly could persuade the Herrscher to become a Persona willingly. Therefore, Ren saw no need to rush turning her into a Shadow puppet. He simply watched the exchange between Hare and the Herrscher silently, waiting to see how things developed.
"...."
The Herrscher ceased all movement, her gaze towards Hare incredibly complex. Ich liebe dich. This was a secret code known only between Sirin and Cecilia, a magic spell believed to bring happiness. It was also the last thing Cecilia said to Sirin before dying.
The fact that Hare could utter these words proved she wasn't lying; she truly possessed Cecilia's memories. Faced with Hare—who looked so much like Cecilia, offered care like Cecilia, and spoke the magic spell etched deeper than DNA into Sirin's very Herrscher Core—the Herrscher could no longer muster the intense hostility she felt initially.
"...Nonsense. Don't try to confuse me with such meaningless words. I will not submit to you." The Herrscher closed her eyes, tilting her slender neck back in a haughty pose, ready to accept her fate, unwilling to speak further with Hare. However, unlike her earlier absolute refusal, her tone was now flat, devoid of emotion. This gave Hare hope that persuasion might still succeed.
Through Cecilia's memories, Hare knew Sirin had always been distrustful, insecure, and tsundere. This newly born consciousness from the Herrscher Core had clearly inherited Sirin's proud yet awkward personality. With Cecilia's memories as a 'walkthrough,' Hare knew there was now a chance the Herrscher could be persuaded.
"I am not the real Cecilia, and you are not the real Sirin... Though your identity as the Herrscher of the Void hasn't changed, you haven't committed the sins Sirin did. You still have the right to seek happiness. If you just reach out your hand, I am willing to become your family. Ren is too, and so is everyone else."
Hare slowly extended her hand towards the fallen Herrscher. The purple javelin pinning the Herrscher's hand dissolved into pure Honkai energy, freeing her arm.
The Herrscher flexed her somewhat numb and stiff hand, a bloody hole still visible. A flicker of hesitation appeared in her slowly opening eyes. Her arm was free; she could gather her strength and launch a powerful counterattack against Hare and Ren at any moment.
However, despite having the chance to resist, the Herrscher didn't immediately attack. Instead, she remained silent, staring at Hare's hand drawing closer and closer. Perhaps it was the cold, perhaps the pain, or perhaps some irrepressible hope or emotion stirring within her heart.
The Herrscher's freed hand twitched violently. It lifted slightly, then froze rigidly in mid-air.
"Let's start over, okay?" Hare knelt gracefully before the Herrscher, her warm, soft hand firmly grasping the Herrscher's frozen one.
A gentle white light, representing creation, began to glow, healing the wound on the Herrscher's hand. The purple javelins piercing her body slowly dissipated. A warmth and comfort impossible to experience in this cold, cruel place, like soaking in a hot spring, suffused the Herrscher's body. Even her heart, which she believed had long turned as cold and cruel as ice, softened slightly.
A wave of emotion surged through the Herrscher. As if responding to Hare, she subconsciously tightened her grip on Hare's hand.
"No! I am the embodiment of Sirin's rage towards this cruel world! I must avenge this world that hurt Sirin! How can I play happy family house with you here?!"
Realizing she had gripped Hare's hand, the Herrscher recoiled as if shocked by electricity, pulling her healed hand back. Her previously arrogant face was now filled with panic and struggle. Even though she was free again, her wounds mostly healed, the Herrscher still showed no intention of attacking Ren and the others.
Quite the contrary, she created another large purplish-black spatial wormhole behind her and quickly retreated towards it, attempting to flee from Hare and Ren entirely.
This overtly extreme reaction clearly showed Hare's persuasion had shaken her stance. To prevent her heart from yielding further, the Herrscher chose to flee the scene.
At times like this, should he give her some time to think things through? Or press the advantage and persuade her to become his Persona in one fell swoop? The Herrscher's teleportation was fast, leaving Ren little time to ponder.
Tightening his grip on Jizo Mitama: Etched Form slightly, Ren prepared to stop her teleportation while quickly glancing at Hare beside him.
Hare slowly stood up. Meeting Ren's gaze, she gently shook her head. Clearly, Hare believed the Herrscher needed some time alone right now.
Ren relaxed his grip on his katana slightly, silently watching the Herrscher flee into the spatial wormhole like a runaway, rapidly leaving the battlefield. Hare obviously understood the Herrscher better than he did. Ren chose to trust his companion's judgment.
Besides, no matter where the Herrscher teleported, her range was limited to this Palace. She had likely just returned to the black tower. Meeting her again wouldn't be difficult for Ren.
With the Herrscher choosing to flee, Ren could now proceed with his original plan: infiltrate the black tower to collect her Will seed and Treasure, without worrying about the Palace suddenly collapsing. Subduing the Herrscher as a Persona would require more effort.
However, before subduing the Herrscher, Ren certainly didn't mind acquiring some other powerful Personas first.
"Looks like your master forgot about you... Your name is Bella, right?" Ren withdrew his gaze from the black tower and turned towards the crimson demonic dragon Benares, left behind by the Herrscher. Still immobilized by the corrosive power, heavily injured, trembling on the ground. A smile full of sudden goodwill spread across his face.
"Choose. Will you submit to me here and now, or will you submit after your master and you get beaten up by me again?"
Without the Palace ruler, subduing this Shadow miniboss as a Persona first seemed like a pretty good idea.