That day, Kiana trudged out of her room, yawning, with Jyahnar cradled in her arms.
The moment she stepped into the living room, she saw Seele staring right at her. Without a word, the girl scurried over, dropped into a dramatic sliding kneel, and prostrated herself right at Kiana's feet.
Kiana just stared, utterly bewildered.
"What are you doing?"
"Big Sister... There's something I need to tell you."
To be fair, the living room wasn't empty. Aponia, for instance, was helping Rin with her homework.
Hearing the commotion, Rin glanced over. She didn't look surprised in the slightest, which probably meant she already knew what Seele was up to.
Miss Sakura stood by the kitchen doorway, leaning in to watch for a moment.
Given Seele's usual timid demeanor, you'd expect her to be shrinking back by now.
But she held her ground as if her very life depended on it. She lifted her head and looked straight at Kiana.
"You... get up first." Kiana patted the magnificent manta ray.
Ms. Jyahnar promptly shimmered and shifted into her human form.
Ever the thoughtful one, she fetched a chair and slid it right under Kiana.
See!
That special training from Elysia hadn't been for nothing.
But!
Seele remained stubborn. She shook her head. Even as she straightened her posture, she stayed firmly on her knees.
Kiana could feel the girl's resolve, she really could. It was just... kind of exhausting to think about.
"Fine, go ahead. Say what you need to say."
"Mmm..."
Seele clearly didn't mind everyone present hearing what she was about to tell Kiana.
But her small hands clenched tightly. Her voice was still soft, hesitant and wavering, like a little egret caught in the open.
"Big Sister... I won't hide it from you. I... I'm a Herrscher..."
"Yeah." Kiana wasn't fazed in the least.
Everyone knew that ages ago. Did you really think it was still a secret?
However, Seele knew it wasn't anything groundbreaking either. She didn't pause, just pressed on.
"But I'm different from the big sisters who came before me."
"I'm very weak... pathetically weak..."
"I don't have the power to trigger a Great Eruption. I don't even have a complete Authority."
"A Herrscher like me... was created... and the 'God' said I was already remarkable, that I should hurry up and not hesitate..."
"That I should... assassinate you."
Uh...
Kiana blinked, taken aback.
Over on the sofa, little sister Rin had already sprawled out, watching them with a playful, curious glint in her eyes.
"Mhmm! Mhmm! And then?"
"And then I thought... God must want me dead."
Seele's tone was mournful.
"I don't know how I offended God. My own deity, treating me like this, setting me up to fail."
Jyahnar silently glanced down at Seele's feet. Well, setting you up to fail seems about right.
"So!"
Seele explained carefully.
"During my creation process... I secretly memorized the spatial coordinates of where God resides."
"Big Sister... Would you like them? With these coordinates, you could go directly to the space where God is, confront her directly..."
"That way, she can't hide behind the scenes anymore."
"???" Kiana was stunned.
Alright, alright, alright.
So you were born with a traitor's heart, is that it?!
If I were a mastermind pulling the strings and saw you secretly memorizing my hideout's address, I'd want you dead yesterday too!
With behavior like yours...Kiana honestly couldn't fathom it.
Just how utterly clueless would the Cocoon of Finality have to be, knowing full well you're a born turncoat, to still grant you its full power?
Having spent so many days with Seele, Kiana could tell.
This Seele before her had the appearance of the gentle 'White Seele'.
But don't let her delicate, seemingly bullied-puppy demeanor fool you. Hidden inside was the personality of the fierce 'Black Seele'.
The standout trait? She looked quiet and refined, but in reality, she was recklessly bold.
She always used that soft, gentle voice to say the most terrifying things, all while maintaining the pure, innocent look of a white lotus. But the truth was, she probably didn't even realize it herself—or maybe she was just a natural-born schemer.
Kiana didn't believe Seele was trying to deceive her.
The futures she had seen—she came to no harm. Across countless worldlines, she remained safe and sound. That was the best get-out-of-jail-free card anyone could ask for.
Enough to let her be plenty reckless.
And so. She started genuinely considering it...
Should she just use this 'box weapon', follow the 'trail' right back, and go bully the Cocoon of Finality?
Sure, she, as the Herrscher of Finality, had grown pretty strong by now. Especially with her future self pulling strings, catalyzing things, plus other reasons... in this world, she couldn't really find any opponents left.
But!
If she had to face the Cocoon of Finality itself...
Well, she suddenly felt her confidence wasn't quite so solid.
At the very least, right now, it seemed a bit too soon.
Should she... farm a little more?
"Then why didn't you mention this before?" Jyahnar fixed her gaze on Miss Seele.
Seele replied honestly, "Because before, I wasn't sure if Big Sister could be a match for God. After all, Big Sister is the Finality, but she was also created by God. Isn't that right?"
"And at first, I didn't even plan to retaliate against God... It's just that God was far too bullying. If I didn't fight back, wouldn't that mean I'm just too easy to push around..."
"I don't want to be like that."
Her meaning was clear.
Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.
You can't bully me like this!
She said she'd recorded the coordinates back then just thinking it'd be nice to know how to get 'home' someday.
She never really intended to leak them. But now?
Well, you weren't righteous, so don't blame me for being unrighteous. Seele felt quite comfortable living here with Kiana.
She truly relied on Kiana, feeling an indescribable sense of attachment and admiration for her.
Because the first person she saw after emerging was Kiana. It was only by Kiana's side that she felt safe.
And so, all these reasons added up!
Not only did Seele want payback, she wanted Kiana to take her along, so she could land a few good slaps on the Cocoon of Finality herself.
Just to vent her anger.
"To put it plainly, Seele... the reason you're saying all this now is because you want a chance to slap the Cocoon of Finality later, right?" Miss Sakura, still by the kitchen door, couldn't help but call her out after listening for a while.
"Finding a powerful backer, the fox borrowing the tiger's ferocity! That's so like you, my friend!"
Little Sister Rin gave a big thumbs-up.
Thinking about it carefully, it seemed some of her own suggestions had played a part in this.
After all, back when she and Seele were playing together, Seele had asked a lot of questions, and Rin had been the one to answer them.
She felt quite pleased.
"I... can promise you that." Kiana looked at Seele with a complicated expression.
Well, indeed. It didn't seem like an act.
Those light blue eyes were almost turning red.
No second personality?
Feels about the same anyway!
"Thank you... Big Sister!" Delight spread across Seele's face, and she didn't seem to find anything odd about the situation. She seemed a bit coy, yet pure and untainted as fresh snow.
But then you remember she was just vehemently advocating for backstabbing the Cocoon of Finality.
It was... rather complicated. Jyahnar thought for a moment, then said very seriously, "When the time comes, count me in."
Well, that settled it.
Little Sister Rin raised her hand too, and Sakura also looked tempted. It really felt like, in the future, the Cocoon of Finality probably wouldn't escape this beating.
Aponia couldn't help but smile faintly.
Then, when Elysia returned that evening and heard about it, she too started clamoring to join in.
Even though, from a certain point of view, you could say the Cocoon of Finality had helped them all in their fight against the Honkai.
But! They still wanted to punch it!
Is that not allowed?!
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