"Wow, nice place," Himeko said, walking around and looking slightly jealous.
Kiana was checking out the training room, Bronya was in the office, and Mei was checking out the kitchen, and Theresa was currently sitting on the couch.
"Uhh, I feel like the topic has shifted rather fast, but I am not sure this apartment is mine actually, I am just staying here temporarily."
"So while we were up all night worrying about you, you were sleeping in this comfy bed?" said Himeko, who had reached the bedroom.
"Well, I did say that I was fine. You just didn't believe me," I said.
"So what's going on with you and Otto?" Theresa asked — the only one not currently inspecting the apartment.
"We currently have a mutually beneficial deal. I help him with some research problems, and he helps me return home," I said.
"Return home?" Theresa asked.
"Research problems?" Kiana, who had stuck her head back through the door, questioned.
"Actually, I'm college educated, and I do know more about Imaginary Space than anyone currently alive," I said.
World Bubble Mei doesn't really count as alive, and even then, I probably know more than them.
"You went to college?" Kiana asked. "I thought you never attended class at Senba Academy because you sucked at it, just like me."
"Yes, I actually didn't go to school because I didn't want to sit through high school again."
I don't have a degree though — I was only in my first year.
"Aren't you the same age as me? How are you so much smarter?" Kiana had sat on the couch, and Mei had joined her.
"Being smarter than you isn't actually that difficult," I said, before realizing that was a bit harsh — even if it was true.
"Also, I'm an alien," I added. I just wanted to get that out of the way.
"I knew aliens were real!" Himeko shouted.
Himeko had actually gone to college at Caltech and even gone on several alien-hunting expeditions after hearing about UFO sightings, back when she… had a crush on Welt Yang.
"Whoa! So you went to alien college?" Kiana asked.
I thought about that for a moment before realizing that it was technically correct, the best kind of correct, so I said, "Sure?"
"Hold up, what is that supposed to mean, you're an alien? You look just like a human, and we speak the same language." Theresa asked.
"Actually, I have no idea what language we're speaking right now, it's being translated. Also, humans are everywhere. There are proper alien species, but what I meant is that I wasn't born on this planet," I said.
"So there are other planets with humans on them?" Himeko asked.
I thought for a moment before saying, "Well… yeah."
"Do other planets have the Honkai? Is there any way to contact them for help?" Theresa asked.
"Some. no," I said simply, before adding "I really don't want to have to explain this all again."
"So Otto." Theresa added.
"Well, Otto can help me get home."
"How do you know that? Did he promise something? Otto doesn't know anything about space travel! He'll say anything if it suits his plans," Theresa said.
"I know Otto can help me specifically, and it's in his best interest to do so. I know what I'm doing."
"Hey, Otto is a super bad person — and he admits it! You should come back to St. Freya with us! I promise to get you a better apartment if that's what you want!"
This caused Himeko to choke a little before saying, "Do we have the budget for that? How come you just cut my pay last month?"
"Okay, look guys, I'm perfectly fine. I know what I'm doing. In fact, I might be back at St. Freya in a week."
That was a lie. I probably wouldn't be back at St. Freya for quite some time — possibly not until the awakening of the Herrscher of the Void. But I really didn't want everyone on my back asking questions for another eight hours, like yesterday.
"How come you guys are all here anyway? Shouldn't you have… stuff to do?" I asked
"Theresa kept saying we couldn't trust this Otto guy!" Kiana said.
"Otto Apocalypse is the current Archbishop of Schicksal, idolka Kiana," Bronya began —
The chime sounded again, and Amber appeared at the door.
Opening it, she said, "Hello, Miss Edelhart. If you could please come with me, your meeting with Otto starts in three minutes."
I quickly followed Amber out the door, abandoning everyone in the apartment before they could say anything else.
Pulling my Schicksal communicator from my pocket, I checked the group chat between me, Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Himeko, hundreds of unread messages. I sent a quick text.
Lee: I GTG important
Lee: Am fine
Himeko: You just left without saying anything!
Kiana: Hey!
Kiana: You should at least say bye!
Lee: Bye
Lee: Going to be in meetings the entire day
Lee: You can go back to St Freya
Lee: I will be fine
Lee: I hate answering questions
Lee: I am an introvert
Kiana: Well I want answers!
Himeko: Watch out Kiana, she may not be ready to share details with us yet
Kiana: Didn't they share details with that Otto guy?
Kiana: Also why are you texting me instead of talking I am right next to you
Himeko: …
Putting my phone away, I looked up at Amber, who was leading me back to the same lab as last night.
"Do you have any issues with your accommodations, or are they adequate?" Amber asked.
"They're perfect, thank you."
"Apartment 3084S-204 has been designated for your permanent use," Amber replied, tapping on her tablet.
So the apartment was permanent. I guessed I was worth as much to Otto as an S-rank Valkyrie — or he just wanted to show that he valued me.
"Thanks." I said simply.
"It was Otto's order." That could've been a simple acknowledgment or a subtle dig, implying she wouldn't have given me an S-rank apartment otherwise. I chose to interpret it the first way.
Amber opened the door to the lab and gestured inside.
Otto was manipulating the touch controls of some device with a somewhat gun-shaped barrel with several wires leading from its end to a spherical center.
"Miss Edelhart, could you please stand in front of the device?" Otto gestured to a large X taped on the floor.
I sighed. Looked like I was in for another long day of Otto's experiments.
>>> One Week Later <<<
I was standing in the center of Otto's personal study, a large room filled with floating holographic displays and shelves of traditional paperbound books. Otto stood across from me, occasionally swiping through reports on one of the hovering screens.
The door hissed open, and a wild Durandal walked in, followed by Rita Rossweisse, who was, as usual, wearing a maid outfit.
"Ah, Du–D... Durandal and Rita, you have arrived," said Otto, stepping away from the display and turning to face the pair of Valkyries.
"You seem to have a new mission for me, Lord Otto?" Durandal asked, before glancing at me and frowning slightly.
"Greetings, Overseer. Miss Edelhart," Rita said politely.
Durandal frowned again, clearly thrown off by the fact that Rita recognized me while she didn't. I assumed Rita paid more attention to what went on at Schicksal, considering I'd been escorted to HQ by six S-rank Valkyries and had spent most of my time since then with Otto.
"Congraduations again on your recent promotion to S rank. Indeed, I have a new task for the both of you." Otto said, before continuing, "Your help is required to retrieve the Second Divine Key from London,".
Otto gestured to me, and I placed my right hand behind my back in a Sunday pose before narrating, "The Second Divine Key — the Key of the Void, also known as the Cosmic Juggernaut. It was made from the core of the Previous Era's Herrscher of the Void. Its powers allow access to both Imaginary Space and the Sea of Quanta, as well as enabling local teleportation."
"I thought Schicksal had already searched all of England for the Second Divine Key and found nothing," Rita said.
"That's because the key is located in a pocket of Imaginary Space, also known as subspace above the River Thames. This pocket can be detected using a set of eight Asleikr mecha, retrofitted with advanced scanning equipment," I explained. "However, this isn't exactly subtle, and we might face attacks from those who want the Second Divine Key to remain hidden."
"Who exactly is the enemy?" Durandal asked.
"They are the organization known as the World Serpent, it exists solely to carry out the Previous Era's S.A.V.E. projects, the Second Divine Key is part of Project VALUKA. The World Serpent has access to, and is likely to deploy, the Third Divine Key, the Key of Sanction, Seven Thunders of Retribution, which is a divine key that was made specifically to be used against humans."
"What are the Third Divine Keys abilities?" Durandal asked.
"Seven Thunders of Retribution has seven modes, but only three are known: a railgun, a katana, and… a slingshot."
"A slingshot?" Durandal blinked.
"Well, it was made by Vill-V, so it's bound to be theatrical and impractical," I said. "The Second Divine Key was last used by King Arthur, who tried to create a paradise known as Avalon in the Sea of Quanta. But as you know, Durandal, stability in the Sea of Quanta is transient at best. After that failed, the magician Merlin, who was the Pioneer of the Previous Era known as Kevin, fought with the Lady of the Lake, the Pioneer known as Su. Su trapped Kevin in the Sea of Quanta and engaged the Second Divine Key's observation mode to search bubble worlds for solutions to the Honkai. He remains there to this day."
"Wait, the legend of King Authur was real? And Merlin's real name was… Kevin?" Durandal asked.
Otto finally spoke up, "Yes, Merlin was the Pioneer named Kevin, he is the strongest person alive today, and the Lord of World Serpent."
"Fortunatly for us, even 1500 years later, he is still stuck in the Sea of Quanta, so we won't have to face him in order to retrieve the Divine Key. However you will have to potentially face a combat ELF left over from the Previous Era, who contains only 1% of the original's power, unfortunately that is still enough to potentially level half of London, as they wield a mimicry Judgement of Shamash."
"So what's the plan?" Durandal asked.
"We need the ELF intact. It controls the Second Divine Key's systems — potentially with access equal to its 'Beacon' authority." In addition, I really wanted someone to use the Key of Corruption on it for me; it would make excellent offensive combat support, since I was currently lacking firepower. "I'll personally travel with you to disable the ELF without damaging it."
"How exactly are you going to do that?" Durandal asked.
"I will use Path Energy, you need not worry about it, your task is to protect me, to ensure that I am not taken out by World Serpent Operatives.
"I will also be joining you," Otto added, "I am very interested in the secrets of the Second Divine Key."