After finishing his usual day of training, Ming Yu walked leisurely towards his residence, summarizing the training content as he went.
After reaching the entry-level of Sword Heart, he had begun practicing Sword Form under Fu Hua's guidance.
Of course, this time Fu Hua didn't use Fenghuang Down to give him a cheat. That method was, after all, just a stopgap measure to overcome the difficulties caused by his age, allowing him to progress faster with the subsequent training of Taixu Sword Qi. It was not a conventional method.
But even so, his progress in Sword Form was not slow. Perhaps it was because he had learned swordsmanship from Yae Sakura before. Although their 'swords' were not the same, they had similarities, which allowed him to understand what Fu Hua taught faster than an ordinary beginner.
Coupled with Ming Yu's good state of mind during this period, calm and unhurried, he was able to concentrate fully on receiving everything Fu Hua imparted, so achieving such results was not surprising.
Perhaps compared to those geniuses and prodigies, his training progress wasn't fast, and could even be called mediocre, but his heart remained completely unhurried.
Ever since receiving Fu Hua's promise, most of Ming Yu's anxiety had dissipated, lessening his desire for power.
What's more, this wasn't even his fastest speed. With his own hands-on practice, his memory would be deeper, which was very beneficial for building a solid foundation.
He nonchalantly watched the familiar campus scenery, a faint sense of joy rising in his heart.
Suddenly, a low roar sounded, and a gray cloud drifted across the sky, casting a large shadow on the ground.
No! That wasn't a cloud, but a massive floating battleship!
The gray battleship wasn't flying directly over St. Freya, but was circling its periphery. Its metal hull gleamed coldly under the bright sunlight, and Ming Yu's heart was shaken by the massive metal creation.
Even though the gunports were all hidden within the ship's body, Ming Yu could still tell from the traces of mechanisms that when this floating battleship fully bared its fangs, the dense cannon fire could cause immense destruction in an instant.
As expected of humanity's weapon of slaughter against the Honkai. On the right battlefield, a single floating battleship possesses a destructive power that is definitely not inferior to an elite Valkyrie squad, Ming Yu couldn't help but marvel in his heart.
However, the inspector from headquarters is about to arrive. Thinking of that maid-outfit-wearing Umbral Rose, Ming Yu's heart immediately warmed up.
"I'm really looking forward to it~"
Touching his half-white hair, Ming Yu murmured.
But now, there was nothing to worry about. Even if Otto came in drag, cosplaying as Rita, he wouldn't have to be anxious.
After one last look at the battleship heading towards the port, Ming Yu turned and walked towards the distant dormitory area.
...
St. Freya High School, in the spacious and bright Principal's office, a white-haired girl dressed as a nun sat in the most prominent chair, diligently reviewing documents one by one.
If anyone familiar with the Principal saw this, they would surely be astonished, because the Principal was actually doing her job as a principal, instead of reading manga.
Although no one had ever directly seen the Principal reading manga during work hours, there was always a reason for this rumor (fact) to spread. Coupled with the frequent incidents of the Principal losing documents, this had become an open secret in the school.
But even while reviewing documents, the white-haired girl seemed a bit absent-minded, looking up at the door from time to time as if expecting something, only to immediately lower her head to look at the documents in her hands, putting on a serious expression.
With a creak, the office door suddenly opened, and a tall woman in a black, silky maid outfit appeared at the doorway, meeting the Principal's somewhat impatient gaze.
Blinking awkwardly, the Principal said with some diffidence, "Ah! Rita, you're finally here. I was just wondering when you would arrive."
With a polite smile on her face, Rita moved with light steps to the desk. She gently pulled at her skirt, gave a graceful curtsy, and said in a standard, enthusiastic tone, "Rita Rossweisse, at your service, Lady Theresa."
"It's been so long, but you're still the same..." Sighing softly, Theresa said helplessly.
At this moment, her gaze had been completely captivated by the long case on Rita's back.
The silver alloy case looked heavy, and its black strap crossed over the girl's shoulder and body, leaving a deep indentation on her fair, delicate skin.
But even so, the maid stood perfectly straight, and her earlier curtsy was executed without the slightest compromise, as if the weight on her back didn't exist at all.
What a terrifying habit!
Looking at Rita, who still maintained her smile, Theresa both admired the maid's spirit and waved her hand to dismiss the military-uniformed girl who had just opened the door.
"Alright, there's no one else here now. You can put that thing down. Aren't you tired of carrying it like that all the time?" Theresa tossed aside the documents in her hand and said casually.
"Maintaining etiquette is a maid's duty," Rita's tone didn't waver in the slightest, but she still took the case off her back and placed it on the desk. The heavy case collided with the wooden desktop, making a dull thud.
Although a maid's code is important, some flexibility is necessary. Besides, this was the Far East Branch; wasn't following the master's arrangements also a part of a maid's duty?
"This is Abyss Flower, right?" Theresa pointed at the case and asked, a hint of emotion on her face. "I never thought that Grandpa would actually agree to lend this item."
Although she suspected the Overseer had ulterior motives, it was ultimately just her speculation. On the surface, the Overseer's action was undoubtedly a gesture of goodwill, and Theresa had to accept this favor.
So, even if she was dissatisfied, she couldn't show it. At least on the surface, Theresa still had to express her gratitude to the Overseer.
With a perfectly calibrated smile, Rita said blandly, "The Overseer's thoughts are not for me to guess."
"However," thinking of the Overseer's instructions before she left, Rita narrowed her eyes slightly and continued in a calm tone, "if it's possible, could I trouble Lady Theresa to summon that young man?"
Upon hearing this, Theresa's head snapped up. She stared at Rita's smiling face, but her eyes were as calm as an ancient well, as if she had just asked an insignificant question like what she had for breakfast.
Although she had considered that Otto's agreement might be related to Ming Yu, when Rita actually brought it up, Theresa still felt a trace of surprise.
In fact, this wasn't something to be shocked about. Even when Theresa heard that Ming Yu could use the Black Abyss and had unleashed immense power, she couldn't help but feel curious about this young man.
In any case, Rita's request was not unreasonable. After all, what headquarters was lending was the weapon of the strongest Valkyrie, the 6th Divine Key—the Key of Creation, Abyss Flower.
And so far, the only condition headquarters had proposed was to meet Ming Yu.
So, isn't this something to be expected?
After a moment of thought, Theresa agreed.
After all, if Rita could focus her attention on Ming Yu, it would be a good thing for her too. At the very least, it was better than having this S-rank Valkyrie looking for some Kaslana in St. Freya.
Moreover, she was also somewhat curious about Ming Yu's ability to command the Black Abyss.