Hearing Saori's complaint, Lia nodded in deep agreement, gritting her teeth and saying hatefully, "Damn the Honkai, damn the Herrschers!"
"I really don't know why Schicksal is keeping that Herrscher alive!" Lia frowned, her tone full of resentment. "That kind of monster should have just been killed immediately!"
In the information released by Schicksal, the Third Herrscher was captured by the Far East Branch but was not executed, only sentenced to "close confinement."
After all, if they declared that the Herrscher had been killed, and a small-probability event like Mei going berserk were to happen, it would be a huge blow to Schicksal's credibility. But if she was just imprisoned, there would always be a slight possibility of an accident occurring.
"Who knows. But, a living Herrscher can at least help us understand the Honkai a little better, I suppose."
Saori's tone was much calmer, but her words carried an endless chill. Although she could understand the decision of Schicksal's high command to keep the Third Herrscher alive, she clearly held no goodwill towards a being like a Herrscher.
Towards the envoys of the Honkai—the Herrschers—aside from a few special exceptions, it's unlikely anyone would hold any goodwill for such things.
After all, every birth of a Herrscher brought destruction and ruin, leaving behind memories of blood. Whether it was the First Honkai Eruption in Berlin, the Second Honkai Eruption in Siberia, or even the Third Honkai Eruption in Nagazora, all without exception suffered immense destruction.
And this was precisely the reason why Theresa concealed Mei's identity.
If Mei's identity as the Third Herrscher were to be exposed, it is estimated that over ninety percent of the people in the Far East Branch would not hesitate to raise their weapons against her, no matter how innocent she might look!
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Saori said to Ming Yu, "Speaking of which, you also came to St. Freya High School because of the Third Honkai Eruption, right? To have survived in a place like that, you're really lucky!"
As she spoke, Saori shook her head regretfully, though it was unclear what she was lamenting.
Although Schicksal had confidentiality measures for Valkyrie information, for Saori as the squad captain, the origin of her subordinate was not something she couldn't know. Besides, this was the only identity Ming Yu could present.
To survive a Great Eruption was indeed an incredibly lucky thing. Probabilistically, it was an extremely small probability event, one in several million.
According to Schicksal's records, whether it was the First Honkai Eruption in Berlin or the Second Honkai Eruption in Siberia, there had never been any survivors at the birthplace of a Herrscher. Never, not a single one!
Based on existing data, the probability of surviving a Great Eruption as a human was even lower than the probability of becoming a Herrscher.
Nodding sheepishly, Ming Yu also thought back to his days in Nagazora and said with emotion, "Maybe it really was luck. I barely encountered any powerful Honkai Beasts in Nagazora, and then I ran into Major Himeko leading the Fifth Squad."
It was indeed "barely" encountered. The one time he did, he passed out, taken out by a Honkai Beast in a single blow.
"The Honkai Beasts there weren't the most dangerous thing. If you ran into one, you at least had a chance to escape. If you had run into the Herrscher, you wouldn't have even had a chance to think of your last words."
Stretching, Saori said teasingly.
Thinking of a certain "Herrscher" wielding a ladle, Ming Yu couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. But he knew very well in his heart that she was just a girl named Raiden Mei, fundamentally different from the Third Herrscher.
Strictly speaking, the one he encountered was just Raiden Mei, not the Third Herrscher.
And when the Third Herrscher did appear, he had already passed out. In a sense, Saori wasn't wrong, so he didn't object.
Similarly, he never tried to change Lia and Saori's hostility towards Herrschers.
Although he didn't know Saori's past, since she was someone who could become a Valkyrie, she must have had some connection with the Honkai. And it certainly wouldn't have been a pleasant memory.
Unlike Ming Yu, both Lia and Saori carried scars left by the Honkai, wounds that would never heal in a lifetime.
And carrying such pain, it was basically impossible to say they could completely let it go, especially since they both chose the path of a Valkyrie. Even if he could persuade them, it was not something he, Ming Yu, could accomplish.
They had both lost something precious because of the Honkai. And now, they just wanted to get something back as compensation.
This was perfectly reasonable.
But Ming Yu, in this world, had nothing to lose. Naturally, he didn't need to, and couldn't, get anything back.
Although Ming Yu would be moved by Lia's story and lament the girl's fate, he was ultimately an outsider and couldn't truly empathize.
In his eyes, a Herrscher was a Herrscher, and a human was a human. Mei could be the Third Herrscher, but the Third Herrscher could never be Mei.
He could also explain the Herrscher's actions under the dominance of different personalities, thereby arguing that the human who became a Herrscher was innocent, and thus advise the two to let go of their prejudice against Herrschers.
However, this was a completely useless argument.
To them, a Herrscher was just that kind of dangerous and terrifying creature. Even with a little bit of uncertainty, the danger level of a Herrscher wouldn't change in the slightest.
Could Ming Yu really expect them to drop their weapons when they meet a Herrscher, and then hold hands and become good friends with the Herrscher?
Since he couldn't change anything, why should he meddle?
His fingers gently rubbing the hilt of his Sakura Fubuki, Ming Yu nodded in agreement with Saori's "Herrschers are dangerous" theory.
Although he was somewhat unconvinced in his heart, he couldn't deny that Saori was right. For the vast majority of people in this world, weren't Herrschers just that dangerous?
That kind of creature that could easily destroy a city, that kind of existence that could command countless Honkai Beasts and Honkai Zombies, was nothing but a byword for death and terror.
Seeing Ming Yu's silence, Saori also understood that the topic of Herrschers was a bit too heavy for a rookie. So she quickly started talking about some interesting things that happened on missions, interspersing her own experiences from time to time.
Soon, the two-hour break ended in lighthearted and pleasant conversation.
Re-tying the long hair she had let down during her rest, Saori stood up with a yawn, picked up the broadsword she had placed aside, and said to her two team members, "Alright, we've rested long enough. Now, it's time to take care of those annoying Honkai Beasts."
"Yes!" x2
Ming Yu and Lia also gathered their equipment and answered loudly.
After all, the mission must go on...