"Why does life slumber?"
For a moment, Cecilia was stumped. I mean, who wouldn't be, when things shifted so suddenly from a tender mother-daughter moment (?) straight into deep philosophical territory.
"Lynelle told me a lot of lofty things back then, but honestly, I've forgotten most of them."
Sirin showed a faint, wistful smile. "But I remember the answer to that question."
"Because one day, we'll wake from the dream."
"Once we leave this illusion, you'll be Schicksal's strongest S-rank Valkyrie, and I… I'll be the calamity-bringing Herrscher. I can't become your daughter."
"You want me to give up my revenge, to stop seeing Schicksal as the enemy… But Lynelle's fate is still unknown, and the one who killed her… still hasn't paid the price he deserves."
"Once this illusion ends, we'll be enemies in the end."
"Wait, Sirin, that's not true!"
Seeing the crimson feathers beginning to materialize in Sirin's hand, Cecilia called out urgently.
"Lynelle is safe! After that battle, her body was recovered by Anti-Entropy's leader, Welt, and my husband Siegfried. She's being treated inside Anti-Entropy right now! And if you want revenge on the one who killed her, I'll help you! Scum like that doesn't deserve to remain in Schicksal!"
"If you agree, I can go to the Overseer myself and ask to adopt you as my daughter. You'd be Kiana's older sister, I could…"
"Alright, Mama Cecilia, you're really too kind."
Seeing Cecilia's desperate expression, Sirin couldn't bear it and turned her face away. "But… it's impossible. Reality… isn't as kind as you imagine."
"Actually, I lied to you too. It's not that I couldn't peek into your memories at all—just not through the Fenghuang Down. I used another method… and in your memories, I found a clue. I identified the one who killed Lynelle back then."
"And his name is… Otto Apocalypse. The very Overseer of your Schicksal."
"What…?"
Cecilia froze.
"But… why would it be…? And how could the answer be in my memories…?"
"Because when Otto killed Lynelle and gravely injured me, he used a type of blood that could erase Honkai energy. That was the key to his victory… And your memories clearly record the origin of that blood. Aside from you, Otto is the only one in all of Schicksal who can use that holy blood without side effects. I shouldn't need to explain further."
Sirin gently closed her hand around the feathers, her form beginning to fade from the illusion.
"Reality isn't a dream. It can't be so full of lovely things. Otto is the Overseer of Schicksal, and your family, your daughter, are at Schicksal's headquarters right now. Would you really betray Schicksal for my sake, and risk Kiana's safety?"
"Besides, killing Otto is tantamount to declaring war on Schicksal, even on the whole world… That's the reality of it."
"Goodbye, Mama Cecilia. I hope… I'll have a chance to call you that again, someday."
--+--
Just as Sirin left the illusion and began locating Otto, Lynelle's own battle was reaching a tense stalemate.
It'd be fair to say Lynelle's strategic goal was half-accomplished.
The good news: Otto, forced into a corner, had indeed revealed a trump card.
The bad news: …That card was a bit too overpowered.
Because what he unveiled was a prototype Valkyrie armor suit, fully modeled after the Blank Key.
Of course, if they called it by another name, it'd be more familiar—what Otto wore now could be considered the prototype of the Scarlet Fusion Armor, an intermediate model between the Blank Key and the Scarlet Fusion armor.
As a replica of the Blank Key, this suit could fully accommodate a single Herrscher core, or use high-density Honkai energy crystals as a power source. While doing so would most likely expose the user to lethal levels of radiation…
But Otto wasn't exactly human, now was he?
His body, forged from Soulium, was completely immune to Honkai erosion.
And because Otto had deliberately slain four pseudo-Herrschers beforehand, the pseudo-cores within them—which Sirin had used to drive them—were repurposed by Otto as energy sources.
With four pseudo-Herrscher cores running at once, the boost Otto received was staggering.
Lynelle, with her preservation and recovery abilities, was holding up somewhat better, but Welt, who was already in poor condition, was getting beaten so badly he was close to performing another "Yang Gets Up" maneuver.
"Dammit… So this is Otto's trump card. Frighteningly strong, as expected. No—it's those four pseudo-cores that are fearsome. Who knows how much Honkai energy Sirin poured into them? That Otto… he clearly planned this all along."
"But the good news is, according to Einstein's monitoring, Sirin should have broken free. Our objective is more or less accomplished."
Welt coughed up a mouthful of blood and spoke softly beside Lynelle.
"Is it really accomplished?… Maybe I'm just too biased against Otto, but I feel like he's still holding something back…"
Lynelle muttered under her breath, then whispered to herself, "Whatever. It's fine. He's got a trump card, and so do I. Mine might not be as big as his, but my ace is meant for escaping when I'm checkmated. In this match, I can't lose from the start."
"Your attacks have grown more cautious. Is it because you've noticed the Second Herrscher's escape, and wish to stall for time?"
Otto chuckled leisurely. Seeing that Lynelle didn't seem to be making any further moves, he had regained his usual composure.
"Exactly. And I don't think you can kill me or Welt quickly, either. If you want to run, I suggest you do it now."
Even though they'd been on the defensive ever since Otto suited up, Lynelle didn't hold back in the verbal sparring.
"No need. I'm perfectly content to wait here for Miss Sirin."
Otto shook his head. "At least for us, dying once or fleeing in disgrace… there's no fundamental difference."
"Oh really? Then let's see… just how many spare bodies you have to burn through!"
A clear, sharp voice suddenly rang through the space, followed instantly by several Void Lances piercing through the spot where Otto stood.
"Sirin?"
Lynelle's eyes lit up.
"Lynelle! You're safe—that's great!"
Almost in the same instant, Lynelle felt a soft, warm body press into her embrace. Lilac hair brushed against her cheek, carrying a faint, familiar scent.
"But now's not the time for catching up."
After burying her face in Lynelle's soft chest and taking a deep, replenishing whiff of "Lynelle energy," Sirin snapped her head back around, glaring fiercely.
"Wait for me—let me take care of this guy first!"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.