On the highway, Siegfried sped along with Mei.
From the start, Siegfried had been making small talk with Mei to help her relax.
After all, now that Siegfried had calmed down, he thought things through very clearly.
The events in the snowy plains a few years ago had already given Siegfried a crucial piece of information.
As long as a Herrscher's mood could be soothed, even if her body was suddenly taken over by the Herrscher Personality, it didn't mean she would completely fall into being an apostle of destruction.
At that time, Siegfried had stopped Sirin's rampage at the cost of one arm, allowing Kiana's personality to regain control.
And now, he felt that...
Besides protecting his old friend's daughter, he could also help Ryoma's daughter relax a little.
And now, having calmed down, Siegfried could also sense the deep unease in Mei's heart.
It was no wonder.
Ryoma's daughter didn't know about the Honkai before... well, it seems she still doesn't.
As a pampered young lady, she had been well-protected by Ryoma.
That's why she had become so timid and fearful after Ryoma was sent to prison.
*Even though she puts on a calm facade, I can still feel from her slightly trembling hands—this little girl is still scared.*
"Uncle Siegfried."
Mei, who had noticed Siegfried had been silent for several minutes, suddenly spoke up.
"Is something on your mind?"
"Ha, it's nothing."
Siegfried smiled and said to Mei behind him.
"I was just thinking about the first time Ryoma and I met."
"Father..."
"You're such good friends with him. You must have hit it off right away when you first met, right?"
"Hit it off?"
Feeling the air streaming past him, Siegfried said with a laugh.
"You're overthinking it."
"When Ryoma and I met fourteen years ago, he didn't give me a pleasant look at all."
"After we became good friends, I asked him about it. Guess what he said?"
Thinking back to that time, Siegfried couldn't help but chuckle.
"My wife had a young fangirl at her workplace. As it turned out, that girl was unhappy that my wife married me and claimed I had touched the butts of many girls at work."
"Ryoma heard this rumor and took me for a lecherous playboy."
"That fellow Ryoma values family, so of course he wouldn't like someone like me."
"It was only after my wife passed away that Ryoma learned from his direct superior that it was all a misunderstanding. Only then did we become good friends."
Hearing the news of his wife's passing, Mei said in a low voice.
"Uncle, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"Hey, it has nothing to do with you. It's been so many years, I've long since moved on."
At this moment, Siegfried's tone suddenly changed, and he spoke to Mei in a heartfelt manner.
"I'm telling you this just to let you know one thing."
"That fellow Ryoma treasures his family very much, and after his wife also passed away from illness, you became his only treasure in this world."
"I can understand your worry for your father, but your father definitely hopes that you can grow up healthy, and live a happy and joyful life."
"Of course, I know that just saying a few words won't completely put you at ease—but adjusting your mindset a little won't do you any harm right now."
Listening to Siegfried's words, Mei nodded slightly behind him.
"I understand."
"Thank you, Uncle Siegfried."
"Hey, it's a small thing. Ryoma has helped me out a lot over the years. It's only right for me to help him out once in a while."
"Oh, hold on tight, I'm stopping the bike."
Upon reaching a gas station, Siegfried said to Mei.
"Get off, and follow me."
"Yes."
Looking at the motorcycle's fuel gauge, the expression on Siegfried's face instantly turned a bit helpless.
The bike was a gift from Otto.
And as expected, Otto had indeed tampered with it.
It wasn't that there was a major problem with the parts or quality.
Siegfried knew it was a good bike.
But the problem was, that bastard Otto—he hadn't left him enough gas to get out of Nagazora City.
Although Siegfried could change vehicles or modes of transportation midway, the problem was that Mei could awaken at any moment. The difficulty of finding a place to get new car keys was significantly higher than stopping to refuel.
*That asshole Otto, why does he have to be a pain in the ass even in a place like this...*
*Forget it, why am I trying to understand the thoughts of a scumbag?*
*As long as I can get Mei out of Nagazora City now, then even if the Herrscher awakens, I can at least ensure the safety of the innocent people around.*
But just then, the communication terminal in Siegfried's pocket suddenly rang.
Only his old friends from Anti-Entropy knew how to contact him on this terminal.
So at this moment, Siegfried pressed the answer button and placed the terminal to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Siegfried, something terrible has happened!"
At this moment, the terminal's speaker suddenly increased in volume and switched to speaker mode.
And in that instant, Siegfried instinctively felt that something was wrong.
*This voice, it's Dr. Tesla's voice, but...*
*Why do I feel like something is off?*
"Ryoma, something's happened to Ryoma!"
"We received news that he committed suicide in prison out of guilt!"
...!
"But I'm sure it wasn't suicide. Cocolia, it must be Cocolia—"
In that instant, Siegfried swiftly crushed the communication terminal in his hand.
But feeling the fluctuations around him, Siegfried turned with an ugly expression and saw the look on Mei's face.
"Father... my father..."
"Mei, calm down!"
At this moment, Siegfried looked at Mei, whose hair was beginning to fly about, and said to her with extreme urgency.
"That idiot Cocolia doesn't have full control of ME Corp yet she wouldn't kill Ryoma so soon this must be false information don't believe it!"
*False information?*
Glancing at the display screen inside the nearby gas station, which was broadcasting the news 'Financial criminal Raiden Ryoma has just committed suicide in prison', the Honkai Energy fluctuations around Mei became even more terrifying.
*Father isn't dead.*
*Uncle Siegfried is right, Cocolia wouldn't...*
*Father...*
*Kiana...*
*Uncle Siegfried...*
*Leo Ash...*
*I'm sorry, I... I... I...*
Even though she knew this matter needed to be verified to know if it was true, Mei, who was already in a bad state, was now completely unable to think rationally.
Having lost her ability to think rationally, Siegfried's earlier words of comfort, because of the news of Raiden Ryoma's death, had the opposite effect.
Those words of comfort, at this moment, were like daggers piercing her heart, cutting it open and allowing the sliver of despair that had been lurking deep inside her to erupt completely.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"
As the girl's consciousness dissipated with a scream, the area where the two of them were located...
—was instantly devoured by terrifying Honkai Energy.
.....