As Durandal opened the door from the outside, both she and a sneaky Kiana behind her saw the scene inside.
In their eyes, Leo Ash's face was...
Oh, alright, they couldn't see Leo Ash's face at all.
After all, his face was completely blocked by Rita's two large buns. Lacking X-ray vision, they naturally couldn't see his expression.
But upon seeing this scene, the two had different reactions.
Durandal didn't think much of it.
Although Leo Ash and Rita weren't biological siblings, aside from their disagreements on certain matters, their relationship was very good.
For a pair of siblings with such a strong bond, this kind of intimate contact was a bit overly familiar, but—was it really a big deal?
However, for Kiana, who didn't know Rita's identity, the impact of this image was immense.
Just a moment ago, she was still worried about Leo Ash's physical condition, wondering if the people at Schicksal were taking good care of him.
But now, Kiana realized her concerns were entirely unnecessary.
Leo Ash was perfectly fine!
Not only were the people at Schicksal taking good care of him, they had even sent a great beauty over!
Kiana Kaslana was very confident in her own looks.
But in front of this well-endowed big sister, Kiana subconsciously glanced down at her own two small buns, which were actually developing quite well...
This woman... is huge!
Not only bigger than this young lady, but even bigger than Durandal!
Senior... to think Senior knows a Valkyrie like this at Schicksal...
Though it was only for a moment, Kiana had already developed the strange thought of 'Ah, not only were my worries unnecessary, but my very presence is unnecessary.'
Meanwhile, Leo Ash, who was finding it a bit hard to breathe, suddenly heard the voice of the System.
[Original soundtrack, activate!]
Wait a minute, why do I have a bad feeling about this.
Still unable to see outside, Leo Ash suddenly heard a sad song begin to play in his mind.
[Are you pretending to be lonely?]
This song... is a bit familiar.
[Why is it that my heart was so drawn to you?]
Oh, it's *Todokanai Koi*—why are you playing this song!
This is my sister! My sister!
[Oh, alright, the System will change the disc then.]
In the next instant, Leo Ash did indeed hear another song.
[If I can just reach the shore beyond this sorrow]
This song is very familiar...
[I'll no longer need warmth, nor a tomorrow]
...Damn it!
What the hell are you doing!
After hearing the first few lyrics, Leo Ash was suddenly wide awake.
*Kanashimi no Mukou e* / *To the Other Side of Sadness*, the bad ending theme from the game *School Days*.
Alright, he hadn't played the game, but the anime adaptation had used the same insert song.
And whenever this song played, it usually meant nothing good!
I haven't even done anything, and you're playing this BGM—you think I'm not scared enough, is that it!
[Oh, okay, the System will tone it down.]
[However, the current situation is quite fitting for these two songs—why don't you take a look outside.]
After struggling to free himself from Rita's embrace, Leo Ash immediately turned his head towards the door of the hospital room.
And then, he saw a calm-looking Bianka—and a bewildered Kiana behind her.
He froze.
At this moment, looking at the two people outside the door, Leo Ash's body went rigid.
[Unrequited love? A nice boat? Listening to the two BGMs played by the System, a cold, disdainful sneer rises in your heart.]
[Compared to this dog of a System that understands nothing about love, you are certain that such a pathetic future will never befall you.]
[Such a thing as 'unrequited love' doesn't exist—because you will have them all!]
[Something like a 'nice boat' is even more impossible—because if things really go south, you won't even have a molecule left, let alone your head!]
Bro, I'm begging you, please stop with your divine powers.
I just want to live.
"Oh my, is Leo shy?"
Looking at Leo Ash, Rita said with a hint of melancholy.
"When we first met back then, you cried in my arms for a long, long time, you know."
As Rita spoke, the somewhat awkward atmosphere was instantly broken.
And at that moment, Kiana, who was feeling very conflicted, found that things became even more awkward after her eyes met Leo Ash's.
Senior has someone taking care of him.
And this big sister... damn it, she seems better than me in every way!
Her personality is gentler than mine, her figure is better than mine, and her relationship with Senior is better too!
No, wait, why should I care about these things!
At this moment, under self-hypnosis, Kiana's eyes suddenly became clear.
Right, Senior and I are friends. As a warrior of the Kaslana family, it's perfectly normal to come check on a friend after hearing they're in trouble!
At this moment, Kiana, having completely 'figured it out,' walked into the room very naturally and said to Leo Ash with a grin.
"Senior, are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine..."
If the girl had just walked in with that expression, Leo Ash probably wouldn't have thought much of it.
But the problem was, the System suddenly popped up Kiana's character profile, telling him that Kiana's favorability had just jumped up by 5 points. That wasn't a good sign.
[Looking at the white-haired paramecium pretending to be calm, you are very composed in your heart.]
[Because you know very well that things have reached this point, and even if you stop deceiving her with your acting, she will selectively ignore any bad sides she sees of you and imagine them into something good.]
Ah, I can't even be bothered to retort anymore.
Forget it, I might as well let my brain shut down.
"Leo, the young lady is greeting you."
Gently patting Leo Ash's shoulder, Rita leaned close to him and whispered in his ear.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to her?"
Don't you already know who she is—Leo Ash felt he definitely couldn't say that out loud.
Although he didn't understand why Rita was asking this, given the current atmosphere, it was best for him not to speak recklessly.
On the other side, after seeing a flash of annoyance on the girl's face, Rita knew her tactic had worked.
Kiana Kaslana. That was the name the girl currently possessed.
But Rita was also well aware of her true identity.
This girl was not the real Kiana, but the Herrscher of the Void's host, K423.
Upon her promotion to S-rank, Rita, as Otto's most useful blade, had learned of some of his plans.
She regarded Leo Ash as a dear brother, so naturally, she didn't want him to form too close a relationship with this girl.
This girl was destined to be used by Lord Bishop Otto, and since Rita was powerless to stop his actions, she naturally wanted to keep Leo Ash from getting too close to this dangerous girl.
Leo Ash hated the Honkai, and once the Herrscher of the Void's host became the true Herrscher of the Void, she herself would become the embodiment of Honkai.
If Leo Ash were to get too involved with this girl, he would not only face an impossible choice but would also be highly likely to be dragged into Otto's schemes.
From what Rita had seen today, although Leo Ash seemed to have moved on from that day, he hadn't truly forgotten his deceased parents and his hatred for the Honkai.
Rita truly did not want her mentally and physically exhausted adoptive brother to once again face such a tragic future after getting too close to this girl.
He had already suffered enough. If something like that were to happen again, Rita really couldn't guarantee that Leo Ash, assuming he survived, would be able to maintain his sanity.
Therefore, she used this gesture, which transcended the intimacy of siblings, to 'declare sovereignty.'
And for now, it seemed to be working well.
"Ah, this is Kiana Kaslana."
Completely oblivious to what was happening, Leo Ash said to Rita helplessly.
"She's my junior from Nagazora City."
"I see~"
Hey, what's with that meaningful tone.
"Ah, Senior, aren't you going to introduce us?"
Walking briskly to stand in front of Leo Ash, Kiana looked up at Rita, who was slightly taller than her, and asked with a smile.
"What is your relationship with this beautiful big sister?"
"Oh, this is my older sister, Rita Rossweisse."
"Hello, Miss Kiana."
At this moment, Rita, completely disregarding her usual maid etiquette, waved at Kiana with a smile.
"My Leo is so reckless. It seems he must have been a lot of trouble for you in Nagazora City."
"But you don't have to worry anymore. I will watch over this good-for-nothing little brother of mine and make sure he doesn't have the chance to cause any more trouble."
"Ah... ah, oh."
Watching the two of them, Kiana narrowed her eyes slightly.
"But, Senior looks like he's from Shenzhou, while Miss Rita, you're European..."
"We're adoptive siblings. Besides—is blood relation really that important for a family that acknowledges each other?"
"That... seems to be true."
Da-damn it, this woman has such a strong presence!
I used to think Durandal and Senior Leo were a bit too close, but now it seems I was wrong!
This so-called adoptive sister is clearly much closer to Senior!
And is this how a brother and sister are supposed to act with each other?!
"Ah, it seems you're looking well, Leo Ash."
Completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere between the two girls, Durandal also walked into the room and let out a small sigh of relief.
"If that Stigmata is too dangerous, you'd be wise to use it less."
"Ah, I know."
And Durandal's natural expression...
That's definitely the look of someone interacting with a friend, but why do I feel like something is so wrong!
Durandal, who is so at ease with Senior, and Miss Rita, who is so intimate with Senior and he doesn't resist...
At this moment, looking at the two women before her, Kiana suddenly felt a pang of jealousy.
However, before any new thoughts could form, a light screen suddenly appeared in front of Rita.
"Rita—ah, Leo Ash, you're awake already."
Otto, on the screen, looked at Leo Ash's weak but acceptable complexion and spoke to him apologetically.
"My apologies. It was my fault for not noticing the Stigmata's rampage sooner."
"...You really don't have to, Lord Bishop!"
Give me a break, you bastard. If I wasn't trying to guard against you, would I have needed to go this far!
"But since you're awake, there's no need for Rita to relay the message."
Seeing Leo Ash's slight panic, Otto said with a smile.
"You mentioned before that you wanted better equipment to fight the Honkai, right? I will give you the equipment, but before that, I think there's a place you need to go."
As he said this, an image of a school appeared on the screen behind him.
"You've only had agent training, but you don't know how to fight the Honkai."
"Although you have the merit of defeating the Herrscher of Thunder, I think you still need to systematically study the relevant 'Valkyrie' courses."
"You are still young and have plenty of time. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay the work of cutting wood. It's not too late to go to the battlefield after you've acquired enough knowledge and completed your growth."
"Additionally, Kiana, I hope you will also spend some time at this academy, for the same reasons as Leo Ash."
Otto had intended to say more to persuade Kiana, but he suddenly saw a 'light' burst forth from her previously somewhat lifeless eyes.
"Lord Bishop Otto, you're such a great person!"
*This way, I can continue to go to school with Senior, hehehe.*
"Ah... oh. It's good that you're willing to go."
*Ho, what a reaction from K423.*
*Just going to school with Leo Ash makes you this happy?*
*Excellent, excellent. At this rate, the progress of my plan can really be moved up.*
*As long as I find the Key of the Void, all that's left is to have my old friend watch over you. Once your feelings are in place, we can make our move.*
"Furthermore—"
Seeing Rita about to speak, Otto said with a smile.
"Rita, you wish for Leo Ash to stay in a safe place for a while longer. I've thought about it, and it's normal for you to worry about him as his adoptive sister, but you must also respect his own wishes."
"So I've chosen a compromise—let Leo Ash hone his skills at St. Freya before he steps onto the battlefield."
"Are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
Satisfied... am I?
Listening to Otto's smiling words, Rita felt only bitterness in her heart.
As a Valkyrie privy to Otto's plans, Rita knew from the moment Otto said those words that Leo Ash had become a pawn in his scheme.
And as someone very close to K423, with a significant relationship even, Leo Ash was bound to be drawn into the most terrifying vortex of this plan.
What made Rita feel even worse was that she was merely a blade in Otto's hand, with neither the authority nor the means to stop him.
"Alright, alright, I know there is a saying in Shenzhou that an elder sister is like a mother."
Looking at the silent Rita, Otto continued.
"Although it was with the help of the HSN serum, Leo Ash himself has the merit of defeating a Herrscher."
"Children all grow up. You can't expect to shelter him for a lifetime."
"Don't worry too much. He is a talented young man. I would not wish for such talent to die so easily."
*Ha... Lord Otto's previous words were to tell me 'Leo Ash must participate in the plan,' a subtle warning not to interfere.*
*And these words are to tell me that he will protect Leo's life, so I should not get involved.*
*A carrot and a stick. For the Lord Bishop, such things are as easy as breathing, aren't they.*
"Your subordinate understands."
Right now, what more can I say besides this?
"Oh, also, I will inform all of Schicksal to lift Siegfried's wanted status."
"After this incident, I've realized that Siegfried's ideals merely differ from mine. Keeping him on the wanted list also affects the Kaslana family's reputation. This matter... hah, let's just let it go."
Upon hearing these words, Kiana seriously doubted if she had heard correctly.
Today, she had met Otto Apocalypse, the man Siegfried intensely disliked.
But after meeting him, Kiana discovered...
—Hey, this old man is actually pretty nice.
He's been more than fair to me, and in other matters—I think he handles things honorably!
It's definitely not because he arranged for Senior and me to go to a new school together!
I just think—his attitude towards my stinky old dad isn't actually that bad.
"Wait, Lord Bishop Otto!"
Kiana, who had just belatedly realized something, suddenly asked Otto.
"Does that mean you saw my stinky old dad in Nagazora City?!"
"That's right. Siegfried stopped the Herrscher of Thunder's rampage, which allowed Leo Ash to resolve the crisis—did you not know about this?"
As Kiana's gaze shifted to him, Leo Ash said irritably.
"Do you think I had the time or energy to chat with you about these things on our way here?"
"That's true... Stinky old dad! He knew I was in Nagazora City and he still hid from me!"
Thinking that Siegfried was right there, Kiana suddenly felt that the gaze she had sensed in the shopping district was definitely from him.
"Damn it, the next time I see him, I'm definitely going to punch him a few more times!"
*Lord Bishop, you truly are...*
Rita, who had met Siegfried multiple times, now understood what Otto meant.
He would publicly announce that Siegfried was no longer a traitor, but if Siegfried didn't return, his reputation within Schicksal would only worsen.
*'Lord Bishop Otto gave you a chance and you still won't come back, you must be a true traitor!'*
And if he did return... hah, if Mr. Siegfried returned, the Lord Bishop would probably die laughing.
*Lord Bishop, you are still the same.*
*With mere words, you can play the entire world in the palm of your hand.*
*Facing someone like you, what hope do I have of getting Leo out of this unscathed?*
"Oh right, Senior resolved the crisis brought by the Herrscher of Thunder and brought Mei back—does that mean Mei is that Herrscher?"
Kiana, who had been through a series of shocking events, only now remembered that her friend, Raiden Mei, hadn't woken up since their second meeting today.
Then, she looked at Otto with great concern.
"Um, Lord Bishop Otto, Mei really isn't a bad person..."
"It's alright, I have spoken with Miss Raiden. I know she is a kind person."
"Ultimately, she is just another victim exploited by Cocolia. And now, I have already invited her to join Schicksal."
"Based on my predictions, Miss Raiden will likely accept my invitation. If all goes well, she should be heading to St. Freya High School with you to train and polish that power of hers."
*Mm-hmm, Mei is awake too, and she'll be going to St. Freya with Senior and me. Even though I probably shouldn't be shouting this right now, but...*
—Yay!
"But, where is Mei right now?"
"Oh, Miss Raiden, you ask?"
At that moment, Otto looked at the beaming K423 and said gently to Kiana.
"Right now, she is resting well in a hospital room."
..