On the desolate, empty streets, Otto held Mei's hand.
The two looked just like an inseparable, loving couple.
Mei was dressed in an elegant white skirt, but her fair, tender neck was dotted with several crimson marks.
These were the traces Otto had naughtily left behind while "teaching" her how to cook.
The bruises lingered stubbornly. Otto had a hard time cajoling the shy Mei out the door, and once they were outside, she kept shrinking her neck, trying to hide the marks planted on her by the man.
"Mwah."
However, Otto simply turned his head and planted another strawberry on Mei's pretty cheek, causing her face to flush crimson.
"I think they look very beautiful."
Otto said with a smile. Looking at the marks on Mei, a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment welled up within him.
"It's so embarrassing..."
Mei kept her head down, utterly shy from Otto's intimate gestures.
"It's fine. There's no one here."
Hearing Otto's words, Mei lifted her head and looked around. The streets were familiar, yet there was not a single person in sight.
"What is this?"
Mei felt a strange chill. The cold wind swept by, and the empty streets sent a shiver through her heart.
She subconsciously tightened her grip on Otto's hand, pressing her body closer to his.
"I had people evacuate all the residents in this area."
Otto said.
Fu Hua was not with them at this moment. Under Otto's orders, she had taken the Black Box and left Nagazora City directly, now on standby far from the city limits.
And there wasn't a single Valkyrie nearby.
Durandal and Rita were leading all the Valkyries on the outskirts of Nagazora, guiding the evacuation efforts.
There were still some people who hadn't reached safety.
Completely evacuating a major city in just a few days was an impossible task, but Otto couldn't afford to wait any longer. Every second he delayed, the concentration of Honkai energy in Nagazora rose, and the disaster could erupt at any moment.
So, he didn't want to wait anymore.
Otto felt a pang of apology for those who were about to die in the cataclysm.
For the sake of his own future and the future of others, this portion of the population had been sacrificed by Otto.
"Mr. Otto, what's wrong?"
Looking at Otto's profile, Mei sensed a hint of somberness, which struck her as strange. In her eyes, Otto was the kind of person who could do anything.
Hearing Mei's question, Otto shook his head, indicating that he was fine. Then, he turned his head and planted another strawberry on her.
"Mei, how about you show me around Nagazora City?"
Otto said with a smile.
Right now, no one could disturb them.
Schicksal's first priority was ensuring this area around Otto was completely devoid of people.
Otto had even refused any personal protection, believing that having others here would be extremely dangerous.
What if the shameless Will of the Honkai decided to stuff a Herrscher Core into Durandal or Rita? If that happened, he might as well just surrender at the 15-minute mark.
This wasn't some idle fantasy. If even a nobody like Chen Tianwu could become the Herrscher of Stars, then it was entirely possible for Rita and Durandal to be forcibly implanted with a Core.
Mei seemed to sense something.
She held Otto's hand, and on the empty streets, there was only him and her.
She looked around.
That was the restaurant where she and Otto had their first meal together.
That was the cinema where she and Otto watched their first movie together.
That was the store where she and Otto bought clothes for the first time.
That was the hotel where she and Otto first met.
That was the bed where she and Otto first lay together.
Suddenly, Mei realized that after all their running around, the two of them had returned to where they first began.
Mei also realized that, without her even noticing, so many things had already happened between her and Mr. Otto in Nagazora City.
The tall building before them held the memories of several days spent with Otto.
The sun had already risen high into the sky.
She stopped walking.
And Otto, who had been holding her hand and following her lead, also stopped.
He turned with a smile and looked at Mei, whose eyes were slightly red.
"Mr. Otto, are we preparing to leave Nagazora City?"
Mei wasn't a fool. She sensed that it was time to say goodbye to Nagazora.
To leave the city where she had lived for so long.
But for some reason, Mei didn't feel a particular sense of reluctance.
Perhaps it was because there was no one left in Nagazora City that she cared about.
What she cared about were simply the various memories left here.
"Mhm," Otto responded softly.
"It's all about to end."
Otto looked at Mei gently.
"Nagazora City holds your entire life up to this point. As for the rest of your life... can you entrust it to me?"
"Mhm."
Mei responded softly. She turned to look at Otto, a smile gracing her lips.
Otto returned the smile.
"After I'm done with what I need to do—after this one last job—you'll get to see Brother Ryoma in person."
Otto set up a classic flag.
"Mhm."
Mei's heart beat a little faster. She had just video-chatted with her father last night, and she didn't expect to see him again so soon.
So fast.
It had been less than a month since her father was imprisoned.
Was he finally going to be cleared of the false charges?
Mei gazed at Otto's handsome face, her mind drifting back to their first meeting.
It's a good thing I chose to believe Mr. Otto back then.
"Next, is there something you need to do?"
Mei asked.
"Next, I have to do something very important to me. If I succeed, I'll go with you to see your father."
After all, for a joyous occasion like Raiden Mei joining Schicksal, I, the Bishop of Schicksal, must personally report it to Raiden Ryoma.
"Then what if you fa—" Mei asked subconsciously, but before she could finish, Otto covered her mouth with his hand.
"If you say something like that again, I'll use my mouth to block yours."
Otto said with a laugh. He揉揉Mei's cheek and planted another strawberry on her lips.
"Then... can I still learn how to cook from you in the future, Mr. Otto?"
Mei asked in a small voice. She had witnessed Otto's culinary skills that morning. To a kitchen novice like Mei, it was a revelation. She even felt Otto's skills might be superior to Fu Hua's.
"Of course, you can."
"You have a lot of potential. I look forward to you cooking for me every day in the future."
Hearing Otto's words, Mei shyly lowered her head.
Cooking every day...
Isn't that... just like a wife?
"Alright," Otto wanted to pat Mei's head, but realizing that the trick he used on Kiana wasn't very effective on Mei, he switched to wrapping his arm around her slender waist.
"Mei, close your eyes."
"When you open them again, everything will be over."
"Mhm."
Mei closed her eyes. Though she didn't know what Otto was about to do, she had already placed her profound trust in him.
Otto slowly lowered his head, about to kiss the lips of the girl in his arms, when a hand rose up and pressed against his own lips, preventing him from going any further.
Scarlet eyes opened.
The Herrscher of Thunder had awakened again. This time, she didn't shock Otto, but instead struggled out of his embrace.
Otto didn't try to hold her forcefully, letting go of her slender waist.
"Miss Herrscher, are you ready?"
"Mhm." The Herrscher of Thunder gave only a cold acknowledgment.
But her heart was far from calm. The act she was about to commit was an act of defiance against God.
If she obeyed God, she and Mei would walk the path to death.
Only by defying God could they fight for a sliver of life.
The First Herrscher defied God and was still alive and well. The Second Herrscher obeyed God and was slaughtered not long after.
The Herrscher of Thunder did not want to betray her god.
But she wanted Mei to live.
Seeing Miss Herrscher's expression, Otto nodded.
"Then let's begin."
Time to pull God from its throne!