Theresa, Forever Thirty-Eight

"So you mean I have to send this child back into the lab?"

Although his face was bruised and swollen, Siegfried's expression darkened when the topic came up.

He was really allergic to the word "laboratory".

"We at Anti-Entropy don't conduct human experiments." Joyce's face darkened. "Are you deaf to reason?"

Siegfried said that what you said makes sense, but the experiment is out of the question.

"I'll vouch for you!" Reanna said. "You know we can't let this child continue like this, right? Some things, once they happen, will happen again."

"You..."

After all, it's not like two years ago when he was still angry. Siegfried can consider Reanna's offer now.

"How about you bring another guarantor?"

Liu Bai possessed Reanna's body.

"Although it seems a bit abrupt, I feel I can vouch for it in this regard."

"Grandma Reanna...!? Who are you?"

Seeing Reanna suddenly turn into a man, Siegfried... no, not just Siegfried, even Ragna and the other team members were a little confused.

"Liu Bai, Anti-Entropy... could he be considered the former Alliance Leader?"

Liu Bai found the surprised expressions on the faces of the people in front of him quite amusing.

"The previous Alliance Leader? The one who was even more mysterious Otto, the Anti-Entropy Leader?"

Siegfried suddenly realized what was happening.

"He really is a legendary figure."

Siegfried sighed and then gave a wry smile.

"Now that things have come to this, it seems I have no right to refuse..."

However, Siegfried didn't really have many choices, and in the end, Siegfried would definitely have to agree.

"In that case, is it possible for me to hide in the shadows?"

"Tibetan?"

"Because I thought about it, and I might become the reason that triggers Sirin's awakening." Siegfried continued with a wry smile.

Liu Bai nodded.

"Let's talk about the details later... By the way, what happened to your face?"

Liu Bai had wanted to ask Siegfried, whose face was bruised and swollen, for a long time.

"... It was just a minor disagreement with Mr. Joyce."

When this was mentioned, Siegfried covered his face, "It's alright."

As an elderly father, it's normal to do something impulsive when you come home to find your daughter missing, right?

It's normal for others to help him calm down, right?

Yes, that's normal.

"... I hope everything is alright."

Liu Bai glanced at Joyce, who seemed unaffected, and nodded before turning his gaze to the Valkyrie beside him.

"Miss Ragna, what are your thoughts now?"

"...I feel very conflicted." Ragna said with a helpless expression.

On one hand, there's the possibility that Otto resurrected the Second Herrscher.

On the other hand, there's Liu Bai's terrifying identity.

"May I ask you one question: how do you intend to deal with us?"

Ragna had a pretty good idea of what was going on; given the current situation, it was practically impossible for them to run away on the spot.

"You will be 'killed in battle'."

Liu Bai immediately replied, "K423 suddenly transforms into a Herrscher of Thunder and wipes out the Valkyrie Stormtroopers who came to capture him—isn't that a normal script?"

"This... what about the bishop..."

"Don't worry, Otto will probably only be surprised and disappointed," Liu Bai said matter-of-factly. "Although Otto didn't send you here to die, he definitely knows what's going on with Kiana, so this situation is 'logical'."

It's not difficult to fake a battle scene—after all, there really is a battle scene.

"Moreover, your family members will also enjoy the benefits of martyrs, and after a while, when the attention wanes, you can be brought back."

Liu Bai's words reassured everyone.

The Valkyrie looked at each other, then nodded in unison.

If the bishop is unjust, don't blame the old woman for being unjust!

Chapter 199 Theresa, at the tender age of thirty-eight

"I never expected to change allegiances... It's really unexpected, probably a path I never even dreamed of," Ragna said, sitting on the airship and looking at the airship environment so different from Schicksal's.

"So, you mean the so-called 'unforeseen path'?"

Himeko smiled and echoed.

"Himeko, you're a 'spy,' you have no right to say such things."

Ragna complained half-jokingly—after all, he was already quite satisfied with surviving from the hands of the Herrscher, "But I really owe my survival this time to you and Liu Bai... uh, Lord Alliance Leader."

"Captain, you should stay away from Liu Bai. That guy is a maid-obsessed person. Be careful he doesn't try anything funny with you."

"Hey, I'm still here." The floating tablet tapped Himeko's head impatiently. "I deleted your leave record. In other words, you're 'dead' now."

"Um... Lord Alliance Leader, may I ask where we will be assigned next?"

Due to the change in his status, Ragna also became much more reserved.

"I'm a little better off... My teammates are basically useless except for fighting... well, they're practically useless in daily life."

"Captain, that's really harsh of you!"

Ragna's teammates protested, "Can't you give us some face in front of the Alliance Leader?"

That guy is incredibly handsome! A real heartthrob! And he has an exceptionally good temper!

Even if we have no hope of getting it, don't stop us from being fans!

"You see, that's how it is. And rather than saying you have designs on me... it's more accurate to say they have designs on you."

Ragna looked at his team members, who were in their early twenties but already had all sorts of "leftover woman syndrome" with a sense of helplessness.

Liu Bai: "..."

How am I supposed to complain about you guys?

"If nothing unexpected happens, you should be under my jurisdiction."

Reanna interjected with a smile.

"I heard that Miss Ragna is Schicksal's direct combat instructor?"

"Ah... yes, does Lady Reanna have any advice for me?"

Since Siegfried, being a middle-aged man, had to address the other woman as "grandmother," Ragna respectfully chose the title "Sir."

"Then we should have a lot in common." Reanna smiled. "I haven't trained Valkyrie in almost sixty years."

"..."

Etc?

Almost sixty years?

Did you add an extra ten or an extra six?

"If Miss Ragna's grandmother was also Valkyrie, she should have heard of my name—or perhaps my great-grandmother."

Reanna smiled as she watched Ragna's expression gradually stiffen.

"Sixty years ago, I was the strongest Valkyrie in Schicksal."

"..."

All the Valkyrie present fell into a deathly silence as they listened to Reanna's self-introduction.

Wait, wait, wait? Anti-Entropy abducted the strongest Valkyrie from Schicksal?

"I originally wanted to bring Cecilia along too, but unfortunately..."

"Um... condolences?"

No one could continue this topic.

"It doesn't matter if I feel sorry for you or anything like that."

Reanna shook her head. "After all, I'm not very familiar with Cecilia, only with her grandmother's generation... No, let's not talk about old people like me. Anyway, it's not a bad thing for you to work under me, is it?"

"No, no..."

All the Valkyrie shook their heads like rattles.

Now that things have been said to this extent, who would dare to say no?

"... Hey, why do I feel like Grandma Reanna is trying to intimidate them?" Siegfried face bruised and swollen, nudged Joyce next to him with his elbow.

Both of them were grown men, and although Siegfried had been beaten up, they didn't hold a grudge.

If you really have to say, Joyce was practically Siegfried's idol—in his youth, Siegfried was an Anti-Entropy self-made anime series "Heavy Gear," and was so influenced by the anime that he ran away from home—well, you could say he was just being a bit of a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur).

"...I really find it strange every time I hear you call Reanna Big Sister' or 'Grandma'." Joyce glanced at Siegfried.

"I feel like calling her 'Grandma' would be even weirder... and can't you be a little more aware of your age?"

You're from my grandfather's generation, aren't you?

Siegfried was internally cursing.

Aren't you all a bit too young?

"Never mind, let's not talk about that... Does Grandma Reanna have something going on with the Alliance Leader?"

"..."

Upon hearing this question, Joyce's face immediately darkened.

"...Young man, you can't handle this, so don't ask too many questions."

Absolutely! Absolutely! Absolutely do not get involved in Senior Liu Bai's romantic problems!

"... So that means it really exists, right?"

Siegfried's face showed a look of understanding.

"After all, the two of them are sharing one body."

"... Do you know the saying, 'Curiosity killed the cat'?"

Joyce had no desire to discuss this with Siegfried.

If the PhD students found out about this, I'd probably get a lot of trouble from them.

... And do you think you can hide what you're saying from Reanna?

Joyce patted Siegfried on the shoulder, gesturing for him to look up.

Then, Siegfried saw Reanna's gentle smile.

"..."

Siegfried immediately sat up straight.

That's right.

Reanna's face showed a relieved expression—it's not right to speak ill of your elders behind their backs.

"... Why do I suddenly feel that Anti-Entropy is more dangerous than Schicksal?"