Cocolia's Melancholy

"Put them down right now!"

"No! If you tell me to put it down, I'll just put it down. Wouldn't that make me lose face?"

Dark Seele said with great displeasure—but this displeasure was not directed at Kiana.

She wanted to let it go, but... she didn't want to have another problem on her head.

These two actually put on this kind of show just because they're homesick... You guys are something else.

Fortunately, more than forty of the fifty Titan Mechs are still operational, so even if it's just for show, it's not a big deal.

Dark Seele ordered the mech unit to fire a symbolic salvo, then abandoned Kiana and drove off.

Kiana was eager to charge, but these mechs...

"Kiana, calm down! Return to the Hyperion immediately, we're going to pursue them."

Theresa's voice rang out at just the right moment.

Kiana wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Theresa's expression seemed a little strange.

"Okay! I'll go back right away! We absolutely can't let these guys take Mei and Bronya away like this!"

Kiana watched the mech unit drive away and said with a face full of resentment.

"..."

Theresa looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

After all, aside from Mei and Bronya doing something out of the ordinary, she was quite happy to see this situation unfold.

And then again, she felt like she knew what Mei and Bronya were planning.

After all, she's just a child, so it's normal for her to miss home—of course, she's not a child anymore!

"... Please excuse my poor performance, Bianka."

Himeko had watched the whole thing from a high vantage point, couldn't help but facepalm.

"These kids are really causing trouble."

"I think this kind of pure friendship is great... I regret more and more that I didn't choose to come to St. Freya."

Perhaps if I had come here back then, I wouldn't have become such a boring adult now.

But... do I really regret it?

Bianka shook her head at this thought.

No, I don't regret it. Both Rita and the memories in World Bubble are precious to me.

"Innocent...?" Himeko's expression was a little strange upon hearing this assessment.

No, no, no, these little girls have absolutely nothing to do with the word "innocence," okay?

Especially that brat Mei, she's played around with way more than I, a single woman, have ever done!

... Although I really want to complain like this, I should save face for my students in front of outsiders.

After all, she was her student. Although her student's condition had nothing to do with her teaching, it would be bad if word got out and people misunderstood.

She's still a virgin... though everyone else is.

Wait a minute, doesn't she seem a little out of place, this 26-year-old young woman?

... I unexpectedly learned why the captain couldn't take it anymore and ran away.

This is truly a bitter life experience.

"In that case, I'll go back and report."

Bianka, seeing that the battlefield was already over, did not linger.

After all, the battlefield here was over, the hurricane and the sound of artillery had subsided, and she had no reason to stay here any longer. Staying here might give people something to talk about.

"... That girl is already a qualified soldier."

Bianka's decisive actions have made Himeko realize this.

"No wonder the captain has his eye on her... Wait! Damn! I forgot to tell her about the captain!"

Himeko sighed, then thought about it again...

"If I told the captain what Bianka looks like now, he would be overjoyed, wouldn't he?"

"Phew... It's been more than two years since I've been home."

Standing in front of the ME Corp, Mei looked at her own... or rather, the familiar black mechanical architectural style of Anti-Entropy, and felt quite nostalgic.

"By the way, does my dad work at ME Corp?"

Looking at Seele, who had logged back into her account, Mei casually asked.

"Uncle Ryoma... should be here?" Seele said uncertainly. "But Mother Cocolia is at ME Corp."

Bronya's eyes lit up when she heard Cocolia's name, but Mei sighed instead.

"This situation is a bit like Dad made a mistake again and got thrown away, and then Aunt Cocolia came to temporarily take over."

"..."

Do you have so little faith in your dad?

"... If I remember correctly, the first reason Uncle Ryoma was thrown out was because of you Mei, right?"

Bronya retorted without holding back.

"Is... is that true?"

Mei turned her head away guiltily.

"Let's not talk about these trivial matters. Let's go inside first and talk about it. Bring Wendy along too, and let Aunt Cocolia see Dr. Maki."

Trivial matters...

Bronya and Seele could only nod silently when they heard Mei say that.

Well, what can you do when the father is kind and the daughter is filial?

After saying that, Mei led Bronya and Seele into the ME Corp, while Wendy was led by Project Bunny.

Having a robot is really convenient.

Mei had barely stepped into the doors of ME Corp when an alarm was immediately triggered.

"The princess is back!"

"Before the boss left, he said to hold the princess back and not let her leave."

"I don't think we can withstand Her Highness the Princess..."

"Yes, wasn't the boss tied up by the princess last time?"

"So, does that mean we should just support the princess as the boss? It doesn't really make any difference anyway?"

"Um... that makes sense."

Listening to the noise on the radio, Mei couldn't help but facepalm.

The alarm that she triggered as soon as she entered the door startled her. In an instant, she imagined all sorts of political struggles, the change of ownership of ME Corp, and that she had fallen into a trap.

But upon hearing the voice on the radio...

Well, in a way, ME Corp is really about to change hands.

... Although it seems easy for her to get her hands on it.

Wait a minute, doesn't this just confirm her reputation as a loving father and a filial daughter?

This is unacceptable, unacceptable...

"Don't listen to those bastards' nonsense."

At that moment, the elevator doors of the ME Corp opened, and a somewhat assertive female voice rang out.

"It's been a long time, Princess Mei."

Edison stepped out of the elevator with a smile, a smile tinged with a hint of mockery.

The nickname "Princess"... that's what people used to call her.

Although compared to Mei, when people called her Princess Nancy back then, it was more of a sarcastic remark.

Sure enough, in some ways, I really do have a connection with this girl.

"What are you saying... Sister Edison, it really has been a long time."

Mei nodded with a wry smile, while also giving a slight nod to the person behind Edison.

"Long time no see, Aunt Cocolia."

"Long time no see, Mei. My Bronya has been well taken care of by you these past two years."

Cocolia stood behind Edison, without any airs, and smiled at Mei like a real neighbor aunt.

"No, no, Bronya is very reliable too..."

Even in the face of Anti-Entropy, elders and younger generations still exchange pleasantries like ordinary people.

... Although Bronya's experience wasn't very good.

After all, in Cocolia's words, she was portrayed as the one who had always been taken care of.

Mei's poised and graceful response made Cocolia's smile even brighter.

"Oh, Mei, here's the knife. Consider it your New Year's money for the next two years."

Cocolia handed Mei a katana that evoked a familiar, stirring feeling within her.

"Uh... this is..."

This power is so familiar, it's almost like...

"Magnetic Storm Slash - A katana tailored for you based on the experimental data you left behind. Even without entering Herrscher mode, the Honkai Energy particles in the katana's electromagnetic field can unleash attacks comparable to your Herrscher form."

"This... this is far too valuable."

"This katana was tailor-made for you, so there's no question of its value. Just consider it as your New Year's money for the next two years."

Cocolia smiled gently.

"You've done all the good work." Edison shook his head with a wry smile. "Then I'll give you a knife too—though it was made by Tesla when he was having an episode."

Chapter 221 Cocolia's Melancholy

Did Tesla's sister do this when she had an episode?

If Edison had simply given her a knife, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but if Tesla had made it... Mei would be quite looking forward to it.

Among the scientists of Anti-Entropy, Tesla must be the kind who is particularly popular with children. Even Seele others have played with some of Tesla's strange inventions—although part of it is because Cocolia is carefree.

"What has Tesla invented?"

"This." Edison pulled out a... salted fish from behind his back with a mocking smile.

"...?"

What the hell is this thing?

Salted fish?

Mei tilted her head and successfully caught a glimpse of a knife on the salted fish.

Salted fish... a knife?

Wait, wait, is this thing really meant for fighting? And why does the blade taste salty?

So, he's just a salted fish?

To be honest, Mei would rather take a bite than try to chop someone up with a knife.

... It looks like it could be used as an ingredient.