The Inevitable Rift (Continued)

"... It's not a fuss, nor is it a stalemate."

Kallen shook her head, found a place to sit down, and the tense atmosphere between them eased.

If the two of them really have a falling out, will she still come over to inform Otto that there's been a change in his family situation?

"Right now I just don't understand what you want to do. I used to think you were going to be a great scientist, but in the last two years I've realized that's not the case... and then I realized I can't understand you anymore."

"You're only just realizing that now!"

Otto pointed at Kallen and burst into laughter, completely out of character.

If we're talking about who Otto is most comfortable with, it's only his best friend Kallen; even Liu Bai has to take a backseat.

"I didn't really try to hide what I did back then!"

"Because I felt like you were helping me!"

Ten years earlier, during the Mandate of Schicksal Expedition, Kallen felt that Otto had no reason to get involved in this mess, but she herself couldn't avoid it.

"And ask yourself honestly, didn't you take advantage of my stupidity back then?"

"Back then... well, it wasn't exactly bullying, it's just that at the time, the interests of me, the Lord God, and you were aligned, so there was no way I could throw you out."

Back then, of the three of them, Otto wanted to gather followers for Liu Bai wanted to visit his apprentice, and Kallen was completely unaware that she was going to the battlefield.

What could Otto do? He just took it with him!

How could her only friend really make her suffer?

So Kallen got away with the whole messy Eastern Expedition. Except for getting a beating at the end, Kallen had nothing to do with the rest of the Eastern Expedition. No one could shift the blame onto Kallen.

"So I was just a bystander, huh..."

Kallen sighed, "And now? You want the position of Bishop of Schicksal? Does the Lord God know about this?"

"Yes." Otto didn't hide his agreement and nodded.

"... Couldn't you just tell me directly?"

Kallen complained a little. Putting aside her relationship with Otto, she would have been the first to stand up for Otto even just out of respect for the Lord God.

In terms of talent, Otto is miles ahead of everyone else.

"Your involvement will only make things more complicated, and you'll be more aware of that, especially given your past role as a troublemaker."

Now that both sides have laid their cards on the table, Otto is no longer hiding his true intentions in his words.

Besides, with Liu Bai gone, everyone doesn't need to pretend to be ladies anymore—not everyone can be as carefree as Himeko.

"Me, a troublemaker?" Kallen was immediately annoyed.

"Isn't that right? The Lord God and I clean up your mess every day."

"...All right."

Kallen surrendered; she had indeed been a bit naive back then.

"If you directly raise your flag in support of me, believe me, I'll be assassinated tonight?"

Otto offered a brief explanation.

"Schicksal one can kill you, no matter what..." Kallen argued. "But you really don't plan to be a great scientist anymore, right?"

"It's all old news. Childhood dreams are hard to stick to into adulthood—on the contrary, people like you, Kallen, who have stuck to your original intentions for more than 20 years, are the minority."

Otto shrugged, showing absolutely no reminiscence for his past self.

"This assessment is really hard to be happy about."

Kallen couldn't help but sigh as she looked at Otto, who seemed completely unconcerned.

"What about the Archbishop of Schicksal? To be honest, in terms of motivation, I am more motivated to compete for the position of Archbishop of Schicksal."

Kallen genuinely wants to make the world a better place, and she also genuinely dislikes the Archbishop of Schicksal.

"Me? I guess I was just acting out of selfish desires?"

Otto shrugged, looking at Kallen whose expression was starting to look off.

"Don't misunderstand, I want to spread the glory of the Lord God to the world... which does not conflict with your goal at all."

"My Lord God ..." Kallen scratched her face as she spoke, "Otto, your idea is really hard to describe... Does the Lord God know about your goal?"

"I didn't say it, but the Lord God should have noticed— the Lord God supports my becoming a bishop."

Ever since Liu Bai saw through Otto's immoral plan back then, Otto realized that sometimes the Lord God don't talk about them not because they are good at hiding it, but Lord God feel it's unnecessary to care.

Strictly speaking, could this be considered a form of letting go of one's own child?

But thinking about it, if I had actually carried out that plan back then, the two of them probably wouldn't be sitting together now having a heart-to-heart talk; they would have just broken up.

"For the Lord God, our path is under our own feet... The Lord God will only tell us what to do, not 'what we must do'... As long as I don't choose a path that leads to the abyss, the Lord God won't interfere."

"Okay... to be honest, I thought your purpose was a bit more ambitious."

Kallen and rubbed her forehead.

Her confrontation with Otto this time was largely due to her concern that Otto might become the kind of ambitious man who wreaks havoc on the world—after all, Kallen knew that Otto had such abilities.

"Isn't this ambition?"

Otto raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what area I've been researching all these years?"

"Immortality—don't think I'm really stupid, but if you're simply pursuing immortality, I have no objection."

Kallen genuinely felt that as long as the Schicksal organization did not interfere with or plunder the secular world, that was the greatest kindness, and Kallen didn't care about never being immortal.

Otto remained silent; she had expected Kallen to react more strongly.

"... I really don't need to interfere with ordinary people."

So why should I care what you do?

"Suddenly, I felt a sense of unease, as if I had been rejected." Otto sighed, rubbing his forehead.

With her mature personality and insightful perspective that gets to the heart of the matter... Kaslana in her mature phase is surprisingly difficult to deal with.

"Well... it's not a denial, after all, immortality is really quite remarkable."

Kallen waved her hand.

"But speaking of which, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead and ask. It's been quite difficult to get you to ask me even once in the last two years."

The reason they've drifted apart a bit in the last two years is partly because Kallen has noticed some differences in their values, and partly because... Kallen can now handle most things very well without Otto.

What is your view of the Lord God?

Kallen asked directly.

"I feel like there's something wrong with how you treat the Lord God right now."

(... Is it already that obvious? Or is the intelligence bonus of mature Kaslana a bit excessive?)

Upon hearing this question, Otto smirked. "... Of course, I would respect him as a father."

I shouldn't repeat my twisted declaration of "everything for Lord God" in front of Kallen.

It was somewhat difficult to say these words to Kallen.

Moreover, being too twisted might cause the two of them to break up again—after all, Otto knows that he can do anything for his Lord God.

Kallen's twisted intuition might also have sensed it, and adhering to the idea that it's better to avoid trouble, Otto still chose his old reason.

"Um... I'm sure your family has had a tough time."

"Please don't give me that 'are you starved for love' look. You know what my family situation is like."

"That's why you're making that face."

What you said actually makes a lot of sense... Otto's lips twitched.

"Does the Lord God know about this?"

Kallen asked again, but judging from Otto's expression, Kallen immediately understood.

"Okay, it seems you don't know, and I don't think you dare to say."

"Kallen, I'm starting to think you're just picking a fight."

Otto grimaced in displeasure.

There's no way she'd dare say that!

If she had said this when she was fourteen or fifteen, she might have been able to say it with some effort, but now she's the same age as Kallen, twenty-seven... Saying it like this suddenly makes her seem like a daddy's girl... Besides, this is all old news, okay!

"Let's not talk about that, Kallen. After this era is over, the next time we see the Lord God will be five hundred years from now. Do you want to witness it with me?"

"... Is there a share for me too?"

"With me having food to eat, how could you possibly go hungry? Anyway, as long as you nod, I'll just arrange for you to take a nap. When you wake up, it will be five hundred years later."

The Imaginary Archive simulates many places where All Things Dormant, so Otto thought that since there were so many places, he certainly couldn't leave out Kallen.

"In that case... I have no reason to refuse."

Kallen thought for a moment and nodded.

"However, I need to arrange my position as head of the family and see who should be passed on to."

"You really don't miss out at all."

"Anyway, I have no intention of getting married. The heir will either be adopted or chosen from the children of my brothers... So what is there for me to hold onto in this position? Besides, I never wanted to be the head of the family in the first place, okay?"

Kallen sighed. She used to think it was nothing, but after her father passed away and she took over all the affairs of the Kaslana family, she realized how troublesome it was.

"Sometimes I even think about disbanding the family... but unfortunately I can't."

"After all, it's about blood ties."

Otto shook his head. "In that case, I'll save you a spot... Alright, I'm going to take care of my sister's business."

"Wait! I have another question for you." Kallen pulled Otto back.

"...ask?"

"Um... it's about you treating the Lord God as your father."

"...?"

"Ahem..." Kallen's eyes darted around. "So, you mean, would you mind treating me like your mother?"

"...roll!"

Otto's expression twitched slightly, and he immediately shoved Kallen away.

"Get lost, get lost! "Otto never expected Kallen to ask such a question.

"Hey! Wait! I'm actually prepared to be a good mother!" Kallen tried to grab Otto again.

"Roll!"

"And don't you think my figure is quite suitable?"

"Roll!"

If you bring this up, then we really have nothing to say to each other!

Otto, unable to bear it any longer, slapped Kallen across the chest, knocking the neckline of Kallen elegant dress askew and revealing a patch of Abyss Flower.

... That makes it even more infuriating.

And speaking of which, hasn't this thing gotten even bigger...?

What does it mean to be graceful and elegant? Now, at twenty-seven, Kallen is exactly that. The maturity of Kallen has not only brought intellectual growth, but Otto has also noticed for the first time that Kallen has developed a strong sense of womanhood.

In the past, this would have been considered a ghost story...

I'm so annoyed, I'll slap him again.

"Otto, why did you hit me? If it really comes to it, let's settle things separately! It's better for me to be your mother than for anyone else!" Kallen clutched her chest and pulled up her collar.

"..."

That makes some sense, doesn't it?

After all, the two of them knew each other quite well...