Mei? Mei is in the hospital.jpg (cont.)

[Servant はもうらないよぬくもりもTomorrow/I will no longer need warmth, and I will no longer need tomorrow]

... Damn it!

What are you doing?!

After hearing the initial lyrics, Lin Yu suddenly came to his senses.

"Kashimi no Mukou e / The Beyond Sadness" is an insert song from the bad ending of the original game School Days.

Okay, he hadn't played the game, but the same theme song was used in the anime adaptation.

And this interlude is usually never a good thing when it's played!

I haven't done anything yet and you've already played this background music—you think I wasn't scared enough, huh!

Okay, then I'll keep this system.

However, the current situation is indeed quite suitable for these two background music tracks—why don't you take a look outside?

After struggling to break free from Rita's embrace, Lin Yu immediately turned to look at the door of the ward.

Then, he saw Bianca looking calm—and Kiana looking bewildered behind Bianca.

They froze.

At that moment, Lin Yu froze as he looked at the two people outside the door.

[Can't reach it? Good Ship?] Hearing the two background music tracks playing from the system, a disdainful sneer immediately rose in your heart.

Compared to this dog-like system that completely lacks any understanding of love, you're certain that such a tragic future will never befall you.

The idea of not being able to reach it simply doesn't exist—because you want it all!

[Good Ship like that doesn't exist—because if things really come to light, you won't even have a penny left, let alone your head!]

Brother, I beg you to stop using your supernatural powers.

All I want is to survive.

"Oh dear, is A'yu shy?"

Looking at Lin Yu in front of her, Rita said somewhat forlornly.

"When we first met, you cried in my arms for a long, long time."

The slightly awkward atmosphere was immediately broken as Rita spoke.

At that moment, Kiana, who was feeling very complicated, met Lin Yu's eyes and found that something even more awkward was about to happen.

The senior has someone to take care of him.

And this older sister... ugh, she seems to have better conditions than me in every way!

She has a gentler personality than me, a better figure, and a better relationship with the senior!

No, that's not right. Why should I care about these things?

At this moment, Kiana, under self-hypnosis, suddenly had a clear look in her eyes.

Yes, I am friends with my senior. As a warrior of the Kaslana clan, it is only natural for me to come and visit my friend after learning that something had happened to him!

At this moment, Kiana, who had completely 'figured it out,' walked into the ward quite naturally and said to Lin Yu with a smile.

"Senior, are you alright?"

"Ah, it's nothing..."

If the girl had just walked in with that expression, Lin Yu probably wouldn't have thought much of it.

However, the problem is that if the system suddenly pops up Kiana's character introduction template at this moment, telling you that Kiana's affection level has suddenly jumped up by 5 points, then that's not good.

Looking at the seemingly calm white-haired Kiana, you feel perfectly at ease.

Because you know very well that now that things have come to this point, even if you stop using acting skills to deceive her, she will selectively ignore and imagine the good aspects of you that she sees.

Ah, I'm too lazy to even complain anymore.

Forget it, I'll just let my brain shut down.

"A'yu, that young lady is greeting you."

After gently patting Lin Yu's shoulder, Rita moved closer to Lin Yu and whispered in his ear, "What do you want to ask Lin Yu?"

"Aren't you going to introduce her to me?"

"Don't you know who she is?"— Lin Yu knew he definitely couldn't say that.

Although he didn't understand why Rita had this question, he figured it was best not to speak carelessly in the current atmosphere.

On the other side, Rita saw the fleeting annoyance on the girl's face and knew that her methods had succeeded.

Kiana Kaslana, that is the name the girl currently possesses.

However, Rita was also well aware of her true identity.

This girl is not the real Kiana, but the original form of the Herrscher of the Void, K423.

When Rita was promoted to S-rank, as Otto's most useful weapon, she learned about part of Otto's plan.

She regarded Lin Yu as a close younger brother, and naturally would not want Lin Yu and this girl to form an overly intimate relationship.

This girl will inevitably be used by Bishop Otto in the future, and Rita is powerless to stop Bishop Otto's actions, so she naturally wants to keep Lin Yu away from this dangerous girl.

Lin Yu hates Honkai, and once the Herrscher of the Herrscher of the Void body becomes the true Herrscher of the Void, she herself will transform into Honkai.

If Lin Yu gets too much contact with this girl, he will not only face a difficult choice, but he will also be very likely to be drawn into Otto's plan.

Judging from what Rita saw today, although Lin Yu seems to have moved on from that day, he still can't forget his deceased parents and his hatred for the Honkai.

Rita truly didn't want her exhausted stepson to face that tragic future once again after excessive contact with this girl.

He's already suffered enough. If this happens again, Rita really can't guarantee that Lin Yu, even if he survives, will be able to maintain his mental sanity.

That's why she used this attitude, which went beyond the intimacy between siblings, to 'assert her sovereignty'.

So far, the results have been good.

"Ah, this is Kiana Kaslana."

Completely unaware of what had happened, Lin Yu said helplessly to Rita.

"She was a junior from my school whom I met in Changkong City."

"I see~"

No, what's with that meaningful tone you're using?

"Oh, senior, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Kiana quickly walked up to Lin Yu, looked up at Rita who was a little taller than her, and asked with a smile.

"What's your relationship with this beautiful older sister?"

"Oh, this is my sister, Rita Roseweisse."

"Hello, Ms. Kiana."

At this moment, Rita, who had completely disregarded the so-called maid etiquette, smiled and waved at Kiana.

"My A'yu is so reckless, it seems you've taken good care of him in Changkong City."

"But now you don't have to worry. I'll keep a close eye on my good-for-nothing brother and make sure he doesn't have a chance to continue causing trouble."

"Ah... ah, oh."

Kiana, who was watching the two of them, narrowed her eyes slightly.

"But, senior, you look like you're from Shenzhou, while Miss Rita, you're European..."

"We are sworn siblings, and—is blood relation really that important to family members who acknowledge each other?"

"That makes sense..."

Damn it, this woman has such a strong aura!

I used to think that Durandal and Senior Lin Yu were being a little too intimate, but now it seems that I was wrong!

This so-called sworn sister is clearly closer to the senior!

Is this the kind of attitude siblings should have?!

"Ah, Lin Yu, you look quite well."

Completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere between the two girls, Durandal followed them into the room and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"If that Stigmata is too dangerous, you'd better use it sparingly."

"Ah, I understand."

Moreover, Durandal's natural expression...

This is exactly the look you should have when interacting with friends, but why does it feel so off to me?

Durandal, who gets along very naturally with her senior, and Rita, who is very close to her senior but who doesn't seem to mind...

At that moment, Kiana looked at the two women in front of her and suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

However, before she could come up with any new ideas, a screen of light suddenly appeared in front of Rita.

"Rita —ah, Lin Yu, you're awake."

Otto, inside the light screen, saw Lin Yu's complexion, which was weak but still within acceptable limits, and said apologetically to Lin Yu.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault for not noticing the Stigmata's rampage immediately."

"... Your Excellency, you needn't have to!"

Give me a break, you piece of shit. Didn't I need to go to this lengths just to protect myself from you?

"But now that you're awake, there's no need for Rita to relay this message."

At this moment, Otto noticed that Lin Yu was a little flustered, and smiled at Lin Yu.

"You said before that you wanted better equipment to fight the Honkai, right? I'll give you the equipment, but before that, I think you need to go somewhere."

As he uttered those words, an academy appeared on the light screen behind Otto.

"You've only received special 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 courses of 'Valkyrie'."

"You are still young, you have plenty of time. Sharpening your axe won't delay your work. It's not too late to go to the battlefield after you've acquired enough knowledge and grown up."

"Also, Kiana, I hope you will also stay at this academy for a while, for the same reason that Lin Yu went there."

Otto, who had intended to say more to advise Kiana, suddenly saw Kiana's previously somewhat lifeless eyes burst forth with a 'light'.

"Bishop Otto, you are such a kind person!"

That way, I can continue going to school with my senior, hehehe.

"Ah... Oh, it's good that you're willing to go."

Wow, K423's reaction.

Is it really that you're happy just to go to school with Lin Yu?

Great, great! In that case, my schedule can really be moved up.

Once you find the Void Key, all you need to do is let your old friend watch over you. Once he sees that your relationship is strong enough, you can take action.

"In addition--"

Seeing Rita about to speak, Otto smiled and said.

"Rita, you want Lin Yu to stay in a safe place a little longer. I've thought about it, and it's normal for you, as his adoptive sister, to worry about him, but you also need to respect his own wishes."

"So I chose a compromise - let Lin Yu go to St. Freya to hone his skills before he goes to the battlefield."

Are you satisfied with this solution?

Are you satisfied...?

Hearing Otto's smiling words, Rita felt a bitter taste in her mouth.