After Bianca was finally able to join Schicksal as a trainee Valkyrie, she brought her newly acquired documents and went with Rita to find Bai Yan, intending to recruit him immediately.
Then Bai Yan did something that Dumb Goose still resented deeply to this day.
In the assessment, he scored full marks on the written test, fifty-nine points in practical combat, and applied to join the logistics department.
Exams did indeed involve chance, and failing was not such a big deal. No matter how good someone's grades were, there would always be times when they performed below their usual level.
But when all of Bai Yan's practical combat scores were fifty-nine points, the nature of the matter changed completely.
In the end, Dumb Goose stormed off in anger, while the scene left a deep impression on Rita.
Bai Yan, who was about to be "entrusted with an important duty" by Otto, was probably still being complained about by Durandal even now.
Things like, "As long as Rita is around, even if he joins, it'll just be icing on the cake," "What he teaches can be learned elsewhere," and "Rita is much prettier than him."
Rita said nothing when she heard that, merely recording it all in her little notebook.
Later, Bai Yan finally got his wish and entered Schicksal's logistics department. Though there was no real future in it, at least it was reassuringly safe, and he did not have to face danger at every moment.
What was the use of having excellent Collapse Energy adaptability?
Wouldn't he still get instantly taken out if he encountered a Herrscher?
It was better to live in the pond, quietly ask a Valkyrie out on a date when he had nothing to do, and evacuate innocent civilians during minor incidents. Wouldn't life still be wonderful?
After all, everyone had different roles in fighting the Honkai. They were all fighting for a better world.
However, someone seemingly did not want him to thrive so comfortably. They always wanted to drag this boy ashore and turn him into an amphibian.
Because his logistics work had been too perfect, Rita directly applied to give Bai Yan an additional new assignment, even bringing in Ragna to personally vouch for him.
Under the joint maneuver of those two unscrupulous maid master and apprentice, Bai Yan was saddled with an intelligence position.
His work generally involved assisting Rita during operations. Although it was still support work, it was now much closer to a frontline combat post than before. One more step forward, and he would be picking up a weapon and fighting.
Of course, if Bai Yan ever needed to pick up a weapon, the team would not be far from getting wiped out anyway. After all, he was just a desk worker and did not possess Durandal's absurd strength.
After joining Rita's command, Bai Yan could be said to have suffered endlessly.
Faced with a workaholic who slept only four hours a day, Bai Yan often saw the sky above Schicksal Headquarters at four in the morning.
To avoid being drained dry by that bad woman, Bai Yan had no choice but to find ways to strengthen his mind and body.
As a Stigmata Awakener, it was not as though he had no way of becoming stronger.
It was like that terrifying saying passed down among Homo sapiens after the world ended and the era changed: "Don't evolve anymore, don't evolve anymore. If you evolve any further, you'll have to work."
If he became any stronger, he would have to go to the battlefield.
It was like how there were no insects with ordinary-sized wings on a certain island, because the terrifying sea winds that often swept across it would carry them away.
Those with sufficiently large wings could withstand the gale, while those without wings would not be blown away by the wind...
Bai Yan merely made a small calculation of his upper limit before immediately choosing to become a wingless crawler. After all, how could his tiny moth wings possibly contend with a hurricane?
Thus, even now, his combat strength was stuck at the level where he could barely trade blows with an Assault Class.
So the question was, what kind of new mission had he received that Otto had personally summoned him?
The moment he entered the room, Bai Yan felt a trace of unease rise in his heart.
The atmosphere in the Bishop's office was very wrong!
There was no need to mention the Schicksal Bishop sitting calmly in his place. He had always carried himself however he pleased.
One person stood on either side of him.
The white-haired girl standing closer was Amber, an A-Series artificial human and Otto's current secretary.
The other was the person who had brought Bai Yan to the orphanage in France: Ragna Rodbrok.
After bringing Bai Yan in, Rita did not leave. She stood beside Ragna and, together with her, cast ambiguous looks at Bai Yan.
At that moment, even Amber wore a somewhat unusual expression, as though there was something particularly interesting about Bai Yan.
Bai Yan grew increasingly uneasy.
This felt like being interrogated by three courts at once...
Could it be that they found out about the love letter I wrote to Anna?
The Bishop's office currently held five people: Otto, Ragna, Rita, Amber, and Bai Yan.
The atmosphere was somewhat subtle, and that subtlety dissolved his originally heavy mood.
Yet amid that subtlety, Bai Yan inexplicably sensed something else.
It was as though a fifth pair of eyes had crossed some unknowable barrier and landed upon him.
A gaze.
A mysterious gaze.
Although his sixth sense told Bai Yan that he had to react to that gaze immediately, the situation before him did not allow him to make decisions freely.
Forget it. With Bishop Otto here, who could possibly be more terrifying than him?
The golden-haired handsome man only needed to raise his hands slightly, and countless powerful people who knew the truth would tremble involuntarily.
Let alone some existence that did not even dare show its face. No big deal.
At that moment, Ragna cleared her throat. Her tone was official, but she spoke with a gentle smile.
"Bai Yan, I remember that you've always wanted to be promoted to middle management in the logistics department. Is that right?"
After giving it some thought, the young man smelled a conspiracy.
But that was not right!
Teacher Ragna would not harm him. How could there possibly be a conspiracy?
Bai Yan slowly nodded. "Yes, Teacher Ragna."
He had no intention of earning promotions through battlefield merits, but he certainly had ambitions of advancing in the rear, and they were considerable.
Ragna's smile deepened, though her gaze gradually revealed an unusual look of appreciation.
She nodded, then turned to look at the Schicksal Bishop, seemingly seeking his opinion.
Otto examined Bai Yan, then nodded thoughtfully, as though acknowledging some viewpoint of Ragna's.
Ragna turned back to Bai Yan. "I remember one mission where, in order to save the situation and prevent Rita from being exposed, you used ventriloquism to imitate a female enemy's voice and deceive an unexpected communication?"
"Yes."
"Could you demonstrate it for us?"
Bai Yan knew that she wanted him to display his talent before Otto. After all, aside from Rita, the others were fairly familiar with him.
Although Rita had gotten to know him later, the frequent contact when she personally applied his makeup had brought them much closer.
Bai Yan was initially confused, but he quickly realized the issue.
Not the logistics department, but the Intelligence Department...
Fine. At least he would not have to face the Honkai so often.
So he replied in Rita's voice and manner of speaking:
"Lady Rita and I spend a great deal of time together, so I am rather familiar with her voice. What do you all think of this?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Otto looked at Bai Yan with great interest.
Not only Ragna, but even Rita revealed an exceedingly satisfied smile.
Otto said, "Not bad. It is practically indistinguishable from the real thing."
Ragna said, "Bishop, what do you think of the candidate I recommended?"
"Very good. He has far exceeded my expectations."
After receiving Otto's personal approval, an instant of barely perceptible delight flashed across both Ragna and Rita's faces.
Then Ragna's smile vanished. Her violet-red eyes fixed on Bai Yan as she cleared her throat and spoke solemnly.
"Bai Yan, the organization has a very important mission for you. So long as you complete it, there will be no problem with whichever office in the Intelligence Department you wish to work in."
Bai Yan's expression turned solemn at once.
Today's situation was extremely unfamiliar. Teacher Ragna had never dangled empty promises before him.
Although her wording was somewhat vague, with Otto present, that promise was equivalent to an official commitment from Schicksal.
That man might be inhuman, but he had never been stingy with the treatment of his own people.
Bai Yan was currently just a minor employee. His highest position was merely unofficial assistant to an S-rank Valkyrie.
Working in any office... that meant starting as middle-management clerical staff.
A high salary, no need to go to the frontlines, and he could even use the authority and resources in his hands, along with the Valkyries...
Bai Yan's expression became somewhat unfocused, and even his breathing grew hurried.
Ragna and Rita could not help secretly exchanging glances, their lips curving upward without leaving a trace.
Ragna put away her smile and solemnly reminded the distracted young man, though her heart was filled with amusement.
"Bai Yan, what is your answer?"
"Uh..." Bai Yan jolted, hurriedly breaking free from his fantasies. He straightened up and said, "May I ask what kind of mission it is?"
Ragna sighed inwardly. Sure enough, he was not that easy to fool.
So she said, "The Bishop hopes that you can infiltrate St. Freya Academy in the Far East branch and obtain certain intelligence needed by headquarters."
The first person Bai Yan thought of was Kiana, or rather, experimental subject K423, whom he had nearly crossed paths with in Siberia years ago.
With some memories of the plot still remaining, Bai Yan knew perfectly well that another terrifying Herrscher personality existed within Kiana. Once the conditions were met, it would seize control of her body and begin a massacre.
This mission looked dangerous, but in reality, it was not safe either.
One small burst from the Herrscher of the Void had nearly bankrupted Anti-Entropy and forced Raven to start over as a construction worker.
And Bai Yan, someone who could fight an Assault Class Honkai Beast to a stalemate, what could he do besides lurk at the edges and observe?
But that was not entirely a bad thing.
Precisely because he was so weak, he would not attract too much attention. He only needed to rely on foresight to find the right moment and run.
The appearance of the Herrscher personality was completely controllable.
Though it was not safe, it was like the gas stove beneath a pot of stew. As long as he remembered to turn off the heat, nothing would go wrong.
Take it. Wealth and honor are found amid danger.
Though it was neither particularly wealthy nor particularly dangerous.
Having thought it through, Bai Yan pulled himself together and looked at Otto. "I guarantee that I will complete the mission!"
Ragna smiled when she heard that.
Rita smiled as well.
Otto said, "Then I shall leave this matter to you. Someone will send you to St. Freya Academy afterward. This mission is not as easy as you imagine, but there is no need to worry too much. We will give you sufficient support, so just give it your all."
"Yes, Bishop."
"Very well. I'll leave the rest to you two, Ragna and Rita."
After saying that, Otto gestured to the two maids. Rita then turned around and, swift as the wind, took out the mission document and handed it to Bai Yan.
"..."
Although Bai Yan's sixth sense told him something was not quite right, he read the mission document carefully three times without finding any issue. In the end, he convinced himself that he was simply being overly suspicious.
Then he signed his name, and the contract was formed.
Vaguely, Bai Yan felt that inexplicable gaze growing increasingly intense.
What exactly was watching him?
Could it really not have been an illusion?
Yet at that moment, Rita and Ragna approached with broad smiles. One on each side, they pressed their hands onto Bai Yan's shoulders and forcibly pushed him out the door.
Before you continue