Bronya's Choice (4k)

Wendy discovered the potion.

She saw the instructions, bearing Chen Ran's handwriting.

But at the time, frantic with worry, she had not taken the potion. Instead, she searched everywhere for Chen Ran, until she joined World Serpent.

But now, Wendy felt it was time to retrieve what belonged to her.

Mobius watched Wendy's departing figure, a trace of unwillingness appearing in her eyes.

"Tch, just a child."

"Fifty thousand years apart, huh."

Clearly, the snake was jealous.

Far East Branch, St. Freya.

At this point, a month had already passed since the Fourth Herrscher appeared.

According to Schicksal's understanding of Herrschers, one month was enough for a Herrscher to adapt to all the powers of their authority.

Ever since Durandal had failed to retrieve the Fourth Herrscher, the Fourth Herrscher had vanished completely. Yet she hung over every Schicksal Valkyrie's heart like the Sword of Damocles.

The power of a Herrscher was beyond question. Even though the Fourth Honkai War had erupted in midair, no one dared entrust their life to a Herrscher's mercy.

Fundamentally, the memories left behind by the Second Honkai War were simply too vivid, and the Third Honkai War that had happened not long ago had been equally terrifying.

No one could place their trust in a Herrscher.

Before becoming a Herrscher, Wendy had been Theresa's student, and after becoming one, she had also visited the Far East Branch. Theresa was now under immense pressure.

Fortunately, Theresa did not transfer that pressure onto the academy. St. Freya continued as usual, doing what it needed to do.

For example, arguing over funding.

"Theresa, St. Freya is short on funding again." Himeko sighed. "I reviewed the budget and cut the spending on entertainment supplies."

Theresa was shocked. "How... how can you do that? Valkyrie training is already exhausting. Entertainment supplies are essential too!"

"Eighty percent of the entertainment budget goes toward buying Homu comics, and the other twenty percent goes toward overpriced merchandise. Theresa, I won't hold what you bought before against you, but from now on, I decide how the money is spent. Unless you can get more funding from headquarters, don't even think about buying any more!"

Theresa immediately looked embarrassed.

Unlike the other branches, the Far East Branch had no means of generating its own income.

Although Schicksal's technology overwhelmingly surpassed that of ordinary society, there were not many technologies that could be converted for civilian use and sold for profit. Schicksal had established the Schicksal Consortium externally, but its most successful venture was actually the entertainment idol industry, which lacked much technological content.

The Oceanic Branch could at least rely on Australia to sell resources. The Far East Branch truly had nothing.

Well, if they were willing, they could go fishing at sea, pickle the catch, and sell dried salted fish.

Thus, St. Freya's funding relied entirely on allocations from headquarters.

But there was a problem.

The person managing headquarters' money was not Otto, but Amber. Even Otto needed Amber's approval to buy figurines.

And what Amber hated most was precisely this sort of misuse of designated funds.

"Then... then we'll stop it for now."

Her pupils took on a lifeless color, the look of someone whose every hope had vanished.

Himeko coughed. "All right, Theresa. Let's talk business."

"What exactly is going on with Wendy?" she asked. "Amber bypassed you and contacted me, hoping I could assist in retrieving the Fourth Herrscher. She came back that day. What exactly happened?"

"It was this potion."

Theresa did not hide anything and took out the potion Chen Ran had once left behind.

She said, "This is a potion that activates Stigmata genes, but I have no idea who gave it to me. Wendy said Chen Ran left it behind, but Himeko, you should know as well that there is no such person as Chen Ran."

"This was what started the argument between Wendy and me." She sighed. "And now, I don't even know where Wendy is."

Theresa had a headache.

She recalled their argument back then. She had never seen Wendy so crazed.

That madness had been filled with fury, completely undisguised.

Theresa did not know why things had turned out this way.

Because she had no memories of Chen Ran, she felt that Wendy's dispute with her had been completely without cause.

But now...

At that moment, Theresa's expression changed. "Himeko, do you feel a powerful Honkai source approaching?"

As the product of a Fusion Warrior, Theresa was extremely sensitive to Honkai.

Before Himeko could react, she grabbed Judas and walked out of the principal's office.

At that moment, a storm suddenly swept across St. Freya's sky.

The wind was not particularly fierce, but everyone instinctively looked toward the source of the storm.

Kiana and Raiden Mei, who were training on the field, exchanged a glance. Both sensed the familiar aura known as a Herrscher.

The Fourth Herrscher, Wendy, had appeared once more.

The wind made Theresa narrow her eyes, but she said joyfully, "She's become stronger, but it looks like she still has her reason. That's great."

Himeko, who arrived shortly afterward, assumed a guarded stance. "Theresa, don't celebrate too soon."

"I know, Himeko."

Theresa looked up at Wendy and shouted, "Wendy, what do you want?"

"To take something."

Suppressing the irritation she felt upon coming out, she flew directly before Theresa.

"The potion."

Theresa shook her head. "No. We still haven't determined its origin or effects. I can't just give it to you."

"I have to use it."

Wendy took a deep breath, pleading in her eyes. "Teacher Theresa, please trust your student just once."

"I'm a Herrscher, but I'm also a Valkyrie."

"Then come back to Schicksal with me."

"Once I find him, I'll return."

That was what Wendy said.

"But how can you find someone who doesn't exist?"

"No, he exists." Wendy spoke seriously. "Teacher Theresa, I don't want to fight."

Clearly, she was now taking the stance that if Theresa refused to hand it over, she would take it by force.

And if Wendy made a move, its meaning would be entirely different.

It would be equivalent to betraying all of Schicksal.

Theresa hesitated.

Humanity could not entrust its survival to one person's state of mind, even if Wendy currently appeared to stand with humanity.

But she had already wronged Wendy too much.

The conflict of identities and the intertwining of gains and losses made it difficult for her to choose.

After a long while, Theresa slowly let out a breath. "I'll give it to you, but I hope you will keep your promise."

In the end, she chose not to fight. She chose to trust her student.

A trace of gratitude appeared in Wendy's eyes. "Thank you."

Wendy returned to World Serpent once again.

Raven, who had personally watched her leave and return, looked surprised. "Schicksal's people actually didn't make things difficult for you."

"Teacher Theresa is a good person," Wendy said calmly.

"Really? Then she definitely isn't a qualified leader."

Raven's words left Wendy momentarily speechless.

A qualified leader had to assume everyone was a bad person and prepare for the worst.

But Theresa had not done that.

Knowing she could not argue with Raven, Wendy changed the subject. "Why are you here?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to ask about your progress." She paused. "I found several children in Changkong City. They're survivors, but because their Stigmata have not fully awakened, they can't leave Changkong City, where the Honkai concentration is higher."

"So I wanted to ask if you had any solutions."

A trace of surprise appeared in Wendy's eyes.

It was hard to imagine that this mercenary would actually think about children.

Or were those children World Serpent's test subjects?

She could not be blamed for thinking that. She herself had been a test subject.

However, she did not ask.

Although she had come to the Elysian Realm, she had not joined World Serpent under any name or capacity.

Wendy said calmly, "Why don't you ask them yourself?"

"It's not comfortable in there at all. I'm still very sensitive."

Raven paused and eyed Wendy suspiciously. "Have you gotten stronger?"

"What else did you expect? What do you think a Herrscher is?" Wendy retorted.

She paused, then said, "I still don't know what Stigmata are, but I'm trying to find the answer. Thank you for bringing me here. If I find an answer, I'll do my best to tell you immediately."

"Do your best?"

"Yes. The Flame-Chasers inside told me I could try traveling back to the past."

A look of determination appeared in Wendy's eyes.

However, Raven had to consider one question. "Wait, what if you go back to the past and cause me to never be born?"

The butterfly effect had always been an obvious problem.

"I don't know," Wendy said calmly.

Just as Chen Ran could only use his will to open a gap in the world's barrier, if she could travel through time, she would surely be in the Sea of Quantum, separated from Chen Ran by an entire world.

"Besides, he has already begun influencing the future. Perhaps time has long since been interfered with."

At this point, several more memories related to Chen Ran had appeared in Wendy's mind.

And all of those memories had appeared in 2013.

It was very strange. The events had clearly happened later, yet in her memories, time had been reversed.

"I don't know what the final result of interfering with time will be either. Maybe everyone will disappear because of it."

After saying that, she prepared to enter the Elysian Realm.

Raven remained where she was for a moment, then followed her inside.

What a joke.

If there was a risk of disappearing in the real world, then what did the danger of the Elysian Realm amount to?

Bronya's Choice (4k)