When the World Crumbles, I Only Love the Valkyrie

Kiana swallowed the cream in her mouth and thought for a moment. Though her first impression of Otto wasn't great, she hadn't found him to be some great villain—more like an old Italian rogue.

"Fine."

Friends, huh.

But friends were the kind of thing that, once separated for a while, would never contact each other again, gradually becoming strangers.

That was what Kiana had learned growing up.

She had no friends.

As a child, she'd lived alone with her father, and he'd never taught her how to get along with others.

After setting out on her own, even if she made friends, she'd leave them to search for Siegfried, and then never get in touch again.

So even if Otto was her friend now, they'd drift apart later.

"Mm. You and I—we're friends now."

Otto nodded in satisfaction. At least he was no longer a background character; their relationship had taken a huge leap forward.

He genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with Kiana, because it was a win-win with no downsides.

Bonds made K423 strong. Bonds made K423 ignite the kindling and become a firefly.

So why couldn't he be the one she bonded with?

Love made these girls grow. Love made these girls capable of anything.

So why couldn't he be the one they loved?

That way, even if they later discovered the messes Otto had made in the past, they wouldn't kill him—at worst, they'd just beat him up.

They might even stop others from killing him.

So Otto reached out his hand to Kiana.

"And as a friend, I want to give you a gift."

"A gift?" Kiana was still eating cake, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Mm." Otto acknowledged.

"I want to give a lonely little kitten a place to belong."

"Will you stand by my side?"

"Do you want to be mine?"

Wife.JPG

Chapter 11. Otto, in danger!

"A place to belong?"

Kiana had been a little happy when she heard Otto was giving her a gift—after all, who didn't like getting something for free?

But if it was too valuable, she'd have to refuse.

"This young lady doesn't need—"

"You do. You're looking for Siegfried, aren't you? For your place to belong?"

Before she could finish, Otto cut her off.

This man really liked to interrupt.

"Though maybe you don't need it. But that place—it's where Siegfried once stayed."

"With the way you're searching blindly, I guarantee you'll never find Siegfried."

Because Siegfried was deliberately avoiding Kiana.

Just like you can never wake someone who's pretending to sleep, you can never find someone who's deliberately hiding from you.

"If I can't find him in a year, this young lady will spend ten, twenty years searching."

But Kiana wasn't the type to give up easily.

Watching her resolute expression, Otto took a sip of his black tea.

But Bronya, once you get to St. Freya Academy, you'll be so happy there that you'll forget all about Siegfried.

Even though Kiana and Theresa had agreed that once she became a Valkyrie worthy of the name, Theresa would let her see Siegfried, Kiana kept failing her exams at St. Freya—clearly, finding Siegfried wasn't her top priority.

Love could shift.

"Siegfried is a wanderer. Maybe right now he's lying in some woman's warm embrace."

Otto casually slandered Siegfried. Hearing this, Kiana's veins bulged—in her memory, her Stinky Dad had always been a bit unreliable.

"He's not the type to stay in one place long. Finding him might take you ten years or more."

"But I can give you a shortcut."

"I can help you find your father."

Kiana held a fork in her mouth as she looked at Otto.

"So, what's the price? Don't tell me you want me to be your girlfriend?"

Kiana crossed her arms over her chest with a look of disgust. If that really was the kind of leverage he was using, she wasn't sure if she should agree or not.

Because she felt Otto looked like the type to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position.

Otto shook his head. He didn't state his terms first.

"Do you know what Honkai is?"

Kiana nodded. Siegfried had taught her what Honkai was, and also how to fight Honkai Beasts.

She was a bit surprised he knew about Honkai, but then again, Otto knew her father, so it was perfectly normal for him to know about it.

"Then do you know Schicksal?"

Kiana shook her head.

"Schicksal is an organization that fights against Honkai. I can help you find Siegfried, but I need you to join Schicksal and become a Valkyrie."

"As long as you become an S-rank Valkyrie, I'll let you see Siegfried."

"Trust me, Schicksal is capable of anything."

Otto's words carried a confident tone. If he, the Lord Overseer, wasn't confident himself, how could he trick Kiana?

"S-rank Valkyrie?"

Kiana was a bit puzzled, but she worried Otto was setting a nearly impossible goal, like those shady coal bosses who would keep you tied down forever.

"The Rita you just saw is an S-rank Valkyrie. She's 18 years old."

Rita was born in 1995. Now it was 2013, so she was exactly 18.

The prime of a woman's life.

An 18-year-old S-rank Valkyrie? Then this young lady could easily become an S-rank Valkyrie too!

"Besides, official Valkyries enjoy excellent benefits. The monthly base salary is roughly this number."

Otto gestured a number with his hand. Kiana's eyes went wide. Having traveled and worked part-time jobs all this time, she understood the appeal of that number.

Isn't that way too generous?

With this much money, couldn't this young lady buy anything she wanted?

"That's for one month. We also have year-end bonuses, performance bonuses, and rotating holidays off."

"Oh, and your father used to be part of Schicksal too. His rank was also S-rank."

"My dad was a Valkyrie too?" Kiana exclaimed in surprise.

Otto raised an eyebrow. He suspected Kiana's brain wasn't all there, but he didn't dwell on the topic.

"So, little kitten, I hope you'll consider it. I promise that on the day you become a Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie, you'll see your father."

Otto said.

After all, he was the Overseer. As long as he didn't nod his head, Kiana would never become an S-rank Valkyrie.

First, trick Kiana into joining Schicksal. Once she was in, leaving wouldn't be so easy.

Kiana fiddled with her braid. She finally had a lead on finding Stinky Dad. Honestly, she didn't want to let this clue slip away.

A Schicksal Valkyrie, huh?

After thinking it over, Kiana spoke.

"Can I go to the bathroom first?"

Having eaten so many sweets all at once, and feeling a bit conflicted inside, Kiana needed some time alone in the restroom.

"Go ahead. But I look forward to your answer."

Otto agreed readily. He wasn't the type to pressure a girl.

The bait had been cast. All he had to do was wait for the fish to bite.

Kiana wouldn't refuse him, because he had given her, lost and directionless, a path to follow.

Otto watched Kiana's hurried back as she ran to the bathroom. He had to admit, Kiana really had an excellent rear.

Once Kiana's figure disappeared from sight, Otto withdrew his gaze, a smile spreading across his face.

As long as the protagonist Kiana joined his side, his safety would be somewhat guaranteed. He wouldn't have to worry about when she might turn into the Herrscher or Kiana and come to chop him up.

After reeling in Kiana, the next one would be Raiden Mei.

As for Bronya, she was actually far more dangerous than Kiana and Mei, because she was from Anti-Entropy. He might be recruiting a mole.

But Otto knew Bronya's weakness.

As long as he seized Bronya's weakness, he could make her breathlessly call him "Lord Overseer."

"Luck is on my side."

Gathering The Big Three was within reach. And once he kept Fu Hua comfortable and satisfied, he wouldn't have to worry about his life at all.

Even if Kevin emerged from the Sea of Quantum, he would still have to think twice before acting.

Otto nearly laughed out loud.

But the next moment, his smile froze.

A broad back blocked the light, casting a shadow over Otto.

It was the white-haired, one-armed man.

He stood before Otto, his azure blue eyes looking down at him from above.

Then he sat down in the seat where Kiana had been sitting.

Next, he raised his hand.

Two pistols were slapped onto the table.

Otto stared at the two pistols on the table. He recognized the man who had suddenly appeared, and he also recognized these two seemingly ordinary handguns.

They were the Judgment of Shamash.

Chapter 12: Your Wife and Daughter, I Shall Care For

Siegfried Kaslana.

Otto watched the man before him coldly, his hands clenched tightly where the other couldn't see them.

What kind of day was this? First a Raven left, now a Siegfried shows up.

Next time he went out, he'd have to get his fortune told first. Otherwise, the next visitor might be Kevin.

But honestly, Siegfried appearing here didn't surprise Otto all that much. It was unexpected, yet within reason.

Though Siegfried had left Kiana's side, throughout her journey, he had been secretly protecting her from the shadows.