Kiana swallowed the cream in her mouth and thought for a moment. Although her first impression of Otto had not been good, she had not found him guilty of any great evil. If anything, he seemed like an old Italian rogue.
"Fine."
Friends, huh.
But things like friends, once separated for a while, would never contact each other again and would gradually become strangers.
That had been Kiana's experience growing up.
She had no friends.
When she was little, she had always lived alone with her father, and he had never taught her how to get along with others.
And after setting out on her journey alone, even if she made friends, she would leave them behind to find Siegfried, never contacting them again.
So even if Otto became her friend now, they would grow distant someday.
"Yes. You and I are friends now."
Otto nodded in satisfaction. At least he was no longer some random passerby; their relationship had taken a huge step forward.
He sincerely wanted to build a good relationship with Kiana, because there was no downside to it.
Bonds made K423 strong. Bonds let K423 kindle the flame and become Kiana.
So why couldn't he be the object of her bonds?
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 discovered the trouble Otto had caused in the past...
They would not try to kill him. At most, they would beat him up.
They might even stop others from killing him.
So Otto extended his hand toward Kiana.
"And as a friend, I want to give you a gift."
"A gift?" Kiana continued eating cake as she asked curiously.
"Yes," Otto replied.
"I want to give a lonely little kitten a place to belong."
"Will you stand on my side?"
"Do you want to become one of mine?"
Wife.JPG
Otto, in Danger!
"A place to belong?"
Kiana had been a little happy when she heard Otto wanted to give her a gift. After all, who did not like getting something for free?
But if it was something too valuable, she could only refuse it.
"This young lady doesn't nee—"
"You do. Aren't you looking for Siegfried because you want a place to belong?"
Before she could finish, Otto interrupted her.
He was a man who really liked cutting people off.
"Though perhaps you truly do not need one, that place is somewhere Siegfried once stayed."
"If you keep searching everywhere like this, I guarantee you'll never find Siegfried."
Because Siegfried was deliberately avoiding Kiana.
Just as you could never wake someone pretending to sleep, you could never find someone deliberately avoiding you.
"If I can't find him in one year, then I'll spend ten years. Twenty years."
But Kiana was not someone who gave up easily.
Watching Kiana's resolute expression, Otto lifted his black tea and took a sip.
But Bronya, once you got to St. Freya Academy, you would enjoy yourself there and never think of Siegfried again.
Even though Kiana and Theresa had agreed that Theresa would let her see Siegfried once she became an independent Valkyrie, Kiana failed all kinds of classes at St. Freya Academy. Clearly, finding Siegfried had not been her first priority.
Love could shift.
"Siegfried is a wandering rogue. Maybe he's currently sprawled in some woman's warm embrace."
Otto casually badmouthed Siegfried. Hearing that, veins bulged on Kiana's forehead, because in her memory, her Stinky Dad had always been somewhat unreliable.
"He's not the kind of person who stays in one place for long. If you want to find him, it might take more than ten years."
"However, I can give you a shortcut."
"I can help you find your father."
Kiana held a fork between her teeth and stared at Otto.
"Then what's the price? Don't tell me you want me to be your girlfriend?"
Kiana crossed her arms protectively over her chest in disgust. If that really was his demand, she genuinely did not know whether she should agree.
Because Otto looked like the kind of person who liked taking advantage of others when they were vulnerable.
Otto shook his head and did not state his request first.
"Do you know what Honkai is?"
Kiana nodded. Siegfried had taught her what Honkai was and how to fight Honkai Beasts.
She had initially been surprised that he knew about Honkai, but then she remembered that Otto knew her father. It was perfectly normal for him to know about Honkai too.
"Then do you know about Schicksal?"
Kiana shook her head.
"Schicksal is an organization that fights 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."
"Believe me. Schicksal can do anything."
Otto's words carried confidence. If even he, the Overseer, lacked confidence, how was he supposed to fool Kiana?
"An S-rank Valkyrie?"
Kiana was a little doubtful. She was worried Otto might be setting an almost impossible condition, like those heartless coal mine bosses who trapped people forever.
"Rita, the woman from earlier, is an S-rank Valkyrie. She's eighteen this year."
Rita had been born in 1995. It was now 2013, making her exactly eighteen.
The finest time in a woman's life.
She could become an S-rank Valkyrie at eighteen? Then this young lady could easily become one too.
"Besides, official Valkyries receive excellent benefits. Their monthly base salary is roughly this amount."
Otto used his fingers to show Kiana a string of numbers. Kiana's eyes widened. Having traveled while working odd jobs, she understood the appeal of that number.
Wasn't that absurdly generous?
With that much money, wouldn't this young lady be able to buy anything?
"That's just for one month. We also have year-end bonuses, performance bonuses, and other rewards. There are rotating days off during holidays too."
"Oh, and your father used to be with Schicksal as well. He was also S-rank."
"My dad was a Valkyrie too?" Kiana cried in surprise.
Otto raised an eyebrow. He suspected something might be wrong with Kiana's head, but he did not linger on the subject.
"So, adorable little kitten, I hope you'll consider it. I guarantee that on the second day after you become a Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie, you'll see your father."
Otto said it.
After all, he was the Overseer. As long as he did not approve it, Kiana would never become an S-rank Valkyrie.
He would first fool Kiana into joining Schicksal. Once she was in, leaving would not be so easy.
Kiana fiddled with her braid. She had finally found a clue about Stinky Dad, and honestly, she did not want to let it go.
A Schicksal Valkyrie, huh?
After weighing it over, Kiana said,
"Can I go to the bathroom first?"
After eating so many sweets and feeling so conflicted, Kiana needed to spend a little time alone in the bathroom.
"Please, go ahead. But I'm looking forward to your answer."
Otto agreed readily. He was not a man who liked pressuring girls too hard.
The bait had already been cast. He only needed to wait for the fish to bite.
Kiana would not refuse him, because he had given direction to someone who had been blindly wandering.
Otto watched Kiana's hurried back as she ran to the bathroom. He had to admit that Kiana had an excellent butt.
Once Kiana was out of sight, Otto withdrew his gaze and smiled.
As long as the protagonist Kiana joined his side, his safety would be somewhat guaranteed. He would not have to worry about her suddenly becoming the Herrscher or Kiana and coming to cut him down.
After winning Kiana over, Raiden Mei would be next.
As for Bronya, she was actually far more dangerous than Kiana and Mei, because she belonged to Anti-Entropy. He might end up recruiting a spy.
But Otto knew Bronya's weakness.
As long as he seized Bronya's weakness, he could make her pant and call him "Lord Overseer."
"My luck is excellent."
Gathering The Big Three was just around the corner. Then, as long as he treated Fu Hua well enough, he would not have to worry about his life at all.
Even if Kevin emerged from the Sea of Quanta, he would have to think twice.
Otto nearly laughed out loud.
But the next moment, he could no longer laugh.
A broad back blocked the light, casting a shadow over Otto.
It was a white-haired, one-armed man.
He stood before Otto, his azure eyes looking down at him.
Then he sat in the seat Kiana had occupied.
Next, he raised his hand.
Two pistols slammed onto the table.
Otto looked at the two pistols on the table. He recognized the man who had suddenly appeared, and he recognized those two seemingly ordinary guns.
They were Judgment of Shamash.
I'll Raise Your Wife and Daughter
Siegfried Kaslana.
Otto stared coldly at the man before him, his hands clenched where the other man could not see them.
What kind of day was this? Raven had barely left, and now Siegfried had arrived.
Next time he went out, he needed to have his fortune told first. Otherwise, Kevin might be the next one to show up.
But Otto was not especially surprised that Siegfried had appeared here. It was unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable.
Although Siegfried had left Kiana's side, he had actually been secretly protecting her throughout her journey.
Before you continue