Otto smiled without committing himself. If he ranked them in his heart, Kallen would unquestionably be first, Theresa second, and then probably Vera...
St. Freya was not built merely to fulfill Theresa's wish; it held considerable value as well, something Theresa herself had likely never considered.
"Amber, how is my dear Mr. Seigfried doing these days?"
Otto was also deeply concerned about K423, the clone child, because she occupied an indispensable and highly significant place in the overall plan.
"Schicksal fugitive Seigfried is currently hiding in a remote village in Siberia. His daily activity consists of going out to fight Honkai Beasts!"
Amber reported that Seigfried thought Schicksal had not found him only because Schicksal had not wanted him to know. Reports on him were still sent to Schicksal's floating-island headquarters from time to time. Apart from minor matters, everything else was under Schicksal's control.
"Haha, as expected of a Kaslana. Even after falling so low, he still hasn't forgotten his duty!" Otto could not help laughing, his tone carrying both admiration and mockery.
He admired him because Kallen had been that sort of person. He mocked him because Seigfried could not see the situation clearly—he carried a ticking bomb with him, yet still busied himself with other matters. Still, that was only natural. Kaslanas were the shields of the people.
"Continue monitoring him. Put K423 under special surveillance and record her daily intelligence!"
Tap, tap...
"If there is a large-scale Honkai outbreak over there, inform me immediately!"
Otto tapped the desk. Seigfried was merely a brute and posed little threat. Kiana, who possessed the Herrscher Core, was the one Otto truly needed to watch. The other consciousness within her was asleep, but it could not remain asleep forever. It would likely awaken in a few years, and that would be a crucial turning point.
"Understood!"
Amber immediately went to issue the orders. The ones monitoring Seigfried were battle-hardened A-rank Valkyries, and they carried Schicksal's latest concealment devices, which was why Seigfried had not noticed them. After all, many years had passed, and Seigfried still bore old injuries.
At the Far East branch.
"..."
With the funding from Schicksal, Theresa's cute little face was creased in a frown, her feelings complicated. Anyone could hate Otto, but she could not, because Otto had genuinely treated her well. Yet there was still a knot in her heart, one that was not so easily untied. She did not agree with the things Otto had done.
"With this funding, how long until St. Freya is completed?" Theresa asked the foreman, hands on her hips.
"Principal Theresa, it can be completed next year!" After doing some calculations, the foreman gave her an estimate. Most of the work had already been finished, and with this funding, construction could be completed in the second half of 2009.
They had originally called her Lady Theresa, but Theresa had insisted on being called principal. The scale of St. Freya was the largest project he had ever undertaken. Every material used was the finest in the world, with no corners cut whatsoever. This woman was Schicksal's little princess. Never mind that she was currently at odds with Otto—if she became unhappy, they could all end up at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
"Mm!"
Theresa nodded. She was very satisfied with that timeline and looked at St. Freya with eager anticipation.
Cecilia, our promise is about to be fulfilled. This will become a home for Valkyries, where they can all receive the best training. Can you see it from heaven?
Theresa missed Cecilia dearly. Cecilia had been her best friend, one of the few friends she could truly confide in. Theresa's status meant that other Valkyries inevitably felt restrained around her, creating distance between them.
"Seigfried, that bastard!" Thinking of Cecilia made Theresa think of her adorable niece. Clone or not, she was still her niece, and Theresa did not even know which godforsaken corner that father and daughter had run off to.
No, I can't think about him. The more I think about him, the angrier I get. Theresa patted her rapidly rising and falling chest, then returned to her residence. She picked up a bottle of bitter melon juice and leaned against a Hohom pillow, swinging her two short legs as her tender, pale little feet lay exposed in the air. As she happily read a Hohom comic, a smile immediately appeared on her face.
2009.
St. Freya Academy was officially completed. The luxurious academy resembled a sprawling palace complex and practically reeked of money. Every building material used was the most expensive and the best available, and no one dared cut corners. If Anti-Entropy's Tesla saw it, she would probably turn into an Anti-Entropy telegraph operator and send Otto a furious barrage of curses, though she would be even more envious.
After all, Anti-Entropy now had to tighten its belt for every invention it developed. A large portion of its funding came from Welt drawing comics, and after Schicksal inexplicably targeted Anti-Entropy in 2007, its situation had only worsened.
"Grandfather, why are you here?"
When Theresa saw Otto appear, she asked in confusion. The two were still at odds, though it was only one-sided on her part. Otto had not taken a child's rebellious phase to heart; he had never shortchanged Theresa on her usual allowance or the construction of St. Freya.
"Theresa's academy has been completed. Naturally, as her grandfather, I had to come take a look!" Amber, his secretary, followed behind Otto. He wore a well-tailored white tailcoat and a smile on his face. His appearance alone made him seem like an aristocrat, and in truth, he was. His current position made him arguably the most distinguished person in the world.
"Not bad. Do you like it, Theresa?" Otto gave it a cursory look. It was even more luxurious than Schicksal headquarters, but there was nothing here that particularly interested him.
"Hmph!" Theresa gave a soft snort but did not throw a tantrum. "I like it. This is my academy, Grandfather. Don't go making decisions on your own in the future."
"I know. Show your grandfather around," Otto said with a smile.
Outside St. Freya, many reporters had already gathered. Zhang Wei and the Flame-Chasers were mixed into the crowd as well. The completion of St. Freya could be said to be known throughout the world, and some people were sour about it, since all the money spent on it had been given to Theresa by Otto.
If it were calculated by company shareholding, Otto would undoubtedly own more than ninety-five percent. But the academy would not be of much use in his hands. Only in the hands of different people could it fulfill its proper value.
"So that is Otto? I can smell the scent of my own kind!" Mobius licked her lips. Since arriving in the Current Civilization, Otto had been one of the people who interested her. He was sufficiently mad, and the depth of his schemes had surprised even her.
"The aura of Void Archive seems to have changed somewhat. Is the Key of Revelation in Otto's hands now?" Vill-V adjusted the brim of her hat and spoke with great interest. Although Void Archive's aura differed somewhat from how it had been in the Previous Civilization, she could still sense it.
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