The Transfer of a Smile.

Then, Gwen saw the family photo that had once caused Otto to lose his composure for so long—

"..."

Looking at the old family portrait, which featured a couple Otto and Kallen, who were slightly different from the ones he was familiar with but could still be easily identified, along with the baby in swaddling clothes, the emotional impact of the various guesses that subconsciously arose in Gwen's mind caused his thoughts to pause for a moment.

Almost subconsciously, Gwen his Gene Lock, mimicking Otto's thought process to consider the meaning behind the family portrait.

In no time, Gwen had the answer.

However, this answer was so unexpected that even Gwen found it hard to believe.

There's another layer below.

Otto, who had been observing Gwen closely and taking in every subtle change in his expression, quietly reminded Gwen while silently uploading the changes he had just observed in Gwen to the database.

"..."

Reminded by Otto, Gwen swallowed the question that almost escaped his lips, observed for a while, and then opened the mechanism.

Click!

With a crisp mechanical click, the pendant sprang open, revealing the crooked, small characters underneath.

Each tiny character felt like a crawling ant, scratching at Gwen's heart, making his nose tingle with emotion.

"..."

Looking at the small print that corresponded to a guess he had rejected, Gwen felt a surge of emotions, but he still frowned, his mind filled with questions.

However, this time Gwen did not activate the Gene Lock to simulate Otto's thinking. Instead, he closed his eyes and calmed his turbulent emotions.

We still need to negotiate with Otto, so we must remain calm.

"..."

Sensing that Gwen's emotions were not as stable as before, Elysia's heart, which had been slightly relieved, was in suspense again. She wanted to say something, but due to the lack of information, she didn't know where to begin.

Under the concerned gaze of Elysia and the probing gazes of Void Archives and Otto, Gwen slowly opened his eyes, his expression serene.

Gwen gently fastened the pendant and placed it back in the jewelry box before looking up at Otto.

"So, where did I come from?"

Where did Durandal and Rita... bring me from?

After reading the contents of the pendant, Gwen had a vague idea that his true identity was probably Otto's child who escaped Schicksal with Kallen in another possible scenario.

The problem is that this isn't the priest's storyline, but rather the regular main storyline's timeline, so there shouldn't be a character like myself here.

Although he subconsciously wanted to rebuke Otto for this loophole, the fragmented Remembrance that suddenly flashed through his mind made Gwen hesitate.

Therefore, Gwen needs to get the information from Otto that can answer this question.

However, halfway through the question, when the names Durandal and Rita were mentioned, Gwen already had the answer in his mind.

Although it was too coincidental, so coincidental that it seemed like a fabricated story, Gwen's intuition told him that this was the truth.

"Everything I told you before was true, and Rita and Durandal certainly didn't lie to you either—"

Otto, unaware of Gwen's thoughts, smiled and gave Gwen the answer he wanted—

"Do you remember Rita's answer when you asked about your origins?"

There's nothing wrong with the statement that you're a survivor they brought back during a mission.

However, their mission was not a routine cleanup of the Honkai, but rather an exploration of the mysterious Sea of Quantum.

After a series of adventures that resembled a fairy tale of heroes, they successfully embarked on their journey home.

On their journey back to their Eigenworld, they encountered you, adrift in the Sea of Quantum.

Although it might make the journey home more uncertain, Durandal and Rita still took you, still unconscious, and brought you back to this world...

By downplaying the seriousness of the matter and exonerating Rita for her past lies, Otto gave Gwen the answer he needed.

"I see..."

Having obtained the final piece of the puzzle, Gwen finally confirmed his answer. He nodded slightly, looked at Otto opposite him, and suddenly chuckled softly.

"It seems that what I just said was a lucky coincidence?"

"The biological father of this body of mine is indeed Otto Apocalypse."

"..."

Otto smiled silently at Gwen's teasing, simply watching Gwen quietly.

Gwen didn't expect Otto to answer; his smile faded, and his expression suddenly became calm.

"However, that's not you."

With that, Gwen closed the jewelry box in front of him again and pushed it toward Otto.

"As a way of repaying Bishop Otto for the care you have given me over the years, I will strive to resurrect Saintess Kallen."

Until then, please keep this gift for me.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing Gwen's words of drawing a line and clarifying the relationship, Otto was not annoyed, but rather showed some doubt.

Aren't you going to take back this gift your parents left you?

"I told you, I'll store it here temporarily."

Gwen tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"After all, this is where you initially took care of me all these years, and I'm not going to take it back until I give something in return."

Furthermore...

Although we live in different worlds, my connection with her is still too close, which may affect the subsequent soul-summoning process.

So, you can keep the pendant for now.

280

Chapter 280 The Transfer of Smiles.

"... You're quite thoughtful."

Upon hearing Gwen's answer, Otto paused for a moment, then slowly nodded, his gaze becoming much more serious as he looked at the jewelry box containing the pendant.

Even if it was Kallen's last relic from another world, Otto would never allow it to interfere with his mission to resurrect Kallen.

"Just a necessary consideration..."

Gwen shook his head slightly, not taking Otto's words to heart.

Although Gwen was inevitably shocked and surprised when he learned his true origins, he was only momentarily dazed by the sudden flash of Remembrance.

By this time, Gwen had regained his initial composure.

Compared to the relics of his birth mother, which would eventually return to him, Gwen was more concerned about Otto's response to the conditions he had previously proposed.

"In comparison, what is your answer to the conditions I have proposed, Bishop Otto?"

After being stared at by Gwen with a serious gaze for a moment, Otto, who was pondering how to seal the relic to avoid affecting Kallen's resurrection, finally came to his senses. His gaze met Gwyn's for a moment before he revealed the Otto- like smile familiar to Gwen.

"Of course I agree, after all, I have no reason to refuse, do I?"

That smile looked enthusiastic and energetic, and was very infectious, but it contained not a trace of sincerity, only cold rationality and thought.

"In addition, from today onwards, you have the right to mobilize all the resources at my disposal, including those related to Schicksal."

At the same time, all plans that you dislike, including the Sirin Project, will be suspended until you reach the steps you don't like.

As for K423...

"Heh... I'll leave the teaching to you for now."

"...

Although I know it's impossible, I still hope you won't play any word games.

Hearing Otto's words, which offered much room for maneuver, Gwen had no intention of exposing him.

Keeping this old bastard from causing trouble is harder than killing him outright.

For Gwen, it was enough that the other party was able to keep the plan in place until the tragedy occurred, as he had said.

"Certainly."

Otto smiled and agreed, but only he knew how much of it was true or not.

After all, with many plans, unless the planner himself reveals the whole story, it's difficult for others to determine where the tragedy begins.

"..."

Seeing Otto's smile, Gwen and turned his gaze to the Void Archives beside him.

"Void Archives, your records should contain data on an unfinished Divine Keys, right?"

"Um?"

Void Archives scene of fatherly love and filial piety, was taken aback upon hearing this, and then subconsciously frowned.

"You mean the unfinished Twelfth Divine Key?"

That thing should be buried underground now, never to see the light of day again.

"..."

Seeing the Void Archives's reaction, Gwen raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"So you were involved in what happened back then?"

"Unfortunately, there was only so much I could do back then. At most, I discovered that Kallen had been corroded, and afterwards I had someone completely cover it up."

Faced with Gwen's questioning, Void Archives shrugged and cleared his name.

Moreover, Void Archives really doesn't want to touch that damned thing—

Even living people are at risk of being manipulated, let alone an artificial intelligence.

To touch that thing, which wasn't fully crafted into Divine Keys and still possesses the consciousness of Herrscher, isn't that just courting death?

Meanwhile, Otto's expression also changed slightly; his smile faded, and he looked at Gwen seriously.

Otto also had a deep impression of the Black Box that was one of the triggers that ultimately led to Kallen's death.

Combining the information shared by Void Archives in his early years with the data obtained from Schicksal's excavation of Previous Civilization ruins in recent years, Otto also gained some understanding of the true nature of the Black Box.

Therefore, the attempt to bury the ruins of Yae Village and accelerate its sinking was one of the rare things that Otto and Void Archives agreed on.

Gwen, skeptical of the story about the Void Archives transforming into Otto's shape, turned to Otto, seeking confirmation from the person he was looking for.

"That's right, the Yae Village of yesteryear should now be buried deep underground, never to see the light of day again."

Otto nodded in affirmation, looking at Gwen with a serious expression.

Otto believed that Gwen's sudden mention of the unfinished Divine Keys was not without reason; he likely had some relevant information.

If that thing really did break through the thick layer of soil and crawl out...

Otto felt unusually nervous when he thought about the threat and destructive power that thing posed to society.

"...

It seems that Void Archives hasn't been doing anything worthwhile all these years..."

Completely unprepared for this turn of events, Gwen nodded slightly and casually remarked that the Void Archives hadn't done anything productive in the past 50,000 years, except for one time when it got into a life-or-death feud with Otto. Then, a smirk appeared on his lips.

"However, there's no need to worry. This threat appears to have been completely resolved."

"Resolved?"

Void Archives was taken aback.

You have to understand that even Dr. MEI managed to seal that thing away with just one chance, Gwen actually said he pulled it out from underground and dealt with it?

"Yes, that unfinished Divine Keys is now in my hands."

Gwen leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking relaxed and carefree as he smiled at Otto.

"So, there's no need to worry that an earthquake in the Far East might shake that thing out one day."