A Lion in Your Eyes? Who Are You Calling a Loser? / The Great Chinese Chess Sage? Anna: I'm Exhausted

Gwen merely smiled at that, going along with what they said without taking pride in it or belittling himself—

His almost godlike rate of progress had required both the sweat of hard work and outside assistance. Gwen neither ignored the former and demeaned himself nor ignored the latter and thought too highly of himself. He still maintained an ordinary heart.

It was another night spent soaking in the nutrient pod for several hours. After cleaning off the fluid and changing his clothes, Gwen was about to leave when he saw someone who greatly surprised him—

"Bishop Otto?"

Seeing the blond man sitting casually beside the table, reading a stack of reports in his hand, Gwen instantly raised his guard to the utmost—

Gwen was only a little Lv. 2. Facing a major boss like Otto, failing to watch his words and actions would lead to a terrible loss.

Of course, although he was extremely wary inside, Gwen still showed a surprised expression on his face as he looked at Otto with apparent astonishment.

Even if his scheming still fell far short of Otto, an old fox who had lived for five hundred years, with the Spirit Awakening Scripture, Gwen was not worried that a single expression would expose all his flaws.

Hearing Gwen's surprised voice, Otto put down the report in his hand and looked at Gwen with a smile.

"What? Are you surprised to see me?"

"Not really..."

Facing Otto's smile, which made him feel as though bathed in a spring breeze, Gwen shook his head. His gaze swept across the special laboratory as he said quietly,

"If anything, I'm more surprised that Your Excellency only showed up before me now."

Gwen knew that his performance at Headquarters did not match the traditional image of a Caslana, so he did not play the role of a hot-blooded idiot. Instead, he maintained his usual persona: gentle in temperament, yet clear-headed.

"Indeed, you're a clever child..."

At those words, the smile on Otto's handsome face deepened. He raised a hand in invitation.

"Sit down and let's talk. There are only the two of us here, so there's no need to be so formal."

"..."

Seeing this, Gwen did not offer any further thanks. He simply sat down opposite Otto, wondering why Otto had come to see him at this time.

If Otto intended to put this chess piece of his into use, it was far too early—

He had not even taken the C-rank assessment yet.

The possibility was low.

So, the more likely possibilities were a pep talk, empty promises, building rapport, or the Feather of Dust package deal?

As he considered why Otto had suddenly come to see him, Gwen's mind had already tensed up, ready at any moment to deal with the threat from Feather of Dust—

Gwen was confident that, having cultivated the Spirit Awakening Scripture, he would not be easily controlled by Feather of Dust. But he still had to consider how to make himself appear more normal rather than so abnormal.

Yet while Gwen was on high alert, Otto merely smiled at the calm-faced Gwen and said,

"Since you've already guessed it, I suppose there are some things I need not explain too much..."

"If you do not mind, I would rather hear you explain it to me personally, so as to avoid misunderstandings caused by errors in my own reasoning, and even greater mistakes that may arise from them."

Hearing that, Gwen shook his head and indicated that he still wished to listen to Lord Bishop's instruction.

"Ha..."

Otto gave Gwen a surprised glance, then his smile became even gentler.

"Very good. It seems you truly absorbed the books I prepared for you...

"Many times, the greatest cost for humanity to accomplish something is the cost of communication."

Looking at the composed Gwen before him, whose words and conduct were measured, Otto could not help nodding in satisfaction. Comparing him with his granddaughter far away in the Far East, Otto became even more pleased with Gwen—

Theresa simply could not recognize this point. She always let her astonishing wisdom run wild...

At this moment, Otto selectively forgot the fact that "even when Theresa asked, he would not tell her the truth."

Then, Otto explained why he had prepared such clearly extraordinary training for Gwen—

Simply put, after the defection of Siegfried Caslana, the former head of the Caslana family, only the Schariac family remained among the three great houses that had once formed Destiny's foundation, barely holding on.

Although technological advancement had meant that humanity's combat power against Honkai no longer depended as heavily as it had in ancient times on the power granted by the bloodlines of the three great families, as Destiny's Bishop, Otto did not wish to see the three great families—who had once made countless sacrifices and earned glorious achievements for Destiny and humanity—decline like this.

And to revive a family, an outstanding patriarch was naturally the foremost necessity.

However, because successive family heads and outstanding talents had an exceptionally high mortality rate in battle, most surviving members of the Caslana family were incapable of bearing such a burden.

That was why Otto chose to cultivate Gwen, who had come from the outside, in hopes of raising an outstanding family head for the Caslana family.

"..."

Listening to Otto's explanation, which was full of holes, Gwen did not know where to begin refuting it.

A Lion Hidden in Your Eyes? Who Are You Calling a Loser?

Since most current Caslana members were incapable of taking on major responsibilities, choosing to cultivate a bloodline that had been left outside could barely be justified. Even if he might not be better than the existing members, he could at least serve as a catalyst.

However, given Gwen's condition when he had first left the hospital—when he had been far weaker than even an ordinary person—he was clearly unsuitable for that role.

After all, Otto did not know Gwen was someone with cheats.

But Gwen was not Otto's subordinate, here to advise him against such an unwise decision, nor was he here to discuss the coherence of Otto's logic.

Besides...

Sensing the mental fluctuations quietly acting upon him, Gwen, who had never been much of an argumentative person, quickly suppressed his urge to complain. After a moment of silence, he followed that mental influence, ignored the inconsistencies in Otto's words, and let a surge of passion rise within him.

Yet even as light appeared in his eyes, Gwen still "maintained" a measure of rationality—

"But why me?"

Meeting Otto's emerald-green eyes, Gwen voiced his doubt.

"Before I displayed my current talent, you invested so many resources in me. Wasn't the risk too great?"

"Heh..."

Faced with Gwen, who remained calm even after his emotions had been stirred, Otto could not help smiling approvingly. Then, under Gwen's gaze, he spoke.

"Everything in this world carries risk.

"And generally speaking, the greater the risk, the greater the reward..."

Otto had already begun habitually preparing to give a pep talk, but seeing Gwen's calm expression that said, "Go on, I'm listening," he merely smiled and put away the lengthy speech he had prepared. He got straight to the point.

"As you said, choosing you carried great risk.

"But at the same time, that meant the returns from choosing you would also be great.

"As for the reason...

"Do you remember our conversation on the day you left the hospital?"

"Of course."

Gwen nodded, wanting to see how Otto planned to talk him into it.

"Originally, I was hesitant as well. As you said, your foundation was too poor."

As Otto spoke, the smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by an authority and solemnity unlike his usual demeanor.

"But when you gave your answer that day, I saw in your eyes what I wanted—

"Beneath the confusion and hesitation, your eyes concealed something sharper—

"Like a lion hiding among the grass and trees, waiting for the moment to reveal its claws...

"There is a lion hidden in your eyes, and what you lack is merely the strength to unleash it.

"Fortunately, Destiny possesses such strength.

"And you have not disappointed me. With diligence that almost no one in Destiny's history could compare to, you have proven that this investment of mine is destined to bring tremendous returns."

As Otto spoke, he once more revealed a genial smile that made people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. A look of realization appeared on Gwen's face as well. Following the force influencing his mind, he slowly nodded, lowered his head to look at his rosy palm, and remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"Then... Lord Bishop, what do you need me to do?"

Although Otto's words made Gwen want to ask, "Who are you calling a loser?" Otto was not some netizen separated from him by a screen, so Gwen immediately flung the absurd thought to the back of his mind and displayed obedience—

The experience of the last disobedient Siegfried was still vivid in his mind—Otto had found a fairly reasonable excuse to throw who knew how many Honkai Fission Missiles at him. Gwen had no desire to test whether he could withstand such things head-on.

"You need do nothing..."

Seeing this, Otto sighed softly inside, but his smile became somewhat more paternal. He gently patted Gwen's shoulder.

"After all, this is a task I have imposed upon you unilaterally. You should not have to pay too great a price for it.

"You only need to continue as before: work hard, let your own light bloom, and prove that you are gold.

"As for everything else, leave it to me.

"Just as five hundred years ago, Caslana warriors only needed to face the enemies on the battlefield. As for matters beyond the battlefield, leave them to me..."

"Yes. Gwen will certainly not betray Lord Bishop's efforts and trust."

The plot of Otto, the old father, scheming against the sparsely populated Caslana family suddenly surfaced in Gwen's mind. His emotions remained steady, though his voice carried determination and resolve.

"Then... it's a deal.

"I look forward to the day you become a new S-rank and shoulder humanity's banner in the fight against Honkai."

Having achieved his goal, Otto nodded with a smile and spoke sincerely for the first time in a long while.

A short while later, Otto, who had finally succeeded in feeding the first piece of bait to Gwen, watched him leave. The smile on his face lingered for a long time.

At that, Void Archives Douglas, a five-star critic, could not help asking in confusion,

"Are you sure you won't overdo it and make the boy die a heroic death someday?"

Void Archives, who understood the Caslana temperament all too well, was deeply concerned.

"You're right."

Otto nodded and did not deny it.

"That is why, before it has sharpened its claws and fangs, a lion cannot be allowed to go hunting."

"..."

Hearing Otto's utterly straightforward answer, Void Archives fell silent for a moment—

Honestly, he had no shame at all.

However, after being speechless for a while, Void Archives abruptly changed the subject—

"It can't go hunting, but it can flirt with the lionesses in its pride and prepare to become the lion king, right?

"The topics about him and those little girls on the community forum have never died down..."

"Being sentimental and loyal is a good thing, but when a single emotion goes wrong, it can easily drive someone to extremes.

"That is why weaving multiple emotions into a web of feelings is the best way to prevent him from making the wrong choice..."

Otto ignored Void Archives' mockery and responded calmly. At the same time, he was planning in his mind how to construct an even more complete net—

One had to know that while this net restrained the prey, it could also be used to restrain the owner of the threads.

Killing two birds with one stone had become Otto's instinct over five hundred years of life...

Meanwhile, Gwen, on his way home, analyzed through the information Otto had revealed what Otto's purpose and plan truly were—

"Is he trying to disgust Siegfried, the former family head?

"That doesn't feel like something Otto would do. The value is too low, unless he intends to recover the Heavenly Fire Judgment that was taken away. And Siegfried may not fall for it, given that he has to look after Kiana..."

Trapped within Destiny Headquarters and under surveillance almost at all times, Gwen could not actively obtain further intelligence. He could only analyze the scant information revealed by the plot, and in the end, gained nothing.

Though somewhat disappointed, Gwen was not discouraged—

Though he was only a chess piece now, Gwen believed that one day, he would kick over Otto's chessboard.

The Grand Chess Sage? Anna: Exhausted

Although he possessed some informational advantage over Otto, Gwen, standing right beneath Otto's nose, did not therefore believe he could surpass Otto—the greatest schemer in the Honkai world—in intelligence, or rather, in schemes and intrigues.