Honkai, Traversing Otto, Path to Godhood

"I'll do as you say."

He took hold of the other end of the cart, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the silver-haired woman. After Rita said, "Lady Bianca—Happy Birthday," Cecilia pushed open the door.

Under Durandal's shocked gaze, and with Rita's teasing expression, the two walked in together.

The blonde girl had already stood up, staring blankly at Cecilia, who was holding the cake. She didn't snap out of it until the woman had set down the plate and looked at her with eyes full of affection.

Just then, a gentle push came from behind, and Durandal, with Rita's assistance, moved forward several steps—miraculously, she didn't have the usual reflex that should have accompanied such a "surprise."

Bianca Durandal Atagina met Cecilia Schariac's gaze as she walked towards her, their reflections mirrored in each other's pupils.

Then, the blonde girl was embraced by the white-haired woman.

"Darling, happy birthday."

Click.

At that moment, Otto snapped his fingers lightly, and grand fireworks bloomed in the night sky, shining above the stars and illuminating the sky for the new year.

White patterns swirled across the black cake, the rich caramel and fresh cream colliding to form the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

Chocolates were arranged in an orderly fashion, adorning the pastry with a beautiful border. The warm candlelight flickered on the cake, lighting up the blonde girl's eyes.

"B-birthday?"

Durandal still hadn't recovered, her body stiff as she fell into Cecilia's warm embrace. She then watched as the people present decorated the room with incredible speed.

Rita arranged the chairs and table, Cecilia unwrapped the cake on the table, and Otto raised his hand to conjure golden banners that hung around the room, spelling out the girl's name in English.

"Uh, I just wrote down a date casually, there's no need to celebrate specifically," Durandal's voice was a little dry.

"The date might not be that important," Rita said, guiding the blonde girl to the table, "but the ritual of celebrating a birthday imbues it with special meaning."

"It's a summary of the past and a wish for the future," Cecilia added. "It's a day you can make a wish even without a shooting star, a new beginning in the years. So, even a birthday written down casually is worth celebrating."

Rita handed a plastic knife to Durandal. The brown-haired girl glanced to the left and smiled, "Caramel fresh cream cocoa cake—Lord Bishop chose this himself."

Otto raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

However, Cecilia wasn't about to let him have no involvement: "So, turning off Schicksal's power, preparing the cake, and setting off birthday fireworks, aren't you, Lord Bishop, going to say anything?"

The blonde girl also looked over, a flicker of emotion in her eyes, but still spoke, "This is too extravagant, Bishop—and shutting off Schicksal's power—that will cause great inconvenience to others..."

"A raise."

The simple four-word answer left Durandal speechless: "...Alright."

"Alright, little Bianca," Cecilia placed her delicate hand on Durandal's shoulder and gently massaged it. "Lord Bishop also wants to give you a good birthday."

"Speaking rationally, I'm the least qualified to say anything about this," the blonde girl said earnestly. "But I think—at least, making decisions that inconvenience others like this would trouble me."

"Schicksal headquarters is giving a raise and holiday today," Otto spread his hands. "For those who want to go out, there are flying machines making round trips every thirty minutes."

Durandal: ...

The two beside her couldn't help but laugh. Cecilia squeezed Durandal's nape, smiling, "Only you dare to speak so freely in front of Lord Bishop."

Isn't this a simple matter?

The "goose" didn't understand, but because of the extremely comfortable massage from the woman behind her, she didn't voice her confusion.

"Alright, Lady Bianca," Rita's voice was full of laughter, "Please make another wish in front of the candles."

The blonde girl nodded, closed her eyes, silently repeated the same wish as before, and then blew out the candles.

In the candlelight, she saw Otto smiling at her, a knowing expression on his face.

"Then..."

Cecilia sat to her right.

"Little Bianca, you'll cut the cake."

—"Actually, forget it. The calories I've consumed today are really going to exceed the standard."

The blonde girl had intended to say this, but for some reason, looking at the three people sitting properly before her, she obediently raised her hand and divided the cake with the small plastic knife.

Well... with so many people here, it wouldn't be good for her to appear too reserved.

The soft cream melted on her tongue, and the slightly moist cake was interspersed with the sweet freshness of fruit.

Sweets cause the secretion of dopamine, leading to insomnia... However, the lavender in the tea can calm the mood and aid sleep...

The blonde girl's mind wavered as she ate, seemingly trying to convince herself.

Just one more bite, just one more...

Crunch.

Durandal looked up in surprise and saw the Bishop holding a camera, capturing her hesitant and conflicted expression.

"..."

This cake was not going to be eaten.

The blonde "goose" twisted her wrist, cracking her knuckles with a crunch, and glared fiercely at Otto—but due to the girl's high attractiveness, her anger exuded a cute, fierce aura.

The man didn't seem to have any expectation of being beaten. He slowly handed the camera to Rita, then raised his hand—

Durandal felt a blur before her eyes and a coolness on her face. By the time she could see clearly again, the Bishop sitting opposite her had vanished. All that remained was a mirror, reflecting her left and right cheeks, each smeared with three lines of caramel cream.

???

Her scalp then felt itchy, and a fluffy thing inexplicably settled on her head. When she removed it, she found it was a cat-shaped hair accessory.

"Bishop!"

The young woman stood up, wanting to do something. At that moment, her hand was taken, and Cecilia gently patted her, as if soothing an angry kitten. "The Bishop is just playing with you—and you're not the only one."

Durandal turned her head and saw that Rita and Cecilia were also wearing cat headwear, their fair skin smeared with caramel whiskers. The white-haired woman had even been intentionally pressed on the forehead, revealing clear fingerprints—as if being stamped.

"I'm not angry,"

Not entirely angry—the blonde girl added in her mind, then replied, "Rather—I'm shocked by the Bishop's speed—to be able to move so quickly and get so close, even you, an S-rank Valkyrie for many years, couldn't escape."

Wrong, Cecilia thought, I could have dodged—but why would I want to dodge?

When the Bishop is being mischievous, he's really, really cute too...

The white-haired woman pressed a hand to her chest, her face flushing as she recalled the sensation of Otto's fingertips tracing her cheek. She said softly, "Lord Bishop is getting more and more capable—isn't that a good thing for Schicksal?"

"And more... Hmph!"

The usually mature girl finally showed a childish side, waving her fist in the air, clearly still annoyed.

"Don't be angry, Lord Bishop—he just wants to give you a birthday where you're surrounded by many people and treated equally," Cecilia stood up and led Durandal to the window. "A life where I can laugh and be happy with the Bishop every day is something I once dreamed of."

The young woman wanted to say more, but the white-haired woman raised a finger and placed it on her lips. "Shh—the second round of fireworks is about to begin!"

Durandal followed Cecilia's gaze. The sky lit up once more, with fiery trees and silver flowers unfolding, forming smiling faces. The floating island beneath their feet also activated its backup power, and streetlights gleamed silver. If one looked closely, they would find they had been deliberately arranged to spell out the blonde girl's name.

It was just New Year's before... now it was a celebration of a new life.

Rita looked at the brilliant fireworks in the night sky, then at the two women leaning against each other. She turned her gaze and met the eyes of the Schicksal Grand Bishop, hidden in the shadows, sharing a smile.

Then, as if remembering something, she took a slight step back, picked up the camera he had just handed her, and aimed it at the mother and daughter under the night sky, capturing the picturesque moment.

Chapter 57: St. Freya, Fire of Heaven Drawn (4.5k requests for first subscription!)

"This is Theresa's St. Freya Academy? The architectural style... it feels a bit familiar."

"Mmm... I built it."

"???"

Cecilia and Otto walked through St. Freya Academy, chatting casually.

It was the second day of the new year. Amidst Kiana's reluctant gaze, the two arrived at St. Freya Academy empty-handed, a place said to embody Cecilia's final will.

It was funny, really. Every brick and tile of this academy was built with Otto's help. It wasn't until it was completed that Theresa came to complain, saying it looked like a medieval aristocratic academy.

What exactly was she independent about?

Never mind, never mind. I don't need to empathize with the original host on such matters.

Otto let out a long sigh, his eyes calm.

Plot is just a tool. Characters are just tools.

Emotions arising from tools are useless. Because one needs to weigh pros and cons, analyze gains and losses, and exercise self-discipline.

He should adopt the most appropriate attitude towards the person in front of him based on the situation, rather than treating anyone arbitrarily with the arrogance and prejudice of a past observer.

He is Otto. Otto, who no longer obsesses over Kallen.

Unwarranted pampering should not exist, nor should irrational actions.

He views everything in the world equally.

Because... they can all be actors on his stage.

Now, in Otto's eyes, the vast majority of people only have self-worth and utility value—the former refers to the benefits his personal abilities can bring him, and the latter refers to the benefits he can gain after being utilized.

This way, he won't have too many expectations or disappointments, no unnecessary commotion or demands on his surroundings, no sadness from being misunderstood or pain from being attacked, no unprepared betrayals or spiritual dead ends.

He is at ease.

Loneliness is the destiny of man. If you don't crave it, a significant portion of life's suffering will be reduced. All gains are actively and intentionally acquired, and the happiness derived from this is not inferior.

Besides, little Theresa has great utility value.

This is great. She is his good granddaughter.

He will continue to dote on her, just with slightly fewer privileges.

"I have to say, Cecilia,"

Otto watched a student attempting to climb over the wall to skip class, tutting a few times.

"If this kind of teaching is what you had in mind—then I'm quite disappointed. I remember Kiana also came here once, but she quickly withdrew voluntarily and returned to Schicksal."

The white-haired woman was about to say something in Theresa's defense, but upon hearing the simultaneous disapproval from Otto and Durandal, she could only laugh awkwardly:

"Haha... isn't this to give the girls better memories, so they can truly fight for the beauty of the world?"

"However, my dear girl,"

Otto glanced at Cecilia with a helpless expression.

"False happiness is poison. A little poison now and then might create some beautiful dreams, but if you take too much, it will end your life."

"From its very genes, the world is about survival of the fittest, the strong prevailing over the weak. It is neither fair nor beautiful."

"..." Cecilia pondered seriously, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you remember what I told you in Staffordshire, England? I wanted you, who had lost your memory, to grow up well. I wanted you to cherish your life and live freely, according to your own will—that's why I want you to fight the Mortals, even if I have to protect you from the sidelines."

"I not only didn't help you, but I also criticized you when you were doing well—this was for your own good, Cecilia. Until you can protect yourself, no one can guarantee that your future will truly be beautiful."

"Only with strength can one make choices. This is true for you, and even more so for these teenagers."

"St. Freya Academy's philosophy inherited from your past. Back then, I taught you strength and neglected your growth, only allowing you to experience the outside world in 1985."

"Therefore, you find the outside world dazzling and wish for other Valkyries to encounter these earthly beauties before stepping onto the battlefield."

"However, the battlefield will not show you mercy just because you haven't enjoyed the happiness of ordinary people. Instead, it will bare its fangs if you indulge in youth when you most need to strive."

"You are warriors, the ones most likely to witness cruelty. It would be truly cruel if Valkyries only realized that Schicksal is not an academy and Honkai is not a minor skirmish at St. Freya when they enter the battlefield."

"I believe that after experiencing the Second Honkai Outbreak, you should understand this point even better."

"Alright, it's my fault..." The white-haired woman started to admit, but Otto interrupted her.

"I never said that."

He flicked Cecilia's forehead, eliciting a soft cry from her.

"What I want to tell you is not that you did something wrong, nor that Theresa did something wrong."

"My dear girl, what you need to reflect on is your perspective and insight, not your sincerity and kindness."