"Kiana? Is that the little girl's name?"
Doctor Maki frowned, unable to understand how Xu Yanwu knew he had said that. "Why are you asking?"
"Just curious about what you think, why you came to think that way... and perhaps a tiny bit of agreement."
Xu Yanwu sighed softly. "After serving as a scientist for Schicksal for decades, modifying countless Valkyries and sending them to the battlefield against Honkai... only to watch your granddaughter die before your eyes..."
"After that, you began developing this reagent that could eliminate Honkai Energy... and you actually succeeded."
"You think this is your atonement, don't you?"
Xu Yanwu opened a box, and two chairs flew over from nearby to stop beside him and Doctor Maki. He gestured with one hand. "Sit."
Doctor Maki hesitated, and Xu Yanwu added, "Honkai Energy won't erupt for the time being, but Doctor Maki, you don't have much time left."
"Let's talk first."
After saying that, Xu Yanwu sat down.
"You said you didn't understand why those innocent girls had to fight Honkai, right?"
Hearing Xu Yanwu say that, Doctor Maki sat down as well. "That's right!"
"Why should those girls risk their lives fighting Honkai?!"
Doctor Maki spoke with anger.
"So you think everything you've done over these past decades... was wrong?" Xu Yanwu asked in return. "Then... who do you think should fight Honkai?"
"...Mechs and warships. It's not as though we lack that technology."
That was Doctor Maki's answer.
"Then why modify women instead of men?"
"Was the reason for those modifications... something we chose?"
Xu Yanwu said, "And fighting Honkai... was that a path humanity chose?"
"..."
Doctor Maki fell silent.
Xu Yanwu gradually fell silent as well.
Both of them were lost in their own thoughts.
"The child who just saved you is named