Newborn

Since the end of the Second Honkai Outbreak, Enoshia had been thinking about her future livelihood—food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. At that moment, a tycoon named Benjamin Frankenstein entered her field of vision.

Unlike other immensely ambitious, go-getting big shots, this magnate chose to quit while he was ahead after making a few hundred billion, settling into a stable life from then on and rarely interacting with political and business elites from the outside world.

What exactly he did for a living, Enoshia didn't care. She knew that during the early stages of his business, when he was accumulating primitive capital, he had done countless shady things—he just managed to whitewash his image and go legit later on. That wasn't to say Enoshia would step in to uphold justice or punish evil. It was more that, when she applied the Herrscher's power to him, she could convince herself it was justified.

On the surface, he and his family were Catholics. Whether their faith in God was genuine, Enoshia didn't know—after all, among political and business elites, plenty of them talk all about ideals while their hearts are full of deals.

She only knew that without any effort, she had converted the beliefs of everyone in his core circle to herself. With these tools at her disposal, securing a good life became much easier.

Over half a year later, in September 2000, on a small island in the Pacific Ocean.

A luxurious three-story villa was finally fully decorated. The backyard led out to a private beach, and beneath the villa was a large-scale Data Space. Though it was incomparable to the Sea of Quanta beneath World Serpent, in the current civilization, aside from the three major organizations, no one else would have the capability to build something like this.

This was the new home for four people.

That's right—four people: Enoshia, Sirin, Bella, and Ivan.

She was a natural Stigmata holder—that was the conclusion Schicksal's Valkyries had given. But after Enoshia consulted a vast amount of data and ran various tests, she realized that Sirin had struck gold back in Siberia.

She wasn't just an ordinary Stigmata holder. Like Seele Vollerei, she was a Stigmata Awakener. Enoshia was certain that with proper education, given time, she would surely achieve great things.

On September 16, 2000, Enoshia entered the Data Space with a nervous heart. Whether she could truly resurrect Cecilia—honestly, she had no confidence either.

Since even Black Abyss White Flower couldn't heal her, Enoshia could only think of one way to keep her alive: first, preserve her memories, then recreate her memory body, forge a Soul Steel vessel, and finally import the memory body's data into the Soul Steel body. That way, she could live on like Otto.

But the most critical and difficult step was this: how could Enoshia guarantee that the memory body she constructed was still Cecilia?

Having someone's memories clearly didn't mean being the original person. The great Madam Herrscher of Reason was a perfect example of this.

She possessed all of Fu Hua's memories, had Fu Hua's body, and considered herself Fu Hua. But in the end, she failed to gain anyone's recognition, failed to become Fu Hua, and stormed off in anger.

Having prepared herself mentally, Enoshia began her work. For a Herrscher of Corruption, constructing a memory body within the Data Space with all memories intact was an incredibly easy task. She snapped her fingers, and in a corner of the Data Space, [Cecilia] in her Valkyrie combat suit was created like a 3D print.

"Hmm? Where is this...?" [Cecilia?] had just gained her memories and consciousness and was clearly a bit disoriented.

"Don't be nervous. Let me ask you a few questions. There are no right answers—just follow your heart."

Enoshia took a deep breath and began her questioning.

"When you see Sirin... what do you plan to do?"

"Of course, I'll keep my promise and become her family."

Without a doubt, the [Cecilia?] before her answered exactly like the real Cecilia. But Enoshia thought it over and still felt it wasn't safe enough—what if she was just copying the answers based on existing memories?

"If... just if, Sirin were seduced by some unknown force, declared she would destroy all of human civilization, and had already directly or indirectly caused tens of millions of deaths—under those circumstances, what would you do?"

[Cecilia?] didn't hesitate: "I would eliminate her. Because protecting all of humanity is my duty as a Valkyrie."

"Then, based on that assumption, you and the rest of Schicksal give it your all and finally eliminate Sirin. As both your lives are nearing their end, Otto fires a Honkai Energy Fission Bomb at your position. What would you do then?"

[Cecilia?] thought briefly before answering: "I would do everything I could to let her feel warmth in her final moments."

"Even if she wanted to destroy all of humanity?"

"That was the her of the past. The her at the end of her life no longer has the power to destroy all of humanity—she's just a pitiful girl in need of help."

"Even if your help is just wishful thinking, self-gratification?"

"It's true that offering help doesn't necessarily solve the problem. But if we lose the heart to help others, then more people in need will go without help. If I'm unwilling to help even Sirin, who's right in front of me, then how can I protect all of humanity?"

"Then... in the moment when you and she are about to be turned to ash by the Honkai Energy Fission Bomb, do you hate Otto?"

[Cecilia?] shook her head: "No. If you see the fight against the Honkai as a war, then I'm the vanguard charging into battle, and the Overseer is the general commanding the overall strategy. No matter how much a general cherishes his soldiers, no matter how brave and resourceful he is, he can't win every battle without losing a single soldier. If sacrificing me can secure victory in a war, then I'm willing."

Hearing this, Enoshia couldn't help but mutter inwardly: "But unfortunately, Otto never saw Valkyries as people. His reasons for sacrificing Valkyries were never for victory in war—only for his own selfish desires. The Overseer of Schicksal never intended to eliminate the Honkai."

"Then one last question. If one day in the future..."

[Cecilia?]: "..."

A few minutes later, as soon as Enoshia stepped out of the Data Space, she saw Sirin pacing back and forth in the room. The moment Sirin spotted her, she rushed over, extremely agitated.

"How... how did it go?"

"It's done. The rest is time for the two of you. I won't intrude."

The moment Enoshia finished speaking, Sirin dashed into the Data Space.

As she was embraced once again, Sirin felt a pair of warm hands soothing the wounds in her heart. Enoshia hadn't lied to her—she really had saved Cecilia.

"Sirin, I'm sorry. If it weren't for Miss Eno, I would have broken my promise. In the end, it's you who provided me with a place to live..."

"Mom!"

At those words, Cecilia, who had long regarded Sirin as her own daughter, opened the floodgates of her tears.

"Mm."

With her gentle caress, a long-tormented soul finally found the solace it had sought for years.