Cracked Falsehood

The warm scent of sunlight filled her nostrils, and a gentle breeze ruffled her hair. Carole gazed at the girl before her, her mind blank with an instinctive flutter. The mere fraction of a second seemed to stretch out infinitely, enhancing her sensory experience.

Her delicate and beautiful eyebrows revealed a joyful smile, and her upturned lips showed innocence and beauty, just like a conch shell washed ashore on a golden beach. The tall and pointed conch shell has a beautiful arc, and the colors are colorful like a peacock spreading its wings, shining with a dazzling and beautiful arc of light. It is a gift from heaven to those around them.

Seele Fulei.

The person before her was undoubtedly the child she knew, but before her consciousness could confirm this reality, she was already caught in a chaotic vortex of undercurrents.

Nerves tensed instinctively, cells trembled uncontrollably, and the excellent Honkai Energy quality that should have been a source of pride became the culprit that allowed one to reach the heavens and face the true form of the gods.

It seems that ancient Miko, who were born with spiritual powers and could see ghosts, often used this ability to bring misfortune and death upon themselves.

At this Shiyu Qiluo and Carole are like this; the better their Honkai Energy literacy, the better their perception of Honkai Energy will be.

These advantages, which were originally intended to help scout the enemy in advance on the battlefield and increase survival rates, have now had the opposite effect.

It's already difficult enough to expect someone like that to have normal communication with Herrscher.

Judging from the current situation, not only do ideologies and past perceptions create invisible distances and distorted barriers between minds, but even the inherent heterogeneity and power of this thing itself casts a terrifying filter that it cannot remove.

In the instant Carole instinctively held her breath, the girl's joyful smile had already lost its original meaning.

This sensation was like hearing the vast ocean in the center of the Milky Way, forcibly confined to an extremely narrow space, breathing quietly and silently. The intense sense of incongruity seemed to constantly proclaim the reality that the other party was not human, going against the instinct of seeking advantage and avoiding harm in our genes.

It cannot be avoided, it cannot be forgotten, it cannot be deceived.

That immense mass and grandeur, enough to crush everything, is condensed within this tiny, fragile body, radiating a powerful presence, domineeringly squeezing out the right to breathe, and blatantly proclaiming its own powerlessness and weakness.

The flow and fluctuations of Honkai Energy naturally established new laws and order around her. Even at a distance of less than ten meters, the illusion of being completely controlled and the trembling of her body reached their peak in an instant.

All of this, more clearly than ever before, proves a reality.

Seele Fulei is the Sixth Herrscher.

Although they were informed of many details and precautions beforehand, it was only after experiencing it firsthand that the two of them understood just how difficult it was to maintain their original natural relationship.

Why is it that... Hua can do it?

Even though the Void Sword Qi can easily strip away unnecessary fear, this ability still has its limits. If one doesn't truly accept it from the heart, it's still impossible to maintain such a long daily life with the other person without showing any abnormality.

Moreover, Fu Hua's Honkai Energy literacy is far superior to that of the two of them. The pressure and crisis she can sense outweigh the current sense of unease. In this respect, it is not an exaggeration to say that the power of the Void Sword Qi and her excellent Honkai Energy literacy cancel each other out.

Knowing all this in advance, they weren't completely unprepared; before arriving, the two even underwent several intense training sessions facing the pressure of the Herrscher.

However, under the immense pressure deliberately exerted by the Herrscher, within just one hour of silent observation, the high concentration of Honkai Energy continuously became disordered within the body until the body's functions completely ceased, ultimately resulting in severe injury and dizziness.

This was a pointless effort, and after many repeated attempts, the two came to understand this reality.

Trying to ignore pain by getting used to it is not a wise approach, and besides, it is rarely effective.

However, through several rehearsals in the Virtual Pod, Carole and Shiyu Qiluo both understood that Seele was not deliberately releasing her aura. They could even see that she was trying her best to restrain herself within her capabilities, striving not to show any Herrscher -like qualities.

Indeed, this was the case. Although the sense of unease they felt was much more real than in the Virtual Pod, it was far from the terrifying malice and murderous intent they perceived.

It's not so much that we can still tolerate it, but rather that we have to get used to it for both the other person's sake and our own.

This child is already very unlucky.

Even before the Great Honkai, Seele Fulei never consistently enjoyed a warm and comfortable daily life.

When Carole heard that Su Qing'an had found her at the end of the alley, she found it very strange. At that time, the world was so peaceful that even such subtle tragedies and anomalies on the surface seemed particularly incongruous.

What kind of circumstances would necessitate being adopted by Teacher Su?

However, out of respect for the casual acquaintance, she did not delve into this question in subsequent meetings. Even so, she could still sense that in the warm daily life of the school, the little girl who had been brought to audit classes was naturally separated from these atmospheres by a distance between two worlds.

No one knows Seele Fulei's past, but it's safe to say it wasn't a pleasant time. Based on numerous conversations and conversations, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as deformed and bleak.

And if a girl whose life has been built up by countless misfortunes, big and small, to be so easily abandoned and discarded for such a reason...

Isn't that too tragic?

Just as everything she possessed had been shattered and reduced to a handful during the Honkai, Seele Fulei was in a similar situation.

The things contained in her embrace were so few, so few, that she couldn't bear to let anyone take even the slightest bit of weight away from them.

Therefore, we must strive to do so.

That's why they chose to stand here today.

In a daze, the determination I had once made gave me the strength to come back to my senses. Time seemed to turn back, and the sunlight and breeze of that time seemed both illusory and refreshing.

Shiyu Qiluo and Carole exchanged a glance, completely concealing the emotions in their eyes.

Shiyu Qiluo lifted the bag in her hand towards the little girl, smiled, and said softly:

"It's a gift, Seele, guess what it is?"

Seele cautiously stepped closer and asked nervously:

"Hmm, is it food?"

Carole took off her shoes and put on sandals. She set the bag aside, stretched, glanced around at the scenery, and then replied with a smile:

"It's dessert! Dessert!"

"These are the fruits of Qiluo and my labor in Sydney these past few days. They were all made by the head chefs of some big restaurants. Luckily, the pay and benefits for this job are very high, otherwise Qiluo and I definitely wouldn't have been able to afford them before."

Then, she looked at the somewhat hesitant and timid little girl, blinked her golden eyes, and asked jokingly:

"Won't you give me a hug?"

Carole's pink-streaked hair swayed gently as the little girl's soft body nestled in her arms, and the smile on her lips froze slightly.

This close contact amplified perception to its maximum, with a bone-deep fear disrupting the body and ravaging consciousness.

Stay away, stay away, stay away.

These two words seemed to form large, blood-soaked characters in my brain, replaying endlessly, desperately forcing my body to make the right decision.

Ultimately, she overcame the warnings her instincts gave her and did not choose to leave.

But the hand that had been embracing Seele was trembling uncontrollably in mid-air. In order to avoid being noticed, it ultimately did not dare to land on her thin back.

Seele buried her head in the girl's mature, soft chest, and murmured softly:

"Sorry."

Shiyu Qiluo moment, then placed her hand on Seele's back and smoothed her naturally falling orange-blue hair. She whispered:

"Would you like something? Dessert."

Seele's face, as white as snow, hesitated for a moment, and tentatively asked:

"It's almost dinner time, won't Sister Hua scold me?"

Shiyu Qiluo tapped her forehead and said with a smile:

"Just a tiny bit? Probably not."

A little bit shouldn't be a problem.

The little girl wavered.

Carole loosened her arms, picked up the bag beside her, and walked into the living room, adding:

"It's delicious! If Seele doesn't eat it, Qiluo and I will probably finish it all in a bit."

Seele paused, her lips parted slightly, clearly shocked by the shamelessness in those words:

"Huh? Isn't this a gift for me?"

Shiyu Qiluo helped her lie, explaining in a serious tone:

"Gifts also have an expiration date, just like ice cream that melts after a while."

Seele glanced guiltily at the spiral staircase— Fu Hua was up there.

But then she made up her mind and said seriously:

"It's afternoon tea time now, so having some dessert is perfectly normal."

Perhaps.

Fu Hua savored the sweetness of the strawberry jam, the rich and crisp chocolate, the subtle sweetness of the coconut flakes, and the wonderful combination of these delicate textures within the coolness of the ice cream. Her lips involuntarily curled into a slight smile.

Seeing the three men staring at her, her face flushed, and she said somewhat guiltily:

"It's delicious, but what if I can't eat dinner afterwards?"

This Lamington Cake is of very high quality. It has a soft and crisp texture based on two layers of sponge cake covered in chocolate, which is then balanced with the sweetness and creaminess of ice cream and strawberry sauce in the middle, and finally finished with coconut flakes.

Lead to...

Fu Hua wanted to loudly condemn him, but at the moment it seemed she couldn't utter any righteous words.

After all, she hadn't had dessert in a long time, so her taste buds seemed to be temporarily craving it, which was truly unavoidable.

Seele quietly pushed another plate of dessert next to the little girl, her devilish whispers echoing in her ears:

"Sister Hua, this is Eight-Layer Chocolate Cake from Quay Restaurant."

"The glaze is made with a rich chocolate sauce base, and the filling is a combination of mousse and dacquoise. I tried a little bit, and it was delicious!"

Following the little girl's movements, Shiyu Qiluo pushed another plate in front of her and said calmly:

"This is a simple strawberry dessert made from a combination of ingredients such as strawberry shortbread, strawberry Strawberry Mousse, strawberry mousse, strawberry jam, and strawberry ice cream."

Please enjoy.

Seeing this, Carole took out Elegant Silver Box with Engravings from her bag. She placed it on the table, pressed the switch, and as the machine turned, a light, smooth sound of operation naturally arose. As the soft clatter of a lock opening reached her ears, a dessert slowly came into view.

Her golden eyes gazed directly at them with an air of confidence, as if surveying all directions; her lips moved slightly.

Passion Fruit Soufflé.

Eat it while it's hot.

Passion Fruit Soufflé is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a light and smooth texture. It can be called the essence of French cooking. However, it must be served hot after it is made, because it will slowly collapse within a few minutes, causing it to lose its original flavor.

Therefore, there is a French proverb. "There are guests who wait for soufflés, not soufflés that wait for guests."

It's worth mentioning that the two didn't buy the desserts in Sydney before coming to Soul Steel Prison. Instead, they took the chefs from those shops to the outer area of Soul Steel Prison, had them prepare the desserts on the spot, and then brought them in.

The reason for such a large-scale mobilization is that everything concerning the Sixth Herrscher needs to be treated with utmost care, and Prometheus is responsible for making the judgments, which led to the bizarre situation described above.

In short, this dessert uses very common ingredients and is easy to make. In addition, it must be served immediately after baking, so logically speaking, it does not have any advantage over the previous desserts.

However, the flaw regarding the time period dates back over a hundred years. According to the packaging specially made by the restaurant for this purpose, it can still perfectly preserve the melt-in-your-mouth taste from when it was just served.

Carole's confidence didn't stem from the fact that this dessert was far superior to the previous ones, but rather from the fact that once the packaging was opened, everyone had to eat this soufflé first to truly appreciate its deliciousness.

That's quite cunning.

Shiyu Qiluo gave her a chop to the neck, and said helplessly:

"If they demolish it now, we really won't have time for dinner."

Seele pursed her lips:

"Cunning."

Fu Hua silently took a bite of the soufflé, her first impression being that it had a strangely retro feel.

Immediately, a pure sweetness and a soft, gentle texture flood the entire mouth, creating a perfect melt-in-your-mouth taste.

It's delicious.

The desserts were all delicious today.

The girl rested her chin on her hand, glanced at the group of people who, as always, exuded a warm atmosphere, and unconsciously smiled slightly, revealing a hint of doting affection.

Actually, she didn't expect to recover to her original state so smoothly at first. After all, even with the Void Sword Qi filtering out many emotions, it was still difficult for her to communicate normally with Seele without showing any negative emotional fluctuations.

This is especially true for Carole and Shiyu Qiluo, but... in any case, it's already good enough that they can maintain the current situation.

It's more accurate to say that this is the luckiest thing that could happen.

Fu Hua looked out the window at the azure sky and said softly:

"Since Master Su isn't here today and he's not cooking, having this for dinner isn't really unacceptable."

Carole and Seele exchanged a glance and cheered with joy:

"Yay!"

While somewhat speechless, Shiyu Qiluo couldn't help but smile.

Although it is very difficult, and it can be said that it is a constant torment that crushes the nerves and destroys the sanity, if it can bring about the current scene, then these costs are worth continuing to pay.

Only...

She recalled the subtle, instinctive shiver that Carole had felt when she tried to recreate their past interactions.

Even though Dr. Mei, the controller of this Soul Steel Prison, was willing to let her and Carole stay there to keep Seele, they could only choose to refuse.

It was only a brief thirty minutes.

This short period of time alone far exceeds the mental and physical exertion required for a hunting mission. If they had to face Seele Fulei anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day, it would not be beneficial for either of them.

Maintaining regular video communication and occasionally visiting each other's homes like today is currently the best solution.

The saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder" perfectly explains the current situation.

Shiyu Qiluo and Carole are trying their best to create a positive impression for Seele Fulei that even after becoming Herrscher, her life hasn't changed much.

They hoped the little girl could at least achieve this level of happiness.

Therefore, it's unacceptable to expose any mistakes.

It would be a mistake to allow Seele Fulei to correctly understand just how much terrifying oppression she is currently inflicting on others.

In order to avoid reaching this end, both he and Pepper must constantly assess their own limits.

Judging from the secret signals the two had previously set for each other, even though it was tough, it was still within their tolerance level.

Optimistically, frequent contact might cause the body to become accustomed to the reality that the Herrscher will not harm it, leading to increased patience and thus reducing the risk of exposing the true nature of the situation.

Fu Hua had also set up a secret code with the two of them beforehand, so that they could leave naturally at any time.

Now, Shiyu Qiluo is also starting to consider whether or not to have dinner here.

The instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm is human nature.

Fear of pain, aversion to fatigue, and avoidance of difficult problems are all examples of this.

Even though she knew she was far from her limit, her subconscious avoidance and cautious nature still led her to decide to leave early.

Fu Hua got up and walked towards the kitchen, saying:

"Eating sweets all the time can get cloying, right? I'll go make myself a cup of black tea."

The three nodded, but didn't seem to care about the other's departure; it was just a trivial interlude during afternoon tea.

Seele felt enveloped in the warmth of her daily life, the emptiness in her heart and the unease that had accumulated since becoming Herrscher slowly dissipated.

You are very happy.

In a daze, it seemed as if my own murmurs echoed faintly in a corner of my mind, and then even more subtle and unusual trivialities permeated my soul.

[&%&*￥%&*...%*]

Incomprehensible; meaningless.

It was as if the noise across endless mountains and seas had no possibility of interfering with the Sixth Herrscher; it was merely an echo that could barely be transmitted after the Honkai Consciousness could no longer establish a link.

Given the current situation, its appearance is both reasonable and meaningless.

However, as she realized that the noise seemed to be something she had heard when she became Herrscher, Seele Fulei's mind went blank for a moment.

If it were Herrscher normally accepts everything about herself, such as the Herrscher of Reason Bronya or the Third Herrscher Raiden Mei, the oppressive force she exerted on Carole and others would have disappeared under the perfect convergence of Honkai Energy fluctuations.

Seele Fulei, who subconsciously still doesn't acknowledge herself as the Sixth Herrscher, not only lacks the qualifications to control powerful abilities, but also has to exert every effort to suppress and control the Honkai Energy within her body.

As Su Qing'an once bluntly stated, even a severe Honkai Energy rampage could occur under these conditions.

At this moment, this possibility is amplified instantly by the reality that the Honkai Consciousness is trying to communicate with.

The result was that Honkai Energy went out of control.

Panic, anger, sadness, and confusion—these emotions twist into intense malice on the surface, and the scattered sparks emanating from the Herrscher Core, thus wreaking havoc on everything around us as they descend upon the world.

The extremely high concentration of Honkai Energy released instantly converted into high concentrations of heat, melting the wooden floor, obliterating all the desserts on the table, and... the closest figures Carole and Shiyu Qiluo.

In the brief moment when Seele regained consciousness, what she saw was the deathly grayness reflected in those golden pupils and the eerie fire burning like a torch. The withered grass, which seemed to be swaying in the midst of a magnificent scene, was slowly crushed into powder, gripping her heart and giving her unprecedented fear and pain.

Her extraordinary reflexes allowed her to understand the situation within seconds of it unfolding, thus saving her from imminent death.

Stop right now!!!

In the utter silence, the Honkai Energy, which had reached an extremely high concentration, was extinguished.

Everything was in accordance with Seele Fulei's will; at the very last moment when the two were touched by the Honkai Energy fluctuations, it was all over.

Thus, the vast territory and cages extending from the Soul Steel Prison came to an end, Seele Prometheus judged that Fulei retained self-awareness, acquiesced to the status quo, causing these things to disappear.

Carole stared blankly at the Soul Steel Ring on her wrist, which had slowly returned to its original state and had lost some mass, remaining silent.

This was an item given to herself and Shiyu Qiluo upon entering the prison. She originally thought it was probably just for show, but in reality, without the Soul Steel Ring... injury was inevitable. And based on the Honkai Energy is converted into heat energy when it goes berserk, if Seele's Honkai Energy went out of control for a few more seconds, it wouldn't be surprising if she died directly.

"Pepper... sister?"

It was a faint, bewildered, timid voice—a voice she knew all too well.

We cannot ignore it.

Yes, we can't ignore it.

Carole knew that the person who was most upset, most sorrowful, and most unable to accept this moment was Seele Fulei herself.

Seele Fulei is not wrong.

Even after surviving a brush with death, she still believes this.

But the reality that Seele Fulei was Herrscher completely permeated her mind and consciousness, overwhelming the limits of her nerves.

Her heart pounded, her blood ran cold, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably. Carole sat helplessly on the ground, her gaze fixed on the girl's stunned face. She reached out her hand as if to comfort her, but as it hovered in mid-air, her fingertips trembled slightly, and it slowly fell back down.

The girl lowered her gaze, her lips parted slightly, and she said:

"I'm sorry, Seele."

Her eyes went completely dark, tears fell, and she repeated only one sentence:

"I'm sorry, Seele."

Shiyu Qiluo trembled with fear, but she still slowly, very slowly, hugged the stunned little girl.

She held him so tightly yet so carefully, as if she were restraining her fear and despair, or as if she were handling dangerous explosives. It was contradictory and ridiculous, yet it also revealed a silent, solitary courage.

This girl, who had always been calm since facing Ganesha's pursuit, showed a broken expression for the first time since the outbreak of the Great Honkai. She tried her best to suppress the sound of sobbing, but Seele could still feel the warmth of the tears falling on her shoulder in a daze.

Sister Qiluo is crying.

Why?

This obvious question seems to require no further explanation.

Because Seele Fulei is Herrscher.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I'm so useless, why can't I do it?"

She is apologizing.

But why apologize?

Everyone did nothing wrong; everyone was working hard for Seele.

The little girl recalled the slight tremor and occasional stiffness in their expressions when they saw her. She thought that both Sister Qiluo and Sister Pepper had tried their best.

Why are they crying like this?

Clearly... it's Seele's been wrong and willful, no matter what.

Even now, even though she was so scared that she couldn't breathe, and even though she was so terrified that her blood was flowing abnormally, Sister Qiluo still hugged her, as if she wanted to give her all she could, trying her best to find redemption for herself.

I'm so sad.

She should have found healing in the warmth of the embrace and the other person's efforts, but Seele Fulei only felt a void in her heart. Even as her emotions overflowed, filling her eyes with tears and causing her heart to ache involuntarily.

Even though all her senses and emotional responses were normal, the girl still vaguely sensed a strange sense of unease.

All I can feel is sadness.

Why don't I feel any sense of redemption at all?

It should evoke feelings of gratitude, healing, and even warmth.

Even after learning about or experiencing the terror of the Herrscher, some people still intend to treat themselves the way they always have, working hard and diligently despite their fear.

This is the reality.

This is a reality I should be grateful for, one that makes me incredibly lucky.

How could Seele Fulei only feel sorrow and pain?

Even with a mountain of questions piling up, she could only let the sorrow fill her chest, allowing tears to stream down her face...

And in the very end...

Shiyu Qiluo uttered the exact same words as Carole, gazing into those deep blue eyes, and whispered:

"I'm sorry, Seele."

Something seems to be broken.

But perhaps it was already broken from the beginning.