This was her—a somewhat rigid yet unexpectedly endearing Valkyrie...
Beichen thought for a moment, then said, "It's fine. I didn't take it to heart."
"Mm, thank you. You're a broad-minded person."
After cleaning up the mess left by her team members, Durandal turned around and sternly addressed the two people beside Rita:
"Remember, we Valkyries of Schicksal have fighting Honkai as our primary mission. Those of us with power should shoulder this responsibility and protect ordinary people."
"Yes!"
The two team members Durandal had reprimanded immediately agreed, terrified of making her unhappy.
As for Vice Captain Rita, she raised her head slightly and looked at Durandal in mild surprise.
At that moment, Durandal was staring intently at her...
She looked as though she were about to demand an explanation and impose severe punishment!
"Captain Durandal, I will keep your words firmly in mind and be more careful in the future."
"That isn't what I want to talk to you about, Rita."
"Oh?"
"Bishop Otto asked me to notify you to go see him."
Upon hearing Durandal's words, Rita did not dare delay and immediately got up to leave.
However, when she reached the cafeteria entrance, she happened to run into Beichen, who had finished eating and was heading back to his dorm for an afternoon nap.
The two exchanged a glance, and Beichen stepped aside out of gentlemanly courtesy.
But Rita merely smiled and said, "If you're in a hurry, then please go first, sir."
Hearing that reply, Beichen frowned in puzzlement before pushing open the door.
Yet just as he stepped out of the cafeteria, he suddenly heard Rita's voice behind him.
"I hope you enjoy your time at Schicksal, Mr. Beichen. I still remember you, you know~"
Although Rita's voice was sweet and melodious, as pleasant as a lark's song.
The way she said she still remembered him... was rather unsettling...
"That truly is... an honor."
Beichen replied over his shoulder, then quickly left.
Watching his departing figure, Rita's lovely narrowed eyes gradually opened, revealing a vigilant expression...
Originally, she had not intended to waste attention on such a minor character.
But after the suggestions from those two team members and Captain Durandal's reprimand, Rita had grown increasingly curious about this man's background...
"Did you summon me, Lord Otto?"
There was a knock on Otto's office door, followed by Rita's voice from outside.
"Come in, Rita." Otto rested his chin on one hand and said casually, "There are some things I need to inform you about."
After receiving Otto's permission, Rita slowly pushed open the door, closed it behind her, and lowered her head in greeting.
Only after completing that full set of maid-specific etiquette did she slowly raise her head and ask:
"What are your orders?"
"..."
Otto looked at the maid before him, dressed in the Valkyrie battlesuit Azure Knight: Moonbeam, and organized his thoughts.
Then, he spoke...
"It seems Kiana's coma... Next, I will return to headquarters to make my report."
Otto would have been better off staying silent. The moment he opened his mouth, he practically scared the life out of her.
He had actually recited word for word what Rita had said in front of the Moonlight Throne's engine!
As soon as he finished speaking, Rita, the person involved, felt her eyelid twitch.
"Sorry to interrupt everyone. Theresa... I'd like to have a match with one of you."
With another sentence, Rita could no longer maintain her calm, unruffled smile.
"L-Lord Otto, what do you mean by this? Did you... have someone follow me? No, that's impossible... Back at the Moonlight Throne, it should have only been me and the people from St. Freya Academy!"
"I merely wish to say that, through means you could never imagine, I learned everything you did at St. Freya Academy," Otto said after reciting the words Rita had spoken while out on a mission. He even added, "By the way, I was quite pleased by your praise that Theresa was as cute as a doll."
The instant Rita heard that, her face turned deathly pale...
Welt, You Old Bastard, Just Wait—I'm Coming to Pull for You!
Rita believed she had encountered an utterly incomprehensible accident.
That was... a privacy leak...
Or rather, every single thing she did while carrying out missions had been discovered by the Bishop.
It was terrifying. Extremely, extremely terrifying!
How exactly did he know those things? Had he used technology to monitor her? Did that surveillance include her private life as well? Could it possibly include situations like bathing or using the toilet...
"What are you thinking about, Rita? I needn't tell you how foolish it is to let your thoughts show on your face."
Otto's abrupt words interrupted Rita's wild thoughts.
Only then did she realize that, due to her overwhelming shock, her expression just now... had failed to show the humility and courtesy expected of a maid.
She had failed as a maid!
"My apologies, Lord Otto. I... simply never expected that you would..." Rita trailed off, unsure whether she should feel angry or embarrassed.
After all, she had never imagined Archbishop Otto would care about the details of her missions...
"Please tell me, are you... monitoring me?"
"Heh... hehehe. That is enough joking around, Rita."
Otto cast a cold glance at the thoroughly embarrassed maid before revealing the reason behind it all.
"Recently... Durandal shared an extremely special system with me. According to its own description, it is called the Live Stream Audience System."
"Please continue."
"As for the details, I do not wish to reveal too much. I can only tell you that through this system, I can not only learn your every move within the academy, but even witness how the experimental subject's heart was gradually corrupted and twisted."
Otto spoke with a serious expression. Though his words sounded utterly unbelievable.
Rita did not doubt the truth of anything this Archbishop said.
"Then... is that a good thing?"
"Not necessarily. I cannot say for certain either, because I cannot control this thing. And its creator seems to know... certain secrets that should have remained hidden."
After Otto finished explaining, he did not beat around the bush with Rita and stated directly:
"I need your assistance, Rita."
Time passed bit by bit, and soon night arrived.
Beichen's work today had mainly involved operating transport machinery to move construction materials. While all the buying and hauling had been tiring, it was not especially exhausting.
After all, compared to machines of flesh and blood, Schicksal's steel machines were far more advanced.
After quickly washing away the grime on his body, Beichen changed into casual clothes, sat on his bed, and opened his phone to prepare for the stream.
The moment he entered the game, he saw that his stamina was almost full.
Knowing how valuable stamina was, Beichen did not waste a word and immediately began clearing material stages to obtain what few Crystals he could.
Just as he finished adjusting his team and began the material stage, the system prompt sounded.
Welcome Loves Bronya, Miss Pink Elf, and Today's Performance Is Not Perfect to the Live Stream.
"Hello, streamer big brother!" The moment she entered the Live Stream, Seele sent a greeting through the chat.
She was far more enthusiastic now than she had been at the start.
Seeing this introverted girl become so lively here, Beichen could not help feeling that he finally had a true fan!
"Mm, hello, hello!"
"Huh? Big brother, your voice... sounds a little weak? Are you sick?"
"Cough, cough! I'm just a little tired. Thanks for your concern."
Beichen was busy responding to Seele's concern when the third chat message drifted across the Live Stream.
"Hi, did you miss me? o(*￣︶￣*)o If you're having any difficulties, you can talk to Fairy Miss about them~ I'll use love to ease your fatigue properly."
After saying that, Elysia actually typed out a heart symbol...
Beichen knew that there truly was a cute and charming Fairy Miss on the other side of the Live Stream.
So he smiled knowingly and replied softly:
"Thank you for your concern, Fairy Miss."
After speaking, he explained, "I'm farming materials right now. In a little while, I'll pull for equipment and characters, then continue the main story."
The moment Seele heard that the streamer was going to pull again, she immediately sent a message: "Okay! What are you planning to pull for Bronya this time? That weapon from last time?"
Although Beichen could not see what expression she had on the other end of the Live Stream, it was easy to tell from her cheerful tone that Seele probably wore an expectant smile.
Sigh... the poor kid had encountered the evil of gacha at such an innocent age...
Although Beichen had pulled off a miracle with his last Ten-Pull and even made a little profit from his bet with the Bishop.
Having gone through several pity streaks, he knew very well that if this game decided to be cruel... it could be terrifying!
"Ahem, I need to make one thing clear: this game does not guarantee you'll get whatever you want just because you pull for it. Usually, you use whatever you happen to get. Unless you have superpowers."
"Huh? Oh... so it depends heavily on luck. Then what kind of superpower would make an exception?"
"Money power."
The moment Beichen finished speaking, the atmosphere in the Live Stream instantly froze.
"Streamer big brother, you seem to have a talent for telling bad jokes..."
"That was certainly a very tactful way of putting it..."
As the two chatted, they realized there was not much left to talk about. After all, after that whole back-and-forth, the atmosphere in the Live Stream had only become stranger...
Fortunately, there were not only two people in this Live Stream.
"Hi? Sorry to interrupt, but I heard a friend explain this gacha thing to me before. What exactly are you going to pull for next?"
A pink chat message drifted elegantly across the screen, instantly bringing life back to the awkward Live Stream.
When Beichen saw who had sent the message, he could not help sighing. As expected of her... the best mood-setter among the Heroes, Elysia.
"Next, I'm pulling for Stigmata, a full top, middle, and bottom set. They're Stigmata for Reason Bronya—Welt Yang."
"Welt... who is that?" Hearing Beichen begin explaining, Seele could not help asking like a curious child. "I think I once heard... my mother mention him."
Good grief, she did not even know Welt?!
It seemed this Seele was still very, very young. Cocolia probably had not even told her about Anti-Entropy's Alliance Leader yet, had she?
"He is the Alliance Leader of an organization called Anti-Entropy, and he is also someone who has lived for a very long time."
After briefly explaining who Welt was, Beichen opened the Precision Supply page and pressed the Ten-Pull button.
As the Ten-Pull screen rapidly appeared, two purple equipment icons flashed onto the screen.
"That purple icon! I remember it's an equipment icon! Big brother, you got something again!"
Seele's congratulatory message drifted across the screen.
Before you continue