So this is what they mean by "like mother, like daughter"?

With that said, Beichen continued the story.

So Theresa really cared that much about Dad.

Just as Kiana was sighing over how her aunt and father were not entirely at odds with each other...

A third person suddenly joined the combat channel...

Theresa, I never expected you to care so much about my husband~

The voice was soft and pleasant. Just hearing it made the image of a gentle, kind woman appear in their minds...

Theresa recognized the voice almost instantly.

That voice! It's Cecilia! Have you reached Siberia already?

"Cecilia/Cecilia!"

As Cecilia's voice appeared, the two people in the Live Stream cried out almost at the same time.

One comment came from Seele, while the other came from Durandal.

"I never expected Kiana's mother to join the communication at a time like this... I wonder what kind of person she is? That voice... she must be a very gentle mother, right? Hehe..."

"Is this the presence of Schicksal's former strongest Valkyrie? Why do I suddenly feel so much safer?"

Both of them showed intense interest in Cecilia.

Or rather, both longed to experience something through this Valkyrie that they had never felt before...

Beichen then tapped the screen again.

Cecilia! Th-this is Mom's voice?

Mm, luckily I got there in time and managed to save my husband.

Siegfried, he's alive!?

After hearing Cecilia's words, Theresa finally reacted.

He's not out of danger yet. Half his body was burned, after all. I'll do my best to heal him. You should head for the "Tower" first. Once I've healed him, I'll head over immediately as well.

After explaining her plans, Cecilia had Theresa act for the time being.

But when Theresa heard that she intended to heal Siegfried, she immediately became concerned.

Heal wounds caused by Judgement of Shamash? Don't tell me you used Abyss Flower? But your body!

You worry too much, Theresa~ It's fine, it's fine.

After Cecilia ended the communication, the dialogue box began displaying Kiana's excitement.

She was happy and nervous because she was about to see her mother.

That emotion gradually spread along with the change in her tone, eventually reaching everyone in the Live Stream.

"Mom... how nice. I want to see my mother too, but unfortunately... like Kiana, I've never seen her either..."

"I-I think my mother must also be... someone... someone as gentle as Cecilia, right? Um... sorry, I got a little distracted..."

Seele and Durandal, those two unfortunate children, actually empathized with Kiana because of the emotions she conveyed in the Live Stream...

"Mother? Hmm... that's a very distant term."

Not long after their comments drifted past, a green comment followed.

Its owner was Otto, who usually did not involve himself in such idle chatter.

However, his reaction was not particularly strong.

He merely remarked on the word "mother" without showing much emotion.

Once the comments had all drifted past the screen, Beichen resumed the story.

Ah, what a failure! In the end, I still couldn't stop Cecilia from coming to the battlefield!

Theresa, why have you always tried to stop Cecilia from coming to the battlefield?

Cecilia may be the strongest Valkyrie, but she has been recuperating ever since giving birth to her daughter. If she takes part in the battle...

Right, that voice in my dream said Mom would die in the Second Honkai Eruption. No! I can't let Mom die here! Even if this is only a virtual data space, I still can't let that happen!

"The voice in the dream... Huh? Was that the dream from before the main story? Now that you mention it, why do I feel like that voice sounded a lot like the Second Herrscher's?"

Just as Kiana silently made up her mind, a blue comment drifted past.

Seele had inadvertently pointed out a hidden key point that Beichen had long known about but kept to himself!

"Indeed, they sound very alike. You could even say..."

Not long after Seele's comment drifted past, Durandal echoed her.

But just as she was about to reveal what she had noticed, a green comment floated across the screen.

"...But what does that change?"

The one who sent that comment was Otto. As the one behind it all, he naturally understood why Sirin's voice had appeared in the earlier story...

"Huh? Aren't you surprised? The Second Herrscher! That really powerful-looking blue glowing person from before!"

"Pfft!"

Beichen had originally intended to quietly watch the viewers make wild guesses through their comments.

But when he saw Seele call her a "blue glowing person," he completely lost it!

Hahahaha, this was probably the worst Sirin had ever been slandered...

The mighty Queen of Honkai, the Herrscher workhorse of the current civilization, had actually been called a blue glowing person...

"Ahem! Let me correct that. She isn't some blue glowing person. It's just that her data in this data space was encrypted by someone."

To defend the Queen's dignity, Beichen unusually spoke up.

Then, the very next second, Seele questioned him...

"Huh? Why would you know that, big brother?"

"Do you remember what Theresa said when she first entered this data space?"

"Oh! I remember now. It really did mention that someone had encrypted it. So that's why the Second Herrscher was a blue glowing person?"

Seele finally understood the reason, but another question surfaced in her heart.

"Then who encrypted her? And what did the encrypted Second Herrscher actually look like?"

"Don't be so impatient. Just keep watching and you'll find out."

Beichen did not answer further, choosing instead to keep Seele in suspense.

"Again with 'keep watching.' Fine! But... I still hope Kiana and her family can all be well."

What? Be well?

Impossible. You're watching a miHoYo script and still expecting a happy ending? If they didn't get wiped out in the end, that would already be Dawei's greatest mercy.

Don't be fooled by how the family seemed reunited and happy right now. This was all just setting up the knives...

Since he had seen the script, Beichen knew very well what would happen next.

That was why he grew even more curious. Once Cecilia sacrificed herself, Kiana realized everything was fake, and Fu Hua betrayed them and took her away...

Would Seele get stabbed into tears again...? Wait, why did I say "again"?

"Ahem, let's keep watching. This chapter is almost over too."

Beichen continued the story. Not long after Ri Duck advanced along the snowy plains of Siberia, she encountered another attack from airborne Titans.

After destroying the Titans with a few cannon shots, a pure white Hunter Rattlesnake Type II fell from the sky.

However, before this elite long-range Titan mech could even get to its feet, Ri Duck killed it instantly with an ultimate followed by a charged attack.

With the minor enemies blocking the way cleared out, the path to the "Tower" finally opened.

But before Ri Duck could continue forward, the combat channel popped up again.

The one who sent the message was Cecilia, who had just communicated with Theresa.

Theresa, I have good news. My husband is out of danger now.

As expected of Mom—ah, no, Cecilia. She could even heal burns caused by Judgement of Shamash.

To Kiana, her gentle and dependable mother had actually healed that awful father of hers. It could not have been better!

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Theresa refuted her:

That's not good news at all! Burns caused by Judgement of Shamash can only be healed with Abyss Flower, which is also a Divine Key. But using Abyss Flower will greatly drain your vitality and stamina.

Theresa, you worry too much. Look at me, I'm still full of energy~

Don't joke around! After healing Siegfried's wounds, you'll have less than half your strength left. If you fight the Second Herrscher at a time like this...

"Wow, Academy Principal Theresa... she really cares about Cecilia!"

Theresa's completely undisguised concern made Seele unable to resist sending a gossiping comment.

"It feels like she's Cecilia's second daughter!"

"Now that you mention it, it really does seem that way..."

Beichen thought that if the four people with Kaslana blood—Theresa, Siegfried, Kiana, and Durandal—stood around their mother-in-law for a group photo...

They would probably take a wonderful family portrait of five people happily gathered together.

Unfortunately, that photograph could never exist.

After all...

If I can't defeat her alone, then I'll have to trouble Theresa to fight alongside me!

Give up the battle! Cecilia, your health has been poor this entire year. I... I don't want to lose you.

In the end, Theresa could no longer suppress her emotions and said something extraordinary...

"...Theresa, sigh..." A green comment conveyed complicated emotions that words could not express.

"That's impossible. A Valkyrie's destiny is to fight Honkai to the very end. Only then... can we save more people."

Not long after Otto's comment drifted past, Durandal once again spoke of a Valkyrie's destiny.

Ragna's sacrifice had forged her conviction, while the blood of Kaslana and Schariac allowed her to carry that conviction through.

And that was precisely Cecilia's own will.

That's impossible, Theresa. If we retreat here, even more people will lose their lives because of the Second Herrscher.

Protecting humanity is the glorious duty of us Valkyries. All right, I'm heading to the "Tower" now. Let's meet in front of the "Tower."

After saying that, Cecilia cut off the communication.

The road to the "Tower" was open now, welcoming anyone who wished to head there.

"Big brother, why do I have a bad feeling about this? Cecilia won't run into danger outside the Tower, will she?"

After seeing the conviction Cecilia displayed, Seele seemed to have started worrying about this outstanding yet gentle woman as well.

However, her question...

Honestly left Beichen torn between laughter and tears.

Don't worry. How could this chapter possibly stab the mother-in-law? That would be next chapter's job.

Once they reached the "Tower," she would instead get a chance to show off her skills.

Of course, Beichen would not say that outright.

"Probably not. You're overthinking it a little. Let's keep watching."