Who Isn't a Herrscher Anymore

Hearing the little girl's uncertain, fearful tone and the content of her words, Edelweiss found it a bit amusing and said gently, "Kō is such a cute and well-behaved child, who wouldn't like him?"

"But..."

Within the space, the girl hugged her knees, resting her chin on them, her golden eyes showing a look of fear of being abandoned by her family.

In the void, a small girl with delicate features and purple hair slowly opened her golden eyes, her gaze empty as she stared into the nothingness. In her mind, there was only one clear directive.

"Execute the will of Honkai!"

Her consciousness gradually cleared.

She was an emissary executing the will of "Honkai," also known as a Herrscher.

And as the second Herrscher, "Kō" was the name or codename given to her.

She was supposed to be the second Herrscher to appear in this era, but she had awakened prematurely for some reason. However, she paid no mind to this and was instead executing the will of "Honkai."

"Destroy the civilization of this world's humans."

Now, her soul would take over this body and execute the will of Honkai.

But as soon as she took over the body, a massive amount of memories contained within it flooded into her soul.

A boring, ordinary, mundane, and monotonous life; a pure white space; days spent with books in a library filled with them; and growing up among a group of innocent children until the age of five.

The sheer volume of memories directly transmitted into the girl's mind, making her unable to process it all at once.

As she accepted the transfer of memories, the girl slowly browsed and felt the things and emotions within them.

After receiving all the memories, a few words formed in the girl's mind.

Life... Birth... Family...

The girl was a little flustered, but the will of Honkai still compelled her to take over the body she was in.

The girl opened her eyes and saw her own tender hands, and the people surrounding her, emanating a fearsome energy.

But their terrifying aura didn't make her afraid, because in her perception, she could crush them with one hand.

The girl looked around, and beneath some rubble, a girl with chestnut hair and red liquid on her head looked at "him/her," her eyes vacant as if she had lost consciousness, murmuring, "Little Mio..."

Hearing the little girl's weak cry, images related to "him" instantly flashed through her mind.

The roughhousing, playing, sleeping, and eating with the chestnut-haired girl.

A series of scenes appeared in her mind.

Sister... Old Sis... Touka-nee... Sis...

Family...

"He/She" stared blankly at the fallen, unconscious girl and said, "Sis... ter..."

To her, an unfamiliar word came out of her mouth.

Bewildered, flustered...

She panicked. For the first time, her golden eyes showed an emotion called panic. Having gained "his" memories, she now possessed self-awareness and judgment.

The conflict between the will of Honkai and the memories of the original body led to her own self-judgment.

The contradiction made her even more bewildered.

She fled...

"Space."

Using her innate ability, "Space," she escaped the body, placing her soul into the Core. Without anyone present noticing, she fled.

For safety, her "Space" ability instinctively transported her to a vast, white, trackless snow mountain. It was in this snow mountain that she met Edelweiss. Although there was some friction between them when they first met, Edelweiss later invited her to live in his home.

As she increasingly understood his memories, even though some parts were like a blank, leaving her completely unaware of what they were, she gradually grasped the meaning of the words "birth," "life," and "family."

Luo Mio... Toudo Touka... Family...

In his memories, "Herrschers" were the natural enemies of humanity, agents of destruction, born from "Honkai," the force that humanity hated, loathed, and feared.

Could I, such a natural disaster, gain a family... become his family...

Kō sat in the space, blankly watching the road Luo Mio had walked outside through the void.

He wore a happy, gentle expression, engaged in lighthearted, joyful conversations with friends.

I want to talk to you like this too...

Brother...

Outside the space, sensing Kō's low mood, Edelweiss's eyes flickered. He then looked towards the hotel where Luo Mio was staying. His gaze inadvertently fell upon a nearby phone booth, and his eyes lit up.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Connecting the Call

Luo Mio and the other two returned to the hotel entrance. Luo Mio felt uncomfortable due to sweating, so he went back to his room first. Ikki and Arisugawa went to buy food.

Luo Mio sat on the sofa in his room, holding a glass of water. Just as he was about to drink.

"Ring ring..."

System: Boss, your call is here~

A voice, as cold and magnetic as a snow lotus, a sexy older sister's voice, emanated from the System's little ball of light.

"..."

Hearing the System's seductive older sister tone, Luo Mio couldn't help but shiver.

"What are you doing?"

Luo Mio rubbed his arms back and forth.

"Can you not talk like that? I'm getting goosebumps."

System: ...

System: But from the host's memories, you really like the voice of an older sister.

Luo Mio: ...I like loli...

System: FBI! Open The Door!

Ignoring the System's frantic outburst in his mind, Luo Mio took out his Student Handbook.

"Who is it?"

Luo Mio looked at the unfamiliar number on his Student Handbook.

He answered.

"Hello?"

"Edelweiss... will this really work?" In the floating space around Edelweiss, Void's uncertain tone echoed.

"Trust me~" Edelweiss stood in the phone booth, holding the contact information she had just inquired about from Yueying Moba.

"**********"

"OK!" Edelweiss held up the phone.

"Ring~ Ring~ Ring~"

Void watched Edelweiss's un-dialed phone through the space, her heart filled with anticipation, nervousness, and unease.

Will he... really answer?

And at that moment.

"Ring."

"Hello?" Luo Mio's confused voice came from the phone.

"Hello?"

Luo Mio greeted twice, and feeling no response, he was confused.

"Hello, excuse me, is there something you need?" However, out of politeness, Luo Mio still asked.

And on the other end of the phone booth.

Edelweiss anxiously looked at the space that was constantly fluctuating due to nervousness, and quickly whispered, "Say something!"

"I-I-I'm a little... scared..." Void said in a small voice.

Scared?!...

At these words, Edelweiss was a bit dumbfounded?

Who was it that fought with me the moment we disagreed? And now you're telling me you're scared?

Then she looked at the phone in her hand and lightly bit her pale red lips.

Luo Mio, still hearing no response, frowned and was about to hang up.

"Hello."

A clear, elegant, and pleasant female voice came through.

Upon hearing this, Luo Mio quickly said, "Hello, may I ask what this is about?"

Edelweiss spoke to Luo Mio while looking at the floating space beside her.

"Actually, my daughter is a huge fan of Toudo-san and really wants to talk to you."

"Wait... Edelweiss!" Void's small voice came out.

Huge fan...

"Then, may I ask how old your daughter is this year?"

"Ah, this year, she's eleven."

Eleven years old...

System (whispering): FBI! Open The Door!

(╬▔皿▔)

Shut up! You shut your mouth!

"Then why won't she talk to me?" Hearing that it was a young girl on the other end, Luo Mio subconsciously softened his tone.

Edelweiss glanced at the space beside her, her eyes narrowing into slits as she smiled.

"That child, upon hearing from her biggest fan that she's been thinking about, got so shy she didn't dare to pick up the call." She spoke with a tone of slight exasperation, like an older sister worrying about her younger one.

You drama queen! Who asked you to fill in so many details for me! And who do you mean by 'daughter'!

Void thought loudly in his mind.

"Could I trouble you, Toudo-san, to wait a moment?"

Hearing the slight plea in the other's voice, Luo Mio replied gently, "Of course."

System: Host~, three years...

Luo Mio: Shut up! I know what you're going to say.

Within his consciousness, Fu Hua sat cross-legged, meditating with her eyes closed. Listening to the mental conversation between the System and Luo Mio, she couldn't help but sigh.

Meanwhile.

Edelweiss used her Magic Power to create a silent barrier around the phone.

"Hurry up! Void!" Edelweiss urged.

"But, but..."

"But what!"

"I'm not your daughter either," Void's small voice slowly came out.

"..."

Upon hearing Void's words, a "!" appeared on Edelweiss's beautiful profile.