"Mother Bronya is the best."
Listen closely, Rosia
"Bishop, you..."
Watching her leader sell off the latest weapon specifically developed to counter Anti-Entropy, Amber felt like she could hardly breathe.
"Hehe, don't mind it, Amber. It's still in the final testing phase, after all. Having someone conduct field tests for us isn't a bad thing."
Otto smiled.
"That online friend who told me to settle down early seems to have run into some trouble."
Otto had noticed Bronya when she began asking around the darknet for Quantum Warp technology.
Though he had never met this online friend in person, Otto knew quite a bit about her background.
A child adopted by Cocolia's orphanage, now a Valkyrie studying at St. Freya Academy.
Bronya Zaychik.
Otto was curious. Why would someone from Anti-Entropy suddenly want technology capable of suppressing Quantum Warp?
Partly because he got along rather well with Bronya in games, and partly because of her daughter, Rosia. Otto wanted to see what interesting things might happen, so he sold her the weapon designed specifically to counter Anti-Entropy.
Schicksal was not particularly proficient in Quantum Warp technology, but after the Second Honkai Eruption, its research into the Second Herrscher Core had brought its studies of Imaginary Space to entirely new heights.
Forget weapons—even if they handed the blueprints over to Anti-Entropy, without the special environment at Schicksal HQ, they would never be able to build it.
Things like the Valkyrie Time Fracture System and the teleportation functions of various weapons were basically achieved through analysis of the Second Herrscher's authority.
The authority of the Imaginary still held a higher priority than quantum technology in the main world.
And the weapon sold to Bronya was essentially an Imaginary Space confinement device, making it perfect for countering Anti-Entropy's Quantum Warp.
"All right, Amber. Let's take another look at what really matters."
Otto gave a soft laugh and looked over Schicksal's recent investigation records in Shenzhou.
"A... Judgment-class Honkai Beast?"
Not long after Raiden Mei and the others left, the shop staff who had warmly served them stood beside a blonde woman with purple eyes and respectfully reported,
"Lady Cocolia, Miss Bronya showed no reaction."
"I know. I'm sorry, my good daughter..."
Cocolia murmured.
Everything Bronya and the others did that day had been arranged by Cocolia—from the arcade at the start, to the hotpot restaurant at noon, the dessert shop, even the haunted house menu and those two amusement park tickets...
Cocolia would do everything she could to give her and Rosia the happiest, most wonderful time in the Far East.
Cocolia believed Bronya would understand her.
St. Freya Academy
"Shenzhou? Natural stigmata?"
Not long after returning to the academy, Kiana and the others came across Theresa and Himeko in conversation.
"Yes. We discovered that the recent abnormal Honkai energy reactions across Shenzhou are closely connected to a legend, so we plan to investigate Shenzhou for a while. What about you three, Kiana, Mei, and Bronya?"
Theresa glanced at Himeko.
A major reason for this trip to Shenzhou was that the local legend involved natural stigmata. Himeko's current physical condition was far from optimistic, and if they could find that natural stigmata, it might alleviate her condition.
"This expedition may take quite a while, and... there will be a certain degree of danger."
Theresa looked at Bronya, whose expression was hesitant.
According to Schicksal's scan reports, the place they were about to investigate had an extremely high Honkai energy concentration. Powerful Honkai Beasts were very likely to appear there.
Of course, that was not the most critical part. According to the latest intelligence, Anti-Entropy was involved as well.
They had to obtain the natural stigmata before Anti-Entropy did.
"I'm fine with it."
Kiana and Mei agreed quickly, but Bronya ultimately shook her head.
"Sorry, Headmaster. Bronya would prefer to remain at the academy."
Bronya was not worried about her own safety. If they were merely investigating Jiuyou, it would be effortless for her.
But if Anti-Entropy had also dispatched forces to Jiuyou...
Bronya knew very well that the one most likely to be interested in natural stigmata was Cocolia.
"I understand."
Theresa nodded. St. Freya Academy placed great importance on this mission, considering it involved the existence of natural stigmata.
After Rosia displayed her natural stigmata, quite a few people at Schicksal HQ had wanted to transfer her there for research, but Theresa had suppressed them all.
Theresa knew exactly what Schicksal's so-called research entailed.
But she could not keep suppressing them forever. Those troublesome people might refrain from causing trouble for now out of respect for her position, but sooner or later, they would find excuses to do so.
So she needed a substitute to divert their attention.
"Hehe, Bronya, you can stay at the academy and have fun with Rosia."
Kiana patted Bronya on the shoulder.
"When Mei and I return in triumph, we can all go on vacation to Shenzhou together."
"Hm? Mother Bronya, what's wrong?"
Rosia, who was sitting on the sofa reading, was suddenly hugged from behind by the girl.
Rosia knew that Kiana and the others had gone to Shenzhou. She also knew that Bronya had stayed at St. Freya Academy because she was worried about her.
"Rosia, you have to be good from now on, okay?"
Bronya wrapped her arms around Rosia's neck and gently rested against her shoulder.
She had hacked into Anti-Entropy's communications channels and learned that Cocolia had sent most of the Titans, along with Sin, to Shenzhou.
That allowed Bronya to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Mm. As long as it's Mother Bronya, Rosia will listen."
Rosia held Bronya's hand and spoke softly.
"Once your big sisters Mei and Kiana return, we'll go on a beach vacation together..."
Bronya sat beside her, her expression serious.
"Mm!"
Rosia happily nodded her little head.
Gently holding the girl, Bronya inhaled the sweet scent surrounding her.
Once upon a time, Bronya had said the same thing to her.
Only the sound of Rosia turning pages remained in the quiet room.
Bronya wished this time alone could last forever.
But...
There came a knock at the door.
"Hello, I'm Headmaster Theresa's newly appointed secretary..."
The instant the voice sounded from outside, Bronya knew...
Her fantasy had shattered.
Bronya patted Rosia's little head, then sent her back to her room.
"Rosia... go back to your room. Unless you hear my voice, you're not allowed to come out."
"Rosia": Do You Like It?
Leaving aside the fact that Theresa, Kiana, and the others had already gone to Shenzhou, what could possibly be urgent enough to require attention at this time?
After coaxing Rosia back into her room, Bronya opened the door and met the gaze of a blue-haired young man wearing a hood.
"What is it?"
Bronya asked coldly.
"The Headmaster requests that the two of you come to the office."
The blue-haired young man did not remove his hood and kept his head lowered as he spoke.
"But Headmaster Theresa is not at the academy right now."
Bronya exposed his lie.
"Hehe... Hahaha, forget it. I can't be bothered acting anymore. Little girl, do you know who I am?"
The hooded blue-haired young man suddenly laughed.
"You're... Welt?"
Bronya frowned.
She had thought Cocolia had sent someone, but why had Anti-Entropy's Sovereign come instead?
"That's right, it's me, the Sovereign. If that idiot Cocolia hadn't said there was some plan, I wouldn't have bothered staying in this damned place. I'm the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy—why should I listen to her?"
Watching the blue-haired young man talk to himself, Bronya began to wonder whether something was seriously wrong with him.
He did not seem mentally sound.
"Since she said you two are an important part of the plan, I can't be bothered waiting any longer. I'll give you two choices: either come with me, or get taught a lesson by me and then come with me."
The blue-haired young man arrogantly brushed back the hair over his forehead and spoke without any courtesy.
"I advise you to obey and spare yourselves some suffering. Forget you two—even that idiot Cocolia has to obediently listen to me."
The more Bronya listened to the blue-haired young man's open dissatisfaction with Cocolia, the stronger her sense of incongruity became.
"Sorry, Bronya cannot go with you."
Project Bunny slowly emerged behind Bronya.
"You bastard!"
Listening to her subordinate's report, Cocolia furiously slammed the table.
"When did that guy leave?"
Cocolia had not expected this clone, created to consolidate her position, to be so fond of causing trouble.
From the beginning to the end, her target had been Rosia. Sending Sin and a unit of Titans to Shenzhou had also been meant to restrain those Valkyries, leaving them with no time to worry about St. Freya Academy.
But she had not expected this clone to naturally consider himself the real Sovereign, throwing his weight around as though he controlled the wind and rain, without taking her seriously in the slightest.
She had not wanted to bring him over in the first place, but to avoid any accidents, Cocolia had ultimately brought him along.
"About an hour ago. He should already be at St. Freya Academy by now..."
Her subordinate reported.
"Damn it!"
Before you continue