"Because then we could go home with happy memories."
After saying all that, Rosia looked toward the enormous Ferris wheel in the distance, while Bronya lowered her head, lost in thought.
"Mother Bronya, it's evening. Let's ride the Ferris wheel."
Rosia took Bronya's hand and led her out from beneath the shade of the parasol.
When Bronya looked up, the twilight flooded her vision like an ocean tide, dyeing the entire horizon red. The Ferris wheel in the distance turned over and over without fatigue.
But at that moment, all Bronya could see was the girl's smile, blooming no matter when it was.
Sitting on the Ferris wheel, they were gradually enveloped by the afterglow of the setting sun as it slowly rose.
The Ferris wheel was not moving fast, yet Bronya felt as though this moment was slipping away at incredible speed.
"What a beautiful sunset, Mother Bronya."
Although Bronya's expression and movements had begun to grow unusual, Rosia seemed completely captivated by the glow of the setting sun.
Only when the Ferris wheel reached its highest point did Bronya lift her head, her eyes red at the corners after her inner struggle.
"I'm sorry... Rosia."
Seeing Bronya gradually lose control of her emotions, Rosia gently wrapped her arms around her.
"It's okay, Mother Bronya. You did nothing wrong. The one who should apologize is me..."
As Rosia held her, Bronya's trembling hand took out the injection vial strapped to her thigh and slowly reached toward the girl's fair neck.
"It's alright, Mother Bronya. Things will get better."
Just as before, Rosia seemed not to notice anything and simply soothed Bronya's emotions.
Yet in Rosia's field of vision, "Rosia" was snarling madly at her, even trying to seize control of their body.
"Shh."
Before the girl's silver-gray eyes could gradually turn red, she smiled at "Rosia" and made a gesture.
This was the first time she had truly gone against "Rosia's" wishes.
"It's okay."
With the blue-haired girl's final whisper, the syringe in Bronya's hand pierced her neck. At the same time, Bronya, who had always stayed strong, finally began to cry.
Her consciousness gradually blurred. In the final expression Rosia left for Bronya, there was no confusion or resentment—only a faint smile.
Rosia knew that Bronya did not have the ability to refuse Cocolia right now. After all, Bronya was only a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old child.
Rosia did not blame her.
She respected Bronya's choice.
It was just a pity...
She had failed to fulfill their final promise.
The Ferris wheel gradually descended and came to a stop. The amusement park, once filled with laughter and cheerful voices, fell completely silent.
Night swept over the amusement park.
Just as Rosia had said, people always became a little lonely at night.
Bronya carefully held the blue-haired girl in her arms, looking at her as though she were the most precious treasure in the world.
The girl in her arms resembled a delicate princess asleep, waiting for the one destined to awaken her.
"You did very well, my daughter."
A mature blonde woman with violet eyes stood before Bronya.
"Hand her over to me, Bronya."
Facing the order from the woman before her, Bronya silently carried the girl on her back, then took a bottle of alcohol from the case at her side with one hand.
Cocolia had given this to her earlier.
Bronya raised it to her lips and bit the bottle open with her silver teeth. Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth where the glass had cut her skin.
At that moment, her cold gaze and expression perfectly matched her title.
"Ural Silver Wolf."
After taking a gulp, Bronya set the bottle aside. The long case on her back fell away, and she gripped the silver sniper rifle inside.
Her movements flowed without pause. Even Cocolia failed to react in time, but when the sniper rifle's safety clicked open, Cocolia sensed something was wrong.
Bronya did not aim at Cocolia. Instead, she fired into the sky.
With a thunderous roar, the world before Cocolia turned gray.
"Imaginary Space Confinement Bullet."
It created a sub-Imaginary Space with a radius of ten kilometers, centered on its user.
Within this range, it was nearly identical to true Imaginary Space. It simply lacked such terrifying Honkai energy, but it was still enough to suppress all quantum technology on Cocolia's body.
Without the aid of quantum technology, Cocolia was not an opponent Bronya could not defeat.
"Bronya, you!"
Some of Cocolia's quantum technology had been implanted directly into her body. Once it was suppressed, she even began losing control over parts of her body.
Faced with Cocolia's questioning, Bronya merely aimed her sniper rifle at her coldly.
The threat of death invaded Cocolia's mind, accompanied by the girl's icy voice.
"Move aside, or..."
"Die."
The Return Train
"Twenty minutes... that will be enough."
Under Cocolia's incredulous gaze, Bronya left with the girl.
Although Bronya was extremely dissatisfied with Cocolia right now, she had only threatened her. Cocolia was, after all, the mother who had raised her.
Their debts had yet to be settled.
"I'm sorry, Rosia. When you wake up, perhaps everything will be better..."
Looking at the girl in her arms, Bronya gently kissed her forehead.
After placing the girl aboard the final train headed for the Far East, Bronya took her sniper rifle and stepped back off the train.
Bronya had booked the entire front half of the train and arranged for the personnel inside, so she was not worried about Rosia's safety.
"I'm sorry. Mama can't leave with you."
Watching the train gradually start moving, Bronya pressed her lips together and touched the cold glass with her hand. Her silver-gray eyes revealed her reluctance to part.
If she left with Rosia just like that, Cocolia would never let them go so easily.
Bronya had not guessed wrong. Cocolia had already made arrangements throughout the Far East. It was simply impossible for them to leave safely.
So Bronya needed to stay behind and confront her, giving Rosia enough time to leave the Far East.
And Bronya knew that if she could not truly make up her mind to kill Cocolia before the weapon's confinement bullet ran out...
Then...
"We'll meet again..."
Bronya watched the train speed away and tilted her head slightly.
On the train
"Interesting. Truly interesting. You people from Anti-Entropy always manage to surprise me."
The train's driver's cabin opened, and a blonde youth wearing a dark green hat stepped out.
Earlier, he had been keeping an eye on the developments in Shenzhou. It was a Judgment-class Honkai Beast, after all. If Theresa could not handle it, he had been prepared to clean up the mess.
And just as expected, Anti-Entropy had sent many troops to seize the natural Stigmata that might exist within Chiyou.
Otto had originally thought they would take Raiden Mei away amid the chaos, but to his surprise, apart from causing some disruption, those Anti-Entropy forces had made no further moves.
But the text message Bronya had sent made Otto realize that Cocolia's target from beginning to end had been this little girl named Rosia.
"For an experiment that is almost impossible to complete, she was even willing to gamble with her own 'granddaughter'?"
Otto found it laughable.
Even he might not have been so ruthless before confirming that an experiment's feasibility had reached a certain threshold.
Someone with such resolve was either commendably courageous or utterly foolish.
After all, she was gambling with someone else's life.
Clearly, Cocolia did not fit the former description.
"Heh. Little online friend, you still underestimate your 'mother.'"
Not long after Bronya sent Rosia onto the train, quite a few people broke into it. Even the train headquarters sent an order to stop operations.
Clearly, Cocolia had infiltrated nearly the entire Far East.
Of course, that was no trouble for Otto.
When it came to wielding power, even ten Cocolias could not compare to Otto.
"My friend, I hope you won't blame me after you wake up."
The blonde youth sat across from the unconscious girl, his green eyes flickering as he murmured to himself.
To be honest, Otto was not surprised by Bronya's actions.
Once upon a time, he had faced the same choice. The only difference was that he had had even less of a choice.
"Is that... you?"
To Otto's surprise, the girl's hand twitched slightly, and then she struggled awake.
"Mother Bronya..."
The moment she saw Otto, Rosia froze.
She had thought Bronya would hand her over to Cocolia to complete the experiment, but she had never imagined that Otto would be the first person she saw upon waking.
"Long time no see, my friend."
Otto did not know why Rosia had woken up so quickly. According to his little online friend's plan, Rosia should have remained asleep until they reached Shenzhou.
"Where is she...?"
Rosia was confused. If she had been brought to Schicksal, then the person coming to see her should not have been young Otto. Besides, Schicksal had no reason to forcibly take her away. She was already a member of St. Freya Academy.
"We're on a train bound for the Far East. Once we arrive there, we'll take a special plane to Shenzhou. Hmm... I remember your Mother Bronya mentioning when we talked that you wanted to see the sea, right?"
"Once we reach Shenzhou, I'll take you to see the most beautiful beach along its coast..."
The blonde youth explained with a smile.
He and Bronya had talked quite a lot while playing online games together, and he knew some of her plans.
Bronya did not like sending messages while gaming, but whenever her daughter came up, she would respond.
Although he tried his best to avoid mentioning Bronya's current situation, Rosia only cared about that, so she was not misled.
"Mother Bronya... didn't come back..."
Rosia tried to stand, but the moment she rose, her body tilted out of control.
"The drug... hasn't worn off yet..."
Before you continue