Although Rosia woke up in less than ten minutes thanks to her maxed-out immunity, she still needed some time to fully regain control of her body.
"It's fine. Get some proper rest. Once we reach Shenzhou, I'm sure you'll have memories as dreamlike as a fantasy."
Otto smiled naturally.
"I want to go back..."
Rosia looked at Otto, and the urgency in her eyes made his gaze tremble.
Rosia knew perfectly well what the consequences would be if Bronya did this.
Cocolia's implanted chip was still inside her. If she forcibly defied Cocolia's will, the consequences would be unimaginable.
She had always believed that handing herself over would be the best choice, that everyone might still reach the best possible ending...
Even if Bronya had personally handed her over, Rosia would not have held any resentment.
As for the chip inside Bronya, Rosia had originally planned to use the Key of Erosion to help Bronya deal with it after unlocking her Stigmata permissions...
But now, she was completely powerless.
"Send me back, please..."
Looking into the girl's nearly pleading eyes, Otto let out a faint sigh.
"No. This is an agreement between your mother and me..."
It was not that Otto did not want to help. He simply knew what it meant for the girl to return now.
"Take this. You said it yourself! We're friends! My wish is for you to send me back..."
Rosia took out the note Otto had given her when they first met.
Rosia had long since forgotten about it, but she had unexpectedly found it while cleaning her room that morning.
Driven by an inexplicable premonition, Rosia had brought it with her.
When he saw that note, Otto's ever-composed smile froze. He suddenly understood that some things might truly be destined.
He had thought that cat would change her fate. He never expected it would be himself, the one who had left behind that note.
Otto was all too familiar with the feeling of being struck by his own boomerang.
For five hundred years, he had regretted things every moment, but he had no other choice.
Rosia could have used that note to become a billionaire, a government politician, or exchanged it for Schicksal's full support in training her.
How many people longed for a wish within the scope of the Schicksal Overseer's power, yet could never obtain one?
And yet, she used such a wish to exchange for a train ride back...
In the end, the blond youth took the note Rosia offered him, clenched it in his hand, then turned away and waved.
"I promise you."
Bronya: Don't Come Back!
Train
"Bronya, my daughter, do you know what you're doing?"
Although Cocolia had wasted a great deal of time before arriving because of that Imaginary Imprisonment Round, as long as Bronya and the others remained in the Far East, they could not escape.
"My daughter, I know that perhaps you've reached your rebellious phase, but it's not too late to turn back. I'll forgive you."
Cocolia knew that Bronya had already sent Rosia onto the train. She had deliberately come here to wait for her.
However, she had also sent people to intercept the train and bring Rosia back.
"Mother Cocolia, I have no other choice."
There was not the slightest hesitation in Bronya's eyes.
"I don't want to fight you, Bronya. Do you know how long I've prepared for this day? You are my daughter, and Seele is my daughter too..."
Rather than immediately making a move, Cocolia gradually approached Bronya and tried to persuade her.
"To me, every one of you is irreplaceable family..."
"I truly care about all of you."
Seeing Cocolia's earnest expression, Bronya hesitated for a moment, but she still did not lower the gun in her hand.
"Who gave you that gun? You should understand that a weapon capable of creating such a large-scale imprisonment field and disrupting our technology is not something you could access, Bronya. Don't let outsiders manipulate you."
Cocolia looked at the gun in Bronya's hand with lingering fear.
If Bronya had not hesitated then, if she had truly made up her mind to kill her, Cocolia would have had almost no ability to resist.
Without question, this weapon had been designed specifically to target Anti-Entropy.
Although Bronya had been at St. Freya Academy for a long time, Cocolia did not believe she could have gained access to a weapon of this level.
If Cocolia was not mistaken, then Schicksal's higher-ups were likely guiding her daughter toward the wrong decision.
"Bronya, think about it. How long has it been since you last saw Seele? We all want her to come back, even if we have to..."
"Take some risks."
As Cocolia drew closer, she frowned.
Something was strange. Every person she had sent to intercept the train had gone silent, and even some of the personnel monitoring from afar had disappeared.
"Enough of this. This little children's game should be over."
From beginning to end, although Cocolia had liked Rosia, that child might still have been bait cast by Schicksal—and bait Cocolia had no choice but to bite.
"This isn't a children's game. Bronya doesn't want to lose anyone anymore!"
The silver-gray-haired girl stopped Cocolia from approaching.
"Mother Cocolia, I'm grateful that you took me in and gave me warmth, but you were wrong. Everyone at the orphanage paid the price too..."
"Stop this."
If she could, Bronya truly did not want to fight Cocolia again.
From beginning to end, Cocolia's plans had achieved almost nothing except reducing the number of people in the orphanage. Bronya could no longer trust her experiments, even if they might bring Seele back from the Sea of Quanta.
"Ha... My daughter? Do you truly think I'm a heartless person? You're wrong, Bronya. I've lost a great deal too. I was once as naïve as you, believing I could change something through my own strength..."
Cocolia took out the liquor Bronya had left behind after biting through the bottle's mouth, poured herself a glass, then stood with her back to Bronya and looked down at the city beyond the railing.
"If we don't make preparations in advance, then when disaster strikes again, we'll be even more powerless."
Hearing Cocolia's explanation, Bronya wavered somewhat. But after glancing at the time, she ultimately put down her sniper rifle and drew the dagger strapped to her leg.
"Bronya, I know you put her on the train headed for the Far Northeast. If nothing goes wrong, it'll arrive in five minutes. I'm guessing you arranged for someone to meet her there, didn't you?"
Cocolia had guessed Bronya's little plan.
"My daughter, you've always hesitated. You're too weak... You weren't like this before..."
To become the renowned assassin known as the "Ural Silver Wolf," Bronya's strength and talent had been nearly unmatched.
If Cocolia had not possessed technology far beyond Bronya's understanding at the time, she too would have died beneath Bronya's gun.
"Is there anesthetic on that dagger? Bronya, if you can stab me, then all of you may leave safely."
Cocolia stood with her back to Bronya. Her calm tone made Bronya feel as though she were a stranger.
But Bronya had no choice. The dagger in her hand could only continue forward.
Just as the coldly gleaming dagger was about to cut Cocolia's skin, Bronya's hand stopped.
Her thoughts began to stiffen, and the consciousness in her mind gradually blurred.
Biological chip abnormality detected... Emergency forced-control system rebooting...
At the same time, her silver-gray eyes gradually turned into the controlled crimson red.
"I told you, Bronya. You hesitated. I gave you enough time, but you failed to seize it."
Cocolia turned around and handed her the wineglass, her face bearing an expression that allowed no doubt.
If Bronya had obeyed, Cocolia naturally would not have used emergency measures. But there was no longer time for delays.
Once that group from St. Freya Academy returned from Shenzhou, things would become troublesome.
"I'm sorry, my daughter. I lied to you. Rosia, my granddaughter... I can no longer find any trace of her."
Cocolia had not expected Rosia to truly escape the pursuit of her subordinates, so she had no choice but to control Bronya.
Since Rosia could no longer be found, Cocolia could only use Bronya as bait to lure her out.
"I know she trusts you deeply. If it's you, she'll listen to anything. I'll find a way for you to see her again. When that time comes, I hope you won't disappoint me..."
Although Bronya had already been controlled by her command, Cocolia still put on an act and patted her shoulder, speaking with an earnest, weighty demeanor.
"The final train of the day has already departed. Let's go, let us..."
Cocolia glanced at the notice in the station. The train Rosia had taken should have been the final one, so she could only find another way to reach the Far Northeast.
"Friendly reminder: In ten minutes, the train from the Far Northeast bound for this station will arrive. Please..."
Cocolia froze when she heard the station announcement.
She could no longer contact the people controlling the station. It could not have been her subordinates adding another train.
Which meant...
The controlled silver-gray-haired girl's body trembled slightly. Her hollow eyes seemed to have gone blank as she could only force out a few unclear yet heart-wrenching words.
"Don't... come... back..."
"Run..."
PS: There should be around four updates today.
Cocolia: What Right Do You Have to Represent Schicksal?
"Ah, this trip back will probably end up costing me money..."
Standing in the first carriage of the train, the blond youth removed his bloodstained gloves and looked helplessly at the many people lying on the floor.
"It was supposed to be a simple escort job, but now I have to play thug too."
"I don't have any combat ability, you know."
Otto chuckled.
"Thank you..."
Rosia thanked the blond youth standing by the train door.
"Have you thought it through? Are you really going back? We still have a chance to leave now."
The blond, green-eyed youth sat at the train entrance, his gaze flickering.
"Once you return, your Mother Bronya will most likely blame you."
Although Otto did not consider himself a good person, he generally kept his promises.
Sending Rosia back like this did somewhat violate the agreement he had made with Bronya, but Otto had no choice.
After all, Rosia's wish took priority.
"As far as I know, your Cocolia... grandmother, isn't exactly a good person, is she?"
Otto truly wanted to persuade the girl before him to turn back.
According to the data analysis he had obtained from Theresa, as an almost perfect awakened bearer of natural Stigmata, she would inevitably become one of the best among the Rank S Valkyries in the future.
If she were trained at Schicksal HQ, Otto was confident that she could become a Rank S Valkyrie within five years—when Rosia was fifteen.
Before you continue