Young Otto / The Book of Fuxuan

Theresa: "As long as you understand what I mean."

Herrscher of Reason: "I say, why are we so afraid of Otto? At worst, I'll storm Schicksal Headquarters and kill him ten thousand times. Let's see if she still dares to act so arrogantly."

Kiana: "Little Senti is mighty! Little Senti is awesome!"

Hua: "Otto is, after all, Schicksal's Bishop. He holds sway over nearly half the world, and Schicksal's Valkyries are still on the front lines against Honkai. If possible, I still don't want to completely fall out with Otto."

Raiden Mei: "If only we knew Bishop Otto's goal. Otherwise, we wouldn't be so passive."

He was already Schicksal's Bishop, objectively the uncrowned king of modern civilization. Any one of his decisions could stir up a massive uproar.

No one could understand it. Otto was already so powerful, so what kind of ambition could make him willing to give up everything he possessed and even stand against humanity just to awaken the Herrscher of the Void?

Meanwhile, far away at Schicksal Headquarters, Otto... no, Amber, who had just finished communicating with Theresa, was tidying up the room.

"As expected of the Bishop. A single recording fooled Theresa."

Amber held the recorder Otto had left behind. The projection Theresa had just received was still playing.

"Grandpa has already transferred all of next year's funding. Theresa, don't spend it all on manga again..."

Click.

Amber switched off the recording, then opened Schicksal's archives and, with considerable heartache, allocated a huge sum of money to St. Freya Academy.

"The Bishop dotes on Lady Theresa far too much. He even personally went to the Far East Branch to visit her..."

Amber shook her head, feeling that the grandfather and granddaughter truly had a wonderful relationship.

Young Otto

St. Freya Academy.

This was where Herrschers gathered, the place most favored by Honkai. More than half of the Herrschers of modern civilization had deep ties to this place.

At the same time, it was the heartland of Schicksal's Far East Branch, guarded by S-rank Valkyrie Judah and many outstanding Valkyries.

Any ordinary terrorist attempting to break in would face an overwhelming level of force they would never witness in their entire lives.

For example, a certain Herrscher of Reason who was still teaching history.

For example, a certain launcher of Judah.

For example, a flat-chested Shenzhou warrior capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks with a single punch.

Moreover, under Theresa's careful management, St. Freya Academy had flourished. There was even a Kevin Puppet serving as a security guard, preventing suspicious people without student IDs from sneaking into the school.

"Theresa has managed St. Freya Academy quite well. I haven't sent her any funding for months, yet classes are still running in perfect order."

A beautiful blond youth stood at the academy gates.

He looked no older than his teens and was even a little shorter than Theresa. Wearing a baseball cap, he hid behind a shipping container, his furtive movements clearly deliberate.

Perhaps because of his age, there was nothing suspicious about him lurking by the school gates. He simply looked like a student who had skipped class.

"Good thing I changed bodies before leaving. Entering St. Freya Academy in this form is indeed convenient, and I can also see what my dear granddaughter has been hiding from me."

Bishop Otto smiled faintly and headed toward the school gates.

As early as a month ago, Otto's trusted subordinate planted within St. Freya Academy—the so-called spy—had sent him a message.

At the time, Bishop Otto had not believed it.

After all, no one knew better than him what his own granddaughter was capable of.

It was not until abnormalities began appearing on Hua's side as well that Otto had no choice but to believe it. Based on his deductions, there was an eighty percent chance that Immortal Crimson Bird had recovered some of her strength.

Though it sounded absurd, Otto did not dare let his guard down. A seed of suspicion had long been planted in his heart.

He had come to St. Freya Academy today to see exactly what unforeseen change had occurred outside his plans.

"First, I can rule out the possibility that Theresa healed Hua. She definitely can't do something like that. The entire Far East Branch can't do it either."

Otto lowered his head in thought.

"Then was it the First Herrscher, Welt, who did this? He has the corresponding abilities and reason to help Immortal Crimson Bird. Perhaps I should have eliminated him back then."

Welt, who was still teaching class and knew nothing, had inexplicably taken the blame. He had no idea that someone had already set their sights on him.

Bishop Otto thought as he walked, even beginning to wonder whether World Serpent was behind it.

Although Welt was the leader of Anti-Entropy, Otto knew exactly what Anti-Entropy was capable of. Besides, its internal conflicts had yet to be resolved. Where would it find the spare strength to interfere in matters involving Schicksal and Immortal Crimson Bird?

Unless Welt's brain had short-circuited.

"Stop!"

The blond youth had barely stepped through the school gates when someone called out to him.

Holy shit, Kevin!!!

When Otto saw Fehu pointed at him, he froze for a moment and nearly kicked a stone, stumbling to the ground.

Only a second later did he realize that he was using a child's body today. If it were really Kevin, he could not possibly be this short.

"Not Kevin. No... is it the Kevin Puppet that fought Durandal back then?"

Bishop Otto quickly identified the puppet's origins.

"Why is it at St. Freya? Theresa, you've truly given me a huge surprise."

Even with Fehu aimed at him, Bishop Otto remained calm.

After all, this was merely a spare body. Even if half of Schicksal were destroyed, he would not die. Besides, the Kevin Puppet should have no reason to attack him.

"Who are you? Where's your student ID? I saw you sneaking around earlier. Don't tell me you're a spy from another school?"

The Kevin Puppet asked.

Otto, in his youthful form, was only slightly taller than him. It was not strange for him to be mistaken for a student of St. Freya Academy.

Unfortunately, Kevin had noticed his suspicious movements long ago.

And St. Freya Academy was a girls' school. Otto should have switched into the body of a pretty girl today; perhaps then he would not have aroused the Kevin Puppet's suspicions.

Damn, an unlucky start. It looks like the next time I infiltrate St. Freya, I should use a female body.

Otto pressed down on the cap atop his head.

He had never expected that, after all his careful calculations and years without a single misstep, he would expose himself before a security guard.

If he did not think of something soon, Kevin definitely would not let him leave.

Otto then sighed, putting on the innocent expression of a twelve-year-old boy. A helpless gleam flickered in his eyes.

"Mr. Security Guard, I came to find my sister. She still has last week's allowance, and I haven't eaten properly for days."

"Hmm... let me think."

Otto's acting was impeccable. At the very least, the Kevin Puppet already believed seven-tenths of his story.

Who would have thought there was such an excessive older sister in the world? It was one thing not to study properly at school, but she was even withholding her little brother's allowance.

Kevin had better not run into her. Otherwise, the Kevin Puppet would definitely report her to the principal and make that inconsiderate student have a cup of coffee with the headmistress!

"May I ask what's going on? Why are you blocking the school entrance?"

Raiden Mei had just returned from shopping when she saw the scene at the gates.

"It's Miss Mei. Let me tell you, there's a problem student at our school, and she must be dealt with seriously."

The Kevin Puppet repeated Otto's story to Raiden Mei.

For a moment, Mei also looked incredulous. She had never expected St. Freya Academy to have such an excessive student!

No, she could not just stand by and watch!

"Little one, can you tell me your sister's name? I'm very familiar with the headmistress. I'll definitely make her turn over a new leaf!"

"I... I don't want to cause trouble for my sister."

Otto lowered his head and spoke weakly.

"What a good child. I can tell that you really care about your sister."

Raiden Mei crouched down and patted Otto's cap.

"Your sister probably didn't do it on purpose. Maybe next week's exams made her forget. But you must be hungry, right? I made braised beef at noon today, so wait here for me."

"Th-thank you, big sister."

Otto watched Raiden Mei's retreating figure as information about her flashed through his mind.

Raiden Mei, daughter of Raiden Ryoma of ME Corp, vessel of the Herrscher of Thunder, a master chef, and St. Freya Academy's designated cook.

As K423's friend, she was also an important piece in his plans.

Judging from her reaction when she left, she had not recognized him. But if she brought Theresa over later, he might be exposed.

He should find an excuse to slip away after eating.

Book of Cang Xuan

Otto waited at the gates for roughly half an hour before Raiden Mei returned with a packed box of braised beef. After watching Otto finish eating, she even gave him a week's worth of allowance.

"Little one, if you run into trouble again, remember to find your parents. Don't come all the way out here, okay? You could run into bad people along the way."

"Got it, big sister."

Otto nodded, then slowly left with the half-box of braised beef he had yet to finish.

Before leaving, he did not forget to glance at the Kevin Puppet.

What a pity. As long as this guy remained at St. Freya Academy, its security would rival Schicksal Headquarters. The difficulty of infiltrating it would increase geometrically.

It seemed he would have to place his hopes on the spies he had planted at St. Freya Academy.

Raiden Mei: "I just helped a little kid in need. He actually came all the way to St. Freya Academy looking for someone."

Elysia: "Have the secrets of your Schicksal branch, the Far East Demon Cave, finally been exposed?"

Raiden Mei: "No. A little boy came looking for his sister. He said she forgot to send back his allowance from last week. Before he left, I even packed him some braised beef."

Kiana: "Wuwuwu, that braised beef was supposed to be mine."

Damn it, Mei had spent the whole noon making that braised beef. Kiana had even emptied her stomach, intending to devour all of it that evening.

Yet someone had intercepted it halfway!

Raiden Mei: "All right, I'll make you more tonight."

Kiana: "Mei really is the best!"

The quiz begins.

Cang Xuan and Danzhu created the Book of Cang Xuan. What instruction did they give the Book of Cang Xuan?

[A: Protect Immortal Crimson Bird.]

[B: Guard Shenzhou.]

[C: Have the Book of Cang Xuan watch over Crimson Bird in their place, allowing Hua to stay away from her mission.]

[D: They gave no instruction.]

Elysia: "Cang Xuan and Danzhu... it really has been a long time since I heard their names."

Kiana: "Elysia, were they acquaintances of yours?"

Elysia: "Not particularly close. They were merely colleagues from Fire Moth. Besides, Hua is the one with the most right to speak about those two."

Hua: "I... sigh."

Immortal Crimson Bird pursed her lips, wanting to speak.

But after guarding Shenzhou for five thousand years, all that remained of those memories were sorrow and regret. Whether it was Cang Xuan, Danzhu, or the Book of Cang Xuan, she had failed to fulfill her responsibility toward any of them.

The scenes of Danzhu and Cang Xuan's passing remained vivid in her mind.

If she had arrived just one step earlier, she could have driven back Chiyou and ensured their safety. At that time, there was no one in Shenzhou who could kill her friends before Immortal Crimson Bird.

But because of her so-called mission, she had still arrived too late.

As for the Book of Cang Xuan, Hua had personally buried her on Mount Tai Xu. From beginning to end, she had never even had the chance to say thank you.