Thoughts 『Hearing Raiden Mei’s words, Kiana remembered something and touched her lower abdomen.』 『Sure enough, the wound there had completely disappeared.』 『She secretly lifted her clothes and took a couple of glances.
Not even the slightest scar remained, as though she had never been injured at all.』 『However, Kiana still remembered the dull pain she had felt when Raiden Mei’s blade struck her.』 『That hadn’t been an illusion, nor had she been dreaming.』 『Raiden Mei, who was beside her, naturally noticed Kiana’s small movements as well.』 『She recalled the bright-red bloodstains she had seen on Kiana’s clothes when she took her away, as well as the long slash left across them.』 『Although Kiana hadn’t said anything, Raiden Mei knew that the wound on Kiana’s body must have been inflicted by her Herrscher self.』 『After all, there were traces of lightning burns on the torn clothes, while the charred corpses of Zombies lying all around them indirectly proved it as well.』 『Raiden Mei didn’t know how Kiana had recovered from those injuries, but such a massive wound truly showed that the previous battle had perhaps come within a hair’s breadth of killing her.』 『The Kiana before her wasn’t the Kiana she had first met, but to the current Raiden Mei, they were both Kiana.』 『When the Herrscher took control of her body for the second time, Raiden Mei hadn’t been able to feel anything, yet she had vaguely seemed to hear a voice calling out to her.』 『That voice had undoubtedly belonged to the Kiana before her now.』 『Perhaps it was precisely her call that had freed her from her Herrscher state.』 『And it was precisely to save her that Kiana had suffered such a severe injury.』 『Raiden Mei fell somewhat silent.』 『How many times had it been?』 『How many times had Kiana suffered such grievous harm while trying to save her?』 『Raiden Mei suddenly felt a measure of hatred toward herself, loathing her own arrogance and conceit.』 『She loathed herself for always hurting Kiana, for always forcing Kiana to sacrifice herself again and again to save her.』 『”Anyway, Senior Mei, this place isn’t very safe anymore.
Let’s keep moving until we leave Chiba Academy and reach somewhere safer,” Kiana said.』 『”Okay.” Raiden Mei nodded gently and took Kiana’s outstretched hand.』 “Lord Overseer, judging from the story performed by the Stigmata Theater, Raiden Mei’s behavior after transforming into a Herrscher this time seems to differ greatly from that of Herrschers in reality,” Rita said softly from the side.
While at Schicksal Headquarters, Rita had also read a great deal of research concerning Herrschers.
After Raiden Mei was brought back to St.
Freya Academy by Theresa, she underwent numerous psychological tests.
They also hoped to learn the mysteries of the Honkai and the true nature of Herrschers from a living Herrscher capable of communication.
Yet the various experiences and sensations Raiden Mei described from her time as a Herrscher differed greatly from what had occurred in the Stigmata Theater.
Otto nodded and said, “Indeed.
It seems this also supports one of my previous conjectures.
“The story directed by the Stigmata Theater may be a simulation.
Perhaps it isn’t a story that occurred in the Proper World.” At this point, Otto felt slightly relieved.
At the very least, although his plan might require many additional preparations, its general direction wouldn’t need to be changed.
Most importantly, emotions could still tear open the heart of a Herrscher who knew nothing of love.
For now, the appearance of the Stigmata Theater might not be a bad thing.
It could allow K423 to experience even more love more quickly.
After all, although peaceful companionship could gradually deepen the feelings between the girls, trials of life and death and acts of salvation could more easily allow them to forge the deepest friendship and the most tightly intertwined bond.
Durandal didn’t participate in the discussion from the side.
She truly had little interest in Otto’s many plans and rarely discussed such matters with him face-to-face.
She merely contributed her strength to Otto, Schicksal, and humanity’s cause of resisting the Honkai whenever necessary.
Otto had previously attempted to mold Durandal into what he considered the most perfect weapon—one that would follow him and help him fulfill his wishes regardless of right or wrong, good or evil.
In the end, however, he gave up on the idea.
Perhaps that was the Kaslana Family’s most simple and unadorned sense of justice, passed down into the very depths of their genes!
In any case, Otto later rarely discussed such things in front of Durandal, at most giving her a reasonable explanation whenever necessary.
What Durandal was actually most curious about now was something else: the words Herrscher Raiden Mei had said to Kiana.
—Let’s go back together.
Let’s return to everyone’s side together.
Where exactly were they supposed to return to?
And who did “everyone” refer to?
Just as Durandal was still unable to figure it out, Rita brought up the matter as well.
After listening, Otto thought for a moment before saying, “Judging from the story performed by the Honkai Theater, Kiana and Raiden Mei didn’t know each other at this point.
“In that case, the personality that emerged after Raiden Mei transformed into a Herrscher shouldn’t have known Kiana Kaslana either.
“I believe there are still parts of the story that we currently know nothing about.
“Wild speculation here won’t yield any results.
“Perhaps only after the Stigmata Theater reveals all those hidden stories in the future will we learn the specific course of events in this World Bubble, or in the story deduced by the Stigmata Theater.” As Otto said this, he didn’t regard it as anything particularly important.
In his view, perhaps Kiana and Raiden Mei had known each other when they were young, only for both of them to forget about it afterward.
Otherwise, it might be related to some other part of the story.
To Otto, the most crucial question was whether the information revealed in this world would affect his plans.
As for how these stories developed and how they ended, they were merely topics for casual conversation over tea and meals.
They weren’t worth investing too much energy into.
After all, no matter what happened, it was merely the course of events within a World Bubble, nothing more than an illusory story produced by a simulation.
And a story, in the end, was merely a story.
Durandal said nothing more, but she felt that the story shown by the Stigmata Theater might be the key to everything.
It might be what the Stigmata Theater truly wanted to warn them to pay attention to.
However, since Otto had already said as much, she could only wait for now.
Wait for the day when everything finally came to light.
★ ★ ★ T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me.
★ ★ ★ Shilling time!