Seiya held Fu Hua in his arms as she collapsed.
Fu Hua, in her last moments before unleashing the attack, had put her trust in him.
That he’d find her after she lost her memories, and once he was the sole being she recognised, he’d take her in as he had taken in the children in the vehicle.
Fu Hua… didn’t quite find it comforting to liken herself to children, but out of everyone alive—especially Otto—Seiya was the one she could put her trust in most.
Sirin’s memories had proven that.
Seiya reckoned she wouldn’t be up for a few days at least.
Though Divine Keys were powerful, the stronger attacks had truly abysmal side effects.
That’s why he rather liked the [Star of Eden].
He felt the consequences of its Zeroth-Rated Power were comparatively minor when put against the other Divine Keys.
The flame barrier around him had dissolved, and after confirming the threat was gone, Sirin had removed her spatial barrier as well.
Seiya laid Fu Hua on the furniture and then sat down next to Sirin, who nuzzled into his chest, hugging him with concern and worry.
Peppering his face with kisses, she looked up at him through her lashes, her golden eyes peering at his tired frame.
She knew how to cheer him up!
Like she did whenever Seiya came back home tired from selling timber…
She sat in his lap and hugged him, continuing to pepper him with kisses.
Welt’s expression softened at the display of sibling love, while Cecilia got whiplash from the sheer juxtaposition and contrast between the treatment of Seiya compared to everyone else.
She blinked, her eyes wide.
Siegfried felt somewhat sheepish and embarrassed at having attacked this sweet girl with Judgement of Shamash earlier, looking at the way she showered her brother with affection.
After a few minutes of this, giggles broke across his face once more, his lament for Fu Hua pushed back.
She’d be back in a few days.
‘And if I can reclaim the Book of Fuxi from Mount Taixuan, then…’
He had already set his mind to attempting to fix it.
As long as there was hope, a saint would never fall into despair.
As they all recovered from what had just taken place, Seiya set himself busy getting the girls out of the car.
Bella, Agata, and Galina were placed on the sofa.
Bella followed him willingly, trusting him.
Agata and Galina did the same.
He had already saved their lives.
At least this much…
They owed him their devotion for it.
Sirin blinked at them, her head tilted in confusion.
Then her eyes lit up.
Ah!
She recognised the older girl from Belarus!
Bella was her name, if she remembered correctly?
She quite liked that name.
‘As expected of Brother, even when in extreme danger, he still saved others!’
Speaking of which, Sirin still had to tell him about the girls at Babylon Labs.
She’d left the cells intact for them.
Sirin made to move towards them to acquaint herself, but unfortunately, she never got the leisure.
The sound of a jet engine flying overhead reached her ears.
Sirin stepped forward, Void Lances manifesting around her as golden energy rippled and luminescent purple cubes appeared above her palm.
Seiya held his arm out to stop her, and she stopped immediately, worried about upsetting her beloved brother.
The jet landed on the snowy surface of the Siberian tundra, its wings curling upward and its wheels shifting to adjust itself.
It was far more complicated than the one Theresa had arrived in.
‘Speaking of which… where is that woman?’
Sirin wondered about it for precisely half a second before discarding the thought.
The presence of anyone else was inconsequential as long as Seiya was there.
Out of the jet stepped a cybernetic bionic human with long silver-white ponytails, glowing golden eyes, and a visor over her right eye.
She wore a form-fitting black-and-grey Schicksal uniform with silver armour plates and neon-yellow accents that highlighted her sleek, mechanical build.
She opened the door to the front with a deferential bow as a golden-haired man, his hands behind his back and his hair cascading elegantly downwards, stepped off the plane.
Cecilia gasped.
Siegfried tensed.
Welt gripped the Star of Eden.
Seiya’s expression tightened, but then he forcefully calmed himself down, removing the anger from his system with a deep breath and closed eyes.
Sirin, seeing the rare glimpse of this specific expression on her brother’s face, instantly became hostile as well…
Though all of that disappeared as she let out a pleased hum when Seiya patted her head, threading his fingers through her hair to placate her.
Otto Apocalypse had arrived in person.
At Seiya’s composure, Otto’s face stilled, and his admiration only grew further for the saint he had envisioned.
Such mental clarity and fortitude.
An iron fist clamped down on his emotions to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone.
Seiya was truly… wonderful.
His mannerisms reminded him so dearly of Kallen.
Otto even entertained the thought that he might be her reincarnation, but quickly dismissed it as hopeless optimism.
Regardless, his pragmatic approach to protecting his own well-being in order to secure the world resonated deeply with Otto’s heart, similar to his own approach.
‘Perhaps if Kallen and I ever had children, they would’ve ended up like him at their finest.’
Otto doesn’t see himself as a complete monster.
He sees himself as someone whose virtues have been twisted by circumstance.
So when he looks at Seiya, he sees:
Kallen’s kindness.
combined with
Otto’s competence.
without
Kallen’s naivety.
and without
Otto’s obsession.
To Otto, that’s practically an ideal human being.
Regardless, with his favourability towards the perceived second coming of Kallen strengthening even further, he spread his arms wide, the purple sleeves of his robe unfurling as Otto opened both palms.
A friendly smile appeared on his face—one that caused Welt’s eye to twitch—as he spoke to Seiya as if addressing an old friend, idly noting the flat-chested immortal asleep nearby.
Having caught his name from his earlier spying, Otto opened his mouth, the curvature of a delighted smile adorning his lips, and spoke for the first time, fondness emanating from him.
Seiya noticed Otto’s partiality towards him, and it unsettled him greatly.
For a high chance of survival, one generally wanted to avoid acquaintance with Otto Apocalypse.
“Seiya, my dear friend!… I’ve come to bargain.”
We need One More Review!
To get officially rated that is!
One of you quick!
Make a new account and leave a review!
Just kidding~ Enjoy the chapter!
And throw me power stones!