“Hmm…
an unfamiliar ceiling.”
Angel opened her eyes to see pink ceilings and pink walls.
Bright sunlight streamed in through the exquisitely designed windows with perfect lighting angles, and there was a bright yellow Homu plushie by her pillow.
The whole room had a cozy, cute, and warm atmosphere.
“Huh?
Didn’t I say this line before?”
Angel thought, half a beat behind.
“I don’t know if you’ve said it before or not, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone actually starve themselves unconscious.”
Himeko walked in carrying a steaming bowl of plain congee.
Seeing that Angel was still lying motionless in bed, she sighed:
“Sigh!
There’s a limit to stubbornness.
Whatever you plan to do from now on, you still need to eat first.
You have to survive before you can do anything else, right?”
Himeko moved the congee in front of Angel.
The faint fragrance of rice was incredibly tempting to Angel, who had been hungry for days.
But Angel still tried her best to maintain her persona, unmoved.
So Himeko set the tray down with one hand, used the other to lift and support Angel’s body, propping her up against the headboard, then scooped up some congee, blew on it gently, and brought it to Angel’s lips.
“Don’t be so stubborn.
When they brought you to the medical department, everyone there looked at me with accusing eyes, thinking I was deliberately starving you!
Even if you don’t care about your own health, at least do me a favor, alright?
I haven’t treated you badly these past few days, have I?”
Himeko maintained the feeding position, speaking with exasperation and a headache.
Angel kept a blank face, but inside she couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty.
This was all deliberately planned.
She had fasted for several days on purpose, waiting until her body was at its limit, then relaxed her control over the authority of Dominance, causing herself to pass out.
And from the treatment she was receiving now, it was clear that St.
Freya did not have the technology to detect Herrschers, at least not through routine physical examinations or medical care.
With that, Angel’s last remaining worry was finally put to rest.
Sorry, Auntie Himeko.
I’ll find a way to make it up to you later.
Angel thought to herself, then moved her dry lips and spoke in a weak voice:
“What exactly do you want from me?”
“You win!
I’ll be straight with you.
St.
Freya is a school that trains Valkyries.
We want you to enroll and learn how to become one…
Even if you don’t want to be a Valkyrie, at least learn how to control your power so you don’t end up hurting innocent people or yourself in the future.”
“…That’s it?”
“What else?
If we really wanted to do something bad to you, we could have done it the moment we brought you in!
Have you noticed any missing parts?”
Himeko said with dark circles under her eyes and a helpless expression, practically worn down to her last nerve.
She was, after all, St.
Freya’s second-in-command, the strongest combatant in the Far East after Theresa.
Even the Herrscher of Thunder had been reasoned with while she wielded her greatsword.
Normally, observing and negotiating with a wild Awakened wouldn’t require her personal attention.
But she had taken it upon herself because she was concerned that the circumstances of Angel’s Awakening were too intense, and if left to others, the girl’s story might spread, causing her to be ostracized by her classmates once she enrolled.
So Himeko had made time in her busy schedule specifically to accompany Angel.
And as a result, she had been driven to laughter and tears by Angel’s stubbornness, and was now completely drained.
Angel looked at Himeko’s exhausted and helpless expression, feeling even more guilty.
She knew she had pushed far enough.
So she opened her mouth and quietly began eating the congee.
Himeko was stunned for a moment, then her face lit up with renewed energy.
“Thank goodness!
You finally ate something!
If you hadn’t opened your mouth, I was about to shove a funnel down your throat!”
“(ᗜ‸ᗜ) Eh!?”
“Ahem!
Just kidding!
Eat slowly.
You haven’t eaten in days, so don’t rush.
Come on, open wide.
Aah~”
“Aah~”
With cooperation on both sides, one feeding and one eating, the scene became warm and harmonious.
The bowl of congee was quickly emptied.
Angel rubbed her now-warm stomach, while Himeko looked deeply moved.
“That was harder than a real mission!”
QAQ Yeah, it really was.
I was about to starve to death.
“Alright!
After observing you, we’ve basically confirmed that you won’t lose control easily.
So from now on, you can stay here.
We’ll talk about enrollment later.
We won’t force you, so don’t worry.”
Himeko gently patted Angel’s head and said with a bright smile.
Angel narrowed her eyes, looked up, and asked skeptically:
“Won’t force me?”
“Of course not.
We’re an organization that protects the world, not a terrorist group!”
“Hah!
Who knows?”
“Everything I’ve said is true!
I’m not lying!”
Himeko ruffled Angel’s hair with both hands, once again feeling the frustration from before.
If she hadn’t already personally fed Angel, she would have thought nothing had changed at all.
“Adults always lie.
You do too.
They…
did too…”
Angel lowered her head, her final words so soft they were almost inaudible.
Mom and Dad in this world, and Mom and Dad in that other world.
I’m so sorry!
Your adorable little Angel is now in a super dangerous world with a super deadly identity!
To survive more safely, I have to use your names every now and then!
For your beloved little Angel, please forgive me!
In the theater, the Angels either made the sign of the cross, pressed their palms together in prayer, or bowed in devout supplication, expressing their apologies to both sets of parents in different ways.
The Angel in the real world, meanwhile, hugged the Homu plushie that had been by her pillow and buried her face in its fluff.
And it really did feel amazing.
It was probably one of Bronya’s treasured premium goods!
Himeko’s heart stirred.
She understood that the “they” Angel referred to were the parents who had died in Nagazora City, and she felt a surge of sympathy.
“Rest well.
Don’t be afraid.
No one here will hurt you anymore.”
Himeko said softly, her face glowing with maternal warmth.
Then she stood up, took the empty bowl, and quietly left the room.
…
As she stepped out and stood before the closed door, Himeko turned and found three people sprawled in a pile by the doorframe.
On top was Raiden Mei, below her was Kiana, and at the very bottom was Bronya.
They had probably lost their balance when Himeko came out.
Now Bronya’s head was firmly planted on the floor, her small body forced to bear the weight of both Kiana and Raiden Mei, but she couldn’t complain out loud.
Bronya: “(ᗜ‸ᗜ) …”
“Sigh!”
Himeko sighed and turned to head downstairs, as if she had expected nothing less.
The three of them exchanged glances for a moment, then carefully separated and silently made their way downstairs.
“Himeko-sensei, how is she?” x3
After they sat down in the living room, the three of them asked almost simultaneously.
Kiana was concerned because she had been saved by Angel during the chase.
Raiden Mei, driven by guilt and sympathy, desperately wanted Angel to get better.
These two were easy to read.
But Bronya’s excessive interest made Himeko a little puzzled.
“Speaking of which, Bronya, you actually gave up your own room for that girl, and even left behind your precious limited-edition Homu plushie.
That’s a bit too proactive, isn’t it?
Though as a teacher, I’m glad you’re so considerate toward a new student.”
“Bronya’s room has some of the best lighting in the building.
Good lighting is beneficial for mental health.
Bronya simply thought the newcomer would need that kind of environment more.
As for the Homu…
aside from the one Bronya is holding, the rest are just a matter of money.
Nothing to worry about.”
Bronya said expressionlessly in her usual cool, slightly babyish voice, hugging the Homu plushie that Seele had personally given her.
Her explanation was reasonable enough, and given that brain damage prevented Bronya from expressing emotions on her face, Himeko did not think too much of it.