Knowing the Queen was definitely fuming, Xiyue’s mood instantly brightened.
Back when miHoYo’s single CG had reeled her in, her takeaway after day one of playing had gone something like this:
The game’s story told me: “The Honkai will destroy the world.
Herrschers are its envoys, immensely powerful enemies.”
Me: “Got it.
Herrschers are the enemy.
We have to wipe them out!”
Then, patch after patch, as the story deepened, Xiyue looked at the lineup of Herrschers sitting in her character roster, and her feelings at the time were… complicated.
Kiana’s a Herrscher.
Bronya’s a Herrscher too.
Cooking Mama was confirmed one from the very start.
And especially that quiet, reserved flat-chested class rep, she’d be a Herrscher down the line as well, and a thoroughly lovable one at that.
She’d assumed Himeko was one too, only to find out she was just a big sword instead.
Silly-resa, the one character who couldn’t possibly be a Herrscher, was her only source of warmth back then.
She’d once joked in her crew’s group chat that this so-called St.
Freya Academy wasn’t any Valkyrie school.
It was straight-up Herrscher headquarters.
Back then Xiyue had also thought that if she were the Honkai, looking at this bunch of turncoats, she’d surely have bawled her eyes out in the bathroom.
Of this century’s Herrschers, you could say that, the Queen aside, nearly every last one of them was a turncoat.
But thinking of the person who had set all of this in motion this century, Xiyue’s gaze softened, and once more she recited her scripture in her heart.
Elysia, my goddess!
Amen.
After that, Kiana caught up to Wendy.
Wendy glared at the trio who’d chased her down, furious.
She wasn’t being controlled by the Honkai at all in that moment.
She only wanted revenge against Schicksal, and as for Bronya and the others who had helped her, she’d never once thought of hurting them.
It was just that right now, Wendy, much like a certain Snek, had quite the stubborn streak.
Hovering in the air, looking down on the three of them, she snapped, “Why did you follow me?
Do you have a death wish?”
“I already let you go once.
Are you so arrogant you think you can actually beat me?”
But hearing Mei still fretting over her, she could only steer the subject toward the S-rank Valkyrie.
“The S-rank Valkyrie.
I want to see whether my power has already surpassed an S-rank.”
Hearing that, Tuna wasn’t having it.
“Even cockier than me, huh.
If you’ve got the guts, fight me.”
“I just got careless earlier, otherwise I definitely would’ve beaten you.”
Wants to Buy an Island: So Kiana knows she’s cocky after all.
Though that second line of hers… why does it reek of someone scrambling to save face?
Kitty Snuggles: No wonder Yuexi calls Kiana “Tuna.” A sister at the sanatorium once told me that a paramecium has zero intelligence.
Chlorinated Kiana: Self-important brat.
No Exams Thanks: Aaah, no way!
This is confidence, con-fi-dence, get it?
By now everyone in the stream knew that “No Exams Thanks” was Tuna.
It was far too easy to guess: as long as a character had already shown up, you could figure out their handle from how they typed.
Though there were exceptions.
Tuna, for one.
Watching the chat pile on Tuna, Xiyue decided it was time to play the reasonable, neutral, objective voice for a moment, and addressed the audience.
“Don’t talk about Tuna like that, everyone.
It’s not nice.”
Hearing this, Kiana brightened.
Looked like Yuexi was about to take her side.
What was wrong with a little confidence?!
Anyway, she figured that whatever-her-name Durandal, in a fight against her, would surely come out fifty-fifty.
But Xiyue’s next line shattered Tuna’s defenses.
“Real talk, this version of Tuna genuinely can’t beat Wendy.
Weak as anything but won’t stop running her mouth, hahaha.”
A wave of glee swept through the chat.
In the story, Wendy ignored Tuna’s provocation and only said softly:
“I don’t want to make Bronya-nee-san sad.
I won’t fight you.
Stop following me!”
And with that, Wendy flew off again.
Kitty Snuggles: See, Wendy-san hasn’t turned into a Herrscher after all.
If she had, she wouldn’t be acting like this.
World’s Cutest: Wendy won’t be controlled by a Herrscher.
She’s the most gifted A-rank Valkyrie there is!
Wants to Buy an Island: Gentle people stay gentle, in the end.
Chlorinated Kiana: Childish.
Definitely Not Embarrassing: …
Just after Wendy flew off, Anti-Entropy’s fleet and Durandal advanced swiftly toward her position.
Watching this unfold, Theresa’s heart leapt into her throat.
She knew Wendy stood no chance of fighting back against Durandal.
As Durandal’s commanding officer, she knew exactly how powerful this fiercely self-disciplined, youngest-ever S-rank Valkyrie was.
Staring at the stream, Theresa screamed inside her head.
Theresa!
Theresa, where are you?!
Your student is being hunted down, where are you?!
Hurry, help your student!
The Theresa watching was half-blaming herself: in a situation like this, why hadn’t her story-self appeared yet?
Knowing her own nature, once she learned what had happened to Wendy, she would never just stand by.
As if in answer to her cries, Theresa’s small figure appeared in the stream, and Theresa let out a heavy breath of relief at the sight of herself.
On screen, she addressed the group: “Don’t worry about Schicksal or Anti-Entropy.
Hurry and bring Wendy back.”
“Principal, what did you do?”
Theresa gave a shrug and said lightly, “I don’t have the authority to call off an S-rank Valkyrie, but pinpointing Durandal’s location is well within my power.
Anti-Entropy’s comms systems are so advanced, they’re bound to pick up my broadcast.”
“And then those old foxes at Anti-Entropy will surely choose to ambush the S-rank Valkyrie.”
With that, Theresa let out a foxy little laugh.
Wants to Buy an Island: Turning a hopeless power gap to her advantage with the Dark Forest theory.
So this is Theresa Apocalypse, granddaughter of the Schicksal Overseer?
Heh.
Anyone who underestimates her over that childlike face is in for the rudest awakening of their life.
The mercenary Raven offered up her highest praise once again: Theresa had played that move beautifully.
Kitty Snuggles: Sooo amazing!
Wait, Theresa isn’t really one of Schicksal’s, so is it actually okay for her to do that?
…Eh, whatever.
Nicely done!
No Exams Thanks: That’s our Theresa for you!
Kiana got it too, and threw her arms around the Theresa beside her, pressing cheek to cheek, nuzzling as she gushed:
“Wow, Auntie, you suddenly got so smart!”
Theresa, relieved now, felt the corner of her mouth tug up at Kiana’s words.
“Naturally.
Have you forgotten just who your auntie is?”
“Although, ‘childlike face,’ honestly!”
On screen, Theresa was still talking.
“Selling out my own people is a touch embarrassing, I’ll admit, but an S-rank Valkyrie isn’t so easily taken down.”
“Let’s just hope Anti-Entropy can stall her a little longer.”
Thank you all so much!