Two hours later.
The Herrscher of the Void, who had previously been incomparably arrogant, feeling herself invincible and everyone else mere cannon fodder—the very picture of a smug brat—was now stripped of all her former pride.
Currently, she was wearing a placard that read “I WILL NEVER TRASH-TALK AGAIN,” a seal over her mouth, and her limbs were bound.
She was kneeling on the floor like a defeated queen in a bad-ending CG, awaiting judgment.
“Ugh…
Just kill me,” the Herrscher of the Void uttered the classic female knight line.
“Calm down, Sirin.
We’re here to talk terms,” Chiaki said, crouching in front of her to meet her gaze.
“I have nothing to discuss with you humans.”
“In that case, we’ll just come here and beat you up every day after dinner.
And if you think you were just careless this time and will get your revenge next time, you’re sorely mistaken.
Before we beat you, we’ll make Kiana starve so she can’t absorb a single bit of Honkai energy for days.
We’ll wait until you’re weak, and then we’ll beat you senseless.”
“You humans are truly despicable!
Shameless!
Vile!
Damn you!”
Perhaps because Sirin hadn’t received much formal education, her vocabulary for insults was completely non-threatening, even possessing a certain cute, tsundere-like quality.
Only after the Herrscher of the Void had tired herself out did Chiaki continue.
“I know you have a grudge against Schicksal and want revenge.
But can you really succeed on your own?”
“I have a grudge against all of humanity, not just Schicksal,” the Herrscher of the Void snorted.
“Oh?
Do you have a grudge against Cecilia, too?”
“…Sh-she doesn’t count.” The Herrscher of the Void hesitated.
“I haven’t experienced your pain and despair, so I have no real concept of how terrible your life was.
I can’t offer you true comfort, and telling you to let go of your hatred is pure fantasy.
But even hatred has its priorities.
Compared to ordinary people, Schicksal—the ones who caused Cecilia’s death and took everything from you—should be your primary target for revenge.
What do you think, Sirin?”
“…All you humans do is speak deceptive, flowery words.
You’re just planning to use me, aren’t you?”
“Compared to ‘use,’ I prefer the word ‘cooperate.’ Because we are equal parties, and we can both profit from this.”
“Profit?
Heh, what can I possibly gain?
And what do you intend to gain from me?”
“What you’ll gain is small—only the resurrection of Cecilia and a happy family.
As for what I’ll gain…
the story of a young girl’s journey from sorrow to happiness, an interesting adventure, and a Herrscher for a friend?”
Chiaki had accurately struck the Herrscher of the Void’s weak point.
More than revenge, more than destroying the world or humanity, the happy family and motherly love she yearned for but could never have were what mattered most to her—so important that she would give up everything just to hear Cecilia’s voice one more time.
But having been hurt by humans before, she was unwilling to trust their honeyed words.
Yet, when she met Chiaki’s rare gray eyes, they held a calmness and sincerity she had never seen before, without a trace of deception.
It was as if he could see into the deepest vulnerabilities and loneliness of her heart, gazing into her soul without any pretense.
The cold walls, the defenses that had once protected her from harm, gradually began to crumble under his gaze.
The Herrscher of the Void turned her face away, refusing to look him in the eye.
“Why would you help me, a Herrscher?
Don’t humans hate Herrschers the most?”
“Because Kiana is my friend.
It’s only natural for friends to help each other,” Chiaki said matter-of-factly.
“…Hmph.
Then aren’t you afraid I’ll pretend to agree, then seize her body when you’re not looking and destroy the world?” The Herrscher of the Void was still trying to act tough.
“And then I’ll beat you.
I’ll lead a whole group of people here to beat you.
And next time, it won’t be just for two hours.”
The Dimensional Chat Group might only have six members now, but Chiaki was confident that as time went on, their numbers would swell.
They would no longer be a squad, but a regiment, a brigade, an army!
“…Tch.”
The Herrscher of the Void’s face twitched.
She dissolved into light and merged into Kiana’s body.
At the same time, a faint blue wisp of light entered Chiaki’s.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Moon Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom…
A new bond had been forged.
What Chiaki found strange was that the content seemed to have changed, and the voice didn’t sound like Margaret’s at all.
Chiaki didn’t dwell on these details for too long.
He turned to Kiana and asked, “How does it feel?
The feeling of mastering the power of the Herrscher of the Void.”
Kiana’s pair of azure-blue eyes had, at some point, changed.
One was now a brilliant gold, the other a sapphire blue, giving her heterochromia.
Within the golden eye, an X-shaped star pattern pulsed.
This was the proof that she had mastered a portion of the Herrscher of the Void’s authority.
She smiled faintly, her voice full of confidence.
“Better than ever.
Although Sirin only gave me a part of her power, I can feel a constant stream of energy welling up inside me.
I don’t think I need my sister anymore.
I can take down Cocolia all by myself.
With my current strength, perhaps only my sister could be considered my equal.
My equal?
Hmph, maybe my power now has far surpassed even hers.”
Chiaki: “….”
Sorry, kid.
We don’t serve the Sword Saint of the Void here.
As if unable to read the room, Kiana pressed on.
“Well, Chiaki?
Do you think my power is now enough to defeat my sister and seize the title of Schicksal’s Strongest S-rank Valkyrie?”
Chiaki let out a resigned smile.
“No, I just think you, Kiana, are peerless in your valor, unmatched in all of history.
A mere Durandal is but a clay chicken and a pottery dog before you.”
“Haha, well, I’m not that amazing,” Kiana said, scratching her head bashfully.
No, I’m not complimenting you at all.
Has your IQ dropped so low you can’t even detect my sarcasm anymore?
How pathetic, you paramecium.
Whatever.
I’m exhausted today.
Let’s just rest.
—o—
After leaving the TV World, the time outside was already 11:50 PM.
Everyone felt a wave of fatigue.
Raiden Mei’s house was luxurious, equipped with a study, a large bathroom, a gym, and more.
However, there were only three bedrooms, which led to a problem with sleeping arrangements.
Talulah’s tail took up a lot of space, so she would likely have to sleep alone or on the sofa.
Chiaki was the only male, so he would take a room or the sofa.
Seele needed to stay with Bronya to keep watch.
A single room could fit three people at most, which still left Raiden Mei, Hiiragi Utena, Toyokawa Sakiko, Artoria Caster, and Kiana—five people—with not enough space.
After a not-so-heated discussion, a decision was finally made: Chiaki would get his own room.
Talulah, Artoria Caster, and Raiden Mei would share one room, with Talulah sleeping sideways on the edge of the bed.
Hiiragi Utena, Toyokawa Sakiko, and Kiana would share another.
Seele would sleep on the sofa and be responsible for guarding Bronya.
The one who protested the most was Kiana, as she wanted to sleep in the same room as Mei.
But Mei was clearly far more interested in Talulah, the dragon, and Artoria Caster, the Fae.
These were fantasy creatures!
Beings that had only ever existed in the novels, anime, and movies she had seen, or in her own imagination.
One would have to be a saint to resist the urge to sleep in the same room as fantasy teammates and have a talk session late into the night.
Normally, this arrangement would have been fine, until…
“Ah…
hahaha…
Chiaki, I got kicked out.
Can I crash here for the night?”