『 Kiana shouted into the communicator several times, but there was no response. It seemed there was no signal here.
"I was clearly following right behind Theresa, but now even she has disappeared to who knows where."
Sigh, life is not easy; the kitty sighs.
After sighing, Kiana looked at the distant tower. "The only thing in sight is that high tower. Whatever, I'll go check it out first."
With that, Kiana walked toward the tower. Crossing a slightly familiar snowy plain, she arrived in front of a bridge. After clearing out the Honkai Beasts blocking the bridge, she looked at the familiar snow around her and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"It's been so long since I've seen this much snow. Before Dad went missing, we also lived in a village that was buried in snow during winter."
"Every time around then, I would have snowball fights with Dad. Once, a snowball he threw with all his might actually shattered a two-meter-high boulder!"
After saying this, Kiana realized something was off. "Wait, hold on! If I hadn't dodged back then, wouldn't that have been extremely dangerous?!"
"What on earth was that idiot Dad thinking?!" 』
『 ....』
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: Is that how you raise a child?
〘Siegfried〙: Haha, I just had faith in my Kiana.
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Well, then, I really have to thank you.
〘Stelle〙: Getting hit by that snowball would probably hurt a lot.
〘March 7th〙: It would literally kill someone, wouldn't it…
〘Belle〙: For real.
....
『 After complaining about Siegfried, Kiana began talking to herself again.
"Then, one day four years ago, that idiot Dad suddenly vanished."
"To find him, I searched from Europe to Asia, but I couldn't find a single clue."
"Sigh, Dad, what kind of stupid thing are you doing now? Seriously, I kind of miss him…" 』
『 ....』
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: Why are you quiet now?
〘Siegfried〙: Ah, you know, I'm not good at dealing with this kind of stuff.
....
『 "I don't even know how long I've been walking in the snow. It's a bit lonely."
"Ah! How strange, to think that even I would feel lonely."
"I lived all by myself for so long after Dad went missing. Why am I so afraid of being alone now?" 』
『 ....』
〘·HI3· Himeko Murata〙: Because you've found a home, silly girl.
....
『 "Sigh, now my head is filled with the dinners Mei prepares, and the games I play with Bronya."
"Even Theresa's hellish training is more interesting than this. And also, Himeko getting drunk and lying naked on my bed."
Realizing what she had just said, Kiana instantly snapped out of it.
"Huh? Wait… what the hell was that last image! Argh, anyway, I really want to see everyone again." 』
『 ....』
〘·HI3· Himeko Murata〙: Why does the vibe go completely off-course when it gets to me?
〘Elysia〙: Quite an interesting scene, isn't it? ♪
....
『 After walking for who knows how much longer, Kiana stopped in her tracks, looking at the tower that was still far in the distance.
"I've walked for so long, yet that tower is still so far away. Am I lost?"
"Could I be trapped in this space forever? All alone, by myself…"
Kiana's tone grew increasingly low and despondent. "Just like the day Dad disappeared, no one answers me, and no one will wait for me…"
"In this endless snow, there is only me." 』
『 ....』
〘Raiden Mei〙: That's not true, Kiana. You have me now, and I will wait for you.
〘Raiden Ryoma〙: Siegfried! What kind of love potion did your daughter feed my daughter?!
〘Siegfried〙: I don't know.
〘March 7th〙: So shamelessly confident in your ignorance.
....
『 Kiana quickly shook her head. "No, no, no! It's different now! Everyone must be waiting for me."
"Mei, Himeko, Theresa, and Bronya. I will definitely see everyone again."
After cheering herself up, Kiana continued heading toward the tower. Before long, a signal returned to the communicator. It was Theresa.
Theresa's voice came through the communicator in an extremely solemn tone.
"Failed to stop the target. I was injured in the battle against the target and have temporarily lost mobility."
"After the battle, the target headed toward the Babylon Labs. All other Valkyrie squads, please rush to the target location."
Seeing that the signal source on the communicator was right nearby, Kiana decided to go check it out.
Along the way, dark shadows appeared from time to time to guide her. When Kiana followed the shadows and arrived in front of Theresa, she saw her kneeling on the snow. A golden light emanated from the wound on her arm, and behind her was a trail of blood she had left along the way.
"Dammit, I let my guard down."
Theresa said as she treated her injuries, "I didn't expect the Second Herrscher to possess such powerful strength already… I must quickly complete cellular regeneration."
"Must… eliminate the Second Herrscher before Bishop Otto deploys her." 』
『 ....』
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: Ah, so it was this time period…
〘Stelle〙: Is there a story behind this?
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: No particular story. I just let my guard down back then and didn't expect the newly born Second Herrscher to be so strong.
....
『 "Theresa? How did you get hurt?!" Kiana asked anxiously as she looked at the injured Theresa.
Theresa looked at Kiana in front of her, growing alert. "Hmm? Who are you?"
"We only separated for a little while, and you already don't recognize me?" Kiana knelt down, intending to help Theresa up.
"I'm your niece, Kiana."
"Kiana… Kiana Kaslana?" Theresa muttered in confusion after being helped up by Kiana.
Then, as if she had guessed something, she let out an arrogant smirk.
"Hmph! You wretched Second Herrscher, trying to deceive me with an illusion? Do you really take me for a fool!"
"My niece Kiana is only one year old right now."
She leapt into the air, and the Oath of Judah materialized behind her, golden chains whipping through the air.
"Hmph! Prepare to die, you illusion!" 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Well, how the tables have turned.
〘Siegfried〙: Kiana has so many distinct Kaslana traits on her, yet you didn't recognize her. Oh, wait, that was you back then, so I guess it makes sense.
....
『 After trading a few blows with Kiana, Theresa looked at her in shock.
"Wait a minute! Were you using the gun kata skills of House Kaslana?"
"Yeah," Kiana nodded.
"Who taught you?" Theresa asked curiously.
"My dad taught me, of course."
"Your dad?"
"Siegfried! Siegfried Kaslana!"
Upon hearing this, Theresa clutched her head, her brain seemingly unable to process the information.
"Ugh, what on earth is going on? She says she's Kiana, but Kiana is only one year old!"
Hearing this, Kiana muttered, "One year old? Right, when I first entered this virtual space, the system displayed the date as February 7th, 2000."
"Could the Theresa in front of me be the Theresa from that time? That's why she doesn't recognize me!"
"I know what I have to do. You must be Siegfried's ill-begotten bastard daughter!" Theresa pointed at Kiana, stating with absolute certainty.
"EH???!!!" 』
『 ....』
〘Siegfried〙: What exactly did you get?!
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: It's a perfectly logical deduction, pfft.
....
『 "Dammit, I knew it! That guy is a dirty womanizing scumbag! Never knew his bastard was so big already."
The more she spoke, the more reasonable it sounded. Theresa nodded and looked at Kiana, coming to a sudden realization. "So that's why you claim to be my niece."
"Hey! Stop calling me a bastard!" Kiana refuted loudly.
"Sigh, poor child. I know it's hard. But this is your dad's fault.... oooh, that evil scumbag!"
Looking at the self-assured Theresa before her, Kiana sighed in her heart, thinking, 'Sigh, whatever. With Theresa's IQ, it's probably going to be hard to explain this clearly to her.'
'At this point, I should just play along with her words and get her to take me out of this godforsaken place.' 』
『 ....』
〘Siegfried〙: My reputation…
〘Theresa Apocalypse〙: Do you even have such a thing? You bastard who touched the butts of all the Valkyries!
〘Siegfried〙: This is slander! Absolute slander!
....