"Ah... I thought my acting skills were pretty good. At least Tesla and the others didn't see through it." Planck released Vill-V, pinching the small revolver between her fingers. She raised her hands in a gesture of surrender and spoke with a trace of regret. "I couldn't scare you. What a pity. It seems I no longer have the stamina to create those two interesting weapons again..."
The two interesting weapons naturally referred to Judgment of Shamash and Oath of Judah.
Isn't Dr. Tesla someone you can fool without much effort? That probably has nothing to do with acting skills... Vill-V thought.
Planck's restoration of her humanity had been entirely within Conductor's Herrscher Renormalization plan.
After all, the Herrscher Renormalization plan was the most optimal solution jointly discussed by Conductor, Expert, Occultist, and Magician.
It could also be said that this was an all-in gamble. Conductor had no backup plan.
Restoring a Herrscher's humanity left no room for spare options. Did they expect the "positive energy" of the Current Era to accomplish it? Humanity in the Current Era defeating a Herrscher had only been possible because of Elysia's sacrifice.
The reason Conductor had been so eager to ask Otto to locate Planck was also out of fear that she might grow tired of the chaos of the world and retreat into seclusion.
That would not do. The Previous Era still needed the power of the Herrscher of Reason to fight the Honkai. She was not allowed to rest yet.
As she spoke, Planck conjured two chairs out of thin air. She sat heavily in one of them, exhaustion apparent on her face, and said to Vill-V, "No need to stand on ceremony. Sit, my friend."
Planck's tone seemed to have changed entirely. The earlier coldness was gone, leaving Vill-V puzzled.
Why are these two chairs side by side? Shouldn't people sit face to face for a proper conversation?
Seeing Vill-V sit down without hesitation, Planck folded her hands together. "Calling you Miss Vill-V is fine, isn't it?"
"Of course." Vill-V spread her hands. "In a sense, you're my grand-teacher."
Planck laughed. "Heh, I'm not that old. You should call me big sister. The me over there is only in her early twenties."
"And this me... is even younger. Seventeen years ago, I was still seventeen."
"Watching the little ones grow up... it really is quite nice."
A simple leaf bookmark appeared in Planck's hand, and a trace of nostalgia flickered in her eyes.
It was the one Einstein had first made for Karl and herself using a maple leaf from Zurich.
In a certain sense, the authority of the Herrscher of Reason was truly convenient.
"So, Sister Planck, have the two of you fused into one?"
Planck came back to herself, amusement dancing in her eyes. "What do you think...?"
After looking Planck up and down, taking in the mature curves of her body, Vill-V shook her head. "I think both of your physical bodies died, but your souls remain."
"Hahaha. Are you a disciple of Plato? ...That interpretation isn't wrong."
Toward Vill-V, who had pulled her back from the Will of the Honkai, Planck felt sincere admiration and gratitude.
Her playful tone abruptly turned serious, even carrying a faint pressure that Vill-V could feel. "You should know that this world is not the same as ours."
"Of course. If it were the same world, then the world we came from would already have become history." Vill-V affirmed the conclusion, though she had no concrete proof.
Planck nodded. A complex look crossed her eyes. "Unlike you, I do not possess the spatial authority of the Cosmic Juggernaut to alter myself to adapt to this world. I am nothing more than an illegal outsider here."
"To avoid being rejected by this world, I could only merge with the individual in this world whose information most closely matches mine—Planck."
Vill-V revealed an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry. That was another layer of insurance on my part."
Having the Previous Era Planck voluntarily merge with her counterpart in this world had also been part of Conductor's plan.
It was extremely unfair to the Planck of this world. But to ensure absolute certainty, Vill-V could only offer her apology.
"Ara, I knew it..." Planck seemed to have anticipated this. At their level, many things were left unsaid yet understood. She stood up, her expression tinged with irritation. "Hmph. Although the me in this world did help the other me regain self-awareness, don't think I'll forgive you so easily. I'm not that magnanimous a woman. Unless... hmm... you let me hug you!"
"Eh?" Before Vill-V could react, she was already pulled into Planck's embrace.
"Hehe... so soft, so supple. Vill-V, I knew it. You feel wonderful." Planck rubbed her back contentedly. Vill-V had already changed back into loose clothing, so the touch was indeed soft.
From her voice alone, it was obvious that Planck's gloomy mood had improved considerably.
"Naturally. Just look at my figure. Can anyone else's compare? No, they absolutely cannot."
Among those around Planck—Tesla, Einstein, Edison, Schrödinger—not a single one could be described as well-endowed.
Vill-V did not push Planck away. She understood that the Previous Era Planck's last memories likely still lingered at the moment she became the Herrscher of Reason. Perhaps she even remembered being controlled by the Honkai and slaughtering innocents.
Planck had already endured far too much. She merely wanted someone to vent to. After all, she was an emotionally rich young girl, not a battle-hardened warrior.
Yet in this world, Planck still needed to conceal the truth from Tesla and the others. That left only one person she could confide in—Vill-V, who was also from the Previous Era and knew the situation.
Really... why does this world always make a group of young girls bear so much suffering?
After holding her for a while, Planck released Vill-V. She quietly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and said, "Sorry. Was I too rude?"
Vill-V waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no. I quite enjoyed it too. We're both girls. What's the harm?"
More chances to cuddle beautiful girls? The more, the better.
"Haha. Vill-V, you're rather similar to me. How about this—you become my student instead?"
Poor Tesla of the Previous Era. Even her student was being stolen by Planck.
Mm, yes. Planck is definitely the better teacher. She's gentle, well-endowed, and proactively affectionate. A beautiful teacher like this—aside from me, Vill-V, there's probably only Teacher Planck in this world. As for Tesla? I don't even know her.
Seeing that Vill-V seemed to genuinely consider the idea, Planck brushed back her hair and returned to the main topic.
"My current body is reconstructed using the authority of the Herrscher of Reason. But it won't last long."
"A construct of the Herrscher of Reason can exist long-term, can't it?" Vill-V asked in confusion.
After all, Welt Yang had reconstructed his body with the power of the Herrscher of Reason and maintained it for years.
"No. The issue isn't the construct itself. It's that... I don't have enough Honkai energy left."
"Maintaining a body requires that much Honkai energy?" Vill-V pressed further.
Planck shook her head gently. "No. What I'm doing..."
"...is maintaining this world."