Otto leisurely compressed the Oath of Judah into a small cross and fastened it onto his right wrist.
He was sitting at his desk. Behind him stood Rita Rossweisse in black silk.
After eighty failed attempts, Theresa had finally connected the video call.
"How can I help my dear granddaughter?" Otto smiled.
"You know exactly what you did!!!"
"Oh, Theresa. I merely retrieved your Divine Key. But you still have me! In my heart, little Theresa is the second cutest in the world."
"Second cutest?! Then who's first?!"
"Schicksal's most diligent Valkyrie—little Durandal."
Theresa exploded.
"Oh, sorry."
"…And?"
"And? If there's nothing else, goodbye?"
"Your apology isn't sincere at all!!!"
"I've already apologized. You still want sincerity?"
…
The conversation escalated toward the clones in St. Freya's underground laboratory.
Otto listened calmly.
"Theresa," he said at last, "her blood can neutralize Honkai energy. Yes?"
"Yes."
"So we require her blood."
"That doesn't justify cloning her!"
"If she is cloned, our odds against Honkai improve."
"That's not the point!"
"It is the point."
Otto's voice grew steady.
"This is the end of civilization. A true apocalypse."
"For civilization to survive, someone must tear off the sugar coating of goodness."
"They will apologize to the dead—but they will not repent."
"If asked whether they would do it again…"
He smiled faintly.
"They would."
Amber's voice interrupted.
"Theresa," Otto said with a mysterious smile before hanging up, "Merry Christmas."
After instructing Rita regarding Durandal's special S-rank assessment, Otto met Cecilia again.
She wore a long pale yellow-green winter coat, white sweater beneath, black trousers.
"Beautiful," Otto praised.
She smiled.
He gave Amber further orders: suspend Gem of Serenity experiments, prepare three Soulsteel bodies.
Then he approached Cecilia.
"Remember anything?"
"No…"
"No one needs you to become who you once were."
Her expression brightened.
She stepped forward and hugged him.
"Thank you, Brother."
Warm fragrance brushed past him.
"We don't need thanks between us."
He led her outside.
The sunlight was bright but cold.
"Today we'll go somewhere else."
"Where?"
"Do you remember what we discussed yesterday?"
His eyes gleamed.
"We're going to England."
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