"May 1st, 2006. Siegfried Kaslana brought Kiana Kaslana to the laboratory, seized Schicksal's Herrscher of the Void test subject, and fled with both her and the specimen under pursuit by Schicksal forces."
"During the escape, Miss Kiana Kaslana fell from ten thousand meters, headfirst into the snowfield. She was retrieved by Valkyries dispatched by Otto Apocalypse. After several near-fatal treatments, she survived—but lost all memories from before the age of eight."
Cecilia stared blankly at the screen in her hands, her beautiful eyes unfocused.
What… is this?
Even after Otto transferred his consciousness into the body beside her, she had yet to recover, murmuring mechanically:
"Why would it be like this… why…"
"I told you long ago," Otto sat beside her and sighed, "Siegfried is the sort who walks down what he believes is the right path, stubbornly, without ever considering the actual circumstances."
"When you expect nothing from a Kaslana's brain, they will always find a way to surprise you."
"Surprise… yes. A surprise…"
Cecilia shook her head, her fist tightening.
Then she seemed to recall something.
"The Herrscher of the Void test subject… may I know more about that, Archbishop?"
"Of course."
Otto's voice was calm.
"It was the Gem of the Void and genetic code of the Second Herrscher, Sirin. I created multiple clones of Sirin in an attempt to seize the Authority of the Herrscher of the Void. Some were even spliced with your genes—and with Kiana Kaslana's."
"…So the one they stole was one of the successful specimens?" Cecilia pressed her lips together, forcing her thoughts into order.
"Yes. Experimental Subject K-423. After successfully synchronizing with the Gem of the Void, she was discovered by Siegfried—who then, for reasons unknown, infiltrated Schicksal's laboratory to steal her."
Otto rose, turning his back to Cecilia. His voice grew colder.
"Cecilia Schariac. I regret what befell Kiana Kaslana. But I do not regret creating Herrschers."
"Cloning in itself had no direct impact on Kiana or Siegfried. And seizing the power of the divine is Schicksal's duty."
"As I told Theresa on the second day after you awakened—this is the apocalypse. The apocalypse of civilization. Any action that allows civilization to survive it can and will be carried out. You may not accept it. But it is logical—even if it defies human morality."
He lifted his chin high, his expression distant and resolute.
"If you hate me for it, I will not repent."
Cecilia's turbulent thoughts halted abruptly.
For a fleeting moment, Otto felt both familiar and foreign—so much so that her chest ached.
Familiar, because she understood his methods and reasoning.
Foreign, because this was the first time since her awakening that he had spoken to her with such cold detachment.
You think… I would blame you?
A bitter smile curved her lips.
"This is not your fault, Archbishop."
She was no longer the girl intoxicated by sweets and honey. As the Valkyrie closest to Schicksal's center of power, Cecilia knew well the ugliness of the world.
As he had said—the blade of extinction was already at civilization's throat. There was no peace with the Honkai. Only war.
She had her moral boundaries.
But using mindless clones to seize divine authority… was far better than that.
After a pause, she asked softly,
"Are you still experimenting on children?"
Otto had just resumed his seat. He considered briefly, then answered in a normal tone:
"The last time nearly cost me you."
—In truth, because it was no longer necessary.
That was enough.
Cecilia whispered it inwardly. The frost around her heart thawed slightly.
No harm had come to little Kiana's body or mind.
And he had ceased experimenting on children because he nearly lost her.
For Cecilia, such a leader was already enough.
She knew how severe the Honkai threat was. Back then, her desperate pleas had partly been because Siegfried's outburst had shown her hope that humanity could oppose a Herrscher.
The Archbishop and she had pursued the same end.
She would not judge him by her own moral scale.
Besides—
He had raised little Kiana well. Just days ago, she had seen her: youthful, radiant, heroic—just as Cecilia once had been.
The affection between Otto and little Kiana was evident. The girl spoke to him with such frankness—there was clearly no estrangement between them.
Cecilia should be grateful.
More devout.
As for the other child in this story…
Her lips pressed thin.
"That child… does she have a name?"
Otto looked at her seriously.
For a fleeting moment, she saw pity in his gaze.
As if he were asking:
Are you certain you want to know?
"…Very well. You would learn sooner or later."
He sighed.
"She is called Kiana Kaslana. The name given by Mr. Siegfried Kaslana."
…?
"Kiana… Kiana?!"
Cecilia repeated the name like a dream, her body trembling.
"Siegfried Kaslana, you truly are… truly…"
A hand wrapped gently around her.
She leaned against Otto, her voice breaking, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
"The last thing I told him… was to raise Kiana well…"
"Raise her well…"
Her eyes reddened as she tilted her head upward, struggling to hold back tears.
"This… is his companionship?"
She laughed faintly, bitterly.
Resting her forehead against Otto's shoulder, her words came haltingly.
"I don't blame that child… how could I ever? But… but…"
"Kiana Kaslana… was that the only name he could choose? Even adding a single word—I could understand… even one…"
"Siegfried… what did you treat her as? What did you treat that child as?"
"She was a child too. A child who should have had her own life. You risked everything to take her—and then turned her into a substitute…"
"When she learns the truth, how is she meant to live?"
"How am I meant to accept it…?"
Otto said nothing.
He only patted her shoulder gently.
"I even told you at the very end… that he would never betray Schicksal…"
She looked at him, her beautiful face filled with grief.
"I… I truly am…"
Her voice failed.
Her body swayed slightly, and a fragile, tragic smile formed.
I am a joke.
"If you wish to cry," Otto finally spoke, his voice soft, "then cry on my shoulder."
He stood and drew her into his arms.
"Don't be afraid, little sister," he said gently. "I am here. I saved Kiana. She lives well. You will see her very soon."
"You also have an academy—one said to inherit your will. We can visit it."
"You still have much. Do not fear because you have lost a little."
"With me here, everything will improve. So long as I remain."
"Yes… Kiana is still alive… Bianka Durandal Atagina…"
"That is a beautiful name…"
Cecilia murmured, a faint smile forming even as tears finally overflowed, soaking into Otto's sleeve.
"Luckily… I still have you…"
She repeated it again and again, clutching him tighter—as if he were the only world left for her to rely upon.
Strange.
When she bled out in Siberia, she did not cry.
When amnesia split her head with pain, she did not cry.
But before him—
When wronged—
She could not stop the tears.
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