"..."
...After a long silence.
The one who broke it was Mobius, propping her chin in her hand as she observed, with keen interest, the shifting expressions of her former friends.
"So, do you understand now? The 'Honkai' has no end. Everything you once did—none of it is worth mentioning." She tilted her head slightly. A faint gleam shimmered within her gradient serpent-like pupils as she surveyed the people in the courtyard, as if anticipating something.
Hoo—
A gentle breeze swept through. Wind chimes along the corridor rang crisply. Within the Valkyrie garrison in the palace district of the Imperial Capital, inside the office residence Mobius had modeled after the old Golden Courtyard, the sheer volume and shock value of the information relayed by Mobius and Durandal left everyone quietly digesting it in silence.
The courtyard was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Except—
"My, my, Mobius, you've grown up and become even more mean-spirited. You could've just transmitted all the properly organized information straight into everyone's minds like I do. Instead you make them think so hard—how naughty. I know I'm special, but if you dote on me like this, I'll get embarrassed..."
"Fat woman, shut up."
As if nothing had changed at all, listening to the bickering that felt so familiar, so intimate, so achingly nostalgic, the Flame-Chasers could see the surprise and doubt reflected upon one another's faces—only for it to slowly transform into indescribable helplessness... and the deepest terror.
Even life and death—when one lived, when one died—was that now in someone else's hands as well?
Though the courtyard appeared as new as ever, the grass lush, flowers blooming, artificial rock formations exquisitely crafted, a small lake rippling with emerald waves, even the corridors arranged as they had once been, the changes—the newness within them—felt shockingly unfamiliar.
The dark red double-headed eagle banners swayed in the wind. Towering statues of the Astartes stood solemnly. Oil paintings depicting unknown wars adorned the walls... and in the afternoon sunlight, stained glass bearing the sacred image of the Divine Empress cast dazzling, fragmented brilliance across the ground.
"It's her..."
Gazing at the familiar shadow scattered across the floor, feeling the outline of light and shade upon his own body, Kevin furrowed his brow and lowered his head in silence.
Aponia and Eden, the two mature elder sisters among the Flame-Chasers, seemed to be whispering about something. Eden reached out and gently patted the plump back of the Discipline nun clad in a white headscarf.
Sakura remained calm. After hearing the full account of their resurrection, she merely curled slightly into herself in a corner, clutching her most treasured pendant in her hand, unmoving, staring blankly at the holographic image projected from it—the inseparable pink-haired sisters, the younger one smiling as she hugged her elder sister.
Kosma scanned the surroundings as if searching for something. His gaze drifted unconsciously toward the place where he had awakened, then lingered, as though waiting for someone.
Kalpas had already placed his mask back over his face. With one leg crossed over the other, he stared at the sky, lost in thought.
Vill-V clutched her two-toned, fluffy hair in frustration as if a project had stalled, muttering to herself.
Su rested with his eyes closed.
"So these are the Thirteen Flame-Chasers of Fire Moth." As accompanying relatives and, for the moment, retired Valkyries, Bronya's group observed everything with curiosity.
Rozaliya and Liliya stared in astonishment at the pink elf-like lady currently entangled with Dr. Mobius, their tails twitching.
They were far too familiar with how formidable Dr. Mobius was, having once been injected and researched by her for a period of time. Yet that socially fearless big sister had the doctor running herself ragged. As for Kevin and the others—sorry, they didn't know them and weren't familiar.
Tap tap—
"I never thought I'd see them again... and alive at that." Natasha Cioara crossed her arms. Beneath the black-and-dark-red Raven hood, the former World Serpent mercenary's wine-red eyes flickered with contemplation.
"People dead for fifty thousand years can be dragged back. Truly..."
Clicking her tongue a few times, Cioara had no intention of greeting her former superior. World Serpent had already disbanded, their employment relationship terminated. With her current status and individual strength, Kevin would likely have to salute her instead.
Times had changed.
With a sigh, Cioara shrugged. "Mei, look. This is the truth of World Serpent you almost saw back then—the Flame-Chasers of the Elysian Realm. Some of the seniors are quite decent people, some are rather insane, and some I never even met."
"It's all in the past." A faint flicker of lightning shimmered, accompanied by the soft hum of a blade. At some unknown moment, her eyes had turned into crystalline violet thunder of heavenly punishment. Raiden Mei shifted her gaze away from Kevin.
The icy mountain she once could not surpass was no longer of any consequence.
"Raiden Mei."
The aura of a Herrscher made Kevin's expression change violently by reflex—only to slacken the next instant. Because it no longer mattered. It didn't matter anymore...
"Raven, are you now also serving the Empire? Serving Finality?"
Looking at his former subordinate, Kevin asked bleakly.
"Naturally. To be precise, not serving—pledging loyalty. The kind where you can only retire but never terminate the contract." Spreading the hand clad in dark red finger guards, Cioara's expression turned unreadable.
"From beginning to end, Lord—this will be the last time I address you as such. As a Brigadier General of the Sacred Selene Empire's Auxiliary Army and Senior Director of the Valkyrie Corps, Kevin Kaslana, your methods are outdated."
There was a trace of melancholy in her voice.
"Do you know? Even though the local administrative authorities never intended to smear you, in our home world—the planet you fought so desperately to protect—in the eyes of the new generation, your very existence is a sin. A heinous, overreaching blasphemer who sought his own destruction and dragged all living beings down with his ambition."
That was all she said.
She had not exaggerated.
If Kevin returned to his home world and attempted to organize resistance against the Honkai again, there would be no need for the Imperial Empress or the central authorities of the capital to intervene. He had no popular support. Local civilians and stationed forces would treat him as walking merit to be claimed—tear him to pieces and divide the credit among themselves. Perhaps those with former World Serpent backgrounds would be the most radical.
"Kevin."
The commotion brought by the Herrscher of Thunder's arrival and the conversation between Cioara and Kevin had made the other Flame-Chasers listen closely. Hearing Kevin's ten thousand years of effort dismissed as worthless by his former subordinate, Eden—the red-haired, golden-eyed songstress—rose with worry etched across her face.
Was this not also directed at her?
"Um, there's no need to worry... Kiana will handle everything. As long as everyone cooperates and works together, let the past remain in the past and welcome the new era, embrace it—isn't that right?"
At that moment, a gentle voice sounded.
Following the source, a silver-haired woman in black stepped out gracefully in high boots. Her azure eyes were slightly lowered, a soft smile resting upon her cherry lips. She was as picturesque as a poem, gentle as flowing water.
"You are?"
"Schariac... Mother..." Durandal clenched her fist slightly, murmuring with a hint of tension. The resonance of sacred blood...
Crash—
Hurried footsteps echoed.
"You child... Kiana, you've worked hard."
It was the very one who had resurrected them—Kiana, her face pale and breathing unevenly—and beside her, supporting her with a gratified smile, stood a tall, mature woman clad in red armor with crimson hair.
"Himeko-sensei..." Bronya and Raiden Mei stepped forward at the same time.
The exhilaration of reunion surged.
...
"This... the resurrection ritual is over?"
Among the Flame-Chasers, Kosma's expression stiffened briefly before his eyes darkened uncertainly. He understood their feelings and sincerely offered his blessings—but what he cared about more was—
"Where is Griseo?"
—
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