Mistaken identity?
The possibility was practically zero.
Herta trusted her own judgment. Besides, this was Kiana's Stigmata trial world. Once the word "trial" was involved, anything could happen.
"Not even the slightest special feeling?"
Kiana shook her head honestly. Aside from being a bit stronger than the average person and having better resistance to Honkai energy than most, she felt there was nothing special about herself.
She looked the same as everyone else—two eyes and one mouth. Nothing strange at all.
"Your situation is rather interesting. When the time is right, I'll take a proper look at you."
"...Do we really know each other?"
Although she had never openly doubted it, unease still lingered in Kiana's heart. She was afraid—afraid that Herta might have mistaken her for someone else.
Herta glanced at her and said, "If you don't believe me, then just treat it as if we met for the first time today."
She had no intention of arguing over this.
None of Herta's earlier words had given Kiana as much reassurance as that sentence. In other words, even if Herta had mistaken her—if she wasn't the friend Herta claimed she was—
that was fine, wasn't it?
Herta did not require anything from Kiana. She simply left her aside and continued living her dull, monotonous life.
But that was clearly not what the people outside wanted to see. They wanted Herta to use the laboratory to accomplish something, to produce new results.
Just like every time before, when she had turned the tide.
Wait. Wait. And wait some more.
Patience was gradually worn away. Although no Herrscher had appeared recently, the Honkai phenomena continued to intensify, leaving the Federation overwhelmed.
At last, someone came knocking again.
"Are you threatening me?"
Herta met the person's gaze coldly, her disgust undisguised.
After expressing his so-called sincerity, the man shifted his tone. "We don't wish to become your enemy. Someone as intelligent as you surely understands that when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. The Honkai is worsening. This concerns the survival of all humanity."
The visitor attempted to persuade Herta through morality.
There was no need to gamble her life out of a moment's anger. Herta herself was among humanity. Why refuse?
If she would not bow her head, it could only mean the conditions were not sufficient. The Federation's new representative had come to negotiate.
Yet what no one expected—
Herta merely sneered and asked, "What does it have to do with me if humanity perishes?"
Herta's arrogance was evident to all. It was precisely because of that cold arrogance that those who had once considered attaching themselves to her had abandoned the idea.
Because she did not care.
She did not regard people as worthy of notice at all.
But no one had imagined her arrogance would reach this extent.
"Don't forget, you are also a member of humanity!"
"You are you. I am me." Herta let out a scornful laugh. "What happens to you, what happens to humanity—I don't care in the slightest. I have a bit of interest in the Honkai. As for everything else, that's merely incidental."
The man had not expected such words. There was not a trace of emotion or empathy in her. As a seasoned politician, he could tell she was not speaking in anger.
Precisely because he knew she was serious—
because this was truly what she believed—an icy chill rose within him. Facing Herta's overly delicate features, fear and fury warred across his face.
Herta had never cared about humanity.
Then how could they possibly make her help?
She had no weaknesses. No desires. Not even the basic empathy of a human being. She did not care whether others lived or died.
"...Madwoman!"
The Federation representative shot to his feet, glaring at the expressionless Herta. If she refused to act, how was humanity supposed to confront the Honkai?
Modern technology had been elevated by Herta alone. Merely researching what she had provided already required their utmost effort.
But those things—no longer offered much advantage against the Honkai.
"You're a smart person. You know the consequences of refusing us." Realizing Herta was determined to watch them die, the representative adopted a harder stance.
"If you can manage it, then go ahead." Herta spoke lightly. "Oh, and do try to be creative. Bring something interesting next time."
"You!"
"If you're finished, get out." Herta could not be bothered to look at him again. "Instead of wasting time here, you'd be better off thinking carefully about how you plan to die."
The man intended to utter a threat, to shake her resolve—yet he found himself abruptly standing up, turning toward the door.
His clouded eyes filled with terror.
He could not control his body. He could not even speak. All he could do was feel himself walking toward the exit against his will.
He moved quickly. As he left the study, he happened to see the white-haired girl waiting outside, staring at him curiously.
He remembered her. She was the girl captured from the ruins of Sapphire City and delivered to Herta as an experimental subject.
Seeing her standing there unharmed—
A strange look flickered through the man's frightened eyes.
Kiana watched the ill-tempered-looking man depart, then slipped quietly through the still-open door into the study.
"Was he here to cause trouble?"
She had been eavesdropping outside and knew Herta had not suffered any humiliation. On the contrary, the visiting guest had been thoroughly rebuked.
"What? Planning to vent my anger for me?"
Herta asked casually. To her surprise, Kiana nodded and glanced toward the door.
"He made you unhappy. I can teach him a lesson for you!"
"Sure." Herta leaned back in her chair with a smile, assuming she was joking. "Go give him a beating. Help me blow off some steam."
"I'll go right now!"
Without another word, Kiana slipped out again.
Herta paid it no mind. Instead, she considered the current situation outside.
This much time was enough for her to accomplish many things. Some matters did not require such complication. Ordinary people could never comprehend a genius.
Just like her magic.
Ruan Mei still showed no sign of appearing. Most likely, she would not emerge at this particular point in time.
If she did not intervene—would there be any turning point left in this world?
If not, then before long, this world would likely come to an end.
"Could there be something yet to unfold?"
Herta was indeed angry, but she did not act rashly. Thinking of Ruan Mei, who had yet to appear, she found herself curious about the direction this trial world would take.
There was not much time left for Ruan Mei to make her entrance.
She should have been dragged into the Stigmata trial as well.
Before long, Kiana returned.
Judging from her expression, she seemed to be in rather good spirits.
"I gave him a beating for you!"
Like a puppy seeking praise, Kiana beamed brightly, looking at Herta with eager anticipation.
"Impressive initiative."
Herta offered a casual evaluation, not taking the matter to heart. Her anger had not even begun to subside. True satisfaction would only come from revenge taken personally.
"I'll ask you this—what do you want to do next?"
"Next?"
The question came so suddenly that Kiana did not know how to answer. She had never thought about the future.
After all, she had lost her memory. She had no recollection of her past and did not even know what kind of person she used to be.
"I want to stay with you." Drawing on the little she remembered, Kiana voiced the thought in her heart.
Herta's expression did not change.
Seeing her silent, Kiana grew uneasy and asked softly, "Is that okay?"
She had been awake for only a month. Though brief, she had already experienced quite a lot. After all, she had opened her eyes in the most dangerous of ruins.
At that time, the Honkai Eruption in Sapphire City had passed only two days earlier. She had escaped from a place riddled with danger, finally encountered other humans, and been brought to a shelter—only to suffer bullying over food.
She had survived by sheer luck, yet could not even eat her fill.
It wasn't that she had never met kind people. The ones who coveted her had been driven off by her fists. But the conditions in the shelter were what they were.
It was nothing compared to Herta's place.
The difference was like heaven and earth.
Afterward, she had been captured and sent to Herta as an experimental subject. She had planned to find a chance to escape midway, but the guards watched too closely. And while listening to them chat, she had heard them mention Herta.
Out of curiosity, she had behaved herself and come here obediently.
Though Herta was somewhat different from what she had imagined, she was indeed a good person.
"Nothing else you want to do?"
Kiana thought very seriously, then shook her head. She had no other ideas. She only wanted to remain by Herta's side.
"You heard just now, didn't you? This world is about to end. Don't you have any desire to save it? To save humanity?"
Kiana froze.
Save the world?
Save humanity?
She thought of the shelter. She thought of Sapphire City reduced to ruins, of the gray sky stained with blood, as though the sun would never shine again.
And here, the sunlight was bright. There were no monsters lurking everywhere. She could wear clean clothes and eat her fill.
"Should I... save this world?"
Herta's earlier words to that man had not sounded like this. Could it be that saving the world and saving humanity was what she truly desired deep down?
Had she only said those things to anger him on purpose?
"Why are you asking me? Ask your own heart."
"I—I don't know."
Kiana felt she ought to follow Herta's lead and say she wanted to save the world, to help her realize her wishes.
Herta had given her a safe place to stay, allowed her to eat her fill. After taking her from those people, she had not made her do anything at all.
She had even said they were friends.
But saving the world, saving humanity... such matters were far too heavy. Herta had given her books to read, and she had come to understand something of the world's situation.
Save the world... why should she save the world?
Save humanity... couldn't they save themselves? Why should she risk herself for people who had nothing to do with her?
Kiana did not understand.
If the person in danger were Herta, who had treated her well, she would rush to save her without hesitation.
But what if it were the man from earlier—the one who had angered Herta? Should she save someone like that too?
Why?
"Fine. If you don't know, then think about it slowly." Herta lowered her head. "Tell me when you've figured it out."
Kiana quietly let out a breath of relief. Herta had not forced her to choose. She looked at her gratefully.
She received only the usual silence in return.
Herta was immersed in her own world. When she had no need of someone, she could not be bothered to respond.
No action came from those people.
That night, despair erupted from the center of the base. A Honkai Eruption swept across the entire city, thunder roaring from the sky.
Herta, who had been running calculations, darkened in expression and looked toward the epicenter. Irritation spread through her heart.
The birth of a Herrscher followed certain patterns. Previously, she had been able to investigate and filter through possibilities. But now things were different.
She had far fewer resources to work with.
The Honkai Eruption had already begun.
She had originally planned to act personally and do something. What a waste—those people had gotten off too lightly.
With the eruption underway, the artificial Herrschers stationed around her would likely be dispatched to subdue the newly born Herrscher.
This was a good opportunity to leave.
Herta had long since devised a way to escape, but she could not guarantee she would evade pursuit from the artificial Herrschers.
Though there was a vast gulf between them and a newly born Herrscher—like outdated relics eliminated in a previous era—that did not mean the artificial Herrschers lacked strength.
Their Herrscher abilities were strange and varied, technology treated as biological weapons.
"Herta!"
The door was shoved open. Herta looked up and met Kiana's hurried gaze. Seeing she was unharmed, Kiana visibly relaxed. "Thank goodness you're safe. We have to leave now!"
The feeling was similar to what she had experienced in Sapphire City. Kiana sensed this place might soon become ruins just the same.
"You came at the right time. Saves me the trouble of looking for you." Herta nodded and rose, about to call her over—when she felt an extraordinary surge of energy racing toward them.
In an instant, she realized.
It was coming for her.
"Damn it!"
Herta cursed under her breath and strode toward Kiana. She had already been betrayed and confined here for so long—why was she still involved in this?
She had experienced similar assassination attempts several times before.
Kiana sensed it too and instinctively looked in that direction. A bolt of lightning shot from afar, dazzling and overwhelming.
With a thunderous boom, the entire sanatorium collapsed beneath the lightning, thunder rolling endlessly overhead.
"Stop her!"
The artificial Herrschers guarding the area rushed forward in fury to intercept the newly born Herrscher. Others who had been preparing to encircle her quickly joined them.
In less than two minutes—six artificial Herrschers gathered several kilometers away.
Surrounded at the center was a newborn Herrscher clearly different from them. Deep violet patterns traced across her exposed skin. In her eyes, purple like lightning, thunder sigils shimmered with terrifying intensity.
"Defective products—get out of my way!"
Electric waves exploded outward from the newborn Herrscher, seeking to blast the troublesome pests aside. She had no time to waste on inferior imitations.
Herta.
That woman.
She had to die.
Within the Herrscher's heart there was only contempt and irritation toward the artificial Herrschers around her—and a deep, seething killing intent directed at Herta.
It was all because of her.
All because of that wretch.
Because of her, she had lost her sister and been reduced to what she was now.
If Herta had never developed artificial Herrscher technology, those villains who oppressed them would never have risen to power. Her sister would not have been captured for artificial Herrscher experiments and died in agony.
All of this—was brought about by Herta.