The Shenzhou signing ceremony concluded in an atmosphere that was outwardly solemn but inwardly turbulent.
Jingwei Xianren's speech received polite applause, but Kael's mind had long since drifted, filled with Li Sushang's shocking words, 'Aren't you dead?'
Kael: I'm dead? Huh? When did that happen?
...On the return journey aboard the void archives, the atmosphere was even more subtle than when they arrived.
Bishop Otto seemed to be in a good mood, holding a glass of red wine and leaning by the porthole, enjoying the starry sky outside, completely ignoring Kael's face, which was full of question marks.
Theresa, on the other hand, looked depressed and annoyed. She watched the purple-haired little girl in Kael's arms—Sirin was comfortably sitting on Kael's lap, her short legs dangling back and forth.
She was also holding a small, glowing jade rabbit pendant that Kael had just bought for her in Shenzhou. Her golden eyes were full of joy and contentment, as if she owned the whole world.
And Kael, though his brows still showed confusion from Li Sushang's words, still cared for Sirin meticulously, occasionally leaning down to whisper a few words to her or helping her smooth her messy purple hair.
This scene made Theresa feel like she had drunk a bottle of aged vinegar!
Why could that little brat so naturally monopolize Kael's embrace?!
Why was Kael so gentle with her?!
She, Theresa, had known Kael for so many years, going through life and death together, and never received such treatment!
—Of course, she selectively ignored how she usually 'harassed' Kael.
No! This can't go on! Theresa's 'world-shaking wisdom' once again began to operate at high speed.
She recalled Kallen's successful 'scene-stealing,' which seemed to rely on 'gentle thoughtfulness' and 'understanding'? And Sirin, didn't she just rely on being 'small, pitiful, and helpless' to awaken Kael's protective instincts?
Conclusion: Kael prefers softness over hardness! He likes gentle and dependent types!
Theresa felt she had instantly grasped the key to the problem!
She had always been boisterous and jealous before; her strategy was completely wrong!
She should change tactics and show her 'gentle,' 'sensible,' and 'in need of protection' side! Yes! That's it!
She immediately began to adjust her state. First, she put away her pouting expression, trying to make her face a little 'fragile,' even attempting to furrow her brow slightly to create an atmosphere of 'pity-inducing.'
Then, she cleared her throat and spoke in what she considered her softest, sweetest voice, directly targeting Kael:
'Kael~~~~'
This melodious call made the distracted Kael suddenly jolt, almost dropping Sirin from his arms!
Even Otto, who was sipping wine nearby, paused his movement and gave her a somewhat surprised glance.
Sirin was also startled by the strange sound, almost dropping the jade rabbit pendant in her hand. She looked up in confusion towards the source of the sound.
Theresa ignored the others' reactions and continued in that cloyingly sweet tone, looking at Kael with 'pitiful' eyes: 'Kael~~ I... I feel a little dizzy... Maybe I'm a bit unaccustomed to the climate in Shenzhou... Can you... come and help me a little?'
As she spoke, she held her hand to her forehead, feigning a delicate and weak demeanor.
Kael: '...' His mouth twitched. Looking at Theresa's obviously over-the-top performance, he didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Theresa dizzy? Unaccustomed to the climate? She's an S-Rank Valkyrie who can carry Judah all over the world! This excuse is too ridiculous, isn't it?
Although Sirin didn't quite understand what was happening, her intuition told her that this white-haired big sister was once again trying to attract her brother's attention.
She immediately hugged Kael's neck tightly, burying her small face in his chest, declaring her ownership with her actions.
Seeing Kael didn't move, Theresa felt a little anxious and added more fuel to the fire, her voice even more 'weak': 'Kael... I'm really dizzy... I feel... I feel like I'm about to lose my balance...'
She even swayed her body, as if she might fall at any moment.
Otto finally couldn't help but chuckle, covering his mouth with his wine glass, his tone carrying undisguised teasing: 'Little Theresa, when did you become so 'delicate'? Do you need me to call the medical team?'
Theresa's face instantly flushed red. She glared at Otto in exasperation, but to maintain her 'persona,' she had to forcefully suppress her anger and continue to look at Kael with 'resentful' eyes.
Kael looked at Theresa, who was clearly furious but still trying to feign weakness, finding it both amusing and helpless.
He sighed, deciding to cooperate with her clumsy performance to prevent her from truly getting herself worked up.
He stood up, holding Sirin, and walked to Theresa's side. He extended one hand to lightly support her, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible amusement: 'Alright, Theresa, stop messing around. If you're really uncomfortable, sit down and rest for a bit.'
Theresa's heart rejoiced when she saw Kael finally come over. She immediately seized the opportunity, wanting to lean on Kael: 'Kael, you're the best... I really need to...'
However, before she could finish her sentence, Sirin in Kael's arms suddenly looked up, staring at Theresa with her pure, innocent golden eyes, and said softly and clearly:
'...Sister Theresa... you're not... very convincing...'
Theresa: '!!!'
She froze completely, as if struck by a bolt of lightning! She
She stared at Sirin in disbelief, this little brat! How dare she undermine her!
Kael finally couldn't help but let out a 'pfft' of laughter, quickly covering his mouth with his hand, but his shoulders still shook uncontrollably.
Even Otto turned his head, his shoulders subtly shrugging, clearly struggling to suppress his laughter.
After speaking, Sirin buried her face back into Kael's embrace, as if the precise jab she had just delivered hadn't come from her.
Theresa looked at Kael, who was shaking with laughter, then at Otto's amused expression, and then thought about her own foolish performance being mercilessly exposed by a child... A huge wave of shame and frustration instantly overwhelmed her!
'You... you all... Hmph!' Her eyes reddened with anger. She could no longer keep up the act, stomped her foot, turned, and ran back to her cabin, slamming the door shut with a 'bang.'
Kael watched Theresa's retreating back and shook his head helplessly.
He looked down at Sirin in his arms, who seemed oblivious to everything, and felt a little emotional. This child, though usually quiet, possessed unusually keen observational skills.
He gently patted Sirin's back and sat back down with her in his arms.
However, he didn't notice that, as Sirin buried her head in his chest, a fleeting glint of successful mischief flashed in her golden eyes.
The void archives sailed steadily through the starry sea, carrying everyone with their varied thoughts, back to Schicksal Headquarters.
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