The blood sample theft was like a giant rock thrown into a lake, creating ripples among the high-ranking officials of Schicksal, but thanks to Otto's intentional information blockade, it did not cause widespread panic among ordinary members.
However, for those directly involved, the tension had not dissipated.
Immediately after the incident, Kael requested an audience with Otto Apocalypse, hoping to participate in the pursuit of the Third Empire remnants and the sample recovery operation.
He could not stand by and watch a potential threat spread.
He stood in the Bishop's Office, his expression serious: "Bishop, I request to join this special task force. I have some understanding of the situation on the Rhine front and might be able to help."
Otto leaned lazily against the luxurious chair back, her fingertips gently tapping the armrest, her emerald eyes holding a hint of playfulness as she scrutinized Kael.
She did not directly answer his request, but instead, in that teasing tone of hers, slowly said: "Oh? Captain Kael is so eager? Are you worried about that little purple-haired girl... or are you worried about our little Theresa?"
Her gaze seemed to penetrate people's hearts, making Kael feel a slight discomfort.
He steadied himself and said in a deep voice: "They are both individuals I need to protect, and important members of Schicksal. Both publicly and privately, I cannot remain uninvolved."
"Heh heh..." Otto chuckled, stood up, and slowly walked in front of Kael, so close that their breaths were almost palpable.
She reached out, her fingertips gently brushing away non-existent dust from Kael's shoulder insignia, her movements ambiguous and oppressive, "Captain Kael's sense of responsibility is truly... admirable."
Kael's body stiffened slightly, and he subconsciously took half a step back, creating a little distance: "Bishop, please answer my application directly."
Otto looked at his slightly embarrassed yet persistent demeanor, the playfulness in her eyes growing stronger, but she eventually shook her head, her tone unyielding: "No."
"Why?" Kael frowned.
"Because..."
Otto drew out her words, then suddenly leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I can't bear to let you take risks~ If you get hurt, or... if those unromantic guys from the Third Empire retaliate against you, I'd be very distressed~"
He abruptly took a step back: "Bishop! This is a time to discuss serious matters!"
"This is serious business." Otto's playful expression vanished, but her gaze remained profound, "Protecting you is the most important serious business. I will personally lead this operation. Captain Kael, your mission is to guard the Asgard, and..."
Her gaze meaningfully shifted towards the doorway, "Protect those you ought to protect. This is an order."
Kael looked at her seemingly playful but in fact unyielding attitude, knowing that further argument would be useless.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the unwillingness and worry in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "...Yes, Bishop."
Watching Kael's retreating back after he saluted, Otto's lips curved into a triumphant smile, and she murmured to herself: "Honestly... he should just stay in a safe place and let me watch him..."
Thus, Kael's "corporate slave" life was forced to resume. He was "confined" to the Asgard, handling daily ship duties, while also keeping a close eye on Sirin.
Sirin also seemed to sense the invisible pressure from the outside world, becoming even clingier, almost following Kael wherever he went, like a little tail.
As for Theresa, Otto had temporarily relieved her of some official duties, citing "avoiding the risk of being alone," which left her with free time. With this newfound free time, she visited Kael even more frequently.
"Kael! Look at the new game I bought!"
"Kael! What are we eating for lunch? I'm almost tired of the cafeteria food!"
"Kael! Sirin! Don't you think this doll is cute?"
"Kael..."
Theresa appeared at the Asgard's Captain's Office or Kael's dormitory at least three times a day, full of energy, trying to dispel the low pressure hovering around Kael and Sirin, and incidentally... solidify her "position."
Kael was somewhat helpless about this.
But Theresa's boisterousness indeed diluted much of the heavy atmosphere, and also occasionally drew Sirin's attention with her strange toys and boisterous behavior.
And all of this was seen by Otto, far away in the Bishop's Office, through hidden surveillance.
On her desk, one of the split screens displayed a real-time feed of the Asgard's Captain's Office.
Kael sat at the command console, processing documents, Sirin quietly sat at a small table nearby, drawing, while Theresa, holding a bag of bitter melon chips, crunched away and gestured animatedly, saying something.
Otto, holding a glass of red wine, watched with great interest, especially when Kael showed a helpless yet indulgent expression due to Theresa's interruption; she would even let out a low, somewhat infatuated "hehehe" laugh.
Kallen, who had just entered the office, saw this scene and couldn't help but rub her forehead, her tone full of exasperation: "Otto... do you know that the way you're staring at the monitor and giggling right now makes you look like some kind of perverse stalker lurking in the shadows?"
Otto didn't even turn her head, shaking her wine glass, and said righteously: "How can appreciating beautiful things be called perverted? I am just concerned about my subordinate's work and life status."
Kallen was speechless. She walked over to her and also looked at the screen. In the picture, Theresa said something, and Kael couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle Sirin's hair next to him, his eyes so gentle they could drip water.
At that very moment, the smile on Otto's face vanished instantly. With lightning speed, she "swished" out something from under the table and directly placed it on Kallen's head!
Kallen: "!!!"
She stood frozen, feeling a weight on her head. She reached up and touched it—the material seemed to be some kind of soft velvet? She took it off and looked at it, and her whole body froze.
It was unmistakably a... bright green, perfectly pure in color... a cuckold's hat?!
Otto looked at Kallen's dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning, expression, and nodded with satisfaction, returning her gaze to the screen, her tone light: "Preventive measures are very necessary."
Kallen held the gleaming green hat, looking at the image on the screen of Kael gently stroking Sirin's hair.
Then she looked at Otto next to her, who had a "I knew it all along" expression, and for a moment, she didn't know where to begin complaining.
She took several deep breaths before barely suppressing the urge to throw the hat in Otto's face, finally gritting her teeth and squeezing out a single sentence:
"...Otto Apocalypse! You truly are an... an irrational madwoman!"
Meanwhile, Kael, on the other end of the screen, was completely oblivious to all of this.
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