The morning sun, filtering through the gaps in the curtains, cast dappled light spots on the floor.
Kael, wearing an apron, placed perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs and golden-crisp toast on the dining table, just as Kiana, rubbing her sleepy eyes, with a messy head of silver hair, yawned and shuffled out of her room.
"Morning, Kael..." she mumbled indistinctly, her nose instinctively sniffing, "Smells so good..."
"Wash up first, then eat."
Kael didn't even lift his head, continuing to pour milk into a glass, his tone as calm as ever.
Kiana said "Oh," and shuffled in her slippers towards the bathroom.
A moment later, she sat down at the dining table with a wet face and slightly tidier hair, and began to attack her breakfast.
Kael sat opposite her, picked up a slice of toast, and casually observed her.
There was nothing unusual on the girl's face; she still looked carefree and focused on the delicious food in front of her, as if the heavy topic of last night and the man who quietly visited had never existed.
"How did you sleep last night?" Kael took a sip of milk and asked.
"Mmm... Pretty good!"
Kiana replied vaguely, her mouth full of egg. Then, as if remembering something, her blue eyes blinked with a hint of smugness, "I think I had a dream where that scoundrel dad was being chased and beaten, hehe..."
Kael's hand, holding the cup, paused almost imperceptibly.
He calmly put down the cup and decided to probe: "Speaking of which, you mentioned before that you were looking for your father... Do you have any specific clues? Like where he might be, or what he's doing?"
Upon hearing this, Kiana's face immediately fell. She poked the toast on her plate with a fork and said dejectedly, "No... That scoundrel dad just vanished into thin air! This Young Miss has been looking for a long time, and there's no news at all! He must be deliberately hiding from me!"
Her reaction was genuine and frustrated, completely unlike a pretense.
It seemed she was truly unaware of Siegfried's visit last night.
Kael looked at her pouting and slightly wronged expression, and secretly sighed in his heart.
Should he say it was just like her?
This overly pure, single-minded thinking, at times, might also be a stroke of luck?
At least, she wouldn't have to bear so many heavy and painful secrets like her father.
"Yesterday at Senba Academy, I seemed to hear some students chatting, mentioning that there might be some suspicious individuals lurking nearby."
Kael carefully chose his words, beginning to guide the conversation, "Although it's not certain if it's your father, but... if you want to continue investigating his whereabouts, the academy has complex foot traffic and fast information flow, which might be a good starting point."
"Senba Academy?"
Kiana's eyes instantly lit up, as if she had grasped a lifeline, "That's right! That scoundrel dad might be hiding near the academy, or disguised as someone and active! How did This Young Miss not think of it!"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became. She slammed her hand on the table and stood up, "It's decided! I'm going to Senba Academy to investigate!"
Kael looked at her determined expression, as if she was about to rush into the academy and dig three feet deep in the next second, and couldn't help but remind her, "The academy isn't a place you can just enter casually, especially for long stays and investigations."
"Eh? Oh, right..."
Kiana seemed to have cold water poured on her, and she sat back down, frowning tightly, "Then what should I do? Climb over the wall? Or disguise myself as a student?"
Kael looked at her seriously contemplating her "criminal plan," and his temple throbbed faintly.
He had heard a little about this child's initiative when he went to buy something at the dessert shop where Kiana worked part-time.
"The safest way is to enter the academy with a legitimate identity."
Kael guided her, "For example... a transfer student."
"A transfer student?"
Kiana blinked, then nodded vigorously, "Good idea! This way, This Young Miss can openly investigate in the academy! Kael, you're so smart!"
Looking at her elated expression of having a "perfect plan," Kael silently swallowed the words, "You need to pass the entrance exam first."
Given Kiana's academic level... he was pessimistic about it.
He could only say, she was comparable to Theresa.
Theresa: ???
"But, transfer procedures seem very troublesome..."
Kiana's excitement faded, and she began to worry about practical problems again, "It must require a lot of materials, right? And finding a guarantor or something... This Young Miss is an unregistered resident now..."
This was precisely the purpose of Kael bringing up this topic.
He needed a legitimate reason for Kiana to enter Senba Academy legally and safely, while also keeping her within his line of sight.
And to achieve this, his current identity as a "school staff" was far from enough.
He needed to leverage some... unconventional power.
"Regarding the procedures, perhaps I can think of a way."
Kael said calmly, as if talking about a trivial matter, "I know some people who might be able to help."
"Really?!" Kiana's eyes lit up again, looking at Kael with anticipation, "Kael! You truly are my lucky star! Nothing can stump you!"
Facing the girl's unreserved trust and admiration, Kael merely gave a faint "Hmm," but in his heart, he was thinking about how to approach the "omnipotent" Bishop.
That evening, after confirming that Kiana had returned to her room, likely giggling at Haxxor Bunny comics or planning her "Academy Investigation Master Plan," Kael returned to his own bedroom and closed the door.
He took out the special terminal Otto had given him, disguised as an ordinary smartphone, skillfully entered a long string of complex verification codes, and connected to the encrypted channel.
After a brief waiting tone, the light screen lit up, and Otto Apocalypse's excessively refined face appeared on the screen.
He seemed to be in his private study, with tall bookshelves filled with ancient books and artworks behind him, and a cup of steaming black tea by his hand.
"Good evening, my dear Kael."
Otto leaned lazily against the back of the chair, his emerald eyes holding a hint of just the right amount of surprise and playfulness, "It's rare for you to contact me proactively. Have you encountered any interesting 'observation' results that need to be reported? Or... do you miss me?"
His tone carried his usual teasing, as if the two of them were just old friends having a casual chat.
Kael automatically filtered out the unnecessary ambiguous components in his words and said directly, "Bishop, I do have something I need your help with."
"Oh?"
Otto raised an eyebrow, seemingly more interested, "Tell me. Anything that makes you ask for help must be very interesting."
"It's about K423, Kiana Kaslana," Kael said directly, "She wants to enter Senba Academy as a student, with the goal of finding Siegfried Kaslana's whereabouts."
He didn't mention Siegfried's visit last night; that was a secret between him and Siegfried, and he didn't intend to tell Otto until he understood what Siegfried's "trouble" truly was.
On the other end of the light screen, Otto gently swirled the teacup in his hand, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Looking for Siegfried? Heh... Such deep father-daughter affection, truly moving. So, you want me to help her with the admission procedures for Senba Academy?"
"Yes."
Kael nodded, "She needs a legitimate identity and complete academic records to ensure she can successfully enroll and not arouse unnecessary suspicion. This shouldn't be difficult for you."
Otto did not answer immediately. He took a sip of black tea, his emerald eyes looking through the screen, as if he could see into Kael's mind.
"Helping her enroll, of course, is not difficult."
Otto put down the teacup, his fingertips gently tapping the table, "But, Kael, I'm very curious. Your mission is to 'observe' K423, yet now you're actively helping her enter the academy, even going so far as to use my resources... This, it seems, has already gone beyond the scope of 'observation,' hasn't it?"
His tone was still gentle, but carried a hint of undeniable scrutiny.
Kael had long expected Otto to ask this, his expression unchanged, he calmly replied, "Placing her in a relatively closed and controllable environment for observation, rather than letting her wander aimlessly outside and potentially attract more unknown trouble, is more in line with the mission requirements. The environment of Senba Academy happens to fit this."
The reason he gave was logically clear, entirely from the perspective of the mission, with no hint of personal motives.
Otto watched him silently for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. The laughter was like a clear silver bell, yet carried an elusive meaning.
"A very good reason, Kael. As calm and rational as ever."
He paused, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone carrying a somewhat spoiled complaint, "However, every time you contact me, it's for official business, for that little girl. It makes me a little sad, you know~ Can't it just be to talk to me purely?"
Kael: "..." He could never fully adapt to Otto's occasional "little woman" demeanor, which was so out of character for his identity.
He remained silent, expressing his disinterest in such topics without words.
Otto seemed accustomed to his reaction and didn't mind, continuing to speak to himself, "Alright, alright, since you've made a rare request, I'll help with this small favor. The admission procedures for Senba Academy will be handled quickly, and she will have a 'perfect' transfer student identity."
"Thank you, Bishop," Kael thanked him formally.
"Don't thank me so quickly," Otto interrupted him, a cunning glint flashing in his emerald eyes, "I've helped you solve this little trouble, shouldn't you... give me a little something in return?"
Kael's heart tightened slightly, becoming vigilant: "What kind of return do you want?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing difficult," Otto smiled like a blooming flower, "I just hope that in addition to your 'observation,' you can occasionally... think of me more. For example, spend a minute before bed each day recalling my appearance? Or, when you feel tired during a mission, silently recite my name? It's very simple, isn't it?"
Kael: "..." What kind of return was this? He completely failed to understand Otto's thought process.
Seeing Kael's speechless and bewildered expression, Otto seemed very satisfied and smiled even more brightly.
"Just kidding~"
He waved his hand, his tone relaxed, "Seeing you make that expression because of my request is already a good enough return. I'll handle the procedures, you just wait to receive the notification."
With that, without waiting for Kael's response, he proactively disconnected the communication, and the light screen instantly dimmed.
Kael looked at the now dark screen, his brow slightly furrowed.
Otto's thoughts were always like an abyss shrouded in mist, difficult to fathom. His quick agreement, instead, made him feel a little uneasy.
Nevertheless, Kiana's enrollment matter was now resolved.
— — — — — —
(Easter Egg)
A few days later, Senba Academy Dean's Office.
The white-haired Dean, wearing reading glasses, was, as usual, dealing with the pile of documents on his desk.
When he clicked on a newly received email, the hand holding the mouse couldn't help but pause.
The sender's email address had the encrypted suffix unique to the Schicksal organization, and the content of the email almost made him jump out of his chair in shock.
The email was sent in the name of the Schicksal Bishop's Office, elegantly worded yet carrying undeniable authority.
The content was about a transfer student named "Kiana Kaslana," requesting the academy to arrange her admission with the highest specifications, ensuring everything went smoothly for her studies and life during her time at school, and emphasizing that this matter involved "top secret" information, and the email content and the student's special background were not to be disclosed to anyone.
The Dean read the email three times, then confirmed the authenticity of the sender's address, before slowly leaning back in his chair, taking off his reading glasses, and rubbing his temples hard.
The Schicksal Bishop... personally inquiring about a high school student's transfer matters?
Just what was the background of this girl named Kiana Kaslana?
He looked at the short email on the screen, falling into a long contemplation, as if what he held in his hand was not an admission notice, but a hot potato.
The Dean looked at the email on the screen, which came from the Schicksal Bishop's Office, elegantly worded yet carrying invisible pressure, and fell into deep thought.
He picked up the thermos cup beside him, wanting to drink some tea to calm himself, but found his hand trembling slightly.