Regarding Fuli's sudden ambush, Theresa was, first and foremost, certainly surprised and annoyed.
After all, the Lord Overseer—despite her age—was still a pure child who had never even had a boyfriend. Having her first kiss stolen in such an inexplicable manner... the only reason she didn't immediately rise up and commit murder was because the boy had already accumulated a fair amount of favorability in her heart.
But very quickly, the girl's clear, sky-like eyes narrowed, and she found herself lost in a violent surge of dopamine.
It couldn't be helped. Fuli was simply too skilled. His technique in this department was just way, way, way, way, way too good.
Even though he refused to admit it from the bottom of his heart—posturing as an innocent little virgin all day long—after the Herrscher of Dominance spent the previous cycle subjecting him to the "Thousand-Person Rotation of Targeted Tutoring," "Multi-Project Joint Combat Drills," "Scenario Simulation and Interpersonal Relations," and "Single-Item Weakness Reinforcement...regarding those unspeakable acts, the boy's proficiency was practically Succubus-tier.
Even if he only unleashed a fraction of this power unintentionally, it was enough to make Theresa—who had zero experience in this department—completely lose herself.
As the saying goes: A woman at thirty is a wolf, at forty a tiger, and at fifty she can sit on the ground and suck up the dirt.
Don't let Theresa's petite stature fool you; born in 1972, she was a solid forty-two years old—considerably older than that vixen Cocolia. And considering she had looked exactly like this from the moment of her "birth," her actual mental age could arguably be pushed even higher.
Just because K423 was manufactured in 2007, you wouldn't crudely categorize her as a minor, would you?
Speaking of K423, her existence was another reason Theresa didn't resist.
Fuli's suffering was, in the end, directly or indirectly caused by people in her circle. While Theresa herself had little to do with it, Otto was her grandfather, and Siegfried was her lousy friend. Realizing that the deeply traumatized boy saw her as a substitute for Kiana, the Principal's overflowing maternal instincts—and soft heart—finally gave in.
She had asked Raiden Mei to help guide Fuli during their earlier call, but seeing the situation spiral into this, she felt that as the Mature and Reliable Adult™, it would be inexcusable not to do something.
Besides, he's technically my fi—fiancé anyway! What's wrong with a married couple getting a little head start?!
Rest in peace, spirit of my dear niece! Your favorite Auntie will take good care of your boyfriend from now on. I guarantee no one in this world will ever bully him again!
Thinking this, Theresa abandoned her last line of defense, allowing the enemy to conquer her territory at will.
The intensity of the scene was such that Tribios hurriedly covered her eyes, though she couldn't resist peeking through the gaps in her fingers, occasionally letting out sounds of amazement like "Tsk tsk tsk" and "Whoa!"
Time flowed stickily by. Just as Fuli's offensive was about to advance to the next stage...
Through the hazy, ambrosial mist, the sound of the main door opening rang out abruptly.
It was Rita—"Sister Ta"—who, having caught the scent of a delectable child, had barged into the Roman bathhouse.
The moment she laid eyes on her two favorite "oshis" actually teetee-ing (cuddling) together, the sheer force of her shipping brainrot caused a geyser of noseblood to erupt. She fainted on the spot, overwhelmed by bliss.
Realizing an intruder had arrived, Theresa, who had previously given up struggling, instantly snapped back to reality.
She subconsciously shoved Fuli away, but the boy was holding her too tightly. Their feet slipped, and the two of them toppled into the pool, sending up a massive splash of warm water.
At that moment, Mei, who was a step slower, arrived at the scene.
From a distance, the girl saw Tribios sitting alone in the hot spring. She then looked down to examine Rita, who was lying unconscious on the floor in a pose that screamed, "My life has no regrets."
"Your Highness, what happened to her?"
As Raiden Ryoma's daughter, Mei had met Tribios once before.
"P-Probably saw the edge of the universe or something..." The red-haired beauty laughed awkwardly, her eyes constantly darting toward the hot spring water.
Beneath the surface, invisible from Mei's angle, a fully sober Theresa was trying to break free from the shackles holding her. However, she didn't dare use too much strength for fear of alerting the intruder.
Fuli, on the other hand, couldn't care less and continued to savor his delicious "meal replacement."
Damn you, Theresa! You accuse me of NTR, but isn't what you're doing even worse?
Glub glub glub!
A string of bubbles escaped from the Principal's lips underwater. She glared daggers at the unscrupulous princess who was mocking her, signaling with her eyes: Get rid of Mei, now!
Tribios mouthed back: I want three hundred Valkyrie training slots next year.
Blatant highway robbery.
Fine, just do it!!!
Theresa agreed. If she didn't, losing her first kiss would be the least of her worries.
Score!
Her Highness flashed a secret "V" sign, then stood up gracefully from the spring, stepping out to meet Mei.
"Miss Raiden Mei, Mr. Fuli and I have just completed drafting the preliminary framework for the strategic cooperation plan regarding the unstable Bubble Worlds. We've reached a consensus on the core terms, but out of respect for you, Mr. Fuli specifically indicated that he needs to consult your professional opinion as the head of Massive Electric Corp."
She kept a straight face. "If your schedule permits, could you please proceed to Conference Room 3? We need to further discuss details regarding risk-sharing clauses, mineral distribution, and phase-based delivery standards."
"He really is...!"
Hearing that Fuli wouldn't sign without her approval, Mei's heart bloomed with joy, a radiant smile breaking across her face.
"No problem."
Rita and everything else were instantly tossed to the back of her mind as she turned and followed Tribios out of the bathhouse.
...
As the footsteps faded into the distance and Mei was confirmed gone, Theresa, still pinned underwater, erupted with the supreme strength of a Kaslana.
With a shout of "Hah!", a human-shaped hole in the shape of the character 'Big' (大) appeared in the bathhouse ceiling.
Fuli, having taken a heavy hit, snapped out of his daze and landed awkwardly on the edge of the pool.
"Hmph!"
Theresa sat there, cheeks puffed out, arms crossed, turning her head away.
Mostly, it was awkwardness. She didn't know what attitude to take toward the boy who had stolen her first kiss.
Fuli apologized cautiously. "The regression to a child form affects my mental state more than I anticipated. Plus, the Lord Overseer was simply too alluring... I accidentally lost control."
Both of them knew he was using her as a substitute, but this was something that absolutely could not be said out loud. Otherwise, an enraged Theresa would genuinely kill him. Being told you were a replacement for someone else sounded incredibly punchable.
Of course, "Prisoner Fuli" was underestimating his status in the girl's heart.
Given the life-saving grace during the Third Eruption, their months of interaction and mutual understanding, the subconscious influence of his status as her fiancé, and his role as her niece's "legacy"... at most, Theresa would kidnap him back to St. Freya, lock him in the basement, and keep him there. Execution was out of the question. Occasionally, she might even sneak a taste?
Yes, that is the IF Route: [The Vanished Fuli].
"Alluring? Nonsense!"
Back to the present—hearing Fuli compliment her, the girl couldn't help but feel elated, even knowing the reason for his loss of control.
But women are creatures who, when happy, are prone to self-deprecation. "This Principal isn't curvy like Himeko or Tribios. I'm just a flat, old, bitter melon that no one wants even at forty-two. How could I possibly be... a-a-alluring like you said?!"
Essentially, this self-deprecation is a trap designed to make the male rebut her and continue praising her, thereby achieving spiritual satisfaction.
Fuli, however, was very honest. "The Vishnu factor inside the Principal is extremely tempting to me. My Peerless Nine Turns technique requires high-level Honkai Beast gene sequences to progress further."
He wasn't lying. Since the Shesha factor was already fully constructed, he naturally had to consider the materials for the Second Turn.
The Emperor-class Honkai Beast [Vishnu] fused with Theresa was undoubtedly the top tier, possessing the ability to evolve by devouring other Honkai Beasts. The only reason it was classified as Emperor-class was that it was killed at that level; theoretically, Vishnu had the potential to grow into a Planetary-class Honkai Beast.
Thinking of this, Prisoner Fuli couldn't help but sigh.
Look at him—he had to beg his Cousin Ah-Hua (Fu Hua) for the top-tier Peerless Nine Turns technique, which allows one to embody the Brahma Hundred Beasts after the seventh turn.
Meanwhile, not only did the Kaslana family have this stuff baked into their stigmata genes from birth, but the Theresa in front of him could achieve a similar state just by "eating."
Where was the justice? What kind of damn "Honkai Bloodline Supremacy" was this?
While the boy was mentally complaining about the structure of the world, Theresa couldn't smile at all.
I thought you were using me as a meal replacement, implying you had some desire for me as a person... but it turns out the thing you refuse to let go of is Vishnu?!
"Heh... hehe..."
A low, dangerous laugh escaped from those cherry-soft lips that Fuli had personally taste-tested.
"Fuli, you brat... come here~"
Theresa's expression was gentle, her smile soft, her eyes curved into lovely crescents. An aura of saintly motherhood surrounded her entire body.
"Oh."
The boy blinked, and just as he was about to lean in, clueless to the danger...
[Host! RUN!]
Prometheus's warning came just in time. He activated a void blink without hesitation.
BOOM——!
One-tenth of a second later, the spot where the boy had been standing was obliterated by a small, fair fist, leaving behind a bottomless crater.
Warm spring water surged out from it. Even considering this place was built on a spring eye, the force of that strike was frankly excessive.
"Principal, I'm leaving now! I'll visit Hyperion often to see Kiana, okay bye!"
Seeing this from mid-air, Fuli didn't dare stay a second longer. With a few spatial flashes, he vanished into the distance.
"You naturally evil Fuli brat! I dare you to stay and fight three hundred rounds with this Principal!"
Only a soaking wet Theresa remained, waving her fist in exasperation at the direction he had fled.
It was super effective!
At least, it was super effective on Rita, who had just climbed back up. Her eyes rolled back, and she looked ready to die from moe overload again.
Theresa rolled her eyes hard. "Stop pretending. Who are you trying to fool with that acting?"
She looked around, found a spot, and sat down, fuming.
After a while, seeing that Rita still hadn't gotten up, she ran over and kicked her in the shin out of annoyance.
"Eh?"
The beauty lying on her side woke up as if from a dream, propping up her slender body with a pale wrist, her wine-red eyes filled with confusion.
"Lord Theresa, what happened to Rita...?"
"Still pretending!"
The white-haired dumpling was truly bristling now. she turned her back to Rita, radiating a resentment so strong she might as well have held up a banner reading: 'I'm angry! The kind that can't be coaxed!'
[Oh my, the angry Lord Theresa is simply too cute. I feel like I could watch this for three days and three nights without getting bored.]
Rita pressed her hand to her cheek, her expression intoxicated. [Don't you agree, Lord Ella?]
[As expected of the dangerous woman Otto evaluated as a natural-born assassin. Your senses are indeed sharp.]
From an angle only Rita could see, a figure materialized from nothing, built from zeroes and ones.
Hair as bright as the sun draped naturally over shoulders and back, smooth strands cascading down. Neat bangs framed a face so beautiful it was almost bewitching—a delicate, translucent face tinged with a pallor that gave off the fragile, pity-inducing air of a broken narcissus.
It was the female version of Otto from a parallel world who had made different choices—now known as Ella.
She spoke calmly: [Since you guessed I was here, you should know my purpose for coming.]
[Of course.]
Rita answered softly in her mind: [Please inform the Lord Overseer that Rita has always kept his instructions in mind.]
Instructions for what?
Naturally, to take the truth of Durandal's identity and bury it in her grave.
Ella nodded: [Then I am relieved.]
Whether it was K423 or Durandal, they were both crucial links in Otto's plan.
"Thus Spoke Apocalypse" was by no means a spur-of-the-moment idea from that man. It was a product of over a decade of meticulous planning, countless resources and manpower, and endless revisions and refinements involving both girls.
That was why he had created K423 early on, expecting her to awaken through hardship and become the Herrscher of void who fights for all that is beautiful in the world.
It was also why he needed Durandal to fully master the powers of Kaslana and Schariac, becoming the Blade of the Equinox capable of defeating enemies—and defeating him in his Pseudo-God state.
[Don't be fooled just because Otto calls him 'brother' so affectionately, or because he disregarded the entire Council of Elders for him. Once Fuli truly impacts his plan, that man will show no mercy.]
Ella, possessing all of Otto's memories, knew exactly what his nature was. [So, at least until he completes his unique "Thus Spoke Apocalypse," you must absolutely not cause him any trouble.]
What? Didn't K423 joining the Hyperion disrupt Otto's plan?
Not really. It simply shifted the source of warmth K423 received from Theresa and Himeko to Fuli.
If anything, the effect might be even better. After all, in the Honkai world:
👐🏻 No one;
🙌🏻 Understands;
👌🏻 The power of "Love";
☝🏻 Better than Otto.
Rita took a deep breath and nodded slightly. [Please rest assured, I have taken it to heart.]
Ella knew she wasn't lying. Rita's parents had known the young Fuli, who often visited their flower shop to play with their daughter.
Perhaps they hadn't recognized him immediately upon reunion, but as his body "Conan-ized" (shrank), memories from seven years ago would quickly resurface.
Even so, during the barbecue dinner earlier, although Alexander and Emily were delighted with little Fuli, they showed not a trace of recognition that they had known him in the past.
This was entirely due to Rita's warning.
She dared not imagine how the Grand Overseer, who had ruled Schicksal for five hundred years, would react if he discovered a leak on her end.
Complete indifference? Eating popcorn and watching the show? Thunderous rage? Utter madness?
Anything was possible, but the maiden dared not gamble.
"Heh."
Beneath her ash-gold bangs, Rita revealed a rare, bitter smile.
In the end, so what if she was an S-Rank Valkyrie? So what if she had a Reality Distortion Field?
As long as one was not a "Sequence Archon"—a transcendent combatant capable of single-handedly opposing large factions—one would still be controlled by others.
The maiden suddenly recalled Fuli's solemn vow: [No dating until reaching the High Sequence Rank.] Previously, she had dismissed it, thinking it was just an excuse for the boy to maintain ambiguous relationships with multiple girls.
Wanting a harem—nothing unusual about that.
But thinking about it now... in this Proper World where Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and the Taixu Front stood in a tripartite stalemate, with countless factions stirring in the dark, the "Sequence" level was indeed the minimum requirement to control one's own destiny.
What exactly did Lord Fuli experience to make such a resolve the moment he stepped into the Honkai side of things?
Does it have something to do with the young Lord Durandal?
A sliver of curiosity sprouted in Rita's heart.
However, having said that, the maid was confident she could bury the secret of the real Kiana until Otto fulfilled his long-cherished wish.
Whether Fuli would learn the truth from someone else... that was out of her control.
Considering that the number of people who know about this can be counted on one hand, and the world is so big, Lord Fuli shouldn't be able to find out the truth through other channels ahead of time... right?
It feels like I've just set a terrible Flag.
Thinking this, Rita took out her phone and snapped a picture of the fuming Theresa.
...