In the dim space of St. Freya Academy's underground chapel, two women stood.
They were Cocolia and Einstein.
Cocolia stood before the chapel's enormous doors, her back ramrod straight. Her crisp military uniform and crossed arms only served to accentuate her haughty figure.
Meanwhile, Einstein, with her messy mop of blue hair, was fiddling with a small computer, seemingly trying to crack the door's security program.
Cocolia paced back and forth restlessly in the gloom, occasionally glancing up at the ceiling.
She had gambled heavily on this invasion; it absolutely had to succeed. Aside from Theresa, there was no significant combat power at St. Freya. The strength of the Joyce clone should be more than enough to handle them.
"If you're concerned, you should go take a look. I can handle things here," Einstein said coolly, noticing Cocolia's agitation.
"Hmph. My loyal subordinates will bring me what I desire," Cocolia retorted. There was no way she was leaving. Otherwise, who knew what sort of shady deal Einstein and Theresa might cook up behind her back after she lured the Headmaster here.
"Bring you the children from your orphanage, you mean?"
With that single, placid sentence, Einstein twisted the knife.
Anti-Entropy's conservative faction was aware that Schicksal had "taken" the children Cocolia had adopted. And Einstein knew that those children still held some weight in Cocolia's heart.
So she used it to provoke her, to pick at her wounds. Because, although she didn't show it, when it came to Cocolia creating a clone of Joyce, she was the one who had the most right to be furious.
"Hmph. I hear Raiden Ryoma is enjoying Schicksal's prison food these days. To not even rescue him... what cold-hearted companions you are."
But Cocolia was an old fox. Despite the sting of Einstein's words, she put on an air of indifference and stabbed right back.
"At least if Schicksal captured both of us, I'd have some company. And if the food wasn't enough, I could always eat Ryoma's portion," Einstein replied unhurriedly.
"By my calculations, she should be arriving about now."
Einstein changed the subject. She had no interest in bickering with Cocolia.
But just as the words left her mouth, a cold voice came from behind them.
"You two from Anti-Entropy, this is as far as you go!"
From the darkness, a petite figure emerged.
Dressed in a black and white nun's habit, Theresa's face was etched with anger. She held a golden cross in her right hand as she walked slowly towards them.
Her precious academy had been thrown into chaos, and Theresa was furious.
She slammed Judah's Vow onto the ground, golden chains materializing and floating around her. Gripping the weapon's golden spear, she pointed its sharp tip at Cocolia and Einstein.
"Well, well, if it isn't little Theresa. Long time no see. You haven't grown an inch, have you?" Cocolia said, turning around. She wasn't surprised by Theresa's arrival; it was all part of the plan.
"I advise you to surrender. You have no escape."
"Is that so?"
Cocolia clapped her hands, and three Titans materialized out of thin air beside her. The three mechs swung their fists at Theresa.
"Mechs materializing from a quantum state? Anti-Entropy possesses such technology?" Theresa was a little surprised.
Granting Titans the ability to quantize was one of the fruits of Cocolia's X-10 experiment. However, Schicksal also possessed similar technology; they could even perform long-range quantum teleportation of their Godsbane Armor.
"But! A mere three Titans!"
Theresa wasn't intimidated in the slightest. She hoisted Judah's Vow, turning the holy relic into a crude bludgeon. She swung the golden cross like a massive sledgehammer.
"Eighty! Eighty! Eighty!"
In a scene of extreme violence, Theresa smashed the Titans into scrap metal with Judah's Vow.
"Is that all?" Theresa puffed out her chest. Even a hundred of these pathetic Titans would be no match for her.
"Hmph. Then have some more," Cocolia said, clapping her hands again. Three more Titans appeared before Theresa.
But just as Theresa was about to manufacture more scrap metal, Einstein's voice rang out.
"Ms. Theresa, we are not your enemies," Einstein stated.
Theresa clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and spat back in a rage, "My academy and my students are in chaos because of you people, and you have the gall to say you're not our enemies!?"
"I apologize for that. It was merely the result of a certain someone overstepping their bounds."
Einstein stood before the chapel doors and looked at Theresa.
"But, once you see what is inside here, Ms. Theresa, you will understand that we are not enemies."
"What's inside?" Theresa frowned. "So your target was what's in the underground chapel all along?"
"Forget it. This place has the highest level of encryption. Even Schicksal's core computer would need a full seven hours to crack it," Theresa said, noticing Einstein operating her computer by the door.
Even she, the Headmaster, had never seen what was inside. But now that Einstein had mentioned it, her curiosity was piqued.
"Accurately speaking, 7 hours, 32 minutes, and 46 seconds, Ms. Theresa."
But Einstein wasn't concerned. She continued typing on her computer.
"However, now it will only take three minutes."
"I planted a backdoor program here sixty years ago. Overseer Otto was truly careless not to have discovered it in all this time."
"Sixty years ago?" Theresa frowned. She stared at Einstein's face, feeling that the messy-haired woman looked somewhat familiar.
Theresa had actually interacted with Einstein during the Second Honkai War, but after it ended, her dear grandfather had erased her memories of the event.
"Could you be..."
"Einstein?" Theresa called out her name.
She was one of the leaders when the Schicksal North American Branch broke away.
"To be remembered by Ms. Theresa is truly an honor," Einstein said noncommittally, giving Theresa a slight bow. "Could you give me a few more minutes? Afterward, I will present you with a bargaining chip sufficient for you to cooperate with us."
Einstein spoke with absolute confidence.
"Hah? I refuse to—"
Theresa was about to refuse. Her Valkyries were still fighting upstairs. After she dealt with these two vixens, she had to go rescue them.
"Very well."
"We'll wait."
But... a calm, masculine voice echoed from the darkness behind Theresa.
Eh?
"Since Ms. Theresa agrees, then please wait a... moment?"
Einstein and Cocolia had assumed it was Theresa who had agreed, but the voice sounded strange.
Like a man speaking.
The two of them snapped their gazes to the pitch-black space behind Theresa, who also turned her head in confusion.
But unlike them, she recognized the voice instantly.
Grandpa? What's he doing here?
Holding Jizo Mitama in his hand, Otto stepped out of the darkness.
A smile played on his lips.
"I can wait, but there's nowhere to sit. It's rather tiring to stand."
Otto feigned weariness.
Then he looked at the two women from Anti-Entropy.
The corner of his mouth curled into a delighted arc.
"Can you two give me a reason to stand here and listen to you talk?"
"Otherwise, I think it might be better to just... deal with you... right here."
Otto raised his hand and drew a line across his neck.