Chapter 113: Otto Appears in Theresa's Stream, Players Are Already Laughing
"Theresa, Grandpa's dear granddaughter, come here and give me a hug!"
The moment he met Theresa, Otto immediately displayed his shameless nature as a dedicated "granddaughter-con."
"Grandpa, I've told you so many times, I'm not a child!" Theresa backed away several steps with a look of utter disdain.
Otto felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He slumped into a corner and began drawing circles on the floor. "Theresa has grown up and doesn't need her useless grandfather anymore... sniff sniff..."
Are you serious with that half-step back? Such a small movement, yet it hurts so much...
"Grandma Kallen!" Theresa ignored the sulking Otto; she knew he'd "respawn" in a moment anyway.
"Theresa, long time no see! I missed you so much!" "Me too!"
Theresa gave Kallen a big hug. Otto watched from the side with eyes full of resentment, as if saying, What about me?
"Grandpa, you must be tired from the journey. Didn't I tell you to go home and rest first? I'll be back later," she said to Otto with a hint of reproach.
"That's because I wanted to give Theresa a surprise," Otto replied, making Theresa sigh. As expected, only Otto would do such a thing.
"By the way, I didn't see Rita. Isn't she usually inseparable from you?" Kallen asked curiously, looking around the office and finding no sign of the maid.
"Ah, about that..." Otto took over the explanation. Rita had been sent to work at miHoYo. Since Schicksal had invested heavily in the company, they needed someone trustworthy to keep an eye on things—only then could they feel at ease.
"Oh, is that so... with Rita gone, isn't it inconvenient for you, Theresa? She was so devoted to you; she probably took care of everything, right?" Kallen's words left Theresa unsure of how to respond.
She certainly took care of everything. To the point where a Rita might "spawn" inside her bedsheets at night, staring at her solemnly because "warming the bed is also a maid's duty." That kind of care was... a bit much.
Though it was undeniable that Rita was exceptionally capable and Theresa hadn't been used to her absence at first, she soon discovered that her former student... no, her "bodyguard" Fu Hua, was also a rare talent. Because Rita had always been there, she hadn't noticed Fu Hua was so excellent. It made sense; Fu Hua had the best grades in school and was highly capable. Making her a mere security captain was a waste of talent.
Rita couldn't have been unaware of Fu Hua's potential; Theresa suspected the maid had intentionally hidden it. As for the reason? To monopolize Theresa, of course!
"I believe in Theresa's ability. After all, she is my granddaughter," Otto said, tilting his chin up proudly like a little rooster. Whenever his granddaughter was mentioned, Lord Otto became incredibly spirited.
"Mhm, it's good that Rita went to the game company... with her skills, she should master the work there quickly." Kallen didn't ask further.
Otto, however, mysteriously pulled Theresa aside for some private grandfather-granddaughter talk. "Theresa, how are things going on Rita's end?"
"Mhm, just as you thought, Grandpa. Rita has settled in at miHoYo and is now a key member of the project team."
"Her ability is good... but you should understand, that's not what I meant."
Theresa sighed. Otto had known about Rita going to miHoYo from the start and had approved it. But the real goal of sending her was to monitor the progress of Kiana and Su Mu's relationship and "resolve" any potential crises if possible.
"That idiot Kiana hasn't made a shred of progress..." Theresa rolled her eyes. "I don't even know what she's busy with lately. She doesn't even go to the company much and barely spends time with Su Mu... I'm starting to wonder if she really has no feelings for him."
Otto frowned. "That shouldn't be. Didn't you say that the Kaslana girl holds Su Mu in high regard? There's no way there's zero progress, right?"
The pair's whispered conversation was entirely focused on Kiana's love life. As an aunt, Theresa was naturally concerned; Otto was concerned because he truly valued Su Mu as an individual. In just six months, Su Mu had turned miHoYo into a legend. Otto had even sent people to investigate him. Clean background, good grades—if cultivated properly, he would be an essential aide for Theresa in the future. If Su Mu could be paired with a daughter of the Kaslana family, Theresa's connection as an aunt would practically guarantee Su Mu's support. Otto was already calculating how to pave the way for Theresa's future.
"Don't even mention it..." Theresa sighed, finding the topic frustrating. "I know Kiana's personality. With her being such an idiot, you can't expect her to make a move."
Otto asked, "What about Su Mu?"
Theresa looked even more exasperated. "Him? Do you know what Rita's reports say? He's a total workaholic, on par with that Bianca girl. I actually think he and Bianca would have more to talk about..."
"That serious?" Otto was stunned. He realized that if Su Mu's dedication to work matched Durandal's, it was a major hurdle. In all of Schicksal, Durandal was the only one like that; her seriousness was "perverted" even in Otto's eyes.
"What about his social circle? Any lovers?"
Theresa shook her head. "Probably not, though he is quite popular... according to Rita, Bronya seems to have intentions for further development with him."
Otto's expression instantly darkened. "Anti-Entropy is trying to snatch him from us? That will not do!"
Theresa knew her grandfather and Welt Yang of Anti-Entropy had a long-standing grudge; they were old rivals. The thought of a talent like Su Mu being snatched by Anti-Entropy made his blood boil. Otto might not have been that invested in Su Mu's personal life before, but if Welt was involved, he had to intervene! After all, if Welt was having a hard time, Otto was happy! If Welt was happy, it was Otto's turn to suffer!
"Tell Rita to keep a closer eye... we absolutely cannot let that Welt fellow get ahead of us." Otto began pondering how to steal the "recruit" from Welt's clutches. He wished the world was a game so he could just manually control Kiana and force her to go date Su Mu immediately.
Our dear President Kiana naturally had no idea that the President of Schicksal and world-renowned entrepreneur Otto Apocalypse was now monitoring her love life. She let out a massive sneeze while looking at the proposal Su Mu had submitted.
To be honest, she didn't understand the beginning or the end, but she understood the middle. Su Mu planned to appoint Firefly as the lead for Titanfall and have her lead a new team into the subsidiary studio Kiana was funding. Some might ask if Firefly was capable, but President Kiana was different. She didn't want to ask.
"Firefly? Who was that again? I don't recall such a name..."
Don't expect a hands-off boss to remember personnel changes. But she soon remembered Himeko-sensei mentioning someone who got into miHoYo through connections. Well, if they got in through connections, their ability probably isn't great.
"Isn't this exactly the person I'm looking for?"
Not long ago, Kiana discovered that her System had evolved because it couldn't stand her poor performance. It was still bound to Su Mu as the manager, but the scope of "losses" he could incur was now much larger. As long as Su Mu handled a project—like investing in a half-dead studio that then flopped—the loss would be attributed to Su Mu's head. Simply put: as long as Kiana authorized the funds, and Su Mu used them for a legitimate project (funds, stocks, investments, games, animation, music), it all counted.
This was a revelation for Kiana. Lately, she felt Su Mu was a bit "hexed"—his luck was suspiciously good. Even projects that looked like dead ends somehow attracted a group of geniuses. Even the "lazy veterans" and "clueless college students" he hired turned out to be hidden masters. Look at the last two animation collaborations: he picked a nameless company with sky-high prices that looked like it was about to go bust, yet they churned out "Queen's Descent" and "Final Lesson."
Kiana was gradually realizing that Su Mu's luck was unnervingly good. Why didn't I suspect he was actually capable? Sorry, that thought never crossed my mind. Anyway, Kiana had concluded for this stage: Su Mu has no talent, only dog-tier luck. Now, Firefly was someone who got in through the back door; she was bound to be incompetent. Letting her lead a massive single-player project? The probability of losing money looked sky-high.
"I choose you, Firefly!" Kiana waved her hand, finalizing the decision. "Don't let me down... wait, I mean, you must let me down and cause me massive losses!!"
Thinking about how her last two attempts to lose money resulted in record-breaking revenue and skyrocketing assets—and seeing her "stinky dad" laughing while counting the dividends—Kiana's blood pressure rose. "Su Mu, third time's the charm. This time, I'll let you taste the bitterness of defeat!"
Kiana began to fantasize: Titanfall returns in utter failure, and Su Mu kneels before her, crying and begging for forgiveness. At that moment, she would transform into a kind big sister and comfort him... he would definitely be so moved he'd cry, "President Kiana, I want to make games for you for the rest of my life!"
Right now, it was Kiana's Delusion Time!
When Otto and Kallen arrived, it was morning. Last night, the three of them had enjoyed a long-awaited family dinner. Otto had worked his tail off to earn this vacation from Amber; knowing Theresa wanted him as a guest for the stream, he had been focused solely on seeing his lovely granddaughter. He had "grinded" through his mountain of paperwork in one go just to fly to Arc City with Kallen. It was hard work, but for Theresa, it was worth it. And this time the fox spirit wasn't here—it was double the value!
"Grandpa, Grandma Kallen, you're here!" When they entered the room, Otto saw that Theresa had already started the stream.
"Theresa, have you started?" Otto glanced at the viewership and was shocked. In just a few days, Theresa's popularity had surged again. Normally, as the magical girl Teriri, her popularity had hit a ceiling over the years. This global tour was originally intended to be her final one before retirement so she could take over the Arc City branch. But Otto hadn't expected Honkai 3rd to revive her career so explosively. The "Hope of Middle-Aged Idols" was now capturing the attention of the youth!
[Holy crap? Lord Otto?]
[Wait, for real? The real Lord Otto? No way!]
The fans in the stream were startled to see Otto Apocalypse suddenly appear on camera.
[Teriri's special guest? This is too explosive!]
[Last time I watched Pardo, I was thinking it would be insane if Teriri could get Lord Otto.]
[I can't believe she actually listened to us, holy crap!]
[Pre-noting this legendary moment! I have a feeling Teriri is going to go viral again today!!]
Teriri's career had already seen a resurgence because of her role as the prototype for Theresa. Bringing Otto into the stream made savvy netizens realize: this was a massive "content" play! In the modern internet era, you can lack anything but "content." Lord Otto himself streaming Honkai 3rd—the broadcast potential was off the charts!
[Hmm? That white-haired lady... wait, IS THAT KALLEN?!]
[Wait, she invited Kallen too?]
[No way? Does Lord Otto actually have her in real life?]
[Holy crap, no! Lord Otto, I thought you were a single dog like me, but you... you actually have the Goddess in real life!!]
[I refuse to accept this!!]
[Am I the only one curious about how old they are? they look way too young!]
The chat was full of wailing. With the game's influence, many had assumed Otto was also unsuccessful in real life. Who knew he'd walk in today with Kallen and slap them all across the face!
[Wait, games are games, reality is reality. Don't get the two mixed up!]
[Exactly. Lord Otto is miserable in the game; can't we let him be happy in real life?]
Seeing the chattering comments, Otto wasn't annoyed. He greeted the audience with grace. "Hello, I am Otto Apocalypse. Thank you for taking care of Teriri. It is an honor to be invited to her stream today. I hope we can all spend a wonderful time together."
On camera, Otto was suave, his noble aura on full display. He was naturally handsome, and combined with his humble and polite attitude, it made the viewers feel respected.
[Real-life Lord Otto is too handsome!]
[So stylish!]
[He's literally like a noble prince.]
[Now I finally know what those nobles in novels actually look like!]
[He isn't 'like' a prince, he IS one!]
[Don't you know? Lord Otto is a truly successful individual!]
Knowledgeable viewers chimed in. His achievements were all on HOMU-pedia. Not only was he the richest man in Northern Europe, but he was also the youngest entrepreneur to grace the cover of TIME magazine. He was also a philanthropist whose foundation had supported thousands of impoverished students.
[I suddenly feel like Teriri's stream has become high-class...]
[Is this the hall of the Louvre?]
[I finally understand what 'a dragon makes a pool divine' means now that Lord Otto is here...]
It was like Bill Gates showing up in a stream in Su Mu's previous life to politely greet the chat. That was something you could brag about for a lifetime. "Hey, Bill Gates said hi to me! That's the richest man in the world!" Or you could say, "Yeah, I do business with Bill Gates!" then point at your PC—it's Windows, right? The founder is Gates, right?
"Hello everyone! I'm Kallen Kaslana! I'm so happy to be here! ~♪" Kallen also greeted the chat. She was naturally extroverted and didn't feel shy in front of the camera.
Theresa said to the audience, "Today, Teriri has specifically invited Grandpa Otto and Grandma Kallen to the stream to play the brand-new Honkai Impact 3rd version—'Midsummer Night's Fantasy'!"
Otto naturally followed up: "Midsummer Night's Fantasy... I'm looking forward to seeing our lovely Teriri's wonderful performance in the game."
Theresa complained, "Honestly, Grandpa, we're live! Be serious!"
[WWW, Teriri looks like she's acting spoiled with her elders.]
[Teriri is so cute like this!]
[Lord Otto really dotes on her! A big entrepreneur like him must be making millions every minute, yet he ran over here for her stream!]
[Does that mean I'm watching a stream valued in the millions per second? Holy crap, am I watching this for free?]
[Wait, I just realized, does a President like Lord Otto actually play Honkai 3rd?]
[Nonsense, isn't a President human? It's normal to play games!]
[I want to see Lord Otto's account! Teriri, let him stream with his own account!]
Under the strong demand of the audience, after the maintenance finished, Otto logged into his account. Opening the Valkyrie interface, one could immediately see Theresa's and Kallen's battlesuits with little red hearts, ranked at the very top. Every single one was SSS-rank!
[Holy crap! Lord Otto is a mega-whale! All Theresa and Kallen battlesuits are SSS?]
[Wait, his Crystal count is higher than my gold coins. That's insane!]
[I guess for someone like Lord Otto, money really is just a number...]
As Otto scrolled through the interface, many noticed three "fox spirits" at the very bottom. Level 1. Memento, Miko, and Flame Sakitama all had little red "level up" dots, meaning they could be upgraded. But they remained Level 1, with zero weapons or stigmata.
[Pfft!!]
[Lord Otto's grudge against Yae Sakura is deep!]
[He really didn't level them up once? Doesn't the red dot drive him crazy?]
[Lord Otto is performing a silent protest!]
The viewers were highly entertained, especially remembering Otto's previous "Not promising, not recommended" review for the Memento banner. They laughed even harder!
After skimming the announcement, Theresa used Otto's account to open the prominent "Midsummer Night's Fantasy" event stage.
"Well then, without further ado, let's begin today's 'Midsummer Night's Fantasy' livestream!"
END OF CHAPTER
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