Murata Himeko established a communication link with Theresa, who was currently at St. Freya Academy. Before she could even speak, Theresa took the initiative to strike first.
"You always act so recklessly! Why did you take the Hyperion to Nagazora without my permission? With the intensity of the Honkai Energy there, a Herrscher was bound to be born. Are you that eager to throw your life away? A-rank Valkyrie, Murata Himeko!"
"Speaking of the Herrscher, she's actually standing less than fifty meters away from me right now, you know?"
"Huh?!"
Theresa jumped in shock. She was about to say something more when she noticed the communication image shifting.
"This particular Honkai eruption is a bit special. You'd better ask him about the details, Principal Theresa. I hope you can provide a resolution that satisfies everyone."
Saying this, Himeko gave Hua Yi a pointed look, signaling him to step in front of the screen.
Hua Yi saw Theresa sitting on a rather luxurious chair, dressed in her nun-style habit. Simultaneously, Theresa saw Hua Yi a young man carrying a pale blue greatsword on his back, looking nothing like the ordinary high school student she remembered.
"Well then, Principal Theresa, let's keep this short. I am Hua Yi, the one you met at the Tachikawa Academy boys' dormitory last time. Kiana is still alive and in no danger. I have already dealt with the vast majority of the Honkai Beasts and Zombies in Nagazora.
A Herrscher was indeed born during this eruption, but she is a mutual friend of Kiana and mine. She is very kind; even after becoming a Herrscher, she hasn't harmed anyone. Therefore, I hope you can grant her preferential treatment."
"..."
Theresa fell silent. Hua Yi's words contained so much information that she was momentarily dazed.
Kiana wasn't dead; that was undoubtedly good news. Hua Yi had cleared out most of the Honkai Beasts and Zombies while that sounded absurd, she could investigate the details later. But what was this about a Herrscher who hadn't harmed anyone?
Could she be the same type as The First Herrscher?
Unlike Himeko, Theresa held an extremely high clearance level as the granddaughter of the Schicksal Overseer, Otto. She had access to Schicksal's top-secret database and knew that The First Herrscher had also sided with humanity to fight against the Honkai, even if he remained Schicksal's arch-enemy.
Theresa didn't find Hua Yi's claims about the 3rd Herrscher entirely impossible to accept. If they could bring the 3rd Herrscher into the fold to fight against the Honkai, it would certainly be something to celebrate.
What she truly worried about was whether the 3rd Herrscher was merely refraining from violence for now, or if she would truly never harm anyone. If they allowed her to roam free without any restrictions and she suddenly turned on them...
Having gauged from Himeko and Hua Yi's reactions that the situation in Nagazora was not yet critical, Theresa calmed her mind and thought for a moment. She then looked up again at Hua Yi, who clearly bore the marks of a fierce battle.
"What exactly do you mean by 'preferential treatment'?"
"First, tell me how you plan to handle the aftermath of this Honkai eruption, Principal Theresa."
"...Nagazora will naturally be abandoned. Until the high concentration of Honkai Energy dissipates, it isn't fit for human life. We are very experienced in population migration, so there won't be any complications.
As for you and Kiana, having survived a large-scale eruption, you both possess sufficient aptitude. Having experienced the disaster personally, would you be willing to become part of St. Freya Academy and work toward saving others from similar catastrophes in the future?"
Theresa was petite, appearing more cute than majestic, but her words and demeanor at this moment carried the true grace of a Principal.
"I can accept your invitation. Now, let's move on to the matter of the 3rd Herrscher, Raiden Mei."
"St. Freya Academy can house the 3rd Herrscher, but we must take certain security measures."
Theresa hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and voiced her plan.
"Until we are certain the 3rd Herrscher poses no danger, we will place 'shackles' upon her. We will install a..."
"My demand is that you do not impose these so-called shackles on Mei."
Hua Yi interrupted Theresa directly. His blunt and resolute attitude made Theresa's eyebrows twitch. She looked toward Himeko, who was standing beside Hua Yi in the video feed, silently asking what was going on.
Himeko sighed and began to recount everything Hua Yi had told her earlier.
A long while later, after hearing Himeko's explanation and remaining silent for some time, Theresa stared at Hua Yi and spoke.
"Even if you guarantee the 3rd Herrscher's behavior, it isn't enough for me to trust her completely."
"Then please trust me. If Mei ever truly wants to destroy the world, I will be the first person to stand up and stop her. Until now, Mei has not committed a single destructive act despite her Herrscher state. Since I haven't failed yet, why should we place a kind girl in a dangerous position just because of a microscopic possibility?"
"..."
"Your so-called shackles refer to something that can threaten Raiden Mei's life, don't they? If the device controlling that thing falls into the hands of a villain, she will be in grave danger. Is that the future you desire, Principal Theresa?"
"However, what you are suggesting is also just a microscopic possibility."
Faced with Theresa's refusal to yield, Hua Yi closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were sharp and piercing.
"Let me tell you about another possibility. No, a future a future that is destined to happen if you reject my demand. I will work with the 3rd Herrscher, Raiden Mei, to take Murata Himeko captive and hijack the Hyperion in the sky. Then, we can sit down and negotiate again, or perhaps just go straight to war. We can either burn together or find a happy ending for all. Do you want to try it?"
Hua Yi's words stunned Himeko, and she immediately went on high alert. However, before she could even move, Hua Yi reached out and restrained her. The Valkyrie couldn't even put up a decent resistance.
Was it because Hua Yi still possessed the strength to instantly suppress a careless A-rank Valkyrie despite being covered in wounds, or had the battle-hardened Himeko simply forgotten how to counter him?
That question no longer mattered. The map had been unrolled, and the dagger was revealed.
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).