Imperial heartland, Honkai Dimension.
Drifting in the boundless deep space, gazing at the artificial celestial bodies blotting out the sky and the murals carved into the mountainsides.
Azril once again felt a strange sense of dislocation as she repeatedly compared Selene's garden palace with Avant Heim, the home that had sheltered them for more than twenty thousand years.
Brilliant ring-shaped belts encircled the massive supraspatial celestial body like stars surrounding the moon—these ominous constructs were also the source of the upheaval that left them shaken.
"Meow…"
With heterochromatic eyes—left blue, right green—blinking, a cat-eared girl with brownish hair hoisted the plump orange cat that had been dozing atop the cargo pile and placed it on her own head. She spread her arms wide, standing on the cliff edge lined with angelic sculptures in place of ordinary pillars, as though embracing the vast flower-filled grasslands spreading endlessly beneath the vacation mountain.
"Well then, little sisters new to the place, doesn't the garden under my care look magnificent?"
These were once the ultimate weapons crafted by extinct higher intelligences. But now they had shed the forms remembered by their original masters.
Though the silver ring belts still loomed immense and full of geometric beauty, palaces, sculptures, gardens, and pavilions fitting Selene's taste had sprung up in great numbers, clustered together with the natural and geometric architecture left behind by the Forerunners.
It created a grandeur of mixed styles, unique in its splendor.
Especially the Ark-00 installation, named by Selene as her palace within the rings. As the control core of the Halo Array, it had already been praised in Imperial documents as the "Garden of Deep Space," the "Celestial City," the "Imperial Palace," and the "Gathering Place of Stars."
From the circular central hub radiated curved, petal-like arms. At the central "stamen," towering Gothic spires rose atop mountains streaked with massive geometric patterns.
Like divine spears cast down upon the world, the radiant spires thrust into the heavens with an aura of transcendent majesty. Lavish ornamentation covered every corner—ornamentation so intricate it would take the greatest sculptors of a colonial world their entire lives to even begin cataloguing.
Without supernatural power, only vast numbers of mechanical servitors working tirelessly could have completed such construction in so short a time.
Above the spired palaces blazed an artificial sun cradled in the center of the ring system, violet-red arcs and faint particle glow lending sacred dignity to the "Celestial City."
Bathed in the sunlight pouring from the sky, it was like witnessing a miracle anew.
In harmony with the plasma shafts distributed along the Ark-00's petal-like arms, receivers above each petal collected the sun's light.
These illuminators periodically brightened and dimmed, simulating the cycle of day and night, ensuring the timeline here remained perfectly in sync with the Imperial capital.
"Indeed magnificent. This world outshines Avant Heim—it's far larger than Disboard too."
Drawing her gaze back, Azril, her emerald hair and single horn glinting, rubbed at her eyes. She and her people had been forcibly brought into the Honkai Dimension together with Avant Heim by Selene, and along the way, all manner of marvels had rekindled her long-slumbering blood.
She felt like a country bumpkin.
Compared to the Empire's flourishing and multifaceted naval fleets, neither the airborne city-fortress of the Flügel nor the steel ships of the Dwarves sailing the skies could really hold up in comparison.
Looking up at the "sun" atop the peak, faithfully playing the role of elder sister of the Flügel, Azril spoke: "Um… Senpai? As the newly appointed Third Sequence of the Imperial Guard, we Flügel still have much to improve on. Please guide us."
"Eh, eh, eh? Guide you? No, no… I'm Pardofelis, hehe, no need to be so formal, just call me Pardo."
Scratching the back of her head, Pardofelis looked both excited and embarrassed.
Heaven bear witness, she had always been the youngest and lowest-ranked sister. She was used to placing herself at the bottom and raising others up. And now someone was calling her 'senpai'?!
Her cat ears twitched as Pardofelis broke into a simple, goofy smile.
"Honestly, don't be fooled by the fact that I manage this whole palace garden. I'm not that strong. As for this position, maybe Her Majesty Selene just likes how I'm a drifter, good with the outdoors and animals. She probably didn't want me idle, so she put me in charge of the gardens and groves."
"As for guidance, Hua-sis is the real expert there."
Azril's friendliness delighted Pardofelis. She raised up Canned, inviting the other girl to pet him.
"Hua-sis? I see. Thank you, Pardo-senpai." Azril showed a flawless angelic smile and reached out to rub the fat orange cat's round head.
"Hm? This doesn't feel like a normal animal."
The moment she touched it, Azril—now transformed, her "Spirit Corridor" fully replaced by the "Honkai Corridor" after exposure to Honkai energy particles in supraspatial networks and dimensions—immediately sensed that this fat orange cat was extraordinary. As the eldest and most mature of the Flügel, she was not easily deceived.
"Hehe… Canned is stronger than me. Her Majesty Selene created him uniquely for me, extracting my memories of twilight alleys and life with stray cats, mixing them with Honkai Cubes. He's more powerful than even Emperor-class Honkai Beasts!"
With no intent to hide it, the romantically natured cat-eared girl admitted openly, "If real danger comes, it'll probably be Canned protecting me."
"Uh…"
Weaker than a cat—Azril felt ashamed. She had been brimming with resolve to fight bravely for Selene, and yet…
"Looks like Her Majesty really dotes on you."
"Mm-hmm, Her Majesty is a good person!"
"Then, Pardo-senpai, who is this Hua-sis you mentioned?"
"Ah, when it comes to Hua-sis, I get excited… Ahem. Hua-sis is a big deal—the chief instructor of the Imperial Capital's Imperial Guard, and head trainer of the Capital's twenty great new recruit camps. I also work as her assistant, but because I always sneak off early, Su Shang-jie scolds me a lot…"
"Anyway, based on my guess, you Flügel will probably be trained under Hua-sis before your official induction. What she teaches? Good question… let me think… Hm, have you heard of Edge of Taixuan? It's like…"
...
If Azril restrained her Flügel instincts and behaved like a polite child, then Jibril—once separated from Selene—was the complete opposite: arrogance incarnate, shouting 'Selene first, me second.'
And she had already suffered for it.
"…Haa… hsshh… Hey, scrap metal, what are you? Are you the same as the Ex-Machina?"
"Miss Jibril, I am not 'scrap metal.' You may call me 343 Guilty Spark. I am one of the custodians and overseers of the Halo Array."
A floating construct, about half a meter wide, its three concave metallic plates resembling a rotund turtle shell, hovered before the regressed Flügel girl. It extended scanning instruments while introducing itself.
"Miss, I must remind you: your attempt to provoke the commander of the Imperial Guard was foolish. Your rank is merely within the Third Sequence of the Guard—the Flügel. Above you are the Imperial Guard proper and the Sisters of Silence."
"Defiance of authority and provocation of superiors, once you are formally inducted and given rank, will be considered a grave violation of discipline. By decree of Her Majesty, the Imperial Guard would be justified in beheading you publicly."
The blue optical sensor of 343 Guilty Spark flashed as it spoke in a cold, synthetic voice.
"Ah—ahh… b-beheading?" At the mention of Her Majesty and execution, the once arrogant and domineering Jibril instantly deflated.
Excessive use of power had drained the energy stored in her "Honkai Corridor," leaving her unable to maintain form—forcing Jibril into the body of a small child.
Half crouched, little arms crossed over her chest, her wide eyes marked with the cross-shaped sigil blinking rapidly, Jibril panted as she snapped: "Hey! Big guy, you're not gonna snitch, are you?!"
"Snitch? Don't put it so crudely, rookie."
Her words were drowned out by the booming of heavy footsteps. A towering shadow engulfed her tiny form—an immense giant clad in golden armor.
"As Her Majesty's Imperial Guard, let me teach you one lesson. Remember—before Her Majesty, we have no secrets!"
He wore thick golden war armor, his right shoulder draped with the scarlet hide of some unknown and deadly beast. The golden-armored commander of the Guard loomed over Jibril like a mountain.
Behind him marched several more guards in ornate red robes, each bearing finely crafted powered halberds.
"Kid, a newcomer like you, challenging us from the start and wanting to knock the Imperial Guard off our First Sequence seat… I don't dislike that spirit. But you're still green. Keep growing. Don't betray Her Majesty's expectations."
"I don't need you to tell me! Next time, I, Jibril, will smash you! I'll be the First Sequence of Her Majesty's Imperial Guard!"
"Good! That's the spirit! I am Dalenst, commander of the Seventh War Cohort of the Guard. I accept your challenge and look forward to it… Tch. Kid, hurry and return to your normal state. After just three of my strikes you've deflated. What, you planning to kill enemies on the battlefield with cuteness? Hahaha…"
"Ughhh—! That makes me so mad! I'll definitely smash you!"
...
Atop the Ark, within the palace.
Even a door panel here was carved with exquisite mythological scenes. The abundance of artworks weighed upon the corridors that were originally spacious.
Such splendor made terms like "luxurious palace" or "solemn castle" seem inadequate. Only comparisons like temples of gold or pyramids of diamond, exaggerated metaphors from legend, felt fitting.
Alyssa carried steaming black tea to Selene's table.
"Um…"
Her wandering eyes betrayed her mind was elsewhere, lingering on the roaring blast from the atomic shield array in the training grounds not long ago—she could sense it was Jibril's aura.
"Speak."
Selene unhurriedly lifted her teacup.
"Queen, you should have let me go. My ability to educate is no less than Sebas'."
She made no effort to hide her intent. Alyssa wanted to personally discipline that little brat Jibril! Not out of pettiness or jealousy, but because it was her duty granted by Selene—and to uphold the dignity of the Guard.
"You'd probably just beat her with sticks and enjoy it too much."
Selene blinked, then shook her head with a soft laugh, flicking the girl's forehead. "You have more important tasks. There will be chances later."
And indeed, Jibril's fiery and unruly nature, as both an extra-model individual and a final-type unit, set her apart from all other Flügel.
Even as a higher-ranked race, if she didn't acknowledge someone, she would never obey. Once, she had even defied her own creator, the War God Artosh, declaring her intent to replace him.
For that alone she deserved discipline—but not from Selene. Selene's hand would mean nothing. As a being already half-consumed by Honkai, the constraints binding her before Selene were even stronger and more absolute than the Ten Covenants sworn upon the Suniaster.
At that moment, a servant announced: "Your Majesty, Dr. Stylish requests an audience."
"See? Here he comes. Admit him," Selene said, exchanging a glance with Alyssa.
"Yes!"
Thud-thud—
Soon, amid the sound of approaching footsteps, Selene looked up as the servant led Dr. Stylish into the chamber.
After the servant departed—"Your Majesty!"
The same unchanging attire as always: black-rimmed glasses, white lab coat, neatly combed brown hair with a small tuft of white sticking up. Dr. Stylish bent down with exaggerated gestures, bowing deeply.
Looking down from her throne at the chief scientist who had come to pay respects, Selene sipped her tea calmly. "Dr. Stylish. How quick of you. Let me guess—when someone offers flattery without cause, they must be up to something. Speak. What do you want?"
"Ah… Your Majesty, how you wound me. As your chief advisor…"
"Dismiss him."
"Wait, wait! Your Majesty, I bring good news!"
—
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