Chapter 290: Even a Straight Man Can Be Interesting
Hearing Sigurd leave the decision to Fu Hua, Welt and Su, who had been about to object, fell silent once more and looked toward the frowning Fu Hua.
They trusted her.
And, true to their trust, Fu Hua shook her head.
"I don't want to resort to such methods, Otto."
"Yes, yes, as upright as ever, my old friend. Guess I'm the only one with questionable morals, huh?"
"There's no need to lie. I'm still thinking about how to explain the truth to her in a steady, careful way—then help her truly get on the right path."
"Then go to the Sea of Quanta. Don't mess around in the real world anymore—there's already enough trivial business piling up. Of course, I'm not telling you to go bother Sigurd. I'm just saying that your two old friends here seem plenty free, don't they?"
Hera yawned lazily, gesturing toward Kevin and Su.
"Perfect chance to get them directly involved in dealing with Herrscher-level psychological issues. Might help them build more confidence in the human-side Herrschers of this era."
Sigurd nodded.
"Alright. Let me know when it's set up. I'll open a portal for you."
A new test subject with high durability—plus, her consciousness manipulation might be fundamentally linked to the Key of Erosion's data corruption properties. Worth studying.
Fu Hua considered for a moment. This arrangement seemed reasonable, so she slowly nodded in agreement.
. . . . . . . .
After the meeting, not wanting to waste more of the "busy people's" time, Fu Hua quickly ended the communication and returned to her room.
A messy bed, the blanket kicked to the floor, and a long-haired girl spread out in a starfish pose on the bed, mouth open, snoring loudly and confidently.
"Sigh—"
Fu Hua rubbed her forehead, then flicked the blanket back up with a wave, covering the body on the bed, and merged into the girl's forehead.
Within the realm of consciousness, Fu Hua waved her hand, erasing the golden words in the sky—"In seclusion for enlightenment, do not disturb."—as well as the mental barrier she had set.
Immediately after, the pajama-clad 'Fu Hua' fell out of nowhere, headfirst, snoring in sync with her body in the outside world.
"Wah!!"
'Fu Hua' woke with a jolt, her head stuck in the ground. She flipped backward, striking a cool pose—if one ignored the grass stuck in her hair.
"You finally came out, you Old Timer! Seriously, don't just randomly go into seclusion like that! And setting up a barrier on top of it?! I didn't even dare break in, scared I'd accidentally destroy you since I'm so strong!"
With hands on her hips, she huffed her complaint, her crimson eyes clearly unhappy.
Fu Hua simply shook her head and conjured a clean towel, starting to wipe the mess from the girl's head.
"Thanks for your concern," Fu Hua replied flatly.
'Fu Hua' let her clean her up, and only when her face was wiped clean and the towel taken away did she puff out her chest proudly.
"At least you know you made things hard for me. Don't do that next time! What's the point of going into seclusion anyway? I'm the strongest—if you have problems, just tell me. That's the real way to break through."
"Also, you've been hiding in my mind long enough—it's about time you handed over those memories, don't you think!?"
"If I did that, I'd disappear… Do you want me to disappear?"
"Huh? Well… um… fine, we can wait. If there's stuff I can't remember, I'll just ask you directly anyway."
"Thank you."
Fu Hua gave a small smile—though she felt a bit guilty for using this excuse to trick a child.
Still, this would do for now. If the girl pressed the issue later, she could apologize then.
'Fu Hua' scratched her flushed cheek, turned, and vanished from this mind space.
"Hey, Old Timer!"
"Hmm?"
"To be honest… if you weren't so naggy, I actually kind of like you. You can stick around for a few more days if you want. It's nice having someone to talk to. I don't hate it. But seriously, don't randomly go into seclusion again! You're just a backup consciousness—I'm worried you'll mess around and erase yourself!"
"Alright, I understand."
Responding to the voice from the sky, Fu Hua shook her head and let out a helpless chuckle. She knew—the Herrscher of Sentience had truly left.
"But... if I'm going to the Sea of Quanta, I'll need an excuse, won't I? Better think carefully about that…"
. . . . . . .
Sea of Quanta, Cosmic Juggernaut.
Sigurd had started taking a break.
After all, he wasn't made of steel, and there was no need to rush major affairs. Balance between work and rest was the right path.
Kiana was lying on his back, clinging to him like a koala.
Suddenly, Sigurd frowned.
"By the way... you've gained weight recently."
"Nani!!? Wh–where's a scale?! Get me a scale, quick!"
Kiana quickly slid off Sigurd, panicking as she pinched at her belly and thighs.
Sigurd glanced at her sideways.
"No need for a scale. You've gained exactly 3.15 kg. My calculations are perfectly accurate."
"Rounded up, that's ten whole jin! Wait a minute! The Kaslana bloodline cannot gain weight!"
(*Note: 1 jin ≈ 0.5 kg)
"Oh? You're using the Kaslana name again?"
"Well, even the old ancestor acknowledged me now… And besides, there are lots of people with the same name. My 'Kaslana' isn't the Kaslana of Schicksal—it's just my own version of Kaslana. That's fair, right?"
"Let's see if you can say that with the same confidence when you meet the original Kiana Kaslana."
Under Sigurd's stare, Kiana shrank her neck and fiddled nervously with her fingers.
"Ugh… don't crush my spirit like that! But hey, is it true? Has that real young lady really disappeared?"
"I asked multiple times to meet and speak with her, but Otto kept brushing me off. I once thought that girl must hold some special value—so much so that Otto would risk upsetting me to protect her."
"But right before I set off, when I asked Otto one last time, he finally stopped dodging and admitted: That young lady was never an experiment or tool—she was his equal partner."
"The reason he refused wasn't because of her value, but because she herself chose to stay hidden."
"These past two years, I've gone to Schicksal HQ several times trying to see her, but every time came up empty."
"At first, I thought Otto was just being overprotective. But it turns out even he lost track of her."
"She seems to have moved her living space into an unknown sub-dimension. Aside from occasionally opening a portal to collect some daily supplies, no one's been able to make contact."
"Honestly, I'm worried. What kind of secrets is she hiding? What position is she standing on?"
Sigurd pressed his fingers to his brow, visibly frustrated.
These enigmatic types were the worst, they are not just hard to read, but impossible to even reach.
And to be in an equal partnership with Otto and still hold the upper hand… Was that girl shrouded in mystery merely "interesting," or something far more terrifying?
Kiana anxiously twisted her fingers, biting her lip.
"Sig… do you think she's avoiding us because she hates me? Because I stole her identity?"
"If that's the case, then it's not too bad. A girl's emotions are still manageable."
Sigurd looked up and sighed.
What he really feared was the End itself.
Based on countless pieces of lore, hints, and fan speculation from his past life, it was highly possible that the real Kiana—"True Kiana"—was the vessel for the Herrscher of the End.
So the mysterious powers she already possessed… Could they mean that the End had already begun to quietly awaken?
Kiana didn't know about the unspoken fears hiding in Sigurd's words. She didn't ask either.
She just quietly took his hand and passed her warmth to him.
Then, Sigurd shifted the topic:
"By the way, the weight gain is real. But don't worry about your figure. According to my observation model, the extra weight's mostly gone to places it's supposed to. It's just continued development after correcting your genetic defects. Eat well, no need to diet."
"…Okay."
Kiana blushed, touching her now shapely backside and mumbling shyly.
"And also, it's about time you head back."
"Eh!? Already?"
"Your body's recovered. I've got proper work to do too."
"You're not even gonna miss me a little?"
Kiana puffed her cheeks and lightly smacked Sigurd's shoulder in protest.
Sigurd kept a straight face.
"Nope. Scram. You've already delayed some of my progress."
"Th–then I'll just wait in the outer dimension! I won't disturb you, promise!"
"Nope. If you're nearby, I'll keep wanting to come check on you. So scram. I need to focus."
"…Okay."
Kiana's cheeks flushed red again, but she no longer looked unhappy.
See? This is what makes straight men so interesting.
They reveal their thoughts in just a few words.
Clearly, he cared deeply—so much that he couldn't concentrate with her around—yet he insisted on saying it in the coldest possible way.
Kiana grinned, rubbing the back of her head as she smiled in her goofy, happy way.
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=condensed
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[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/140631608
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