"Is 'Irkutsk' even a real place on the map?"
"Never heard of it. Let me check… Whoa! It actually exists!"
"Why are you guys focused on that? Is no one wondering where this 'R'lyeh' place is? I just searched for it, and it doesn't exist at all. It does sound a bit like that place 'R'lyeh' from that one novel, though…"
Half a class period, if you were paying attention, felt no longer than the snap of your fingers. But when the bell rang, the students didn't scatter like they usually did. Instead, they huddled together, chattering excitedly about the "story" Michael had just told.
Meanwhile, Michael himself was like a troll who had just thrown a chunk of sodium into a lake for the sheer fun of it. He leaned casually against the teacher's desk, sipping his tea and silently watching the kids heatedly discuss the tale he had spun.
He swallowed a mouthful of warm tea, his gaze drifting unconsciously to Hua. Beside her, the four survivors from Nagazora City were gathered in a noisy group, no different from the other students. Only Hua…
She just sat there quietly, not moving, not making a sound.
A gentle breeze slipped in through a crack in the classroom window, lifting her long, gray hair. She lowered her head slightly. It was hard to tell if she was trying to keep her hair down or if she had noticed Michael's gaze and was deliberately avoiding it.
For the past two years, one of them had taken on the role of a history teacher at St. Freya High School, while the other pretended to be an ordinary student.
Although the latter constantly suppressed her abilities, her overly calm demeanor and outstanding grades had easily made her the class president.
"So? Nothing you want to say?"
Michael's voice entered Hua's mind via his Herrscher authority, but there was no reply.
He shrugged, neither surprised nor hurt. He was used to this by now.
Ever since two years ago, Hua seemed to have made up her mind to ignore him completely.
It was complete and utter indifference—not born of disgust, nor carrying any of their former familiarity. Perhaps in her eyes, the Michael of the past no longer existed. The person standing before her now was just a stranger she had no need to know.
Of course, when he called on her in class, she had no choice but to answer. But what was the point of that for Michael? Watching her deliver a flawless, correct answer with a rigid, monotonous tone, time and time again… after a few such instances, he stopped calling on her in class.
If deliberately getting closer only served to annoy them both and create even more distance, what was the point?
Or perhaps, this distance was exactly what Michael needed.
But surprisingly, just as Michael was about to give up entirely, Hua's voice finally traveled back along the thread of consciousness.
"Aren't you afraid Theresa will suspect your identity if you talk about this in class?"
Theresa was the only one who had truly experienced the entire Second Honkai Eruption from start to finish. She would naturally see the problems with the "story" Michael had told.
Irkutsk did exist, and the Babylon Tower was technically within its administrative district. But neither the specific location nor the details of the events matched the Second Honkai Eruption in the slightest.
She had wanted to stand up and correct Michael—purely in her capacity as class president. But for some reason, the dream she'd had back then surfaced in her mind…
It was the dream she experienced when she first awoke five thousand years ago. At the time, she had thought the dream was bizarre and had even mistaken the Mei in it for Dr. MEI. Looking back now, perhaps it wasn't a dream at all, but a glimpse of the future revealed by the authority of time.
It was because of that dream—because she had stood up and refuted Michael's words in it—that she suppressed the impulse now. She didn't want to deliberately conform to some so-called future. She hated prophecies that felt like destiny.
But perhaps because of this, she suddenly realized that no matter how much she denied or tried to escape it, Michael was still Michael. He wouldn't become a complete stranger just because she wished it.
And so, this long-overdue conversation finally happened.
"What do I have to hide? It's not like Theresa has ever trusted me from the beginning, right?"
Hua was taken aback. That seemed to be true. Michael's identity had always been murky. He had been assigned to teach at St. Freya by Schicksal's Overseer himself. Otto had always been lenient with the Far East Branch; besides sending someone to supervise the annual Valkyrie exams, he had never personally intervened in appointing a common teacher. This was a first.
Theresa had approached Hua herself many times. But for reasons she couldn't explain—perhaps holding onto a sliver of unrealistic hope—she had always remained silent whenever Theresa asked about Michael's past.
This works too, she thought. By deliberately leaking a "story" like this, any half-intelligent person like Theresa would realize it wasn't just a random tale. If she compares it with archeological findings from the Previous Era, she's bound to come to some conclusions.
"But aren't you afraid of misleading these children? I didn't experience that Honkai Eruption, so I can't judge the truth of your story. But it's vastly different from the official history of the Second Honkai Eruption. You'll give them the wrong impression."
"So what?" Michael replied, as nonchalant as ever. "The Valkyrie ranking exams won't test for details like this. Valkyries are combat personnel, first and foremost. They need theoretical knowledge, but that doesn't include the truth of history. And speaking of the truth, is it really that important? I don't think so. There's no such thing as absolute truth in this world. Everything that happens is just part of an absurd and meaningless dream."
Hua said nothing more. After just a few sentences, their relationship returned to the cold state it had been in moments before.
Though those few "sentences" were already laced with metaphors that even the current Hua couldn't fully comprehend.
And she didn't want to.
As for Michael, the fact that she had spoken to him again after so long—even if it was just a few insignificant words—was better than nothing.
He smiled in satisfaction, then cleared his throat and clapped his hands loudly.
"Alright, quiet down, everyone!"
The classroom chatter seemed reluctant to fade. Some who heard Michael immediately fell silent, while others pushed their luck with a few more words. The叽叽喳喳 didn't completely die down until a full thirty seconds after he had called for quiet.
He pointed to the clock hanging on the blackboard.
"Okay, class is over. Those of you with other classes, hurry along. If you're free, you should head to the library and review. Although the practical combat assessment carries the most weight in the Valkyrie ranking exams, a high enough theory score can completely make up for any points lost in combat. I hope you all continue to work hard. Let's set a small goal first—within two years, I want all of you to become B-rank Valkyries!"
"Yeah!" a chorus of voices replied.
Michael looked at the dozens of girls before him. He wanted to inject a hint of sarcasm into his smile, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
When they first signed up to become Valkyries, these girls were told a part of the "truth."
They knew what they would be facing—not just Honkai Beasts and Honkai Zombies, not just Herrschers, but also… the physical toll of artificial Stigmata.
In reality, most Valkyries below B-rank never came into contact with artificial Stigmata. These girls would mainly be assigned to logistical support, working alongside the male cadets. Strictly speaking, they couldn't even be considered true Valkyries.
But B-rank Valkyries were the main force of the Valkyrie troops. Unless they were natural Stigmata awakeners, they would inevitably have to receive artificial Stigmata.
Having been selected from the massive pool of Valkyrie candidates, everyone here had a decent aptitude for Honkai Energy. But "decent" was only relative to ordinary people. In other words, their Honkai aptitude would allow them to resist the erosion from artificial Stigmata for a certain period of time.
That period could be three years, five years, maybe ten or twenty, or even a lifetime. But the last possibility was far too slim. Even if a Valkyrie had such talent, there was no guarantee she would survive on the battlefield.
In Michael's eyes, the path these girls so eagerly yearned for was, in reality, a near-certain path to death.
But he didn't dampen their enthusiasm, because they themselves understood this better than anyone.
And also because, when he looked at them, he didn't see a group of immature girls.
In a daze, he saw a swarm of moths, flying one after another into a flame that was himself.
His past self had been just like them, walking a path whose end he knew from the very beginning. He didn't think his past self had done anything wrong, nor did he feel that he, as a failure, was worthy of pity. Therefore, he would neither deny these children their dreams nor pity their fate.
But another cryptic message found its way into Hua's mind:
"See? They're so much like we were back then."
The girls' excitement didn't last long. The thought that the Valkyrie ranking exams were just a few days away made them want to spend every remaining moment in the library.
In reality, becoming a B-rank Valkyrie wasn't that difficult. You didn't need stellar theory grades; even with a zero, you could pass as long as you aced the combat assessment, just like a certain idiot.
But the four from Nagazora were a special case: a Herrscher who had yet to awaken but possessed the monstrous constitution of the Kaslana family; a mercenary who had clawed her way out of a pile of corpses; a complete Stigmata awakener; and one who was both a Stigmata awakener and a Herrscher…
And of course, there was no need to mention Hua, who was already an A-rank Valkyrie.
For most of the Valkyries who were ordinary girls before entering St. Freya, two years of relatively relaxed, semi-militaristic training wasn't enough to bring their physical fitness, combat skills, and awareness to the level of those five.
To become B-rank Valkyries, they either needed several more years of training or had to work harder on their theory. There was no other way.
Though Michael was certain that less than half of the girls in this class would ultimately become B-rank Valkyries. Even for them, B-rank was not the starting line, but the finish line.
"St. Freya's model…"
Michael shook his head. He understood why Durandal had rejected this place years ago. It was more of a utopia, a collection of beautiful wishes from Valkyries who had fought and bled on the battlefield, rather than a place that could truly forge warriors.
These children were being sheltered by Theresa, allowed to grow slowly within the academy's walls. But one day, they would have to leave this protection and walk onto the battlefield alone.
When that time came, would their chances of survival really be higher than the B-rank Valkyries from HQ who underwent full military training?
Michael didn't know. He couldn't say.
But he felt one thing for certain—he had no right to destroy this beautiful dream.
Taking off his glasses, he wearily pinched the bridge of his nose and called out to Mei, who was walking past him.
Kiana wanted to stay behind too, but Hua tugged on her hand from the other side.
"Kiana, come with me. The Principal and Major Himeko asked me to tell you something."
Bronya stood in place, watching Mei being pulled aside by Michael and Kiana being led away by the class president. She pouted resentfully.
"Come on, Seele! Let's go back to the dorm and play video games!" she said, grabbing the younger girl's hand firmly.
"Huh? But the exams start the day after tomorrow, Big Sis Bronya…"
"Lol, we're still playing video games."
"…"
Michael didn't rush Mei away. The two of them stood there, one on the podium, the other below it, facing each other across the desk that held only two lesson plans and a cup. It wasn't until everyone else had left the classroom that Michael gestured with his hand.
"Mei, have a seat."
Mei pressed her lips together, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes as she slowly sat down in the front row. They looked at each other again, and both broke into a faint smile.
"You four did a good job in Canghai City a few days ago."
"It was all thanks to Kiana, Bronya, and Seele. I didn't help much. In fact, I almost held everyone back."
"Oh? What do you mean by 'didn't help much'? Instantly killing an Emperor-class Honkai Beast?"
Hearing Michael's undisguised praise, Mei showed little pride. Instead, her smile vanished completely, and she unconsciously pressed a hand to her chest.
"So, how did it feel to use that power again?"
Mei thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"It's very… hard to accept. I could see, hear, and feel everything, but I couldn't control my own body. I could only watch as she moved it… And the Herrscher deliberately dragged it out. She only gave my body back when the hundred-second time limit was almost up…"
"Were you afraid?"
"Yes… I was afraid."
"But you were happy, at least, when you saw that Kiana was safe, right?"
"Yes." Mei couldn't deny it.
Michael took a sip of tea and sighed softly.
"Mei, there are many fundamental principles in this world that cannot be changed. One of them is equivalent exchange. To gain something, you must give something in return. Just wishing to protect someone isn't enough."
"I… I understand. But what exactly should I do?" Mei asked, her eyes filled with confusion as she clutched the fabric over her chest.
She understood Michael's words. It wasn't that she didn't crave the Herrscher's power. With that power, she could surely protect Kiana, protect everyone. A tragedy like the one in Nagazora City would never happen again.
But how, exactly, was she supposed to do that?
In two years, she had become more mature, more daring. Her swordsmanship had grown more refined, though she no longer introduced herself as a master of the North Star One-Blade style.
But when it came to the Herrscher, she was still clueless.
In that regard, she hadn't progressed at all since two years ago. She was powerless against the Herrscher, unless she threatened to kill herself.
"Train with me again for a while, Mei."
"Huh? Can I?" Mei didn't know the full extent of Michael's strength, but what little she had seen suggested he was incredibly powerful.
"I've thought about it. In your current situation, until we find a way to completely erase the Herrscher's consciousness, you must improve your own combat abilities. For one, the stronger your own body is, the more of the Herrscher's power she can unleash when using it. Right now, you can't even bring out one-thousandth of the Herrscher of Thunder's true power. Secondly, while it's unclear how this will ultimately be resolved, what if you have to fight the Herrscher one day? As you are now, you stand no chance against her."
Mei nodded. She was more than happy to receive special training from Michael. Besides, what he said made perfect sense. No matter what, getting stronger was never a bad thing.
But, she thought, if I get stronger, the Herrscher will be able to unleash even more power. If I fail, won't she become even more destructive?
The thought was extinguished as soon as it appeared.
She was no longer the naive little girl from two years ago. She once thought a Herrscher could easily destroy human civilization, but now she knew better. Faced with the behemoth that was humanity, a Herrscher wasn't as terrifying as she had imagined.
Besides, she had the all-powerful Michael. There was nothing to fear.
But in the next moment, the smile that had just formed on her face froze.
She suddenly remembered something—Michael wasn't all-powerful.
He had failed in front of her once. It was only that one time, but it had happened.
As the atmosphere threatened to turn heavy, Mei bit her lip and suddenly spoke again.
"Something felt… off about what happened in Canghai City."
"Hmm? Off? What was off?"
Mei hesitated, but then decided there was nothing to hide.
"I just feel like it was all too much of a coincidence. It was as if someone wanted to give us that airship, the 'Moonlight Throne.'"
Hearing that familiar name, Michael's hand instinctively moved to his chest. He took another sip of tea before saying quietly, "You're right. But I'm not going to tell you the truth. At least, not right now."
"I know, I know. Even if you told me, there's nothing I could do about it, right?" Mei said, perfectly mimicking Michael's usual line.
Michael smiled and nodded sagely.
"That's why I always say that life is but a dream. Because there's no difference between life and a dream. In a dream, even if you know you're dreaming, you can only watch as things unfold until the path ends and you return to reality. And in reality, even if a person knows the 'truth,' more often than not, there's still nothing they can do."
"I know, I know!" the girl pouted, covering her ears. She might be an obedient student, but who liked being nagged?
"By the way, I'm making curry rice tonight. What kind of curry do you want? And what kind of fried toppings?" Mei asked, pointedly changing the subject.
"Does my opinion matter?" Michael shrugged, complaining with a mock-aggrieved tone. "You'll just end up listening to Kiana anyway."
Mei covered her mouth and giggled.
"Alright, alright. But you probably won't get a chance to ask for Kiana's opinion today."
"Hm?"
"The four of you B-rank Valkyries solved a Honkai Eruption in a super-first-tier city like Canghai, and you even captured an enemy warship. Apparently, the engine has some very important technology. You just got ridiculously lucky. Anyway, Schicksal's Overseer seems very happy about it. He's planning to come to the Far East himself to reward you during the Valkyrie ranking exams the day after tomorrow. If you perform well, you might even be promoted to A-rank ahead of schedule. So, Theresa asked Himeko to give Kiana some extra training."
"Schicksal's Overseer."
Mei murmured the title. She had never met this legendary figure, though her classmates seemed to have a good opinion of him.
Good opinion or not, it was all vague praise like "he's handsome" and "he's good to his subordinates." But she remembered that Schicksal was not entirely cleared of suspicion in the framing of her father.
As for what role the Overseer played in all of that… Mei glanced at Michael, but quickly abandoned the thought.
She knew him too well. If he didn't bring it up himself, he had no intention of talking about it. Asking would be pointless. And she had already recited the reason why herself just a moment ago.
But it didn't matter. She would find out the truth one day!
Mei clenched her fists and took a deep breath, but her resolve melted away as her gaze fell on Michael again.
"And then?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Kiana had clearly been led away by Class President Fu Hua just now.
"And then Himeko outsourced the job to Fu Hua and went back to her dorm to drink."
"Pfft! Outsourced! Hehehe…"
The girl collapsed onto the desk, laughing with a pure, almost silly innocence.
Michael didn't interrupt her. He just leaned against the teacher's desk, watching her smile quietly. A gentle smile touched the corners of his own eyes as well.
"So, does the Principal really want Kiana to become an A-rank Valkyrie that badly? I remember they had some kind of bet."
"They do. Once Kiana becomes an A-rank Valkyrie, Theresa will tell her…"
Michael's lips kept moving, but the sound of his voice no longer reached Mei's ears.