Knock, knock, knock.
"Overseer."
Durandal's voice was as respectful and steady as ever.
She waited outside the door for a moment, and only after Amber had finished her report and stepped out did she raise her hand to knock. She then walked in through the slightly ajar door.
"Bianka, you've come at a good time."
Otto was holding a thick stack of statistical reports, a hint of a headache in his brow. Hearing Durandal's voice, he looked up slightly. Instead of asking her purpose, he took the initiative and smiled.
"Amber just compiled the data from the Vimur Base and is having a hard time with it. Since you're here, I'd like to hear your thoughts."
"Losses?" Durandal asked, a little confused as to why he had brushed past her reason for coming. "Were the losses from yesterday's battle that great?"
Losses? They were immense, Otto thought.
But the real losses were not the complex yet tangible numbers on the report, but something intangible, unspoken, that couldn't be voiced. So, he could only feign ignorance, waving the papers in his hand with a wry smile.
"I didn't expect yesterday's battle to be so fierce. I certainly didn't expect that at the beginning of the battle, that mysterious girl calling herself 'Yae Sakura' could infiltrate the base in disguise and, at a critical moment, use the Third Divine Key to cause such severe damage..."
"I see."
Durandal nodded in understanding. Although she had been fighting outside the base the whole time, she was well aware that this move of "cutting the ground from under the enemy" was Lin Wei's first counterattack, and its timing and effect were impressive.
"The direct losses from the battle are a small matter," Otto continued. "The biggest problem is that the twentieth Hyperion-class Honkai energy engine, which serves as the base's energy hub, also suffered considerable damage, leading to a Honkai energy leak."
He paused, adding, "Many of the technical staff who had been hiding deep within the base since the battle began have been exposed to Honkai radiation and are now under observation in the hospital. Some of them are in critical condition."
"...That's a truly undeserved disaster," Durandal said with regret. After Lin Wei had given up his easily attainable victory, she had been unable to understand the meaning of that battle, especially now that there were innocent victims.
Otto was momentarily speechless.
Was he supposed to say that this was also part of the battle, that those technicians were actually "hostages" in his plan to unnerve the enemy?
A careful review would reveal that Lin Wei was a person unwilling to harm the innocent. Therefore, Otto had not hesitated to use this to his advantage.
The reason he had placed those unarmed technicians on the battlefield before the battle began was to make Lin Wei hesitate, to make him miss his chance.
He had used this tactic with great skill—just as he had with many heroes he had schemed against in the past.
He hadn't expected Lin Wei's subordinate—or rather, that girl named 'Sakura'—to be so decisive, so ruthless. As a result, the problem was thrown back at him.
Once again, he had been bitten by his own scheme.
In the past, he could have easily covered this up with lies—phrases like "Lin Wei is too arrogant, his stubbornness has brought great harm to Schicksal and the world."
But now, that trick wouldn't work.
After Anna fired that "tide-turning" shot, she had not only shrouded herself in a thick layer of tragedy but also pressed a nameless anger into the hearts of everyone present.
At this critical juncture, if he were to put on another such superfluous performance, it would not only be useless but would completely ignite their resentment.
Therefore, Otto could only choose to downplay the issue, smiling as he said, "Alright, don't worry, Bianka. They will receive the most advanced medical treatment in the medical department and will be fine. It's just..."
Otto's expression shifted slightly, perfectly piquing Durandal's curiosity.
"It's just that now there's another, more difficult problem..."
"What problem?" Durandal asked, following his lead.
"Thanks to you, Bianka, the Second Divine Key was recovered safely, and the related experiments and research can be restarted. It's just..." Otto said, feigning difficulty, "As I just mentioned, the Vimur Base, which was originally designated for the observation experiment, has been severely damaged. To prevent further Honkai energy leaks and more serious contamination disasters, Schicksal will have to invest a huge sum to repair it."
"That's a matter of course," Durandal said noncommittally. "After the repairs, the previously shelved observation experiment can continue."
"That's where the problem lies," Otto said. "The construction of that base was already a huge investment, and the subsequent cleanup work will be an astronomical figure. But because of yesterday's battle, I have to consider a new factor: the commotion from that battle was too great, completely exposing the base's coordinates. So, from a confidentiality and security perspective, perhaps we should abandon it and choose a new, safe location to rebuild..."
"If we do that, what about the Honkai energy leak there?" Durandal pointed out the core of the problem with pinpoint accuracy. "And if the Second Divine Key creates that pillar of light to the heavens every time it's activated, I don't think we can achieve true confidentiality no matter where in the world we place it."
She continued her analysis, "So, rather than confidentiality, its security is the primary factor. That is, no matter how much commotion the experiment causes or how powerful an enemy it attracts, it must not endanger the surrounding civilians or cause widespread panic. In my opinion, this is the top priority, besides the experiment itself."
"I see. So you think we should put the Vimur Base back into use after it's repaired?" Otto said as if he had just had an epiphany.
"Yes, Overseer," Durandal replied affirmatively.
"This is why I wanted to ask you," Otto finally smiled. "Who do you think should be responsible for protecting the experimental base, ensuring the Second Divine Key is not threatened, and the experiment proceeds smoothly?"
"Uh..."
Durandal was taken aback. So that's what you were getting at.
"So, you mean you want me to continue to be responsible for its security, right?" She wasn't a fool. After such a roundabout explanation, how could she not understand?
"You also know that in this world, besides our Schicksal, there are many other organizations watching us like tigers, such as Anti-Entropy, and that 'World Serpent' that has just shown the tip of its iceberg..."
Now that it had come to this, Otto no longer pretended. He said with a cold smile, "I believe your brilliant performance in yesterday's battle is enough to deter all the hostile elements who were drawn in by this battle. So, entrusting the Second Divine Key to you is enough to make them tremble with fear, not daring to act rashly."
In fact, although that battle had damaged Otto's personal prestige, it had raised Schicksal's own deterrent power to a new level. The title of "S-rank Valkyrie" didn't tell the whole story, but after that battle, Durandal's strength finally had an undeniable stage to prove itself. Thanks to Lin Wei's disruption, this objective had been unexpectedly achieved, and Otto naturally didn't mind putting it to good use.
"I understand, Overseer. I accept your arrangement."
Durandal nodded. She never disobeyed the Overseer's orders.
"By the way," Otto then said with a smile, as if he had just remembered, "you came to see me so suddenly. Is there something you need?"
"It's like this, Overseer..."
Durandal finally had the chance to lay out her thoughts.
"The atmosphere in the Far East Branch is too lax. If we are to treat that Herrscher as a future comrade in the fight against the Honkai, I worry that in such an environment, she will not be able to cultivate the qualities and character a warrior should have. And..."
Durandal fell silent for a moment, then added, "To fight alongside our own people, even against each other—a tragedy like Anna's, I don't want to see it a second time."
"..."
Otto gave Durandal a deep look. Some things, in the end, were unavoidable.
Cecilia's sacrifice, Siegfried's betrayal, and the lives lost for the man-made Herrscher project...
He thought to himself: If K-423 hadn't defended those cruel truths with her life, perhaps you—Bianka—who now stands before me, speaking so sincerely, would have long since turned against me. And even now, if you knew everything, would you still be as frank as you are now? Or would you turn your spear against me, the villain who created all this?
"'Love' is the most precious human emotion, Bianka," Otto said slowly. "We hope that Herrscher can learn and cherish this treasure. In that case, the so-called 'Herrscher' is just a human with special powers. On this point, I believe Theresa can do a good job."
He changed the subject, "But sometimes, just like the two ends of a scale, love and hate are interdependent. What's more, when one day, that K-423, known as 'Kiana Kaslana,' inevitably discovers that her true identity is just a man-made herrscher vessel, do you think she will hate me, the Overseer who gave her a tragic fate, or will she thank me for bringing her into the world, regardless of the past?"
"If, as you say, driven by hatred, she seeks revenge on Schicksal, then how is she any different from the Herrschers of the past?" Durandal retorted.
"True companionship and meticulous care will be like shackles, firmly binding the hatred in her heart," Otto calmly explained his plan. "And at the right moment, that power will be catalyzed and transformed into what we need. And that is the meaning of Theresa and the others' existence."
"..."
Durandal fell silent again.
"Overseer, I know you always use such near-torturous methods to achieve your goals. For the future you have promised, I am willing to understand and support all your plans." She paused, then raised her eyes. "But... in such a future filled with hatred, what position have you placed yourself in?"
In the past, she had understood Otto as a somewhat eccentric but selfless great man. But now, a trace of doubt had inevitably arisen in her heart.
"Even if some things are destined to be unavoidable, I still hope for a more perfect outcome, Overseer," Durandal insisted. "Whether she is a Herrscher or a Valkyrie, she may be destined to never understand us in the future. But I still hope she can become a qualified warrior and, in the decision that determines the fate of humanity, can put aside her prejudices and stand with us."
She supported Otto as always, but she also held fast to her own principles as always.
Otto had poured his heart into her, and she had returned it with absolute trust—even when doubts began to arise, she would present them frankly to Otto, rather than hiding them in her heart.
Otto looked helplessly at his proudest student of all time. She was sometimes too excellent, which in turn caused him trouble.
"The Second Divine Key and the Second Herrscher experiments are both crucial. I can't let you take something so important and go fool around with Theresa and the others in the Far East Branch."
"...In that case, I will follow the Overseer's arrangements," Durandal said, though with some disappointment. "However, even if I can't go, I can have Rita go in my place."
"...Forget it, no need."
Faced with Durandal's persistence, Otto finally threw up his hands in surrender.
"There's still some time before the Second Divine Key experiment restarts. Before that, just think of it as a few days off for you. If you want to participate in Theresa and the others' training, I won't stop you."
His affection for Durandal was boundless, and he was naturally willing to compromise for her small "whims." But that didn't mean he would relax his restrictions.
His expression turned serious as he solemnly reminded her, "But, I must remind you, in the Far East Branch, the experiment concerning the Second Herrscher will also officially begin from today. So, which matters you can participate in, and which you absolutely must not interfere with—Bianca, I believe you can grasp the fine line between them."