"Um... excuse me, but... who might you be?"
Lunelle looked at the tiny figure in front of her—Theresa, who looked more like a stuffed toy than a person of authority. Holding back the urge to tease her, Lunelle feigned ignorance with a soft, hesitant tone, as though she truly didn't recognize the petite aunt.
Even though she knew perfectly well that this "child" was actually a woman in her forties playing dress-up in a youthful body.
Still, as an injured patient, Lunelle wasn't stupid enough to mimic Kiana and call this woman a little devil right to her face—especially after seeing the infamous Judah bondage incident...
Da-Mee-Dam-Mee!!!
"Ahem… yes, well... that's Seele, correct? I'm Theresa, the head of Schicksal's Far East branch. It looks like you're recovering well, aren't you?"
Although she had shattered the ward's door upon arrival, disturbing what little peace remained in the room...
Theresa, who insisted on being treated like a proper adult, tried her best to carry herself like one.
Unfortunately, the moment she stepped in, she had locked eyes with the already-awake Lunelle.
With no time to prepare a proper introduction, Theresa ended up more flustered than Lunelle herself.
From the outside, one might think it was Lunelle who was the calm and composed adult, while Theresa, fidgeting and shy from the faint scent on Lunelle's body, was the blushing child!
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Lady Theresa."
"Um... how are Kiana and the others doing? I passed out from my injuries and haven't heard anything since... I'm really worried about them."
Watching Theresa stumble over her own introduction, Lunelle could only pretend not to notice and kept up her sweet, docile act.
She was still under Schicksal's care, after all.
Unlike Kiana, who had family ties, Lunelle had nothing to fall back on. If she irritated Theresa, she might just be handed the hospital bill.
And being penniless, she had no way to pay it!
To make things worse, all her assets had been swallowed up during the Third Honkai Eruption at Nagazora City.
Sometimes, even the proudest must bow beneath another's roof~
"My foolish niece is fine, just too disrespectful. The moment she saw me, she called me a little devil!
I had no choice but to tie her up with Judah and... cough... Anyway, your friends are all safe. You, however, took the most damage."
When Theresa saw that Lunelle's first thought was for her friends' safety, she couldn't help but feel a soft spot for this gentle, companion-minded girl.
"Really... they're okay? That's such a relief."
Learning that Kiana survived—even if the scenario still followed the same narrative beats—Lunelle truly felt the weight lift from her chest.
If she had pushed Kiana out of the way, only for the girl to still be stabbed, wouldn't all her effort have been in vain?
Luckily, it seemed her resolve hadn't been for nothing in the end.
She let out a breath and smiled, her expression lightening with genuine ease.
But Theresa, who'd come with the intent of persuading Lunelle into logistics work, now found herself hesitating.
[Ah... such a kind child. But why must the stigmata compatibility be so poor?]
"Seele, have you considered enrolling in St. Freya Academy?"
Letting out an inward sigh, Theresa still made her invitation to Lunelle with a firm tone.
"Eh? What's... St. Freya Academy?"
Tilting her head slightly, Lunelle asked in a sweet and innocent voice, as if the name truly puzzled her.
"St. Freya is the world's only institution that trains warriors to fight against the Honkai. In short, Valkyries."
"Oh, and your three friends—Raiden Mei, Bronya, and my idiot niece Kiana—they've all chosen to enroll already."
As she said this, Theresa felt a strange pang of guilt. She couldn't bring herself to meet Lunelle's ocean-blue eyes, so clear and unmarred.
The truth was, Lunelle's very existence was a special case.
Even if she declined, Theresa knew she'd still have to force her into Schicksal's custody.
Lunelle held the key to suppressing the Third Herrscher. If she slipped out of their hands, even if nothing happened immediately...
If she ever fell into enemy control, the outcome would be beyond disastrous—even with Mei's heart rigged with a failsafe bomb to prevent loss of control!
"Eh... but me? I don't think I have what it takes to become a Valkyrie.
Someone like me is probably only good for... logistics work, right?"
Theresa's proposal had been expected, so Lunelle responded with a gentle self-deprecating remark, though a spark of excitement flickered deep inside.
After all, she understood her current body lacked natural stigmata. To gain real power as a Valkyrie, she'd need a transplant.
And where better than St. Freya Academy to obtain one?
Hehehe. So they had noticed her potential after all.
Even if being a girl dulled her edge slightly...
Since Theresa—this knowledgeable little dwarf—had made the offer herself, how could Lunelle refuse?
With Valkyrie strength, she could surely defeat that calm-faced Bronya someday.
She could hardly wait to have that stigmata installed!
"Oh... so Seele, you want to do logistics too? That's exactly why I came to speak with you.
I mean, your compatibility with any stigmata is just... well... um... not great... slightly poor, really...
But it's fine! If you've accepted that, I'm really relieved!"
But Lunelle hadn't expected that her feigned humility would be taken so seriously by Theresa, who visibly relaxed on the spot.
Hearing that, Lunelle's smile froze in place.
"Um... Thank you, Lady Theresa!"
Of course, Lunelle couldn't say what she was truly thinking.
So instead, she smiled awkwardly, as if she were genuinely pleased with Theresa's kind decision.
But inside, her heart was already screaming.
HUH??? I... I was just being polite! Why am I being assigned to logistics!?
My stigmata! It was right there! TAT
--+--
T/N: Bro backfired.