Chapter 77: Let's See Kiana Trying to Find Aliens
[From the phone call, Welt learned that the photo was actually of the Alahato. Yesterday, Raiden Ryoma had caught several alien enthusiasts and erased their memories, but he hadn't expected them to have already posted the photo online.
Tesla assured him not to worry about his student—Ryoma would catch her, erase her memory, and send her back. Raiden Ryoma couldn't help but complain that Dr. Tesla's device wasn't very reliable, as those people were still unconscious. Tesla waved it off, saying it was just a minor side effect and nothing to worry about. Welt sighed deeply. He didn't want his student ending up unconscious, and since his subordinates couldn't be relied on, he decided to go himself. Through Anti-Entropy's connections, Welt managed to book a seat right next to Murata Himeko.]
[Stelle]: "I never expected Uncle Yang to be such a caring teacher!"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Do I not care enough about you?"
[Dan Heng]: "Mr. Welt has always been very considerate toward us."
[Black Swan]: "Miss Tesla's memory-erasing invention… does it actually work?"
[Tesla]: "What do you mean 'does it work'? It's just got a tiny side effect!"
[Herrscher of Sentience]: "Physically erasing memories still counts as erasing!"
[Stelle]: "Long live the Herrscher of Sentience!"
[On the plane, Welt borrowed Himeko's phone and used his Herrscher authority to slightly alter the watermark coordinates on the photo. After landing, Welt took Himeko to Santa Fe.
Himeko found it strange—according to the coordinates, this was right in the city center. There was no way aliens would land here, right? Just as Himeko was about to expand her search area, Welt announced he had already found it. Himeko looked—only to see a movie poster for Alahato, completely unrelated to aliens! While Himeko was comparing the photos, Welt explained: "The movie adaptation of Mazinger Alahato isn't supposed to premiere for another two months. Seems like this theater put up the poster early."
"And the blogger who wrote that article must have taken the photo at night when it was too dark to see clearly, then made up an alien story and posted it online."
"Rumors like this pop up all the time on the internet."
Himeko immediately deflated—another fake lead, and all that money on plane tickets wasted. Welt felt genuinely apologetic, though this was still better than having Tesla catch her and erase her memory. Meanwhile, on a rooftop, Raiden Ryoma was exhausted from setting up the decoy scene for Himeko, feeling like a total Pal.]
[Raiden Mei]: "Father..."
[Kiana]: "Father-in—uh, I mean, Lord Ryoma is so diligent, haha..."
[Raiden Ryoma]: "Siegfried!!"
[Theresa]: "Hahaha! Himeko, you were so easy to trick back in your student days!"
[Murata Himeko]: "Wasn't this supposed to be about Welt? Why is it all my embarrassing moments?!"
[Stelle]: "Yeah, why is that? I'm searching for answers too~"
[Silver Wolf]: "You can use Reason Herrscher authority like that? If it can edit photos, can it hack?"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Should I try forging a Herrscher of Domination's core?"
[Mobius]: "Hacking-related… is that one of the Twelve Herrschers' Divine Keys?"
[Sakura]: "What's wrong?"
[Mobius]: "Nothing, just curious. After all, that project wasn't completed in our era."
["I'm sorry, Mr. Welt. Because I didn't verify the information properly, I made you come all this way for nothing."
"I know you must be really disappointed.
I truly apologize."
Knowing the truth, Welt wasn't disappointed at all and admitted he wasn't that interested in aliens. "Huh?! Then why did you come all the way to New Mexico with me?"
The girl flushed red, unable to meet Welt's eyes as she whispered, "Because… you were worried about me?"
Those words struck Welt like a bolt from the blue. He quickly insisted he was just an alien enthusiast! "Hehe~ Just kidding! I was teasing you!"
Himeko grinned mischievously, looking every bit like a little devil. Then she made her request—for Welt to be the advisor for her newly formed [Extraterrestrial Civilization Research] club. Before Welt could refuse, Himeko skipped away cheerfully.]
[Stelle]: "OHOHOHOHOHOHOH~"
[Asta]: "What kind of teacher-student relationship is this~ (leans back dramatically)"
[Theresa]: "Himeko… Himeko… I never knew you were like this~"
[Murata Himeko]: "Just let me die. Life has no meaning anymore."
Himeko chugged an entire bottle of beer with dead eyes, wishing she could just get drunk already. Having her embarrassing past shown not just to her students but others—this world had no place left for her.
[Tesla]: "Tch~"
[Schicksal Headquarters – St. 7308 Research Institute
Five years ago, Murata Ryousuke was invited by Otto to become the institute's director, overseeing the restoration of the 4th Divine Key.
According to records, the 4th Divine Key wasn't meant for combat—it was designed to restore the world after destruction by the Herrscher of Finality. For 50,000 years, it had been operating continuously, repairing damaged land, oceans, and the atmosphere. Schicksal's goal in restoring it was to rehabilitate the Siberian plains devastated during the Second Honkai Eruption. Murata Ryousuke wanted to take advantage of the 4th Divine Key's maintenance period to visit his daughter in America. "Are you going to America just to see your daughter?"
"Or do you have some other purpose… something you're hiding from me?"
A golden feather of Fenghuang Down drifted past—Ryousuke seemed to be under its influence as he answered honestly: "Lord Overseer, please don't joke around. I just want to see my daughter."
Seeing nothing suspicious, Otto granted Ryousuke's leave request. But in the shadows… Otto's Fenghuang Down feather was completely devoured by a gray sphere.]
[Stelle]: "Based on my deduction—Ryousuke is definitely up to something!"
[March 7th]: "Isn't it obvious? He made a deal with aliens! Who would believe he doesn't have ulterior motives?!"
[Vill-V]: "Too bad—no fun little features were added to the 4th Divine Key~"
[Mobius]: "A satellite should just stick to its intended function."
[Raven]: "Do those weird little functions on Divine Keys even do anything?"
[Theresa]: "They do! They absolutely do!"