Somewhere in the world.
Kiana's father looked at her mother.
"If I'm not mistaken, the 'Great Goddess' they're referring to is our Nana, right?"
"Mhm, yes…"
Like many others, Kiana's mother stared blankly at the now-cleared sky, lost in thought.
"But she said the recap was about… 'the girls behind the Great Goddess,' and also… 'the Great Goddess's Consort'? Does that mean what I think it means?" Kiana's father hesitated.
"Ah… yes…"
Kiana's mother nodded.
They had long sensed that their daughter was more interested in girls.
But this? Having her sexual orientation etched into history for all future generations to know? It left them with… complicated feelings.
Their identities were far from ordinary.
They knew about the Honkai.
After a moment's thought, Kiana's mother, still worried about her, decided to set off immediately to be by her side.
Kiana's father couldn't just drop everything and go, but he did make a call to the old man. Only after getting his reassurance did they finally feel at ease.
If it were just about whether Kiana lived or died deciding everyone's fate—well, that would be one thing.
But the key point was…
The celestial projection had also revealed that the kinder the world was to Kiana, the greater the chance she'd reclaim her true self in the end.
It wasn't as simple as Kiana surviving until the final hour and effortlessly skipping class. It depended on how the entire world treated her. Was she shown kindness or not?
That settled it.
Probably even their own grandson wouldn't be as important as her now.
If anyone dared lay a hand on her…
Heck, even if you sent an assassin, the assassin might just turn around and take you out instead.
It was that terrifying!
Honestly speaking, the scenes projected by the sky were already unbelievable.
The focus wasn't on how the projection happened, but on what it contained.
Of course, many people were skeptical, and plenty outright refused to believe it.
Some thought, 'Fake, it's all fake!'
Others felt, 'I'll just watch for fun—what's it got to do with me?'
But as long as there was the slightest uncertainty, well…
Better to believe it's true than assume it's false.
No one was willing to gamble on this.
You're not afraid to die?
What about your family? Your friends and loved ones?
If you have nothing to lose…
Then congratulations.
Every nation, every leader, unanimously agreed to start keeping a close eye on such individuals.
The last thing anyone needed was these people seeking to drag the world down with them.
After all, if Kiana really were killed…
Everyone would be doomed.
Talk about a single person destroying the entire world.
For someone looking to exact revenge on society, could there be a more convenient way?
Yet, the more they thought about it, the more they felt like putting on a pain mask.
Having a literal deity suddenly sitting over your head—who the heck could get used to that?
"Kiana… Kiana…"
At the Fire Moth's First Research Institute, Blanca suddenly murmured the name, tilting her head as if pondering something.
Mobius looked at her. "What is it? Do you know her?"
"She sounds familiar… Oh, right. I think she's the daughter of my mom's distant cousin? So, like, my distant cousin?"
"Spill the details!" Mobius's eyes instantly lit up, making Blanca break out in a cold sweat under the intense gaze.
"That distant cousin of mine… I'm pretty sure that's her name…" After a moment's thought, Blanca confirmed it.
"Can you get in touch with her?"
Mobius smiled brightly.
She wanted to invite Kiana to visit her lab. And if she didn't mind sticking around to observe some experiments, well, that'd be just fine too~
She had no objections.
As for that troublesome trait of Kiana's…
It wasn't that Mobius didn't care—she just saw things clearly.
Kiana wasn't some fragile piece of glass.
Under normal circumstances, how would she even sense the world's malice?
As long as she stayed alive and in good spirits, there was no reason not to interact with her like anyone else.
Mobius always sought her subjects' consent for experiments anyway.
So she'd ask Kiana if she was willing to help.
If Kiana agreed, there'd be no need to worry about somehow "tainting" her.
Right?!
She wasn't a child.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
Rather than keeping her under lock and key, it was better to let her grow.
Mobius didn't believe that someone with a fragile mindset, even if constantly pampered, could overcome so-called Herrscher personas.
In fact, being a sheltered greenhouse flower might very well lead to a weak will later on.
Not to mention, the VTuber projected by the sky was based on historical records too.
Official history is still history, and unofficial history is history as well.
Sometimes official histories are wildly wrong, while unofficial ones get it right.
So her attitude was more about analyzing, believing some of it, but not taking everything at face value.
In fact, many national leaders, scholars, think tanks, and the like gradually came around to the same line of thinking.
But as for how to proceed, it would undoubtedly require careful, gradual engagement.
--+--
Over the next few days, Kiana found herself with unexpected free time.
Her school announced it was undergoing renovations and temporarily suspending classes.
So she was stuck at home.
Although she wasn't explicitly forbidden from going out, whether she was at the villa—where all the neighbors were new faces—or out for a stroll—where the shops and stalls were run by unfamiliar vendors—the overwhelming majority had been overtly replaced.
In reality, they were all comrades from Shenzhou's Security Bureau working side gigs. Not to monitor, but to protect.
It felt a bit like The Truman Show.
However, this was somewhat within Kiana's expectations.
The authorities were worried she might find it annoying, but she just shook her head gently, understanding and kind.
She seemed very mature about it, which put many behind the scenes at ease, nodding slightly in relief.
From the TV and news, she learned that the state was striving to create more job opportunities for the unemployed and help more single people find partners.
Those with no family—no elders above, no children below—were given particular attention. Officials visited them one by one for surveys, checks, and warm conversations.
But even so!
The online buzz was still dominated by the celestial projection from days prior.
People analyzed, speculated, and shared their theories. The discussions grew more and numerous.
Some even managed to hit the nail on the head, leaving Kiana genuinely impressed.
Honestly, these past few days, she hadn't edited any videos or wandered around much. She spent most of her time at home.
Lounging, playing games, watching TV, reading novels, comics, and the like…
When Mobius asked Blanca to invite her, the call didn't even reach her—it was intercepted outright.
Fuming, Mobius stormed to the Fire Moth higher-ups with a scalpel in hand.
It was only after top-level coordination that she managed to schedule an appointment with Kiana.
Otherwise, she'd have been cursing up a storm before even getting started.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.