Alright, let's be real here.
Absolutely!
The most pressing task right now is actually to let Kiana calm down on her own.
At least, in the eyes of the higher-ups.
Kiana must come to accept the fact that she is destined to become the Herrscher of Finality.
She also must accept her identity as the savior.
Granted, dumping all of this on a young girl is pretty harsh. But there's not much I can do about what the higher-ups decide.
Even they are making a conscious effort to avoid contacting Kiana during this period.
Those assigned to protect her are also doing their best not to disturb her.
Sometimes, the power you gain is shaped by how you choose to use it. Some people become Spider-Man, while others turn into Homelander.
Looking at her past and even now, it's clear that Kiana's mentality is actually pretty solid.
She doesn't get overly excited by material things nor swayed by personal sorrows. She's well-behaved, with a touch of laziness.
Honestly, none of the disastrous scenarios people imagined have come to pass.
But!
Sometimes… the people around you, their whispers and opinions, can really influence your own thoughts.
Although the higher-ups would never keep Kiana confined forever, the friends she keeps, the people she's known, and even those she might meet in the future—all of that still needs to be carefully considered.
You know what they say: lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
Surround yourself with good people, and you might become better yourself.
Hang around with bad apples, and you could easily turn to mischief.
Maybe you could argue that it's just the higher-ups selfishly imposing what they think is right.
So arrogant.
Who Kiana meets, what she does, what she experiences, what troubles her—she can handle it herself.
Is there really a need for you to control every single detail?
However.
It's not that simple...
As the future savior, the Herrscher of Finality who carries the weight of the entire world, the goddess of tomorrow...her life no longer belongs to her alone.
So, no matter how guilty they might feel, the higher-ups will harden their hearts and train her.
Fortunately, Kiana is aware of all this.
It's just that the higher-ups, and the whole world, don't realize she's been mentally prepared for a long time.
In her previous life, she was a relatively gentle girl.
So of course, there wasn't going to be any scenario where she awakens and, 'OK, time to end the world.'
In fact, her personality leans towards the easygoing. If someone would just let her coast through life, she'd be happy as a clam in no time.
Therefore, in a way, this current situation is something she's fine with, even welcomes. She quite likes it.
And she's totally at ease with it.
Of course, she can't stay like this forever.
Can't remain under house arrest indefinitely.
But well... no need to rush things!
You guys don't know who should be sent to keep me company?
Well, the second video will be out soon.
Just keep copying the strategy guide, why don't you!
Actually, this was also why her grandpa called her—worried she might be feeling down about her changed circumstances, he called to comfort her.
Grandpa let slip that if she had any particularly good friends, he would try to pull some strings.
As long as the friends are clean. Pass the background checks... they could continue to hang out together.
Kiana thought about it and gave him the names Hua and Carole.
Truth be told, it didn't really matter if she told him or not.
Because she knew perfectly well that all her relationships had been scrutinized. Her two only good friends from school were definitely not going to be overlooked.
As for whether they'd pass?
Well, she wasn't worried about that.
Mom came home yesterday.
Apparently, there were some procedural issues that caused a delay.
The funny thing is, in the past, whenever her mom saw her lounging on the couch during a break, she'd always get annoyed.
Saying she acted like a young lady outside but was a parasite at home.
'Go out and get some fresh air!'
'Don't just rot away in the house.'
But now...
Just see if she dares to utter a single word of complaint.
Pure bliss.
"Mom! I feel like having braised pig trotters today."
"Alright, mom will buy some for you."
"..."
"Mom, I want some watermelon."
"Hold on, mom will cut a plate for you."
"..."
"Mom, where did my shorts go?"
"Check if they're in the cabinet."
"..."
See?
Being the favorite gives you the confidence to be bold.
Brilliant~
On this day, the time for Kiana's meeting with Mobius and the others arrived.
Kiana made a bit of an effort to be presentable, but only a bit.
She'd been so lazy lately.
She even needed her mom's help washing up while she watched videos on her phone.
Although she could kinda sense her mom's patience wearing thin, which made her tone it down a little.
But!
She was still this languid.
Dressed in loose loungewear.
So what?
Even though she was meeting her beloved Snakey and Blanca, this was still her home.
At home, of course you should be comfortable.
She's in the prime of her youth, a lovely young lady. If she can't be playful now, when can she be?
"Good afternoon, Auntie."
"Long time no see, Blanca."
"..."
The moment Kiana's mom opened the door,
Blanca greeted her first.
Then, she led Mobius inside and into the living room.
Truth be told, she didn't need to do anything more.
Mobius spotted Kiana the instant she walked in.
It was like a kitten spotting its prey—kind of adorable, really.
But maybe that's not the right way to put it? Miss Snake should be, well, a snake. That intense gaze of hers, truly snake-like, was fixed on Kiana.
As if trying to see right through her.
With just one look, she could tell: Kiana was the original model for the illustration in the projection.
Even though she still seemed a bit youthful and petite now, she was already blossoming into a beauty, offering a glimpse of the peerless elegance she would possess as the Herrscher of Finality.
"Long time no see, Sister Blanca."
Kiana smiled at Blanca, then turned her gaze to Mobius. "And this must be Dr. Mobius?"
"Hello there, little... cutie." Mobius smiled gently.
Even though her fervent expression moments ago might have been easily misunderstood.
But she was stunningly beautiful, just a bit lacking in grooming, looking somewhat weary—probably from all those experiments.
Yet when such a pretty older sister speaks to you so softly, who could possibly dislike her?
It was precisely because Kiana knew what Mobius was really like that she liked her even more.
She smiled sweetly, playing the part of an innocent girl greeting Mobius.
Blanca, afraid Mobius might bully her, quickly jumped in to make introductions. "The Doctor is the chief researcher at Fire Moth, and also the director of the First Research Institute where I work."
"Usually, she's buried in her research and doesn't interact much with people, so her way of speaking... well, can be a little hard to understand sometimes..."
She bravely plowed on, ignoring the look Mobius was giving her.
"So, if the Doctor says anything that... rubs you the wrong way... please don't take it to heart..."
--+--
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.