"Lord Overseer, could I ask you to find someone more qualified?"
Cold sweat trickled down the Valkyrie's forehead.
But the golden-haired, blue-eyed man was unmoved: "He's your ex-boyfriend. There shouldn't be anyone else in this world who knows him better. I don't think anyone is more suited for this mission than you."
The man named Brian seemed to have appeared out of thin air, with no past in this world.
He didn't care where this guy came from; he only cared about his impact on his plans.
Whether Rita and he really had a relationship wasn't crucial; it was just that the identity of an 'ex' gave Rita an advantage in executing the plan.
As for Rita's own thoughts... they were unimportant in Otto's eyes.
Rita: "..."
Damn you, Inner World Protagonist, for digging such a huge pit for me here.
That pure yet charming Valkyrie had no choice but to yield to her superior's tyranny, forced to arrange a moving love story for her so-called ex-boyfriend.
"Rita... I obey."
...
One matter was settled, but the torment for Rita Rossweisse had only just begun.
The two Valkyries left the Overseer's office. The Schicksal members along the way had wanted to greet these two rising stars of the organization.
But after seeing Rita's current expression, they all fell silent.
"Rita, why do you look so unhappy?"
Seeing her partner's expression, Durandal was very confused.
Although her teacher had given Rita the task of setting up her ex-boyfriend with Kiana, Rita's reaction was a bit too intense.
It made her feel like a resentful woman who had been abandoned by a man, yet still had to smile through her tears to set him up with someone else.
As for when Rita got an ex-boyfriend...
That wasn't important.
After all, in this information age, online dating and the like were nothing new.
For a girl of Rita's age, a first relationship is especially unforgettable, so it was understandable that she would react this way.
Based on her 0 love experience, Durandal came to her own conclusion.
She then advised: "Rita, if you want something, you should work hard to pursue it!"
Hard work pays off!
This was Durandal's motto and philosophy in life.
Regardless of whether you'll regret it, you should at least try before considering other problems.
Rita's expression was a little complicated: "Lady Durandal, you don't understand."
Her dark history was too steamy, so much so that Rita didn't dare tell Durandal the truth.
If she let Durandal find out about the 'adult world' that had already opened its doors to her, not only would she be betraying the Lord Overseer's trust in her, but it would also affect Durandal's growth.
Durandal still hadn't caught on: "Rita, although I don't know anything about matters of the heart, I feel that in such things, we as girls need to be braver."
Haven't you seen in all those various soap operas that it's often the girl's hesitation and silence that cause a series of misunderstandings?
And as Valkyries with an average age of only their early twenties, bravely facing the thoughts in their hearts is the only way to obtain a brief moment of happiness.
Durandal turned around to face her adjutant: "Rita, face your own feelings bravely."
Rita Rossweisse: "..."
If it weren't for the fact that I bear a heavy responsibility and must watch over your growth.
I would definitely shove you onto that innately lecherous Inner World Protagonist and have you give birth to a litter of little silly geese for me!
The exasperated Valkyrie cursed Durandal in her heart, but under all the misunderstandings, she could only respond along the lines of Durandal's thinking: "Rita will consider it."
"Alright then, I won't give you any more advice on this matter. After all, I'm just an outsider."
Patting Rita's shoulder, Durandal, feeling she had done a great deed, turned and walked down another path, heading to the Immortal Blades' station to complete her daily training.
Rita sighed where she stood and left in another direction.
As night fell, the golden-haired Valkyrie finished her training for the day and got a moment of leisure.
[Durandal: Ana, can you believe it? Rita actually has an ex-boyfriend.]
On the other side of the planet, under the bright sun, the chestnut-haired girl shuddered, nearly letting her terminal slip from her fingers.
She had just intended to take advantage of Durandal's break to have a nice chat with her idol.
But she never expected to get such explosive gossip.
I need to know! Right now!
The essence of humanity is gossip and repetition. The fiery flames of gossip immediately ignited in the pale pink eyes of A-rank Valkyrie Ana Schariac.
[Schariac's Little White Rabbit: Durandal, I think we should have a lot of common ground on this topic.]
An S-rank Valkyrie's ex-boyfriend, she was super curious!
...
Far East Branch...
"Theresa, all the paperwork is done."
A stack of documents was placed in front of Theresa by the red-haired beauty.
At this moment, the highest commander of the Schicksal Far East Branch finally had the mood to take a few sips of the Overseer's special bitter melon juice shipped from Schicksal headquarters.
"Thank you for your hard work, Himeko."
The legal loli on the long couch breathed a sigh of relief.
The thing she feared most had not happened in the past few days. Her grandfather seemed to have lost interest in Kiana, remaining indifferent even after learning of her enrollment.
According to Theresa's understanding of Otto.
This Old Fogey either had truly lost interest, or he was secretly preparing something big for her.
The former would be for the best, of course, but as an adult, she shouldn't be blindly optimistic.
"Himeko, I'm leaving those kids to you."
"Wasn't this decided from the very beginning?"
The mature beauty smiled gently, looking at Theresa as if she were a child.
"Himeko, what's with that look!?"
The legal loli was furious.
"It's nothing, I just feel like time flies. In the blink of an eye, several years have passed."
A single sentence stirred a melancholy in Theresa's heart that didn't belong to a child.
Yes, in the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed.
She had fulfilled the wish that Cecilia couldn't, establishing St. Freya High School, which wasn't aimed at cultivating combat weapons.
She hadn't found any trace of Siegfried, but she had found the daughter Siegfried acknowledged.
The her who wore pigtails and was still like a child a decade ago had become the leader of a branch; Murata Himeko, who had retired from the front lines, had also been teaching at St. Freya High School for several years.
And now, she had to entrust an even heavier burden to her.
"About this matter... I'm very sorry."
Before her retirement, Murata Himeko's squad was the Assault Squad, led by Ragnar, one of the frontline Valkyrie squads with the highest casualty rates.
While Murata Himeko was on leave, the squad went to Siberia for a mission, and news came back that they were wiped out.
After that, Theresa received news from Siegfried and learned the whole story, which is why she was apologizing to Murata Himeko today.
To have her teach her enemy, and even be responsible for her safety.
If Murata Himeko were to make a request at this moment, Theresa would definitely not refuse.
"..."
Murata Himeko didn't speak immediately. Instead, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in Theresa's office.
The weather was a bit cold at the moment. When her warm palm touched the cool glass, a layer of hazy white mist immediately formed.
Her eyes were distant, and she could vaguely see the woman who had led her through life and death on the battlefield.
"Theresa, did you know?"
"Ragnar, she was a very gentle and kind person."
From a doctoral student to a Valkyrie charging on the front lines, it's hard for others to imagine how much pain and suffering Murata Himeko went through during such a transformation.
Fortunately, she had a responsible captain who guided her through the most difficult times.
But she never expected that everything would come to an abrupt end.
"That day, Ragnar and the others told me to go home on leave, the reason being that I had the shortest enlistment time and should balance work and rest, to gradually adapt to the higher intensity battlefield against the Honkai."
"I couldn't refuse everyone's kindness, so I went home alone for a visit."
"But by the time my leave was over, Schicksal told me that the Assault Squad's designation had been cancelled."
Schicksal is a military organization, so it naturally has rules like an army.
When a Valkyrie squad loses most of its combat strength, its designation will be cancelled unless there are special circumstances.
This was the case for the Assault Squad Murata Himeko had been in.
The mature red-haired beauty had a warm smile on her face, without a trace of the bitterness Theresa had dreaded seeing.
"At the time, I didn't know what had happened for a long time. It wasn't until I visited the scorched earth where they died that I vaguely guessed the truth."
"Theresa, that Siegfried was also there, and he made the same decision as Ragnar and the others, right?"
As an elite Valkyrie squad in Schicksal, although the Assault Squad didn't have an S-rank Valkyrie, its strength was still not to be underestimated.
Coupled with Siegfried, the wielder of the Might of An-Utu, it wouldn't have been difficult to eliminate a Herrscher.
But at that time, Ragnar still chose to sacrifice herself, passing on a glimmer of hope in Kiana that might not have continued.
As a former member of the Assault Squad...
"I will continue their path, raise this child well, and let her live a good life as a person in this world, not to be hunted down as a Herrscher."
"Thank you, Himeko."
A touch of unconcealable sorrow appeared on her delicate little face, and a crystalline glint appeared in Theresa's eyes.
Suddenly...
"Since you feel sorry for me, why don't you let me trade your bitter melon juice for two bottles of good wine?"
"The bitter melon juice personally made by the Schicksal Overseer, I think it could sell for a good price."
Murata Himeko shrugged, her whole body exuding a sense of ease that was the complete opposite of Theresa's.
"..."
Veins popped on Theresa's forehead.
Just a moment ago, she was so moved, she was about to hug Murata Himeko's long legs and cry her eyes out, throwing away her dignity as the Principal.
But right after this woman made this request...
"No deal!"
"Your salary for this month is gone!"
"Theresa, have you forgotten? You've already docked my salary until three years from now."
"Then your fourth year's salary is gone too!"
"Suit yourself."
For a moment, the air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
The legal loli, who was over forty, got angrier the more she thought about it.
But considering that she still needed this person to guide Kiana and Raiden Mei well, she had to swallow her anger.
There was no other way. She would use work to distract herself.
Since she needed a favor, she could only let Murata Himeko do whatever she wanted with her bitter melon juice.
The arrangements for Kiana and Raiden Mei were thus settled under the Principal's direction.
But the aftermath of the Nagazora City incident was not yet over.
The Herrschers were settled, and Bronya was enrolled, but as for the only boy in the group of four...
"Himeko, how do you think I should arrange for this child?"
"How about letting him be the gatekeeper for the Valkyrie dorms?"
"..."
The dignified Principal almost did a legendary tactical lean-back, while also making an outstanding contribution to global warming.
Could it be...
This man's surname...
"Himeko, what on earth are you thinking, wanting to make this child the gatekeeper of the Valkyrie dorms!"
Give her an inch and she'll take a mile.
At least at this moment, Theresa felt she had a lot in common with Raiden Mei.
She might need to display her authority as the highest commander of the Schicksal Far East Branch and teach Murata Himeko a lesson.
As a Kaslana with the surname Apocalypse, she had absolute confidence in making Murata Himeko suffer the consequences.
Just think about it, letting a hot-blooded boy guard the gate of the Valkyrie dorms, what's the difference between that and putting a little white lamb next to a wolf's den?
That's right!
That's the perfect description!
Even in a regular girls' school, making a normal human male the dorm gatekeeper would be like a sheep entering a pack of wolves.
Don't think that at this age, only boys are hot-blooded; girls can also have their hearts stirred.
To put it more vividly... a male specimen in a prestigious girls' school.
Murata Himeko was unconcerned: "Otherwise? Can you find a better way?"
"Theresa, in your eyes right now, that boy shouldn't be a 'person,' but an important existence related to the Herrschers."
In other words, in her and Theresa's eyes, young Brian's role far exceeded his identity as a 'person.'
Theresa: "..."
St. Freya High School is a Valkyrie training institution that Theresa established with reference to ordinary national middle schools. The specific rules and structure can be compared to schools in the Far East island nation.
After all, Theresa and Cecilia's original goal was to give these future Valkyries a better school life, so they wouldn't become mere fighting machines.
And because females generally have higher Honkai energy resistance and adaptability than males, although St. Freya High School is not a girls' school, it is full of girls.
Girls of this age are already full of fantasies about beautiful love, and coupled with the fact that the average age of a Valkyrie is only in their early twenties, it leads to a prevalent atmosphere of living in the moment.
Theresa had no doubt that if a few St. Freya students had a sudden whim to taste what animal cream was like, it would surely get out of hand.
Children of this age often act recklessly, not even knowing to take some safety precautions.
If those young girls were allowed to act recklessly, St. Freya High School would very likely have the biggest sex scandal since its founding, and even teachers like Murata Himeko might get involved.
After all, even from Theresa's perspective, which was indifferent to men, this young Brian had an unusual attraction to girls.
And most of the teachers at St. Freya are retired Valkyries. They have already reached the end of their lives and wouldn't mind indulging themselves in the final moments of their lives.
Under such aggravating circumstances...
"..."
He'll die, he'll be squeezed dry!
What about Raiden Mei, what about Kiana?
Theresa scrambled, pulling out a piece of paper from a pile of documents that analyzed the emotional relationships of the three.
Brian, Kiana, and Raiden Mei were in a triangular relationship. Raiden Mei and Brian had confirmed their relationship, while Kiana had designs on both of them.
Husband on the left, wife on the right.
This was the truest depiction of the relationship between the three.
A bisexual orientation, this was very Kaslana, and it also presented Theresa with a problem.
Both Herrschers were coveting the only male among the three, which made her afraid to make any rash moves.
Even thinking about it carefully...
"Maintaining the status quo is the best plan?"
The Principal muttered, at one point feeling she was wise and brilliant.
It seemed that placing a boy in the Valkyrie dorms was not much different from making him the Valkyrie dorms' gatekeeper.
But the former would be protected by Raiden Mei and Kiana, at least protecting his kidneys in a dorm full of hungry wolves; whereas if he became the latter...
It would be a success if the Far East Branch didn't have to open a gynecology department!
Choosing the lesser of two evils, a leader often has to choose the one that is less harmful among many options.
But doing so might let her students experience a different world, which made her a little hesitant.
After weighing the options...
"Let's do it this way. Let him and Kiana become students of St. Freya High School together, and arrange them in the same class."
Regardless of whether Brian can be trained to become a male Valkyrie, as long as he can act as a Herrscher stabilizer, it's a victory.
To give up and let it rot, successfully solving all problems.
Hearing this, Murata Himeko, who had just taken a bottle of champagne from the office's wine cabinet, smiled knowingly: "In that case, I'll go inform that little guy."
Waving her hand, the red-haired, mature beauty was full of charm, as gorgeous as a blooming flower.
Seeing Murata Himeko act like this for the first time, Theresa's heart tightened: "Himeko, would you do that to the kid..."
"Don't worry, not for now. I know my limits, at least I won't cause any deaths."
The closing door cut off the sound, leaving Theresa completely uneasy.
No means no! What the hell do 'for now' and 'cause any deaths' mean!?
You are the combat instructor of St. Freya High School, the captain of my Far East Branch's Hyperion, and my loyal subordinate as the Principal.
I let you work here, not for you to play 'big truck runs over small child'!
Theresa scratched her hair in frustration, but found that she seemed to have no reason to stop her subordinate.
After all, she was also aware of Murata Himeko's physical condition. If she were to stop her from even enjoying the last journey of her life, it would be a bit heartless.
After some struggle, Theresa could only comfort herself with: "Let's just say Himeko is going to help him practice his skills."
Hopefully, Himeko won't die an unnatural death.
...
By virtue of her position in the Far East Branch, second only to Theresa, Murata Himeko soon found the idle young Brian.
"Yo, young man, want to have a drink with me?"
The mature and beautiful red-haired woman held a bottle of champagne in her hand and enthusiastically invited young Brian.
Raiden Mei and the other two little ones were temporarily away.
Principal Theresa's arrangements for them had already been issued, but there were some things that the three girls needed to handle personally, and they were in the process of completing these procedures.
As for Brian, the only male, Theresa's arrangements were still wavering, and she had not yet decided how to place him.
Now, Murata Himeko was here to deliver this news, and by the way, to communicate with the only male in St. Freya High School.
What could she do? Graduating with a Ph.D. at almost thirty, and a few more years spent in her career as a Valkyrie, had long turned her into what the world would call an old bachelorette.
Coupled with the limitations of being a Valkyrie, she couldn't find a partner at all.
Having finally caught such a handsome young man, she naturally needed to have a good chat with him.
"It would be my honor."
The man replied.
The two found a quiet place in the academy.
It had to be said that although St. Freya High School was called a school, its actual size was no less than that of a small city.
And because of Schicksal Overseer Otto Apocalypse's doting on his granddaughter, the various facilities here were very complete and comprehensive.
In the quiet courtyard, fallen leaves fluttered with the east wind.
Murata Himeko took out two wine glasses and personally opened the champagne to pour a glass for Brian.
She said: "I heard from Bronya that without your help in Nagazora City, things would have definitely developed into a situation no one wanted to see."
A crazy plan, multiple Herrschers, and a brainless leader.
These elements combined to form a structure that was suffocating for all Schicksal personnel.
Once Cocolia's plan succeeded, then under the power of the two Herrschers, no one in Nagazora City, or even the entire Tokyo metropolitan area, would survive.
If anything went wrong, it would develop into a disaster second only to the Second Honkai Eruption, affecting the eastern coastal cities of Shenzhou with Honkai.
Compared to this Cocolia, Otto Apocalypse could even be called a good person.
Although their Overseer went crazy every few decades, he had generally maintained peace in this world and protected the vast majority of ordinary people from being harmed by the Honkai.
"No need to thank me."
Young Brian was very modest. "I did all that just to save myself."
"But you saved others too, didn't you?"
Murata Himeko smiled, as if celebrating Schicksal's great victory in the Nagazora incident. "Judge by deeds, not intentions. If a villain pretends to be a good person his whole life, would you say he's not a good person?"
No matter where the boy in front of her came from, whether he was after Raiden Mei and Kiana's bodies, or simply to save himself.
In short, by successfully stopping Cocolia, he was the benefactor of the Far East island nation and deserved this gratitude.
Similarly, he was also her, Murata Himeko's, benefactor.
The woman raised her glass: "Come, let me toast you, to thank you for saving my homeland."
Clink—!
The wine glasses clinked, making a crisp sound.
A few glasses of fine wine down, the beating of the heart sent alcohol stimulating the nerves throughout the body, and also imperceptibly closed the distance between the two.
A slight flush appeared on Murata Himeko's face, and young Brian was also taking great strides towards drunken debauchery.
The boundary of reason was crumbling.
"Miss Himeko, did you come to me with a bottle of fine wine just to thank me?"
After a few drinks, he became a bit impulsive.
"Can't I?"
Murata Himeko propped up her head, her eyes sparkling. "You are the benefactor of the Far East island nation, a young hero. Can't I get to know you a little better?"
"Could it be..."
A slender yet powerful arm suddenly shot out, hooking young Brian's chin like a rogue.
"Are you afraid I'll eat you up?"
Brian: "..."
He was being teased! As the Inner World Protagonist, he was actually being teased by this person!
"Miss Himeko, you're playing with fire!"
"What, you want to burn me?"
Murata Himeko was fearless, even sizing him up and down like a man-eating beautiful snake.
Such a seductive expression instantly threw the man into an internal struggle.
It would be very simple to take care of this vixen. He just needed to use the move he used on Rita to make this woman lose her composure, and he could achieve his goal.
But Raiden Mei was his official girlfriend now. If he broke his promise like this...
"..."
This is tough, she's a bit too much!
As young Brian was in the midst of his internal struggle, the mature and charming woman suddenly retracted her seductive actions and looked down with a teasing glance.
So big, it can't be held in two hands.
She said: "It seems Mei and Kiana didn't choose the wrong person. You are indeed a man worth entrusting."
She was very satisfied.
Satisfied both that Brian didn't make any intimate moves on her, and with her own charm as a woman.
The former concerned the existence of the Herrschers and had to be handled with extreme care; no one wanted to see a Herrscher go on a rampage due to emotional problems. The latter satisfied her pride as a woman; even though she had become an old bachelorette, her charm was still as strong as ever.
Only young Brian was very uncomfortable: "So, this is your reason for tormenting me?"
He thought it would be a bloody battle of flesh, finally turning a Valkyrie into a 'War Maiden' in a Semen-al Romance; but in the end, he was told it was just a test from a bad woman.
The key was, he didn't know the benefits of passing the test, nor the disadvantages of not passing.
It was simply frustrating.
Having achieved her goal, Murata Himeko was in a good mood: "Sorry, our little hero. Some things must be handled with caution, and we can't be swayed by our emotions."
"Just like on the battlefield, if our comrades show signs of becoming Honkai Zombies, we will execute them with our own hands, letting them die as humans."
"Of course, if you want some compensation from big sister Himeko, that's also possible."
In an instant, that seductive charm returned to this woman.
Only young Brian sneered: "Then Auntie Himeko, what reward can you give me?"
He would remember this grudge. S-rank Valkyrie Rita was a lesson for this person.
"..."
Auntie... Himeko!
Although she had long been aware that she was of the auntie generation, being called that by a young man... she, Murata Himeko, doesn't hold grudges, she usually gets her revenge on the spot.
"This is my reward for you."
Alcohol makes people impulsive. A fiery red lip print was engraved on his face like a rune.
After committing her crime, Murata Himeko turned and left. It wasn't until she had walked some distance and the wind had sobered her up that she realized.
"Oh no! I didn't cause any trouble, did I!?"
She had promised to test their target on behalf of the two little ones, but she never expected to become the one fanning the flames.
Murata Himeko felt a little regretful, hoping that the Valkyrie dorm wouldn't be sent into a spiral to heaven because of her momentary impulse.
'I hope Theresa can still drink her bitter melon juice after she finds out...'
...