"That's not happening either! Bronya doesn't belong to you! Bronya doesn't belong to anyone!"
The Silver Wolf of the Urals is best at saying no to self-righteous people!
And being with this man whose mind is filled with lewd thoughts...
The cautionary tales of Raiden Mei and Ana were still fresh. Bronya didn't think her small, chestless, buttless frame could withstand such torment.
Besides, she didn't even like this guy that much. It was only to get him to save Seele from the Sea of Quanta that she had to compromise.
The girl's gaze was sharp and stubborn. If it weren't for the seductive, watery glint nearly filling her eyes, it might have been another quite alluring expression.
"Then who do you think your sister Seele Vollerei belongs to?"
Young Brian, not giving up!
Bronya answered without thinking, "Of course she belongs to me!"
Only her most adorable sister in the world, Seele Vollerei, must not be let down!
However...
"Bronya Zaychik, I'm giving you a chance to rephrase that!"
The black-haired youth's smile was not quite a smile, making Bronya's heart skip a beat.
How could she forget? This guy had always had his eyes on her sister, and had even made her sign a written pledge agreeing to his marriage to Seele.
If, because she disagreed with what he was saying now, he delayed the plan to save Seele...
If that were to happen, Bronya felt she would be unforgivably guilty.
So she could only mumble, "Seele belongs to you."
This enmity will not be shared under the same sky. One day, I will repay it tenfold!
"Good that you know what's good for you."
Young Brian was satisfied.
After another round of one-sidedly toying with Bronya, the two of them walked out of the cabin that had been temporarily used for treatment.
Brian went to find Raiden Mei and Kiana, while Bronya went alone to find Principal Theresa. "Principal, I'd like to request a few days off."
"Time off?"
This old white-haired woman's face showed no distress from being punished by the Overseer.
After all, she needed to know who was temporarily replacing her before she could come up with a countermeasure, otherwise it would all be a waste of effort.
She asked, "Bronya, for what reason are you asking for leave? And for how long?"
As the Principal, it was natural to be concerned about these student matters, and since Bronya was a former member of Anti-Entropy, she deserved even more attention.
Bronya: "During this mission, I've more or less confirmed that my adoptive mother, Cocolia, is likely in grave danger."
"I'm requesting this leave to go back to Cocolia's Orphanage and make proper arrangements for my sisters living there."
Due to the effects of the Second Honkai Eruption, the living conditions in Siberia were extremely harsh. Without the support of external forces, an orphanage would find it difficult to survive in such a severe environment.
To be safe, Bronya decided to bring her sisters to St. Freya High School and have the Far East Branch take care of them.
Theresa: "For your sisters, huh? Then I approve!"
With a wave of her small hand, she approved Bronya's leave request.
Coincidentally, there were several small airships on the Hyperion, which Bronya could use to go to Siberia and pick up the children.
On the deck, the farewell atmosphere was a bit heavy...
"Bronya, don't go! What will I do if you leave!"
The white-haired fluffball was the first to rush forward, feeling that after Bronya left, it would be her personal hell on earth.
Raiden Mei would be constantly watching her to catch her cheating, and Brian, relying on Raiden Mei's support, would tease her wantonly.
From the front and back, these two would subject her to a two-front pincer attack, a mixed-gender double team!
Without Bronya, these two would undoubtedly become even more aggressive!
On the small airship, Bronya swatted away the girl's paw with a look of disgust. "I'm only going for a day or two, not ten days or half a month."
Huh? A day or two isn't long enough?
Kiana almost did a tactical lean back, wanting to forcefully reset Bronya's concept of time.
A day or two! Even if a day felt like a year, and one day was a year, that was still long enough to get someone killed. Wasn't that dangerous enough?
But it was useless to say this now. Bronya wouldn't abandon this plan just for her.
Kiana could at most be responsible for one life, but if the children at Cocolia's Orphanage were left unattended, it would be a matter of more than just one life.
But the thought of how many times she had already been taken advantage of by that guy...
The snow-haired girl grabbed Bronya's arm. "Bronya, you can go, but you have to think of a way for me to stay safe for these few days!"
"Simple."
Bronya, who was adjusting the airship's controls, didn't even turn her head. "Go sleep with the Class President. Then that guy won't have a chance to touch you, right?"
"That's right!"
Her azure eyes sparkled, and Kiana felt as if she had discovered the path to salvation.
The Class President was so strong, and she clearly wasn't that guy's type.
With those two factors combined, wouldn't her chastity crisis be resolved?
"Thank you, Bronya, you're a friend I can trust for life!"
Kiana patted Bronya's shoulder, her face full of happiness.
Bronya: "Anything else? If not, get off! I'm leaving!"
"Oh, nothing else, remember to bring us back some local souvenirs."
"I know, you glutton who eats six meals a day!"
"It's not that many!"
The airship took off from the Hyperion's deck, heading for the icy and snowy land of Siberia.
On the ship, Raiden Mei, who saw this scene, gave the man holding her in his arms a coquettish, sidelong glance, full of charm.
"What? You still haven't made a move on Bronya?"
"How can she compare to you?"
"You devil, your mouth is as sweet as honey."
"..."
...
Siberia...
"Liliya! Liliya! Come out and look, it's a really, really big ship!"
An airship almost as large as the orphanage itself landed, kicking up a strong gust of wind around the orphanage.
The children, who had no experience with the outside world, just thought that such a big ship was very impressive, their eyes circling this behemoth.
But the one with experience was already prepared for battle!
"Rozaliya! Liliya! You two take the others back inside first!"
The girl with shark-like teeth issued the order, hoping the concrete building behind them could serve as a shelter for everyone.
However...
"Huh? Why?"
"Rozaliya wants to see the big plane!"
The pink-haired girl's face was full of innocence and romance, completely unaware of the potential threat.
"You guys!"
Sin was both helpless and angry, but it was no use.
Suddenly...
"No need to call them back, Sin."
The airship's hatch opened, and the woman who had returned like a king looked down from above, giving instructions to Sin Mal, the leader of the orphanage children.
Looking down from on high, with a cool expression, and riding in such a huge and cool airship...
"Wow! Bronya is so cool!"
The energetic Rozaliya also wanted such a cool, shining moment!
Beside her, her listless twin sister sighed helplessly, as if all her energy had been drained by this big idiot next to her.
Seeing the appearance of this woman who was enough to be her rival, Sin finally breathed a sigh of relief. "So it's you, you traitor."
"What? Finally realized your mistake and decided to return to Mother's command?"
"You still think that woman is our mother?"
The gaze in those silver-gray eyes seemed to see through all of Sin's experiences during this time.
"Heh, looks like you know quite a lot."
Sin Mal turned and walked towards the interior of the orphanage. "Come in, this icy place is no place to talk, and besides, this is your home too."
The two girls, with a maturity that didn't match their age, entered the familiar orphanage and found a warm room to sit down in.
The extremely curious Rozaliya dragged Liliya along to listen in, refusing to leave no matter how much they tried to shoo her away.
There was no helping it, so they just had to let it be.
"Why did you come back this time?"
"To take you all to a warm and safe place."
Bronya replied.
"The Far East Branch?"
"Yes, that's right. I've already discussed it with Principal Theresa."
"..."
Sin hadn't expected this person to come back and bring everyone along after she had made it big.
But as for this place...
"I remember that in the Far East Branch, besides Divine Keys, there are also Herrschers, right?"
A sharp light appeared in the girl's eyes.
Rozaliya: "What's a Herrscher? And what's a Divine Key? Can you eat them?"
Liliya: "Obviously not."
"Yes, that's right."
Bronya was a little sheepish.
"Are you sure you're not being controlled by a Herrscher and trying to lead us into a den of demons?"
Sin Mal looked her up and down, as if trying to see something unusual about Bronya.
"And your face and these legs... who healed them for you?"
Bronya knew she couldn't hide this forever. "A Herrscher."
Sin: "..."
So just how many Herrschers are there in the Far East Branch?
Is that godforsaken place a den of demons, or a Schicksal branch?
"Are you sure you're not trying to harm us?"
"I'm sure."
The Silver Wolf of the Urals' expression was very sincere.
But...
"Forget it! Mother Cocolia provides supplies for this place regularly. We live very well here, we don't need to go to the Far East Branch!"
Whoever wants to go to the Far East demon den can go. Sin Mal wasn't going to serve them.
When she was at the orphanage, due to her limited knowledge, she didn't think much of Honkai and Herrschers.
But after experiencing so much under Cocolia, the precocious girl had fully realized her own insignificance.
The outside world was very dangerous, not suitable for children who hadn't grown up yet. Staying in a corner was fine, at least they wouldn't become targets for others.
But...
"Sin, this is not up to you!"
Bronya turned her head. "Rozaliya, after we go to the Far East Branch, there will be many big sisters who will come to your concerts. Do you want to go?"
Concerts! Audience! Stars!
In just a single sentence, Rozaliya's eyes turned into the shape of stars. "Yes! Yes!"
"You!"
Even if she pointed at Bronya's nose, she couldn't change everyone's mind.
"If you take them away, Mother Cocolia will be angry!"
Sin could only play her last card.
Rozaliya and Liliya's expressions faltered slightly. Cocolia still held some authority among the children.
But Bronya already knew the whole situation.
She just calmly retorted, "You think that woman can still be our mother?"
Sin: "..."
Her last memory of leaving Anti-Entropy was Cocolia calling her over.
"Sin, it's been hard on you during this time. Mother has found someone to replace you, so you can go and play to your heart's content from now on."
What appeared in her vision at that time was not the wolf-like, cruel Cocolia, but a cyborg with only half a face that still vaguely showed flesh and tissue, the rest of it completely covered in metal.
The voice was the same, but it could no longer be called Cocolia.
Sin chose not to stay in Anti-Entropy, but returned to this starting point, relying on the supplies provided by Cocolia to survive with everyone.
If they lost her support, everyone here would perish in hunger and cold.
Bronya added more pressure. "And you, who have experienced that incident, also know that in Cocolia's eyes, we might not be that important."
Sin: "..."
That incident was the X-10 experiment.
Before the experiment, Cocolia arranged for everyone to undergo a Honkai energy adaptability test.
Bronya was undoubtedly No. 1, becoming the beginning of all the tragedy.
In Cocolia's eyes, they might not have been daughters, but perhaps just experimental animals.
They weren't that important, and now that Cocolia had become who knows what, it was equivalent to the orphanage's supply line being cut off at any moment.
But there was one more thing!
"What about Seele? The Far East Branch isn't conducting research related to the Sea of Quanta, right?"
This was the killer move!
Other than Cocolia, no one had both the reason and the ability to save Seele from the Sea of Quanta.
That's what Sin Mal thought.
But she had underestimated the heroes of the world!
"I was just about to talk to you about this!"
Bronya organized her words. "I met a man at the Far East Branch. He has the ability to save Seele from the Sea of Quanta."
"But he has some unusual ideas about me and often harasses me."
"Oh↑, so you're talking about him."
Sin thought it was someone else, but it turned out to be the paramour Bronya had met in Nagazora City.
"Did he tell you that as long as you agree to his request, he'll save Seele?"
Bronya: "Something like that."
Rozaliya and Sin looked at each other, and both saw the same idea in each other's eyes.
"Our idea is..."
"Marry Bronya off!"
Just think about it, it's just like playing house.
The father and mother have to act together. As long as they marry Bronya off, that man can't possibly ignore her reasonable requests, right?
Besides, didn't Bronya just say he had ideas about Seele too?
The three of them playing house together as dad and moms, wouldn't that be perfect!?
"You guys!"
She had wanted her sisters to give her some advice, to see if they had any world-shaking wisdom.
But not only did these guys not want to help her, they even wanted to push her into a fiery pit.
Even if they were her sisters, this was absolutely unforgivable!
"Project Bunny! FIRE!!!"
"Run, Bronya got dumped by her boyfriend and now she's angry!!!"
A chaotic scene erupted in the orphanage.
...
Far East Branch...
An airship from Schicksal HQ stopped at the airport; the mechanical devices operated, opening the airship's hatch.
Rita's flaxen hair was blown into shape by the wind on the open field, her wine-red eyes squinting slightly.
"I'm back at this place again... the Far East Branch."
The last time she visited the Far East Branch, due to that silly goose Durandal's betrayal, she had a rather unpleasant night.
This time, she would be staying for more than a day. She hoped nothing unpleasant would happen.
As for that extremely unpleasant ex-boyfriend...
"I'd better steer clear of him."
Rita made her decision and immediately walked down from the airship, preparing to go to Theresa to hand over her mission duties.
But before she had gone far...
"Hey, Rita, long time no see."
"The Principal told me to give you a welcome feast. I assume you won't refuse, right?"
The stunned girl hadn't even come back to her senses when she felt her hand being grabbed, and a wandering hand on her slender waist.
"..."
In the Far East, just got off the plane, and ran into the Inner World Protagonist.
I'm... I'm going to get pregnant!
...