"Rita's tired. Take her back to rest."
By the time the two girls emerged from the training grounds, it was already late into the windy night.
Raiden Mei handed the limp S-rank Valkyrie to her ex-boyfriend, feeling refreshed and invigorated after the duel.
Fighting was satisfying!
Beating a love rival was even more satisfying!
Kiana, who had performed a great service in this battle, subconsciously wiped her right hand on her pleated skirt, then sidled up to Raiden Mei with an eager-to-please smile.
"Mei, what's for dinner tonight? It's getting pretty late."
Raiden Mei would certainly not be stingy with her great contributor: "Bronya should be back by now. Let me cook a good meal for you all to reward you."
For Raiden Mei, completely bringing Rita Rossweisse to her knees was a total victory.
Whether as a woman or as a Valkyrie, she was the undisputed winner.
She had defeated her on the battlefield, and her ex-boyfriend would rather be alone than touch her.
Compared to this charmless woman, she, the young lady of the Raiden family, was truly the one and only main partner in the harem.
"Yay!"
Kiana's face was full of silly joy, and she was just short of jumping up and cheering.
With Raiden Mei personally cooking, it was naturally another meal that left Kiana with a full, round belly.
As for the S-rank Valkyrie Rita Rossweisse…
Nobody really cared.
Since that woman had ill intentions anyway, it didn't matter whether they cared about her or not.
After a satisfying meal, the white-haired fluffball who had rendered great service took the opportunity to reclaim Raiden Mei's lap pillow, her face serene as the latter looked on with an expression of resignation.
Considering the great deeds this girl had done today, she would let her lie there for a while.
Raiden Mei stroked Kiana's head, thinking that when this girl wasn't using her world-shaking intellect, she could actually be considered a beautiful girl on par with herself.
…
On the balcony, Bronya withdrew her gaze from the two people inside and looked at the man beside her with fervent eyes.
Don't get the wrong idea. She had no improper thoughts about her sister's man. Rather, the matter she had been constantly thinking about had finally reached a critical moment.
"News came from Raven. They've made all the preparations."
The main force for exploring the Sea of Quanta was Brian, this Herrscher, while all preparations were handled by World Serpent.
This man was bold and highly skilled, unafraid of any tricks World Serpent might play.
"It seems you can't wait any longer."
"I have been without my sister for a very long time."
The X-10 experiment was an eternal pain in her heart.
Even though the culprit Cocolia was as good as dead, her sister, still trapped in the Sea of Quanta, kept her awake at night.
If there was any chance to save Seele, Bronya would seize it at any cost, rescuing her sister from that mysterious world.
And the man beside her was the closest hope she had.
However…
"I will fulfill our promise and help you rescue little Seele."
There was not a trace of joy on Bronya's face, because she knew his next sentence would definitely be…
"But I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it to add a little wife to my harem."
As expected, the Russian loli who heard these words shed her previous emotions, her delicate little face filled with endless disgust.
"Who would fall for a guy like you! My sister would never develop feelings for a lecherous thing like you!"
One Seele might be deceived by this guy, but two Seeles together possessed a bust size greater than the entire Cocolia's Orphanage!
Big breasts don't mean no brains.
Adequate nutrition allows one's body to develop, and a developed body allows one's brain to become smarter.
Therefore, large breasts and intelligence are often positively correlated, just as Bronya believed she too would one day have a good figure!
Brian raised an eyebrow, patting Bronya's little head: "Bronya, have you forgotten that you already agreed to my marriage with Seele?"
Bronya: "…"
(⊙_⊙)
(￣△￣;)
(▼ヘ▼＃)
Damn you, how can you remember that so clearly.
The stone she had lifted to compromise back then had finally fallen on her own foot.
Bronya remembered the document she had signed in Manila, but she knew she couldn't destroy the evidence in the hands of this Blondie Herrscher before her. She could only force out a single sentence: "Don't even think about it!"
"My sister will never agree to marry you!"
The best way was to prevent the document from ever appearing in front of Seele. Otherwise, her gentle sister would definitely be heartbroken by her sister's decision, and might even give up on herself.
But a Herrscher is a Herrscher. Bronya's current limit was a B-rank Valkyrie; she simply couldn't play on the same level as this group of Herrschers.
The cute Russian loli was fuming, her little face puffed up like an angry pufferfish, but she had no good ideas.
Bronya wanted to cry and throw a tantrum, maybe even roll on the floor.
Just then…
"Bronya, just give up."
"By your parents' orders and the matchmaker's words, you, little girl, can't change reality."
This sentence, which seemed to deal a fatal blow to Bronya, made her eyes light up.
She, the older sister, barely counted as the 'matchmaker's words', but Cocolia's 'parents' orders' were half-dead.
Even if this guy proposed to Seele, she could use this 'parents' orders, matchmaker's words' to refute him.
Without the parents' orders, only the matchmaker's words, and with her, the older sister, going back on her word, the marriage contract would naturally be invalid!
Without the proper etiquette, Seele would absolutely not be allowed to go with this guy.
Locked down! Completely locked down!
Bronya felt as if she had found a path to the light, extending infinitely beneath her feet.
At the end of this path was a short-haired girl, calling out to her with that long-dreamed-of address—Sister Bronya.
A beautiful future was within reach, but the calm Bronya forcefully suppressed the throbbing in her heart and made a fierce face at the man beside her.
"Don't even think about it!"
"That's not up to you!"
The Inner World Protagonist was triumphant, as if he already had Bronya in the palm of his hand.
What could a flat-chested, butt-less Russian loli like her possibly do to fight him?!
…
A while later, the S-rank Valkyrie who had come all the way from Schicksal HQ was once again left hanging at the Far East Branch. Bronya and Brian headed to the location agreed upon with World Serpent, preparing to go to the Sea of Quanta.
Inside a deep-sea submersible, Raven began to explain the operational plan: "Aboard this submarine, we will reach the Previous Era ruins located in the deep sea, the City of the Deep."
"Our people have already taken complete control of this place and will open the Eye of the Deep upon our arrival."
Opening the gate to the Sea of Quanta was just the first step. How to defend against the threats within the Sea of Quanta was the more important issue.
"In the Sea of Quanta, we need to face two enemies."
Raven held up one finger.
"First is the threat of the Sea of Quanta itself. Monsters from the quantum side will actively attack us."
She raised a second finger.
"But these quantum monsters are not the most troublesome part. What's more troublesome is the Herrscher of Reason who is in the Sea of Quanta, preventing our Sovereign from returning to the Real World."
Bronya looked up, once again realizing the necessity of power.
Without a Herrscher Core, the quantum monsters alone would be troublesome enough, not to mention the heroic Herrscher of Reason.
She didn't know why the Herrscher of Reason was doing this, but to save her sister, she could only say she was sorry.
Brian was unaware of Bronya's rich inner monologue. His expression was very calm: "Don't worry, I've got everything."
A complete Herrscher! The complete me!
With the Herrscher Core, he was not the same as before.
Raven smiled: "I'll leave these important tasks to you, then. Let me handle the minor details and be your support."
Her expression was relaxed, as if she had forgotten all the unpleasantness that had occurred between them.
But what she was really thinking, only this World Serpent executive knew.
Raven took an object from her cloak and tossed it to Brian: "Take this. It's a device that can guide you to the coordinates of the Real World in the Sea of Quanta. Remember not to break it."
As soon as she finished speaking…
A black mist of death spread out, instantly disintegrating the device in Brian's hand into its most basic material particles.
"It's broken."
If they were going to use one, they should use the same one. Completely trusting someone with a different stance was simply too foolish.
Raven: "…"
Two people sharing one device gave her a bad feeling.
But she had a mission to complete, and she had no choice but to comply.
"Then… let's use the same one."
'Brother, although Natasha really doesn't want to, you might actually have a chance to rest in peace.'
O （╥﹏╥）O.
The submarine reached the designated position. The three people in the cabin, one in front and two behind, followed Raven's lead into the Previous Era ruin located at the bottom of the sea.
Bronya glanced back and could clearly see a vast number and variety of marine creatures swimming in the water.
The ruins of the Previous Era… were truly incredible.
It was said that all the Previous Era ruins discovered in this era were located about 20 kilometers deep in the earth's crust. She really didn't know how those people managed to complete these projects at such a location.
As she followed Raven into the depths of the City of the Deep, Bronya could already feel the massive Honkai energy accumulated in the depths of the ruins.
Raven didn't stop walking: "Let's go, all the work is ready."
"If you don't need to enter the Sea of Quanta, just wait here, otherwise you might get caught in the crossfire."
Brian patted Bronya's head, making the choice for her.
"You just wait here for a while. It won't take long."
"…"
Bronya was silent for a moment. "I'm entrusting Seele to you."
Before, she could argue with him about Seele's custody.
But now that the moment had arrived, she could do nothing but offer her blessing.
She was too weak!
…
Raven and Brian entered the depths of the Eye of the Deep and arrived at a heavily guarded research facility.
In crowded places, Raven habitually wore her hood, adding to her air of mystery and danger.
Gray Serpent had been waiting in the facility for a long time: "The gate to the Sea of Quanta will open shortly. From here, you will enter the range of the Herrscher of Reason's influence."
"You only need to take care of the Anti-Entropy Sovereign to complete our deal."
"Of course."
Brian, whose middle school grades weren't the best, was fully aware of all this, even more so than Gray Serpent.
Kevin Kaslana was currently in a state where he could return or not. Even if he returned to the Real World, he would spend most of his time eating instant noodles on his lonely throne.
Welt had blocked his path of return, but at the same time, gave him a reason to continue waiting in the Sea of Quanta.
"In that case, let's begin."
Gray Serpent gave the order, and the research personnel in the Eye of the Deep immediately operated the equipment in the ruins, pouring a massive amount of Honkai energy into the gate.
A mysterious and strange power began to fluctuate, and quantum monsters swarmed out like a plague of locusts.
"Time to go."
Raven took the first step, jumping into the gate.
Brian followed closely behind, letting the quantum realm engulf his body.
The girl remaining on the upper level of the Eye of the Deep sensed the abnormality. Watching the quantum monsters being annihilated by World Serpent, she clenched her slender hands helplessly.
"There's nothing I can do."
…
"Honestly, although I've learned about the strangeness of this place from the data, I'm still not used to all these weird things."
A quantum monster dissipated under a dark red feather.
Raven, wearing 18cm sky-high heels, stepped on the train car below her feet, but it didn't feel as she expected.
Visually, it was indeed a train car; but by touch, it couldn't be considered a human creation no matter how you looked at it.
That alien feeling was too distinct.
And if one were to broaden their vision…
"The power of a Herrscher… is truly incredible."
In Raven's eyes, a world of unknown vastness was stained a dazzling gold by the power of the Herrscher of Reason.
If one ignored the bizarre combination of things in this place, it wouldn't be impossible to consider it a human world.
Facing a Herrscher directly for the first time, Raven, who had been a World Serpent executive for several years, put away her little bit of arrogance and complacency.
She originally thought that even if she couldn't defeat a Herrscher, she should have a chance to escape.
But now it seemed… perhaps if she took the initiative to climb on, she might suffer a little less pain?
Beside her, the black-haired young man looked straight ahead, temporarily uninterested in the woman in the black cloak: "Go that way."
In that direction, he sensed a power similar to the Gem of Serenity.
It seemed to be the power of the Herrscher of Reason's core.
"Let's go then."
The two of them cut a path through, the quantum monsters unable to pose any threat.
A broken platform appeared at the end of the path under their feet, and a small, brown-haired boy appeared with it.
Joachim Yang.
A special existence composed of the power of the Herrscher of Reason's core and Welt's memories.
"Herrscher, you shouldn't have come."
He shook his head, his face filled with a maturity that didn't belong to his age.
Brian: "But we're here."
"The Sea of Quanta is not a friendly place, and there is nothing you need here. If you can turn back from your wrong path, I can use the power of the Herrscher of Reason to send you back to Earth."
Joachim Yang faithfully carried out his duty, preventing things from the Sea of Quanta from getting out, and also preventing beings from the Real World from entering the Sea of Quanta.
However…
"Sorry, we can't agree."
"We came here to find some people and some things. Before we find them, we cannot return to Earth."
"I see."
Joachim Yang was not surprised at all. "Although I am a shadow created by the Herrscher of Reason, I don't have any special power."
"This place is a crevice between the Sea of Quanta and the Real World. If you really need to find certain people or things, you can search in this domain."
As his voice fell, cracks appeared on the platform beneath the three of them, and the half where Raven and Brian were standing began to slide into the abyss.
Raven: "What is he trying to do?"
"He's sending us into a world bubble."
As he spoke, the brilliant golden world disappeared from their vision, replaced by a peaceful and serene land.
This was St. Freya High School.
117