"However—the Divine Nectar in the wine cup, represented by Su, symbolizes more than just poetry, revelry, and merriment..."
The God resting beneath the tree opened her deep blue eyes, her gaze lifting to the branches of the Golden Tree.
"More often, humans imbue it with the meaning of farewell—the sorrow of parting, whether fleeting or eternal."
"Murata Himeko was a respected teacher. She shouldered every responsibility a human could bear, and even those beyond human capacity..."
"Responsibility forms the bedrock of one's identity, while love doubles their courage, allowing them to face any trial. Conversely, a strong sense of responsibility makes one more cautious and steadfast... yet also prone to greater impulsiveness than ordinary people."
"And the greatest lie in the world is that destiny governs our lives—"
As if finally finding her target, the Lord of the Divine Throne focused her scattered gaze on a single leaf.
"Let the divine gaze fall once more—though there is no towering Babylon Tower here, someone has already raised the rebellious sword against the heavens."
-
"Enough, Theresa. This is my own choice..."
Murata Himeko drained her prized wine in one gulp, then slammed the empty bottle heavily onto the warship's control console. Her gaze, now devoid of its usual teasing glint, locked onto the diminutive nun projected on the screen.
The Hermes, usually bustling with activity, now held only the red-haired Valkyrie—no weapons officer, no navigator, no intelligence officer, just the cold, droning reports of the ship's AI:
[ Current speed: 450 km/h. Estimated time to evade Second Herrscher's pursuit: 15 minutes. ]
[Speed increased to 900 km/h. Second Herrscher detected accelerating—estimated time to evade pursuit: 30 minutes.]
[Current speed: 420 km/h. Maximum velocity reached.]
[Second Herrscher Honkai energy reaction detected. Judgment-class Honkai Beast Benares' Honkai energy reaction detected.]
[Warning: Engagement is projected within ten minutes.]
[Recommendation: All personnel evacuate immediately. The Hermes is not a combat vessel. Evacuate immediately.]
The awakened Second Herrscher toyed with her prey like a hunter, maintaining a similar speed to the Hermes in the distance. Yet the expression of the pursued remained unchanged, her mind calmly calculating the remaining preparation time.
"Murata Himeko! You Bomb Woman, you big idiot! Come back! There has to be another way!" Theresa's frantic voice echoed through the communication channels.
"Too late for regrets now, Headmaster," Himeko replied. "Besides, I, Murata Himeko—I'm the kind of woman who goes all the way once I've taken off my clothes!"
The red-and-black armor materialized around the red-haired woman once more. The exquisitely crafted Godsbane Armor, adorned with intricate details, accentuated the Valkyrie's graceful figure—though there was no one left to admire her.
Those observing from afar, those who understood the meaning behind the magnificent armor, couldn't help but admire the seemingly beautiful scene—a beautiful, thorny rose, a flower folded from paper, destined to be ignited by its own hand.
After a brief blaze, not even ashes would remain.
"...Murata Himeko, you absolute idiot, you fool! Why does everyone have to leave me? Cecilia too, Siegfried too, and now you too—"
Unable to accept the impending fate, Theresa commanded the Nibelungen to pursue the Hermes at full speed, chasing after it into the distance.
"Theresa, do you know... sometimes, when you sacrifice something precious, you haven't truly lost it; you've simply passed it on to someone else..."
"We lose many things. But we also pass on countless others... Life rarely offers both sides of the coin. In our lifetimes, we gain as much as we lose. The difference between fortune and misfortune lies only in whether the gains outweigh the losses."
"Go back, Theresa—"
In the distance, the roars of dragon-type Honkai Beasts grew clearer, while the ship's main computer alarms blared increasingly shrill and frequent.
[Warning! This vessel is projected to engage enemies within three minutes. No fire control officer detected online. Weapon control has been transferred to the ship's main computer. Activate all self-defense armaments— ]
"I'm her teacher, after all. Wouldn't it be more fitting for me to give Theresa her final lesson?"
The red-haired Valkyrie stepped into the elevator, ascending to the deck. She smiled playfully at the white-haired nun on the comm channel.
"Don't look so gloomy, Theresa. You're all grown up now—smile a little! Think of it this way: I, Murata Himeko, can finally rest. I haven't had a proper break in ages..."
"These little brats never cease to worry me... What, Headmaster? Are you going to act like a child and make Teacher Himeko worry about you too?"
The red-haired Valkyrie teased the red-eyed Headmaster on the comms, her tone lighthearted.
"Mind your own business! Himeko, you big idiot! Big idiot! You'd better watch out, or no one will even collect your corpse!"
"Ha ha ha! There's an old saying in Shenzhou, what was it again...? Oh, right: 'Why must one be buried in horse hide?'"
"Theresa, we're warriors. For me, the best end would be to die on the battlefield, not to rot in Schicksal's Sanatorium, bedridden and tormented by the aftereffects of Artificial Stigmata and Honkai corruption, fading away in silence."
"While my life can still burn brightly, why must we fade away in silence...?"
The transmission cut off abruptly, leaving only a "Signal Lost" notification.
[Communication disrupted. Detected a massive Imaginary space expansion reaction. Target signal isolated.]
"We've lost observation of the Hermes! The target has been swallowed by the Imaginary Space!"
"Headmaster, we don't have the means to enter Imaginary space..."
The Nibelungen's navigator glanced at Theresa beside him.
"Just as I thought... I can't do anything after all..."
The white-haired nun slumped in the command chair on the deck, staring blankly at the interrupted transmission.
-
"What people can do is find a quiet place, reflect deeply, and understand how to prevent losing precious things and important people again. They must understand how to ensure the same mistakes never happen again, learn from their experiences, draw strength from them, and continue moving forward with unwavering resolve—to do what they believe is right."
"Instead of wallowing in self-pity on the deck..."
The voice of the visitor... or rather, the true master of the Nibelungen, echoed through the bridge.
-
"Wait... are you... the Captain?!"