"So, milady... have you not considered the thoughts of your other self, whom you've deceived, after she learns the truth?"
Muninn, nestled in Snow's arms, asked another crucial question with an expression that seemed to say, "You've really gone and done it this time."
"Oh? You mean Miss Imhotep, that incarnation of my Divine Aspect who had her brain shorted out by the memories of tens of thousands of years of unfinished business from the Kaslana family's Stigmata, leaving her completely scammed?"
The God on the Divine Seat wore a playful smile, one of the delight that comes when a prank or a conspiracy succeeds.
"She's having a great time in the Prime World—inheriting my memories and relationships, and gaining a super organization older than Schicksal as her own. She even swiped my Schicksal Bank Card and door keys before she left... Oh, and she took the only set of coordinates to the Prime World, nearly making me get lost in the Sea of Quanta—"
"And to play along with her, I even staged a whole drama about a near-severing of kinship ties before my old friends at St. Freya... Hmm, I even had a major fight with Houraiji Kyuusyou for it... Although, thinking about it now, I don't think I'm the one who lost out in the end..."
The figure leaning back on the throne recounted all she had done in a cynical tone... without the slightest hint of remorse, as if everything was completely natural.
"Translating your words, that means... the person you love isn't the person you love, the person you value isn't the person you value, and all the relationships you cherish aren't actually your own... Everything Imhotep possesses is merely a derivative of Snow Apocalypse's personal will..."
"The last person to do this was your father... In another week, Mr. Otto Apocalypse will be... You probably don't need me to remind you what will happen to him, milady..."
"Yes, yes, yes... The Herrscher of Sentience... Besides the inspiration given to me by Welt Joyce, I also have to thank this Herrscher of Sentience~"
Snow seemed to think of something, clapped her hands twice, and snapped her fingers, her tone melodious and relaxed.
"Muninn, we have one good piece of news and another good piece of news—"
"Lady Snow, I suspect you never have any bad news..."
Muninn pursed her lips, wondering what other strange trump cards her Venerable God had up her sleeve that she didn't know about—
"The first good news is that, because she is a Deified Ego, she cannot instantly go berserk and triple her strength like others—and I hold the Authority in my hand... she can't snatch it away; so the peak of that other 'me's' combat power is her current state, so there's nothing to panic about, no matter how you reason it out... the conclusion will always be that she can't beat me..."
"Another good piece of good news is that, if the original me was using a state of feigned death and slumber to sustain my already scarce burning Humanity... the present me, the feedback I've received from the Prime World can already sustain this delicate balance—even the scales are gradually tipping in my favor."
"But this also means you will be completely bound to the fate of the human race, milady..."
Another voice sounded beside the two of them, as a young girl sharing the same appearance as Muninn materialized before Snow.
"This is inevitable, yet it will also be trivial... just as the promise I left for 'me' within 'my' memories..."
"Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever rejoice, for you protect them. Let all who love your name be joyful—"
"They flow with your blood, so they shall ascend to the heavens and surely be with you—past, present, future... eternally and always."
Snow Apocalypse sat upon the throne, turning her head to gaze blankly at the Golden Tree behind her as she murmured. Golden particles drifted between her and the tree, as if they were communicating...
The Apocalypse family never tells lies. They will deal with you with total sincerity, revealing their greatest ambitions or their most humble desires; this family is forever untrustworthy, for their surname was woven together from statecraft and intrigue... because they... never deceive with their words.
"My will shall surely be achieved, my will must be fulfilled..."
-
"Muninn, get off the Venerable God this instant! It's so rude!"
Snow's thoughts were interrupted by the minor bickering of the two sisters beside her. The Small Apostles of the Sublime One seemed to be arguing over etiquette.
"No way! Sister, you're just jealous. If you asked Her, She might even hug you too. You're just too shy to speak up!"
Cradled in Snow's arms, Muninn made a face at Huginn, then snuggled deeper into Snow's embrace with satisfaction, sticking her tongue out at her sister.
"You...! My Lady, this is..."
Huginn looked at Snow, who had already returned to her senses, and seemed somewhat flustered.
"Ah... does little Huginn want to be held too?"
The blonde girl offered a gentle smile and waved to the silver-haired Small Apostle...
"Um, My Lady, excuse me..."
A somewhat tempted Miss Huginn also successfully became a cuddle pillow in Snow's arms. The latter wriggled her body a bit awkwardly; since her birth, she had never been in such intimate contact with her creator.
"So... Huginn, and Muninn, what interesting stories have you brought me this time from the Prime World?"
Cradling the two cuddle pillows, Snow waited for the Apostles to recount what they had seen and heard in the Prime World.
"Hmm... then I'll go first!"
Muninn, having found a comfortable position in Snow's arms, spoke first.
"Bronya has retrieved the gift you left in the Sea of Quanta, and Lady Kyuusyou has successfully helped Miss Ninti grow 5 centimeters taller. Headmaster Theresa still hasn't changed much. Mr. Kevin seemed very happy after seeing Pardofelis, whom you brought back, and then took her to visit Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, still refusing to help Lady Imhotep."
"Maybe next time you should bring back someone who can make his blood pressure rise? Muninn's report is complete!"
After speaking everything in one breath, Muninn let out a sigh and poked Huginn, who was still lost in thought, with her hand...
"Sister? Sister... it's your turn—"
"Uh... excuse me, My Lady—Just a moment ago, the Schicksal Overseer Otto Apocalypse and the current Acting Sire of the World Serpent, Imhotep, reached an agreement, and he obtained the Key of Infinity from her. Currently, the World Serpent has temporarily ceased its large-scale activities, and the Divine Blood Project is rapidly progressing under your influence... Lady Imhotep also included this condition in her negotiations with Schicksal."
"As for Miss Kiana, she slipped away during the chaos caused by the World Serpent's attack on the Schicksal Base... She has now gone to Old Nagazora City, Schicksal's next experimental area, to stand by. According to Schicksal's plan, they will open the gate to the Imaginary Tree at that time."
"Next is Miss Raiden Mei. She was sent by Lady Imhotep to the World Serpent Base, where she has already met with Miss Murata Himeko. They are now planning to enter the Elysian Realm. Additionally, I should mention that a Miss Sirin has also sneaked into the Paradise... I do not have a good feeling about the Third Herrscher's future..."
"The next matter concerns the two Herrschers who are about to be born. Currently, the Honkai on Coral Island has begun to gradually activate, and Anna Schariac, who is a key target, seems to have received some sort of stimulation recently, and her emotions are somewhat unstable... The Great Honkai Eruption may break out ahead of schedule."
"As for Lady Fu Hua... her body has been fully repaired by Schicksal, and the birth of the Herrscher of Sentience will also be a matter of the near future."