Chapter 106: Promise of the Azure Sea
Seeing Irene return, Seele let out a sigh of relief. "It is good that Elder Sister Irene is back. Are you injured anywhere?"
"Rest assured, my physical constitution isn't that fragile." Irene patted her body before turning to look at Welt, who stood to the side, looking like he wanted to say something but stopped himself. "Don't worry. I have already settled things with Kevin. He won't attempt to go out for a year."
"Is that real?" Welt looked at Irene. Having exchanged blows with that man, he didn't think that man was someone who could be easily persuaded or would give up so simply.
"Sigh, he isn't a bad person." Irene shook her head. "But there are many complications involved, it's not something that can be explained clearly in a few words."
"...I understand." Welt nodded. "But I will still choose to stand guard here. That plan of his is simply unacceptable."
"According to him, even the worst plan is at least a plan." Irene naturally knew what Welt was referring to. "In any case, you just need to know that he won't go out for this coming year."
"You can relax for a while. I also found something for him to do, so he shouldn't be bored during this year. Anyway, that's the situation. Could you help open a door?"
"I understand." Welt nodded with hesitation. After taking a step back, he began to manipulate the Bubble Universe he had previously used to block the Eye of the Deep, parting it slightly to the side.
"Go on in. I guess you probably don't want to have more contact with Anti-Entropy right now; at least, it isn't suitable at the moment." Welt looked at Irene.
"If you enter from here, you should be thrown into the sea region near the Eye of the Deep. As long as you leave quickly enough, you won't be discovered by the people there."
"Is that really okay? Do you not need me to bring a message or something for you?" Irene looked at Welt. "I think those two Doctors must be quite worried about you."
"And without a figurehead leader of Anti-Entropy like you, who knows what kind of trouble Cocolia is going to stir up."
"I really want to go out, but..." Welt raised his hand. "After outputting such a massive amount of Honkai energy, my body can't quite hold up. I have to reconstruct a body for myself."
"Moreover, almost all of that massive amount of Honkai energy was used to create this labyrinth. Even if I went out, it wouldn't have any meaning. Furthermore, I don't believe that man will leave so quickly."
"Stubborn." Irene looked at Welt and shook her head helplessly. However, persuading this guy was likely impossible. Anyway, he would probably discover for himself later that Kevin had truly left, right?
"Come on, extend your hand. I'll first help you patch up the wounds on your body. You are constantly doing 'sit-ups'—who knows which day you might fail to sit back up?"
"..." Welt watched as Irene placed her hand on his shoulder. White mist shrouded him, and his tense body, as if finally receiving long-awaited sweet dew, began to relax.
Subsequently, with a flash of electric light, Welt's heart suddenly contracted. Finally, his body felt a sense of increased vitality, and even his vision seemed to become clearer.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Irene sensed the condition of Welt's body and smacked her lips. "Just how badly has this body of yours been ravaged?"
The plot had never completely mentioned Welt's physical state, but after getting her hands on him personally, wasn't Welt's current condition a bit too terrible?
Irene smacked her lips again, looking up at Welt. What should she say? As expected of the man known for 'sit-ups' (dying and returning); dragging around this kind of body, he could actually still look so normal.
"Hurry up and find a successor. The Core isn't particularly compatible with you. After all, you aren't a native Herrscher like Joyce, nor do you have particularly robust Honkai resistance. Every time you use your Authority, you are destroying your body."
"Whether it is reconstructing your body or my treatment, for you, these aren't solutions. They are merely stopgap measures. Find a time to arrange your affairs; that would be more practical for you."
"...I will consider it." Welt nodded. "Welt and the Herrscher of Reason... it is a name that carries extreme weight. I need to investigate thoroughly."
"That's none of my business." Irene shrugged indifferently. If needed, she would definitely forcefully recommend Bronya. After all, Bronya was the one who truly became the Truth.
If you wanted to pick someone with such high adaptability from a group of trustworthy people, it really might not be easy to choose. However, saying these things now was still too early.
Besides, the most important thing right now was... Irene looked to the side at Seele, who was already unable to contain her excitement. It was time to reunite these two sisters.
"Let's go, Seele." Irene picked Seele up into her arms with practiced ease. Using the last bit of Honkai energy, she constructed combat boots on her feet and took flight.
"We are going to find your Elder Sister Bronya."
"Mm!" Seele leaned tightly against Irene's chest, her eyes shimmering with light. Subsequently, carried by Irene, she rushed into the radiance and vanished.
Welt sighed as he watched the two leave. He then continued to sit there. He couldn't completely believe Irene's claim that the man had left.
After all, the plan that man spoke of was simply too terrifying. He had no way to accept it, and he wouldn't let him implement it. All he could do was sit here and prevent him from entering the Proper World.
So even if what Irene said was true and the other party wouldn't come to disturb him for a year, he was prepared to sit for a year's time. Not for anything else, but just to prepare to continue blocking Kevin one year later.
Even if he couldn't win, he still had to fight. This was his duty as Welt. He could not let down Joyce, nor his expectations, and even more so, he could not let down the Core in his chest.
*
St. Freya Academy · Himeko's Villa
Himeko pushed open her bedroom door. Stretching her back, she draped her coat over her shoulders and walked down the stairs. It had to be said, ever since her body felt lighter, she had been sleeping much better.
The most intuitive feeling was that her skin had improved, right? For a woman, the face was very important.
As soon as Himeko walked into the living room, she turned her head and looked at Theresa, who was sitting on the sofa looking bored, watching TV.
"You've been getting up quite early these past few days. But why haven't you gone to the office?" Himeko poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Theresa. "Also, you seem to be zoning out a lot these past two days. Is something wrong?"
"What's wrong? Can't I get up early?" Theresa looked up at Himeko and rolled her eyes, finally speaking up: "How is your body recovering recently?"
Himeko raised an eyebrow, unsure why Theresa suddenly shifted the topic to her body. "So-so. You know how it is; my body is just like this."
"After all, my problem is still the artificial stigmata." Himeko rested her legs on the tea table. "Even if I rest, it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."
"But speaking of which, my body has indeed improved quite a lot recently. I estimate I have a few more good years to live."
"Mm..." Theresa nodded. Then, a trace of hesitation flashed through her eyes before she spoke, "Have you really not considered retiring yet?"
"Mm? Why are you suddenly starting to talk about this again?" Himeko turned to look at Theresa. It wasn't as if Theresa hadn't raised this question with her before.
Ever since her body started to deteriorate at an accelerated rate back then, Theresa had begun repeatedly raising the question of retirement. It was just that she still had many things left unfinished, so she had stubbornly refused to retire.
"No need to ask. I won't retire. I haven't finished my business yet." Himeko took a sip of water. "It's not like it's the first time you've known about this, right?"
"That's true." Theresa nodded. She also knew Himeko wouldn't agree to such a question so easily; she had already asked her many times.
Moreover, Himeko's Honkai resistance had improved recently, and the impact of the artificial stigmata on her had lessened significantly. Dr. Einstein's research on the Honkai Resistance Enhancer had also entered the experimental stage.
Sooner or later, Himeko and the other Valkyries could be completely freed from the negative effects of artificial stigmata. Originally, Theresa shouldn't have to worry about this aspect anymore.
But wait... for some reason, she felt a bit uneasy in her heart. But even so, Theresa could only wave her hand. "Just mentioning it in passing. Forget it, I'm going to work. You should prepare to go teach your classes too."
"It looks like you really are a bit off recently." Himeko watched with some surprise as Theresa actually stood up and lifted Judah from the sofa beside her, looking ready to go out.
Hearing Himeko's words from behind, Theresa stumbled, almost falling to the ground. She turned her head back and glared at Himeko. "It's this time of day. Going to work—is there something wrong with that?"
Himeko immediately nodded. She nodded so fast it almost created afterimages, as if fearing that if she nodded too slowly, it wouldn't sufficiently demonstrate her determination.
" judging by the Theresa I know, you should still be lying in bed right now. Not until Irene calls you up—and you might even laze around in bed for a while longer—that is the Theresa I know."
Himeko looked at Theresa, her eyes holding a probing look and a hint of a mischievous smile. "So, what demon are you? You actually possessed Principal Theresa's body! Retreat quickly, or I'll call Fu Hua over to perform an exorcism!"
"..." Theresa's mouth twitched. Just as she wanted to pick up Judah and throw it to smash Himeko, and had just raised it, she remembered something.
Given Himeko's agility, throwing Judah would be hard to hit her. If she missed the person, Judah would likely smash the sofa and the wall, and repairing them later would be troublesome.
Thinking of this, Theresa put Judah down and leaned it to the side. Then she clenched her fists, her face carrying a hint of murderous intent. "Himeko, you really have improved a lot these past two days."
"...We are colleagues, after all. You wouldn't go on a killing spree just for a little joke, right?" Himeko looked at the gradually approaching Theresa and scanned her surroundings.
"I suddenly feel a bit unwell physically. I think I'd better go get a checkup."
Himeko immediately flipped over and tried to run on the spot, but was pounced upon by Theresa onto the sofa. Theresa pinned Himeko down on the sofa with one hand. "Hehe, after saying so much, trying to run on the spot—aren't you thinking too much?"
Himeko looked at Theresa, who was covered in a dark aura, and immediately raised her hands in surrender. "We've been good friends for so many years! Peaceful coexistence, peaceful coexi—!"
The trio upstairs, hearing the commotion, poked their heads out from the staircase to watch Himeko lying on the sofa looking like she was vomiting her soul, and Theresa sitting on the other sofa with a dark face.
Kiana spun her brain gears for a moment, roughly understanding the current situation, and looked at Himeko. "Are you still alive? Teacher Himeko."
"Barely..." Himeko turned over with some difficulty, casting her gaze toward the trio. "Come, two of you save me. I feel like I can still be rescued."
Naturally, Theresa couldn't have used a heavy hand over a couple of jokes. After all, they really were old friends of many years. But those few sentences just now might have indeed been provoking, so it really did hurt quite a bit.
And seeing that Theresa hadn't completely cooled down yet, she'd better borrow the slope to get off the donkey and slip away quickly.
"Kiana and I will take Teacher Himeko to the hospital to have a look." Mei immediately nodded, conveniently dragging along a pondering Kiana. Based on Mei's experience, the current Kiana was definitely thinking about whether to fan the flames again.
Principal Theresa might not use a heavy hand when hitting Teacher Himeko, but if Kiana dared to start something, getting drilled was absolutely unavoidable. It was better to quickly drag this unlucky child away from the battlefield before her mouth got her in trouble.
"Oh, okay." Hearing that Mei was dragging her along, Kiana nodded with a face full of disappointment as expected. Together with Mei, she supported the feigning-weakness Himeko out of the villa.
"Idiot Kiana." Bronya naturally also saw Kiana's disappointed look just now and felt somewhat helpless. But right now, there was something more critical. She stepped forward and looked at Theresa, who still had a dark expression, to inquire.
"How long until Elder Sister Irene returns? Is there any news?"
Talking about Irene, the dark aura on Theresa dissipated slightly. She spoke in a calm tone: "Don't be nervous, Bronya. The Sea of Quanta is so big; Irene has only been out for a few days."
"I know." Bronya nodded. Just as she prepared to say something else, Bronya's ears caught the sound of rapid footsteps coming from the second-floor corridor.
A stranger has entered. Bronya instantly thought of this. As once the strongest assassin, Bronya could tell that those footsteps just now definitely did not come from Irene, who might have returned.
Teacher Irene never wore shoes that would make such obvious noise. Just as Bronya looked upstairs with vigilance, she saw a purple figure fly down from the stairs and pounce directly into her arms.
"Seele!" Bronya subconsciously hugged Seele to cushion the force of her flying pounce, but she had obviously underestimated Seele's impact force.
Knocked off her center of gravity by Seele, she was about to fall to the ground. But just then, Bronya fell into a patch of softness. Bronya looked up and saw exactly Irene.
"Be careful, you two." Irene looked at the pair and smiled. "Don't get injured on the very first day just because you are too excited."
"Although I know you might be very excited, on such a happy day, you should still go and have fun properly. Don't get injured here, okay?"
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