The Far East Demon's Den.
Within St. Freya Academy.
In a certain classroom, a seemingly ordinary young teacher stood at the podium, lecturing the students.
He wore black-framed glasses, a deep cyan scarf, and had grayish-brown hair and emerald eyes. Under a long grey coat, he wore a white turtleneck sweater.
This was none other than the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy, who would never change his name no matter the circumstances, serving as a teacher at St. Freya Academy under the name Welt Yang.
But this man, an expert at doing sit-ups, was not a physical education teacher, but a history teacher.
However, as the First Herrscher who had witnessed the development of humanity for the past several decades, he was indeed more than qualified for the position.
Welt looked at the young girls in the classroom. They were the future of Schicksal, but he had no intention of harming them.
To him, they were also people he would protect.
But at that moment, Welt's body trembled. The words of his lecture caught in his throat as a voice suddenly echoed in his ear.
[First Herrscher, have you gone to the bathroom today?]
The ethereal words seemed to come from nowhere, carrying an irresistible, demonic power, yet they also sounded like whispers bubbling up from the depths of his own mind.
And amidst these distorted whispers...
Welt... suddenly felt the urge to go to the bathroom.
The feeling came out of thin air.
Impossible!
Herrschers don't go to the bathroom!
Could it be the lobster he had for a late-night snack yesterday?
But under the influence of the bizarre whisper, Welt clutched his stomach, his face turning a little pale.
He could have used Honkai energy to suppress this strange sensation, but he was worried about exposing his identity. With a pale face, he could only turn to his students.
"My apologies, everyone. Please study on your own for a moment. Class president, maintain order. Your teacher needs to use the restroom."
With that, Welt dashed out of the classroom. He had to figure out what was happening to him.
As he burst out of the room, he nearly collided with a white-haired nun who was approaching.
Theresa was startled by Welt's sudden appearance and fell right on her bottom. Welt could only mutter an apology before hurrying away.
Kiana, who was beside Theresa, glanced quizzically at the departing Welt before quickly helping her great aunt to her feet.
"Great Aunt, are you okay?"
Her great aunt looked just like a child, with short arms and legs. What if she got seriously hurt from the fall?
Besides, her great aunt was Otto's granddaughter, which would make her my...
Theresa was helped up by her "niece." Although she knew this wasn't her real niece, she couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh when looking at that face.
Why must A310 make things difficult for K423?
Besides, Kiana really suited her tastes. Though they had only spent two days together, Theresa found that she was a truly good kid.
She's so much like Cecilia.
Damn it, the thought alone made Theresa want to punch Siegfried. You big idiot, if you couldn't think of a name, you should have come to me, the Principal!
That way, she could have had two well-behaved nieces, and she wouldn't be feeling this heartache right now.
"Hmph, hmph. My good niece, your Great Aunt is fine," Theresa said, crossing her arms with a look of indifference. She had to maintain her full dignity in front of her dear niece.
But... my butt really hurts.
Theresa secretly gritted her teeth. She decided to dock that teacher's pay for the offense of... stepping out of the classroom with his left foot first.
"But Great Aunt, why did you bring me here?" Kiana asked, looking at the classroom before them with some confusion.
This was her first time seeing a classroom.
The last time she went to Senba Academy with Otto, the school building collapsed before she could even go inside.
But it looks like it's full of pretty girls in there.
Kiana peeked inside from the doorway.
Just then, her eyes dimmed slightly as the smiling face of a man appeared in her mind.
Mmm...
Otto, when are you coming to get me?
It had only been two days since they parted, but Kiana was already finding it very difficult to adjust to life without Otto.
"Hmph, hmph. To enroll you in classes here, of course, my good niece!" Theresa declared. She didn't want her dear niece to become an illiterate meathead like Siegfried. That guy had run away from home at a young age and never studied properly.
"Huh?"
Hearing Theresa's words, Kiana's expression fell instantly. Her great aunt, who had been so nice to her for the past two days, had suddenly become a fierce tyrant.
"This young lady doesn't need to go to school!" Kiana proclaimed.
Theresa rolled her eyes at her, then asked a pointed question.
"Do you know how the ranks of Honkai Beasts are classified?"
Kiana's expression froze. A single question was enough to stump her. Having learned on her own, how would she know the answer to that?
"Honkai Beasts are just Honkai Beasts. You just have to beat them all up. Who cares about their ranks?" Kiana retorted stubbornly, waving her fist.
"Oh? Is that so? You're quite brave, aren't you, my good niece?"
Theresa crossed her arms. She felt this was a perfect opportunity to establish her authority with her dear niece.
"Alright then. You don't have to go to class for now, my good niece."
"Yay!" Kiana cheered in a hushed voice, mindful that other students were still in class.
"Come on, my good niece. Let's go to the training grounds. You can have a little spar with your Great Aunt."
"Huh?" Hearing this, Kiana looked at Theresa's slender arms and petite frame. Wouldn't she break if I just touched her?
Beating my Great Aunt? Don't I just need hands for that?
The Paramecium was getting cocky again.
"Great Aunt, let's just forget it," Kiana said, afraid she would hurt Theresa.
She didn't say it out loud, though. She had to give her elder some face.
"Hmph, hmph." Theresa paid Kiana's refusal no mind, grabbing her hand and dragging her toward the training grounds.
Kiana wanted to resist.
But...
Kiana suddenly realized.
My great aunt's grip is surprisingly strong.
---o---
Setting aside the loving beatdown that was about to occur, Welt rushed into the men's restroom. Although St. Freya's student body was predominantly female, it still had facilities for men.
Welt immediately ducked into a stall. After locking the door, he pressed a hand to his stomach.
He hadn't come here to relieve himself; the Herrscher of Reason had no such physiological need. But upon hearing that whisper, he felt an undeniable impulse to do so.
This whisper, which came from nowhere, was not affecting his body, but his mind.
Has someone invaded my mind?
Sweat trickled down his cheek. If this whisper could make him think he needed to use the bathroom, then...
What if It tells me to kill someone?
"Who are you!" Welt cried out. He scanned his surroundings but detected no danger nearby, nor did he feel like he was being watched.
He had lived peacefully at St. Freya for years, and the Principal had never discovered his identity. Yet this voice had directly called him out as the First Herrscher.
Just then, the bizarre whisper echoed once more.
It felt as if slick, slimy tentacles were drilling into his mind through his ears.
[First Herrscher, have you eaten yet?]