[Daily Mission: Call any Valkyrie "wife" to her face.]
[Mission Status: Complete]
[Mission Evaluation: A+]
[Mission Remarks: Host, what you're doing is a sin!]
[Mission Reward: 100 Crystals]
[Friendship Points +500]
(Current Crystals: 240, Friendship Points: 820.)
Atop his divine throne, Otto raised an eyebrow.
These Friendship Points... a sudden surge of 500???
What happened?
He had just used his ability to speak to Herrschers to call Mei "wife" and complete the daily mission, but this increase in Friendship Points was simply too exaggerated.
Did something happen on Mei's end?
The thought that something interesting might have occurred made Otto's heart itch with curiosity.
But not yet. He still couldn't go see Mei.
For the sake of his and Mei's future, he had to disappear from her sight for a while.
But this period wouldn't be too long.
Otto stood up and gazed at the flight of stairs that extended endlessly downwards, its destination impossible to see.
No, that wasn't right. His current position was the destination.
From where he stood, he simply couldn't see the original starting point.
"System, how do I leave this space?" Otto asked. He needed to slowly explore the partial authorities of the Will of the Honkai, but without sufficient energy, he couldn't sustain the consumption.
Besides, he still had four vacant Herrscher positions under his command.
[Herrscher of Wind] [Herrscher of Flame] [Herrscher of Ice] [Herrscher of Binding]
The candidates for these remaining four Herrschers had to be carefully selected.
First, they had to be pretty girls.
Second, their loyalty had to be guaranteed.
And finally, it would depend on Otto's own preference.
However, the Will of the Honkai wouldn't just let him do as he pleased. It would undoubtedly keep a close watch on him and any Herrschers he created.
His crisis was far from over.
[Where would the host like to go?]
[The Sea of Quanta or the Imaginary Tree?]
Hearing the System's words, Otto's eyelid twitched.
"Just send me home. But can I choose a specific location? Or will I appear directly in Nagazora City?"
The last thing Otto wanted was to suddenly appear in front of Mei or Kiana.
[The host may select a location.]
"Then send me somewhere far away from K423 and Mei."
Then, Otto added, "Also far from Durandal and Bronya. And don't teleport me directly to Schicksal HQ."
Otto didn't want to return to Schicksal just yet. After all, if he showed his face at headquarters, the news that he was still alive might reach Mei's ears.
He needed to operate in secret for a while.
This was, however, a perfect opportunity to have Fu Hua bring him the Black Box for research.
To Otto, the pink-haired fox inside the Black Box was of little consequence, but he desperately wanted the sword, Jizo Mitama.
Suddenly, remembering how unreliable the system could be, he added another condition.
"And don't send me to St. Freya Academy, or Anti-Entropy or World Serpent headquarters either."
If he ended up at Anti-Entropy HQ, Otto honestly didn't know if he could escape, especially after he'd had Siegfried deliver that provocative message.
Knowing how much Tesla and Einstein hated his guts, they would probably attack on sight before he could even start bluffing.
As for World Serpent, Jackal was arrogant and headstrong, not the type to patiently listen to someone talk their way out of a situation.
And his current body wasn't made of Soul Steel.
Otto didn't know what level of power he could wield with the Cecilia and Elysia Stigmata equipped.
[Understood.] the System replied.
[Host, please walk down.]
Otto stepped onto the stairs. They were reasonably wide, but as he glanced to either side, he saw the Sea of Quanta on one and the Imaginary Tree on the other.
Just a few steps in either direction and he would be inside one of them.
"This place is...?"
[Host, this is the "crevice" between the Sea of Quanta and the Imaginary Tree.]
Otto nodded. He took in the bizarre, phantasmagorical scenery around him. As a human, he couldn't comprehend how this space came to be.
He quickly averted his gaze.
Curiosity killed the cat. Existences of this level were not something he could afford to pry into right now.
He continued his descent, his left hand held behind his back, his long golden hair draped over his left shoulder. After walking for an unknown amount of time, Otto suddenly saw a gate of light materialize on the stairs ahead.
Without hesitation, Otto walked right through the doorway.
---o---
A brilliant white light consumed his vision, and Otto squinted his eyes.
In an instant, the view before him cleared. He was no longer in that strange space.
He looked around, a slight frown creasing his brow.
Is this... a bar?
Regardless of where it was, it meant he was back.
Otto let out a breath.
But before he could relax, Otto seemed to sense something. His gaze swept across the bar's interior.
The door to the bar was shut tight, but a slender figure was seated at the counter, shrouded in shadow.
Dim light scattered across her short, gray hair. On the stool beside her rested a hooded cloak adorned with many feather-like decorations.
Her graceful figure was clad only in a loose black tank top and tight grey pants.
The girl swirled a glass with her right hand, her wine-red eyes fixed on the amber-colored liquid within.
Her left hand propped up her chin, her slender, jade-like fingers occasionally toying with a lock of hair at her temple.
With pearly teeth and brows like a painting, her beautiful lips were pressed lightly together. A trace of melancholy touched her exquisite face, while a beauty mark by the corner of her lips added a certain seductive charm.
Seeing this beautiful girl, Otto's heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't because he was struck by her beauty. It was because he never, ever expected to run into her here.
Dog System!!!
He really shouldn't have trusted this Dog System.
Glancing at the door out of the corner of his eye, Otto quickly calculated the possibility of escape.
But he slowly shook his head.
In this situation, the best defense was a good offense.
He started walking toward the girl at the bar.
As if sensing his approach, the girl turned her head. Her snake-like, rose-red eyes fell upon Otto, dressed in his platinum Bishop attire.
The hand swirling the wine glass froze.
Her eyes shot wide open.
The sorrow vanished, her mouth fell open, and her face was replaced with a look of utter terror.
She looked as if she had just seen a ghost.
And mixed within that terror was a hint of helpless resignation, as if she knew she was being played with.
Her mind went completely blank.
Otto walked up to the girl and sat down on the stool next to her, casually taking the wine glass from her hand.
He took a light sip.
Tsk, the quality of this wine is terrible.
He didn't let it show on his face. Instead, he set the wine glass down and turned to look at the stunned girl.
"It's been a while, Miss Raven."
The corner of Otto's mouth curled into a confident smile, one that suggested everything was under his control.
"I'm a little hungry. How about getting me some beef offal?"