Leaving the infirmary, Otto's expression quickly morphed from warm and gentle to something cold and somber.
It wasn't because of Kiana and Firefly. With Firefly guaranteeing Kiana's safety, Otto had genuinely breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.
However, looking at the message he had just received on his communication terminal, his brows furrowed deeply.
"I'm a fucking idiot."
Otto stated flatly.
His pace quickened.
Soon, he arrived outside the emergency room.
He pushed the door open and walked right in; there was nowhere in St. Freya Academy he couldn't enter.
The surgery inside was just about finished, but the attending doctor frowned at the intrusion.
However, when he looked up and saw Otto, his hands shook violently.
Good heavens, why is the Lord Overseer here?!
Suppressing the shock in his heart, the doctor began the final suturing steps. But because of Otto's arrival, the air in the room was suffocatingly tense.
"Did she survive?"
Otto only spoke when the procedure was complete.
"Yes, Lord Overseer."
"She was very lucky. If she had been found even a little bit later, her cranial nerves might have suffered irreversible damage."
"But it's incredible—there is a strange energy within her body sustaining her life," the doctor explained.
Otto nodded. He walked up to the operating table and looked down at the blood-stained, unconscious Einstein.
Her life was saved.
However, there were stark, purplish-red bruises around her neck—the unmistakable marks of being strangled by a pair of hands.
"Sigh."
Otto let out a heavy breath.
He really was a fucking idiot. To think he had actually handed Cocolia and Einstein over to Theresa for safekeeping.
Had his head been kicked by a pink donkey?
It was obvious! He could trust Theresa's moral character, but he absolutely could not trust her brain!
Two crucial prisoners. One escaped, and the other had half her life choked out of her and was only barely resuscitated.
However, looking at the strangulation marks on Einstein's neck, Otto's opinion of Cocolia changed slightly.
This was a woman desperate to achieve great things.
Ruthless.
It was just a pity her actual competence was a bit lacking.
If Einstein had died here at Schicksal, Tesla would absolutely throw herself into the fire for revenge. And if Tesla threw her life away, Old Yang would undoubtedly follow suit.
When that happened, no one would be left to stop Cocolia from becoming the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy.
Her methods were crude, but perhaps highly effective.
Unfortunately for Cocolia, both Einstein and Tesla's bodies had been altered by the Black Abyss White Flower in the past. These two cockroaches wouldn't die so easily.
But as Otto looked at Einstein's blood-caked face, he frowned again. During the surgery, the doctors should have cleaned the blood scabs off her skin.
Was there some reason it couldn't be washed away?
"Water," Otto commanded lightly.
Soon, a basin of water was brought to his side. Otto didn't use a cloth. Instead, he dipped his bare hands into the water and touched Einstein's face.
It was a bit hard.
The large patches of blood scabs felt like hardened, rigid skin.
Otto used his fingers to gently brush the bloody grime away, finally getting a clear look at her face.
"Oh ho."
Otto let out a dark chuckle.
Because carved into Einstein's cheek were four English letters.
[OTTO]
"Heh. Interesting," Otto remarked with a smirk. The letters on Einstein's face had obviously been carved by Cocolia.
Carved directly into her flesh with a knife.
If Anti-Entropy ever demanded Einstein's remains back from Schicksal one day, Tesla and the others would undoubtedly explode with rage the moment they saw his name on her corpse.
"Inferior tactics."
That was Otto's final evaluation.
Perhaps Cocolia was just venting all the pent-up frustration and grievances she had suffered recently onto Einstein.
However, Otto slowly raised his hand.
The Seven Thunders of Retribution materialized in his grasp, obediently shifting into its tachi form.
An image flashed through Otto's mind—the entity 'Walter Joyce' strangling Kiana by the neck. Joyce was going to be a massive problem for him, especially since it involved the Will of the Honkai.
His eyes turned freezing cold.
Otto looked down at the sleeping Einstein.
Thoughts churned rapidly in his mind.
She might actually be of some use.
Otto had never intended to kill Einstein in the first place. After all, Schicksal needed top-tier researchers. Advancements in both conventional technology and Honkai research needed to progress simultaneously for a healthy civilization.
But as long as Otto lived, it would be nearly impossible for Tesla and Einstein to ever willingly defect to Schicksal.
However, there were exceptions to everything.
Einstein... he would take her.
The blade of the Seven Thunders pressed directly against the carved wounds on Einstein's face.
Then, he applied a slight pressure.
Fresh blood welled up, but Otto didn't stop.
The scabs Cocolia had left behind were forcefully sliced open once again by Otto's blade.
He didn't need anyone else's help to carve his name.
"I, too, am a despicable person."
---o---
"Are you going to rest?"
Shortly after Otto left, K423 and Kiana began to converse in the consciousness space.
"Nope, I can't sleep at all."
Kiana giggled playfully, hugging her quilt to her chest while her White Comet armor lay discarded to the side.
She had to give Otto her answer tomorrow. How could she possibly sleep?
"Do not get too close to Otto. He is very dangerous, and he has ulterior motives for you," K423 warned.
She didn't state the exact reasons directly. Now was not the right time to tell Kiana the cruel truth.
Back when K423 first discovered that she was merely a clone and that even her name was fake, she had stumbled through life in a depressive daze for a very long time.
She didn't want that same trauma to befall this Kiana.
"Mm-hmm!" Kiana nodded vigorously.
"You're totally right, Sister K423."
That guy Otto was way too dangerous, always plotting for her body all day long!
Hearing how Kiana addressed her, K423 smiled softly. Seeing her eager nod, she assumed Kiana had truly taken her warnings to heart.
"So, should I go to Schicksal HQ then?" Kiana stretched her arms high, a look of deep conflict on her face.
K423 rolled her eyes.
Great. In one ear and out the other. As expected of myself.
"Do not go. If you are at Schicksal HQ, right under Otto's nose, it will be very difficult for me to teach you."
"Trust me. You've witnessed my power. I can make you stronger, faster. Only when you possess enough strength can you protect the people you wish to protect."
"Moreover, if you stay at St. Freya Academy, Great... Theresa will protect you. There are many people here who will accompany you. The days spent living alongside them will become the most precious treasure of your entire life."
K423 continued her gentle persuasion.
"Are you just asking me to stay behind to keep the lonely elderly company?" Kiana teased with a laugh. Hearing the near-slip in how K423 addressed Theresa, K423 couldn't help but smile again.
"Then how long do you think it'll take for me to become an S-rank Valkyrie?" Kiana asked.
Hearing this, K423 sighed inwardly.
Once upon a time, her greatest dream had also been to become an S-rank Valkyrie. What an unforgettable, simple, and pure era that was.
An era she could never return to.
"Less than two years. I can make you strong enough to single-handedly beat a certain scythe-wielding S-rank Valkyrie at Schicksal with just one hand."
K423 was absolutely confident in this.
Besides, Rita... wasn't that strong anyway.
"Two years, huh..."
Kiana held out her hand, counting on her fingers. After a long while, she finally made her decision.
"I'll stay at St. Freya Academy."
Kiana voiced her choice aloud.
She decided she would grow stronger at St. Freya, and only then would she return to Schicksal HQ as a true S-rank Valkyrie.
Though...
She suddenly puffed out her chest, her brows knitting together as if agonizing over a particular detail.
Having received her answer, K423 suddenly spoke up again.
"Kiana, are you still going to rest? If it's possible... could you walk around St. Freya Academy for a bit? I want to see this place."
It had been far, far too long since she had last seen St. Freya.
All of her most beautiful, cherished memories were left behind here.
"Hmm?" Kiana thought for a moment before answering, "Sister K423, you can control my body, right?"
"Why don't you control my body and take a walk yourself? I need to think about some things anyway."
"Huh?"
Hearing Kiana's immediate offer, K423 was stunned. Before she could even respond, Kiana retreated directly into the consciousness space, willingly surrendering control of her physical body.
Off to the side, the Queen of the Void was practically dying of envy.
"Kiana... what if I was a bad person? What would you do if I refused to give your body back later?"
"You really shouldn't trust others so easily," K423 murmured.
After a moment of thought, she decided she needed to teach Kiana a lesson. Naivety was a good trait, but naivety could get you killed.
Yet, Kiana merely smiled brightly.
"Sister K423, are you a bad person?"
Kiana had a clear mirror in her heart. She knew exactly who treated her well and who didn't.
Just like how she only ever acted completely spoiled around Otto and Theresa. Now, perhaps, there was a third option named K423.
"..."
K423 slowly nodded. Having clawed her way up from the bottom alone for years, she certainly wasn't the gullible 'big dumbass' Theresa.
But suddenly, her heart began to pound violently in her chest.
Could she...
Could she really see those familiar figures with her own eyes once again?
---o---