"Theresa, how have you been lately?"
Otto looked at the figure projected into the air before him, a gentle smile gracing his lips. It was a look of grandfatherly kindness that seemed entirely out of place on a man who appeared to be in his early twenties. Yet, Otto found nothing strange about it, and neither did the person he was calling.
"Grandpa... I am no longer a Valkyrie of Schicksal. I am now the Principal of St. Freya Academy."
Theresa Apocalypse was a petite girl with long white hair and a delicate face. She shared a surname with the Overseer of Schicksal, Otto, and even used the strangely intimate address of "Grandpa" when speaking to him. However, her attitude was far from friendly, her tone clipped and stiff.
"I know. But if you or the St. Freya Academy you love so dearly ever run into trouble, you must tell me, alright? Even if you no longer belong to Schicksal, you are still my precious granddaughter. As your grandfather, it is only natural for me to help you."
Otto maintained his kindly smile, looking upon her like a tolerant elder humoring a child's rebellion.
Theresa remained silent, simply staring at him.
Seeing this, Otto continued at his own pace. "I contacted you this time to tell you something regarding K423."
"What happened to her? You promised me before that you wouldn't hurt her! If you try to go back on your word, I'll personally pilot the Hyperion..."
"Easy now, don't get so excited. She is currently in the Far East, outside Schicksal's sphere of influence and quite close to your current location. However, her situation isn't exactly ideal. Siegfried has vanished, and the girl is wandering the streets, all alone. Don't you intend to help her?"
"Siegfried vanished? And you've been monitoring Kiana?!"
Theresa grew even more agitated. She blurted out a name a name that differed greatly from the alphanumeric designation "K423" Otto had used. Yet, Otto's expression didn't flicker; he knew they were one and the same.
For a mere tool to possess a human name, one personally given by that human's father... it truly was amusing.
The corner of Otto's mouth twitched slightly as if he wanted to laugh a mocking laugh directed at the concept of humanity. But because he was speaking to his beloved granddaughter, he suppressed the urge.
"Siegfried's disappearance has nothing to do with me; that was his own fault. As for K423... well, as for Kiana, do you really think a minor can travel around so freely, even purchasing a long-distance plane ticket from Europe to the Far East, without causing a stir? If it weren't for my assistance, she wouldn't have been able to act with such freedom.
Right now, she has arrived in Nagazora. As per your previous request, I haven't stationed any Schicksal members in the Far East. Therefore, I don't know exactly how she is faring, but she shouldn't be starving to death yet. After all, only a day and a half has passed."
"It's already been a day and a half?!"
Theresa's face filled with anxiety. Seeing this, Otto smiled meaningfully.
"It seems you have urgent matters to attend to. Let us end our call here, my dear granddaughter. When you grow tired of playing, remember to come back. The gates of Schicksal are always open to you."
The communication ended. Inside the Principal's office at St. Freya Academy, Theresa jumped down from her office chair.
Yes, she jumped.
This perfectly standard office chair was still a bit too high for Theresa's petite stature. If she sat all the way back, her feet couldn't touch the floor. Conversely, if she used a child-sized chair, her head wouldn't reach high enough above the large desk.
The only solution would have been to purchase a full set of children's furniture for the office, but Theresa had flatly refused, feeling such a move would undermine her dignity as the Academy Principal.
St. Freya Academy had once been the Schicksal Far East Branch. Later, because Theresa was dissatisfied with certain actions taken by Overseer Otto, she led the branch to independence. It became a school a very special school with Theresa as its Principal.
In an era where the Honkai erupted sporadically and the world faced constant peril, Schicksal held a unique and powerful status as the front line against the disaster. They possessed immense authority and access, and as a former branch, St. Freya Academy still retained the clearance to access most of their data.
Theresa quickly checked the records from the Nagazora airport and confirmed that her grandfather hadn't lied. Kiana really had gone to Nagazora.
Theresa's first instinct was to bring her back and look after her.
But she quickly discarded that thought.
This was St. Freya Academy. One of the reasons she had established it was because she opposed her grandfather's callous disregard for the lives of Valkyries. She wanted to build a training institution with a heart. Yet, at its core, it was still an institution for training Valkyries.
And Valkyries never met a peaceful end.
Most people lacked the innate talent required to become a Valkyrie, yet Schicksal needed a massive number of powerful warriors to fight the Honkai. How did they solve this?
Under Otto's direction, researchers studied, replicated, and modified the power contained within ancient family bloodlines—the Stigmata. Thus, the Artificial Stigmata was born.
It granted a Valkyrie the necessary aptitude, strength, and Honkai adaptability, providing a comprehensive boost to their abilities. However, the cost was a drastic reduction in the Valkyrie's lifespan.
To die young, in one's twenties or thirties, was the inevitable fate of those with an Artificial Stigmata. For many Valkyries, such a death was actually considered fortunate, as most were killed in battle long before they reached that age.
The Honkai was a disaster aimed at all of humanity, a calamity meant to bring civilization to its end. When individual strength was pitted against such a force, the outcome was predictable. Even elite A-rank Valkyries, or even the mighty S-rank Valkyries, could not guarantee they would survive their next encounter with the Honkai.
Theresa absolutely did not want Kiana to walk such a tragic path.
She intended to go to Nagazora personally to observe Kiana in secret. Once she confirmed the girl's condition, she would find a way to enroll her in an ordinary school, where she could enjoy the carefree life of a normal person.
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