Xia Qi sat in Himeko's lap, her small face stoic, looking as though she had been won over by her. Himeko, unable to resist, held the petite, soft, and adorable Xia Qi — who was like an exquisite little doll — in her arms, a very gentle and satisfied smile on her face.
"Waaaah!"
Theresa watched from the side, a very envious expression on her face.
"Quick! Bronya, let me hold you!"
Without hesitation, she grabbed hold of Bronya, who was sitting beside her.
Raiden Mei and the others watched the scene, unable to help but smile.
"Thank you... Teacher Himeko."
Sitting in Himeko's lap, Xia Qi felt joyful and happy inside, though her small face remained expressionless.
"Heh heh, I have Mei — that's enough for me. You can have the shorty Bronya~"
Kiana hugged Mei beside her, wearing a smug expression. The next moment, Xia Qi and Bronya both spoke simultaneously:
"Idiot Kiana, Sister Mei isn't yours!" ×2
"Waaaah!"
Stung by their simultaneous "idiot," Kiana quickly stood up and put her hands on her hips.
"Who's the idiot here?! This young lady is ranked fourth in the whole school! You're only second, Bronya! I'll surpass you — all of you — sooner or later!"
"Fourth?"
Xia Qi was momentarily stunned, then looked at Kiana with a somewhat incredulous expression.
"Impossible. The idiocy of Idiot Kiana cannot change just because the world is different. The Kiana in Bronya's world ranked last in every exam and nearly failed the Valkyrie qualification exam, ending up in logistics."
"Th-that was an accident! She just thought it was too easy and didn't bother trying!" Kiana stammered slightly, but still insisted stubbornly.
"But that is the fact."
Xia Qi dealt true damage to Kiana.
"Waaah! J-just wait! This young lady will definitely surpass Bronya! Become the new school second! And then you'll both have to apologize — and admit that you're not as good as us!"
Kiana instantly flared up and shouted.
"Hmph, that's impossible. The school second spot will always be Bronya's. Don't you agree, Bronya?"
Xia Qi turned her head to look at Bronya.
"Bronya agrees." Bronya met her gaze and nodded quite seriously. "Bronya thinks so too."
"Bronya will not be surpassed by Idiot Kiana." ×2
"Just wait and see!"
"..."
Fu Hua had remained silent all this time, feeling as though everyone was about to forget her. She couldn't help but voice her question.
"Bronya, afterwards... what are you planning to leave and do?"
Fu Hua looked at Xia Qi and asked very seriously.
She didn't know what Bronya planned to do, but the previous Mei and Kiana had only been training their current selves and had never left St. Freya Academy, which left her puzzled.
"Bronya needs to go to Anti-Entropy, find the First Herrscher, Welt Yang, and go somewhere with him."
Xia Qi turned her head and spoke to Fu Hua.
Fu Hua frowned deeply.
"Looking for the First Herrscher? To do what? Can you tell us?" Theresa looked at Xia Qi seriously as well.
"Bronya is going to bring a family member back to St. Freya."
Xia Qi turned to look at Bronya, speaking to her very seriously.
"?"
Bronya was taken aback, her mind racing — and then she quickly understood who Xia Qi referred to as family, and why she was looking at her so seriously.
"Seele? Is it Seele?!"
She was visibly excited, looking at Xia Qi and asking loudly.
"That's right."
Looking at Bronya, whose emotions were gradually awakening, Xia Qi nodded gently.
"Seele... is waiting for us, Bronya."
"Seele?"
Theresa was a bit confused, as were Himeko and the others. However, seeing Xia Qi's serious expression and Bronya's emotional reaction — which they had almost never witnessed so openly before — they all realized that the "Seele" the two Bronyas spoke of was someone extremely important to them.
"It looks like someone very important to them..." Kiana watched the scene, her eyes widening slightly as she whispered. "Just like... Mei is to me."
"That's right..."
Xia Qi nodded gently.
"Seele... is very, very important to Bronya. Bronya is going to find her, and needs to go with Bronya..."
"Will it be dangerous?"
Himeko looked at Xia Qi, frowning, and asked seriously.
"..."
Xia Qi was silent for a moment, calculating seriously.
Then she nodded.
"Very dangerous..."
"What's the probability of being able to rescue her?" Himeko continued, her frown deepening.
"Unable to give a definite answer."
Xia Qi said calmly.
That statement instantly unsettled everyone.
They understood the kind of danger hidden in Xia Qi's words.
A danger that even a Herrscher couldn't give an answer to...
"I won't allow you to go!" Theresa couldn't help but shout. "Leave the matter of Seele to me, the Principal. I will negotiate with Anti-Entropy and have them hand Seele over! Besides, the Overseer of Anti-Entropy is very reasonable — leave this to me!"
"Yeah."
Himeko also nodded with a serious expression.
"I'm sorry, Principal, Teacher Himeko..." At that moment, Bronya broke free from Theresa's embrace and stood before them, her expression also turning incredibly serious and solemn.
"Seele... is not on Earth..."
"Not on Earth??"
Suddenly, everyone looked puzzled.
"Seele is in the Quantum Sea."
Xia Qi calmly gave the answer.
The term "Quantum Sea" was utterly unfamiliar to everyone present; only Fu Hua frowned slightly.
"What kind of place is the Quantum Sea?"
Theresa looked bewildered.
"No matter where it is! Bronya, don't worry — take me along! This young lady will help you rescue your Seele!" Kiana, watching Xia Qi and Bronya from the side, spoke with an extremely serious expression.
"But... when that happens, you can't fight me for Mei anymore!"
"Kiana..."
Raiden Mei looked at Kiana — who couldn't stay serious for more than three seconds before reverting to form — with a very helpless expression.
Seeing the confusion on everyone's faces, Xia Qi calmly explained what the Quantum Sea was and what dangers it might hold. However, she did not mention Kevin, the Judgment-class Honkai Beast, or the Quantum Shadows, saying only that it was very dangerous inside.
Bronya quietly waited for Xia Qi to finish speaking, then said softly:
"Seele... is a very important family member to Bronya. Without Seele... there would be no Bronya as she is today... So Bronya must go to save her."
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