Upon hearing Zeke defer the decision back to Fu Hua, Welt and Su, who initially planned to intervene, chose to remain silent instead. They both turned towards Fu Hua, observing her furrowed brow.
They trusted Fu Hua implicitly.
And just as their trust indicated, Fu Hua shook her head.
"I don't wish to resort to such tactics, Otto."
"Yes, yes, dear old friend, your unwavering integrity remains steadfast as ever. I suppose it's only my intentions that must be flawed?"
"There is no need for deceit. My focus is still on finding a stable way to clarify the truth with her and guide her onto the right path."
"Then let's go to the Sea of Quanta. Spare the real world further complications; there's already enough to manage. Of course, this isn't meant to disturb Zeke's work. What I suggest is—since these two old friends have ample free time, why not involve them directly in addressing the Herrscher's psychological issues? It could also bolster their confidence in this era's human-aligned outliers."
Hera pointed at Kevin and Su, yawned, and adopted a languid demeanor.
Zeke nodded in agreement.
"All right, once everything is set up, I'll open a pathway for you."
Hmm, having an additional resilient test subject would indeed be useful. Moreover, the ability to manipulate consciousness held numerous intriguing possibilities, potentially linked to the Key of Corruption's informational corruption. It was certainly worth studying further.
After pondering for a moment, Fu Hua found no flaws in this arrangement and slowly nodded her consent.
With the discussion concluded, Fu Hua swiftly ended the communication, not wanting to further interrupt these busy individuals' important matters. She returned to her own room.
The bed was disheveled, the blanket kicked onto the floor, and atop it lay a long-haired girl sprawled out, sound asleep with mouth agape, snoring audaciously—a sight quite bold indeed.
"Sigh..."
Fu Hua rested her forehead on one hand, then waved the blanket back onto the bed, covering herself before merging into her forehead.
Within her consciousness domain, Fu Hua gestured, erasing the golden letters floating across the sky: "Momentarily enlightened; entering seclusion for cultivation—do not disturb." Simultaneously, she dissolved the mental barrier she had set up.
Immediately after, "Fu Hua," clad in loose-fitting pajamas, dropped from thin air headfirst, disrupting the consistent snores that echoed like those outside the domain.
"Yikes!"
Shocked awake, "Fu Hua" found her head lodged in the ground. With a swift backflip, she elegantly regained her footing—apart from the grass clippings now adorning her hair.
"You finally emerged from seclusion, old relic! Seriously, don't just randomly go into isolation without notice and set up barriers! I was afraid my strength might accidentally shatter you if I tried to break through forcefully!"
With hands on her hips, "Fu Hua" grumbled discontentedly, revealing unmistakable irritation in her crimson eyes.
Shaking her head, Fu Hua conjured a clean towel and gently wiped the dirt off "Fu Hua's" messy hair.
"Thank you for your concern," Fu Hua replied monotonously, barely acknowledging the gesture.
"Fu Hua" allowed Fu Hua to continue wiping until her face was clean, then proudly puffed out her chest once the towel was removed.
"At least now you know how difficult it is for me. Don't mess around like this next time; what's the point of seclusion? Remember, I'm the strongest. Instead of isolating yourself, sharing your doubts with me would lead to true breakthroughs. Also, you've been dwelling inside me long enough - isn't it time to hand over those memories?!"
"If I do that, I'll disappear... Do you wish for me to vanish?"
"Huh? Well... that... alright then, let's put it aside for now. After all, if there's something I can't remember, asking you directly works just as well."
"Thank you," Fu Hua replied with a slight smile, feeling somewhat apologetic for using this excuse to pacify a child.
But for now, it would suffice; should she question it later, offering another apology would be enough.
"Fu Hua," blushing slightly, scratched her reddened face before turning and disappearing from this world.
"Hey, old relic!"
"Yes?"
"To be honest, if you weren't so talkative, I'd actually quite like having you around. Feel free to stick here a few more days when you're happy - having someone else to chat with isn't bad. But next time, don't mess around with random seclusions. Remember, you're just a backup consciousness; I wouldn't want you to accidentally vanish altogether!"
"Alright, understood."
Responding to the voice in the sky, Fu Hua shook her head with a wry smile, knowing that the Herrscher of Sentience had truly departed.
"Still, heading to the Sea of Quanta needs a plausible excuse. Better give it some serious thought..."
In the Sea of Quanta aboard Cosmic Juggernaut,
Zeke began to rest.
After all, he wasn't made of steel, and truly significant matters couldn't be rushed. Balancing work with relaxation was the right approach.
Kiana clung to Zeke's back like a koala.
Suddenly, Zeke furrowed his brow. "By the way, you've gained some weight lately."
"Huh?! Wh-where's the scale? Quick, give me a scale!" Kiana hastily dismounted from Zeke, nervously pinching her stomach and thighs as she spoke.
Zeke glanced at her sidelong. "No need for a scale—it's 6.94 pounds heavier. My calculations are precise without error."
"That rounds up to almost ten pounds! Wait! Hold on, but it's impossible for a Kaslana to have fluctuating weight!"
"Oh? So you're comfortable using the Kaslana name again?"
"Well, the patriarch acknowledged me... Besides, there are many people sharing the same name. This 'Kaslana' isn't specifically referring to Schicksal's Kiana Kaslana; it's just my own version of Kaslana. Does that make sense?"
"We'll see if you can still assert that confidently when you meet the Kiana Kaslana."
Under Zeke's gaze, Kiana shrank slightly, feeling guilty as she fidgeted with her fingers.
"Wah... Don't discourage me so much! Speaking of, has the real Young Lady genuinely gone missing?"
"I've repeatedly requested to meet and converse with her, but Otto has always declined. At one point, I suspected that the girl held some extraordinary value, significant enough for Otto to risk my displeasure. However, two years ago, when he could no longer muster the courage to obstruct me, he finally admitted—this young lady was never his experimental subject or tool from the beginning. Instead, she is his equal partner in collaboration. The reason for his refusal wasn't due to her perceived worth, but rather, it stemmed from the young lady's own will.
A year ago, after multiple unsuccessful attempts at extending meeting invitations through Otto, I decided to visit Schicksal Headquarters specifically to see this young lady. In the end, I left empty-handed. Since then, even Otto has lost track of her whereabouts. It seems she has set up her living quarters within an unknown secondary dimension. Apart from occasionally opening portals at Schicksal Headquarters to collect supplies, nobody else can reach her. Honestly, I'm now concerned about just how much power she possesses and what stance she takes."
Zeke pressed his fingertips against his forehead, displaying slight exasperation.
Dealing with such enigmatic figures, especially those entirely elusive, was truly vexing.
Kiana wrung her fingers anxiously, biting her lip.
"Zeke, do you think she might dislike me for taking her name? Is that why she's hiding from us?"
"If only it were that simple; dealing with a little girl's whims isn't too challenging. My concern is..." Zeke tilted his head and sighed.
What truly worried him was the so-called Finality. Based on various official lore, hints, and speculative theories from his previous life, there was a high likelihood that True Kiana could be the vessel of the Final Herrscher. Does her current extraordinary power indicate that the Finality has already been quietly brewing?
Kiana didn't grasp the unspoken worry in Zeke's words, nor did she press further. Instead, she silently held his hand, transferring her warmth to him.
Then, Zeke changed the subject: "By the way, the weight gain is indeed real. But don't worry about your figure; according to my observation model, most of the weight is concentrated where it should grow naturally. It's just continued development after rectifying genetic deficiencies. Enjoy your meals without fretting over dieting."
"...Okay." Kiana blushed as she gently touched her firm rear, responding bashfully.
"Oh, and you should probably head back soon."
"Eh?! Already?"
"You've fully recovered, and I have important matters to attend to."
"Doesn't Zeke feel any reluctance?"
Pouting, Kiana playfully smacked Zeke's shoulder, dissatisfied.
Zeke maintained his stern expression.
"Nope. Now get lost; you've already delayed my progress."
"Then...then I'll wait outside, not bothering you. Is that okay?"
"No. With you around, I can't resist checking on you constantly. So scram; I need to focus on work."
"Oh..."
Kiana's flushed face showed no more discontentment.
Ah, the amusing quirks of straight men—they reveal their true feelings within just a few words. Clearly, he deeply cares for her and struggles to concentrate with her nearby, yet why speak so coldly?
Smiling broadly, Kiana rubbed her head, letting out a silly giggle.