As emotions surged for some, the day quietly slipped by unnoticed.
That evening, in Zeke's study, Durandal arrived promptly as usual.
"Please take a seat. Would you prefer milk or warm water?"
"Just water, Sir Zeke," Durandal responded respectfully yet assertively. She accorded everyone their due respect, but her immense strength and unwavering resolve also endowed her with the confidence to remain calm and composed before anyone.
Zeke nodded, and without needing any verbal or gestural cue, Bronya approached Durandal to pour her a glass of water.
"Thank you," Durandal politely acknowledged Bronya's gesture with gratitude.
Bronya nodded back, offering a courteous smile.
Now Zeke faced Durandal directly across from him, while Kiana and Sin leaned against his chair on either side, munching on fresh jujubes, plums, and other tart fruits. Bronya stood by the desk, ready to assist Zeke at any moment.
With fingers interlaced and hands resting on the table, Zeke began, "I've summoned you here for something important."
"Please go ahead, Sir Zeke. Whatever your command, Durandal will give it my utmost effort!"
"It's not a command... In any case, take a look at this information first. I extracted it earlier today from the Cosmic Juggernaut's black box data. It appears largely accurate."
Zeke moved his fingers slightly, projecting holographic images onto the table.
Durandal blinked, puzzled but mindful of her duty to follow orders. She focused intently on the 3D visuals displayed before her. The scenes were fragmented yet coherent enough to discern their logical connections.
"Kiana, don't be afraid; Dad will protect you!"
"I'm not scared at all! You're the one who needs to take care of yourself and her first, silly dad!"
"Agh! Anyway, Theresa provided us with a map. She'll handle the main forces inside the base while my friends outside stand by for extraction. We're breaking through!"
"Understood!"
In the footage, Siegfried carried an unconscious little girl on his back while holding another identical girl's hand as they fled from a group of pursuing Valkyries.
Durandal watched with furrowed brows.
"Is this...the incident where Siegfried infiltrated Schicksal?" she murmured to herself, puzzled about why she was shown these scenes. However, adhering strictly to protocol, she refrained from questioning until it concluded and continued observing attentively.
"Idiot Dad! Take her and go first; I'll cover you!"
"Don't be ridiculous—we're almost there... Kiana, watch out!"
"BOOM!!"
"No!"
Durandal rubbed her head uncomfortably. She couldn't explain why, but this footage—along with Siegfried's anguished roar as "Kiana" suffered a head injury and plummeted down the mountainside—made her feel uneasy.
Instinctively, Durandal glanced at the real Kiana standing nearby.
Due to Zeke's involvement, Otto had significantly raised the secrecy level surrounding Kiana being a clone. As such, Durandal remained completely unaware of it.
If the original Kiana Kaslana is already dead, then...is she the girl Siegfried carried on his back? A clone created by Lord Bishop?
As Durandal pondered quietly, she didn't notice Kiana looking over and giving her a gentle smile.
Caught off guard, Durandal touched her nose, feeling slightly flustered.
"What remarkable resilience! Struck on the head by debris from her flying device and plummeting down a deep ravine, she still clung to life when discovered. I didn't even need Soulium to replace damaged tissues; merely using it to activate her self-healing capabilities was enough. Ha, what an extraordinary girl!"
"Lord Bishop, do you intend to...?"
"I have no intention of doing anything with her. She doesn't need to be some version of Kiana Kaslana. She has the right to escape the conflicts of adults and forge her own path—to become history's strongest Valkyrie, someone far more valuable to Schicksal and humanity. Surely you understand me, Miss Ragna Lothbrok?"
"This..."
"Ragna Lothbrok?!"
Durandal abruptly stood from her seat, taking a step forward before stopping herself with narrowed eyes and holding her breath.
She looked at Kiana, who continued to gaze back gently, though now with a hint of apology in her eyes.
"Since you've forgotten your past, why not choose a name you like here?"
"Hmm... Bianka... I like Bianka Ataegina!"
"Wonderful, great choice! From today on, this will be your new name."
"Yes, thank you, Lord Bishop!"
Thud!
Durandal collapsed back onto her chair, dazed.
She grabbed her soft golden hair, watching it shimmer with radiant brilliance under the light. Then she turned to Kiana, opened her mouth, and found herself speechless.
"Want some jujubes? They're really appetizing!"
Kiana circled around the table, approached Durandal, and offered her half-eaten plate of fruit.
Gazing at Kiana's smile, Durandal lowered her head. After a moment of silence, she whispered softly,
"This... isn't just a joke or prank, right?"
"No, it's true. But we only learned about it a day earlier than you."
"I... Half a year ago, when they broke into Schicksal Headquarters with you, was it actually to find me?"
"Yes, that's correct. However, at the time, we all thought you were someone else... Hmm, let's save this topic for later; it's quite complicated."
As Kiana spoke, she crouched down to gauge Durandal's mood.
Durandal turned her head away, hiding her expression from Kiana. Then, with a slightly hoarse voice, she slowly said:
"I... even fought against you."
"Indeed! As the strongest Valkyrie in history, you almost single-handedly defeated all three of us!"
"...I'm sorry."
"Why apologize? You've done nothing wrong. I don't know if you're willing to acknowledge me yet, but when I learned that Durandal was my true identity... it felt incredibly humbling, truly an honor beyond words. Believe me, I'm not exaggerating!"
Crouching before Durandal, Kiana looked up, her eyes shimmering like stars, filled with warmth and a gentle smile.
At this moment, Durandal suddenly realized that Kiana's blue eyes, as clear and flawless as ice-covered lakes under a cerulean sky, were identical to her own gaze when she gazed into the mirror.
Moved by Kiana's smile, Durandal instinctively reached out, placing her hand gently on Kiana's head and softly stroking it, feeling an irresistible warmth and tenderness.
Gradually, Durandal's lips also curved upwards.
That night, Durandal stayed overnight in Zeke's room.