"What? Why should I have to attend St. Freya Academy? I'm a Herrscher! Do you even understand what that means?!"
"Who isn't a green-haired student these days? You're not qualified to be a teacher, and you certainly wouldn't want to be a janitor. So, just stay at St. Freya Academy as a student. Ryn, don't you want to stay with Kiana?"
"... ..."
"Oh, and take care of my adorable granddaughter, Theresa. It would be even better if you could send me some daily photos. You're not allowed to keep them for yourself... And she likes to eat..."
Beep beep beep—
Ryn immediately hung up on Bishop Otto. He couldn't stand this conversation anymore. After arriving at St. Freya Academy, he arranged for Kiana and the others to be admitted to the hospital. Then, he reported the situation in Nagazora City and his transformation into a Herrscher to Otto.
After hearing that Ryn had become a Herrscher, Otto fell silent for a moment before simply telling him to provide experimental data at Schicksal Headquarters when he had time and ending the call. However, he insisted that Ryn remain at St. Freya Academy as a student.
Damn it, he couldn't escape his fate as a student after all. But it didn't matter; this way, he could stick close to Kiana every day.
"Wait, what did Otto mean by 'Who isn't a Herrscher these days?' Could it be... Otto is a Herrscher too?!" Ryn was deeply puzzled by this, unaware that Otto had said "green-haired student" instead of "Herrscher."
Schicksal Headquarters.
Otto opened his storage locker. Inside lay Kallen's relics and those of Yae Sakura—items Otto had personally collected and preserved after Schicksal dealt with the Herrscher of Yae Village incident.
Otto didn't dislike Yae Sakura; he had long accepted the fact that he was a cuckold. He knew why: when Kallen had tried to take him away with her, he had refused. That was when their future had ended.
Otto knew about Kallen meeting and falling in love with Yae Sakura. He had written Kallen many letters, but never sent a single one. Only during Kallen's execution did Otto confess his feelings—but it was too late.
Kallen wasn't wrong. Yae Sakura wasn't wrong either. The only one at fault was Otto himself, for his cowardice and indecision.
But Yae Sakura was dead now, and Otto had no intention of reviving her. Letting Ryn play a game and bully Yae Sakura to vent his frustrations was fine—she couldn't exactly crawl out and hit him.
As for Ryn's Herrscher transformation, Otto found it rather absurd. Just moments ago, Ryn had claimed to be from an ordinary world, yet he had quickly absorbed the Honkai Energy from a Herrscher's Honkai Eruption and become a Herrscher himself.
This guy... is getting a bit out of control. Sigh... well, the stronger he gets, the greater the chance of the Herrscher of the Void's plan succeeding. The Second Divine Key is missing, and the Herrscher of the Void's plan absolutely cannot fail—it's the only way to reach the Imaginary Tree... He wants to obtain the means to revive someone from the Imaginary Tree...
He still doesn't understand the God of Honkai's revelation, but he's certain the God of Honkai can't revive someone. So, he'll seek out the Tree of Existence—the Imaginary Tree.
(Ryn: If you want to see the Imaginary Tree, just ask me! I'm practically its child in a broad sense. But if you're looking to revive someone, the Sea of Quanta is a better bet. It can manipulate space-time.)
Kiana Kaslana... Theresa will definitely want to keep her at St. Freya Academy once she learns about her. So, let Ryn stay there too.
But my dear granddaughter... you wanted Kiana Kaslana, and I sent her to you... yet you sent her back, claiming Durandal was too rigid and would interfere with your slacking off.
Sigh... with Schicksal in your hands, it's truly hard for me to rest easy. Just keep playing house at your St. Freya Academy...
At St. Freya Academy, Ryn headed straight to Kiana's side after ending his call with Otto, preparing to care for her and the others. However, Headmaster Theresa was already there.
The petite Theresa sat atop the Oath of Judah, silently watching Kiana. Gazing at Kiana's face, Theresa couldn't help but think of her mother, Cecilia. They had been close friends, and the academy was founded on Cecilia's ideals. So, Cecilia's daughter, Kiana, absolutely had to attend St. Freya Academy...
Ryn was slightly shocked when he saw Theresa. Otto had told him that St. Freya Academy was one of the few Valkyrie training grounds in the world, yet here was such a young child.
"Little one, who are you?" Ryn pulled out a candy from his pocket and offered it to the child, which he usually kept for Sparkle.
"The Oath of Judah!"
Theresa immediately raised the Oath of Judah, which was larger than herself, and slammed it down on Ryn with a resounding thud. Ryn snapped his fingers, and Theresa floated into the air. However, he couldn't fully control the Oath of Judah with his Authority.
This left Theresa bewildered. She had been trying to restrain herself, but Ryn's actions had caused her to lose her grip on the Oath of Judah.
With a loud clang, Theresa floated in the air, but the Oath of Judah in her hand continued its freefall, crashing down onto Ryn's head.
When Kiana woke up, she found two unconscious figures lying on her bed.
Until the moment he lost consciousness, Ryn couldn't believe a tiny cross could weigh half a ton... nor that this weapon's Domain was several times stronger than Theresa's.
Theresa tossed Ryn onto Kiana's hospital bed. Asleep, Kiana sniffed the air, as if she could smell Ryn. In her sleep, she turned and wrapped her arms around him.
"Huh? Kiana and Ryn are actually this close?" Theresa muttered, her gaze fixed on the pair. She sighed, a dwarf gazing at the heavens. Then, she silently righted Judah and sat back on it. Kiana was about to wake up; she needed to assume a proper elder's posture.
Just as Theresa was growing impatient, Kiana finally stirred.
Slowly opening her eyes, Kiana saw Ryn in her arms. She closed her eyes again, contentedly burrowing into his embrace as if to continue sleeping.
"Wait... why is Ryn here?!" Kiana's eyes snapped open.
The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant, and the medical equipment confirmed it: she was in a hospital. Had Ryn saved her? She wondered how the others were doing...
Then she noticed a golden cross, and on it, a tiny, white-haired ball of fluff in a nun's habit.
"Hey, kid, where am I?"
"Kid?! Let me show you the hundred uses of Judah!"