"B-Big Sis… Brother-in-law…?!"
Seele's radiant smile suddenly froze. A flash of shock rippled across her ocean-blue eyes, leaving her completely caught off guard.
To meet someone who came to rescue her in the Sea of Quanta, and on top of that, to hear news about her beloved sister Bronya from his lips—it should have been the happiest, most dreamlike moment imaginable!
In fact, just a second ago, Seele had really thought she must be dreaming.
Otherwise, how could such a fairytale-like miracle even happen?
But now… the unexpected turn of events left her face full of confusion.
"Nagami… Onii-san, did you just say that you and Bronya…?" Seele blinked stiffly, staring at him in a daze.
"Mm. Bronya lives with me now. The plan to rescue you from the Sea of Quanta was something I came up with, but Bronya helped a lot too," Nagami explained with a warm smile.
Of course, by "help," what he really meant was Bronya letting him hug and snuggle her to recharge his energy.
"I… I see…"
Seele's emotions tangled into an indescribably delicate knot.
She didn't even know what kind of expression she should wear anymore.
"Don't worry, we'll talk about the details later." Nagami, still wearing his spring-breeze smile, reached out his hand to her. "For now, let me take you out of the Sea of Quanta first!"
"Mm!"
Her thoughts were still in disarray over Bronya and Nagami's relationship, but the joy of finally being able to leave the Sea of Quanta quickly drowned everything else out.
Seele bit her lip lightly, then nodded hard.
She carefully placed her delicate hand into his, the warmth of his palm and the firmness of his grip making her heart tremble.
"Oh, right. I have other things to take care of first. So before we return to the real world, we'll be traveling to another world for a while."
Nagami's smile deepened as he gently pulled the petite girl closer to him.
"Eh?" Seele tilted her head, a puzzled sound slipping from her lips. Her face turned blank again. "Another world… traveling?"
Unlike the bewildered Seele, Veliona understood Nagami's meaning all too well.
But even so, it was still too shocking to accept.
Not only could he dive into the Sea of Quanta to rescue her, but he could even cross into other worlds? …It was just like something out of a prince's legend.
No wonder there were so many siscons and otaku who longed for a little sister.
Just imagine—an adorable, delicate girl calling you "Onii-chan" with that soft, tingling voice that makes your whole body shiver.
Her angelic face, pure and doll-like, with those earnest eyes staring only at you.
Who could possibly resist such a lethal move?
And if that little sister were Seele… it would be an instant fatality!
"Before that, Seele, I have a gift for you. This will help you escape from your quantum state."
During the X-10 experiment, Seele had been forced past her limits.
Her very existence shifted into a quantum state, her physical body dissolving into nothingness.
Escaping from that state wasn't impossible.
All it required was enough power to collapse her quantum form back into reality.
And becoming a Herrscher was, without doubt, the fastest way.
From Nagami's palm emerged a crystalline gem, born from the fusion of abyssal black and immaculate white.
———————————————————————
[This is—!!!]
———————————————————————
The sudden voice inside her mind startled Seele so much she shrank her shoulders.
———————————————————————
[What is it, the other me? Is there… is there something wrong with the gem in Nagami-oniisan's hand?]
[Of course there is! Can't you feel it? The moment it appeared, our Stigmata resonated with it—faintly, but unmistakably. It's as if… something is calling to us.]
———————————————————————
Veliona recognized it immediately.
Even though most of the Herrscher of Death's memories from the previous era were incomplete, blurred beyond recognition, fragments of the most important knowledge had not yet faded.
And Herrscher Gems? Those were unforgettable.
———————————————————————
[Resonance…?]
———————————————————————
Seele's lashes trembled as she gazed at the gem glowing faintly in Nagami's hand.
The Stigmata on her chest pulsed with a dim light in response.
But before she could ask further, her body suddenly froze—her other self had seized control.
"No! I can't accept this. I appreciate you offering something so precious for Seele's sake, but if you're able to produce such a gem, then you must already know the consequences of using it!"
Scarlet light surged, dyeing the ocean-blue around them crimson.
Seele's sapphire eyes transformed into dazzling rubies.
Her timid tone was gone, replaced by a strong, almost defiant stance.
She didn't know why Nagami could see her directly, but since he clearly understood far more about Veliona than expected, there was no reason to keep hiding behind her counterpart.
Veliona might have been born from the Herrscher of Death's Stigmata, but she bore no love for Honkai, and Dr. MEI would never have copied a pure Herrscher's consciousness into a Stigmata to endanger later civilizations.
Strictly speaking, Veliona only carried fragments of the previous era's Herrscher of Death's memories.
She regarded herself as nothing more than Seele's other self, and her every thought and choice stemmed from Seele's perspective.
"You're right," Nagami said calmly. "I know exactly what it means to use this gem. But here's how you should see it instead…"
Nagami reached out and roughly ruffled Seele's hair, turning her silky short locks into a messy fluff as she stared at him in shock.
"If I knew the consequences but still chose to bring this out, of course it means I already have a way to solve the problem! Little other Seele~"
"With me here, the Honkai Will won't ever lay a finger on you."
Seele's crimson eyes widened, sparkling like rubies filled with disbelief.
Did he… did he even understand what he was saying?
That was the Honkai Will.
That was a god.
It was the deepest, most vivid memory etched into her Stigmata.
And yet, Seele didn't even notice her own black-and-red hair, now tousled into disarray.
She just lifted her gaze, silently locking eyes with Nagami.
In his eyes, she felt warmth, tenderness, and even pity.
And those feelings weren't just for Seele.
They were for her too.
"…Nagami… Onii-san, huh?"
A dangerous smile curved her lips.
She raised a slender finger to them, crimson eyes shimmering with sultry allure.
Then she reached out her pale hand, rested it gently on Nagami's shoulder, and leaned forward into his chest, closing her eyes.
"In that case… Seele will trust you this once."
Almost reflexively, Nagami wrapped his arms around her slim waist.
Her body pressed against him, soft yet firm, nurtured by every last scrap of nutrition from Cocolia's orphanage.
His eyelids twitched, his heartstrings plucked like a struck chord.
'She's fourteen…?'
Nagami had to admit—this… probably, maybe, just maybe… could already rival Bronya eight years from now!
[TL Note – ... Mr. Policeman?]
The girl in his arms trembled faintly, her long lashes fluttering as her eyes slowly opened again.
Her pale face flushed a vivid pink at visible speed.
Through the messy bangs across her forehead, her watery blue eyes peeked out, clear and deep as the ocean, brimming with helplessness.
She wasn't asleep.
Seele could sense everything outside—and thanks to their shared body and heart, she also felt every one of her other self's thoughts.
"Nagami-oniisan… this gem is so precious. Can you really give it… to me?"
Her gaze flickered between the dazzling jewel in his palm and his ever-gentle smile.
Doubt clouded her eyes.
"This kind of treasure… are you sure Seele can have it?"
When Veliona had surfaced earlier, she had already told her what the gem really was.
Even with the enormous risks, it was the kind of power countless people dreamed of obtaining—something entire organizations would kill each other to possess.
"Of course you can." Nagami grinned, tapping a finger against her fair forehead and giving her a playful wink. "After all… in this world, nothing is more precious than Seele."
How could the innocent little Seele possibly endure such shameless words?
Her face turned crimson as if drenched in blood.
She quickly ducked her head, trembling slightly all over.
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[Tch… Brother-in-law, huh? And yet he says something like that to Seele without hesitation!]
———————————————————————
In their shared mental space, Veliona's face burned with a mix of shame and anger.
Those words were aimed at her as much as at Seele.
———————————————————————
[Still… I can't say I dislike it. This might… not be so bad~]
———————————————————————
Her whisper echoed in the emptiness of her own mind, carrying a forbidden allure.
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