The atmosphere in the room froze in an instant. Everyone's gaze focused on the woman standing to the side. It was a woman Li Xuan found familiar, with purple eyes, long, light-golden hair, and a green military uniform... Behind her was a black hole that looked slightly eerie...
"Why... is Mom here?" Bronya looked at the woman before her in disbelief, unable to stop herself from speaking... She knew the other's true identity. Why would she, as an 'Executor (rank),' appear here?!
"So this person is Bronya's mother..." Mei said to herself, looking curiously at the woman not far away.
"It took quite a bit of effort to enter this plane, but I'm relieved to see you both alive." Cocolia seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Her gaze turned to Seele's stunned face, her expression carrying a hint of guilt as she spoke.
"Seele, my lovely and pitiful daughter, turned into this state because of that terrible experiment. Come here and let Mom have a good look at you."
"Mama... Mama! Seele missed you so much..." The formal dress on Seele's body suddenly flashed with a white light, changing back into her ordinary casual clothes. She let go of Bronya and walked up to Cocolia, speaking softly.
"Auntie Cocolia... it's been a long time!" A sudden voice interrupted the mother-daughter reunion. Li Xuan stepped forward and spoke to the woman who was not just familiar, but unforgettable, in a voice that was asking for a beating.
"...." The atmosphere instantly fell silent. Even Kiana, who was farther away from Cocolia, could see the veins popping on Cocolia's fair face... For any woman, the one thing this creature could not accept was probably her 'age'...
"You recognize me, don't you? Lady Cocolia..." Li Xuan gritted his teeth as he looked at the woman before him. A faint crimson light rose from the golden sword in his hand. The light was faint... but the heat it emanated distorted the air.
How could Li Xuan not recognize Cocolia... It was this woman who had made him hide and flee like a dog in Nagazora City... And even Yae Sakura had been slightly injured by her 'Berserk Titan's' attack... Although that was a long time ago, thinking about it now... Li Xuan was still full of anger!
"...So it's you... the 'Natural Stigmata' wielder, Li Xuan." Cocolia didn't show the angry face Li Xuan had imagined. Instead, she spoke with a smile. Li Xuan could even see a strange emotion in her faint gaze, something like... 'pity'?!
"I didn't expect you to be found by 'Schicksal' after all... what a pity." Cocolia said as if sighing. No one knew what she was lamenting...
"However... I'm not interested in playing with you today." Cocolia glanced at Li Xuan nonchalantly and said, "I'm here to see my lovely daughter... 'Seele'."
"I'm so sorry. It's all because of Mom's mistake that the tragedy of you sisters happened." Cocolia ignored Li Xuan and turned to Seele, speaking seriously.
"But it's okay now~ Mom will compensate you. I will pave the way to happiness for you..." Cocolia reached out and gently touched the cheeks of her two 'daughters'. The warmth from her hands was just as warm as it was four years ago.
"..." Was I f*cking ignored again?! Li Xuan watched as Cocolia spoke to Bronya and Seele as if no one else was around, so angry he started to laugh... However, her words at this moment had also piqued his interest. Could there be a way to resolve this conflict between Seele and Bronya?... He was happy to see it happen.
"Seele, take this." Cocolia took out a deep blue, crystal-like stone from her pocket and handed it to Seele.
"What is this?" Seele took the deep blue stone in a daze and looked up at her 'mother' Cocolia, asking with some confusion.
"Its name is the Gem of Serenity. It possesses the magic to make Seele never disappear." Cocolia said softly, her words carrying a sense of temptation.
"Really!?" Seele's gaze changed instantly. She stared at the palm-sized stone in her hand as if it were the most precious gem in the world.
"Come, my dear daughter, let Mom put on the magic crystal shoes for you. From now on, you will forever be a princess and can be with your prince forever....." Cocolia smiled, picking up the 'Gem of Serenity' and touching it to Seele's chest... That was the location of the Stigmata...
The deep blue Gem of Serenity instantly became illusory upon contact with Seele's chest. The entire stone melted into Seele's body as if it were sinking into the sea...
Then... a Honkai energy fluctuation that Li Xuan found incredibly shocking instantly erupted...
"Hey, hey, Auntie... what did you give Seele!" Li Xuan frowned and looked at Cocolia. He instinctively felt that something was wrong... That stone gave him a feeling that was... a bit dangerous?
"Something good..." Cocolia glanced at Li Xuan and said with a playful smile.
"Not good!..." Seeing Cocolia's smile, Li Xuan instantly felt... 'this is serious...' By the way, is it possible to take that stone out?
The next moment, a massive wave of Honkai energy instantly fluctuated... It was no longer an illusory feeling. Waves of invisible qi surged outwards... and a black mist churned...
"Ugh!! It hurts so much!!!" A strong tearing sensation came from Seele's body, causing her to cry out in pain... It was a pain as if her body was being torn open from the inside...
"What's wrong?! Seele..." Bronya staggered to her feet, wanting to support Seele's body, but the blood loss made her legs go weak and she almost fell to the ground.
"It's alright, Seele is a good girl. Just endure it for a moment and it will be over...." Cocolia seemed to not see Seele's contorted expression. She reached out and gently stroked Seele's soft, shoulder-length hair, speaking with a smile.
"Mama! Don't! Seele's body is about to break apart!!!" Seele raised her head and pleaded, tears streaming down her face unconsciously due to the intense pain...
"Uh... what the hell is going on!?" Kiana was at a loss for a moment, watching the scene unfold.
"What the hell have you done?!!" This woman must have done something! Li Xuan could no longer hold back and rushed forward. To catch the thief, first catch the king... Capturing Cocolia should solve the problem.
"..." Wielding the Xuanyuan Sword, Li Xuan flashed and instantly appeared by Cocolia's side. His current speed could easily blow past any of the sprinters from his previous life.
"Pfft!" With the sound of tearing fabric, Cocolia, who had hastily retreated a few steps, looked grimly at a shallow cut that had appeared on her arm... Dark red blood began to slowly seep out from it.
"I didn't expect... Li Xuan-kun's sword to be so sharp that it can even cut through specially made clothes..." Cocolia's gaze shifted to the golden longsword in Li Xuan's hand. She knew that her clothes were made of special materials... even ordinary bullets would have a hard time penetrating them, let alone tearing them apart...
'Wait...' Cocolia's eyes narrowed. That golden longsword seemed... so much like... the legendary one, no, not legendary... the sword left behind from the Previous Era? But... if it was that one, it shouldn't be here...
"...I..." Just as Li Xuan was about to drop a harsh line and act tough, a piercing ring suddenly echoed throughout the area...
"...." Everyone's gazes instantly followed the sound to its source...
"Um... I'll take this call first." Mei said, holding the 'Schicksal' communicator somewhat awkwardly. It showed a communication request from 'Principal Theresa'...
(End of this chapter)