Himeko conscientiously continued her tour of the school until the sun climbed to its zenith, signaling the start of the lunch break. She then led Yaqing to the principal's office, where Theresa and Cecilia, along with Siegfried, were already sitting and chatting happily.
Himeko led Yaqing to the door and knocked.
Theresa, who had been playfully joking with Cecilia just a moment before, reacted instantly. She cleared her throat with a few coughs and put on her dignified principal's air.
"Come in."
Himeko pushed the door open and smiled. "Principal Theresa, my task is complete."
"Thank you for your hard work, Himeko."
Yaqing added politely, "I look forward to our next meeting, Ms. Himeko."
"Of course." Himeko left the office, closing the door behind her.
The moment Himeko was gone, Yaqing dropped the act. He slumped onto the guest sofa, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and ran a hand through his flaxen hair. His entire demeanor changed on the spot.
"Go on, keep acting. Why'd you stop?" Theresa said with a smirk.
"Heh, Theresa, how long have we known each other? You basically watched me grow up, after all," Yaqing chuckled.
"SHUT UP!!!" Theresa's small face flushed red as she shouted.
"Pfft, hahaha!" Cecilia and Siegfried couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You... you all... you... Ah! Cecilia, even you're bullying me!" Theresa executed a super headbutt, diving straight into Cecilia's embrace and rubbing her head against Cecilia's magnificent chest.
That super headbutt actually caused Cecilia's chest to ache a little. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she reached out to pinch the still-laughing Siegfried, signaling him to tone it down.
Yaqing took a sip of the slightly cooled tea and spoke seriously, "Alright, Theresa, let's talk business. I came to the Far East for two reasons. The first was the inspection. The second is that I'm preparing to establish a Schicksal branch company in the Far East."
"Wha-?" Theresa looked up, completely baffled. She understood each word individually, but strung together, they made no sense to her.
You're here to establish a Schicksal Far East branch? Then what does that make my school? Is Grandpa planning to pull funding?! No more allowance?!
Theresa's heart skipped a beat.
Yaqing explained, "The Overseer isn't pulling funding. He's planning to convert it into an equity investment, allowing St. Freya High School to become a purely educational institution, rather than a subsidiary of Schicksal."
Theresa's small head was filled with immense confusion.
She didn't understand a single word, but she got the important part: Grandpa was still going to give her an allowance.
"So, Theresa, I'm planning to build a Schicksal branch in Nagazora. As you know, the Overseer handed the Third Division over to me, and I've already decided what to do with it."
Hearing Yaqing's words, the three of them were instantly curious. Although they knew Otto had given the entire Third Division to Yaqing, they never knew what he planned to do with it.
For instance, Theresa's First Division focused on education, the Kaslana family's Second Division focused on innovation, but Yaqing's Third Division had always been a mystery.
Theresa asked curiously, "So, what are you planning to do?"
Yaqing smiled. "I'll be in charge of the entertainment division."
"Are you planning to compete with Anti-Entropy?" Theresa asked, surprised.
"Not entirely. To be precise, Anti-Entropy's focus is on live-action tokusatsu. My focus will be on virtual animation. There might be some overlap, but we're not running in the same lane."
Cecilia asked, "Virtual animation? Little brother, have you already thought of a script?"
Cecilia knew Yaqing well. She knew her brother wouldn't make a decision unless he was absolutely confident.
"More or less."
Yaqing turned on his phone's projector, displaying an image on the white wall.
"The Honkai is a natural disaster that accompanies the development of civilization, giving birth to monsters called Honkai Beasts. Humans with Honkai energy adaptability who are infected by it will turn into the Dead, and when the Honkai energy reaches a certain threshold, a Herrscher is born. Each Herrscher has a corresponding authority."
Siegfried nodded. "It has a bit of a zombie vibe, but the word 'Honkai' is quite novel."
"Amazing, little brother!" Cecilia clapped enthusiastically.
Yaqing gave the three a rough outline of the setting, but maintained an air of mystery, not revealing the character designs.
After lunch, Cecilia and Siegfried went to see Kiana. Yaqing, ignoring Theresa's "pleas" for him to stay, left St. Freya and had his driver take him to the company's address in the West District.
It was a bustling district, the only place in Nagazora that could remotely compare to the St. Freya campus. Skyscrapers stood tall, and office workers bustled to and fro.
The central tower was several stories taller than the surrounding buildings, making them look like subjects bowing in worship when viewed from above.
As Yaqing looked at the woman waiting to greet him downstairs, he felt a headache coming on.
At the entrance of the building stood a woman in a professional OL suit that accentuated her seductive figure. Ash-blonde bangs covered her left eye, and her wine-red pupils watched him with a faint, unreadable smile. A beauty mark under the corner of her eye added to her charm. She strode towards Yaqing on long legs wrapped in black stockings.
"Lord Yaqing."
Yaqing rubbed his forehead. "Ah, it's Rita. What are you doing in the Far East?"
Rita looked at Yaqing, a smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "What do you think, Lord Yaqing?"
Yaqing was instantly reminded of a week ago, when the Overseer had summoned him to the top floor.
"My old friend, are you really decided?"
"Of course, my dear Overseer. Don't you want to defeat our friends at Anti-Entropy in the very field they excel at?"
"Hmm... no, not really." Seeing Yaqing's unsurprised expression, Otto lost interest in teasing him and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, I admit there's a small part of me that likes the idea. Go ahead and do it. I'll arrange for a capable person to assist you."
"Thank you, my dear Overseer. I offer you my most sincere gratitude."
"Schicksal will always stand behind you. For the Saintess's Fantasy!"
Otto seemed almost possessed. The man who was always unshakable became unusually excited when he mentioned the "Saintess's Fantasy."
"Otto, what are you doing now?" A clear, pleasant, and slightly confused female voice came from the office doorway.
Looking towards the voice, they saw a woman leaning against the doorframe. Her face was like a celestial fairy, her figure as alluring as a siren. She had white hair and blue eyes, with a long braid draped over her back. She wore a white-sleeved top with a short skirt, and her long legs were wrapped in pure, flawless white stockings, all under a large, black windbreaker.
"Oh, little Yaqing is here too!"
"Auntie Kal—"
Yaqing hadn't finished his greeting before he saw Kallen's azure eyes suddenly turn cold.
"Big Sis Kallen," Yaqing corrected himself instinctively, stepping forward to take the shopping bags from her hands.
"Good boy." Kallen stood on her tiptoes and ruffled Yaqing's hair like she was petting a puppy.
"Kallen, you're back?" Otto stood up.
"I shopped all day, I'm exhausted! Sakura rarely gets to visit Europe, so she wanted to see absolutely everything."
Kallen sat down in Otto's chair, and Otto automatically stood behind her. The de facto ruler of the tri-continental Schicksal conglomerate gently massaged Kallen's delicate shoulders.
The memory ended. Yaqing vaguely remembered Otto saying he would send a capable person to assist him, but he never expected it would be Rita!
"I also didn't expect the Overseer to send you, Rita. I was thinking it would be Kira Shigure," Yaqing said as he walked towards the company building.
Rita walked beside him, about an arm's length away, and said with a feigned look of grievance, "Does this mean that in Lord Yaqing's heart, Rita truly cannot compare to Senior Kira Shigure?"
"I never said that." Yaqing's headache was getting worse. He preferred people like Kira Shigure because she was easy to manage. People like Rita and Elysia were the type that gave him the most trouble.
Chapter 4: The Company is Established
On the thirty-third floor of the company skyscraper, the entire level served as Yaqing's comfortable office space. He stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the stream of traffic that looked like ants below. The sunlight illuminated his face.
Having just finished a meeting, Yaqing looked over the employee files Rita had brought him.
Creative Director: Salome Jokanaan.
Concept Art Department: Patrick Highsmith.
Voice Acting Department: Shub-Niggurath.
Post-Production: Cheng Lixue.
Yaqing couldn't help but sigh. It seemed Overseer Otto had sent over nearly all of his sister's old subordinates, except for Kira Shigure. He really didn't think Cecilia would ever return to work.
"Lord Yaqing, the planning and design proposal has been distributed. Shall I arrange for your afternoon tea now?" The sexy secretary, Rita, dressed in her OL attire, collected the employee files and design plans.
"Rita..." Yaqing said helplessly.
"Hmm~" Rita hummed lightly.
"Never mind. Let's just treat today as a chance for everyone to get acquainted. The official workflow will begin tomorrow." Yaqing picked up his suit jacket from the hanger and pocketed the car keys the driver had delivered.
"By the way, Rita, do you have a place to live?"
Rita's beautiful eyes twinkled as she let out a charming laugh. "Lord Yaqing, one shouldn't casually ask a lady about her living arrangements."
"Er..."
In the suburbs of Nagazora, the Golden Courtyard.
Elysia, an emotional advice radio host with a million fans, dressed in a pink maid outfit, stood with one hand on her hip and a feather duster in the other. She exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Yaqing, you're back?"
Su, who was bent over with a vacuum cleaner, looked up and smiled. "Long time no see, Yaqing."
Yaqing took off his jacket, hung it on the coat rack, and gave Su a big hug.
"Long time no see, Su."
"Hey, isn't Miss Pink Elf going to get a hug?" Elysia said, feigning a pout when she saw Yaqing was still talking to Su.
Yaqing smiled helplessly, gave Elysia a quick, light hug, and then promptly separated. He rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows and asked, "Is today a big cleaning day for the Courtyard? Is there anything I can help with?"
Elysia came up behind Yaqing, pushing him forward with a smile. "Nope~ You must be tired after coming all the way from Europe. Go get some rest. We'll have a surprise for you tonight!"
Yaqing looked completely baffled.
Tired?
He had slept the whole night on the plane.
"It's okay, Elysia, I'm not tired."
"Mmm... well... that's still not allowed, okay~?"
"Alright, alright."
Defeated, Yaqing walked up the stairs. His room was on the second floor, in a sunny spot. His neighbors to the left and right were Su and Kevin, and directly opposite was the gym that Eden had specially decorated.
"Hey, Big Bro Yaqing, you're back?!" A little catgirl with cat-ear accessories and a chubby cat perched on her head poked her head out of her room.
"Pardofelis, my room was emptied out long ago. There's only bedding left. There's no treasure," Yaqing said wearily.
"Ah, hahaha, right." Pardo laughed awkwardly. "Oh, oh, oh, Sis Elysia is calling me! Bye, Big Bro Yaqing!"
Pardo shuffled slowly past Yaqing, hugging the wall. The moment she reached the top of the stairs, she instantly sped up and vanished from his sight, startling the cat into a series of meows.
Yaqing chuckled, took out his key, and opened the door. The room was spotless. Sunlight streamed through the window onto the snow-white bedsheets, and a faint, pleasant fragrance lingered in the air. It didn't look like it had been vacant for three years at all.
For some reason, as if guided by a phantom impulse, Yaqing opened the closet. The corner of his mouth twitched.
As expected. Inside was Elysia's pink dress meant for Mobius, Kevin's instant noodles, Eden's jewels, Su's old notebooks, Kosma's figurines... and even... Mobius's little black panties?!
"What is all this stuff?" Yaqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Pardo had clearly been using his room as her personal warehouse.
He closed the closet door. It was better to let Pardo deal with it herself.
Lying on the soft bed felt like resting on a cloud, and it carried a fresh scent. He took out his phone and called Otto.
Otto picked up the moment the call connected. Hearing the sound of a TV drama and Kallen munching on chips in the background, Yaqing said, "Overseer Otto, I've already met with Theresa."
"Yaqing, my little Theresa is still as cute as ever, isn't she? I imagine so. How was it? She wasn't angry that her grandpa didn't tell her in advance, was she?" Otto's voice was as gentlemanly as ever, like an old British gentleman with a terrible translated accent.
"Overseer, Theresa is indeed as petite as always. She wasn't angry with you, just worried you wouldn't give her an allowance anymore," Yaqing chuckled.
"Hahaha, tell little Theresa not to worry."
"Is that little Yaqing?" A muffled, curious voice came from the other end of the line.
"Yes, Yaqing. Kallen wants to talk to you," Otto said with a laugh.
"Little Yaqing, little Yaqing!"
"Yes, it's me, Big Sis Kallen," Yaqing said, a genuine smile in his voice.
"Why did you have to go all the way to the Far East? Big Sis Kallen will be sad not being able to see you. You have to make your anime quickly, okay? Big Sis Kallen believes in your talent. The TV shows nowadays aren't very good."
"I will, Big Sis Kallen."
"Crunch. Okay, you can continue talking business with Otto now."
Hearing the crunch of chips again from the other end, Yaqing continued, "Overseer Otto, my script is missing a villain. I want you to be that villain."
"What kind of villain?" Otto's tone was still full of amusement, impossible for anyone to read his true thoughts from his voice alone.
"A fool. A fool who, after the death of his beloved Saintess, would stop at nothing to bring her back to life."
After Yaqing finished speaking, the other end of the line fell silent for a moment.
"Tell me more in detail."
Yaqing began to narrate the story, from five hundred years ago to the start of the main storyline of the Third Honkai Eruption. His mouth grew dry as time flew by, and soon, the sky had turned dark.
"A character profile like that... I find it hard to refuse. Yaqing, you are a genius. It's a shame there's no Honkai in this world. Or perhaps... if Kallen had truly left me, I really would have become that person," Otto's voice was filled with an unreadable mix of countless emotions.
"Thank you for your praise."
"I'm looking forward to it."
After hanging up, Yaqing heard the lively sounds from downstairs.
"Yaqing, everyone's back!" Elysia called out.
"Okay!"
...
Golden Courtyard Building Layout:
First Floor: Large living room, music room, kitchen, bar, billiards room, and other entertainment rooms.
Second Floor: Kevin's Room → Yaqing's Room → Su's Room → Kalpas's Room → Kosma's Room, Gym.
Third Floor: Griseo's Family Room (2-in-1) → Mobius's Room → Mei's Room → Sakura Sisters' Room → Pardofelis's Room, Movie Theater.
Fourth Floor: Elysia's Room → Eden's Room → Vill-V's Room → Fu Hua's Room → Senti's Room.
Attic: Aponia's Room.
...
Characters Mentioned:
Salome Jokanaan
Patrick Highsmith
Shub-Niggurath
Cheng Lixue