After spending a night at Otto's manor, Ming Yu prepared to go pick up Kiana early the next morning, running into Bronya along the way. Upon hearing about Kiana's situation, Bronya put on that little act, which made Ming Yu chuckle to himself from the side.
Rolfe led the way from a distance, leaving enough space for the three of them. Ming Yu briefly recounted his meeting with Otto, naturally omitting the parts about Mount Taixu and the Divine Keys.
Looking into Kiana's eyes, Ming Yu asked solemnly, "Kiana, have you really thought this through? After this, there's no turning back." Honestly, if there were a choice, Ming Yu really didn't want to take this risk, especially when it involved the lives of three people. So even after all the preparations were made, he was still hesitant.
"I've made my decision. No matter what, I'm going to save Big Sis Kallen!" Kiana returned Ming Yu's gaze without flinching, her eyes full of determination. She had made up her mind when she was all alone; now that she had so many allies, she had even less reason to back down. For her, saving Kallen wasn't just about repaying her for saving her life; it was also about saving another version of herself, saving that condemned love between her and a Herrscher.
Seeing the resolve in Kiana's eyes, Ming Yu hardened his own heart. Even Kiana was putting everything on the line, so what did he have to worry about? The Captain of the Hyperion never fears!
"Alright then, I'll tell you my plan. Now, let's go meet our partner for this operation," Ming Yu said, a mysterious smile on his face.
Rolfe had led them to the back garden, where Otto had been waiting for a long time under a pavilion. Since Ming Yu had already informed Otto, he knew he would be bringing people over and was not unprepared.
It was nearly noon, and the pavilion was already laid out with exquisitely prepared pastries and a pot of fine black tea. It was clear Otto had put some thought into it.
Looking at the people Ming Yu brought, Otto was a little surprised. One was clearly a young girl not yet of age, and the other, with white hair and blue eyes, was obviously from the Kaslana family. Was this lineup really okay?
Setting aside the underage girl, the Kaslana family alone, with the new wielder of the Judgment of Shamash not yet fully grown, simply didn't dare to defy the Overseer's orders. If the prominent figures of the Kaslana family wouldn't make a move, then the origin of this Kaslana was worth pondering.
Seeing Otto's confusion, Ming Yu understood. His two companions didn't seem very convincing at this moment. Clearing his throat, Ming Yu pointed at Otto and introduced him, "This is Mr. Otto Apocalypse, our partner for this mission."
Pausing, Ming Yu pointed to the two beside him and said, "This is Bronya. Although she's young, she's very skilled with explosives and the like. This is Kiana Kaslana. As you can see, she's a member of the Kaslana family, though from a branch family. She's also a companion I met during my travels."
The three of them greeted each other.
When Kiana heard Ming Yu say she was from a branch family, she became anxious. She was the daughter of the Kaslana family head, the future head of the Kaslanas! Although she had never met other Kaslana family members, the honor of the Kaslanas could not be tarnished. She opened her mouth to argue, but fortunately, Ming Yu quickly covered her mouth and offered an apologetic smile to Otto.
Bronya looked at Ming Yu, her suspicion growing. She wasn't Kiana; she knew Otto's identity as the future Overseer of Schicksal. She didn't think such a person would be easy to fool, so how did Ming Yu gain his trust? Moreover, Otto seemed to respect Ming Yu greatly. There had to be a secret here.
Strangely enough, in this space, one could get injured and feel tired, but there was no sensation of hunger. The result was that Otto had the food in the pavilion replaced a full five times. Initially, Otto had some doubts about Kiana's identity, but seeing her appetite, he was instantly convinced. Having loved Kallen for so long, he knew: Kaslana = bottomless pit = kitchen's bane.
Ming Yu and Bronya only nibbled at the food, but Kiana was ecstatic. Being a food lover, she naturally wouldn't hold back in this situation. No hunger also meant no feeling of being full, so no matter how much she ate, she didn't have to worry about indigestion. This made Kiana, whose appetite was already larger than a normal person's, even more unrestrained.
Seeing Otto's expression gradually stiffen, Ming Yu tugged on Kiana's sleeve. That's enough. Any more and she'd eat Otto out of house and home, though the thought of that did give Ming Yu a sense of satisfaction.
Seeing Kiana finally stop, Otto breathed a sigh of relief. To host Ming Yu and the others, he had prepared only the finest goods. A month's worth of research funding was gone just like that. He'd be eating dirt for the next month.
After ordering someone to clear the mess, Otto stood up and led the three to a secret room to proceed with the next step of the plan.
Walking through a path in the garden, Otto brought the three to a hidden house. Pushing open the door, he said, "The item Mr. Yu requested is inside. I hope you won't be disappointed."
Ming Yu naturally knew Otto was referring to the Divine Key. Although he wasn't getting his hopes up, he still felt a little anticipation for such a super-divine weapon. With a slight smile, Ming Yu said, "No matter the outcome, I will do my utmost to rescue Kallen."
The room was very dark. Although the windows looked large from the outside, it was an illusion; the room received no natural light. Otto lit a candle, and the whole room gradually brightened.
The first thing that caught their eyes was the golden cross in the center of the room, shining with a golden glow in the candlelight. Even when not deployed, standing there quietly, it exuded an extraordinary aura.
On a table against the wall rested a knight's sword, supported by a silver-white metal stand. The sword was entirely black, so deep it seemed to absorb light, making the space around it seem darker.
*So these are the Divine Keys,* Ming Yu mused. *Truly extraordinary.*
"Next, it's up to you, Mr. Yu," Otto said, gently stroking Judah.
Ming Yu nodded and said to Kiana, "Kiana, try to lift that cross."
"Eh?" Kiana was surprised. No one had mentioned weightlifting before. "That cross? It looks like the one Auntie often carries. It looks really heavy."
Giving Kiana a little push, Ming Yu urged, "Don't dawdle. Give it a try. You're the strongest one here."
Hearing Ming Yu's words, which could barely be considered a compliment, Kiana finally stepped forward and grasped the chains on the cross.
Otto also took a step back, watching Kiana with a hint of anticipation. Could this person, as Ming Yu claimed, really have the strength to lift Judah?
Kiana gripped the chains with both hands, heaved the cross onto her back, and unleashed all her strength, shouting, "Aaargh!"
Finally, with Kiana's effort, the cross slowly lifted off the ground. One second, two seconds, three seconds... The cross rested steadily on Kiana's back.
With a loud *thud*, Kiana put the cross back down, shaking the entire floor. "Hoo~" Kiana caught her breath and said, "It's pretty heavy, but in my hands, it's just so-so."
Otto was shocked. He never thought someone other than Kallen could lift Judah. Are all Kaslanas monsters? He'd have to study them if he got the chance in the future.
Ming Yu, seeing this, gained a new appreciation for Kiana's strength. Next time they went shopping, he could let Kiana carry things without any guilt. That's how it should be.
"And now?" Kiana asked Ming Yu. They didn't come all this way just for her to lift a cross, right?
"Next is that knight's sword. Hold it, feel it carefully, and see if a power flows from the sword into you," Ming Yu said, pointing at Black Abyss.
What kind of power could come from a sword? Grumbling internally, Kiana still gripped Black Abyss and closed her eyes to feel it.
After a long while, Ming Yu asked impatiently, "How is it?"
Opening her eyes, Kiana complained, "There's nothing at all. I knew you were talking nonsense."
Ming Yu felt a little awkward. It was always a long shot; it wasn't his fault it didn't work. Shaking his head, Ming Yu said to Otto, "Give her that."
Otto nodded, took out a pair of dual pistols from a nearby cabinet, and stroked them gently for a long time, as if caressing a lover's hand. Finally, he reluctantly handed them to Kiana.
Kiana examined the dual pistols. They looked like an old model but were very well-maintained. The gun bodies were engraved with ancient patterns, clearly valuable. Although made of metal, a warmth emanated from them. Kiana instantly fell in love with the pair. The Kaslanas were famous for their Gun Kata, yet as the next family head, she had never come across such powerful dual pistols.
Delighted, Kiana said to Ming Yu in a half-pleading, half-cajoling tone, "These are so beautiful. Are they for me?"
Ming Yu nodded and said slowly, "They belong to you, at least for now. Remember their name—Elf's Bow!"