When Leo Ash returned to the dorm, he couldn't help but think that maybe he should really listen to Otto and relax a bit.
After all, on his way back, he hadn't seen anything strange, yet he felt constantly on edge.
This shouldn't be happening. Even if the Herrscher of Finality is accelerating its charge, it's not like it will suddenly pop out and 'embrace' humanity tomorrow.
No matter how panicked I am, I shouldn't be this panicked...
—Right.
After Leo Ash took out his key and opened the door to Himeko's apartment, his body instantly froze.
[Eh, Host, why are you frozen?]
[Champion, move! Why aren't you moving—the girls are all waiting for you!]
"Ah, Senior is back."
Seeing Leo Ash standing at the door, Kiana said to the girl beside her.
"See? I told you he'd be home on time after getting back to the branch today."
Beside Kiana, Leo Ash saw a girl who shouldn't be here, smiling and waving at him.
"Hi, Leo Ash, long time no see."
"I'd like to say that, but it's only been about a month since we last met at headquarters, right?"
Next to Kiana, Anna Schariac, who should have been on duty in Manila as a B-rank Valkyrie, was now wearing a St. Freya High School uniform, sitting gracefully on the sofa in Himeko's home.
[See, a beautiful girl has chased you all the way home. Now, don't you think you should show some kind of reaction?]
My reaction is a whack on your big head.
If it were any other time, it would be fine, but now...
Damn you, Otto. How could he allow something like this to happen?
[How should I put this... Hehe, this System thinks it's better not to say anything.]
[Survive, Host.]
...Damn you. You didn't even say that when the Honkai was attacking.
Are they that terrifying in your eyes?
[Ask yourself, Host.]
[If you weren't so wary of... that... what would you be doing right now?]
...
Amidst the System's tempting words, Leo Ash began to ponder.
Then—he suddenly saw Anna stand up with a pout and walk briskly over to him.
"Hey, does seeing me make you that unhappy?"
"...To be honest, a little."
At that moment, the System helpfully threw out Anna's character profile.
[Name: Anna Schariac]
[Identity: A girl from the Schariac clan, a B-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, currently assigned to the Far East Branch.]
[Current Affection: 35]
[Note: She's angry. So, what should you do now?]
Watching Anna's affection level drop from 35 directly to 30, Leo Ash could only sigh helplessly in his heart.
Sigh, women.
Seeing the atmosphere between Leo Ash and Anna instantly freeze, Kiana felt a bit helpless.
Just a while ago, after Leo Ash had taken Cioara from the dorm, Anna had arrived at Himeko's place, dragging a suitcase.
Kiana, who had just returned to the dorm, found out the girl's name and immediately realized—hey, this is my cousin.
Because of this connection, Kiana immediately took on the role of the big sister and began to have a long chat with the slightly timid Anna.
But as they talked, she realized...
—Something's not right.
How does Anna know Senior?
And she even danced with Senior—I've never even danced with him!
Damn it, forget dancing, ever since escaping Nagazora City, I haven't had any close contact with Senior.
Although Kiana didn't feel any sense of rivalry towards Anna, the matter still bothered her a little.
But now, it seems Senior... isn't very happy to see her?
"Your appearance here, just like last time, probably isn't your own idea, right?"
After saying this, Leo Ash, who had switched to his poker face mode the moment he entered, walked quickly into the living room, leaned wearily against the sofa, and continued speaking to Anna, whose expression had changed.
"What scheme are those old ghosts in your clan brewing now?"
"...I really can't hide anything from you."
Hearing Leo Ash's words, Anna immediately understood that his anger wasn't directed at her.
At the same time, Leo Ash watched with a twitching eye as the ever-dramatic System changed Anna's affection level on the still-visible character profile back to 35.
"To put it simply, last time I used the excuse you gave me to tell them 'I have successfully gotten close to Leo Ash,' and they thought—this is our chance, we must strike while the iron is hot."
"And then, you resolved the Fourth Eruption, and the clan elders' strategy changed."
"They think that se..."
Noticing Kiana was nearby, Anna suddenly blushed and forced a couple of coughs.
"Anyway, they felt the original plan was a bit unnecessary."
"As long as I'm by your side, I can gain a higher status, so..."
"I see."
Listening to Anna's words, Leo Ash nodded slightly.
"Looks like I was too naive. The advice I gave you last time actually made those old geezers push their luck, didn't it?"
"I'll find some time to visit the Schariac clan and beat up those few old geezers. Then they'll probably understand what I really think."
"Please don't!"
Sensing the anger in Leo Ash's words, Anna immediately spoke to him at top speed.
"Youcan'tblametheelderstheyhadtheirownreasonsIalsowantedtocomeandtrainwithLadyTheresapleaseyoumustn'tdothis!"
"Heh, just kidding."
Looking at the panicked Anna, Leo Ash said with a smile.
"Do I look like such a violent person to you?"
At this moment, Anna and Kiana, who had roughly figured out the situation, suddenly looked at each other, then turned to Leo Ash in unison.
Then, the two girls nodded at the same time without any prior discussion.
"Yes, you do."
"It's not that you look like one, Senior. You definitely are that kind of person."
[Heh, look at your reputation. You haven't even done anything, and the girls are already imagining your future of domestic abuse.]
Who did I abuse?
[Aren't the people of the Schariac clan Anna's family? Isn't Anna a candidate for your harem? Isn't beating up her family domestic abuse?]
Get lost, get lost. Nothing's even started yet.
[Oh, come on. With this husky's speed of falling for you all on her own, if you just spend some time with her and act normally, her affection for you will shoot up as long as nothing major happens.]
Shut up, you shameless old scoundrel!
[First, this System is not old. Second, this System is not finished—]
Watching Leo Ash zone out in front of her again, Anna whispered to Kiana.
"Sister Kiana, does Leo Ash usually get distracted this easily?"
"Anna, you have no idea—Senior often stops mid-sentence and just stares blankly. We've been telling him to see a doctor for ages."
"You two, I can hear you."
Listening to their whispering, Leo Ash said, exasperated.
"Anyway, it's settled."
"I'm going to the Schariac clan tomorrow. After I beat them all up, you will—"
"Do you... really not want to see me that much?"
Seeing Leo Ash's angry expression, Anna said, suddenly a little dejected.
"If you really don't want to see me that much, then I..."
[She's about to turn into a Herrscher, she's about to turn into a Herrscher, she's about to turn into a Herrscher.]
The fact that you can still blabber on reassures me. If she really were turning into a Herrscher, could you still be talking right now?
[...Hey, you're no fun like this.]
You're the one who explained the mechanic to me, so I can only make my judgment based on that. You can still talk, which means I won't be facing a powerful enemy, so what's this about her turning into a Herrscher?
"Anna, listen up."
Seeing Anna's crestfallen expression, Leo Ash said very seriously.
"We're friends, and I hope you have the power to choose your own life."
"Don't worry too much about what other people are thinking. At least for now, I can help you avoid being bothered by those annoying old ghosts in the future."
"But, what if I said—that I myself truly wanted to come here?"
Looking at Leo Ash's sincere expression, Anna took a deep breath and said to him.
"Abyss Flower is in Lady Bianka's hands right now, which is actually normal and correct, because her strength is worthy of the Key of Creation."
"But now, our Schariac clan has the title of 'Clan of the Holy Maiden' in name only, without a warrior who can support the family."
"I hope to come to St. Freya High School, receive special training from Lady Theresa, become a Valkyrie who can stand on her own, and then revitalize my family again—is that not allowed?"
And, this way, I could stay by your side a little longer.
Does this guy really want to send me back that badly?
After Anna finished her speech, Leo Ash saw her affection rating actually climbing by 0.5, then another 0.5.
Um, I haven't said much yet, why is your affection rating...
Never mind, never mind.
"Forget it. Do as you please."
"If I may interject for a moment."
Sensing the strange atmosphere between the two, Kiana asked with some confusion.
"Isn't the Schariac clan the Clan of the Holy Maiden? Why does it sound like, from what you two are saying, the clan elders... aren't very good people?"
Hearing Kiana's words, Leo Ash snorted coldly and said with a sneer.
"The Clan of the Holy Maiden is a clan that produces Holy Maidens, not a clan where everyone is a Holy Maiden."
"It's perfectly normal for a clan to have a few vermin, not to mention..."
"—Although I don't like what they're doing, in my eyes, their actions haven't reached the level of vermin yet."
"When a clan gets large, it's natural to consider various things. I don't like their methods, but what they're doing, at least in my eyes, isn't so dirty as to be nauseating."
After Leo Ash said this, Anna suddenly felt even more moved.
So, Leo Ash isn't angry because of what happened; he's simply standing up for me.
At the same time, Leo Ash watched as Anna's affection rating jumped another 3 points, hitting 45, and he really felt—hey, stop, your affection is rising so fast it's scary!
[Don't panic, it's a small matter.]
[Host, you must firmly believe that you have become much stronger. Even a Herrscher can be defeated by your trump card combination of you and the HSN serum—and this time, this System is not kidding.]
Yeah, well said, but you definitely have more to say, don't you?
[It's like this—since you've become so strong, you don't have to worry about her coming at you with a cleaver.]
[Host, fly freely. If anything happens—]
You'll take the blame for me?
[What are you saying? Haven't you and this System always known that a person can only rely on themselves in the end?]
Damn you, then what was the point of saying all that?
So when the time comes, I'm the one getting chopped up, not you, so you're just giving bad advice from the sidelines, is that it?
[Hehehe.]
"See, Senior's at it again."
"Yeah, maybe we should find a time to have Lady Theresa take Leo Ash to see a psychologist..."
Hearing the two of them 'badmouthing' him to his face again, Leo Ash said, exasperated.
"You two—I'm perfectly normal, please don't think I have a problem just because I get distracted!"
.....
Meanwhile, St. Freya High School, Training Room
In the solo training room, Fu Hua, who had originally planned to meditate today, suddenly received a message from Otto.
[Old friend, I'm sending you a video. Help me see if you recognize this guy with the squinty eyes.]
Squinty eyes?
Seeing this description, Fu Hua opened the video and turned the volume down to the minimum.
Then, she immediately saw her long-unseen comrade, Su, appearing before Otto with the Thousand Worlds.
Su, he would actually appear before Otto voluntarily—what is Otto messing around with now?
Listening to the audio, Fu Hua suddenly felt that something was not right.
[When facing a traitor to humanity, do you think I have any reason to be polite to you?]
Otto, calling Su a traitor to humanity?
This guy, who gave him the right?!
Anger flaring in her heart, Fu Hua was suddenly stunned by Su's subsequent performance.
[Otto Apocalypse, you want to frame me? Then I'll prove it with facts—that you're fucking right.]
Um, is this really Su?
[This old man is betraying humanity today. Come on, I'll have a go with you Schicksal folks right here, right now!]
No, wait a minute, is this really Su?
Watching the hot-headed Su driving a runaway truck... oh wait, driving the Thousand Worlds, trying to ram Otto, Fu Hua's heart was filled with a sense of unease.
Has Su finally suffered a mental breakdown after executing Project Sahasrara for too long?
Why do I feel like, right now, he's...
—even more hot-tempered than Kalpas was back then?
...