Arriving in the consciousness space, Kiana immediately flopped face-first onto the floor.
She didn't move a muscle, nor did she want to.
She just lay there quietly, plastered against the ground.
Just like in the real world, where she lay plastered against the bed, resting blissfully in Otto's embrace.
However, her azure eyes sparkled with an unprecedented, brilliant light. Her face looked as if it had been polished with a layer of wax, radiating a luminous glow far brighter than ever before.
It was likely because she had finally obtained an overwhelming sense of security.
Along with the absolute, bone-deep satisfaction of having finally consummated their relationship.
Her eyes were brimming with confidence. At this moment, Kiana felt as though she could accomplish anything in the world.
A sweet, dopey smile crept onto her lips.
As she glanced around the consciousness space, she noticed the Queen floating in the air, exactly as she usually did.
The Queen's eyes were shut tight, looking as though she were sound asleep.
But...
Since when did her consciousness space get a stone statue?
"Sister K423?"
Kiana looked over at K423.
K423 didn't lift her head. Both her knees were planted firmly on the ground, her body slouched forward, supported only by her hands pressing against the floor.
K423 was striking a literal OTL pose.
All the color seemed to have been violently drained from her entire being. Her originally vibrant, rainbow-like eyes had lost all their highlights, becoming utterly dead and hollow. Her lips parted and closed repeatedly.
She was muttering soundlessly to herself.
This is a nightmare.
No matter how many times Kiana called out to her.
K423 remained completely unresponsive.
"Just ignore her."
Right then, finding Kiana a bit too noisy, the Queen finally spoke up.
Having her comfortable, private single room suddenly converted into a crowded dorm was making her incredibly annoyed.
However, her golden eyes opened just a sliver.
"Kiana," the Queen commanded lazily.
"You and I share the exact same origin; we are two inseparable halves. And this other girl is your stigmata, meaning in a certain sense, she also shares that same origin."
"Therefore... whatever you experience on the outside, we can pretty much feel the exact same sensations."
It was a historic first for the Queen to speak this many words to Kiana all at once.
Kiana opened her mouth, and suddenly, a horrifying realization crashed into her brain.
"Th-Th-Th-Th-This?!"
Her pretty face instantly turned as red as a boiling tomato.
D-Don't tell me... the two of them were watching and feeling everything for the past few hours?!
Kiana frantically covered her face. She felt an overwhelming desire to die of embarrassment right then and there. Having something that intimate witnessed by others was simply too mortifying to bear!
"Hmph."
Seeing Kiana practically trying to bury her face into the floorboards, the Queen let out a cold scoff.
She closed her eyes once again.
She needed to digest this massive influx of new power.
Because as entities sharing the same origin, she, too, had been deeply nourished by Otto's energy.
The Queen was secretly developing her strength, waiting for the perfect day to shatter Kiana's mental defenses and fully awaken.
After a while, Kiana didn't stand up. Instead, she just rolled across the floor until she bumped into K423. Looking at K423's thoroughly life-doubting expression, she asked in confusion.
"Sister K423, what's wrong with you?"
Kiana reached out and poked K423's cheek.
Having achieved a massive breakthrough in her relationship with Otto, her behavior had become considerably bolder.
A tiny sliver of light finally returned to K423's dead eyes.
"Oh, it's the past me," K423 rasped in a hoarse, mechanical voice.
"Could you help me find Class Monitor Fu Hua? I think I've been hit by the Herrscher of Sentience's Fenghuang Down."
"Why else would I have a dream where Otto and I became lovers? And I was actually the one taking the initiative..."
"What an absolute nightmare."
She continued her desperate escape from reality.
Originally, she had long decided never to run away from her problems again. But the sheer absurdity of what had transpired in this short amount of time had completely broken her brain.
"Mhm. It's a dream."
Although Kiana had no idea what 'Fenghuang Down' or 'Herrscher of Sentience' meant, she nodded along happily.
Hearing Kiana's affirmative response, a brilliant light finally erupted in K423's eyes.
I knew it was a nightmare!
That naughty Herrscher of Sentience must be misusing Fenghuang Down again! I'll have to ask Class Monitor Fu Hua to discipline her properly.
However, Kiana continued with a bright, giggling smile.
"Because Otto's lover is me. How could it possibly be you, Sister K423?"
Her face was beaming. She could now proudly declare herself as Otto's lover. The very act of claiming the title filled her eyes with absolute bliss and joy.
Because she truly believed with all her heart that Otto could give her a happy future.
But hearing Kiana's words, K423 looked as if she had just been struck by a bolt of divine lightning. Her slender arms could no longer support her body weight, and she collapsed completely onto the floor.
She curled herself into a tight, fetal ball.
Her face the perfect picture of someone who had completely given up on life.
"It's a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare. Nothing happened between me and Otto. Right. Right! I don't know Otto. I don't know an Otto."
She plunged right back into escaping reality.
She couldn't help it. She simply could not accept this truth.
Kiana actually fell in love with Otto?!
Just how completely mangled has history become for ME to end up as Otto's woman?!
What kind of third-rate script is this?!
And it's not just third-rate, it's downright obscene!
Why don't you just write it so that Mei and the Class Monitor are both Otto's women too while you're at it?!
"Sister K423, do you hate Otto?"
Kiana finally noticed that K423's feelings toward Otto were a bit... off. Women were always highly sensitive to how other women perceived their man.
K423 shot her a weary sideways glance.
Ah, my ignorant past self. When you finally learn the truth of everything, will you still be able to maintain that happy mood?
That man, Otto, played with both my life and your life in the palm of his hand.
And I eventually became exactly what Otto wanted me to be—a human possessing the power of a Herrscher.
And you... you are also rapidly becoming exactly what Otto wants you to be.
"He is not a good person," K423 rasped hoarsely. But she really, truly didn't want to talk about Otto right now. Because every time she thought of him, her mind forcefully replayed the images etched into her brain.
Ah... to think I was actually capable of making THAT kind of expression for Otto...
It really is a nightmare.
"Is that so? I think Otto is a very good person," Kiana replied with a cheerful, oblivious giggle.
"Stay far away from him," K423 muttered faintly, continuing to curl up in her fetal position.
She could only console herself with one thought: Kiana is staying at St. Freya Academy, so she will naturally be far away from Otto.
Once there's some distance between them, Kiana will definitely see Otto's true colors.
As for what just happened earlier...
I'll just treat it as a foolish mistake made by my young, ignorant self.
Kiana didn't argue further. She simply lay down next to K423 and closed her eyes. After all, she was feeling quite exhausted.
Once she woke up, she wouldn't be able to follow Otto to Schicksal HQ.
But Kiana didn't regret it.
She had to grow stronger.
"Once I become an S-rank Valkyrie, I'll give birth to little Ottos for you," Kiana mumbled softly into the floorboards.
Hearing Kiana's sleepy, self-satisfied muttering right next to her ear, K423 almost completely lost her grip on sanity.
Ah... this has to be a nightmare, right?
It definitely has to be a nightmare.
K423 squeezed her eyes shut. The consciousness space finally quieted down. Kiana, K423, and the Queen all had their eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
But out of the three, only the utterly carefree and deeply satisfied Kiana was actually able to fall asleep.
Meanwhile, in the real world.
Otto looked down at Kiana, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He reached out a finger and gently poked her soft cheek.
"Sleep well."
Otto's gaze was incredibly tender.
Kiana did indeed need a good rest.
"When you wake up..."
The corners of Otto's mouth curled up into a faint smirk.
He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Kiana's cheek.
"...You'll be at Headquarters," he finished with a smile.
Yes, Otto had indeed fully acknowledged and respected Kiana's resolve.
However... he had never once said that he was actually going to listen to her.
---o---