Hua never could have imagined that Captain Himeko was the so-called Key everyone had been talking about.
Vill-V was equally baffled. According to Honkai's original plot, shouldn't Himeko have remained safely within MOTH, continuing to mentor Hua until she became the Seventh Herrscher in Australia?
How had she ended up imprisoned here in such a miserable state?
Was this another change caused by the butterfly effect?
Although the history of the Previous Era from Vill-V's memories two lives ago had never been particularly reliable as a reference to begin with, she was discovering that the current course of events had become completely incomprehensible.
While she was lost in thought, Bronya had already hacked the electronic cage and opened it.
Vill-V and Hua hurried over to help Himeko out and remove her restraints.
"You... came to save me?"
As Himeko said this, tears seemed to glimmer in her eyes.
Although she had always presented herself as a strong woman to the outside world, how could someone capable of understanding other people's emotions not possess a soft place within her own heart?
No one was born with a heart as hard as stone.
But Himeko did not let those emotions spill out. She quickly restrained herself as usual, returning to the tough and aloof woman others remembered.
Because she still had no idea who these people were.
From the very beginning, Himeko had known that no one would come to rescue her.
MOTH?
Hah. It was MOTH's own upper leadership that had imprisoned her.
Reinforcements sent by that brat Ato?
Himeko knew perfectly well that the foolish little punk would be doing well just to survive his own troubles. Where would he possibly find the ability to bring in reinforcements to rescue her?
Surely Siegfried had not somehow entrusted some organization with looking after her after his death, had he?
(Siegfried: "Hoola!")
Vill-V noticed the wariness in Himeko's gaze and sighed inwardly. Well, that's understandable. Anyone imprisoned in a place like this would become sensitive and suspicious.
"Don't be nervous. We're all good people, Auntie Himeko."
Pfft.
Himeko's vision went black, and she collapsed on the spot.
"Uh..." Vill-V raised her head and looked at Liora, who was holding a tranquilizer gun.
"I literally just finished saying we're good people..."
Liora casually slipped the tranquilizer gun into her pocket. "She's already mentally exhausted. Let her get some proper rest. Whatever you want to discuss can wait until she wakes up. There's no need to torment her right now."
...
Taixu Hospital.
The moment Vill-V heard that Auntie Himeko had awakened, she rushed over immediately.
From far down the corridor, Vill-V could already hear Himeko shouting from inside the ward, "Alcohol! Bring me alcohol!"
Was Previous Era Auntie Himeko this much of a drunk too?
At least it saved Vill-V the trouble of choosing a hospital gift.
She reached into her magician's hat, pulled out a bottle of dry red wine from the year 2333, and entered Himeko's ward.
Himeko's eyes lit up the instant she saw the bottle. She reached for it... only for Hua to intercept it midway.
"Captain Himeko, your body needs rest. This bottle... I think I'll lock it in the refrigerator for you."
There was nothing Himeko could do about that while wrapped tightly from head to toe in bandages.
"I remember... your name is Hua, right?"
Even after a year had passed, Himeko still remembered Hua's name.
Because the girl had left such a deep impression on her.
"I'm no longer a captain in MOTH. Besides, you've already become an excellent warrior who's no weaker than I am. There's no need to be so respectful. Just call me Himeko."
Himeko might have been hopelessly fond of alcohol, but she was not so drunk that she could not understand the situation.
"...Understood, Major Himeko."
Calling Hua a warrior no weaker than Himeko was obviously just encouragement for a younger person. Hua would never take it seriously.
Hua was a reserved child. Around her seniors, she rarely relaxed immediately.
And there was something else she had no intention of loosening her grip on—the wine bottle in her hand.
What a stubborn girl, Himeko thought.
At the same time, she stared longingly at the wine in Hua's hand and explained, "There's a reason I drink so much. I was born with an illness that causes intermittent pain throughout my body. I need alcohol to numb myself."
Vill-V immediately exposed Himeko's excuse. "Hospitals have anesthetics and painkillers. You don't need to drink alcohol for that."
The Previous Era was nothing like the Current Era. It possessed complete genetic modification and medical technologies. Most congenital diseases had available treatments, and even those that could not be cured could at least be managed with a vast assortment of specialized drugs. Those were far more reliable than drinking.
"Hey, you. You called me 'Auntie' earlier, didn't you? I still remember that."
Clearly, Himeko cared quite a bit about being called Auntie. She had remembered it even after passing out.
"Ehehe, then allow me to apologize~ Big Sis Himeko~" Vill-V pressed her palms together and apologized mischievously.
"Forget it. Call me whatever you want."
Himeko shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "Drinking has long since become muscle memory for me. Without alcohol, my body even starts producing phantom pain."
"Mm, Captain Himeko, can't even modern medicine cure your condition?" Hua asked after locking the wine inside the refrigerator.
Himeko shook her head again. "It really can't be cured completely. You came to see me because you want to extract information about this place from me too, don't you?"
"But you're all good kids. I don't want to drag you into this. If this is a mission assigned by the organization behind you, I suggest that you... No. You must abandon it."
Himeko's tone was firm. Although she and Vill-V and Hua were little more than passing acquaintances, she had still considered their safety deeply.
Himeko tried to raise one leg, but unfortunately, it refused to obey her at all.
Looking toward the refrigerator, profound exhaustion showed in her eyes. "Let me finish that final bottle of 2333 red wine, and then I'll leave immediately. That way, those dangers probably won't have a chance to implicate you."
"The madness and darkness within MOTH are beyond anything you can imagine. Do not attempt to gaze into the abyss."
Himeko had already resolved to charge into MOTH alone and rescue someone. Whether she died did not matter, but she absolutely had to save that brat Ato.
Otherwise, she would have no way to answer to Siegfried's spirit in heaven.
(Siegfried: "Hoola!")
"Uh, haven't you misunderstood something?" Vill-V poked her own cheek in mild exasperation. "Big Sis Himeko, take another careful look at me. Do you remember who I am now?"
"You?"
Himeko narrowed her eyes and stared at Vill-V's large, baby-fat cheeks. Then her eyes suddenly widened. "Head of MOTH's Energy Department, Vill-V!"
"Oh, so you do recognize me."
Seeing that Himeko had finally recognized her, Vill-V nodded in satisfaction.
I really have no presence at all as head of the Energy Department if I need to remind people before they can even recognize me.
Though I suppose that makes sense. I haven't attended a single MOTH departmental briefing since becoming department head. If someone didn't carefully read the detailed personnel notices, how would they know who the new Energy Department head was?
"That's right. I'm one of the people within MOTH's abyss too. So now, you can tell me everything you know, can't you, Big Sis Himeko?"