"Ah~ The tests are finally over! I thought I was going to die of boredom," Kiana commented as she stretched her arms upwards as she walked out of the classroom. Bronya and Mei followed her closely.

"Bronya doesn't understand Subject Kiana's relief if she fell asleep at the end of every test," Bronya commented dryly.

Kiana stammered for a second before answering. "W-Well! I've been tired of our study sessions," Kiana replied.

Normally Kiana would have responded more angrily to Bronya, but she could understand that it wasn't the best time.

Bronya and Kiana turned their heads to look at the third member of their small group. Mei's gaze was downcast and unfocused as she walked with them out of the room. The girl had been giving off a solemn air after what had happened in the hospital room days ago.

Kiana had tried to cheer the girl up with her positive attitude and conversation starters. But the results had been minimal. Mei was still feeling down.

Bronya had done the same, though she had tried to distract Mei with video games. The results of her efforts had been worse than Kiana's. Mei barely reacted to the games, preferring to cook or clean the apartment. Kiana had ignored the urge to rub this in Bronya's face; even she could understand that it wasn't the best time for it.

"Ah, my cake," Kiana squealed in her head with excitement. She hadn't forgotten the promise of receiving a cake all to herself if she tried her best for the trials. No sir. A Kaslana would give anything to receive free delicious food! And what better way than to have it come from her good, beautiful senpai!

Kiana hadn't brought up the promise of cake, though. Not as the way things were.

"Mei-senpai, the last tests were really hard, right?" Kiana knew the question was pointless, but she wanted to see a reaction other than the discouragement her senpai had been having these past few days.

"What? Ah, yes, you're right, Kiana-chan. The tests were a bit difficult," Mei replied reluctantly.

"Stupid Adam… Hurry up and get better as soon as possible. Mei-senpai is sad because of you!" Kiana thought, watching as Mei barely reacted to her presence. It had been difficult for her to control the annoyance she felt knowing that the cause of Mei's condition was due to the only male student living with them.

Kiana couldn't help it, okay? Her beloved Mei-senpai was sad, and Kiana didn't like seeing her depressed.

"Subject Mei, would you like Bronya to take care of dinner tonight?" Bronya asked. Her tone was even, but Kiana noticed the shorter girl's concern.

It took a moment for Mei to reply with a soft 'yes'. Kiana grimaced slightly at her response. She and Bronya shared a worried look for their friend.

The rest of the way back to the dorms was solemn. Kiana kept quiet along the way, thinking of ways she could cheer her senpai up. Bronya shared a similar idea, but she was more thoughtful about what she would order for dinner. Bronya knew that the brunette's emotional state was connected to Adam's health, and she would only get better until she heard good news from the boy. All they could do was keep waiting.

The girls arrived at the academy's apartment complex and climbed the stairs to reach their own. Kiana continued to look worriedly at Mei, while Bronya was vigilant in making sure the girl didn't trip. The day before, Bronya had stopped Mei from falling down the stairs, the girl being absentminded to her surroundings in her concerned state.

Upon arriving, Bronya opened the door, and the first thing she noticed upon entering was the aroma that filled the apartment.

"What smells so good!?" Kiana shouted, raising her nose and repeatedly sniffing the air as she walked into the apartment. Mei was startled for a second by the white-haired girl's shout. It took her a moment to process what was happening and like Kiana, she sniffed the air.

"Does it smell like… fried chicken?"

The girls walked in, leaving their bags on the living room couch as they followed the source of the smell.

"Great!" Kiana screamed as she saw what was sitting on the dining room table. Six buckets of fried chicken. Next to the buckets were some small containers. The girls assumed these were the side dishes. It was worth mentioning that there were plates and silverware ready to be used.

"Bronya wonders how these got here." Bronya stared at Kiana for a second until she shook her head. She hadn't seen her pull out her cell phone on the way back, not to mention that only someone with a key to the apartment could get in.

"It would be strange if a stranger broke in just to leave food," Bronya thought.

"Ah! You girls have arrived."

The three Valkyries in training quickly turned in the direction of the voice and their eyes widened as they saw Adam emerge from the kitchen. He was carrying an ice pack in one hand, placing it against his forehead.

"Adam?!" Kiana screamed.

He grimaced. "Please don't scream. My head hurts. Whatever they gave me for the pain is out of my system now," he groaned, pressing the ice pack a little harder against his head.

"Ah… Sorry," Kiana apologized. "Wait, no! Aren't you supposed to still be in the hospital?!"

Adam groaned at her scream but let it pass. "I woke up a few hours ago. Headmistress Theresa and Professor Himeko asked me to report to them about what happened at the Stigmata," he informed her.

"Subject Adam was released so quickly?" Bronya asked, tilting her head to the side. "Considering what happened, Subject Adam should still remain in the hospital for optimal recovery."

"I was told that my Stigma would help me get over it quickly. I just need to rest for a couple of days and I'll be as good as new," Adam replied.

He was pleased that the girls wouldn't take his quick recovery too seriously, though he couldn't help but feel a little nervous when he noticed that Mei had yet to speak. The girl had a dumbfounded look on her face, which slowly transformed into an expression he hadn't expected.

Mei's lips pursed together, forming a straight line with her mouth, and her forehead wrinkled into a frown that he hadn't seen before.

"Shit…" He cursed. The girls instantly noticed their friend's change of mood. Kiana shuddered and sweated slightly, Bronya floated a couple of steps back as she watched the brunette cautiously.

Before Adam could speak, Mei closed the distance between the two in three strides, and faster than he could react, she slapped him hard across the face. The ice pack fell to the floor, marking a deafening silence in the dining room.

"Shit…" Kiana muttered. Bronya's eyes widened in surprise. Neither of them had ever seen Mei this angry. They both knew her sinister smile when the two of them argued or fought, or when Kiana sneaked for meat portions. That smile was a clear warning that she was either pissed off or about to get that way with them.

Unconsciously, Kiana and Bronya agreed to never take the girl to such a level with them. Her gaze was terrifying.

Adam couldn't say anything at the action, stunned by what had just happened, he just let out a hiss of pain as he brought a hand to his cheek. There was a clear red mark on it. Mei continued to stare at him with her deadly gaze as he rubbed the bruise.

"What the hell Mei?!"

Kiana and Bronya flinched as Mei slapped him again.

"Damnit Mei! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Adam didn't understand what had caused such a reaction in the girl. He didn't remember having done anything to make her so angry.

"{Shit! I've never seen her act like that.}"

"{Are you sure you haven't done something to deserve so much of her wrath?}"

Apparently what he said made her even more enraged, as Mei moved faster than he expected. Adam barely had the instinct to stiffen his body and prepare for the third blow. He staggered for a second but remained standing, barely taking a step back.

"Mei-senpai!"

"Subject Mei!"

Kiana and Bronya raised their voices. They had no idea what had provoked such a violent response from Mei, but they were about to jump in and stop what was just shy of a beating. Mei ignored them, continuing to glare pointedly at Adam.

"What the fuck Mei?!"

She closed the distance and held Adam tightly by the collar of his jacket. Her breathing was rapid and the fabric could be heard rustling in her hands. Kiana and Bronya were about to intervene, but a quick glare made them stop. Do not interfere, was what Mei's eyes said.

"Huh… Mei?"

"You… You… You fucking idiot!" Mei screamed in his face. Her swearing took them by surprise. As far as they knew, Mei had never cursed in front of them. "Stupid, brainless, idiot, stubborn, reckless…!"

She continued to repeat for over a minute how much of a moron he was. Adam endured the series of insults, keeping his gaze fixed on Mei's fierce eyes. When her breath and saliva ran out, she was panting with her eyes downcast, maintaining her grip on Adam.

"Mei-senpai?" Kiana called out hesitantly. Mei didn't seem to have heard her. Kiana was about to do it again but she closed her mouth with an audible click when Mei released Adam from her grip and hugged him tightly.

"I can't do it… I can't…" Mei muttered, placing her chin on Adam's shoulder, though with the silence in the apartment, her words were heard clearly.

"I can't do this alone… I'm not as strong as all of you. I… I don't…" Mei started to sob. "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to lose any of you. Adam-kun, Kiana-chan, Bronya-chan… I can't do this if you're not all with me."

The silence of the apartment was filled with Mei's whimpering. Kiana wanted to comfort the girl, but as much as she wanted to and was upset by what was happening, she held back. Bronya levitated as she watched the scene with her expressionless face, though she tried not to stare. For his part, Adam was sore from the slaps he had received, not to mention the headache he had before the beating didn't make things any better for him.

"Today has been a long day indeed," Adam thought as Mei continued to hug him and cry on his shoulder. Himeko had told him that Mei was worried about him, but he didn't think she was that worried. Feeling the girl's body shake from crying, Adam opened his mouth to comfort her, but the guests in his head stopped him.

"{Action speaks louder than words. Didn't you lament that you're no good at this like in Sakura's case?}" The voice reproached.

"{Body contact helps.}" The other added. "{Don't tell me I have to point it out to you?}"

Slowly, Adam wrapped his arms around Mei and gently squeezed her. Mei froze in surprise for a second but then tightened her hold. They stayed in that position for about five minutes until Mei released Adam. She began wiping her tears with the back of her hand until Bronya offered her a tissue.

"Thank you, Bronya-chan," Mei said, wiping away her tears and blowing her nose. Bronya nodded silently.

"Huh…" Adam said awkwardly. "Feeling better, Mei?" It was ironic that he asked, considering that she was the one who beat him up just a little while ago.

"Yes…" She replied quietly, taking a few steps back as she wiped her face.

Adam was about to say something, but he saw something white approaching him quickly. Out of pure reflex, he dodged and caught a fourth blow that was coming towards his abdomen.

"You too?!"

"Take your punishment like a man!" Kiana tried to hit Adam again but he dodged her blows. "This is for making Mei-senpa cry and worrying us, you idiot!"

He didn't have the energy or the will for another beating, so he quickly pulled out his tendrils and tied Kiana's legs and arms tightly together, holding her in the air. She struggled to free herself but Adam wouldn't budge. Out of the corner of his eye, Adam saw the ice pack lying on the ground. Using another tendril, he picked up the bag. The tendril retracted and left the bag in his hand, and he pressed the bag against his sore cheek. Even with a healing factor, the pain persisted. Mei did have strength in her hands.

"Bronya believes that Subject Adam has received enough for today."

Surprisingly, it was Bronya who came to his rescue.

"Kiana-chan," Mei called out to her. She struggled for a moment longer until she gave in and looked at Mei. "Bronya-chan is right." She looked at Adam and then back at Kiana. "Adam has gotten what he deserved for today."

"Wait, is Mei planning to hit me again?" Adam wondered with a puzzled look.

Kiana glared at him for a moment longer until she exhaled sharply through her nose and turned her head to the side.

"Hmph! You're lucky, Adam. If it were up to me, I'd give you another beating for making her cry."

Adam just groaned in exasperation. "Whatever you say, Kiana," he said wearily. Kiana growled at his attitude but said no more. Carefully, he lowered Kiana to her feet and retracted his tendrils.

"Adam, were you the one who brought all this food?" Bronya asked.

Adam took the opportunity to change the subject. He pulled up a chair in the dining room and sat down. "Yes. Himeko told me that Mei looked tired these days. She suggested that I treat you all to dinner this time." What he left out was how Himeko had suggested it, complaining that Mei's food didn't taste the same and that the girl was tired and unfocused.

Himeko's whining aside, Adam took advantage of this and thought it would be a thoughtful gesture. Of course, he didn't expect this to solve Mei's discontent, but at least it would give the girl a break from cooking.

"I don't think it's fair that Mei is the only one who cooks," Adam thought. "But we'd all be dead if it weren't for her."

Bronya had admitted to not having the best knowledge or seasoning, but she stood her ground. Her dishes tended to be a bit salty, though. Himeko used more pre-prepared or frozen food to make up for her lack of practice in the kitchen. Adam himself admitted that he would never be on Mei's level. He could never please the palate of the Valkyries who lived with him. And as for Kiana… Her need to eat everything in her path and her picky eating habits were proportional to her terrible cooking skills.

"Well… I hope you like me-"

"We're not done, Adam-kun," Mei interrupted.

"Damnit…"

Kiana was about to sit down and grab some of the chicken, but Mei didn't let her. "Kiana-chan. Let's all go to the living room." Kiana wanted to protest, though she thought twice when she saw Mei's serious look. Kiana nodded, gulping down some saliva and giving the fried chicken a pitiful look before being pulled into the living room by Mei. Everyone took a seat. The girls sat on the long couch while Adam took the single couch next to them.

"Adam-kun," Mei began. "What happened after Yae-san defeated the fox? The last thing I remember was waking up when that bright light shone."

Adam sighed, knowing that the topic of Sakura and the Stigma was far from over for the day. He was about to open his mouth, but he looked at Kiana and Bronya. "Huh… Principal Theresa told you if-"

"Kiana-chan and Bronya-chan know what happened," Mei interrupted. "I informed Himeko-sensei what happened, and she told me to tell them." For a second, Mei frowned at Kiana, who gave an awkward giggle. "Himeko-sensei almost changed her mind, though."

"Idiotka's reaction was pretty loud when she found out you two ran into a Herrscher inside the headmistress's body," Bronya commented. Kiana grunted but said nothing more.

"Well, that cuts things short," Adam remarked. "In that case, what happened after the fight was…"

He went back to narrating what happened after the last confrontation with the Herrscher, of course, avoiding mentioning what happened with the Remnant and the intimate details of Sakura and Kallen's conversation. After half an hour, Adam finished. At the end of his narration, Kiana and Mei displayed pity for the sad circumstances of the two lovers. Bronya showed no major reaction on her face, but Adam noticed how the corners of her lips moved slightly downwards.

"That's… fucked up," Kiana said.

"Kiana-chan," Mei tried to admonish, but from the lack of fervor in her tone, it was clear that she shared her opinion.

"I feel the same way, Kiana," Adam said, setting the ice pack down on the coffee table in the living room. His cheek no longer hurt like it used to but still stung.

"But that's life. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people," he mused, letting out a tired, annoyed groan.

"So what will happen to them?" Mei asked. "Will Yae-san and th-the Herrscher be sent to Schicksal HQ?" Mei's voice trembled, and it's not like Adam blamed her. She was close to ending up there if it wasn't for Theresa's intervention.

"Headmistress Theresa told me she would speak to them and the supervisor. Depending on the responses from both parties, we may have two new additions to the academy," Adam replied.

"I-I see," Mei nodded with a complicated expression on her face.

"Don't worry, Mei-senpai," Kiana said. "If they are bad girls, then I will stop them!" She exclaimed bravely, puffing out her chest as she said this and flashing a smile to calm her senpai.

What no one expected was the look of terror and worry on Mei's face.

"NO!" Mei screamed. Like lightning, she grabbed Kiana firmly by the shoulders. "Kiana, if the Herrscher turns hostile, let Himeko-sensei and Headmistress Theresa handle it."

"Eh… Mei-senpai, your face is too close…" On any other occasion, Kiana would have blushed, but Mei's expression and the way she held her shoulders made her feel uncomfortable. "Senpai, your hands are hurting me..."

"Promise!"

"I-"

"Mei," Adam stood up from his seat and carefully removed her hands from Kiana and let them go.

Realizing what she had done, Mei quickly apologized to Kiana.

"It's okay, Mei-senpai," Kiana smiled, but Mei cringed for a moment before apologizing again.

Adam looked intently at Mei's face. She had suddenly reacted to Kiana's words. It took him a couple of seconds to understand the cause. "Does this have to do with what happened at the Stigmata?" Mei closed her mouth. After a second, she pursed her lips and looked down, nodding.

"Subject Adam," Bronya also looked at Mei intently. "Did Subject Mei omit details about what happened during the immersion in the Stigmata? Subject Mei said that Subject Adam's fight was arduous and dangerous, but she didn't mention in detail what happened." Bronya's tone was indifferent as always, but Mei shrank back again as if being called out.

Adam took another breath: "You see, in the Stigmata…"

He proceeded to tell them the details that he was sure Mei had left out, such as when he was injured by the fanatical villagers, the hard fight with the Herrscher through the forest, and the remains of the village, as well as the brutal and bloody fight alongside the Remnant before finally defeating the Herrscher. Kiana and Bronya listened intently while Mei avoided looking up.

"That's why you slapped me, isn't it?" Adam asked after finishing his narration. "You were pissed off by what happened back there." Comparing how Mei's reception had been as well as her terror when Kiana mentioned facing the Herrscher, Mei wasn't upset for no reason. She was distraught.

"I… I was horrified by what I saw, Adam-kun," Mei muttered. She didn't look up. "Maybe you don't see it that way, but that fight, if you can call it that, wasn't… it wasn't normal." She gulped. "I don't want any of you facing that kind of danger."

"Was it that bad, Mei-senpai?" Kiana asked, looking worriedly between her and Adam. Bronya remained quiet, watching intently.

"Bad?" Mei said mockingly. There was a hint of bitterness in it. "It wasn't bad. It was terrible ."

"Okay, it wasn't a typical fight, but I don't think it was that-"

"I saw what your back looks like when there's no skin and muscles covering it, Adam-kun," Mei interrupted. That shut him up.

"{Congratulations! You just traumatized your friend,}" it said mockingly.

"{You better console her. You keep forgetting that she was a normal girl a few months ago. No one like that can adapt to the pace of life you lead,}" it scolded him.

The voices and Himeko were right, but that didn't make it easy. Having someone who cared about how he did things was strange. Okay, Siegfried and Hestia did, but they both knew he would heal thanks to his Stigmata, adding that his idiot mentor and himself dealt with matters that were mortal to the average human.

"I'm sorry if that made you worry, Mei," Adam said. He didn't remember having to apologize for doing what was necessary to survive. "But I had no choice. It was fought tooth and nail if we wanted to get out of there alive."

"But you didn't have to go to such lengths, Adam-kun," Mei replied, looking at him with concern. "I… I didn't like what I saw at the Stigmata. You took too many risks and were seriously injured."

"Get used to it. That's what it takes to be a Valkyrie."

It was a sharp sentence whispered in his mind, but Adam didn't say it. He took a deep breath to control himself. There was no reason to respond to her like that. Mei was only worried about him.

"I…" What could he say to him? That he wouldn't do it again, and that he would be more careful when facing a deadly situation like the one they experienced at the Stigmata? That he would try not to be so brutal with whatever it was that tried to eat his face or tear it to pieces, so as not to be hurt in the process?

"{Control yourself.}/ {Control yourself} "

Listening to their reproaches, Adam took another deep breath and concentrated on remembering Hestia's exercises.

"Listen only to the sound of my voice. Let your mind relax. Let your thoughts flow. Let the bad memories fade away…"

Following the steps, Adam felt the tension in his body slowly fade away.

"Huh… Adam, are you still there?"

Adam snapped out of his thoughts. He blinked and realized he had completely forgotten the girls. Kiana was watching him curiously, Mei with concern, and Bronya intently.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was thinking of something else." The girls didn't look convinced, but let it pass. Clearing his throat, Adam looked at Mei and thought carefully about his next words.

"Remember what Professor Himeko said. Honesty without kindness is brutality. Kindness without honesty is manipulation." With that in mind, Adam opened his mouth and said:

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Mei, but you know better than anyone how dire the situation was."

She grimaced but nodded after a moment.

"Look, I can't promise you that I won't use everything at my disposal to get out alive from a situation like the one we're in at the Stigmata, but I can assure you that I don't have any foolish ideas about sacrificing myself or using desperate measures as a first option."

Mei looked even more disheartened. Both Kiana and Bronya gave him incredulous looks, but Adam wasn't done yet.

"I… I'm not used to having normal people worrying about me," he admitted awkwardly. The three girls showed surprise at his words. "Usually, my wounds are quickly healed by my Stigmata before anyone can see them, and I've dealt with more mortal matters than I want to talk about." Adam exhaled, tired. "My point is, sorry if you're worried about how I did things on the dive, but the last thing I wanted was to die at the hands of a rotten bastard like the Fox-Herrscher. I, huh, I appreciate you worrying about me, Mei, but I don't think it's that necessary. No, wait I…" Adam began to mumble his words. His face reddened slightly as he realized he had ruined his explanation.

"Is it really hard to just say I'm sorry?" Kiana asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I don't want to hear that from the girl who failed the grammar homework last time," Adam remarked.

"Hey! It was harder than it looked!"

Soon, Kiana and Adam began arguing with each other. Bronya stared blankly at the two idiots while Mei blinked in surprise, trying to understand the unexpected turn of the conversation.

"It seems that Subject Adam's neurons were damaged during the dive," Bronya thought as she watched the two idiots argue over something as simple as homework. Despite their silence, she had been analyzing the others' mood patterns during the conversation. Adam's had caught her attention the most. "It's possible that Subject Adam doesn't recognize or know how to deal with how to live in an environment not hostile to him."

Bronya knew how ironic this sounded given her background as a child soldier in Siberia, as well as her difficult acclimatization in her mother's orphanage. There, she learned new things that were not entirely related to guns and violence. It was difficult, but Bronya had made friends with the local children, as well as gained and lost the one person who meant the world to her.

"Seele…"

"Hahaha…"

Bronya stopped her thoughts and turned to look at Mei. Mei covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter as she watched Kiana and Adam argue with each other.

Seeing Mei in a better mood, Bronya smiled, or at least tried to. Her lips quivered slightly upward. Maybe she couldn't do it physically or feel the emotion like before, but seeing Mei smiling again made Bronya happy.

"Subject Mei, would you laugh the same if you knew why I'm with you three?"

As soon as that treacherous thought reared its head, Bronya squashed it. It was not the time nor did she have to think that way.

Bronya would do whatever it took to see Seele again. No matter the cost.

But… it didn't bother her to enjoy these moments.

"Wow, I didn't expect Mei to slap me," Adam commented to himself in the privacy of his room.

After the serious talk he had with Mei deviated into one of the typical Kiana and Bronya disputes, the group proceeded to have dinner. As usual, Kiana nearly devoured everything in her path if it weren't for Mei's intervention. The group dined alone in the apartment. Himeko warned the former heiress that she would be very late to the apartment to have dinner with them. Mei managed to secure a decent portion for the teacher, threatening Kiana not to bake her that cake she had promised if she didn't behave. Easy to say, the girl obeyed without much effort after this.

Dinner was pleasant, although Mei's constant questions about whether he was feeling okay began to get on his nerves. To calm her down, he said he would visit Dr. Margot the next day to check for any after-effects.

Once dinner was over, everyone got ready for bed. After saying their goodbyes, everyone retreated to their personal rooms. In the privacy of his own, Adam used his cell phone, selecting an app to detect hidden microphones.

"Pre-Era technology was really the best," he thought as the device's screen went black and played an animation of a radar.

Paranoid, perhaps, but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially with the person he was going to talk to.

Once the cell phone didn't detect anything, Adam sat down in his desk chair and dialed the number he had in mind. It took a couple of seconds until the number made contact.

"Adam?!"

He moved his ear away from the receiver with a grimace as he heard Hestia's scream.

"Well, here we go…"

"Hestia, I am happy to hear your voice," Adam began. He mentally prepared himself for some protest from her. Something she usually did when he and Siegfried executed some stupid plan.

(Personally, it was more Siegfried's fault.)

"Adam! I was so glad to hear from you," Hestia exclaimed in relief. Her reaction surprised him for a second.

"The doctor informed me about your condition and what happened at the Stigmata." Hestia paused. "Damnit… How the hell did a Herrscher get inside Theresa? Things weren't supposed to turn out like this," Hestia cursed in annoyance.

"Considering that this is the Honkai, you know better than anyone that it will attack us from where we least expect it."

"I know that complaining doesn't help, but it pisses me off to know that we didn't see this coming. For a moment I thought I had sent you to your death, Adam."

He exhaled. "I don't blame you. I thought I had reached the end of my road for a moment too, Hestia." Adam knew what he was getting into when he decided to venture into the wolf's cave, he just didn't expect there to be a bear there too. But what happened, happened. In the end, he made it out of there alive.

"Adam, you must be tired, though, I need you to tell me in detail everything about what happened at the Stigmata." Hestia quickly added. "I'm sorry, but it's necessary. We can't allow another event like this to happen again, Adam."

He groaned but did so. For nearly an hour and a half, Adam recounted what had happened at the Stigmata while Hestia listened quietly. Every detail and observation he had made was recounted.

Theresa's condition, the precarious situation of the village, the offering rite to the gods, Sakura's sad life, the fight alongside the Remnant against the Herrscher, Kallen's talk and request, and what had happened to the Remnant once the fight had ended.

When he finished, Adam sighed heavily. He swallowed to moisten his throat, which was dry from all his narration. Hestia remained silent, analyzing all the information she had received.

"Adam."

"Yeah?"

"Adam, did something happen when the Remnant was consumed?" Hestia asked gravely.

He grimaced as he recalled what happened after that. "Other than writhing in agony and feeling like broken glass was moving through my brain? Nothing." Adam paused. "Well, nothing at the time, but before I woke up I had a dream that turned into a fucking nightmare at the end." Recalling it, Adam added, "It felt like a memory but from someone else's perspective. I had no idea what it was until the dream turned into a psychedelic nightmare."

Remembering the tar arms pulling him into the abyss of darkness and the horrible red sun in the sky sent a chill down Adam's spine.

"And what about your guests?" Hestia asked in the same serious tone. "Did they give you any trouble or react in any particular way after the dive?"

"{You do know we can hear you, right?}"

"{Considering that you are here, I would also be worried like her}"

"{Hey!}"

Adam ignored them. "Aside from them still being pains in the ass and not seeing what happened at the Stigmata, everything is fine."

"{Are you forgetting that you've been very tense today?}" It commented.

With that said Adam added, "Well, I've been a little stressed since I woke up. Maybe it's just nerves over what happened and that we now have another Herrscher in the academy," he said. He just hoped that Hestia wouldn't take it the wrong way.

She sighed, tired, but he could also hear the relief in her. "It's good to know this. For a moment I thought I would have to withdraw you from the academy if there were any adverse side effects on your body. You don't know how lucky you two were to come out of the Stigmata unscathed."

Adam agreed with her.

"Hestia, what will happen to Sakura and the Herrrscher?" He asked.

"Hmm… There has never been a recorded case like the Herrscher Higokumaru before. A Herrscher who supposedly broke free from the influence of the Honkai's Will." Her tone was skeptical. "Considering what you told me, it might be a trap."

"But…"

"But this may be a unique opportunity, Adam. I understand that Mei Raiden's consciousness did not succumb to the Honkai's influence. It's a miracle that she did not lose her personality shortly before Major Himeko Murata's ship rescued you four from Nagazora." She hummed for a second. "It seems that Raiden is stronger than she lets on."

"You're not wrong there." Adam rubbed his bruised cheek. It still stung slightly.

"Getting back to the point, try to get in touch with this Higokumaru. See if you can glean anything from her memories of her time as a Herrscher under the Honkai's influence. She might know something that will turn the fight against the Honkai in our favor."

"Okay." Huh, he hadn't imagined the day he would have to subtly get information out of a Herrscher. This day was really weird.

It sounded bad to have to engage with a girl who wanted to make amends, just to get information out of her, but there was too much at stake to stop at this. If the girl was being honest, then Hestia and he would gain vital information, if not, well, they would have a powerful ally on their side.

Of course, if she was really being honest with them.

"As for Sakura, I suggest you keep her close as well. I received scans of her and given what happened to her in this Black Box and her close contact with the Herrscher, she can be categorized as a pseudo-Herrscher."

"Do you want me to get information from her too?" Adam asked doubtfully. Despite having lived alongside the Herrscher for several years, given the way events had unfolded in the Stigmata, it was unlikely that the Herrscher would share sensitive information with Sakura. Let alone that they would get along.

"I doubt she and the Herrscher would have a cordial relationship from what you've told me. No. Keep Sakura close and try to form a good and strong relationship with her. You said that you and she fought this Higokumaru in the Stigmata with great efficiency." She paused. "If the situation were to arise, you and she would be the most effective elements to end Higokumaru's life if it turns out that her words and attitude were just a facade to attack you."

"Okay, Hestia."

"Good. Now go to sleep, Adam," Hestia prompted. "From what I understand, Theresa will be giving you the tests and exams you missed while you were unconscious."

Adam clicked his tongue. "I'd forgotten about that."

Hestia chuckled. "In that case, I bid you good night, Adam. Don't forget to take your sleeping pills. You'll need to be alert and well-rested for your tests."

He growled, but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Damn exams," he thought.

Adam said goodbye and was about to hang up, but an idea quickly popped into his head.

"Hestia?"

"Yes, Adam?"

"Hestia, how did the Remnant in Nagazora come about?" The question had arisen in his mind before, but with the situation at hand, Adam had not stopped to wonder in detail about the cause of why the abomination had arisen.

The AI didn't say anything for a moment. This didn't sit well with him. "I don't know, Adam. To be honest with you, I've been reviewing the videos and logs of the first sightings of the creature from the Schicksal outpost on Nagazora. I've even reviewed the log and security videos from the Hyperion ship, the one that rescued you from the city."

Nagazora. Every time that name was heard, it seemed like a jinx was being called.

"But there was nothing out of the ordinary, save for a computer worm that was planted some time ago by an undercover Anti-Entropy agent. The worm was meant to transmit classified information uploaded from the ship's main server." Hestia added. "Don't worry about it. The agent was killed a few months ago by Schicksal agents, and I've purged the worm from the ship's system. Along with any files related to you."

Had Anti-Entropy planted a worm in the Hyperion system? Strange, but St. Freya served as Schicksal's Far East branch. It might just be another AE move. At least he wasn't in their sights.

For a moment he was worried but quickly got over it. Hestia had her way of doing things. Adam trusted her to let him know when a problem arose that would put him on guard.

"Hestia, can we expect any action from Schicksal regarding what happened to Theresa?"

Hestia snorted. "Not for now. Otto has his hands full and so does his personal intelligence agent. Still, be careful. I will let you know immediately if he or any of his lapdogs are sent to the academy."

"I see."

With that said, they both said goodbye and hung up the phone.

There was a lot of work ahead for him.

"There's no rest for the wicked, huh?"

Mei tossed and turned on her bed. She searched for comfortable sleeping positions, but sleep eluded her. Her head turned to look at the digital clock on her nightstand. The clock read three in the morning. With a huff, Mei threw the covers off of her and got out of her bed. She put on her slippers and left her room.

She walked carefully through the dark hallways of the apartment and made her way to the kitchen. There, Mei picked up a glass and poured herself a glass of water. She drank it. Usually, this helped her fall asleep when she couldn't.

"{You are restless.}"

Mei jumped in fright at the sudden voice, almost knocking over her second glass of water. It took a moment for her to realize that this was her unpleasant guest.

"What do you want?" She asked disdainfully. The past few days had been stressful for Mei, and even though the reason for her stress was in better condition, she felt like she couldn't let her guard down. Plus, she hadn't been able to sleep well all this time. Her mood wasn't the best, let alone when it came to her.

The Herrscher of Thunder chuckled at Mei's reaction. "{My, my, you sure are being quite hostile today, don't you think?}" A hum echoed in Mei's head. "{Be careful, that mood of yours might alienate the few 'friends' you have.}"

Mei knew she was just trying to provoke her. She didn't take the bait. "I'm trying to sleep. Leave me alone."

There was no immediate response. Mei thought she had received the message and had returned to the depths of her mind.

It wasn't like that. "{You're still worried about the Worm.}" It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Don't call Adam-kun that," Mei said harshly. She wouldn't tolerate anyone making fun of her friends, much less the Herrscher inside her. Mei frowned as she heard the Herrscher's mocking laughter echo in her mind.

"{I can't believe you still think the Worm is your friend,}" the Herrscher replied mockingly. "{It seems you've forgotten our last conversation.}"

"I wish I could forget that you live inside me."

"{I'm afraid that won't be the case. You need me, Weakling.}" Mei clenched her hands tightly.

"{What? Speechless?}" The Herrscher asked challengingly. "{I'm not mistaken, am I? I didn't get to see much of your little adventure in that village, but I have to say that the barbarity of humans today and those of the past aren't much different.}"

She laughed. "{I certainly did not expect the outcome of your little adventure. Ah! How can I forget how those insects took you prisoner so easily, only for the Worm to rise and show its ugliness to make them hide in their filthy holes, like the plague that they are?}"

"Adam-kun helped me. He's not a parasite, like you."

Mei couldn't help but smirk as she felt the Herrscher stir. She still despised that moniker.

"{And you don't seem to want to stop being one,}" she replied curtly.

Mei's heart raced in anger. "I don't-"

"{What did you do, when the Worm, his hideous pet, and that priestess fought to the death against the other Herrscher?}" She interrupted. "{Ah, I remember now. You ran, like the coward that you are.}"

"That's not true! Adam-kun asked me to look after headmistress Theresa while he-"

"{While he faced the Herrscher head-on, bleeding, snarling, and wounded; but triumphant in the end.}" Mei noticed the Herrscher licking her lips. It made her even angrier. "{That defiant look, the way he growled as he tore that cowardly Herrscher apart like a plush toy,}" she laughed darkly. "{Oh~ How could I forget how the fox nearly tore him to pieces, only for the Worm to rise up with that dangerous rage in his eyes and proceed to rip off the pound of flesh that was owed to him?}"

Mei felt disgusted as she sensed the Herrscher's excitement as she recalled the brutal scene. "Adam-kun is not your toy, bitch!"

Of course, she would never forget that scene for the rest of her days. The horror and fear she felt were real, as was the disgust and concern at seeing the mutual damage the fox and Adam had done to each other.

Despite the insult, the Herrscher laughed. "{Bitch sounds much better than Coward.}" She laughed again, albeit through her teeth. "{But at least I don't shy away from violence and danger like you do, Useless.}"

Mei flinched at her words. No matter how angry and disgusted she was, a part of her couldn't help but agree with her. Mei had insisted on doing the dive with Adam despite the risks. Even when Theresa had called her out for doing it and Mei had shared her reasons for doing so, she had been nothing more than a bystander when the conflict had begun.

"I am not useless…"

"{Of course not. You only hit the Worm because he did what had to be done, even though it was cruel,}" she remarked mockingly. Then she hummed for a second before asking, "{Or… did you hit him because you were jealous of his courage?} "

"I hit him because he didn't care about the damage he was doing to himself!" She replied angrily, forcefully putting the glass still filled with water to the side of the sink. The glass had some cracks on it. "Adam-kun always stands in the face of danger. He helped me in Nagazora and never backed down when we were in danger. Even if it left him terribly injured."

Mei felt tears forming in her eyes. But they weren't tears of sadness, they were tears of frustration. Frustration with herself.

"And yes, I know I was nothing but a hindrance at the Stigmata. You don't have to rub it in my face, bitch!" Mei wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "What happened at the Stigmata opened my eyes. I can't keep up with the pace I'm going at. Even Bronya-chan is much better at fighting, and she uses prosthetics to move her legs!"

"{Or… I could give you a helping hand,}" the Herrscher said with a purr. Mei stiffened. "{I don't like the idea, but considering you're my host, it's a shame you're so weak that someone like the Worm would rise up to defend us.}" The Herrscher smiled to herself as she saw Mei remain silent, attentive to her words.

"{Just let me- let's say, let me be in charge of your body for a brief-}" The Thunder Herrscher could say no more, as her consciousness was suddenly pushed by Mei's fury and indignation to the depths of her

prison.

"Fuck. You." Mei muttered.

Mei strode back to her room.

It wasn't until an hour later that exhaustion finally overcame the girl and she fell asleep. Before giving in to slumber, Mei continued to feel a horrible knot in her chest, doing her best to ignore how true and tempting the Herrscher's words had sounded.

Poor Mei, the girl can't catch a break.

I honestly didn't expect to write the chapter so quickly. I don't promise, but I'll try to keep up this pace.

I would love to hear your questions and comments, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

See ya!