Geez! It took me an eternity to upload the chapter in the doc manager. I don't know if the issues in the site continue.
"It's beautiful, don't you think?" Her captain said after finishing off the last of her cup of coffee.
The twilight light was peeking over the sea of clouds. The view would have been better if they were outside. Still, at such a high altitude, the gusts of wind and lack of oxygen would have made it difficult to enjoy the beautiful sunset view.
At least the panoramic window of the cafe made it easy to enjoy it.
"Yes. It is wonderful," Akari replied.
The cafeteria was almost empty at this hour. A few Valkyries were minding their own business at other tables.
"You know, someone told me that you were very interested in Aiysha~," The captain said out of nowhere.
"W-What?" She felt her face flush despite her best efforts. "How did you know?!"
"Hahaha! Marie and Sayaka told me."
"Traitors!"
Her captain let out another laugh. Her cheeks reddened even more from the pity and from how her captain was laughing at her.
"Come on! I'm sorry. Don't be angry," the captain said as she watched small tears of frustration form at the corners of her eyes. "But it was pretty obvious that you and Aiysha have feelings for each other."
"I-I…" Akari stuttered, trying to deflect her captain's words, though she gave up when the captain continued to smile amusedly at her.
"Is it very obvious?" She muttered.
"Honey, Emma, Ella, and Sayaka have a bet to see which of you two decide to confess first."
"Those-!" Akari hissed but stopped when her terminal rang at the same time as the captain's.
They both shared a look and took out their communication devices from their respective pockets.
It was an order from headquarters. They and their squad were asked to report to a meeting room with the other members for a briefing on a mission of utmost importance.
Akari looked up from her terminal when she heard the captain click her tongue. "Damn it. Now my night is ruined."
The captain stood up from her seat. "It seems our discussion about your future confession will have to be for another time, Akari," the captain said.
With a blush on her face, she also stood up from her seat and was about to protest, but the captain interrupted her.
"Akari, I know you're afraid of ruining things with Aiysha, but you know better than anyone that our profession doesn't guarantee us a tomorrow. We have to enjoy things and take the opportunity when it comes our way."
An expression of nostalgia and regret appeared on her captain's face.
"Learn it from me, Akari. I hesitated and cowered when the person I loved so much confessed his love to me. I thought there would be no future with him, and that our friendship and connection could be completely ruined because of my temper. And so it was… I ruined it because I was afraid."
"Captain…" Akari didn't know what to say to this.
Her superior gave a dry, dismissive laugh. "For a while, I thought it was his fault and to our circumstances, but..." the captain's voice turned hoarse, "...but when I saw him and his wife – another Valkyrie and a mutual friend of ours – smiling as they played with their little twins in a park, I understood that I could have been her. That could have been my place, next to my husband, laughing and enjoying a normal life with our children."
Akari had never before seen her intrepid and mischievous captain with such a look of defeat and regret. The captain turned to look at her with a very serious expression that she had rarely seen in her life.
"Sometimes all you have to do is take a leap of faith. Do it with Aiysha, Akari. You should have an answer sooner rather than spending the rest of your days imagining the possibilities. There is no 'what if'. There is only the here and now. Learn from my mistakes, girl, so you don't repeat them."
Stunned, Akari could only nod. The captain recomposed her expression, using the mischievous smile she always wore.
"Come on. The faster we finish the assignment at headquarters, the more time you'll have to plan on how to confess to her, Akari."
The captain turned on her heels and moved towards the exit of the cafeteria. Akari was about to follow her, but something stopped her.
The orange light of dusk was no longer orange. It was red, like blood. And the light was no longer dim. It shone brightly through the windows as if it were midday.
Akari turned to the giant window of the headquarters cafeteria and froze when, instead of seeing the orange sun, she saw a terrifying red sun burning angrily across the sky.
"It's not a sun..." Akari muttered in terror, noticing the massive mass of fire in the sky flicker.
It was an eye. A gigantic eye with a blood-red iris and a sclera as black as night.
Akari's terror grew as the blasphemous sun stared down at her. A suffocating force fell upon her form, causing her to collapse and fall onto the floor of the cafeteria.
Akari opened her mouth, to scream or call for help. Anything to make such a monstrosity stop looking at her!
D̸̖̹͠ö̶̡̪̂N̸̛̫͓͇O̷̯̭͎͋t̵̨̻́ ̴͉͌B̷̨̨̘͆̈́͠E̶̻̻̙͌̓̏ ̵̻̲͠A̴̜̮̤̅̔f̴͙̑̑̏Ŕ̴̨̹͜ą̸̤̫͌̑Í̷̡̩̓d̴̨͖͉͌̓̋.̴̯͑͒̆ ̴͉̌̚D̶̺̭̖̃͛͑ö̸̧̜́̎N̴͔̒̎Ơ̷͕͍͕̇ţ̵̛͍̍̀ ̷͔͌Ḅ̴̢̄Ĕ̸̙̹̔͘ ̶̱̠́̈́̈́A̷͚͒f̶̩͍̂̚ͅR̵͈͝ā̷͙̰Ȋ̵̘̀d̶̮͓̅̑.̵̛̳̔ ̵̡̇̏D̸̦̫̅͗̊ó̸̰̳͇N̷̩̖̈́͊̚Ò̷̢̗t̸̠̆̑Ḇ̴͗͋E̴͍͂A̷̡̾f̷͓̍͝͝R̶̙̠̀͊̐ǎ̸̢̘̹Ị̶͗d̷̳̼̰̔̚.̶̯̀̏͝
She shuddered at the horrible voice. Something deep inside her screamed at her to run and hide from this unholy thing. Something that shouldn't have existed.
"̵͉͊͒͝b̴̠̿E̸͙̋̾̐Ả̵̬͈̲̔t̶͇̩̎́Ĭ̷̲͇F̴̻̔͝ͅu̸͕͙͌̈́ͅļ̷̡̟͊ ̶̜̈́̃G̶̫̭̃̕I̵͜͝ȓ̷̜̙̞̈́L̶̮̲͇̈́͊̊ ̷̢̨̃W̴̦̘͕̍̌͑h̵͕͎̙̏͌̋Ÿ̷̧̮̃͊ ̶͔͊̚͘ḓ̴͎̈O̷̝̒ͅ ̴͙̰̬̈́̚y̸̎͜O̷͎̾̅͂U̸̳̚ ̸͎͇̺͋͝S̷̗͌u̶̖͛̄͛f̵̧̣̀̐F̴̆̕ͅĔ̴̻͔r̵̬̆̀͠ ̵̟͕̟͆̉͐S̴̩̀̾̅O̵̲͑͑ ̶͇̜̤̓̐̓m̷̤͒u̸͍͔̔̒̑C̷̯͈̲͗̊̚Ḫ̴̡̨̄?̶̥̼͆̀́?̷̺̯̌̔
The light grew brighter. The coolness of the evening was replaced by a hellish heat that made standing in front of the long window agonizing.
"̸̲̊Į̴̊̀ ̷͎̱͈̓̊̿S̵̨͔̚͝E̴̤̍͋̎Ȩ̶͉̀͂̈́ ̷̤̦̎̍Y̶̡̩̪̐̐͋O̴̢̺̥͊͝Ṳ̸͕̎͑̓ ̷̪̰̉I̴͇̰͐ ̸̦͒͜ͅŚ̴̡͕̥̊E̷͈̩̅̒͜Ė̸͎ ̴͍̭͗͘Y̸͍̌̀O̸͇̿̀͠Ȕ̷̗̻͑͘ ̵͈̓̈͆I̶̛̲̍̏S̶̮̱͚̀̋͗E̴̠̦͙̔͂Ȇ̶̜̼̰̆͊Y̸͇̫͌ͅÖ̸̭͇̜U̴̧̞͍̐Í̸͚̱S̷͓͚͖͛̓E̵̬̠̎͋̾É̸͍͓͊Y̵͔͌O̷̝͝Ư̸̹͚̍̅Ḯ̸͍͓̽͝ͅS̸͍̥̳̍̾͂Ë̸̮́Ĕ̴̹̼Y̵̘̑Ơ̴͔͊͠U̸͇̩̓̅̿ͅI̴͚͉͍̅͒̅Ş̵̄Ȩ̴̌̄̊E̸̗̔̄Y̵͖̞̹̍̕O̸͕͉̍͆U̵̝̻̒
Akari tried to move. She tried to run, but out of nowhere, a swamp of darkness appeared beneath her feet. From it, several pitch-black hands and arms reached out and grabbed her with terrible strength. She struggled, but the nightmarish limbs did not loosen their grip.
Before she could utter her final scream, Akari was forcefully pulled into the swamp of darkness.
But the nightmare didn't end there. The darkness was heavy, like tar, and she could breathe. She wished she couldn't be able to, as the water rushing into her nostrils burned her lungs with every breath. Akari thrashed desperately, but she couldn't break free from the horrible hands that kept pulling her deeper into the abyss of darkness. She tried to use her free arms to swim to the surface. When she raised her head, she froze at what she saw.
Red. The other color that occupied this abyss of pure darkness. Akari let out a muffled scream when she saw that it wasn't just a color. It was the color of the colossal beast that inhabited this abyss. There was a great humming that sounded more like the crunching of bones and the shrieking of thousands of people at once. Akari redoubled her efforts to free herself. Her ears rang with the agonizing melody of thousands.
Something moved in her direction and when Akari saw what it was...
She screamed at the top of her lungs as she continued to be dragged deeper into the abyss.
And then, there was no more of Akari.
Adam stirred in his bed, jumping up as he tried to calm his racing heart.
"What the fuck was that?!" He hissed. His throat was dry and his body ached. It was as if he had trained for several hours non-stop with Siegfried.
It took him a moment to calm down, as well as to take in his surroundings.
Adam was in a hospital room. Some machines were connected to his body. He reached up to rub his eyes and noticed that he had an IV in his wrist.
What had happened? The last thing he remembered was having a twisted nightmare after passing out after fighting the Herrscher in Theresa's body and-
"Shit!" He exclaimed.
The Herrscher? What had happened to it? Did it wake up?! Was it loose?! He remembered that it had manifested itself beside Theresa and-!
"You sure gave us quite a scare," Dr. Margot commented, entering the room and closing the door behind her. She was holding a bottle of water in one hand and an electronic tablet in the other.
Adam whipped his head in her direction. "Doctor! What happened to the headmistress and -?!" He asked hoarsely, though his sore throat made it difficult for him to finish the question.
"The thing is, Alighieri, you saved Headmistress Theresa," she replied, offering him the bottle of water. Adam accepted it, opened it, and drank from it. The burning sensation in his throat slowly disappeared.
"Though, I must say I didn't expect to see you convulse like a drowning fish out of the water after the mission ended," she said, arching an eyebrow as he continued to drink steadily. "What the hell happened there to make you react that way?" The doctor asked, crossing her arms. "I've only seen similar cases when the host's Stigma inappropriately interacts with a visitor."
As his throat was no longer dry, Adam put the empty water bottle aside. He pondered her words, grimacing as he had an idea of what she meant.
"I think," Adam tried not to think about the Remanent's last scene to avoid vomiting. "It's better that you don't know, doctor," he replied, making a disgusted face.
Dr. Margot opened her mouth but thought better of it and just nodded. "Okay. I have good news and bad news about your body. Which do you want to hear first?"
"What happened to the girl who demonstrated next to the director when the dive ended?"
Dr. Margot clicked her tongue. "She's currently sedated. We detected high levels of Honkai coming from her. We're keeping her unconscious while we figure out what to do with her," she said.
Adam wondered why they hadn't taken the axe to the Herrscher despite what they had seen and experienced at the Stigmata. He would ask Theresa at the first opportunity.
"Again, what news about your health do you want to hear?"
"The good ones." Adam needed something to lift his spirits.
"The bad news then," the doctor said, unfazed by his glare. She used the tablet and selected something on the screen. "After a quick intervention, we ran some tests on you and found that your brain electrical activity was above average levels. You also had high muscle tension." She paused. "Oh! Right. I forgot to mention that you had a couple of brain tumors."
Adam's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"
"Luckily for you, the tumors faded away a few hours later. I'd say that's impossible, but considering the rarity of your powers, you may have a regeneration factor we haven't seen before," Dr. Margot said, barely showing surprise.
"Are those the bad ones?" Adam asked with a groan after the scare.
"More like a mix of both. I find it's better to break the news that way," the doctor said with a small smile.
"Bitch."
"{You shouldn't think that way about the doctor,}" the voice that liked to act as his conscience scolded him.
And where one was, the other came.
"{I agree with him, she was a bitch in the way she delivered the news.}"
"It's good to have you two back, fucking bastards," Adam thought before focusing back on Dr. Margot.
"Try smiling a little more, it will drive the girls crazy and won't make you look like a grumpy person to them," she said mockingly.
Adam's eye twitched in irritation. "Don't you think you're being a bit bitchy to me?" he asked sarcastically.
It wasn't smart to talk like that to the doctor who had treated him, but Adam was in no mood to beat around the bush.
"Oh, sorry. I just spent the last three days babysitting the kid who did something possibly stupid while hooked up to his headmistress's mind, using technology equivalent to a potato plugged into a clock. Oh right, let's not forget how I had to convince your other friends not to unplug your headsets or stop them from ratting everything out to HQ; not to mention my last paycheck is still late and I haven't gotten laid in over a year from babysitting fucking horny teenagers and nurses!"
But Adam wasn't the only one in a bad mood. He grimaced at the shout. "You sure have it tough, huh?"
The doctor glared at him for a second before taking a deep breath to calm herself. "You have no idea." She rubbed her forehead with her free hand.
Adam cleared his throat. It was best to continue the previous conversation before the doctor had a professional breakdown. "What happened after the dive ended? And... I was knocked out for three days?"
The doctor nodded.
This reminded him of what had happened after they were rescued from Nagazora.
"I officially put in the report that you suffered from information overload after being linked to Director Theresa's Stigma for over two hours. It is well known that linking to a Stigma is inherently dangerous."
Adam frowned. "But not dangerous enough to poke Mei to make the dive as well. A lot of things could have gone wrong if she had perished in the Stigmata." He hadn't forgotten his conversation with Mei in the cave.
"Maybe. In the worst case, her consciousness would have collapsed and she would have been declared brain dead. Her body would have been used to do further studies on the anatomy and physiology of the Herrschers," the doctor answered without any problem.
"What if the Herrscher's consciousness had taken over?" Adam asked stiffly. His breathing quickened slightly. "I saw her momentarily manifest her Herrscher abilities."
"Then I would have suppressed her on the spot. Herrschers are powerful, no doubt, but they are glass cannons. They share similarities with humans. In Raiden's state, a simple lobotomy would have stopped her on the spot," the doctor calmly replied.
Adam took a deep breath to calm the growing annoyance towards the doctor. He tried not to show it, but his eyes were more honest, changing as he continued to stare at the doctor intently.
Dr. Margot snorted. "Come on. Don't look at me like that. You know as well as I do that a lot of people's lives are in danger the moment Raiden loses control. The bomb near her heart is a slim guarantee that she won't step out of line. And if this ends with the girl's death," Margot shrugged, "the world will be free of another Herrscher."
"{Bitch. / Bitch.}"
Even though Adam shared the same feeling as the voices in his head, it was bitter to accept the fact that Dr. Margot was right. As cruel and disgusting as it might sound, if Mei were to die, humanity would have a better chance of surviving the Honkai.
Adam took another deep breath to calm himself. The cold in his eyes receded, returning them to normal.
"Is that all?" Adam asked bluntly. His facial features became neutral, though his voice had risen slightly in volume.
The doctor stared at him, studying his face. After a few seconds, she replied. "Raiden, Kaslana, and Zaychik insisted on coming to visit you. I told them you were still unconscious and that it was best not to disturb your rest." She clicked her tongue. "Kaslana's childish attitude is annoying, almost as much as Raiden's stubbornness in seeing you. I don't know how you tolerate living with them."
Adam reminded himself that Dr. Margot worked for Hestia and was an agent of hers. He had to remain calm.
"By the way, Headmistress Theresa asked me to contact you as soon as you wake up. She wants to discuss a couple of things with you."
"It's probably about what happened at the Stigmata." Adam nodded in response.
Seeing that they had nothing else to talk about, Dr. Margot disconnected the wires and other equipment monitoring his body. Before leaving, she told him to take a shower in the bathroom; a change of clothes was already ready for him in the bedroom closet.
After a warm, relaxing shower and catching up with the voices, Adam was in a better mood.
"{You sure had a busy night.}"
"{I'd say it was a crazy night. A mutant monster eating the loli headmistress from the inside, and a Herrscher hiding inside her; bastard, I'm glad I'm not you.}"
"What I don't understand is, why don't you guys know what happened in there or why couldn't you get in touch with me? Aren't you supposed to see what I go through?" Adam asked as he got dressed. Someone had left a set of his uniform in the small closet in the room.
Adam felt both voices shrug at his question.
"{We are just as confused as you are. Strangely, our connection was suddenly cut off. This is only what happens when you lose control over your Gift and have one of your 'episodes'.}"
"{In short, we have no idea why. Still, from what you tell us, you handled yourself very well despite the potential shitstorm that was about to erupt.}"
Great. He had hoped that at least the tenants in his head would have some idea, but they fell short when he really needed them.
Deciding that it wasn't worth bothering with, at least for the moment, Adam continued to get dressed. A few minutes passed until there was a knock on the door. Adam opened it, and in front of him was Headmistress Theresa, wearing her daily nun's attire; safe and sound. Just as he had seen her before he left on the mission that almost created a shitty situation at the academy.
"HeadmistressTheresa," Adam greeted, nodding and giving a small smile.
"Adam. You… You…"
"Director-? Ah!"
Adam stumbled back from the surprising blow to his abdomen.
"What the hell were you thinking, huh?!" Theresa shouted angrily, slamming the door behind her. "You could have died!"
"I-" Adam was interrupted again. Theresa continued to deliver several blows to his abdomen with her small hand. While her childish form seemed harmless, the headmistress's strength was no laughing matter. She could have sent him through the hospital walls with ease; yet, she was holding back, and only by a long shot.
But, the constant little hits were starting to hurt.
"Ma'am?!"
"Stop complaining. You deserve this and more for doing something so stupid and putting yourself in serious danger. Be thankful that I don't plan on keeping you in detention for the rest of the year!"
Headmistress Theresa stopped hitting Adam, huffing and frowning. She crossed her arms. Theresa relaxed her frown as she watched Adam rub the area where she had hit him.
"I'm sorry. Just… Just don't do something like that again, Adam. Please."
He nodded with a slight grimace.
"Only if the universe doesn't decide to deal me another hand of shit," Adam thought.
She seemed to have heard his thoughts, as she looked seriously into his eyes for a long, awkward moment. Then, she exhaled deeply and held her temple.
"As long as you understand it," she said in a tone of resignation.
Sensing that the atmosphere had become awkward, Adam cleared his throat and asked, "Dr. Margot said you wanted to talk to me."
Theresa nodded. "That's right." She grimaced for a second before regaining her composure. "Adam… What happened in the Stigmata when you fought the Herrscher?"
Adam grimaced but nodded. He sat on the edge of the bed while the headmistress remained standing.
"Well, you see…"
For nearly an hour, Adam recounted the details and observations he had seen during his dive into the Stigma. He was careful not to share details about his Gift; such as the sudden absence of voices and the strange whispers that ran through his mind while he was under the after-effects of his Gift. Of course, he avoided giving any hint of what happened to the Remnant and how his Gift had devoured the creature.
It had been difficult for him to keep a serious expression and not one of revulsion as he fleetingly recalled the awful event.
Once he had finished his story, Theresa nodded with a serious expression, but with a touch of sadness upon learning of the miko's circumstances.
"I see."
"Ma'am, what happened to the Herrscher? Was it neutralized or-"
"The Herrscher is still alive," Theresa interrupted. "Believe me, we didn't know what to do when she woke up, but thankfully she hasn't shown any aggression or hostile behavior like we've seen from other Herrschers before."
This took Adam by surprise. Normally, the procedure was to annihilate a Herrscher at the first opportunity. What had changed? "What does that mean?"
"While you were being treated, I ordered for Sakura and the Herrscher to be put in separate rooms and isolated areas of the hospital. As soon as the Herrscher woke up, Himeko and another group of Valkyries I trust surrounded the place in case she wanted to attack. But… the first thing she did was ask about her 'big brothers.'" Theresa said with a complicated expression.
"What? Big brothers?" Adam thought back and couldn't recall meeting any character who identified themselves as such. "Headmistress, what do you mean-?"
"She referred to you and Sakura as her siblings, Adam," Theresa interrupted, looking at him seriously. "Believe me, when he said that, it took Himeko and I by surprise, given what happened at the Stigmata."
It was obvious she was referring to how he and the Remnant had brutalized the Herrscher before Sakura defeated it.
"{That's worrying.}"
"{You sure had a crazy night.}"
"What the hell?"
"I think the same. I thought she was faking it so she could get close to you and set a trap," Theresa said. "We kept our guard up, waiting for her to lose her temper and attack. Surprisingly, she has behaved very well so far."
Theresa rubbed her temple from a slight headache that had struck her head. "I still have a hard time understanding what is going on. I understand in some ways what happened with you in Nagazora and Mei, but this…"
Adam understood Theresa's bewilderment. Mei, no, the Third Herrscher had acted arrogantly and actively sought to kill them during their little excursion in Nagazora. But also, she had demonstrated - surprisingly - the ability to listen and negotiate during her first meeting with him and Kiana. Not to mention that in the end, Mei's personality had fought and preserved against the Herrscher's.
But the Herrscher-Fox had acted with great malice and ingenuity, all to kill them in the Stigma. She hadn't hesitated for a second to kill them or to use Sakura's terrible memories as a weapon.
And now, she was saying that she considered Sakura and Adam as her siblings?
What a load of crap.
"If we are her brothers, then Otto Apocalypse is my grandfather and a saint," Adam thought mockingly.
"What do you think, Adam?" Theresa stopped rubbing her temple and asked.
Bluntly, he said:
"It's a trap. The bitch knew how to use everything at her disposal and to her advantage. Mei and I were very lucky when the monster rescued us at the last second."
Adam didn't want to imagine what would have happened if the Remnant hadn't appeared.
"So… Should we finish her off?" Theresa said doubtfully.
Adam was about to say yes-
"{Think carefully. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There are no previous records of a Herrscher allying with humanity before.}" The voice interrupted. "{There is the AE leader and Mei, of course, but how many more Herrschers are yet to come? You know better than anyone that help will be needed in the future.}"
"{Hmm. He's right. Killing the fox girl saves us trouble in the future, but it also takes away potential allies from the table. And what better ally than one who already considers you as family?}" It added with a chuckle. "{If it's a trap, we're done with her. But if it turns out to be an ally, boy, the battles in the future will be legendary!}"
"But she can be volatile. There is no guarantee that the Herrscher is telling the truth. It could even be a long-term trap."
"{Maybe, though, it's better to have her on our side. You know, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.}"
"{Not to mention that it's better if everything is decided here and now,}" its tone turned grim. "{God only knows what would happen if Otto Apocalypse gets hold of her.}"
Nothing good. The bastard hadn't stayed in power by being just a charismatic leader. Hestia's reports and observations about him had illuminated a sinister and cruel image of the Schicksal Overseer. Adam and Siegfried had once talked about how Otto had surely done so much shit that certainly the devil himself had reserved an exclusive space for him alone.
"Adam?" Theresa asked.
"{There is no gain without risk. / Take a gamble and see what happens.} " Both voices said before retreating into the depths of Adam's mind.
"Adam, are you sure you're okay?" Theresa asked again, this time looking at him with concern.
He cursed internally, talking to the voices in his head distracted him from the real world. He quickly nodded. "I'm sorry. I think… I think this might be a unique opportunity, Ma'am," he said, rubbing his temple.
"What?"
"...you will never get the gems, monster!"
"Surrender! Your friends have been defeated, Super Homu. Have some dignity and hand over the gems to me."
Dramatic music was heard behind the door, followed by an exclamation of surprise and amazement.
"For all that is good and just in this world, I will never give up! Gem of Dawn, activate!"
A little girl's voice shouted excitedly, as the music grew louder.
"I really can't believe I'm doing this," Adam bit his lower lip anxiously as he prepared to do what was next. He waited for the sound of the television on the other side of the door to turn down.
Once he heard the credits music of the show - he knew this because Bronya had watched the same show and sometimes he didn't have his headphones on hand - Adam put his hand on the door handle and opened it a crack.
The childish screams coming from the other side suddenly stopped, making Adam tense up for a second. He heard the rustling of sheets and something falling to the floor. Adam carefully opened the door fully and looked inside the room.
It was a hospital room, very similar to the one he had been in before, the difference being that this one did not have a window with a view to the outside and that this one was more spacious. There was a large television screen fixed to one of the walls.
But Adam's attention was on the bundle of blankets on the bed, which was trembling, anxious for his entry. Adam could make out between the blankets a pair of ears and the tips of four reddish fox tails.
There was a moment of awkward silence. The lump was still shaking and Adam didn't know how to start the conversation in a way that wouldn't sound aggressive. After almost a minute, a pair of light blue eyes peered out from the blankets. They grew as wide as saucers, as the lump shook off the covers.
On the bed was the same little girl he had seen before he fainted, though this time she was dressed in a hospital gown. Now that he looked at her more closely, Adam noticed that the girl was short, though a little taller than Bronya. He made an effort not to stare at the four tails that moved slowly across the bed and how they curled around her legs.
"Adam-niichan?" The girl asked doubtfully.
He raised an eyebrow at the expression. It was rare for someone to refer to him in such a way. Specifically a Herrscher. "I was told you wanted to talk to me?"
The girl opened her mouth to say something but closed it with a click. She contemplated her words before speaking again, "Y-Yes. I… I…!" She raised her voice, straightened forward, and her tails rose.
Adam immediately tensed and prepared to leap out of the room. He shoved one of his hands into one of the pockets of his jacket. Inside was a small device with a button. Theresa had given it to him to warn them if the Herrscher was hostile so that she and the team of Valkyries surrounding the place would act immediately.
The fox girl quickly noticed Adam's tension. Her little ears flattened against her hair and her tails loosened and returned to rest on the bed. "I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to scare you, Adam-niichan," she apologized with a sad look.
Cautiously, Adam watched her every move carefully. He could still feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body despite her words and actions.
"If I didn't know who she was, I would say she is a shy girl, stressed out by what is happening."
Seeing that it didn't look like she had anything planned at the moment, Adam relaxed his posture a little.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Adam asked, returning to the main topic. "My boss said that you are very insistent on wanting to talk to me."
The little girl's ears perked up as she expressed surprise. "Wait, that little girl is your boss? But she's smaller than me!"
Despite not being present, Adam knew that Theresa had been offended to hear this, as the room was being secretly monitored.
Again, Adam looked at her strangely, not expecting such a reaction from the Herrscher.
"Ah! I… Well, I'm sorry. I'm a little nervous," she apologized again, noticing Adam's expression. "It's just that, well…" She looked away for a moment. "I…" she said, mumbling something he couldn't hear.
"What?"
The Herrscher gathered her courage and looked him straight in the eyes, "I said I'm so sorry, Adam-niichan!" To his surprise, small tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. "I- I know what I did was wrong, but… but I swear I'm so sorry!"
Adam felt a pit forming in his stomach. If this was a trap, then they were quickly approaching the moment when he would supposedly let his guard down and fall for her act.
"I didn't really want to do it… but I felt so angry… so much rage at the people who had hurt me." Tears began to fall from her eyes. The Herrscher didn't try to cover her eyes or wipe them away. She kept her eyes on his. "I don't remember much. Sometimes memories come and go, though… I remember laughing and enjoying it."
Adam felt his Gift jingling on the back of his neck. He still hadn't fully recovered, but he wouldn't hesitate to use his powers. With every word of the Herrscher, a cold, fatalistic feeling rubbed at his hands and stomach.
"...still, it was like someone else was controlling my body. When I wanted to stop, that feeling of hatred and disdain came back stronger. Until… Until it stopped mattering," she finished saying between sobs.
After her words, a deathly silence fell, only the Herrscher's attempts to stop crying could be heard.
A couple of minutes passed before Adam interrupted him: "Do you remember what happened between you and me?" He asked tensely. The Herrscher-girl nodded slowly. She wiped her tears with the back of her hands.
"I… I remember something. There was you and Sakura-neechan and… and a monster. There was screaming and yelling and lots of blood, Adam-niichan. Sakura-neechan looked really upset and you looked really angry." She cringed at Adam's gaze, her eyes shifting downward. "You two were so scary."
Once again, a heavy silence fell on the room.
The Herrscher shifted nervously on the bed as Adam stared at her intently.
"You… You don't believe me, do you?" She asked nervously before letting out an awkward laugh. "It sounds way too convenient. Even for me."
Slowly, Adam nodded. "Considering what happened at the Stigmata, I think you know why it looks like that," he said carefully.
"I see..."
Adam opened his mouth but stopped at the last second. He made a complicated expression. The Herrscher noticed this but didn't comment.
"I have to go," he said, taking a couple of steps back. "In a few moments, my boss is going to be here. She wants to discuss something very important with you." Adam hesitated for a second in what he was going to say. "Will you listen to her?"
Understanding that their short meeting was over, the Herrscher nodded shyly. "Y-Yes. It's alright."
Adam nodded back and walked back without taking his eyes off the Herrscher.
Just before he touched the door handle, she stopped him: "My name is Higokumaru, Adam-niichan. Ano… If you happen to see Sakura-neechan… Can you tell her I'm really sorry?"
Her words surprised him, but Adam nodded and closed the door. The last thing he saw was the sad smile of the Herrscher girl.
Without wasting a second, Adam quickly walked down a long hallway until he reached the access door. As soon as it opened with a soft hiss, Adam was greeted by the tips of guns and energy cannons.
"Coming out!" A Valkyrie wearing futuristic armor shouted. Next to her was another Valkyrie with a tablet in her hand. After she touched the tablet, she nodded in Adam's direction. "It's him. He can come out!"
The guns pointed at him were lowered, but returned to their threatening position until the only door in and out was sealed again.
"That was stressful," Theresa said once he stepped away from the door. "Are you okay, Adam?"
"Considering he's in one piece, I'd say he's fine, Teri," Himeko said. The redhead was wearing the same red armor she'd worn in Nagazora.
The building Adam had come from was behind and away from the academy hospital. The place wasn't very big, being just a single-story building, although it extended for several meters. Theresa had explained to him that this was where they put the Valkyries who were at risk of becoming zombies after a dangerous or failed mission.
"Was it necessary to cut the meeting short, Director?" Adam asked, ignoring Himeko's comment. Some distance away and around them was a group of Valkyries —armed to the teeth and wearing heavy protective suits— talking about stable Honkai levels and such.
Theresa glared at Himeko for a moment. The latter had the decency to giggle, embarrassed by her comment.
"Yes. It's good to see that she doesn't seem to be hostile or that she holds any grudges over what happened at the Stigmata, but I don't want to frighten her more. The atmosphere there became uncomfortable," Theresa said, answering his question.
Adam looked at her for a second and nodded. It had been for the better to leave for the moment.
"What will happen to her?"
Himeko and Theresa exchanged glances, though Himeko had a serious look on her face. Theresa nodded and Himeko snorted, resignated. Adam raised an eyebrow. Theresa turned to him:
"I'll send 'Higokumaru's' room recordings of the last few days to the Overseer so he'll be aware of what's going on. With what we recorded in the room and her words, I might be able to calm his worries and gain his support with the idea I have in mind." Theresa rubbed her temple again and glanced at the heavily guarded door. "Though I need to talk to her first to see if she'll accept it."
Considering that they had been living the last few months with a Herrscher, who cooked delicious food and kept the dormitory where he lived with all his roommates in order, Adam was sure of what Theresa had in mind.
If reality had enough of giving them shitty hands for a while, maybe everything would turn out okay.
With Judah on her back, Theresa approached the entrance of the place while the other Valkyries gave orders to each other to open the door and maintain 'containment'. Himeko tapped Adam on the shoulder to get his attention. "Kid, come. There's still one more stop to make," she said, nodding towards the main hospital behind them.
The two moved, though Adam took one last look back, watching as Theresa entered the secluded area before disappearing behind the door.
"Teri will be fine, kid. She's survived worse," Himeko said.
Adam avoided saying how close that was to not being a reality a couple of days ago.
Himeko tried to start a conversation with Adam, but after short responses, she could tell that he wasn't in the mood; and to be honest with himself, he was somewhat upset with Himeko for what had happened at the Stigma dive. Although she had warned the girls about Theresa's condition with the best of wishes, indirectly, her actions put at risk a very sensitive and dangerous mission for those involved.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, taking the elevator and moving through a series of hallways until they reached a room in one of the more distant parts of the hospital. Before grabbing the door handle, Adam stopped and brought his hand to his left ear.
It was a tiny earpiece, barely noticeable to the eye. He was about to take it off, but Himeko stopped him.
"Leave it," she said. "So far, the Herrscher and she have been cooperative in everything, but…" Himeko looked in both directions of the lonely hallway to make sure they were alone. Even though they were, she leaned close enough to Adam to whisper in his ear. "I have a hunch, kid. She hasn't shown any aggression, but her gaze reminds me of old teammates when they were extremely stressed," she whispered cautiously.
Knowing what had happened at the Stigma, Adam had an idea of what the teacher was worried about.
Himeko smiled at him in an attempt to reassure him. She pressed a series of buttons on her left arm, followed by a soft sound from the earpiece in her ear.
"I've linked your communicator to mine. I'll be listening in on everything that happens inside," Himeko explained. "If things get hostile, I'll be just a shout away from showing up there."
Adam would have said something about privacy, but he kept it to himself. He took a deep breath. "Everything has gone well, so far. I hope the good streak continues," he said with an awkward smile, trying to project some positivity.
Himeko smiled amusedly. "Let's hope so, kid." She nodded at the door. "Good luck."
Adam grabbed the door handle and carefully opened the door. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him with a soft click.
The place was a bit bigger than his hospital room. It had the same kind of furniture and medical accessories. Unlike his, though, the place was immersed in darkness. Not total darkness - since the curtains didn't completely block out the sunlight - but it gave the place a lonely and miserable look.
Adam's eyes weren't drawn to the bed, which was piled with blankets on one side, but to the figure hunched over and sitting on a small couch, hugging their legs. The person did not indicate noticing his presence.
"Miss Yae?" Adam called. There was no reaction. "Miss Yae? I'm Adam."
A few seconds passed until she replied: "Alighieri-san?"
Her voice sounded hoarse and weak.
"Yes, it's me." Adam took another deep breath. He reminded himself to be tactful when talking to Sakura. He couldn't just wing it and hope for the best.
"It's a miracle I didn't screw up with Mei."
Adam waited for Sakura to say something else, but she didn't.
"Miss Yae, can I turn on the light?" He asked tentatively.
Several seconds passed before she spoke again.
"Yes," she said quietly.
He reached for the light switch on the wall near the door. Once he felt it, Adam flipped the switches and turned on the lights in the room. He blinked a few times to get used to it. His eyes took in the messy bed and a tray of untouched food on a mobile table.
What caught Adam's attention wasn't that, that the TV screen was cracked, or that the trash can near the couch was full of used tissues. The ones that couldn't be contained in the can were scattered across the floor. No, what caught his attention was the person, in a messy patient gown, on the couch.
Sakura Yae had pulled her face out from between her knees and raised her face. Her eyes were red and there was a dry trail of tears on her cheeks. The purple color of her eyes looked dull.
Adam didn't need to be a psychologist to see that Sakura was in a state of distress.
"Is that you, Alighieri-san? Or is this a dream?"
Adam didn't know how to respond for a second.
"It's me, Miss Yae," he stated.
"Oh… I see," Sakura simply replied.
Almost a minute of awkward silence passed until Adam spoke again:
"How do you feel, Miss Yae?"
He immediately reproached himself for the stupid question. However, in his defense, Adam was not used to dealing with people's emotional states.
Several tense seconds of silence passed until Sakura spoke again.
"Master Theresa explained to me what happened. She told me about what happened in this space called 'Stigmata'. About the creatures all of you are fighting and… and where we really are," Sakura said listlessly.
"I-I see," Adam replied awkwardly.
The conversation trailed off, the room falling into an uncomfortable silence. For the umpteenth time, Adam cursed his lack of social skills in dealing with situations like this. Before he could open his mouth, and say something possibly even more awkward, Sakura spoke again.
"Alighieri-san?"
"Yes, Miss Yae?
"Is…? Is this real?"
"Yes… This is all real, Miss Yae," Adam replied, frowning slightly.
"Ah…" Sakura said back.
Before she knew it, Sakura's eyes began to water.
"O-Oh! I…" Sakura brought her hands to her cheeks and wiped away some of her tears with her fingertips. "I thought I was out of tears," she mumbled. "I'm sorry, Alighieri-san," Sakura wiped her eyes.
"Don't worry."
Trying not to make a complicated face, Adam saw a chair in the corner of his eye. He walked over to it and sat down. Adam pretended not to hear Sakura's low whimpers, who was trying her best to control herself.
"What the hell am I doing?" Adam asked himself.
Adam didn't understand why Theresa wanted him to talk to Sakura after what had happened. It didn't seem like the best option, given how socially awkward he could be. The reunion he had with Mei after the ordeal in Nagazora was proof of that. Unless he was her last option.
"...I feel so strange," Sakura suddenly said. Her words brought Adam out of his reviews and he listened to her.
"It's like waking up from a long, deep sleep. I remember being in my village, with the rest of its people, and then… I'm here. Five hundred years in the future."
Sakura stopped for a second and looked at her hands. She was inspecting them carefully.
"I know what I saw. I know what happened. I clearly remember every detail of that place. The earth beneath my feet, the fresh smell of the forest, the singing of insects during the day, and the echo of animals at night."
Then, Sakura's hands curled into fists.
"I also clearly remember the demands of the villagers, demanding that I do something to satisfy the whims of the gods, no matter what. The bodies of the dead and the screams of the relatives of those lost to starvation and death."
Her fists trembled.
"I remember the faces of those who 'offered' or forced themselves to carry out the ritual to satisfy the gods. Their faces smiling or full of horror when my sharp blade cut their innocent flesh."
Adam could see the whites of her knuckles as Sakura clenched her teeth tightly, grinding them for a moment.
"And… I also remember that… that damned, vile Demon! " Sakura tried to mutter, but it came out more like a hiss. "It's blurry, but I remember how that horrible creature used every one of my fears, my feelings, and my promise to my sister against me. Even with my beloved present, that vile monster was able to manipulate me and… and…!"
Sakura fell for a moment. Her form trembled as she tried to control herself from continuing to speak. The venom with which she said her words was more than obvious. Adam could only watch her intently as she continued. He hadn't seen her act like this before.
"And… and she ended up paying the price for my stupidity and weakness. I forced her to do something she shouldn't have done. I… I was no better than that man," she said the last part with deep hatred.
Again, there was another moment of silence, which Adam didn't dare interrupt. It was obvious that Sakura needed to get some things out of her system. Adam would let her do that while he continued to listen to her attentively.
"There are many things I don't remember. Some are clear and some are blurry, but I remember that despite having sealed the Demon, it tortured me for countless years, using my memories and its powers, making me relive my faults and deepest sorrows without end."
And suddenly, her form stopped shaking.
"But now... It is dead."
For the first time in all her ranting, Sakura turned to look at Adam. She smiled with her irises darkened and shining from the tears that had formed in her eyes for a second, remembering the torment she had experienced in the Stigma. The smile she wore was something that Adam had rarely seen in his life. Not a happy or sad smile. No, it was scary, dark, broken; however, the feeling it expressed from the depths of her heart was undeniable.
A pure feeling of freedom.
Adam couldn't help but shudder at the sight of that smile.
"Alighieri Adam… From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for helping me defeat and destroy the vile being that has tormented me for countless years."
Sakura stood up from the couch and much to Adam's dismay, she knelt on the floor and assumed the dogeza position on the cold floor of the hospital room.
"Sakura!?" Adam exclaimed without decorum.
"Despite the great burden you have helped me to free myself from, I fear I have nothing to my name or in my possession to repay the great favor you have given me, Alighieri-dono," she said in a respectful tone, ignoring his start. "The only thing I can offer you at this time, is my body and life, Alighieri-dono."
After these last words, a profound silence filled the room again. Only the soft sound of the room's occupants' breathing could be heard.
"Holy shit…" Adam heard Himeko mutter into the earpiece in his ear, and it wasn't as if he didn't blame her for it. He would have said the same thing, but the bewilderment of what had happened had left him stunned.
A couple of minutes passed before Adam spoke again. In all this time, Sakura hadn't raised her head or gotten up from the ground.
"Holy fucking shit…" Adam muttered as he rubbed his temple, covering his face. "What the fuck is my life turning into?"
"{Wow… I wasn't expecting any of this.}"
"{Normally I'd tell you to say yes to a good opportunity to hit the bed with a cute babe like her… but even I have standards.}"
The voices had remained silent so as not to distract Adam. But even they could not avoid showing their bewilderment at the ex-miko's words.
Adam felt their presence disappear, leaving him alone to deal with all of this on his own.
"Miss Sakura, please get up," Adam asked by her first name, while he was still rubbing his temple.
Sakura instantly complied.
"Please, go back to your seat."
"As you wish, Alighieri-dono," she replied softly, again in the same respectful tone.
While Sakura was doing this, Adam's brain was working at a thousand miles an hour, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"What the hell do I do?!"
As far as he could remember, nothing like this had ever happened to him before. Sure, there were the persons who were grateful to him when he offered help or they showed great gratitude when he saved their lives or got them out of a deadly bind. Hell, even a casual flirtation. But something like this?
"If Siegfried saw me right now, he would fucking laugh his head off."
Sakura's words could be used in many ways. And not for the pinkette's good. But, maybe she didn't care what would happen to her.
After seeing part of her memories, hearing her words, and seeing that smile, Adam was sure that Sakura had meant it. No matter how repulsive or obscene his request was, Sakura would carry it out.
Adam was aware that he was not a good person. He was a pragmatic person. He had done terrible things, which he had regretted. Others he had done coldly because they had to be done. Still, there were lines he was not willing to cross. One of those lines was taking advantage of a young woman who had lost everything and was not afraid to use her body to return the favor.
All that being said, Adam was feeling very conflicted, not only about Sakura's offer but also about one detail. The 'Demon' responsible for all the suffering Sakura had experienced before and during the Stigma - or whatever had happened in the Black Box Kallen had mentioned earlier - was still alive. And she wanted to apologize to him for everything that had happened.
"If this were a soap opera, I'm sure this whole mess would lead to two seasons or more."
Just thinking about what was to come made Adam feel a headache forming. It would be easier to leave all this to Theresa and-
"...I know you have no obligation to my beloved, but please help her adapt to the new era that awaits her. That is all I ask of you!"
Adam groaned loudly, drawing Sakura's attention.
Well, accidental or not, Kallen's intervention had saved their lives, hadn't it? And, despite being a pragmatic person, Adam was someone who didn't like being indebted to others.
"Alighieri-"
"First things first; don't call me that," Adam interrupted. Sakura shut her mouth instantly. He took a deep breath and continued.
"Call me by my first name. My last name is kind of long and it feels weird to be called that," Adam began. "And about your offer, thank you, you are a very beautiful and attractive woman, but I have to say no."
Sakura gaped at him for a second before reacting.
"B-But! Alighieri-dono! You saved my life! You freed me from the prison of the vile Demon. Your companions almost lost their lives because of my ineptitude!" Sakura interrupted. "If it weren't for them and you, I would still be at the mercy of that monster!" Sakura screamed. "You have no idea what-"
"I know, Sakura. I know what happened to you there," Adam said seriously, causing Sakura to freeze. "Before the final confrontation, the Demon trapped Mei and I in a powerful illusion. It showed us your life in the village and what was happening in the village. And…" Adam gulped. "...and what happened to your sister, Rin."
Hearing this, Sakura let out a groan of pain and covered her mouth. She looked at Adam in horror and shame.
"You… You saw… You saw everything…?"
Adam sighed, nodding. "Sakura. What happened there, to you, to her... I… It wasn't fair to either of you. Neither of you deserved anything you had to go through." He exhaled sharply through his nose. "I… I've seen the worst and the best in people, and what this world has to offer. So, believe me when I say that I'm truly sorry for what you had to undergo."
Traveling with Siegfried around the world had brought Adam to see different facets of humanity. Happiness, sadness, fortune, poverty, kindness, cruelty, greed, altruism; these and many more he had seen in people and their circumstances.
So when Adam said he was sorry for Sakura and her sister, he meant it with complete sincerity.
"How can you say that… How dare you say that?!" Sakura screamed. She jumped up while glaring at Adam.
"How dare you say something like that after seeing what I did?! The innocent lives I destroyed. The innocence and hope I trampled on to fulfill the whims and designs of selfish gods and men, who no matter what they got; they only wanted more and more!"
Sakura's body trembled with exhaustion and anger, but she forced herself to remain standing by sheer will and indignation. Adam tensed, but let her continue.
"If it weren't for the cruelty of the gods, the greed of the elders, and the manipulation of the Demon; the innocent villagers, my beloved, my little Rin…" Sakura whimpered for a second. "All of them would still be alive!"
Sakura was breathing rapidly. She was staring intently at Adam.
"Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you telling me this, without you knowing what it feels like!?" Sakura screamed. "I offer you my body, my virginity as payment for everything you did to free me, and you have the nerve to feel sorry for me even when I committed such abominable acts!?"
"Adam," Himeko called into the receiver. Her tone was cautious. "You'd better leave. She's pissed off. Don't make her any angrier. We'll try to talk to her another day."
A sensible and wise person would have heeded Himeko's words and calmly left the room.
Instead, Adam sat there, a serious but understanding look on his face, enduring Sakura's glare.
"Answer me!" Sakura shouted again.
Adam took a breath and replied, "Because you're not the first person I know who has lost everything, either through someone else or through their own fault. You were manipulated and used as a mere tool to be discarded. Everything you ever loved or valued has been debased to the point where you feel it's best to forget it ever existed."
Without taking his eyes off Sakura, Adam reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and cursed under his breath. He had forgotten that he no longer usually carried his pack of cigarettes and that he was in a hospital room.
After making a mental reminder to buy more cigarettes and carry them with him, Adam continued, "I may never understand what you went through, Sakura, but I was once in your shoes."
Sakura's mouth hung open for a second before she fiercely replied. "You! You don't know-!"
Adam didn't let her continue: "And… I don't think Kallen wants to see her last effort to save you end up being wasted."
Sakura's mouth snapped shut. Her eyes widened as she stared at him in shock.
"H-How? How do you know…?"
"She explained a few things to me before she took the Stigma out of me. She cleared up some of my doubts and explained to me more or less why she had been able to act to save our lives." Adam responded.
It was information that would be good to share with Hestia and Siegfried as soon as Adam had the chance.
"Look… I… I was there when you and her met at the Stigmata. Kallen asked me to step aside while you two talked. I tried not to hear, though you two weren't exactly being quiet."
Sakura continued to stare intently at Adam. Her posture was still tense, but no longer aggressive.
"I heard her say goodbye to you and the last thing she asked of you before you were taken out of the Stigmata. I- I asked her why she had done this. I was almost certain that you and her were going to stay in there. And she answered…" Adam paused to catch his breath.
"What? What did she say to you?!" Sakura asked anxiously.
"She did it because she loves you," Adam replied. "Kallen told me that she wanted to hold you in her arms and stay with you forever in the Stigma, but she couldn't do th
at to you."
"...Why?"
Adam sighed. "Because the Stigma was collapsing. Kallen told me that she couldn't watch the woman she loved die with her. Kallen told me that she couldn't let it happen."
"No… No… Oh, Kallen, no…" Sakura whimpered. Sakura's legs shook and Adam barely caught her before she fell to the floor. "Oh… Why? Why did you do it, Kallen?" Sakura wailed.
Adam sat Sakura back down on the couch. He looked at her with sympathy. "Because Kallen loved you. She told me she didn't want to lock you in a cage with her and then die," he replied, sitting down next to her.
"Maybe it would have been for the best…" Sakura said between sobs, covering her face with her hands.
"Maybe, but we can't always get what we want," Adam thought.
Sakura continued to cry, ignoring Adam's presence at her side.
"Boy, I think it would be for the best if you leave now. It's been a stressful time for both of you. Let her blow off some steam for today," Himeko said over the communicator.
Adam looked at Sakura and agreed with this. It had been a tiring moment, especially for Sakura. Saying more might overwhelm her and send the wrong message.
Without saying a word, Adam stood up and headed for the door. Before he left, he glanced at Sakura one last time before leaving. He carefully closed the door and left the room. Adam saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Himeko, motioning for them to move somewhere else.
"I need a drink…" Adam thought tiredly.
A couple of minutes later, they both found themselves in a waiting room, far from Sakura's room.
Adam was sitting on a sofa, his back resting against the backrest and his neck resting on it.
"I have to say… despite the way things were turning out, you handled that situation very well," Himeko commented as she took a seat next to him.
She offered him a can of soda from the vending machine that was leaning against a wall at the back of the room. Adam would have preferred something stronger but he gladly accepted the soda.
"Thank you." Adam opened the seal and drank from it.
"Considering what happened just now, I feel bad that I can't offer you a beer," Himeko said, opening her own soda and drinking from it.
Without another word, the two enjoyed their drinks as they both processed what had happened a few moments ago. The silence lasted for about five minutes until Himeko was the first to speak.
"You did the best you could."
"What?"
"When you talked to her. You did the best you could, kid."
Adam grimaced. "I don't think so. You heard what happened there." He set the half-drunk can down on a coffee table in front of them. "Damn… Now that I think about it, I guess I shouldn't have mentioned that I saw her memories."
"Theresa informed me about what happened and Mei narrated to me a little bit about what transpired there. From what I understand, it wasn't anything good," Himeko said.
Adam snorted. "I think Mei forgot to mention how similar our situation was to the plot of a horror movie: where the villagers planned to sacrifice us to their damn god to get some rain." Adam paused. "And the fact that we experienced months or years of Sakura's memories as if they were our own in a matter of seconds…" He shuddered, remembering the terrible emotional abyss the miko suffered.
Adam considered it a great blessing that he and Mei had not emerged from the dive as vegetables after such an overload of mental information.
The teacher kept her gaze on Adam for a second, thinking he was exaggerating, but seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she shuddered.
"Damn…" Himeko cursed. Realizing they were about to get off topic, she spoke again. "Still, I still think you did the best you could."
Adam shook his head. "I think it would have been better if Mei or Theresa talked to her."
"No, I don't think so," Himeko rebutted.
Adam stared at her in disbelief. Himeko drank the rest of her soda in one sitting and left the empty can on the table. She covered her mouth before burping, the sound barely stifled.
"Sorry. Like I said, things would have ended badly if either of them had talked to the pinkette."
"Why do you say that? Mei or Theresa would have handled the situation better than me."
Himeko contemplated his words for a moment, then sighed heavily before replying.
"As much as I like Mei, she… she lacks the assertiveness to deal with this kind of problem. I know she's strong and kind, but let's not forget that a few months ago, her world consisted of being a normal girl, with normal worries and normal solutions. And yes, I know she comes from a wealthy family; but I doubt she's ever had to do something like dive into a person's mind. Literally."
Himeko gulped to continue. "I know about the girl's past. Hell, I was disgusted and angry at what was published about her and her father," she clicked her tongue in disgust. "But, despite her reputation being tarnished, not to mention what happened in Nagazora, she moved on with her life."
Adam didn't understand. Himeko's words indicated that Mei would have been the best person to empathize with Sakura.
"But that doesn't mean Mei doesn't have her own scars, Adam," Himeko objected as if reading his thoughts. "Despite what I said, Mei still carries some emotional baggage. So far, she's adjusted well, but while she does interact with the other girls at the academy, Mei almost always spends her time in the company of one of you three."
Himeko's words made Adam contemplate, and remembering his time at the academy, Mei almost always spent every day either with one of them or with the whole group. She rarely engaged in conversations with the other students, but the conversations lasted very little.
"And please don't tell her or take it the wrong way, but there are emotional wounds that have yet to heal in Mei," Himeko warned seriously, waiting for Adam's reaction before continuing. He nodded seriously.
Himeko sighed. "Mei may have empathized with Sakura given what you mentioned about her memories, however, how could Mei help the girl if she still carries her own open wounds?" Himeko shook her head and closed her eyes for a second before looking at him again.
Faced with her words, Adam could not contradict her.
Mei had been through hell for the past few months in Nagazora before becoming a Herrscher. However, considering Himeko's words and Sakura's situation; Mei had suffered for months, but compared to Sakura's years-long ordeal, Mei had found emotional refuge with the three of them.
Sakura hadn't had anyone for a long time.
"And now she has no one," Adam thought, feeling sorry for the miko.
"I respect and value Theresa very much, Adam," Himeko said. "She is someone who cares about the lives of her students, and of the people under her command, and she possesses a loyalty that you cannot imagine."
Adam knew. He'd read her profile and experienced the director's kindness firsthand. It was hard to believe his grandfather was Otto Fucking Apocalypse.
"But… Theresa can be a bit stubborn sometimes, Adam," Himeko admitted. "She may have the best intentions in the world, but she can sometimes be a bit pesky trying to get her point across. Things may have gone better in the room with her there, but the girl might have reacted hostilely towards her if Theresa had pushed her."
He looked at the red-haired teacher in surprise for her close opinion of Mei and Theresa.
"Is it okay for you to tell me all this?"
"If you were any other student?" Himeko snorted. "Of course not. But to be honest with you, you are the most mature person in your group of friends, Adam. Which brings me to why you were the best choice to talk to Sakura."
Adam's eyes widened upon hearing this.
"You may not be the most sociable or sensitive person to deal with issues like what happened back there, but it is your maturity and cynicism that sets you apart from them, and what gives you a certain advantage."
Adam was listening intently to Himeko's words. Personally, he didn't interact much with the teacher outside of his routine as a student at the academy, keeping a certain distance for safety.
"I know you have secrets, Adam. Many in this academy do. I know from how we met and your performance in the simulation chamber that you have a lot of experience in combat." Himeko nodded seriously in his direction. "And I can bet a month of my salary that you didn't just fight Honkai creatures in the past."
Adam neither denied nor confirmed it, but his silence was an obvious answer to her.
"What I'm getting at is that this allows you to speak on the same level as the girl," Himeko noted. "Mei and Theresa would have done their best to try and comfort her, trying to make her feel better. However…"
She considered her words carefully before continuing.
"...however, you saw how she reacted when you showed a little compassion for her situation. Mei and Theresa could have made things worse for the poor girl with their words of empathy and trying to absolve her of responsibility for her actions."
"But I did something similar," Adam commented confused.
"Yeah, but you were able to empathize with her based on your own experiences. We may not be around each other much, kid, but I can see that your cynical and serious attitude isn't an attempt to pose as a mature bad boy to attract girls. I can tell when someone is acting out of pose and when someone is already like that."
Adam opened his mouth to respond but closed it. He couldn't contradict her.
"There's a phrase, I don't remember where it came from, but it goes like this: 'Honesty without kindness is cruelty, but kindness without honesty is manipulation.' You were honest with her when you told her that you empathized with her for what she went through, and, if I'm not mistaken, you were kind when you shared the last words of her lover." Himeko's gaze turned contemplative for a second. "I would give anything to hear the last words of the person I loved so much in my life."
Himeko shook her head, snapping out of her memories and turning back to Adam. "I've known Theresa for years, but I know that while she has dealt with the raw issues of the world, she hasn't been exposed to many of them or seen them up close. Much less Mei."
The redhead was a veteran in the eternal fight against the Honkai. She had had good and bad experiences throughout her career, like so many other Valkyries. She had seen the worst and best of humanity, but almost always with the Honkai as the backdrop to those scenarios.
Her first close experience with the dark side of humanity had been when her squad had escorted one of the rescue groups to help a small town after it suffered an Honkai attack. She had barely been with her squad for half a year when that happened.
Seeing people fighting and stabbing each other in dark alleys for the provisions Schicksal offered had been a great shock to her. Such events had troubled her for a long time until her mentor, Ragna Lothbrok, had helped her accept this things tend to happen and move on.
"And you think I do?" Adam asked.
Himeko just raised an eyebrow with a neutral expression. Again, Adam didn't answer anything, confirming her suspicions.
"Maybe it didn't turn out the way you wanted, but at least it didn't end in the worst way. You couldn't be cruel to the girl, but you couldn't promise her that everything would be easy from now on either," Himeko said. "Besides, you kept a cool head when she offered to sleep with you. That says a lot about you, Adam," she said sincerely. She would have made a joke out of it, but she wasn't foolish enough to joke at a time like this.
Again, they both fell into silence. Himeko remembered certain difficult times her old squad had had, as well as the closeness they had once they had overcome the obstacles; while Adam contemplated her words. Certainly, her arguments made sense. Besides, he hadn't expected such wisdom from Himeko. Usually, she complained about workloads, exams, and assignments to grade, not to mention having to deal with four teenagers living in the same dorm.
At first, Adam thought of her as a guard, watchful and grumpy in supervising them. Now? He saw her in a better light.
"What will happen to Sakura?" Adam asked, taking Himeko out of her head.
The teacher twisted her lips scarcely and frowned slightly. "For now, we will keep a strict watch on her. Right now, her emotional condition is not the most stable. We will wait for her to improve so Theresa can talk to her."
"Are you planning to integrate her and the Herrscher into the academy? Like you did with the girls and me?" Adam asked directly.
"That's the idea, though the final decision is up to the Overseer," Himeko made a complicated expression. "Let's just hope he agrees to Theresa's plan."
Otto was a man who liked to play with fire, no matter if others got burned instead of him. Knowing this, Adam was sure that Otto would agree to the idea. Adam was not comfortable with the idea of the Herrscher named Higokumaru living in the academy, but if it meant taking away more pieces and opportunities from Otto, he would reluctantly accept the Herrscher's presence.
Higokumaru and Sakura would be under Schicksal's surveillance, but there was a big difference between being in St. Freya or Helheim Labs.
"By the way, I suggest you go back to the dorm. Classes are almost over and the girls have been really worried about you. Especially Mei." Himeko winked at him in a flirtatious and teasing manner. "You better do something about it before Kiana sends you back to the hospital for hogging her Senpai's attention," she taunted.
Adam groaned softly.
The talks with the Herrscher and Sakura had left him tired, and he was almost certain that he was going to have a similar emotional talk with the girls, specifically, Mei.
"{The price to pay when a cute and good girl like Mei cares for someone like you,}" it said mockingly.
"{At least you're still gaining experience in dealing with people's emotions. A good thing.}"
Adam rubbed his temple with both hands as he heard the chuckling voices in his head and Himeko's.
How did you find the chapter?
I had my doubts about integrating Higokumaru into the story. After much thinking, I decided to do it.
I ran into several mental walls when planning and executing the conversation between Adam and Higokumaru. After three drafts, what you saw it's what came out.
Adam's distrust and hostility towards Higokumaru is noticeable. Something different from Mei's case. But one thing must be remembered: Adam witnessed that Mei's conscience didn't surrender to the influence of the Herrscher, while Higokumaru claims to be sorry after what Adam and Mei experienced in the Stigma? It could be said that it is normal to be defensive after such an event.
As for Sakura's talk. I've noticed in other stories (not exactly Honkai Impact) and light novels, when a similar scenario happens, the protagonist or another character says a couple of lines, and magically, the victim of terrible circumstances is at peace with themselves and their past. Not to mention they forgive or fully understand their tormentor's circumstances. Considering Sakura's history and what happened to her in the Stigmata in the canon, I didn't feel like doing this.
Will Sakura and Higokumaru get along right away? No.
Will they be enemies? Sakura's attitude will be aggressive toward Higokumaru at first, but she will not consider her an enemy for the rest of the story, although it will take some time for Sakura to relax in Higokumaru's presence and be able to form a relationship as we have seen in the canon.
You may have noticed that Adam's mental state was somewhat unbalanced. This is something that will be mentioned in the next chapter.
Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone, even though it's been two weeks.
See ya!