Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

Back then, Raiden Mei had followed Durandal to the Valkyries' current base in the Far East.

Some of the Valkyries had already left, while others remained.

Just as they arrived, they ran into Ana Schariac.

Ana was quite the character. She had a large group of people trailing behind her, seemingly preparing to leave.

And then she saw Lady Durandal approaching with Lady Rita and a newcomer.

The encounter was immediately awkward.

Durandal walked up with a cheerful smile. "Ana, are you all heading out for some shopping? Why are you carrying so much stuff..."

The Valkyries behind Ana nervously hid what they were holding behind their backs. They weren't just "carrying stuff"; they were planning to leave this place for a new, more suitable life.

Just one look at the Valkyries told Rita everything she needed to know. She pulled Durandal back and stepped forward with a smile. "You all go on ahead. Lady Durandal and I have some business to attend to."

Durandal seemed to realize what was happening, and her brow furrowed instinctively.

"Senior Rita... I apologize." Ana bowed slightly to Rita in apology, then turned to her followers. "Let's go."

The group lowered their heads and filed past Durandal and the others.

Raiden Mei watched the scene in silence. She wasn't surprised by the Valkyries' actions, but she sighed at how deep the influence of recent events ran, enough to make them choose to leave Schicksal.

"Rita, why did you stop me? They're leaving Schicksal."

Durandal was getting anxious. She had mentored many of these Valkyries. Many of them had worked so hard because they admired her. She couldn't just stand by and let them go without doing anything.

"Lady Durandal, you know as well as I do that if the current situation doesn't change, the Valkyries will keep leaving. And even if they don't, we'll have to downsize eventually. What would you do then?"

Rita's words were harsh. She knew Academy City didn't need so many Valkyries.

And Otto didn't raise Valkyries just to fight the Honkai; he needed these girls with high Honkai resistance to willingly serve as his test subjects.

Just like Professor Magi's granddaughter... Rin.

Durandal was speechless. To fight the Honkai, she herself had compromised a great deal, turning a blind eye to many of Otto's actions.

That was a sin that couldn't be covered up by feigning ignorance.

"I understand. Well then, I wish them the best of luck," Durandal sighed, reluctantly letting the Valkyries depart.

"I'm sorry, Mei, that you had to see this right after you arrived."

Raiden Mei shook her head. "I don't think leaving is necessarily a good thing for them. A Valkyrie with Schicksal's backing and one without are two completely different things. They don't know what they're giving up. If they only focus on grasping what they want, they can easily fall into a trap."

It wasn't that Raiden Mei was particularly knowledgeable; it was mainly because she had watched Noldrei fish so many times. She saw clearly the mindset of the fish that got hooked.

"Schicksal has indeed made outstanding contributions to resisting the Honkai, but it's not exactly a great place either. These Valkyries who still want revenge on the Honkai will inevitably seek out a new power of their own. I just don't know..."

Durandal thought of the look in Ana Schariac's eyes. It wasn't the look of a leader. Or rather, she lacked the firm resolve a leader should have.

Perhaps only someone who can pass the five stages of the Stigma battlesuit trial can become a leader with unwavering will. I wonder if I can even pass the fourth trial.

Durandal had already passed the first three stages. She hadn't continued to the fourth, having only tried it once out of curiosity.

"Forget it. After all, the Schariac family has her back. It's not my place to interfere too much."

Durandal had no sense of being part Schariac herself. She didn't think the Kaslana or Schariac families could offer her any real support.

"What's wrong? Was there something off about that Valkyrie?"

Raiden Mei sensed that Durandal had been holding something back.

Am I supposed to tell you that high Honkai resistance, a wavering spirit, and an excellent combat foundation are all concentrated in that Schariac girl?

Durandal had complete confidence in her own mental fortitude, but she didn't have the same confidence in Ana, who had just left.

"She's from the Schariac family. Since she chose to leave, it means she doesn't care much about her family's issues. Ana herself doesn't have much of the holy blood's power left anyway, so there's no need to worry about her."

Durandal knew the background of nearly every Valkyrie in Schicksal. But because of that, she knew exactly where the Valkyries who disappeared every so often had gone.

In the past, she could use the Honkai as an excuse to make such compromises.

But now...

Durandal had to face this choice herself.

"Let's go, Mei. I'll show you what all the fuss among the Valkyries is about."

Durandal's serious demeanor made Raiden Mei a little nervous. She found herself wondering just how many Valkyries would be needed to fill all the character roles in My Little Pony.

The number must be huge, right?

---||---

Kiana, of course, had no idea about Raiden Mei's plans to expand the pony empire. She...

She was currently eating ice cream.

After a few licks, Kiana found the ice cream wasn't as delicious as she'd imagined. She even thought eating ice cream in the cool, post-rain weather was something only an idiot would do.

"That's weird, this stuff is just okay... Why was that girl so happy about it?!"

Kiana's eyebrows shot up.

Bronya looked on, speechless. "If you wanted some, you could have just asked him for it. Why did you have to go and buy one yourself to try? Is there a difference between one he buys and one you buy?"

"Of course there's a difference! This Young Lady has never been treated like that! When has he ever taken me out for good food and then to a couples' shop? See, Tesla was right all along. He must have been a human for too long and now has a thing for primitive matriarchal types."

Kiana couldn't believe it. She, who was perfectly fine, had never received such treatment. Why should some girl she'd never even met get it?

Bronya retorted, "What 'thing'? All I see in you is ugly jealousy. You're just worried your foster father has taken in another daughter and that your claim to the 'throne' is no longer secure, aren't you?"

Kiana was so furious she nearly reverted to her true form.