Chapter 353: Discussion
Bronya spoke first, her tone crisp and precise:
"Only three hours since the last report… This level of efficiency is beyond expectation. Bronya feels the Overseer deserves a compliment."
Hera lifted her chin, smiling like a child praised for a clever trick.
"Oh my, such flattery! But as Overseer of Schicksal, it's only natural that I fight for every shred of beauty this world has left!"
"…I'll refrain from making a comment," Einstein muttered, arms folded. "Just tell us the results."
"Oh? From that tone, Doctor, one would think you bear some prejudice against me," Hera teased, eyes glimmering with mischief.
"I have no prejudice," Einstein retorted flatly. "It's your self-perception that's skewed."
Welt coughed lightly, stepping in before sparks could fly.
"Enough, both of you. This isn't the time for bickering. The survival of civilization comes first. Hera—if you called this council at such a critical moment, I trust you have good reason. Share your findings."
The ever-diplomatic leader of Anti-Entropy diffused the tension. Einstein gave a dismissive flick of her polished nails and let the matter drop, lowering her gaze.
Hera raised her brows, cupping the glass sphere that imprisoned the restless gray mist. Holding it up to the holo-projections on the council table, she smiled radiantly, as though presenting a prized jewel.
"As you can all see, this is a fragment of the erosive infection I extracted from an Aggregation. According to the framework of Information-Origin Theory, I've reached a preliminary conclusion: the core body of the Herrscher of Corruption no longer exists. It has diffused into a global infectious medium, existing somewhere between reality and unreality. It cannot be neatly defined as either wave or particle."
"To put it plainly—there are no shortcuts. To eradicate the Herrscher of Corruption, we must eliminate every last infectious medium across the entire globe. Worse still, these mediums are still multiplying and spreading, seeping into every visible and unseen corner of our world. To physically erase something so omnipresent without missing a single trace… is virtually impossible."
Her words spelled doom, yet her smile was as pure and carefree as a princess playing in a garden, utterly enchanting.
None of the council members were moved by her charm; they were far too accustomed to her contradictions. Their faces remained grave, weighed with thought.
After a moment of silence, Welt adjusted his glasses and sighed.
"Hera… just tell us your plan."
"Oh? You'd follow my lead? You actually trust me?"
"For now, yes," Welt said steadily. "At the very least, I believe we stand on the same side. Hera, the world and its future need your knowledge and intellect."
For a heartbeat, her lips pressed together—then curved into a smile more genuine than before, softened by sincerity.
"First priority: the Aggregations must be destroyed with all haste. I'll need you to commit every military resource toward that goal. At the same time, under Bronya's direction, I intend to transform the earth's surface into a grid-like cage—locking the infection into place. Once confined, we can proceed with a systematic purge."
Bronya raised her hand.
"Two concerns. One: allocating full military strength to the Aggregations will delay the deployment of micro-Honkai deconstruction fields. Without sufficient cross-linked fields, the seal cannot hold. Two: even if the first problem is solved, a global grid would require ocean coverage as well. For that, Bronya would need a minimum of three months."
"I happen to possess a mech corps equipped with Moonlight Throne systems," Hera replied smoothly. "I suspect you have similar assets. With a few modifications, these weapons of war can be converted into mobile field generators. With that, both of your problems should be solved, yes?"
"How many units?" Bronya pressed. "What's their mobility? Output? Power consumption?"
Without hesitation, Hera transmitted a data file.
Bronya scanned it in silence, her eyes darting rapidly across the lines—then, suddenly, they lit up with resolve.
"At least a week is neede— no, within five days, Bronya can complete the grid-seal."
"Excellent. As expected of Sigurd's favored general. A round of applause is in order."
And Hera actually clapped, the sound of her hands echoing bright and playful. Then she turned to Einstein with a smile.
Einstein inclined her head slightly, her voice cool as ever.
"I'll work with Dr. Tesla to reconfigure the Moonlight Throne system," Einstein explained calmly. "Instead of concentrated bombardment, we'll shift the output into broad-spectrum radiation—sunlight-style coverage. Then, grid by grid, we'll wipe out every last infection medium."
"As expected of Dr. Einstein!"
Hera gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, her smile bright and earnest.
With a concrete plan now on the table, Welt's stern expression eased. He smiled gently, his tone steady:
"In that case, I'll continue to contribute raw strength. I'll accelerate the eradication of the Aggregations as much as possible, protect as many civilians as I can, and once the situation stabilizes, drive reconstruction with all available speed to restore civilization's vitality."
"Mhm, that's exactly the kind of work that suits you best," Hera said, giving a playful hum. "Do put your back into it, Iron-Handed Father. Honestly, in the wake of catastrophe, there's no one more suited than Welt standing at the forefront of recovery. Just your presence alone will inspire the people."
"Hah, too kind. I merely do what I can," Welt replied with a modest chuckle. Then, his gaze shifted toward the far end of the table—to the fox-eared swordswoman who had remained silent all this time. His tone was gentle, but his eyes sharpened with curiosity.
"The plan is set. Now, who might this unfamiliar guest be? Hera, perhaps you should introduce her?"
Hera spared the woman a sidelong glance, her voice relaxed and lazy.
"Sigurd's contingency. Just in case. I brought her here. Her name is Yae Sakura. She was once the Inhibitor Core of the Herrscher of Corruption in the previous era. At present, she's formed a kind of symbiosis with the last Herrscher of Corruption… that's the gist of it."
That explanation made both Welt and Einstein's eyes flicker with surprise.
Sigurd's hidden contingencies, the Herrscher of the previous age, and the Inhibitor Core itself… One couldn't help but marvel at the young man's foresight. How many more hidden pieces had he quietly placed on the board? And yet—wasn't that exactly why they felt they could entrust him with the future of civilization?
Only Bronya, resting her cheek on one hand, remained unmoved. Her expression was blank as she regarded Yae Sakura. As Sigurd's closest aide, she had known of this secret long before Hera herself. Nothing here surprised her.
Under the weight of so many gazes, Yae Sakura's foxlike ears perked high, betraying her tension. She straightened her back instinctively.
Five hundred years ago, the world she knew was nothing more than a tiny village in the far east, small and fragile as a speck of dust. Five hundred years later, she had glimpsed a far vaster world—but in her heart, she still felt like that powerless shrine maiden. Before these figures who steered the tides of the entire world, her composure faltered.
It wasn't a lack of strength. It was the immense gulf of experience, achievement, position, and knowledge that made her unable to feel at ease in this place.
After a moment's quiet adjustment, she finally composed herself, offering the council a gentle smile.
"I am Yae Sakura, currently serving under Master Sigurd. It is an honor to meet you, esteemed lords and ladies."
Welt and Einstein exchanged a brief glance, then offered faint smiles—warm, almost reassuring.
"Greetings," Welt said. "Our names hardly need introduction, I think. It's a pleasure to meet you. And as for 'lords and ladies'… there's no need. As you can see, we're just ordinary people."
His voice carried such genuine sincerity that it almost rang false.
Yae Sakura's smile wavered, turning a little stiff. Ordinary? This man, who had led Anti-Entropy for centuries with unmatched resolve? This woman, who had hand-built fission weapons and scolded world leaders? And Bronya, the iron-willed commander who had led countless global-scale campaigns, Sigurd's right hand?
Ordinary…? Their definition of the word clearly didn't match that of common folk.
Bronya rolled her eyes and spoke up in her usual flat monotone:
"Bronya does not believe we have time to waste. Overseer, if there are further instructions, please state them directly."
"You're right," Hera admitted with a nod. Then her gaze turned back to Yae Sakura, her tone sharpening just slightly.
"Yae Sakura. I know why Sigurd went to such lengths to conceal you from me. First, the nature of Corruption's authority lies in information contamination—in a sense, it is a means of directly touching information itself. That alone makes you invaluable for research. Second, this era has advanced rapidly down the path of mechanization. Today's crisis was always within our projections. To counter mechanical infection, he pulled you back from the depths of hell."
"So tell me, can you wield it?"
Hera balanced the glass sphere on one hand, her gaze falling lightly on Yae Sakura.
Sakura nodded quickly.
"Yes… yes, Sigurd left behind something—something like a program. In short, once we've secured the Herrscher's power of Corruption, Higokumaru will be able to craft a counter-virus."
Hera sighed softly.
"Of course, if I were to conduct deep enough research, I could eventually create an anti-Corruption medium as well. But that would take time. And when dealing with the Herrscher of Corruption, the one resource we cannot afford to lose is time. We can't just sit and watch as it gnaws away at the very foundation of our technology. So… this goes to you. You'll be paired with Bronya and Dr. Einstein, and together, contribute to the Herrscher's downfall."
What she left unsaid was that this was also her way of building Yae Sakura's capital for survival—an investment that would, in the end, ease the path toward reviving Kallen.
With a flick of her wrist, Hera let the glass sphere fall. Just as it seemed ready to hit the table, a tiny black hole bloomed open on the surface. A slender hand, its joints faintly mechanical like that of a doll, reached out from within, caught the orb, and pulled it into the void before vanishing.
"…What?"
Welt's pupils contracted. He recognized both the form of the Herrscher of Thousands and that familiar Honkai energy signature instantly.
Then, he could only shake his head with a helpless sigh.
"How many things have you two hidden from me? I knew it. The moment the Herrscher of Thousands vanished without a trace and neither Sigurd nor you made a move about it, I should've realized."
"Don't pout. It's just a small matter." Hera waved him off with a lazy smile. "I'll continue monitoring the Herrscher of Corruption. The rest of you, move quickly. Until next time."
With a cheerful wave, she severed the meeting connection.
The room fell silent, the faint glow of projection fading away with it. Alone in the darkness, Hera sat quietly, listening to her own breathing as silence pressed in like a heavy shroud.
Shhh—
Suddenly, a pair of flawless, alabaster hands pulled the curtains wide open. Sunlight burst into the room, spilling across the figure of a silver-haired beauty standing at the window, her golden mask gleaming, her long side-tail swaying like an angel poised at heaven's edge.
"Wahhh! Too bright, too bright! Amber, the sun is going to burn me to ash!"
Hera flailed dramatically in her chair as though writhing in pain.
Amber turned, her face calm, her voice as cool and steady as always.
"Lady Hera, please recall: your species is not that of a vampire."
"Eh? It isn't?"
"It isn't."
"…Ah, well. In that case, no problem then."
Hera spread her hands innocently, blinking her bright green eyes with deliberate playfulness.
Amber, however, remained unmoved. She simply fixed her gaze on Hera and said evenly:
"You seem to be in good spirits, Lady Hera."
"Oh? You noticed, my dear Amber?"
"It's only a guess."
"Hah, then your guess was right."
Rising gracefully, Hera straightened her crimson dress, adjusting it until it fell into place with elegance, replying in a tone of casual ease.
A few years ago, all those people would have gladly watched her burn under sunlight if given the chance. Yet now, they could entrust one another with confidence. After just a brief exchange, they were already moving in harmony with her ideas.
Time and fate truly were strange things.
She did not regret the ruthless deeds of her past, nor did she naively believe her enemies had ever truly let go of their hatred. But to stand like this, working sincerely with those who loved the world, without layers of intrigue or hidden schemes—it was a fresh experience. And conversing with people sharp enough to understand her intentions without excessive explanation carried its own kind of pleasure.
All in all, Hera thought, this wasn't bad at all.
"Amber."
"I am here, Lady Hera."
"Let's head out again. There's still so much to do. Everyone else is busy—I can't be the only one slacking, can I?"
"As you will, Lady Hera."
Amber bowed obediently, a faint relief in her tone at finally seeing her mistress set idleness aside. And as always, she followed Hera's steps without hesitation—because no matter what, she would always chase that back, as naturally as the clouds hung eternally in the sky.
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