In the Headmaster's office, now a scene of utter chaos, Theresa huddled behind the towering cross of the Oath of Judah, clinging to the divine key for protection. The adjutant and Himeko, blocked by a wall of Judah's chains, roared furiously from outside.
"Theresa, get out here!" The red-haired Valkyrie's iron fist hammered against Judah's chains, causing the soul-forged links to rattle continuously. The adjutant, meanwhile, produced a chainsaw sword from who-knows-where. Its high-speed chain, whirling with jagged teeth, showered golden sparks as it clashed against the chains.
Hiding behind the chain wall, Theresa watched the two figures looming like demons. This is it. My life ends today, she thought grimly, her gaze darting to the window...
"Oath of Judah, flight mode activated!" The petite figure in a nun's habit decisively leapt onto the divine key's back. In an instant, the golden chains retracted completely, and Theresa, stepping on the cross, burst through the window.
"Himeko, Miss Adjutant, I'm sorry—!" A half-hearted apology echoed in the wind as she vanished.
Left in the office, the two women stared in shock at the shattered glass where the Headmaster had burst through. Then, remembering something, they turned their gazes to Theresa's desk. The transfer notice from Headquarters, projected on the screen, stubbornly asserted its presence even after the chaos.
Below the previously visible information, a new countdown timer had appeared:
Time until personnel arrival: 1 hour 36 minutes. Please prepare for personnel handover.
"...So, who's going to pick them up?" Himeko asked the Adjutant, her gaze fixed on the final line of text.
"According to Schicksal's regulations, the personnel transfer of an A-rank Valkyrie requires the local branch's highest-ranking officer to personally oversee their integration," the Adjutant replied after consulting her memory of Schicksal's protocols.
"...Great. Theresa's already disappeared to who-knows-where. We won't find her for at least another hour and a half. We won't see that little shorty until evening at the earliest." The red-haired Valkyrie's lips twitched at the adjutant's reply.
"If the local branch head is unable to greet the incoming Valkyrie due to an accident or unforeseen circumstances, the deputy branch head or a Valkyrie of equal rank must perform the welcoming duties." The adjutant's gaze shifted to Himeko.
"Me?! I don't want to meet some A-rank Valkyrie from the Schicksal Cleanup Squad! Those girls give me the creeps! The Academy has two other A-ranks, right? Send Snow or Fu Hua instead!"
Himeko, realizing the task had fallen to her, pointed at herself in disbelief. Then, with a sudden flash of insight, she swiftly passed the buck to the other two.
"As you wish... Major Himeko. I'll notify Lady Snow and Lady Fu Hua immediately." The adjutant gave a resigned look and began operating the terminal on her wrist.
"After notifying them, come help me ransack Theresa's office. I want to see where she's stashed all those Homu comics and plushies." Himeko nodded and immediately started rummaging through Theresa's desk.
"Aren't you going to inform Headmaster Theresa first?" the adjutant asked, momentarily taken aback.
"What, so she going to abandon the Academy and run off alone?"
"...True enough."
In the dormitory's lounge, everyone was gathered around a table enjoying afternoon tea. Snow and Fu Hua, seated on the sofa and chairs, sipping coffee and Longjing tea, both paused abruptly.
Snow tapped her left wristband, projecting a mission notification. Fu Hua, meanwhile, pushed up her glasses and lightly tapped the frames.
"What's wrong, Class Monitor Fu Hua? And you too, Snow-san. Do you have an urgent mission?" Mei asked, noticing their brief hesitation.
"Nothing urgent, Mei-san. We're just going to welcome a new colleague shortly," Fu Hua replied, adjusting her glasses again and raising her cup to continue sipping her tea.
"The Class Monitor and that Blonde Monster are going to welcome her together? Aren't you both A-rank Valkyries? Is she some VIP from Schicksal Headquarters?" Kiana asked, pausing her enthusiastic devouring of a fried chicken leg, her curiosity piqued.
"No, just an A-rank Valkyrie transferred from Headquarters. According to Schicksal's regulations, Headmaster Theresa should have been the one to greet her..."
"However, the Adjutant mentioned in her briefing that they couldn't find Theresa at the Academy right now. Moreover, Himeko-sensei, the second-in-command, seems to be tied up with other matters, so she's assigned the welcoming duty to us A-rank Valkyries as a mission."
Snow picked up her coffee cup she had set aside, took a slow sip, and spoke calmly, showing no signs of urgency.
"Then can we all go together? A new A-rank Valkyrie! Himeko told me that A-rank Valkyries are incredibly rare in each branch!" Kiana asked excitedly.
"...Very well. Everyone will meet her eventually anyway, and there's no specific rule against bringing additional personnel," Fu Hua nodded in agreement to Kiana's request.
Snow popped a small cake from the plate into her mouth, drained the last of her coffee, and wiped her hands with a tissue before heading upstairs.
"I'm going to change into formal attire. Anyone else coming? The welcoming ceremony requires formal dress..." The golden-haired girl turned back to look at the others in the living room.
"Me! Me! Me—!"
"Bronya wishes to participate."
"Since Kiana's going, I might as well check it out too..."
The living room erupted into temporary chaos.
Far East Branch, St. Freya Academy's Airport
A white Schicksal High-Speed Transport Ship began decelerating as it approached the airport, aligning with the docking rail.
At the rail's exit, a group stood waiting for the arrival of their VIP guest.
"Mei, what do you think the Valkyrie coming today will be like? Will she be like Class Monitor Fu Hua or Instructor Himeko?" Kiana asked, her eyes fixed on the rail's exit with childlike curiosity.
"Probably...? We'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Mei replied, glancing at Kiana's excited demeanor with a hint of amusement.
-
Time ticked by, but not a single figure appeared on the empty track, making the group waiting behind Fu Hua and Snow grow restless.
"Hey, do you think we're being stood up...?" Kiana asked anxiously, her gaze fixed on the transport ship ahead. Through another cargo hatch, goods were being unloaded into the academy, but their target remained nowhere in sight.
"Maybe the Valkyrie has some urgent matters to handle on board?" Mei suggested tentatively.
Just then, Snow's communicator chimed with an incoming call.
"Hello...?"
"Are you there? Are you picking up an A-rank Valkyrie?" Kyuusyou's voice came through the line.
"Yes... what's wrong, Kyuusyou?" Snow's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"It's Ninti. She barged into our dorm... I almost had to fight her..." Kyuusyou's tone was exasperated.
"Now she's demanding to see you... You'd better come back quickly..."
"Alright..." Snow hung up and turned to the others.
"Sounds like someone you know, Snow?" Fu Hua asked.
"Mm... you could call her my adopted sister or foster daughter," Snow replied after a moment's thought, nodding.
"Even though she's an A-rank Valkyrie, how did she bypass all our surveillance and the academy's security to find our dorm so accurately?" Fu Hua pondered, stroking her chin.
"Exceptional talent?" Mei suggested.
"Let's just head back for now..." Fu Hua concluded.
-
When the group returned to the dormitory living room, Kyuusyou was using a fork to stab a piece of cake Mei had baked earlier, shoving it into the mouth of a girl with pale gold hair styled in a side ponytail.
"So... this is the person we're supposed to pick up? A little kid? She looks even smaller than Bronya!" Kiana stared at the girl being fed, her expression conveying, Are you kidding me?
"Bronya senses that Kiana is making a double entendre, but considering Kiana's limited intellect, Bronya dismisses this possibility."
"Bronya, what are you talking about?!"
Ignoring the renewed commotion from the group's usual troublemakers, Snow swiftly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of Kyuusyou feeding Ninti.
"Hmm, a happy and harmonious family," Snow murmured, nodding in satisfaction as she looked at the picture.
"...What nonsense are you spouting, Snow?!" Steam began rising from Kyuusyou's head, as if she were about to overheat.
"Harmonious family?" Ninti tilted her head in confusion, glancing at the overheating Kyuusyou beside her. After a moment's contemplation, she blurted out:
"...Mommy?"
The golden-haired girl's question completely overloaded the savior's mental circuits.