The girl's body was carried away on a stretcher.
Kiana stood rooted to the spot, watching in a daze as her friend moved further and further away from her.
Otto stood beside her, his eyes fixed on Kiana.
"You'll be notified when it's time for the funeral," he said softly, though by that time, he wasn't sure if Nagazora City would even still exist.
"Okay."
Kiana acknowledged. She had never attended a funeral before.
To think the first one she would ever attend would be for her own friend.
The thought made her heart ache.
Otto placed a hand on Kiana's shoulder and patted it gently. He said nothing more. This was a hurdle Kiana would have to overcome on her own.
Once she joined Schicksal, every Valkyrie she came to know would be at risk of dying.
Even someone as powerful as Cecilia had perished in Siberia.
Everyone dies, including himself.
Still, Otto had a headache. Kiana wanting to see Mei... this didn't seem like a good thing.
Was the battle between the Herrscher of the Void and the Herrscher of Thunder from "Lament of the Fallen" about to premiere several years ahead of schedule?
But Otto was also somewhat reassured. Kiana was a good kid. She wouldn't harm Raiden Mei, who had an experience similar to Asakura Miyuki's...
Well, probably.
In any case, he could just pin the blame on Cocolia when the time came. It was that woman's scheming that caused this in the first place.
"You know, at a time like this, it's better to just cry it out," Otto said gently, looking at Kiana.
But Kiana shook her head.
"I... I can't cry."
Kiana clutched the front of her shirt with her right hand. She felt a tightness in her chest, a difficulty breathing. Otto simply kept his hand on her shoulder.
"Your decision to kill her wasn't wrong. This is the fate of those corrupted by the Honkai."
"Your father, Siegfried, also had to kill many people who were infected by the Honkai."
Once infected, one either died or became Honkai cannon fodder—a Deadwalker. A rare few would become pseudo-Herrschers.
"Protect the people," Kiana recalled the Kaslana family duty her father had told her about. "But why does it hurt so much in the process of protecting them?"
Kiana didn't understand. She never imagined that, besides loneliness, there was another feeling so unbearable.
"It's alright. I will always be by your side," Otto said, draping an arm around Kiana's shoulders.
"Let's go home first."
"Okay."
Kiana tightened her grip on the sachet in her hand. Otto led her away, feeling that she needed some time to be quiet.
The two quickly returned to the hotel. Neither of them spoke during the journey; Kiana simply let Otto hold her cold, small hand.
Kiana's hands are a little smaller than Mei's, Otto noted idly. But they're a bit rougher, more solid.
In the elevator, Otto couldn't resist giving Kiana's hand a little squeeze, which earned him a sideways glance.
She no longer had the energy to hit him.
Whatever, squeeze it if you want.
Kiana stared at the floor. It was only when the elevator reached the top floor that she finally spoke.
"Otto, when can I see Raiden Mei?"
Her one sentence made Otto's heart leap into his throat. What a troublesome little imp. But there was no way the Overseer would let her meet Raiden Mei while she was in such an unstable mood.
"I will arrange for you two to meet as soon as possible," Otto said with a smile.
The initiative was in his hands, after all. Once her mood had recovered, he would introduce them.
They'll be colleagues competing to make breakfast and late-night snacks in the future. What kind of grudge could be so insurmountable?
"Okay," Kiana responded in a small voice.
Otto smiled. The elevator doors slid open, and his smile froze instantly on his face.
Azure-blue eyes met amethyst-purple ones.
Kiana Kaslana and Raiden Mei were staring at each other.
Right in front of Otto's room, Raiden Mei stood waiting. After Otto had left, Miss Herrscher had gone dormant again, returning control of the body to Mei.
When Mei awoke, her memory stopped at the moment right before Otto was about to kiss her. Although she didn't know what had happened, there was no doubt in her mind.
Mr. Otto must have kissed her.
The strange aftertaste in her mouth was the best proof.
Her heart was pounding with shyness, but then Mei realized Mr. Otto was gone. Had something happened?
She felt restless and decided to wait by the door for his return.
And this wait... had led to a disaster.
Otto's mind went blank.
Why is Mei here?
"Mr. Otto...?" Hearing the elevator, Mei had been a little happy. Since there were only two suites on this top floor, the chance of it being Otto was fifty-fifty.
And she did indeed see him.
But then, her gaze shifted to the girl beside Otto, and then down to their intertwined hands.
Her eyelid twitched.
Kiana, too, was frowning at Mei. Although this was a very beautiful woman, her friend had just died, and she had no interest in anything.
But then, she felt Otto squeeze her hand.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Kiana's sharp gaze took in the scene, and she realized something.
Otto's door was open, and this strange girl was standing right in front of it.
A flash of insight!
Kiana finally understood why Otto had been sleeping in her room for the past few days. So this guy was hiding a mistress in his gilded cage!
Then, a name escaped her lips involuntarily.
"Raiden Mei?"
Kiana hadn't been spoiled by the Cook's food yet.
She wasn't stupid.
"Yes," Mei replied, having heard the pretty, white-haired girl call out her name. Otto, meanwhile, couldn't help but press a hand to his forehead.
He had a bad feeling about this.
He let go of Kiana's hand. The moment he did, Kiana turned to look at him, her brow furrowed.
Her eyes seemed to say, What are you so afraid of?
But she had no time to deal with Otto now.
Kiana turned her gaze back to Mei. Mei, meanwhile, was gripping her own forearm, sensing the strange tension in the air.
She's a beautiful person, Kiana couldn't help but think. She felt that Raiden Mei was a bit like Asakura Miyuki; they both had the air of a high-class young lady.
Except this girl, Raiden Mei, seemed more mature.
"I had a friend," Kiana began softly.
"She was a pitiful girl with an unbearable past."
"She came to Senba Academy, but the world still didn't smile upon her."
"It even turned her into a monster."
"Hey, Raiden Mei, can you tell me why my friend turned into a monster?"
Her words were laced with sorrow. Although Kiana had only known Asakura Miyuki for two days, she was her second friend.
She had been so happy that she and Miyuki could be friends.
"I... I don't know," Mei replied, slowly shaking her head.
She didn't understand.
"I know you're innocent. I know you didn't want any of this to happen. I learned from Otto that your situation is very similar to my friend's. You're a victim, too."
"My friend's fall also had to do with her own fragile heart."
Kiana knew that Mei was a victim, and that Asakura Miyuki was just collateral damage.
But still...
"But... in my heart, I just feel so awful."
"So."
Kiana looked at Mei, then gave her a slight bow.
"I'm sorry."
A very respectful apology.
Then, she clenched her fist.
"Please grit your teeth. I want to punch you."