"Siegfried, thank you!"
"I've never tasted food like this before. Thank you for treating me to such delicious dishes."
"Thank you for taking me to so many different shops today."
"Especially the arcade—it was really so much fun!"
"Today… was the happiest day of my life. I'll treasure this memory forever!"
Cecilia thanked Siegfried earnestly.
Because once she returned,
she would go back to a life confined within headquarters.
But Siegfried looked into her eyes—serious, yet full of regret.
"This world is vast and full of wonders."
"If you're locked up in a little room all the time, isn't that too much of a waste?"
"In the future, I'll take you to lots of interesting places!"
"And today I only lost to you because I wasn't feeling well."
"When the new shooting game comes out next month, let's settle it once and for all!"
As he spoke,
Cecilia's gaze trembled, filled with hesitation.
It was the first time her heart had been so unsettled.
The beliefs Schicksal had instilled in her for years
were violently colliding with the freedom and joy she had felt in just this single day!
She truly wanted to nod—
to agree to Siegfried's request!
But…
Cecilia's body had been altered and restricted by Otto's experiments.
She couldn't leave Schicksal headquarters for long.
"Hey, why are you spacing out?"
"I'm sorry… Siegfried… I can't… I can't agree."
Cecilia clutched her chest and lowered her head as she refused him.
(Why… why does my heart suddenly hurt so much…?)
That painful, struggling expression
made everyone in the chat group ache for her.
[March 7th]: Sigh… why did Cecilia have to refuse?!
[Theresa]:
[Theresa]: Back then, Cecilia underwent Grandfather's bodily modifications… which made it impossible for her to stay away from Schicksal headquarters for long…
[Kafka]: Otto really is…
[Keqing]: Does this mean a relationship has to end before it even begins?
[Fu Xuan]: At this point, Cecilia still hasn't realized she's already fallen for him, has she?
Although she couldn't agree to Siegfried's request,
Cecilia still accompanied him to the front of the movie theater.
"Hehe, tickets for the Magical Sword Divine Mecha Arahato movie are really hard to get—good thing I managed to buy them!"
"Siegfried, do you really like this robot that much?"
"Absolutely! Arahato is the best robot anime ever!! Once you watch it, you'll love it too!!"
The moment Arahato was mentioned,
Siegfried's eyes lit up as he passionately recommended it.
Watching his excitement,
Cecilia recalled the Arahato model she had seen earlier that day.
She decided to give Siegfried one last gift.
But just as the two parted briefly—
members of Anti-Entropy appeared!
They took a tube of Cecilia's blood.
When Cecilia hurried back—
she saw Siegfried lying unconscious on the ground!
"Siegfried!!"
"Thank goodness… you're alive… thank goodness…"
Cecilia supported Siegfried's body and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
But at that very moment—
a familiar voice sounded from the mouth of the alley.
"Cecilia, I've finally found you."
"Overseer?! I… I still—"
"It's time to go, Cecilia. This is an order."
Otto didn't even turn his head.
Cold and unyielding,
he issued the command and took Cecilia away.
[Silver Wolf]: Just as expected!!
[Charlotte]: Otto!! Do something good for once!!
[Sushang]: Why do you have to break up a loving couple?!
[Bailu]: Vile Overseer! Destroying other people's fate!
[Klee]: Bad guy! Otto is a super bad guy!
Seeing Otto once again playing the detestable villain,
the chat group erupted in condemnation!
They were clearly in the middle of such a sweet romance—
why did he have to tear them apart?!
Before the complaints could continue,
the scene shifted again.
[Two years later]
[In the darkness of solitude, time seemed to lose all meaning.]
[Every time I closed my eyes, memories would surface on their own.]
[Over these two years, I replayed that moment again and again.]
[Then, I would recall the hand he reached out to me.]
[If, back then, I had taken his hand—]
[would the ending have been different?]
[But this is enough. Because I've already gained something I'll never forget.]
[Because I can still remember his smile…]
Inside the Valkyrie combat arena of Schicksal,
Cecilia lowered her gaze.
Her sorrowful expression made countless viewers ache for her.
But in the very next second—
a familiar figure made her pupils contract!
"What's wrong? Surprised to see me?"
Siegfried's smile was as bright as ever.
"Oh right, at a time like this, shouldn't I say—long time no see, Cecilia?"
In an instant!
Not only did all the viewers freeze in front of their screens—
Cecilia's eyes also overflowed with tears!
She rushed straight into Siegfried's embrace!
[Keqing]: Eh—?!
[March 7th]: W-what's going on??
[Sparkle]: Siegfried?!
[Ganyu]: Why is Siegfried… inside Schicksal's combat hall??
As the scene shifted once more—
High above the arena,
Otto sat watching the two of them embrace below.
At his side,
Theresa's voice rang out—relieved, and filled with gratitude.
"I never thought you'd agree to let Siegfried and Cecilia meet."
"Hehe. Two years ago, I promised Siegfried that if he could defeat all his opponents in the tournament, I'd let him see Cecilia."
"But just as I expected, this disgrace of the Kaslana family was, at the very beginning, not even stronger than an A-rank Valkyrie."
"Still, his will was quite firm. Even after being beaten so badly by Cheng Lixue that he couldn't get up, he insisted on not withdrawing."
"And over these two years, he's improved at an astonishing pace."
Otto smiled faintly, resting his cheek against one hand.
Those emerald-green eyes hid thoughts no one could read.
Beside him,
Theresa looked on at her dear friend's radiant smile with relief.
"No matter what, I still have to thank you."
"I haven't seen Cecilia smile like that in a very long time."
"Thank me?"
"Hehe, my dear Theresa."
Otto smiled indulgently,
then spoke in a low voice, almost to himself—
"You don't actually think I did this out of kindness, do you?"
"I merely wanted to know whether combining Cecilia's bloodline with that of the Kaslana family…"
"Would give birth to an even more powerful Herrscher-killer."
As he spoke,
Otto slowly closed his eyes.
In a daze,
that familiar figure appeared in his mind—
holy as an angel,
standing amid a vast sea of flowers, smiling gently at him.
A familiar smile,
a smile that seemed capable of redeeming everything.
"Yes… that kind-hearted Otto…"
"Died long ago—together with her."
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