Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

After spending nearly half a day sightseeing with Durandal, Sigurd and she had dinner together.

She had a straightforward personality, to the point of being rigid, but she was also very innocent.

Talking about Honkai and justice earned him her favor easily, and she adjusted their addressing each other to a first-name basis.

"It was pleasant chatting with you. Goodnight, Sigurd."

"Goodnight, Durandal."

After waving goodbye, Durandal went to her dormitory, while Rita followed Sigurd, seemingly intending to serve him until he fell asleep.

Then, at a corner, they ran into Otto and Amber.

This was Otto's stronghold. If he wished, he could encounter anyone anywhere.

"Good evening, my dear friend. Did you have a pleasant afternoon?"

"It was delightful. I should sleep even better tonight, knowing I won't see you."

"As always, you don't spare me any face."

"Perfect timing. I wanted to ask, where is Fu Hua?"

Sigurd straightforwardly asked.

She wasn't at the Schicksal Headquarters, and if she were on Tai Xuan Mountain, Sigurd had dispatched drones to search, to no avail. He had even attempted to hack into satellites to access global surveillance footage. The data was vast, but with time, it should be possible to locate someone.

Yet he had found nothing.

Either Fu Hua intentionally and effectively concealed herself, or the relevant information had been deliberately deleted and hidden by Otto. Even from Schicksal's database, there was no useful information to be found. After all, this was one of Otto's hidden trump cards, layered in secrecy, which was entirely reasonable.

Otto squinted slightly, intrigued, and said, "Since you didn't get any results with recruiting Rita and Durandal, you're thinking of finding my old friend?"

"Yeah, whether or not I can recruit her is another matter, but I'm quite interested in her fist technique and the Tai Xuan Sword Arts."

"Why not ask me for them? I have them, you know."

"Have you mastered them?"

"...No."

"Then what are you talking about? You act like you've already mastered them."

Sigurd glanced at Otto, his expression clearly filled with disdain.

Otto sighed and shook his head, chuckling. "I have to say, are you becoming more disrespectful towards me lately?"

"Not at all. Haven't I always been like this?"

"Nonsense! Back then, you used to address me as 'Mr. Otto' with so much respect! Where did that adorable and obedient Sigurd go?"

Otto exaggeratedly spoke, as if he was about to burst into tears. Unfortunately, his acting was quite unconvincing. It was unclear if it was deliberate or if he genuinely lacked acting skills.

Sigurd glanced at Amber.

Amber lowered her head in embarrassment.

Then he looked back at Otto and sighed, "So, can you answer my question?"

"No."

Otto resumed his elegant and leisurely posture and gave this brief reply.

Sigurd raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Sigurd, I've already made a lot of concessions for you. You should know that I'm not a pushover."

Otto said with a sly smile, and his dark purple bishop's robe shimmered in the lamplight. It was clearly a smiling expression, but it sent a shiver down Rita's spine.

Has it come to this?

Rita had noticed it yesterday; these two people seemed close, but there was something peculiar about their relationship.

There was actual evidence too, such as the orders she received.

Apart from taking care of Lord Sigurd, she was also instructed to stick closely to him in Otto's absence, with a subtle undertone of having him under surveillance.

The Schicksal Organization had been under the Archbishop Otto's sole control for many years, and suddenly, a figure like Lord Sigurd Kaslana with so many titles emerged.

Could this be the Kaslana family's representative?

In fact, could this be a power struggle between Apocalypse and the Kaslana family giant?

The more Rita speculated, the more she felt that she might have unwittingly become involved in something dangerous.

So, she lowered her head in silence, trying to fade into the background and avoid playing any conspicuous role in it.

However, Sigurd, who Rita thought should be cautious, just wrinkled his brow with an innocent look and complained, "Is this your limit? Didn't you tell me yesterday that the world would make concessions for me?"

"The world will make concessions for you, true, but I won't."

"You're playing word games with me, you're really idle."

"Oh, come on, we're friends; I believe you won't get angry."

Otto looked at Sigurd, smiling.

And Sigurd, as he walked away, turned his head to look back at Otto, also with a smile.

Both of them wore similar bishop robes, and wore similar smiles.

They are men who are muchmore similar to each other than they themself realize, a genius far surpassing their own time, and someone who want to make the world a better place all just for a single person.

The only difference between them is that, unlike Otto, Sigurd 'Kallen', Kiana, is still alive.

Although there were noticeable differences in height and appearance, Amber and Rita, who followed behind them, felt as though they were looking at a twin.

"Fine, I'll figure it out on my own."

"Forgive me, Sigurd, she's an old friend of mine, and I can't treat her unfairly, can I?"

"Just stop messing around with me."

"Alright, alright, we won't talk about this anymore. By the way, where did you hide the Judgement of Shamash? Do you mind sharing with me? You know, there are some mysterious folks coveting that God Key."

"I have my own plans; you don't need to know. I won't give it to you."

With words exchanged, the two of them continued to walk down the corridor, chatting and laughing, stepping into the night.

...

Sigurd spent his second night at Schicksal and woke up in the morning with a slight sense of annoyance.

Perhaps it was because of Otto?

Sigurd rubbed his eyes uncertainly, yawned, and began to think about leaving.

However, Sigurd considered himself to have the maturity of an adult and could overcome these emotions.

There were still many things to discuss: the Herrscher gene fusion technology, mecha technology, artificial Stigmata technology, cloning technology, Valkyrie armor technology... Otto's mind was a treasure trove, and Schicksal's headquarters was also a treasure trove.

Leaving without delving further would be a missed opportunity, and Otto might not be as indulgent next time.

After all, when it came to dealing with inexperienced geniuses versus fully developed geniuses, Otto's level of vigilance would be vastly different.

Moreover, with Kiana's growth, Otto's Artificial Herrscher project was progressing gradually, and the atmosphere between them would likely change the next time they met.

"Rita, prepare for a change of clothes."

"Yes, Lord Sigurd."

...

And so, in the daily routine of exploring Otto's technological reserves, Sigurd stayed at Schicksal's headquarters for a whole month.

Then, with patience, he finally saw Vira Klov.

"Big brother Sigurd!"

"Good morning, you seem to have grown a bit, haven't you?"

Sigurd commented as he lifted the running little girl and felt a slight difference in weight.

"Big brother Sigurd!"

The same soft voice, but this time it carried a hint of embarrassment.

Though she was still young, Vira had a sense of being a young lady and was conscious of her weight.

Sigurd's assessment of this was - she's too mature for her age. She's just a child; why worry about height and development?

Then Sigurd put her down, ruffled her fluffy little head, and showed a genuinely gentle smile.

"It's been a while, are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, Vira is very healthy now! Big sister Kiana... I mean, the other Big Sister Kiana coming over?"

Vira tiptoed behind Sigurd, trying to see if Kiana might be hiding and playing a prank. She looked around but didn't find anything.

As a result, a clear disappointment appeared on the little girl's face.

"As for Kiana, there are some issues on her family's side, so she won't be able to come for a while. However, she asked me to say hello to you and take a few pictures for her."

"I see. Well, please tell Big sister Kiana that I'm doing well now and that I miss her a lot."

"Sure, she misses you too. She occasionally mentions your name in her dreams."

"Really?"

In Vira's delighted gaze, Sigurd nodded with a gentle expression. He then picked up the girl, sat her down on his lap, and looked across at Otto.

"Vira just mentioned another Big Sister Kiana. Does that mean you've allowed her to meet the Kiana from this side?"

"There's no helping it. The young lady here occasionally has mood swings and wants to be accompanied. Little Vira can get lonely by herself. Letting them spend their time by playing together is simply killing two birds using one stone."

Otto sipped his tea, displaying a gentle smile towards the little Vira, looking like a harmless and kind person.

Sigurd ruffled the girl's small head, fed her some snacks, and asked, "Is it really that simple?"

"It's exactly that simple. We're friends, after all. Why would I have any ulterior motives?"

Otto smiled innocently.

Sigurd refrained from commenting on that.

If he could trust that statement, he would be able to defeat the Herrscher of Finality easily tomorrow.

Holding Vira in his arms, Sigurd fell silent for a moment and asked a question he already knew the answer to, "Can I take Vira with me then?"

"It's best not to. Vira's condition is more complicated than we initially thought, and I recommend she stay here for a few more years to ensure her safety. As for other matters, she has a long future ahead of her. Once her recovery is completely confirmed, there will be plenty of time for her to experience other things."

Otto sighed, as if genuinely concerned about Vira's situation.

Sigurd fell silent for a moment and nodded. He knew that Vira was not only a candidate for the Artificial Herrscher program but also a chip to restrain himself. No matter what, Otto wouldn't easily let go.

Safety is the most important... Yes, at least Vira would be safe here. If he tried to leave, who knows how many unexpected moves Otto might have up his sleeve.

Perhaps sensing Sigurd's displeasure, Vira patted his hand and said, "Big brother Sigurd, it's okay. Vira also believes that health is the most important, and I think Papa wants that too. So, Vira will stay here and accept regular check-ups. Besides, big sister is actually very nice to me."

From Vira's optimistic words and expression, Sigurd could tell that Otto's inductions were effective, and it seemed that he hadn't done anything harmful to her.

This reassured Sigurd, and he raised an eyebrow, intentionally skipping over Robbins' heartache, and asked with a smile, "Big sister... sister? Is that how you address her?"

Vira nodded, her face showing an innocent smile. "She doesn't let me call her sister Kiana, she said it's repetitive with the other sister Kiana. Big brother Sigurd, do you think the two sister Kianas are siblings? Big sister won't say, and Uncle Otto won't tell me either."

"...Yes, they are twin sisters. However, due to some family-related factors, their relationship might not be very good. It seems like she's not holding a grudge against you for this now."

"No, even though big sister looks a bit scary and doesn't smile much, she's actually very nice. She gives me snacks, tells me stories, combs my hair, and even teaches me to read and exercise! She's really amazing, just like Big brother Sigurd."

Sigurd raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised this time.

Was it really that the true Kiana had a kind personality, or did Vira have some special affinity for the Kiana group? And why did she compare her to him, Sigurd?

"Can I meet her?"

Sigurd asked, directing the question at both Vira and Otto.

"It doesn't seem possible. Sister has been sleeping these past few days and doesn't want to see anyone, so it's not a good time for you, Big brother Sigurd," Vira replied.

After hearing Vira's response, Sigurd looked at Otto.

Otto responded with a smiling shake of his head.

Well, it seemed that the goal of meeting the original Kiana couldn't be achieved, a bit disappointing.

Then, Sigurd lowered his gaze to Vira and said, "Since big sister has been teaching you to read, I suppose you haven't fallen behind in your studies? I happen to have brought a few sets of test papers, so I'll test you on them during this visit."

"Huh?!?"

"Learning is like rowing upstream; not advancing means retreating, it's necessary."

"Big brother Sigurd! You-you are so mean!"

Vira stared at Sigurd with big, watery eyes, never expecting that the first gift Sigurd would give her after their reunion would be exam papers!

________

Tn: Yes, one of the thing I realize after reading the fanfic is just how similar Otto and Sigurd are, it's as if Sigurd and Kiana is the current time Otto and Kallen, with Kiana having a blind trust with Sigurd and with Sigurd who would go apeshit the moment anything bad happen to Kiana.

<+>

Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Patreon1, just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.

Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 211: Heartfelt Words1

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Strijder1