Chapter 213: "Giving a name to this stigmata"

For as long as she could remember, Bronya had seen the woman wandering around the land of Siberia with very desperate eyes.

Her body was like an unstable projection, disappearing, and then reappearing in the real world.

But of course, after she reappeared, hell was triggered once again.

All creatures nearby, humans and Honkai beasts, all died immediately.

She was like a god of death walking in this land of Siberia.

Bronya: "...."

Kicked out of the memory fragments naturally, and let out a short breath. Bronya, who returned to the memory space containing thousands of Herrscher of Reason's memory fragments, suddenly felt something was wrong.

"Prometheus?"

"...."

Looking around her, and realized that Prometheus, who had always followed her, had now disappeared.

Bronya could only sigh once again.

"It turns out it's true, the only person you can rely on is yourself. Never mind, Bronya can do it herself."

Deciding to put aside what Prometheus true intentions were. Bronya once again followed Hare's projection, and she entered the memory fragment together.

____

"No... Please stay..."

"Please... At least..."

"Just stay alive..."

....

Enter Hare's memories once again, and watch her roam the lands of Siberia while trying to save the lives of others. Bronya, who continued to watch this circle of despair, became speechless.

Due to her unstable condition, anyone who enters the radius of this stigmata entity will suffer a honkai pollution attack.

Even the honkai beast, which is the embodiment of honkai energy itself, will die if it is near her.

She knew that this disaster was her own doing. But, she stops at nothing to save others.

She had hidden in a remote cave so as not to hurt anyone. But, because one's own senses are different from humans, when someone dies because of her, she will immediately know.

This time, Hare, who was very desperate, used other methods to save them.

She tried to awaken the [Stigma] that was in the human body.

As an Idea, the crystallization of civilization, and the stigmata themselves, awakening the stigma that lay dormant within the human body was as easy as breathing for her.

As long as they awaken the Stigma, then they will be able to survive the honkai corrosion she causes, and that will prove that she is not a curse.

But...

The awakening of natural stigma in ordinary humans in the world serpent database is only in one in a million.

Hare wanting to awaken the stigma in the human body in Siberia, was just like dreaming.

Although there is a small chance...

But it seems like luck was never on her side.

"So that's it, the Seed of Idea is the result of failure when someone couldn't awaken the stigma given by Misteln. Turning them into pure data, keeping their stories right after death."

Watching Hare continue to try to awake stigma in everyone she meets, and turn them into [Seeds of Idea] if they fail. Bronya, who continued to observe, little by little began to understand.

"This is a little easy to understand, it should be like this..."

Imitated what Hare did, and created her own Seed of Idea using her memory fragments as the main material. A transparent projection, the same as herself, appeared next to Bronya.

Seed of Idea, success.

"This way Bronya has the capital to fight the erosion she provided. But, this is not a solution."

As the main creator of Seed of Idea, Hare definitely had more experience than her. Plus Hare had started this first, making Bronya already lost from the starting line.

"Even though her intentions are still suspicious, what Prometheus said is also true. Changing the composition of the herrscher's core can indeed make Bronya turn things around. But, it won't be easy."

During the metamorphosis process, Hare could have prevented her. After all, this woman represents the core operation of the stigma project. It could be said that she was supported by a Herrscher of Reason who was greater than her.

Bronya needed another way, a third way that didn't come from Prometheus, or herself at this time.

"Because she wanted to hack the herrscher's core, Misteln let Bronya witness her memory. In that case, the only way to fight her was to look for her weakness among the memory fragments." Bronya made a firm decision.

Although this method is less reliable, this plan has a very big chance of turning things around.

To defeat your enemy, you must understand your enemy.

Making her own [Seed of Idea] spread to the memory fragment that Hare's projection entered, and afterward duplicating it again when it came out. Bronya searched Hare's memories one by one, and she frowned even more.

Meeting the Gray Serpent, the secret about herself as a stigmata, how to commit suicide, the process of running the Stigma project...

One by one Hare's memories entered Bronya's mind at a very fast frequency. In the end, Bronya's consciousness was fixed with a memory fragment that had a pregnant woman, lying in a deserted cabin.

"Mama..."

Bronya opened her eyes again, and she immediately sank into Hare's memories.

In an old cabin in a remote location, at the foot of the Ural Mountains. An old cabin stood there firmly, and inside it, there was a pregnant woman who had gray hair, the same color as Bronya's hair.

Alexandra Pavlovna Zaychik.

She, is Bronya's dead mother.

....

"I've been looked after by you for the past three days... May I know your name? How could people call you Schariac... right?"

In the memory fragment, Hare, who was sitting next to the pregnant woman, showed a troubled expression.

"It's not like that... Actually I'm not worthy of using that name... And it's impossible for anyone to use it. But... It's really accurate."

"Hm? Sometimes I get confused by your words."

Alexandra showed a helpless expression on her face. During these three days, she had gotten used to this mysterious woman constantly talking about confusing things.

A mysterious woman who appears in her cabin tries to burn herself in the fireplace, and slits her own throat with an axe.

A strange woman who is immortal, but so kind and has been taking care of herself for three days without complaint.

What a strange woman.

Hare tried to change the topic: "By the way, what do you want to do today? Although I don't agree with you going alone, I feel happy if I can help you."

Alexandera suddenly showed an expression of realization: "Ah, then can you help me find a grave... His name was Alexei Sydavich Zaitsev... He was my husband. Please help me put flowers on his tombstone."

"...Okay, I'll do it."

....

Seeing Hare leave, carrying the dried flowers Alexandera had given her in her hand. Bronya let Hare pass through her projected body, and she still remained in place.

For Bronya, she could only see her mother's figure in the photo album given to her by Uncle Maxim. The memory itself was now a bit hazy.

Her own mother died not long after giving birth to her.

So, what is her mother's current relationship with Hare?

"...It's done... I left the flowers there..."

"Thank you for the help."

Unaware that Hare has returned from her mission to place flowers on her father's grave. Bronya raised her lowered head, and she saw Alexandera smiling gently.

"Come here quickly, I have prepared something for you."

"For me?"

Hare approached Alexandera slowly. She realized that currently on top of Alexandera's feet which were covered with a blanket, there was a pile of plants arranged in a mess.

"Let's just say I asked you for another favor. Choose one you like."

Hare looked confused: "Is this some kind of ritual?"

"Hehe... Choose first then I'll tell you."

"...."

Following Alexandera's words and stretching out her hand chose one type of plant that looked the most unattractive, dry, messy, and produced the saddest fruit. Hare decided to choose this plant.

She felt that this plant was exactly the same as herself.

"Hm... It is... let me think about it first... Hmmm... Right, how about [Misteln]. Do you like this name?"

Hare showed a confused expression.

"Name? What are you talking about?"

Alexandra explained: "The name of the plant you chose just now is [Mistletoe]. I thought about the pronunciation of names in other languages. Only [Misteln] sounds the best."

"In one fairy tale, It means [life], but in another fairy tale It is associated with [death]."

"Seems like that name really suits you."

Misteln was stunned.

"Uh, no... You mean you asked me to choose just to choose me a name?"

Alexandra nodded: "Of course, if you don't want to tell me your name, then that's fine. But if you say you don't have one, then that's not okay... If there's someone who wants to remember the memories of their time with you, the name [Misteln] is better rather than the name [Schariac] mysterious and difficult to understand, right?"

"But... [name] means nothing to me."

"Don't think too much about it, basically I've given it to you. Whether you want to use it or not is up to you."

"....."

Name...

Misteln...

Misteln Schariac....

"Thank You...."

"You're welcome."

Alexandra smiled gently like a flower.