Chapter 199: She's Protecting Seele
"Is Veliona ignoring you now?"
The next day, Bronya pulled Seele along to find Sigurd.
Bronya's plans weren't progressing as smoothly as she'd hoped, but she wasn't in a hurry. Seele's issues took priority.
"I think so…. Like Brother Sigurd said, she hasn't talked to me lately, and I'm a little worried."
Sigurd extended his hand and gently opened Seele's eyes to examine her deep blue pupils, which trembled slightly from nervousness.
"Vital signs are stable, no abnormal energy, and her Death Stigmata seems fine... It doesn't look like anything's wrong. Maybe she's just going through a rebellious phase?"
Sigurd arrived at the same hypothesis as Bronya.
Bronya blinked, feeling a little pleased with herself.
See? That's what it means to be on the same wavelength!
Seele's mouth opened slightly, and she replied shyly, "Sister Bronya thought the same. But I don't think that's it… right?"
Seele wasn't entirely sure.
Although she felt her cold and proud side wouldn't be influenced by something like a rebellious phase, hearing both Bronya and Sigurd say so left her a bit shaken.
"Then let's go and take a look," Sigurd suggested, opening his hand to reveal a golden feather.
He channeled some of the feather's power, which he had borrowed from Fu Hua. It couldn't unleash devastating attacks in the realm of consciousness like Fu Hua could, but with Sigurd's control, accessing the consciousness domain wasn't difficult.
"Wait, Bronya wants to come too."
Bronya grabbed Sigurd's wrist and asked in her usual stoic tone.
Sigurd looked at her.
"This isn't completely safe technology, so… any specific reason?"
"Bronya has never met her. This involves Seele, so I need to understand her myself."
"In other words, you don't feel at ease?"
"Something like that." Bronya nodded.
After a moment's thought, Sigurd said, "Alright, it'll be good for you to understand the consciousness domain. You may encounter enemies like this in the future, so it's good preparation."
"Understood."
With their agreement settled, Seele—who had wanted to stop Bronya from taking the risk—held her tongue.
Since Sigurd said it was fine, it was probably safe.
"Let's go to my bedroom," Sigurd suggested. "We'll lose consciousness in the physical realm, and my bed is big enough to accommodate us."
Seele's face turned bright red.
The idea of Brother Sigurd's bed was enough to make a young girl feel shy.
But Bronya remained completely unfazed, as if Sigurd had merely mentioned something ordinary, like having fish for dinner.
Her reaction made Seele feel even more self-conscious.
'Bronya really didn't overthink it at all. Seele, you're so impure!' she chided herself, even wanting to cover her face.
Little did she know, inside Bronya's mind, a little figure had already pulled out a notebook and pen to jot down details:
'Sigurd's bed... Now that I think about it, Bronya has never slept on it. It's crucial to scout out the battlefield in advance!'
So, the three of them arrived at Sigurd's bedside. One of them blushing furiously, another hiding a hint of expectation and calculation, and the last one entirely focused as they lay down side by side.
Before long, they fell into a sleep-like state.
Beside the bed, Kiana sat backward on a chair, leaning against its back, and took a bite of an apple with a crunch.
"Jeez, they're sleeping so comfortably, while we're stuck on guard duty. So heartless. Isn't that right, Sin Mal?"
"...I don't want to talk to you."
"Hey, it's been ages since I got your name wrong! Can't you cut me a little slack?"
"No! Hmph~" Sin Mal put one hand on her hip, and with the other, she pulled down her eyelid, sticking her tongue out and flashing a row of not-so-cute, sharp serrated teeth—both cute and a little intimidating, a mix of adorable and strange.
Kiana pursed her lips.
"How childish, you think I'm still some thirteen or fourteen-year-old kid?"
After all, she had already clarified her status with Sigurd, marking herself as an adult.
This mere "Sin Mal" could never catch up to her.
With this confidence, Kiana seemed remarkably calm.
"Hmph!" Sin Mal huffed, crossing her arms and turning away, unwilling to engage with Kiana any further.
Anyone flirting with Sigurd was bound to get her disdain.
…
In the realm of consciousness, Seele opened her eyes, bewildered, and looked around.
All she saw was an endless expanse of white, with no one else in sight.
"Brother Sigurd? Sister Bronya?" she called out nervously.
Then, two figures appeared behind her, bringing a wave of reassurance.
"This is... the consciousness realm?" Bronya looked around the empty space, feeling a hint of disappointment.
'We came here too fast; I didn't get a chance to remember the softness and elasticity there. What a waste.'
Both Sigurd and Seele glanced over at Bronya.
"What's wrong? Is there something odd with me?" Bronya asked, slightly startled.
"No, it's just that I sensed an emotional fluctuation from you. In the consciousness realm, our connections are much closer than in the real world."
"What?"
Bronya's expression shifted subtly.
This kind of situation? Why hadn't anyone warned her beforehand—no, focus, remember the emotional control skills from psychology lessons and Fu Hua's guidance on composure!
A few seconds later—well, a few seconds to Bronya's perception—she regained her composure, her mind as still and serene as her expression.
"Ah! I can't feel it anymore!" Seele exclaimed in amazement.
Sigurd nodded approvingly. "Well done. Maintaining self-control in the consciousness realm isn't easy, and achieving this means that common interference tactics won't affect you much."
"Just a minor technique," Bronya replied stoically. "Let's get down to business."
Sigurd placed a hand on Seele's shoulder and said, "Picture the other you in your mind. Think of her with all your might, and recall everything about her."
"Got it, Brother Sigurd."
Seele clasped her hands at her chest, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, focusing intensely on her other self.
A moment later, Sigurd sensed something and furrowed his brow.
In the next instant, the entire world around them turned pitch black.
A Seele dressed in a black gown, black stockings, and gloves lay curled up, asleep within a red mist, wrapped in a slowly shifting mass of dark chains.
"That's... the other me! What's happened to her?"
"Don't move," Sigurd murmured, holding Seele's shoulder gently.
At the same time, black armor appeared on Bronya, and a fleet of drones manifested around her, primed and ready for action.
Bronya frowned. "This feeling... it's intense. Like that of a Herrscher."
"The Herrscher of Death... that's probably her title. I didn't expect Veliona's condition to be like this."
"Do you see what's going on, Sigurd?" Bronya asked.
"It looks like Veliona absorbed an excessive amount of Honkai energy during the Honkai Outbreak in the Far East. The only reason she could remain stable is that this other Seele absorbed all the energy herself, keeping it contained."
"And?"
"With her potential and the amount of Honkai energy, it's clear—she's undergoing a process of becoming a Herrscher. Likely to ensure Seele's absolute safety, she's bound all changes to herself. Those chains are symbols of her restraint. Even I couldn't sense anything. This level of protection... it's incredible."
Sigurd explained in astonishment.
Bronya was silent.
And Seele, with a stunned expression, felt a tear slide down her cheek.
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my
Latest Chapter in Patreon:
Link to the latest chapter:
Patreon: