Chapter 87: Setting Sail

"That long?! Over a month! Wouldn't the round trip take several months?" Yae Rin's face immediately clouded at the news.

Having grown accustomed to relying on Serenade, her prolonged absence felt deeply unsettling.

"Though it's lengthy, we must trust Serenade," Yae Sakura said earnestly, her eyes sparkling like a devoted fan. "Do you doubt her strength, Rin? Serenade is invincible—no one in this world can match her!"

"Master is the strongest!" Hokushin Mei nodded vigorously, her conviction unwavering.

Though Serenade had never truly demonstrated her full power... Hokushin Mei remained absolutely certain her master was the most powerful being in existence.

The strongest Valkyries were merely S-rank, but her master... she was an SSS-rank Valkyrie!

"Right! Serenade is the strongest!" Yae Rin chimed in, lifting the Honkai Beast in her arms with a spirited, adorable declaration.

"Snap!"

Yae Sakura clapped her hands and looked at the two young girls beside her.

"If Serenade is invincible, then what do we have to fear? While she's away, we'll just tidy up the house and wait here peacefully for her return."

"Right, Sis!" Yae Rin said. "I'm going to check on Higokumaru. I want to give Serenade a surprise before she comes back..."

With that, Yae Rin hurried away from the door to find Higokumaru. She wanted to win over Higokumaru before Serenade returned, hoping to give her a pleasant surprise.

"Well then, I'll go prepare breakfast!" Watching her sister leave, Yae Sakura turned to head back inside.

"..." Hokushin Mei.

Half an hour later, Yae Rin's urgent voice rang through the shrine:

"Sis, Mei! It's terrible! Higokumaru's gone!"

-

At the border between Shinano and Echigo, Serenade and Kallen raced northeastward.

The journey from the Far East to Europe spanned vast distances, far too great to cover by swimming. Before departing, Serenade had seized the ship used by captured Valkyries during their initial arrival.

All that remained was to sail this vessel to Schicksal headquarters.

As for whether the ship might have been stolen after being left by the sea for so long... Well... Valkyries aren't fools. Let alone whether anyone not from Schicksal could operate such a revolutionary vessel.

Even if they could, ordinary people... especially commoners, couldn't approach the ship at all.

After walking for a while, Serenade suddenly stopped.

Seeing Serenade halt, Kallen also paused, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Kallen asked, peering at her companion.

"Been tailing us this long? Come out already!" Serenade didn't answer her directly, instead turning to address a patch of Dendro behind them.

"What? A stalker?" Kallen whipped around to scan the area, her eyes narrowing when she found nothing. The fact that she'd failed to detect a follower for so long made her even more wary.

"Still hiding? If you don't show yourself, I won't bother with you anymore," Serenade said calmly, her gaze fixed on the unmoving foliage.

As if on cue, something stirred within the bushes. A familiar little fox emerged - none other than Higokumaru.

"Higokumaru..." Kallen murmured, frowning at the creature. Her power's sealed, so how did she follow us undetected? Even a sealed Herrscher proved formidable, it seemed.

"Higokumaru... What are you doing here?" Serenade asked, her eyes narrowing as she regarded the little fox.

"You're the one who called me your little fox, right? How could you leave without me? What if you abandon me? Besides, you still have me sealed. If you leave now... won't I be left without any fried tofu?" Higokumaru walked up to Serenade, looking up at her with an air of self-assuredness.

"Uh..." Serenade hadn't anticipated such a response.

In the end, it all came down to fried tofu.

"Fine! Since you've already come this far, we'll go together!" There was no turning back now that Higokumaru had accompanied them so far. Serenade had no choice but to bring her along.

"Heh heh..."

Seeing Serenade's agreement, Higokumaru immediately moved closer with a delighted expression.

"Oh, did you notify Yae Sakura and the others before leaving?" Serenade asked as she picked up Higokumaru.

"I left a message," Higokumaru replied, allowing herself to be carried.

"That's good."

"You're really going to bring it with us...?"

Kallen gazed at Higokumaru in Serenade's arms, her face betraying hesitation. Though sealed, this was still a Herrscher!

Carrying such a dangerous entity with them...

"Don't worry! I'll handle everything."

"Alright..." Since Serenade had said so, what could Kallen possibly reply?

As the sun climbed high into the sky and the weather began to grow warm, Serenade and Kallen finally reached the coast of Echigo and successfully located the Valkyries' ship docked by the sea.

A vessel that seemed out of place for this era.

As they approached the coastline, the rhythmic crash of waves against the rocks greeted their ears—"Hwa! Hwa!"—each impact sending crystalline sprays several feet high. The sea's embrace gently caressed the sandy shore before retreating with reluctant grace, leaving behind a shimmering silver border that framed the vast ocean like a celestial mirror, enhancing its allure.

The breathtaking scene stirred a desire to preserve it forever, yet they lacked the means—a phone or camera remained beyond their reach. This world, like those before, existed beyond modern conveniences.

"Here we are at last," Kallen breathed, her gaze drinking in the view. "Such beauty."

"More pressing," Serenade interjected, eyes fixed on the looming vessel, "can you pilot this ship?"

"Schicksal's craft operates on simple principles," Kallen replied with a confident nod. "Semi-automatic systems require only course adjustments."

"Excellent. No time to waste. Let's depart immediately." Serenade's tension eased at Kallen's assurance.

"Agreed."

The trio—two humans and a fox—boarded the ship. After brief adjustments, Kallen guided the vessel away from shore...