Chapter 57: "Theresa!!!" A Certain Overseer Cries Out in Agony

Chapter 57: "Theresa!!!" A Certain Overseer Cries Out in Agony

 『My Favorite Sister Bronya:』 "Eh!? We're fighting against Headmaster Theresa this time!?"

 As Theresa appeared on-screen, a blue-colored comment drifted across the chat.

 Seele, upon seeing Theresa as an enemy unit, couldn't help but voice her surprise.

 『My Favorite Sister Bronya:』 "This is going to be a really tough battle, right? Headmaster Theresa is super strong!"

 Hearing that, Hokuto barely held back a laugh.

 『Hokuto:』 "Ah? Tough? Pfft—! Cough, cough! Well, let's see about that. You guys want to check out Headmaster Theresa's moves?"

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "Interesting. I'm curious to see how Theresa fights in this game."

 A green-colored comment floated by—Otto Apocalypse had spoken.

 How does she fight?

 What, does she just slap enemies with her cross, like you do?

 Hokuto held back the urge to say that out loud.

 Instead, he maintained his usual streamer composure.

 『Hokuto:』 "Alright, alright, let's have little Theresa put on a show for everyone~"

 He let Theresa attack freely instead of immediately countering.

 She swung her cross, summoned golden lances, and even called upon the oath of judah to rain down divine punishment.

 It looked cool, sure, but… it lacked pressure.

 Plus, since this was a beginner-level story mission, her damage was… hilariously low.

 Hokuto casually dodged for a while before getting bored.

 『Hokuto:』 "Alright, any final thoughts? If not, I'm taking her down now."

 Silence.

 Then, after a long pause—

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "…Nothing."

 Oho? No complaints?

 Looks like the Overseer is dissatisfied with the game's portrayal of Theresa, huh?

 Guess he was expecting more.

 To be fair, she's still just an A-rank unit… but her weapon, the Judgement of Shamash, is another story entirely…

 Hokuto smirked to himself as he finally counterattacked.

 He effortlessly dodged Theresa's golden chains—those things were annoying, not because of their damage, but because they immobilized the target.

 Yeah, no thanks. Not letting her hit me with that.

 What followed was a one-sided beatdown.

 Herrscher Bronya rained firepower upon Theresa, dodged at just the right moments, and—in a matter of seconds—Theresa's HP dropped to zero.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "THERESA!!!"

 A green-colored comment burst across the chat—Otto Apocalypse was wailing in agony.

 Hokuto nearly laughed out loud.

 Wait, is he actually getting emotional over this?

 Damn, even if it's just virtual data, he still can't handle seeing Theresa lose?

 『Hokuto:』 "Calm down, dear viewer. Theresa's fine."

—

 With Theresa defeated, the story dialogue resumed.

 [Wait a second! That move… are you using Kaslana gun-fu?!]

 [Yeah, of course.]

 [Who taught you?!]

 [My dad, obviously.]

 […Your dad?]

 [Yeah, Siegfried. Siegfried Kaslana.]

 Silence.

 Then—

 [W-Wait, hold on! You're saying you're Kiana?! But Kiana is only a year old right now!]

 『My Favorite Sister Bronya:』 "Huh? Why are there two Theresas? Did she split into two people!?"

 A blue-colored comment floated by—Seele was confused.

 Hokuto held back a chuckle.

 Theresa? Split? No, no, no.

 Theresa is always just one person.

 If you want someone who can split into two, well… that would be you, Seele.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "Theresa? Splitting? No, no, no. Theresa is unique. This is just data—a replay of past events that you can interact with."

 Otto, being the all-knowing bastard that he was, answered the question before Hokuto could.

 『My Favorite Sister Bronya:』 "Ohh, so that's how it works…?"

 Back in the game, the conversation continued.

 [I see! You must be Siegfried's illegitimate daughter!]

 [Huh!?]

 Everyone froze.

 The chat, too, went silent.

 Then…

 『My Favorite Sister Bronya:』 "Il… legitimate daughter?! So Siegfried is… that kind of person!?"

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "Heh. Seems Theresa really doesn't like Siegfried. Or perhaps… she's just envious of him?"

 A green-colored comment drifted by, revealing an interesting insight.

 『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "Illegitimate daughter…? Is that even possible?"

 A formal, well-typed comment appeared.

 『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "Theresa seems to have a lot of complaints about Siegfried."

 The sender?

 Durandal.

 A.k.a. the person who had lost all memories of her true identity—Kiana Kaslana.

 『Hokuto:』 "…Welp. This is getting interesting."

 Meanwhile, back in the game—Theresa continued her Siegfried slander.

 [Damn it! I always knew Siegfried was a reckless fool, but to think he had an illegitimate daughter running around?! No wonder you call yourself my niece!]

 [W-Who are you calling an illegitimate daughter!?]

 [Poor child, I understand how hard this must be for you. But it's all that scoundrel Siegfried's fault!]

 …And just like that, Theresa fully convinced herself that Kiana was Siegfried's secret love child.

 Hokuto took a deep breath—then burst into laughter.

 Yep.

 This is quality content.

 Oh? Is she starting to feel for her father?

 For some reason, that thought suddenly popped into Hokuto's mind.

 Of course, knowing Durandal's personality, she was probably just expressing respect for Siegfried's deeds rather than any deep personal attachment.

 After all, she hadn't recovered her memories yet. She had no recollection of Theresa and Siegfried's rebellion against Schicksal, nor what followed.

 In her eyes, Siegfried was merely a respectable figure from the past, and possibly even a future adversary.

 『Hokuto:』 "Ahem, well, even ten years later, Theresa is still grumbling about Siegfried. Though... I guess she's softened her stance a little?"

 『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "Has she really?"

 『Hokuto:』 "Of course. Just listen to how she describes Siegfried now."

 『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "…Maybe so."

 Durandal's reply was brief, as if she wasn't particularly interested.

 But Hokuto knew the truth.

 The reason Theresa's view of Siegfried had softened over the years wasn't just some random change of heart.

 It was because years ago, Siegfried had fought to protect his family.

 Even though he ultimately failed, at least he managed to save another Kiana…

—

 Back in the game—

 [Yeah, it's all that idiot dad's fault. He abandoned Mom and me four years ago, and then… my mother passed away.]

 In the current storyline, Kiana casually fabricated a new identity for herself.

 [I came here to find him.]

 Hearing this, Theresa's sense of justice flared up immediately.

 [You poor child… Don't worry! I will make sure you get the justice you deserve! But this place is dangerous. I'll take you somewhere safe first. And once this mission is over… I'll capture Siegfried and give him a proper lecture!]

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Wow… I didn't know Principal Theresa liked lecturing people so much!"

 A blue comment floated across the screen.

 Hokuto glanced at the sender—Seele.

 Ah… she's misunderstood something.

 This so-called "lecture" probably wouldn't be a calm heart-to-heart talk…

—

 Mission Start – Chapter 5, Stage 2

 As soon as the stage loaded, a new communication played.

 [Command, this is Theresa Apocalypse. Report the Second Herrscher's current status.]

 [Lady Theresa! Thank goodness you're safe! After your battle with the Second Herrscher, we've tracked her movements on radar. She's heading towards Babylon Labs to absorb Honkai energy and complete her awakening.]

 Having received critical intel, Theresa immediately issued new orders.

 [Have Valkyrie squads patrol near the 'Tower.' If you detect a Herrscher energy signature, report it immediately. Avoid direct confrontation if possible. Also… where is Siegfried Kaslana?]

 [Lord Siegfried has just arrived at the temporary command post. He's standing by for orders.]

 [Understood. I'll head there immediately!]

—

 Gameplay resumed.

 The objective was simple—follow the glowing yellow path towards the next location.

 As Hokuto guided Bronya across the vast Siberian tundra, snowflakes danced in the air, drifting towards the camera.

 The game's scenery wasn't the most detailed, but it certainly captured the icy atmosphere of Siberia.

 Along the way, red subtitles appeared on-screen.

 [Theresa: Alright, let's hurry to the command post. I'll take you to meet your father.]

 [Theresa: We also need to prepare our strategy against the Second Herrscher.]

 Just then—

 Warning lights flashed, and loud alarms blared.

 Two massive TITAN mechs descended from above.

 Unlike previous mech enemies, these two were shrouded in golden light.

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Whoa! Are these new enemies? They're huge… and glowing! What's their special ability?"

 『Hokuto:』 "Huh? Oh, nothing special. They just look big and have an invincibility buff."

 Hokuto demonstrated by attacking.

 As expected, no damage numbers appeared.

 Just then, a story hint appeared—

 [Theresa: Careful! They have force field protection. We can't damage them right now.]

 A moment later, a floating geometric core appeared on the battlefield.

 It had a health bar.

 Its name: Extreme Cold Honkai Core.

 Welp. Nothing to do but destroy it!

 Hokuto fired a few charged shots, instantly depleting its HP.

 As the core exploded, a new dialogue scene triggered.

—

 [Theresa: That 'Tower'… is that the one over there?]

 [The 'Tower' is just a nickname. Its real name is Babylon Labs—Schicksal's largest research center in Siberia. It holds our most advanced bio, material, computing, and energy technologies.]

 [Energy technology?]

 [It houses the world's only large-scale Honkai Energy Reactor, with an energy output exceeding 2000HW.]

 [2000HW?! That's even bigger than Hyperion's core reactor!]

 [Hyperion?]

 Theresa, from this timeline, had no idea what that was.

 But she didn't dwell on it.

 [Anyway, the Second Herrscher has awakened, but she's still weak due to insufficient Honkai energy. That's why we believe she'll head to the 'Tower' to absorb more. If she succeeds… no one will be able to stop her!]

 [That's why we must eliminate her before she gets there!]

 Theresa's bold statement showed she still underestimated the power of a Herrscher.

 But Kiana, deep in thought, suddenly recalled something.

 [In the year 2000, in Siberia… the Second Honkai War erupted.

 My mother, Cecilia…

 was sacrificed.]

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Wait… Kiana's mom… is she going to die here?"

 Seele's comment lingered on-screen as the weight of the story started to sink in.

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Wait, didn't the game already mention this back in Chapter 2?"

 『Hokuto:』 "It did. But you weren't expecting the story to bring up Kiana's mother again, were you? So… do you think we'll witness Cecilia's sacrifice firsthand?"

 Seele had already been emotionally scarred by the game's previous tragedies.

 At this point, she had developed a bad feeling about what was coming next.

 Hokuto, on the other hand, had only one thing to say—

 You've already made it this far. Why stop now?

 『Hokuto:』 "Ahem, dear viewer, giving up halfway is a terrible habit. You've come this far—aren't you at least a little curious about Kiana's parents? About Siegfried, Schicksal's most infamous ex-Schicksal Knight, and Cecilia, the most powerful S-rank Valkyrie?"

 The bait was expertly cast, reeling Seele right back in.

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Hmm… well… I guess I am a little curious…"

 Seele's hesitation confirmed it—she had taken the bait.

 She'd stick around to see what happened next, and when the real tragedy unfolded… well, that was another story.

 But if curiosity was the reason she stayed, then there was someone far more curious than her in the chat.

 『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "Kiana's parents…? I know I shouldn't pry into other people's families, but… I do wonder what kind of people they were."

 A neatly formatted comment floated across the screen.

 Durandal.

 Hokuto was secretly relieved—she still saw Siegfried and Cecilia as 'others', rather than as her own parents.

 If she knew the truth now…

 Well… let's just say Otto might find himself getting punched into the stratosphere.

 『Hokuto:』 "Well, since everyone's interested, let's keep going!"

 With that, Hokuto advanced to the next stage.

—

 Mission Start – Chapter 5, Stage 3

 As soon as the scene loaded, the dialogue began.

 [Theresa! Theresa!]

 [Huh? What are you yelling for?]

 [I need to ask you something. Did Cecilia—Cecilia Schariac—also participate in this battle?]

 At the mention of Cecilia's name, Theresa's tone became serious.

 [Cecilia… How do you know that name?]

 [Because she's the Valkyrie I admire most.]

 [Oh, I see… But no, Cecilia didn't come to Siberia.

 She gave birth to a daughter a year ago and has been recovering ever since. So she wasn't part of this mission.

 However…]

 [However, what?]

 [If Siegfried and I fail to stop the Second Herrscher…

 Otto might order Cecilia to fight.

 By force.]

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Otto… Otto? Wait, I remember now! Didn't the game mention him before? He's… Theresa's grandfather, right?"

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "I thought he was just a kind old man… but forcing a Valkyrie to fight? That's awful. My impression of him just got worse."

 Seele's comment lingered for a moment before another green text floated past.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "..."

 Otto Apocalypse… had no response.

 Hokuto nearly burst out laughing.

 Ah, I see… So our dear Overseer is getting his old sins thrown back in his face?

 It wasn't like he could deny it—this was the truth.

 And if he argued back, it would just make things more suspicious.

 Imagine if Seele fired back with:

 "Why do you care so much about Otto?"

 That would be hilarious.

 [I won't let that happen! I'll protect Cecilia!]

 In the game, Theresa swore to prevent that future.

 [Yes! Please, protect her!]

 With that, the dialogue ended, and the game entered combat mode.

—

 Gameplay Resumed.

 Finally, after wandering the Siberian wilderness for ages, Hokuto could move freely again.

 He guided Herrscher Bronya down a snowy mountain slope.

 Enemies spawned.

 They barely lasted a few seconds.

 Just as the last enemy fell, the screen flickered, and a red subtitle appeared.

 [Something feels off… The data space is becoming unstable.]

 Then—

 The screen suddenly went black.

 A single, piercing "AHHHH—!!" echoed through the void.

 When the screen lit up again…

 The player wasn't controlling Bronya anymore.

 Instead—

 They were controlling a TITAN MECH.

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Eh?! What's going on? Did Bronya turn into a mech?!"

 Seele's panic-filled message instantly appeared.

 Hokuto knew she was about to spiral, so he quickly reassured her.

 『Hokuto:』 "Relax, the red text already explained it—it's just a data anomaly."

 『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "Oh… I really thought Bronya turned into a mech."

 Turn into a mech?

 Hokuto nearly blurted out:

 "That'd be insane."

 She's getting way too invested in this.

 Compared to Seele's mild panic, another viewer was unfazed.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "This model is outdated. Large frame, slow mobility, expensive production cost… It makes sense that it was phased out."

 Hokuto had just been thinking about Otto, and suddenly—

 There he was.

 Everyone else was focused on the scene change, but Otto was busy analyzing Titan mechs like a historian.

 That's so on-brand for him.

 『Hokuto:』 "Yeah, it's pretty clunky."

 Without further ado, Hokuto made the Titan punch the hell out of Mei.

 Well… technically, it was Shadow Mei.

 But Mei's AI was surprisingly good—she dodged attacks with ease.

 After some strategic counterattacks, Hokuto finally defeated her.

 With the fight over, the final dialogue played.

 [Oh, Theresa, I have a favor to ask. When we meet Siegfried… please don't tell him I'm his illegitimate daughter.]

 [Huh? Why?]

—End of Chapter 57—