"Honestly, if you hadn't gotten involved with the Honkai back then, you probably could've been a great therapist," Ren remarked, offering a nod of appreciation now that his internal conflict felt somewhat eased.
"Ha! Didn't think I'd ever hear a compliment outta you, kid. In that case, I'll graciously accept it." Himeko expertly popped the cap off her beer and took a swig. "But being a therapist? Nah, forget it. My father's disappearance was tied to the Honkai; there was no way I'd ever give up investigating that."
"Besides, in the eyes of the world, I'm already dead. Trying to go back to a normal life is unrealistic." Himeko waved her hand dismissively, signaling she was done talking about herself. "Speaking of which, you don't usually seem like the type to get this worked up. It's just romance stuff, right? Having secrets is normal. It's not like you've done anything bad."
"If you're worried Kiana won't accept you because you're a Herrscher, I can totally help mediate, you know? Just telling her who you are isn't that big a deal."
"Telling her?" Ren was stunned, then couldn't help but laugh, partly amused, partly exasperated. "So, you thought this whole time I was agonizing over whether or not to tell Kiana my identity?"
"Isn't that it? Being afraid she won't accept your secret, afraid she'll pull away... leading to all that anxiety and insecurity? That kind of thing is super common for teens going through puberty."
Himeko had clearly misunderstood. She thought Ren's turmoil stemmed from his feelings for Kiana, fearing his identity would make her dislike him. But in reality, the secret of being a Herrscher was the least significant part.
Because Ren knew Kiana very well. Despite her often ditzy appearance, deep down, she was far more perceptive and intelligent than people realized. Given her personality, even if she suspected he was lying, she might just pretend not to know, maybe punching him playfully a few times when the truth finally came out.
That was her way of showing kindness, and it was precisely because of this that Ren had gone to such lengths.
However, even Kiana had absolute lines she wouldn't cross – chief among them being her deep desire to save the world.
Project Stigma was never a plan for the majority. It was, fundamentally, an extreme measure to force humanity through the Honkai crisis.
Version 15 originally didn't consider ordinary people at all; when the time came, everyone would simply be pulled into a dream state for modification. Ren's appearance offered a turning point, giving ordinary people a chance to choose.
Yet, as one who embodied the Herrscher of Dominance, Ren knew the depths of human malice all too well. Once the plan went global, bloodshed and violence were almost inevitable. For Kiana, this would be tantamount to embracing the Honkai itself.
Furthermore, with Ren acting as the executor, she would see it as an utter betrayal. No matter how much Kiana might indulge him, she could never ignore something like this.
The only outcome for them would be the pain of a definitive break, and that was what gave Ren pause.
But Himeko's words, ironically, had unintentionally solidified his resolve.
He had never been a good person, nor was there any chance of redemption. Having already started down this path, turning back was impossible. Hesitation and doubt would only bring deeper pain. Better to make a clean break now; perhaps it would lessen the suffering somewhat.
"Let's just say that's it," Ren smiled faintly, offering no further explanation.
Himeko frowned slightly. Ren's words felt off somehow, but she couldn't pinpoint why. In the end, she decided not to overthink it and just focused on enjoying her beer.
"You know, I think you're probably just exhausted lately. You've seemed distracted this past month. My guess is you've been off controlling other puppets again. Kiana's been the same way, out early and back late ever since Fu Hua returned. She must be swamped too."
"It's almost fall anyway. Why not give yourselves a break for a couple of days? Go shopping together, buy some new clothes, that kind of thing."
For the past month, most of Ren's focus had been on the Elysian Realm, leaving his puppet bodies running on low power most of the time. As one of those puppets herself, Himeko had easily noticed something was off.
Ren paused, looking out the window. He only now realized the lush green leaves on the trees had started showing hints of gold. Unconsciously, nine months had passed since he arrived in this world.
He vaguely remembered landing right in the middle of the Great Honkai Eruption. With his memories sealed, he had followed the information provided by his main body and formulated the [Kiana Abduction Plan]...
"Even though you're both Herrschers, you still need to take care of yourselves."
The 'take care of yourselves' part was mostly a pretense; her real intention was to give the two some time alone. In Himeko's view, it was about time they had 'the talk'.
"Alright."
The Elysian Realm arc was over. All the pieces were in place. All that remained for Ren was to strike the final match that would set the world ablaze.
Before everything spiraled out of control, a brief respite sounded rather nice.
...
Breakfast was uneventful. Eden and Wendy finished eating and left to welcome a mysterious new teacher. As for Himeko, after relaxing for a bit, she started handling business for all of ARC City.
Eventually, only Ren remained, zoning out on the sofa.
Feeling a bit bored, he decided to turn on the TV, opting for the normal human way of checking the current public sentiment.
["Many of you have surely noticed the large-scale astronomical phenomenon across Shenzhou – the aurora. To understand its cause, we've invited expert Professor Fu..."]
Hasn't the Honkai Energy released when the Will of the Honkai got wiped out dissipated yet? Ren wondered idly. Then, he saw a familiar figure walk onto the news program set.
Professor Fu... Figures it'd be you, Herrscher of Sentience.
Senti, having clearly hypnotized the host, stood at the podium, confidently spouting utter nonsense. Ren's eyebrow twitched watching her fabricated explanations.
Still, as long as she wasn't causing any major chaos, he decided to let her be.
["Disaster relief efforts in the Far East are nearing completion. The unprecedented extreme cold storm and solar eclipse have been confirmed as natural disasters..."]
Looks like the Nagazora City incident is wrapping up too. Schicksal is definitely keeping busy, Ren thought.
["Unofficial report: According to a survivor from Coral Island, they personally witnessed a white-haired girl wielding a large, flaming sword cut through the ice storm... A subsequent medical evaluation by Schicksal confirmed the survivor sustained minor head trauma, and the described events were hallucinations."]
"..." Ren remained silent.
["With Honkai disasters occurring frequently worldwide, Schicksal Valkyries have repeatedly rushed to the front lines, saving tens of millions of lives..."]
["Schicksal..."]
["Schicksal..."]
After watching a dozen or so news segments, almost all of them, aside from Senti's little stunt, were relentlessly promoting Schicksal's glorious achievements. Ren frowned.
It was obvious Otto was manipulating public opinion on a massive scale.
What is he planning?
Just as Ren was pondering Otto's intentions, the click of a bedroom door opening sounded nearby.