"Lady Durandal…?"
Rita stared at the sudden arrival—the captain of the Immortal Blades, her direct superior, and the strongest S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal.
The wielder of the Divine Key Benediction of the Abyss and Blooming, her full name: Bianka "Durandal" Ataegina.
For the first time, the composed, ever-elegant maid lost her smile.
Her fair, graceful face was clouded with turmoil, her gaze lowered as if trying to reject a dreadful premonition gnawing at her heart.
"Lady Durandal… what is the meaning of this?"
All around them, Valkyries and weaponry had taken position, surrounding Kagura and the others like they were hostile enemies.
Durandal calmly surveyed the scene, her eyes eventually falling on Rita. She smiled gently.
"Rita. It's good to see you safe. I've been terribly worried about you."
"…Thank you for your concern, Lady Durandal."
Though Rita responded politely, she did not lower her guard for even a second. This clearly wasn't a rescue operation.
In Rita's heart, Durandal was someone she deeply respected—someone she had vowed to protect at all costs.
So, to have this irreplaceable figure standing before her… not in welcome, but in confrontation, sent waves of anxiety crashing through her composure.
"Lady Durandal," she pressed, voice tight, "why are you pointing your weapons at us?"
Durandal's expression didn't change. She kept smiling as she gave her answer:
"This is an order from His Eminence the Overseer. I'm simply carrying out my duty."
Durandal was pure and kind. Honest, with a stubborn streak.
Strong as she was, she lacked cunning.
As Principal Theresa once put it, Durandal was the easiest person in all of Schicksal to deal with…
So long as you didn't oppose her head-on.
That very simplicity made her easy to trick and manipulate. Which is why Otto Apokalypse considered her the perfect "tool."
Himeko stepped forward. "An order? What kind of order is this?"
Even as a veteran soldier, Himeko couldn't make sense of it. Why was Schicksal treating Rita—vice-captain of the Immortal Blades—as a threat?
Durandal replied without hesitation:
"Our mission is to retrieve all research data from Divine City Pharmaceuticals, and to detain all Valkyries exposed to potential infection.
They are to be restrained and transported to Schicksal headquarters for treatment."
"According to the report received by Schicksal, Divine City Pharmaceuticals was conducting illegal Honkai experiments and deliberately spreading infection using 'Godslayer Serum,' targeting Valkyries directly."
She paused, her gaze returning to Rita. "That includes the Immortal Blades, who were captured by the Pharmaceuticals and infected by the organization known as World Serpent."
"If they resist… they are to be executed on the spot."
Rita's face paled. Durandal's own smile faltered, worry flickering in her eyes.
"Rita… please come with us. The Overseer will help you. He'll cure you…"
"Wait a moment, Lady Durandal. Your intelligence is wrong."
Kagura spoke up firmly.
"The situation here is different from what you were told. Rita and the others have returned to normal Honkai energy levels.
They pose no danger. There's no need for containment."
"Divine City Pharmaceuticals and World Serpent have both been neutralized."
Durandal looked at Kagura with curiosity. "And who might you be? I don't believe we've met."
"My name is Kagura," she replied. "I personally witnessed everything that happened here."
"To act on faulty intelligence is a mistake. I doubt that's the outcome you—or your organization—wants."
Durandal hesitated for a second, then answered.
"Miss Kagura… you may be right. But I cannot ignore the risk of Valkyries turning into undead. Schicksal's treatment is just a precaution."
"As for Pharmaceuticals and World Serpent, I will assess the situation myself and report to Overseer Otto."
"Tch… still as innocent and naive as ever," Kagura muttered under her breath. "You're being used, Durandal… and you don't even realize it?"
Everyone present—aside from Durandal herself—could see it clearly.
Otto's schemes were layered, deliberate.
The files recovered from the research facility confirmed that he had long known about Pharmaceuticals's experiments and World Serpent's obsession with the Stigmata.
Divine City Pharmaceuticals wasn't just a rogue actor—they were a pawn, a means to an end for a much larger plan orchestrated by Otto Apokalypse himself.
Otto had no real interest in the survival of Divine City Pharmaceuticals or the World Serpent organization.
Anyone could deduce that with a bit of reasoning.
What he truly wanted… was the results of their research—especially the Valkyries who had undergone Honkai-tech modifications by the World Serpent.
To be precise, what Otto coveted was the Stigmata technology developed by the World Serpent.
Nothing more, nothing less.
That's why he sent Durandal—the strongest Valkyrie in all of Schicksal—to personally apprehend her own lieutenant.
It wasn't about punishment. It was about control.
He couldn't risk letting a valuable experimental subject like Rita escape.
Every Valkyrie who had been exposed to the World Serpent's technology needed to be dragged back… to be studied.
Everyone knew Schicksal's secret research labs could be just as "humane" as World Serpent's atrocities—if not worse.
Durandal might have been blissfully unaware, but if Rita followed her back to Schicksal Headquarters…
Then the world might never again know an S-Rank Valkyrie named Rita Rossweisse.
"I'm sorry, Lady Durandal," said Kagura, her voice calm but unwavering. "I can't let you take Rita. And I won't allow you to take anyone else, either."
"I don't believe Rita would receive anything resembling treatment at Schicksal.
On the contrary, your Overseer—Otto—is clearly more interested in studying the modifications World Serpent performed on her."
"If you truly care about your lieutenant's life… then please, don't do something you'll regret."
The silver-haired girl stepped forward, placing herself between Rita, Himeko, and the others.
"Rita has already been fully healed—by me. And if any further medical evaluation is needed, I suggest it be conducted aboard the Hyperion or at Saint Freya Academy."
Durandal's expression darkened.
"You want me to hand her over… to those traitors at the Far East Branch?" she said coldly. "I'm afraid I can't do that."
Kagura's eyes sharpened.
"So… following orders is more important to you than Rita's life?"
"She's been at your side all this time. She's more than a subordinate—she's like a sister. Or was I wrong?"
Her tone hardened.
"Don't tell me… Lady Durandal, are you really just that much of a fool?"
Her words struck a chord.
Durandal, though straightforward, was not stupid.
She frowned, thinking it over.
"Miss Kagura," she said, "I don't know who you really are. But you claim you've subdued both Divine City Pharmaceuticals and World Serpent, healed Rita, and now you're accusing the Overseer of ulterior motives…"
"If that's true—then where's your evidence?"
"I'm glad you asked."
Kagura stepped forward and handed her a small data chip.
She then leaned in, whispering softly by Durandal's ear.
"Contained in this drive is the truth—about Divine City Pharmaceuticals, and about Schicksal."
"But before you look… allow me to give you one warning."
"Sometimes, learning the truth means committing the purest kind of betrayal."
What you choose to do with that truth… that's up to you.
Perhaps the next time we meet, even if we face each other with blades drawn…
We still won't be enemies.