By evening, they had dinner together at the Houkai-themed restaurant.
Siegfried told the girl, who yearned for the outside world, about the sights he'd seen during his travels after running away from home.
But Cecilia, as a Valkyrie of Schicksal, couldn't roam freely like he did.
Yet…
The thought of leaving him—why… why did her heart suddenly ache so much?
"After we return to headquarters, I'll pay you back the money I owe you."
"Then… let's not contact each other anymore."
The moment she thought of this, her chest felt hollow and painful.
Seeing her expression, Siegfried understood—how could a bird that had glimpsed the open sky ever willingly return to its cage?
So, Siegfried decided to take her to the movies!
Knowing how much Siegfried loved robots, Cecilia decided to use the little time left before the film started to buy him a gift in return.
She remembered seeing a claw machine at the arcade with an Arahata model kit inside.
Excited, she hurried over, eager to surprise him!
Little did they know, their every move was being watched by Anti-Entropy…
[Sampo]:"Heh, old Sampo here loves watching romance unfold—so heartwarming!"
[March 7th]: *"Mr. Yang, you wouldn't actually break them up, would you? Don't do it!"*
[Honkai Star Rail · Welt]: *"Ahem. Didn't they end up together in the end?"* Under March 7th and Stelle's judgmental stares, even Welt's thick skin couldn't shield him from the awkwardness.
[Sigure]:"Damn you, Siegfried!!!"
For a die-hard Cecilia fan like her, watching her idol's love story was nothing short of torture.
The girl excitedly approached the claw machine and finally managed to grab a toy—but nothing came out.
"Huh? Why didn't it drop?"
She crouched down, peering curiously at the machine's chute.
"Thunk!"
"A kick from this angle should dislodge whatever's stuck."
"This machine's prize slot jams often—"
Einstein, disguised as an ordinary tourist, quietly approached her target.
The girl picked up the fallen Arahata figure and smiled at the thought of Siegfried's happy reaction.
She quickly thanked Einstein.
"No need for thanks."
"Compared to what I'm about to do to you, this is hardly compensation."
"W-what are you… Huh…? I feel… weird…"
Confusion flashed across her face before she collapsed, unconscious from the hypnotic gas.
Meanwhile, Siegfried grew restless.
Anti-Entropy's preparations were complete—the arcade was being evacuated in panic.
"Dammit!"
"I never should've let her go alone!"
Sprinting through alleyways toward the arcade, Siegfried pushed himself to the limit.
Just as he was about to reach it—Welt stood in his path.
"Stop."
"You can't go any further."
[Otto]: "Schicksal really needs to teach its Valkyries basic caution. Trusting strangers so easily—whether it's Siegfried or Anti-Entropy…"
[Tesla]:"*** you, Otto!
If you didn't treat Valkyries like tools, this wouldn't happen!"
[March 7th]: "Wow, Mr.Yang actually did break them up?"
[Stelle]: "Wow, Mr. Yang actually did break them up?"
[March 7th]:"Are you a broken record?!"
Siegfried wasn't one to back down easily.
If he were, he never would've had the courage to run away in the first place.
Feigning surrender, he suddenly darted sideways past Welt!
Then—
BAM!
Siegfried was slammed into the ground.
"What… is this… My body feels so heavy…"
"I can't… move…"
Struggling to rise, his limbs felt weighed down by tons.
"I've applied tenfold gravity to you."
"If you don't want injuries, stay still."
Welt advised calmly as Siegfried writhed.
"Bullshit!"
"All she wanted was to see the world!"
"Why won't you even allow her that?!"
Growling through gritted teeth, Siegfried forced himself up under the crushing weight—swaying but standing!
*"I said don't move!
At ten times gravity, your organs will rupture!"* Now it was Welt who panicked.
"I don't understand any of that!"
"All I know is—I have to see her!"
"And until I reach you—"
"—I can't punch you, you heartless dream-crusher!"
Staggering forward, he swung a fist at Welt!
"What a passionate young man… Finally hit his limit, huh?"
Welt caught him as he collapsed and gently propped him against a wall.
Einstein returned just then, mission accomplished—Cecilia's blood sample secured.
Welt believed no one had the right to trample on dreams.
So they left Cecilia behind.
When she awoke later, the first thing she did was find Siegfried unconscious by the wall.
"Thank goodness… You're alive… Thank goodness…"
At that moment—Schicksal finally located her…
[Boothill]: "Well I'll be damned! Siegfried, you ain't half bad! Respect where it's due!"
[March 7th]: "Mr. Yang~ Still claiming you didn't break them up?"
[Stelle]:"Pretty sure Otto's the real homewrecker here."
[Honkai Star Rail · Welt]: "I... really didn't... Past-me, explain yourself!"
[Honkai Impact · Welt]: "... We were enemies of Schicksal. And I held back..."
His voice trailed off as Elysia stared at him tearfully—clearly demanding an explanation.
Welt felt like his life had been nothing but misery since this screen appeared.
First, future-him's cringe-worthy fanworks got aired, then Kevin dragged him to World Serpent, and now this pink menace was on his case!
Worst of all—his future self kept digging his grave deeper!
[Kiana]: *"...So Mr. Yang was like that?"*
Just as Welt's reputation teetered on the edge, Siegfried stepped in:
[Siegfried]: "It was all a misunderstanding back then. I thought Welt was cold-hearted."
"But after everything that's happened since...
I actually get along pretty well with Anti-Entropy now."
"I'm even recovering at their base!"
"Honestly, if not for Welt, I might never have met Cecilia at all."*
"...Guess that makes him our matchmaker!"
[Otto]: "And what about me? Don't I count as your matchmaker?"
[Tesla]:"OTTO YOU ******* ******* YOU KNOW **** WELL WHAT YOU ******* DID!"