To prove her point, Kiana glanced at Vill-V and ventured cautiously, "As far as I know, Fire Moth are supposed to be an organization fighting against the Honkai, right? Since you already know about the Honkai, why do you hold such a deep prejudice against Fire Moth?"
"It's precisely because I understand Fire Moth that I know better... you've been deceived." Conductor Vill-V withdrew her hand and looked seriously at Kiana.
She knew Kiana wouldn't be easily convinced.
But she hadn't expected Kiana to be so deeply brainwashed.
Then again, it made sense.
Every test subject in a sinister organization initially believed they were on the right side, that their organization was noble.
Though she felt sorry for Kiana, since the topic had been brought up, she had to make Kiana face reality.
Kiana was aware.
Vill-V had misunderstood, thinking she was trapped, which was why she wanted to rescue her and set her free.
This was exactly what made Kiana both amused and exasperated.
Of course! She also felt a little mischievous, like playing along with Vill-V's game of make-believe.
She wanted to see what kind of expression Vill-V would make when she finally learned the truth.
It would definitely... be quite entertaining.
"Vill-V."
"Hmm?"
"The Sky Screen, you know about it, right?" Kiana coaxed gently.
Conductor Vill-V seemed to understand something and looked at Kiana with pity.
She nodded.
"The so-called Sky Screen—some of its content is true, some is false. You can't believe everything it shows."
"It's nothing more than a massive lie fabricated by all the countries of the world working together."
"..."
She continued, "I won't hide it from you—I'm the Greatest Magician. If I had the resources and enough preparation, I could create a Sky Screen broadcasted worldwide too."
She looked at Kiana like an older sister patiently guiding a naive younger sister, emphasizing her points with care.
"So sometimes, you can't just take things at face value. You have to learn to think critically."
"But the Sky Screen says Fire Moth are an organization leading everyone to fight against the Honkai," Kiana feigned innocence, questioning in a deliberately naive tone.
Conductor Vill-V shook her head slightly. "Think about it—if they didn't say that, would it work? Fire Moth, along with those countries and organizations, need to package themselves to brazenly carry out all sorts of despicable acts without raising suspicion."
"The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow it casts."
"Whether it's the so-called future, the Stellar Alliance... or Herrschers, or anything else..."
"It's all just political propaganda."
"..."
She added, "The Honkai does exist. Honkai energy is already being utilized by them, and sooner or later, it will be unveiled to the world."
"Right now, they're just promoting and sensationalizing it so that when Honkai energy is finally applied, they can further solidify their power."
"..."
Hmm...
That actually... kind of made sense?
Kiana blinked. If she didn't know the truth, she might have almost been convinced by Vill-V.
She pointed at herself instinctively. "But I'm the Herrscher of Finality, a Herrscher. I'm right here—I'm not fake."
"I know!" Conductor Vill-V said earnestly. "But whether it's zombies, Honkai beasts, or even Herrschers, aren't they all just test subjects created by Fire Moth or other organizations?"
"The only difference is that you're a Herrscher, a successful one, so they've packaged you up. Those zombies and Honkai beasts are enemies, failed experiments, so of course they have to be eliminated."
"..."
She crossed her arms, accentuating her chest, and sighed. "By framing the Honkai as an even more terrifying disaster, they divert everyone's attention while distancing themselves. That way, even if failed test subjects escape and are seen, no one would suspect it was their doing."
She could only sigh in frustration.
These political creatures really knew how to play the game.
But it was precisely because of this that she disliked them so much.
Due to her childhood experiences, she had never been fond of those in power—anyone with enough wealth, authority, or manipulative skills to play with people's minds.
Especially those aristocratic families—they were like wolves and tigers, predators in human disguise, only better at hiding their true nature.
But...hearing Conductor Vill-V say all this, Kiana was almost at a loss for words.
She pointed at herself again. "Do you have any idea about my family background?"
"Huh?" Conductor Vill-V was taken aback.
Alright.
She didn't know.
"Then do you know that many highly classified documents are stored on paper to prevent hackers from snooping around or accidentally leaking information?"
"Or kept on isolated networks without internet access?"
"..."
"Hmm..." Conductor Vill-V nodded. This much she understood.
Although she hadn't accessed the most confidential materials, she felt it didn't matter—what she knew already was enough to piece things together. Couldn't she just infer the rest? Was there a problem with that?
Kiana was even more speechless.
She spread her hands. "Well, I'm actually a genuine young lady from a world-class family. The direct daughter, no less. My family holds many seats in Fire Moth and practically controls the organization now. If we so much as stomp our feet, the world trembles—economically, culturally, technologically, you name it."
"Do you really think someone like me... would be used as a test subject?"
She continued, "Or to put it another way, if I didn't want to, no one could force me. No one would dare use me for experiments. Understand?"
"Uh..." Conductor Vill-V looked at Kiana, a sinking feeling settling in.
"Besides, Herrschers are Herrschers, not test subjects. The Sky Screen is real—it's not some deception orchestrated by countries or organizations to fool the world."
Kiana told Vill-V.
Conductor Vill-V's eyebrow twitched, and she frowned slightly.
"So come on, Sister Vill-V." Instead, Kiana reached out her hand to Conductor Vill-V.
"Hmm?" Conductor Vill-V grew wary.
She realized she might have fallen into a huge misconception.
She even wondered if Kiana had used herself as bait just to lure her out.
But she had never revealed her intention to rescue Kiana.
If even that had been anticipated, then she had to admit defeat.
"Come with me. I'll show you the truly classified information. I'll show you the whole truth of this world."
Without waiting for Conductor Vill-V's agreement, Kiana stood up, walked over to her, grabbed her wrist, and without another word, tore through the void, pulling her inside.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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