Great Herta led them into another chamber where curiosities were stored. Lumine and Paimon instantly recognized a certain artifact. Lumine herself carried one—it could hardly be unfamiliar.
"These are… Wind Gliders?"
"As I thought, you know them." Great Herta nodded.
She wasn't surprised. These curiosities had been stored here for ages. Though she ignored them, their aura was familiar. Lumine's aura matched one.
"Can I touch it?" Lumine asked.
"Go ahead." Great Herta replied indifferently.
Lumine's fingers brushed the wings. A familiar breeze rose, warm and gentle, ruffling her hair and filling her whole being.
The wind bore her over mountains, across seas. Behind, windmills turned and shepherds sang. In the distance, shooting stars fell and snowy peaks glistened…
Her eyes opened. She emerged from the vision. It was as if she had been telling a story, or singing a world.
"So familiar…" Lumine whispered.
Shooting stars, windmills, snowy mountains. She had seen them in Mondstadt. The rest must be other nations.
"Great Herta, may I trade this fragment?"
Koji eyed a shard of the Sword of Descension and produced an alchemy notebook—a copy of Albedo's notes.
"Alchemy?"
"Interesting. Fine, take it." Herta skimmed it, intrigued.
She could tell alchemy sought truth of all things—akin to mysticism, apart from science and Imaginary.
Koji pocketed the Sword of Descension shard.
"Hm?"
"A Doomsday Beast. The Star-Core Hunters lured it here."
Herta looked beyond the station, unbothered. It wasn't an Antimatter Legion's Swarm King.
The Nameless would handle it.
"Want to watch?" Herta asked. A rare diversion.
"Sure. I'll change faces."
Koji's form shifted. Kevin Kaslana appeared. Since they were in Star Rail, how could he not torment Old Yang?
"Who is that?" Lumine asked, unsettled by the cold expression.
"An old acquaintance of Uncle Yang."
[Blessing of Disguise: One can perfectly mimic face and aura.]
…
"Is Star alright, Uncle Yang?"
On the platform, March 7th held the unconscious Stellaron vessel, anxious. Star had shielded her from a killing blow.
"She's fine. The Stellaron's turbulence has subsided."
Welt shook his head. To withstand the Doomsday Beast's dying strike—Star's durability was remarkable.
"This boy is right." Great Herta walked forward.
Despite Welt's maturity, to Herta's age he was just a "boy."
"Lady Herta?!" Himeko exclaimed.
The true Herta was rarely seen. Few had ever met her in person.
Welt ignored the "boy" remark. His eyes fixed on the white-haired man.
Hiss—
So alike. Could this be Kevin's counterpart?
He remembered well: Kevin had died.
"…"
"Herrscher, do you still dream?"
"Dream of those you couldn't save? Of those who died because of you?"
Kevin (Koji) crossed his arms, voice flat, gaze piercing.
"Pfft—!"
Welt nearly choked. The pose, the tone, the words—exactly the same.
One word stood out: Herrscher.
Only he present knew that word.
Could it be Kevin had followed him?
Damn Honkai, still haunting me.
"You are… Kevin?"
Welt's grip tightened on his cane. He recalled vividly the day Kevin crushed him in the Sea of Quanta.
"Herrscher of Reason, I ask you—"
"Why do birds fly?"
Kevin (Koji) pointed at him. The words froze Welt. His vision darkened.
It really was Kevin. He'd won the revival match. His PTSD flared.
"Birds… why do they fly? What kind of question is that?"
March 7th muttered, confused. But she had never seen Welt look like this.
Himeko wasn't surprised. When they first met, Welt had worn the same haunted look.
This white-haired man was either someone Welt knew—or his perfect likeness.
"…Kevin, what do you want?"
Welt summoned Imaginary energy. Even now, he doubted he could beat Kevin.
Kiana was already the Herrscher of the End. Kevin should have no reason to restart the Stigmata Plan.
But Kevin was too dangerous to ignore.
"Ahahaha, what fun!"
Koji dropped the disguise, laughing hard.
Welt: "?"
He was dumbfounded. Duped.
Could this be a Masked Fool?
But how could one of them know Kevin?
"First time meeting. I'm Koji."
"Kiana."
Koji took Lumine and left the world. They'd return after the Rite of Descension.
"Wait—"
Welt failed to stop them. He wanted to ask how Koji knew.
Maybe Koji knew Earth's location. His first lead home.
But if the Masked Fools learned, other forces might enter the Solar System. Could Kiana alone defend it?
"Lady Herta, was that a Masked Fool?" Himeko asked.
The trickster nature fit too well.
"I don't know. They appeared suddenly in my station." Herta said.
"You're not nearsighted, are you?"
Herta eyed Welt. Glasses didn't fool her.
"Er… no." Welt admitted. He wore them simply for style.
"Your past must be fascinating. But I've no time to pry."
"Lady Herta, don't. It could affect this universe." Welt said gravely.
If Honkai erupted here, consequences were unforeseeable.
"Oh?"
"Now I'm even more interested." Herta smiled faintly.
To tell a genius not to look—was to ensure she would.
Welt fell silent. The temperament of geniuses was, indeed, troublesome.
(End of Chapter)
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