Noon, execution ground.
Kallen knelt under the gallows, surrounded by several men in black. Undoubtedly, she was about to be hanged here according to the sentence of the Schicksal higher-ups.
As Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, Kallen Kaslana had been active on the European continent, constantly sealing Honkai Beasts and protecting the people. She possessed extremely high prestige among the populace. If Schicksal executed her secretly, the reputation of the organization, which had always presented itself as a savior, would plummet. It might even provoke the Valkyrie troops and common people to take some drastic action in response.
As the strongest Valkyrie, she not only refused to eliminate the Pseudo-Herrscher but declared the other party innocent. At the same time, she expressed strong doubts about Schicksal's previous Eastern Crusade and the issuance of Indulgences. She could not be allowed to live, even if executing her carried corresponding risks.
If it were merely a desire to protect the Pseudo-Herrscher, Kallen's crime would not warrant death. But as Schicksal's last trump card, Kallen failed to defeat the Immortal of the [Ming] Empire, directly leading to the failure of the Eastern Crusade. Schicksal not punishing her afterward was already the greatest mercy, yet she dared to question the issuance of Indulgences.
Unreasonable!
If the Eastern Crusade had been victorious, there would have been no need to issue Indulgences to make up for war losses. The suffering of the people was ultimately due to Kallen's defeat in that battle—so the Schicksal higher-ups believed.
At least on the surface.
Otherwise, should the higher-ups who decided to launch the Eastern Crusade and issue Indulgences admit their guilt? Then who would be the Overseer? The Apocalypse family, which had step-by-step developed Schicksal to its current state and made outstanding contributions to humanity's fight against the Honkai, could not fall from the throne of power because of such a trivial matter.
Efforts of countless years were just about to bear fruit; how could they hand it over to others?
If Kallen wasn't executed decisively, once various matters were exposed, as the strongest Valkyrie with outstanding military achievements, Kallen only needed to guide things slightly. Gathering the power of the Valkyrie troops and the approval of the common people, she could easily sit on the position of Schicksal Overseer.
Things absolutely could not be allowed to develop to that stage. Therefore, Kallen must die.
Schicksal's higher-ups hoped that by publicly hanging Kallen, they could make the people believe that the former Valkyrie had become a traitor to Schicksal and even all of humanity.
In this city shrouded by the Black Death, residents had long lived in fear, locking themselves at home and avoiding contact with others unless necessary. Homeless poor people lay hungrily in dark corners of the streets, waiting for the day they would die of hunger, or catch the Black Death before starving.
Schicksal, which had always played the role of savior, failed to save everyone this time—at least not yet.
Once, this was a city full of dead silence, despair, and numbness, even though it was Schicksal's headquarters.
But that was "once."
Schicksal hadn't saved everyone yet, but Kallen Kaslana had indeed been protecting everyone. They didn't want to watch helplessly as Kallen was executed.
People who hadn't stepped out of their homes for a long time due to the Black Death wrapped themselves in thick clothes, put on hats, crossed the streets, and came to the execution ground. They stood together with the poor people they had once rejected or even loathed, who were highly likely already infected with the Black Death. They looked at the men in black on the high platform representing Schicksal, and at Kallen Kaslana, who had fallen from the strongest Valkyrie to a traitor.
After a brief silence—
"Two years ago, it was Lord Kallen who saved our village from the monsters."
"If not for Lord Kallen's continuous activity, my wife, child, and I would have died in the Honkai Beast attack long ago."
"Lord Kallen cannot be a traitor. There must be a mistake somewhere!"
Shouts finally erupted from the crowd. They were pleading for Kallen. Past events were brought up again—all were Kallen's deeds. When one person after another who had been directly or indirectly helped spoke of her achievements, everyone gradually realized—
It turned out that the strongest Valkyrie was not high and mighty like the other big shots of Schicksal. She had always stood by everyone's side, protecting everyone.
The emotions of the people became more and more agitated, and some even began attempting to charge the high platform where the execution was about to take place.
"Questioning the judgment of the Overseer and the Council is forbidden! If I hear your doubts again, I will arrest you all for heresy!"
A man in black shouted with annoyance, and the people under the high platform gradually quieted down.
Ruling the land of Europe, the ancient and glorious Schicksal organization was previously the savior. The people believed Schicksal could protect everyone under the Honkai, and Schicksal had indeed done so before.
But standing on the opposite side of Schicksal, facing this behemoth directly, one would feel that oppressive majesty and power that made one breathless.
The citizens were afraid. They didn't think they, weak and solitary, could oppose Schicksal, nor did they think they could continue to live in the face of the Honkai without Schicksal's protection.
But if it were her—the strongest Valkyrie, Kallen Kaslana—as long as she was willing to stand up and raise her arm in a call, everything would be different again.
Pairs of eyes, which had just become uneasy due to the roar of the man in black, began to look expectantly at the girl on the high platform. As long as she stood up and expressed her will slightly, telling everyone that Kallen Kaslana was not a traitor and that it was Schicksal who betrayed humanity, the crowd would dare to storm the execution ground.
But Kallen didn't stand up. The white-haired girl knelt on the high platform, bowing her head without saying a word.
Did she really betray Schicksal and humanity, as Schicksal said?
The gathered crowd began to become anxious, incredulous, and fell completely silent.
Beside the execution ground, on the external corridor of a two-story building, Evan watched the scene before him silently. Even knowing that this was a set scene repeated hundreds or thousands of times in the virtual reality, his eyes blurred for a moment.
"Kiana, do you see? This is your ancestor, and the people your ancestor wanted to protect. They are all quite cute, aren't they?"
Kiana, who had also been staring blankly at everything before her, heard Evan's words and turned her head in confusion.
"Ancestor?"
"Kallen's full name is Kallen Kaslana. She is the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal from five hundred years ago, and also the most outstanding warrior of the Kaslana family."
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