What infuriated Bronya was that until the moment she woke up in reality, that bastard Luo Hong really didn't touch her.
She wasn't about to swallow her pride and approach him herself, so they stayed in a deadlock. She had to watch as Luo Hong spent the night "frolicking" with the two sisters.
Of course, she didn't leave empty-handed. Setting aside Fu Hua's past, Luo Hong told her that Cangxuan and Danzhu had restored their bodies inside Chiyou. When they entered the Nine Realms today, they could strike from both inside and out, ensuring Chiyou would be defeated once and for all.
With this intel, she finally relaxed, no longer feeling nervous about the mission.
"Bronya... did you not sleep well again?"
At the breakfast table, Mei—in full "housewife" mode—noticed Bronya looking a bit haggard.
"Hmph!" Kiana, sensing a weakness, declared, "Mei, Bronya must have stayed up all night playing games again!"
"Kiana, don't be an idiot," Himeko sighed from across the table, rubbing her forehead. "We're going on a mission today. Do you think Bronya is as carefree as you are?"
"Bronya, is something on your mind?" Theresa asked with concern. Since Mei had mentioned Bronya having nightmares yesterday, Theresa felt the need to check in as the Principal. She couldn't just slack off; she had to look after her students' mental health—especially on such a crucial day.
"Actually, there is," Bronya replied. "For the past two nights, Bronya has had a strange dream."
She omitted the part about being "devoured" and only shared the intelligence she'd gathered from Luo Hong. She'd wanted to say it yesterday but couldn't find a good excuse. She certainly couldn't say she traded the info for... favors.
Since everyone already assumed she was having nightmares, she went with it. As for whether they believed her? Once they entered the Nine Realms, they'd have no choice but to believe.
"Oh..." A look of pity flashed in Mei's eyes. "No wonder you looked troubled yesterday. You were worried about whether the dream was real, weren't you?"
"So that was it?" Seeing Bronya's serious face, Kiana quickly clasped her hands in apology. "Sorry, Bronya!" In the face of a serious mission involving her comrades, Kiana knew how to be sensible.
"Hmph." Seeing Kiana apologize, Bronya's mood improved instantly. "Given that Kiana is no different from a 'Protozoan' (Amoeba), Bronya forgives you."
She had picked up the "Kiana = Protozoan" label from Luo Hong and found it surprisingly fitting.
"[○｀Д ○]" Kiana puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, but before she could snap back, Theresa interrupted.
"Kiana, quiet!" Theresa said firmly. "This involves today's mission. It's not the time to play around. Himeko, what do you think?"
She turned to Himeko. Despite her rugged, warrior-like exterior, Himeko was a true scholar—graduating top of her class at 15 and earning a PhD in Interstellar Flight Dynamics from Caltech by 19. If she hadn't been obsessed with investigating her father's mysterious death, she wouldn't be a Valkyrie with a shortened lifespan today.
With her intellect, Himeko was destined to be a top-tier scholar who could benefit all of humanity. Of course, her nurturing Kiana and the others into capable warriors was an even greater form of "benefiting" the world.
"I can only confirm the truth of this once we meet the Cangxuan and Danzhu that Bronya mentioned," Himeko said, stroking her chin as a glint of wisdom flashed in her eyes. She shook her head, her fiery red ponytail swaying as she stood up.
Leaning over the table in an authoritative posture, she said seriously, "The mission proceeds as planned. If there is internal assistance, all the better. If not, we shouldn't pin our hopes solely on Bronya's dream."
"Bronya, don't let this weigh on your mind," she added, comforting the girl. "It might just be a case of 'dreaming what you think about by day.' If anything like this happens again, just tell us openly."
Maybe the child is just overthinking the mission? Himeko wondered. But she knew that even if Kiana and Mei seemed normal, they were all taking this mission very seriously. After all, the goal was to find a natural Stigma to save Himeko's life—a matter of life and death they couldn't ignore. Even Theresa had cut down on her slacking to ensure the mission's success.
"Understood," Bronya nodded. On the surface, she remained calm, but her feelings toward the caring Himeko were incredibly complex.
"In the original plot, Murata Himeko dies."
Luo Hong's words echoed in her mind, making the future feel suffocatingly heavy. Although she had sacrificed herself to learn the details of Himeko's death, she still couldn't see a way to break the deadlock.
The Herrscher of the Void is just too powerful. It was an overwhelming gap in strength that words alone couldn't bridge. Furthermore, with Kiana right here, Bronya feared that speaking out now might alert the Herrscher personality within her.
She had to wait for a better opportunity. Once today's mission was complete and Himeko and Theresa believed her "dream," they would finally take the threat to Himeko's life seriously.
I just hope Luo Hong is reliable, and that Cangxuan and Danzhu can really help us. If they did, she might consider "rewarding" Luo Hong tonight.