Astartes 2nd Legion Punishers, Serial Number: Conquered World — Universe 117.
Outside the Milky Way, Installation 00 Ark, Central Control Room.
"So, Kiana has already been handed over to Sebas by Esdeath, and Sebas's evaluation of them... hiss, quite high."
Especially from the report submitted by Esdeath, even from afar, Selene could feel the lingering resentment.
Acting as Kiana and the others' instructor, it was clear Esdeath had strong opinions about Selene going to a massive warzone like Universe 117 without taking her along. She expressed her dissatisfaction at not being included.
Letting a battle maniac like her sit idle watching a bunch of people use childish methods to govern—fine for a short time, entertaining even. But after a while, she got bored. Without a fight, Esdeath felt completely out of sorts.
Especially since Kiana and the others' political ideals were vastly different from Esdeath's worldview.
Several times, when Kiana was already the one in power, but still got stalled and brushed off by nobles using all sorts of overt and covert tactics to resist reform...
Kiana's submissive (kind and persuasive) way of handling things really made Esdeath furious.
In Esdeath's eyes, it was utterly humiliating!
According to what she told Kiana: Damn it, are you playing house here? Where's your authority?! Where's the government's power?! If it were any official from the empire's central interior ministry, every one of those nobles would be on the gallows, families wiped out!
Of course, every time Esdeath gave her "friendly reminders," Kiana would refute them with her own reasoning.
Their worldviews were wildly different.
Selene read between the lines, analyzing Esdeath's phrasing, and came to a conclusion about her evaluation of Kiana and the others:
"Yes, they are great, very kind, and quite excellent... But please don't send them to me again. This tiny temple can't house such troublesome gods. Kindly roll them out!"
Upon seeing this, Selene clenched the crystalline cube in her hand, her face darkening.
Tsk, there goes her little hope.
Sigh, just imagine—if only Esdeath and Kiana's group could influence each other, learn from one another's strengths, wouldn't that be wonderful?
"Your Majesty, an important Forerunner facility has been discovered on Requiem."
"Suspected Cryptum."
"Uh..."
"Your Majesty, are you listening?"
The nearby Offensive Bias had been chattering away for a while, only to notice Selene seemed deep in thought and not paying attention, which left it feeling a bit disheartened. "Your Majesty, the world relocation operation has been completed."
"Hm? Oh." Selene rose and looked out at the starlit metallic expanse beyond the Ark, nodding in satisfaction. "Confirmed—Bias Incursion is dormant somewhere on these worlds?"
"Confirmed."
"Which one holds the Cryptum?"
Beep beep.
With the Offensive Bias's operations, Selene clearly saw the magnified image of a massive metallic planet on the screen. Her brows furrowed slightly. "This is Requiem?"
On the holographic screen, this special Shield World selected by the Offensive Bias had a surface made entirely of thick metal. It was fully mechanized, layered with hundreds of kilometers of mechanical textures and overlapping armor plating.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Requiem. In my database, this celestial device was officially named by the Forerunners as Shield 0001."
"Hoh." Selene pinched her chin and let out a curious chuckle. "Now this is interesting."
"Your Majesty, are you suggesting the Bias Incursion is on it? Should we investigate?"
"No, someone else is involved. But if we want to extract maximum value from this... perfect. Return!"
...
"The front lines... a conquest war, huh."
Kiana couldn't help but sigh, dispelling the manifestation of her flaming greatsword with a weary motion.
She wasn't the type to enjoy cruelty or warfare. Though Selene's military merit and nobility system greatly differed from the beautiful world she hoped for, after everything she had experienced, she no longer outright opposed it.
"Naturally."
Sebas, his half-lidded crimson pupils narrowing, glanced at the white-haired girl beside him and asked softly, "Passing my test means you will officially be assigned to the Valkyrie Corps and cooperate with the Imperial Army in external operations. War is unavoidable..."
"Even so, Miss Kaslana, I ask you one final time: are you ready?"
"Hey, Uncle Sebas, why are you asking that now? And also, I'm no 'Miss' anything. Just a fallen branch of the Kaslana family. Whether they even acknowledge me is a different story. Just call me Kiana."
She didn't answer directly. Scratching the back of her head, Kiana showed a bright smile, a bit embarrassed.
"Hmph, sly girl."
Sebas chuckled and scolded.
"Hehe, my answer is—still needs work!"
Over this period of time, Kiana and the others had grown much closer with Sebas.
Though they still somewhat feared this stern, no-nonsense imperial figure who radiated the aura of a strict teacher.
"Oh? Then I shall wait and see."
Sebas, for his part, also no longer treated Kiana and the others with the rigid, bureaucratic attitude he had when they first met.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to assign them carefully crafted 'lady' etiquette courses.
Others didn't even qualify to take them.
Of course, part of it was because of Selene's special attention and orders—but more than that, it was because Kiana and the others had earned it. They suited Sebas' tastes!
Perhaps Sebas never had a purely simple reason for training them. He saw value in their potential as Herrschers, fusion warriors, and Valkyries; he wanted to cultivate talent for the Empire; and maybe he even saw this as a chance to refine his own etiquette training methods again through them...
But people are complex beings by nature.
"Go get some rest. Today's lessons are done. Just wait patiently for Her Majesty's final approval."
As he spoke, Sebas subtly cast a glance at Raiden Mei standing behind Kiana. The tender affection and longing in her gaze... honestly, Sebas didn't even know how to describe it.
You two... so lovey-dovey, gazing at each other like spring was blooming in your eyes.
"Hehe, my Mei... snuggle snuggle~"
"Kiana, mm... geez."
Seeing Kiana throwing herself onto Raiden Mei with such a carefree, genuine smile, Sebas couldn't help but feel momentarily dazed. The girl's facial features began to overlap in his mind with Selene during her student years.
Sigh, a complex look flashed through Sebas's eyes.
Sigh... If only the young miss would laugh more freely like this too.
Such playful, spontaneous actions had never appeared on the young miss before. For an old man like Sebas, who had no children of his own, it was truly a regret.
"Hey hey, Uncle Sebas, bye-bye!"
Just then, as if she sensed the lonely aura surrounding him like an empty-nester, Kiana suddenly turned, raised her hand, and jumped up high.
To this, Sebas gave a gentle wave.
"Kiana, you failed again." said the expressionless voice.
"Shut up! Bronya, you've got no right to talk, you game addict!"
"Stop stop stop, cut it out. Kiana, Mei, don't you two see the state of the training grounds? Public displays of affection in broad daylight, how indecent," said Li Sushang grumpily as she stroked the cat head in her arms.
"Meow, why are you messing with me?!"
Approaching Sebas, Fu Hua let out a soft sigh. "Now that she's put down the burden of being a savior, this is the Kiana I know."
After parting ways with Schicksal, when they met again, and Kiana—this silly girl—was no longer as lively as before but instead forced a smile each day, Fu Hua had genuinely feared that this world was beyond saving.
Fu Hua watched Kiana, arm wrapped around Raiden Mei, raising her hand as she walked toward Li Sushang and Bronya outside the training grounds. A flicker of reminiscence surfaced in her cool, jade-green eyes.
"Salvation has never been one person's responsibility."
"Perhaps," Sebas replied, "only after enduring hardship and loss can one truly cherish what they have."
Nodding, Fu Hua changed the subject to something she had overheard. "Lord Sebas, Her Majesty is stationed at the front lines aligned with the campaign led by the 2nd Astartes Legion, the Punishers. Judging by the large-scale deployment of administrative personnel from both the Military Affairs and Internal Affairs Departments, it seems there have been considerable gains."
"To be precise, three Astartes Legions have been mobilized: the Punishers, the Night Lords, and the World Eaters..."
As he spoke, Sebas suddenly froze, looking toward the palace's main hall. He exhaled deeply, then paused before calling out with a strong voice in the direction of Kiana and the others: "Kiana, Her Majesty has returned."
...
Imperial Capital Grand Palace, Schönbrunn Palace.
This journey, from the Offensive Bias's perspective, was just a blinding flash of violet light that filled its entire vision. When it adjusted to its surroundings, it realized it had left Installation 00 Ark and arrived in a massive, unknown building.
The architectural style here was completely different from that of the Forerunners.
Intricate patterns were carved into the walls, with reliefs and enamel inlays. Delicate lace curtains hung from finely carved jade pillars. Soft, round night pearls bathed the room in a warm, misty glow, and the large carpet was woven with auspicious motifs.
The Offensive Bias had never seen such extravagantly layered design.
Meanwhile, the palace attendants nearby seemed long accustomed to their Empress' sudden appearances and didn't react in surprise.
"Relax, this is My palace."
Calming the slightly agitated and alert Offensive Bias, Selene moved to her wide desk, briefly flipping through a few neatly organized memorials before turning her head. "Attend me!"
Creak!
"Your Majesty."
Selene addressed the palace attendant at the door: "Summon Dr. Fashion to appear before Me."
"At once!"
"Your Majesty, regarding Installation 00 Special District, the Halo Array..." The Offensive Bias, withdrawing its attention from the palace's opulent interior, began inquiring.
"Sterilization."
All of the Forerunner celestial constructs brought into the Honkai Dimension by Selene—Installation 00 Special District, Halo Array, Shield Worlds, Onyx, and key inhabited worlds—had been thrown wholesale into a sea of Honkai energy by her.
First, purging. Later, Selene would dispatch the Empire's Science Bureau and Forge Department for personalized modification.
Pushing open the office doors, Selene stepped out.
The Offensive Bias hurried after her.
Along the way, every servant and guard who saw Selene instantly knelt, humbly lowering their heads.
Though they didn't recognize the large, seemingly sentient mask hovering beside the Empress, they simply assumed it was another imperial relic.
Meanwhile, the Offensive Bias acted like a curious child, bombarding Selene with questions.
Especially when passing by the Silent Sisters patrolling with the golden-armored Imperial Guard—their aura was so overwhelming that it nearly froze the Offensive Bias's processing.
"Your Majesty, what are those?"
"Suppression Field."
"Your Majesty, what are we doing now? Where are we going?"
"To dine."
...
Along the long corridors of Schönbrunn Palace, upon hearing Selene's summons, Dr. Fashion wasted no time after arriving at the palace through the teleportation gate from the Imperial Capital Science Bureau Headquarters.
Considering Selene had just returned from the front lines, and based on past experience, there was a good chance Her Majesty had prepared something new for him again.
Though he was often worked like a beast of burden during such times, Dr. Fashion honestly didn't mind at all. He welcomed it! Bring it on!
Just the thought of new and fascinating science and technology waving at him was enough to make Dr. Fashion's heart race with excitement, and his steps grew even lighter.
Until—"Dr. Fashion?"
"Greetings, Lord Sebas."
Sebas looked quite surprised as he saw Dr. Fashion rounding the corner and bowing with a hand over his chest. He asked, "Here to see Her Majesty?"
Dr. Fashion nodded. "Her Majesty's summons." He then glanced in confusion at the group of charming young women behind Sebas. "And they are...?"
Aside from being summoned by the Empress, Dr. Fashion was usually buried in the lab or testing new inventions at the base. He really had no idea about Kiana and the others.
It was his first time meeting them—and just like the old veterans who had followed Selene since the Imperial Guard days, their resemblance to someone made Dr. Fashion inwardly gasp.
"Newly formed special military division—Valkyrie Corps candidate officers."
Sebas didn't intend to reveal too much. He gave a small nod and said, "Let's go. A summons from Her Majesty is not to be delayed." With that, he headed into Schönbrunn Palace.
Dr. Fashion understood and followed along.
On the way, Dr. Fashion kept glancing at Kiana and the others, while they, in turn, sized up this middle-aged man in a white lab coat who clearly looked like a researcher.
To be honest, most of Kiana's group didn't have favorable impressions of people in white coats. Unpleasant memories made them, especially when it came to eccentric or unstable researchers like Dr. Fashion, quite wary.
Schönbrunn Palace, Reception Room.
Knock knock!
"Your Majesty, Lord Sebas and Dr. Fashion have arrived."
Upon hearing this, Selene set down her teacup, nodded slightly, then tapped the table and said, "Offensive Bias, go on. Go meet your future colleagues..."
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