"Seele isn't talking to you anymore?"
The next day, Bronya took Seele with her to visit Zeke.
Her own plans weren't entirely flexible, but they weren't urgent either—not when compared to Seele's wellbeing, which took precedence.
Hearing Zeke's term, Seele blinked innocently.
"L-Seele?"
"It means your other self."
"Oh... yeah, just like Big Bro Zeke said, she hasn't spoken to Seele lately, and I'm getting worried."
Zeke reached out and gently pried open Seele's eyes, observing her slightly trembling deep-blue irises from shock.
"Her vital signs are stable, Honkai Energy is subdued, and there's no abnormality with the Death Stigma... Doesn't seem to be any issue here. Could it just be that she's hitting her rebellious phase?" Zeke echoed Bronya's earlier speculation.
Bronya blinked, feeling somewhat smug.
See? That's called being on the same wavelength!
Seele's small lips parted as she softly replied, "Big Sister Bronya thought so too, but... I don't think that's it..." She sounded uncertain.
While she felt her cold and self-assured other self didn't seem susceptible to a rebellious phase, hearing both Bronya and Zeke suggest it left her shaken.
"Well then, let's take a look," Zeke said, holding out his hand where a golden feather slowly materialized.
Harnessing part of Fenghuang Down's power, though not quite achieving Fu Hua's level of formidable consciousness attacks, Zeke could effortlessly access the consciousness realm under his control.
"Wait, Bronya wants to come along too," she said flatly as she grabbed Zeke's wrist.
Zeke looked at her. "This technique isn't entirely safe. Do you have any specific reason?"
"I've never met her before, and since it concerns Seele, I need to understand the situation firsthand."
"In other words, you're concerned about her safety?"
"Yes, that's fair," Bronya nodded.
After considering for a moment, Zeke replied, "Alright, then. It'll be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the consciousness domain anyway. We might encounter similar enemies in the future, so gaining experience now is beneficial."
"Agreed."
With their discussion concluded, Seele hesitated, intending to stop Bronya from taking such risks—until she realized that if Zeke agreed, it must be alright.
"How about we go to my bedroom? You'll lose consciousness physically, and since my bed is larger, it'll be more convenient," Zeke suggested.
Seele's cheeks instantly flushed red—the thought of being on Big Bro Zeke's bed was quite overwhelming for a young girl's modesty.
Bronya, however, remained unfazed, as if hearing something as ordinary as having fish for dinner.
This reaction only made Seele, who was sneakily observing Bronya, feel even more embarrassed.
As expected, Big Sister Bronya isn't thinking anything inappropriate at all. I'm way too impure! Seele mentally scolded herself, wanting to bury her face in shame.
Little did she know, Bronya had already discreetly taken out her notebook and pen for recording detailed intel:
Come to think of it, Bronya has never slept on Zeke's bed before. It's necessary to scout the battlefield ahead of time!
The trio approached Zeke's bed together—one bashful, one secretly harboring anticipation and schemes, and one completely devoid of extra thoughts—and lay down side by side.
Soon, they slipped into a deep sleep-like state.
Beside the bed, Kiana sat facing backward on a chair, leaning against its backrest as she took a crisp bite from an apple.
"Seriously, they're sleeping soundly while leaving us to keep watch? How ungrateful. Right, Sin?"
"...I don't feel like talking to a paramecium."
"But hey, it's been ages since I last mixed up your name. Can't you be a little nicer to me?"
"Nope! Nyeh!" With one hand on her hip, Sin pulled down her eyelid with the other and stuck out her tongue at Kiana, revealing a row of sharp teeth that were far from cute—though admittedly, there was something adorable yet eerie about the sight.
Kiana pouted.
"How childish. Do you think I'm still just a thirteen-year-old kid?"
She had already established herself as a proper adult alongside Zeke. There was no way this mere Sin could ever catch up to her.
Feeling confident inside, Kiana appeared remarkably composed at that moment.
"Hmph!" Sin snorted, crossing her arms and turning away, refusing to acknowledge Kiana further.
She detests any vixen who clings to Zeke or Bronya without exception.
In the consciousness domain, Seele's eyes opened bewilderedly as she looked around. She found herself in a vast, white expanse with no one else present except her.
"Big Bro Zeke? Big Sister Bronya?" Seele anxiously called out their names.
Two figures then materialized behind her, instantly bringing her a sense of reassurance.
"So this is...the consciousness domain?" Bronya surveyed the empty surroundings, feeling slightly disappointed inside.
I arrived too quickly; didn't even have time to fully appreciate the softness and suppleness there—what a pity.
Zeke and Seele simultaneously turned towards Bronya.
"What's wrong? Is something bothering you, Bronya?"
"No, I just sensed your emotional fluctuations. In the consciousness domain, our connection becomes much stronger compared to the real world."
"Huh?" Bronya's expression shifted momentarily.
Is that possible? Why wasn't I informed beforehand? Wait, remember those emotion control techniques from psychology class, along with Fu Hua-sensei's teachings on mental composure!
After... well, according to Bronya's perception, just a few seconds later, she regained her composure. Her emotions and facial expression became as tranquil as a still lake, devoid of any ripples.
"Ah! I can't feel it anymore!" Seele exclaimed with surprise.
Zeke nodded approvingly.
"Well done. Suppressing oneself within a consciousness domain is no easy task. Achieving this level means conventional forms of mental interference won't affect you significantly."
"...It's just a trivial skill; let's focus on the main objective first," Bronya said calmly.
Zeke placed his hand on Seele's shoulder. "Think about the other version of yourself, concentrate deeply, and recall everything associated with her."
"I understand, Big Bro Zeke." Seele put both hands over her heart, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began envisioning the alternate self.
A moment later, sensing something amiss, Zeke furrowed his brow.
In the next second, the entire world's color shifted to pitch black.
There, amidst crimson mist, lay another Seele, curled up asleep. Dressed in a black dress, stockings, and gloves, she was enveloped by slowly moving chains of darkness.
"This is...the other me! What happened to her?"
"Don't move."
Zeke gently pressed down on Seele's shoulders, his voice calm.
Simultaneously, black armor materialized around Bronya, and numerous drones appeared in mid-air, readying their formidable firepower.
Bronya furrowed her brow as well.
"I sense...a Herrscher presence, quite strong."
"The Herrscher of Death, likely that title. I didn't expect Seele's condition to be like this."
"Did you notice anything specific, Zeke?"
"It seems the Major Honkai Eruption in the Far East Region caused Seele to absorb excessive amounts of Honkai Energy. The reason she could maintain her original state without harm was because this version of Seele gathered all the Honkai Energy onto herself."
"And so?"
"With sufficient aptitude and ample Honkai Energy, the answer becomes clear—she is undergoing the process of becoming a Herrscher. Perhaps in an attempt to ensure Seele's absolute safety, she confined all changes within herself; those chains symbolize this binding. Even I couldn't detect any abnormalities; such protection is truly overbearing."
Zeke explained, somewhat astonished.
Bronya remained silent.
As for Seele, her expression was stunned, tears streaming down her cheeks.