Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

Unlike her time with Overseer Otto, the mental shocks Rita received from Noldrei were accompanied by reasons that always left her with a sense of unease.

If Overseer Otto liked to do things with a veneer of respectability, then Noldrei preferred to rip that veneer right off. Many things that seemed good on the surface would have their nauseating true nature exposed by Noldrei's words.

Although she had long known such developments were possible, Rita couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness and sorrow for humanity.

Noldrei was studying Herrschers just to see which type of network had stronger control over humanity?

"Sigh..."

Rita sighed and wrapped her arms around Sirin.

"You're better, Sirin. Even though you were born a Herrscher, you're so much simpler than humans. If everyone in the world were like you, my life would be so much easier."

Sirin pushed forcefully against Rita. "If you have a problem, go take it up with him!" she said angrily. "Why are you hugging me in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? Are you nuts?!"

"I'm a little scared of the Director today. I'm afraid that one day he'll decide to 'observe' me, and what if I become bait for a Honkai Herrscher? I'd die without even knowing how."

Rita stroked Sirin's chin, lost in thought. Noldrei's attitude toward Herrschers was somewhat frightening. The androids had only just been produced, and he was already thinking of using them to bait out a Herrscher.

"The Academy City is littered with SELENE engines, which can absorb ambient Honkai energy and convert it at any time. I'm not worried about the Academy City descending into chaos from a Honkai Eruption, but... the androids have been exported to the outside world."

Rita's voice filled with concern. "Think about it. If Herrschers appeared on the European or North American continents and the Academy City didn't arrive in time, wouldn't a catastrophic Great Eruption occur? Given the current state of humanity, how many people would die?"

"I'm a Herrscher. I can't wait for you humans to die out," Sirin said with a completely deadpan expression. Then, Rita promptly stuffed her head into her chest.

The Herrscher of the Void was as compliant as a large hug pillow.

Rita paid no mind to Sirin's words. The thought of so many androids potentially becoming Herrschers filled her with a sense of impending doom.

"No, I can't keep indulging in Lady Durandal's beauty! Starting today, Rita is quitting alcohol! It's the alcohol that's weakening my willpower and lowering my resistance."

'That poor alcohol is getting a raw deal,' Sirin thought.

She had tried it a few times, but the body she had created with her Herrscher powers was too strong. The alcohol was neutralized by her system before it could take full effect. Whenever Sirin drank, it was just like Kiana—as if she were drinking soda.

---||---

Durandal was currently feeling emo.

She looked at the empty training ground, thinking of the past when Rita would occasionally spar with her, and then at the equipment that was beginning to gather dust.

Durandal couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy that her thighs were growing soft again from disuse—which is to say, they were becoming more alluring.

Just as Durandal was contemplating a career change, a call from Rita came through.

'Didn't she become a florist to live a retired Valkyrie's life?'

Valkyries' bodies had now been restored to normal, and they were free to pursue whatever they wanted. Rita had opened her own flower shop, but it was perpetually on the verge of collapse. Why?

Because the institute's research into plant genetics was far more advanced, and they were about to crush traditional flower shops with mass-produced, technologically superior flora.

Unfortunately, Rita was just such a traditional florist.

Thanks to a few Valkyries patronizing her business, Rita hadn't had to close her doors yet, but even so, her shop was always teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

"Rita? Wait, why are you holding someone?"

When Durandal answered the call, she saw Rita lounging on a bed, cradling Sirin. Her hair looked like it had been recently washed and was still damp.

"Lady Durandal, no time to explain! Our dear Director is planning to use androids to facilitate the descent of a Herrscher. I just don't know... Hmm? Lady Durandal, why are you just sitting in the training grounds? I thought Valkyries weren't needed for combat anymore."

Rita's words were like a sharp knife plunging into Durandal's heart.

"Rita, can we change the subject? If I'm not a Valkyrie, what else can I do? Become an idol?" Durandal was at a loss. Besides punching Honkai with extreme prejudice, she didn't know what else to do.

Now, not only were Valkyries becoming obsolete, but even Schicksal's income was starting to shift in other directions.

Under Noldrei's guidance, fighting the Honkai was gradually becoming a secondary priority.

"Reminiscing about the old days?" Rita asked curiously.

"Let's talk about the Herrscher. Shouldn't Dr. Tesla and the others be handling it? Besides, the next Herrscher shouldn't require my intervention. The Director's 'mosquito attack' has completely sealed off the possibility of a Herrscher's birth."

"The slightest contact with Honkai energy causes their genes to collapse and die. Under these circumstances, a Herrscher can't even hide. The Honkai energy concentration on a Herrscher is like a walking Honkai crystal."

"Unless they've undergone Stigma Battlesuit modification, but then the Herrscher would just become a vassal of the Stigma Space, wouldn't they? I'm not needed at all. Even if an android becomes a Herrscher, they're no match for them."

Durandal, of course, knew the power of the Kaslana Stigma Space. Any Herrscher who entered it would receive a joint "welcome" from the entire Kaslana clan.

From Kevin to Kiana, everyone would teach the Herrscher how to accept that they are, in fact, human.

Durandal thought such a world was quite good. It was just that humanity was progressing a little too fast, making her, a Valkyrie still in her youth, feel "outdated and old."

"Besides, there are so many androids. You can't expect me to find them one by one, can you?"

Durandal had no confidence in getting entangled with that kind of problem.

"Of course not. All we need to do is keep an eye on the android network center created by Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical. Lady Durandal, no matter what, the Herrscher will try to seize control of that network center. As a Herrscher consciousness, it would never entrust its authority to others. So, what you need to do is go to Heliopolis Life Sciences and find that network center."

Rita's words gave Durandal a strange feeling. It was as if Rita were the captain now, and she was just a hired hand.

"Rita, this kind of delicate work... I'm really not cut out for it."

Durandal's gaze clearly said, "Why don't you go?"

Rita sighed. "I'm being hard-controlled by the Director. Or... shall we two switch places?"

Durandal's expression changed. She said sternly, "Fighting Herrschers to the end is our solemn duty! Alright, I'm heading to Heliopolis Life Sciences now!"

She immediately cut the connection, terrified that she might actually have to switch with Rita.