"I didn't expect you to be a major villain in this world, Otto! This is truly shocking!"
Kallen Kaslana, who had advanced the main story to the point where Bronya arrived in the Second World and t Priest Otto, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"....Do you want to be a villain that much, Kallen?" Otto's voice carried a hint of grievance. How many "black pots" had he carried in this ga so far? It felt like as soon as sothing went wrong in the ga, the first thought everyone had was: "It must be Otto's doing!"
Please, he felt wronged too! Taking on such a villainous role, do you know what kind of heart Lord Otto had to maintain to keep playing whenever a plot related to him appeared?
Kallen waved her hands in a bit of a panic. "No, no, I just ant that this ti, Otto is finally a good person!"
Otto just wanted to find a corner to crouch in and draw circles. He felt a wave of tragic indignation: "So, in your heart, I've always been a ten-thousand-tis-evil big bad guy?!"
Sotis Otto really felt that he shouldn't have introduced this ga to Kallen. He never expected that she would beco such a loyal player from then on. When she had nothing to do, she loved dragging Otto along to grind the morial Arena. She even used the scores as bets; whoever lost had to do one thing for the other.
So far, Otto hadn't won against Kallen once. Even Amber found this strange. She clearly saw Lord Otto training his gaming skills like a madman in his office every night; how could he possibly lose to Kallen, who barely played?
With Otto's ability, if he set his mind to sothing, it shouldn't be hard. But later, Amber realized: it was just their little "couple's flirting." This made the single dog Amber absolutely furious. Showing off their love in front of their secretary every day? Did they ever consider her feelings—coming to work on an empty stomach only to be stuffed to death with "dog food" and having to lean against the wall just to leave at the end of the day?
To be honest, Otto was grateful to Su Mu. If it weren't for this ga, he wouldn't have had the chance to play these "flirty mini-gas" with Kallen. Having a common topic was vital. After all, Otto and Kallen had different personalities and completely different hobbies. In comparison, Yae Sakura and Kallen had far more in common, which was sothing Otto had always been bitter about.
Thanks to this ga, Otto and Kallen had more to talk about, and their ti spent together had noticeably increased... even if it was just playing gas, it satisfied Otto. But strangely, that fox spirit hadn't co to bother them lately? Did sothing happen? Since his last trip to Arc City with Kallen, he hadn't seen the fox... surely nothing happened to her?
Hmm? Was he worried about her? Impossible. He wished she was as far away as possible so no one would disturb his and Kallen's two-person world! ...But with her gone, he felt strangely annoyed. He couldn't properly show off in front of her or vent his frustrations.
Fine, I'll ask Amber later... if sothing really happened to that fox, Kallen would be sad. Besides, what is success without a loser to contrast it with? A hero needs soone to applaud them on their path!
While Otto was busy fantasizing about gloating in front of Yae Sakura, Senti and the viewers in the stream were being left dazed by the world where Otto was a priest.
Bronya and Seele questioned the Theresa of this world, asking her about the orphanage. The Theresa of this world didn't rember her past; her earliest mory was being on the Priest's shoulders. Priest Otto would strap Theresa to his back and go out to chop wood in the snow. It was snowing outside, but the Priest's body was warm. Only when she grew up did Theresa learn that this orphanage was established by Priest Otto. Although she wasn't the first child there, she had stayed the longest.
[Wait, could the Theresa of this world... be the child of Otto and Kallen?]
[It's actually possible! Based on her words, she grew up normally and wasn't created as a clone!]
[But if that's the case, why wouldn't Otto tell her the truth?]
[Who knows? And... Kallen hasn't been seen in this orphanage. If they left Schicksal together, where did she go? Why is Otto alone?]
The chat was buzzing with theories about the Second World. To be honest, if Theresa really was Otto's child, wouldn't that an Otto actually won once in this world? Did he defeat the pink-haired fox? For real?
"Holy crap, did Otto actually make it happen!" Senti was dumbfounded.
"This isn't the real world; anything is possible," Fu Hua helped her analyze. "While the first world's history was different from Bronya's mory, it was still based on real events. I suspect the Second World is the sa... this ti-point is probably after the 'Saint Kallen' arc."
Senti continued. In the story, Bronya asked Theresa about Joachim. She learned a shocking fact: Joachim's father was killed by Priest Otto. According to Theresa, Joachim's father was so obsessed with resurrecting his wife that he touched forbidden knowledge and even targeted holess orphans. Therefore, Priest Otto killed him.
[?]
[Holy crap, the roles are reversed?]
[It's sowhat ironic. Real-world Otto did so many horrific experints, yet no one could kill him.]
[In this world, Otto stands on the side of justice and kills a man who wanted to resurrect his lover...]
The viewers were stunned by the irony. In their minds, Otto was a man who used any ans necessary to reach his goals. Yet, in this Second World, he was the embodint of "Justice"? Comparing it to the real Otto's actions, it was beyond ironic!
The plot continued. Joachim's feelings toward Priest Otto were incredibly complex. On one hand, he knew his father's cris were unforgivable and wanted to stop him but was powerless. Yet, he was afraid. The Otto of this world hoped Joachim would succeed him and lead the children. But Joachim couldn't let go of his father's death; he was afraid that one day he would face the sa choice as Priest Otto—afraid of inflicting the sa pain he felt onto another child.
(Note: This corresponds to the Alien manga, where Joachim killed Hiko's father, Ryusuke Murata, for the sa righteous reasons, which beca his psychological trauma.)
Coincidentally, at this ti, a Mrs. Lieserl from the neighboring village—actually Lieserl Albert Einstein—wanted to adopt Joachim. Bronya believed Joachim was just running away.
The conversation with Theresa ended. It was late, but Priest Otto was nowhere to be found. Worried, the group went out to search and eventually found him on a small hillside. Otto had collapsed in Theresa's arms, eyes shut, in a coma. Bronya and the others tried to carry him back, but a swarm of Honkai beasts blocked their way.
Suddenly, the power of Fenghuang Down drove the beasts away. It told Bronya that because Priest Otto had once done a favor for its master, she had left a feather to protect him. It was because of this power that the orphanage had stayed safe from Honkai attacks.
But now, Otto's ti was up. The power of Fenghuang Down would fade along with his spirit. This ant Priest Otto was about to pass away. Fenghuang Down told Bronya that the Priest had lingering attachnts and regrets, but what bound him most was a void in his heart. Otto wanted to entrust the power of Fenghuang Down to soone he acknowledged, but there was an unbridgeable gap between him and that person.
Without a doubt, that person was Joachim. If Joachim left now, this would beco an eternal knot for both of them. Not just for them, but for Bronya as well. By moving forward, Bronya would find her answer and her path. Though still lost, she felt like she had grasped sothing.
After Fenghuang Down vanished, they brought Otto back to the orphanage. Joachim rushed to see him, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw the Priest wake up. It was clear he cared deeply for him. Otto wanted to give a cross to Joachim as a parting gift. This cross had protected Otto many tis; he hoped Joachim would also receive divine protection.
However, Joachim rejected him.
["Killing in the na of good.... Can that really receive divine protection!"]
After an argunt with Theresa, Joachim ran out. Bronya followed, trying to persuade him, but Joachim felt that no one cared about him—that they only cared about the Priest.
[Sigh...]
[I can understand Joachim's pain; he's just a kid. No matter the reason, Priest Otto killed his father... that's too hard for a child to accept.]
[The fact that he doesn't hate Otto is already good enough. But a gap in his heart is inevitable.]
[Killing in the na of good... was Otto really wrong? If he hadn't killed Joachim's father, more orphans would have been sacrificed...]
[The world isn't black and white; it's a refined shade of gray...]
For so reason, seeing this Priest Otto at his weakest and knowing his ti was near made the viewers feel uneasy. Over half of them hated the Otto in the main story and couldn't wait to open champagne for his death. But this Priest Otto from the Second World didn't evoke a single shred of hatred. It made their current mood very conflicted.
"Sigh, this sucks." Senti scratched her head irritably. "This world's Otto is undoubtedly a great guy. Even if he has that annoying face... the thought of him dying makes feel gross!"
The viewers agreed. They didn't know that at this mont, the real Otto was watching Kallen play this part, his eyes a bit red, while his heart was practically cheering. Good, good, good! Su Mu, you did well! Amazing!! This scene made Otto want to fly to Arc City just to thank Su Mu in person. With this Priest Otto image out there, his reputation was bound to skyrocket, right? Wasn't this the perfect chance to wash away his villainous image?
Senti continued the stream. In the subsequent plot, Joachim and Bronya were attacked by beasts. Although Bronya fought desperately, one slipped through and lunged at Joachim! At the critical mont, Otto arrived, struggling to raise a golden flintlock and shooting the beast. However, after doing so, he collapsed into a coma again. Otto had burned the last of his life to save Joachim, but his life was now like a flickering candle about to go out.
Bronya told Joachim to support Otto, but Joachim just sat on the ground, trembling. His behavior made Bronya snap. She grabbed a cross from the ground and threw it at him in rage!
["What exactly are you running from? The past? The Priest and everyone at the orphanage! They aren't the problem! You're just running from yourself, you coward!"]
Facing the bewildered Joachim, Bronya poured her heart out. Decisions have right and wrong; people do not. But people must bear the cost of their choices. If you're afraid, don't struggle alone; tell those you care about. Don't wait until everything is lost to regret it. She wasn't just talking to Joachim; she was talking to herself. Bronya was also running away from the issues with Cocolia—the knot in her own heart.
The experience in the Second World finally allowed Bronya to understand why she was undergoing these trials and why she was in this world. Facing a painful past is difficult. Joachim knew the Priest had done the right thing, but for a child, taking that step forward was simply too hard.
Eventually, the others from the orphanage found them and brought the Priest back. The next day, Joachim was finally leaving without saying goodbye. Theresa called Bronya and Seele, saying the Priest had words for them. When they entered his room, the blonde man lay on the bed, struggling to turn toward them. Scarlet marks were spreading across his body, as if trying to tear him apart. He held a golden emblem—a nto left by soone important.
When Joachim's departure was ntioned, the Priest's eyes showed a hint of regret. Theresa said it wasn't his fault.
["Right and wrong cannot answer every question in this world."]
["I always wonder, was there another way to save his father back then?"]
["But no matter what I think, that day, I chose to kill him."]
["Perhaps because in him, I saw... the ending I wanted for myself."]
To a slow, sad BGM, the Priest recalled the past. Once, he had also touched the forbidden, dabbled in evil power, and caused the deaths of many innocents. But the Saint stopped him, rescuing him from that abyss. They fled the organization together, sealing the source of evil in an unknown place. But because of this, they were cursed; the Saint passed away two years later.
At this mont, the viewers finally understood why Otto beca a priest. He and Saint Kallen had fled together, and the Black Box was sealed. Although Kallen eventually died, Otto accepted the outco and didn't go mad trying to resurrect her like the main-story Otto. In this world, Otto and Kallen made different choices, leading to a different path.
But the result of that path... was the passing of Saint Kallen and the imminent death of Priest Otto. On her deathbed, the Priest had once asked her if she regretted her choice. Now, the Priest passed her answer on to the children.
["A person undergoes three stages of growth in their life."]
["First, understanding the difference between right and wrong."]
["Second, understanding that so things are more than just right or wrong."]
["Third, after understanding that so things have no right or wrong, still firmly doing what you believe in and taking responsibility for it."]
[The Priest's eyes shimred. His tone was calm, but there was a slight tremble.]
[Perhaps he was rembering things that even ti could not erase.]
Priest Otto understood Joachim's confusion because he had once been just as lost. Therefore, he respected Joachim's choice.
["Children, I cannot go back. I have committed too many mistakes. I can only take responsibility for the past."]
["But, thank goodness for you all. Thank you for giving happy and warm mories to find when I look back at my past."]
Everyone understood that the Priest was making his final farewell. His life had reached its end. But at that mont, under Bronya's reminder, the door was pushed open. Joachim stood there, holding the cross tightly in his hand like his most precious treasure. He had heard everything. Although he was still lost and didn't know how to move forward, there was one thing he had to say.
["I am willing... I am willing to take a step forward, to inherit this orphanage, to inherit your duties! So, please continue to be my family, and don't let walk the wrong path!"]
Joachim collapsed by the bed, tears streaming from his eyes. Theresa didn't speak, only holding him gently.
[Holy crap, holy crap!]
[No, brothers, I was holding it together, but as soon as Joachim's voice broke into a sob, I lost it!]
[That voice acting is too good! I wasn't going to cry, but that line hit right in the feels!]
Joachim's final sobbing line broke the defenses of many viewers. Even Senti had tears in her eyes, though she tried to stay tough: "I-I'm not crying! Why would I cry for a guy like Otto! Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Though she was stubborn, her body was honest as she grabbed tissues and kept wiping her face.
["I believe in you, Joachim. I believe you will find your way."]
[The Priest gripped the pendant. The light in his eyes seed to brighten.]["I have fought the good fight.... I have finished the race...."]
["I have kept the faith...."]
[A single tear fell onto the wooden floor, then turned into a white light, subrging the whole world.]
Priest Otto passed away peacefully, surrounded by everyone. Afterward, the scene shifted to his tombstone. Joachim and Theresa were seeing him off. Their path was set; the doors of the St. Freya Orphanage would remain open.
As the Second World ended, the ga returned to the stage selection. Facing the cara, Senti was staring blankly at the screen. She hadn't noticed that, at so point, her face had beco covered in tears.
END OF CHAPTER
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