Total breakdown!!
Kallen watched Otto, knowing her words had struck a nerve.
Compared to the Otto from the Sanguine Nights world, who had already glimpsed a flickering, albeit false, dawn, the Otto of this primary reality hadn't seen even a shred of hope. In these five hundred years, he had forgotten what it even felt like to be disappointed.
"And the mont I opened my eyes, I was already burdened by original sin. In the end, I walked toward destruction alongside Theresa."
Otto fell silent, standing there like a statue. If not for the faint, flickering light in his eyes, Kallen would have thought he'd gone completely numb.
Standing nearby, Kiana watched Otto with curiosity.
She rembered Theresa ntioning that her parents used to work under this man. He looked handso enough, but for so reason, she felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to crack his skull open.
After a long silence, Otto finally spoke, his voice low. "The Otto in that world... is he happy?"
Seriously?
Kallen felt a headache coming on. She mulled it over for a mont before shaking her head. "I don't know. He never stopped searching—searching for a way to make whole."
At this, Otto smiled. It was a smile laced with helplessness and sorrow.
"That certainly sounds like Otto."
He took a deep breath, his smile fading as he looked at Kallen. "Thank you for telling this."
Kallen looked back at him, feeling a wave of resignation. From her perspective, she admired the man, but she didn't envy him, and she certainly didn't want to be him.
Otto was simply too tragic.
In so many parallel worlds, the vast majority of Ottos chose to challenge the Imaginary Tree, all for a single future where a Kallen might live. His tenacity was nothing short of terrifying.
"Otto," Kallen whispered, asking a question to which she already knew the answer. "Have you... ever thought about letting go?"
Otto looked at her, stunned for a heartbeat, and then a small smile played on his lips.
"No. Never."
Kallen fell into a heavy silence. Right. That was Otto. Even if Kallen herself didn't want him to do those things, he would keep going regardless. Besides, she wasn't the real Kallen.
"Kallen."
"Yes?"
"In this world, live well." Otto gazed at her, his voice soft and earnest. "Live well with Sakura. Do what you want to do, go where you want to go, and love who you want to love."
Beside them, Yae Sakura was visibly moved. She looked at Otto with a gaze full of guilt and apology. She knew Kallen had originally been Otto's fiancée; these words were essentially him entrusting Kallen to her.
"I'm sorry... Otto."
But unfortunately! Kallen was just as stubborn as Otto.
She shook her head, her gaze darkening as she refused. Her blue eyes were filled with a mix of determination, complexity, and a deep sense of powerlessness.
"My 'original sin' isn't over yet. I have to go back. I have to go back and end the disasters that started because of —to protect those who haven't yet been hurt by my existence."
"..."
Otto was moved by her words, but eventually, he just let out a weary laugh. It was a laugh of relief, of acceptance, and a faint touch of sadness.
In that mont, he truly saw the shadow of the Saintess from five hundred years ago. Even knowing that returning to Schicksal ant death, she had gone back without hesitation, only to die at the hands of the Honkai beast he had unleashed.
"You really are..."
Otto started to speak, but suddenly—
A piercing alarm blared throughout St. Freya Academy.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The data terminal in Theresa's pocket began to vibrate violently.
"Principal! We have a situation! The Research Departnt has been breached! Soone stole Miss Kallen's blood samples!"
Theresa's eyes snapped wide. "What?!"
She whipped her head around to look at Otto. He remained where he was, his expression calm, a ghost of a smile touching the corners of his mouth.
"Grandpa... you!"
Typical Otto... Kallen's lip twitched. She knew he was up to no good, and she figured his visit to St. Freya wasn't just for a chat. But she hadn't expected this!
He had used himself as bait, distracting them with conversation while his people slipped into the lab to swipe her blood!
You could have just asked! It's not like I wouldn't have given it to you!
Just then, a Valkyrie dressed in the uniform of the Immortal Blades approached, carrying a silver portable cold-storage case. She stopped beside Otto.
"Overseer, mission accomplished."
"Well done," Otto nodded slightly.
Kallen looked at Otto's calm, composed face and suddenly laughed. "I should have known, Otto."
Otto gave a slight bow. "I'll take that as a complint."
Straightening up, his gaze swept across everyone present, noting the blatant distrust and hostility on their faces. Finally, he looked back at Kallen and said softly, "Kallen, I won't hurt you. I only... want to understand you better."
Please don't... Kallen t his eyes, her thoughts a tangled ss. She really didn't want to blink and find herself locked in a lab one day.
Otto then turned to Theresa, offering a gentle smile. "Theresa, don't look at like that. It's just a vial of blood. It won't cause Kallen any harm."
"You—!" Theresa was fuming, her face flushed with rage.
"Furthermore," Otto continued calmly, "I could have simply sent soone to steal it in secret. But I didn't. I ca here myself to see you all, and to speak with you."
That condescending attitude... I really want to smack him with the Oath of Judah.
Kallen grumbled internally, then watched as Otto looked back at her one last ti.
"I just... wanted to see her with my own eyes."
Kallen stared back. After a few seconds of silence, she let out a soft sigh. "Otto, you know sothing?"
"Hm?"
"You're really detestable when you're like this."
Otto blinked, stunned for a mont, and then he laughed. "I know."
With that, he turned and headed toward his aircraft. He took a few steps and then paused—exactly like so cheesy, over-the-top mont from a romance novel. It made Kallen's skin crawl, but she had no choice but to play along.
"Kallen."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. And..." Otto paused for a beat before finishing calmly, "...take care of yourself."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving everyone at St. Freya feeling like they had been played like a fiddle.
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