"Could Veliona actually be in danger?" Seele asked, her tone filled with worry.
"Yes," Sigurd replied truthfully to Seele's anxious question.
Though Anti-Entropy had managed to control Herrscher powers before with Welt and Wendy, controlling such power was notoriously difficult; if it weren't, the previous civilization wouldn't have needed so many God Keys, nor resorted to fusing Herrscher cores with warriors.
The other Seele—the second personality formed within Seele from the Herrscher of Death stigma developed from the previous civilization—had inherited significant power.
But without Seele, this "other Seele" wasn't even a complete life form.
Sigurd respected her effort to undergo the Herrscher transformation on her own, sparing Seele from it, but he wasn't optimistic about her success.
"Brother Sigurd, please help Veliona," Seele begged, her eyes starting to redden.
Sigurd looked at her and nodded. "Step back a little. Bronya, take care of her."
"Understood!" Bronya replied, pulling the tearful Seele back a bit as they watched Sigurd walk slowly towards the black Seele, wrapped in chains, until he was enveloped by the crimson mist surrounding her and disappeared.
…
The Herrscher of Death, the Herrscher of Decay and Creation, wielded the power to break down or create life at the molecular level.
Although its effect on physical bodies was limited in the consciousness realm, the energy within was still that of a Herrscher.
Even a wisp of the faint red mist here could obliterate the minds of thousands.
Moving steadily, Sigurd stepped forward in this perilous environment.
In one instant, as he took another step, the space before him abruptly shifted, transforming into a cold, black-and-white checkered room.
Whoosh!
The moment he entered, a giant dark-red metal claw came flying towards him, greeting him with a fierce welcome.
Sigurd looked up at the impending threat with an expressionless gaze.
Boom!
With a loud crash, the metal claw shattered, the force reverberating back through the dark chains connected to the black-dressed girl, causing her to stagger back and reflexively shake her hand to ease the pain.
"Tch! So difficult!" she muttered with a scowl, her face identical to Seele's, though her expression was twisted with irritation.
The next moment, a figure in a white coat appeared before her.
Then, her face was suddenly gripped by a hand, forcing her to look up.
"This must be our first real meeting, Seele," Sigurd said, pinching her cheek and looking down at her with a neutral expression—his tone calm, yet with an ominous chill.
"Mm-mph!"
"Don't move. This is a rare chance; let me take a good look at you."
"Damn you…"
Thud! Sigurd flicked her forehead, cutting her off and leaving her briefly stunned, causing her to tumble backward.
The next moment, black Seele found herself on a plush armchair, facing Sigurd across from her, who was seated in an identical chair with a pot of fragrant tea between them. The dark room around them had transformed into a bright, springtime garden.
She stiffened, then scoffed. "Hmph! I can't believe someone like you would have such a soft and weak inner space. Just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover!"
"Don't push me, Seele. You know I'm pretty good at dealing with bratty kids," Sigurd replied, rubbing his temples with a bored expression.
Considering that this Seele was another side of the Seele he knew, Sigurd felt a bit reluctant to go too hard on her.
Black Seele sneered, crossing her arms and raising her head haughtily. "Do you even know where you are? You think I'd be afraid of you?!"
Thud!
"You bi—"
Thud!
"Damn yo—"
Thud! Thud!
"I'll kill you, I swear!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Five minutes later, amid the fragments of broken weapons scattered around, black Seele sat with her cheeks puffed up and swollen, glaring at Sigurd with teary eyes.
Sigurd took a leisurely sip of tea, calmly meeting her gaze.
"Alright, that's enough," Sigurd said, tousling Veliona's head as he spoke with genuine sincerity. "For various reasons, I hadn't come to see you before now, and that was my oversight. I apologize."
He realized his neglect, partly because he'd been busy—upgrading himself, helping Welt reshape society, and staying a step ahead of Otto.
Besides, Seele was content with her quiet life, keeping to small tasks.
Sigurd saw no need to force her into battle, so he'd let things be, without urgency to speak to Veliona.
But now, he felt he'd fallen short in his responsibility to her.
"As if I need an apology from you, you… jerk! Why are you so powerful even in my consciousness space?" she demanded, her frustration showing.
"That question's answer is technical," Sigurd replied calmly. "In short, to gain control over me here, you'd need at least the power level of a Herrscher of Sentience."
"Hmph, look at you!" Veliona muttered.
"Alright, enough of that. Let's get to it. Tell me what's really going on with you. No hiding anything—it won't help you or the other Seele."
Veliona's expression softened slightly. "This power was always mine. I can handle it; I just need more time. But get that weakling away from me. I won't let her touch my strength!" she declared.
"If I tell her that, do you think she won't start crying over it every night in her dreams?" Sigurd teased.
"You wouldn't dare!" Veliona slammed her fist on the table, the gesture torn between indignation and fear at Seele's possible reaction.
Sigurd just shook his head and waved a hand to restore the broken table. "This has gone beyond simply keeping her out of it. You understand firsthand how Herrscher power works; trying to protect her indefinitely could cause issues later on."
"You think I'm not capable?" she growled.
"I don't doubt your strength, but it's best to minimize risks, especially if we both want to keep Seele safe. Consider it."
"Hmph, as if I'm doing it to protect… her…" Veliona started defiantly, her voice trailing off into an unconvincing mumble. Then, her eyes narrowed. "Face it, you're just waiting for her to become a Herrscher so you can use her power, right? You've filled her head with sweet words, groomed her to follow your every command, all for this moment!"
With a thunderous boom, Veliona was thrown back, the garden around them warping back into the cold, gray room.
"Tantrums should have limits," Sigurd said as he knelt beside her, tapping her reddened forehead lightly. His expression remained steady, almost emotionless. "Enough pushing away the people who actually care about you."
Veliona paused, a flicker of understanding in her eyes, and for once, said nothing in response.
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Patreon[1], just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 284: The Herrscher… is Me!?[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-127448089[3]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Strijder[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/c/Strijder
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-127448089
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-127448089
[4] https://www.patreon.com/c/Strijder