The wooden cabin Project Bunny built used a design similar to a stilt house.
Naturally, this was done to prevent snakes, insects, rats, ants, and the like from getting inside to a certain extent.
Of course, with its highly precise "quantum mechanical handcrafting" process, this wooden cabin, which used mortise-and-tenon joinery in many places, was actually fitted together very tightly overall.
In other words: before the untreated local wood started to rot or fail, this little wooden cabin could absolutely let people live in it quite comfortably.
And under these current environmental conditions…
"Earlier, why did you protect me with your life?"
Inside the wooden cabin, there were two beds, like a two-person dorm room.
At this moment, Seele sat on the other wooden bed, which had also been covered with a blanket, and looked at Bronya as she asked the question directly.
Hearing that…
"…"
Bronya paused for a moment.
She was organizing her words.
After a long while…
"Actually, Bronya…"
The gray-haired girl lying on the wooden bed turned her head toward Seele and opened her mouth.
Some words seemed hard to say.
Strangely enough, although Seele had always acted like someone with a fiery, impatient personality before, only now…
She showed unusual patience.
Like this, more time passed.
"Bronya doesn't know why either."
At this moment, the gray-haired girl, whose heart was as brittle as glazed glass, pressed her lips together and gave her answer.
"At that time, my body moved on its own."
"…"
After hearing this explanation, Seele did not respond right away.
"Haah."
She suddenly let out a long sigh.
Then she stood up and walked over to Bronya.
She crouched halfway down, bringing her gaze level with Bronya's.
"Earlier, you told me you didn't want to lie to me, right?"
Seele spoke seriously.
"Mm."
Bronya looked somewhat flustered, but she still nodded.
"All right."
Seele nodded slightly as well, meeting Bronya's eyes.
"Before, when you didn't know anything no matter what I asked, I said I couldn't trust you."
"Now, since you gave me an answer this time…"
She said each word clearly.
"This time, I believe you."
When those words reached her ears, Bronya opened her mouth again.
But in the end, she still did not say anything more.
Seele, on the other hand, had already braced a hand on her knee and stood up again.
"All right. That's all I wanted to ask."
She stood beside Bronya's bed, arms crossed, looking down from above.
"Next, we'll have to live around here for a while."
"You'd better get better quickly."
Seele raised her chin.
"I don't want to keep taking care of a burden."
Hearing her say this…
"Don't worry."
On the wooden bed, the corners of the gray-haired girl's mouth lifted in a rather obvious curve.
"Bronya will not be a burden."
"Hmph."
Seele snorted coldly and did not continue.
It seemed that both of them had unconsciously…
Or rather, selectively ignored one thing.
That was: during this brief conversation…
Seele said she had already heard the answer Bronya gave with her own mouth.
But from beginning to end…
She had never smiled.
At the same time…
"Wonderful!"
Inside the Theater of Domination, Ling Ke sat alone on his gorgeous throne, looking at the scene displayed on the "Omniscience" screen before him. He could not help wanting to clap.
In fact, even he, as an outsider watching, could tell at a glance that the Seele born in this era had clearly noticed certain things.
After all, when Bronya first appeared in Berlin as a Reverse-Time Descender from the old era, the moment she woke up, she had called out Seele's name.
Now, both of them tacitly avoided bringing this matter up too much.
Seele had only asked a few indirect questions, counting it as her final struggle…
And also the last chance she left for Bronya.
After Bronya gave that kind of answer, Seele would subconsciously think: Bronya had probably met her before, only Seele herself did not know it.
Without question, this too was a self-deceiving comfort.
But just as the current Bronya needed a Seele…
The current Seele also needed someone by her side.
Unfortunately…
"If this lie could last forever, then perhaps the false could pass for the real."
A cold smile appeared on Ling Ke's face.
"But unfortunately, paper full of holes could never cover a fire."
"And that is not even mentioning…"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Bronya's face within the image on the "Omniscience" screen.
"Even if my revenge has already been completed, I never allowed you to escape safely from the 'hell' I shaped."
"My 'promises' are not that 'cheap.'"
"Especially for you, Bronya Zaychik."
"What I say, I do."
At this point…
"All right."
Ling Ke suddenly stood up.
"The progress is about what I expected. This is enough."
When he personally spoke those seemingly disconnected words, pure white halos of energy flashed one after another around him.
In the end, a total of eight light screens appeared.
For now, only four of those screens were already lit.
Inside them were Kevin Kaslana, Raiden Mei, Bronya Zaychik, and…
Fu Hua's current situations.
As for the remaining four light screens…
"Other than the most important K-423, the remaining 'Reverse-Time Descenders' should also come to this era."
"Come onto this stage."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Ke snapped his fingers.
He had long since set each of their arrival times.
He did not perform any extra operation.
He merely used this classic opening gesture at the right moment, as a casual opening cue.
Then…
"Buzz."
"Buzz."
"Buzz."
"Buzz."
The remaining four "Omniscience" screens lit up at the same time.
And the people displayed in their images were, respectively:
Theresa Apocalypse.
Bianka "Durandal" Ataegina.
Rita Rossweisse.
And…
Otto Apocalypse.
At this moment, the four of them were each in different circumstances.
One person had appeared directly in a busy downtown area, staring wide-eyed at the surrounding people as they stared back.
One had landed in a freezing snow mountain, face blank with confusion, then shivered from the cold.
The other two had descended at the same location.
It was an abandoned church…
But not within Sundown Alley.
Watching these scenes truly unfold before his eyes…
"Uh. Why does this kind of feel like being an old man in a surveillance room?"
Ling Ke mocked himself with that line.
Then…
"Forget it. That doesn't matter… Ahem."
He cleared his throat, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
Then, inside this pure white hall where there was only him and a potted "little Imaginary Tree" beside the throne, he opened his arms for the first time in a long while, like a host announcing the start of a show.
"With this, the layout is complete, and most of the 'actors' are now in place."
"The next few months will be your preparation time."
At this point, Ling Ke narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Prepare your final answers…
"Answer me, you who reversed time and now stand opposed."
"I look forward to half a year from now, at the starting point of all those causes and effects…"
"Nagazora."
"Everyone, I hope you will offer the grandest, fiercest performance."