At one of the Newborn World Serpent's backup bases, Kiana and Fu Hua stood inside an observation room adjoining the medical ward.
Through the observation window set into the wall, they could clearly see a familiar, petite figure sitting alone on a hospital bed, lost in thought.
Theresa Apocalypse.
Only three minutes earlier, Terminal Aide 1379, one of the Prometheus Cluster's avatars, had informed them of Theresa's abrupt awakening.
Naturally, Kiana and Fu Hua had rushed over the moment they heard the news.
However, rather than taking them directly into the recovery room, Terminal Aide 1379 had first led them into the adjoining observation room.
Only then did Kiana learn that the room where her principal had been recovering could be observed from next door.
At first, this naturally made her somewhat angry.
But now...
"Class Monitor," Kiana said without taking her eyes off the pure-white clown mask clasped in Theresa's hands. "Did you go back and retrieve that thing from the old headquarters?"
"Of course not," Fu Hua answered at once.
She understood exactly what Kiana was worried about.
She also understood why Terminal Aide 1379 had brought them into the observation room first.
That mask...
"I didn't even have time to grab that damned thing when I rescued the Principal," Kiana muttered, her expression darkening. "Which means..."
"Otto must have put it there," Fu Hua concluded.
Both of them had arrived at the same terrible possibility.
After all...
"Otto learned how to perform 'Consciousness Transfer' a long time ago," Fu Hua explained, turning toward Kiana. "It is similar to how I temporarily possessed you in Arc City using the Zeroth Rated Power of Fenghuang Down."
Kiana's brow furrowed.
"So you're saying that bastard Otto might be possessing the Principal right now?"
"Should I ask Aponia to examine her?" Fu Hua asked.
"Let's not." Kiana shook her head. "I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to trust that nun."
"Then Xiao Shi and I can examine her consciousness instead," Fu Hua suggested.
"All right. Thank you."
This time, Kiana did not refuse.
In truth, she had already considered another option.
She could use her "Memory Replication" ability to temporarily reproduce Aponia's power.
But before resorting to that...
Let's see what Class Monitor finds first.
Kiana was still far from proficient with "Memory Replication."
Besides, she barely knew Aponia.
With their decision made, Kiana and Fu Hua instructed Terminal Aide 1379 to record the entire examination.
Then, they left the observation room and entered the recovery room next door.
Immediately...
"..."
Theresa did not leap off the bed, plant her hands on her hips, and begin lecturing them with her usual spirited authority.
That familiar energy was nowhere to be seen.
She looked hollowed out, as though Otto's control had forced her to witness everything that had recently happened while leaving her unable to intervene.
By Otto's calculations, his unorthodox manipulation of Theresa's mind should have left her trapped in a deep slumber.
And yet...
"Kiana..."
Hearing that familiar voice call her name sent a surge of conflicting emotions through Kiana.
She now knew about Durandal's true identity.
She knew that the name "Kiana" had not originally belonged to her.
Theresa had already told her that Siegfried himself accepted her as his daughter and that Theresa likewise accepted Kiana as her niece.
Even so, the truth had left a knot in Kiana's heart that she had not yet managed to untangle.
"Yes. I'm here."
Kiana walked over to the hospital bed.
Theresa's condition remained unknown. Whatever conflict Kiana felt, she refused to burden the Principal with it now.
Theresa's lips twitched slightly, almost forming a smile.
Some of the tension seemed to leave her face.
But then Kiana's gaze returned to the pure-white clown mask in her hands.
Following her line of sight, Theresa raised the mask slightly.
"This belonged to Grandpa, didn't it?"
She released a helpless sigh.
"Even now, I still don't know what I truly meant to him."
As she spoke, an almost imperceptible flicker passed through her eyes.
Fu Hua, who had remained beside Kiana, stepped forward.
Theresa had not deliberately ignored her. Her mind had been in such turmoil that, upon seeing Kiana, she had focused entirely on the "niece" with whom she shared such a complicated bond.
Now...
"Principal Theresa."
Fu Hua's expression was grave.
"I suspect that Otto may still be alive."
"..."
Theresa studied her for a moment.
"I know what you're worried about," she said seriously. "I will cooperate with you, with all of you, and submit to a complete examination."
"Thank you," Fu Hua said sincerely.
Theresa offered no further response.
She handed the pure-white clown mask to Fu Hua, who passed it to Terminal Aide 1379 so that it could be sealed away elsewhere.
They then began a thorough examination of Theresa's consciousness within the recovery room.
With Xiao Shi lending her power, Fu Hua summoned Fenghuang Down.
Phoenix-like feathers drifted through the air.
Haaa...
Theresa, now lying on the hospital bed once more, released a long breath and closed her eyes.
Soon, she fell asleep.
Fu Hua sent her own consciousness deep into Theresa's mind.
Several minutes passed.
Kiana remained seated nearby, waiting in silence.
Then...
Fu Hua's eyes snapped open.
"Just as I suspected..."
Her composure shattered.
"Otto, you..."
"There is no need to look so surprised, old friend."
Theresa spoke from the hospital bed as her eyes slowly opened.
"Surely you had already guessed that I might do this."
Her voice now carried a heavy double tone, as though a man and a woman were speaking the same words at precisely the same time.
The speaker was no longer Theresa alone.
"What exactly are you planning?" Kiana demanded, watching her warily. "Things are already bad enough, and at a time like this, you still want to..."
"No, no. Please don't misunderstand me."
Otto spoke slowly through Theresa.
"I know perfectly well that this era... no, that the entire Earth has fallen into a truly dreadful state."
"Therefore, I did not remain here to provoke another conflict with you."
Each word resonated in that unnerving, overlapping voice.
"We have all failed. There is no longer any possibility of reversing the outcome."
"I understand that better than anyone."
"Indeed, the very thought makes my soul tremble with rage."
Otto turned Theresa's gaze toward Kiana.
"So..."
"I intend to help you become the 'God of Earth.'"
His resolve shone unmistakably through Theresa's eyes.
"It shall be the final deed of this villain, Otto Apocalypse!!!"