Id felt a headache coming on. While her chastity was facing a dire crisis, the other Vill-Vs were still making jokes at her expense.
As expected of herself.
While Vill-V's mind dissolved into a mess of garbled thoughts, Seele had already pried her hands apart and skillfully climbed onto Vill-V's voluptuous body.
Still, how could wanting milk be called a corruption of filial devotion? Had her filial devotion truly changed? It had.
"Wait, Seele, are you serious?... There is fresh milk in the refrigerator. How about I warm some up for you? Seele, I genuinely don't have a single drop..."
Seele ignored Vill-V's incomprehensible rambling and reached into the soft valley of her chest, pulling out a mechanical pocket watch.
Seele could clearly feel the machinery inside the watch trembling, almost like Teacher Vill-V's heartbeat.
"Teacher Vill-V has always carried this pocket watch, even though it broke a long time ago."
Ignoring Vill-V's pleas, Seele opened it with a sharp click!
Seele discovered that the mechanical pocket watch was still running normally, though its hands moved in a rather interesting way.
They jumped forward without any discernible pattern.
Seele raised the old, broken pocket watch in satisfaction and said, "Teacher Vill-V, Seele will be borrowing this Vill-V's Worn Pocket Watch for now."
This was also one of Seele's primary reasons for coming here.
Of course, had this been nothing more than an ordinary mechanical watch, Seele would never have done anything so outrageous.
Having experienced countless cycles, Seele naturally knew exactly when she would become a Herrscher.
Because of that, Seele herself could be considered a walking clock, with every measure of time engraved into her at the cellular level.
"Huh? Seele, you came here to borrow this?"
Only then did the blushing Id realize that Pure Evil had led her thoughts astray yet again.
Thank goodness. Seele's filial devotion had not been corrupted.
Having accomplished her objective, Seele was just about to leave when she sighed softly. "What else could it have been? Surely you don't think Seele came here specifically to cuddle with you, Teacher Vill-V?"
"Just as Seele thought. Seele already believed you were an idiot before, but now you have become even more foolish."
This personality of Teacher Vill-V was still exactly as she remembered, gentle and self-conscious with a touch of clumsiness.
Yes, this version of Teacher Vill-V...
"Seele loves her most."
...
Vill-V was still having difficulty adjusting to the way her impression of Seele had suddenly transformed from a gentle, considerate little darling into an assertive older-sister type.
"Seele, where did you learn to be so sharp-tongued?... Oh, it must have been Ido..."
Vill-V took a coat from the wardrobe in her office and draped it over herself.
Although Seele had already seen her body plenty of times, Zeo was still in the room, so Vill-V could not help feeling embarrassed.
Coo, coo, coo?
Seele fastened the pocket watch over her chest. "Vill-V's Worn Pocket Watch. Seele still remembers the story you told, Teacher."
"You still remember that story, Seele?"
"But you are right. Had you simply asked to borrow this, I probably would not have agreed. But if it is a birthday present, I do not mind giving it to you."
"Seele loves it most."
"Hm?"
Seele had always said the same thing whenever she received a present in the past, but hearing her say it again after three years left Id struggling to contain her excitement.
What mother would not want to hear her daughter say something like that?
"Do you mean you love this present, Seele? Say it again."
Seele turned her head away and denied it. "...It was nothing. Seele only wants Teacher Vill-V to remember her promise."
Why had Seele suddenly become so tsundere? What the heck?
The mention of a promise immediately jogged Vill-V's memory.
In the past, Seele, Vill-V, and Bronya had indeed promised to go on an outing together across the snowy plains.
Although the Siberian snowfields carried their sorrowful memories, they were still their homeland and the birthplace of many precious things within their memories.
Vill-V understood now. When Seele said she "loved it most," she must have been referring to Bronya.
She wanted Vill-V to fulfill their promise and bring the two of them together.
Of the four members of their master-disciple group, the two of them had once been the closest. Although the forceful Bronya always made Seele cry, she had also constantly helped her like an older brother, causing Seele to depend on her greatly.
They had endured the most difficult days of their lives together in the Babylon Laboratory. The bond between them was not something an outsider like Vill-V could intrude upon.
As for the possibility that Seele had been talking about her, Id never once considered it.
What qualities did she possess that could possibly deserve that? She had already broken Seele's heart. Why would Seele still care about her?
Had Seele truly been interested in her, she would have made a move just now.
Seele was definitely talking about Bronya!
In any case, supporting the Azure Waters pairing was all that mattered!
"But at your age, isn't it far too early to start discussing marriage?"
You and Bronya are only eleven years old. You are nowhere near old enough to be dating!
Upon hearing Id's refusal, Seele's face instantly darkened.
Although she was not the Herrscher of Death, Seele possessed the Herrscher of Death's memories and the same powerful, queen-like desire for control.
She would not allow the prey within her grasp to reject her.
"Seele knows!" Seele fiercely slapped Zeo's belly.
Coo, coo, coo?Why did you hit me?
Sparks of anger flickered within Seele's ruby-red eyes.
"Teacher Vill-V, Seele understands the ideals you carry in your heart, but this world is no two-dimensional utopia. You have always lived within beautiful fantasies, proclaiming yourself a savior."
Seele, you actually still remember that? Those were just nonsensical lines Magician blurted out during a performance years ago!
Do you not know what improvisational nonsense is?
I also said I would fight for everything beautiful in the world.
Fine. It seems this world does not have such a thing as meaningless boasting.
"Seele, those were only fairy tales I told you. You cannot take them seriously."
"It was precisely those fairy tales that helped Seele understand. You are the same as Seele, Teacher Vill-V. We are both ordinary people. Perhaps you are a genius, but so what? This world has never changed because of your effort or struggles."
"This world has never been beautiful!"
Yes. No matter how hard she struggled or how desperately she used the Herrscher of Death's authority to alter the future, the final outcome would never change in the slightest.
The memories of eternal recurrence had ultimately changed Seele's beliefs.
Id said, "Seele, please do not act like this. I am scared."
And Id, faithfully obeying her feelings, hid in a corner of their consciousness.
Communicating with others had never been Id's strength. Hiding whenever possible was a good habit.
Conductor said, "At this rate, you will never have any hope of taking the initiative."
Id sobbed, "Seele is already saying things like that. I am afraid she will do to me what the Herrscher of Domination did. Magician, please help me, my other self."
Magician said, "So I am the one being dragged out to take the blame in the end? Well, I suppose that is fine."
To ease the awkward atmosphere between herself and Seele, Magician waved her hand and produced a plate of cake. "Hehe, you are right, Seele, but we still have cake, do we not? Try some. It tastes much better than the recycled gingerbread we used to gnaw on."
"Even if the world can never be perfect, there will always be at least a little beauty somewhere within it, right?"
Conductor said, "My honest assessment is that this statement contains no philosophical substance whatsoever."
Magician said, "Do not worry about that. I only needed an excuse to eat cake. If I actually wanted philosophy, I would have asked Scholar for a script. But do you really think Seele would still have an appetite after listening to Scholar's philosophy? She would not even be able to sleep. Have you forgotten how little Pardo performed an inspirational street dance for three days and three nights after hearing a single sentence from Scholar?"