It was over.
When the Stigmata Terminal took shape, the trial that had lasted for three cycles finally came to an end.
The Stigmata Terminal, reconstructed from Kiana's body, completed the trial the moment it was successfully assembled.
As abruptly as she had arrived, the final sight she witnessed was all things dissolving, breaking into fragments that gathered around her.
She was back.
Separated from that observer state, her consciousness briefly went offline before reconnecting to the puppet.
Herta returned to the space station.
Returned to that laboratory.
The clone that should have been lying inside the cultivation chamber had now completely changed in appearance. A golden halo hovered above her head. Like a newborn child, she curled up, vast wings wrapping around most of her body.
Those pure white wings were tinged at their tips with the color of Honkai.
There was little trace of Kiana left in her features.
Everything was just as Ruan Mei had speculated. The fundamental purpose of that trial had been to give birth to the Stigmata Terminal.
As long as it was successfully assembled within the trial,
the Stigmata Terminal would manifest upon the clone's body. What they had done during the trial had not been in vain, but had instead catalyzed part of her existence.
Only...
"Why does she look like a member of the Halovian?" Herta walked over, puzzled. "I don't remember you making any changes to her appearance."
Ruan Mei was supporting her right arm, fingers resting against her lips in thought. When Herta came back online, she cast her a sidelong glance.
"You're not mistaken."
She truly had not performed any drastic alterations to Kiana's body. She had preserved Kiana's appearance and done nothing more.
This form was not her design.
Which meant...
Her other conjecture had also come true. If she did not intervene, then next time, someone else capable of accomplishing all this would eventually emerge.
Kiana stood before the Stigmata Terminal, still seeming somewhat dazed.
Only when the terminal—bearing a faint resemblance to the Halovian—opened her eyes, stretched her body, and unfurled the wings wrapped around herself, did Kiana finally react.
Two wing-like ornaments adorned her head. Symmetrical patterns marked her body, and a golden halo hung at her left ankle.
This was...
The Stigmata Terminal, in the form of a young girl, saw Kiana standing before her and raised her left hand, extending it toward her.
"Araya..." Era: ZERO Kiana...
Kiana murmured her name in a daze. She looked exactly like the Araya from her memories. Almost instinctively, she reached out, letting her fingertip meet the one extended toward her.
A faint starlight rippled from their touching fingers, and everything about Araya flowed into Kiana's awareness.
She had created the Araya she desired. Just as she had hoped, Araya possessed authority over all Stigmata that had not yet fully awakened.
At the same time, she could serve as Kiana's assistant and, by utilizing—part of the authority Kiana herself held—create and distribute badges.
Most importantly...
"Araya—is that the name you prepared for her?" Ruan Mei walked to her side.
"...Mm. It suits her well, doesn't it?" Kiana came back to herself, a smile curving at her lips. "She's the most perfect Stigmata Terminal. I never imagined a single Stigmata Trial could achieve everything in one step."
"I thought it would take quite some time to build the Stigmata Terminal."
"It's all thanks to you."
She smiled as she spoke of their gains. But when her gaze fell on Herta, she paused briefly before smiling at her as if nothing were amiss.
"Obviously, this isn't a Stigmata Terminal you modified. Clearly, she was meant to exist."
"If you're interested, I can have Araya grant you access permissions." Kiana knew what they cared about most at this moment. "She can cooperate with your research and inspections."
Herta frowned, her expression turning displeased. Was she planning to toss them aside after making use of them?
"I am indeed curious."
She wanted to see what differences existed in the Stigmata Terminal created by Honkai, and whether she could glimpse more truths related to Kiana through Araya.
Kiana turned slightly toward the silent Araya. "Stay here for now and cooperate with Ruan and Herta in conducting some examinations."
"I shall obey your command, Mother."
"...Huh?!"
Kiana could only stay serious for three minutes before being thrown back to her original state by that single word—Mother. She stared at Araya as if she had seen a ghost.
She knew Araya now possessed self-awareness and was no longer a mere tool.
But no matter what, she had never expected that she would drop such a bombshell without warning, leaving her eyes wide in shock. "What did you just call me?"
Araya tilted her head in confusion. "Mother?"
"Why are you calling me Mother?"
It was the first time anyone had called her Mom. She didn't think she was old enough to be a mother. She was still a youthful, beautiful girl!
Not counting the years she had spent asleep, she hadn't even been in this world for ten years since crossing over!
And now she was going to be a mother?
To such a grown daughter at that.
"She was created using your genes as the blueprint. Isn't it perfectly normal for her to call you Mother? There's nothing worth making such a fuss about."
"Even so, I can't accept it just like that!" Kiana protested. "I still feel like I'm a child myself!"
"...Heh."
The response she received was a laugh of unclear meaning.
"Don't worry about it. If you don't like it, just change the form of address," Ruan Mei comforted her.
Kiana looked at Araya with a complicated expression. Having overheard their conversation, Araya did not fully understand, but she sensed that Kiana seemed unwilling to accept her. The indifferent purple in her eyes instantly turned pitiful.
The words Kiana had been about to say caught in her throat.
After struggling internally twice, she sighed. "Forget it. A title isn't important. Mother it is."
"Araya, stay here and cooperate with Ruan and the others for some examinations. I'm going to Jarilo-VI. If I need you, I'll call for you."
"I shall obey your command."
Although Kiana had said she could address her however she wished, Araya still omitted the final form of address, worried Kiana might change her mind again.
"Mei is still on Jarilo-VI. I need to go explain the situation to her." Kiana had no desire to remain here any longer and seized the opportunity to say so. "After I explain everything to Mei, I'll come back to see you."
Ruan Mei did not attempt to stop her, her attention already focused on the Araya before her. This was worth investing some time in. "Mm. Go on."
Herta said nothing.
She also appeared to be observing Araya. Before leaving, Kiana glanced at Herta, hesitated slightly, then smiled at her before turning and disappearing.
"The matter is over," Ruan Mei said as she examined Araya's lifeform. Yet her words were directed at Herta. "So, what are your thoughts?"
She didn't know how to face it.
When everything returned to its proper course and the fabricated world was absorbed into the terminal as part of the Stigmata by Araya, Kiana woke up.
At the same time, an additional set of memories surfaced—memories of the Stigmata Trial. The beginning, the middle, the end—none of it truly mattered.
It was nothing more than variations on the Honkai worldview.
The only thing that required attention was the variable—the three people who had been dragged into the forging of the terminal by accident.
And among them, the most unforgettable without a doubt was her experience with Herta.
There had actually been nothing particularly remarkable about those experiences, yet somehow... she had confessed to Herta!
After waking up, that single sentence kept echoing in her mind. Kiana couldn't care about anything else. Her thoughts were bombarded by that realization.
"Is there something strange written into my settings? Like my favorability instantly maxes out for the most special person I see when I open my eyes?"
First, when she had just crossed over into this world, she happened to see Mei once—love at first sight. Then she had tried every possible way to raise her favorability, wanting to get close to her.
Later, after losing her memory, she met Ruan Mei. Again, her favorability had nearly maxed out. As long as she could stay by her side, she felt happy.
And then this Stigmata Trial.
In a blank state, she had taken a liking to Herta at first glance and—shamelessly—told her she liked her.
"Is that normal?"
Her shameless confession and persistence had even thrown Madam Herta off balance.
If Herta had rejected her from beginning to end, she would still have felt awkward now, unsure how to face her. But that emotion would have had an expiration date. After some time, it would fade. At worst, she would just be laughed at a few more times, and the experience would be stored away by Herta as leverage.
Whenever she wanted to do something in the future, Herta could simply bring it up. Kiana would instantly overheat with embarrassment, begging her to stop. As long as she stopped talking about it, Kiana would be willing to do anything.
But the most troublesome part of this whole matter was...
Herta had responded to her in the end.
Yes, at the very last moment, Herta had responded to her feelings. Not only had she kissed her, she had even issued a few threatening words to prove that it absolutely wasn't a joke.
Kiana had been the one to say she liked her first. She had been the one to cross the line. And she had said it firmly—whether she had her memories or not, she would make the same choice, because she trusted herself.
She had sealed off every possible escape route.
Kiana still felt somewhat dazed. The fact that Herta hadn't mentioned anything about the trial just now had truly allowed her to breathe a small sigh of relief.
This matter gave her a headache.
So much so that she would rather leave behind the Araya she had painstakingly created and yearned for, tossing her at the space station to draw fire, just to buy herself a buffer period.
As for the matter of the Stigmata...
She would deal with it in a few days.
Opening a spatial gate, she arrived at Jarilo-VI. The stark contrast between the station's comfortable temperature and the frigid air here cleared her head somewhat.
The moment she arrived, she instinctively sensed the condition of Jarilo-VI—and to her surprise, something felt off.
Why?
"A Herrscher has already been born?"
Kiana's expression turned strange. She hadn't checked the time, but surely not much had passed.
The Astral Express was still on Jarilo-VI.
Acheron had only just returned, yet she was already staying together with the Trailblazer from the Astral Express.
Because of what had happened with Herta, Kiana felt a little guilty. Although she knew that with others around, the likelihood of the matter being brought up was low, she still wanted to talk to her about the trial when they were alone.
But she was also curious about the situation here.
So she went directly to Jyahnar.
"Kiana, you're back?"
Resting Jyahnar opened her eyes and appeared before her. Upon seeing Kiana, joy filled her gaze.
"You've worked hard, Jyahnar."
Seeing her—and thinking of the newly born Araya—Kiana couldn't help but sigh in relief. Thankfully, Jyahnar was willing to call her by name instead of insisting on that embarrassing title.
"In a little while, you won't have to stay here anymore. Let's return to Euphorion together," Kiana said with a smile.
"We can leave?"
Jyahnar's eyes brightened slightly. After finding Kiana, she had been left here to watch over Jarilo-VI, to prevent any irreversible extinction-level disaster caused by Honkai.
"There's no need to guard this place anymore. The matter of the Stigmata has been resolved. And this world has begun to give birth to Herrschers as well."
From the fact that the Herrscher was still alive and located in the Upper District, she was likely calm and rational—someone willing to stand on humanity's side.
Moreover, she had already created Araya and could now implement her previous idea of distributing badges.
Stigmata, Herrschers, and even badges.
These were enough for the people of Belobog to resist Honkai and potential dangers—to protect themselves.
If that was the case, there was no longer any meaning in Jyahnar continuing to remain here.
"By the way, what's the situation with the newly born Herrscher in this world? Do you know who it is?"
"It's the human called Cocolia." Though she had not shown herself, the state of this world was entirely within Jyahnar's sight. "Her obsession is very strong. That twisted obsession resonated with the Honkai energy within this world."
"Cocolia's obsession?"
So that was it. She had treated Honkai like a Stellaron and made a 'wish' to it. That woman's courage was truly something else.
Becoming a Herrscher would certainly grant immense power, but that power came with the risk of losing control and having one's heart twisted.
It was hard to say whether that was fortune or misfortune.
But if the person in question was Cocolia, then Kiana no longer needed to monitor this place as closely as she had been.
As long as no Lord Ravager appeared.
With someone willing to vouch for Belobog, and with its current strength increased, it would be enough to handle niy percent of troubles.
"Her obsession is intense. It's material worth recording," Jyahnar evaluated.
Material for crafting blank Stigmata?
No. Now it should be material that could be fed into Araya. Powerful obsession, and...
It was indeed something worth recording within the terminal.
"Let's set this world's matters aside for now. In a while, we'll return together."
"Are we launching an expedition?"
Jyahnar looked at Kiana expectantly. Since her birth, she had guarded Izumo for Kiana, waiting for her return.
Later, Kiana had indeed returned—but only stayed briefly before leaving again. Jyahnar had followed her out, only to be left in another place to continue guarding.
After being stuck on sentry duty for so long, she occasionally wanted to stretch her muscles and help Kiana expand Honkai's influence.
"Of course not! What do you take me for?" Kiana was startled by her expedition theory and hurriedly said, "I need you to take out Izumo's Stigmata Crystals and let Araya complete the calculations to construct a complete Stigmata World."
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