Capítulo 4: Rialto Market (Ch4)
I never thought I'd be spending time with strangers just a week after waking up from that temporary coma.
Strangers to me, but acquaintances—or even family—to Otto.
What kind of life did he live to turn him into this... this monster?
Would I too, one day, become so consumed with resurrecting the lost that I'd turn my back on everything else? Could I endure the countless farewells, watching those I cared for perish again and again, all for some noble goal like saving the world or preserving the one I cherished most?
The two paths were opposites, but both carried pain that a person would not endure all for the sake of saving the world or saving the one you love the most.
It was the dilemma of an immortal, destined to endure the immeasurable years of life watching the people around you die to the clock that spun to an end, only to endlessly pursue a way to fill the void rather than accept the natural end of things.
Lost in thoughts, I felt myself sinking into the same whirlpool Otto must have known, a void of fleeting emptiness, and despair.
...
"Master, what's wrong?" Octavia's voice broke through my thoughts. She stood close, ensuring no harm would reach me or the children.
"It's nothing," I replied with a smile, masking the inner turmoil of my worn-out mind.
We moved our way through the bustling marketplace, where the children stared wide-eyed at the Rialto Ridge. They were captivated by the lively scenes, strangers flashing past us, each absorbed in their own lives, oblivious to the undercurrents flowing around them.
The children were behind me, their eyes sparkling with excitement as they gazed at the bustling Ponte di Rialto, where the Rialto Ridge stood inconspicuously.
Merchants and travelers from every corner of the continent gathered here, their stalls brimming with spices, fish, and luxurious goods unique to their homeland. This place was alive with people, which could only mean one thing: trouble would always follow.
"Oof!" One of the children accidentally bumped into a shifty-looking man in a dark hat. He glared at us briefly before turning his hinting wary eyes toward me.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to—" The little girl tried to apologize, but the man left briefly while melting into the crowd.
"Are you okay?" Sasha asked, inspecting the young boy for any signs of harm, while Octavia's eyes scanned her clothes.
"Yes, I'm fine!" He replied, though he looked a bit shaken. He forced a smile.
"Huh? What's this?" Octavia's keen eye caught something— a folded letter tucked into the child's pocket. She carefully retrieved it, noting the small envelope inside.
"A letter?" I mused while Octavia hesitantly handed me the letter, her face twisted with suspicion.
"Be careful, Master. It could be poisoned. Let me open it first," Octavia warned, her usual cautiousness coloring her tone.
"It's alright, Vera." I opened the letter, my eyes widening as I skimmed its contents.
—————————————————————————————————
To His Holiness, Otto Apocalypse,
Greetings from the City of Bridges,
I am aware of your recent predicament within Schicksal, which has doubtlessly left you without the authority and resources you once commanded.
You have, perhaps, noticed that there are fewer allies in your midst and more obstacles ahead.
I believe, however, that you and I can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement that might help alleviate your current… situation. Venice, as you know, is a city with a unique position and influence, not only over trade but over the hearts and minds of its people.
I have an offer that could aid you in reclaiming your influence, one that you may find too advantageous to decline. Should you wish to discuss this proposal further, meet me in person at San Michele Monastery under the setting sun, this coming Thursday evening. I will be waiting by the main archway.
The solution to your dilemma lies in our cooperation, and I am certain you will find what I have to say most intriguing.
Until we meet,
Lucia Mocenigo
———————————————————————————
"Lucia..." I murmured, the name unfamiliar. But the Mocenigo name was the doge or highest-ranking nobility in the Great Council. Whoever she was, she'd have something important to say.
"Let's move on."
We continued through the market, sampling the street food as we passed the vendors. Octopus skewers and sweet pastries found their way into the children's hands as I paid for the measly cost, and even I indulged if only to mask my unease.
The city of Venice was brimming with wonders, but beneath its splendor, there too was a tainted darkness.
As we wandered, Sasha tugged at my sleeve, her innocent eyes filled with confusion as she looked off to the side.
"What is it, Sasha?" I followed her gaze, and my eyes narrowed at an outdoor auction with many travelers or even nobles bidding for prices.
Near the auctioneer standing on top of the stage a line of people dressed in rags, bound in chains, their faces gloomy and empty, as if they'd lost hope. These people must've been human trafficked from throughout the seas that connect Venice and Ottoman's trading routes.
"100 gold duvat coins! Do we have any higher bidder?!"
A man raised his hand and yelled with a rasping tone of pride, "200!"
"Why are those people chained up, Sir Otto?" she asked, her voice a delicate whisper amidst the noise.
The others looked on, their expressions reflecting Sasha's confusion and unease.
I shook my head, taking a deep breath. "It's... it's nothing, Sasha."
"Tell me, please," she insisted, searching my face for answers.
I sighed, it was about time these kids learned a part of the truth of this world. "They're… being sold," I said, the words barely escaping my mouth. "In this world, not everyone is seen as a person. Some are considered objects to be bought and sold."
Sasha's eyes grew wide with horror. "But… why? They're people, not things."
I knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard to understand, Sasha. In Kolosten, we're protected from things like this. But not all places see freedom the way we do."
As we watched, a merchant announced the winner, and I couldn't look away as their gold coins known as Venetian ducats clinked into the merchant's hands, exchanging over the shattered remnants of human dignity. I've seen terrible things other than slavery but perhaps slavery was something I disdained even Otto Apocalypse would agree with me in the present.
"Let's go," I said quietly, leading them away from the scene. The festive air of the marketplace had turned sour.
Venice was not Kolosten. The world wasn't shielded by knights or bound by ancient codes of honor.
.
.
.
It was expected that the world before the Prosperity Era was riddled with barbarism, pointless wars, oppression, and injustice. Life was a brutal survival game, with the strong preying on the weak. Seeing it in person was different from reading about it on paper in the Library.
(Prosperity Era = Unified Nations with High Technological Advancements.)
In my previous life, I might have looked past it, but now, as Otto Apocalypse, I could barely ignore the suffering around me.
The hatred, the vice—it was what killed Kallen. It made her despair, it isolated her, and, in the end, it broke her. She was blamed and shunned for her sacrifices.
"This guy was such a simp," I sighed, but I felt a strange pull. Her emotions had somehow lingered and crept their way into me. My motives now felt blurred.
—
"Richard, how many slaves are in the market right now?" I asked casually.
"About a hundred thousand, my Lord," he replied, eyebrows raised. "Why do you ask?"
"I want to buy all of them."
Richard's eyes widened. "Pardon?!"
"I'm serious."
"And… you intend to remove their marks of slavery?" Richard's voice was cautious, and his eyes searched mine for any sign of jest. Richard was a native of Kolosten, he knew what the Shicksal's principles were. But this place wasn't Kolosten. They couldn't dictate their rules to other European Nations.
"Yes. Shicksal rejects slavery—and so do I."
Richard's expression grew tense. "My Lord, while I respect your stance, the nobility across Europe won't take this lightly. If you make such a move, it could spark a war! This isn't a matter to be rushed."
I watched his reaction with a faint smile. It seemed he expected me to throw caution to the wind and charge straight into conflict without a second thought. Little did he know, Shicksal's strength was already falling apart, thanks to Marseille and Risa. Without an army and no immediate support from the Knight's Order, a confrontation would be reckless.
However, Shicksal was still strong even when it was corrupt but even Shicksal's force also came from the coalition of other European Nations. The Shicksal is the coalition's leader in name, they've already made deals with Risa to extort more from the people to improve their militaristic power.
The coalition of European nobility would be problematic—millions of soldiers, ample supplies, and sheer unified force. Even with my knowledge from the Void Archives and my grasp of modern strategies, it was a distant, almost impossible vision for now.
"I'll need time," I thought, realizing that even with my long life, I'd need to carefully cultivate alliances, technology, and military might. This wasn't a battle I could rush into blindly.
'I also preferred peace over war, so military might is a must when it comes to diplomatic advantage. I can slowly introduce technology and laws to change the nobility's perspective on the matter of freeing slaves by showing an efficient way of increasing the industry or economy of their nation.'
Richard exhaled, clearly relieved by my restraint.
"By the way, how is the progress on the textile machine?"
"The blacksmiths and carpenters were amazed by the design. They were eager to learn, and I kept the tasks classified to maintain secrecy."
"Good work, Richard."
He looked almost teary-eyed, bowing with a little too much sentiment. "Thank you, my Lord. After all you've done, especially during the Black Plague… saving my daughter was more than enough. It's my honor to serve."
I nodded, my lips twitching into a slight smile.
—
The next day, I boarded a small boat, as directed in Lucia's letter. Octavia had insisted on joining me, but I refused. It was suffocating to be constantly shadowed, and besides, I had no interest in sparking rumors about us being a couple.
Under the ancient stone archway, I saw—a girl perhaps in her early twenties, her eyes fixed on the horizon, the sea breeze tugging at her gown. Dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, caught in the wind like strands of ink in water. She wore a deep blue dress, with silver filigree that shimmered in the morning light, delicate yet striking.
Lucia stood tall, head held high with the effortless grace of one born to command. Her posture was calm and upright. She looked less like the Venetian nobility she was born into, and more like a force of nature wrapped in silk and velvet.
For a moment, I almost forgot that this wasn't Shicksal, where women wielded power openly. Here in Venice, the old ways clung stubbornly to life like in my previous life. But Lucia... she was different.
She's strong...
Not just strong.
There was a tremendous strength in her aura. She felt as strong as Kallen, if not more. It was ridiculous. How can a young girl have so much strength? Genetics? No, unlikely.
Not Honkai Energy, no— it was something else entirely. The Sea of Quanta's Imaginary Power? A Natural Stigmata, maybe? The odds of such a thing was 1%. Even if the person awakened the Natural Stigmata, they would die due to the concentration of Honkai Energy that was used to awaken their powers.
I was shocked, I wanted to check if she had some hidden mark on her body, however, she was covered in her beautiful dress. I was unable to see whether her mark did exist. I was even about to ask her to undress. But, I would probably end up getting killed in broad daylight.
(Sus. MC)
As I approached, she turned, her face an impassive expression, but her eyes... they were dark as the night sky and just as mysterious. There was no hesitance in her gaze, only a cool expression without any conflicting emotions.
"Thank you for coming." Her voice was soft, laced with a natural authority. She let the words linger before saying. "I trust you found your way without any... inconvenience?"
I smiled. "Inconvenience?" Not so much, when nobody sees me as a threat. Though I must say, it's rare to encounter someone like you amidst this city's horrible stench."
Her eyes sparked a flicker of amusement—gone as quickly as it came.
She tilted her head, the barest hint of a smile curving her lips. "Indeed. Venice has a way of cloaking itself in shadows. Yet, I've heard much of you, Otto Apocalypse. The son of the Archbishop of Light. You have achieved what most could only dream of—curing the Death Plague, improving Shicksal's arsenal, and rewriting Kolosten's laws."
She paused, her gaze weighing on me, calculating. "The rightful successor... though fate would see you cast aside, your claim stolen by another's poison. Dethroned by bloodline treachery."
'How did she know about Risa poisoning the Archbishop?' I didn't allow any expression to change but... a chill ran through me. "You seem well-informed, my lady. So tell me, what exactly are you after?" I had to know what she was up to. Otherwise, this girl seems very dangerous. Much more dangerous than the Honkai right now.
Her smile deepened a subtle but unmistakable glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "A simple proposal," she replied, almost offhandedly, as if we were discussing the weather.
"Simple?" I echoed, doubtful.
"Venice harbors many secrets," she mused, her gaze intense, searching. "But I suspect you are a man who holds just as many."
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Tell me, do you believe in destiny? Or, like me, do you prefer to shape it with your own hands?"
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Turritopsis
Turritopsis Hey guys, Author here. I changed the last part of Chapter 3 because I was confused about Octavia. I always thought Viola and Octavia aren't the same but it was a mistranslation. Vera is her real name, and Octavia is but a reference to Otto's favorite character, Octavius, which he used to tell stories to her when he was mentoring her.
Also, I have a feeling that the bluish dark haired Octavia is her younger version before she died of natural death or maybe like organ failure and aging? Her hair was white in the dorm, so it must've been the last appearance of her before she passed away at around the age of 65+. She still looked young, which must've been something that Otto did to keep her alive, she wasn't qualified to be a Valkyrie, and not being a natural born Valkyrie means less Honkai Resistance.
Also, what did you guys think of Lucia? She's also an important character in the future. She should be around the top 2 strongest in the Empire without Herrscher of Finality, Kiana. I plagiariased some of my original stories (drafts) into this novel and thought of how I should weave it all into a cool fanfiction story. It's a lot easier since I am using references from HI3 and real life history. I'll make this fanfiction to improve my skills like switching between softwares and making sense of the writing styles without too much redundancy. I am new to this but it makes my life easier by relying on softwares to edit my drafts for this story. At the same time, edit them again based on my experience as a veteran reader.
I hope that everyone can give me some real feedbacks so I can improve my writing style. It still feels unnatural but I am willing to put time to improve. Not because of money but because I really want to tell a story especially a story without Himeko, Cecilia, Joachim, or anyone dying in the future arcs, but some deaths will be necessary for character development for Otto. Volume 2 will be where I've put my plagiarized original novels into the Volume 2 in the future. Shall I call it self-plagiarization? Lol. This fanfiction will probably have thousands of chapters after the Finality Cocoon Arc, I am still unsure if I'll continue with the conquest of the universe. I'll be busy a lot with my studies in Bioengineering and Business by that time.
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