บท 146: Chapter 146: Anna's Self-Blame
Anna Schariac, an A-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, the future fifth Herrscher—the Herrscher Core of the Ice Herrscher.
According to the original world line, the Fifth Honkai broke out on Coral Island, where the Snow Lotus squad was stationed, and Anna was chosen as the Fifth Herrscher.
Although Anna resisted the corruption of the Honkai fiercely, she still ended up destroying her own team in the chaos. After killing her teammates, Anna, who retained a trace of consciousness, chose to seal herself in ice. Ultimately, she fused with Chen Tianwu's Core of the Rock Herrscher, evolving into the Meteor Ice Herrscher, and was ultimately subdued by the combined efforts of Raiden Mei and Durandal.
Throughout, Anna Schariac lived up to her name. She had always wanted to die as a human, as a Valkyrie, but her wish was never fulfilled.
But then again, even though the sacrifice of the previous civilization gave rise to the concept of humanity in the current Herrschers, breaking free from the control of the Honkai Consciousness was not so simple.
Anna was just an ordinary person at the end of the day. She didn't have the consciousness of three hundred thousand people as a base, nor did she have the nihilistic mindset like Serlin. Even the Honkai Consciousness didn't bother to seduce her; it simply let a new Herrscher consciousness be born within her body, occupying it. But Anna couldn't find a way to counter it.
Because Anna always had an irreparable flaw in her heart. It was a nightmare she couldn't escape from.
The Honkai that erupted in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, in 2015 was the largest and most devastating Honkai in Southeast Asia to date. Although no Herrschers were born, the disaster almost destroyed the entire city, with a death toll of over two million and about three million people infected to varying degrees. Secondary disasters caused nearly ten million residents in the city and surrounding areas to become displaced.
Schicksal immediately organized rescue efforts, paying a heavy price, and eventually managed to confine the disaster to within the city of Manila. And among the Snow Lotus Team stationed in the Philippines, they were almost wiped out.
At that time, Anna was the deputy team leader of the Snow Lotus Team and the only survivor.
She witnessed the entire city reduced to ruins in the Honkai, saw the people she should have protected struggling helplessly in the natural disaster, saw countless bodies, and flames burning.
A major Honkai destroyed everything she knew.
Fear was like a swamp, constantly pulling her down, engulfing her chest, making her feel suffocated. Then, from within the fear, despair sprouted, coiling around her neck like a venomous snake.
Anna fled, retreating to the assembly point like a deserter, hoping for reinforcements to arrive, and even ignoring the people calling out to her for help along the way.
She escaped like this, abandoning the people she should have protected. Survival was a human instinct, and under the circumstances of being isolated and helpless, choosing to retreat and wait for support should have been the most rational decision. Such a choice wasn't necessarily wrong.
But was it right?
Anna, who considered herself a deserter, felt heavy-hearted and conflicted. Suddenly, she remembered the oath she made when she became a Valkyrie—"[I will bring hope to those trapped in disasters and fight for every suffering victim]."
So Anna stopped in her tracks and resolutely turned back. She didn't want to be a deserter, nor did she want to betray the oath she had made.
She successfully rescued Chen Tianwu from the ruins, which should have been a happy occasion, but Schicksal was always full of twists and turns, full of drama.
Chen Tianwu's younger sister was the little girl she had just ignored.
In theory, from the moment Anna made up her mind to return and save people, she was already a qualified Valkyrie. But because of Chen Tianwu's sister, it seemed to have become her nightmare. The intense guilt kept devouring her, like a black hole she couldn't escape from, sinking deeper and deeper until the light changed color, and she no longer recognized herself. She dared not face the boy, and she didn't even dare to inquire about his whereabouts.
Anna had always blamed herself.
Sometimes in the middle of the night, she would resist the urge to slap herself and silently curse, "I deserve to die."
......
A city close to the World Snake base.
With a sigh, Chase pushed open the door of the bathroom and walked slowly into the living room, where he happened to see a quiet girl sitting on the sofa, reading a book.
Her chestnut-colored hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her rare pink eyes revealed a focused expression, as if she had completely immersed herself in the world of the book, not even noticing Chase approaching.
Chase curiously glanced at the book, titled "Crime and Punishment," slightly surprised. Standing beside Anna, he silently accompanied her in reading.
After a while, he noticed that her beret was slightly askew. Being somewhat OCD, Chase couldn't help but straighten it out for her.
"Hey!" Anna was clearly startled, her body trembling slightly. She turned her head, only to see Chase, and then complained with a look of half dissatisfaction and half resentment, "Mr. Chase, please don't suddenly appear behind me like that..."
Her pink eyes were extremely beautiful, exuding a kind of pitiful charm.
"Next time, I'll make sure not to. Next time for sure," Chase smiled.
"Really," Anna closed the book and muttered softly.
Having known Chase for a while now, Anna gradually became familiar with him.
Anna's task was to protect Chase's safety, but...
The girl's mood was inexplicably complicated. She looked at Chase and always felt that this security task was too easy?
Clearly, it was the first special mission assigned by the bishop, and clearly, she had prepared to do everything in her power to protect the young man's safety. But how did the mission turn out to be like this? Why did it feel more like a vacation...
"Anna, I'm going out to buy some groceries. Want to come?" Chase said.
"Of course, I'm your bodyguard," Anna stood up, put the book away, and adjusted her beret, smiling.
"Well, then I'll leave it to you, Anna."
"It's nothing. It's always been me troubling Mr. Chase," Anna scratched her head awkwardly. These days, she basically relied on Chase for food and lodging, and she didn't encounter any danger at all, which made her, as a bodyguard, feel a little frustrated.
But according to Chase's words, this was called "keeping the enemy thousands of miles away," which could better demonstrate her abilities as a bodyguard.
Thinking of this, Anna's mood improved a lot.
So Chase led Anna and went to a familiar shop, bought some necessary ingredients, and prepared to go home.
"Mr. Chase, let me help you carry some of these," Anna took the big and small bags initiative.
"Are you sure it's okay?"
"No problem, I'm a Valkyrie!" Anna proudly straightened her chest.
"In that case, I'll trouble you." Chase thanked her and, without making it obvious, glanced at a nearby spot. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Very well, it's time to clear the stage.
Night Owl, next time you're on surveillance, please turn off your phone's location tracking. It's too obvious.
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