I Am Honkai

Chapter 903: Unevenness and Reunion After the Curtain Falls

Boom—! Boom—!

At measured intervals, rhythmic thunderous crashes echoed from the end of the celestial steps before the central imperial hall. Solid combat boots struck the waxed, gold-plated tiles, and the heavy, synchronized footfalls rolled like thunder across the vast, silent palace square.

"So... just like that... we succeeded?"

Mobius, Kiana, and Durandal stood before the gates of the central imperial hall of Schönbrunn Palace. Before those magnificent doors, even the life-sized holy icon of an Emperor-class Titan and the vastly enlarged sculptures of the Astartes seemed diminutive.

The atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive. Only the wall lamp overhead cast its light without warmth, like stars that had been tamed.

It was as if a wind howling down from the mountains blew endlessly against Mobius. After an almost imperceptible silence, she turned around, her expression neither sorrowful nor joyful, and spoke to herself.

"Yes. We succeeded."

Was it unexpected?

Not at all.

"It passed. Our proposal was approved."

Running a hand through her disheveled bangs, Kiana said with a complicated tone, "Alyssa conveyed our intentions to Her Majesty."

"And the price was merely a small portion of our merits."

Durandal adjusted her military cap—which had never been crooked to begin with. "Two standard promotion cycles of rank restriction. The battle merits required for advancement in noble military title have been confiscated..."

Was that price great?

It depended on the person.

For some, promotion, elevation in rank, becoming stronger, climbing upward—that was everything. Whether they even had the connections was another matter.

But at least for Kiana and the others, this price was far too light.

This was resurrection—bringing the dead back from the river of history filled with regret!

Compared to what they had offered, it was practically... nothing at all!

This was the unevenness of the world.

"A reality both despairing and exhilarating," Mobius said.

The infinity of Finality—the Empress of the Empire’s dominion over reality, over time and space, over all things—far exceeded the limits of Mobius’ imagination. "Our little maneuvers really were laughable and ugly."

Mobius raised her head and looked toward the end of the celestial steps, where the golden-armored, red-plumed Imperial Guards stood in imposing silence. In her serpentine, profound eyes were reflected the vast palace complexes radiating golden brilliance.

The Grand Palace of the Imperial Capital was simply too immense.

The skybridges linking the halls, the long corridors, the gates, the plazas... amid clouds and rosy vapors, jade steps and golden halls, resplendent towers and celestial pavilions—even if the inscription arrays forged from the lifetime efforts of the Sacred Selene Empire’s greatest architects and master smiths, emphasizing visual shock, sensory disorientation, defensive function, and practical effect, were inactive—each hall alone already differed in climate and grandeur.

Their petition—the petition asking Empress Selene to listen—was truly like the gap between a single mortal and the world before them.

Too insignificant.

What you think is important is, in truth, not important at all.

Because the importance of "reversing time and undoing death" was exceedingly trivial. The number of people involved was small. Their strength was weak. Their status was low. They did not even qualify to occupy a full memorial page upon the Empress’ desk.

After hearing it, the Goddess of Finality had merely bestowed a single word: "Granted." Amid her "busy" schedule, she had not even summoned them for an audience.

"But we have no margin for error. We must give it everything," Mobius said, withdrawing her gaze.

If she had to do it again, she would still connect the threads, still gather strength, still perform these seemingly laughable and ugly little maneuvers. The Empress’ effortless ease, that casual single-word approval—those were things they had to exhaust themselves to pry open, to influence.

"Let’s go. We can sigh and reflect later. For now, we should think about how to face those heroes who died resisting the Honkai disaster."

"After all, with our current identities..."

As she spoke, Mobius lifted a crystal cube etched with vermilion lines, exquisitely transparent.

This was what had been delivered to her shortly after Alyssa entered the palace, conveyed by a Flügel of the Imperial Guard in accordance with Selene’s decree.

Gently opening the crystal cube, flickers of light shimmered. Within it, a rhombus-shaped construct glowing with violet-red radiance revealed itself—entirely deep crimson-purple, emitting countless restrained spectra beneath a scarlet halo.

How marvelous.

For a fleeting instant, Mobius felt as though she could accomplish anything.

Looking out, her gaze even surpassed reality, glimpsing the most fundamental veins of the Honkai universe, listening to the harmonious hymn of all laws of existence willingly chanting their praise...

This was the vessel that contained the mysteries of a god’s authority.

Unfortunately, it was temporary.

Suppressing the yearning and desire to explore the authority of reversing time carried within it, Mobius took a deep breath, smoothed her emerald-green hair, lifted her head, and revealed a rather teasing expression.

"How shall we, as followers of the Honkai, as its loyal hounds, console our old friends who once died fighting against it?"

"Appeal to emotion and reason," Durandal said as she turned around. "I believe they are reasonable people."

"And if they are stubborn beyond redemption, determined to oppose the Honkai..."

Her fervent gaze shifted away from the sacred relic, as if doused by cold water. Her tone gradually steadied. "Then even if it is them... you understand what I mean, Kiana. This is the Imperial Capital."

"That is precisely what we must avoid at all costs. We’ll do our best."

Kiana closed the opened cube in Mobius’ hands. "Let’s go. We shouldn’t keep everyone waiting."

With that, Kiana and the others hurried away from the Grand Palace, stepping onto the teleportation array leading to the Valkyrie garrison within the palace district.

...

"Your Majesty, is the standard too lenient?"

"Lenient? Not at all. A group of mortals—mere mortals who have yet to step beyond the cradle of their home planet, whose individual limits barely brush planetary level—and for them to have my colonial governor, Captain-General of the Imperial Guard, and Director of the Science Bureau accept rank restrictions and reduced compensation as the price. When weighed equally, does the influence truly match? The price is already high enough."

"But... if they greedily overuse Your Majesty’s authority—if they drag forth extinct civilizations that have slumbered for fifty thousand years in the Sea of Qunta, reversing every tragedy beneath the Honkai disaster... I know Your Majesty placed no restriction upon the authority you granted. For them, that may not be a good thing."

"You really do favor them, Sebas. It seems that limited time in the etiquette classroom has made you quite fond of them, treating them as juniors. Sebas, these are trifles. If they cross the line, then that will mean they are only capable of so much. I wager they will not. Shall we make a bet?"

"...It is good that Your Majesty already has a draft in mind. However, Your Majesty, this old servant must still remind you—even if it is an unpublished tacit rule, is it not somewhat frivolous to promulgate and disseminate the [Provisional Regulations on Reversing Time and Resurrection]? Even the omnipotent cosmic laws of Lord AAO, chaotic as they are, have never so widely distributed the authority to reverse time among their subordinates."

(PS: After Controller Thanos, OAA is no longer perfect nor supreme, and has therefore been converted to AAO.)

"There is no such thing as a flawless policy where I handle everything in a single sweep. That would be dull—a stagnant pool. Better to dredge than to block. Trial and error. If there is a mistake, we correct it. The Astartes Celestial Legion—gods, are they not? Beyond pure destructive power, they must also possess divine authority. Otherwise, what makes them gods?"

"Of course, the equation of equal payment and reward applies only to the first time. As the number and frequency of reversals and resurrections increase, the cost and backlash will teach them the proper weight of such acts. Appropriately delegating... ahem, loosening my grip, is also beneficial to my physical and mental health. Besides, Sebas—do you truly believe I would genuinely relinquish authority? In the end, those are all toys I have already grown tired of."

"...This old servant understands."

"Enough of that. As for the Imperial Capital celebration, Minister of the Imperial Interior Ministry and Protector Lan will take charge. Mm, have Grand Secretary Neoth (the Emperor) from the Secretariat also participate in overseeing it. AAO is a distinguished guest—and my highest governor of the Marvel universe. See that He is properly received."

"As Your Majesty commands. Your will shall be done."

"Privately, there is no need to be so rigid and solemn, Sebas. We have gained new companions—just look how delighted Alyssa is. As for Mother Katie and Father Brauchitsch... mm, regarding that matter... to witness it through a divided incarnation would be somewhat disrespectful. Sebas, make time and attend personally."

"Regarding the Master and Madam?"

"Mm. The engagement ceremony of Ferdinand, Crown Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. A branch princess of the British royal family, a princess of the German house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, one of the Hohenzollern family, of the House of Bourbon, of Bavaria’s House of Wittelsbach... One would not know without looking—the little fellow is truly fortunate, with so many eligible princesses for him to choose from. Hmph, hurry up and choose... so I can kick him into the army for tempering, and afterward into parliament for governance..."

"My lady... are you truly so eager to abdicate?"

"Of course. I can hardly wait! I’m afraid I might lose control and launch a grand social purge—execute that whole crowd of power cliques and empty rhetoricians. Haa... although ruling does have the slightest calming effect, I would rather let Ferdinand enjoy it. One’s homeland should look like a homeland. Relaxation is the proper way."

...

Pain.

Endless pain assailed him as he struggled to break free from the path of destruction descended by the Honkai.

I cannot fall yet.

I promised them I would lead humanity beyond the Honkai... I cannot fall yet...

Honkai...

Defeat the Honkai.

Give everything—to overcome the Honkai!

Within the void, whether icy cold or blazing like the fires of hell, that instant before death stretched as though each second lasted a year. Under the ravaging power of Finality, he staggered like a drunkard and collapsed. Blood, shattered armor, and splintered bones accompanied him.

"Failure."

"Death."

In a fleeting flash, scenes from his life passed through his consciousness. A tide of guilt drowned him. He remembered—

"Mei’s little lackey, I heard you’ve done quite a few ’treasonous’ things. Well then, wake up and atone... hey, don’t grope around—what are you doing?"

A voice like divine whispers echoed within the hearts of all phenomena and all living things. The dark, stagnant void was once again colored, once again set into motion.

"That voice is... Dr. Mobius?!"

Was she speaking to someone else?

The man opened his eyes. His retinas felt the long-forgotten sting of light.

Rustle...

Beside green—pink.

"Mm-hm, long time no see, Kevin... ah, that was close. I nearly lost to you. The title of being the first to awaken really ought to belong to a maiden as shy and delicate as a flower. Hehe, did you miss me~?"

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