Honkai Simulator: Start with Confessing to The Herrscher of Finality

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels - There are at least twice as many available chapters on Patreon, compared to here on Webnovel. Additionally, there are also free extra chapters available for Free Members, so head on over:

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

While Xia Chen remained at World Serpent's headquarters, news of Durandal's visit to House Kaslana inadvertently spread throughout Schicksal.

This revelation did not cause significant turmoil within Schicksal; however, upon hearing the information from its headquarters, many individuals across nations felt uneasy.

Though they didn't fully understand Durandal, political wisdom transcends personal knowledge.

As one of Schicksal's longstanding families, despite their diminished reputation, no one would claim that House Kaslana had lost its influence or ceased representing Schicksal effectively.

Political stability within Schicksal largely depended on the steadfastness of its leadership. As long as the top brass held firm, so would Schicksal itself.

Consequently, those seeking to divide Schicksal faced increasingly severe repercussions.

For a moment, unease gripped numerous national leaders.

Unbeknownst to them, Durandal was entirely focused elsewhere - specifically, on House Kaslana itself.

Upon Durandal's arrival, she was greeted by Sigmund, the former patriarch of the House Kaslana and father of Schicksal fugitive Siegfried Kaslana.

After Schicksal declared Siegfried a wanted criminal, Sigmund gradually recalled the Kaslana warriors to their family estate. They were instructed not to involve themselves in Schicksal affairs or make any related statements, maintaining utmost caution in their actions and words.

This cautious approach prevented the House Kaslana from being tarnished by Siegfried's actions, preserving the dignity of the knight lineage.

The House Kaslana had no standing to negotiate with Otto; perhaps five hundred years ago, they held equal status with the Apocalypse Clan. However, today, Otto's personal authority surpassed even that of Schicksal itself. The organization had grown immensely vast, yet aside from Otto, few could effectively lead it.

Durandal's temporary leadership causing chaos within Schicksal exemplified this point. It could be said that replacing Durandal with anyone else, whether Amber or Theresa, would result in similar turmoil.

Schicksal had become too massive for a single individual to fully control.

Recognizing this, Sigmund chose to withdraw his kin to the family estate, avoiding leverage based on past glories to bargain with Otto.

The outcome wasn't too bad.

At least, the privileges of the House Kaslana remained intact.

However, due to this very reason, Sigmund instinctively wanted to decline Durandal's request for an audience with the Kaslanas. Any involvement in politics would bring no benefit to their current position.

As someone nearing sixty years of age, he had a clear understanding of these matters.

Yet upon first seeing Durandal, Sigmund felt compelled to assist her. The elderly man couldn't quite explain it; within this young girl, he sensed a power resonating from shared bloodlines.

But how could that be possible? After all, the Kaslanas have always inherited white hair through generations.

Nevertheless, the pulsation rooted in his bloodline didn't deceive him.

Sigmund agreed to help Durandal but made one condition.

"When Siegfried defected, he took his daughter and another of Schicksal's experimental subjects with him. Consequently, Schicksal launched an operation to intercept Siegfried and recovered one 'Kiana,'" the old man observed Durandal keenly. "I wish to ascertain her present status and safety."

Schicksal had indeed retrieved one Kiana, but it was unclear whether she was the experimental subject or Cecilia's true descendant.

Naturally, Durandal was unaware of this secret.

She unwittingly exclaimed, "There's another Kiana?"

Durandal instinctively glanced at Rita beside her. If anyone knew more about Schicksal's secrets, it would be Amber and Rita. In Durandal's memory, Rita seemed to know virtually everything.

Rita smiled slightly and addressed Sigmund, "Regarding this matter, I can assure you on Lady Durandal's behalf."

"Given Miss Rita's assurance, I am indeed relieved."

It was clear that these two were communicating in a language incomprehensible to Durandal.

Meanwhile, Durandal's thoughts remained fixated on the existence of two Kianas.

After receiving Sigmund's commitment, they departed from the Kaslana family mansion. Shortly thereafter, the rarely outspoken House Kaslana publicly expressed their trust in Bishop Otto of Heavenly Law and affirmed their belief that the current path of Schicksal was the right one.

Although House Kaslana held no decision-making power or significant influence within Schicksal, they maintained friendly relations with many noble families within the organization.

Similarly, representatives from House Schariac spoke up, awaiting Bishop Otto's return and voicing their opposition to any internal divisions.

Throughout Schicksal, it wasn't just the established nobility; numerous other aristocratic families and financial conglomerates also voiced their support for Durandal. Naturally, their backing was rooted in trust in Bishop Otto and confidence that Durandal would fulfill her duties effectively.

As these voices echoed, those who had attempted to exploit the chaos began trembling nervously.

However, Durandal had little interest in these matters at the moment.

For some reason, the news about "two Kianas" deeply intrigued her. She felt instinctively that this somehow involved her.

Determined, Durandal accessed Schicksal's archives, utilizing her sufficient clearance level.

Finally, she found the profiles she sought:

[Schicksal Personal File: Sirin.]

[Schicksal Personal File: Kiana Kaslana.]

Almost simultaneously, within the Sea of Quanta...

After traversing countless winding paths across numerous worlds, Raiden Mei brought Bronya to the location she had sensed earlier.

It was another world—at least from Raiden Mei's perspective.

However, neither dared to step inside just yet.

Worlds within the Sea of Quanta possessed a disorienting power that could easily confuse visitors. Previously, when they entered one such world, they were immediately separated into different temporal zones and lost track of each other.

If not for Raiden Mei's swift decision to leave that world, she might have never found Bronya again.

Thus, upon encountering this new world, she remained cautious.

A realm with chaotic laws wasn't favorable territory for them, but Raiden Mei could sense that the Herrscher Core lay within it.

Suddenly, an unusual presence emerged in the Sea of Quanta.

An enormous serpent-like entity began roaming through these waters, seemingly intent on devouring the very world before them.

Bronya promptly responded, "Big Sister Mei, we can't let that monstrosity succeed."

All quantum beings in this world posed a threat.

Raiden Mei nodded confidently. "Don't worry."

She drew her weapon, which Einstein had given her before she joined Schicksal. It was said to be a Plasma Kagehide blade crafted by her father—a divine armament capable of freezing even Herrschers.

The chaos unfolding outside had yet to reach the Garden of Eden. However, Chen Tianwu occasionally visited its grand hall to bring news from beyond.

At present, Chen Tianwu wasn't assigned any tasks and enjoyed some downtime. As a gesture of gratitude, he frequently brought updates related to Schicksal.

"Fifteen countries have undergone leadership changes; it's clearly Schicksal Headquarters' doing. These individuals were attempting to splinter Schicksal—or at least they used to."

From the information Chen Tianwu shared, Durandal had already begun taking action.

No, attributing it solely to Durandal wouldn't be accurate; she lacked such political acumen. Clearly, either Rita or Amber was behind these moves.

Although Schicksal did not control currency minting, there was no doubt they wielded immense influence over the world.

Despite these nations attempting to unite and break free from Schicksal's control, they were virtually powerless against its overwhelming might. Their struggle appeared more like a futile joke.

Meanwhile, the citizens worldwide remained oblivious to the true situation. The United Nations publicly claimed it was due to internal disputes within those countries, unrelated to external factors.

Schicksal still maintained absolute leadership at this time.

Xia Chen found this unsurprising, but he was slightly taken aback by such a decision from Schicksal's top brass.

"Bishop Otto seems to have entrusted his legacy to Durandal," he remarked with a hint of melancholy.

"Is that not desirable?" Chen Tianwu couldn't help but ask. "Based on the information I have, Durandal is undoubtedly an exceptional warrior."

Xia Chen casually responded, "Since when did you start believing that being an excellent warrior equates to being an outstanding leader?"

It wasn't that he opposed Durandal; rather, the divergence from the familiar storyline he knew was significant. He even began suspecting at times that Otto might genuinely be dead.

However, upon further reflection, it seemed highly unlikely. So what could Otto possibly be doing now?

Xia Chen admitted he couldn't guess.

This posed quite a challenge for him.

Chen Tianwu calmly stated, "Our Lord is also an exceptional warrior."

Xia Chen found himself at a loss for words.

However, mentioning Kevin sparked his curiosity, "I recall that the Lord of the World Serpent should be within the Sea of Quanta right now. Yet you mentioned following orders from your Lord. How do you communicate with him? As far as I know, there shouldn't exist any communication tools capable of connecting this world to the Sea of Quanta."

Chen Tianwu shook his head, "I'm not sure about the specifics; Jackal handles those matters."

Although he was now a high-ranking member of the World Serpent, his time here had been too short, and he hadn't yet delved into their true secrets.

As they conversed, Raven approached them.

"What are you two discussing?" Holding two cocktails casually, the young officer asked, "These are from Eden. Who wants one?"

"No thanks," Chen Tianwu declined.

Alcohol would rapidly deteriorate his body's components. Currently, Chen Tianwu rarely consumed food, relying instead on nutrient supplements to maintain his bodily functions.

A hint of contemplation flashed in Xia Chen's eyes as he questioned Raven, "I'm curious, since these Heroic Spirits are essentially memories, why do they possess complete physical forms similar to real individuals? Or is being a memory itself another form of existence?"

"You should ask Jackal such questions," Raven responded nonchalantly.

Raven casually suggested, "Or you could directly ask Elysia; she seems quite enthusiastic."

"Oh, only towards pretty girls," Xia Chen replied as he took the wine glass from Raven's hand, savoring a small sip and immediately appreciating its rich aroma.

These sensations were genuine experiences felt by his body, not mere illusions.

Then...

Could the Elysian Realm itself be considered a unique stigma space?

Similar to Stigma Ana that he had encountered before.

As his thoughts processed, Xia Chen finished the glass of wine.

With surprise in his eyes, Raven remarked, "You sure can drink! Would you like another glass?"

"No, thank you."

The alcohol had little effect on him. Nonchalantly, he asked, "Since the Heroic Spirits are akin to Stigmata, why not allow them to appear outside? Creating bodies shouldn't be difficult for the World Serpent, right?"

Even Otto was capable of producing multiple clones. Constructing a body to house consciousness is no extraordinary feat in this era.

"They have their own preferences," Raven responded mildly. "The World Serpent's mission is to help them build an ideal nation free from Honkai. If they wish to leave, the World Serpent will fully support them; if not, it equally respects their choice."

Xia Chen nodded, indicating his understanding.

"Oh right, there's another piece of information I need to share." Raven looked at Xia Chen and paused before saying, "The Lord informed us that he is nearly ready to emerge from the sea."

"The sea? The Sea of Quanta?"

Xia Chen's pupils slightly contracted.

To exit the Sea of Quanta, one must harness the power of a Herrscher Core to open a channel between the intrinsic world and the quantum realm. Currently, almost all existing Herrscher Cores have their respective owners.

Has something happened to Kiana or Raiden Mei?

His emotions stirred momentarily before he composed himself and nodded. "I understand."

"Then what is your answer?" Raven gazed at Xia Chen. "The Lord lacks trust; if he demands you join World Serpent, what would you do?"

It was evident that Kevin's appearance in this world would leave Xia Chen with limited choices.

Xia Chen shook his head, "I don't appreciate being coerced, as you well know."

He paused before continuing, "I'm not from this world and don't feel much attachment to it. Therefore, my threshold for compromise is lower than you might think. If this world starts pressuring me, I won't hesitate to disregard its fate."

It was clear that his answer indicated no willingness to yield.

Raven responded mildly, "Understood, thank you."

"Was it Kevin who asked you to inquire?"

"You may find this hard to believe, but it was Elysia."

Raven looked at Xia Chen and said, "She mentioned that Mobius has taken quite a liking to you."

Xia Chen felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Meanwhile, within the Elysian Realm:

After conversing with Hua, the Herrscher of Sentience felt increasingly frustrated. She began doubting herself.

If Little Fuxi had claimed she wasn't Fu Hua, she would have vehemently disagreed; if Ellie had said so, she'd dismiss it as one of Ellie's jokes.

However, after interacting with her past self, Hua, she realized they were nothing alike. Despite sharing memories, there was simply no alignment between them.

This discrepancy couldn't be explained by a mere change in personality. In short, her emotions were deeply unsettled.

She was questioning her own identity.

"Hey, hey, hey."

Elysia approached the Herrscher of Sentience, "Why so frowning? It doesn't suit you at all."