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Before Schicksal's personnel embarked for Klosthen, Amber, acting on behalf of Durandal, convened a brief meeting with everyone. On the surface, it was to discuss Schicksal's operational mode shift, but in reality, she aimed to garner more support for Durandal.
Durandal and Otto had not reached irreconcilable hostility, but after learning her true origins, their relationship could never return to that of mentor and student.
While she might respect Otto's years-long battle against Honkai and overlook past grievances, if he were to reclaim control over Schicksal, Durandal would likely seek immediate departure.
Therefore, Amber needed to find supporters for Durandal, even though she knew Otto was unlikely to return.
At this meeting, Xia Chen and Ana were present, but Wendy from the Oceanic Branch did not attend. Clearly, despite her political naivety, she preferred not to take sides on this issue.
The majority of Valkyries idolized Otto, so if Durandal opposed him, she would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.
Of course, they wouldn't actively choose sides or involve themselves in such complex politics either.
Xia Chen remained indifferent.
Throughout the meeting, the content was consistently dull, with nothing noteworthy except for some promises made by Amber.
Afterward, as the gathering dispersed, Ana looked at Xia Chen with concern.
"Do we need to get involved in these matters?"
Similarly, House Schariac was not politically inclined and had always been followers of Otto.
After Otto's arrival in Klosthen, Ana's father went there as well. The reason she stayed behind was her admiration for Durandal.
Now, her concern lay in whether she and Xia Chen might inadvertently get involved in these political matters.
On the surface, their presence here was merely to observe the ceremony.
Feeling uneasy, Ana's instincts proved accurate. Xia Chen gently patted her head, reassuring her, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
He couldn't reveal that he had struck a deal with Otto, nor could he disclose what they were about to undertake next.
"However, you can choose to stay at the headquarters with the Snow Lotus Squad. Regardless of the situation, Schicksal Headquarters remains its foundation."
"Forget it, who cares about this place now?" Ana couldn't help but mock herself, "Everyone knows Schicksal Headquarters lost its value once Bishop Otto left."
Currently, even information from the previous civilization era relied on Otto's provision.
If people could decide their leader, Otto would undoubtedly be the most suitable choice.
Unfortunately, humans did not have that power.
For Otto, there was nothing left in this world worth holding onto.
Meanwhile, Klosthen was permeated with a peculiar atmosphere.
Li Sushang's education and cultural knowledge were limited, making it difficult for her to describe this aura; she only knew that she disliked it intensely.
The Demoness remained the Demoness, and Li Sushang stayed true to herself.
But she understood that the Demoness was about to depart.
What Raksha had sought during their time in Shenzhou, they finally found. It felt akin to a seeker's final path towards martyrdom, descending just like the setting sun before her eyes.
"You threw me five hundred years into the future, leaving me alone again."
Li Sushang gently poked her cheek, feeling disheartened. "Then what joy is there in this world of five hundred years later?"
As she watched the bustling Demonesses throughout Klosthen, observing them weave amidst scenes from five centuries ago, she couldn't help but feel somewhat dazed.
"This sight seems almost like spirits haunting the streets."
"How truly tragic it must have been outside Shenzhou five hundred years ago."
Unconsciously, she opened the book in her hand, only to realize she couldn't recognize a single word within its pages.
Casually tossing the book aside, she found a spot to sit down.
The girl needed to consider her next destination after Otto's departure. Involuntarily, her gaze turned towards the direction he had taken earlier that morning.
Meanwhile, Otto was communicating with Nagamitsu.
"Lord Bishop, Gnius is ready, and Schicksal has already set out for Klosthen, expected to arrive tomorrow. As for the list, it has been sent over as well," Nagamitsu reported, sounding like a diligent employee updating his boss. "All tasks you assigned have been completed."
"Well done, Nagamitsu." Otto praised him reflexively, "Your performance remains exceptional, but unfortunately, I can't offer much in return now."
"It's alright; once this is complete, I'll resign anyway," Nagamitsu said nonchalantly. "Then, I plan to open a café on the English Island."
"You seem completely unconcerned about failure," Otto raised an eyebrow, noting, "You should be aware of the consequences if we fail. Klosthen would actually be the safest place for you."
"Tired and worn out," Nagamitsu explained. "Even if the world continues to exist, I can't escape the fate of working 996 hours anyway. It's been long since it ceased to matter."
This sentiment echoed the bitterness of overworked individuals.
Even Otto felt somewhat awkward hearing this.
Due to special circumstances, only a select few could be privy to his plans. As one of those informed, Nagamitsu bore the brunt of designing Gnius.
Moreover, Otto had initially anticipated over a year for preparations, but now it was condensed to just a month. During this period, Nagamitsu worked overtime daily until 2 AM; even an iron body couldn't withstand such strain indefinitely.
Otto cleared his throat. "Very well, I respect your decision." He paused briefly before continuing, "Then regarding what needs to be done next..."
"Lord Bishop, hold on a moment. The upcoming tasks aren't my responsibility anymore, so you can stop discussing them with me." Nagamitsu spoke bitterly. "I've already purchased tickets for a ship to England and booked a hotel. Even if the world gets destroyed, I truly don't care anymore."
Otto fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.
Naturally, members of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy embarked for Klosthen in separate groups. Raiden Mei, Bronya, and Seele also joined them on one of Schicksal's flying vessels.
In reality, their presence wasn't strictly necessary as they couldn't contribute much.
However, by attending in Klostern, they could directly return to Anti-Entropy's camp. Despite Schicksal and Anti-Entropy collaborating, they remained separate entities, making allegiance crucial.
Similarly, they didn't believe this ceremony would be simple; otherwise, Otto wouldn't have mentioned matters related to the previous civilization era and Schicksal's hidden reserves.
Even Amber expressed ignorance about what Otto referred to as Schicksal's reserves.
Xia Chen had a hunch, suspecting it might involve the Divine Key: Void Archives.
But, could anyone within Schicksal, aside from Otto, control the Void Archives? He held little hope for that possibility.
Unless Mobius or Elysia emerged from the Garden of Eden, or Kevin took possession of the Void Archives, its existence posed no less a threat than a dangerous nuclear bomb.
Regardless, Xia Chen decided to attend the ceremony with them, as his mission was yet unfulfilled.