As a symbiotic being, I raise children amidst the chaos.

Time passed quickly; two months had gone by since Theresa began her trials. Her power had also grown rapidly during these two months.

It's worth mentioning that during the second trial, Otto prepared several weapons specifically for Theresa. However, under Otto's inexplicable gaze, Theresa directly chose the cross with embedded chains.

However, there was one downside. Chen Yuan looked at Theresa, who was lounging behind him like Ge You, and rubbed his forehead. It seemed that he had spoiled this child again.

"Dust and Fate~ I'm hungry, I want to eat~" Theresa's lazy voice came from behind, sounding a bit like she was being coquettish.

"Hey, if you want to eat, go to the restaurant yourself. Didn't old man Otto allow you to wander around the lab as you please?"

"Ugh! No way! I'd rather it be like before, where someone brings my food over." Theresa sat up, protesting to Chen Yuan with dissatisfaction. "Walking from here to the restaurant is tiring; the regular training is already tough enough, okay?"

"You have the nerve to say that? According to Otto, the final trial is this afternoon. Aren't you nervous at all?"

"What's there to be nervous about? It's just like before, going to fight Honkai Beasts again." Theresa yawned nonchalantly and patted her chest. "I'm terrifyingly strong right now!"

"I hope so." Chen Yuan sighed. Otto was half to blame for Theresa's current state. Ever since Theresa defeated the Chariot-class Honkai Beast, that guy Otto had become increasingly indulgent towards her.

Shaking his head, putting his thoughts aside, Chen Yuan continued, "Alright, I can't be bothered to talk to you. Since you're hungry, hurry up and get ready, then we'll go to the restaurant to eat!"

"Ugh, really," Theresa muttered, slowly getting up from the sofa. She stretched like a kitten, looking just like a sleepy little cat.

"If you really think of yourself as a cat, that's going to be bad," Chen Yuan teased with a laugh, then jumped onto her shoulder. "Hurry up, don't dawdle."

"Okay, okay, you're so long-winded," Theresa complained as she slowly made her way towards the restaurant.

Throughout the journey, Theresa kept rambling on about all sorts of things, from the recent weather to yesterday's dream; it seemed she never had an endless list of topics to discuss. Chenyuan simply listened with a smile, occasionally offering a few words of response.

The restaurant wasn't far, but because Theresa dawdled, it took them longer than expected to arrive. As soon as they entered, the enticing aromas immediately whetted their appetites, and Theresa's eyes lit up. She practically ran to the buffet counter and began to feast.

'Honestly, she's just like a little kid.' Chen Yuan smiled as she watched Theresa enjoying her food. Although she acted quite proper in front of Otto, she was really just a little girl in front of her.

Incidentally, due to the symbiosis of worldly ties, Theresa's abnormal sense of taste has returned to normal. But strangely enough, even after regaining her sense of taste, Theresa still likes to eat bitter melon and similar foods.

Meanwhile, in the bishop's office, two things sat on the table: a photograph of Theresa and a portrait of Kallen Kaslana. As for Otto, he was playing a video game called "Kallen Fantasy" nearby.

Otto's fingers danced nimbly on the game controller, completely immersed in controlling Kallen Kaslana in virtual combat. After an unknown amount of time, the message "Level Completed" appeared on the screen.

"231st time clearing the game..." Having reached this point, Otto put down the game controller, shifting his gaze from the screen to the two photos on the table. He sighed softly, his expression becoming complex.

“Karen…” Otto murmured to himself, “Is A-310 your reincarnation? Whether it’s the way you fight recklessly or your silly appearance, it’s just like you in the past…”

He tapped the table lightly, lost in thought. After a while, he stood up, picked up Theresa's photograph, and examined it closely. "No... this is too absurd, it must just be a coincidence... it must be..."

Otto's gaze lingered on the photograph for a long time before slowly lowering it. He turned and walked to the drawer of his desk, carefully pulled it open, and took out an old diary.

Opening the diary, one finds neat handwriting recording every important moment related to him, and the girl he always held in his heart—Karen Kaslana.

“Even with a similar appearance and a similar personality, it’s still not you,” Otto muttered to himself, a hint of self-mockery in his voice. “If you were still alive, you’d probably be cursing me right now!”

He put the diary back in the drawer, looked at Karen's portrait again, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. "But even so, Karen, no matter what, I will..."

His words trailed off. Otto took a deep breath, as if trying to swallow all his thoughts and emotions. Finally, he whispered, "At any cost..."

Meanwhile, Theresa was still enjoying her meal in the restaurant. Chen Yuan sat quietly on her shoulder, occasionally glancing down at her blissful expression, and felt a warmth in his heart.

"Chenyuan, don't you think the food is especially delicious today?" Theresa asked, her words muffled as she chewed her food.

"Maybe it's because you're in a good mood," Chen Yuan smiled. "Don't eat too much, you have something important to do this afternoon."

“I know,” Theresa swallowed the food in her mouth and said confidently, “Anyway, it’s not like this is my first time facing Honkai Beasts, I’ll definitely be able to handle it easily.”

After dinner, Theresa lazily returned to her room. She lay down on the soft bed, her hands behind her head. Chen Yuan sat beside her, "Chen Yuan, what do you think of Bishop Otto...?"

"Hmm? What happened to Otto?"

“I always felt like he had something on his mind,” Theresa said softly. “Every time he looked at me, his eyes seemed a little complicated. I don’t know if it was just my imagination, but sometimes I even felt a kind of sadness in them.”

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "He probably thought of Kallen, after all, you two have many similarities."

“Kallen…is she Kallen Kaslana from that comic book?” Theresa murmured to herself, the comic book she had read flashing through her mind. “What kind of person is she? Why is the Church of Otto so concerned about her?”

"That was a long time ago, you'll know later," Chen Yuan said softly, a complex look flashing in his eyes. Although Otto's actions were inhuman, his treatment of Kallen... to be honest, it would be a lie to say he didn't admire her.

Otto spent his entire life manipulating his family, his friends, his power, and even... the world itself, all to create a world where Kallen could live! The part with the tree was indeed very memorable.

"Really... It's about love and romance, right? Like, the kind where he loves her, she loves her, he doesn't love her, and she loves him?" (Guess who these "she"s are? (ˉ?ˉ?))

"Hmm...more or less." Chen Yuan nodded in agreement upon hearing Theresa's words. Then, sensing something was amiss, he abruptly sat up. "Wait...where did you learn about these things?"

Theresa blinked, looking completely innocent. "I heard it from the researchers while I was studying. I don't really understand it, but it makes me feel like love is such a complicated thing."

“Love…” Chen Yuan sighed softly, gazing out the window. “Yes, it’s a very complicated emotion. But for you, not understanding it so thoroughly is a good thing.”

Theresa lay quietly on the bed, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Chenyuan, can you tell me what love is? I always feel that this word is so far away from me."

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment, desperately searching his mind for the right words to describe love. "Love is a very special emotion; it can make people strong, or it can make them vulnerable."

“When someone truly falls in love with another person, they are willing to give everything for that person, including their life. There’s a saying that goes like that…” Chen Yuan cleared his throat and continued.

"Cupid stands atop the peak, mocking Death's incompetence. We will all eventually fall into the mundane, but our romance will last until death!"

Theresa listened to Chen Yuan's words, a look of confusion on her face. "But I don't think I've ever truly experienced this feeling. In my memory, there are only battles and laboratories."

“You’re still so young. You’ll understand when you meet that special someone.” Chen Yuan gently patted Theresa’s shoulder. “Alright, don’t think about it too much. Get some rest. The trial this afternoon is very important.”

Theresa nodded and closed her eyes, but her mind was still preoccupied with Chen Yuan's words. She tried to imagine the feeling of giving everything for someone, but ultimately couldn't understand it.

Seeing that Theresa seemed somewhat absent-minded, Chen Yuan said softly, "You don't need to rush to understand these things. After all, you are still young. When you really meet that person, you will naturally understand their meaning."

Theresa rolled over, lying on her side and looking out the window. Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, dappling her face with warm, gentle light. "Hey~ Chenyuan, do you have someone you love?"

“Me? Of course I have some, and quite a few.” Chen Yuan was taken aback when he heard Theresa’s question. In that instant, he thought of Cocolia and the others, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

"Is that so? That's great... Can you tell me more about it?"

"How could I possibly tell something like this to a little kid like you!"