"You'd claimed your Crown?"
"Yeah—"
"Your eyes tell me that you have at least three Lohengrins in your possession. Not to mention, one of them is of a particularly high quality... What happened in my absence?"
Brynhildr didn't waste time to get straight to the point. Klaus had every intention to explain, but he couldn't find his words when the entity gazed at him with such intensity. As cliché as this sounded, his spine shivered, replete with a cold sensation until its very coccyx.
"Er, do you want to start from the part where I almost died fighting a C-rank Draugr, or..."
"!!!" Brynhildr's eyes opened wide. Before Klaus could finish his sentence, she clasped his shoulders with both hands.
"Show me your injuries!" Brynhildr demanded.
"I-I'm fine now. But a-alright, okay... I'll do just that."
Klaus scrambled to take off his shirt and showed Bynhildr the ugly scar on his side. Seeing it with her own eyes, Brynhildr narrowed her eyes. Did she make the wrong choice after all?
She left Klaus to his own devices because his prowess in battle convinced her to do so. She viewed him in a positive light—in more ways than one. Why wouldn't she? Klaus was a rarity even among the reincarnated individuals. He had no problem in adapting to present situation—like water flowing along a perfectly carved river.
He didn't let his emotions took control of his actions and executed appropriate measures to leap over obstacles dotting his path. Brynhildr held him in such a high regard, and yet, she let it get to her head.
She was not by his side when he needed her the most.
"..." Memories of the old resurfaced themselves. Screams and cries for help from those people whom she abandoned. She let them breathe the vile stench of Draugrs before they were taken out. How sinful she was.
As an entity with the sole purpose of giving utmost aid to the reincarnated people, she failed in accomplishing the core of her mission. She'd failed many times, and now, she almost let another life slipped through her hands.
"I'll heal your scar right now," said Brynhildr as she lowered her body and put both palms on the scar.
"A-Alright..."
Klaus agreed unconditionally. There was no need for him to reject her offer. More so when the entity's painted countenance had an abstaining effect on his movement and line of thoughts.
After Brynhildr was done healing his scar and injury, Klaus decided it was then and there that he should sought the truth from her.
"How many reincarnated people are there currently?" Brynhildr repeated the boy's words.
"I've had this thought in my mind for some time. You're only one, and reincarnated people are many. There must be an order to who you lend your aid first, right? Like a priority list."
"...You're the first to ask me this, but I can answer it." Brynhildr put her delicate hand on her chin. "I focus on those who are newly introduced to their Personal Dimension first and foremost. I don't need to explain to you the exact reason, do I?"
Klaus nodded, prompting the entity to continue her explanation.
"After I'd become convinced of their growth and ability to defend for themselves, I then turn to help those below my priority list. Strictly speaking, I come to help those who are attempting to claim their Crown, and those attacked by high-ranking Draugrs. Of course, the latter is a hit-or-miss type of thing. I have no means to ascertain when a B-rank or A-rank Draugr would invade someone's Personal Dimension."
"Ah..." It made complete sense to Klaus. If she had known a top C-rank Draugr had stepped into his Personal Dimension, the entire situation and danger would've been subverted.
"But you do know whenever one of us enters a Personal Dimension for the first time, correct?"
Brynhildr nodded. "That's correct. When you and Freda came over, I would receive some sort of a signal. A subconscious reaction—completely automatic and instantaneous."
"...So, I assume you have a mental list of who you should extend your helping hand first. Since I was training to claim my Crown, you were under the assumption that I would be alright by myself for a while. Ah, I'm not saying you're at fault for doing that. I do understand why after hearing your explanation, and I don't intend to be childish and bear a grudge over things you've no control over."
"..." Brynhildr tilted her head slightly.
"Hm?"
"You're more mature than you look."
"Perhaps that's because I have an additional number of years from my past life. An extra knowledge and experience added to my own."
"A line of thought that only you could come up with. As one of the homo sapiens, I expect you to react based on your impulses. I see, this is a part of you that fascinated me so much back then when we first met."
"Hmm. Well, anyway, you haven't answered my first question."
Brynhildr's mouth wide agape. "What was it again? The current number of reincarnated people in this world? About a hundred, if I have to sum it up."
"A hundred?" Klaus had an initial hypothesis that the number would be around the 30-40 range. The reasoning behind this was simple. Brynhildr was one entity, so she couldn't possibly handle a multitude of people in a short period of time.
Brynhildr spent a few nights with him after all. To have such a flexible schedule, she should at least had helped ten or so people before coming to him.
"I know what you're thinking, Klaus Weber. But you shouldn't underestimate me. The number may seem a bit too much, but rest assured, about seventy of them had claimed their Crown. As I'd told you just now, those who'd claimed their Crown are at the bottom of my priority list. They don't need as much help as you think because Astrals are incredibly powerful."
Upon seeing the disbelief painted all over Klaus's face, Brynhildr let her lips stretched into a smile.
"There is a huge time gap between the one who came here first, and the one that came after. In other words, I have ample time to prepare someone for the decisive battle against a Keeper. Like you said, there is an order to how things work. People like you don't just come pouring here all at the same time."
"...But one couldn't possibly go to his or her Personal Dimension at a set time. I remember how you explained that my encounter with Freda had fulfilled the necessary requirements for me to have access to my Personal Dimension."
"I did say that. But you forgot one crucial detail. I don't remember saying it's the only way for the Personal Dimension to open its ephemeral doors, right?"
"!"
"There are many triggers as there are reincarnated people in this world. It'll be troublesome to explain everything regarding this, but you should know each one has their own unique trigger. And when does this trigger finally click in place? It's all up to the other entity to decide."
"...You did mention that there's an entity responsible for reincarnating people into this world."
"That's right. Her role is to reincarnate people that she deemed fit. Because of that, she's also required to open the doors of each Personal Dimension, often at times she also deemed fit."
"...I see." An entity responsible for introducing him into this world. "If anyone fits her criteria, she will reincarnate that person."
"Just so you know, Klaus Weber, I hardly have time to meet with her. Though, such a meeting is not necessary. We both agreed to not meet each other unless we must, but even then, we'd only gathered a few times before. Anyway, have I answered all the questions in your mind?"
"Yeah. I do wish that there's a method for me to call you over when I have more questions to ask? I mean, that would also help tons of people from being killed by the Draugrs. A lifeline, so to speak."
"An interesting suggestion. Unfortunately, if such a method exists in the first place, I would've opted to use it extensively to help the weak."
"You're right about that..."
Klaus began to ponder and reflect on his question, unbeknownst that Brynhildr was analyzing him.
A peculiar human that had experienced near-death situation while she was absent. Her eyes looked him all over. She learnt a few new things about him. His mindset had changed, albeit slightly. Klaus had come to accept his current circumstances with every fiber of his being.
While Klaus did manage to adapt and change his approach when fighting Draugrs, he was still someone in his youth. He was not prepared to face the truth emotionally. Needless to say, his Keeper had her share of contribution to Klaus's current state of mind.
Brynhildr was curious to know every detail regarding his short excursion to claim his Crown, but time was not on her side. She would have to visit him at a later date to know the truth.
"...Giving them a second chance to life is not a bad thing from your perspective, ____. I understand your overzealous stance on the matter, but still, I pity them."
Brynhildr spoke to only herself, although she knew the other entity would catch wind of this in a split second. The other entity's wry smile flitted into her mind, and she made a wry smile of her own in response.