𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂 [M.Kaiser x reader]

• Chapter 47 •

"I've worked too hard to get here...I just need this to go away!"
-???

*(A/N: Shouldn't be too bad, just the visual stuff. More lore for all my lovelies)*
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The Tokyo Tower loomed in the distance, its lights glimmering faintly through the thick smog that hung over the city. Inside the shadowy warehouse, the air was damp and heavy, a faint metallic tang lingering.

Hildegard stood near the cracked window, her silhouette outlined against the faint light outside. Her manicured finger tapped rhythmically on the glass, a sound that echoed faintly in the cavernous space.

The figures around her stood motionless, cloaked in darkness and silence, their postures rigid and deferential. From above, a sudden crash shattered the quiet.

The ceiling window burst apart, glass shards raining down like deadly snowflakes. Something descended, its movements precise and inhuman, landing gracefully on the concrete floor with a muted thud.

Hildegard turned slowly, her expression unchanging as the figure knelt before her, its head bowed low. She stopped tapping her finger and smiled faintly.

"Well, about time," she said, her voice sharp and impatient, yet tinged with satisfaction. "Did
my new addition work well?"

It raised its head slightly, its voice robotic but eerily childlike. "Yes, Mommy."

A sly grin spread across Hildegard's face. "Good," she purred. "Now, give me his hairs."

The figure stood, peeling away the black fabric that cloaked it to reveal its gleaming metallic frame. The robotic features were unnervingly Vespera. She extended her hand, presenting a small bundle of hairs.

Hildegard took them with an air of reverence, carefully slipping the strands into a slim glass tube. She held it up to the dim light, her single eye glinting with an almost fanatical intensity as she brushed aside her hair to reveal her perfectly normal eye.

The bullet hadn't really hit her, after all.

"Nice," she murmured to herself, the word dripping with satisfaction.

Her attention shifted back to the robotic Vespera, who stood obediently, awaiting further instructions. Hildegard tossed a small bag toward her, the contents clinking faintly as it landed at the robot's feet.

"Look in there," Hildegard commanded. "I've packed a nice dress and a few accessories for you. We're going to see the Mikage family."

Vespera titled her head slightly, then bent down to retrieve the bag. She nodded, the mechanical voice responding with compliance. "Yes, Mommy."

Hildegard's grin widened, and she added, "Oh, and don't forget to wear the mask. You will go by Akuma, as you did before. Now get ready."

Without hesitation, Vespera moved to a shadowy corner, out of sight from the others. Hildegard's sharp gaze swept across the figures standing in the room as she walked past them, her heels clicking ominously against the concrete floor. She stopped abruptly in front of one of them, her hand darting forward to yank the head covering off.