NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 96: You too
In the hall,
"Hmm... Is it a paradise hidden deep within the Elysian Realm? Elysia's paradise? Wow, that's incredible."
Griseo, standing nearby, exclaimed in admiration, clapping her hands to liven up the atmosphere.
"Hmph, that's right. She's quite something—a Herrscher, no less... See? I was spot on from the beginning: a traitor~," Mobius remarked sarcastically, casting a sidelong glance at Elysia before letting out a disdainful snort.
She turned on her heel and went back to the sofa, plopping down into her seat.
"A Herrscher doesn't necessarily mean something bad, Doctor. You're overthinking it, aren't you?~"
"Oh, oh! Does that mean Elysia's authority is about to be revealed? Along with the ultimate secret of the Elysian Realm or something?" Kiana's eyes lit up in excitement.
She had assumed this plotline would take forever to unfold. Could it be she had misjudged the boss this time?
If that were true... well, he still didn't deserve an apology!
Not after making her cry so many times.
"Of course!" Elysia exclaimed proudly, placing her hands on her hips. She quickly glanced at Luo Mo and continued, "I'm not one to drag things out like someone. I'll absolutely explain all the causes and effects... if, of course, everything goes smoothly."
"Smoothly?"
Kiana tilted her head in confusion but remained optimistic, thinking—
What could possibly go wrong in the Elysian Realm?
"Does that mean you're not planning to reveal everything so easily?"
"Exactly. Luo Mo has hidden things even more carefully than I expected~. Perhaps calling it a 'surprise' isn't wrong after all," Elysia said with a soft laugh, her eyes gleaming with a faint light.
Just like in all beautiful fairy tales, she built a grand paradise within her heart. In this Elysian Realm, there was everything she imagined as beautiful.
If it were Mei, Elysia would be more than happy to let her explore this inner world.
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However, Mei found it hard to fully believe Elysia's words.
While Elysia's motives seemed to come from a good place, Mei had read extensive documents and records about the Flame-Chasers, and through her interactions with them, she was shocked to realize that the one she understood the least might be the girl who had been by her side from the very beginning.
The girl who had accompanied her through trials and storms, sheltering her through countless dangers.
In truth, she knew nothing about Elysia.
"'Nothing'? That's not true, you know? We've shared plenty of secrets with each other."
"And... why the Thirteenth Herrscher? Haven't you considered other possibilities? Like aliens, fairies from another world, or... a beautiful maiden passing by?"
Elysia leaned closer to Mei, adorably furrowing her brows. Her gaze wandered upward as if she were genuinely trying to think from Mei's perspective.
And the answer she gave... was distinctly Elysia in style.
"The Thirteenth Herrscher... if I recall correctly, the records of the Previous Era don't contain any concrete information about it."
"A Herrscher with no records left behind... I don't know what could have caused that, but I can't help but think—"
"If it's Elysia, it doesn't seem all that strange."
Mei raised her eyes, her lashes fluttering slightly as she looked down at the shorter Elysia and responded earnestly.
This had always puzzled her. If Elysia were a Herrscher, why was there not a shred of documentation about her? If she wasn't... well, Elysia herself had now admitted to it.
There was no point debating it further.
"Oh my, so that's how you've been seeing me all along?~"
Elysia seemed a little startled. Things not being strange when attributed to her… was that meant to say she was special?
What a roundabout compliment~.
Well, she'd gratefully accept it.
"But still, the atmosphere is just right. Even though you have so many questions, Mei, discussing this in the plaza is risky. It'd be easy for a third party to interrupt us~. You wouldn't want to be interrupted again, would you?"
Mei gave a slight nod, remembering some of the unpleasant incidents that had occurred in the Realm. There had been times when conversations were abruptly cut short by unforeseen interruptions.
"Right, right," Elysia chimed in. She took Mei by the sleeve and led her to higher ground. "Come on, I'll tell you everything—about Elysia, and... about the Thirteenth Herrscher."
Side by side, they walked through the garden maze and the plaza with its spraying fountains.
The hidden path beneath the stone gates offered little surprises, and the changing scenery refreshed their senses. The surrounding flower fragrance and fluttering butterflies, along with the branches gently brushing against their hair, created an enchanting atmosphere.
"That said, thinking about revealing everything to you, Mei, makes my heart race a little," Elysia giggled softly, sharing her feelings.
They spent a long time together, exploring and reminiscing. Along the way, they even encountered some Honkai beasts.
Although they didn't typically attack Elysia, she mentioned this was an unusual occurrence that shouldn't happen so frequently.
Eventually, their path was blocked by a silent white-haired man leaning against the wall.
"Elysia, I respect your choice. But you should've informed us beforehand."
As always, his words were concise, cryptic, and full of riddles.
It also meant Elysia had no choice but to part with Mei, albeit briefly.
"Don't worry, Mei. I'll calm Kevin down and find you soon."
She smiled and waved at Mei, then pushed Kevin into the dense foliage, disappearing from sight.
At this moment, the answers Mei sought seemed closer than ever.
But the future was not something anyone could predict.
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In the Golden Courtyard,
"How strange... Why would Mei say she knows nothing about me? She knows so many of my little secrets," Elysia grumbled, poking her cheek in frustration as she gazed at Mei with a slightly sulky expression, as if Mei had discarded her feelings carelessly.
"...The truth is, you haven't shared what's really important with me, have you? At least not in the moments captured on this screen," Mei sighed, observing her screen self's difficulty in countering Elysia's words.
Elysia always seemed to find the most fitting words to break through her defenses, forcing her to accept Elysia's candid opinions.
"Come on now. Haven't you read my archive in the Elysian Realm? There are so many conversations there."
"Besides, putting that aside... Mei, you already know what I love the most and my true identity. That's something even most of the Flame-Chasers don't know."
Elysia spoke softly, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger as if casually pondering whether to try curling it into a new style.
The thing she loved most... Mei considered this for a moment, unsure of what Elysia meant.
Until... she noticed Elysia's gaze flick upward. Her head? No way... it couldn't be that.
Mei's expression darkened as she silently closed her eyes.
The power of the Herrscher of Thunder hadn't fully receded, leaving one horn still visible. Recently, she had preferred to display two horns for the sake of appearances, claiming it suited her love for cosplay.
But of course, Elysia's favorite thing would be her horns.
"Hmm... I really didn't expect Sister Elysia to be a Herrscher. That's amazing. No wonder I could never see the color of her inner world," adult Griseo said with a look of sudden realization.
"That has nothing to do with it. Griseo can clearly see my color," Mei retorted, turning her gaze to the older Griseo with curiosity.
"Hmm... Sister Mei's color is a beautiful purple," Griseo said with a smile.
It seemed that, at the very least, she had become more talkative as she grew up, Mei thought to herself.
"Griseo, what about me? What about me?" Kiana raised her hand.
"It's the orange-red of flames," little Griseo said softly.
"In that orange-red, there's a strand of… hmm, purple? No, not quite… purplish-black? It's so strange." This was adult Griseo's answer. She furrowed her brows at her younger self as if struggling to argue against some element of the color.
Chaotic and lightless, yet encompassing everything.
"Hmm—?" Little Griseo shifted her gaze, her eyes resting on Kiana for a while. She pursed her lips and said, "Kiana-sis's color has changed..."
"Oh, the color of flames? I like it a lot," Kiana replied with a smile. But the colors Griseo described as unclear? She had been deeply aware of them these past few days.
Her strength had improved significantly, but she couldn't quite articulate the nature of this newfound power. Her authority had grown stronger, too.
For the first time, she felt she truly understood what her elder sister had once said. That day, her sister had been lifting weights, sweat dripping, when she turned her head and, to Kiana's surprise, said, "Power? You can't just gain it through sheer effort."
Alright, now Kiana had to admit there was some truth in those words.
Could it actually be real?
But after witnessing the battle involving the four from the recording, she realized she was still far from their level. Even reaching them wouldn't be enough; what they were meant to surpass—was Finality.
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With Elysia preoccupied discussing matters with Kevin, Mei still had a lot of questions she wanted answers to. However, since Elysia had promised a definitive response, there was no need to rush.
If this place indeed held all the answers, perhaps it would be better to search for them herself.
And while at it, she could see if the other Flame-Chasers had any clues. Kevin's appearance likely meant the others would be here as well.
Eventually, she deciphered the labyrinth's path out, though it seemed more like the maze was never meant to trap outsiders, merely serving as an innocent decoration.
Ascending to a high platform, Mei found herself overlooking the garden—and there stood Kosma.
He leaned against the railing, quietly gazing at the picturesque garden bathed in the glow of the setting sun. It was a serene, eternal paradise, carrying all the beauty he could only wish for but never possess in his memories.
When he noticed Mei, their eyes met. For a moment, the air felt awkward.
"…"
"Although this seems common for you, I must remind you, Kosma," Mei said earnestly, "standard communication relies on words, not just expressions."
"I was just…" The green-haired youth hesitated to explain himself. Thoughts swirled in his mind, but in the end, they condensed into an unspoken silence. "...Forget it."
"…"
Mei was about to leave. Regardless of how much information he might have, he did seem to have inherited Kevin's habitual reticence.
She still wasn't good at interacting with him—unless Pardo happened to be around or she managed to decipher the book Pardo had given her.
"...Wait, did Elysia do that to you too?"
Mei paused in surprise, turning back to look at him. His gaze shifted upward, lingering subtly at an oddly specific angle where…
"...She did that to you too?"
"It's inevitable. Don't mind it too much; it happens to everyone," Kosma replied, resting his head in his hand with a sigh, his fatigue barely concealed.
For a moment, Mei found herself understanding what Kosma was trying to say, even without reading the book he had given her. It was just a moment of shared empathy between two kindred souls.