Months later, Fire Moth.
Inside the counseling room, Elias sat in Aponia's chair and said, "Sigh, I kind of regret bringing you three back from Dusk Street back then. Can't you save me some trouble?"
In his hand was a thick stack of reports. The more he read, the deeper his frown became. Aponia, on the other hand, knelt honestly before him, head lowered like a nun confessing her sins.
Ever since Elias had brought Aponia, Kalpas, and Pardo from Dusk Street, his peaceful days had ended.
First, the number of violent private fights in the base skyrocketed. Solving them was simple, though—the main culprit, Kalpas, was now embedded into the ground.
(Kalpas: "Pain… more…")
Next, theft incidents had also surged. True, only cheap items like lighters, instant noodles, and cups had gone missing, but punishment was still necessary.
Pardo's little treasury had already been fully confiscated.
(Pardo: "Waaah, my treasure hoard!")
Compared to Aponia, however, those two were still the lesser headache.
Smack!
Elias slammed the report down onto the table.
Aponia's body trembled at once.
Her chest—enormous enough to rival a J-cup slime—jiggled, but even so, no matter how easygoing this moth might seem, Elias had no intention of forgiving her this time.
(Elias: "Don't think having a big chest and a pretty face gives you license to do whatever you want. This time, I'll have to punish this foolish nun severely!")
"Aponia. I'll ask, you'll answer." Elias' voice was cold.
"…Yes."
"Five days ago, you used [Discipline] to make a soldier publicly post his browsing history and entire private collection on Fire Moth's internal forum. Why did you do something so cruel?!"
"He said he was an introvert, but longed for others to know him better. He hoped I could help him display his true self openly."
Aponia answered with innocent sincerity.
"So you helped him by exposing his browsing history?! Do you realize that guy has already applied to leave Earth for the lunar base?!"
Elias rolled his eyes and smacked the desk hard. Good grief, one moment of "extroversion," a lifetime of self-isolation. That poor soldier was now socially dead, too ashamed to remain on Earth.
And this wasn't just social suicide—it was forcing him to watch himself commit it under [Discipline]!
Elias could hardly imagine the despair of watching his own hand unwillingly post that browsing history. In the Current Era, someone like him could've turned into a Herrscher on the spot.
"Forget it. Next incident! Because of your [Discipline], a medic, when facing an Emperor-class Honkai Beast, charged straight at it with… a defibrillator?"
"He said he was too cowardly, his legs gave out every mission. He wanted me to grant him the courage to face any hardship head-on, never retreating."
"He's just a medic, not a combat medic! And Kevin, standing in front of him, wasn't even dead yet. What was the point of zapping an Emperor-class Honkai Beast with a defibrillator?! That's not courage, that's brain damage!"
"…I'm sorry."
Elias crumpled the report into a ball and threw it squarely at Aponia's head.
(Kalpas: "Nice one!")
"Hhh… phew!"
Elias took a few deep breaths, glaring at the obedient moth kneeling before him, his blood pressure spiking.
"Then what about this! Aponia, you used [Discipline] to completely mold a man's and a woman's minds into mine and Elysia's likeness."
The first two cases he could still tolerate. But this one crossed the line.
It even brushed against his bottom line.
In some ways, this was worse than Mobius. At least the snake's experiments only touched the body—but this moth was outright toying with human will.
"…It was their request as well. Those two said they were too filthy and negative, so they wished to become as radiant and beautiful as you and Elysia."
Aponia showed an expression of sorrowful repentance.
The two who had begged her were timid, weak, and unattractive—yet they were survivors Elias and Elysia had once saved during a Honkai incident.
From that day on, they had worshiped Elias and Elysia completely. They joined Fire Moth in hopes of drawing closer to them, but… Elias and Ely's brilliance was far too dazzling.
Handsome, beautiful, strong, kind, brave, free… it seemed every word humanity had ever invented to describe goodness could be used on Elias and Elysia.
The more they worshiped them, the more those two felt they themselves were wretched and unworthy. Yet the more unworthy they felt, the more they longed to become Elias and Elysia. In the end, they turned to Aponia.
They begged her to use [Discipline] to reshape their minds into that of the white-haired boy and the Pink Elf. Incidentally, the man became Elysia, while the woman became Elias…
"Aponia, can you really not tell what should and shouldn't be done?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't think the result would turn out that way."
"Sigh~ I really don't know what to say to you."
Elias let out a long sigh. He truly had the urge to educate this nun harshly. Even Dark Seele wasn't this good at causing trouble.
The endings of those two whose minds had been reshaped into Elias and Elysia were far from good.
The latter had sought out Honkai Beasts on her own, declaring she would avenge her family and drive the Honkai from this world—only to be nearly killed by a mere Chariot-class mosquito.
The former went around every day trying to spread warmth to others, but in the end couldn't persist. Now he had developed severe social phobia, becoming a true recluse.
"…I'm sorry. I realize my mistake now."
Aponia lowered her head even further.
"Ordinary people don't have the abilities you and Elysia possess. Even if I used [Discipline] to give them your mindset, the difference in spirit, in strength, and in so many other aspects would still prevent them from achieving the same greatness as you. So I thought I should…"
"Wrong! Completely wrong!"
Elias couldn't bear it anymore. He vaulted over the desk, pushed Aponia to the ground, and locked his dazzling golden eyes on hers as he corrected her.
"This isn't a matter of whether they can achieve it—it's a matter of it not being allowed! Everyone's thoughts are unique. Aponia, you cannot use [Discipline] to turn others into copies of me or Elysia. That's killing their very selves."
Even if they could not become heroes like him, those two could still strive to become better versions of themselves.
But Aponia's [Discipline] had robbed them of their own reason and direction, making them into shadows of Elias and Elysia… and poor imitations at that.
Even if it had been their request—
Aponia should have refused.
"…I'm sorry, Elias. I thought… I could change their fate like you do."
The boy's voice struck her heart like a heavy hammer. The nun who lived by [Discipline] finally realized her error. Her nails dug into her palms as tears of repentance welled in her eyes.
"..."
Elias silently rose from Aponia's body. He had already realized what the moth's problem was.
After gaining the powers of [Discipline] and [Future Sight], and witnessing cases of Elias changing people's fates, Aponia's heart had ignited with hope. She believed that now, with her newfound strength, she too could defy destiny.
But that was impossible.
Because Elias was a traveler from another world, a special existence. To accommodate him, this world had to rewrite all predetermined fates based on his actions.
But Aponia was different. She had no such ability to override fate. Even if she could observe the future, she had no power to change it.
It was a truly tragic matter.
Heaven had given Aponia a heart of compassion—
But not the power to save.
Thus, she could only watch as tragedies unfolded. Whenever she tried to change them, it would inevitably lead to even worse outcomes—this was the torment fate inflicted upon her.
Aponia was a prisoner of fate. Her kindness would always turn into misfortune. She could do nothing.
"From now on, you're not allowed to do such things on your own again."
"Yes, I will never do it again…"
Once Elias understood, he sighed. His anger toward Aponia had already faded. He would never stay angry at someone with a heart full of goodwill—his fury was reserved for damned fate itself.
Aponia sat up from the ground, her eyes filled with loss and sorrow, lamenting her inability to change anything.
"I know now… that I can't do anything at all…"
Yet just as she said this—
"That's not necessarily true."
"Eh?"
Elias extended his hand toward the nun still kneeling on the floor. It was as though an angel had descended beside a guilty sister, granting her forgiveness.
"Aponia, since you can't change fate, then let me change it instead." Elias smiled, pulling her up from the cold floor.
"What?" Aponia was stunned.
"From now on, tell me the fates you see. Then, through my hands, I'll rewrite them all."
This was an idea Elias had suddenly thought of—a clever shortcut.
Aponia could see the future, but could not defy fate's correction. He, on the other hand, was the opposite.
He had the hands capable of ignoring fate's corrections and altering destiny, but lacked the eyes to see all possible futures.
After all, Mihoyo hadn't recorded every single detail of the Previous Era, so Elias could only change the fates of the Flame-Chasers, not those beyond them.
But now…
"From this day on, Aponia, you'll be my eyes, and I'll be your hands. I'll rewrite every tragedy you see. Let's work together."
Elias spoke to Aponia with heartfelt sincerity.
At that moment, the sun, hidden behind white clouds, reappeared. Its light shone down upon the boy, making him look radiant and divine.
"Ah…"
Aponia froze. She gazed at him in awe, her eyes brimming with emotion and reverence.
"So it can be like this after all… Elias, thank you. I would gladly become your eyes."
In that instant, she felt as though the cage of fate imprisoning her had cracked. A pure white dove had flown before her, bringing hope and salvation.
"Good."
Elias nodded with satisfaction.
"But, to prevent you from causing trouble again by turning good intentions into harm, I'll have to set some restrictions on you. After all, Aponia, you don't want your [Discipline] to create worse outcomes again, do you?"
He reached out and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes.
"You're right. That should be so. I understand. Then Elias, please restrain me."
Aponia agreed without hesitation. The chains of fate only brought her pain and despair—but if the chains came from Elias, she would willingly be bound.
Elias raised a brow. Why did that sound a little off?
"Ahem! Then place [Discipline] on yourself. The condition will be… from now on, you may only use [Discipline] with my permission. How about it?"
"No problem. Let's do it."
It was a restriction that would bind her strongest ability. But Aponia longed for it.
She now understood that she was a prisoner of fate who could achieve nothing. When guided by her own will, [Discipline] often brought only disastrous results.
But if she obeyed Elias' command, [Discipline] would surely be used in the best way.
However—
Just as Aponia was about to bind herself with the restriction, she casually glanced at her fate.
"Sorry, Elias, it seems I can't agree to that request." Aponia suddenly went back on her word.
"Hm? Why?"
Elias was stunned, puzzled. But Aponia only shook her head without explaining and said instead:
"Can I change it to another [Discipline]?"
"…What do you want to change it to?"
Elias frowned, both confused and a little unaccustomed—after all, it had been a long time since anyone had gone against his words.
But in the next second, Aponia's answer made him widen his eyes in shock, almost thinking he had misheard.
"Mm~ Then let it be this: from now on, I will obey your every command—how about that [Discipline]?"
"Uh, are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious."
Aponia smiled, gripping Elias' hands tightly, as though to show that she was speaking from her heart—though Elias only felt his hands hurt.
Yet more than the pain in his hands, Elias was deeply shocked. Total obedience to his commands? Was she serious? He looked her up and down.
Seeing the woman before him—who could only be described as an unrivaled beauty, a living temptation—Elias couldn't help but have those kinds of thoughts. Wasn't this basically offering herself up to him?
"I'll put my full strength into applying this [Discipline]. Once I do, I probably won't even be able to undo it myself. But that's what a true restriction should be."
Aponia's calm voice sealed her own path.
Elias' gaze grew complicated.
"I suggest you think it over again. If you really do this, then from now on I'll be the chain binding everything about you. You'll never be able to defy me again."
"And what's the problem with that?"
Aponia tilted her head in puzzlement.
"I feel like you're tempting me, Aponia. You should understand your own charm. After you impose this [Discipline], if I were to have improper thoughts about you, have you considered what the consequences would be?"
Elias put his hands on his hips, face serious.
His expression all but said—Don't tempt me. I can't take the temptation. Your figure is too dangerous!
He was a man of high moral standards, someone who would never harm others outside of enemies—let alone his comrades. But if Aponia were to offer herself up this way…
With her allure, Elias felt it would be all too easy for him to break his moral bottom line and turn into a beast.
Aponia's cheeks flushed red. She looked somewhat delighted.
"Thank you for the reminder, Elias. But I don't think I have charm like Elysia and the others. And… if it can bring you comfort and happiness, I'm willing to accept it."
"Have you really thought it through?"
"Yes. I will never regret this decision."
As she said this, Aponia closed her eyes and began.
"[Please], let me forever obey your commands, Elias. Let me be your eyes to glimpse the future, your partner to change fate—and let me accept all of you."
In the next moment, it was as if invisible chains wrapped around her hands, feet, chest, and heart. The [Discipline]—now eternal and irrevocable—was complete.
Yet Aponia revealed a smile of relief, as though freed. She smiled at Elias.
"Now, Elias, please try giving me a command. Any command will do."