In the Golden courtyard.
Seeing Elysia finally appear in the last scene, the Flame-Chasers couldn't help but sigh in relief—especially Vill-V. This was exactly the ending she had predicted.
Elysia's final performance hadn't failed.
Otherwise, wouldn't that have been a disgrace to her title of "Great Magician"?
"Speaking of which… do you think… that I can still return to the expectations I had been waiting for?"
Elysia tilted her clever little head, thoughts spinning with whimsical ideas, as if she needed a lovely fairy girl's magical touch to heal her heart.
She was wondering—could there really be such a person in a world of limits, who was waiting for her? Was that much loneliness real?
"What are you thinking about? Haven't you noticed? That 'you' already exists in Raiden Mei's heart—it's an imprint her memories brought forth."
Mobius said with a hint of irritation.
Was the other party really unsure whether she herself even existed?
All that talk about the distance between worlds, between the authority of Genesis and the power of Origin … And Vill-V's exact role in this? Still unclear.
It might not even matter at all.
She couldn't help but feel a little bitter in her heart.
"Soo~… you're saying Mei's longing for me is what brought me back? What a wonderfully romantic excuse~ ♪"
Instead of being troubled, Elysia's face lit up with delight. This kind of "excuse" shot straight into her heart.
When both people yearn for and strive toward each other, they can meet again—can't they?
"But… this outfit… even I find it a bit unfamiliar."
She gazed nostalgically at the image on the screen—herself, in grand formalwear. From an outsider's perspective, she really did look beautiful!
"That's the Herrscher of Elysia's attire. Back when Luo Mo entered the Elysium Realm, I saw it once."
Eden lounged on the sofa, her eyes full of subtle meaning.
Of course, that first time she'd seen it was at the very end of the banquet, and Elysia… had hidden that little secret very well.
"Yes… originally I thought I'd never again have the chance to appear in such grand attire, but because they painted the appearance of my 'Sacred Silver'…"
Elysia sighed in reminiscence.
She still believed that was one of the greatest magical surprises she had ever received, one that allowed her to personally witness the beautiful stories of future generations.
Those Herrschers who chose to live by human ways—she would see those fleeting moments of beauty with her own eyes upon this blessed land.
Still, if Luo Mo would agree to remove that strange "Ei's church," she'd be even more grateful to him—after all, that would surely raise the Pink Fairy Lady's favorability score ♪~
Also—absolutely, absolutely—never say anything about liking to watch pretty girls cry quietly.
If someone said something like that… she'd just have to put them into a sack of her favorite color ♪!
No protests. Resistance is futile!
----
Inside the game.
"So it really is you… Elysia."
Mei's eyes lit up with unrestrained joy. She stepped forward, unable to hide her excitement, carefully taking in this beautiful face—slightly different from the one in her memories.
It truly… was her.
Even though the clothes she wore now were different from what Mei remembered, that dazzlingly bright face was unmistakable. It was Elysia—the one and only Elysia.
Her voice reached Elysia's ears, calling out, at last, the truth.
She answered this long-awaited call—after all, she had once said she would never lie…
"The new generation Herrscher, Raiden Mei—is it you who's calling me?"
Elysia smiled gently, her tone like that of a narrator, slowly reciting the prelude to their meeting—like the start of a hero's journey in a fairy tale.
"Fate has bound you and I together… all the way to this final place."
But this was not what Raiden Mei had wanted to see.
"Elysia…"
Hearing Elysia address her so formally—so unlike usual—Mei felt a wave of confusion for the first time.
A creeping panic rose in her heart. She feared that the change she sensed meant the truth—could it be that Elysia… truly didn't remember her?
"What's wrong, new Herrscher?"
"I… is that so… I…"
She tried to accept this reality, but the shift from hope to disappointment in her heart was something she couldn't control—her emotions sank.
"What is it? Your expression… looks so sad."
"No… it's nothing…"
"…Pfft."
Just as she tried to come to terms with it—the fact that the girl before her was not the one from her memories, but someone entirely new—
The pink-haired girl before her suddenly burst into laughter, like the ringing of silver bells. She shook with mirth, unable to stop smiling.
"Hahaha—ahh, I've always wanted to try looking at you like that!"
"So, Mei—were you startled?"
She wiped the tears from her eyes, but the smile on her face could not be suppressed no matter what.
"…Haha, yes—that's the Elysia I know."
The tension in Mei's face suddenly melted away. Looking at this adorable, mischievous girl before her, she felt the scenery brighten, and joy bloomed in her heart.
"Ah? Are you that happy? Of course… there's no real difference ♪~"
"Of course—if we don't go with such a romantic explanation… I'm not truly here. I'm just a projection of the Origin Authority in your heart."
"But precisely because of that—Mei understands—that it's the whole of Elysia, merged together like a miracle, that you're seeing."
"So that's how it is…"
A weight lifted from Mei's heart, and she smiled in understanding.
----
[O-oh, Elysia, you're done for!]
[Please don't do that again. My heart couldn't handle it]
[In an instant, I understand why Otto wanted to bring back his Kallen—without the memories of traveling together, would the person before him truly be the one he yearned for?]
[Elysia—attending the banquet in all her splendor. That one and only time… was it just like this?]
----
In the Recording Room.
"Why is it like this…!"
"Mei—are you letting a bad woman take control of the pace? You can't let her lead you like that!"
Kiana couldn't help but protest. Dammit, the other party really knew exactly what to do.
If this went on, if this kept going… another legendary painting-level scene would be born—and she didn't want that!
"Ah, I thought… maybe this wasn't the same Elysia from the Elysium Realm."
Mei let out a faint chuckle. Her mood seemed to rise and fall along with what she saw on the screen, just like the other "hers" she was watching. If, after putting in so much effort, the ending still wasn't a happy one… she could imagine the bittersweet, complicated feelings that would follow.
Thankfully, this was nothing more than one of Elysia's mischievous little pranks.
"I can only say, that's exactly the kind of thing Elysia would do—cracking a joke right when everyone's tense to lighten the mood. Completely fits how I imagine her."
The Herrscher of Sentience cursed under her breath, but her relieved expression betrayed her. For all her tough talk, she had been just as nervous a moment ago.
"Mei~"
"Alright, Kiana, try to have at least a little faith in me for now."
Mei felt that her Herrscher of Thunder form was something truly worth anticipating. After all, even before awakening to the will of the Stigmata, she had earned the title of "Queen of Thunder." And yet, people had grown used to thinking of her only as the gentle one who cooked.
In a way, that was what felt abnormal.
"This outfit on Elysia looks amazing—honestly, it's even prettier than what most Herrschers wear after transforming."
Luo Mo didn't miss the chance to give praise.
The way she looked now was a rare sight indeed. Elysia always claimed this was "formal attire" that she would only wear to the most elegant occasions. In truth, it was her Herrscher of Human form's attire—something that might once have reminded her she wasn't actually human at all.
Of course, now, it had become possible for Herrschers to even compare whose outfit looked better.
Still, most of the other Herrschers in the room here didn't see it as a contest worth having. They simply cast looks at Luo Mo with full of quiet resentment.
---
In the game.
"So, this isn't the Elysian Realm, and it isn't the Stigma's inner world either. This is… my own Herrscher core."
Mei spoke after calming down.
Yet, looking at the pink-haired girl before her, she couldn't help but want to talk to her.
"What I just experienced… it was the process of the Origin's power merging with me… wasn't it?"
"Oooh, full marks on that answer!"
"Looks like after that little 'baptism' in the Elysian Realm, Mei's turned into quite the ace detective ♪~"
From the way she spoke, it was obvious Elysia understood how many puzzles were hidden in the Realm. But Mei had kept searching there, learning to find clues in the smallest details.
That, after all, was the essential quality to graduate from the Elysian Realm.
"Technically speaking, Vill-V only left a backdoor…"
"Mei, you've been tricked ♪~"
"Before you even went looking, the Origin's power had already been asleep for fifty thousand years."
"This is both a prelude and the herald of a new voice—the starting point for everything that has happened and everything yet to come."
"The backdoor Vill-V left behind used your legacy and memories to awaken that sleeping miracle."
"With that hope… the Herrscher of Origin, who no longer truly existed, could once more appear deep within your soul."
"In other words, Mei has already experienced this story from another perspective… hasn't she?"
She was clearly referring to Mei's earlier questions about why the Origin didn't seem to have its own trials. For Mei, those trials had already been reflected in her real-life experiences.
Every step she had taken was part of her journey toward the Origin.
"As long as Mei remembers us, this story will never disappear."
Elysia stepped closer, looking straight into her eyes.
"See? I really didn't lie to you… did I?"
"…Mm."
"But still, this really was a genuine, once-in-a-lifetime miracle—not even Vill-V could have predicted it…"
"And the only reason it happened… must be because Mei really wanted to see me! Isn't that right?"
Hands on her hips, she wore a triumphant smile. In those bright pink eyes, Mei thought she could see her own reflection—just like how she had once used her own eyes as a mirror.
Now, she could see herself reflected in Elysia's gaze.
"I've always… really wanted to see you again."
Mei said it plainly, like an arrow shot straight to the heart.
It made Elysia's face flush red. She fanned herself in mock distress, but there was no hiding it.
"O-Oh wow… Mei, you've gotten bolder since the last time we met! That's against the rules!"
Elysia covered her face with both hands, but through her fingers, her bright eyes kept peeking at Mei. There wasn't a trace of her usual composure left.
If Mei could've borrowed just one line from Bronya right now, it would have been: 'Elysia, nothing more needs to be said.' And it would've been a perfect hit.
Unfortunately, she hadn't learned that golden phrase from the Herrscher of Reason.
The conversation that followed was like the chatter of two girls at a tea party. But then—bang bang!—Elysia clapped her hands, and the scenery shifted again.
The starry expanse above them turned into the warm orange glow of lamplight, spilling across a cozy sofa. A table sat between them, and Elysia was now back in the attire Mei remembered from the Elysian Realm—the battle uniform Eden had refitted from Fire Moth's old design.
"Bang bang~! Elysia magic! Better than Vill-V's tricks, right?"
"If it were Vill-V's magic, we'd probably be on Mars or somewhere like that right now."
Mei chuckled helplessly.
Looking around at the familiar scene, she couldn't help but feel at ease.
At first, she had arrived here full of caution. But the more she explored the Elysian Realm, the more friends she made, the more it began—without her realizing—to feel like a second home. A place that had given her a different kind of peace.
The Elysian Realm's grand hall, the Flame-Chasers' meeting room… and most often, the place where she saw Elysia.
The clink of teacups and saucers rang softly, steam curling lazily in the air, adding a refined touch to their quiet conversation.
They spoke freely, with nothing to hide. Mei told Elysia about the state of all the Herrschers in the current era.
"Oooh, Kiana… what a brave girl! And just from Mei's description, I can tell she's adorable."
"But to argue with a girl like that, Mei—that's so mean!"
Elysia pouted, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach.
"…I know. That's why we've sincerely made up now."
Mei replied, a bit embarrassed. Thankfully, she hadn't thrown away such a precious companion over it.
"Bronya's amazing too. Choosing to become a Herrscher on her own… In our time, that's something we wouldn't even dare imagine."
"And then there's your class monitor, Hua. Such a long, long life… so many storms weathered—and yet, you can't sum her up with just the name 'flower' anymore."
Elysia's voice softened as she said Hua's name, as if she were savoring the stories behind it. Stories of sadness, of happiness—all of it now a part of her memory. That once-lost flower had found the meaning of its existence.
She gently recalled the name "Pardofelis," as if savoring the experiences and stories behind it — ones with both sorrow and joy. All of them had long become part of her memories. Even that confused flower eventually found the meaning of her own existence.
Elysia couldn't help but show two tiny dimples on her cheeks, speaking with a pleasant smile.
"And there's also that Herrscher of Sentience—
hahaha, I really want to meet her again!"
"As for the Herrscher of the Void, Herrscher of the Wind, and the Herrscher of Ice, Herrscher of Dominance… even the Herrscher of Corruption…"
Her gaze dimmed slightly, but the undying candlelight within her eyes still flickered.
She thought to herself — she had done well enough. And she was truly happy to hear these stories — the beautiful tales that had blossomed after she was gone, making the world an even lovelier place.
"It's such a pity… They all ended up, in different ways, standing opposite to humanity…"
"But even their malice and hatred still came from a human source. Compared to those ancient Herrschers from eras past, they were no longer hollow puppets controlled by the Honkai."
Mei reassured her softly.
"Thank you for telling me all this. To hear that the new generation has changed… it makes me very happy."
The girl with the "True Self" stigma showed her joy without any restraint. Her smile curved gently as she savored the stories of her fellow Herrschers.
It was good — they had been able to make their own choices.
----
["Quarrel" — refers to domestic violence, a heated fight]
[She still longed for a time when Herrschers and humans could coexist… even if she would never see the dawn of that day herself]
[Elysia, let me take you to meet someone — she's interesting! The most interesting Herrscher, you could say]
[Such stories exist… because of you]
...