That word 'again' was very clever. No one mentioned her Herrscher identity, and it was beyond the scope of rationality. At least, that was the case for the people in the Golden Courtyard.
They completely trusted Elysia's humanity and Ryan's judgment. Since the two of them came back together, there was no need to ask anything or say anything.
Ryan also let out a long sigh of relief when he saw the smiles reappear on everyone's faces. This was enough for him. Even if he calmed down and thought about it, the possibility of Elysia acting still existed.
But as a gambler, he placed his bet on this table without hesitation.
'This is good. If there's a problem, I'll just solve it.'
"You put on a straight face to deliberately scare me? Seeing how you played along, I'll let it slide this time." Kalpas approached him and snorted heavily, which made Ryan a little confused.
'I've always had this expression. How did I scare you?'
He didn't bother with Kalpas. He looked at the table full of food and knew what the heroes were waiting for.
"Let's eat. The food's getting cold."
"That's right, that's right. I'm starving. Let's eat." Elysia let go of Eden and quickly sat down. She then waved to the others who were in a daze, "Come on and eat. Why are you all looking at me?"
The few of them exchanged helpless glances. It seemed they were overthinking it. Elysia was never one to wear a mask, and it seemed she didn't have any mental burden.
When everyone sat down, Eden quietly pulled Ryan aside.
"Thank you. Elysia is my best friend."
They were all good friends, but there was still a difference in closeness. Eden and Elysia were undoubtedly the closest, almost inseparable.
"It's nothing. Elysia is my best friend too."
"Better than Mobius?"
This question choked Ryan and made him unable to answer. He thought to himself that this rich woman could be mischievous sometimes. But before he could answer, Eden leaned in and whispered in his ear:
"I'll thank you properly."
After she said that, she went to sit next to Elysia.
'How will you reward me? Can I choose?'
Ryan scratched his ear, which was a little itchy, and then walked over and sat in an empty seat, feeling very good.
Today, he had completed a major task. The people in the Golden Courtyard were all very happy. Even Kalpas ate two more bowls of rice. Except for Rin and Griseo, who were completely unaware, the others finally had a weight lifted from their hearts.
From now on, they didn't have to do anything but follow Ryan's arrangements.
Even though the hidden danger had not been solved yet.
After dinner, Ryan held the hot tea that Sakura had personally handed to him, and he had the potato chips that Pardo had given him in his arms. His eyes were fixed on the TV screen, but his brain never stopped working.
He completely believed Elysia, but he knew that some of the things she said were correct.
Without an origin, there could be no end. He guessed that it was Elysia's choice to use her life to push fate forward that made Honkai nervous. It would abandon its embrace and restart the world at all costs.
It was like a critical hit that triggered a certain instinct.
To solve this problem, he had to find a way to do it himself. Making Honkai nervous didn't necessarily require Elysia's life. When he grew up, he could achieve the same effect.
'You're already more than a tenth of the Abyss.'
This was what Vita said. The information she revealed was very important and gave Ryan a general idea.
'I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush.' In a way, protecting Elysia also had its advantages. Even though he had made a lot of preparations now, the certainty was still too low.
Ryan rubbed the rim of the cup with his finger. The current situation was different from the original timeline. He really didn't need to rush to fight the end. A delay within a certain range would be very beneficial.
Mobius's research had not yet produced results. The 'Wandering Humanity' Plan had just begun. Ryan still needed time, so this was not just a matter of personal preference, forgetting about the important things for a girl.
"I'm a little short. I have to do it at my own pace. I have to assume the enemy is a complete end and make my plans accordingly."
Ryan had a general idea in his heart. First, he set a small goal:
To eliminate the Herrscher of Binding with the least amount of cost. Her authority would be an important part of the plan. Just as he had to kill the Herrscher of Blood at all costs, a plan was made up of one key point after another. At least he had successfully passed the key point of the Herrscher of Blood.
He didn't know what kind of hand the Herrscher of Binding would play, but he could guess that she had a trump card and wouldn't let him achieve his wishes easily. According to the information Mei had gathered, the South American continent was almost a magic den. Cleaning it up inch by inch was not part of the plan, and it would cause unacceptable casualties.
"It seems that I still have to let the Herrscher act first, otherwise the casualties will be high no matter what."
Dong.
Just as he was thinking, Ryan's thoughts were interrupted by a muffled thud. He subconsciously looked up and saw a bottle of red wine on the table. Eden, who was wearing a black V-neck slip dress with a purple-red shawl over her shoulders, was staring at him. The others were all gone.
"I'm sorry, did I interrupt your thoughts?" The girl had an elegant smile and placed two crystal wine glasses on the table.
"No. I can think anytime. It doesn't matter." Ryan's nose moved. He smelled the strong aroma of the wine, "Where are Sakura and Elysia?"
It was late at night, and most people were sleeping, but he had just seen those two.
"Sakura went to tell stories to the children, and she also has to work overtime. I heard there's a lot of work."
The slightly teasing look made Ryan's old face flush. He hated those miscellaneous tasks the most.
"Ahem, it seems that I'm not a very qualified Commander. Mei isn't here, so I'm leaving everything to Sakura."
"On the contrary, you're very qualified. Some things can be done by others, but some things can only be done by you." Eden's flattery was still so comfortable. She poured the golden-red liquid into the glass, a smile on the corners of her mouth, "You see, Elysia slept very peacefully tonight. She fell asleep just a few minutes after I held her, which is a full five minutes faster than usual."
'Only five minutes faster?' It seems I underestimated Elysia's psychological resilience. She really doesn't hold grudges in her heart.
Ryan didn't know what to say. He leaned forward, picked up the wine glass, and shook it in his hand. After taking a sip, his eyes lit up.
"Good wine. The aroma is very rich, and the aftertaste is very long."
"'Golden Wine' eighty years aged. There are only two bottles in the world. I bought them at an auction. I never had the heart to drink it." Eden also took a sip. Her fair skin turned rosy at a visible speed, "I'm very happy today, so I should take it out and drink it with a confidant."
Ryan didn't drink much, but he knew that this stuff must be very expensive, so he drank it even more carefully.
"Where's the other bottle?"
"It's also in my hands, but that bottle is even more precious. I have to take it out on an even happier occasion."
'Happier than now?'
Ryan hesitated for a moment and didn't continue to ask. He saw that after Eden had a glass of wine, her fair skin turned pink. Her rounded shoulders and her faintly visible deep cleavage gave off a unique temptation.
She was mature and elegant, and every look was captivating.
But her alcohol tolerance was a little too poor. He remembered that Eden was a very good drinker. He thought for a while and then understood. Eden was just like him, a person who drank according to her mood. She could be a thousand cups without getting drunk, or she could be a little tipsy after one.
The key was who she was drinking with.
"I should have prepared two side dishes." Ryan refilled her glass and propped his chin with his hand, "Why did you come to me for a drink today?"
Eden shook her wine glass with one hand and rubbed the table with the other. Her bangs covered half of her face, and only her elegant smile could be seen: "I've been too busy recently, and I saw you traveling all over the world. Even in Rose Valley, I was worried about Elysia. I'm just relieved all of a sudden. Besides, have you been too cold to me lately?"
Her tone was unhurried. Ryan, who was tasting the wine, felt a full, sour taste, just like this golden wine. He was a little embarrassed when she pointed it out to his face.
He had been busy for the past few months, and he even went to the Sea of Quanta. His spare time was basically drained by Mobius and Hua. These two were constantly monitoring each other, and even when he went to the bathroom, there would be one of them lurking not far away. The others would naturally avoid them awkwardly.
"You can't blame me for that."
"I know. Mobius and Hua are a little at odds and are overly vigilant."
"You saw that?"
"I've known it for a long time. Mobius probably took the initiative, and then she couldn't help but show off. That girl Hua is very stubborn. Getting into a fight with her is not a good thing. Just on the point of 'not giving up', Hua is the most determined one among us, she's unyielding."
"And Mobius is mature in many ways, and she's not young, but she has spent most of her time on scientific research and has no research on emotional topics. In this aspect, Hua has more of an advantage. At least she has the guts to ask others for advice, like me and Aponia."
Eden spoke gently, which made Ryan full of admiration. Elysia said that Eden had never been in a relationship, so what's with this 'teacher' demeanor?
"You... used to be a player?"
"What's a player? Oh, no. But many people wanted to spread rumors about me." When Eden heard that, perhaps the alcohol was getting to her, her face turned even redder.
"Then why do you know more than I do?"
"Your time is spent more on fighting, so it's normal that you don't know. As for me? Maybe I've acted in too many movies about this, so I seem to have a talent for it."
'Bragging. I've watched action movies from all over the world and studied all kinds of poses in depth. How can I be so famous for nothing?'
Ryan didn't dare to show off his glorious history of learning, so he skipped the topic. He couldn't possibly ask Eden:
'How can I get all of you without getting hurt?'
Not only would it make him look shameless, but how would he maintain his cold demeanor in the future? But since the topic was already right there, he had to ask a few questions.
"It just so happens that Mobius and Hua didn't come back this time. Can you analyze why?"
"I'm going to charge you for this." Eden wrinkled her nose, and pointed upstairs with her long finger, "It's all because of a certain little pink pig who's sleeping soundly. I'm very happy that Mobius and Hua have us in their eyes besides you."
Ryan was enlightened. No wonder when he left, Mobius deliberately hid in the lab. So that's how it was. She chose the latter between selfishness and righteousness.
When he figured this out, some of his worries disappeared all at once. He thought to himself that even his harem could be so harmonious and friendly. He was truly a master.
"Thank you, Teacher Eden, for your guidance." Ryan gave her a good nod, and Eden became embarrassed instead.
"How can I be your teacher? I just happen to be an outsider." Eden, who was sitting on the floor, tucked her two smooth legs together and hugged her knees, "But I still have to collect my payment. How about you play your favorite song for me?"
Ryan was stunned. He moved his gaze away from her fair and rosy feet. She really got him on this one. As his personal composer, he had a lot of songs to copy, but Eden specifically added the adjective 'favorite'.
This didn't stump him. A bold idea suddenly came to his mind. Maybe he could solve Elysia's identity perception problem.
"I'll write a song for you. How about we take this opportunity to collaborate on a concert? We can get everyone involved."
This payment was a little too much. Even Eden herself didn't expect it. She was immediately tempted, and her eyes turned into crescent moons. It was as if she never thought she would have a chance to be on stage again.
'I take back what I said. This man has me in his heart.'