Chapter 218
[After Mei had steadied her emotions, Elysia had already opened the entrance to the Depths. Similarly, since Raven had also been controlled once, she too would go with Mei to settle accounts with Aponia.
The two began their journey to the Depths together. During the battles, Mei couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty about what she had just done with Elysia... Finally, during one particular battle, Mei couldn't hold back any longer and asked:
"Raven, that time... did you see?"
"See what?"
Hearing Raven's response, Mei's heart calmed slightly as she said: "No, it's nothing."
Seeing that Mei was relieved, Raven then said with a mischievous smile: "I only saw the entire process of you having your horn touched, nothing more than that."
"Could you please forget about that incident?"
Mei smiled as she looked at Raven, with a subtle hint of threat, giving off the vibe that she might silence her if they disagreed.
"It's not that serious, is it? I won't tell anyone else..."
"Could you please forget about that incident?"
"Well now, I'll have to think carefully about that."
After this little episode, they soon arrived before the gates of the Depths. Both were rolling up their sleeves, ready to settle accounts with Aponia.]
[Elysia]:"Hmm~ I didn't expect Mei to care so much about our little secret♪"
[Kiana]:"Shut up! Mei would never have any wonderful experience with you!"
[Raven]:"I feel like I almost got silenced by a certain young lady..."
[March 7th]:"This time I feel like it's another fruitless effort. The two of them together, Mei and Raven, probably can't defeat Aponia, right?"
[Stelle]:"Damn riddler!!"
[Entering the gates, both Mei and Raven were completely bewildered. Inside wasn't the prison they had imagined, but rather a dreamlike art studio. "I say, you weren't tricked by Elysia, were you?"
Raven bent down and broke off a blade of grass, placing it in her palm to examine carefully. "This grass on the ground is strange too. It doesn't feel real to the touch, the color isn't uniform either, it feels like... it was painted on?"
"Wait, Raven."
Mei seemed to have noticed something and called out to Raven, who was playing with the grass: "There seems to be... someone here."
On a nearby rock, a youth with horns on his head just like Mei was gently playing a harmonica in the fading sunset light. "...Hello, my name is Raiden Mei. This is my friend, Raven."
"...The 9th Flame-Chaser, Kosma."
Mei looked at this youth, deep in thought: "...Kosma? That name, I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."
"But... the feeling he gives off is very different from the [Kosma] in my impression..."
So Mei asked him: "Hello, Kosma."
"This might be somewhat sudden, but do you know what this place is? We were preparing to go to the [Depths], but accidentally wandered in here."
"..." "..."
Raven and Mei waited like this for his response, but he remained silent all along. Raven couldn't help but sighed.
"Hey, Mei, did you notice... this guy isn't saying a word, but it seems like there's no shortage of mental activity going on."
"His gaze keeps scanning over us, and his subtle expressions haven't stopped either."
As if hearing Raven's reply, Kosma finally spoke: "...Please turn back, both of you."
"The Depths are not a place you should go."
"Ah, here we go again..."
Raven wasn't at all surprised by this kind of riddler behavior from the Flame-Chasers, "I mean, the Elysian Realm should be a place that provides trials and challenges, right? How can there be places one should or shouldn't go?"]
[Theresa]:"So this is Kosma? Seems like a silent youth."
[March 7th]:'And he's also a problem youth - this level of silence isn't your ordinary silence!'
[Stelle]:"Flame-Chasers - you don't have to live, but you can't be without your act, right?"
[Silver Wolf]:"Stop telling hell jokes for no reason."
[Pardofelis]:"Isn't Kosma quite talkative? He spent a long time thinking about how to explain his opening lines."
[Qingque]:"Wait, how can you tell that?"
[Pardofelis]:"Isn't it obvious? It's all written on his face?"
[Elysia]:"Hehe, is Elysia's 'One Hundred Questions for Silent Youths' quite useful?"
[Raiden Mei]:"This thing actually works..."
[Kosma]:"..."
[Boothill]:"Damn it, if you're writing essays in your head just say them out loud!"
["..."
Another period of silence ensued. Raven herself was about to break, suddenly feeling despair: "It's over, he's started again..."
"Sorry, Kosma. If you don't want to discuss this topic, we'll find the answers ourselves."
"Please turn back, both of you. It's not too late to stop now."
"...You two."
"..."...Forget it. Then he turned and left without looking back. At this moment, the monsters around Kosma began charging toward the two. Raven and Mei prepared for battle! After a while, Kosma returned and seemed surprised to see them: "You're still here?"
Mei thought this was a test from Kosma and asked if they had passed. Kosma pondered for another moment before saying: "Alright."
"Not easy - he finally understood what you said."
Kosma said: "The [Daybreak] Sigil, I will give it to you."
Raven was confused. Mei also explained: "No, Kosma..."
"That battle just now... consider it as you having passed the trial and obtained qualification to receive the sigil."
"I cannot give you guidance, This path is but a small trail emerging from countless dead ends; An insignificant strand in the dawn of salvation... What is called [Daybreak] Is merely this."
"..." "..."
After giving them the sigil, Kosma began shooing them away again. Raven was completely speechless, expressing that this guy completely doesn't listen to people, right? "It's you who completely don't listen to people."
"I've said many times already - the Depths are not a place you should go."]
[March 7th]:"What level of 'chicken talking to duck' is this!"
[Honkai: Star Rail·Seele]:"This counts as having mentioned it many times? Are your planetary standards somewhat different?"
[Bronya Zaychik]:"Earth isn't like this! Seele, there aren't people like this around Bronya."
[Pardofelis]:'That's just Kosma's habit. He's actually trying his best to find topics.'
[March 7th]:"Does talking with Kosma require finding an interpreter?"
[Pardofelis]:'Actually, it's not impossible. If you have needs, you can totally come find me! As for the price~ we can discuss it!'
When writing about Kosma, I feel like ellipses are being used wholesale!
TL/N : Kosma is so me