Chapter 242
[Before heading to the archives, Mei and Kevin went to see Griseo, to give her something. As expected, another Kosma had spawned near Griseo, and Kosma stopped them. "If you cannot be honest, I will not allow you to approach her. I warned you—do not trust anyone."
"I've explained many times... even I know nothing about this."
"...Say something, Kevin."
Mei said to Kevin, who was preparing to have a staring contest with Kosma. "Aponia merely touched her neck."
"—Very gently."
Mei helplessly facepalmed: "...Kevin, you didn't need to add that last part."
"Anyway, Kosma, you know how Aponia operates. From what it seems, I was just used as an unwitting vessel by her."
Although Kevin trusted Aponia, Kosma did not, and the situation grew tense. At that moment, Griseo's appearance eased the atmosphere. Griseo stood on her tiptoes, trying her best to touch Mei's neck, and took away something [purple]. Mei asked doubtfully: "...That's it? Did Aponia really pass something on? I didn't feel anything."
"Because it has nothing to do with you."
Griseo stared coldly at Mei, her expression extremely similar to Kevin's. After hearing this, both Mei and Kosma turned their gazes toward Kevin.]
[Stelle]: "Griseo dyed with Kevin's colors, an icy little loli hehe~~"
[March 7th]: "So, what did Griseo and Aponia pass between them?"
[Kevin]: "This has nothing to do with you."
[Kafka]: "Formless and intangible, it might be Aponia's [Commandment], but that's just a guess."
[Kosma]: "...Was it to remove or add a new Commandment?"
[After receiving Aponia's gift, Griseo's coloring speed increased even more rapidly. Griseo noticed that Kevin and Mei had some secrets. Little Griseo was curious, little Griseo took on Mei's form: "I will not accept answers forced upon me by anyone, I will find it myself."
Seeing that Mei and Kevin refused to say anything, Griseo then transformed into Kosma and said: "...Forget it."
Everyone's eyes turned to Kosma.
Kosma scratched his head somewhat uncomfortably and said: "Forget... alright, let's leave it at that."
After this, Mei and Kevin needed to hurry to the Elysian Realm archives. However, little Griseo wasn't a child who gave up easily. After they walked away, Griseo secretly followed them from behind. Since Kevin wouldn't tell her, little Griseo decided to investigate on her own. But Griseo's tracking skills were no match for Kevin.
After discovering Griseo, Kevin planned to shake off the little follower, but Griseo summoned her paintings. Given this, Kevin decided to split up with Mei. Kevin would go to pacify little Griseo, while Mei quickly headed to the archives. On the way to the archives, Mei once again encountered green, seemingly faded Honkai Beasts blocking the path.]
[Himeko Murata]: "Mei really needs to speed up now! There's likely a problem at the archives! These special Honkai Beasts... if I'm not mistaken, they're probably the work of the Herrscher of Corruption."
[Fu Hua]: "As expected, even Corruption fears exposure. Otherwise, it wouldn't be targeting the archives."
[March 7th]: "Is it afraid of mutual destruction with the Flame-Chasers? I remember that something called the Anti-Kevin Weapon Number Whatever had that ability."
[Stelle]: "Looking at it this way, Corruption is really cowardly. It has the authority to run rampant in the Elysian Realm, yet it chooses to hide in the shadows."
[Kevin]: "...If preparations were made earlier, whether it was Mobius or Vill-V, they both had methods to eradicate Corruption within the Elysian Realm."
[Klein]: "Methods to deal with Corruption... Doctor, is it the anti-corrosion virus?"
[After eliminating these faded monsters, Mei's first suspicion fell on Griseo; these monsters might have been drawn by Griseo. However, she dismissed this suspicion shortly after.
Without any conclusion, Mei could only press forward. Soon, Mei arrived at the entrance to the archives. "...Huh?"
Almost simultaneously, the man cold as solid ice also arrived here. "Are you sure you convinced Griseo? I only just arrived here myself."
"I temporarily froze all the pathways."
"Alright."
Regarding Kevin's brute force approach, Mei didn't know what to say. The two looked toward the archives door one after another; it seemed completely normal. But—
They pushed the door open and entered, only to see a chaotic scene. Surrounded by a typewriter, various files were scattered all over the floor. Mei picked up one and couldn't help but exclaim: "This is..."
[Elysia is dead Elysia is dead
Elysia is dead Elysia is dead
Elysia is dead Elysia is dead
Elysia is dead Elysia is dead]
Mei trembled as she held the file. That sheet of paper was filled with one sentence, a sentence no one wanted to see—Elysia is dead. Refusing to believe it, Mei checked other files, but all of them were filled with the same sentence—Elysia is dead. Kevin called out to Mei, reached out his hand, and offered a pale white page. "Is there anything different about it?"
Mei didn't want to look more at this soul-crushing thing. Kevin said: "The content on it."
Mei took it and read carefully: "This is... about Sakura's sister..."
"I've seen this record before. Since you have this attitude... then it truly happened?"
"...Although not intentional, ultimately, was it Aponia's Commandment that twisted the minds of the guards, leading to the harm of Sakura's sister?"
Nothing could be analyzed from this file. Mei asked Kevin if he had seen other files. Kevin did not answer. "So, this typewriter only records objective facts?"
It was only then that Mei thought of the typewriter, but it was too late. The typewriter was shattered to pieces, completely beyond repair.]
[Boothill]: "Well bless my soul, that adorable Corruption really knows how to twist the knife!"
[Fu Hua]: "It was still too late. Or rather, for the Herrscher of Corruption in the data space of the Elysian Realm, does distance even have meaning?"
[Stelle]: "Corruption, you really deserve to die!"
[Stelle]: "Grrrrrrrrr! This world was never beautiful!!"
[March 7th]: "Act normal! You're scaring me."
Why did I write this? While looking for video material, I got hurt all over again. Right, I'll try my best with tomorrow's update. I'm going home, from Gansu to Shandong—a full day on the train, understand?