Elysia said: "Ah, it looks like it's not going so well. It's okay, everyone is like this at first. You'll get used to it slowly."
"Relax, we'll take it one step at a time. Do you still remember where this is?"
"…"
Mei organized her thoughts.
Recalling what had happened.
After the Herrscher of Domination was eliminated, she had gained the right to enter the depths of the sacrificial hall.
That was World Serpent's greatest secret. The winding passage extended from a corner of the sacrificial hall, leading into unknown darkness.
Raven had once told her that it was the place where executives received baptism and underwent transformation.
When she reached the depths, what she saw was an unexpectedly golden palace…
And… the girl who had already been waiting here.
Seeming to notice Mei's gaze, the girl smiled gently: "Being stared at like that makes even me feel a little shy, you know."
"…My apologies." Mei immediately apologized.
The other said: "It's fine, I forgive you. Do you feel better now?"
Mei said: "More or less."
"Then… do you still remember who I am?"
Faced with this question, Mei chose silence. She truly did not know the other's name.
The other spoke up instead: "What's wrong? Suddenly going quiet—are you still not recovered? Or did you forget?"
"Ahh, I thought you'd remember my name properly. I'm a little sad now."
Mei remained silent: "…"
The other laughed: "Just kidding. Seriously, you're so quiet."
"Alright~ Let me introduce myself again."
"This time you have to remember properly, okay? If you forget again, I'll get a little upset."
"My name is Elysia. As you can see, I'm a beautiful girl whose name suits her perfectly."
"In the common language of Mu, Elysia means paradise or blessed land."
"My friends call me Ellie. You can use that too—it sounds cute, just like me."
"As for my identity… in your words, I suppose I'd be a MANTIS from the Previous Era? In other words, a former comrade of that hero Kevin."
"Of course, the real Elysia wouldn't waste her youth thousands of meters underground like this."
"I'm just a fragment she left behind—a memory body that inherited her personality and experiences."
"But that doesn't really matter. You can still see me, talk to me, and even engage in some friendly physical contact."
"The Elysian Realm is a world of memories, after all. Having a me made of memories appear here isn't unreasonable. It's what people commonly call… a double negative becoming positive?"
"…" Mei remained silent.
Yet her mind was racing: Elysia… When I first stepped into this palace, this mysterious woman appeared like a ghost without warning and welcomed my arrival.
To be honest, after spending so long in World Serpent, I'm already used to memory bodies. But her existence still makes me feel… concerned, or rather, puzzled.
I once demanded answers from Kevin, and this is the answer he gave me. The history buried under dust is the secret World Serpent has always hidden.
After some thought.
Mei finally spoke: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd find it hard to believe such a vast space exists beneath the base. It feels like an ancient structure that has been here since the birth of the world."
Mei looked toward the massive device floating at the center of the hall.
"But this device is preserved so perfectly that it makes me suspect World Serpent established this stronghold here solely to protect its existence."
Elysia said: "Well… you're asking the wrong person for that. The real reason is probably something only the one who brought you here knows."
Mei changed the subject: "I've mostly recovered. Let's talk about what happened earlier."
"The Elysian Realm—if I'm not mistaken, its name represents that once-glorious civilization, and what I saw were the memories of that era."
Elysia asked: "How does it feel to experience someone else's memories?"
Mei recalled and said: "It feels like exploring a library after an earthquake—immersive, yet chaotic. Different fragments pieced together, but impossible to form a concrete picture."
"If this is the answer Kevin spoke of, it's far too indirect."
Elysia immediately asked: "What did Kevin tell you?"
Mei said: "The current you has earned the qualification to seek answers—that's exactly why I'm here."
"But he still held something back. Rather than a place to seek answers, this feels more like some kind of trial ground."
Elysia said: "You're really sharp, aren't you? See, that's why Kevin is so sparing with words—he knows you'll always figure out the truth effortlessly."
"But he didn't lie either. Answers… everyone comes here for answers. No matter what they seek, the Elysian Realm can provide them."
"It etches the moments of the past, allowing people to follow in the footsteps of the saviors toward a more distant future. That's the meaning of its existence—every outcome can find its root here."
Mei said: "It just seems like a very inefficient process."
Elysia said: "I knew you'd say that. Don't worry, the others here will slowly change your mind."
"From the memories of the past, you'll gain even more questions—and for your journey, those are the most precious gifts."
"Let me put it this way: you can voice your boldest guesses about Honkai, but compared to the truth, they will surely seem insignificant."
Mei listened to her explanation.
She keenly caught an important word—others…
"If I'm not mistaken, 'they' refers to the thirteen people collectively known as the Flame-Chasers alongside Kevin, right?"
Elysia was a little surprised: "Not bad—you even know about the Flame-Chasers."
Mei continued with what she had looked up: "According to World Serpent's records, they were a group formed by MANTIS from the Previous Era."
"They were a key combat force of Fire Moth—super soldiers created by fusing suitable candidates with Honkai beasts. From what I've seen of Kevin, the power of a MANTIS can even rival that of a Herrscher."
Elysia said: "Objective and rigorous. Looks like you've done your homework properly. You must be the type of kid who's really good at studying."
"And very confident too. In your eyes, even Kevin is only on par with you."
"…"
Mei said firmly: "That's not what I meant."
Elysia said with a smile: "Don't be afraid. You could say that even in front of him, and I'd take your side."
"Since you already know this much… I assume you also know the fate of most of the MANTIS, right?"
Mei said: "…You mean the massive casualties among the MANTIS during the battle with the Eleventh Herrscher? World Serpent only left very vague records about that catastrophe."
"Massive casualties??" Elysia was somewhat surprised and sighed: "The records really are conservative. Looks like Kevin still doesn't want to recall that day."
"The Flame-Chasers refer to the thirteen MANTIS who survived that catastrophe."
"Rather than warriors, they were more like irreplaceable assets to the organization. Yet due to circumstances, these people had to be dispersed to deal with the endless troubles of the apocalypse."
"So establishing an independent unit had its necessary significance at the management level."
"What's more, after the tragedy of Constraint, even the most rebellious among us finally realized—"
"If we cannot unite as one, humanity will inevitably be annihilated in both body and spirit before Honkai."
The tragedy of Constraint…
Upon hearing this term, the audience in front of their televisions instantly thought of Otto.
The technology and combat power of the Previous Era were far superior to the Current Era, yet in the face of Constraint, they could only become tragedy.
But in the Current Era, thanks to Otto's existence, the authority of Constraint was nearly exploited like a bug and neutralized outright. He even prepared Abyss Flower in advance, ensuring that the entire battle against the Herrscher cost no lives.
"Bishop Otto is still amazing. If it weren't for Otto, the Current Era might have suffered a similar tragedy."
"Can't deny it—Otto's value just keeps rising."
"Another day of missing Bishop Otto. Life without him is really hard."
"No wonder Kevin said what Otto did had no harm for the protagonists and might even benefit them. He must have known everything back then."
"Heh heh heh… All those people cursing Otto earlier had no idea he's the one with the greatest contribution to fighting Honkai in the Current Era!"
"Alright! This is Mei's chapter now—stop bringing up the already-dead Otto. Better to talk about this beauty instead!"
"This pink hair? She doesn't look like a good person at first glance. Pink-cut-black, you know?"
"I think she's really beautiful, but she's too enthusiastic. I can't tell if she's actually a good person or not."
"Ever since the Otto incident, I don't dare make snap judgments anymore. Let's just watch calmly. She really is gorgeous though."
"…"
The audience discussed among themselves.
Meanwhile, the drama's plot continued.
Elysia went on: "And it was at that moment that a beautiful, enthusiastic, and capable girl stepped forward. Thanks to her initiative, the Flame-Chaser system was born."
Mei said calmly: "I think I've already guessed who that person is."
"Mm-hmm~" Elysia made a cute sound.
Mei said without mercy: "Unfortunately, you all still failed in the end."
Elysia said: "Don't put it so bluntly. That's also the thing we regret most. I already said it earlier, didn't I? The prerequisite for victory was that we had to unite as one."
"But the result, as you can see, was obvious."
Mei had to admit that it truly was something to lament.
So she changed the subject: "It seems you're the master here? Or rather, the administrator."
Elysia said: "Ara … that's something I'd have to think about before answering. Saying it like that might feel a little disrespectful to the other Flame-Chasers, don't you think?"
"Master? This place is indeed my paradise, but it has never belonged to me. Administrator… I'm not really interested in that either."
Mei said: "But aside from you, I haven't seen a second person."
Elysia said: "Ara, why not say that I'm just a curious child like you? Whether here or in the outside world, I've always played this kind of role."
"I love taking the initiative and having wonderful encounters with cute visitors. And my companions—they're still waiting for you deeper inside."
"Everything you see here is an impression woven from the memories of the thirteen of us."
"If we view the Elysian Realm as an ark after the apocalypse, then we who exist here are the sails and wood that allow it to voyage far—none can be missing."
But Mei didn't quite agree: "An ark? I don't think that analogy fits."
Elysia said: "Mm, I know what you want to say. An ark should preserve the seeds of everything, not just the memories of three people."
"But unfortunately, extracting the complete memories of a single person is too much for ordinary humans—even Su fell into a coma for a very long time after the procedure."
"Ah, sorry, let's ignore that name for now. You don't know him yet. I just love giving examples too much—it's a bad habit."
Mei nodded and said: "I have a general understanding of the situation now."
Elysia said: "Mm, good that you understand. I explained it pretty well, right? Why don't you praise me a little?"
"…"
Mei was completely unable to handle a girl like Elysia.
Elysia didn't mind and continued: "Sigh, Kevin really needs to change that habit. Everyone who comes here is completely confused… Maybe you could suggest to him on my behalf to make a beginner's guide or something?"
Instead of answering her question, Mei asked: "The Elysian Realm—a space woven from memories… Is that why it looks so strange?"
Elysia said: "Mm… I don't think it's strange at all. Or rather, does everything from the past feel novel to you?"
"Then why not go back once more? This time I'll go with you and see exactly what it is that piques your curiosity."
Mei nodded in agreement: "Alright."
Elysia said with a smile: "I knew it—being with me is fun, isn't it? Then, see you soon."
Mei touched the device in the center once again.
Her consciousness entered the Elysian Realm once more.
The surrounding scenery was no different from her previous visit.
Elysia's voice came from beside her: "Mm… I think I know what you find strange now. Compared to the real world, this place does feel a little… unreal?"
"As you can see, the Elysian Realm is a complex data space constructed from thirteen flowing consciousnesses—and they're even clashing against each other."
"Let me give you an analogy: if reality is a blank sheet of paper, then this place is a piece of complex origami art."
"Pages imprinted with different people's perceptions interweave, fold, and embed into one another. You can even see how the same event appears differently in different people's eyes."
"That kind of sight can indeed be a little overwhelming."
Mei said: "You've never used a proper analogy, have you? The kind that actually helps people understand something."
Elysia said: "I'm as cute as a flower—is that analogy good enough?"
Mei: "…"
Elysia continued: "But from another perspective, this is actually a good thing. When facing a cliff at the end of the road, people in the past had only one choice: to leap."
"But now you can first see what happened after they jumped before deciding what you yourself should do."
"Isn't that exactly the meaning of the footprints left by those who came before? In reality, there's no such opportunity for trial and error."
Mei confirmed once again: "…You really haven't used a proper analogy."
Elysia laughed: "Alright, don't worry so much. The Elysian Realm… it really is a labyrinth so vast that ordinary people can hardly imagine it."
"But I will always be here, lighting the way forward for you."
She took out an Signet and handed it to Mei.
"This is…"
Mei accepted the Signet with some confusion.
Elysia said: "Have you heard this saying? The choices made under pressure reveal a person's true self and ultimately decide what kind of person they will become."
"Throughout my life so far, I have made choice after choice. They are like segmented nodes, forever etched into my brilliant existence, shining brightly."
"This is my Signet —the carving of Elysia's soul, the proof of who I am."
"If you want to go farther in history, following the footprints I left behind is also a valid choice. After all, I'm someone who has witnessed the end of this era as well."
"But having said that… showing one's true self to others is still a little embarrassing."
Elysia cupped her face with both hands, trying hard to look shy.
Mei said in a calm tone: "If I remember correctly, you said there are memories left behind by thirteen MANTIS here. In that case, I can also go witness the choices made by the others."
"That way you won't have to feel shy anymore, right?"
Elysia was stunned: "Mei, is your way of comforting a girl to make her even sadder?"
Mei replied: "…I'm only repeating the words you said earlier."