Looking at the activation command in her hand, Mei said: "Can I… not activate it?"
Elysia said: "That's Mei's freedom, of course. But… with the truth right in front of you, do you really want to let it slip away just like that?"
"…"
Looking at the command…
If possible, Mei absolutely, positively did not want to read it aloud.
But for the sake of the truth… she had to activate it.
After struggling for a long time.
She finally stammered: "Dar… dar…"
Elysia deliberately pretended not to hear: "Hm? What did you say?"
Mei said with extreme reluctance: "Darling… Elysia…"
"…"
The entire room fell deathly silent.
Mei quickly asked: "…What's wrong? There's no reaction at all."
Elysia said: "Oh dear, what could it be? I think… your voice was too soft. She probably didn't hear you."
Mei: "…"
Elysia said: "Looks like we'll have to do it again!"
Mei: "…"
She practically gritted her teeth: "Dar—ling—E—ly—sia—!"
"Ya~" Elysia was overjoyed.
And Fairy Elysia finally reacted: "Program starting…"
"…System calibration, complete."
"…Personality loading, complete."
It opened its eyes and looked at Mei: "Hello, cute human! I'm Fairy Elysia from the land of fairy music, here for a fateful encounter with important you!"
"Uh…"
Mei couldn't help thinking—truly worthy of being modeled after Elysia.
Mei greeted: "Hello, Fairy Elysia. My name is Raiden Mei."
"You're the administrator of this archive room, right? Then you should know how to operate this typewriter?"
Fairy Elysia said: "Oh my, what an impatient human. Not even finishing a proper greeting before trying to make a delicate fairy work? Can't be helped—who made me such a kind fairy."
"Let me introduce you to this Realm Information Database Digitized Collection Control Console Interactive Output…"
"Uh…"
"Let me just introduce you to this magical typewriter!"
Mei was certain this Fairy Elysia couldn't even remember its own full name.
Fairy Elysia said: "This typewriter can retrieve any information stored in the Realm. If left alone, it will automatically print the most recent major events."
Fairy Elysia gently touched the typewriter, which immediately activated and spat out a new document.
Mei saw written on it: [Eternal Paradise Entrance Opened]
"I see. It really does record objectively and fairly. Then if I want to query specific information?"
Fairy Elysia replied: "That's a bit tricky. Rather than explaining, it might be faster to just try. Here—type your question."
Mei said decisively: "Please tell me the truth about the Thirteenth Herrscher."
Even Elysia was startled: "Oh my, Mei, you're really direct."
The typewriter immediately started up, rumbling for a long time, but only spat out a single sheet.
Mei took the document and raised an eyebrow.
"Blank paper??"
Fairy Elysia said: "Because for such an overly broad question, it's impossible to find one or a few files in the memory bank that summarize it."
"To give you an accurate answer, you'd probably have to print out Elysia's entire life! But then you wouldn't be able to finish reading it, right?"
"What this typewriter can tell is always only concrete facts—don't ever forget that."
Mei thought for a moment: "Then… let's start with Elysia's past first."
Fairy Elysia said: "That's easy! Just have her place her hand on the typewriter…"
Elysia placed her hand on it: "Like this?"
Fairy Elysia said: "Correct! When you do this, the typewriter will automatically pull up and print one file related to her—and it will prioritize events that hold more value for you!"
"Even she herself can't control what record comes out, so it's full of surprises…"
"Ah, it's printing! Let's see what kind of memory it is!"
Elysia said: "Mei, you have to read it carefully, okay? After all… it's my story."
The contents of the paper gradually turned into images, presented before all the viewers.
Inside Elysia's room in the early morning.
The alarm clock rang: Good morning! A wonderful new day begins with a fateful encounter! Remember to weigh yourself first thing after getting up~
"Mmm~"
"A new day, new beauty—go for it, Elysia!" The alarm was turned off. The girl sitting up in bed stretched lazily with satisfaction.
"Time to get up, get dressed, and weigh myself first… okay, delete record!"
"Before heading out, gotta check the mirror…"
"Outfit OK, bangs OK, smile OK—mm! Today is another refined and dazzling day!"
Then she arrived at Fire Moth's staff cafeteria.
Base personnel greeted her: "Hi, Elysia, early as always?"
Elysia greeted back: "Morning, Aisha! How are you so pretty? Newlyweds really are different!"
A soldier also greeted her: "Morning, Elysia. See you at the training ground later."
Elysia said: "Wow… I spotted a model-like guy from far away, and it turns out to be you! Good morning!"
"Hi, Elysia."
"Hi, good to see you!"
Mm… who was that just now?
Whatever—greet first!
Next she arrived at the training room.
She challenged the latest high-intensity training and completed it effortlessly, even writing "Very easy!" on the report.
"Still daring to write 'very easy'?"
"Got dragged off for re-education and still hasn't learned?"
Turning around, a gray-blue-haired man leaned against the doorframe.
"Morning, Hen!" Elysia greeted him: "Can't be helped—this is how I really feel. Doesn't Fire Moth's organizational values say to speak your mind? I'm clearly following that perfectly."
Hen said: "Other people at least copy from two weeks ago. Your report has the same four words every time—no one can cover for you even if they wanted to. But anyway, you're the troops' favorite now. The higher-ups will just scold you a bit—they won't actually do anything."
"Who could've thought the little girl the soldiers brought back from Vostok-51 would end up as their role model."
Elysia said: "That's two different things, okay? I joined Fire Moth through proper recruitment—completely through my own effort."
"And I'm hardly a role model yet. Otherwise, I would've changed Fire Moth's emblem to pink ages ago~"
Hen laughed: "Spare me. Pink emblem? You trying to make me defect?"
Elysia said: "If you're not convinced, try surpassing me."
Hen shook his head: "Then I probably won't get the chance. Look—your rival has already appeared."
He swiped in the air, pulling up the training pod records. In front of Elysia's name, for the first time, the number [2] was written.
Elysia looked and said: "First place is… a name I've never seen. A newbie?"
Hen replied: "I haven't seen him either. I heard a weird guy joined recently—reason for joining Fire Moth was… his girlfriend? Hilarious. Might be him? Haha."
Elysia said: "Wow! That's so romantic! I'd love to meet him and his girlfriend."
Hen said: "Isn't tonight the organization's traditional night? Newbies probably won't skip it. Since you're so interested, why not look for him at the dance?"
Elysia said: "Mm… then I'd better prepare properly."
Back in her room.
Elysia pondered in front of the mirror: "A dance… though I've already thought of a dozen outfits, I still need to try them on to decide~"
"Which one? Something glamorous—this trailing gown? Or elegant—this backless evening dress? Might be too bold?"
Knock knock knock knock!! Urgent knocking sounded.
"Who is it? Is it time already?"
Elysia went to the door and opened it.
Mobius stormed in angrily: "E—ly—sia—!"
Elysia said: "Ya… it's Dr. Mobius. Your dark circles look even deeper than a few days ago. You really need to rest."
"Stop putting weird stuff in my wardrobe—!" Mobius threw a pile of clothes inside and slammed the door hard.
Elysia smiled: "Oh dear, Dr. Mobius is still so shy. I kindly prepared clothes for her—gotta change things up once in a while."
"…Huh? This one is… mm, good idea! I'll wear this to the banquet!"
The scene shifted to the banquet hall.
Elysia, dressed in a maid outfit, carried sparkling water and moved busily through the party.
At the same time, she was looking for that newbie.
Suddenly she heard a gentle woman's voice: "…Excuse me, have any of you seen a white-haired young man?"
Elysia followed the voice.
Thinking to herself: Oh, they're talking about girls over there—I won't interrupt. But that purple-haired girl… she's quite pretty. Noted.
Then other voices came.
Now the third Honkai had arrived, especially with the fourth imminent—this filled some Fire Moth warriors with unease, uncertainty and panic about the future, fear and despair toward Honkai…
"Wow, careful!"
"Eh!?"
Elysia wasn't paying attention and collided with a white-haired man, tray and all: "Ah… sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. I bumped into you."
The other said: "N-No… it's my fault. Standing in a place like this, I blocked you."
Elysia asked: "The drink didn't spill on you, did it?"
The white-haired boy hurriedly said: "No, no—you see, I caught the glass. Thanks for the sparkling water. I was just feeling thirsty."
Elysia sighed in admiration: "…Wow, your reaction speed is insane. You don't seem like an ordinary soldier."
"I've seen plenty of highly decorated warriors—even compared to them, your physical ability is top-tier."
"Are you… a professional athlete or something?"
The white-haired boy scratched his hair awkwardly, clearly not used to such direct praise…
"That's way too much praise. I just played basketball for a few years. A few months ago, I was still a student."
"Ah, right—you haven't seen a purple-haired girl around, have you? She might be wearing glasses. I'm looking for her."
"…Sorry, I just joined not long ago. First time at an event like this—I'm a bit nervous. Don't mind me."
Elysia thought: Purple-haired girl… I did see one. I think she was over…
She pointed out the place she had seen earlier.
The white-haired boy quickly said: "Wow, thank you so much! Oh right—we've been talking this whole time and I haven't even introduced myself. So rude of me."
"I'm Kevin. New recruit at Fire Moth, Kevin. And you—"
The scene faded.
The viewers were stunned.
"This is Kevin? You're telling me this sunny boy, this guy who joined Fire Moth for his girlfriend, is Kevin?"
"Has the plot gone mad? This is Kevin? What the hell—this can't be Kevin. He's completely different."
"Insane. The world's gone insane—calling him Kevin is straight-up ridiculous. Character's completely collapsed."
"No way… if this is Kevin, then who the hell is sitting in World Serpent? How did he become so unhinged?"
"Just this segment alone has more lines than everything Kevin's said since he appeared."
"Not really—he actually talks quite a bit with Mei."
"I feel so heartbroken. What exactly did he go through to turn Kevin into what he is now?"
"If this isn't character collapse, it's really hard to imagine what could cause such a massive change. Meanwhile Elysia hasn't changed at all from the past."
"…"
Inside the Flame-Chaser company.
Kevin excitedly said: "I love this part—it's exactly me, identical to me. If it was for MEI, I'd join Fire Moth willingly too."
Everyone else just waved their hands: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know."
In the TV plot.
Mei was also shocked: "This is… your first meeting with Kevin?"
Elysia said nostalgically: "Yes, so nostalgic—us in our youthful prime. Though I'm still plenty young now."
"Kevin's changed a lot, hasn't he? Look—back when we first met, he still knew how to make a girl happy."
Mei strongly agreed: "Indeed. Even among the Flame-Chasers, the two of you have especially deep ties to Fire Moth."
"But… what I'm more curious about is what another man said—the one you met in the training room."
Elysia said: "Not another man—it's Hen. You should have seen him."
Mei said: "Hen… I've seen that name in both Kevin's and Kosma's memories. If I remember right, he later became a MANTIS. He seemed… to unintentionally mention your origins."
Elysia said: "Ya… that's a part of my past even I don't know much about. After all, I was just a little girl back then."
"Vostok-51… I think that's the name? It seems to be where I was born, but I don't have any real sense of it."
"It's not that I don't miss home, but I was really young—only 0.5 at the time. The only thing I still remember is probably Fire Moth taking me away."
Mei asked puzzled: "Taking you away?"
Elysia nodded: "Of course, I wasn't the only one. Fire Moth took many residents from the town. They seemed to be investigating something, but found nothing in the end, so they sent everyone back."
"The whole thing didn't even leave any records. According to Mobius, it was ultimately classified as… a false alarm?"
"A bit disappointing. I was hoping my origins would have some secret even I didn't know."
"The rest of the story is pretty ordinary. I grew up slowly, blossomed into a graceful young lady, and encountered Fire Moth again. From then on, the wheels of fate began to turn… and the rest, Mei already knows."
Mei asked: "That's really all?"
Elysia said: "If Mei isn't convinced, you can always verify it yourself?"
Her gaze lightly passed over the typewriter.
The typewriter soon spat out a new page.
Just as Elysia said, Estok-51 was merely an unremarkable small town. For a period in history, it had been blockaded by Fire Moth. But the investigation confirmed all residents were normal.
Elysia said: "Now Mei can understand—I'm just an ordinary beautiful girl, right?"
Mei looked at the file and said: "Putting the conclusion aside for now… the versions of you depicted in these files really are different from now—time has left its marks on you all, to varying degrees."
"It's quite moving. You… and Kevin."
Elysia thought for a moment and said: "Mm, how should I put it? This is probably… the step-by-step process?"
"But having Mei see such youthful memories—I'm actually blushing a little."
Mei said: "Really? I think you're enjoying it quite a bit."