"You've already proven yourself to everyone—uh… maybe not everyone? But at least to the vast majority. If I keep hiding it behind flowery words, wouldn't that be going a bit too far?"
"Look—even my other identity, I've openly told you now, haven't I?"
"Indeed!" Mei nodded and said: "The Thirteenth Herrscher!"
Elysia asked puzzled: "Mm, that's strange. I feel like… you're not particularly surprised?"
Mei said: "It's not that I'm not surprised at all—it's just that right now, my feeling is more like confirmation than shock."
"Originally, my purpose in coming to the Elysian Realm was to seek the true truth behind so-called Honkai and the Will of Honkai."
"In this process, the first person to appear before me was you. The one who guided me deeper step by step was you. And in the end, the one I still knew nothing about… was still you."
"It's hard not to let one's imagination run wild."
Elysia said: "You can't say you know nothing at all. We clearly shared so many secrets with each other."
"And… why the Thirteenth Herrscher? Didn't you consider other possibilities? Like an alien, a fairy from another world, or… a beautiful girl who just happened to pass by?"
Mei replied: "Call it my intuition. The Thirteenth Herrscher… as far as I know, this name has never left any specific record in Previous Era accounts."
"A Herrscher who left behind no records at all… I don't know what caused this outcome, but that air of profound mystery… suits you perfectly."
"If it's Elysia, it doesn't seem so strange after all—I couldn't help but think that way."
"Ya~" Elysia said in surprise: "So you've always been looking at me with those eyes?"
Mei said: "I have a lot of questions I want to ask you."
"About your authority, the truth of how you became a Herrscher, whether there's an even deeper connection between you and Honkai, and also…"
"How I should face you."
Elysia said: "I figured as much…"
"Of course, you can find the answers to all these questions here one by one. That's the very meaning of Eternal Paradise's existence."
"But… chatting about this in the plaza doesn't feel quite right, does it? The mood is just perfect right now—I don't want a third party interrupting us."
Mei said: "Indeed, this isn't a suitable place for conversation. And… I'd like to learn more about this Eternal Paradise."
"Your style has never been empty words. Since everything here is made of Elysia's memories, they must be crucial to the truth I seek, right?"
Elysia couldn't help but praise: "Mei, you really are such a clever girl—and we're so in sync."
"Come on, I'll slowly tell you everything about Elysia… and everything about the Thirteenth Herrscher."
She led the way toward the garden ahead.
At the same time, she said: "That said, thinking about baring everything to Mei still makes my heart race a little. The process… might take a bit of time. You don't mind, do you?"
Mei followed and replied: "No problem. As long as I can get the answers in the end, I don't mind how the process goes."
The two arrived in front of the door.
It was already open.
Elysia said: "This is the entrance to the garden. It's usually kept tightly closed, but today it's specially opened for you."
Mei stepped into the garden and immediately saw Kevin not far from the entrance.
He stood there, his figure particularly striking in the world blended of pink and purple.
"Huh?" Mei asked Elysia: "This… is also part of your memory?"
Kevin: "…"
Just from sensing this silent demeanor.
Mei could confirm: "No, this seems to be the real him."
Elysia said: "This kind of thing does happen sometimes… Although I wanted to open my heart only to Elysia alone, that wouldn't be quite fair to everyone else."
Kevin said: "Elysia, I respect your choice. But you should have informed us in advance."
His words were short and vague.
Clearly because Mei, the third party, was present.
"…"
Mei also sensed the atmosphere.
Elysia said to her: "Oh dear… Mei, you might have to explore on your own for a bit. Look—Kevin doesn't seem to want to let the two of us be alone."
"Don't worry. Once I've coaxed him properly, I'll come find you right away."
Mei said: "Alright. This is within my expectations."
"No problem. Since you've already been honest with me about your identity, I don't mind showing a little more patience."
"I trust you—but don't make me wait too long."
"Mm! See you soon." With that, Elysia pushed Kevin and disappeared amid the dense branches and leaves.
Mei herself was quite curious about this Eternal Paradise.
She decided to investigate on her own. Moreover, she didn't believe Kevin would be the only Flame-Chaser who had entered here.
If she encountered other Flame-Chasers, she could ask them about these matters as well.
The first she met was Hua. Upon hearing "Thirteenth Herrscher," the other appeared extremely shocked, but when Mei pressed for details, she chose to remain silent on the matter. She only told Mei to follow Elysia's pace and hoped Mei could trust Elysia.
The second Flame-Chaser she encountered was Kosma. The usually silent boy, upon seeing this place, spoke to her at length.
But when Mei mentioned that Elysia was a Herrscher, Kosma showed no surprise—yet fell completely silent. In the end, he changed the subject and comforted Mei about the time Elysia touched her horns, saying everyone had gone through it.
The third Flame-Chaser she met was SAKURA. But Mei assumed the other probably didn't know Elysia was a Herrscher, so she asked what kind of person Elysia was. The final answer she received was—Elysia is the purest among the Flame-Chasers.
The fourth Flame-Chaser she encountered was Eden. Mei went straight to the point and asked about Elysia being a Herrscher.
Eden replied: "That depends on how Miss Mei defines a Herrscher."
"Unlike Miss Mei, in our era, becoming a Herrscher meant becoming an enemy of humanity, bringing irreparable suffering and scars to the world."
"But Ely is not like that. She is not our enemy, nor a threat to humanity. She is a warrior who fights for humanity—and the only one who gathered all the Flame-Chasers."
"Ely is simply Ely—my irreplaceable friend. In my eyes, she has always been a lovable and admirable girl. That's all."
"As for the Thirteenth Herrscher… that's more like… the wedding dress she prepared for herself."
But she was unwilling to reveal more.
Next she encountered Vill-V and Pardofelis, but the results were essentially the same—she gained no useful information.
Meanwhile, the TV screen switched to Eden's side.
After parting with Mei, she went alone to where Aponia was.
Looking at Aponia, who still kept herself locked in the cage, she said: "As always, you enjoy putting visitors through trials… Aponia."
Aponia said: "Eden, is that you?"
Eden said: "You knew the visitor was me, Aponia. Then… you must also know why I came."
"We were both witnesses to that banquet. That night, we lost a mutual friend."
Aponia said: "Or perhaps… we witnessed a rebirth."
Eden said: "So you left that place in the Realm and hid it in such depths?"
Aponia said: "Eden… we all have too many attachments, too many pasts we long to recall."
"Just as you are intoxicated by yesterday's music, I too need a place… to store this long path of thorns."
Eden said: "Judging by Ely's reaction, she already knew?"
Aponia nodded: "Mm. Though it was my selfishness… you know—after all, it's Elysia. Upon learning, she accepted it almost joyfully."
Eden said: "…I respect you, Aponia, and I respect your and Ely's decision."
"You know? People usually say I'm the giver, and you're the receiver."
"Receiver?"
Aponia disagreed: "…How can I, who couldn't even bear her departure, deserve such a name?"
Eden said: "Though that's not quite what I meant… indeed, the truth may be the opposite."
"Perhaps I am the one who received favoritism, who was toyed with by fate. While you, Aponia…"
"You are the true giver—bestowing Discipline upon everyone, bestowing hope, even the path forward…"
"What everyone sees is not her true self—just like what happened that night."
Aponia said: "The path she walked is also not the path others see."
"Eden… the secret we have guarded until now will soon see the light of day, revealed before everyone."
Eden asked: "Is this a new saying, Aponia?"
Aponia shook her head: "No. This is… my wish."
Eden was somewhat surprised: "A wish? This is the first time I've heard that word from you, Aponia. I didn't expect… you've been changed by Miss Mei too."
Aponia said: "If she truly is the one who brings change to the Realm, I will gladly accept it. On her… there are the same threads as on Elysia."
"…"
"Eden… do you carry that key?"
Eden nodded: "Mm, of course."
She extended her hand, and a golden crystal flower quietly bloomed in her palm: "I've always kept it with me. I think… all of us probably have."
Aponia asked: "When all the keys are gathered and the crystal flower blooms once more… Eden, will you sing that song again?"
Eden readily agreed: "Sure. That's my wish too. At that time, let's call everyone to come listen together."
"The song she loved most…"
Seeing this, all the viewers were completely dumbfounded.
They started discussing wildly in the official chat groups.
"No way… what were those two even talking about for so long? Is everyone in the Realm just speaking in riddles?"
"I didn't understand half of what they said either, but I did catch that someone departed—probably Elysia."
"Why do you say that? Why Elysia specifically?"
"Because of the crystal flower! That crystal flower looks just like the one Elysia gave Mei at the very beginning."
"Yeah, and I heard that when they were writing this episode's script, the whole company isolated the director and boycotted him. This banquet must be the dog director's revenge."
"No way… you mean just because he got isolated, he's going to knife their most important person at the banquet? That's too much—the director isn't that petty."
"Hey! Don't be so sure. Other directors wouldn't, but this dog director? Who knows."
"Let's make a bet—this director may be a dog, but he's not that much of a dog!"
"I agree too. The director's a dog, but he wouldn't go full inhuman!"
"…"
And these chats were seen by Li Sushang.
Her heart jolted as she murmured: "…This can't be real, right?"
On the TV.
After wandering around, Mei finally encountered Elysia again.
"Hi—Mei, over here, over here!" She waved at Mei: "Sorry for making you wait."
Mei said: "It's fine. By the standards of the Realm, it hasn't been that long."
"How did things go with Kevin?"
Elysia said: "Don't worry—everything's sorted. Now no one will interrupt us anymore. What about you—did you meet anyone else?"
Mei replied: "I met a few. It seems all the Flame-Chasers have come to Eternal Paradise, and… more or less, they're enjoying themselves."
"How should I put it? As expected of your memory space."
Elysia said: "I know Mei must be impatient to learn about the Thirteenth Herrscher."
"This topic is quite big… where should I start? Mm… how about we take it step by step?"
"The beginning goes back to when I first joined Fire Moth. Come—I'll take you to a good place."
She led Mei to a room.
A spacious room, empty and quiet, with only a machine on the table in the very center standing out prominently.
Mei looked around: "This is…?"
Elysia said: "For now, let's call it… the Realm Archive Room. Isn't the name super simple?"
"Just read the documents piled next to the typewriter. Someone as smart as Mei will understand immediately."
Mei casually picked up a sheet of paper.
The text on the paper, originally some unrecognizable symbols, transformed into the script she was most familiar with—
When the reinforcement team arrived, the Eleventh Herrscher had already been hung upon a cross of ambiguous meaning, silent forever.
Even the resolute warriors shed tears for this—they had thought they too would meet their end here, buried together with all the warriors of this place, with their former friends…
Mei said: ""Red Ice"… I've read this file. It's a segment of Kevin's past."
Elysia said: "Oh dear, don't read it aloud. That's Kevin's secret he doesn't want shown. Except for successors and himself, it's better not to let third parties know."
Mei asked: "In other words, all those files stored in the Vessel of Remembrance… were printed out by this?"
Elysia said: "Yes. These files weren't written by the individuals themselves. They're the Flame-Chasers' memories manifested into text through this typewriter—objective and fair accounts of the facts."
"They were originally stored somewhere else. It took me quite a lot of effort to move it here."
Mei understood: "So… you brought me here because for the conversation that follows, you want to present it in the form of archives?"
Elysia nodded: "Correct. That way it's objective and fair, isn't it? After all… the story I'm about to tell might be a bit long. I hope that throughout the process, Mei will always receive answers you can believe in."
Mei realized: "I see. I've read these archives—they truly are an accurate and detailed medium."
"Then… how does this thing operate?"
Elysia picked up the doll beside her: "That's where we ask another friend—alright, time for you to make your entrance, Fairy Administrator."
Mei asked: "You're not going to tell me… this… is also… a Flame-Chaser?"
Elysia placed the doll on the table and said: "How could that be? Are you actually hoping there are fourteen Flame-Chasers instead of thirteen? That would mean you don't trust me."
Mei still couldn't help saying: "Her appearance…"
Elysia said: "Very cute, right? After all, she's modeled after me—with beauty and wisdom identical to mine!"
"There are thirteen in total. They were originally meant to be given to all the Flame-Chasers, but in the end only Eden and Aponia accepted them."
"If Mei wants one, there are plenty more in stock."
Mei said: "Let's put that aside for now. This administrator hasn't moved at all since earlier—is she okay?"
Elysia said: "Because Mei hasn't said the activation phrase yet. She's still in sleep mode."
"Activation phrase?" Mei asked puzzled.
"Mmm-hmm~" Elysia smiled charmingly and wrote something on the blank space of an archive sheet.
Mei took the paper.
"…"
"..."
"..."
Elysia said: "Oh dear, Mei's shy and troubled expression is so cute too. Just so you know—this is the only way to activate her."