Chapter 19: Create a Herrscher organization
Following Kevin's appearance, the animation continued.
As cracks appeared in the scene, white light began to engulf the original purple glow. The heroic figure became increasingly blurred.
Then came three crisp sounds in succession, and the image shattered instantly, breaking into countless tiny fragments.
The once magnificent purple background turned into the remnants of a fading chapter. Its dazzling luster dissipated into countless fleeting illusions.
All returned to the true canvas, white light sweeping across the scene.
A distant cross-shaped light emerged once more, with floating crystals reflecting its brilliance.
Everything returned to the beginning, as if that fleeting segment was merely a song from memory, or the fragmented shadows of dreamers worth remembering.
The lively music paused just then. The once rousing melody abruptly dissolved into serene silence.
The emptiness, instead, made one more compelled to listen to the gentle voice within the space.
Soft and tranquil, yet tinged with a sense of melancholy.
"Look, they all lived with such pride, persevering to the end."
"With their lives, they composed the hymn of civilization."
"This is the story of those called the Flame-Chasers, the unfinished journey of thirteen trailblazers."
On the fractured crystal's reflective surface, the figures of their companions appeared in turn. Mei, Sakura, Kevin, Eden... one after another. These scenes flashed by, possibly projections of the future in this space.
"But visitor, your journey must continue, no?"
A delicate hand suddenly emerged in the image. Holding a shattered purple crystal flower, the pristine white of the hand contrasted with its vibrant hue.
Even though its petals were broken, they could not rob it of its dazzling brilliance.
But what shone even brighter was the flowing pink hair, the radiant, mesmerizing eyes. The crystal light illuminated a face once hidden in darkness. Her pink bangs were neatly trimmed, with pointed ears peeking out from her hair.
The pink-haired girl smiled softly, her gaze filled with hope and longing for the future.
"Then, follow your heart and press forward. Step along the footprints beneath your feet, and witness the journey of the Flame-Chasers."
She sighed lightly, speaking to the messenger lost in the path behind.
"In the end, transcend the finale of the departed to create the future we could not embrace."
Majestic, triumphant music rose, accompanied by an epic, resonating voice.
A name slowly appeared on the screen, revealing her rank among the thirteen Flame-Chasers:
She was the mysterious second, the one who followed after Kevin.
Ⅱ. Elysia "■■"
However, unlike the others, the brackets above Elysia's name bore obscured characters, an erased title, a mystery yet to be revealed.
This veil of secrecy only deepened the desire for exploration.
The short animation ended there. But what followed was a ripple of shock and a yearning for answers.
--
[Thirteen Flame-Chasers… there is only seven of them. Where are the remaining six?]
[So much information to unpack. I can't stay calm!]
[She looks like a bad woman at first glance, and she has pink hair, it's obvious!]
(TL: I had the same thoughts when I saw her for the first time lol~)
[Explosive lore! So, the Elysian Realm… is that where Mei is heading? I wonder if it's dangerous.]
Clearly, among those introduced, Elysia captured everyone's attention and curiosity, whether it was her second position among the Flame-Chasers or her redacted insignia.
Why would the second Flame-Chaser be such an irresistibly beautiful and enchanting young girl?
---
Elysia chuckled sweetly, standing on tiptoe as she naturally exuded liveliness and youthful charm.
"So, this is what I voiced? Hmm… acceptable, I suppose. Though I didn't expect the protagonist not to be Kevin!"
As for her age? Don't ask. A beautiful girl is always eighteen forever!
She hadn't expected her in-game self to look like this, but…
Hmm~
Although this version of herself seemed a bit mysterious, enigmatic, and aloof quite different from her usual image, it carried a unique charm.
Her image was consistently warm and welcoming, greeting the visitor with friendliness.
This responsible persona instantly left an impression on everyone's minds, perfectly fitting her role as the deputy leader.
"Oh dear, I wonder if Kevin will blame me for stealing his thunder? That'd be so embarrassing~"
She chuckled softly, patting down the wrinkles on her outfit. Yet, there wasn't even a hint of embarrassment in her expression.
"Then could you at least pretend to feel embarrassed?"
Kiana, exasperated, looked at her.
The other person always said ridiculous things with such seriousness, leaving Kiana utterly helpless.
"Hmm? I never lie to cute girls, that's the one thing I'm worst at~"
Elysia teased, watching Kiana puff up her cheeks in indignation. She felt an urge to poke them.
Following her thoughts, she extended her finger, gazing at Kiana with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Ah! W-What are you trying to do?"
Kiana nimbly dodged Elysia's attempt to poke her, her face filled with a mix of fear and disbelief.
Why wasn't it enough for Elysia to mess around with Mei? Now she was doing it to her too?
This... this person, what on earth was she thinking?
Kiana's gaze grew intense, her pure heart shaken to its core. A peculiar unease flashed in her eyes as she looked at Elysia.
"Hmm... there was a mosquito just now?"
Elysia tilted her head, leaning slightly toward Kiana, throwing out a bold yet absurd excuse.
"...."
Kiana's eyes widened, her pupils contracting in disbelief as she stared at Elysia.
Wasn't she the one who just claimed not to lie to beautiful girls?
This excuse... was it meant for kids?
Looking at Elysia's matter-of-fact expression, as if deeply impressed by her own reasoning, Kiana was speechless.
Meanwhile, Mei remained silent, lost in thought. She paid no attention to the antics between the two, already used to the ridiculous situations they created around her.
When they were alone, both Elysia and Kiana could be reliable...
But when it came to the three of them together, it was like 1+1+1 equaled chaos.
Whenever Kiana was with her, Mei couldn't help but feel Kiana's usual calm and intelligence vanished entirely. It reminded her of a study suggesting that children often stop thinking when they're with their parents, entrusting everything to them...
Wait, did Kiana view her that way?
Mei shook her head, realizing she was being drawn into the whimsical spiral of these two's thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, Mei calmed herself using the mental discipline she'd honed from sword training. Her thoughts turned back to the short film they had just watched.
"The journey of chasing flames... an unfinished path. What does that mean?"
She looked at Elysia, her deep violet eyes shimmering with traces of lightning, and asked her question.
"Hmm... that? It means because we failed to defeat Honkai, you will continue along the road we've already explored. Isn't that easy to understand?"
Elysia's bright eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled.
"That's the future we couldn't reach. We hope you can surpass the end that awaits."
"But you… you never mentioned you were the second-ranked member, did you? Being so high up, it's no wonder the others respect you so much."
Mei's words trailed off as she recalled past moments she hadn't paid attention to before.
In the game, Kevin rarely spoke. It was always this girl in front of her who moderated and smoothed over tensions.
The other Flame-Chasers talked and argued, but there was no overt opposition toward Elysia.
That itself spoke volumes.
"Respect? That's for Kevin! Everyone clearly likes me~"
(TL: That's true~)
Elysia gently shook her head, pointing out the flaw in Mei's reasoning.
How could anyone feel distant from Elysia?
She and the others had always gotten along harmoniously!
"Since you claim you never lie to beautiful... um... to girls, then, what do those two words in parentheses after the Flame-Chasers' ranks mean? Like Fu Hua's Shimmering Path?"
Mei stumbled slightly over her words, frowning faintly. She wasn't exactly comfortable referring to herself as a "beautiful girl."
Even if, in secret, she'd sometimes whispered dramatic lines while excitedly reading manga, that was something from her younger days.
"They're called sigils. They encapsulate a specific trait of each Flame-Chaser."
"Then what about yours?"
"What?"
"I'm asking, what's your sigil?"
"Well... wouldn't it ruin the fun if I told you in advance, Mei?"
Elysia smiled and glanced at Luo Mo before continuing, her gaze lingering on Mei.
"I was planning to tell you directly, but Luo Mo just recently asked me to keep it a secret for now. The reveal will be a surprise for everyone at the right moment."
She paused, causing Mei to instinctively meet her eyes. Mei saw sincere emotions and a gentle smile in Elysia's gaze.
"So, how about guessing when the time comes? Ah, if you're the first one to figure it out, I'll be thrilled~"
Elysia playfully added, her gaze solely focused on Mei.
For some reason, Mei's heart felt a little flustered. She averted her gaze, avoiding Elysia's fiery, captivating eyes. It was as if something deep inside her had been ignited.
Suddenly, Mei understood Kiana's worries.
Elysia's... "advances" were indeed a bit overwhelming.
Kiana, arms crossed, stared at them with a pout, her face clearly showing her dissatisfaction as she surveyed the situation.
Was she being "cheated on"?
It didn't seem so, but... it could be described as something similar.
Still, it was so infuriating.
What could she do? Mei asked a question, and her opponent's response came with an all-out attack of blatant eye contact. It was infuriating!
"...Alright, I understand. I'll figure it out on my own."
After regaining her composure, Mei gave a slight nod and responded calmly.
"Oh? Kiana, what are you thinking over there? Share it with us~"
Elysia looked curiously at the white-haired girl, her expression resembling that of a victor flaunting her success, though she didn't mean it that way.
She liked Kiana too, after all!
It was just... well, Mei's horns always managed to catch her attention the most. That was all there was to it, nothing more.
If Kiana voiced her dissatisfaction, Elysia could easily respond with, "I'd be just as happy if you were the first to guess, Kiana~."
Wait, wouldn't that make her seem like a total flirt?
Elysia pondered her next words and how Kiana might react.
"Hmph— I was just thinking... why does your team go by the name 'Flame-Chasers' in the first place?"
Kiana huffed through her nose, her eyes locking onto Elysia's.
"Huh? What's so strange about that?"
Elysia asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Heh— It's because having a formal team name unifies your strength and gives you cohesion."
Mei glanced at Kiana in surprise. She hadn't expected such insight from her.
Though it was an obvious observation, Kiana's explanation was particularly clear.
"While not entirely accurate, that's roughly the effect it had."
Elysia nodded, neither confirming nor denying the statement.
She had indeed aimed to establish the organization with such purposes in mind. But... it had come too late and hadn't achieved its full potential.
By the time she struggled to hold the group together, everything was already beyond saving.
Instead, the thirteen individuals ended up being remembered as a collective by future generations.
How ironic. Something unacknowledged in its time became a certainty in the eyes of those who came later.
The era had restricted her, but time had validated her efforts.
"Well then, the solution is simple. I'll just form a similar organization! That way, you won't constantly be bothering Mei, and it'll also strengthen my bond with her."
Kiana declared decisively, her mind seemingly made up.
This was her answer!
"And what would this organization be called?"
Luo Mo asked out of curiosity. He was genuinely interested in the name Kiana would come up with. Besides... he had a feeling he wouldn't be against such an organization.
"Isn't it obvious? The St. Freya Thirteen Herrschers Squad!"
Kiana blinked, her expression dead serious.
"You're just trying to compete with us, aren't you. And besides, where are you going to find thirteen Herrschers... huh?"
Elysia looked at Kiana with exasperation, sighing. She couldn't believe it. her "Thirteen Flame-Chasers" now had to contend with a "Thirteen Herrschers."
This girl must really dislike her.
Her only hope was that Kalpas wouldn't lose his temper...
But as the idea of thirteen Herrschers sunk in, Elysia realized something. It... didn't seem entirely impossible?
which side will she take then?
Elysia found herself contemplating deeply, her hand over her heart.
"We'll take an oath first! If we can't make up the numbers later... we'll figure it out! If your Thirteen Flame-Chasers can reasonably have fifteen members, then why can't our Thirteen Herrschers have twelve?"
Kiana waved her hand dismissively, showing no concern for the numbers. The real priority was keeping Elysia away from Mei.
"Huh? When did we have fifteen members? Stop spreading misinformation!"
"Didn't the boss say so before?"
Kiana boldly pointed at Luo Mo, throwing him under the bus without hesitation.
"When did I... Wait, I think I really did say that."
Luo Mo began to refute her, only to recall a past moment where he indeed explained something similar while introducing the Flame-Chasers to others.
Huh, he really had said that.
"Then tell us what you mean."
Elysia turned to him, her expression puzzled.
"Look, your recorded memories count as members of the Flame-Chasers. But shouldn't their real-world counterparts also count? Kevin and Fu Hua, for instance, aren't those two alone enough to make fifteen?"
(TL/C: There is still Su, and Griseo.)
Luo Mo spoke with conviction, fully backing Kiana.
Her brilliant idea had completely won him over!
Whether or not it was just a slogan, if Kiana followed through with it, Luo Mo would do everything he could to help her gather the members.
As for Kiana's original motivation, to keep Elysia away from Mei? Well, that was just wishful thinking.
"Huh? That... kinda makes sense."
Elysia nodded hesitantly, acknowledging the reasoning.
It did make a certain kind of sense.
After all, she couldn't exactly say that Fu Hua and Kevin didn't count as Flame-Chasers.
"Next step, you! Kiana, report this to the principle and secure an official title for the organization!"
Lou Mo encouraged her warmly.
"Great! Just imagine how fun it would be to gather a Herrscher team made entirely of beautiful girls!"
Kiana exclaimed with vibrant energy, her eyes shining brightly as her hope for the future reignited.
Elysia pursed her lips slightly, her gaze taking on a subtle yet distinct intensity. Hidden within it was a spark of fiery enthusiasm.
She... couldn't find a reason to object!