Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

----

The wild, fervent blaze seemed to chase after her, wanting to drag her back into the world of memories within the Elysian Realm.

That fiery glow surged fiercely, as if it burned from the deepest depths of the realm. One glance, and it was overwhelming.

"Oh dear, it seems you've caught his attention."

Elysia stroked the searing metal, the flames gradually dimming under her soothing touch.

This Mantis seemed rather impatient. Well, it wasn't surprising, after all, he always had an intense and fiery personality.

"He?"

In that instant, Mei understood.

"Oh, it's another Mantis. So far, including you, I've only met four."

"It's not like we're hiding them on purpose. It's just that visitors are more likely to encounter Flame chasers who share a similar will or mindset with them."

Elysia, of course, offered her own unique explanation.

"To build a deeper connection, you at least need to get along first, don't you think?"

"But the first person I met was you."

"Isn't that because we're the most compatible?"

Elysia responded instantly, as if the answer didn't even need a moment's thought. It was obvious to her, she really liked Mei!

"Really?"

"It's true. Maybe you haven't realized it yet, but your subconscious has already made the choice."

Elysia smiled, and she wasn't lying.

Compatibility… how could it not be the best?

Didn't they share many similarities already?

That said, Elysia mentioned that Mei might need to prepare more for her next journey. After all, the one eager to meet her next was indeed someone with a passionate temperament.

------

"Compatibility… Stop coming up with strange terms! I think you're just harboring some unspeakable secret as you approach my Mei!"

Kiana accused with all her might, pointing a finger at Elysia with a furious expression, as if the latter had committed a heinous crime.

"And what if I said… that's true?"

Elysia didn't flinch. Instead, she took a step forward, boldly facing Kiana head-on, even puffing out her chest slightly.

Their eyes met, blue pupils with a faint pink hue stared into panicked black ones.

In the end, this gentle woman revealed her intentions: she wanted it all.

"Y-You, don't come so close!"

Kiana was flustered and instinctively stepped back. But that one small retreat completely shattered her aggressive stance.

The way Elysia looked at her, why did it feel so wrong?

Shouldn't she at least look guilty for what she had done?

Seeing Kiana's flustered expression, a peculiar smile spread across Elysia's face.

"Oh, I thought… you had something you wanted to say to me up close."

Her voice was soft, as if teasing. Kiana's defenses weren't as strong as they seemed.

Nearby, Luo Mo quietly observed this amusing scene. The subtle clash between women was quite entertaining, though it was a shame they didn't actually fight.

By the way, when would Bronya finally get her Stigmata of the Herrscher of Reason?

.....

Within the company, a certain lady who had once caused an island to explode stared thoughtfully at the screen.

"She's already… met four of them?"

"Even picked up clues about a few more—Eden, Su, Kalpas, Phyllis…"

Raven rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

How to put it?

Sometimes, the gap between people could feel wider than that between humans and dogs.

She herself had only met a handful of Mantis in the Elysian Realm.

Yet Mei had already encountered so many in less than a day…

It had to be said, Elysia had provided Mei with so much support, almost overly so.

Raven felt a bit helpless, but there was nothing she could do.

It wasn't that she wanted to make comparisons, but the video was right in front of her eyes. As a Herrscher in the Elysian Realm, Mei naturally attracted the attention of several Mantis.

In just a short while, she had achieved what Raven had worked tirelessly for days to accomplish.

.....

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Susanna asked curiously, her nimble fingers operating the screen.

"…Nothing. Just feeling a bit wistful," Raven sighed.

The more she thought about it, the more pointless her own trials felt. If only she'd known she could glimpse into the Elysian Realm through the game, she wouldn't have bothered going herself.

"Ah, I wonder when it'll be my turn to do some voice acting. Even Anna-senpai had her chance last time…"

Susanna's eyes lit up as she spoke, but her enthusiasm soon dimmed, leaving her looking slightly dejected.

"…My advice is: don't go. Of course, that's just my personal opinion."

Raven took a sip from her teacup, her expression turning strange. She didn't take another sip, curse this company for having no alcohol, only unlimited tea and coffee.

Drawing on her own experience, she offered her honest advice.

"Oh, right! Natasha-senpai has been there too. What's the recording studio like? Is it fun? I heard… it's one of the three great mysteries of the company!"

"Pfft—w-what kind of rumors are those?"

Raven nearly spit out her drink and quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth, looking a bit flustered.

As far as she was concerned, there was nothing particularly mysterious about it.

-------

Deep within the Elysian Realm, a masked man with white hair suddenly blocked Mei's path. He seemed both surprised and intrigued.

Blazing flames burned, scorching and destroying everything around them. In this realm of memories, the scene felt particularly bizarre.

"A Herrscher?"

He spoke without turning around, his voice pausing momentarily.

The black combat suit on his back appeared to be enshrouded in flames, burning, smoldering, and never ceasing.

"Hello, my name is Raiden Mei."

Mei instinctively raised her guard, gazing at the man surrounded by fire. She felt an inexplicable sense of danger, a deep unease from within.

"Your name doesn't matter, Herrscher," he replied coldly, still not turning to face her.

To him, the number of Herrschers who had died by his hand was already countless. Adding or subtracting one made no difference.

That said, a Herrscher foolish enough to appear before him was a rare sight.

"Besides, I have no intention of remembering the name of someone about to die!"

With those words, the man engaged Mei in battle. Countless meteors rained down, and scorching heat filled the space, burning and annihilating everything in its path. Flames danced in every corner of the air.

Mei swiftly dodged and used the opportunity to eliminate nearby enemies.

However, contrary to the overwhelming atmosphere, the man didn't attack much himself. He simply let out a cold snort and abruptly ended the battle before it escalated.

"Your little tricks are over. If you want to fight, then come at me."

Mei tightened her grip on her blade, her sharp gaze fixed on him.

But to her surprise, he responded not with hostility but with arrogant laughter and provocative gestures.

"Fight? Ha… Hahaha!"

"If I really intended to fight you, do you think you'd still be standing here, talking to me?"

Everything had already been reduced to ash.

Even his own existence was destined to burn out completely. Life and death, existence and annihilation, an eternal flame.

Mei had passed his test, and as agreed, he granted her a chance, nothing more.

After all, this place was merely a trial…

A hateful, frustrating trial. But still, a trial.

Even so, this fiery MANTIS left an incredibly deep impression on Mei, though certainly not a positive one.

---

When Mei returned to the main hall, she was still reflecting on the battle and the man's overwhelming power. Her expression was visibly troubled.

"Judging by your look, you've met Kalpas, haven't you?"

"What's with that man? I thought the MANTIS who chose to leave their memories here would at least know how to communicate properly."

Mei sounded a bit exasperated.

She couldn't make sense of his erratic behavior, suddenly initiating a fight, then abruptly stopping and handing her his signets.

"You see, in our era, there weren't any Herrschers as beautiful, gentle, and kind as you, Mei."

Elysia blinked playfully as she spoke, her words clearly meant to soothe Mei. Whether or not they were entirely truthful, they certainly sounded like praise.

Seeing Mei's mood improve, Elysia took the opportunity to tease her further.

"As for Kalpas… he's actually a pretty reserved person. Just give him a bit more time."

"…Reserved? He doesn't act that way with others?"

A trace of confusion appeared on Mei's face.

His behavior, if it was only directed at Herrschers, seemed almost too passionate. No wonder Elysia had repeatedly warned her before their encounter.

Mei couldn't help but feel a certain understanding of the man.

However, she doubted he treated anyone else any differently.

For instance... could she imagine him smiling warmly and greeting others kindly? Mei found that absolutely unbelievable.

"…That sounds about right,"

Elysia put a finger to her lips, pondering briefly before scratching her cheek with a small laugh. Her ambiguous answer left things unclear.

Ah, it seemed Kalpas really did treat everyone the same. He was so… utterly and despairingly fair and equal.

"…"

Mei was completely speechless at this point.

The good news, there wasn't something uniquely wrong with her.

"Well, in a way, he does fit my impression of the Previous Era civilization," Mei remarked.

"Oh no, that's not good. It means he left you with a bad impression."

"Well… anyway, here, this might help you."

"...'A Hundred Questions About Kalpas's Mask: From Beginner to Expert'… Author: Elysia?!"

Mei stared at the book title, her expression indescribable.

A person so difficult to communicate with that they warranted an entire book as a guide… how impossible must they be to deal with?

Wait… no, hold on. What kind of mindset did the author have to even create such a book in the first place?

Elysia, with her ever-present smile, explained that this book had once been a survival guide of sorts within MOTH.

Even if there were any issues, she would ensure proper after-sales service as its author.

As for what kind of service? Mei didn't ask.

But she guessed there wouldn't be any "live assistance" in the event of emergencies…

--------

[Kalpas: "I am always fair and just to everyone… Hahaha!"]

[Proper After-Sales Service: A quick lift to the coffin, and a fresh start in life.]

[What kind of miraculous book is this? From beginner to… burial?!]

"This book title… feels oddly familiar. The naming style reminds me of something," Bronya muttered, glancing suspiciously at Elysia.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, she realized where she'd seen it before, those textbooks.

Come to think of it, didn't they have a very similar style of naming?

Good news—the original author causing them all headaches had been found.

Bad news—they probably couldn't beat her.

"Ah-ha! Familiarity is a good sign," Elysia chuckled, entirely unconcerned by the suspicion.

Finally, someone had realized who was behind all those profoundly relatable books.

Indeed, the one and only Pink Fairy, unique and unmatched!

"Beautiful young ladies, if you ever have worries or feel lost about the future, why not consult this book?"

....

"But seriously, how did someone like Kalpas even survive in the Previous Era? Wait a minute, Kalpas … Shifu (master)?"

Suddenly, Kiana seemed to recall something, exclaiming in surprise.

She thought back to the skewers she'd eaten at a festival, perfectly grilled, affordable, and delicious. She couldn't stop thinking about wanting to eat them again.

Unfortunately, all she remembered was that the vendor's surname was Kalpas, and that he had a bad temper…

Since then, she'd never been able to find the stall again.

No, no, just thinking about it was making her drool.

Kiana gulped hard and forced herself to stop fantasizing about the skewers.

.....

"Master Kalpas? Hmm…"

Elysia tilted her head curiously. "That's a new title for me. Is it some kind of unique nickname?"

"Master Kalpas was actually pretty nice to me last time. He even gave me two extra skewers… though, uh, he was yelling at me while doing it," Kiana explained.

"Oh my, was it that time?"

Elysia gestured playfully, smiling. "See? I told you, our companions are such lovely people."

.....

"Our class textbooks…" Mei hesitated.

"They were compiled by me with help from Luo Mo" Elysia admitted cheerfully.

"Honestly, without Vill-V's idea extraction device, I wouldn't have finished in time."

"…No wonder! Your fleeting thoughts became our burdens to memorize! You… you should feel remorse!"

Bronya's eye twitched slightly. She finally understood why those lessons jumped from one topic to another, from the mundane to the romantic, it was unmistakably the work of a "love expert."

---

"ELYSIA! THAT MEDDLING WOMAN!"

Kalpas roared in fury in the Golden Courtyard hall, the flames behind him flaring up violently.

So that was why, that was why people had suddenly become so "polite" to him. They were always making him teeter between fighting and not fighting.

Ha, well done! The root of it all was her.

Sweeping his gaze across the room, his eyes landed briefly on Pardofelis's , who averted her gaze for a moment. After pausing, Kalpas refrained from lashing out at the timid cat.

"You all… didn't know about this either?" he gritted his teeth.

A book dedicated to researching him, huh? Ha—clearly, Elysia had far too much free time.

That kind of book, how accurate could it even be?!

"Maybe Mobius knows. After all, she always seems particularly interested in your affairs."

Vill-V shrugged nonchalantly, not bothering to confirm whether she knew anything herself, and casually threw Mobius under the bus.

"I haven't looked into it."

Kevin's eyes lifted slightly as he spoke in an indifferent tone.

Elysia pulling stunts like this wasn't a one-time thing. Clearly, even though Elysia was just next door, Kalpas hadn't chosen to confront her.

"Kalpas… if doing this helps everyone get along with you better…"

Aponia hesitated, clasping her hands together in prayer. Her fair fingers intertwined as she spoke sincerely, "...Please, let more people read it."

"...Get lost!"

Kalpas shot her a resentful glare, taking a deep breath to calm his rage.

As for the cat girl, she had long since hidden behind Kevin. She had known from the start that helping Elysia with anything would inevitably lead to trouble. See? Trouble already found her!

At this moment, Pardo was desperately hoping Elysia would come back and take responsibility for this mess.

After all, she'd only helped with some distribution; she absolutely hadn't been involved in editing anything!

What was Pardo scheming?

Hunched over, Pardo continued hiding behind Kevin, not just out of fear but also because it was significantly warmer here. The temperature had noticeably risen, but Kevin's presence was the most comfortable.