Inside the Deep End.
"Sheele, Misteln, let's go out," Elias suddenly suggested, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Eh?"
"Hm?"
The two girls sitting on his left and right blinked in confusion. They didn't quite understand why he suddenly wanted to go out—weren't they just watching a movie and eating snacks together just fine?
"I was too naive. This isn't a place you can just stay holed up in."
Elias spoke with seriousness, glancing around the Deep End room.
Originally, he had planned to spend the whole day keeping Sheele company—since she hadn't had much presence in recent events.
He didn't mind staying indoors. After all, with internet and a phone, modern people could happily stay home for months without getting bored.
But the Deep End couldn't be called a "home."
Only now did Elias realize—though he had sent all the daily necessities here, one thing was missing: Sheele's own personality.
All he had done was decorate the place like a hotel, not Sheele's "home." It even lacked small but essential touches, like extra chairs, paintings, or greenery.
At the moment, all three of them were squeezed together on the girl's single bed. Well, to be fair, the cramped feeling had more to do with Sheele and Misteln deliberately leaning against him.
"Um, I think it's fine as is," Sheele said with a blink, unable to understand his dissatisfaction.
"That's because your standards are too low." Elias stroked her head with pity.
This poor girl had grown up with hardship. For Sheele, as long as there was a bed to sleep in and food to eat, she had no other demands.
But Elias could never be content with that. He had always wanted to give the very best to those by his side. And so…
"Let's go! We're going shopping!"
"Really? I can go out again?"
Sheele's face lit up with delight.
She immediately hopped off the bed, rummaged through her drawer, and pulled out a black shock collar, obediently fastening it around her neck.
This was the necessary condition for her to go outside.
No matter how much Elias trusted her, Fire Moth had to consider her Herrscher identity. Even though the Herrscher of Death's Core had been removed, Sheele still retained some of her Herrscher powers. Even now, she could grant both decay and creation.
So Sheele was required to wear this shock collar when leaving. It not only transmitted her location in real time, but if she strayed more than five meters from Elias, it would discharge.
"…Sheele, one day I'll make it so you won't need this anymore. Just give me a little more time."
"I-I don't really mind. You don't need to trouble yourself, Elias. As long as I stay by your side, this thing is just a boring little ornament."
Sheele touched the collar on her neck as she spoke.
At first, she had strongly resisted it. In her eyes, it was like being treated as a pet kept by humans. Her Herrscher pride simply couldn't accept that.
But later, when she learned that Dr. Mei had handed full control of the collar to Elias alone, she no longer resisted. After all, Elias was different. He wasn't like the humans who made her feel an uncontrollable urge to kill the moment she saw them.
And besides—what Sheele would never tell anyone was…
Putting it on actually made her feel a little excited.
"Alright then, let's go. I'll arrange for a plane."
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble? Leave it to me instead."
Misteln said, opening a portal.
She had some ability to manipulate space, though of course far inferior to the Herrscher of the Void. Still, whenever Elias watched her, he couldn't help but think perhaps versatility was just the nature of [Idea].
The three stepped through the portal and arrived in a bustling city. Elias and Sheele immediately grabbed onto each other, their faces pale.
If the Herrscher of the Void's portals were a pleasure, then Misteln's were pure torture. The stigma lady stuck out her tongue sheepishly in embarrassment.
"Sorry, my portal seems a bit uncomfortable."
"N-no, it's fine. Next time, just use my door instead."
"Ughhh~ I'm gonna die." X﹏X
And the accuracy wasn't quite there either. Misteln glanced at the three of them, who had landed just half a meter from an uncovered sewer drain. She had meant to send them directly into the shopping mall.
Kindly kicking the manhole cover back into place, the three adjusted their mood and headed toward the mall. As for the angry roar echoing from the sewer—"Who closed my cover? I wasn't done coming out yet!"—that had to be just an illusion.
"E-Elias, all this… I can…"
Sheele stared blankly at the mall before her, dazzled by the endless rows of goods. She had never been anywhere this "fancy" before, and her nerves showed. The girl's small hand gripped Elias' tightly.
"Don't be nervous. Take whatever you like. Even if you wanted me to buy this entire mall, it wouldn't be a problem."
"The entire mall?! Elias, you're joking, right? You won't make me stay behind washing dishes afterward, will you?"
Sheele shuddered. Before becoming a Herrscher, she hadn't had a cent to her name. Forget about shopping—she couldn't even afford a simple skewer of candied hawthorns on the street.
And after becoming a Herrscher…
The Honkai was a heartless boss that never paid wages!
The next second, Elias pulled out a black card.
He spun it on his fingertip like a basketball, gazing at it with tender eyes full of memory. The white-haired boy couldn't help but drift into recollection…
Back in the Golden Courtyard's luxurious bed, Eden had leaned against him, holding this very card between two fingers.
"My dear Elias, do you know what my love for you and this credit card have in common?"
"Oh? What's that?"
"The answer is—they're both unlimited~ I'm giving it to you. You can buy anything with it. Though, I imagine such worldly things might mean little to you."
"How could they not? Thank you, Eden! I'll make sure to spend it well. From now on, I'll buy a new house every day!"
"No, that won't do. Please, at least one building a day. Don't worry—so long as the name 'Eden' is remembered by the world, my dear Elias will never run out of money."
After that, the two had made love passionately.
The memory ended. Elias narrowed his eyes, thinking what a blissful time that was. A rich woman's love was truly overwhelming—especially in its material expression…
In Eden's own words: I would never equate wealth with the depth of my love. Just as this unlimited card doesn't represent the full extent of my feelings for you. But… showing sincerity through money is certainly convenient.
Even now, Elias shuddered at the thought.
For with him around, Eden could never die. And becoming a MANTIS meant a lifespan stretching endlessly into the future.
Which meant the star of art known as "Eden" could really shine eternally!
With her artistic talent, carrying her fame from the Previous Era into the Current Era—lasting fifty thousand years without fading—was hardly difficult.
Elias couldn't even predict what he might see after this time-travel ended, when he returned to the Current Era. By then, it would be no surprise if Eden was worshiped as the goddess of art.
And the unimaginable question—how much wealth would she have accumulated by then? In the Previous Era, less than ten years after debuting, she had already become the world's richest. After fifty thousand years…
Elias: (At that point, buying the entire Earth might not even be difficult for her…)
And now, being supported by such a rich woman, Elias swallowed hard, glancing at the black card in his hand. He felt that maxing it out might actually be harder than defeating Finality.
"Elias, Elias, what are you thinking about?!"
"Uh—nothing, just some thoughts. Anyway, today, whatever we see, we buy! Don't hold back!"
Elias gave a thumbs up with a dependable smile.
Sheele trembled all over with excitement. She pulled Elias along without hesitation, charging into a doll shop and shouting:
"I want them all!"
"Well said, Sheele! That's the spirit!"
Elias immediately gave Sheele an approving look. Children made choices, but adults took it all. Being reserved would only make him unhappy. After all…
Holding back wasn't just disrespectful to Elias.
It was disrespectful to the rich woman, Eden.
Naturally, they also attracted plenty of attention. Customers in the mall were stunned the moment they saw Elias.
"Isn't that Lord Elias?!"
"Oh my god, am I dreaming?!"
"Praise the Savior—Lord Elias!!"
"I-I-I have to go ask for an autograph…"
"Get back here! Can't you see the Savior is shopping with the Saintess? He spends all his time saving the world. Don't ruin his rare moment of rest!"
"Ah, right, right! I'm such an idiot!"
It was truly a blessing to have such well-mannered fans. Elias sighed in relief. He had almost summoned a pseudo-Fenghuang Down to make everyone ignore the three of them.
Misteln happily followed behind. Hearing someone say she looked like a good match for Elias brought her far more joy than any praise of her beauty.
"Misteln, you should pick up some new clothes too. I know you always stay neat, but you can't wear just the same outfit forever. Even if it does look good."
"For me, it isn't really necessary. My clothes are transformed from stigma power. Ah, but don't worry—they're not actually part of my body, Master."
Misteln patted her outfit, the "Dreamweaver." It could be called clothing, but it was also sturdy armor—a pure-white, immaculate stigma attire.
It looked like a blend of nun's robes and knight's armor, built with an unnatural design. A beautiful crest formed of armor adorned her back. When she shifted into combat mode, her outfit even changed from white to a deep blue-purple.
Elias folded his arms. He admitted the outfit that wrapped Misteln so neatly was beautiful. But…
"I once bought enough clothes for Ely to open an entire fashion chain, not to mention all the jewelry and gems I gave her."
"!!!"
Misteln, who had been calm and indifferent, instantly lost her composure. She now needed new clothes! Anyone else she could ignore, but not Miss Pink Elf!
Soon, though, Misteln found herself enjoying it. Perhaps wanting pretty clothes was simply in a woman's nature. Once she began, she dove into picking outfits with enthusiasm.
But this brought Elias a new problem.
Neither Sheele nor Misteln could stray too far from him. Yet one wanted to buy dolls, and the other was hooked on clothing. Without the ability to clone himself, Elias was stuck running back and forth.
"My, these undergarments are truly interesting. Humans really do invent fascinating things."
"Misteln, are you finishe—pfft!"
"Well, Master? Do I look good?"
The curtain of the fitting room slid open.
Misteln confidently presented herself in gartered lingerie. Black lace hugged her form, the garter belt framed her waist with perfect symmetry, and sheer stockings clung tightly to her exquisite legs, joined by the delicate straps that traced down to her smooth thighs.
Her stigma-forged body was flawless, the very embodiment of perfection, leaving the other women in the shop despairing.
Even Elias found it hard to look away. A saintly figure like Misteln dressed in black—such contrast was devastating. Luckily there weren't any men in the shop, or else Elias would've gouged out their eyes and reformatted their memories.
"You look stunning, but be mindful of appearances. Hurry and close the curtain—"
"Heh!"
Just as Elias moved to draw the curtain shut, Misteln seized his wrist instead. With a tug, the stigma lady pulled her Master into the fitting room with her.
Realizing what she intended, Elias quickly used a pseudo-Fenghuang Down to erase the memories of those outside.
…Ten minutes later…
"Elias, Misteln—what were you doing? Hm? You both came out of the same fitting room… Don't tell me you did something bad?!"
Sheele, emerging from the next stall, eyed them with suspicion. Still, she didn't push the thought further. After all, it had only been ten minutes. What could they possibly have done in such a short time?
"Ahem, Misteln's zipper broke, so I was just helping her fix it. Don't mind us."
"Oh, I see…"
Elias averted his eyes with a guilty look.
After all, time in dreams wasn't the same as in reality—each second there could be stretched almost without limit.
Misteln stepped out of the fitting room, skin glistening faintly, looking refreshed. She happily took Elias' black card and went to pay the bill.
"S-so beautiful…"
Sheele looked at her enviously.
Misteln was now dressed in an outfit called Violet Silken Dream: a vintage white blouse embroidered with lily patterns, paired with an elegant purple skirt. The refined design was accented by feather-shaped metal ornaments, exuding noble grace.
In that moment, the stigma lady appeared like the eldest daughter of a prestigious aristocratic family, full of gentleness and elegance—an intellectual charm that the still-youthful Sheele couldn't hope to match.
But one question gnawed at Sheele's mind.
Just how had this woman managed to conjure such an outfit in a lingerie shop?!
"I never knew, Master, that you had such a talent for fashion design. I'll treasure this outfit for life."
"You flatter me—it was just a copy."
Elias shook his head. He had merely used the Herrscher of Reason's authority to recreate Misteln's in-game event costume, Violet Silken Dream.
They had gotten carried away in a dream, after all…
After that, just as promised, the three of them bought whatever caught their fancy. Misteln picked out a pile of clothes, Sheele bought enough dolls to fill the Deep End, and Elias… ordered a custom diamond ring at a jewelry shop.
Sheele: Stares… (个_个)
Misteln: Stares… (个_个)
Elias: "Ahem, better to be prepared, right?"
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