In the forest, Ryn led a very ordinary-looking white bear. On the bear's back sat Elysia, who was ecstatically nuzzling its fur.
The two of them and the bear walked aimlessly, following the direction of the sun.
After the Big Black Bear became the Dharma-Ending-class Honkai Beast Volibear, they followed it to its family. Once it had made arrangements for its kin, it left the bear clan with Ryn and Elysia.
Although it was reluctant to leave its people, when comparing a life of hunting for three days to get nine meals with a life of full meals with Ryn, it knew which was better for it.
And Ryn didn't know what he should do either. He had arrived too early. Seele wasn't here yet, and the Fire Moth organization hadn't been established...
So, the man and the bear decided to follow Elysia, searching for the Eternal Paradise she spoke of.
Along the way, Ryn casually broke off a small branch and, like striking a wooden fish, began to tap it again and again on Elysia's head.
Elysia clutched her head, staring intently at the branch in Ryn's hand, trying to figure out what power he was using that allowed him to hit her every time, even when she had calculated the trajectory in her mind and tried to dodge.
"Elysia, have you learned your lesson this time? From now on, you're not allowed to casually feed animals, especially food with sharp packaging like metal wrappers."
"Mhm… Lesson learned."
"I don't know how your parents taught you…"
"I don't have a mom or dad."
"..."
Ryn stopped and tilted his head to look at Elysia, then tapped her head a few more times with the branch.
"What about your mother, Maheśvara? How can you say you don't have a mother?"
"Maheśvara...? Who's that?" Elysia searched through her memories but couldn't find anyone by that name. Finally, she could only shake her head and say:
"I don't know any Mother Maheśvara, huh?
I do feel like I have a mother, but the orphanage principal said she isn't my mom…
Although Principal Mom didn't forbid me from calling her mom, she told me that for a child like me, who is like an angel, a mother would never abandon me, and that she must be looking for me too…
Finally, I found her! I found Mother Manta Ray, but she doesn't admit to being my mom, at best just an adoptive mother... because she's a Honkai Beast, and I'm a human..."
"But I think an adoptive mother is still a mother~"
Elysia clapped her hands happily. Although her Mother Manta Ray couldn't speak, she could convey her feelings to her, her true emotions. Even if their species and appearances were different, that fervent affection couldn't be faked!
"Hmm… It seems you haven't given her a name yet." Ryn stroked his chin, looking thoughtful.
Didn't Maheśvara say that Elysia had given her that name when she was a child? How come Elysia didn't know it?
Whatever, it didn't matter. She would find out sooner or later.
"?"
Elysia blinked in confusion. Then, while Ryn was still lost in thought and not paying attention, she reached out, snatched the branch, and turned the tables, tapping Ryn's head with it.
"You have to speak clearly, I can't understand you when you talk like that!"
"Alright, alright… Let's put it this way, the Mother Manta Ray you're talking about, if she's a giant pink manta ray! Then… her name is 'Maheśvara'."
"Maheśvara?! What a cool and beautiful name!"
Elysia was suddenly overjoyed. So Mother Manta Ray had such a beautiful name!
Come to think of it, Maheśvara was indeed free and at ease in the sea, possessing great freedom!
Huh… but then why isn't it called the Great Freedom Sea? Since it's in the sea?
Well, Maheśvara sounds better... Great Freedom Sea just sounds weird...
As Elysia thought this, her hands didn't stop, and she continued to tap Ryn's head, just as he had done to her earlier.
But Elysia wasn't tall enough, especially while sitting on Volibear's back.
Once she got distracted, what started as taps on the head quickly turned into slaps across Ryn's face…
After getting a mouthful of leaves, Ryn finally lost his composure, grabbing the branch from Elysia's hand and looking at her with a grin.
When the branch was snatched away, Elysia snapped back to reality. Seeing Ryn's "amiable" smile, Elysia shrank back and said cautiously.
"Uh… actually, you gave this to me…"
"You think I'd believe that?"
"Ehehe~"
Elysia let go of the branch, stuck out her tongue, and then closed her eyes and sat obediently, ready to accept Ryn's head-tapping.
But after waiting for a while with her eyes closed and nothing happening, Elysia opened them.
She saw Ryn weaving a delicate little wreath with the branch and some flowers.
Seeing the wreath, Elysia's fear of being tapped on the head instantly turned into a happy smile.
"Wow, what a beautiful wreath! Is it for me? Thank you!"
But just as she reached out to take the wreath, Ryn pulled it away.
Ryn held up the unfinished wreath, looking warily at Elysia's restless little hands.
"What are you doing, what are you doing? I didn't even say it was for you, how can you just try to snatch it…"
"Mmm… It's not for me!"
Elysia's smile vanished in an instant. She looked a little sad and lowered her head in disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Elysia was too hasty. I thought I was the only girl here, so I assumed Brother Ryn's flowers were for me…"
Children's emotions are so obvious… joy, anger, sadness, and happiness are all written on their faces…
Ryn quickened his weaving, even using Honkai energy. After just three seconds, he finally finished this super-invincible, one-of-a-kind, beautiful crown of branches.
With Elysia's head lowered, Ryn quietly snuck up behind her and placed the wreath on her head.
Feeling something on her head, Elysia turned to look at Ryn behind her.
"Ta-da! The super-invincible, one-of-a-kind, beautiful crown of branches is finally complete, and has successfully found its owner."
Ryn held up a mirror, letting Elysia see herself.
A beautiful little pink elf wearing an exquisite crown of branches... At this moment, it was as if Elysia had transformed from a little elf into a little forest princess, beautiful and charming.
Elysia looked at her reflection, reaching up to touch the wreath on her head.
"Didn't you say… this wasn't for me…"
"What I said was 'I haven't even said it's for you yet.' If you think about it for a second, it means I was planning to give it to you all along~"
"Hehehe, Ryn is the best!" Elysia happily opened her arms, wanting to hug Ryn.
Ryn let Elysia hug him, gently stroking her little head.
It would be a shame not to tap such a round head. Ryn's hand unconsciously found its spot, and as if possessed, he gave it a tap. A crisp sound echoed.
"Silly Elysia, so your big little head is empty after all~"
"Hmph! If you say a beautiful girl's head is empty, she'll get very angry!"