[Mei looked at the broken typewriter and said to Kevin, "Then there's no need for us to travel together anymore."
"Kevin, as a leader, you really... disappoint me."
Long after they had left, footsteps sounded once more outside the door. "Griseo, are you in here?"
Kosma burst in, calling out to the room.
From under the long table, a young girl slowly emerged. "You followed after all..."
Kosma, curious about the chaos here, asked Griseo what had just happened. Griseo replied somewhat naively, "Hmm... it was some... grown-up talk."
"Kosma... are you... a grown-up too?"
"Why do you ask?"
Griseo said with confusion and puzzlement, "Because... I never seem to understand them."
"But now... it seems I have to take part in some... grown-up talk too..."
To Kosma's ears, the girl's voice was so gentle, yet carried an unwavering determination.
In the dim room, a purple light, passed on by someone, flickered intermittently on the girl's body.]
[Theresa]:"Mei still suspects it was done by one of the Flame-Chasers, which is why she accused Kevin of being an unfit leader."
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]:"To those unaware of the truth, who would ever think a Herrscher had infiltrated the Elysian Realm?"
[Bailu]:"Sister Griseo is really amazing! How exactly can she see other people's colors?"
[March 7th]:"Speaking of which, Griseo actually arrived at this archive room before Mei and Kevin, and she wasn't even discovered by them!?"
[Sparkle]:"Don't forget Griseo is also a Flame-Chaser~ Moreover, from what I know now, big Griseo is really impressive these days, taking care of seven children all by herself. Isn't that right~ Mr. Welt?"
[Kosma]:"...?"
[Aponia]: "...What exactly... has happened? [Please] tell me, will you?"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]:"Sparkle, that wording of yours... you're just looking for fun, aren't you?"
[After parting ways unhappily with Kevin, Mei found Su and told him everything she discovered in the archive room. Su wasn't surprised at all; in his observations, the data from the Elysian Realm archive had already disappeared.
After exchanging information with Su, Mei decided to work with him to visit the various Flame-Chasers and uncover the truth behind Elysia's death. Mei first found Eden and told her what had happened, but Eden's first reaction was that she was drunk and completely refused to believe the tragic news about Elysia.
Naturally, Mei found no answers there. Next, Mei sought out the Flame-Chaser Hua, but just as Hua had never provided Mei with any clues before, this time too, Mei found no answers. Finally, Mei approached Mobius.
When it came to matters about Elysia, Mobius remained as stubborn as ever, so Mei still gained no leads. With no clues left, Mei said to Su: "Su, I've decided to go to the real world and take a look. Klein... perhaps she can provide technical assistance from another perspective."
"...Indeed, that's worth a try."
"Visitor, I will help you return to the exit of the Elysian Realm. After that... we'll each do what we must."
Under Su's escort, Mei arrived safely at the exit. Faced with the current chaos in the Elysian Realm, Su advised Mei not to return, but how could Mei agree? The young woman vanished into the corridor's impenetrable darkness, waiting for the light to shine again.
But what Mei didn't expect was that when she opened her eyes, she saw not reality, but the Elysian Realm's trial space. Mei hadn't left the Elysian Realm. Mei's first thought was that her consciousness had been invaded, but with Su by her side, that seemed unlikely. Mei tried again, but she... seemed to be trapped inside.]
[Stelle]:"What is this? Eden who unconditionally believes in Elysia, Hua who wants to tell Mei everything but genuinely knows nothing, and Mobius with the hardest mouth in the Elysian Realm—I can see it now, each of you has your own special skills!"
[March 7th]:"But... why doesn't the Corruption want Mei to leave? Isn't Mei the only one in the Elysian Realm that the Corruption can't delete?"
[Hoolay]:"Fool, have you forgotten what's outside the Elysian Realm? It's our Sovereign! Once the abnormalities in the Elysian Realm become known to the Sovereign... I can only wish the Corruption good luck."
[Qingque]:"It seems... even if the Corruption completely devours the Elysian Realm and reaches reality, the first obstacle it would face is still Kevin. The Elysian Realm is so important, and this time it's even Elysia's beloved Herrscher coming for trials—I don't believe Kevin isn't keeping a close watch on the Elysian Realm."
[Kiana]:"...So no matter what, the Corruption loses?"
[Stelle]:"There are still differences. First: Let Mei leave, Kevin comes to the Elysian Realm—Corruption dies! Second: Mei doesn't leave, but the Flame-Chasers win—Corruption dies! Third: Mei doesn't leave, the Flame-Chasers lose, Corruption reaches reality—faces Kevin! Fourth: Mei doesn't leave, Flame-Chasers lose, but Kevin isn't watching the Elysian Realm—Corruption successfully escapes!"
[March 7th]:"This... no matter how you calculate it, the Corruption's survival rate is terrifyingly low."
[After such a major incident occurred, Kevin's brain, dormant for fifty thousand years, became active once again. Kevin went straight to find Aponia in the Depths!
Kevin told Aponia about the damaged typewriter in the Elysian Realm archive and how Sakura had already learned the truth about the Twelfth Herrscher. He suspected that the once completely objective typewriter was no longer objective. Aponia showed no surprise at this and said to Kevin, "Kalpas has also disappeared from the Elysian Realm. Like Sakura, he shows signs of [data abnormality]."
"On the other hand... only Sakura could be considered a [companion] recognized by him, right? Even though he would never admit it himself."
Under Kevin's questioning, Aponia also admitted that she knew Sakura had learned about Rin's fate and felt that Sakura might come seeking revenge, which is why she sent Griseo away. But Kevin shook his head; he didn't believe that, because Kevin trusted his comrades! Yet he was equally puzzled: why did Aponia give the [key] to Griseo?]
[March 7th]:"What are they even talking about? Have the Flame-Chasers really been eliminated by the Corruption? Or have they discovered the Corruption's existence and are secretly plotting against it?"
[Stelle]:"Does this scene feel familiar? This is the upgraded version of Penacony Werewolf—Elysian Realm Werewolf!"
[Dan Heng]:"The key should be the crystal flowers of Elysia that the members who attended that banquet received, right?"
[Kiana]:"Could this be an important item to counter the Corruption?"
[Gallagher]:"Really... the Flame-Chasers each have their own plans and suspicions toward each other, while the Corruption secretly stirs trouble and sows discord. Truly a paradise of [mystery]."
Next chapter will be after some time, probably in the afternoon? I'm home now, and I miss the school's heating. With temperatures below zero, I can't write at all. Let's wait until it warms up!