Two more years passed in such a mundane and routine manner, and Elysia was now ten years old.
Upon waking up today, she felt that something was not quite right.
She walked to the window and looked toward the edge of the town, where a group of soldiers with a convoy of vehicles bearing moth insignias had stopped at the entrance and were unloading equipment.
A blue-haired man, who appeared to be the leader, was talking to the town mayor, while the town residents gathered around the convoy, an uneasy atmosphere permeating the air.
The captain was, unsurprisingly, Kevin, Griseo’s father.
After Elysia went downstairs, she saw Director Celia walking up to her anxiously.
“Elysia, hide quickly!” Director Celia hurriedly pulled Elysia toward her own room.
?
Director, when was I exposed?
Then she thought of her behavior, which was vastly different from the original Elysia, and realized it instantly.
Her mysterious background was one thing, but having a head full of knowledge from who knows where, along with absurd learning talent (resulting from living off her past life’s assets), it would be a miracle if there were no problems.
Can’t they just treat me as someone who was born with knowledge like Snake?
I can be a human too!
Snake was also treated as a freak at the beginning, so that’s fine then.
However, after years of practice, Elysia was now at “Power of Love, Level 10,” and her control over her authority was effortless.
If a mere blood test could detect anything, she would just consume the Origin authority on the spot.
Besides, because of “Symmetry Breaking,” it wouldn’t have been detectable anyway.
So Elysia spoke up: “It’s fine, Director Celia, they won’t be able to detect anything.” That phrasing sounded a bit off…
it made it seem like she was playing an undercover agent.
“Ahem, after all, Elysia is a genuine human.” She added in a hurry.
However, Director Celia clearly didn’t believe her.
She brought Elysia to the bedside, lifted the bed board, and revealed a compartment inside.
Elysia’s eyes widened.
No way, Director, you have this trick up your sleeve?
“Quick, hide inside, just don’t make a sound.
If they come over, I’ll say I sent you out to buy things and you won’t be back within the day.” Does this reason really hold water…
“Thank you for your kindness, Director, but Elysia knows what she’s doing.
Trust Elysia, okay~” Elysia shook the Director’s hand, launching a cute offensive.
“This is very serious, Elysia,” Director Celia half-knelt, stroking Elysia’s face with her hand, looking into her eyes earnestly.
“Director believes you are a good child, but I also know that you are…
a little special.
They might be here for you.
You are my child, and I must protect you.” Elysia was somewhat touched, but she also knew that the higher-ups had given a strict order for this inspection, requiring a check against the list one by one.
If she really hid, it would only be a case of trying to hide something and only making it more conspicuous.
So she stood back and extended her hand, activating her authority with the minimum consumption of Honkai Energy.
Director Celia was stunned as she watched the crystal flower materialize out of thin air.
“This is Elysia’s ability,” she waved her hand to disperse the flower, then demonstrated condensing the scattered fragments into crystals.
“You might not know this, Director, but I go to the forest every night to practice.
I can now very skillfully control my…
special aspects.
Elysia hopes that the Director will trust Elysia, just as Elysia has always trusted the Director.” She said with equal seriousness.
The Director looked into her eyes for a long time, while Elysia responded with a smile.
Finally, she relented.
“If there is a problem, run immediately.” Before leaving, she still urged.
After Elysia stored the crystal into the Origin space, she went out.
A long queue had already formed at the town entrance.
Several doctors wearing thick protective suits were drawing blood from the children one by one, with complex instruments behind them where blood samples would be sent for testing.
She fell into line at the end, and Director Celia followed, staying by her side.
“I’m still a bit worried.” The Director looked anxious.
Elysia smiled.
The queue moved very slowly; she waited through the entire noon and afternoon.
“Next.” Elysia shook her head to clear it and walked up.
“My name is Elysia.
Elysia has introduced herself, so it’s time for Uncle to introduce himself.” She launched an Elysia-style social phobia attack on the blue-haired man holding the list.
Hearing the word “Uncle,” the man stumbled.
He took a deep breath and looked speechless: “My name is Kevin, and little girl, you can’t just say things like that.
Do I look that old?
I’m not even married yet!” “Ahaha…
sorry, Big Brother.” That’s right, she did it on purpose, to vent for the future Flawless one, Klein.
The doctor skillfully drew the blood and handed Elysia a cotton ball.
Although the wound had healed the moment the needle was pulled out, Elysia still used the cotton ball to press against the injection site and stood aside to wait.
After everyone’s blood was drawn, the staff sent the last box of blood collection tubes into the instrument.
Director Celia maintained a calm appearance on the surface, but privately she nervously gripped Elysia’s hand, while Elysia gently rubbed it to provide comfort.
Finally, the results came out; the green light lit up, indicating no problems.
“Sorry to bother everyone, thank you for your cooperation.” Kevin put away the list, shook hands with the mayor, and led his team to leave.
Under the setting sun, Elysia watched the departing convoy and silently activated her authority.
The scene shifted; her consciousness ascended into the starry sky.
She saw that the center of the originally gray-purple Cocoon of Finality had cracked open, revealing a huge star-shaped fissure from which endless purple radiance gushed out, as if to swallow everything.
She could no longer look directly at it.
It has reached this point in time; the moment she has been waiting for has arrived.
Then, the Honkai will likely descend in full scale soon.
Although she was very reluctant, it was time to set off, to embark on the path that Elysia had once walked.
The afterglow of the sunset cast long shadows over everything, and the molten golden-orange light hit Elysia’s face, causing her to squint.
This was a magnificent and tranquil curtain call for the day.
Abruptly, she remembered the ending of a work she had seen in her past life: “This is the sunset of humanity.” However, she also remembered the ending of its second part: “The sky is getting dark; why aren’t you children afraid?” “Because she knows that the sun will rise again tomorrow.” The next day at noon, Elysia found the Director: “Director Celia, do you still remember the Origin of my name?” “Of course, little Elysia said it means [Elysian Realm] in the Mu Continent language.” Director Celia replied with a smile.
“Then…” Elysia clenched her hands.
Director Celia was the best person to her in this life, reminding her of her mother from her past life.
Now she felt that speaking was incredibly difficult, and she could only force the words out one by one, “I…
should also set off to find the Elysian Realm.” Once the words were spoken, both sides fell silent.
Elysia lowered her head, not knowing what else to say.
After a long while, she felt a hand gently stroking her head.
Looking up, she saw the Director’s eyes glistening with tears: “Then, let the Director help you prepare.” As soon as she finished speaking, Director Celia prepared to leave; she could see that the Director did not want to make things difficult for her.
But what about the Director?
Wasn’t she sad?
“Director Celia, I haven’t called you mother for so many years, and there is a reason for that, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love you.
In my eyes, you are absolutely worthy of the title ‘mother.’ Thank you for taking care of me all these years,” Elysia bowed sincerely, “If you had a child, she would definitely be incredibly happy.” Director Celia’s departing steps paused.
She turned back and hugged Elysia, tears streaming down her face.
“Little Elysia, I was also very happy during the days you were here.” She said, sobbing, while Elysia just gently stroked the long hair on the back of the Director’s head.
Everyone in the town came to see her off.
A group of children were crying uncontrollably.
Elysia carried a large bag stuffed with farewell gifts from the townspeople—bread, water, clothes, and money, everything was provided.
Boss Seth from the hardware store gave her a stun baton, and before leaving, Director Celia stuffed a mobile phone and processed documents into her hands.
“Alright, alright, don’t cry,” Elysia comforted them, taking out a few storybooks, “These are the stories I’ve told over the years, although they are only outlines.
In the past, I was the one to fill them in, but from now on, it’s up to you.
You can tell them to the children who come after.
Beautiful stories need to be passed on.
When that time comes, seeing this storybook will mean that I am by your side, won’t it~” “Elysia, please don’t go.” “We will miss you every day when you are gone.” “I never thought Elysia leaving would be a happy thing.” Elysia smiled and shook her phone: “We can keep in touch by phone.
If you encounter any troubles, you can call Elysia at any time.
No matter when or where, Elysia will respond to your expectations~”, Finally, she met the eyes of Director Celia, who had tears in the corners of her eyes and nodded at her with a smile.
“Goodbye~” She said a gentle farewell.
Elysia shouldered her pack and walked further and further away, with the townspeople watching her leave.
Finally, at the end of the road, she turned back, waved, and shouted loudly: “Besides, it’s not like I’m not coming back!
The world is big, and life is even bigger.
We will meet again!
Elysia will always love you all!” After she could no longer see the figures of the people, Elysia’s expression darkened.
She looked up, and above the starry sky, endless threads extended from the bright moon hanging high in the sky, connecting every person in the world.
Ever since the Cocoon of Finality began to become active, she had been able to see the suspension threads it imposed on everyone, although they were barely perceptible, they were definitely there.
It turned the billions of people in the world into puppets, manipulating them toward a predetermined fate: either giving up their selfhood to merge into a consciousness integration body, or suffering destruction by the Finality and starting all over again.
Is this the world in Aponia’s eyes?
It is truly despairing.
[Test]?
[Embrace]?
[Seeking same kind]?
Heh, how truly high and mighty.
It is nothing more than an executioner.
In these millions of years of reincarnation, the only periods when humanity truly had complete free will were the time after the sacrifice of the Previous Era’s Elysia and the entire Current Era.
However, as an accident of the Cocoon, a miracle described by Mei as comparable to “brewing coffee with ice cubes,” Elysia discovered that she seemed to be able to erase the threads within a small range, and could even expand the range by burning her life force.
She had tried it when the townspeople were seeing her off, and it worked.
Perhaps, this is the meaning of her existence in this world.
She would travel to every corner of the world, sever the suspension threads that bound everyone, and completely destroy this puppet show.
Such a fate, she would never submit to it.