And now.
“The Godfather is already waiting for you inside.” The attendant led Elysia to the door.
Elysia opened the door lightly and quietly.
What came into view was a Western-style classical apartment.
A light brown carpet with intricate patterns covered the clean, dust-free mahogany floor.
Oak furniture was neatly arranged on both sides, and the chandelier on the ceiling looked like a crystal crown.
A fireplace in the corner burned quietly.
The entire floor was shrouded in an elegant orange glow, carrying a refreshing woody fragrance.
Behind a long table at the end of the line of sight, the Godfather, Falco, sat with his hands folded, wearing a smile.
There was a familiar feeling…
but the temperament seemed worlds apart.
“Relax.
Today is just inviting our rising star for a chat.” He spread his hands and pressed down, easing the atmosphere.
“Please, sit.” Elysia let out a soft breath, walked slowly across the hall, and carefully pulled out a chair to sit down.
There was no fear in her eyes, no trace of pretense.
She was essentially a very disciplined person, and her body was subconsciously poised for action, he judged.
She was indeed like a battle-hardened warrior.
“Godfather, did you ask for me because you need me to do something?” Elysia spoke first, very seriously.
She didn’t have the invincible affinity that the original Elysia had with everyone.
Using the Elysia-style tone in this situation would probably be asking for a beating.
“Not at all.
It’s just that my subordinates speak highly of you, and you have achieved quite a lot.
It’s only natural that I should meet you.” Here it comes, the Fire MOTHS’ interrogation technique: playing hard to get, suppressing before praising.
Elysia sat up straight: “I am flattered.” He seemed to accidentally knock a pen off the table.
Elysia subconsciously pressed it down before it could fall, retracting her strength just in time, without making a sound.
“Thank you.” He took back the pen and tucked it into his chest pocket.
“To possess such skills while being so young makes my subordinates quite envious.
I presume the environment you grew up in was quite extraordinary.” Vostok-51, as the starting point for the original Elysia, laid the most solid foundation for her kindness that remained unchanged despite countless hardships, and it was indeed extraordinary.
Elysia pondered for a moment and replied: “They gave me the best education, and I honed these skills there.
I am very grateful to them.” It seems it really is the work of the Fire MOTHS.
These skills and reflexes are not something that can be trained through unconventional means, he thought.
However, he didn’t know that the vast majority of this was due to brute force bolstered by Origin.
“Then I must thank them too,” Falco said sincerely.
“To teach such an outstanding student.
Since coming here, you have done a lot.
On behalf of Larnington County, I thank you for your contributions.
However, you also know that some of the gangs below are unhappy.
I believe you will receive an invitation before long.” “Personally, I think very highly of you, and I can help you settle this matter.
Of course, you can also choose to teach them a lesson, so that they naturally won’t come looking for trouble with you in the future.” Showing appropriate goodwill while making the initiative clear—this was his strategy for dealing with the Fire MOTHS.
Elysia pondered for a moment and understood.
The people from the Fire MOTHS wanted to test her strength.
What a big fanfare.
Having deciphered the necessary information, Elysia retorted slightly: “Then I think I will attend the appointment.
By the way, I thought all the gangs were under your command.” “Hahaha, not really,” Falco waved his hand without getting angry.
“I am just the maker of the rules.
I mostly let things be if the rules don’t forbid them.
Of course, if they cross the line, that’s another matter.” Having confirmed to his own satisfaction that the person opposite him belonged to an untouchable major faction, he spoke openly.
“This is balance: giving them relatively free space while binding them with sufficiently powerful shackles.
And now it seems a new balance is about to be established.” He slightly emphasized the word “balance.” The meaning was clear: were the Fire MOTHS coming to take over and reshape the balance here?
Was Elysia the vanguard?
But in Elysia’s mind, it meant something else.
Her arrival had broken the balance and caused the situation to become chaotic.
“Balance is dynamic.
What I pursue is to achieve balance on the basis of things getting better and better,” Elysia explained.
“As for unintentionally increasing the workload of others, I am very sorry.” The meaning was that she had no deliberate intention to target the Fire MOTHS, and she expressed it clearly.
Does this mean the Fire MOTHS are dissatisfied with the status quo and are going to intervene?
He pondered to himself.
Immediately, Elysia changed the subject: “However, stability is the most important thing.
What I have always sought is to move forward on the basis of stability.” She would seek stability in the future and not interfere with the Fire MOTHS’ work, hoping that previous matters could be wiped clean.
Falco breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.
I see.
It seems there is still some time before the full intervention of the Fire MOTHS.
Besides, her point of view was deeply to his liking.
Falco remained calm on the surface, but inwardly he was already somewhat pleased.
She was indeed a genuine talent, but it was a pity she belonged to the Fire MOTHS.
Elysia also narrowed her eyes.
His meaning was buried under eighteen twists and turns; he was an old fox.
As expected of the Fire MOTHS.
Falco folded his hands together.
He decided to open up a little, to see if he could use her to get a line on the Fire MOTHS.
Elysia also composed her expression; she knew the critical moment of the Fire MOTHS’ inspection and test was coming.
“To be able to achieve such accomplishments at such a young age, you are truly a young talent.
Sometimes I wonder, if my son had stayed by my side, would he also have achieved such heights?” Suddenly, Elysia had a premonition.
“May I ask who your beloved son is?” “My son’s name is Kosma.” Elysia’s hand jolted.
Huh?
That Kosma who aspired to be a hero since he was a child has a father who is a gang Godfather?
She calmly took a look at Falco.
His hair color and eye color were identical.
No wonder there was a sense of familiarity.
He sighed: “I used to be a police officer, and I still consider myself one.
At that time, gangs in Larnington County were fighting each other, and Order was in chaos.
I participated in a plan and joined the former Godfather’s faction.
“However, my wife found out and thought I had abandoned my original intention.
She was disappointed in me.
Even though she was pregnant, she left me and went to a small border town.
After the situation stabilized, I could only send money to them through various channels to try to make up for it.
My child has a very good name, which means ‘World’.
He is very much like me and has a dream of becoming a hero.
“But I am now covered in mud.
So many years have passed, and I often ask myself: is a hero in the darkness still a hero?” His tone was long and drawn out, as if sighing.
“It’s not just those who stand in the light that can be considered heroes.” Elysia said this sincerely.
Good, she has been moved.
Falco decided to press his advantage.
“Then, in light of the humble contributions I have made, I have a presumptuous request.
I know that you and your colleagues are dedicated to a great cause.
Could you let my child join as well and look after him a little?” In this position, he was destined not to have a good end, but he could find a good path for his son.
But Elysia’s brain was about to burn out.
What was the Godfather’s attitude for?
Did he take her as the spokesperson for some major power, hedging his bets?
The question is, which major power?
“This is very dangerous.
Shouldn’t you let your child avoid it?” She had to go along with the situation, but she had to refuse for both emotional and logical reasons; the path of fighting the Honkai was simply too difficult to walk.
“Heh,” he smiled.
“With his personality, he is destined not to avoid it.” It was indeed so.
Kosma was a masked hero in a small town when he was young, and during the Fourth Honkai, he even sacrificed himself by strapping a bomb on to try to destroy the Eye of the Storm.
With such a personality, he would be drawn into it sooner or later.
Of course, as one of the last thirteen Flame-Chasers, a warrior bearing the title [Daybreak], he was already in her plan to travel the world.
“I will go see him.” Elysia made a promise.
The rest was clearly about private matters; just follow the surface meaning.
“Thank you.
I will give you the address later.” At this moment, he finally looked like a father.
“Why don’t you go yourself?” Elysia was a bit confused.
Falco was silent for a while.
Finally, he just said this.
“I cannot show that I care about them.” Before leaving, Elysia turned back to look one last time.
She saw Falco with his hands behind his back, looking at the night sky outside the window, standing straight like an iron tower.
Just like that, Elysia believed she had passed the Fire MOTHS’ test, stated her position, and left a very good impression on the other party; while Falco believed that the Fire MOTHS would not interfere with the situation in the short term, and he had found a good job and connections for his son.
Both sides reached a cordial and friendly exchange and achieved highly constructive results.
Let us thank the Fire MOTHS for their outstanding contributions in this.