However, the moment Elysia stepped outside, she was surrounded.
I’m trying to get back to headquarters.
What do you people want?
At that moment, the man in front handed her an invitation.
Written upon it was a challenge to battle outside the city, where they would await her at any time.
They came for me this quickly?
Elysia blinked, though the timing was actually perfect.
“Let’s go right now and save ourselves the trouble of making another trip.” She clasped her hands together, tilted her head, and smiled.
“But first, let me commend your courage~” Hundreds of fully equipped men stood on an open field at the edge of the city, braced as though facing a deadly enemy.
Should she dare to come, they would make certain she suffered a crushing defeat!
Several hundred against one.
Would they win?
The leader raised a confident smile.
They would win!
Still, he needed to rally his men before the battle.
“Over fifty large-scale conflicts have been fought throughout the history of Lamington County.
Who was right and who was wrong is difficult to say.
What I don’t understand is why all our brothers keep talking about that pink-haired girl, as though facing her means we’re doomed to disaster!
“Three years ago, I set out from this very place and carved out a domain of hundreds.
Truly, even the gods favored me!
That thriving scene, where all things flourished with boundless vitality, remains vivid before my eyes.
“And now, after a mere three years, has this place somehow transformed into my burial ground?
No matter how you look at it, we have three hundred men against one.
The advantage is ours!” “The fate of our gangs will be decided today!” The roar of three hundred men shook the field.
A ring of civilians had gathered outside to watch the spectacle, but the gang members stationed around the perimeter drove them all away.
Elysia stared dumbfounded from the side.
You’ve stacked every possible death flag on yourselves.
At that moment, the leader noticed that Elysia had already been brought over.
He crossed his arms and struck what he believed was an incredibly cool pose.
“Scared yet?” “Just come at me together.
Hurry up.” She only wanted to go home as soon as possible.
Seven minutes later, bodies lay scattered all across the field.
Men clutched their arms or legs and wailed in pain.
She had held back and broken no bones.
At worst, they had suffered hairline fractures.
“My apologies, Lady Elysia.
I’m sorry we couldn’t make you use your full strength.” The leader, sprawled on the ground, forced out a difficult smile.
What a bunch of lunatics.
Elysia shook her head with a sigh and prepared to leave.
Then she was surrounded by police cars that had arrived far too late.
Elysia had been gloriously arrested.
“Name?” “Elysia.” “Sex?” “Female.” “Age?” “Eleven.” “Identification?” Elysia handed over her identification card.
The staff member leaned forward, entered the information, and brought up her file.
“You’re from the Vostok Orphanage.
Your guardian is Director Celia, correct?
She’s comfortable letting such a young child wander around outside?” “…Uh, this was my own fault.” Elysia genuinely felt embarrassed about dragging Director Celia into this.
Shouldn’t the important part be that such a young child knocked down an entire crowd of people…?
The civil servant opposite her understood immediately.
“All right.
Runaway child.” “I didn’t run away!
I went traveling!
I’m already a grown-up who can take care of herself!” Elysia reacted violently and sprang up from her chair.
“Please do not interfere with official duties.” “Oh.” Elysia sat back down.
“Organized fighting, but with relatively minor consequences.
You’re also a minor, so you’ll be detained for three days.
Please come with me.” The staff member organized the file, stood up, and led Elysia into a room.
“We’ll contact your guardian shortly.
You can only leave after your guardian has given a statement.” Wait, you’ve arrested a gang leader.
Aren’t you afraid my people will break me out?
And I defeated three hundred people by myself.
Aren’t you even a little surprised?
She asked the question aloud and received a thoroughly unsurprised look in return.
“You came out of a laboratory, right?
Then it’s perfectly normal.” The woman glanced at Elysia.
“Besides, don’t you know this is the established custom here?
Anyone who gets into a fight has to spend time at the station.
There’s another unusual person in the detention room.
She could probably do the same thing.
You can get acquainted with her.” “Oh.” Still, Elysia wanted to struggle a little longer.
“Big Sis, my guardian lives very far away.
It would be terribly inconvenient for her to come all this way.
Could you make an exception?
Ely will be very well behaved.” Elysia began acting cute.
“She can do it online.
We’ll take an electronic statement.” “Can we skip the statement?” Elysia blinked pitifully.
The staff member left behind a plate of fruit and shut the door.
Hmph.
Heartless!
Even so, Elysia still liked people who enforced the law impartially.
It was merely a little unfortunate for her.
Wait.
Aren’t electronic devices supposed to be confiscated during detention?
“Oh, we don’t have that rule here.
Just sit inside for a while.” The staff member replied without even looking up.
It seems this place doesn’t follow the rules that strictly either…
After messaging the people at headquarters and telling them to govern themselves, Elysia picked up the plate and wandered around the room while eating.
She found no one.
Figuring that the so-called unusual person had already escaped, Elysia casually chose an empty seat and had barely lowered herself onto it, preparing to scroll through her phone to pass the time, when a girl with dark brown hair on one side and pale green hair on the other crawled out from beneath the chair.
“Ow!
Someone’s under here!
Be gentle!” she complained.
Elysia’s eye twitched.
She would recognize that figure even if it had been reduced to ashes.
Professor Vill-V!
So it was you!
No, wait.
Why are you here?
How did these people even manage to catch you?
Vill-V looked at the frozen Elysia, stood up, and tidied her hair.
“My, my.
Sorry for frightening you.
Allow me to introduce myself.
“I am the future master of Helixcraft, the one who gazes down upon the stars, the Great Magician Vill-V!” She planted her hands on her hips and raised her head with supreme confidence, already displaying a hint of the presence she possessed in the original story.
That was, provided one ignored the fact that she was a full head shorter than her original counterpart.
Naturally, Elysia refused to be outdone.
“Ahem~ Then allow me to introduce myself as well.
I am a beautiful maiden as mysterious as an elf and as radiant as a flying blossom—Elysia~” “Wow, what a stylish introduction!” Somehow, their peculiar wavelengths aligned perfectly.
The two sat down and chatted for a while.
Elysia learned that Vill-V had been traveling from place to place performing magic and had merely happened to pass through the area.
“It doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong, Vill-V.” “Oh, I came in voluntarily.
I heard Lamington County once invested heavily in rebuilding its prison, so I decided to come take a look and perform an escape act.” Vill-V gestured around the detention room.
“As for the actual result…” She spread her hands.
“All I can say is that it was profoundly disappointing.” “Then why are you still here?” “I’m helping them renovate it,” she replied as though it were only natural.
“I can find hundreds of ways to escape from this place, which means other people should be able to find at least one.
So I’m helping them seal every opening free of charge.” The light of righteousness shone upon the earth.
The way Elysia looked at Vill-V immediately changed.
Vill-V, meanwhile, examined Elysia from head to toe.
“You don’t look like a bad person either.
How did you end up in here?” Elysia recounted her “glorious deeds” since arriving in Lamington County.
“You’re quite extraordinary yourself.” Vill-V sensed the presence of a kindred spirit.
“It seems this place isn’t quite as disappointing as I thought.
Want to exchange contact details?” Naturally, Elysia was delighted.
She had never expected to encounter the first Flame-Chaser so easily.
Vill-V of Helix, head of MOTH’s engineering department and a mechanical engineering genius.
She had been solely responsible for constructing the first six Divine Keys and had also participated in the creation of later Divine Keys.
Most of MOTH’s buildings had been designed by her as well.
However, Vill-V was actually a patient with dissociative identity disorder who possessed nine personalities.
Her original personality, the “Expert,” spent nearly all its time asleep.
In ordinary social situations, she generally appeared through the “Magician” personality, whose temperament was lively and eccentric.
Though she seemed completely uninhibited, she actually possessed an exceptionally strong moral compass.
After the Twelfth Herrscher seized control of the nuclear arsenal and destroyed humanity’s final cities, she was consumed by guilt and voluntarily sought out Su, transforming the tremendously destructive Fifth Divine Key into a cryogenic pod to preserve the seeds of civilization.
In the end, she died during the battle against Finality.
Vill-V was one of the relatively easiest Flame-Chasers to get along with.
“All right, remember to stay in touch.” Vill-V made her phone disappear as though performing a magic trick.
“So, Vill-V, what are you planning to do next?” “I’ll keep traveling and performing magic, of course.” She casually produced a deck of cards, then flicked her wrist and made them vanish.
“Magic is so much fun, especially when I meet people who think they’ve seen through my methods.
When I finally pull back the curtain, the looks on their faces are even more entertaining.” Even Elysia had failed to see where she hid the cards.
“That’s amazing.” “I make all these magical props myself.
I’ve also designed plenty of stage illusions.
I’m not only a great magician, but also a genius in mechanical engineering.
Granted, I’m still teaching myself, but give me a little more time and I guarantee that no one in the world will surpass me in mechanical engineering.” “I believe in you, Vill-V.
I’ll be looking forward to it~” “Naturally~ As long as I set my mind to something, I can do it.” “Now tell me about yourself.
I’m rather interested.” She abruptly changed the subject.
Elysia gave her a rough account of her life in Vostok.
“That sounds wonderful.” Vill-V seemed somewhat emotional.
“While traveling around, I constantly meet people who see how young I am and try to take advantage of me.
Letting them watch my magic without paying is already generous.
Your entire town sounds genuinely wholesome.
I should visit someday and take a look around.” “Unfortunately, I’m not wholesome anymore.
Director Celia has always trusted me, yet I’ve only been away for a few months and I’ve already ended up at the police station.” Elysia sighed.
Vill-V adopted a mysterious expression.
“Unless I’m mistaken, they have to contact your guardian when you’re detained, correct?
So, do you want her to know about this?” “I…
would rather she didn’t,” Elysia admitted honestly.
Vill-V snapped her fingers.
“Then we can do this.
I can intercept the communications frequency, and when the time comes, ahem~” Vill-V cleared her throat.
When she spoke again, her voice had transformed into that of a gentle, warm older woman.
“I’ll handle the statement for you.
As for her appearance and voice, all you need to do is describe them.
I guarantee I’ll reproduce both perfectly.” As expected of the Expert…
“Thank you, but I think I’d better behave myself and remain an honest citizen.” Elysia chose to give up.
Vill-V stared at her speechlessly.
“You mingle with gangs, organize mass brawls, and collect a share of your subordinates’ income, yet you still call yourself an honest citizen?” “I call it peaceful rehabilitation, persuading people through reason, and generating reasonable revenue!” “What an eye-opening choice of words.” Vill-V immediately sat upright.
“I’ll use those excuses the next time I cause trouble.” This time, it was Elysia’s turn to stare at her speechlessly.
“Fine, fine.” Vill-V raised her hands in surrender.
“Forget it if you don’t want to.” “Sorry~” Elysia knew Vill-V was only trying to help.
“It’s fine.
When I hold my next magic show, remember to come watch.
I haven’t decided on the time yet, but the location will be the roof of Lamington Central Tower.” The corner of Elysia’s mouth twitched.
She had only recently left that place.
The godfather lived there.
Reading her thoughts, Vill-V waved dismissively.
“Don’t worry.
They can’t catch me.
I am the Great Magician Vill-V!” “Then I wish you good luck~” In truth, Elysia was praying for everyone else.
“I’m off to prepare the stage, then.
You absolutely have to come!” Vill-V sprang up and crawled directly into the ventilation duct, even replacing the grille behind herself before leaving.
That truly was…
a remarkably distinctive exit.