“That’s the preliminary cooperation plan.
Once the follow-up arrangements have been coordinated with headquarters, someone there will help draft the rest~” Elysia said with a faint smile as she handed over a project charter.
“She’s a genuine genius.
Just follow her lead.” “Thank you very much, Miss Elysia.” The man accepted it gratefully.
“On behalf of every resident in the city, I thank you for your assistance.” “It was hardly any trouble~ And you don’t need to be so formal,” Elysia reassured him.
“Public security in this city was already a mess before you arrived.
As a mayor parachuted in from elsewhere, it’s perfectly normal that you couldn’t accomplish much despite wanting to.
Honestly, the fact that you didn’t join them in their corruption is already rare enough.
You’ve worked hard all these years~” He was effectively this city’s Gordon.
Elysia had always sincerely respected those who held fast to their conscience in the darkness.
After the man left, gently closing the door behind him, Elysia leaned back in her chair and stared absentmindedly into the mirror.
The girl reflected within had flowing pink hair and tranquil blue-pink eyes.
Though her features still retained a trace of youth, her bearing had grown increasingly composed.
Three years had passed, and she had grown into Cyrene, though there was still some distance between her and Miss Pink Elf as she would one day become.
Elysia had just been about to rest for a while when someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.” She remembered that this was the final visitor scheduled for today.
A blue-haired man entered.
Apparently believing himself exceptionally dashing, he swept up the hem of his trench coat and offered an elegant salute.
“Long time no see, Miss Elysia.” He greeted her with ostentatious flair.
“Uh, who are you?” Elysia pretended to ponder the question for a moment before suddenly realizing.
“Oh, it’s Uncle Ato.
How have you been?” He stumbled at the form of address, his face taking on an expression of utter despair.
“Do I really look that old?” “Ahaha, not at all.” Elysia waved a hand.
“So, what brings you here?” “First of all, naturally, I came to congratulate you.
Who would have thought that the little girl from Vostok could achieve so much in only a few years?” he said with emotion.
“Compared with you, old-timers like us have accomplished practically nothing.” “Not at all~ And I owe a lot to Vill-V.
Without her, I really wouldn’t be able to manage everything.
Thanks to her, I can run around wherever I please~” “Naturally.
Miss Vill-V is also exceptionally capable.” He nodded, glanced around, then lowered his voice and adopted a mysterious tone.
“Since you were about to rest, I’ll get straight to the point.
Miss Elysia, have you ever wondered about your extraordinary physique?
Where did it come from, and how might it affect your future?
Would you like to know?” “You know, Uncle Ato, the way you’re talking right now sounds exactly like the pyramid-scheme scammers I arrested before.” Elysia looked at him speechlessly and pointed toward the landline on the desk.
“Had we not met once before, I would have called the authorities and had you brought to justice immediately.” “Hey, don’t, don’t!” Ato hurriedly raised his hands, no longer even caring that she had called him uncle.
“I’m a good person.
You should be able to tell, right, Ely?” “I could when you first walked in.
Now I’m not so sure~” Elysia regarded him with playful interest.
“That depends on what Uncle Ato says next.” Ato understood her meaning.
He solemnly straightened his collar, and his expression grew considerably more serious.
“All of this is because of—Honkai.” His voice became deep and grave.
“Honkai?” Elysia expressed just the right amount of confusion.
“It is a disaster that accompanies civilization.
Its origins are unknown, and it manifests in many different forms—natural disasters, epidemics, monsters, anything imaginable.
One example is Honkai Sickness, which began spreading on a small scale nearly twenty years ago.
A patient’s body is gradually eroded, and there is no cure.
“At the same time, however, some people exposed to Honkai have displayed extraordinary constitutions.
Miss Elysia, you are the strongest person we have been able to find.
Your adaptability to Honkai energy must be remarkable.
You are a born warrior.” Of course.
The Herrscher of Origin has every stat maxed out at one hundred percent.
“Mhm~” Elysia gestured for him to continue.
“I am a member of MOTH, an anti-Honkai organization under the United Nations.” He presented his identification.
A moth flying through raging flames was embossed on its surface.
“As an organization that protects the world from the shadows, MOTH has a great need for exceptional individuals like you.
Therefore, I sincerely invite you to join MOTH.” “All right.
I’ll join.” “I hope you’ll consider…
Huh?” Ato froze.
“I said I’ll join.
Is something wrong?” Elysia tilted her head.
“Wait.
Aren’t you worried that I’m here to scam you and might secretly sell you off somewhere?” More importantly, wouldn’t all the persuasive arguments he had prepared go completely unused?
“I can tell you aren’t lying, can’t I?” Elysia rubbed her brow.
“Rather than wasting time hesitating, it’s better to make a clean decision.
You’re quite busy too, Uncle Ato.
There’s no need for me to take up too much of your time.” MOTH’s upper ranks might be corrupt, and they might make one brain-dead decision after another, but there was no denying that it was an excellent platform.
It communicated directly with the highest public authorities of every nation, possessed the greatest priority and legal legitimacy in the fight against Honkai, gathered countless talented individuals, maintained technology far ahead of the rest of the world, and valued results and concrete achievements more than other institutions.
Rather than allowing the plot of her previous life to prejudice her against it and building an organization from scratch, she might as well take the existing one and reform it directly.
Besides, once she visited their base and severed the puppet strings there, perhaps the upper ranks would start behaving more normally.
“Then thank you for being so understanding, Miss Elysia.” Ato instantly broke into a delighted grin, all solemnity vanishing.
“Should I arrange a date for you to formally take up your post?” “Could you give me a field assignment for now?” Elysia looked out the window.
Thousands upon thousands of threads were snapping, dissolving soundlessly into nothing in midair.
“I plan to finish traveling around the world first.
You could call it a childhood dream of mine.” “Of course.” Ato guaranteed it without hesitation.
“Then I won’t disturb you any longer, Miss Elysia.
Your identification and basic documents will be delivered later.” He extended his hand, and Elysia naturally shook it.
“MOTH welcomes you.” His tone was solemn.
After Ato left, Elysia rose and walked to the window, silently gazing at the radiant pink dome that blanketed heaven and earth, visible to her alone.
Over the past three years, the purification field she had emanated had expanded to an astonishing scale.
At last, the entire European Union had been completely liberated from the Cocoon of Finality.
It was time to move on to the next destination.