Chapter 418

He told Mei the whole story, and after a moment of silence to process the information, Mei nodded.

"It does sound too much of a coincidence... Moreover, if this series of accidents were all man-made... No one could possibly have accounted for every single factor... Hmm? Wait, Sakura, you just said that you brought back two people from Twilight Town?"

Contrary to what she knew, Mei had initially thought that Sakura had brought back Pardofelis and Chakravartin, but judging from her expression, it seemed that she wasn't referring to them at all.

"Yes, Aponia, she's one of them."

Mei was very surprised by the name Sakura mentioned: Aponia. Was she also a member of Twilight Town?

"At that time, the Flame-Chasers believed that she was very likely the culprit behind the Honkai Disease and ordered me to detain her. If it weren't for that... perhaps she would never have had any interaction with the Flame-Chasers in her entire life."

After listening to Sakura's words, Mei had a clearer understanding of Twilight Town. Twilight Town really is a place where talented people emerge in large numbers.

Chapter Sixty-One: Talents on Twilight Town

So many people are connected to Twilight Town? Perhaps that place shouldn't be called Twilight Town; it would be more appropriate to rename it Arkham Street. As far as we know, at least three people are already connected to Twilight Town. And all of this... perhaps it can also be related to the accident that Sakura mentioned. It really is an accident. This series of coincidences has converged into an accident that is enough to affect the whole world.

"I never expected something like this to happen. It seems like an accident, and it sounds like an accident, but the result of this series of accidents doesn't feel so unexpected."

After saying goodbye to Sakura, Mei sorted out the information she had so far. The Twilight Town seemed to be quite complicated. This was all the information she had from Sakura. If she wanted to get to the bottom of things, she would probably have to find other people involved, such as Aponia, or Chakravartin... Damn it, those two are both difficult to deal with.

"It's alright, Mei, don't worry. We'll figure out what happened in Twilight Town someday. If all else fails, we can hang Pardofelis up and interrogate her. She'll talk eventually."

Shen Gonglin reached out and smoothed Mei's brow. Thinking so much would make her go bald. Mei seemed to be considering some very complicated things. Shen Gonglin, on the other hand, didn't think that much. He was the kind of person who rarely looked at the background information when playing games; he only knew how to kill.

"Let's just let Pardofelis go. I'll figure these things out myself, so there's no need to... Hmm? Isn't that Elysia? And... Griseo?"

Knowing that Shen Gonglin was worried about her, Mei smiled at him. She didn't think hanging Pardofelis up would bring any other benefits, and she didn't really like this method either. Just then, the two saw the people whispering to each other over there. Griseo was still painting in front of her easel, while Elysia was leaning close to her with concern. This guy seems to have a good relationship with every girl.

"Oh dear, it seems... I've been spending too much time with you, Griseo. I guess I have to leave soon. If this continues, someone will be unhappy. Griseo, let me tell you, she's a very domineering and possessive person. I won't say who it is, you know what I mean... Oh, Mei, you're here!"

As soon as Mei approached, she heard Elysia saying these strange things. Mei was speechless. Was she talking about herself? She must be talking about herself! Damn it, who's so domineering and possessive of her? All Mei wanted to do in front of Elysia was to draw her sword, but she couldn't say it directly, otherwise she would definitely give the impression of being presumptuous.

"Ah, Mei, Shen Gonglin, you've come at just the right time! I was just about to look for you. Come and help me mediate."

As if she hadn't noticed Mei's subtle expression, Elysia ran over and took Mei and Shen Gonglin's hands, leading them to Griseo's side. She realized that her own color was making Griseo look like Elysia, so she really needed to use another color to balance it out.

"Reconciliation? What does that mean?"

Mei freed herself from Elysia's hand and pulled Shen Gonglin's hand away from hers. If it weren't for the impoliteness, Mei would have taken out a tissue to wipe Shen Gonglin's hand. What did she mean by "harmony"? However, before Elysia could explain, Griseo's reaction made her roughly understand the meaning of harmony.

"Shen Gonglin, Mei- neechan... Hi, did you miss me?"

It's hard to imagine that such a voice could come from Griseo's mouth. The two looked at Elysia. Did this idiot teach Griseo to do that? This style is undoubtedly Elysia's.

"Look, this is what I told you about the areas that need to be reconciled. Don't look at me like that. It's really not what I taught you... or not entirely? Mei, haven't you noticed Griseo's special characteristics yet?"

As Alicia observed the problems that had arisen in Griseo, Elysia tapped her head in exasperation. It was all Griseo's fault for being so adorable that she had unwittingly spent a little too much time with her, turning her into a miniature version of Elysia. Although Elysia was still cute, Alicia thought it was definitely better to be alone.

What's so special about Griseo? Mei shook her head.

"Griseo ...she is so well protected, my chances of getting close to her are indeed very few."

Mei was telling the truth. Because Kosma seemed very unwilling for her to have any contact with Griseo, she knew very little about Griseo. Shen Gonglin was probably much closer to her than she was. After all, this guy couldn't read the atmosphere at all. Even if Kosma glared at him until his eyes were sore, he probably still wouldn't know.

"Yeah, that's true, after all, Kosma... But even if that's not the case, Mei, you must strictly control the time you spend with Griseo, Shen Gonglin, you too. When I came over just now, Griseo actually tried to touch my ear. Needless to say, she must have learned that from someone. If one day I hear Griseo say something like... 'The paintbrush Submit to me' or something like that... No, no, that would be too strange."

As if she had thought of some funny scene, Elysia couldn't help but laugh out loud. Suddenly, she felt that it was also very funny. Suddenly, she really wanted to see Griseo turn into that kind of thing.

"... Stop laughing, or I'll draw my sword. From what you're saying, Griseo... is she easily influenced by others... or... does she unconsciously imitate others?"

Looking at Elysia laughing uncontrollably in front of her, Mei took a deep breath. So Griseo has this kind of trait? No wonder she seemed a bit like Elysia earlier. This is really a headache.

Meanwhile, Shen Gonglin's expression became subtle, as if she had found something really fun. Just imagine, Griseo kneeling on the ground, throwing her paintbrush aside, and saying something like, "I can't do anything! I can't draw anything..." That's just too funny!

Shen Gonglin stared intently at Griseo, and the girl, understanding perfectly, turned her head and winked at Shen Gonglin. As expected of Griseo in her Elysia form, she was much more fun than her previous emotionless state. Shen Gonglin was eager to try it out. This blank canvas was exactly what she wanted to draw on, and then transform her into her own image.

Unaware of what Shen Gonglin was thinking, Elysia continued talking to Mei. Imitation? It's not that simple.

Chapter Sixty-Two: Blank Paper

"I'm afraid it's not just about influence and imitation. To give you an analogy... you can think of Griseo as a blank sheet of paper. Although it still has its own material and characteristics, if something is accidentally stained on it... it's no longer just a blank sheet of paper. You see, that's the situation now. I only spent a little more time with her, and she's almost become exactly like me."

After explaining Griseo's traits, although she was complaining, Mei felt that Elysia was showing off—showing off Griseo's appearance as her. This girl...

"Indeed...it's a very obvious change, but what about her sense of self? If she's always like this, then..."

Mei frowned, sensing something was wrong. If she could easily adopt other people's personalities, what about Griseo's own? Would she be overshadowed by too many colors, thus losing her true self? This was indeed a very important question.

To everyone's surprise, Elysia shook her head. The fairy girl didn't seem too worried about the problem. She waved her hand at Mei, indicating that Mei was overthinking it.

"Hey, Mei, listen carefully to the examples I gave you. I said, Griseo still has her own material and characteristics. The things that have stained this white paper... they are not powerful enough to cover them up. They will fade away soon, just as easily as they were stained. To put it simply, Griseo should return to normal after painting another picture."

Elysia shrugged and explained that, just like colors that are easily stained, turning a blank sheet of paper back into a blank sheet of paper is as simple as getting stained with those colors again. It only takes a little time. She just didn't know who had changed all the paintings in Griseo's studio. This had really angered Kosma.

"Is that so...? Then what does Elysia, the real Griseo, look like?"

If all the traits she displays are imitations of others' "colors," then Mei faces a new question: what exactly is her own original "color"?

"That's a good question. Let me think... The real Griseo, this is a difficult question to answer. I've seen her as lovely as an angel, and I've also seen her as terrifying as a demon. Of course, neither of those was her true self. She's far from being old enough to face these things."

With her slender fingers touching her lips, Elysia left Griseo's side. They couldn't let her continue down Elysia's path. Following her, Mei also pulled Shen Gonglin and Griseo away. So, was her usual dazed and quiet demeanor something she learned from Kosma? There really isn't a single normal person in this Elysian Realm ... Now it seems only the Class President is still firmly upholding the boundaries of normalcy?

Lost in thought about all sorts of random things, Mei was suddenly struck by a Mei, jarring noise. Almost instantly, she frowned. What was that sound? It was incredibly unsettling, heavy like a lumpy object thrown from somewhere. While Mei was still trying to figure out where the noise was coming from, Elysia had already stuffed two fingers through her pink hair to completely block both of her ears.

It seems she was prepared for this voice.

"Elysia, what's that sound?"

Shen Gonglin covered Mei's ears and frowned, asking Elysia, "Why is there such a noise in the Elysian Realm? It sounds like someone is renovating a room. Who could it be?"

"Huh? What? You're complimenting my looks? I'm happy, but you don't need to keep emphasizing this, it makes me shy."

Elysia, who was shielded from sound, automatically interpreted Mei's voice as what she wanted to hear. Honestly, Mei always says things that make her feel embarrassed. She's really good at it. It feels like she could easily win her over if you're not careful.

"...I'm sorry, Shen Gonglin, please bear with me for a moment."

This woman really has an inflated sense of self-importance. Speechless, Mei could only let go of the hand covering Shen Gonglin's ears. She really spoiled Shen Gonglin too much. When the noise came, Mei subconsciously covered Shen Gonglin's ears, but now it seems that without some tricks, Elysia obviously won't cooperate.

Mei leaned forward slightly to close the distance, then reached out and grabbed Elysia's wrists, gently pulling Alicia's hands away from her ears. Now she couldn't confuse the situation.

"I'm asking... what's going on with the sounds here."

Upon hearing Mei's voice, Elysia reacted as usual, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons. That's not what she was saying just now; Mei was just shy. She was clearly praising herself for being both beautiful and cute.

"Oh... you've become so proactive, Mei. As for these sounds... it's Vill-V's doing. There used to be a metalworking workshop here, but a long time ago she felt it was too small and restrictive, so she closed it off. And now, I don't know what new idea she has, she suddenly went inside all by herself."

Every three sentences were filled with teasing Mei, and seeing Mei's speechless expression, Elysia was quite pleased even without saying a word. She explained the reason for the commotion, but as soon as Vill-V was mentioned, Shen Gonglin and Mei's expressions changed slightly. Mei hadn't forgotten what happened before, and now her commotion...

"Vill-V... will this have any impact on me?"

It wasn't that Mei had some kind of paranoia, but rather that Vill-V's actions really made Mei uneasy. She always felt that the other party was plotting against her, but Mei didn't have any evidence. In short, it was best to be careful.

"Hmm... that depends on what she's planning to do. You've probably noticed, haven't you? No matter what identity she's playing, she's always trying to surprise everyone. Of course, there have been times when she's made a mess of the Elysian Realm... but you'd better go and confirm with her yourself what she's planning to do. I won't go. After all, unless it's something with a soft, bouncy feel like Klein's, I'm not that interested in mechanics."

Alicia pointed Mei in a direction, but this time Elysia wasn't planning to go. Elysia wasn't the kind of pretty girl who was interested in mechanical things.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Idiot

The identity she plays... Mei raised her hand to her chin, a special little gesture she makes when she's thinking. Vill-V had mentioned it before, and now hearing it again from Elysia makes one want to delve deeper into her identity.

"Identity, so how many people's spirits has Vill-V possessed? The time it took for her to appear in the Elysian Realm must have been far longer than that of other Flame-Chasers."

Mei shared her speculation, believing that Vill-V was also a multiple personality type. Mei was already familiar with this type; these days, you'd be embarrassed to talk to people if you didn't have multiple personalities. Kiana Herrscher of the Void, Bronya had Dark Mode, the Class President had the Herrscher of Consciousness, and even Mei herself had the Herrscher of Thunder vying for control of her body. So Mei was quite accepting of this.

Shen Gonglin felt the same way. Everyone else was having multiple personalities, but he didn't, which always made him feel out of place.

"Possession... of the spirit? Mei, what are you talking about? Why don't I understand at all? Could it be... I know, Vill-V is exaggerating again, right? You don't believe me, do you?"

To everyone's surprise, after Mei gave what she thought was the perfect answer, Elysia looked completely confused. What was Mei talking about? Why couldn't she understand it at all? She couldn't figure it out. After thinking for a while, the Miss Pink Fairy finally came to the conclusion that Vill-V must be joking again. This guy always couldn't help himself when he saw cute girls, just like her.

"Um?"

Exaggeration? Could it be that it's not what I thought? It seems like Elysia knows something, or rather, she knows everything, but she just doesn't intend to tell me properly. Judging from her mysterious way of keeping me in suspense, she clearly wants me to ask her for help.

"Fine, don't tell me then, Shen Gonglin, let's go."

Mei turned around decisively, while this time it was Elysia was anxious. Really, Mei seems to have figured out how to control me. She's such a smart girl. I feel like I'll be in her grasp sooner or later.

"Wait, Mei, I'll talk, I'll talk, okay... It's normal for you to have those thoughts. After all, when Vill-V reported to Flame-Chasers, she claimed to be a rare psycho-sensory type who could imprison other people's minds inside her body. Flame-Chasers believed her and conducted research on it for a long time. When the truth was finally revealed, Mobius was so angry that he smashed several tables."

As if recalling that scene, a nostalgic smile appeared on Elysia's face. Although this fairy lady seemed to always be smiling, she seemed to always be doing what made her happy and always joyful.

"Actually, Vill-V's ability is very simple in essence. She can just divide her thoughts and let each part think independently. It can't even be called multiple personalities. However, Vill-V does have a habit of putting the same kind of knowledge in the same field, which is why you believe what she said, right?"

Elysia explained the essence of Vill-V's ability. It's not multiple personalities; she simply separates her thoughts, which are proficient in a particular field, and allows them to exist independently. Once you understand the principle, it's very easy to comprehend.

Very simple? Only Elysia would say something like that. Although she tried her best to understand, Mei didn't think it could be called very simple. It was clearly beyond her comprehension.

"... Phew, as expected, I should still be skeptical of any Flame-Chasers I've just met."

Rubbing her temples, Mei clearly understood how she should treat all the Flame-Chasers from now on. She shouldn't assume she already knew them. Maybe Chakravartin, who seemed like a grumpy older brother to her, was actually a gentle older brother in private. Maybe Mobius wasn't so bad after all? These Flame-Chasers truly lived up to their reputation as thirteen mysterious stars left behind from the Previous Era.

Therefore, it's possible that Pardofelis is hiding her true strength, and we must try our best to reveal it next time.

"No need, Mei, you don't need to doubt me. I'm sincere... Actually, it's nothing. In a sense, you can indeed treat Vill-V... as if she were one of them. Even I envy that ability. Although I don't know if they can communicate freely with each other, they'll never feel lonely, right?"

With a gentle Mei, Elysia chatted casually with Mei about Vill-V's abilities, saying that with so many thoughts, she would never be lonely.

"I understand... But even so, you've never felt lonely, right?"

Hearing this, Mei couldn't help but reply to Elysia, saying that envying others' ability to not feel lonely was actually unnecessary for Elysia, given her personality.

"That's right, as expected of Mei... Ah! You know me so well, could it be that you've been secretly watching me all along, Mei? It feels like you even want to marry me! That won't do! Although I really like you, Mei, deep down I still prefer boys. Hmm, like Shen Gonglin, Mei, how about we talk? I'll marry Shen Gonglin, and you'll marry Shen Gonglin... Hey, don't go! Let's talk about it, let's even talk about it..."

Mei, her face dark, ignored the idiot woman who kept yelling behind them. She grabbed Shen Gonglin and turned to leave, while the Queen of Thunder glared at Shen Gonglin with her majestic eyes. What did this guy mean by looking thoughtful? Was he really considering the feasibility of that kind of thing? What wishful thinking! Even Kiana herself couldn't accept it, how could there be an Elysia?

This woman is so skilled; if something like that really happened, she would definitely be no match for her. Although she was very confident in her looks and figure, even Mei had to admit that Elysia was just too lovable. Shen Gonglin would definitely be unable to resist her, and he would be completely captivated by Elysia, while she would gradually be forgotten... No, just thinking about it made Mei's liver ache. She absolutely could not allow that to happen!

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Unfortunate Mark

"Mei, don't be angry. Elysia was just joking. Don't you know her?"

Mei seemed genuinely angry. Seeing the girl's cold face and silence, Shen Gonglin carefully spoke to her. Mei rolled her eyes at him, clearly annoyed. Of course, she couldn't possibly vent all her resentment on Shen Gonglin. Was she just joking? Mei didn't think so. Regardless of whether beauty is in the eye of the beholder or not, in Mei's eyes, all women seemed to be eyeing their own pigs.

The girls on the Hyperion have already proven everything. The Class President needs no further explanation; the information World Serpent knows has already proven that their master-disciple relationship has deteriorated. Kiana, that girl who's always trying to steal the peaches, actually wants to marry Shen Gonglin while I'm away. Bronya was completely obedient to Shen Gonglin back in St. Freya's time, and now even Theresa Mei doesn't trust her, let alone Elysia.

Although she should be a remnant of Previous Era, Mei was still very uneasy, and always felt that she was not that simple.

"She was just joking? And you? Do you want to play along with her too? Shen Gonglin, you'd better not let me find out you have any ulterior motives, or else... I'll bite you to death."

She rarely showed this attitude in front of Shen Gonglin. When she heard her say that she would bite her to death, Shen Gonglin was immediately terrified. This biting to death should be just an ordinary bite, right? It certainly couldn't be what she was thinking.

Hmph, scared now? Now that you know you're scared, you'd better behave yourself!

Feeling threatened by Shen Gonglin, Mei snorted again and led Shen Gonglin upstairs. That was Vill-V's workshop. It was Mei's first time here. After hearing what Elysia said, Mei also felt it was necessary to communicate with Vill-V again. As soon as she came up, she saw Vill-V sitting there, seemingly lost in thought. Looking at the equipment around her, Mei's concept of this "workshop" became clearer.

Mei and Shen Gonglin were not the only ones surprised by these things; even Vill-V herself was quite astonished, wondering what she was planning to do.

"Such a grand spectacle, what is she trying to create this time... Hmm? You've arrived, aha, it seems I really do have a connection with my audience. However, there's a break today."

She also saw Mei and Shen Gonglin. Vill-V greeted them, wondering if they wanted to see her magic performance. Unfortunately, the performance wasn't every day, and she was taking a break today.

"As I've said before, I have no interest in the so-called performances; I just wanted to see why this place is open."

Mei politely declined that kind of performance. After watching Vill-V's performance, Mei always had the same feeling as when she faced the Herrscher of Domination. Who knew what role she would play in her performance? So today she was just observing. And... Shen Gonglin, could you please stop staring at my chest? I know it's big, but can't you tone it down a bit? It's like you've never seen anything like it before. Haven't you ever seen anything like it before?

"Ha, I see. Feel free to look around. This place... you could call it my workshop. I'm not particularly interested, but there are definitely a lot of amazing things made here. The structures are exactly the same as in reality, which is quite rare in the Elysian Realm. Looks like I'll be here quite often from now on. Sigh, I'm going to wake up with a strange backache again... By the way, Shen Gonglin, right? I heard from Elysia that you're quite good at massages. Want me to give you one?"

Thinking about the usual situations, Vill-V sighed. After all, doing these kinds of handicrafts is quite hard on the back. Then, when she saw Shen Gonglin, her eyes lit up. It would be great if someone could give her a massage.

"No need, he charges a fee, and it's very expensive."

As a result, before Shen Gonglin could agree, Mei stood in front of him and blocked Vill-V's view. At this moment, Mei was like a protective mother hen. She was right. They were all eyeing their own pig. Really, were there no other pigs in the Elysian Realm? Why did they always have their own?

"Charging is fine too. In fact, charging makes people feel more at ease. Free is actually the most expensive... Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore. Our last meeting was too rushed, and I didn't have time to conduct an off-stage interview with you."

Mei, who was muttering to herself, couldn't understand what Vill-V was saying. She only saw the Great Magician suddenly say something like, "An off-stage interview? Is there such a segment?"

"Ahem... As the second... I think it's the second since the creation of the Elysian Realm was established? As someone who has come into contact with all the imprints, what are your thoughts?"

Vill-V asked this question, but Mei couldn't answer it. The girl shook her head and said, "All the markings? You've got something wrong... I haven't done that yet."

Mei didn't obtain all the seals. Although she had met the owner of the seal, she didn't actually receive her seal. Mei didn't know what would happen if she collected all the seals.

"Hmm? How could that be? I specifically made sure I was the last one to appear. If not... Oh, I see, it's... Aponia. Haven't you been given the discipline yet?"

This answer surprised Vill-V, but after thinking for a while, she understood why. If there was anyone else, it would definitely be Aponia. She had become the darling of everyone in the Elysian Realm as soon as she arrived. Now, all that was missing was Discipline.

"That's right, but I have indeed seen her in some way."