Chapter 426

Mei is Mei for once; she can notice things that others never notice, which really bothers her. Why is that? Is it because of Aponia's special status in the Elysian Realm? Mei can't help but wonder, but what exactly it is, Mei still doesn't know.

"Forget it, there's no use thinking too much," Mei shook her head. There were already enough things to do, and Mei didn't plan to pursue this matter further. Since Aponia believed that everything was already predetermined, she would deal with it when that day came. Now, she should continue to search for a way to truly enter the Deepest Place according to the original plan, or rather, she had already entered there before, if Aponia hadn't interfered... In short, there were more important things to do, and she couldn't afford to waste any more time.

"It seems you've figured out what you should do now, so good luck. Like I said, just ask if you need help, although I'd be happy to help... but Mei- sama's pleading expression is definitely worth seeing, isn't it?"

Although Mei didn't understand why Mei was thinking about President Shen just now, seeing the girl's resolute expression, Raven felt a little relieved. Mei was indeed a very unique girl, and Mei was willing to Raven a helping hand to her. After all, they were comrades who had shared a bed... oops, fought side by side. If Mei wanted to help, Raven would lend a hand.

"Thank you so much. I really hope this day never comes. Goodbye."

She rolled her eyes at Raven. If you want to help, just say so. Why use such a way of speaking? When did Raven become so arrogant? Too lazy to continue talking to Raven, Mei waved her hand and left. Shen Gonglin hadn't been listening to them at all. She hadn't even noticed where he had gone. Instead of continuing to chat with Raven, she should go find Shen Gonglin. Where did he go? Surely he didn't go to see Mobius?

It's really different. He and Mobius are together. Her malice towards her has never subsided from the beginning. Mei was looking for Shen Gonglin in the hall, but instead saw Su and Aponia, two psychic Flame-Chaser... Su had said that Aponia's abilities were different from his. He was inclined towards big data analysis, while Aponia was a pure charlatan. Although it's a bit immoral to overhear what others are saying, she didn't mean to. She just happened to overhear it.

After spending a lot of time with Shen Gonglin Jingu, Mei also learned this kind of "flexibility".

"Aponia ... So, you've come for Mobius? The trouble she caused... is completely over. I just saw her running around with a megaphone, but I don't think you'd be interested in what she was saying."

As soon as she arrived, Mei heard Su saying these words. Mei silently clenched her fists. She didn't understand much of what else was said, but the fact that Mobius was shouting everywhere with a megaphone made her wonder if he was imitating Elysia. He really deserved a beating. She should hang him up and beat him up again.

"Yes... that was a plan that even you all knew couldn't succeed, Su. But since you're here, this Elysian Realm won't be ruined because of it."

Aponia said softly. Both she and Sue spoke relatively slowly, which was a burden for the impatient Mei. Although she still didn't understand what they were saying, she thought, "I'll just have to be patient."

"So... are you going to interfere here again? Admittedly, it's pointless, but... you should also try to heed the advice of others. Aponia, stop your attempts. It is we who made Elysian Realm exist in this form together, so I am more certain than them... neither you nor I are omnipotent. The future... let's leave it to the future."

Mei was completely baffled. Even a bright female student like her couldn't figure out what Sue and Aponia were talking about. The two of them together were like a riddle squared. Mei felt like her hair was about to fall out. Eavesdropping on their conversation was definitely not a wise decision.

"Su, there are still some subtle differences between us."

It seemed that Aponia was not going to heed Su's advice. Aponia's words were tantamount to a rejection, and Su was not surprised by Aponia's choice at all, after all, this was Aponia.

"That's true... Our aptitudes as spiritual beings are worlds apart. But your control over Elysian Realm... is far too extraordinary. It can't be explained simply by pouring more effort into creating this place... It was after I fell into a coma, wasn't it? You took the final step yourself before the completion of the Elysian Realm. What did you leave behind then?"

Upon hearing this news, Mei's expression became focused. This was exactly what she wanted to hear. Aponia was indeed special in the Elysian Realm. From Su's words, it was clear that Aponia had done something special while Su was unconscious when the Elysian Realm was being built. But what was that thing?

"As expected... Su, nothing can escape your eyes. But... it wasn't just us who built this place together, I... am the very embodiment of this Elysian Realm."

Aponia left these words, and then her conversation with Sue abruptly ended. Mei was also drawn into deep thought by Aponia's words. What Aponia was this Elysian Realm? According to Elysia, this Elysian Realm was woven from the memories of thirteen Flame-Chasers, a place that guided successors. But Aponia...

Mei couldn't understand it. One riddle-maker's words were already exhausting, but now eavesdropping on two riddle-makers was giving Mei an even bigger headache. She couldn't listen anymore, so she shook her head and left. She decided to go find Mei Shen Gonglin clear her head. Being with him would definitely be much easier than thinking about these things.

It seems that in the Elysian Realm, the Class President is the simplest one. Or is it because I know the Class President well enough? Come to think of it, I probably have the least interaction with the Class President in this Elysian Realm. Indeed, the Class President is one of the few normal people in this Elysian Realm.

Thinking about this, Mei continued to look for Shen Gonglin. It didn't matter if he was with other people, but Mei was worried about him being alone with Mobius or Elysia. Mei was a little wary of those two. Shen Gonglin was too easy to bully. Although Mei had been beaten up by Shen Gonglin, Mei was still worried about Shen Gonglin. She hoped he would only beat her up and not beat up anyone else.

Chapter 89 Happy New Year

"Griseo, are you done yet? I feel like I can't sit still anymore, I want to go find Mei."

In another lounge, Shen Gonglin sat listlessly on the sofa, while Griseo knelt on the other side, painting on her canvas. She happened to run into Gretchen, who then offered to paint her portrait. So Shen Gonglin became her model. It's easy to imagine how difficult it was for Shen Gonglin to sit still like this, as he is a person with ADHD.

"What's the rush? I said I'd draw it, so just stay put... If you have nothing to do, give me a massage, my legs are numb from kneeling here."

The girl drawing glanced at Shen Gonglin, then changed her sitting posture and stretched out one leg. The once emotionless girl had now transformed into a different person. This willful and self-centered demeanor gave Shen Gonglin a strange sense of déjà vu. Who did this child resemble? Shen Gonglin really couldn't tell at all.

"Get out of the way, I don't have time to give you a massage. What if that autistic guy sees it... well, even if he sees it, so what? Come on, let me give you a massage."

After thinking it over, I pulled Griseo's legs over again. The girl didn't look very old, but her legs were quite well-proportioned, almost as long as the headmistress's... Although Shen Gonglin often teased Theresa about her short legs, in fact, they were quite long according to her body proportions. Among the girls I knew, the one with the longest legs should be Raven.

Comparing the two in her mind, Shen Gonglin casually massaged Griseo's legs. With Shen Gonglin's massage techniques, how could Griseo possibly withstand it? The girl's hand holding the paintbrush suddenly stiffened. So this is what it feels like. It is quite comfortable, but with this, she seems unable to hold the brush anymore.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop? Didn't you say you were going to draw for me?"

Shen Gonglin looked at Griseo with curiosity. Why had this girl stopped now, and why was her face so red? It seemed rather intriguing.

"It's all your fault! If you hadn't been fiddling with it, I wouldn't have been able to draw it so badly! Don't press it anymore."

With this practiced passing the buck, Griseo's usually expressionless face now held a hint of embarrassment and annoyance. The girl pulled her leg back and glared Shen Gonglin. This skillful passing of the buck showed that Griseo had indeed picked up Shen Gonglin's traits. The girl tore the drawing paper off the easel. This temperamental personality, prone to throwing tantrums at the slightest disagreement, was exactly like Shen Gonglin's.

That's how Griseo is; if she spends too much time with others, she'll pick up their colors. Right now, she's undoubtedly Griseo in Shen Gonglin mode.

"What are you doing?"

Mei finally found Shen Gonglin, but when she arrived, she saw him and Griseo staring at each other, neither willing to give in. With Griseo by her side, Mei felt a little more at ease, at least she didn't have to worry about him being taken advantage of by other girls. Right now, in the entire Elysian Realm, Mei trusted the Class President the most. Although the relationship between the Class President and her teacher might have changed now, the Class President in this Elysian Realm Past should still be a decent person.

"It's her again. She said she would help me draw a picture, but she's not good enough and can't draw anything at all. What a waste of my time. Griseo, how come I never realized you were such a naughty child?"

This guy actually dared to glare at me! Shen Gonglin was no saint. He pounced on her and grabbed Griseo's cheek. He wouldn't let Griseo off the hook just because she was a little girl. That's Shen Gonglin for you.

"It's all because you pressed on my legs like that, it's all your fault!"

Griseo in her Shen Gonglin mode was equally determined. When Shen Gonglin pinched her, Gretchen pinched her back. Watching the two of them wrestling on the sofa, Mei had a subtle expression on her face. Is this what happens when two Shen Gonglin are together? Fortunately, Griseo's Shen Gonglin form was a little less intense. It's true that Shen Gonglin and Griseo shouldn't be left together for too long.

One Shen Gonglin is enough.

"Alright, alright, you two stop fighting. Shen Gonglin, although I know your personality, beating up a little girl like this is still too much."

Mei pulled the two apart and was about to take Mei Shen Gonglin away when the girl who had been Shen Gonglin over on the sofa earlier sat up. The girl didn't have time to tidy her messy light blue hair. She looked at Mei and called out to Mei.

"...Please wait a moment."

The girl's voice was soft and innocent. After separating from Shen Gonglin, she seemed to have returned to her usual blank-slate quality, making it impossible for Shen Gonglin to draw her. But now that Mei had come, she couldn't make an exception for her or show favoritism.

"Is there something you need?"

Mei stopped in her tracks. After learning about Griseo's trait, she became very concerned about how much time they spent together. If they spent too much time together, Griseo would definitely become like her. Just thinking about the girl holding a paintbrush and saying something domineering and arrogant, "Paintbrush, Submit to me..." made Mei feel a little scared.

"Just standing there is enough... I want to paint a picture for you."

The girl said this, but Mei's eyebrows twitched. Why was she suddenly going to draw her? Mei looked at her with some surprise.

"Everyone who has seen my successor has a copy; I cannot show favoritism to anyone."

After rearranging the easel, Griseo temporarily abandoned her plan to draw Shen Gonglin. The girl's clear eyes looked at Mei couldn't refuse such a gaze. However, the drawing she was talking about probably wasn't an ordinary drawing in Mei's understanding. Mei pondered for a moment. If she were to draw a drawing for herself... Mei had never been resistant to requests from little girls.

Although she has now become the dashing Herrscher of Thunder, deep down, Raiden Mei still has the personality of a kindergarten principal.

"Okay, is there anything I can do for you? Are you planning to... temporarily become me?"

Thinking about this possibility, and recalling Griseo's Shen Gonglin state just now, Mei realized that to paint a picture of herself, she first needed to become herself.

"Yes, this is the only way. Please say something. Let me become you."

Griseo nodded. To paint the best picture, of course she had to become Mei. As long as Mei said something, she could absorb Mei's colors and become her. Now she was just waiting for Mei to speak.

Chapter Ninety Happy New Year

What should she say? What should she say? Should she say something like, "Lightning submits to me?" It might be fine to say that during a battle, and it even sounds quite imposing, but saying it in this situation would be incredibly embarrassing. So, Mei didn't know how to start the conversation. If she said anything, she would be truly mortified.

Are you scared?

Seeing that Mei hadn't spoken for a long time, Griseo asked curiously. "Afraid?" Mei would say that.

"Because many people don't like my paintings," Kosma said. "It has nothing to do with me; they're just afraid."

She explained softly, but Griseo didn't quite understand what they were afraid of. Were they afraid that she would draw out their inner thoughts?

Fear... Fear of her own heart? Mei shook her head. Facing her own heart was not something Mei was afraid of. If she couldn't even look at her own heart, how could she have gotten this far?

"If it doesn't take too much time, I don't mind looking at it again. Being able to have the opportunity to personally subdue my own dark side, like Kosma did, might be a very important gain for me in the Elysian Realm. But speaking of which... none of your paintings ever have any positive content?"

Mei was quite at ease; she wasn't afraid of her own heart. However, Griseo's paintings were indeed quite intriguing. So far, she seemed to only see negative content in her paintings—darkness, distortion, and so on. Was there no one with a sunny and positive heart? It was truly a strangely sad feeling.

Seeing Griseo's puzzled look, Mei continued to explain. She was always very patient with children. "What I mean is... whether it's paintings in reality or creations in the Elysian Realm... almost all the examples I know of have had negative effects, or have appeared directly as monsters. Aren't there any opposite examples?"

Mei was a little skeptical that everyone was in this negative state of mind. Although this might be the norm, there would always be exceptions, like Shen Gonglin Mei. Mei didn't really believe that Mei had any dark side. At most, it would be... something slightly risqué.

"...Oh, very few, only Aunt Mobius and little sister Elysia are like that."

Having understood Mei's meaning, Griseo gave this answer, but it was this form of address that caused Mei and Shen Gonglin to exchange somewhat subtle glances: Mobius... Auntie?

Mobius looks about the same age as Griseo, so why call her "auntie"? This highly contradictory form of address bothers Shen Gonglin. Mobius had shown her a photo before, in which she said that was what she looked like. Could it be that Mobius is really an auntie?

No, this matter is very important to me, Shen Gonglin I absolutely have to find out the truth about it.

"Well, Aunt Mobius is different. The monster in her heart has long been created by herself, and she doesn't need to convey it through paintings."

Griseo nodded in agreement. The monster in Mobius's heart didn't need to be materialized through her paintings; she could create it herself. So, deep down, Mobius received the kind of positive response that Mei had described.

"... I actually find this quite reasonable. So... Elysia... I don't need to use the same form of address as you, right?"

Mei completely agreed with Mobius's statement. The girl nodded slightly and changed the subject to Elysia. What kind of generational hierarchy is this? Mobius is the aunt, Elysia is the younger sister. She really didn't want to think about these messy things. Heaven knows how they're calculated.

"It's alright. The scene I drew for Elysia is just a blank space."

Griseo didn't care whether Mei called Elysia the same name as her, and the painting she drew for her was just a blank page, which could be considered a non-negative manifestation.

A blank page? Why is that? Does it mean that Elysia has absolutely no shadows in her heart? Everyone else is a pink-on-the-outside-black, but she's actually a pink-on-the-outside-pink? Or is it because Elysia never hides her thoughts, and everything is visible to the naked eye? Or perhaps, when Griseo was drawing her, she didn't get into Elysia's heart? Unable to help but start thinking, Mei remained silent, while Griseo learned about Mei's colors through Mei conversation.

"Alright, Mei, that's enough."

The girl's voice changed to Mei's color, and her speech quickened. She also started using the word "Miss" in her address. Hearing her voice, Mei snapped out of her thoughts. Is that all?

"Is that enough? I don't feel that way... You and I are very similar."

Mei hesitated for a moment before saying that she used to feel like Raven after spending so much time with Raven, and that she started calling herself "Miss Mei." But now, it didn't seem like there was such a significant change.

"Well, time is tight, so I won't show you everything."

The girl focused her attention on her drawing board, and what she said left Mei speechless. She took back what she had just said. Griseo's change was indeed very obvious. Was this the kind of impression she usually gave people? Mei suddenly felt a little bad. Should she change herself a little?

"It's okay, Mei really cool like this."

Shen Gonglin smiled and comforted Mei. If it weren't for the strange smile on his face Mei would have actually been comforted by him. The girl rolled her eyes at Shen Gonglin, thinking, "Cool my ass."

Shen Gonglin and Mei sat quietly on the sofa and waited without leaving. However, it seemed that Griseo still did not intend to pick up her brush. In Mei's eyes, the girl was just sitting in front of the easel in a daze, which made Mei feel uneasy. She felt like a patient waiting for an old professor to look at her CT scan in a hospital. Why was she not moving? Was there something seriously wrong with her?

"Griseo, so, have you decided what you want to draw?"

Finally, Mei couldn't help but speak up. This feeling was just too unbearable. She wasn't particularly interested in Griseo's painting, but seeing how troubled she was, Mei couldn't help but panic. She wasn't afraid of the doctor speaking, but she was afraid of the doctor looking at the scans without saying anything. Was it because she had some serious problem? Why was Griseo not moving at all? Could it be that she really had a problem?

This shouldn't be happening, Mei thought to herself that she was quite mentally healthy.

Chapter Ninety-One: I Can't Draw Anything

"No, I can't draw anything... absolutely nothing."

The little painter Griseo shook her head and said those words. The sense of déjà vu in her words made Mei's lips twitch. It seemed that it was true. Griseo still looked like "Mei" and said those words... Mei stomped hard on the foot of Jingu Shen Gonglin. There was a limit to how much she could suppress her laughter. At least she had to make sure that Mei couldn't tell.

I can't do anything. Whenever I say this, I can't help but think of Mei.

Why? Is it because my heart is also a blank slate?

Mei gave Shen Gonglin a threatening glare. Mei asked the question; otherwise, how could Griseo not be able to draw it? Even if it were some dark monsters, Mei wouldn't be surprised; it's perfectly normal. Mei doesn't consider herself a flawless person; she still has many negative emotions within her.

"No, it's me... I don't know where to begin. You're different from others; I've never depicted the mindset of a Herrscher before. So, it's a bit difficult."

He explained the specific reason: Mei was a visitor never before seen in the Elysian Realm, and he might need to use paints he had never seen before, preferably paints related to Mei. However, he couldn't find any right now, so he couldn't put pen to paper.

"This is unprecedented, and it involves me... This certainly doesn't sound easy. I'll keep an eye out for you."

It sounds quite abstract, but Mei has always been very tolerant of Griseo, who looks like a child. Since Gretchen needs something like this, it's no big deal for her to keep an eye out for it.

"Really?"

The girl looked up at Mei, whose beautiful eyes held little hope. She had heard these words many times before.

"Real."

"Oh, I see, which means... I can pretend this never happened."

Mei frowned slightly at the girl's answer. What did Griseo mean by that? She had agreed, and yet Gretsch said this...

"What, you don't believe me?"

"Well... not really, it's just... they often say that to me too. Whether it's Kosma or Aunt Mobius, when they say that word, things usually don't happen."

The girl said these words very calmly. At this moment, Griseo felt like a child who was often ignored by her parents. This made Mei, who had the characteristics of a kindergarten teacher, feel a little complicated. However, Griseo spoke again. Was Mei looking forward to her painting?

"Mei, are you looking forward to seeing your own painting? Although I can't put pen to paper, I know the materials very well. Well... maybe it's not the scene you want to see."

Mei's expectant look cheered Griseo. No one dislikes the feeling of others liking their work. Although she couldn't draw it yet, she could tell Mei what she wanted to draw. However, Mei shook her head and refused.

"Then forget it. Let me see it after I find the paint for you. Seeing it with my own eyes will make the experience more real."

Having promised Griseo that she would truly help her find paints, Mei led Shen Gonglin away from Griseo's dressing room, which served as her studio. Paints related to her... Mei stroked her chin, deep in thought. She should be more focused on Aponia's affairs right now, but Mei was very concerned about Griseo's needs. Where could she find something so abstract?

"Shen Gonglin, do you have any thoughts? About the paint that's related to me."

If you can't figure it out, just ask Shen Gonglin. We need to find something for this guy to do, otherwise who knows if he'll run off to Mobius again. You should ask the person who knows you best for this kind of thing, Shen Gonglin is undoubtedly the most suitable one.

"How about black, a color that relates to you, Mei?"