Raven's Mission / Out of the Kitchen, No More Cooking, and My Brilliant Brain Is Back on Top.

K423 Observation Log.

After reading it word by word, Otto's cold expression gained a hint of amusement. He opened a call to a separate small laboratory—

"Miss Prometheus?

I am Otto. Schicksal is currently developing the fourth-generation God-Slaying Armor. As one of the people most likely to advance to A-rank Knight, Gwen is qualified to possess such a suit of armor.

Therefore, I would like to invite you to participate in the armor's design and production."

"Gwen?"

Within the magnificent yet exquisitely elegant Golden Courtyard, the red-haired woman who had once been the brightest superstar and had also served as Fire Moth's financial backer repeated the name she had heard from the person before her. Her golden eyes narrowed slightly. After frowning in thought for a moment, she slowly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I have no recollection of that name."

"It's fine. I was just asking on someone's behalf."

Shaking her head, the mercenary and World Serpent executive codenamed Raven, whose real name was Natasha Sciola, replied nonchalantly.

In this Elysian Realm full of oddballs, the woman before her was one of the few people she could communicate with normally. Besides, she would need this woman's help appraising treasures in the future. How could Raven offend her own patron over an unpaid task from Gray Serpent?

"Hmm..."

After hesitating for a moment, Eden gently swirled the fine wine Raven had brought. Though she had repeatedly warned herself not to be curious about the outside world, she could not suppress her curiosity. Since Raven had asked her about it, it presumably had something to do with the Previous Civilization. Eden finally spoke up.

"Miss Natasha, may I ask why you are inquiring about this name?"

"Hm?

Of course."

Raven nodded and casually said,

"Recently, someone appeared outside who seemed to have walked out of a base left behind by Fire Moth. He is suspected to be a pioneer from the Previous Civilization, but for some reason, he only appeared in this world now.

Gray Serpent's information outside is incomplete, and they couldn't find any records on him, so he asked me to inquire about him while I was here."

"Oh?"

At this, Eden's eyes brightened slightly. She even set down her wineglass and slowly said,

"Could you tell me about him?"

"Uh, of course."

Not expecting Eden to react so strongly, Raven nodded. Under Eden's gaze, she slowly began recounting the information she knew—

Although Schicksal had sealed off information regarding Gwen's origins, and the members of the archaeological team had all signed confidentiality agreements,

Gwen's excessively dazzling performance had still attracted the attention of every major faction. World Serpent, which claimed to be capable of secretly influencing the entire world, was naturally no exception.

After combining all the information they had gathered, especially Gwen's inhuman appearance during his battle against the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Ganesha, World Serpent had formed certain guesses about Gwen's identity.

However, as Raven had said, though World Serpent had been established by Gray Serpent, who had survived from the Previous Civilization, it had not inherited all of Fire Moth's records.

It was perfectly normal for something as inconspicuous as a list of warriors injected with the Hyper-Evolution Factor to have been lost.

Thus, Gray Serpent had Raven seek answers within the Elysian Realm.

And while Raven was being held up by Eden in the Elysian Realm, Gray Serpent looked at the information in his hands regarding Gwen's contact with Raiden Mei and the Second Herrscher's base body, then could not help but sigh.

"This is... quite interesting..."

Meanwhile, in Changkong City, Gwen, unaware that Gray Serpent had set his sights on him, was having his first formal meeting with Raiden Mei several days later—

Although Gwen did not know whether Cocolia understood that severe negative emotions could catalyze the birth of a Herrscher and had therefore placed Raiden Mei under close surveillance,

he could be certain that Cocolia had at least basic surveillance on Raiden Mei to prevent this valuable test subject from escaping her laboratory.

Therefore, Gwen did his best to keep his meeting with Raiden Mei secret.

Moreover, to lower Cocolia's guard, Gwen had another layer of cover for his identity—

The American citizenship he had used to scare those two female students yesterday had not been a lie—

At this moment, anyone looking into Gwen's records would find that he was an FBI field agent whose hidden identity was that of an Anti-Entropy peripheral member.

Therefore, unless Cocolia dug desperately into Gwen's background, the only information she would obtain was that he was a spy sent by the conservative faction, rather than an A-rank Knight of Schicksal.

And the method by which the FBI field agent sent by Anti-Entropy's conservative faction contacted Raiden Mei was—

"Hello, are you perhaps known online as... Dear Alicia?"

Following Gwen's suggestion from several days ago, Raiden Mei had added another layer of disguise compared to when she went out previously. Her usually loose long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore a fitted sports outfit and a cap. She looked nothing like the young lady she usually was, instead appearing entirely like an athletic girl. With a trace of surprise on her face, she asked the young man who had helped her out a few days ago,

"Mm. It seems we really are fated to meet."

Wearing an equally surprised expression, Gwen's performance was somewhat more natural than Raiden Mei's.

"Hello, my name is Gwen."

"Hello, my name is Raiden Mei."

Thus, two online friends who had known each other for less than a month successfully met in person.

"Looks like I'm pretty lucky. The cute avatar of my online friend wasn't hiding some greasy middle-aged man."

Like an American youth who had genuinely come only to meet an online friend in person, Gwen revealed a smug smile.

"Huh?"

Raiden Mei, who knew nothing about this, looked genuinely astonished.

"It's nothing. I'm glad to meet you, Mei."

Unaware of certain Japanese customs, the American young man addressed her by name in a way that sounded intimate to Japanese people.

"Mm, me too."

Flustered by her American online friend, Raiden Mei nodded, looking every bit like an innocent young girl.

"Come on. I reserved a table in a coffee shop. We can talk there at ease."

After chatting for a few sentences, the American young man led the beautiful Japanese high school girl straight to the room he had booked... no, the private room he had reserved.

The people responsible for monitoring Raiden Mei naturally noticed this action, which was clearly different from her usual routine.

After a simple investigation, Cocolia's subordinates found that this young man was merely an ordinary American youth, traveling in Japan and meeting an online friend in person along the way.

"What a lucky brat. His first online date turns out to be a sheltered young lady."

Looking at the first layer of information they had uncovered about Gwen, the person under Cocolia responsible for monitoring Raiden Mei remarked.

"Lucky?

Are you sure it isn't bad luck?"

The thin man shot his burly colleague a look and snorted coldly.

"These Americans just love using tricks like this to deceive young girls.

This time, he's run into a wall."

"Heh, who knows?"

The burly man sneered.

"What if the kid leaves in time?"

Inside the coffee shop's private room, Gwen gestured for Raiden Mei to sit down. He contacted Prometheus in his mind and dealt with any possible surveillance nearby before speaking.

"All right, Miss Mei. You can relax now."

"Huh?"

Raiden Mei had thought they would need to continue acting after meeting in person to deceive the watchers and communicate through special means. She froze for a moment, then her pretty face reddened as she nodded.

"Oh, all right. I understand."

"Relax. There is no need to be nervous. The person in front of you is not some important figure, just an ordinary office worker."

Seeing Raiden Mei's unease, Gwen poured her a cup of coffee and smiled reassuringly.

"If anything, I, a lowly field employee, should be the nervous one upon meeting a genuine young lady like you.

After all, even though your father was framed and imprisoned, his abilities and connections still remain.

Once this crisis is resolved, your father will still stand at the pinnacle of this nation. He is not someone a minor employee like me can afford to offend."

"You flatter me, Mr. Gwen."

Hearing this, Raiden Mei immediately felt somewhat embarrassed. The cold and aloof demeanor she had prepared for this person who was perhaps an ally, though his identity was still merely his own one-sided claim, instantly became impossible to maintain—

Raiden Mei had already felt quite favorably toward Gwen because of his help several days ago.

Though learning that Gwen was an agent had slightly reduced that impression, his good attitude, combined with his rather handsome appearance under the influence of various powers, caused Raiden Mei's favorable impression to rise sharply again. She instinctively trusted him a little more.

After all, she was the one asking him for help. Since he was already being sufficiently respectful, why did she need to put on airs?

Thinking this, Raiden Mei persuaded herself. She composed her expression and said seriously,

"Mr. Gwen, regarding the matters you mentioned before... could you let me see more detailed information?"

"Of course."

Gwen smiled and nodded. He took out his Schicksal terminal, pulled up information on Raiden Ryoma and Cocolia, then pushed it across the table toward Raiden Mei—

"This is information on your father and Cocolia, the person who framed him. Some of it may involve things beyond your current knowledge, Mei, so there is no need to rush. Once you finish reading, I will answer all your questions one by one."

"Mm, thank you, Mr. Gwen."

Nodding gratefully, Raiden Mei's favorable impression of the youth before her rose significantly once more. She eagerly began reading the "truth" Gwen had provided.

Gwen took a light sip of his coffee and did not hurry her. He quietly waited for Raiden Mei to finish reading, prepared to face her many questions—

Of course, even though he had sought Rita's help during the process, there were still many parts of this rudimentary material that could not be properly explained. However, Rita had said it was passable for the time being—

"In the eyes of Anti-Entropy's radical faction, the conservatives in power are merely a bunch of people who can do nothing but research. It is normal for their plans to have some flaws.

As for Miss Mei...

You are only an ordinary field agent. It is perfectly normal for you to have limited knowledge, isn't it?"

For this truth, which she had imagined countless times over the past few months, Raiden Mei read with incomparable seriousness, afraid that missing even a single word would cause her to overlook an important clue.

"Phew..."

After a long while, Raiden Mei finally finished reading the two documents and let out a long breath. Though she was dressed as a youthful athletic beauty, the aura surrounding her was as weathered as that of an elderly person who had experienced life's many hardships.

Fortunately, that temperament so unsuited to her age quickly vanished. After draining the coffee in her cup in one gulp, Raiden Mei looked at the composed Gwen across from her and spoke.

"Mr. Gwen, I have basically finished reading these materials. I have a few questions now, and I hope you can answer them."

"Please ask, Miss Mei. I will answer everything I know."

Gwen nodded and replied steadily.

"First, what exactly is the Honkai that appears so frequently in these materials?"

Raiden Mei felt a little more at ease and began her questions.

These questions were far simpler than Gwen had expected, and he answered every one of them.

In fact, none of the questions Raiden Mei asked triggered Gwen's "refusal mechanism."

"Phew..."

Having received answers to many of her questions from Gwen, Raiden Mei let out a soft breath. Tears glimmered faintly in her eyes—

"Father, so you did so much for Mei..."

Ever since discovering that Raiden Ryoma was the Homonculus Sword Saint, Raiden Mei had already been deeply moved. She murmured inwardly, and the small amount of resentment that had accumulated within her completely dissipated.

At this moment, Gwen could hardly sense any of the negative emotions Raiden Mei had possessed when they first met. Even the violent Honkai Energy within her that he had faintly sensed during their first meeting had become incomparably stable, almost imperceptible.

"Mr. Gwen, thank you for telling me all this."

After a long while, Raiden Mei finally calmed herself and thanked him again.

"It is nothing. These are things you should have known in the first place. I merely helped fill in some gaps in your education."

Gwen smiled and gently shook his head, signaling that Raiden Mei need not dwell on it.