Elysia Is the Real Cheat in Honkai!

While carrying out mission after mission in the past to hone himself, Gwen had focused mainly on combat, but he had also taken part in rescue work, saving people while training his sensory abilities.

Compared to a normal Honkai Eruption, this one had caused destruction over a relatively limited area. With the efforts of all the Valkyries from the Far East Branch and Gwen, this fresh reinforcement, the few survivors were quickly found one by one.

"You're... Hua?"

After delivering a red-eyed, pale-purple-haired girl—who had gone out for an evening walk with her parents only to become an orphan—to Hyperion's medical area, Gwen was about to leave when he ran into a calm-looking gray-haired "boy" head-on and called out instinctively.

"...Hm?"

Upon hearing that form of address, Fu Hua, the Far East Branch's A-rank Valkyrie, froze for a moment. Her steady steps halted as her gaze instantly locked onto Gwen, who was entirely encased in Valkyrie Knight: Moonlit Sky, with only his face visible due to his helmet being partially open.

Fu Hua rapidly searched through her fragmented memories, but finding no face resembling his, her expression remained unchanged as she extended a hand to Gwen.

"Hello. My name is Fu Hua. I am from Shenzhou and an A-rank Valkyrie of the Far East Branch."

"Fu Hua?"

Gwen frowned deeply as he reached out and shook Fu Hua's hand. Only after letting go did his expression return to calm.

"Hello. My name is Gwen. I am from Mu Continent."

"..."

Fu Hua's emotions had only just settled once more when Gwen's words finally caused a clear ripple in her calm expression—

"You are..."

Before Fu Hua could say anything, however, a crisp voice came from behind her.

"Gwen?"

Theresa had gone out once again to search for survivors, but found nothing. Seeing Gwen talking with Fu Hua, she could not help looking puzzled.

"You know each other?"

"We only crossed paths while rescuing people earlier. We were just exchanging a few words here."

Before Gwen could speak, Fu Hua, whose expression had already returned to calm, turned and replied to Theresa.

"Oh."

Theresa had only just come around the corner and had not heard their earlier conversation, so she did not suspect anything. She said casually, "I saw in the files that Gwen is from Shenzhou too. It's only natural that the two of you, both being from Shenzhou, would have something in common to talk about."

"Heh, meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land is indeed worth talking about."

With a soft chuckle, Gwen stepped forward twice and came before Theresa, who had already moved behind Fu Hua.

"Branch Chief Theresa, the rescue work in Changkong City is basically complete. I still need to return to headquarters shortly, so I'll take my leave first. These children are in your care."

"This is what I should be doing."

Theresa nodded, then asked, "If you're returning to headquarters, do you need me to send a transport craft for you? Your armor can fly, but headquarters is still too far from here."

"Heh, thank you for your concern, Branch Chief Theresa."

After the polite response, Gwen gently shook his head.

"However, a transport craft is too conspicuous. It would be more convenient for me to fly directly in my armor instead. Until we meet again, you two."

With that, Gwen passed Theresa and headed down the path out.

"..."

Watching Gwen leave, Theresa turned to Fu Hua, who was likewise watching him go.

"Fu Hua, what do you think of Gwen?"

"We've had too little contact. I can't tell."

Fu Hua lightly shook her head and answered calmly, offering no special assessment because of Gwen's earlier words.

"Mm..."

Theresa nodded, seemingly lost in thought. She did not say anything further, chatting briefly with Fu Hua before parting ways with her.

After leaving Hyperion, Gwen headed straight for the former Raiden residence.

By then, an hour had passed since Gwen had left.

Compared to an hour earlier, Raiden Ryoma, already somewhat haggard from his life in prison, had become even more stooped, as though what little vitality he had left had been drained away.

Yet the spirit in Raiden Ryoma's eyes had not diminished much. If anything, the light in them had grown brighter.

"Mei, what are your thoughts about the future?"

In the study, Raiden Ryoma looked at his graceful daughter. There was less sharpness in his eyes now, and more fatherly affection, as he asked softly.

"I..."

Raiden Mei wanted to answer directly that, of course, she wanted to stay by her father's side.

But some impulse in Raiden Mei's heart kept her from saying those words, and she chose silence.

"...Sigh."

Raiden Ryoma let out a deep sigh and did not continue questioning her.

Over the past hour, Raiden Ryoma had learned from Raiden Mei and Rita about many things he would never have dared imagine while in prison.

Given Rita's identity as a Schicksal Valkyrie, and the fact that Raiden Mei's source of information was likely that Schicksal brat, Raiden Ryoma did not believe everything they said.

However, by comparing their accounts, Raiden Ryoma had still reached several conclusions that left him unable to contain his indignation.

Yet now that Changkong City's external communications had been almost entirely cut off due to the Honkai outbreak, he could not even find a target for his anger. Once he suppressed his rage, all that remained was disheartenment.

After Rita left, and after listening to his daughter describe what had happened, Raiden Ryoma gained a relatively clear understanding of his daughter's current condition—

A Herrscher—and an awakened one at that.

However, according to Raiden Mei, perhaps because she had been in that so-called "One-Body Fusion" state when she awakened, she was currently unable to make proper use of her Herrscher powers.

Anti-Entropy's reaction after his imprisonment, along with his daughter's current condition, left Raiden Ryoma unable to stop himself from thinking—

Back when he had been the president of ME Corp., powerful and influential, that Slavic brute Cocolia had still dared to frame him and treat his daughter as an experimental subject.

Now, without Anti-Entropy's help, he was nothing but a fugitive fraudster with nothing to his name. Could he truly protect his daughter?

As for protection from Anti-Entropy...

Anti-Entropy's conduct during this time made it very difficult for Raiden Ryoma to believe in that possibility.

Just then, the doorbell downstairs rang, interrupting Raiden Ryoma's thoughts—

"Ding-dong~"

Glancing at his daughter, whose gaze had already drifted out the window, Raiden Ryoma sighed inwardly as certain thoughts began to take root of their own accord...

"Let's go, Mei. Let's meet the benefactor who saved both our lives."

Pretending not to notice the unusual expression on his daughter's face, Raiden Ryoma stood up, straightened the clothes he had changed into after returning home, and called Raiden Mei out of the study.

By then, Gwen had already been ushered into the living room by Rita.

After exchanging a glance with Rita and confirming that everything had been normal while he was away, Gwen breathed a sigh of relief. He casually spoke with Rita as they entered the living room.

"Mr. Gwen,"

Seeing Gwen and Rita enter, Raiden Ryoma, who had already brought Raiden Mei out of the study and into the living room, spoke up:

"May I take up a little of your time?"

Ordinarily, Raiden Ryoma would not have acted so directly.

But circumstances were stronger than he was. The other party held absolute initiative, so Raiden Ryoma could only be more straightforward.

"Of course."

Gwen nodded and did not refuse Raiden Ryoma's invitation.

Although he had already made up his mind that he had to take Raiden Mei away, as she was an indispensable part of his plan—

If possible, Gwen still did not want things to become too strained with Raiden Ryoma, Raiden Mei's only remaining relative.

As he spoke, Gwen dismissed his armor. Amid flickering deep-blue light, Gwen's true appearance was revealed.

"Please, come with me to the study."

Seeing Gwen's agreeable attitude, Raiden Ryoma forced a faint smile onto his gaunt, weary face. He pointed toward the study he had only just left, while giving Raiden Mei, who looked somewhat nervous beside him, a reassuring expression.

Under Raiden Mei's anxious gaze, Gwen followed Raiden Ryoma into the study.

With the soft click of the latch sliding back, the study door closed, separating the two men inside from the two young women in the living room.

Staring at the study door, behind which were the two most important people in her life, Raiden Mei could not help but lose herself in thought as she wondered what her father might say to Gwen.

"Miss Mei...

Miss Mei?"

Rita's voice sounded by her ear, bringing Raiden Mei back to her senses. She hurriedly said:

"Ah, sorry. I got a little distracted."

"There is no need to apologize."

Rita gently shook her head, her face carrying its usual soft smile.

"After experiencing so much today, it is already admirable that Miss Raiden Mei has remained calm. A momentary lapse of attention is only natural.

Come to think of it, when Rita first encountered the Honkai, she was nowhere near as composed as Miss Mei."

"Oh?"

Though she could not help thinking about all the possible conversations taking place between the two people upstairs, Raiden Mei's cheeks had grown hot from some of her own thoughts. Wanting to distract herself with something else, she immediately followed the topic Rita had opened and began chatting with her.

Meanwhile, in the second-floor study, the conversation between Raiden Ryoma and Gwen was, to some extent, indeed as Raiden Mei had imagined—though not nearly as exaggerated as she feared—

"Mr. Gwen, are you planning to take those two unconscious girls back to Schicksal later?"

After briefly expressing his gratitude to Gwen for saving both him and his daughter, Raiden Ryoma moved on to the main point—

"Of course I intend to take them back."

Seeing that Raiden Ryoma had begun probing, Gwen spoke directly.

"However, since you asked, I assume Mr. Ryoma has already guessed that I intend to take Mei back with me as well."

"..."

Although he had vaguely anticipated it, Raiden Ryoma's hand beneath the desk still twitched involuntarily. Yet his expression remained calm as he asked, "Then could you tell me why?"

"The simplest and most direct reason—"

Gwen did not mince words. Without avoiding Raiden Ryoma's suddenly sharpened gaze, he met his eyes and said, "Safety—

Although no specific tests have been conducted, I can basically confirm that Mei has awakened as the Third Herrscher.

However, even though she has passed the most dangerous stage of awakening and was not taken advantage of by the Honkai, becoming an apostle of destruction for civilization—

Mei is still far from fully mastering her own power.

During this period, as long as she does not deliberately trigger a major Honkai eruption, the power Mei can wield is quite limited.

Under such circumstances, a Herrscher who can exert far less power than a true Herrscher, yet possesses a complete Herrscher Core, is undoubtedly a juicy target in many people's eyes.

Even setting all that aside, let us assume that I conceal the fact that Mei is a Herrscher and her identity remains hidden.

If Mei continues to stay by your side, can you, having lost everything already, truly protect her?

Are you sure Cocolia will obediently stop after this failure?

Or are you placing your hopes on support from the conservatives?

But the reality is that, with Cocolia acting so recklessly, the conservatives can do nothing."