Afternoon Tea Across Time and Space

Besides, no matter how terrifying this cup of milk tea was, it couldn't possibly be scarier than that slice of meat.

When her tongue touched the meat slice, she had genuinely seen her life flash before her eyes.

Only after drinking a quarter of the milk tea did the girl's complexion slowly recover.

"This milk tea is pretty good."

Elysia said in surprise, a brilliant smile blooming on her face.

"A lot of people in our era like it."

Shi Hen nodded as well.

Milk tea might be common and inelegant, but there was nothing wrong with it.

As long as it tasted good, why fuss over so much?

"Our era had similar things too."

Elysia remarked wistfully.

"No matter the era, humanity's pursuit of happiness is always similar."

Shi Hen said softly.

"Yes, humanity is always pursuing happiness." Elysia agreed. "Even on the eve of the end of the world, some of us still carefully planned for the future, making plans for things that would take a very, very long time to accomplish."

"Even though they knew perfectly well that those things could no longer be achieved."

Shi Hen added.

"But no matter what, when they made those plans, the smiles on their faces were real and beautiful."

Elysia said with a smile.

"What about you?"

Shi Hen asked.

"Of course I was the same." Elysia answered, her smile as dazzling as summer sunlight. "When that day came, I spent a long time putting on makeup and wore my favorite, prettiest little dress."

As she spoke, the girl pursed her lips slightly and looked at the youth before her. "Well? Do you want to see it?"

"No."

Shi Hen refused outright.

There was no way he would fall for such a trap.

"That answer is very rude."

Elysia said sulkily.

"One day, someone will come to witness you making your grand appearance."

Shi Hen poked the girl's puffed-up cheek, and she immediately broke into a smile again.

"Will she be as cute as you?"

Elysia asked, forcefully swatting his finger away.

"You'll like her very much. She's a girl who is as cute as you and capable of anything."

Shi Hen answered seriously.

Origin was the power of miracles, and Mei, who had inherited Origin, had indeed created a nearly impossible miracle.

"Is that so? Then I'll look forward to it properly."

Elysia's smile was radiant.

"That day won't be far off." Shi Hen spoke, then seemed to recall something. "By the way, what have you been busy with lately?"

He had been in the Elysian Realm for some time now, yet he had not seen Elysia very often.

Although nothing Elysia did would be strange, his intuition told him she was definitely up to something.

"Oh? Have you realized that you've fallen for me and want to spend more time with me?"

Elysia asked with a smile.

"Forget it if you won't say."

Shi Hen curled his lips.

Would he be swayed by this kind of temptation?

"Don't worry, you've always been in my heart." Elysia spoke softly, her face full of smiles. "I've been preparing a gift for you all this time.

Believe me, when the day comes for you to leave the Elysian Realm, this gift will definitely leave you utterly stunned."

"Then I'll look forward to it."

Shi Hen nodded.

He knew she would not be idle.

"I'll go continue preparing your gift. For now, get to know the other Flame-Chasers, and be sure to get along with them well~"

With a laugh, Elysia's figure scattered like drifting flowers.

Watching the girl before him turn into petals and scatter away, Shi Hen's expression could not help but turn a little pained.

Usually, he was the one showing off in front of others with instant movement techniques, yet now he had no choice but to watch Elysia flaunt her divinity before him without restraint.

It couldn't be helped. She was a Flame-Chaser and possessed a natural home-field advantage in the Elysian Realm.

Forget it. He would go find the other Flame-Chasers to play with.

Shaking his head, Shi Hen walked toward the door at the center of the hall.

He still had not met Griseo.

Chapter 55: Afternoon Tea Across Time and Space

Stepping into this empty city once again, Shi Hen still walked slowly, without the slightest hint of urgency.

Within the Elysian Realm, spatial distance was not all that important, because memories had never been things as calm and continuous as a lake.

Depending on how profound a memory was, the distances presented within the Realm could differ greatly.

You might take a single step and enter a certain Flame-Chaser's memory space, or you might walk in place for an entire hour.

So, anxiety was the most unnecessary thing in the Elysian Realm.

As though he were completely acting as a tourist, Shi Hen wandered through the Realm, stopping and looking around. Whenever he encountered something that interested him, he would even sit down directly, paying no attention to time at all.

Most of the time, the Elysian Realm was still quite safe. Shi Hen strongly suspected that the Honkai Beasts he had seen when he encountered Sakura had been brought in by her.

The Elysian Realm was a space of memories. Honkai Beasts and other enemies naturally originated from the Flame-Chasers' memories, and Flame-Chasers like Sakura, who possessed more memories of battle, would naturally produce more Honkai Beasts.

Yes, especially a certain comrade Chijie who wished to remain unnamed.

Casually plucking a pink rose in full bloom, Shi Hen took a step. Space rippled like water, and a colorful garden quietly appeared before him.

Walking forward along the flagstone path, Shi Hen could smell all kinds of floral fragrances lingering around his nose, while the air was also filled with the rich scent of grass and trees.

The owner here had very deep memories of this garden.

Shi Hen could not help thinking.

He seemed to have guessed who was inside.

Keeping an unhurried pace, Shi Hen soon reached the end of the path, where a pavilion furnished with stone tables and chairs came into view.

Oh, and there was also a wealthy and generous red-haired older sister.

"May I come in?"

Stopping outside the pavilion, Shi Hen asked politely.

"Of course, visitor."

With a faint smile, Eden replied, her voice carrying a natural ease and elegance.

Walking into the pavilion, Shi Hen glanced at the stone table before Eden and said, "It seems there was another guest here not long ago."

Empty teacups and porcelain plates sat on the stone table, with traces of cream and bread crumbs still on them. A familiar fragrance also lingered in the air.

"Elysia was just here. She hurried off after sensing you."

Eden explained with a smile.

"Did I interrupt the two of you having afternoon tea?"

Shi Hen asked as he sat across from Eden, in the spot where Elysia had been sitting.

The stone stool still retained a faint warmth. She had clearly left only moments ago.

"It was merely casual conversation, hardly an interruption."

Smiling slightly, Eden lightly tapped the stone table with her fingertip. The teacups and porcelain plates were immediately filled once more with black tea and pastries, and the cup before the youth was even replaced with a different style.

This was a world of memories, where everything could change according to the Flame-Chasers' memories.

"Elysia really is idle."

Shi Hen nodded in agreement.

"If Elysia heard that, she would probably be hurt." Though she said this, Eden smiled. "She likes you very much."

"Elysia likes everyone in the world."

Shi Hen corrected her.

"But Elysia said you were special." Eden said with a smile. "She's been preparing a gift for you. I've rarely seen Elysia care so much about something."

Although Elysia took everything she did seriously, as the girl's closest friend, Eden could tell that she was treating this matter with particular solemnity.

Just like that time when she had made her grand appearance.

"She's just too idle."

Shi Hen said.

Shi Hen had no intention of taking the blame for something on this level.

Elysia was the biggest source of trouble in the Elysian Realm. Once anything became connected to her, it would grow incomparably complicated.

Though it seemed that from the moment he entered the Elysian Realm, he had already been unable to get away from her.

"You two really are alike. Elysia often says you're very idle too."

Eden giggled, the generous curves at her chest swaying slightly.

"Really? I think I'm more like Kevin."

Sipping the black tea before him and feeling its rich fragrance bloom in his mouth, Shi Hen retorted.

"Oh? Why is that?"

Eden asked curiously.

"Because we're both strong. He's the strongest warrior of your era, and I should be the strongest in ours."

Shi Hen said without the slightest humility.

Not counting Previous Civilization warriors like Kevin, he truly was the strongest person in the world today.

"..." For some reason, Eden fell silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "A few days ago, I met Sakura. She told me that a visitor who was not skilled in combat had arrived in the Realm."

"..." Shi Hen also fell silent for several seconds. "If you had an older sister who wanted to show off her cool side in front of you, would you refuse her?"

When he had followed Sakura out to gather ingredients, he had indeed done a fine job of being a qualified audience, never once interrupting Sakura while she showed off.

It had to be said that Sakura really was a dependable older sister.

No matter how dangerous the situation was, she had never allowed Honkai Beasts or other hostile creatures to get near Shi Hen.

He had no idea what was going on with the Elysian Realm's mechanics. Ordinary exploration usually would not encounter enemies, but the moment you wanted to do something, endless enemies would come pouring out.

Even Sakura, a Flame-Chaser, was not exempt.

It was like wanting to open your refrigerator at home to grab a drink, only to first have to solve an entire set of puzzles.