Farewells, One by One

The long journey had finally come to an end.

The roller coaster plunged into a burst of light.

A blinding whiteness flashed before her eyes, and with it, the tranquil scenery and the one who had once accompanied her disappeared.

Then, warmth enveloped Mei as a familiar voice echoed in her ears.

It was the imprint of old friends in this serene realm, one final blessing offered before their departure.

This journey of over fifty thousand years had come to a close.

From here on, each of them would walk toward their own future.

Within her consciousness, images surfaced, each one representing a hero, a memory of Elysia and those who had shaped this realm. Each of them said their farewells in their own way.

During these long yet fleeting days, she had come to know thirteen companions. They were ordinary yet extraordinary, known to the world as heroes.

This was a story neither too long nor too short.

But as it neared its end, one could not help but lament its brevity.

In the silent white desert, half of a coin lay buried in the sand, faintly marked with the imprint of a cat's paw, a relic of the dream of heroes, a symbol of their presence.

"Sister Mei, I'll share my luck with you, so don't worry!"

The Crimson Torch of Shenzhou, perhaps merely a fragment of her own memories, while the hero of Fleeting Life, like a flower, found traces of her future amid the tangled web of recollections.

"Mei, I think I finally understand a little about that Class Monitor you always talked about."

In the vast expanse of space, a shooting star fell, tracing a long, deep-blue tail of light, the parting words of a hero among the stars.

"The clouds are beautiful, the stars are beautiful, and sister Mei is beautiful too. The stars and I both love watching sister Mei."

Somewhere unknown, a symbol of infinity rested atop a metallic chest, glimmering with a faint green glow, left behind by a hero who never ceased his endless chatter.

"I really didn't expect you to leave this place completely unchanged. Such a pity. Whether it's gaining more or losing something, only through change can one truly grow, don't you think?"

"So... once you're out, do your best, little lab mouse. Don't disappoint my expectations."

On the moon, a fallen figure leaned against a rocky cliff. In the distance, a beautiful blue planet hung in the sky, their home. A harmonica lay abandoned on the sand, its melody long silenced.

"...You will go even farther than we did. You will overcome the barriers we could not."

The hero of light, always silent, had finally spoken his farewell. Was he now a true hero?

Under the moonlight, a lone cherry blossom tree stood without its petals. Its barren branches stretched into the night wind, and at its roots, a piece of paper was tied, a child's wish.

"It was an honor to meet you, Miss Mei. Fighting alongside you was my greatest privilege."

"May your future be blessed—may your path be victorious."

Had the hero of fleeting moments finally forgiven himself?

Deep within a quiet forest, golden sunlight scattered through the trees, and a single leaf drifted onto the surface of a lake, causing ripples that never faded.

"Visitor, have you found the answer in your heart?"

"Even if doubts remain, do not be afraid. You still have all the time in the world to ponder them slowly."

The hero of wisdom, ever patient as always. Mei had received his signet with the utmost ease.

On the moon, a broken blade lay half-buried in the ground, its edge scarred from countless battles. The uneven terrain bore witness to the war that had raged here.

"Enough. Go."

"What? Expecting me to say something sentimental nonsense?"

"Then you are talking to the wrong person."

"But, I do remember your name... Raiden Mei."

The ever-fiery hero had finally let his anger subside.

"Heh, Miss Mei, surprise! I actually left a backdoor in your mind! Try looking for it after you leave."

The spiral of Vill-V—her pocket watch shattered amidst the stars.

"Thank you, Miss Mei. You have brought so much to this serene realm."

"We cannot repay you, only offer our blessings, our prayers. May civilization endure like starlight; may this world shine like gold."

The golden Eden, her wine glass drifted upon the sands.

"The Elysian Realm has finally met its destined end—destruction and darkness."

"But I am happy, because it has ended in such a way."

The Discipline, Aponia, a butterfly flickered in the candlelight.

"You have earned the recognition of all thirteen Flame-Chasers. That alone is enough."

"Whether it is me here, or me in reality—lift your head and face the future, Herrscher of Thunder."

The Deliverance, Kevin, his lonely throne remained ever empty.

"Tadah!—In the end, It's back to me~"

Thirteen heroes, from the end back to the beginning, all had returned to where it all started.

As the founder of the organization, she had been the first.

Her voice was cheerful, different from before. In Mei's consciousness, her smiling face appeared, so radiant, so beautiful.

"I'm the Original first after all~"

"That is how Elysia has always been like this, both the beginning and the end, isn't that right?"

"So this time... we really must say goodbye."

Mei looked at her. The memory of her was so clear, so vivid, illuminated by the brilliant light.

She took a deep breath, her familiar smile appearing once more, as she sincerely spoke the truth, after all, she had always been the true hero.

She had never once told a lie, from beginning to end.

"Thank you, Mei."

"Thank you for coming here, for meeting us, for talking with us."

"Thank you for being willing to remember our names, to listen to our stories."

"As long as Mei still remembers us, this story will never disappear."

"Only humans can think this way, and only humans can turn such beliefs into reality."

She looked at the other person, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Humans are always skilled at creating stories, and then those stories guide even more people forward, leading to new stories emerging.

That was exactly what she loved about them.

She hoped... that the story she brought to Mei would be something she liked.

In the end, she would give Mei a gift, an absolutely unique gift!

"So now, I give you my final Ego to you, the new generation of humanity."

"This name carries the origin of all things, our memories, and our blessings. One day, it will become your new strength."

"And you, too, will give this name a brand-new meaning."

"We will remain in the past."

"But you will walk toward the future."

All of that, they were once her radiance, and they were the proof of her efforts.

Now, they have all become history. And tomorrow, she, too, will become history.

"So go ahead and release your own, unique, flawless, and dazzling brilliance."

"Because—"

"A beautiful girl can do anything, right? ♪"

She closed her eyes, yet she still maintained her smile.

A flawless white light appeared.

It was as if only white remained in the space, and at any moment, she could step out from within it.

"....."

"...."

[Please leave....]

[No...]

Two completely different choices, just like when Teacher Himeko made her decision. And it made everyone clearly realize that this was the end.

------------

[The stars and the moon sent forth their divine daughter, and she willingly became their companion.]

[It begins with me, and it ends with me!]

[Tasha!—, I cry like rain,]

[As long as I remember you, you will exist forever.]

[Take me with you, Elysia! I am Elysia's devotee!]

[Do you know why Elysia stuck so close at the end? Because Mei cried.]

-----------

Emotions surged, reaching their climax. In this paradise of serenity, each strike followed another, leaving no room to evade.

----------

In the Golden Courtyard

"Congratulations, she has left, and in doing so, she has engraved the will of humanity upon the world. After all... she really did it."

Luo Mo sighed, as if in admiration.

Setting everything else aside, he was truly a hardcore fan of Ellie-chan. If faith truly existed in this world, he would willingly devote himself to Elysia.

As for Aponia... she didn't need to compete with him for that position, she was too professional.

"Engraving... the will of humanity? Maybe I really did leave a mark of humanity upon a god."

Elysia smiled.

This time, she did not sob. Not because she wasn't moved, but because this was her own story, narrated by herself.

How could she possibly cry?

Instead, she became curious to see who among them would shed tears because of her story.

"Oh—Ego, origin... Elysia, Teacher Himeko..."

Clatter.

Tears slid down Kiana's face, dripping onto the back of her hand as she gripped the controller. Her tear-filled eyes blurred her vision, making it hard to see the words on the screen.

(T/C: Now I know why. Sorry Kiana)

But their words, their completed stories, had overlapped in a way that resonated deeply with her.

Even though their styles were different, they had both taught Kiana and Mei the most important lesson.

There are always things that someone must do.

There are stories that must be remembered, and someone must pass them on.

Their flames would never fade, they would continue to flicker in the stars. She could feel it, the same will.

"Ugh... sister Ellie, you made me cry... ugh."

Before Elysia could be surprised by Kiana's reaction, another sobbing voice echoed from a different direction.

The little cat-eared girl, with her tail drooping, had a tear-streaked face and sniffled helplessly as she looked at Elysia.

What could she say? Pardo had once paid a great price for her actions, her meowing had once made Elysia cry for a long time. Now, it was Elysia's turn. The deep sorrow gradually overwhelmed Pardo as well.

And Elysia wasn't the only one. Every scenario connected to her seemed to involve all thirteen people in some way.

Their farewells only deepened the sorrowful atmosphere.

First, Pardo had launched a powerful emotional strike, and then Elysia followed up with thirteen consecutive blows.

With Kiana and Pardo leading the way, soon the entire hall was filled with people holding back tears. Though most only had reddened eyes, keeping their tears contained.

But that didn't include Luo Mo, nor did it include Elysia.

The two of them exchanged a glance, scanning the room to see if anyone else was crying.

Unfortunately, Seele had turned her head away, burying her face in Bronya's embrace. The others seemed melancholic, but their exact expressions were unclear.

Their eyes met briefly before they lost interest and looked away.

"Alright, don't cry, little Pardo." Elysia reached out to stroke Pardo's ears, comforting her.

"Exactly, exactly! Don't cry, Kiana. There's still more ahead."

(T/C: sorry Kiana)

Luo Mo refused to be outdone, smiling gently.

"..."

Sure enough, Luo Mo's words worked fast, Kiana stopped trembling.

Slowly lifting her head, her tear-stained eyes gazed at him with resentment.

"Have some humanity, boss."

She groaned helplessly.

Her heart was heavy with sorrow.

But she truly had no strength left to play. The first-person perspective was just too immersive.

"...Agreed."

Mei gently nodded, taking a deep breath to barely steady her emotions. She had almost cried just now as well.

With her and Elysia as the main characters in the script, even if it was just voice acting with a bit of crying, after experiencing the actual work, it was hard to avoid getting immersed in it.

Moreover, the one who had to accept the sorrow was her in the game, not Ellie.

"Seele... don't cry."

Bronya gently patted Seele's back, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes.

The boss had crafted a truly powerful script. Setting aside the player's perspective, as someone preparing to make a game, she was determined to learn as much as possible from it.

"But, but... Elysia, she... why did she have to face such an ending? She helped us so much..."

Seele sobbed as she spoke, and under Bronya's attempt at comforting her, she ended up crying even harder.

If Luo Mo were to comment, the first thing they should learn from him was proper comforting techniques.

Just look at Kiana now, she could only glare at him fiercely, but at least she wasn't crying anymore.

Luo Mo felt deeply satisfied.

(T/C: I admit that I like beautiful girls crying. Except for Elysia... during special moments...)

-----

Elsewhere, in Theresa's mansion,

Theresa and the others were similarly stunned, exchanging glances in silence. This story had deeply moved them as well.

Only now did she truly understand why, from the beginning, Luo Mo had insisted on trusting Elysia.

At first, when she met Elysia, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about her.

But...

A true companion, the Herrscher of Origin, one who originally sought to become a human Herrscher... All of this changed how she perceived Elysia.

"Mei... has also gained a valuable lesson in growth. But, as Luo Mo said, growth always comes with loss..."

She couldn't help but sigh. A new student wouldn't admit it, but she was only saying this after wiping away her own tears.

During the story of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, she had cried more times than she could count. Sometimes she could hold it in without making a sound, but other times she simply couldn't.

"This is the first time I've realized... this game is made like this?"

Brownie said with a pained expression, scratching her head. It gave her a headache just thinking about it. While she hadn't cried too much, she really liked the story.

But she still preferred competitive games, where emotions wouldn't get in the way.

"Not all of them... just Luo Mo's game."

Theresa said in a deep voice.

Yet, looking at the yard nearby, comparing the characters from the game with their real-life counterparts, she found that the differences were still quite significant.

Here, they truly felt more alive.

That hooded girl who always liked basking in the sun, when they suggested she should go to school, she immediately refused.

That flower-loving girl, even more absentminded than the flowers themselves, always speaking and acting cautiously.

That pink-haired, long-eared old acquaintance, she only ever smiled when holding her little sister's hand.

Master Kalpas was much more patient... well, compared to how he was in the game. After all, Theresa had tasted his grilled skewers before, and they were absolutely top-notch.

Suddenly, Theresa began to understand Luo Mo's thoughts.

Perhaps, Luo Mo simply wanted these people, those who truly deserved a break, to experience an ordinary life.

No wonder he never seemed worried about safety issues.

"Hmm? Elysia... she also counts as a Herrscher?"

Kongming, while fiddling with a round object, suddenly remembered something and frowned.

"She is. It was mentioned in the game." Theresa replied absentmindedly.

"Then, just how many Herrschers are there in this place?"

Kongming pressed for an answer.

"Ah—?"

Theresa's eyes immediately widened, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

This was truly a heartbreaking realization.

So, all this time, the number of Herrschers on this island was much higher than she had thought?

For a brief moment, she really didn't want to understand Luo Mo's thoughts any further.

Theresa felt utterly defeated.