What Do You Think You're Doing to Elysia?!

Elysia loved beautiful things.

And the performance unfolding before her—a harmonious blend of Eden's exquisite vocals and [Elysia]'s captivating presence—was a masterpiece, a testament to the Previous Era's artistic peak.

Even with her initial skepticism, Elysia couldn't help but be swept away by the beauty of it all. This is amazing!

The audience shared her sentiment.

At first, they'd chanted, "Eden! Eden!"

Now, a new name joined the chorus:

—Elysia.

The crowd roared with approval, their initial doubts forgotten.

Even Elysia, caught up in the excitement, found herself chanting along.

Then, she snapped back to reality.

Wait a minute! I'm the real Elysia!

Her head cleared, and she looked around at the cheering crowd, then back at the stage, her gaze fixed on her own body. Her smile faltered, then vanished.

Slap! She smacked her cheeks, trying to shake off the lingering enchantment.

Wake up, Elysia! That's Jiang Qiao up there!

How could I cheer for that rascal?!

I'm angry! I'm getting angry!

Watching [Elysia]'s radiant smile, Elysia felt a surge of… something. Her fists clenched.

That rascal! He and Eden are so in sync!

It's not jealousy! I don't care that they have good chemistry!

But what truly irked her was…

Eden is mine! Jiang Qiao is mine! Why am I stuck down here?!

I should be in the car, not under it!!!

Well, technically, [Elysia] was on stage.

Which only made her angrier.

That was her body!

Eden wasn't hers, and neither was Jiang Qiao… She'd planned to watch Eden's concert with him, not watch him perform with Eden, especially in her own body!

AAAAAHHHHH!!!

Elysia fumed, wanting to scream and roll around on the floor. Thankfully, social decorum prevented a full-blown meltdown.

Still, a part of her was relieved.

At least Jiang Qiao was using her body, not his own. If he'd performed with Eden in his original form… she might have actually turned into a Herrscher.

…No, I'm still mad! It's infuriating either way!

Her initial confusion coalesced into a simple equation:

[Elysia] + Eden = Anger. Jiang Qiao + Eden = More Anger.

Conclusion:

Very angry!!!

Her face flushed crimson, her internal temperature rising to the point of spontaneous combustion. She wanted to launch herself onto the stage and throttle that rascal.

Thankfully, the concert was nearing its end.

As the final notes faded, Eden, holding [Elysia]'s hand, addressed the cheering crowd.

Backstage, the crew looked at Jiang Qiao with newfound respect.

You call this a novice?

Their synergy was incredible, as if they'd been performing together for years. They could debut as a duo!

Eden, still basking in the afterglow of the performance, was surprised by their seamless connection. The joy of dancing with Elysia had been intoxicating, making her want to relive the moment over and over.

"How was your first stage performance, Elysia?" she asked, turning to the pink-haired girl.

"Hmm, how to put it? A little nerve-wracking with all those eyes watching? But definitely a unique experience," [Elysia] replied, a thoughtful expression on her face, her fingers tracing the lace of her glove.

"Oh~ You seem to have enjoyed yourself~" a familiar voice drawled.

Jiang Qiao, recognizing the voice, turned towards the doorway.

There stood his own body, Elysia's usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a disconcertingly pleasant smile. Elf Elysia stood beside him.

He'd been so engrossed in the performance that he hadn't noticed Elysia's arrival.

Oops…

He offered a sheepish smile, a touch of embarrassment coloring his cheeks.

He opened his mouth to speak, but—

Eden's hand tightened around his.

"Elysia, is this… a friend of yours?" she asked, her smile still in place, but her golden eyes, usually warm and inviting, now held a sharp edge as she studied the black-haired youth.

While she considered their relationship platonic—she valued Elysia's feelings, and their bond transcended romance—she couldn't shake a sense of unease. This man… he seemed… possessive.

Elysia, meanwhile, was fuming. That superstar, calling Jiang Qiao "Elysia"… so casually… so intimately…

No! I'm Elysia!

Before Jiang Qiao could respond, Elysia stepped forward, her cheeks puffed up with indignation.

"Yes~ We're very close friends, aren't we, E-ly-sia~?" she emphasized his name, her smile widening with each syllable.

The overly familiar tone made Eden's eyebrows twitch.

She wasn't surprised that Elysia had close friends. But this man… he was irritating. His tone reeked of possessiveness, a subtle challenge.

But… there was something else.

A strange dissonance. As if the man's body housed… a girl… a girl who felt… familiar… like Elysia.

"Indeed," Elysia continued, extending a hand towards [Elysia]. "So… come with me. I have some important matters to discuss with you~ Elysia~"

Her voice dripped with insinuation.

Eden frowned, sensing something amiss. She looked at [Elysia], who offered a helpless shrug and pulled away from Eden's grasp. Eden instinctively reached out, but it was too late.

[Elysia] walked towards the man, who grabbed her hand—a bit too roughly—and pulled her away.

Eden watched them disappear, a strange emptiness settling in her chest.

A flicker of worry ignited within her.

While the man seemed familiar with Elysia, his behavior was… unsettling. Rough, almost aggressive. Elysia seemed… subdued, compliant. Could she be coerced?

Eden dismissed the thought. Elysia was strong, capable. But the seed of doubt had been planted, growing like a weed, its tendrils wrapping around her heart.

Her usually gentle eyes hardened.

She needed to understand their relationship.

If that man dared hurt Elysia… she would move heaven and earth to seek justice.

Meanwhile, backstage, Elysia cornered [Elysia], a predatory glint in her narrowed eyes.

"Care to explain yourself, E-ly-sia~?"

"What was I supposed to do? Eden invited me. Refusing in front of everyone would've been rude," [Elysia] shrugged, feigning innocence. "Besides, it was fun! Feel how fast it's beating~"

He grabbed Elysia's hand, placing it on his chest. Elysia's cheeks flushed at the contact.

What are you doing?! That's my chest! Wait… it is my chest…

Realizing it was her own body, her embarrassment faded. She'd… explored its contours extensively.

…Still, it feels nice… she thought, squeezing gently. While Jiang Qiao was indifferent to such things, Elysia… well, she appreciated a good… tactile experience.

It's different when someone else does it… my body is amazing~

But then, she remembered why she was angry.

What do you mean, "it's beating fast"? Are you blaming my body for making you do it?

"Ehehe~" [Elysia] stuck out her tongue playfully, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

It's all Elysia's fault!

Elysia gritted her teeth. So I lend you my body, and it's my fault?

"Besides, you stole my body first," [Elysia] added, adopting a pitiful expression, the picture of innocence.

Elysia froze. He had a point. She'd taken his body, not borrowed it. He was technically the victim.

…Maybe I'm in the wrong?

But seeing her own body looking so vulnerable… she got angry again.

No! He's trying to trick me!

That wasn't stealing! It was borrowing! With… enthusiasm! And I only did it to supervise you! I'm in the right!

And you? You were supposed to be on a mission, not attending a concert! And not just attending, but performing! With Eden! And singing so beautifully! What kind of mission is this?!

"Don't try to fool me. You call that a mission? MEI only asked you to bring Dr. Yssring back!" Having regained her composure, Elysia launched her accusations.

"Ahem, it's part of the mission," Jiang Qiao coughed, composing himself.

Femirins needed data. Eden's concert provided data. Adding [Elysia] doubled the data output. Two data sources were better than one.

Therefore, his performance was… mission-critical!

"Besides, it was for you, Elysia," he added, his voice sincere.

Elysia was baffled. For me? You used my body to dance with another girl, and it's for me?

Her narrowed eyes conveyed a single message: I'm not buying it. Convince me, or else!

Convincing Elysia wasn't difficult. Jiang Qiao could manipulate her with ease.

Besides, he had a legitimate argument.

While he hadn't wanted to disappoint Eden, and the performance had been exhilarating (and he'd definitely been influenced by [Elysia]'s… enthusiasm), the data collection was a genuine objective.

Femirins, the future core AI of Project: Avalon, needed massive amounts of data. While Eden's singing was beautiful, it wasn't enough.

By adding Elysia's presence, her unique energy signature, he'd created a new data stream, enriching Femirins's learning process.

He couldn't ask MEI to implement the Elysian Realm protocols directly—it was too risky, too drastic. But he could subtly influence the project's development.

MEI wouldn't object. He wasn't altering the core logic; he was enhancing it.

And Elysia… she wouldn't want Project: Avalon to exist in its current form, would she?

"…"

Elysia fell silent.

She knew about Project: Avalon, and she didn't like it. It limited human potential, even if it was a necessary evil in the fight against the Honkai. She, a lover of humanity, could only turn a blind eye.

Looking at Jiang Qiao, a flicker of warmth touched her heart.

So he did it for me… I misjudged him. He's—

As if!

She glared at her own body. If he'd been honest from the start, she might have forgiven him. But he'd talked about "fun," about "excitement," and even blamed her body!

Those were lies!

You can't fool me, Jiang Qiao!

Combined with her lingering resentment over his… closeness… with Eden, this wasn't something she could easily forgive.

She needed to teach him a lesson. Today, it was dancing with Eden; tomorrow, who knew what he'd be doing with another girl! And then he'd sweet-talk his way out of it, leaving her to say "thank you."

The thought made her tremble with rage.

Good thing I took his body!

She wouldn't let anyone—not even the Heavenly Principles—stop her from getting her revenge!

First, I'll get my body back, then I'll—

Slam!

She pinned [Elysia] against the wall, her (Jiang Qiao's) larger frame effectively trapping him. She pressed a hand against the wall beside his head, then licked her lips, a predatory glint in her eyes.

Jiang Qiao sighed.

Seriously? This is your body. Isn't this a bit… rough?

His wrist ached from her grip.

But seeing her on the verge of unleashing her inner "Bandit Elysia," he decided not to argue. He looked up at her with wide, innocent eyes, ready to comply. His vulnerable expression fueled Elysia's excitement.

Hmph, this always works!

No amount of sweet-talking will save you now, Jiang Qiao! I'll just shut you up!

She'd found his weakness!

Just as she leaned in, ready to deliver her "punishment"—

A cold, furious voice echoed through the hallway:

"—What do you think you're doing to Elysia?!"

Eden-Elysia.png (just add if you want, i quite lazy now)