LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 71: Is She Really a Herrscher?
"..."
Mobius turned her head away, clearly not in the mood to engage further.
However, the information hidden in Aponia and Elysia's words, coupled with the images from the game playing before her, confirmed many of Mobius' private suspicions.
She really was that Herrscher.
And her actions at the end… were they partly to disrupt an already predetermined fate?
Mobius' eyes flickered, as if coming to a definite conclusion.
So… what was it that Elysia changed in the end?
"Heh..."
Elysia looked at the screen. Within a sunlit garden, butterflies flitted around her elegant silhouette, radiating beauty and brilliance. She had always guided Mei through the Elysian Realm, all the way to this final moment.
It aligned perfectly with Elysia's own sense of aesthetics.
That small, tranquil garden… it must have been the final secret place she prepared. Now, everything was about to be revealed. Strangely, Elysia suddenly felt a bit nervous.
She took a deep breath, glancing around at her companions. Their expressions varied, indicating that most had some awareness of this revelation.
Except for a few individuals.
"H-Herr... Herrscher? Did I hear that right? Elysia, are you really a Herrscher?"
Pardofelis' eyes sparkled. Thanks to a certain game, she wasn't too fazed by the term anymore. However, she was incredibly curious, one of her long-time companions turned out to harbor such an astonishing identity.
If Elysia was a Herrscher... what kind of power would she have?
She didn't doubt it, though. Elysia was so powerful, which fit her perception of what a Herrscher should be!
It's not like... anyone would believe it if someone said Felis was a Herrscher, right?
"That's right Pardo~ I'm a Herrscher. Surprised?"
Elysia smiled as she reached out to ruffle Pardo's head, subtly pinching her warm, soft ears between her fingers. They were so comforting to the touch.
Her eyes narrowed with delight, and she became absorbed in petting the adorable little creature.
"Surprised? Not really. Herrschers are everywhere these days, unlike in the Previous Era. There's no need for panic... But, Elysia, can you please stop petting me? And also, what's that last scene about?"
"Even though I've been in the Elysian Realm for so long, I have no memory of that place. Is there... some kind of treasure hidden there?"
At the end, Pardo's true intentions were laid bare. She gazed at Elysia expectantly while trying to dodge her "claws."
"A treasure? Well, you could say there's one. After all... Pardo, you think your Elysia is very precious, don't you?"
"I do, but..."
"As for any other treasures, well, there's nothing I can do about it. The Elysian Realm has already faded, and whatever was there is gone too."
"Ahhh—how could that happen?!"
Pardo lamented her lost treasure. She had thought her sharp eyes could find another enticing, bountiful trove… but in the end, she was wrong.
It was gone, just like that…
Meanwhile, Mobius approached Elysia, as if she had suddenly remembered something she wanted to discuss.
"On the other hand, you used to boast about those so-called side effects of being a MANTIS. Now it seems like they might actually be Herrscher powers, don't you think?"
Mobius' eyes gleamed, and a faint, mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
It seemed she had connected some intriguing dots. Elysia was always claiming those "MANTIS side effects," wasn't she? But in comparison to Mobius' own, which became more pronounced over time, Elysia's were almost negligible.
"...?"
Elysia furrowed her brows, staring at Mobius for a long time. Her gaze even turned a little fierce.
Mobius smirked playfully. "Can't gain weight?"
Elysia instinctively glanced down at the soft flesh of her slightly rounded belly. Even though she knew it was impossible for anyone to see through her clothes, she quickly looked away. But her reaction was as good as admitting it. She mumbled under her breath, "I don't know what you're talking about..."
"Skin gets better every day?" Mobius pressed on, her tone relentless.
"Always has been! Look, smooth and supple, and I never stay up late."
"Hair... more voluminous?"
"I just changed my hairstyle, okay? The texture is fine too..."
Under Mobius' relentless questioning, Elysia took several steps back, looking a little flustered.
Had she exaggerated the "MANTIS side effects" back then? She should've just said it was natural, or maybe attributed it to her healthy lifestyle...
"Heh." Mobius stopped advancing and stayed where she was, her smirk widening as she nodded knowingly.
"Ah, isn't it funny? Someone who claimed her side effects were so extraordinary. But now it seems like the only side effect for you was those ears of yours."
"No wonder, even without undergoing fusion surgery, you managed to defeat two Herrschers in a row. Your power was already there, you just needed a cover story."
"..."
Elysia scratched her cheek awkwardly, insisting, "It really is the MANTIS surgery's side effect, Mobius. Why would I lie to you?"
"But there's no need for envy either. Look, I'm no longer a fusion warrior, nor do I have a Herrscher core..."
"Hmph, you never had a Herrscher Core to begin with. Otherwise, I wouldn't have to confirm it now, directly from your own mouth."
Meanwhile, Hua pondered over the fact that she was no longer the only one among the Flame-Chasers who had once become a Herrscher. The thought of her future self becoming a Herrscher, or perhaps it was more accurate to say the Herrscher becoming her, still made her feel a bit awkward.
But now, seeing Elysia, the vice-leader of the Flame-Chasers, in the same position, Hua couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. Her expression softened as she exhaled subtly.
On the other hand, this realization also emphasized the influence of Herrschers, both explicit and hidden. It seemed like every organization had to deal with the unavoidable presence of Herrschers in one form or another.
"It seems that even in a less-than-ideal future, I still managed to fulfill my wish: passing on my final secret to Mei. Perhaps I made the right choice back then," Aponia said with a serene smile.
"Oh? Maybe so~ After all, Mei, as the protagonist, is bound to encounter countless dangers ahead. Who knows? Perhaps even the Elysian Realm was blown up," Vill-V teased, tossing a playing card into the air. It twirled in the light, displaying different suits in an unpredictable pattern.
Eventually, Vill-V pinched the card between her fingers, her eyes flashing with intrigue as she glanced at the front. The card then quickly crumbled into ash.
"When did you start dabbling in fortune-telling? Is this a new personality of yours?" Mobius raised an eyebrow at Vill-V's theatrical display.
"Of course not! Why would I need that? No one can outdo Aponia in this area," Vil-V retorted unapologetically. "I just wanted to look a little mysterious."
Mobius: "..."
"Is that why I can never capture Elysia's colors on my canvas?" Griseo suddenly paused mid-stroke, raising her head and blinking as she directed her question toward Elysia.
"No, that's not it. It's because I always show my true self. That's why you can't see into my heart, little Griseo," Elysia replied gently.
---
Inside the villa, Theresa felt as if her brain had short-circuited after hearing the truth about Elysia.
"Wait… I didn't mishear, did I? Elysia… is a Herrscher?" Her bright blue eyes widened in shock.
Theresa hadn't expected that her academy would secretly harbor a Herrscher. It made her realize just how enigmatic Saint Freya truly was. No one could say for certain how many hidden Herrschers might be lurking within.
Future records might even note that Saint Freya had been a gathering place for extraordinary talents. Herrschers, who were almost impossible to encounter in the outside world, were a dime a dozen there. Students who didn't work hard enough might even end up failing their exams.
But for now, Theresa was utterly confused about the presence of a Herrscher right under her nose.
"And… aren't there supposed to be only twelve Herrschers? Why is she referred to as the Thirteenth Herrscher? Was there an error in the records?" she muttered, turning to look at Luo Mo.
"The Thirteenth Herrscher, huh…" Luo Mo pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Maybe that's just another lie. But looking at it another way, a Herrscher sneaking into the second seat of the Flame-Chasers is no surprise. It's no wonder Mobius calls her a traitor."
"But the side she betrayed was likely the side of Honkai," he added with a meaningful tone.
"...That's contradictory! First, you say it's a lie, and then you claim she's a Herrscher," Theresa grumbled, dragging her chair noisily across the room to sit beside Luo Mo.
"Maybe the Captain meant she's a Herrscher but not necessarily the Thirteenth one," interjected Irene, who had been quietly observing the conversation. Her delicate fingers brushed her chin thoughtfully as she clarified.
"A Herrscher… but not the Thirteenth…" Theresa muttered, trying to glean some understanding from the words. Soon, though, she gave up in frustration.
"So what kind of Herrscher is she, then?"
"Well… why don't you guess? I can give you a hint:, her power hasn't appeared in this era," Luo Mo said with a mischievous smile.
"Is there a reward?"
"You'll only get punished. The reward goes to Luna."
"Excuse me? Luo Mo, have you been getting bolder lately?" Theresa growled, a vein throbbing on her forehead. "Why should I do all the work while Luna gets the reward? That's completely unfair!"
Although she didn't mind spoiling Luna, who she still regarded as a little sister—couldn't they at least transition more smoothly?
"Come on, I already got you two outfits. Isn't that enough?" Luo Mo replied, shrugging helplessly.
"There's not enough information for me to guess!"
Meanwhile, further away in the hall, Bronie and Delta were eavesdropping on the lively exchange.
Bronie nudged Delta with her elbow and whispered, "Did you notice? I think he might really be a lolicon…"
Delta shot her a glance but remained silent.
Bronie continued, "Hey, I'm serious. Look at how young you look, not to mention those three Theresas. If we exclude the ninja who shoots lightning, that leaves only Irene and me."
"...You're the one who looks like a kid. Short stature, little meat," Delta said coldly, clearly unimpressed by Bronya's reasoning.
(TL: COUGH! COUGH!)
"Hey, that's uncalled for!" Bronie protested. "Fine, we'll both call ourselves young women. But either way, I'm staying in this villa to keep an eye on him. I bet on Stargazer winning this!"
Delta scoffed, "Childish. Fine, I'll bet on Irene."
"...That's cheating!" Bronie cried, glaring at her in disbelief.
"Did you mention any rules?" Delta countered calmly. She had overheard Bronie's odd betting game with Bronya-Z, which included all sorts of peculiar matchups. Naturally, it was hard to predict the outcome.
(TL/C: I'm betting on Luna. *wink*)
----
"So, she's a Herrscher too? The Thirteenth Herrscher. Hmph, quite impressive. Is she the last one?"
Kiana frowned, clearly unhappy.
No wonder Elysia didn't outright reject the whole Herrscher association. The more Kiana thought about it, the more she felt like a complete fool back then. It was too embarrassing. No, this time she'd make sure to impose restrictions for Herrschers of this era.
She silently resolved this in her heart.
"...Idiot Kiana. The records only mention twelve Herrschers. Haven't you realized the real issue here?"
Bronya replied coldly, already lost in thought about Elysia's potential powers.
"Elysia … No wonder she was the first to greet me among the Flame-Chasers. Even in the Elysian Realm, she treated me differently compared to others... A kindred spirit, huh?" Mei seemed to have an epiphany.
"I think even if you weren't a Herrscher, you'd still notice her," Kiana muttered under her breath. To be honest, she felt Elysia had ulterior motives toward Mei!
"A Herrscher… That Elysia... No wonder she's so strong."
Senti murmured a few times to herself, then glanced at Fu Hua, who was equally stunned. Only then did she feel at ease.
It seemed the issue wasn't on her end. If so, there was no problem at all.
----
At the headquarters of Schicksal, inside the office—
"The Thirteenth Herrscher... There's no mention of this in the records. As expected, the Flame-Chasers have many secrets yet to be uncovered."
Kallen sighed, her eyes fixed on the shocking statement displayed on the screen. She too was taken aback.
The erratic attacks by the Thousand Herrscher (Dominance) were a nightmare to track, but Schicksal wasn't completely clueless. They had gradually narrowed down the possible locations, yet frustratingly, nothing further developed.
Kallen's greatest concern was whether this Herrscher would collaborate with others.
In the previous civilization, this was impossible. Even in the current games, it was unprecedented; Herrschers always appeared individually. But whether this was by choice or limitation, Kallen wasn't sure.
Schicksal's resources had allowed significant upgrades to their S-rank Valkyries. The emergence of Stigmata also gave less-gifted individuals a chance to rise to greater heights. Compared to the past, when power was purely talent-based, things were much better now.
Schicksal's strength had grown rapidly, a promising development on the surface.
But the protagonists' growth brought its own set of concerns. Herrschers relied on top-tier power, often leaving even regular S-ranks unable to intervene.
"Kallen Overseer, our detectors still struggle to accurately identify the Thousand Herrscher. The energy signature remains as weak as that of a standard Honkai Beast… It's infuriating. At best, we're limited to a few meters of search range, forcing us to inspect every individual manually."
On the video screen, a red-haired and temperamental Dr. Tesla gave her report.
"...Understood," Kallen responded, deep in thought.
---