The so-called "Thirteenth Herrscher" was a lie fabricated by Vill-V.
Lin Wei brought it up simply to see if he could fluster her.
"...What do you think is the nature of Honkai? A god? Or something else entirely? Human civilizations rise and fall, but what are they truly fighting for?" As it turned out, she didn't react at all, simply responding with a counter-question, an answer that wasn't an answer.
As for digging deeper, that wasn't his role.
So, he let it go.
"Who knows? You're asking a mere mortal like me about the fundamental nature of the universe. Isn't that a bit much?" He paused, then added with a smirk, "But since you asked, I'll be presumptuous. I think Honkai is incredibly inefficient at destroying humanity."
"Oh? How so?" Vill-V was intrigued. She didn't dislike arrogance, as long as it was backed by something interesting.
Lin Wei silently pulled out a goblet, a gift from Eden, seemingly always filled with an endless supply of wine.
It was Eden's generous gift, a miracle only possible in this isolated paradise.
He opened a nearby refrigerator, added a few ice cubes to the goblet, walked back to Vill-V, and handed it to her. The clear ice clinked against the dark red liquid.
"If I were the god of Honkai, destroying humanity would be very simple," he said with a cold smile, pointing at the ice swirling in the goblet, then snapped his fingers, pronouncing his chilling judgment. "Just slightly alter the molecular structure of water, make ice denser than liquid water, and that would be enough to destroy everything."
…
Lin Wei lay on a beach chair under the midday sun, wearing sunglasses, dozing off. It was part of the "Summer Beach Set" that Pardo had enthusiastically recommended.
He enjoyed this idle, carefree existence. It suited his lack of ambition.
"Hi, Lin Wei! Found you!" He felt a shadow fall over him, his sunglasses gently removed, and a familiar playful voice interrupting his nap.
He opened his eyes, slightly annoyed. "Seriously, can't a man…" He stopped mid-sentence.
It wasn't just because it was Elysia. It was because she looked… different.
She was wearing a revealing outfit – a black and white two-piece, the top barely more than a bra if not for the sheer, waist-length overshirt.
Her slender waist was clearly visible, the short skirt held in place by starfish-shaped ties at her hips, revealing her long, shapely legs, one adorned with a thin anklet.
Her wrists and neck were decorated with simple yet elegant pearl and seashell jewelry, adding a touch of freshness and purity to her usual vibrancy, making her look like a mermaid princess.
"Ta-da! So, what do you think? Speechless?" Seeing him momentarily stunned, she grinned, placing his sunglasses on her head. "Eden's designs are always so bold, but they suit me perfectly, don't they? I rarely wear this swimsuit, you know!"
Lin Wei looked around, making sure he hadn't been transported to a different location in his sleep. This was still an ordinary rooftop, not a beach or a summer resort.
"You're in the wrong place. The summer event isn't here," he said, lying back down and putting on a new pair of sunglasses.
He had bought several from Pardo, just in case.
It seemed they came in handy.
"The beach and the islands are far from here. Don't keep your friends waiting. Bye~" He waved his hand dismissively, turning over to give her his back.
He was exhausted after his mental sparring with Vill-V and just wanted to relax.
Thud! He felt a strange breeze on his face, then the sound of something heavy landing nearby, shattering his drowsiness. He jumped up instinctively.
A new beach chair had appeared beside his, and Elysia was lying on it, humming a tune, his stolen sunglasses covering half her face.
She looked at him, feigning surprise, and pulled down her sunglasses, revealing one eye, her pink hair falling playfully over her face. "Hee hee, I just saw how much you were enjoying it, so I wanted to try too~ You can't sunbathe in your combat suit, can you?"
Lin Wei stared at her, speechless. Perhaps she genuinely thought that way.
Elysia looked him up and down, a smug smile on her face. "My, how unusual. You're actually staring at me. I'm getting shy~ So, how do I look?"
She stretched languidly, showing off her slender figure, which seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.
That was usually just a figure of speech, but Elysia's presence made it seem real.
"Honestly, why are you so quiet around me? You're so lively with everyone else, especially with Vill-V. Your… enthusiastic interaction the other day was quite surprising." Seeing his continued silence, she pouted.
"You call that 'enthusiastic'?" Lin Wei couldn't help but retort. Was she also a gossip queen?
Enthusiastic, yes, the kind of enthusiasm that involved explosions and near-death experiences.
If Kevin hadn't intervened, one of them would have been incapacitated!
"Of course! I didn't know you were such a passionate boy~ Vill-V was just complaining about how troublesome it is to rebuild the Spiral Workshop."
"Really? I bet she's just playing the victim. I don't believe for a second she didn't copy the Elysian Realm version of the twelfth Divine Key during our little… skirmish," Lin Wei said, relaxing back into his chair.
The two chairs were so close their heads were almost touching. He could smell Elysia's unique fragrance with every breath, a scent he couldn't forget.
Elysia, however, didn't seem to mind. Or rather, this was precisely what she wanted.
"You know her well~ But you're not entirely right. Vill-V loves new toys, but her excitement didn't last long. Perhaps she's not compatible with it. The twelfth Divine Key felt clunky in her hands, not at all as… versatile as it is in yours."
"So you're saying Vill-V made a bad investment?" Lin Wei asked, amused.
"Hmm… not exactly," Elysia frowned, thinking for a moment. "Vill-V is in charge of the Divine Key project, she wouldn't give up so easily. It seems she's determined to take it apart and study it thoroughly."
"Oh~" Lin Wei was slightly disappointed. He had been hoping to see Vill-V's despair. It seemed he wouldn't get the chance.
He closed his eyes, ready to resume his nap.
"...Lin Wei, has anyone ever told you it's hard to reach you? Like now, we're so close, yet it feels like we're miles apart…" After a moment of silence, Elysia sighed, her voice unusually vulnerable.
Lin Wei opened his eyes, looking at the swirling colors of the sky through his sunglasses, his own feelings a complex mix of emotions. He hesitated, then replied, "I remember you saying that the first time we met."
"Oh, you remember? I thought you might have forgotten… it's been a while…" Elysia was surprised, and a little pleased. He did care?
"Yes, and I'm still wondering… what did I do to deserve such attention from Miss Elysia? I still haven't figured it out." He still didn't understand why Elysia was so interested in him, or why he was so resistant to getting close to her.
But today, the atmosphere felt different, intimate, comfortable.
Breaking it would feel… wrong.
Elysia, you're so manipulative…
Since she meant well, he decided to be honest with her.
"The answer is simple. I like you very much!" Elysia said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the sun.
Lying side by side, their heads almost touching, she could sense his every emotion without even looking at him.
"Is that so? I'm honored," Lin Wei replied with a sigh, not surprised.
Elysia's "affection" was precious, because she was discerning, yet also fickle, her standards ever-changing.
He didn't think he was anything special, nothing that would warrant such attention from Elysia, who had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, the grandest epics and the darkest abysses.
Perhaps there was something about him she found amusing.
"That's so dismissive…" Elysia grumbled, dissatisfied with his nonchalant response.
"I saw how gentle you were with RIN when you first arrived in the Elysian Realm."
"I've never seen anyone willing to befriend a Herrscher before."
Doesn't Eden count? Lin Wei thought, but didn't say it out loud. He chuckled. "What Herrscher? You know RIN, she's just a lost girl looking for a home, isn't she?"
"...Yes, it's a shame… you showed me a different possibility. Our era could have taken a different path." Elysia felt a pang of regret. She hadn't had a chance to talk to RIN properly. She had wanted to befriend the lonely Herrscher.
"...You did your best. By the time the twelfth Herrscher appeared, everyone was desperate, at their breaking point. You didn't have any other choice. Billions had already died because of the Honkai. RIN was just another victim, albeit a unique one. In that era, death was commonplace, and survival itself was a luxury," Lin Wei said, trying to comfort her, though he knew she didn't need his consolation. "Perhaps it's because I wasn't there, I can see things more objectively, as an outsider."
What objectivity? It was simply detachment.
Not just their bygone era, but also the current era outside the Elysian Realm. He was an outsider in both.
An outsider swept along by the current, unable to escape.
He didn't belong in the world of fifty thousand years ago, nor did he belong in the world of fifty thousand years later.
Only in this timeless Elysian Realm could he feel a semblance of belonging.
"Yes, our era is over," Elysia said suddenly. "Is that why you keep your distance from me, from the other Flame-Chasers?"
Lin Wei hesitated, then said, not entirely truthfully, "Fifty thousand years is a long time."
"Yes, you will eventually leave the Elysian Realm, return to your real life, and slowly forget everything here," Elysia said, her voice tinged with regret. "I can sense so many secrets within you, but I wonder if I'll ever have a chance to read this interesting storybook."
Your act is so transparent, Lin Wei thought, exasperated. It was hard to tell how much of what Elysia said was genuine.
"Secrets? I don't have any secrets. Ask me anything you want," he said dismissively, trying to deflect her probing.
"Really? You can't fool a cute girl like that~" Elysia sat up, her face inches from his. "First question, why have you been avoiding me?"