"So, you're telling me there's a sponsor who wants to meet me—and is willing to pay five hundred billion dollars just for that? Theresa, I think you've been scammed. Don't you?"
Inside a luxurious car, Elias looked at the small white-haired principal beside him with a dubious expression.
Even though his sense of money had already been completely distorted, this was still beyond belief.
Who in the world would spend five hundred billion dollars just to meet him? Did anyone even have that much money? Not every era was blessed with someone like Eden, after all.
"It's true. I'm not sure what her real intentions are, but at least she's already proven one thing—she really does have that kind of wealth."
Theresa shook her head, her face filled with both astonishment and tension. She had met plenty of rich people in her life, but this level of wealth was beyond anything she could imagine.
"Oh? And how exactly did she prove that?" Elias raised an eyebrow curiously.
"She... bought an entire region," Theresa said, looking out the car window with a complicated expression.
"What, like Nagazora City or something?"
"No. That sponsor bought the entire Far East."
"Pffft—!"
Elias nearly choked on his drink. Buying the whole Far East? Who on earth had that kind of money—or the audacity—to pull that off?! That was wealth bordering on divine.
"Alright, I admit, that's someone worth meeting," Elias finally said, intrigued.
"Thank you for agreeing to come, Elias."
"It's nothing. But seriously, Theresa, if St. Freya Academy's been struggling financially, you should've told me sooner. I could've solved it right away."
He twirled the black-and-gold card between his fingers. With the amount of money he had, it would probably take millennia to run out.
Suddenly, he found himself sympathizing with that mysterious sponsor. If you had wealth so vast that it could never be spent, buying a country might feel no different from buying a loaf of bread.
"Sorry... I wanted to handle the academy's problems on my own. I am the principal of St. Freya Academy, after all. I can't always rely on you... even though it feels like I already rely on you too much. This time too..."
Theresa scratched her head with an embarrassed smile.
She realized that ever since Elias joined the academy, she'd been depending on him for everything. In truth, St. Freya's current success was largely thanks to him.
But she was supposed to be the principal, and yet she was always the one being helped. The thought made her sigh quietly in frustration.
"What are you thinking about again? That expression doesn't suit you, Theresa."
Elias reached out and gently patted the fluffy white-haired girl's head, marveling at the softness. Truly, the Kaslana family was made of walking plushies.
"St. Freya Academy isn't just your academy—it's ours. Next time you run into trouble, just tell me. Otherwise, I might have to tell everyone about you reading comics during work hours."
"Eh?! T-That's not true! I wasn't reading during work!"
Her cheeks turned bright red as she flustered to deny it, making Elias chuckle. She really was adorable.
"So, you know what to do next time?"
"...Yeah. Thank you, Elias."
Theresa paused for a moment, her expression softening with gratitude.
She could feel how much Elias truly loved St. Freya Academy. And she would never forget the time he had thrown himself in front of three Honkai Fissile Bombs to protect it.
If not for him, the academy would have long become nothing more than a field of corpses.
"...Elias, let me do something for you too. My strength may be limited, but I want to thank you properly. Just tell me—whatever it is, if I can do it, I will."
"Theresa, why are you being so polite? I'm only protecting my own home. But since you insist... I'll take the opportunity."
As Elias said that, he pulled Theresa into his arms, hugging her like a plush doll. If anyone else saw the scene, they'd probably mistake them for father and daughter—or maybe brother and sister.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"Rita and Himeko once told me that holding you like this feels really nice. And yeah, they were right—it does feel great. Didn't you just say you'd do anything I asked? Then this is what I want."
"...That's all you want?"
"Yeah, that's all."
Elias rested his chin on top of her head and gently tightened his arms around the fluffy white-haired bundle.
That really was enough for him.
Having once known true loneliness, having walked a road that spanned tens of thousands of years, Elias had changed—he now craved the closeness of others.
Sometimes, only through holding someone could a person truly feel alive.
Elias could shine with a light bright enough to warm the world, but that same light could never warm himself. That's why he sought warmth from others instead.
"..."
Theresa froze in his embrace, staring up at the white-haired boy who held her so tightly—as if he were trying to protect her with everything he had. In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind.
(Elias... could it be that you...)
Perhaps this white-haired boy wasn't as strong as he appeared. Theresa quietly gazed at him, and for the first time, she felt like she truly understood who he was.
Elias wasn't strong for himself—he was strong for those he loved.
If one were to ask why, the answer was simple: he loved them too deeply.
"Um... El... Elias..."
"Hmm? What is it, Theresa?"
"I-If it's you... when no one else is around... I don't mind if you hold me like this again."
Theresa stammered, her face red as a tomato. Elias blinked in surprise before breaking into a bright, gentle smile, hugging her even tighter.
"Thanks. I'll remember that. But I probably won't do it too often—Theresa, you smell a bit like bitter melon."
"What's wrong with bitter melon?!"
"Nothing, really. I just don't like things that are both bitter and green. Next time Rita does the laundry, have her wash you too and hang you out in the sun."
"I—! I'm not letting you hug me anymore! Let go of me, Elias! And give me back my Judah!"
Theresa's face burned with embarrassment as she pounded her tiny fists against Elias' chest. But as a Vishnu-type fusion warrior, she stood no chance against a Chimera-type's strength.
In the end, for the two-hour trip to their destination, poor Theresa was left as nothing more than a warm, squirming doll in Elias' arms.
And yet... she couldn't deny she liked it.
(Ugh! It feels so comfortable... even warmer than Himeko or Rita's hugs. It's like sunlight... I could get addicted to this—No! Stop it, Theresa! Think of your life!)
She shook her head fiercely, reminding herself that even if Elias' embrace felt heavenly, she wasn't eager to join Herrscher-level combat every day.
After all, with Judah she at least had a fighting chance—but without it, she couldn't even scratch him.
...
When the two finally arrived at the appointed meeting place, they discovered it was a five-star hotel—completely reserved by the mysterious sponsor.
Led by the attendants, Elias and Theresa ascended to the top floor, their suspicion only growing stronger. Why hold a business meeting in a presidential suite? Was this sponsor really legitimate?
But when they opened the door, Elias heard a voice that made him think he was hallucinating.
"May time stand still in this moment, and may there never again be distance between us. It's been too long, my dear White."
"I knew it—we were destined to meet again, and that time is now. It's been a while, Elias."
"Eden... Aponia..."
Elias stared in shock at the two breathtakingly beautiful women before him—Eden and Aponia—both dressed in exquisite new attire. Their beauty struck him like lightning, and for a moment he wondered if he were dreaming.
"What—?! These two feel so strong!"
Theresa instantly shifted into a battle stance. The overwhelming power radiating from the two made her heart race. She immediately thought she'd walked straight into a trap.
Maybe this was an ambush—one meant for her or for Elias. She clenched her fists, ready to apologize to Elias and prepare for a fight, but then—
Elias suddenly rushed forward.
And wrapped both women in a huge embrace.
Theresa: "???"
And not only that—the three shared a deep, loving gaze... before casually starting to kiss.
Theresa: "W-What is even happening?!"
Elias: "Hm? Just saying hello."
Theresa: "Who says hello with kisses?! Wait—Elias, you know these two?!"
Eden: "Miss Theresa, thank you for bringing him here. But you can go now. I'll transfer the five hundred billion dollars to your account shortly."
They were already trying to send her away!
Theresa's eyes went wide as Eden and Aponia each took one of Elias' hands and led him deeper inside, the door shutting firmly in her face.
Of course she followed immediately—no way she was leaving!
Not that she wanted to stay for fun, but because she'd come here publicly to "borrow" Elias. If she returned alone and the others—especially Mei—found out what had happened...
Or worse, if they discovered Elias had been kissed by two women whose beauty and figures surpassed theirs—Theresa could already see her own funeral coming next year.
"No way! I'm staying too!"
"Very well," Aponia said softly, "but please do not interfere."
"Guh?! W-What is this power?!"
Theresa's eyes widened in shock. Her body stopped moving on its own—Aponia's voice alone compelled her to obey, overriding her will completely.
"Let's start with introductions," Eden said with a gentle smile. "Hello, Miss Theresa. I am Eden—the Sixth of the Flame-Chasers, bearer of the Signet of [Gold]."
"And I am Aponia—the Fifth of the Flame-Chasers, bearer of the Signet of [Discipline]. My apologies for the rudeness to come—but we are not your enemies."
"Yes," Eden added softly, "we came only to see Elias."
"..."
Theresa turned stiffly to Elias, wanting to ask what the hell was going on. Of course she knew what the Flame-Chasers were—she'd heard enough from Fu Hua lately as that immortal went around crushing everyone in friendly sparring.
But she never expected to meet two of them here.
Still, Theresa soon relaxed a little when she realized neither Eden nor Aponia showed any hostility toward her—their eyes hadn't left Elias for even a second.
"It's been so long, Elias. I've waited endlessly for this day to see you again."
"I've missed you too, Eden. In fact, I was just thinking about you today. If I went any longer without hearing your voice, my ears might've rotted away."
"Hehe~ Is it only my songs you miss?"
"How could that be? I miss everything about you."
Elias' heart swelled with joy as he gazed at the woman before him. Eden was the one whose soul harmonized perfectly with his own—the songstress to whom he'd once entrusted his dreams.
To Elias, Eden was truly special.
"Don't forget me either, Elias," Aponia said softly, her serene tone carrying deep emotion. "Without you, every moment has felt like an endless night."
"How could I ever forget you, Nia? Hmm? That dress you perfectly—you look stunning."
She wore [Butterfly Dreams], its fabric dark and fluid against her figure. The slits rose high along her hips, revealing smooth skin traced by sheer black tights that followed the line of her shapely legs. The fabric clung to her figure, light and delicate, framing her alluring body without concealment.
"Thank you~"
Aponia moved even closer to Elias, the longing she had suppressed for countless years swelling up inside her. For a fleeting moment, she felt an almost uncontrollable urge—to mark this white-haired boy with her most selfish [Discipline].
"I can't believe it... So you two were the sponsors Theresa mentioned. But buying up the entire Far East? Isn't that a bit excessive?"
"Is it?" Eden's smile was soft yet radiant. "If it meant being able to see you again, then I wouldn't hesitate to buy the entire world."
She raised a delicate hand, caressing Elias' cheek lovingly.
Resting her head against his chest, Eden closed her eyes slightly, listening to his heartbeat—it was, to her, the most beautiful melody in existence.
"Come now, Elias," she whispered. "Let us make up for the time we've lost. And don't forget—I'm now your academy's sponsor. If you don't keep me satisfied..."
"Haha, well then, I suppose I can't refuse. Besides, I have so much to tell you both."
"Take your time. We have all the time in the world now. There will be no more partings."
"..."
Watching the three raise their glasses in a joyful toast, Theresa couldn't help feeling like a complete outsider.
If Himeko or the others were here, maybe they could find a place in the moment—but her connection with Elias wasn't as deep yet.
(This is so awkward... Maybe I should just wait outside? Still, these two—Eden and Aponia—they're so beautiful. Mei and the others are about to have even more rivals...)
"Oh, and forgive me for keeping you waiting, Miss Theresa," Eden said warmly, her cheeks faintly flushed from the wine. "I'd be delighted to sponsor your academy. Please—write any number you wish on this check. Don't hold back."
Even slightly tipsy, Eden remained graceful—an elegant figure who exuded nobility in every gesture. No matter the era, she had always held immense influence and wealth, yet she never acted arrogant or distant.
Theresa blinked in disbelief. She had expected some negotiation, maybe some haggling—but Eden's generosity was so overwhelming she didn't even know what to write.
"E-Elias... how much should I even ask for?"
"Didn't Eden say you can write whatever you want? Don't worry—go ahead. Even if you fill the entire line with nines, it wouldn't make a dent in her fortune."
"That's right," Eden said with a small laugh, swirling the golden wine in her goblet. "The world has always given me more wealth than I could ever need. The only treasure I've ever wanted... is Elias."
She gracefully passed another goblet—crafted from pure gold—to him.
"Elias, this is the same cup you left behind fifty thousand years ago. Tonight, let's drink from it together again."
"It would be my honor... my dear Eden."