"Solar Prominence" Shigure Kira.
Originally intending to participate in an idol trainee test, she had accidentally passed Schicksal's Valkyrie examination instead. Within just a few short years, she leapt straight into becoming an A-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal.
She was the kind of person who could clearly rely on her strength to make a living, yet stubbornly insisted on relying on talent instead. Even after becoming an A-rank Valkyrie who fought for all that is beautiful and earned over a hundred thousand a month, Shigure Kira still refused to give up her dream of becoming an idol.
Although the girl's idol path had the fatal inborn flaw of being completely tone-deaf, these were merely minor setbacks in her eyes. Shigure Kira firmly believed that as long as she kept training, she would eventually overcome it.
And now, besides the S-rank Valkyrie she admired and respected most—Cecilia Schariac—Kira had also found another great mentor she deeply respected and looked up to.
That was the sixth of the fifteen Flame-Chasers of Fire Moth from the Previous Era, bearer of the Signet of [Gold]—Eden.
Shigure Kira: "Teacher Eden is just way, way, way too amazing! What kind of heavenly voice is this? As expected of an artistic singer capable of representing an entire era! If I could even reach one percent—no, one-thousandth—of your level, that would be enough!"
After listening to the golden songstress perform a piece, Shigure Kira instantly became Eden's ultimate fangirl. In her heart, Eden's status was almost on par with Cecilia.
After all, this golden Flame-Chaser embodied her very longing.
She was the dream Kira could only gaze at from afar.
Coupled with Eden's goddess-like beauty, elegance, nobility, strength surpassing even that of an S-rank Valkyrie, and her gentle willingness to help correct her tone-deaf condition—
Shigure Kira had nearly dropped to her knees in worship.
Fortunately, she was a reserved girl who cared about her dignity. If it had been a certain blonde traveler instead, they would probably have already declared, "I am xxxx's dog."
And at this very moment...
"La la la la~ la la la la~ la la la~"
A singing voice like a sonic weapon echoed throughout the Golden Theater.
Eden's eyes rolled upward. She felt her limbs go weak and her ears on the verge of rupturing. Trembling, she stared at the ice-blue-haired girl enthusiastically belting out her song on stage.
Even the Herrscher of Finality and Planet-class Honkai Beasts had never made Eden feel such terror.
"Teacher Eden, what do you think of my singing?"
Young lady, if you have something to say, say it properly—just don't open your mouth to sing!
Eden resisted the urge to shout her inner thoughts.
"Ahem... well, how should I put it? It's an improvement over the last song... probably. I believe that sooner or later, Kira, you can become an outstanding... a qualified idol."
"Really? Thank you, Teacher Eden!"
"N-No need. By the way, I think life has more paths than just being an idol. Becoming a Valkyrie is also a fine choice. In the Previous Era, I often sang for the warriors on the battlefield. I believe you could do the same."
"As expected of Teacher Eden! I'll keep working hard! Whether as a Valkyrie or an idol, I won't give up!"
"Ah... I see..."
Shigure Kira's eyes sparkled. Hearing Eden say that, she felt as though an infinitely bright future awaited her.
Eden, meanwhile, broke out in a cold sweat.
When she sang on the battlefield, she could grant morale buffs. According to Elias' calculations, Eden's war songs could make Fire Moth's warriors burn with fervor and increase their combat power by two hundred percent.
Shigure Kira was also suited for singing on the battlefield.
Because with a voice capable of driving the great Herrscher of Sentience into a mental breakdown, she might truly be able to sing enemies to death.
If it were anyone else, Eden would have bluntly advised her to change career paths. But this girl had been introduced by Elias.
And besides...
That blazing, unyielding longing she held—for herself, for her dream—
Made it impossible for Eden to crush her spirit.
So she continued accompanying Shigure Kira in training. Although the results were minimal, she still tried every method she could think of to treat this lethal "tone-deaf" condition.
...Half an hour later...
"Kira... maybe... take a short break."
"No need, Teacher Eden! I can sing another one!"
"I-Is that so..."
Eden forced a smile and reinforced her eardrums with Honkai energy, thinking, You may not need a break, but I certainly do!
[A Personal Concert by Shigure Kira] was no joke. There was probably no one in this world who could remain standing after listening to the entire thing.
"But really, thank you so much, Teacher Eden. I never even dreamed that one day I could sing on such a magnificent stage. It feels as though I've truly become a world-class idol."
Shigure Kira looked around in awe.
A grand theater forged of gold, crimson petals drifting down endlessly, sacred hymns echoing without pause. Aside from the fact that there was only one audience member—victim—the splendor far surpassed anything she had ever imagined.
"Hearing you say that makes me happy as well. This is the stage Elias gave me. He hopes that one day I will debut here again and continue shining in this era."
A sweet expression appeared on Eden's face. Her delicate hand gently caressed the piano that came with the Golden Theater as she spoke with deep affection.
"Ugh... that guy again..."
Shigure Kira's expression immediately turned complicated. Puffing out her cheeks adorably, she suddenly lost interest.
"Oh my, it seems Kira really dislikes Elias."
"Because not only did he steal Lady Cecilia away, now even you too, Teacher Eden... anyway, I hate him the most!"
Having finally found two people she admired, Shigure Kira felt like a little sister watching helplessly as both of her beloved older sisters were swept away by the same scumbag—while she could do nothing about it.
Eden couldn't help but laugh as she gently patted Shigure Kira's head.
"But Elias is a very good person. No... in my heart, there is no one in this world better than him."
"...Lady Cecilia said the same thing."
"But aside from that, Elias is also a very pitiful person."
"Huh?"
Shigure Kira froze, staring at Eden in disbelief.
"You must be joking. He's that powerful, that strong. He sings so beautifully. And he has so many people who like him, including you, Teacher Eden. What's pitiful about him?"
"Kira, that is because Elias always shows only his composed side, hiding away his fragile self. Think carefully—what was he like in your memories?"
"Uh... he's always smiling..."
"Yes. Then have you ever seen Elias angry? Have you ever seen him sorrowful? Have you ever seen him in despair? Or in pain, in tears, in madness?"
"..."
Shigure Kira blankly shook her head. Forget seeing it—she realized she could not even imagine it.
How is that possible? Him, in despair? In sorrow? Crying? He has a side like that? I don't believe it!
"Teacher Eden... have you seen it?"
"Yes. I have. In fact, I once forgot those sides of him several times—but in the end, I remembered. Many people are deceived by Elias' outward appearance. Though he possesses incomparably powerful strength, his heart is actually very fragile."
As Eden spoke, she sighed softly, a look of aching tenderness appearing on her face.
"That's impossible!!"
Shigure Kira cried out instinctively.
She had already been in the Elysian Realm for several days. Thanks to a certain Miss Pink Elf's enthusiastic promotion campaign, the members of the Snowwolf Squad had learned many things about Elias.
The key point was that Elysia had given each of them a copy of White Boy's Grand Adventure in the Previous Era.
She had turned Elias' deeds in the Previous Era into a novel. Incidentally, the pen name printed on it was "A Girl as Brilliant as Flying Petals."
Elysia: "I want more people to understand Eli!"
Back then, in order to search for Elias' weaknesses, Shigure Kira had stayed up all night to finish the entire book.
And then... she regretted it.
After being unable to stop herself from reading every single word, she deeply regretted ever opening it.
Because it was a hero's epic beyond imagination—a story too magnificent, too twisting and heavy, yet dazzlingly beautiful.
Since finishing it, Shigure Kira no longer lost her temper at Elias to his face. There was even a trace of respect in her gaze.
And yet now Eden was saying that the white-haired boy's heart was fragile. Shigure Kira found it difficult to accept.
A man who had saved the world more than a dozen times, who would even cross time itself for the girl he loved—
How could he possibly be someone with a fragile heart?!
"Yes. Most people who know his story would think the same. But... Elias' essence is not like that."
Eden shook her head.
The white-haired boy was far too skilled at disguising himself. Even among the Flame-Chasers, only a very few had seen through it.
And Eden—who could resonate with Elias' soul through music—was one of them.
For that alone, the golden songstress was endlessly grateful that she had chosen the path of music. Music had given her the most direct way of understanding him.
"Just like in the book Elysia wrote, Elias is always fighting all kinds of enemies. Back when he was not yet as powerful as he is now, he would often leave himself covered in wounds while facing formidable foes."
"To him, battle has long since become commonplace. Even death cannot stop his steps—let alone injury. Many people call the sight of him standing up again and again despite being battered and scarred 'mental fortitude.'"
"But that is a tremendous mistake."
Eden spoke with absolute certainty.
At that moment, the sacred hymns of the Golden Theater ceased. Even the falling petals stilled, as though observing a silent requiem.
Shigure Kira's entire body trembled. Her heart skipped once, then began pounding uncontrollably. Instinctively, she felt that she was brushing against something incredibly important.
Eden let out a long breath, her thoughts drifting into the past.
She too had once believed that Elias' essence was "fighting to protect all that is beautiful," or that he "loved the world and humanity equally," like Elysia.
But as she came to understand him more deeply, Eden realized those were all misconceptions.
Elias' essence was this—choosing to sacrifice himself in order to protect what was important.
He could not stand by and watch tragedy unfold before his eyes without doing anything. If he did not know, that was one thing. But once he learned of it, this boy who held the authority to change fate would be unable to resist acting.
In his own words—if he left it alone, it would leave a bitter taste in his heart. It would ruin his mood.
And so the white-haired boy shouldered the tragedies of an entire era. At the cost of his memories, his body, and the wounds carved into his heart, he bore all sorrow and pain within himself—then changed them into beautiful endings, again and again.
To call him gentle was too tragic.
To call him strong was too sorrowfully beautiful.
The will to protect something even if he himself was injured—just imagining it made Eden's chest ache so badly she could hardly breathe.
Using his own blood, wounds, even death as bargaining chips to overturn every regretful tragedy—this was the white-haired boy's true nature.
Therefore, Elias was not someone with a strong heart.
Because if he truly were strong-hearted, he would be able to endure those tragedies.
To roar in anger at the tragedies before his eyes, to turn them into fuel for his own growth, and then move forward—that was something even Kevin could do.
But Elias would not choose to move forward.
He would choose to step back.
He stubbornly insisted on changing and salvaging everything—no matter the cost he himself had to pay.
That heart which could not bear tragedy might have been more fragile than glass in Eden's eyes—yet his will was more unyielding and resilient than any steel.
He was obstinate. Extreme. Refused to admit defeat. Even when crashing headfirst into a wall, he would never turn back—always glaring at fate with a ruthless stare, like a child who refused to grow up.
Because adults who have grown up learn to compromise with reality.
Children who refuse to grow up never do.
"In truth, my Elias never wanted to be some savior of the world. What he desires... is simply to live happily forever with us—with the people he cherishes."
Eden drained the wine in her glass in a single swallow. A faint flush rose upon her breathtaking face.
"And that is precisely why we love him so much—not because he is a savior, but because he is Elias."
"So I will not give up either. No matter how formidable Elysia may be. After all... my dream is to stand on this stage with Elias, to pursue art and music and applause together."
Shigure Kira stared at Eden blankly, no longer knowing what to say.
She had come to understand the white-haired boy's essence.
But perhaps it was not something she was meant to understand.
Because Shigure Kira was not Elias' lover.
On the contrary, she was supposed to be a girl who disliked him.
And yet...
"Kira, you don't actually hate Elias, do you? No—if anything, you hold him in very high regard, don't you?" Eden said gently.
"T-Teacher Eden, why would you think that?!"
Panic flashed across Shigure Kira's face.
"Hehe~ Of course, it's because... in this world, there is no one who could truly dislike Elias after understanding him. Just as there is no one who could sincerely hate Elysia."
Eden smiled, her tone full of certainty.
There were slight differences, of course—but Elias and Elysia were undoubtedly of the same kind.
If one did not understand them, it was easy to mistake their dazzling humanity for hypocrisy.
But once you cut them open—ah, pardon me—once you came to understand their [Ego], Eden would wager all her wealth that no one in this world could possibly hate them.