In two more days, the year 2014 would be a thing of the past, and the Current Era of human civilization would step into a new year.
At this juncture between the old and the new, Elysia also completed the reconstruction of her body.
She walked out of the [Elysian Realm] and arrived at St. Freya High School in the Far East. As she strolled through its grounds, her clear, bright, beautiful eyes couldn't take it all in.
"Heeey~ there are so many girls here who are as beautiful as I am. Is this heaven?"
Miss Pink Elf sauntered into the academy just like that.
She walked with her hands clasped lightly behind her back, her steps cheerful as she paused here and there.
This academy was full of life and vigor. The students' faces showed genuine smiles, their eyes sparkling with a light full of hope for the future.
Elysia found it hard to imagine that this was an academy specifically for training warriors to fight the Honkai... no, perhaps "military base" was more appropriate?
In the Previous Era, even well-trained soldiers would suffer mental breakdowns upon learning they were being deployed to the front lines against the Honkai.
Perhaps it was due to this factor that Aponia laid down the [Discipline] for those soldiers to "fight the Honkai to the end."
At that time, a pessimistic mood permeated everything, from the common people to the high-ranking leaders. Everyone believed that final victory was impossible... though, that did end up being the truth.
Elysia arrived at the notice board, which displayed promotional graphics celebrating the upcoming New Year, complete with a picture of Principal Theresa.
"The New Year? Seeing out the old and welcoming the new. It's one of the most important days in the Current Era."
In reality, the academy was already on vacation.
But in preparation for the annual Valkyrie assessment on January 12th and 13th, almost all the students chose to stay at school and study hard.
In this respect, it was a bit like the entrance exams in Japan, which are also held every year in January or February.
Like an elf of winter, Elysia skipped along the academy's paths.
When she met students and teachers, she would approach them and greet them warmly and proactively, without a hint of unfamiliarity.
They would also smile and respond politely, only realizing after Elysia had walked away.
"Saori, who is she? She's so beautiful. I've never seen her at the academy before."
"I don't know. Isn't she your friend?"
"Eh? I don't know her. I thought she was your friend."
"...Hmm? I've never seen her either."
Elysia finally found the Valkyrie dorms.
The silvergrass swayed gently in the cold wind as if whispering something. The thin clouds in the sky clung to the azure dome, looking as if they were frozen in place.
In front of the three-story building, Miss Elf exhaled a puff of warm air, looked up, and stood lightly on her tiptoes as if trying to get a better view.
"Mei and the others should be in here!"
Although she was more interested in confirming Mobius's whereabouts, she was a snake. And when a snake doesn't want to reveal its location, no one can find it.
Thump~
Something fell behind her.
Elysia turned around to see Kiana, who was just returning from grocery shopping.
The two paper bags in her hands had fallen to the ground, and a plump orange tumbled out, rolling down the path.
Little Bug stared blankly at the flawless pink figure before her, her mouth agape as if she could swallow a... fist.
"Elysia?!"
Wh-wh-wh-why is this pink fatty here?!
It was one thing for her to be in Ye Feng's world, but how did she get to St. Freya High School?!
Don't tell me she's here for Mei?
"Hi, Kiana."
Elysia's smile was brilliant as she greeted her cheerfully.
She walked forward and picked up the orange that had fallen on the ground.
Kiana was speechless. She opened her mouth, but the words that had reached her throat were swallowed back down.
In the end, Little Bug couldn't let herself go completely wild in the Original World.
But she wouldn't play along either.
The knights of House Kaslana had always been straightforward.
Kiana snatched the orange from Elysia's hand and couldn't help but say, "What's your purpose for coming to the school?"
"Purpose?"
Elysia blinked, sensing Kiana's resistance towards her.
But Miss Elf would never harbor ill will over such a small matter. She was like the starlight at night, shining on everyone with quiet gentleness.
Elysia said, "That makes me sound like a great evil villain."
"Hmph, who knows if you are."
If she was a great evil villain, that would be even better. Kiana wouldn't have to be polite then.
Little Bug picked up her bags and walked past Elysia, heading straight for the dorms.
"Eh? Wait for me."
Elysia chased after her, walking by Kiana's side.
Miss Pink Elf was truly a "daughter sent by the stars and moon." Not only did she not hold a grudge against Kiana for randomly pressing the remote control before, but she could also maintain her enthusiasm even when faced with a cold shoulder.
"Kiana? I get the feeling you might have some... misunderstanding about me?"
"Misunderstanding?"
Kiana remembered the kendo dojo that day, watching them walk further and further away. Although the main culprit was Ye Feng, it was a fact that Elysia and Mei had been interacting intimately.
And because of the plot of the Elysian Realm.
Kiana naturally saw Elysia as her number one enemy and had to be on guard. She couldn't let her lead Mei astray.
"Misunderstanding? Not at all!"
Elysia showed a puzzled expression. "Ehh~ then why are you making that face at someone as beautiful as a flower like me?"
"??"
Two question marks appeared above Kiana's head, and she quickened her pace. "Who praises themselves like that? Also, stop following me!"
"No!"
Elysia leaned her head forward, tilting it to look at Kiana, and smiled radiantly. "I still think you must have misunderstood me somewhere."
"There's no misunderstanding."
Ye Feng himself confirmed it, you're the lesbian boss of the Elysian Realm.
"Is that so."
There seemed to be a hint of disappointment in Elysia's voice, but in the blink of an eye, she was full of energy again.
"But Kiana still hasn't chased me away. You're such a kind and pure girl."
Kiana froze for a moment and turned her head to look at Elysia.
As their eyes met, Kiana actually felt herself waver a little. Miss Elf's smile was just so damn sweet.
"What do you want!"
Kiana mentally exclaimed, She's good! and was almost deceived by her.
"Even if you try to flatter me, it's no use. I'm not that easy to fool!"
"I'm not. I'm just telling the truth."
"Hmph..."
Elysia followed Kiana to the second floor.
Their previous dorm had been blown to bits by Wa Yi Te during his invasion. The rooms they lived in now were better equipped and larger.
Bronya, who was playing games in the living room, turned her head. She was stunned to see Elysia.
Isn't she a memory from the [Elysian Realm]? Why is she here?
Of course, that wasn't the main point.
The last time she appeared to give her explanation, who knows how high the power setting was on the thing she had clamped...
Ah, that's not the main point either.
If Officer Elysia recognizes her as "Big Duck Duck," then the fact that her husband is Ye Feng will be exposed!
"Kiana, who is this?"
Bronya put down her controller and asked first.
Elysia took a deep look at Bronya, then stepped forward with a smile. "I'm Elysia. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can get along."
Hm?
Kiana looked at Elysia with some surprise, not expecting her self-introduction to be so "humble." Usually, it would be something like, "As you can see, I'm a beautiful girl as radiant as a flower"—that's how it should be, right?
Bronya's expression froze slightly. Elysia must have recognized the Bronya, right?
The young girl introduced herself with a blank expression, "...Bronya Zaychik. Hello."
Elysia smiled at her, then looked around the room. "Hm? Where's Mei?"
Kiana's ears instantly perked up.
I knew it! The reason this woman came here was to find Mei.
"What do you want with Mei?" Kiana asked warily.
"Oh?"
Elysia blinked, looking at the Kitty-Kiana who was practically about to bristle.
She vaguely understood the crux of the problem.
But... that couldn't be it, right?
She and Mei were just ordinary friends, and the three of them had never even appeared together.
Kiana had no reason to dislike her because of Mei, right?
Then again, wasn't Mei Mr. Ye Feng's lover?
Hmm...
Even the empathetic Elysia was a bit confused for a moment.
But no matter what, it was definitely Mr. Ye Feng's fault.
Mr. Ye Feng must have done something behind her back to make Kiana misunderstand.
Otherwise, how could a simple, kind, and good child like her misunderstand someone like Elysia?
Thinking about how Ye Feng had specifically given the remote control to Kiana, Elysia became even more certain of this guess.
Bronya sat back down and picked up her controller. "Teacher Himeko took Sister Mei to see the Principal."
"To see Great Aunt?"
"It seems to be about expanding the dorms to include a hot spring."
"A hot spring?" Elysia's eyes sparkled. "Hot springs are a specialty of the Far East. And the feeling of soaking your whole body in warm water in winter must be wonderful."
Kiana quickly interrupted, "This is a matter for the Valkyrie dorms. You're not allowed to sneak in and take advantage of the situation."
"How could you say that~~ I can become a Valkyrie too. Bronya, will you help me? Please recommend me to the Principal."
Kiana instantly panicked.
Elysia wants to move in?
That's unacceptable!
"This is an academy! We don't want an old antique like you who's over fifty thousand years old!"
"Sigh, time is such a helpless thing. But, I still look very young, don't I? ♪"
"Hmph, I don't care. Anyway, I object to you entering St. Freya Academy!"
Kiana pouted.
That afternoon.
"Objection overruled!"
After learning of Elysia's identity, Theresa immediately processed her enrollment certificate on the spot.
---o---
On a night close to the New Year.
Ye Feng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the retreating figure of Big Duck Duck, and shook his head helplessly.
When it was just the two of them, they were as tender as before, feeling each other's warmth.
But whenever Ye Feng wanted to take things a step further, he would always be stopped by Big Duck Duck.
"Is what the Bronya is doing... right?"
Big Duck Duck pressed her head against Ye Feng's chest. "The Bronya is such a bad woman. I know about your relationship with Sister Mei, yet I'm still enjoying playing husband and wife with you."
On one hand, she was sinking into her husband's warmth; on the other, she was condemning the sin of hiding it from her friend.
Bronya, who always charged straight ahead, had never been so conflicted.
Some things, if you avoid them at the beginning, become harder and harder to resolve the longer you wait.
Ye Feng could only pat Big Duck Duck's head. Just as he was about to say something, she pulled away from his embrace.
"It's getting late. The Bronya has to go see Seele."
With that, she left the room as if she were fleeing.
Ye Feng could only stand there, stiff and hard, but he wouldn't force Big Duck Duck.
Ye Feng turned his gaze outside the floor-to-ceiling window, and only then did he notice Mei, holding an oil-paper umbrella, walking gracefully down the rain-slicked path.
Only then did he understand why Big Duck Duck had "fled."
But Ye Feng had never been one to dwell on things. Soon, his focus shifted back to Mei.
She was wearing a kimono today. The exquisite and luxurious kimono clung tightly to her smooth, fair body.
Her beautiful feet, clad in tabi socks, stepped into a pair of exquisite geta clogs with black bases and red straps. As she walked, they made a soft "clip-clop" sound. The tabi protected the tender soles of her feet, while the red silk cord woven between her toes rubbed against the gaps between her toes and the top of her foot through the sock with every step.
Each step felt as if it landed on Ye Feng's trembling forearm.
Mei closed her umbrella and came to Ye Feng's side.
The purple fabric was adorned with white and pink flowers and plants, giving her a pure and refined look.
The kimono fit the girl's budding, delicate body perfectly, not a size too big or too small, perfectly outlining the curves of a woman and the innocence of a young girl.
To be able to wear such a difficult garment so perfectly, it was hard to imagine just how exquisitely shaped the body beneath the fabric was.
"Feng-kun, do I look good?"
Mei placed one hand under her sleeve, lifting it gently, while her other hand rested on the front of her sash.
Ye Feng studied her seriously from top to bottom. Only when a faint blush crept onto Mei's fair, exquisite face, causing her to lower her head, did he finally smile and say, "You're beautiful."
"Then I'll wear this for the hatsumōde the day after tomorrow."
Hatsumōde refers to the first shrine visit of the New Year. For a young girl, it is also a day to pray for blessings upon her heart's desires.
Mei remembered, when she was little, her mother would always take her to visit the shrine on the first day of the New Year. The solemn main hall, the gracefully dancing kagura shrine maidens, the bustling sandō path leading to the shrine, the massive fireworks blooming against the night sky... but the memory of her mother's face was a blur.
"Which shrine are you going to visit for the New Year, Mei?"
"No..." Mei shook her head.
"Didn't you just say you were going for hatsumōde?"
"In my world, it's been a long time since we've been able to visit a shrine for the New Year..." The girl lowered her head, her cheeks slightly red. "Feng-kun, let's go together."
"To the shrine you used to visit with your mother?"
Mei first shook her head, then nodded.
"Something like that..."
"What do you mean, 'something like that'?"
Mei's voice was ethereal as she looked at Ye Feng with earnest eyes. "Right here, at that time... Feng-kun, will you be with me?"