Familiar words came out of Aleph’s mouth. It somehow meant simirly to the two people. That question was, after all, the same words Aleph asked them to reaffirm themselves.

  Fortunately, Hua wasn’t as fused as before.

  “I will tinue doing it. Fighting honkai.”

  Her time in the Fire MOTH made her see a variety of things that her previous self couldn’t. The soldiers with strong beliefs, the casualties, failures to save others…

  Just like Kevin, she was thrown to the pits of hell. She had to stomach people dying right in front of her eyes, simply because she doesn’t have the power to protect others.

  heless…

  “Fighting now is better than not doing anything at all.”

  “...Well said.”

  For a moment, Aleph saw a trace of the Hua he knew.

  “Right, you two must’ve heard what happened with the fourth Herrscher.”

  “The unknown guy? I heard… he killed the Herrscher in one blow.” Kevin replied. “The military’s going all over the pce to find his traces.”

  “Hm, alright.”

  Aleph visualized the response made by Fire MOTH. If it was the cilors, they might think of that person as a hidden card cultivated by one of them. At the very least, that has a high ce of since Aleph made use of the spies around him.

  With the [Informatioribution], he khe names and anizations of the people who ‘peeked’ at him discreetly. He made use of them to fabricate believable alibi.

  Though, it’s different when it es to the military personnel.

  “That guy was me.”

  “...Ah?”

  “...”

  Kevin’s mouth went wide open. His expression paused as he looked at Aleph. Then, he nodded a few times befhing.

  “That was ued, but man, it’s reasonable.” He said. “I remember how you clutched the physics exam back then. I thought you pyed games with me because you ged your mind. It turns out you already reviewed for it!”

  “That’s your fault. Who chose to sck off when our semester finals are ing?”

  “I still remember that betrayal.”

  As the two bantered, Hua’s eyes remained on Aleph all this time.

  *****

  “Oh? You met him?!”

  The girl behind Hua grabbed the tter’s shoulder iement.

  “Um. We ate together.”

  “Huh?!?!”

  Carole ran in front of her, as if wanting to know more about what happened.

  “No, it’s not like that. We ate lunch… with Captain Kevin.”

  “Aw…”

  It didn’t take long for Carole to recover. She matched Hua’s walking speed.

  “That’s alright. You take it oep at a time.”

  “...and I’ve heard he’s meeting doei.”

  “...”

  “I also heard about his friendship with doobius. Many people are already calling it an affair…”

  “...”

  “He’s also sp the dangerous prodigy in the sed institute. Some people said that she’s… you know…”

  Carole fell silent. She was the one who usually came up with the pns for possible sarios when Hua met Aleph. Despite months of parting, Aleph’s words remaiu her mind.

  He was, in a sehe one who led her out of the fog—out of fusion.

  Hua dehose feelings beyond that of admiration. Even now, she tio believe it as such.

  heless, she didn’t feel as unmoved as when she heard of the rumors cirg around him.

  ‘Is this a win… or a loss?’ Carole thought at a loss. ‘She bsp;realize it… but the fight will be harder…’

  “Nevermind!”

  “..?”

  Hua looked at her friend whose thoughts leaked out.

  “You refused to chat with him often. It’s time to ge that!”

  The coag board was moved once again.

  *****

  “I didn’t have these thoughts before…”

  Every effect has their pros and s. Aleph was saved from his soul’s demise, yet it resulted in him bearing the burden of aire life’s memories that was mostly made up of dark memories. Though, its prize was him rec the knowledge about Honkai’s future.

  With his experiences during his ‘dream-like’ amnesia state, he was able to ha with a fresh perspective.

  He was walking along the halls of the first institute when his right hand twitched. It subsciously reached out behind his back, ready to ma one of the seven ons hidden in his hand’s marks.

  “Oh, we meet again.”

  “It’s been a long while… Miss Elysia.”

  The pink-haired girl has a charisma that could make one’s mind at peace. Even Aleph was iently affected by it, though not as much as others.

  {You are currently being subjected to effects simir to [Aspectual Magid [Illusion Magic].}

  {Spell Effects: Subtle mental alteration, field alteration, physical world alteration…}

  Dozens of lines appeared in Aleph’s sight. It wasn’t the first time he entered [Great Sage]’s abilities. His thoughts tio run at a fast speed—dozens of times pared to his usual speed.

  His mind lit into five parts. Four of them processed the lines of texts from [Great Sage] while the remaining one tio aally.

  For a moment, Elysia felt a strange sensation, as if she was being studied closely. It only appeared during the times Mobius observed her.

  She couldn’t help but associate Aleph’s i look to Mobius.

  ‘Hehe… They have the same habit.’

  That sensation sted for three seds at most before disappearing.

  “What are you doing here?” He asked.

  “I was asked to check the fourth Herrscher’s body.”

  Aleph was surprised inwardly. He didn’t show it outside aained his normal look.

  “Anyways, you were hanging out with Mobius, right? Vill-V too! It seems like beautiful girls flock around you.”

  “They’re all work-reted matters. It shouldn’t be what you’re thinking.”

  “Oh? How sure are you about that?”

  “...sixty pert.”

  Not expeg him to really give out a serious answer, Elysia was forced into an awkward silence.

  “Um.” She coughed lightly as she ged the topic. “I’ve heard you didn’t fight much after that ambush. Did you bee stronger?”

  Fag this uable girl, Aleph gave a half-truth.

  “Yes. I haven’t been inactive ihe institute.”

  A while ter, he stopped walking. He stood in front of an office’s door.

  “Until we meet again, Miss Elysia.”

  “Uhum.”

  The two went their separate ways, each with their different thoughts.