Inside the Elysian Realm.
"..."
"..."
Elias and the combat ELF modeled after him stood facing each other in silence.
The air was so awkward that even Elysia didn't know what to say. Elias felt his toes curling into the floor.
"Uh... hello, Hero Elias."
"Ah—yeah. Hello, the real me."
Both tried to find something—anything—to talk about. But in the end, they realized there really wasn't much to say.
Although it was technically their first meeting, since one was modeled after the other, they were, in a way, the same person.
Talking to oneself wasn't exactly Elias's idea of fun. He wasn't Seele, after all. And since he already knew himself better than anyone, there was no point in conversation.
The same went for Hero Elias.
He understood his mission—and he understood Elias's mission.
Thus, the small guardian only said one thing:
"I will protect everything within the Elysian Realm. No matter what happens, no matter what I must sacrifice, I will ensure this paradise endures for eternity."
"Of course... I'm counting on you."
Elias nodded, his face calm and unreadable.
"Then, if that's all, I'll continue my patrol across the other memory domains. You two can explore wherever you wish—this realm was built from your memories, after all. You shouldn't need any guidance."
"Right. Oh, and maybe stop by the archive room later—there's a little elf there who might need your help."
"Hm? You mean the elf from the Land of Harmony, Elf Elysia? Understood. I'll head there right away."
Their conversation was smooth and to the point. Though their interaction felt strange, neither needed to waste time on formalities—after all, there was no need for pretense when speaking to oneself.
Once Hero Elias gave his acknowledgment, he took off toward the direction of the archive room.
In terms of raw power, Hero Elias and Elf Kevin were on the same level. While the gap between their original counterparts—Elias and Kevin—was like heaven and earth, ELFs were different.
Their strength depended on materials, reactor output, and their vast databases of combat data.
Elf Kevin was already the strongest combat-type ELF Fire Moth could build—and Hero Elias was designed on the same tier, sharing nearly identical core specifications.
However, if the two were to fight for real—
There was no doubt Hero Elias would utterly crush Elf Kevin.
Because while their base stats were the same, their equipment was not.
Elf Kevin only wielded a mini replica of the Judgment of Shamash: Might of An-Utu.
Hero Elias, on the other hand, was equipped with an entire miniature Divine Key arsenal.
To put it simply: they had the same skill level and system capacity, but one had only a single artifact, while the other was armed head-to-toe with them.
No need to think too hard about who'd win.
Clearly, this was the result of a certain inventor's blatant favoritism.
After all, even miniaturized Divine Key replicas were absurdly expensive.
"Uh, Eli, aren't you two going to talk a bit more?" Elysia asked, her expression mixed with curiosity and disappointment. She had been hoping for some amusing exchange between the two.
"No need. I know myself, which means I know exactly what kind of ELF he is. The Elysian Realm will be safe in his hands. Let's go, Ely."
Elias shook his head lightly.
Since the ELF had been created based on his own personality, Hero Elias would be just as dedicated—protecting everything precious to him, no matter the cost.
Even if it meant burning through his very last ounce of power, as long as Hero Elias stood, the Elysian Realm would never fall. Not even the Herrscher of Corruption could threaten it.
After all—there was no better guardian than Elias himself.
In truth, even though Kevin bore the [Preservation] Signet, Elias was the one most attuned to its essence. Throughout his life, he had protected far too many things.
If not for the fact that someone had to bear the [Deliverance] Signet in this era—and only he could shoulder that burden—he would have gladly chosen [Preservation] as his own.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot to mention—Hero Elias and Elf Elysia are actually a couple!" Elysia said suddenly, as if remembering something important.
"Huh? Really?" Elias blinked in mild surprise.
"Mhm~ Since they were both created from our personalities, it's only natural. Elias and Elysia love each other, so of course their ELFs would love each other too! It's simple logic~" she said cheerfully. "Besides, Elf Elysia isn't a combat-type ELF—she's a cute, fragile little princess. Naturally, she needs a brave hero to protect her~"
Elysia's voice was full of pride and amusement.
Though it was merely the lore behind two ELFs, the sight of tiny versions of herself and Elias living happily together in this paradise filled her with warmth—and a bit of longing.
After all, she wanted the same thing. And truthfully, she was only two steps away from it now.
"Come on, Eli! The Elysian Realm Amusement Park is this way~! I designed it myself—it's definitely the most wonderful amusement park in existence! And you'll be its first guest!"
Elysia grabbed his hand and pulled him excitedly toward the park—the largest area within the Elysian Realm.
Carousels, pirate ships, drop towers, Ferris wheels, roller coasters—everything was here. The entire place radiated Elysia's signature pink aesthetic.
"Ahem! Welcome, first guest of the Elysian Realm Amusement Park! To ensure you have the most enjoyable experience possible, we now begin our special guided tour service!"
Elysia produced a small pink flag and a matching megaphone from who-knows-where.
"From now on, please call me—Miss Tour Guide Elf!"
Elias couldn't help but laugh. "How interesting~ Then, Miss Tour Guide Elf, may I invite you to go on a date with me here in this amusement park?"
He placed one hand over his chest and extended the other toward her.
"My, my~ What a bold guest! Inviting the park's tour guide elf out on a date during work hours? Normally, I'd have to refuse... but since it's you, Eli—of course, the answer is yes!"
Elysia's eyes sparkled as she took his hand with a radiant smile.
"So~ What would you like to play first, Eli?"
"Play... Ely?" Elias replied with perfect seriousness.
"N-nope~ Not allowed! No lewd thoughts during working hours!" she scolded, blushing slightly but unable to hide the happiness in her grin. Suppressing her flustered excitement, she led him toward a massive mechanical claw.
"Ta-da! First, let me recommend one of my favorite attractions—the claw machine!"
"Uh, my dear Ely... first of all, I don't see any dolls. And second, isn't that claw a bit too big? It looks more suited for grabbing people than toys."
Elias stared at the oversized claw, finding it oddly familiar. After a moment's thought, he realized why—it was one of Vill-V's old inventions, originally part of the Elias Armament Model series.
It had been designed as a restraint mechanism—non-lethal, but formidable. Seeing it repurposed into a claw machine, however, was... unexpected.
"Wow~ Whitey, you're amazing! You guessed it right!"
"...So it was made for grabbing people."
"Exactly~ Want to try it? It's a two-player game! One person controls the mechanical claw, while the other runs around the arena trying to dodge it. It's a great test of prediction and reflexes! Oh, and I shouldn't even have to say this—"
Elysia crossed her arms and declared with mock sternness:
"No! Using! Cheats! (No artificial cascade allowed!)"
"Ah... then can I use a Divine Key—"
"Of course not! And that goes for your Herrscher powers too!" Elysia crossed her arms, declaring with emphasis. Though she was acting as a tour guide today, she still wanted an actual game experience.
As Elias's girlfriend, she was very aware of just how many overpowered abilities he possessed—so many that even she wasn't sure she knew them all.
If she allowed him to use even one or two, this amusement park would stop being paradise and turn straight into purgatory.
"Alright, alright~ No powers, no Divine Keys, no artificial cascade, and no freezing time."
"Mhm, that's fine... wait a second—did I just hear something insane? What's this about freezing time?! When did you get that power?!"
"Don't worry about it. Just something I picked up from a certain brat in the future. Now come on—I'll be the one catching you this round, Ely!"
Elias gently pushed Elysia onto the platform and started working the control levers of the massive claw.
"You really are full of secrets, Eli..." she said, half amused, half-helpless.
Every time Elysia thought she had fully unraveled the mystery that was Elias, she'd discover something new—a hidden ability, a secret history, or some buried facet of his past.
It was like exploring an endless sea. Every time she thought she had reached its edge, a new island would appear beyond the horizon. By now, she had lost her compass and her map entirely.
She knew she'd spend her whole life adrift in this vast ocean called Elias—and she didn't mind one bit.
"Ely, are you ready?"
"Yep! Come on, Eli, I'm ready!"
She waved her hand enthusiastically and began running and dodging across the platform. With Elias's chimera-sharp senses and decades of battle experience, predicting her movements should've been child's play.
And yet—
First attempt: Miss.
Second attempt: Miss.
Third attempt: Dodged.
Fourth attempt: Miss.
Elias: "???"
He stared, utterly baffled, as the pink elf effortlessly evaded his every grab. His angles and timing were perfect—so why did it keep failing? Each time, some small fluke or twist of luck saved her.
Elysia giggled between dodges. "Eli, what's wrong~?"
"...The game's not over yet. I can play this all day! There's no way I'm losing to you in a game like this!"
After five or six more rounds of stubborn persistence, Elias finally caught her in the very last second before time ran out.
"Got you, my dear Ely!"
"Hehe~ You did. Here's your reward."
Elysia jumped down from the claw, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the lips.
Elias, who had been sulking moments ago, immediately perked up. He responded in kind, pulling her close and kissing her back until the pink elf was left breathless.
"Haa... haa... I didn't think you'd be bad at this kind of game, Eli. It's supposed to be simple!" she said between breaths, her cheeks flushed.
"Yeah... I didn't expect it either," Elias admitted with a wry smile.
"Then it's my turn now~ I'll be the one doing the grabbing!"
"Hah! There's no way I'll let you catch me, Ely! Not even once!" Elias declared confidently.
A few minutes later, that confidence was shattered.
Whether it was her archer's instincts or her naturally impeccable timing, Elysia completely dominated him—seven perfect catches in a row.
"Yay~ I win again, Eli! Now give me my reward!" she said, bouncing with excitement.
Elias sighed, staring at the claw machine like it had betrayed him. "I swear something's wrong with this thing..."
"Oh, stop pouting already~ Here, have some milk tea to calm down! It's extra sweet!" Elysia handed him a cup with a proud grin.
Food in the Elysian Realm was made from memory constructs—it tasted and felt exactly like the real thing, even filling one's stomach, but in truth contained no calories at all.
Elysia: (This really is paradise~)
"I think I figured it out," Elias said with mock seriousness. "Maybe you're just too heavy, Ely. Every time I almost manage to lift you, the claw can't handle the weight and drops you."
"Pfft—! Cough, cough, cough!" Elysia nearly choked on her milk tea.
"That's impossible!" she protested.
"You're right. After all, I weigh more than you do."
"Hmph~"
Elysia took an exaggerated sip, draining half her cup in one go. Elias, reading the situation perfectly, handed over his own cup in surrender—earning her forgiveness with a smile.
After that, the two continued their date through the amusement park.
Since this paradise belonged only to them, there were no lines, no crowds, no waiting. Anything they wanted to play, they could do so instantly.
...
Several hours later—
"In the end, it just has to be the Ferris wheel~" Elysia said softly, gazing out the window of the cabin. The unchanging golden dusk bathed the park in a dazzling, dreamlike glow.
The white-haired boy and the pink elf had already ridden every attraction. The Ferris wheel was the final stop—the perfect punctuation mark to end their perfect day.
"Eli, do you know the three sacred places for a date?" Elysia asked suddenly.
"Of course. The movie theater, the aquarium, and the Ferris wheel. And we've been to all three more times than I can count," Elias replied with a fond smile.
He remembered all the times they had traveled the world together. Though the aquariums and cinemas were all wonderful, he personally favored the Ferris wheel.
Because it was the ideal place to confess.
A small, private world suspended a hundred meters above the ground—no one could interrupt, and the girl couldn't run away. All you needed was a rose, a bit of courage, and ten minutes.
If your words were good enough, ten minutes was all it took to make her cry with joy. Then, once you stepped off, you could go straight to register your marriage.
But Elias didn't need ten minutes. Because he and Elysia had all the time in the world.
"I've decided! I'm going to build an aquarium and a cinema here in the Elysian Realm. That way, we'll have all three sacred date spots right in our own paradise! We can go wherever we want, whenever we want!" Elysia said, pointing toward two open areas of land.
"Great idea. But make sure to add a grand castle too. Even if our realm has no night, we still need a place to sleep," Elias added.
"A castle? Oh! That's what was missing! Haha~ You're right, Eli! We'll build the biggest, most beautiful castle ever—it'll be our home!" Elysia said, her eyes sparkling as she leaned against the window, already envisioning the design.
Elias watched her with a tender smile. The moment felt perfect—the warmth, the light, the joy in her eyes.
Now was the time.
The atmosphere couldn't have been more romantic. He knew the girl before him would never refuse.
All he had to do was take out the ring, slide it onto her finger, and this day would forever become one of their most beautiful memories.
His heartbeat quickened.
He couldn't wait any longer.
Just as Elias was about to act—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, their emergency communicators went off, and Mei's urgent voice came through the channel.
Mei: "Elias, Elysia—there's a reaction from the Herrscher of Finality! Get to the base, now!!"