After watching Sakura enter the training room next to Kevyn's, Elysia nudged Durandal with her elbow.
Durandal: ?
"Back when you were teaching me Kaslana Gun-Kata, why didn't you just record a video and let me practice on my own?"
There was a hint of teasing in Elysia's tone, along with a barely noticeable thread of anticipation.
Durandal: "…"
"I was just acting on a whim at the time."
Durandal told the truth.
"That's all there was to it?"
Elysia pouted, clearly not satisfied with that answer.
Durandal thought for a moment, then said, "If I had to give another reason, it's that I'm just one person."
"In the future, many more will join the Flame-Chasers organization, and I can't personally teach every single one of them."
"Honestly, the current setup isn't perfect either—learning from videos isn't very efficient. Once the Flame-Chasers headquarters is built, I'll have Vill-V construct several simulated training chambers. That will be a proper solution."
Elysia: "…"
Was that what she wanted to hear?
"Anyway, you only taught me one-on-one, right? That much is true, isn't it?"
Elysia asked.
Durandal thought it over, then nodded. "That's correct."
"Good enough then~"
Humming a tune, Elysia walked away.
Before Durandal could ponder what Elysia was up to this time, Eden approached.
"My advertising and branding agency is up and running."
The moment Eden spoke, Durandal's eyes lit up. "So that means your company can take on the project of naming the Flame-Chasers organization and handling its image packaging?"
Eden nodded, then shook her head. Seeing Durandal's puzzled look, she explained, "Leader, the organization's official name still needs to come from you."
"Just as its core philosophy—'Fight for all that is beautiful in this world'—was proposed by you, the name must also be decided by you."
"In the future, you must remain the soul of this organization. Only then can the Flame-Chasers avoid losing their way or fracturing in the midst of this apocalyptic era."
"This advice you're giving me… is it because you've been studying Fire Moth carefully lately?"
Durandal didn't correct Eden's formal address.
Normally, Eden called her by name, but today was different—she let it slide.
"I have indeed looked into Fire Moth closely."
Eden didn't hide it. "After all, before diving into branding, I needed to study examples in the same category. And the only reference point for the Flame-Chasers is Fire Moth."
"Unfortunately, that case study is essentially a textbook of what not to do."
"Starting with the organization's name, then its chaotic philosophy and membership structure, and its consistently disappointing public image—it's a minefield we must avoid."
"For example, nowadays, if something unusual happens somewhere with negative consequences, everyone's first thought is—'It must be Fire Moth's doing!'"
Durandal nodded and offered a specific example.
Eden added, "Within Fire Moth itself, the same pattern exists."
"They say, 'It must be Mobius's doing.' In truth, this not only shows that Dr. Mobius is poor at managing her own image, but also that Fire Moth is deeply divided internally, lacking even the most basic respect and trust among its members."
"They may have gathered for a shared purpose, but they've failed to unite as one—instead, they're just a scattered mess."
At this point, Eden even felt a shiver of relief.
"Leader, after learning about the internal situation of Fire Moth from Fuxi and Nuwa, I am truly grateful that outside of Fire Moth, there exists our Flame-Chasers organization."
"Otherwise, humanity would ultimately… Well, in short, to avoid repeating their mistakes, the first project after launching this company carries a weight like no other."
Clearly, Eden was feeling immense pressure.
Seeing this, Durandal encouraged her, "I believe you are more than capable of handling this task!"
Eden nodded firmly. "I have to be!"
At this moment, she radiated a vibrant energy, completely unlike the slow-speaking, perpetually tipsy image Durandal had of her before.
It seemed that as the butterfly effect brought by Durandal grew larger, she would have to let go of her preconceived notions about everyone.
"But as for the organization's name…"
Eden looked at Durandal—this was precisely why she had come.
Now that the Flame-Chasers had a core philosophy and a central figure, without an official name, her project could hardly move forward.
"I'll give you an answer as soon as possible."
Even as she said this, Durandal already had a name in mind.
However, just as Eden had said, the organization's name must be proposed by her—but likewise, it must also be announced to everyone in advance, and their opinions must be sought.
This was absolutely not something that could be decided through a discussion between just the two of them.
Eden, obviously, had realized this as well.
"In that case, I'll start by designing a set of uniforms for the members."
This was something she could prepare in advance without waiting for the organization's name to be finalized.
All that was needed was to match each member's image and temperament while incorporating shared characteristics.
"Mm, regarding the uniforms, there's no need to consider combat functionality. The combat suits on this side will be commissioned from Vill-V for manufacturing."
The so-called combat suits would naturally be modeled after her own Excelsis armor, manufactured using similar technology.
Bright Knight: Excelsis was an all-domain universal armor—the fourth-generation Godsbane Suit specially designed for her by Schicksal, which incorporated nearly the entirety of Schicksal's expertise in this field.
She believed that once Vill-V fully grasped the technology within, she could certainly tailor a suitable combat armor for each member.
Hearing that combat performance wasn't a concern for the uniforms, Eden sighed in relief.
"Then I'll go sketch out some designs."
With that, Eden left.
Only with this driven, decisive attitude of an entrepreneur could she possess the kind of bold, lavish confidence Durandal remembered from her impressions.
The organization's name…
Thinking of her own identity, Durandal knew in her heart that only that name would be the most fitting.
Moreover, it encompassed a system she was most familiar with—from organizational management to combating the Honkai, to talent development, and even handling the aftermath of Honkai incidents.
There was a ready-made template for everything.
It was a system perfected through five hundred years of relentless exploration by a genius. Directly adopting it wouldn't be a problem at all.
And that was exactly what Durandal intended to do.
Thus, that very noon, Durandal gathered all fifteen current members of the Flame-Chasers, including herself, and took them to a hotpot restaurant not far away. Over the meal, she presented her idea.
--+--