There was actually another rather awkward issue... Vya couldn't read. Well, not completely illiterate—she knew a few characters... but that was it. So, Elysia had no choice but to teach her slowly.
She borrowed some picture books and storybooks from Blanca—originally meant for Griseo—since Vya's knowledge level was far below what it should be for her age. The most important thing now... was to get Vya studying properly. She needed to at least reach a middle school level...
So, that night, Elysia didn't sleep until very late.
"Alright~ Vya needs to be a good girl and go to sleep now~"
Elysia was ready for bed.
Sleep? Vya normally didn't sleep, but she closed her eyes anyway.
Vya wasn't tired. Vya didn't sleep.
They lay in bed, Elysia holding Vya tightly, muttering cute things in her sleep.
Elysia's embrace was very warm. Vya liked it a lot.
Also, Elysia slept without any clothes on.
"Haha... Eden~ Vya~"
Followed by a string of other girls' names.
So many names she'd never heard before, Vya thought to herself.
She wasn't sleepy at all. She just watched quietly as Elysia lay there with her eyes closed.
Elysia's long pink hair was splayed across the pillow, her delicate features and face, her fair skin, that pink glow...
Wow... Sister is so pretty!
Sister Mobius... Sister Blanca... and little sister Griseo.
Vya recalled the people she'd met today in her mind. The light around them was so beautiful, but why didn't she have any?
Vya stretched out her own small hand, looking at it left... then right.
Hmm, nothing at all. Why was that?
For a moment, Vya felt a little downcast... She curled up in Elysia's arms. The warmth was still something she deeply cherished.
...She remembered long ago, in that little town, Elysia had held her just like this.
Quietly, just like that. The night wasn't long; time always passes. As Vya thought back over everything from today, slowly... light began to show outside the window.
In the morning, Elysia took Vya to wash her face and brush her teeth. Vya's clumsy movements got toothpaste foam everywhere.
In no time, Vya looked like a little mess.
Elysia laughed and used a damp towel to wipe the foam from the corner of Vya's mouth.
"You have to brush up and down like this~"
Elysia demonstrated the brushing motion.
Vya tried to copy her, but accidentally splashed water onto the mirror...
First Institute. Elysia and Vya pushed the door open to find Mobius slumped over her desk—asleep, probably. A cup of stone-cold coffee sat on the desk.
Thick stacks of experiment reports were piled beside her.
A blanket was draped over her. Had someone been here? Probably Blanca.
"Ah... Sister Mobius, is she asleep?"
Vya whispered, curiously eyeing Mobius's gently rising and falling form... her long green hair spread messily across the desk.
Mobius seemed quite gentle in her sleep, nothing like her usual self.
"Mhm, let her rest a bit more. We'll just wait here~"
Elysia also kept her voice low, and the two of them sat down nearby.
Elysia even took out her phone and secretly snapped several pictures of Mobius. After all, chances to capture this great beauty's sleeping face were rare.
A long while later, Mobius slowly stirred awake.
Bleary-eyed, she saw Elysia looking at her with a smile, and Mobius jolted fully awake.
Little Vya was there too.
"Huh?"
"You... what are you doing here?"
Mobius stood up, placing the blanket from her shoulders onto the chair, and reached up to smooth her hair, which had become somewhat disobedient while she slept.
"Mobius~ You're the one who told us to come today, you know. Did you forget~?"
Elysia wore a mischievous grin.
"Hmm... Why didn't you wake me?"
"Ah♪~ You were sleeping so soundly, of course we couldn't bear to disturb you~"
Mobius couldn't imagine Elysia watching her sleep...
She sighed, rubbing her forehead...
Whatever. The matter at hand was important.
Mobius led the two through layer after layer of metal doors...
Each door required her iris and fingerprint verification. Finally, they arrived at a sealed laboratory. In its center was a protective shield...
Inside it rested a silvery-white crystal.
"My, what's this? It looks so pretty~"
Elysia feigned surprise.
Vya also examined the crystal curiously. It felt somewhat familiar.
"Elysia, you really don't know?"
Mobius gave a cold laugh. Elysia was clever, and one of the few in MOTH who had faced a Herrscher directly. Even if she didn't know, she should be able to guess.
Her fingers moved quickly over the control panel, and the protective shield slowly opened.
"Ah, just kidding~ I didn't expect this thing to be with you~"
"Where else would it be? What could that bunch of fools possibly research?"
Mobius's voice held clear mockery. She put on special gloves and carefully retrieved the Herrscher core.
A faint light seemed to flicker within it.
After conducting in-depth research on the Herrscher's corpse, Mobius had realized that Herrschers weren't just more powerful Honkai beasts. Instead, they were closer to humans—they were transformed from humans.
Moreover, there was a unique power source within the Herrscher's body... the Herrscher core.
Naturally, Mobius had entertained the idea of directly implanting a Herrscher core into a human body, but that was basically impossible.
An ordinary human body simply couldn't withstand it.
But Vya's appearance... perhaps a humanoid Honkai beast would become the best vessel to contain a Herrscher core?
"Mobius, what are you planning to do~?"
"A little experiment."
"Really? Vya won't be in any danger, will she?"
"No."
Mobius, now wearing protective gear, soon handed the Herrscher core to Vya. Elysia watched from the side.
"Uh..."
Vya stared curiously at the silvery-white crystal. She felt like she'd seen it somewhere before...
She couldn't remember. But this time... a sweet scent wafted from the Herrscher core.
Wow, it looked really tasty...
Vya slowly took the Herrscher core and, without a second thought, popped it into her mouth.
"She ate it?"
Mobius had thought some wondrous reaction might occur when Vya made contact with the core. She hadn't expected this result.
Munch munch munch...
Vya stared at Mobius, her little cheeks puffed out like a squirrel that had stolen some nuts.
"Vya! Don't just eat things! Spit it out!"
Elysia rushed over, trying to get Vya to spit the Herrscher core out.
Vya, however, was carefully savoring the core. It was indeed sweet at first, like candy...
But after a few chews, the flavor vanished.
Munch munch... Really, no flavor left.
Disappointed, Vya pursed her lips.
Just then, Elysia told her to spit it out, so she obediently did.
Plop. The Herrscher core lay on the floor... almost imperceptibly, its silvery-white glow seemed slightly dimmer.
Elysia checked Vya over and, finding nothing unusual, finally relaxed.
…
I have completed the author to TL pipeline, 2 chapters per day. Advanced chapters available on patreon.
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Give power stones please I survive solely off of number go up.