[I've calculated before, there will at least be seven more stabs coming up.]
[Seven stabs?! My brain tells me I should immediately close the official livestream and take better care of myself.]
[But you're still here watching the livestream.]
As expected.
Players had a massive reaction to Hokuto's words.
And Elysia, who knew a lot of the subsequent plot points, saw how honest Hokuto was. After thinking for a moment, she cautiously spoke up from the side.
"Mr. 'Otto' is being so straightforward this time. It seems like he has a lot of 'confidence' in the final chapter's plot, doesn't he?"
"Could it be… Elysia, you don't have confidence in the final chapter of the Elysian Realm story?" Hokuto immediately retorted.
"I…"
Elysia's words caught in her throat. Her sudden hesitation only piqued the players' curiosity about what the final chapter would present them with.
They couldn't help but urge her on.
[Miss Elf, hurry up and start already!!]
"...Elysia, if there's nothing else you want to talk about, shall we start?" Hokuto asked.
"Mm, okay, then let's take everyone through the new story in Honkai Impact 3rd," Elysia said as she picked up the device and signaled to the others outside.
"Alright… please switch the livestream feed."
With that, the real-world scene that had filled the entire screen shrank to the bottom-right corner, replaced by the Honkai Impact 3rd game interface.
She quickly clicked on the new chapter.
Soon, the game loading screen appeared.
The barrage of comments in the livestream slowed down a bit.
The previous chapter had left so many unresolved questions.
Everyone was eager to find out what would happen next.
...
The main storyline in Chapter 31 didn't pick up where the previous chapter left off, with the Corrupted Avatar of Elysia appearing before Mei.
Instead...
It was a flashback to Elysia's past with Eden.
The moonlight was bright.
Eden closed the rooftop door, shutting out the flickering lights behind her.
On the other side of the door, music still faintly played, like a continuation of the grand performance from moments ago.
"Hey, fancy seeing you here. You're out for some fresh air too?"
The sudden voice stopped Eden in her tracks.
"The musical can't have ended already, can it?" A "strange girl" asked Eden.
[Why does it say 'strange girl' here? That voice is definitely Elysia's! Can't we get another glimpse of Elysia?]
Though no character art appeared in the game at that moment, players immediately recognized the voice as Elysia's.
After all, her voice was distinctive.
Sweet yet full of joy—it was a voice that was truly unforgettable.
Elysia's joyful voice...
Eden, in the game, realized that the stranger hadn't recognized her disguised self. She relaxed slightly and nodded at the girl.
"Now it's time for the curtain call."
Elysia immediately picked up on something. "You don't like the curtain call?"
"The overly enthusiastic cheers can overshadow the brilliance of the play. I just want to savor its true form before the end."
That was a rather strange answer, but Elysia smiled.
"I feel the same."
"How to put it... the actors returning to their roles, standing on stage to take their bows... it's a bit bittersweet, isn't it?"
"It's like saying—'See, everything that just happened was just a story. Once the curtain falls completely, this story ends.'"
Players: ???
Upon hearing that line, players immediately spammed question marks in the chat.
Screenwriter, do you even know what you're doing?!
You're going big this time, huh? Really not holding back, are you?
[What is this? The screenwriter? Really going big from the start?]
[???]
[I knew Elysian Realm's final chapter was coming, but this feeling... it's really hard to take.]
They knew something big was coming next, but they hadn't expected this—an outright opening strike.
They didn't even get the usual "misdirection," with some cheerful plot to shift their attention.
They were getting hit directly with a knife to the face.
Screenwriter, are you even awake?!
...
The players were left speechless.
Elysia, however, was very absorbed in the plot.
In the game.
Hearing Elysia's musings, Eden responded, "But that's the meaning of the curtain call, right? Don't you want to witness this moment?"
Elysia answered, "I guess it's a bit hard to part with, since it's a romantic story. I want to savor it a bit more."
Those words from Elysia were absolutely heartfelt.
After all, she really did want to savor the story of Elysian Realm just a little longer.
She didn't want the story to end just yet.
So when she said those words, she really felt them deeply.
But hearing this, Eden in the game was left a bit speechless.
"Romantic... I've never heard anyone describe this performance like that. It's more... bleak, oppressive, and sorrowful. That's the impression most people get."
"After all, the label says tragedy, right?" Elysia responded.
[Screenwriter! You still know, huh!!]
[Didn't expect the plot to hit me with a painful mask from the get-go.]
The two seemed to be discussing Eden's performance from earlier, but the players felt like they were actually discussing the plot of Elysian Realm itself!
And Elysia's next words only confirmed that.
"From the first act, there's been nothing good happening. Every twist just leads the story in an even worse direction."
"This kind of story is hard to watch all the way through with a smile."
Indeed.
There was no way to watch it with a smile, only with a grimace.
The players felt like every line of dialogue was stabbing straight into their hearts.
Eden agreed, "It should be impossible to smile, right?"
Then Eden asked a question everyone was wondering.
"Then why do you think it's romantic?"
Elysia quickly answered, "Because of the ending."
Players immediately perked up.
Was she hinting that the ending was romantic?
Hmm...
But they quickly suppressed the slight excitement that had sparked in their hearts.
Trust the screenwriter? Not on your life!!
"Though the journey was tough, I really loved the last scene of the play. On the ruins covered in dust, a new sprout is pushing through the earth... Such a beautiful sight, don't you think?"
"It might bloom for a long time, or it might wither the next moment, but right now, it's there, declaring its rebirth to the whole world."
"The moment that stays with me is that instant."
"It said to me—'Tragedy is not the end, but the beginning of hope.'"
"The footprints we leave in this world will one day, in the future, become the light guiding someone else forward."
[The sprout is Mei, right?]
[After Elysian Realm was destroyed, Mei stepped out, right??]
['Tragedy is not the end, but the beginning of hope,' I feel like the screenwriter is setting us up for something later.]
[This scene... is the screenwriter giving us a heads-up, isn't it?]
[Probably, but this heads-up feels so arrogant—like the screenwriter, with Otto's face, is saying... 'Even if I've warned you, you'll still be caught off guard.']
The players weren't sure if it was their own issue, or if the dialogue really was full of foreshadowing.
Either way, everything they saw felt like it was hiding a knife.
Suspicion.jpg
...
Back in the game.
"Tragedy is not the end, but the beginning of hope..."
Eden pondered the line for a moment. "Such an optimistic thought, but... it's indeed romantic."
"Only humans would think that way. Only humans would turn that belief into reality."
Elysia agreed, "Yes, the beauty of human nature is so fragile, yet pure and spotless."
"Like... a crystal flower in full bloom."
Once again, Elysia used one of her unique metaphors.
But this time, it was surprisingly fitting.
She said this while walking a few steps forward, to the railing.
She raised her head to look at the vast night sky and softly began to sing—a scene Eden was all too familiar with.
It was just like the view she'd have every time she stood on stage, intoxicated by her own singing.
She sighed, "Even professional artists rarely look at the world with such delicate eyes."
"Are you... an actor? A screenwriter? Or a composer?"
Elysia flashed a brilliant smile. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm just an ordinary spectator."
"If there's anything special about me, it's that I've been to many places, met many people, and... maybe I'm just a little cute?"
[I object! She's super incredibly cute!!!]
[Exactly, not just a little, but a whole lot cute!]
[+1 +1 +1]
When Eden heard Elysia's words, she elegantly chuckled twice.
Then she invited Elysia to continue discussing the topic after the performance at the Icy Restaurant on the top floor of the Bilu Building.
"Wow— isn't that the super exclusive restaurant with an unknown waitlist? Taking someone there... wouldn't it cause you trouble?"
"Not at all. My friends always reserve a seat for me."
"Well, then... I must have met some really important people."
Elysia was still shocked by Eden's "pulling strings," but now she looked a bit more youthful than usual.
Players had a special feeling at this moment.
Perhaps it was better to just focus on enjoying the warm, tender moments in the plot, instead of overthinking things?
If they didn't enjoy it now, would they get another chance?
However...
As they changed their mindset, thinking this over.
"...We've talked so much, but it seems like I haven't introduced myself yet."
The young girl turned around, smiling at Eden.
The moonlight fell gently, illuminating her face.
"My name is Elysia."
The game screen slowly faded to white, and Elysia's voice still echoed.
"Elysia, the symbol of Elysian Realm, of Eden... What about you?"
Actually, Eden's name itself symbolized Elysian Realm.
After all, Eden means Elysian Realm...
Hmm...
But wait—no, no, no, in Honkai Impact 3rd, it's not like that.
According to Su, Eden was the one who gave the word its true meaning of Elysian Realm, because only Eden—Eden Garden—was Elysian Realm.
Anyway, no matter what, Elysia and Eden were the perfect pair.
"..."
"..."
But in the game, Elysia's question didn't get a response from Eden.
After a long silence.
The white light gradually faded.
The next scene to appear was a dark, profound depth.
It felt like the game was telling the players: It's time to wake up from this beautiful dream.
Players: ???
No.
Was this also part of your plan?
They had just started to enjoy it, just for a second!
Are you serious?!
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