[Desert Reaper]: "The slaughter is complete."
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Ryuga, you're mean! I'm angry, angry. Why didn't you call me for something like this? Darling~, boohoo~, her voice is so weak, but she's still overdrawing her soul to open the Century Gate. Ely is going to cry herself to death. You owe me tears—"
[Desert Reaper]: "Uh..."
[Director Furina]: "That's heartbreaking! Boohoo, even though she was hunted by the people she loved, she still didn't give up hope for them, boohoohoo."
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Did She, did she succeed?"
[Desert Reaper]: "I'm afraid she succeeded, but she also failed at the last step."
[Director Furina]: "What do you mean?"
[Desert Reaper]: "The first step from '0' to '1', as the first god-slayer to challenge the Sky Titan, she did indeed slay a god and bring hope to humanity."
"She can be called the Valkyrie of the Astonishing Sun."
"She truly became the hero Trissha spoke of, and more people began to believe in the oracle, willing to unite around her."
"The current monarch of Okhema, Cerydra, is the most representative figure. She is challenging the many city-states with her own strength to end this chaotic Chrysos War."
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "The Tribbies, after a hundred years of hardship, have never forgotten their original intention and mission."
"Seliose, the first hero to listen to their oracle."
"She is not a god, yet she dared to face the majesty of a god; her body was small, yet she dared to contend with fate in a mortal form."
"And now!"
"Cerydra, who has taken up that burning will, is following the path she laid down, questioning destiny."
"It truly is a long journey of chasing the flame, filled with blood and tears."
"An epic forged with life."
"This must be a romantic story unlike any other, right?"
[Director Furina]: "Ely, your understanding of 'romance' is truly... very pure. Boohoo, I'm broken."
Meanwhile, Cerydra was sitting on the back of a Dromas, striking a pose.
"Hmm?"
"It's too small, I need to change to another one."
The Empress frowned.
Hysilens's Dromas mount was larger than hers, so she decisively switched to a taller one.
Unfortunately, no matter which one she chose, the size of the adult Dromas was nearly the same.
The Empress looked left and right, realizing that she was still a bit shorter than Hysilens.
So, the displeased Empress poured out a stack of thick books, threw them onto the seat, and then silently sat down, padding herself up by a few inches to look taller.
"Hmph~"
Cerydra snorted, crossed her arms, elegantly crossed her legs, and put on a confident, tsundere expression.
Ryuga suppressed a laugh and took a photo.
The Empress was very seriously striking a kingly pose for the triumphal ceremony.
『Desert Reaper uploaded a photo.』
Furina, who was wiping away tears, subconsciously clicked on it.
"Cough, cough~"
Clorinde: "Lady Hydro Archon!?"
"I'm fine."
"..."
The Lady Hydro Archon has been very unusual lately. Should I go back and ask Sigewinne to take a look?
Clorinde thought to herself.
The group chat fell silent.
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Ah~, this... Cerydra? Isn't she like Furina? She's so tsundere, she's actually sitting on books?"
Is it the same as with me and Lygus?
Ely knew what Furina looked like.
With her clingy personality, if she latched onto Furina, Furina wouldn't be able to escape.
[Director Furina]: "..."
[Istaroth]: "Oh?"
[Director Furina]: "..."
It's over, it's over, I'm doomed~ QAQ.
The Time Administrator knows now.
[Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon]: "Hmm? She looks a lot like Furina? Could it be that Furina also pads with books?"
[Director Furina]: "W-what kind of joke is that?"
She silently glanced at the wooden box next to her VIP seat.
Her small face instantly flushed red.
As long as I don't admit it, no one will know.
[Desert Reaper]: "Amorpheus welcomes Director Furina to visit."
Istaroth: "..."
Furina: "..."
The two instantly understood Ryuga's meaning.
We are all group members, we should be friendly.
Ryuga actually knew that Istaroth, as the kindest Administrator, didn't really care about Furina's identity.
But the silly Furina didn't know that.
[Director Furina]: "I will, once the Fontaine matter is settled. Ryuga, what did you mean when you said Seliose 'failed at the last step'?"
"Thanks. (Private Message)"
It was clear that Ryuga knew her identity as the Hydro Archon.
And to guard against Istaroth, she had never revealed herself in the group chat.
As for the name?
She wasn't worried about that.
She wasn't the only one named 'Furina'.
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Yes, did something happen to Seliose, Ryu?"
[Desert Reaper]: "The Tribbies were full of hope for humanity and brought out Seliose, a student who was determined to pursue the journey of chasing the flame."
"She faced the truth of human nature, experienced disappointment from its dark side, and was then touched by its bright side, yet still chose to believe in humanity."
"Seliose was too young. Human nature is more complex than she imagined."
"Trissha also noticed this. She wrote letters to Seliose to guide her, but ultimately failed to prevent the worst outcome."
"The Tribbies loved folding paper, but after countless experiences, they realized: what they loved wasn't the paper folding itself, but their mother's smile."
"Seliose loved her people and wanted to defeat the cruel god for them, to end the conflict of the Sky Clan."
"But her love for her people was too similar to the Tribbies' love for paper folding."
"The 'people' Seliose loved were an abstract concept, not specific 'individuals'. After saving them, all she received was disappointment."
Saying this, Ryuga sighed heavily.
He continued.
"Seliose killed the Sky Titan, but the sky fell. So, with her love for 'people', she resolutely rushed into the Titan's remains, once again holding up the sky for her people."
"But unfortunately!"
"She only saw the Titan's fear of the Black Tide, and their indifference."
"And the people Seliose wanted to incite to resist began to worship her, just as they had once worshipped Aquila."
"This was not what she wanted to see."
"Seliose, despairing of 'people', passed a death sentence on them, and then merged with Aegle, completely abandoning her past."
Ryuga shook his head.
Seliose was too young and too kind, and she held too much love for 'people'.
The group members were silent.
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Too much hope can also breed too much despair."
[Director Furina]: "Indeed."
Ryuga sighed with emotion.
The small Saintess ran across the wilderness for the oracle, and the powerful Knight was exiled and descended to the earth.
Tribios has embarked on the journey of chasing the flame, and Seliose is about to step onto the battlefield of god-slaying.
The priest of Janus is getting smaller and smaller, and Aquila's divine body is flying higher and higher.
...
Ryuga opened the Anywhere Door, teleporting Cerydra's Legion to the outskirts of Okhema.
The Empress requested it.
A triumphal entry into the city—a ceremony was necessary.
After everyone had left, a figure flashed next to the Trophy Mound, and Lygus appeared.
Looking at the mountain of stacked heads, a slow smile spread across his lips.
"Ah~, truly worthy of a colleague."
"This beautiful destruction."
To be continued…
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