"Teacher Himeko, reality and ideals often differ, leading to discrepancies. But even if you walk a path that wasn't part of your original dream, it doesn't mean you made the wrong choice, nor does it mean your life has gone astray."
Elias gazed seriously at the beautiful red-haired woman in front of him, then gently raised his arms and hugged her.
He knew her life story.
He knew her greatness.
He knew her final fate.
There was no one in this world who understood how worthy of respect Murata Himeko was better than he did.
Even in timelines without Elias, the torch she lit and passed on continued to burn brightly.
"Teacher Himeko, you are even more beautiful and remarkable than you realize. I will never allow anyone to deny your life—not even yourself."
"It was you who taught us to fight for the beauty in this world."
"It was you who taught us never to give up, to strive to turn this imperfect world into the one we hope for."
"You will always be our beloved and respected Valkyrie—our Teacher Himeko."
With the sincerest of words, Elias conveyed his feelings. Himeko's heart was struck deeply, an indescribable emotion surging within her.
Yes—how could her life have been wrong?
Maybe when she first became a Valkyrie, she had simply wanted to uncover the truth about her father's death. But later, Himeko met a Valkyrie named Ragna.
Ragna told her that Valkyries are those who bring light to the world, that they should not let obsession and hatred fill their hearts. She told Himeko to shape this imperfect world into the one she desired.
From then on, Himeko truly became a Valkyrie who fought for the beauty of the world.
Before Elias appeared, even when Himeko sensed her days were numbered, she did not retire. Instead, at Theresa's invitation, she joined St. Freya Academy.
While continuing to fight, she also became a teacher.
She passed that conviction to generation after generation of young Valkyries, ensuring that the light would be inherited.
"Ugh... ah..."
Elias heard Himeko choking back sobs. He gently patted her back, more determined than ever—he would never let her die! He would never let her "graduate."
"Besides, so what if your old dream wasn't realized? It's fine. Himeko, you now have a future—an infinite amount of time."
"Once we defeat the Honkai, you can continue chasing your dream. When that time comes, I'll go with you. The sea of stars... I want to see it too."
As for lost dreams—
Just pick them back up.
Elias pursued a perfect happy ending, without a single regret.
After all, just as he said, Himeko was no longer troubled by Honkai erosion. Elias had reclaimed all the lifespan she had lost.
With him by her side, Himeko would have an infinitely long future. One day, like her counterpart aboard the Astral Express, she would achieve her dream.
"Thank you... thank you, Elias. I really..."
Himeko hugged the boy tightly, tears of gratitude uncontrollably streaming from her eyes.
No matter how mature she acted on the surface, Himeko was still just a 29-year-old woman.
She wasn't someone who had lived a long life and could take everything lightly. On the contrary, she was an aging single Valkyrie who had never even experienced love.
It was natural that she would feel lost, anxious, uncertain about her future, and doubtful about her past.
But now Elias had affirmed her.
With the most sincere words, he told Himeko that her life until now had burned like flame and shone like gold.
Elias rekindled the flame of life for her, allowing Himeko to step into a future far beyond anything she could imagine at this moment.
After a while...
"To think I was comforted by my own student... how embarrassing. Elias, you must not tell anyone, okay?"
"Of course. I wouldn't want to share the sight of Teacher Himeko crying in my arms with anyone else."
"It's so humiliating. You better forget it too."
"Hehe~ That's impossible."
Elias chuckled. Himeko, feigning anger, wrapped one arm around his neck. Her reddened eyes were clear evidence that she had cried her heart out earlier.
Tears had soaked a good part of Elias' clothes.
Of course, he didn't mind at all. Having a stunning beauty like Himeko cry so vulnerably in his arms was a fresh and novel experience for him.
Due to their position, Elias couldn't see the tender gaze Himeko now directed at him.
"Teacher Himeko, if you squeeze any tighter, I might suffocate—well, actually, it's fine."
After hesitating for a few seconds, Elias let her hold him tighter. After all, the soft sensation pressing against the back of his head was incredibly comfortable—far better than any pillow.
Seeing he had no objections, Himeko hugged him even tighter, but then fell into silence.
They were so close now that Elias could hear her heartbeat—and it was pounding wildly, to the point that he grew a little concerned.
"Himeko, your heart's beating so fast."
"...Is that so? Elias, can I ask you something? You said before that you liked me, right?"
"Of course. I really like you, Himeko."
"...Thank you."
Himeko took a deep breath and suddenly grabbed the bottle of red wine beside them.
There was still half a bottle left.
In the next second, under Elias' startled gaze,
She tilted her head back and chugged it all in one go.
Hic!
Already quite drunk, Himeko's cheeks now turned so red they seemed to be burning.
(Uh oh... at this rate...)
Elias gasped in shock. If he still couldn't tell what Himeko intended, he'd have to be a fool.
Instinctively, he glanced at the bedroom on the second floor—where Mei was currently fast asleep.
"Teacher Himeko, you..."
"Don't speak. Listen to me first."
Himeko placed her hand over Elias' mouth. Her flushed face made it impossible to tell if it was the alcohol or some deeper feeling.
"You know, Theresa once made a bet with me. She bet I wouldn't find a good man before I turned thirty. I bet that I could. Now... there's less than a month until my thirtieth birthday. Elias, will you help your teacher win this bet?"
"..."
This isn't right. I should refuse... Elias knew this clearly, but the words just wouldn't come out.
He felt he had never faced a more difficult choice. His mind remained rational, but he was utterly captivated by the beautiful woman before him.
Even before crossing worlds, Elias had adored Himeko's character. If just a 2D game character could have such charm, how could he resist the real Murata Himeko standing before him now?
A fiery yet tender crimson-haired beauty—Elias found himself helplessly entranced.
"...Alright, I'll help you win, Teacher Himeko."
"Mhm, thank you."
Their figures gradually drew closer.
Before their lips met, Elias cast one last glance at the upstairs bedroom and thought with a wry smile: Mei, I'm sorry...
...
Morning arrived.
"Haaah~ I woke up so early today! Hehe~ As expected of me... huh?! Wh-what is going on here!!!"
Normally the last one to get up, Kiana had miraculously woken up first today.
But the moment the "Baka Kiana" walked out of her room, she was instantly stunned by the sight before her eyes.
A broken vase, torn curtains, a table split in half, a shattered TV screen, books scattered everywhere, a ruined sofa, and red wine spilled all over the floor...
The Valkyrie dormitory's first floor looked like a crime scene—no, that was too mild—it looked like a tornado had ripped through.
"Baka Kiana, why are you shouting so early in the morning?"
"Uuu... Good morning, Bronya-sis..."
"Did Elias come back last night?"
Hearing the commotion, the other three girls came out one after another—only to be equally stunned by the chaotic scene in the living room.
Bronya, Kiana, and Seele were merely shocked, but Mei's expression—as if she suddenly realized something—turned to stone.
"G-good morning, everyone."
"Eh? Auntie Himeko, you're alright now?!"
"Uh, yeah, the Honkai erosion symptoms suddenly disappeared, so I came home last night."
"But Himeko, why are you all sweaty?"
"...I just did a bit of exercise, that's all."
Himeko tried her best to act calm. She glanced around at the disaster zone that was the living room and swallowed hard.
Meanwhile, Elias came out of the kitchen as if nothing had happened, carrying plates of breakfast for everyone.
"Oh, you're all up? Perfect timing. Let's eat."
"Wow! Today's breakfast is amazing! As expected of Elias~ Hehe, I'm digging in!"
"It smells so good. Bronya will also eat."
"Hmm? Teacher Himeko, what's wrong with your leg?"
Noticing that Himeko was walking a bit oddly, Seele asked with concern.
"Uh, it's nothing, Seele. I just twisted it a little while exercising. Don't worry about it."
Such a sweet and kind girl, Himeko thought.
Despite her efforts to hide it, Seele's keen eyes still picked up on it. Truly the gentlest and most attentive in the whole dorm... but Himeko kind of wished she could've been a little less sharp this time.
"..."
Mei sat silently at the table, her expression unreadable.
"By the way, what happened to the dorm? Did we get robbed last night or something?"
"Kiana, there's no way a thief would dare break into a Valkyrie dorm. And even if someone tried, Bronya has Project Bunny on constant alert."
"Then what the heck happened? How did it end up like this?"
The three girls looked around while wolfing down breakfast. Anyone who didn't know better might think a lion had barged in—no, a hyperactive husky had rampaged through the night.
"Uh, well, I had a bit too much to drink last night and got a little... rowdy. Maybe that's why."
Himeko awkwardly offered the only reasonable explanation she could.
"Seriously? Auntie Himeko went on a drunken rampage again?!"
"As expected of an A-rank Valkyrie. Such destructive power while drunk—Bronya is impressed."
"Seele thinks Teacher Himeko should drink less... You were in the hospital just yesterday."
"..."
Out of sincere respect for their beloved teacher, Kiana, Bronya, and Seele didn't question her any further. They merely decided it was best not to let her drink so much next time.
As for the ruined furniture—it wasn't a big deal. Valkyrie salaries were high. They could just order replacements, and the dorm would be back to normal by tonight.
Compared to the minor loss of some furniture, everyone was much happier about Himeko's recovery. After all, they had all been worried sick until late last night.
After finishing breakfast...
"Well then, let's head to class."
"Kiana, could you help me ask Elias for a leave of absence?"
Mei finally spoke her first words of the day. She gently wrapped her arms around Elias' arm, naturally showing off the closer-than-normal relationship between them.
"Hmm? Mei, what's up?"
Kiana tilted her head in confusion.
"It's nothing, just a small personal matter. Please?"
"Of course~ It's just asking for leave. If it's Mei asking, I'll definitely help."
"..."
As a Kaslana, Kiana's brain shut down whenever her "external brain" wasn't active, so she didn't overthink anything.
But Bronya immediately realized what was going on. Her already expressionless face became even more blank.
(The wrecked living room... Mei's reaction... Himeko's sore legs... Could it be... Guh! This is bad—Bronya's been overtaken again!)
"Bronya-sis, what's wrong?"
"...Seele, do you know why ducks can fly?"
"Eh? B-because they have wings?"
"No! It's because the hunter failed to seize the opportunity, letting the duck that should have been in hand fly away! Bronya swears—she will never miss her next chance!"
Bronya declared this seriously, even though she looked like a defeated general.
But it didn't matter! Because if this was a war, the biggest loser today wasn't Bronya—it was Miss Raiden Mei.
"Mei-sis' hat today looks so... eco-friendly."
"Huh? Mei's wearing a hat? I don't see one."
"Baka Kiana, that's a hat only smart people can see. Come on, the dorm is going to get dangerous soon—let's hurry to the teaching building—the safe zone."
You can truly see a person's character at critical moments. Bronya proved herself a loyal companion.
Even in this dangerous situation, she didn't abandon her comrades—instead, she grabbed Kiana with one hand and Seele with the other, quickly heading toward safety.
Meanwhile, Bronya's clever mind was working at lightning speed, and her eyes grew brighter.
(Wait… from another angle, this might not be a loss at all. It's actually a great opportunity!)
(Himeko successfully broke the balance—Mei's era of monopolizing Elias is over. Now it's Bronya's turn to strike!)
Mei had lost her advantage—the race was now open to all.
After all, the first one to move always took the biggest risk. The second and third would have it much easier.
And if Mei accepted Himeko's relationship with Elias, it meant Bronya might be accepted too.
Thus, she just needed to wait for the commotion to settle—then make her move and win Elias over in one strike!
"I see it! Bronya's path to victory!"
Thinking this, Bronya's lips curved into a rare smile, and her light steps almost made it seem like she could fly.
...
Meanwhile, back at the dorm—
Elias, Mei, and Himeko stood in a tense equilateral triangle, the atmosphere awkward.
"I'm sorry, Mei. It's all my fault. Last night, I got drunk and... no, it was me who actively approached Elias."
"Himeko, you don't need to take the blame for me."
Elias shook his head, stopping Himeko from shouldering the responsibility alone. He stood firmly in front of Mei, looking straight into her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mei. I lost control."
"...Elias."
"Hm?"
Surprisingly, there was no anger, no disappointment, no sadness in Mei's eyes. She walked up to Elias, hooked her arms around his neck, and pulled him close to her lips.
Mei: "Kiss me. Love me."
Elias: "...As you command, my princess."
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