Although seeking out Shoko might yield more information, she was elusive, making it impossible to know when they might meet. In contrast, Lihua had been staying home recently, making finding her incredibly simple.
Why was she being controlled? What were the intentions of the entity behind her? Was the kindness and gentleness she consistently showed others just an act...?
Elysia had too many questions, but now she wasn't sure if she could maintain her usual composure upon hearing the answers. Still, she had to try—
"Elysia, forget this matter and please go back."
"?!"
Elysia's steps abruptly halted. The serious expression on her face gradually turned stunned. Her mouth fell open as she frantically looked around, trying to locate the voice that had suddenly rung in her ears. But Mei's laboratory was in the remote suburbs; there wasn't even a single person around her now.
"Lee...? Is that you, Lee?!"
Fifty thousand years—although the last time she heard that vibrant voice was fifty thousand years ago, the moment it sounded again now, Elysia instantly recognized its owner.
It was Lee... Though very similar to Lihua, Elysia could recognize this voice as uniquely Lee's! The intention to find Lihua was completely thrown to the back of her mind. She spun around frantically, searching for that white figure, but saw nothing.
"Lee, where are you? Please come out... I have so, so much I want to tell you!"
"Why did you speak but won't appear? What will it take for you to come back? Please, if you just come back, I... I won't ask about those things anymore! Whatever you need me to do, as long as I can do it, I will! Where are you? I miss you so much..."
Elysia's voice quivered with emotion, bordering on sorrow, but the only response was silence, almost making her doubt if the voice she'd heard was just a hallucination born from her intense longing for Lee.
"...I understand. If this is what you wish."
Silently clenching her fists, Elysia lowered her head, gritted her teeth, and then shot towards Lihua's location like lightning!
"Then I absolutely must see what's hiding behind all this!"
To let her see Li's figure appear right before her, only to turn back and pretend she saw nothing?
Impossible. She absolutely could not accept such a development, even if it was Lee's request—who knew if this wasn't that unknown entity trying to dissuade her, deliberately using Lee to block her path!
"Sigh..."
A helpless sigh echoed across the wilderness. A faint moonlight flickered and vanished. In the next instant, the pink figure streaking like a meteor was forcefully stopped mid-air, unable to advance further.
"Every time, every single time... It's always like this. Elysia, am I really that untrustworthy, that detestable?"
Molten gold eyes opened, calm pupils reflecting Elysia's agitated expression opposite her. "Making you all refuse to listen to me, no matter what."
"Lee!!"
Completely disregarding what the person opposite her was saying, Elysia's eyes could only see the figure before her now—yes, it was Lee... It was the Lee she yearned for day and night, the one who had barely left her dreams for a moment!
What Lihua and Shoko, what conspiracy behind the scenes... All of it was completely forgotten by Elysia in this instant. All she wanted was to rush forward, to hug this person she had lost and found again with all her might.
Then, she watched as Li took a slight step back, dodging her embrace.
"Why...?"
Utterly unable to comprehend why this was happening, Elysia could only stand there, helplessly looking into Lee's eyes. They were golden irises, different from Lee's usual eyes, but Elysia had seen them before.
It was the form Lee took in her final moments back then, after merging with her Herrscher core. At that time, Elysia had even suspected Lee was replaced by the Herrscher and wanted to attack her...
"Did I do something wrong...?" The moment the words left her mouth, Elysia realized her foolishness—they had done so many wrong things, Lee had every reason to detest her. In fact, it would be strange if Lee still treated her with the same gentleness as before...
Thinking of everything Lee had suffered, thinking of her own past follies, the current Elysia could barely lift her head to meet the other's gaze again.
"I simply don't want to interact with you all." Lee's beautiful face was now expressionless, her eyes holding only coldness. "I already told you not to delve deeper... Why must you shamelessly keep searching?"
Elysia's pupils constricted violently. She had never heard Lee speak with such coldness. It was as if she was no longer Lee's friend, but a complete stranger, someone Lee even found repulsive...
Indeed, the foolish things they did were unforgivable by any normal standard, but... Elysia also knew she was too greedy and shameless. Yet Lee was such a gentle person, always patient and kind even to stray dogs and thugs on the street.
When they met on the moon last time, she was just like her old self.
How could she look at her with such eyes now, speak such cold words...
"Leave now, pretend you know nothing... This is the final warning." Lee slowly raised her hand, and Elysia could feel the surging Honkai energy within it. "Of course, you could also choose to let me erase your memories directly—in fact, that would be more reassuring."
"Lee, I—"
"Enough. Don't address me so familiarly." Lee's brow furrowed tightly, stunning Elysia on the spot. "You already know, don't you? Then let me make it clearer—the 'Lee' you all liked never existed from the beginning. It was all fake, understand?"
"Huh...?"
Looking at Lee, whose expression remained normal as if discussing trivial matters, Elysia could only utter such a meaningless sound.
"What are you saying, Lee... We knew each other for so long, spent so much time together..."
"That was all... an act." Lee silently closed her eyes. "Understand? You have no reason to pursue me, so don't get involved in this matter any further, otherwise I—"
"I don't believe you!!!"
"?!"
Elysia's sudden shout made Lee subconsciously step back. When she looked up again, she met the other's resolute and determined gaze.
"I refuse to believe what you're saying! You must be trying to be the bad guy yourself again, just like back then, trying to push us away, right?! It must be that unknown thing pulling the strings... Lee, no matter what else you say, I won't believe it!"
The Herrscher core shone brightly. Transforming into the Herrscher of Origin, Elysia, her gaze firm, summoned her weapon. "Lee, you must come back with me today... Even if you're unwilling, I will take you back!"
"...So you're always like this, a bunch of idiots..."
Seeing Elysia's stance, Lee paused blankly for a moment, finally letting out a soft sigh.
"Then, even if I have to break your legs and forcibly wipe your and Mei's memories..."
"...I'm sorry, Elysia. Even if this makes you hate me, I have to do this."