"Sakura, are you sure this is an investigation?"
"Of course! I'll definitely uncover the full truth behind this Church of Elias!"
"Oh really? Then what's that you're holding?"
Elias' eye twitched slightly as he stared at the pile of merchandise in the pink fox girl's arms—life-sized body pillows, keychains, acrylic stands, and even figurines of 'him.' He was seriously considering whether he should be filing for a portrait rights claim.
"Ahem, this is… evidence collection…"
"Can you say that while looking me in the eye?"
"B-but they're really well made! It'd be such a waste to just leave them behind."
Sakura hugged the Elias body pillow tightly. Not only were they well-made, but they were also free of charge.
After some time investigating, the two realized that this truly seemed to be nothing more than a religion built around admiration for Elias. There were no fees, no donations, and no coercive demands whatsoever.
Aside from an abnormal degree of fanaticism—and the disturbingly detailed knowledge they had about Elias, to the point of being suspicious—there was practically nothing wrong with the organization.
But that was exactly what made it worrisome. A group that asked for nothing could often be the one that wanted the most. So until they confirmed there were no hidden dangers, neither Elias nor Sakura intended to leave.
(I didn't expect to be worshipped like a deity, but since they're technically my fans, I can't just stand by and let them be exploited by bad people.) Elias thought to himself, scanning the hall filled with Eli Gate followers.
Though embarrassed, he could genuinely sense their sincere admiration and affection for him.
If that was the case, then as the object of their devotion, he had a duty to protect them—to make sure they weren't deceived or used in his name.
Sakura shared the same sentiment. She would never allow anyone to use Elias' name to commit wrongdoing.
After circling the hall, the two found it impossible to gain useful information from the ordinary Eli Gate members, so they went back to the examiner they had met earlier to probe for more details.
"Hello, sir. We were wondering—what kind of person is our church's leader? And is it true that there are really no special rules here? Everything seems so relaxed."
"Of course! But you two are curious about the leader? Haha, sharp minds, you two. Unfortunately, we regular followers don't know much about the leader either. Whenever the leader appears, they always wear a mask and never take it off."
"Uh… that sounds pretty suspicious…"
Elias and Sakura exchanged a look—they had found their target. This "leader" needed to be investigated carefully.
"Yes, the leader is quite mysterious. I understand your caution. To be honest, when I first joined, I also doubted the purity of our church. But it's been so long, and not a single bad thing has happened. Oh, and by the way, the Elias Encyclopedia, Version 7.0 was personally written by the leader!"
"What? Then you're saying those private details about my—cough, I mean, about Lord Elias' daily habits were all…"
"Exactly! They all came from our great leader. Don't worry, everything is 100% authentic! The Eli Gate never deceives its own. Oh, and you two joined at a perfect time."
The man's eyes suddenly brightened.
"Hmm?" x2
Elias and Sakura both tilted their heads in confusion as he continued.
"Because the leader herself will be visiting today to answer questions about Lord Elias. When it comes to Lord Elias, the leader knows absolutely everything—nothing escapes her. And today is one of those rare days when she'll be here."
"Oh? What a coincidence."
Elias and Sakura exchanged surprised glances. Neither had expected such luck—they'd stumbled right into a chance to confront the very head of the cult.
And so, the two quietly waited with growing anticipation.
Elias found a quiet corner where no one would bother him, while Sakura eagerly joined the other believers' discussions. Using her deep understanding of Elias, she began correcting their misconceptions one after another.
For example—
"No, Elias doesn't prefer elf ears. What he really likes are long, pink fox ears. That's the truth."
"What? Where did you even get that information? The leader herself said otherwise!"
Hearing Sakura's bold claim, one of the Eli Gate followers was visibly shocked.
"She's wrong. I'm right. No one in this world knows more about Elias than I do! Eli Gate!"
Sakura clasped her hands together, turned toward where Elias was sitting, and shouted the slogan devoutly. The nearby followers drew in a sharp breath, deeply impressed.
"Whoa… your aura's incredible. You look like a pure-blood believer! I'll have to ask the leader about this when she arrives today."
Not long after, the moment finally came.
A hush spread through the hall as a figure cloaked in white robes and wearing a hooded mask stepped forward.
Wherever the figure walked, the followers instinctively parted, allowing the Eli Gate leader to ascend the central platform—directly before the enormous portrait of Elias.
"Excellent. It seems the number of believers has increased since my last visit. It's truly wonderful that more people can bask in the glory of our great Savior."
The Eli Gate leader surveyed the crowd with satisfaction, then continued.
"Our faith exists to spread the teachings and miracles of the Savior. Now, the Q&A session shall begin. If anyone has doubts or questions about Lord Elias, feel free to ask."
"Eli Gate! Long live the leader!" xN
Hidden among the crowd, Elias and Sakura narrowed their eyes.
The leader atop the platform not only wore a mask that disguised their voice but also a wide, flowing robe that made it impossible to tell their gender.
Yet, Elias couldn't shake the strange sense of familiarity. He felt he'd seen this person somewhere before. Still, there was an air of mystery around them—an aura he couldn't quite read. But judging from the way they stood and moved, this was no ordinary person.
The so-called Q&A session was where followers asked questions about Elias, and the leader would answer them.
And astonishingly, the leader seemed to know everything. Every single question was answered flawlessly.
What made Elias most uneasy, though, was that the leader didn't just know things—they also possessed some of his personal belongings: a weapon he'd once broken, a torn combat cloak, and even an audio recording of him casually singing!
All these items were displayed around the hall as relics. Honestly, Elias had the urge to confiscate them all on the spot—and part of him began to wonder if this person was a superfan turned stalker.
The Q&A session was lively, but the followers were polite—they never asked anything disrespectful.
"Leader, I heard Lord Elias will be performing on stage with Miss Eden next month. Is that true?"
"No, unfortunately, that's just a rumor. To my knowledge, those two have no joint concert scheduled next month."
"Leader, is it true that Lord Elias likes girls with pink hair?"
"Of course! While our Savior is a man of vast compassion, pink-haired girls are his greatest love—and also the ones who suit him best."
The Eli Gate leader replied without hesitation.
"Mhm!"
Sakura nodded firmly from below, fully agreeing.
Elias, however, silently protested in his mind.
(I'm not a pink-hair fanatic. It's just that the girl I like happens to have pink hair. If anything, I prefer white hair~)
"Leader, last time you said that Lord Elias even seeks to redeem Herrschers. Is that true?"
Someone finally asked a more sensitive question.
"Yes! Our merciful, noble, and kind Savior wishes to offer salvation even to Herrschers. After all, they are simply ordinary people unfortunate enough to be chosen by the Honkai. In a sense, they too are victims. In fact, two Herrschers have already accepted his redemption and chosen to walk the path of light. So now—let us praise our Savior! Eli Gate~!"
"Eli Gate!" xN
The crowd once again bowed reverently toward Elias' portrait, while the real Elias, sitting among them, wanted to dig a hole in the floor and bury himself out of sheer embarrassment—but at the same time, he was utterly stunned.
(How does this person even know about Sheele and Himeko? The Fire Moth never released classified information about them!)
Sakura's eyes narrowed as her hand drifted to the hilt of the Frozen Naraka. Her resolve hardened—no matter what, this Eli Gate leader would have to be taken back to the Fire Moth for questioning.
This was classified information, after all.
And then, the same follower who had argued with Sakura earlier raised their hand.
"Leader, I heard that Lord Elias' favorite isn't actually elf ears, but long, pink fox ears. Is that true?"
"…"
For the first time, the Eli Gate leader visibly flinched and fell silent. Then, staring firmly at the follower who asked, she spoke with absolute conviction, her voice several times firmer than before.
"False! Lord Elias' one and only true preference is for elf ears! Pink fox ears may be cute, but they'll always be second place. This is the truth of the world!"
"!!!"
This time, it was Sakura who froze. Her eyes widened in shock, and before she could lose control, Elias quickly pulled her into his arms to stop her from doing anything reckless.
"No! You're wrong! Elias clearly prefers pink fox ears—that's the real truth!"
Sakura couldn't help but shout back. This wasn't just about pride—it was about her very identity. On this matter, she would never yield.
The leader's gaze met hers.
The air instantly grew tense, the atmosphere thick with sparks.
Elias swore he could almost see the electric arcs flashing between their locked eyes.
"My dear, passionate believer," the leader said, hands on her hips, "I don't know where you got your information, but I can tell you with absolute certainty—and zero responsibility—that it's false! Our great Savior has only ever loved girls with elf ears!"
As she struck her pose, the motion of her arms caused her robe to sway, revealing just enough of her figure for both Elias and Sakura to realize—
The leader was a woman.
"And as for fox ears," she continued, "fine, I admit I was mistaken earlier. They're not second best—they're heresy! Pink fox girls are heretics!"
"Silence! Stop twisting the truth with your nonsense! I'm placing you under arrest! You'll come with me to the Fire Moth for judgment!"
Furious, Sakura dropped her disguise entirely. In one swift motion, she unsheathed the Frozen Naraka and leapt toward the platform, intending to hold her blade at the leader's throat.
"W-What?! The Fire Moth?!"
The leader gasped—but to everyone's surprise, she dodged the attack effortlessly and countered with a kick that forced Sakura to stumble backward several steps.
"You… have that kind of strength?!"
"And you—how do you have that blade?!"
Both women stared at each other in disbelief, but neither gave the other a chance to speak. They moved again, their clash escalating into a high-speed battle that far surpassed human limits.
"Protect the leader! The leader is under attack!"
"W-What's going on?!"
"Why did this suddenly turn into a full-blown fight scene?!"
"Wait—the leader and that newcomer are both ridiculously strong! Could they both be Fire Moth fusion warriors?!"
"What?! The leader's a fusion warrior?! If that's true, then her info on Lord Elias must be even more reliable!"
"But the newcomer seems to be with the Fire Moth too… So which one of them is right? Honestly, I don't really care whether it's fox ears or elf ears…"
The Eli Gate followers were left utterly speechless.
Watching the two women battle atop the stage, framed by the massive portrait of Elias behind them, they felt as though they were witnessing a divine miracle—a holy war of pure faith.
To them, one thing was clear: whoever won would be the righteous one. Whoever won would possess the purest faith.
"Why… why did it turn into this…"
Elias had the sudden urge to squat down and cover his face.
(You two—stop fighting over my preferences! Whether it's fox ears or elf ears, I like both, alright?!)
Logically, he should've stepped in to help Sakura, but the moment he recognized the Eli Gate leader's movements, he froze—because he now knew who she was. And with that realization, he couldn't take anyone's side.
The two women on stage displayed astonishing strength, their clash far surpassing anything from a mere action movie. Still, there was a noticeable gap between their power levels.
Aside from her speed, Sakura was slightly outmatched. She at least had her trusted weapon—the Frozen Naraka—while the Eli Gate leader fought barehanded. Her mask, however, proved to be a hindrance during their intense exchange, sometimes slipping and blocking her vision.
"Opportunity—fleeting as ever!"
"W-wait, that fighting style… and that Frozen Naraka—you must be Sakura, right?! It's me, Ely!"
"…You think I didn't recognize you?"
Sakura's voice was low but firm. Of course she'd recognized her opponent—it was one of her comrades. And once she did… she started hitting harder.
"Sakura, you—!"
"Elysia, you're dead!"
Sakura's icy blade sliced through the leader's hood. As the fabric tore away, the truth was revealed. The leader—Elysia—reacted swiftly, pink crystalline flowers blooming around her, forming a shield to block Sakura's next strike.
"Sakura, you're so mean! But fine, you caught me. Still, it's okay—as long as you don't catch me, everything's fine!"
"You're not escaping this time, Elysia."
"Oh really? Sure, you're faster than me, Sakura, but even during training, you've never beaten me. Even unarmed, I can still outmaneuver you. You're not stopping me today."
Elysia spoke confidently.
In her mind, she'd already made plans—once she managed to slip away from Sakura, she'd go find Mei and casually mention this little "church incident." If she handled it carefully, Mei might be too stunned to get angry right away. And most importantly, she'd have to find Elias fast—to explain herself before anyone else could.
But even thinking about it made her nervous. She knew full well that what she'd done was… a little over the line. Founding a religion to worship her boyfriend? Even she couldn't justify that easily.
Miss Pink Elf couldn't imagine what kind of expression Elias would make once he found out.
(Still, there's no turning back now! It's fine—I just have to use the art of language. If I explain it gently, Eli will definitely understand. I-I don't want him to think I'm some obsessed woman!)
Truly, the pink elf's strength was remarkable. Even while fighting Sakura's relentless attacks, she could still think all this through.
But Sakura smirked.
"You've misunderstood me, Elysia."
"What?"
"Elias… is already here."
"W-what?!"
Just those few words completely threw Elysia off balance. The pink-haired elf instantly lost focus on the battle, her head whipping toward the audience as she frantically searched for the white-haired young man.
And there he was—Elias, back in his true form, standing awkwardly in the crowd, giving her a small, sheepish wave.
"Hey, Ely… uh, I honestly don't even know what to say right now. Let's just go home, okay? You can explain everything slowly."
"E-Eli, it's not what you think! I can explain! I'll explain everything properly!"
"Mhm, mhm, I know. Let's just pretend I didn't see any of this… so, uh—please go easy on each other, both of you."