V3/Chapter 18: This is what our beautiful girls are like.
Ten minutes later, the short film ended, and the lights in the room came on again.
As a promotional video, it naturally couldn't be too long—ten minutes was the limit. But even so, the content was rich and shocking enough. Those grand scenes, taken from real events, were more than enough to make everyone feel the impact of the Honkai.
"How is it?"
Elysia asked expectantly. "Why isn't anyone talking?"
"I'm still a little dazed…"
Dystopia said, "It turns out that watching the battlefield from a distance is such a shocking thing. I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a little scared, hehe."
When she was on the battlefield, all Dystopia could see were the enemies in front of her and her comrades beside her. But it wasn't until an overhead shot pulled up from them and rose to the sky that she realized how insignificant she was in the Sea of Honkai Beast.
That feeling was really like a drop of water falling into the desert—vanishing in an instant, leaving almost no trace.
"There's a section about the Fourth Herrscher, right?"
Kosma also spoke up. "Why do I seem to see myself at that time? Did you already start filming footage back then? And why is there a close-up of me!?"
When the Fourth Herrscher stirred up a continent-spanning storm, Kosma hadn't yet joined the Fire Moths. At the time, he believed the disaster's culprit was hidden in the tornado's center, so he tried to leap into the storm with explosives, hoping to end it that way.
If Kevin hadn't arrived in time to save him and reveal the truth, there likely wouldn't be a MANTIS Kosma today.
Seeing his past recklessness filmed and showcased in a worldwide short film, even Kosma couldn't help but blush.
'I never agreed to this!'
"Oh, that was made using special effects based on your description and historical data."
Ai Yue said calmly. "How is it? Can you tell what's real and what's not?"
"All the special effects in this film were produced exclusively by me."
Prometheus' voice chimed in. "Everyone, don't be stingy with your praise. Shower me with as much as you want."
"Also, Kosma, your journey—from an ordinary person daring to face disaster, to joining the Fire Moths as a soldier against the Honkai Beasts, and finally becoming a MANTIS—is a crucial narrative thread."
Elysia added, "As propaganda for ordinary people, I'd say your part is even more important than Kevin's. After all, Kevin… is a bit beyond the norm."
"Huh?"
Kosma looked puzzled. "So there's a story about me? I thought the short film's protagonist was Kevin…"
"What's wrong with that?"
Dystopia grinned. "Even if it's special effects, it makes you look really cool!"
Kosma could only scratch his head before breaking into a smile.
"I think it's good."
Sakura, who had been silent and nearly overlooked, spoke softly from the corner. "Thank you."
Given Sakura's background, promoting her as a positive example was tricky—after all, she'd originally been an assassin sent to kill Dr. Mei, and even her chance to become a MANTIS came from that.
But the short film rewrote this, portraying her as a warrior who escaped a Honkai-ravaged homeland with her sister and took up arms to prevent others from suffering the same fate. That was what Sakura was thanking them for.
"Why so polite? We're friends, aren't we?"
Elysia shook her head. "Sakura, you should be more lively. Stop sitting in the corner."
Sakura gave a slight nod but didn't move.
"Why so quiet, you two?"
Ai Yue turned to Kevin and Dr. Mei. "If you have any thoughts, now's the time. We might still make adjustments."
"I think it's good."
Dr. Mei nodded. "But I can't say much more. This isn't my area of expertise."
Dr. Mei was a traditional bookworm whose hobbies revolved around reading. She had little exposure to entertainment like films, so she didn't know what feedback to give.
She only knew that Kevin in the short film looked incredibly dashing—and that was enough.
"I don't have any objections."
Kevin finally spoke, sounding relieved. "The MANTISes only take up a small part, which is good. I thought…"
"What did you think? That I'd fill it with close-ups of your face from every angle?"
Elysia teased. "Kevin, you must've imagined that, right?"
"It's your fault for saying things like, 'Are you ready to be the protagonist?'"
Kevin gave her a helpless look. "Luckily, the focus stayed on ordinary people. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked as well."
Though the first generation of MANTISes appeared in the short film, most scenes centered on civilians—their fear and confusion facing Honkai Beasts, the determination and sacrifice of ordinary soldiers, Fire Moth troops countering monsters with tactics and specialized gear, and elite warriors risking their lives to defeat a terrifying Herrscher…
Elysia used contrasting imagery to weave together the brutality of Honkai, humanity's defiance, and civilization's fightback, all set to a perfectly matched soundtrack. The result was exactly what she wanted to convey.
"This is a war between humanity and Honkai. Of course, everyone is the protagonist."
Hearing Kevin's words, Elysia smiled. "Every single person is indispensable. Every one!"
That was the message she wanted to deliver.
"Come to think of it, the singer in the background music sounds familiar."
Dystopia frowned in thought, then asked, "Could it be Eden?"
"Of course, she also composed the music herself."
Elysia said proudly. "Though the film is short, this is undoubtedly a big production!"
With a super AI handling special effects, the world's top singer providing the soundtrack, and her own contributions…
"Actually, there's still an issue."
Kevin suddenly spoke up. "Elysia, you used too many special effects in your scenes. It looks a bit exaggerated."
"Oh, no, that's not it!"
Elysia's eyes widened as she defended herself. "That's just how a beautiful girl like me shines on stage!"
"It does seem a little…"
Kosma, standing nearby, chimed in. "Is the filter too pink?"
"Seems like everyone still has taste."
Ai Yue nodded in agreement. "So we'll use a different version for the official release."
"Hey, why is this happening?!"
(TL: Hi everyone~ If you want to read advanced chapters, feel free to check out my Patreon!
Link : patreon.com/Elysia_Husband
Here's what's currently available:
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Honkai Impact: Regret for Life Simulator! – 41 chapters (Free!))