After dinner, Mobius excused herself first—she still had experiments to run. Vil-V, on the other hand, wanted to tag along with Silas and the others, but her damned observation period still wasn't over. The time she was allowed outside was nearly up, so she had no choice but to give up.
Once Mobius and Vil-V had left, Hua also stood and said her farewells. Silas tried to persuade her otherwise.
"Hua, why don't you come along with us too?"
"No need. I'm used to this," Hua said softly. "Being on my own isn't a problem. It even gives me more time to temper my sword-heart."
Silas: "..."
Well… there's nothing wrong with Hua's way of thinking. But compared to her, he almost felt ashamed. Hua seemed even more diligent than he was—even though he always told himself his only purpose left was to fight against Honkai. For some reason, it gave him the strange feeling that he was trying to drag a model student down into slacking off.
He couldn't let Hua keep seeing herself as some invisible nobody. But still… bringing Hua along just to play games together felt oddly embarrassing.
…Looks like tomorrow's training load would have to be increased.
Dystopia tilted her head in confusion. "Sword-heart? What's that? Some kind of Shenzhou secret martial art?"
Silas turned to explain: "You could say that. I've been learning it from Hua recently."
"Whoa, that sounds so cool! Can I learn it too?" Dystopia asked—though she also stole a glance at Kosma.
(Sword-heart? Could it be the result of that 'SWARA' experiment Hua once did with Mei? If I recall, it helps ordinary people increase their capacity to bear and use Honkai energy… basically a variant of the MANTIS project. If I start practicing now, maybe the side effects of fusing Vishnu later will be lighter…)
With that thought, Kosma spoke up: "...Let me join as well."
Naturally, Hua didn't refuse. She had assumed the others wouldn't be interested. After all, in the future Kosma's strength far surpassed hers—he wouldn't really need Blade Mantra.
As for Dystopia… Hua's gaze shifted to Silas. He gave a small nod.
If it was just Dystopia alone, it shouldn't cause problems. As long as Blade Mantra wasn't spread on a large scale, the higher-ups wouldn't notice—and that would save them from a world of trouble.
"Then tomorrow, you two can come learn with us. For now, I'll be heading off." Hua prepared to leave.
That's when Elysia spoke up:
"Oh, Hua, you're always so serious. Relax a little, smile more, okay?"
Silas turned to look at her. Those words… he'd heard them before. Back then, right after his surgery, he had gone with Kevin to Australia to face the Seventh Herrscher. Kevin killed the Herrscher, while Silas took down its companion beast, Surya. Kevin had fallen into silence, shaken by the Herrscher's final smile, while Silas endured hellish pain, unable to sleep at night. To help Kevin recover, Elysia had organized a special birthday party for him. It was at that time that she personally handed Silas an invitation—telling him, as she saw him with that stiff expression, that he should smile more too.
Elysia now pressed her fingers against the corners of her mouth and gently pushed them upward, making a smile gesture toward Hua. Hua blinked, then said, "Thank you for the advice, Elysia. I… will try."
"Oh, and don't forget—balance is important too~" Elysia added with her signature smile. "Don't shoulder everything alone all the time. You need to relax with everyone now and then. We're comrades, aren't we?"
Silas: "..."
She wasn't even talking to him, yet why did it feel like Elysia was subtly poking at him too?
Her smile softened, her tone turning more serious. "Besides, defeating the Honkai isn't something you can achieve just by working hard all on your own, right? And remember—we still have plenty of time. If you keep pushing yourself too hard, it won't necessarily be a good thing. What really matters is paying attention to the people around you, cherishing every day with those important to you. Isn't that the most important thing of all?"
Silas: "..."
Confirmed. Elysia was absolutely lecturing him through Hua.
"But… the things I know are limited," Hua hesitated. "Most of what you talk about, I don't understand."
"You can always learn~" Elysia reached out her hand. "Think of it as granting me a little request. Will you, Hua?"
Hua thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright… as long as it doesn't cause trouble for everyone."
What Elysia said wasn't wrong. In theory, occasional relaxation was necessary. But since her own interests were nearly nonexistent, she had no idea how to relax like normal people did. If anything, training in martial arts might count as relaxation. Meditation too, perhaps?
…Was her way of relaxing different from everyone else's?
"It's fine, we won't see it as trouble." Sakura suddenly spoke up. If there were more people around, Elysia and Silas would have fewer chances to be alone together, right?
Strange. At first she agreed to Elysia's suggestion because she feared being alone with Silas. But now…
Was this what they called "liking" someone?
Sakura then looked at Pardo and the others. "If you're all willing to come as well, I won't mind."
"Thanks, Sakura-nee!" Pardo said cheerfully—she had been fretting over how to bring it up anyway.
Dystopia glanced at Kosma. After a brief silence, Kosma spoke: "…Count me in. And Dystopia as well."
Silas raised his brows. Well, well. Kosma finally came around? Truly worth celebrating. Now, as long as Dystopia doesn't—
"I didn't—" Dystopia blurted reflexively.
At that instant, Silas, Elysia, and Pardo all wore complicated expressions. Sakura was already lifting her hand, ready to cover her face.
The moment the words left her mouth, Dystopia realized her mistake. It had taken Kosma so much courage just to speak up. If she undercut him here, it wouldn't just backfire—it would be like deliberately drawing a great rift between them.
So she quickly changed course. "I didn't say I wasn't going. Let's just say… thanks for speaking up on my behalf, Kosma."
Everyone exhaled in relief. Crisis averted… barely.
Kosma didn't notice the others' subtle reactions. His attention was fixed solely on Dystopia. He had even prepared retorts in his head, just in case she tried to put him on the spot again—because he had no intention of being endlessly teased by his senior. After all, if you counted actual age, he was older than her.
But since Dystopia had taken a step back, he let it go. Perhaps this was a small beginning—a chance for them to start rebuilding communication.
The group made their way to the family district of MOTH HQ, eventually stopping at Sakura and Rin's front door.
"There's not much at home… Elysia, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Sakura said.
"Oh, come on, Sakura~ You think I'd care about something like that?" Elysia shrugged. "If anything, I'll just bring some cute decorations for you next time!"
Silas glanced around, his thoughts turning. Sakura really had it rough—training with them every day, while also taking Rin to school in the morning and picking her up at night.
The training grounds were quite a distance from the family district, deliberately so. After all, secrecy was essential. That was why they usually traveled there by bus.
Stepping into Sakura and Rin's home, Silas found it much as he remembered from his previous life: plain, yet warm.
Speaking of "plain," the first people who came to mind were Eden and Naamah—two who couldn't be further from that word.
Eden, of course, needed no explanation. A world-renowned artist, fabulously wealthy, the bearer of the [Gold] Sigil.
As for Naamah… he and Eden were acquainted. Before the flames of the Seventh Herrscher engulfed all of Australia, Naamah's family had been among the continent's most powerful and wealthy. He was a noble born with a golden spoon in his mouth.
It was Naamah who had invited Eden to perform at her last public concert in Australia.
If Eden radiated nobility and grace, Naamah exuded decadence and indulgence… with the occasional burst of sheer absurdity.
Though raised as a refined young noble, once he became one of the Thirteen Fallen Angels his behavior turned utterly unrecognizable. Silas could still recall the eye-searing sight of that pretty-boy noble stripping down to the waist, arm-wrestling and drinking with the musclebound Beelzebub.
Or else, after missions, going off to indulge himself with women wherever he could.
As Naamah himself once put it: "Life is short, so enjoy it while it lasts. Chasing lofty ideals is meaningless. What matters is seizing whatever's real, whatever you can touch, in the moment."
In plain terms, he was an extreme materialist.
Naamah would never fall in love with any woman. To him, women were nothing more than a means of pleasure. "Eat, drink, and be merry" was practically his creed—he was the scum of the scum.
And yet, within the squad, he behaved properly enough. In fact, he was quite reliable. As a top noble, he had received an education that most could never dream of. In terms of worldly knowledge and experience, even Lilith, who was also of noble birth, sometimes fell short compared to him.
When faced with the crushing dread of the Eleventh Herrscher's deathly aura, Naamah was the least concerned of them all. Life or death—it didn't matter to him. If he lived, he would enjoy himself. If he died, so be it. Either way, he had already savored all the pleasures he desired.
"I'm afraid I don't have much to offer. Please forgive me," Sakura said.
Silas snapped out of his thoughts and smiled. "It's fine. We're all friends here. You're being too polite."
With that, he pulled a set of game cartridges from his backpack. Ever since that vacation trip, he had been thinking—if he ever saw Rin again, he couldn't just ignore her. If he didn't bring games for her to play, she might hold a grudge against him for a long time.
He had chosen these games carefully—safe enough for kids, but still fun.
"Wow, so many games! Silas, are you a gamer too?" Elysia picked up a cartridge and looked at it. "Hmm… they're all all-ages games."
Silas glanced at Dystopia, who was studying another cartridge with Pardofelis, and said softly, "I was only mildly interested at first. But Mastema really liked playing games—she often dragged me along… little by little, I got used to it."
"Mastema, huh…" Elysia smiled faintly. "Another thing I never knew. Even though I've always been watching you, I'm realizing now how little I actually understand you. Still, it's fine. This time, we have plenty of time. We can start over—get to know each other all over again."
Silas stayed quiet. Mastema, a hardcore shut-in hacker who almost never left her room—seeing her at all was rare. From his memories, the only person among the Flame-Chasers who really interacted with her was Pardofelis.
"Yeah… this time, we have plenty of time." He answered softly.
Kosma, pretending to study a cartridge but actually eavesdropping to "pick up pointers," heard this and his expression grew even more complicated.
(Elysia says she doesn't know Silas well enough… but isn't it the same for me with Dystopia? The difference is, Silas and Elysia still have time. As for me and Dystopia…)
Silas looked at Rin, who was checking out a game cartridge with Sakura. Smiling, he crouched down and patted her head. "Do you like these games? They're all for you."
Rin beamed. "I love them!"
But Sakura frowned. "Silas, don't you think this is a bit…"
"Then you'd better finish your homework first," Silas said with a mischievous smile. "Otherwise, you'll just have to sit and watch us play~"
Rin's smile froze instantly.
Sakura and Elysia both twitched at the corners of their eyes. So… Silas could actually make that kind of face?
Sakura had never seen him wear such an expression before. This wickedly satisfied, teasing grin—there was just no way to connect it with the Silas she knew.
Elysia hadn't seen it either, but that smile stirred up a memory—back when Silas was still on her squad, he had once laughed just like this. Not a gentle smile, but hearty, unrestrained laughter.
Isn't that… a good thing?
Hua, who had been acting like a transparent bystander this whole time, also noticed that expression. She raised two fingers, imitating Elysia's gesture, and physically forced her lips into a smile.
"When… did I forget how to smile? When did I forget… how to laugh from the heart?" Hua asked herself quietly.
"Big Brother Silas, you're mean!" Rin stomped her feet, then sulked off to pull her workbook out of her little backpack.
Seeing her sister look so pitiful, Sakura felt bad and said, "Maybe… let her play for a bit first?"
"Don't worry, it's fine." Silas shrugged. "If she finishes her homework first, she can play without guilt, right?"
Sakura hesitated, then glanced at the stack of cartridges he'd brought. "Then… why don't I keep these games here? If Rin wants to play…"
"Then let her," Silas said simply. "Sakura, you need to have faith in her. Rin has strong self-control. You saw how she pouted when I teased her about doing homework first—but that's not the same as refusing. She's not unwilling."
Sakura fell silent. For some reason, at that moment, she felt like the girl in front of her wasn't her little sister anymore.