Honkai Impact: Become Their Hero

Chapter 508: Eromanga Master, Griseo

(That look is going to be a bit troublesome.)

Elias narrowed his eyes slightly as he thought.

At this moment, the way Alexandra was looking at him burned as if it might ignite at any second. In truth, Elias had already seen that kind of gaze thousands upon thousands of times before.

[Want to do something for Elias.] [Want to repay Elias with everything.] [Will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life.] Such impulses were clearly contained within Alexandra’s eyes.

Back in the Previous Era, millions upon millions of people had looked at Elias with that same expression.

After all, he had saved far too many.

Unfortunately, Elias was not good at handling situations like this.

(In the past, whenever I ran into people like this, I just left it to Ely to deal with it. Ah~ I really miss Ely.)

As the number one social terrorist of the Previous Era, Elysia had always been able to smoothly handle those fanatical believers for Elias.

(Ah~ since Ely isn’t here, I’ll have to think of something myself. What did she usually say in situations like this?)

After pondering for a moment, Elias imitated someone’s "flower-like radiant smile" and spoke to the duck mom.

"There’s no need to stubbornly do anything for me. I didn’t save you and Bronya for the sake of repayment. If you truly feel uneasy about it, then... for your own sake, for everyone who loves you, and for me as well—please strive to live happily from now on."

"!!!"

Alexandra felt as though her heart had been struck fiercely by a massive hammer. Elias himself had no idea just how lethal those words were.

With his looks, his temperament, and his personal charm, once those words left his mouth, countless people would surely clutch their chests and cry out that their hearts had been stolen.

"Alright, it’s getting late. Bronya is still waiting for us in the dormitory. Let’s go."

"Y-yes..."

Alexandra nodded instinctively. At this point, her consciousness had already drifted somewhere far away.

...

Inside the Valkyrie dormitory.

"Bronya, it’s rare to see you still awake at this hour. What’s going on today?" Himeko asked in confusion.

Compared to a certain paramecium, Bronya was undoubtedly the disciplined and well-behaved type. Normally, she would already have returned to her room to rest at this time. And yet...

Bronya was crouched at the dorm entrance like a loyal puppy waiting for its master to come home, clutching a Homu doll. Without needing to guess, everyone knew she was waiting for Elias.

"Elias said he has another surprise for Bronya. Therefore, until Bronya receives that surprise, Bronya will not rest tonight. Teacher Himeko need not worry. Bronya once experienced continuous combat for fifty hours."

With an expressionless face, Bronya raised her thumb.

And unlike in the past, when she waited for assassination targets to appear, this time she was waiting for a surprise from the person she liked.

Just thinking about it filled Bronya with anticipation. She felt that no matter how long it took, she could wait!

"..." xN

Himeko and the others immediately revealed envious expressions.

Today, this duck had truly hit the jackpot. A certain Immortal Phoenix was currently gazing up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle, her face full of doubt about life as she pondered why fate was so unfair.

Fu Hua: (I finally thought I was going to win once, yet in the end I still lost this thoroughly... I’m tired. Let it all end.)

Kiana: "If Bronya isn’t sleeping, then I won’t sleep either! I’ll wait for Elias too!"

Pardofelis: "I’m Boss Elias’ pet. Since I’m a pet, isn’t it normal to squat at the door waiting for my master to come back?"

Everyone: "..." xN

A few minutes later.

Elias opened a portal and returned to St. Freya Academy with Alexandra. After the two arrived at the Valkyrie dorm entrance—

"Don’t be nervous, Alexandra. Take a few deep breaths. You look like you’re about to have a heart attack."

"Mm, mm! I’m not nervous, but I’m about to reunite with my Bronya. Should I prepare a little more...?"

"Tsk! Stop dawdling. Better to get it over with!"

"???"

Alexandra widened her eyes, thinking that the wording might not be entirely appropriate. Although she subconsciously wanted to run away, in the next second Elias grabbed her small hand and pulled her back.

However, the moment Elias pulled Alexandra and opened the door, it wasn’t her heart that nearly failed—it was his. He sucked in a sharp breath at the sight before him.

"Whoa, what the hell!!"

At the entranceway of the dormitory, Bronya, Kiana, Pardofelis, Mei, Sirin, Griseo, Prometheus, Mobius and many others were stacked together like a human pyramid.

The small entryway of their dorm simply could not accommodate so many people. The walls on both sides looked as though they were about to crack.

"...I must have opened the door wrong!"

Elias’ eye twitched violently as he decisively shut the door and opened it again.

If it had only been one or two people squatting at the door waiting for him, that would indeed have been a touching surprise. But dozens of people? That had crossed the line—it was downright frightening!

It wasn’t just Elias. That explosive opening scene also startled Alexandra beside him. Only after several more minutes did the two finally manage to enter the house and recover from the shock.

The girls also noticed Alexandra.

"Huh? This big sister looks so much like Bronya!"

"She really does. And... her figure seems even bigger."

"Is this the surprise Elias mentioned? So Bronya actually has a long-lost older sister!"

"Um... are we sure she won’t become a rival in the future?"

Kiana and the others stared in astonishment at Alexandra, who looked extremely similar to the grown-up duck version of Bronya but more mature.

One by one, they felt as though they were facing a formidable enemy. One duck was already hard enough to deal with—and now another had appeared!

However, unlike the others, Bronya froze the instant she saw Alexandra.

When their gazes met, the same bloodline automatically built an invisible bridge between them. An indescribable sense of closeness made Bronya’s heart race uncontrollably.

The next second, crystalline tears overflowed from Bronya’s eyes. She hesitated slightly, but in the end followed her instinct and called out softly.

"M-mom..."

"It’s me... Bronya... it’s me! I’m Mom... I’ve finally, finally found you!"

Alexandra wept with overwhelming joy.

"!!!" xN

Under everyone’s astonished gaze, Bronya and Alexandra rushed toward one another and embraced tightly.

In an instant, the lively dormitory fell silent. Everyone unconsciously quieted down, leaving only the emotional sobs of a mother and daughter finally reunited after years of separation.

Elias silently walked over to the piano. Exchanging a knowing glance with Eden, the two began playing Emberfire together. The beautiful and moving melody elevated the reunion to something even more unforgettable.

"Bronya, let Mom get a good look at you, my child. I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you back then."

Faced with Alexandra’s self-reproach and remorse, Bronya shook her head vigorously. This sudden reunion moved her so deeply that she no longer knew what to say.

She had imagined their reunion countless times in the past.

She had even once harbored resentment in her heart, wondering why her mother had failed to protect her.

But now that the woman stood before her, Bronya found that she could not utter a single word. All she wanted was to hold this person tightly and never let her leave again.

"Bronya, if possible, I hope you won’t blame Alexandra. What happened back then was an unfortunate accident. And without a doubt, your mother is a great mother. She has always loved you deeply," Elias said.

Although this was a matter between mother and daughter, as the one who had saved their lives multiple times—and as Bronya’s former "Papa"—Elias certainly had the right to speak.

As he spoke, he activated the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience, linking their consciousness together. In the next moment, Bronya saw the memories of Alexandra tirelessly searching for her year after year.

In an instant, the duck froze.

Watching Alexandra in those memories stubbornly and clumsily searching the world for her day after day, Bronya felt as though the softest part of her heart had been stabbed fiercely.

"I don’t blame you, Mom. Bronya doesn’t blame Mom! You’ve already done so much for Bronya. From now on, we will never be separated again. Bronya will always protect you!"

"!!!"

Alexandra trembled all over as tears poured down endlessly. Those were words she should have been the one to say.

Her daughter had truly grown up. For a moment, joy, emotion, fulfillment, and heartache filled her entire heart.

The others present silently offered their blessings to the reunited mother and daughter. Many of them felt a trace of envy as well. After all, Mei, Fu Hua, Aponia, Himeko and others had also lost their loved ones.

"Tonight, your time belongs to each other. Good night, Bronya. Good night, Alexandra. Sweet dreams."

The one who envied them most offered the most sincere blessing. Elias gazed at the tightly embracing mother and daughter, suppressing the longing in his heart. Then he grabbed the nearest Fu Hua and headed toward his bedroom.

He felt that he wouldn’t be able to sleep alone tonight.

Fu Hua: "!!!"

Elias: "Hm? Sorry, wrong person."

Fu Hua: "...I-it’s fine."

...

The next day.

Sitting on Elias’ lap was Griseo in her loli form. At the moment, the girl held a paintbrush in her hand and was painting on his white wings.

After fifty thousand years of growth, Griseo’s paintings—like Eden’s singing—had long become treasures of civilization. Any random piece of hers released to the world would cause an earthquake in the art community.

And only a Daughter of Painting like her was qualified to paint upon the wings of Elias, the Savior.

"As expected, Griseo’s paintings are the best. I’ve decided—I’m never washing my wings again!"

"It’s fine even if you wash them. Griseo loves painting on Big Brother Elias’ wings the most, so no matter how many times, Griseo is willing to paint again."

"Mm~ My Griseo is so good. You’re truly my angel! Go ahead and use my pigments as much as you like. Actually, why don’t you just use my [everything] to paint instead?"

Elias rubbed his cheek against the little girl’s soft face, feeling completely healed.

Griseo blinked and swallowed lightly. Although it sounded extremely tempting, she still decisively shook her head in refusal.

Using Elias’ [everything] as paint would be equivalent to turning him into a painting.

If she truly did that, Griseo had a premonition it would become the greatest masterpiece of her life. After all, a painting created with [Eternity] and [Deliverance] as pigments would undoubtedly stand at the pinnacle of art even after hundreds of millions of years.

But...

"Absolutely not! If I did that, it would be the same as killing Big Brother Elias. If Big Brother says something like that again, then Griseo will... ignore you for three whole minutes."

Griseo said seriously—a rare expression for her—though her puffed cheeks only made her look even cuter.

"Ah—if Griseo ignores me for three minutes, wouldn’t that basically be a death sentence? I’m sorry. Big Brother won’t say things like that again. Please forgive me, dear Griseo."

"Mm~ Big Brother must cherish yourself properly."

The girl of stars nodded in satisfaction. She wrapped her arms around the white-haired boy’s neck and gave Elias a head pat in return.

Elias felt completely overwhelmed by cuteness and couldn’t help wondering whether his Griseo had grown up feeding on nothing but adorableness.

"By the way, why does Big Brother’s color today contain so much... Mother Aponia’s color?" Griseo tilted her head and asked.

"Cough, cough! Well, that’s because..."

Elias immediately felt guilty. Subconsciously, he glanced toward his bedroom. Last night he had accidentally gone a little too far, resulting in Aponia still being unable to get out of bed.

"It seems Big Brother had a very happy time playing with Mother Aponia last night?" Griseo narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Ah—mm, i-it was... alright..."

Elias awkwardly turned his head away—only to meet the resentful gaze of the Immortal Phoenix not far away.

Fu Hua raised her hand to her chest. The completely flat, barren landscape beneath her palm darkened her expression. Then an image surfaced in her mind of a certain nun famed for having the most generous bosom in the world.

Those I-cup slimes—forever beyond the reach of the flat immortal—caused Fu Hua’s face to turn as dark as the bottom of a pot. She muttered words that sounded like whispers from the abyss.

This person was already completely self-isolating and on the verge of blackening.

"Was it only ’alright’ with Mother Aponia? Then tonight, Griseo will play with Big Brother instead."

"Uh... the sentence seems to have gotten even heavier now..."

"It’s fine. Griseo is already fifty thousand years old."

As she spoke, the Daughter of Painting took out a candy-like pill from her pocket and swallowed it. In the next second, she transformed from a flat little loli into a stunningly well-figured young beauty.

At that moment, poor Fu Hua lost all her color...

"...Alright."

Elias nodded blankly. What else could he possibly say? Looking at Griseo—cute and mature at once—he felt that after fifty thousand years, her level had long surpassed his.

But that was only natural.

Since reuniting in the Current Era, this girl of stars had hidden herself extremely well, causing Elias to forget something important...

Griseo was an Eromanga Master.