Chapter 81: Elysian Realm~

————[Event·About Twilight Street]————

Mei Raiden: I heard that many of the [Heroes] came from Twilight Street, and it seems that you once controlled that place... for a period of time?

Nozomi: Control? Ah, in the eyes of others, it is indeed so... No, it should be said that this is the fact.

Mei Raiden: Judging from your tone... it seems like there's something else going on?

Nozomi: No, not really. I do [control] Twilight Street, because only in this way can I change that place.

Nozomi: Since you know this, you should have also heard of the nickname of Twilight Street.

Raiden Mei: [Land of Chaos]... right? It seems that this is the name recognized by everyone, but later, it seems that there are other names, such as... [Garden of Eden]?

Mei Raiden: Judging from what we see now, the huge changes that have taken place in Twilight Street must be related to you.

Nozomi: I don't deny it, but…

Nozomi: ......

Raiden Mei: What's wrong?

Nozomi: Actually... that place cannot be called the Garden of Eden, because the real Garden of Eden will not be destroyed.

Nozomi: That is just a false... hope, a false hope provided by me to them.

Mei Raiden: 'He seems very sad...'

————[Event·About "Boss"]————

Mei Raiden: Come to think of it, Pardofelis, why do you call Nozomi... [Boss]?

Pardofelis: Well... Sister Mei, you know, when I was in Twilight Street, I was actually wandering around, and in order to survive, I had to learn some... uh... not-so-good skills.

Mei Raiden: Well, I understand that in order to survive in a difficult place like that, some necessary mistakes can be made.

Pardofelis: That's right, so I would often... steal some things. Although compared to other people, my [guilt] was very light, it was still wrong, and I knew it.

Pardofelis: And because I had to steal valuable things to exchange for money, and at that time, the only valuable things were those... gangs, so I offended a lot of people at that time...

Raiden Mei: ...Tell me about it, I'm a little curious.

Pardofelis: Ahahaha… almost… all… all, ahahaha…

Mei Raiden: You're pretty awesome.

Pardofelis: So at that time I came up with a method, which was that when I was trading and felt that I was being monitored, I would deliberately mutter a few words to myself, and deliberately add the title of "boss" in it, so that those who were paying attention to me would think that I was working for a big gang and that there was a very powerful person behind me taking care of me.

Pardofelis: This way they won't attack me directly, but will follow me to see who the [boss] behind me is... Then I can shake them off, and they won't be able to catch up with me.

Pardofelis: But later, the boss forcibly changed the rules of Twilight Street, and I couldn't continue my craft... In addition to some other reasons, I ran to the boss for help, and because of some accidents, the boss kept me and let me work for him.

Pardofelis: At that time, the boss was the most powerful person in the entire Twilight Street, and he was also labeled as the boss. I thought it would be a good opportunity for other curious people to understand who the "boss" I mentioned before was. In addition, the boss himself did not object, so I just used this title.

Pardofelis: Anyway, the leaders of other gangs didn't dare to ask the boss for confirmation, so I got away with it, haha…

Mei Raiden: I always feel like you omitted a lot of things.

Pardofelis: Mei, you don't have to worry so much. Come, take a look at my collection of [strange things]! For example, I don't quite understand this book. Mei, can you please understand it?

Raiden Mei: 'Hmm? This... isn't that the Bible Nozomi is holding? Why is there one here too?'

————[Event·About Nozomi]————

Aponia: Come here, Mei, I can feel your tiredness, please stay here... and take a short rest.

Aponia: Here, you can forget all your worries.

Mei Raiden: No need, and I came to you to ask you something.

Aponia: Is it about the priest? Ah... if that's the case, you can ask him yourself.

Mei Raiden: In comparison, I am more curious about what kind of person he is in your eyes.

Mei Raiden: You said you could see the [thread of fate], so... what is his [fate]?

Aponia: ...Mei, why are you curious about this?

Mei Raiden: I heard from others that you two have a very good relationship, and... you have a lot in common in the way you do things.

Aponia: ...No, it's not the same, Mei.

Aponia: Nothing I do can change [fate]. In fact... I have done too many wrong things in order to change the [fate] of others, so that their experiences have become even more horrible than before.

Aponia: But the priest is different. Everything he does will be responded to. He will change everything and lead everyone to that happy [ending].

Aponia: However, his path is full of pain and suspicion, and is much longer than that of others. The suffering he endures is unimaginable to us at this moment, but he will still persist and move firmly towards the light, bringing us to the [end].

Mei Raiden: ...But as of now, he doesn't seem to have changed anything.

Aponia: That's not the case, Mei. This is just one of the nodes of [fate], and... he has changed a lot of things.

Aponia: For example... you may not know that in the end, except for Sakura and Elysia who have already left, all the other [Flame Chasers] survived... Ah, of course, I may also need to be excluded.

Raiden Mei: ...What?!

Aponia: As for more truth, you need to explore it yourself... I think, after you have come into contact with all the [Flame Chasers], you will be able to vaguely realize what the priest did.

Mei Raiden: 'It seems that I need to find other people to understand what will happen next...'

————[Event·About "Him"]————

Mei Raiden: It seems that people always say that you are a person favored by God... Can you describe it?

Nozomi: I am not the only one favored by Him. You can go ask the nun... Of course, if you would rather know it from me, I will tell you as well.

Raiden Mei: Sister... Are you referring to Aponia? I will go find her later. Now I am more interested in how you describe God... After all, you seem to have really seen it.

Nozomi: [Him]... if you ask me to describe Him to you now, I can only tell you... [Him] loves people, but also does not love people.

Raiden Mei: ...?

Nozomi: He does not care about us. The faith we offer to Him is nothing but floating clouds to Him, and may even be less valuable than the clouds wandering in the sky.

Nozomi: [He] only occasionally lowers his gaze for the pious, the loyal, the brave... for all those who have beautiful emotions.

Nozomi: So rather than saying that [He] favors me... it is better to say that [He] favors all those who have beautiful emotions, and is willing to lower His gaze for them and give them strength.

Nozomi: For example, you, the visitor... it's the same for you.

Nozomi: Your strength is admired by [Him], and thus you gain strength, and your future path becomes brighter, so... please move forward with determination.

Mei Raiden: 'I still don't quite understand his thoughts… but let's just think of it as a blessing to myself'

————[Event·About "Fire"]————

Mei Raiden: Regarding the power you used... it doesn't seem to be obtained through the [Super Transformation Surgery]? Did you have the ability to cause burning pain and summon fire a long time ago?

Nozomi: This is just the power that [He] gave me... No, maybe it has something to do with me...

Nozomi: ...I'm sorry, I'm not sure about the answer to this question myself, so I can't give you an accurate answer.

Nozomi: But I did possess this ability very early on, and followed His will to change Twilight Street.

Nozomi: And regarding this power, I also discovered a more useful place in the end... Maybe this way of using it is what [He] really wants.

Raiden Mei: ...Can I know?

Nozomi: Of course, this is not something that needs to be hidden or kept secret.

Nozomi: I will melt all my vows into the "fire", let them burn, let them bloom like the brilliance of the stars... never extinguished, never dimmed, until I change this broken [end].

Nozomi: This is my duty, and it is something only I can do.

Raiden Mei: '…What is he talking about?'