"Gray Serpent really is sharp."
"Still... isn't mobilizing this many people a bit excessive? I only wanted to take Cecilia out for a walk. Though... I guess it has already developed into a full-blown date."
Watching Cecilia happily cradle her bouquet, Elias muttered to himself.
Everything had gone far too smoothly. So smoothly that it felt unnatural. And with Elias' counter-surveillance ability, it didn't take long for him to realize someone was playing wingman for him behind the scenes.
In fact, the moment he activated the Authority of the Herrscher of Wind, the thousand winds automatically conveyed everything happening throughout the town to him. When it came to reconnaissance, no one could surpass a wind Herrscher capable of turning the breeze into ears and eyes.
(Mm. As expected of World Serpent's outstanding and loyal veteran employee. I'll give Gray Serpent a raise later.)
Elias felt quite pleased.
Although Gray Serpent had gone a little overboard, he certainly didn't mind having someone assist him. And truthfully, he was enjoying himself. After all, several hundred people were bustling about to support their date.
Elias couldn't help but think this was the smoothest date he had ever experienced in his life. It almost felt as if the entire world revolved around him and Cecilia.
"The flowers smell wonderful. That old lady was so kind."
Cecilia held a bouquet in her arms. At the flower shop, an elderly woman—who also happened to be a World Serpent member—had gifted them to her under the pretense that Cecilia resembled her granddaughter.
The blooming Casa Blanca lilies stood in proud elegance, like a pure and immaculate saintess among flowers. They were strikingly similar to Elias' Lilium Sanguineum.
He picked up one and brought it to his nose, inhaling its fragrance.
"Cecilia, do you know what flower this is?"
"Hm? I'm not sure."
Cecilia shook her head in confusion.
Beyond combat, she was unfamiliar with many aspects of everyday life. Rare flowers like Casa Blanca lilies were even less within her knowledge.
Elias gently tucked the white blossom into her hair, adding a touch of sacred beauty to the innocent girl.
"It's called Casa Blanca. Also known as the White Oriental Lily. Its flower language is eternity, nobility, and undying love. It's one of my favorites. And here's a little secret—in a certain special world, it's also called... the Cecilia Flower."
"Eh? The Cecilia Flower? That name..."
Her lips parted slightly in surprise.
"That's right. Same as you. Quite the coincidence, isn't it?"
Elias chuckled softly. In a certain world called Teyvat, the flower truly bore that name.
Back in his previous life, he had even compared images of Casa Blanca lilies and Cecilia Flowers for a long time, confirming they looked identical.
Cecilia gently touched the white flower in her hair, finding herself liking it even more than before.
At the same time, she felt a quiet happiness.
Although they hadn't known each other long, she had already learned many new things from Elias.
Still, the phrase "undying love" made her feel shy. She was, after all, still a pure girl who had never even experienced her first love.
(That kind of meaning feels so far away from me.)
Yet her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the boy beside her.
Afterward, the two of them took a car to their next destination.
"Alright. Now it's time for the main course," Elias announced.
"This place is—!"
Cecilia's eyes widened.
Cheerful music, fireworks bursting in the daylight, constant laughter, and a giant yellow rabbit mascot—before her stood an amusement park that looked like the entrance to a dream world.
"Back when I traveled the world with my companion, if the city we stopped in had an amusement park, it was a must-visit. And if I'm not mistaken..."
Elias held Cecilia's hand.
The moment they stepped into the Homu Amusement Park, celebratory cannons fired once again, and colorful streamers rained down upon them.
"Congratulations to our two guests for becoming this park's commemorative one-millionth visitors! You may enjoy all attractions and services free of charge, with no waiting in line!"
"Mm. I knew it."
Elias wasn't surprised in the slightest. He discreetly gave a thumbs-up in the direction where Gray Serpent was likely lurking, then led an eager Cecilia inside.
However, something unexpected happened.
Elias realized he wasn't particularly happy.
In fact, he felt almost nothing at all.
(That's strange. When I came here with Ely or Kiana before, I had a blast. These rides are basically the same in any amusement park. Why do I find them so dull this time?)
It wasn't just Elias.
After trying a few attractions, Cecilia's expression also became subtly complicated.
"Cecilia, feeling bored?"
"N-No, that's not it. It's very fun."
"Alright, alright. You're not very good at lying. Your face gives you away. For an S-rank Valkyrie, roller coasters and drop towers are pretty slow, aren't they?"
"...Well, maybe a little."
Cecilia laughed awkwardly.
Her daily training was far more intense than any roller coaster. Elias patted her shoulder in understanding. Some of the rides weren't even as fast as the two of them could run.
The two of them sat calmly on the rides without the slightest reaction, which made the other passengers feel embarrassed about screaming.
The haunted house, however, proved effective against Cecilia.
In the pitch-black interior, a staff member suddenly leapt out from behind them wearing a blood-smeared zombie mask.
Cecilia was startled.
And then...
The staff member nearly died.
An S-rank Valkyrie's full-powered punch unleashed in panic—if Elias hadn't blocked it in time, the employee playing zombie might have turned into an actual corpse.
Still, Elias was secretly pleased.
Because the frightened Cecilia had thrown herself straight into his arms.
By the end, her legs had gone weak, and she couldn't even walk. Elias had to carry her out on his back.
"I'm sorry. I caused trouble for you again, Elias," Cecilia said apologetically.
Although she had fought many Honkai Beasts in Schicksal's virtual training space, those creatures honestly weren't that scary. At the very least, they were nowhere near as frightening as a haunted house specifically designed to terrify people.
"It's fine. For me, that was a fortunate event."
Elias waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind at all. However, since Cecilia had been genuinely shaken, the two of them decided to sit down for a while and let her recover.
Watching the couples walking hand in hand throughout the amusement park, Elias gradually understood why he had felt bored.
An amusement park had long since become a dull place to him. After visiting so many times, he was honestly tired of it.
The reason he had always found it fun in the past was simply because the girls he cared about had been by his side.
With Elysia, Kiana, Raiden Mei, Bronya, and the others accompanying him, even rides that should have felt repetitive and tiresome became enjoyable every single time.
Because what they played never truly mattered.
What truly mattered was the happiness of spending time together with someone he loved.
The reason he didn't feel that same spark with Cecilia was simple—his affection for her hadn't yet reached that level. He liked her, certainly. But love? Not quite.
The same was true for Cecilia.
She was deeply grateful to Elias and indeed filled with fondness for him, yet their relationship hadn't crossed that final threshold.
Although... on her side, the distance was no longer very far.
"Oh, I just thought of something you'd like," Elias suddenly said.
"Eh? Something I'd like?"
Cecilia blinked in surprise.
She herself wasn't even sure what she liked. In the past, her only wish had been to see the outside world.
And today, that wish had already been fulfilled—far beyond her expectations. She had been pulled along by the white-haired boy before her, experiencing one new and exciting thing after another.
So enjoyable that her smile simply wouldn't fade.
Before she realized it, new expectations had taken root in her heart.
She wanted Elias to keep pulling her along to even more places.
...
Soon, the two of them arrived at the arcade inside the amusement park.
A faint smile curved Elias' lips. The thrilling amusement rides were too mild for them, but competitive games could still spark genuine excitement.
And Cecilia was, in fact, a gaming prodigy.
In the original storyline, the first time she touched a video game, she had utterly crushed a certain white-haired Kaslana. Even Otto's record in "Kallen Fantasy" had once been completely overwhelmed by her.
In the end, unable to win no matter how he tried, that shameless Otto had resorted to banning her account.
(Otto, you sore loser. No skill at all!)
In short, Cecilia's gaming talent might even surpass Bronya's.
And the facts quickly proved it.
"These are so fun!"
Bang!
Watching Cecilia pick up a shooting game for the first time and immediately land perfect headshots for a full score, Elias let out a whistle in appreciation.
Not to be outdone, he soon matched her score. After all, he was a veteran gamer himself.
Even Bronya had once conceded defeat to him, and he had broken Otto's mentality more than once in "Kallen Fantasy."
"Cecilia, how about we compete?"
"Sure! I won't lose!"
"I like the spirit. In that case, how about we add a wager? Today's thrills have been a bit lacking. A little stake might make things more exciting."
Elias spun the plastic game pistol around his finger before gripping it again.
"I don't think gambling is very good... but as long as it's not an excessive condition, it should be fine," Cecilia said, clearly eager. "What did you have in mind?"
"Simple. If I lose, I'll agree to one reasonable request from you. And if you lose, you'll agree to one reasonable request from me. Deal?"
"...Mm! I agree."
After a brief hesitation, Cecilia nodded.
"Oh? You hesitated less than I expected. Do you actually have something you want me to do?" Elias asked with mild surprise.
"Yes. I'll tell you after I win."
Cecilia smiled.
She truly did have something in mind—she wanted to see the face behind Elias' mask.
To her now, the white-haired boy's appearance was the greatest unsolved mystery in the world.
"Heh. Perfect. I also have something I'd like you to do."
Elias cocked the toy gun, and the two of them stood side by side, aiming at the game screen before them.
A masked young man with an extraordinary aura and a saintly girl of breathtaking beauty—such a pair quickly drew a crowd.
And the onlookers were soon left stunned.
Their skill was so overwhelming that people initially thought world champions had arrived.
That idea was quickly dismissed.
Because even world champions weren't this outrageous.
The shooting machine's endless mode allowed each player five missed targets. However, the longer one lasted, the faster and more numerous the enemies became.
For ordinary players, lasting ten minutes was already impressive. Even world champions could manage at most thirty minutes. Human reflexes and stamina had limits.
But Elias and Cecilia were different.
One was a Planet-class MANTIS.
The other was an S-rank Valkyrie.
Their dynamic vision and stamina far exceeded normal human limits.
After more than an hour, neither of them had missed a single shot.
"This is insane! Who are they?!"
"The screen's so fast I can't even see the enemies anymore! How are they not missing?!"
"And their stamina... it feels like they could go on forever!"
"I bet on the beautiful lady! Because I'm a guy—haha! Go, miss!"
Hearing that last comment, Elias rolled his eyes. He pointed at Cecilia, then at himself.
"Anyone looking to flirt can leave. She's with me today."
"!!!"
The moment he said that, Cecilia faltered.
At their current speed, a single mistake meant everything.
Five targets flashed past in an instant.
She lost.
"Elias... what you just said... that was too sly."
"Hey, I don't care. A win's a win."
Elias blinked before breaking into a satisfied grin. Unlike Cecilia, who embarrassed easily, he had the advantage of a mask—and considerably thicker skin.
"According to our wager, you owe me one request, Cecilia."