In the end, thanks to the girls' tireless efforts—
The last embers still clinging to life were rekindled.
Only when the flame reignited did Bronya and the others finally breathe a sigh of relief.
It felt like as long as that fire remained burning, there was still hope. No matter what had happened, there was still a chance to fix it. No matter what they had lost, it could still be recovered.
But the girls also knew—
This fire was no longer what it used to be. Now, it could go out at any moment. Not just from being doused with water—even a strong gust of wind could extinguish it.
Ever since Elias left this space-time, the hearth flame once sustained by the Herrscher of Fire's power had become nothing more than an ordinary fire.
"..." xN
No words were needed. The girls all made a silent vow in their hearts: they would protect this fire at all costs. No matter the price, they would not allow it to go out—never!
At the same time, Bronya found a clue.
"Papa Elias' signal vanished two days ago. Using the last location data before it disappeared, I found where he went. Hm? It's this close? Wait... isn't that the place where Seele got lost last time?"
"Yeah. I remember Papa said there was a woman named Cocolia there who must never be approached."
"As much as I'd like to follow Papa Elias' advice, that's just not possible now. If he really went there, then that Cocolia must know where he is."
Bronya said as she examined the tracking data on her laptop.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Sin Mal grabbed her, ready to rush out the door.
"...Mm!"
Bronya nodded firmly. Normally, she wouldn't be so impulsive. But the fear of losing someone so important had shaken her composure.
So Bronya, Seele, and Sin Mal headed to the house's storage and retrieved the tactical gear prepared for emergencies. Once ready, they set out toward the Cocolia Research Institute.
The other girls wanted to go too, but they knew only these three had enough combat strength. Tagging along would only slow them down. Though reluctant, they stayed behind.
But there was still something they could do—
Protect the fire that no longer burned eternally.
Without the Herrscher of Fire's power to sustain it, keeping the fire going meant regularly adding fuel.
Bronya: "We're counting on you to take care of the house."
Seele: "We'll bring Papa back."
Sin Mal: "Let's move! I can't wait another second!"
When the three arrived at the Cocolia Lab, it didn't take much effort to break in.
Just two days ago, Elias had nearly wiped out Cocolia's Titan mech forces and guards. The place hadn't had time to recover its defenses.
With Dark Seele and the former Silver Wolf of the Urals, Bronya, in action, the remaining guards were no match for them.
Soon, they had Cocolia captured.
"She's weak. No way she could've taken on Papa Elias. Are you sure this is the right place, Bronya?"
"Yes, I'm sure. His signal vanished right here."
"Then let's just ask her. You're Cocolia, right? Spill everything you know!"
"...You really are that guy's daughters."
Dark Seele's scythe was pressed right to her neck.
Cocolia looked as if she'd just eaten a pile of garbage.
She was a newly appointed executive of Anti-Entropy—radical, militant—and just two days ago her base was wrecked single-handedly by Elias. Now she was getting beaten up again by that man's daughters.
Her dignity? Completely obliterated...
"Your father did come here two days ago," Cocolia said, "but, uh... I'm not exactly sure how to explain what happened. You should just watch the surveillance footage yourselves."
"Hm?" x3
Bronya took the tablet from her, puzzled.
Though they were confused by Cocolia's strange attitude, the three girls focused on the footage, drawn in by the possibility of finding a clue about Elias.
A few minutes later, as they saw the scene where Elias vanished inside the X-10 Experiment chamber—
They froze.
"Papa Elias... disappeared..."
"N-no, no! This can't be happening!"
"Impossible! This isn't real! Tell me it's fake! How could Father just disappear?!"
Their emotions instantly spiraled out of control.
A deep, indescribable despair flooded their hearts.
It felt like the sky was collapsing.
Dark Seele couldn't even hold her scythe—it fell to the ground as she trembled, her eyes locked onto the screen.
In the spiritual space, White Seele crumpled to the ground like a broken doll. Tears flowed from her eyes, unstoppable.
Sin Mal clutched her hair, screaming hysterically, unwilling to accept the truth.
Bronya, too, collapsed to her knees, pressing her hands to her chest. Never had she felt such sorrow—it was as though her heart was being torn in two. She could barely breathe.
Not even all the injuries she had suffered as a child soldier combined could compare to this pain.
"My condolences," Cocolia said with a conflicted expression. "Your father... the place he vanished into may have been the Quantum Space. That's a realm modern science can barely even touch."
"...How could this happen."
In that moment, Bronya understood.
The greatest pain in this world wasn't being shot, stabbed, or having your bones broken—
It was the simplest, most devastating phrase: never seeing him again.
Even in extreme pain, a strong will can survive. But the possibility of a final goodbye—of never meeting again—was enough to shatter even the strongest resolve.
Tears streamed down her face.
No matter how much she wiped, they wouldn't stop.
Even with the iron will forged through a tragic childhood, Bronya now wept no differently from any other girl.
Scenes of her time with Elias kept flashing through her mind.
The thought that she would never again see his smile, feel his warmth, or hear his voice—
Made the entire world feel gray.
Like everything had lost its meaning.
"Why... Why did Papa Elias have to disappear? Why did he do this?" Dark Seele sobbed uncontrollably, unable to even stand. White Seele's consciousness had already withdrawn, and she now clung tightly to a gift Elias had given her.
"..."
Cocolia had no idea what to say.
They knew nothing about fate. They couldn't possibly understand Elias' actions. But the dazed Bronya finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Because Papa wanted to save us."
"!!!"
Bronya didn't know about fate either—
But this was what Elias had told her before he left. That he had finally found a way to protect those he loved.
And thinking back to the last two days—the complete absence of intruders, the sudden stop in accidents...
Bronya didn't understand the logic behind it.
But one thing she was sure of:
Their peaceful days had returned—
Because of Elias.
(How foolish... I was even jealous back then. I thought Papa Elias wanted to save someone else. I didn't realize what he truly meant. I even wished he were talking about me... Bronya, you idiot!)
If she could go back in time, she would punch herself from two days ago.
If peace could only return at the cost of Elias' disappearance, then Bronya, Seele, and the others would rather face endless chaos and danger every single day.
"Idiot! Papa Elias is a big idiot!"
"Bronya doesn't want peace in exchange for your disappearance!"
"Please... come back..."
Tears streamed down Bronya's face.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled wish slip.
It was the one she had used before, to make Elias spend an entire day with her. Even though it had already been redeemed, Bronya had never thrown it away.
Because it was one of the treasures Elias had given her.
Clutching the slip tightly, she drifted into a mix of regret and fantasy.
If—if only she hadn't used it that day... If only she had saved it until now... maybe she could've used it to wish for Elias to return.
She believed it—
It would have worked.
Because Elias never lied to her.
If he made a promise, he would keep it.
He always spoiled them—sometimes more than he should. He cherished them far more than he cared for himself. Anything he promised, no matter how small, he would always make true.
"!!!"
Suddenly, Bronya's eyes widened.
Like grabbing onto a lifeline, she whispered—
"He'll keep his promise... He'll return, I'm sure of it! Papa Elias said he'd come back—he promised! Just one year. We only need to wait one year!"
Hearing that, Seele and Sin Mal froze—then nodded, like they too were clinging to that hope.
Yes, Elias never broke a promise.
He would never lie to them.
So...
Papa Elias will return!
It was a belief without logic, without proof, and without any guarantees—just a spoken promise. Outsiders would see it as a kind lie.
But to Bronya and the others, it was absolute. They believed in Elias more than they believed in themselves—more than in anything in the world.
"Now that you mention it, he did say he'd return in a year... But that's impossible. No one can return from the Quantum Realm on their own. Absolutely impossible."
Cocolia, recalling Elias' warning to her, muttered aloud.
Her words only strengthened the girls' resolve.
The three, having clawed their way back from despair, collapsed to the ground—weak, but filled with new determination.
Bronya wiped her tears hard with her sleeve. She had to hold on. She had to wait.
As long as she stayed home—
As long as she waited one year—
He would return to them.
Yes... that's right.
All they had to do was wait.
(Bronya... are you really okay with just waiting?)
A sudden thought surfaced.
Bronya clenched her small fists and gritted her teeth. She realized she couldn't accept it anymore.
(I don't want to just wait anymore.)
She was done with being helpless—done with sitting on the doorstep every day, praying to fate for Elias to return.
A whole year.
An entire year without seeing him.
Just imagining it was unbearable for Bronya. Even if she gathered all of Elias' belongings at the House of the Hearth, with his scent still lingering on them—it wouldn't be enough to sustain her for a year, maybe even longer...
So what she had to do was obvious.
She took a deep breath and stood up.
"Heh... I never thought I'd be learning from Rozaliya, but yeah, this is exactly what needs to be done!"
"Bronya?"
"Bronya-sis?"
"Sin Mal, Seele—I'm going to find Papa Elias."
Bronya declared with unwavering resolve.
Maybe it was a foolish decision. Maybe it would amount to nothing. Maybe she would end up in danger herself. But she no longer wanted to sit and wait.
No matter how much effort it took, no matter how hard or painful it might be—if she could shorten that one-year wait, even by a day, a minute, or a single second—Bronya would act!
She wouldn't remain a helpless chick protected by Elias forever.
She wanted to become someone who could protect him, too.
"Bronya-sis is right. Seele doesn't want to just wait and be protected anymore either."
Seele wiped her tears and stood up.
"Hmph! I'm going too. I'll find Father faster than anyone else!"
Sin Mal wasn't about to fall behind.
"Then it's settled!"
Their eyes sparkled again. Bronya turned to face the X-10 Experiment chamber, decision made.
Elias had borne the burden of fate for them. He had opened a new future for them. It was an act of true, selfless love—but that love wasn't one-sided.
Bronya and the others had long since fallen for Elias.
And now they could say it proudly—
If there's no Elias in the future, then they didn't want it!
...
Time-travel complete.
When Elias came to, he found himself back in Nagazora City—
Standing in the exact same spot as before the jump. The people around him carried on as if nothing had happened.
"Man... it's always so disorienting coming back."
He gave a wry smile and shook his head.
Every time he traveled, months passed in another time. But when he returned to the original timeline, not even a second had gone by. The contrast always left him dazed.
Elias looked around, trying to get his bearings. Luckily, his memory was good—he hadn't forgotten where Mei's place was.
[Welcome back, Host. Your time-travel rewards have been delivered. Please check your inventory.]
[Stigmata of the Herrscher of Death, control of Reinforced Bunny 19C, Basic Authority of Time, Complete Quantum Authority, private island villa, Infinite Evolution Body, Voice of Heaven...]
Elias glanced at the system interface. Another massive haul, it seemed. Though, as usual, there were a few odd rewards thrown in. Still, he wasn't in the mood to go through them all right now.
Exhaustion hit him hard.
Every return drained him mentally. Elias felt like if he closed his eyes for ten seconds, he'd fall asleep standing.
"Nope, can't do this... I'll end up sleeping right here on the street. I look too handsome—some wicked woman might just scoop me up. I need to go home... Uh, wait, which home?"
He paused, stunned.
Of course, his first thought was the House of the Hearth. Then his previous world's home. Then Mei Raiden's place. Lastly, the home the system had given him.
At some point, he'd gathered so many places he could call home. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Let's go to Mei's. Kiana and she are probably waiting for me. Oh right, I remember Mei saying she was making a late-night snack for when I got back."
"I wonder how Bronya and Seele are doing. I changed the plot quite a bit this time. They're probably still at the House of the Hearth... After the Third Eruption, I have to visit them. Same with Sirin and the others."
Elias assumed that after he altered their fates, Bronya and the girls were no longer tied to the Honkai Impact 3rd main storyline. They were probably living peacefully with Seele at the House of the Hearth.
But in truth—
Right now, in a shoe store somewhere in Nagazora City—
"No doubt about it. I finally... finally found you, Papa Elias."
A pair of teary eyes belonging to a certain duck shimmered with emotion.
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