"Hello, Miss Elysia! My name is Seele."
The moment Seele spoke, Elysia had already drawn close, her slender fingers slipping into Seele's hands with a playful ease. Lunelle, who stood nearby watching this scene unfold, could only gape in stunned silence.
Her second wife—Elysia—had approached so boldly, her touch as natural as a lover's breath on a cold morning. Lunelle's breath hitched, her heart drumming wildly in her chest. A heat bloomed across her cheeks, so fierce that her porcelain skin seemed ready to melt into vapor.
This… this was Elysia's initiative! Her active advance!
Even though it was just a casual hand-holding, Lunelle found herself mesmerized, taking in every detail of Elysia's flawless features at such an intimate distance. The curve of her lips, the mischievous sparkle in her eyes, the gentle warmth of her skin—it was enough to make Lunelle's heart tremble.
[Ah, Elysia… my wife Elysia!]
Her thoughts spiraled, swept away by a giddy excitement she could barely contain.
But not everyone shared Lunelle's joy.
In a shadowed corner of Lunelle's mind, a storm was brewing. A figure watched—unseen, but very much present—and with every second, her fury grew.
That woman! That damn woman had the audacity to take advantage of Seele's timid nature, slipping in sly little gestures like tickling her palm—Seele's palm!
[Ahhhhh!!!!]
[That conniving, shameless woman!!!]
[Stay away from my Seele!]
[Get your filthy hands off her!!!]
[How dare you touch my wife—my Seele!!! (ノ｀⊿′)ノ]
In that unseen corner, Dark Seele seethed in jealous rage, her fiery temper blazing as she practically ignited with fury. But she held back—barely.
After all, she was a tsundere at heart. As much as it stung, she couldn't let Lunelle see her losing control over something as trivial as Elysia's touch. So she bit down her jealousy, swallowing curses like shards of glass, whispering her fury into the void where only she could hear.
Yet, she didn't know—she didn't realize—that in Lunelle's heart, Dark Seele held the honored place of eldest wife. If Lunelle truly wanted to restrain herself, she would have. But right now… she didn't.
"Mm? The adorable little Seele is so shy even when we've just met? Oh… what a delicate little thing you are… This is going to be difficult to handle~"
Elysia tilted her head, her voice dripping with a playful charm that bordered on dangerous. Looking at the timid little girl in front of her, she felt a surge of irresistible affection. How could she not? A cute, shy Seele, blushing under her gaze, was simply too much for someone like Elysia, who had absolutely no resistance to adorable girls.
But then, Elysia's bright expression faltered for a brief moment, a shadow of conflict crossing her face.
"Umm... Miss Elysia, are you… planning to take Seele to the execution ground?" Lunelle's voice trembled, her large, doe-like eyes wide with fear, her expression both fragile and hauntingly beautiful. It was an act, of course—part of the persona she maintained: a weak, delicate girl trapped in the machinations of others.
"Execution ground?" Elysia blinked, surprised by the sudden question. "What is the cute little Seele thinking about? I'm only here to take you somewhere safe, not to an execution ground, okay?~"
Her tone was teasing, but when she saw how Lunelle's pale face drained of color, a deep sense of unease washed over her.
"But… but if I'm still alive, won't everyone at the orphanage… die…?" Lunelle's voice trembled, her soft, sweet expression crumbling into sheer panic. Her aura twisted—dark, suffocating, as if a cold hand was clutching her heart.
!!!...
The shift was so abrupt that even Elysia felt her own breath catch. The air around Lunelle grew heavy, tinged with a faint but unmistakable aura of death. Without a second thought, Elysia stepped forward and gathered the trembling girl into her arms, holding her tight. Her voice softened into a warm, comforting murmur, trying to soothe the storm that raged within Lunelle's fragile heart.
"Don't be afraid, Seele… Sister Elysia will help you with the orphanage's situation. I promise~"
Lunelle blinked up at her, eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears, her breath trembling. "Really…? Even if I survive, will everyone in the orphanage really… be okay?"
"Yes! I promise—this Elysia swears it. So don't be sad, don't cry. A sweet, beautiful girl like you looks best when she smiles~"
Elysia's fingers gently stroked Lunelle's hair, feeling the oppressive aura of death slowly fade away. Relief flooded her chest, though she still felt the tension knotting her stomach. There was no mistaking it: whoever had driven Lunelle to this state… would have to pay.
As Lunelle leaned into Elysia's embrace, her lips barely curved into the faintest of smiles, a flash of triumph danced behind her eyes. Her little scheme… was working perfectly.
This entire situation had been crafted with meticulous precision. Lunelle had known about the kidnapping plan beforehand—she had planned for it.
She'd let the gangsters believe they had the upper hand, allowed them to whisk her away, and staged the perfect scene of a helpless girl falling into a predator's clutches.
Of course, the truth was far more brutal: it had been Dark Seele who intervened, striking with ruthless efficiency and wiping out the scum with a flick of annihilating death energy. The so-called "young master" who had intended to defile Lunelle? Dead. Suffocated by Dark Seele's power, his life snuffed out like a candle's flame.
Lunelle, unharmed, had fled the scene in feigned panic—but she was the only suspect left behind.
And so, with a fabricated story ready, Lunelle surrendered to the authorities, taking the blame for a crime she hadn't committed—at least, not directly. The capitalist patriarch who'd lost his son, blinded by grief and arrogance, had practically sealed Lunelle's alibi himself. He spun the tale of a vile, wealthy man coercing a poor orphan girl, forcing her into a desperate act of self-defense. The press? Silenced by his wealth. The truth? Twisted by his influence.
But Lunelle knew: Fire Moth wouldn't let it rest.
No amount of money could cover up every detail. If they dug deep enough, they'd find the cracks. And if they didn't—if they failed to uncover the truth—then it would be their own incompetence that left them exposed.
After all, Lunelle thought, wasn't it only fair? If they wanted to drag her down, she'd drag them into the mud as well. Every accusation, every crime—she had her reasons. A moral high ground to stand on, no matter how dark her actions seemed.
Because if Lunelle hadn't "confessed" to killing that man…
"None of the children in the orphanage would have survived."
Those were the very words that vile patriarch had whispered to her, a threat veiled in arrogance.
And Lunelle, ever careful, had recorded it all. Every word. Every sinister promise.
As long as she had evidence—solid, irrefutable proof—she could walk the path of a villain without truly losing herself. Even if she had to bear the title of a murderer, as long as she held the truth in her hands, she could one day clear her name.
So she played the role she had chosen for herself: the helpless, innocent girl, confessing to the crime of excessive self-defense, all while keeping the real story tucked safely in the shadows.
As for the fact that she had become a Herrscher…
Lunelle's attitude toward this was simple: if anyone asked, she would say she didn't know.
She would play the part of a clueless girl—acting as if she had never heard of Herrschers or Honkai at all. Fire Moth couldn't seriously expect her to suddenly turn evil and deliver a brutal attack, right?
And, just as Lunelle anticipated, after Elysia learned about her experience—an explanation that sounded perfectly reasonable—and combined with the fact that Lunelle herself hadn't yet realized she had become a Herrscher…
Elysia already had her own answer in mind—the one Lunelle hoped she would reach on her own.
So Elysia never directly pointed out the truth. Instead, she smiled warmly and promised Lunelle that she would protect the children at the orphanage and provide her with a satisfactory explanation.
Gradually, the faint aura of death around Lunelle stabilized as her emotions calmed.
All these subtle changes Lunelle showed were deliberately performed—for her wife, Elysia.
It was a silent warning to Fire Moth in disguise, even though Lunelle remained unaware of her true Herrscher nature.
But if some fool provoked her, Lunelle indirectly warned, she might lose control and accidentally unleash something lethal. "Don't blame me if that happens!"
At that moment, Lunelle sighed inwardly, thankful for the simulation system that let her slip into Seele's original weak and innocent persona instantly, anytime, anywhere.
In Lunelle's perspective, not even Dark Seele—her wife most familiar with Seele's true self—could detect any cracks in this flawless act.
As for Fire Moth, who only knew Seele through dry reports and records…
Even sensitive Elysia, upon first meeting Lunelle, could hardly guess that every expression and movement was a carefully crafted performance.
Having successfully played a wave of despair and vulnerability in front of Elysia, Lunelle also felt a quiet thrill of satisfaction swell inside her.
That is, until a certain jealous wife suddenly flipped the scene upside down—and that was anything but pleasant.
When Lunelle was about to praise Dark Seele for their perfect cooperation, she was suddenly tackled by an impatient Dark Seele!
What followed, of course, was another round of unshareable "beautiful girl sticker" moments—those silent bursts of emotion only the two of them knew.
Lunelle could only say she felt both pain and joy. The pain came from being bullied and humiliated by her wife—a wife she loved deeply and refused to submit to completely. The joy…
"Hey, my dear wife, you're soft and fragrant. I suggest you give me more of this," Lunelle thought, her heart brimming with delight.
If anyone captured even a short clip of Lunelle's real feelings while being humiliated, they'd know just how happy she truly was.
Then, fully escorted by Elysia, Lunelle officially began the journey to Fire Moth headquarters.
Yet the Fire Moth's top management worried deeply. Lunelle was temporarily classified as highly dangerous. They feared something unexpected might happen along the way.
After some intense discussion, the decision was made: Elysia should not rush to bring the Herrscher back alive as quickly as possible.
Instead, Elysia had to carefully monitor Lunelle's Honkai energy levels and report any fluctuations.
If Lunelle's Honkai energy showed signs of spiraling out of control, Elysia was authorized—indeed, required—to immediately eliminate the threat and kill the Herrscher on the spot.
Because of this, what could have been a fast journey by express fighter jets was replaced by a slow, complicated land and sea route.
Fortunately, all expenses incurred by Elysia during the trip were fully reimbursed by Fire Moth.
With suddenly unlimited funds at her disposal, Elysia naturally spared no expense, leaving the organization in the dust.
What Lunelle had expected to be a grueling, arduous journey turned out to be… oddly luxurious and comfortable.
After all, with Elysia by her side, Lunelle enjoyed fine food, exquisite drinks, and comfortable lodging every step of the way.
Looking back, Lunelle realized she probably spent far less time walking than resting and enjoying herself.
To her, these pampered days felt like a honeymoon—a honeymoon she was sharing with her beloved wife, Elysia.
Yet their honeymoon was far from over. The first week in the simulation had just passed when the familiar prompt sound rang clearly in Lunelle's mind as Elysia fed her.
[Congratulations, host, on safely spending one week of daily life! Daily simulation status judgment: safe. Automatically conducting simulation phase settlement...]
Lunelle blinked, puzzled.
"Huh? I haven't enjoyed it enough! Why does your simulation have forced settlement?"
--+--
T/N: Damn is this fic annoying to translate, bro be calling every girl is wife, and i wouldn't actually mind if the grammar was like "her wife Elysia" but google translate makes it "her Elysia's wife" and switching it is 100 times more annoying than just removing it, which is why there are some instances where mc calls Elysia her wife and sometimes when she doesn't.
Also, this mc is lowkey smart asf. Bros proving her 10 intelligence.