Adult Griseo returned to Earth with everyone.
After being away for more than fifty thousand years, returning to Earth once more filled her heart with countless emotions.
It was the familiar Earth, yet none of the things she knew remained. Everything was filled with a strange, unfamiliar feeling.
"We lost, didn't we…" Adult Griseo said.
The Flame-Chasers fell silent. They knew what Adult Griseo meant.
The Previous Era truly had lost, and it had been a crushing defeat.
Leaving aside those plans, during the Previous Era's final moment against Finality, not even a single intact city could be found on Earth. In the face of one Honkai disaster after another, they had lost far too much.
"We lost, but humanity didn't lose. The remains of the previous civilization are still being used by us."
A loss was a loss. There was nothing that couldn't be admitted.
If they had won, there would not have been this brand-new era fifty thousand years later.
They had indeed lost, but the people of this era were still fighting. With the shade left behind by them, they would not lose.
"The predecessors planted the trees, and the descendants enjoy the shade. Compared to your era, the people of this era really are fortunate," Koji said with a faint smile.
"That's undeniable," Mobius said with a nod.
How many legacies left behind by the Previous Era had this era unearthed?
Divine Keys, all sorts of technology—they had saved this era who knew how much time. There were also those plans. It could be said that this era had been fed with a spoon.
But what about the Previous Era?
Everything had been researched by geniuses like them on their own. There were no ruins left behind by an even earlier civilization. Everything had depended entirely on themselves.
As for why they had never found relics left behind by a pre-Previous Era civilization, it was probably because that civilization had been wiped out by the Honkai before it could even develop.
The Previous Era had at least held on until the Herrscher of Finality descended. No matter how much living strength that civilization had left at that point, they had at least fought until the very end. Only then did they earn the right to leave behind an inheritance.
So yes, the Previous Era was undeniably powerful and glorious. It had created far too many miracles.
It was simply born at the wrong time. The Honkai chased them relentlessly and never gave them a chance to breathe.
Adult Griseo nodded.
As long as civilization could finally cross over the Honkai in the end, that would be victory.
After returning to Earth, Adult Griseo chose to travel around by herself and see the beauty of this new era.
She did not need the other heroes to accompany her. She was no longer a child now. She could manage alone.
St. Freya Academy.
"Kiana, you failed your exam again."
Himeko was already used to it.
There was nothing to criticize about Kiana's combat talent, but her cultural studies were enough to make anyone's head hurt.
"It's too hard. I just can't remember it."
Kiana scratched her head awkwardly.
Why did there have to be such difficult things to learn?
Fighting was the fun part. Cultural knowledge made her paramecium brain overload.
"You should put it to Kiana like this: if she doesn't want to be unable to eat Mei's cooking in the future…"
Koji and the others appeared, and he smiled as he offered his suggestion.
Himeko sank into thought, seemingly considering whether it was feasible.
It seemed like it might actually work.
How much Kiana liked Mei's cooking was obvious to everyone. She ate it almost every meal. Aside from instant noodles and similar food, Mei's dishes ran through her entire school life.
"If it can make Kiana pass her exam, I have no problem with it," Mei said with a faint smile.
In any case, it was only one less paramecium's meal to cook. It would make things easier for her too, so why not?
"Nooo!"
"How could anyone come up with such a vicious idea?!"
Kiana let out a tragic cry.
Just imagining days without Mei's cooking made her feel as if she had no future left.
"Bronya thinks this has a very high chance of working," Bronya said in agreement.
"Kiana, what do you think?" Himeko looked at her with a smile that was not quite a smile.
She was actually a little curious.
Without Mei's cooking, just how much motivation and potential could Kiana unleash?
She could not live without the food made by Mei, her housewife-cook, just as the West could not live without Jerusalem.
"Is it really that serious?" Paimon asked in confusion.
Wasn't it just being unable to eat food made by this person who looked a little like the Electro Archon?
It wasn't as if there was nothing else to eat.
Besides, she looked so much like Raiden Ei, and even her voice sounded so similar, yet she was actually a skilled cook. That really made Paimon feel that it was unbelievable.
"To Kiana, Mei's cooking is like your love of eating, Paimon. It's indispensable," Koji explained with a comparison.
Paimon understood a little.
If she were not allowed to eat, that really would be way too painful.
"What a unique little thing."
Himeko looked at Paimon.
A creature she had never seen before.
Although Paimon looked very similar to a human, her body was far too small.
"Don't underestimate Paimon. Her appetite is even more outrageous than Kiana's Kaslana stomach," Koji said with a laugh.
Three hundred thousand Mora a month. And that was only the minimum expense.
If she got carried away while eating one day, it would not be impossible for her to eat an entire month's worth in a single day.
Even now, he still could not understand why Paimon could eat so much.
"Seriously?" Bronya said in surprise.
In her view, Kiana's appetite was already astonishing. There should only be a handful of people who could eat more than her.
With Paimon's tiny body, she did not look like someone who could eat much at all. How could she possibly eat even more than Kiana?
"Want to compete?"
Kiana became interested.
She was very confident in her Kaslana stomach, but Koji had actually said that this little Paimon could eat even more than her. How could that not stir up her competitive spirit?
"Kiana, overeating is bad for your body," Mei said.
How could Mei not see through Kiana's little thoughts?
Usually, although Kiana's appetite was indeed rather large, Mei still controlled Kiana's diet and did not let her binge-eat.
"Mei, I can eat more than Paimon! If you don't believe me, want to make a bet?"
Kiana acted cute as she said it.
"…"
Mei had absolutely no resistance against Kiana acting cute, so she helplessly nodded.
"Wait. The food for your eating contest isn't going to be made by me, right?"
Mei suddenly thought of something and asked in disbelief.
Trying to fill Kiana's gluttonous stomach was already an exhausting task. Let alone now, when there was also Paimon, who was suspected of having a huge appetite too.
Was this trying to work her to death?
"According to calculations, the ingredients in the dormitory are insufficient," Bronya slowly added.
Kiana ate far too much.
If they needed to hold an eating contest, then they would have to replenish even more ingredients. Otherwise, it would not be enough.
"As for ingredients, I'll notify Theresa and have her send some over," Himeko said.
St. Freya had plenty in stock. There was absolutely no need to worry about not having enough ingredients.
(End of Chapter)
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