"What a bunch of useless fools!"
Inside the headquarters of ME Corp.
The high-tech room was lined with floating digital screens, giving off an unmistakable futuristic aura, a testament to the corporation's superior technological prowess.
A tall, voluptuous woman with golden hair and piercing violet eyes stood in the center, her expression sour with irritation. Despite her striking beauty, she was a ruthless schemer who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
She was none other than Cocolia—the very person Elias had permanently marked in his little black book, vowing to exact revenge upon a thousand times over at the first opportunity.
"You can't even handle such a trivial task. Why do I even keep you around? Or are you all eager to join Raiden Ryoma in prison?"
"W-We're terribly sorry, Lady Cocolia!"
"I-It's not our fault! Lately, Raiden Mei has had two nuisances constantly by her side, and we haven't had a chance to properly… deal with her."
"That's right! It's not that we didn't try our best! Please give us another chance!"
Had Elias and Kiana been present, they would have instantly recognized the girls kneeling in terror before Cocolia—those same classmates who had relentlessly bullied Mei in school.
Cocolia frowned in annoyance.
Indeed, this was an unexpected setback. By her calculations, Mei should have already succumbed to her Herrscher transformation by now.
After all, for a teenage girl, enduring the humiliation of her father's imprisonment, her family's disgrace, and relentless bullying from the entire school—each of these alone was enough to crush a person's spirit.
The severity of Mei's harassment had been no coincidence. Cocolia had been pulling the strings from behind the scenes, bribing these girls to keep the pressure on Mei, pushing her toward complete despair.
Once her emotions reached their breaking point, the Honkai Will would descend upon her, using the Gem of Conquest inside her as a catalyst. This would trigger an eruption strong enough to annihilate all of Nagazora City, turning Mei into a full-fledged Herrscher.
But then—
Just when Mei teetered on the brink of despair, a boy named Elias appeared and forcibly pulled her back from the abyss.
Shortly after, a girl named Kiana joined him, and together, the two completely rescued Raiden Mei.
"…"
Cocolia's face darkened as she glared at the screen.
Displayed on it was Mei, happily humming a song while skipping home with groceries, her face alight with pure joy.
This wasn't just a girl who had been saved from despair—she was practically glowing with newfound emotions. At this rate, there was no way she would ever awaken as a Herrscher.
"Hmph! I'm giving you one last chance. If you can't break her completely this time, then be ready to see your families bankrupt by tomorrow morning."
"Y-Yes, Lady Cocolia!"
Although she disdained getting personally involved with some teenage girl, Cocolia had run out of patience. She instructed several subordinates to ensure everything went smoothly this time.
Once the others left, trembling with fear, Cocolia returned her gaze to the screen displaying Mei's profile.
Her entire history was there—anyone who read it could tell she was a kind and gentle girl.
But so what?
This was not a kind and gentle world.
"Raiden Mei… I know this is unfair to you, but for the sake of defeating Honkai… for the sake of saving my daughter… you will sacrifice yourself for the greater good."
This world had no shortage of kind-hearted girls. But if sacrificing one meant obtaining a powerful Herrscher and retrieving her lost daughter from the Sea of Quanta, then so be it.
Cocolia would not hesitate in the slightest.
...
As Mei walked home, a black van suddenly pulled up beside her. Before she could react, a sack was thrown over her head, and she was taken away.
When Mei finally saw light again, she realized she had been brought to an abandoned building.
"Raiden Mei, we meet again."
"You again? You've resorted to kidnapping now? Aren't you afraid of going to jail?"
Mei looked at the girl before her in shock.
It was none other than the same "friend" who had been leading the charge in bullying her ever since her father was imprisoned. Though Mei had anticipated that this person wouldn't let things go easily, she never expected her to go this far.
"Hahaha! Jail? You should be worrying about yourself! Right now, there's no one to save you—not Elias, not Kiana. You're all alone, Raiden! Mei!"
Her gaze was predatory, filled with twisted excitement and pleasure.
The girl stared at Mei, who was bound to a chair and unable to move, entirely consumed by an uncontrollable, perverse joy.
It was only then that Mei realized—among all those who had tormented her, this girl was by far the most extreme.
Before the fall of the Raiden family, she had been Mei's most devoted follower, never leaving her side and always wearing a sycophantic smile.
But the moment the Raiden family fell, she became Mei's cruelest tormentor, orchestrating endless bullying and social ostracization.
Why?
"Why are you always so lucky? Why does the world favor you, Raiden Mei?! Why can't you just disappear?! Why can't I be the one blessed with all this fortune?!"
It was nothing but pure, unfiltered jealousy.
Her heavily made-up face twisted into a grotesque expression.
Her eyes brimmed with something even deeper than envy—an obsessive desire to erase and replace Mei entirely.
Even though Mei had never wronged her in any way.
She envied Mei's prestigious lineage.
She envied Mei's unparalleled beauty.
She envied Mei's flawless personality and academic excellence.
Some people simply cannot stand seeing others better than them, and she was the perfect example.
So when the Raiden family fell, she had been ecstatic. Even before Cocolia approached her, she had already taken part in tormenting Mei.
Every time she saw the once-proud Raiden Queen trembling, reduced to tears, it filled her with twisted satisfaction.
However…
"Why? Why, after everything, do people still stand by you?! Why do Elias and that idiot Kiana bother with you?! What's so special about being your friend?!"
She had thought she had completely crushed Mei, that the proud flower had been ground into the dirt beneath her feet.
But reality had proven otherwise. Even in ruin, Raiden Mei remained beyond her reach.
When everyone abandoned Mei, Elias and Kiana—two people who stood out no matter where they went—came to her side.
And that made her jealousy burn even hotter.
She envied Mei not just for surviving her downfall, but for seemingly being reborn—gaining true friendship and earning the unwavering support of Elias and Kiana.
Kiana, despite her poor grades and silly nature, was extraordinary. Not only was she beautiful beyond compare, she carried an air of nobility that made her stand apart from ordinary people.
And then there was Elias—the very thing she hated most about Mei.
That perfect boy, with his handsome face, gentle nature, and effortless charisma. The one with power, charm, and an undeniable presence.
Yet, he only had eyes for Raiden Mei.
He was willing to stand against the entire school for her sake!
She would never forget the day Elias had pulled Mei into his arms and boldly declared her as his girlfriend in front of the whole class.
At that moment, she had wanted nothing more than to kill Mei and take her place.
How could a mere criminal's daughter be blessed with so much?!