I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

Page 185

At this moment, Xi Wang was sitting by the window, humming a cheerful tune as she reached her hand out the window to touch the falling rain... Images flashed before her eyes from time to time, "fragments" brought by the rain.

Strangely enough, even though the rain was accompanied by wind, the windowsill inside Xi Wang's room remained completely dry. The rain seemed to have become obedient and polite, falling quietly outside, listening to the tune Xi Wang was humming, and feeling the emotions that Xi Wang conveyed in the music.

pat-

As the melody of dawn faded, the sound of the rain seemed to change slightly, becoming crisp and noisy, as if the rain were clapping.

Then, the rain conveyed a sense of concern and inquiry.

He was concerned about whether Xiwang was doing well on "land" and whether he wanted to "go home." The "child" who was familiar with him had been thinking about him for a long time. He wondered when they would visit him.

At the same time, the rain also showed some joy, happy that it had been touched by the "wind," making it easier for the rain to come into contact with it, since the rain always comes with a gentle breeze.

"Thank you for your concern."

Xi Wang did not resist the rain's care; she simply smiled and responded softly to the rain.

"As for going home... I probably won't be able to do it anytime soon. Everyone doesn't want me to go near the sea, and I can't let them worry~"

"However, I'm having a great time, so... don't worry~"

tick-

The rain fell gently, carrying a hint of sadness, like a mother who knows her son is away and unable to return home. But knowing that Xiwang is doing well, the rain also conveyed a hint of joy.

"As for Skadi... I will find a way to see her. Please give her my regards."

tick-

The rain responded softly to Xiwang, indicating that it would convey his words to it.

knock --

It was the sound of knocking on the door. The rain continued to fall, gently conveying a sense of farewell and encouragement, indicating that Xi Wang didn't need to worry and should go see the person he loved more. The rain and the gentle breeze would protect him.

"Please come in, Sakura, I didn't lock the door."

Xi Wang didn't close the window, but simply adjusted her posture and spoke in a voice just loud enough for the person outside the door to hear.

As for how he knew it was Sakura knocking on the door... the blowing wind had already informed him.

"...Excuse me, did I disturb you?"

The door was first pushed open a crack, and a pair of slender, scarlet animal ears peeked in first, followed by long, pale pink hair like cherry blossoms, and finally... Sakura's apologetic face.

"No, I'm usually pretty free... After the songs used for amplification can also be [copied], I'm even more relaxed... After all, I don't have the power of you guys. You can solve most of the Honkai, so I don't have anything to do for a while."

Xi Wang shrugged, indicating that Ying hadn't bothered him at all. He half-jokingly said this while smiling and beckoning to Ying. He then sat down on the edge of the bed, patted his thigh, and gestured to Ying.

"Would you like to rest for a bit? I can sing you a song."

"No... I didn't come here to ask you to do this..."

"...But you look very tired, and also a little sad."

"........."

"Come on, it's okay to lean on me for a little while, okay? After all, this is one of the few things I can do right now~"

"……Um."

Sakura blushed slightly, as if she was shy, but she nodded in the end... There was no reason to refuse, was there?

The animal ears on her head trembled happily twice. She closed the door, walked slowly to the bedside, kicked off her slippers, lowered her body, and climbed onto the bed on both hands and feet. She came to Xi Wang's side, gently lifted her light pink hair with her hand to avoid being crushed by the movement of the two of them, and then slowly rested her head on Xi Wang's lap.

In the end, as if she were reluctant to leave Xi Wang's familiar and intimate aura, Ying subconsciously moved her body up after lying down, so that she could get closer to Xi Wang's embrace. Her head was almost touching his stomach, and her long, thin animal ears on her head skillfully separated and gently wrapped around his waist, occasionally trembling and making a slight rubbing sound, showing her intimacy with Xi Wang.

???~

Xi Wang's gentle singing voice began, enveloping her like a breeze, making her feel as if she were wrapped in soft cotton, comfortable and relaxed... In addition, his scent lingered around her nose, all of this gradually calmed Ying's somewhat hesitant heart.

"...Xi Wang"

"Well, I'm here."

"Could you... listen to me for a moment?"

"Okay~"

"Let me vent a little... I don't know if this counts, but... I really do... not know what to do."

"Okay~"

Xi Wang gently shook her head, her white hair rising and falling like waves, intertwining with her cherry blossom-colored long hair. She then reached out and gently poked Ying's cheek, and whispered.

"Sakura, sometimes it's okay to be a little bolder~"

"...Well, thank you."

Hearing Xi Wang's lighthearted tone, Ying's lips unconsciously curved upwards slightly, and then she spoke softly.

“Xiwang…you know, right? After we became fusion warriors, in a sense, we were already considered [inhuman].

"Ah."

"So... are we still considered [human]? Or... like those Honkai Beasts... [monsters]? Or perhaps something like [Herrschers]... something else?"

Sakura's words were tinged with confusion, and she even subconsciously raised her hand as if to touch something... but Xi Wang, as if she had foreseen this, took her hand in his, giving her some strength and some support.

"I did a few missions before, you know. Even with your [Song] as an aid, some missions are still very difficult now that the Honkai outbreaks are becoming more and more frequent and intense, such as rescue missions and the like."

“I saved them all, the entire building that was still alive, including the children… a total of ninety-six people, I remember it very clearly.”

Sakura's eyelids drooped, as if she were recalling the scene from that time.

"But after I led them away from the collapsed building, they... distanced themselves from me, dragged the child away, and cowered in a corner with expressions of fear and disgust, hiding in the shadows of the ruins, as if the disaster had not yet passed, as if the Honkai Beasts had not yet left."

“But I’m pretty sure there are no more Honkai Beasts around. I’ve already cleared them out. Even the remaining Honkai energy has stabilized under the influence of your [Song]... But they’re still very scared.”

"With tension and fear, they hid in the ruins, and the look in their eyes as they looked at me... quickly turned from suspicion to hostility, and even a little... hatred."

“I’ve already revealed my identity, and the name ‘Moth of Flames’ should be known to the world, but… they still refuse to approach me, they won’t even speak to me.”

Sakura's tone was low and sad... At this moment, beside him, she no longer forced herself to be strong, but simply whispered her troubles and showed her vulnerability.

Just like he said, it wouldn't hurt to rely on him a little bit, right?

Finally... I felt it; their gaze lingered on my... [ears].

The slender animal ears that encircled Xi Wang's waist trembled slightly.

"They covered the children's curious eyes, preventing them from looking at my [ears], and then whispered to their children that... I am a [monster]."

"Dawn..."

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at him.

Are we... monsters? Or... something else?

"Of course it's [humans]~ Hmm... or rather [heroes]?"

Xi Wang said with a smile.

"Everyone is working hard for human civilization, and Sakura and you guys have saved so many people, you're definitely heroes!"

"No, compared to what you did, Xiwang... the people we saved on the battlefield seem insignificant..."

"You can't calculate it like that. You have to understand that many people contracted Honkai disease because of the Honkai outbreak. So only by rescuing them from the Honkai can my [Song] play a greater role. Before that, you've all been working hard."

Xi Wang gently picked up a lock of Ying's hair, spread her fingers, and slowly moved them, letting the soft pink hair flow between her fingers.

"We are all interdependent, we are all important, aren't we?"

"And... as expected, Sakura, you still care about these [ears], don't you~"

As he spoke, Xi Wang gently pinched Ying's pair of slender animal ears, causing her body to tremble slightly, as if Xi Wang had touched something sensitive... or perhaps it was just because his action was too sudden.

"In that case... I'll keep you company for a bit then~"

"……Um?"

?——

Sakura was momentarily stunned, but before she could react, Xi Wang softly sang a syllable, and a gentle breeze arose around her, which was then gradually tinged with a verdant color... Sakura understood that this was a byproduct of Xi Wang's power, but what was Xi Wang trying to do?

"...Sakura, look, now we're the same~?"

Xi Wang lowered his head slightly, a smile in his eyes and at the corners of his mouth... With a slight shift of his gaze, one could see the pair of slender, blue animal ears on his head that resembled Ying's, except they were blue.

"……how did you do that?"

"Use your singing to color the wind, then guide it into the shape you want~ But it's essentially just the wind blowing, so you can't touch it, okay? Look..."

As she spoke, Xi Wang took Ying's hand and gently brushed the long, thin, blue animal ears on her head... Although the animal ears would change with Ying's movements, there was no real tactile sensation; one could only feel a gentle breeze brushing against their fingertips.

"This...is amazing..."

"Right? While you guys are working hard outside, I'm also trying to find other things I can do, like developing my abilities or something."

Xi Wang smiled and shook her head happily, causing the pair of animal ears on her head to sway twice, making her look very cute.

"This look is quite interesting~ I'll stay like this for now~ Hmm, I'll go out with you later, Sakura."

“...You don’t have to do this, Xiwang.”

"What are you talking about?"

Xiwang poked Ying's cheek.

"This isn't a big problem for me, and..."

He gently pinched Sakura's crimson animal ears again.

"This kind of thing proves nothing, doesn't it?"

"We are [human beings], [heroes] who fight for them, not [monsters], nor anything else."

Xi Wang lowered his head and looked into Ying's eyes, their warm breaths brushing against each other's faces.