Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

Although danger can strike at any moment, it may not only be displayed in its most brutal and naked form, but it can also be disguised in a beautiful guise.

Like Snow White being tricked into eating a poisoned apple, no one would have suspected the sweet, blushing fruit was deadly before she ate it, especially since the person who gave it to her was a kind-looking old woman.

But ultimately, the Little Mermaid will ascend to heaven and possess her own immortal soul; Little Red Riding Hood will be rescued by the hunter and reunited with her grandmother; and Snow White will open her beautiful eyes again with a kiss from the prince.

The princess and the prince will surely live happily ever after, even if the price is trampling on everything that happened when Icarus fell.

[For this is exactly what Icarus desires. If you cannot approach the sun, and your body melts and falls into the sea, then step on my corpse and fly to higher and farther places to pursue the true sun.]

All you need to do now is lead the boy into the town that's now so close, a town that holds countless memories.

Human creativity is indeed a magnificent thing.

You've only been gone for a short period of time.

The town, which once appeared dreamlike and beautiful under your radiant power, but was ultimately somewhat dilapidated due to its reconstruction, has now been completely transformed.

There are no towering skyscrapers, only paved and interconnected streets, and overly formal residential areas. The technology is so high-tech and precise that you might even suspect it's from a science fiction novel.

The town before me still suffers from a severe lack of electricity, relying entirely on sunlight for lighting, as if it had reverted to a primitive lifestyle from hundreds of years ago.

The streets, once ravaged and destroyed, have been leveled with small stones and concrete as much as possible. Wooden houses, not towering but sufficient to provide shelter from the wind and rain, have sprung up one by one.

Without advanced technology and relying on refrigerators for preservation or advanced transportation, we cannot harvest ingredients from all over the world.

Let's cook up a delicious stew using whatever vegetables and wild herbs we have on hand, and replace candy with naturally sweet spring water.

Even the village gate, which had already collapsed in the attack, was repaired, and its name was lightly painted on with pink dye.

[—Eternal Paradise.]

Looking through the main gate, one can see a simple yet meticulously paved road, and people bustling about, their smiles already returning.

[Originally, ordinary people who had suffered greatly from the Honkai, with their families destroyed, their countries and cities wiped out, and almost certain death, now live a peaceful and contented life in this place, as if isolated from the rest of the world.]

Perhaps it was because of shared trauma, or perhaps it was because they truly placed their own aspirations on a girl who could be called a goddess.

Most of the hatred and resentment were dispelled by the gentle breeze, and everyone did their best to contribute their own efforts and sweat to this place.

If a problem arises that is completely unsolvable, then only Qianjie, who also works part-time as a security guard, legal arbitrator, and mediator of trivial matters, can be brought in, even though this young man is indeed doing far too much work.

You could even see him carrying several thick, hard logs on his back, while in one hand he was holding concrete that had been forcibly mixed and solidified by brute force.

It seems he now not only has to repair roads, but also build habitable houses for the new residents.

Strictly speaking, it seems that he built at least half of these houses; only he had the energy and ability to build houses so quickly.

Without this young man, many residents would probably still be sleeping on the ground in the wild, without even a blanket.

【No. 】

Many of the residents were saved by Qianjie himself.

Without him, many people wouldn't even have been able to sleep on the floor; their lives would likely have been reduced to ashes in the devastating collapse.

【ah……】

Choosing to save him back then seems like a good decision.

Sometimes, doing good deeds doesn't necessarily lead to a tragic ending.

[You were initially quite worried that if you arrived in the town and found it to be a very simple ruin, Jiang Cheng might not even recognize it.]

[If that's the case, then you'll have to personally remind the boy, personally tell him that his past and history have long been buried in the collapse.]

[Such words would likely be another blow to your delicate heart, and Jiang Cheng would have to comfort you with his torn self again.]

At least you don't have to worry about that now, because Jiang Cheng has already pointed a finger gently towards the town enveloped in pristine pink.

"The gate in front of the town used to be simply called by a number, a very cold name. In contrast, Paradise is indeed quite nice, at least it should be more in line with human interests and emotions."

"To be able to maintain the same leisurely atmosphere as before even in the face of rampant chaos, it should be called a paradise compared to the current world."

what……

"Of course~?"

Alicia lowered her head unconsciously, causing her cherry-colored hair to obscure her beautiful face. In the shadows, a shy blush appeared on her still slightly chubby, delicate face.

She was clearly a very knowledgeable and experienced demon.

Yet she still gets shy when given a compliment.

Perhaps it's because, in my memory, the last time I was praised was almost a decade ago.

I'm so tired, so alone

Maybe there's more to it than that.

Since their trip together, the boy has become increasingly taciturn in my memory, and his once ever-present smile has gradually dimmed, as if the bright sun has been covered by dark clouds and lost its light.

The girl at that time did not realize the seriousness of the matter, and only regretted it after losing it.

One year, two years, three years, four years...

She had experienced countless hardships, forced suffering, and the very suffering she herself had created that forced this naive and somewhat hateful girl to grow up.

Over the long years, the repeated collapses and numbness drove the pure self into madness, almost making it forget its original self.

Until now.

Until this moment.

"You did a really good job. You managed to protect this town even when the Honkai was rampant, and it's even more prosperous than when we left."

“You don’t need to belittle yourself; you’ve already done something great.”

……

The boy's praise added color to the girl's dark memories of the past, as if the struggles that were once filled with pain and numbness had become meaningful, and at least she felt that her actions were necessary.

It was necessary to save the town from calamity, it was necessary to rebuild the town, and it was necessary to use our own strength to shelter a large number of residents.

Then the girl unhesitatingly took on all their efforts and put them all on herself.

"This is the paradise depicted in the fairy tale book you once gave me. As a gift from you, it is the perfect name for it."

"Of course... this town can only be called a paradise if you're here~?"

The girl gently raised the corners of her rosy lips, revealing an extremely sweet smile. Her slender, fair fingers lightly poked her flawless, delicate face, without a trace of shame or guilt. Her skin was so thick that one couldn't help but want to pinch her cheeks to see just how plump and tender they were.

Ultimately, this town was also created under her protection, and the name of Paradise comes from the fact that they heard her chanting.

If it weren't for the girl, this town wouldn't even exist, and its name would have been unknown from the very beginning.

"Eternal paradise, flawless haven, after I and Velvi left, you must have done many, many, very great things."

"After all, my journey came to an abrupt end, but your journey continues. In that case, it's normal for you to be out of contact for a long time."

"If I had known what you were doing sooner and come to help, I probably wouldn't be here in this state now."

Jiang Cheng shook his head with a hint of regret, his almost instinctive emotions awakened once again, and a trace of sadness surfaced in his dark eyes.

In that case, the struggle in the time before death in one's memory seems to be understandable. Everyone has their own things to do and cannot always take care of another person's existence.

Moreover, Alicia hadn't actually done anything wrong. This girl was just busy, always busy, extremely busy.

It's impossible to expect every girl to be like Vervi, always prioritizing her own excellence...

……

……

what……

The boy unconsciously bit his lower lip, and even his heart, which was only meant to conform to the human form, was pounding. It felt as if the acidic fluid of the lunar calendar was flowing through his blood vessels and throughout his body, making even the soles of his feet feel sore and numb.

Why……

Just thinking about this name makes me a little sad.

Priority and such... Could it be that Wilvi is not just a friend or an online acquaintance to him, but someone with a very, very important relationship?

Unable to think deeply.

Can't think.

It's as if the depths of memory are firmly locked away by something. Although emotions can pry them open even slightly, it's absolutely impossible to truly snatch away even a single precious memory from those tightly sealed chains.

Ultimately, all the thinking can only fall into emptiness, empty transfer to some trivial and insignificant little things in memory.

"Jiang Cheng...could you please stop chatting with me?"

what……

So, it turns out that even netizens can't be fully considered?

So it turns out that Vilvi had even said she refused?

Forget it...

They're already dead anyway.

According to common human emotions, it seems pointless to delve into the dead, since it's not so simple to bring the dead back to life anyway.

……

"In such a chaotic environment, to realize the true nature of one's own power, and to better protect one's former homeland from disaster and build a beautiful paradise, all these things must have been an extremely difficult journey."

"Unfortunately, my memory is hazy and incomplete, and I don't remember what you did, Alicia."

"This is really a pity."

Jiang Cheng decided to abandon these messy thoughts and focus more on the girl in front of him, based on his existing memories, as she held an important place in his heart and in his memories.

For example, the only thing missing from her memory is Alicia's, those few years that were the only missing part of what should have been a very full and coherent storyline.

It's unknown what kind of effort this young girl put in to overcome this difficult journey.

It's definitely more thrilling and dramatic than any adventure in a fairy tale.

Alicia must have wanted to share such a moving and inspiring adventure with me, but she probably kept quiet because she was worried that I would regret my past actions and choose to leave with that girl named Velvi, ending this adventure and journey.

This is something you don't need to worry about at all. After losing emotions and memories, even the past that was once ignored loses its reality, and regret is a luxury that is completely impossible to have.