Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

188. Mei: Please accept my gift.

At least in Raiden Mei's eyes, there was absolutely no one in this world more dazzling than those eyes, or the boy in the afterglow of the setting sun.

It is not a thing, but an existence. Its radiance cannot be described as a thing. Any description that cannot be called praise is an insult to it. No object in the world can compare with it.

It is impossible to compare, and difficult to compare.

They should not be compared.

How could anything possibly surpass this radiance?

In this hopeless world, no matter how dazzling and beautiful something may seem, it cannot emit even a sliver of light. So how can something that cannot even shimmer with light be considered precious?

Just as no matter how many eggs you throw, you can't break a stone, you need to be qualified to compare. The minimum requirement for fair competition is that the value is equivalent. If it breaks with a single touch, and you can't even cause the slightest damage no matter how hard you try, then such a battle is meaningless no matter how many times it is fought.

Anything without light is meaningless. Even a precious gem is no different from a roadside stone when it cannot be seen.

"what……"

"I……"

……

"There's no need to rush into chatting, let's get some rest first."

"Even if I talk a lot to myself and you don't reply with a single word, I won't feel impolite. It's terrible to feel like I have to keep looking for something to say and something to respond to in order to maintain the friendship, even though I don't want to talk and can't join in."

"Chatting between friends should be a relaxed experience. If it's not possible for both people to relax, then casual conversation from one person is enough. At least one person shouldn't be relaxed while the other is tense, right?"

“That would be pure taking, not true friendship where you should share joys and sorrows. At best, it would be one party exploiting the other.”

"I don't consider myself the kind of monster who would die of loneliness if no one talked to me, nor do I want to be the kind of person who would hurt my friends to satisfy my own needs."

"If you want to chat, I can keep you company. If you don't want to, then rest well first and enjoy the beautiful scenery with me."

The boy was used to the hesitation and blank stares of the other person when he spoke. Ignoring... or rather, staring at the girl with somewhat bewildered eyes, he simply continued his actions—like a knight's oath. He placed his right hand on his chest, adding a touch of conviction to his words.

If words alone cannot achieve the desired result, then use some actions to assist. This is a conclusion drawn from countless experiences.

Ordinary words may not be able to truly touch the soul or prove anything, but the truth can always resonate with some people.

The truth revealed without reservation: what makes humanity what it is, the complexity of language—it's definitely not as simple as it seems.

The essence of friendship is mutual help. Just as the reason why mankind initially chose to unite rather than fight alone was because uniting could help them survive and continue to thrive. They could work together to hunt insurmountable monsters, create miracles that one person alone could not achieve, combine the strength of each individual, and pass on all their knowledge and skills to future generations.

It brings benefits, not harm.

This is the only reason for the cruelty of nature in the beginning.

Only those that survive and endure are truly right; if something cannot exist, then no matter how beautiful it may seem, it is nothing but a pipe dream.

Even without the collapse, the world itself remains cruel, and in a sense, the collapse actually gives civilization an almost instantaneous opportunity to rise to the top.

Helping each other, understanding each other, and uniting with each other, in most cases bring more benefits than harm to individuals and groups, and it is precisely because of this that humanity has been able to continue to this day.

Perhaps the friendship has been tainted by the changing times, but at least between me and Raiden Mei, who are both high school students and both have the talent of Herrscher bodies, there should be no need to pretend to do something against our conscience for the sake of so-called benefits.

This kind of behavior can worsen your mood, and if you experience this a lot, your emotions might build up to a point where you break down completely.

……

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, everything was covered in a layer of red, just the traces that spread down, the golden afterglow before it was about to leave, as if the world had been decorated with a few unique colors by a paintbrush.

Just by trying to look at the world through the glass of the train car, a soft, dim light surged into my vision like a tidal wave, creating a steady yet continuous towering wave on the highest peak where no buildings could block the view.

It swept through the still brightly lit, neon-lit streets not far away, and brought the roller coaster under its control.

Dessert shops, pedestrian streets, mobile ice cream parlors... even on the distant other side, the endless horizon seems to merge with the setting sun.

The golden afterglow spills across the earth, and even the tall buildings that are like walls blocking the view take on a soft and natural feel in the hazy light, as if casting a layer of afterglow over the whole world.

The white clouds in the west were tinged with fiery red, and although it wasn't as clear as in the simulation, the changing colors of this pure white were even more beautiful.

Amidst the ever-changing clouds, fiery red, gray-blue, and pale pink hues mingled together, as if someone had artificially applied a touch of pink and red rouge to the pure white.

This is something you can't see on the second journey in the simulator; it has the aura of humanity, human creations, and everything that can be called civilization.

This world has not yet fallen into despair. The blockade imposed by fate has already been broken by the flawless hero. In the hands of that pure and colorful fairy, hope that does not belong solely to human civilization has been opened up through sacrifice.

Despite the unimaginable extent of human infighting, where even heroes can be recklessly squandered and killed due to selfish desires, the remaining Divine Keys possess the ability to counter and fight against specific Herrschers.

Even today, human civilization still retains basic dignity, and countless people continue to sing and enjoy life in ignorance.

Although life is not good, even if ordinary people do not know about the collapse or face life and death, they still need to deal with other disasters.

From here you can see everything on the street, even in sparsely populated areas, while in some particularly popular spots there are still crowds of people coming and going.

A closed-off city, a compressed life, a tightly packed cart stall, and bustling shops.

There weren't any roses that seemed to block out the sky, but there were large groves specially prepared for viewing. Under the light, the rose groves looked like the red clouds on the horizon connecting with the earth. The setting sun cast long shadows, and the distant sky was dotted with twilight clouds. The afterglow of the setting sun reflected off the tall buildings, all intertwining to create a moving picture.

The sunset is infinitely good, just near dusk.

No matter how wonderful it is, it eventually comes to an end.

The boy slowly exhaled, free from any unnecessary thoughts. At this moment, he didn't want to do anything troublesome or tedious. He simply let his clear eyes reflect the scenery of the setting sun.

But you must control yourself and not recall those false people who have passed away. If you must think about them, then think about the girl next to you.

Thinking about it carefully, this seems to be the first time in real life that I've spent an entire day with someone.

There were no sudden interruptions from others, no random incidents, and no immediate reprimands or questions – it was a classic assignment and learning experience.

No wonder Kiana fought so hard later on. Even after being beaten so badly in Elegy of the Sinner, she still wanted to find Mei, even if it meant using Herrscher energy to bring her back. And even later on, she always thought about her senior.

How could anyone bear to lose such excessive tenderness?

That's far too mild.

There's absolutely no trace of the so-called willful, capricious, or arrogant nature she might have been portrayed in; it's a dreamlike experience that even light novels wouldn't depict.

Jiang Cheng turned his head, and at the edge of his field of vision was the girl sitting next to him, her hands folded and pressed on her full thighs, bathed in the light of dusk. At the junction of her skirt and purple stockings, a glimpse of her fair, snow-white skin reflected the red of the setting sun like a mirror, and her long purple hair, swaying with gravity, was reflected with a shimmering brilliance.

The dress seemed to be a collaboration design; the gown I'd seen in an animated film seemed a bit too thin. It wasn't noticeable in the shadows, but under the light, it seemed to accentuate that almost perfect figure.

Even inside the Ferris wheel cabin, as the seats slowly rose, Lina's still-long, trimmed hem, which seemed about to touch the ground, fluttered slightly in the air, swaying like a butterfly.

Her skin, which should have been flawless and a symbol of the stigma holder, was bathed in light with a faint blush of life, just like that of an ordinary person, and her crimson eyes reflected the fiery red of the evening clouds.

The girl's delicate, long eyelashes trembled as she hesitantly turned her head, but before her gaze could meet, the turmoil in her heart pushed her away once again.

Is there something you want to say?

Do you want to talk about the treatment you received today?

Do you want to confide in yourself about the frustrations you can't express to others?

It doesn't matter if they seem hesitant to speak; there's still plenty of time to wait patiently. There are at least several hours until curfew, and I wouldn't get bored even if I sat here for half an hour.

Just like how I used to be able to sit still and play "Red Light, Green Light" with them, I also developed some patience in order to get to the bottom of things and solve problems.

Until an exquisite gift box was suddenly handed to her, along with a voice that had somehow become shrouded in determination, banishing her gentleness.

"Jiang Chengjun, as a way to end today, this is a souvenir I've prepared for you."

……

Eh……

Eh?

The purple silk fluttered slightly with the change of gravity, and in the afterglow of the setting sun, it was faintly tinged with a blush like that of a young girl's face.

Perhaps even dusk cannot compare, for the girl's flawless white face already possessed colors more beautiful and dazzling than the setting sun and the distant, fiery red clouds.

Clearly, this is a gift.

Although it sounds somewhat pathetic, the boy had experienced this kind of one-on-one gift-giving many times before—the way he bowed his head, the respectful way he presented the gift with both hands, and the slight trembling of his body in unease.

I've been through this so many times, so many times. What was supposed to be a birthday party where no one would give me a gift or offer any blessings turned into a unique gift in my life after meeting that insecure yet well-behaved girl.

Every gift, every handing over, was done in this way, so standard that if one were to flip through the memories from back to front, one could keenly perceive something that was not noticed before—the girl's actions after the first gift were completely unchanged, exactly the same.

Essentially, the goal is to eliminate harm. Since a method has been proven successful, we should continue to use the successful one instead of exploring other possibilities. Even if Wilvi is capable and has the talent, her innate and almost excessive genius could easily propel humanity forward by thousands or tens of thousands. The notes she left behind could have shaped a top genius, let alone designing a gift-giving gesture.

She was unwilling to let even the slightest possibility of damage to the relationship between the two people, for the sake of her so-called pioneering spirit or to satisfy her insignificant arrogance.

Even though they've become good friends, I still tremble slightly when I give her these gifts, afraid that she won't like them and that our relationship might continue.

I thought such things had disappeared.

I thought this kind of thing would never happen again.

And now, a heartfelt gift from someone else is once again being presented to me. The packaging is meticulously chosen, the silk is exquisite, and every single detail is perfectly crafted, leaving no room for error. It seems that only a self-conscious genius would be so meticulous.

what……

Despite having experienced this countless times before, the boy still subconsciously raised his head to search for the answer he already knew.

The deep blue pupils and the deep purple eyes collided perfectly, conveying both doubt and determination. The once soft and moist eyes of a young girl seemed to be imbued with resolve at this moment, and she was in no way inferior even when looking directly into them.

There was no dodging.

No fear.

There is no escape.

This is Raiden Mei's will.

Her lips, bathed in the soft hues of the setting sun, parted slightly as she uttered the second half of her sentence, each word distinct and clear.

"please……"

"Please accept my gift."

……

It's a bit disgusting. .jpg