I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The elderly nun gently stroked the cover of the Bible, gazed at the calm and solemn expression on the face of the Sky Temple, and sighed wistfully.

"Hmm, where should I begin..."

"Adventurer Haru, you once asked me if I was a real NPC, and I only answered you then, 'I am a native of this world,' which isn't entirely accurate."

“I am indeed one of the original NPCs in the game. However, after you started the second mission, your system gave me the mission of ‘matchmaking Yuu Tenkuji and Asuna Yuuki,’ which led to the creation of the Yaoguang module with my own will. The god I serve is the great being on you who can wield the power of the Light Orb.”

The old, gentle voice suddenly took on a youthful playfulness, and he chuckled happily.

"I was supposed to be deleted and reset after the mission ended, but I don't know if it's because of Asuna's 'feelings,' but I've managed to live until now, hehehe~"

Chapter 174 Continuing the Unfinished Wedding

"Has it accepted the system's command, brought us together, and continued to exist because of my Heart Technique...?"

Many questions were finally answered at this moment, and Yuuki Asuna couldn't help but take a breath, her expression a mixture of realization and surprise.

She couldn't help but look towards Tenkuji Yu.

"I never imagined that the system would deliberately plant a spy in the game just to help me complete the mission." He shrugged and replied, after all, he hadn't recalled the details yet, and could only guess at the minutiae from their chat, and didn't know what role Sister Martha had played in front of him in the past.

Asuna Yuuki nodded in understanding, her gaze returning to the old nun.

"Mother-in-law, what do you mean by self-deletion?"

“The literal meaning,” Sister Martha said in a very relaxed tone, her wrinkles smoothing with a smile. “After helping you one last time, my mission should truly be over.”

"As soon as the system disappears, Asuna's mental power—this power that extends from the light orb—will also disappear, and I, who maintains my humanity through this, will naturally cease to exist."

"Once you successfully return to reality and re-enter the game, you'll encounter a real NPC made of data—Sister Madame, right?"

Without a trace of heaviness, as if he were about to embark on a long journey the next day, the old man smiled nonchalantly.

Yuu Tenkuji wasn't particularly moved either, since she was practically a stranger to him in terms of both feelings and memories.

Asuna Yuuki grew anxious, as if she were about to lose a kind elder who was always by her side. She subconsciously gripped Sister Martha's hand tightly: "Isn't this almost like death?! Isn't there a way to solve this?"

"What solution do you need? It's just going back to where I was supposed to be. My game self will still exist, but chatting with others might be more boring than it is now."

The old woman gently patted her hand, no longer looking at her hesitant expression, and gazed leisurely towards the Sky Temple.

"That's enough of the explanation. Now let's get down to business."

"Serious business?" Yuu Tenkuji touched the buttons on his suit cuffs, then glanced at Asuna's wedding dress. "You don't mean...?"

"That's right, it's the wedding you two never got to finish."

"A wedding?!" As if waking from a dream, Asuna Yuuki exclaimed in surprise. She looked at herself and Yuu Tenkuji, and was about to ask something when she quickly shook her head, her expression becoming serious again. "No, now is not the time to care about this—whether it's a wedding or anything, how can I be in the mood to enjoy anything after knowing that Granny Ma might disappear!"

"You really are..."

He shook his head and sighed, helpless, but he knew that Yuuki Asuna was just that kind of gentle girl.

Sister Mary hesitated for a long time before reluctantly saying, "Alright, I originally planned to tell you after everything was over—this intelligence was born because of you, and the happier and more fulfilled you are, the more solid my existence will become, until it will never disappear."

"Your lost memories contain information about this. Once you regain your memories, you will naturally realize that there is no need to worry about me at all."

"So..."

Sister Martha raised her withered, cold hand and gently patted her head, as if instructing her obedient granddaughter to be good, and said kindly and gently, "At least for the time to come, I hope you will be the happiest girl in the world. Don't think too much, okay?"

“Mother-in-law…” Yuuki Asuna bit her lip, as if she wanted to say that she would not be so easily fooled.

Tenkuji Yu followed her forward, took her drooping hand, and gently shook his head.

"……All right."

Asuna Yuuki took a deep breath, gripped his hand tightly, and tried to pull herself together.

“I believe what Granny Ma said… In order to prevent you from disappearing, I will try my best to recover my memories and remember those messages.”

She looked at Tenkuji Yu beside her and said firmly, "However, I will not become a 'happy girl' for your sake."

Only when she felt genuinely satisfied and joyful because of him, and the missing piece in her heart was completely filled, did Asuna Yuuki know what happiness tasted like.

It wasn't a question of whether she wanted to be or for whom she wanted to be, but rather whether meeting and reuniting with Yuu Tenkuji gave her an unparalleled sense of happiness.

Asuna Yuuki never doubted this.

Because the warmth from his palm was so real, and because my heart had been beating slightly faster since we started wearing our wedding attire, it just wouldn't slow down.

As long as you can be your most complete self, then this feeling can perhaps obtain the most irrefutable definition.

"So, shall we begin?"

The nun smiled slightly. Without needing to explain, both of them understood what she was going to do. They couldn't help but turn around to face her, tensing up with nervous concentration.

Turning her slightly wistful gaze away from the two, Granny Ma held the red-covered scripture in both hands, her eyes slightly closed, and her tone suddenly became solemn and sacred:

"Goddess of Creation, we come before you to bless this couple who are about to enter into the sacred hall of marriage..."

The same procedure as last time, with lengthy prayers echoing in the pure white church.

About three minutes later, Sister Mary opened her eyes and looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman in front of her, who seemed to be a match made in heaven.

"Before the Goddess of Creation, confess any reasons that prevent you from being together."

No one spoke.

It's not that there's nothing to say, but whoever speaks up at this stage is showing a lack of trust in the marriage—regardless of whether it's true or not, remaining silent is the best course of action at this moment.

After a moment of silence, the elderly nun nodded, then asked Tenkuji Yu:

"Yuu Tenkuji, do you take this woman to be your wife, to marry her, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, for all other reasons, to love her, to care for her, to respect her, to accept her, until the end of your life?"

"..."

Should I ask this question directly without having recovered my memory?

Is the order reversed?

Tenkuji Yu frowned slightly, glancing quietly at the chestnut-haired girl beside him. He glimpsed a pair of gentle eyes, filled with anticipation and nervousness, beneath the white veil, and couldn't help but purse his lips.

Okay, this isn't a time for hesitation.

If it were a real wedding, Yuu Tenkuji hoped he could answer without hesitation—knowing his own feelings, cherishing the past and looking forward to the future, and loudly proclaiming "I do," letting her know how deep and unwavering his love was.

But if the process is so backwards, then he has no choice but to cooperate for the time being.

'It's just a wedding in a game anyway; we can make the real wedding more elaborate.'

Thinking this, Tenkuji Yu nodded and answered calmly.

"I am willing."

Chapter 175 Wedding in Progress

Next up is Asuna Yuuki.

"Asuna Yuuki, are you willing to take this man to be your husband, to be married to him...until the end of your life?"

She took a deep breath, and her gentle, melodious voice sounded slightly solemn, contrasting with her slightly trembling fingertips.

"I am willing!"

Sister Mary smiled and nodded with satisfaction.

"Then, you two, let's exchange rings."

Tenkuji Yu released the girl's stiff, tense hand and carefully examined the silver ring on her left ring finger that looked somewhat familiar.

The gleaming silver ring, adorned with pink heart-shaped diamonds, looks exquisite and beautiful. In reality, it would probably cost hundreds of thousands—if it weren't covered in a layer of indelible dust.

With this layer of dust, even the most beautiful diamond ring looks like a cheap plastic ornament, plain and unadorned.

However, upon closer touch, one can clearly feel its delicate texture, which is different from other objects. It is cool and hard, like a seed standing in the middle of an ice field.

The moment Yuu Tenkuji took it off, the ring suddenly burst into light. When the white light faded, a beautiful diamond ring with a blooming crystal flower remained quietly on his two fingers.

"This is……"

The same was true for Asuna; crystal flowers shimmered brilliantly at her fingertips, reflecting each other's beauty as if chanting a blessing for the two of them.

They were stunned for a moment before turning their puzzled gazes to Sister Mary.

"If two people wearing the Ring of Love truly love each other, after going through many trials together, the ring will transform into 'Heart to Heart,' and the Flower of Love will bloom for you."

The old nun smiled and, with a flick of her finger, brought up the equipment description section that Asuna was very familiar with.

Item: Hearts in Love (a pair)

"Attribute: Special/Accessory"

"Bonus: (Several attributes)"

"Explanation: Your heart is with me, and my heart is with you."

"Transformed from a ring of love, false bonds will eventually blossom into true love. I swear this affection with this ring."

"No matter where we are, no matter how time goes by—you are in my heart, and I am in yours."

"This is the reward you once received, and the best proof of your love for each other... Although the real world is completely destroyed, this world exists to make up for those irreparable regrets."

Sister Mary raised her hand slightly, signaling them to continue the proceedings, which were not yet finished.

The two looked at each other again, their expressions somewhat complicated.

"With this ring, I swear to this love..." Asuna murmured, a light seeming to gradually brighten in her eyes. "Wait, I seem to remember... Back then, when I launched my final attack on Yu-kun, it seemed that not only did our equipment change, but we both also simultaneously acquired this ring..."

"You attacked me?" Upon hearing the sensitive words, Yuu Tenkuji's brow twitched, her expression subtle. "Is our relationship... that intense? To the point of attacking each other..."

"No, I meant the sparring in the game!" Asuna quickly explained, "During the Grand Martial Arts Festival, I went to your school to find you to find out the truth from you. We happened to run into each other at the martial arts tournament held by the Game Research Club. As we fought, I got angrier and angrier, and finally I felt that my emotions were about to reach the point where I would regain my memories, so I wanted to break through the barrier with the final blow..."

As a result, an offline warning popped up, and I lost all memory of what happened after that.

She only vaguely remembered that at that time, she seemed to be driven by a powerful will, and briefly regained the most authentic and original "Yuuki Asuna".

Returning with her was the chestnut-haired rapier wielder, Asuna, who was agile, wielded a sword with lightning-fast movements, always wearing her favorite red skirt and white stockings, and who was already married in the game.

The appearance of this ring was like bait catching fish from the past, gradually making the blurry images in my mind clearer and more distinct.

"We get married in the game, and this is the ring we use for the wedding?" Yuu Tenkuji concluded, her brows furrowing slightly in thought.

Asuna Yuuki instinctively retorted, "Not just in the game, but even in real life... we've promised to be a couple for life!"