....
: Holy shit, stop killing them! I can't take this anymore.
: Using the other Chrysos Heirs to describe Aglaea, then using Cipher to tell Aglaea's past? MiHoYo, you little bastard!!
: Every dirty trick is being used on us!
: I can't do this anymore, I don't dare keep watching.
: Can you stop chasing them down and killing them?
: I suppose the fates of the other Chrysos Heirs and Aglaea's death are the real knives of this arc.
: This hurts so much!
....
The beginning of Amphoreus had clearly been so lighthearted.
Beautiful classical Greek aesthetics, along with a cast of vivid, lovable characters that everyone adored.
The Coreflames had been collected smoothly as well. It was supposed to be double the happiness.
The story seemed to be heading toward the conclusion of re-creation.
Yet it felt as though it had only just reached the halfway point before suddenly beginning to plunge downward.
The audience completely lost it.
They thought back carefully and realized that this sense of descent had actually been foreshadowed long ago.
It was just that in the previous chapters, because of the limitations of perspective and narrative focus, they hadn't noticed it.
Whether it was Tribios, Mydeimos, Castorice or even Anaxa.
Though each of their endings had their own brilliance, and some of them could not even be considered outright tragic.
Because whether it was sacrifice or dedication.
At the core of every character was a thought-provoking philosophy.
It all seemed like character development and the audience had immersed themselves in it.
That is till now. Only after Aglaea's death did everyone realize that, after such long-term development, every character carried tremendous weight in their hearts.
They could accept Castorice's departure and Trianne's departure.
Because the Coreflame had been obtained, and the goal of re-genesis had advanced because of them.
But they could not accept Aglaea dying so abruptly. Who knew how far things would go next?
An ominous feeling began to emerge. Perhaps Amphoreus was not a hot-blooded, heroic adventure story after all.
The reason the audience had fallen under that illusion was simply because the butcher's blade MiHoYo had placed against their necks had never truly fallen.
Only now was it beginning to exert its force. Like fattening a pig for slaughter before finally killing it.
....
On screen, hearing Aglaea's tone, Cipher unconsciously pursed her lips.
"Don't... don't talk to me like that. You know I can't take it."
Aglaea had always spoken to her in that cold, all-controlling manner, as though she didn't care at all.
But seeing her suddenly become so gentle, Cipher's heart twitched as well.
Cipher naturally sensed the disappointment hidden within Aglaea's voice.
The thousand years of companionship had been real. So, when Aglaea exposed such vulnerability in front of her, Cipher's heart ached.
But she could not soften, nor could she allow herself to be heartbroken. Because Cipher had an absolute reason why she could not waver.
As for that reason, it remained hidden for now.
Aglaea seemed to have already expected that her question would not be answered.
She did not press further, only sounding somewhat regretful.
"A thousand years ago, out of foolishness... I let my silence steal away the most beautiful sound I'd ever known."
Until the very end, Aglaea was still blaming herself.
She actually believed that it was because she had failed to notice Cipher's changes a thousand years ago, failed to communicate with her properly, that things had ended up this way.
The feeling it gave off was something many viewers found familiar. Very much like a gentle mother.
"..." Cipher no longer dared look at the golden nymph.
She turned her head away, her breathing becoming unsteady.
Fortunately, Aglaea said no more. It was as though she had completely given up searching for an answer to that question which only made Cipher feel even worse.
"So this time, I must say this to you, even if it's all in vain, I need you, Cifera. The Chrysos Heirs' mission needs you."
"The finale I've delayed for far too long... it's finally here. Whatever resentment you still hold against me will fade once I'm gone."
"Please, come back to Okhema. I'm begging you. Without you, they don't stand a chance."
Finally, she finally said it.
The audience stared at the screen so intensely their eyes were red.
"...Tch." Cipher lowered her head and clicked her tongue.
Within that brief sound, people seemed to hear a faint trace of trembling.
But almost immediately, her tone returned to normal.
"...I'll think about it, seamstress. But stop watching me... unless you want to lose me for good."
After hearing words that sounded almost like a final farewell from Aglaea.
Cipher looked dejected, but did not react dramatically. She even seemed somewhat distant.
Meanwhile, Aglaea poured all of her remaining humanity into her next words.
"Heh... Don't worry. As much as I'd love to hear your voice again, to see your face..."
"...it seems that chance will never come. Goodbye, Cifera."
Within Aglaea's unique manner of speaking, one stripped of so much of her humanity, the audience could still clearly hear the effort she was making to put emotion into her voice.
That was Aglaea's final trace of humanity and warmth.
"...Goodbye, Aglaea.." Cipher said softly.
The golden nymph began to disintegrate and scatter into the wind.
The screen was left with nothing but the howling sea breeze of Styxia.
From the moment Aglaea revealed her vulnerability, Cipher never looked directly at the nymph again.
Even after hearing those final words, she only showed sadness.
This emotional exchange, restrained to the utmost extreme, left the audience especially heartbroken.
Why was Cipher's reaction so subdued? Did she know Aglaea was about to die, or had already died?
Didn't she want to go back and save Aglaea? Aglaea had already begged her. Couldn't she save her?
How had things between the two of them ended up like this?
After these surface-level thoughts passed.
What remained was a deep sense of regret and melancholy... Countless thoughts emerged in the audience's minds.
But just like the secretive and delicate history shared between Cipher and Aglaea.
All of those thoughts could only remain unanswered questions, waiting to be resolved in the future.
.....
Amid the howling sea wind.
Cipher remained downcast for a long while, and Bartholos didn't dare say a word beside her.
Only after Cipher finally calmed down and took a deep breath did Bartholos carefully speak up:
"Boss, how did you realize something was wrong? I'm curious, what exactly did that nymph make me say?"
"Hmph, actually, it gave itself away very early on..."
Cipher was distracted for a moment, then shook her little cat head and pulled herself together again.
"And besides, weren't you caught by Aglaea in Okhema before?"
Bartholos was startled. Several scenes flashed through his mind.
All of them were memories of being arrested by Aglaea in an alley.
After recalling them, the thief spirit shuddered deeply.
"That was really terrifying!"
"It wasn't that big of a deal."
Crossing her arms, Cipher explained:
"We've been partners in crime for a thousand years. We've talked about everything there is to talk about. Except for that one experience at Dawncloud. I never told you about that."
"I... absolutely wouldn't have shared that with anyone."
At that point, without giving Bartholos a chance to ask further questions, Cipher suddenly smiled slyly.
"And as far as I know, the embodiment of "Trickery" despises that golden thread, which forces people to speak the truth. You'd never defend Aglaea..."
"Isn't that right, Zagreus?"
Bartholos instantly understood. Cipher knew he was Zagreus.
And how could the former Titan of Trickery possibly defend the romantic demigod whose power was to expose lies?
The two were like fire and water.
So the moment Aglaea controlled him into speaking in her defense, Cipher had already realized the truth.
Everything afterward had simply been her having a little fun with it.
"You... have a terrifyingly sharp mind, hehe..." Bartholos praised her.
"After all, I'm the only one in the world who knows you're still alive. To make sure you survived the Titan trial, I had to fool the entire world." Cipher said calmly.
The two of them exchanged a few casual remarks and had already pieced everything together.
Their tone was as relaxed as if they were discussing what to eat today, yet they casually dropped a world-shattering revelation.
At this moment, the chat was completely flooded with question marks.
....
: ????????????
: Wait, what the hell did Cipher just say?
: What did she just say?
: Zagreus? I didn't mishear that, right?
: No, you... what... WHAT?!
: I'm actually losing my mind.
: Bartholos is Zagreus?
: Holy crap, the Titan of Trickery is still alive?!
: Bro, seriously? Right after such a heartbreaking scene, you're dropping something this huge on us?
: For something this massive, could you at least not reveal it through casual small talk?! Give us some time to prepare!
: The amount of information is exploding... holy crap!
: I feel like I just got injected with a stimulant. Suddenly I'm so hyped!
: It's over. We've been completely played by MiHoYo.
....
The sadness and bitterness Aglaea had just brought hadn't even faded yet.
And then Bartholos, or rather, Zagreus now.
In any case, the two casually chatted and just revealed that the Titan of Trickery was still alive.
As casually as asking whether you'd eaten today. After processing this shocking revelation, the audience's emotions immediately surged.
Sorrow and excitement began to coexist, making the viewers both agonized and exhilarated.
Their emotions were firmly in MiHoYo's grasp.
After the excitement settled a bit, the audience still found it hard to believe.
After all, how did the goofy Bartholos resemble a Titan at all?
And he'd been so humble the entire journey.
He was practically Cipher's dog! How did a mighty Titan end up like this?
And the fact that he had deceived everyone with his trickery made the audience itch with curiosity, desperate to know the details.
But it seemed MiHoYo had already anticipated this reaction.
Bartholos and Cipher suddenly stopped talking about those matters altogether.
Stopping right at the climax. The chat immediately broke into wails again.
....
: That's so cruel!
: We were just heartbroken, can't you give us some juicy revelations to enjoy?!
: Poet!!!
: Why torment the audience like this?!
: MiHoYo's got us hooked like fish!
: Hurry up and tell us more! I want to hear it!
....
But the audience had clearly underestimated MiHoYo. Right after revealing the information about Zagreus.
The scene shifted.
Cipher, who had fallen silent, gazed at the distant horizon and began reminiscing about the past.
Countless viewers put on their pain masks the moment they saw the flashback begin.
Damn it! A knife, then a piece of candy, then another knife?
Just this short segment of Cipher's story in Styxia had already sent the audience's emotions on a roller coaster.
Even actual roller coasters weren't this thrilling.
....
A flash of white light.
Okhema, a thousand years ago...
The familiar counter.
The familiar little Cipher wearing a hood.
And Aglaea, as always, waiting behind the counter for her.
But this time, Golden blood was trickling from beneath Cipher's hood, and her clothes were torn and tattered.
"Cifera, you..." Seeing Cipher's wounds, Aglaea's expression changed as she asked worriedly.
"...I need clothes."
"Anything, just throw me something. A piece of cloth will do, just enough to cover the wounds."
Cipher's voice was lifeless and unusually dejected.
"I will pay back the amount I owe... I promise."
"..."
"You... you're bleeding golden blood."
After a brief silence, Aglaea said.
"...Yes, what about it?" Cipher pressed her lips together and replied:
"So what if I'm one of those Chrysos Heirs they talk about? Those infinitely strong heroes? World-renowned swordsmen? Exceptionally intelligent scholars!?"
"Well, I am sorry to disappoint! Who knew that group of amazing people would include me! A pauper, thief, con artist! Maybe I should just make another cut to drain all this yellow stuff out of me and-"
Cipher became more emotional, more self-destructive with every word.
"...Stop it, Cifera."
Aglaea interrupted her, her eyes filled with heartache.
She lowered herself to meet Cipher's gaze and gently said:
"I'll give you clothes, warm you up, and..."
"Stay here. Stay in my workshop until you're healed."