"Some unknown message that appeared out of nowhere."
Herta shook her head. She didn't seem to care much about the information on the surface, though what she truly thought—only she herself knew.
Some people had already begun preparing for a war of gods.
But Ruan Mei...
"Are you planning to take part in this war of gods?"
"Someone offered me a price I couldn't refuse," Ruan Mei replied, neither denying nor hiding it.
Acheron fell silent upon hearing this. Speaking of a war of gods inevitably brought up the Aeon of Propagation. Though she had never personally experienced it, the Swarm Disaster had left an enormous impact. Records related to it were countless across the universe.
In a war of gods, even Aeons could fall.
Then... would there be a chance for IX...
"I will help her fulfill her obsession. Whether you agree or not, I will not change my decision."
Ruan Mei pulled the topic back again, stating plainly that the situation in the universe would change rapidly. If there was an option to avoid getting involved, it was better to stay away.
Even if they were to enter the fray, it had to be at the right time. They must never allow themselves to be manipulated as mere pieces.
"What if she's unwilling?"
Herta reacted quickly. She wasn't just now learning about the war of gods, and naturally wouldn't let it distract her.
"I will respect her wishes," Ruan Mei answered honestly. Then she looked at Herta with a hint of confusion. "Do you think I would ignore her will and forcibly proceed with terminal transformation?"
"Hard to say." Despite her reasoning being sound, Herta still held her ground, sneering, "Even Screwllum has more humanity than you."
"I don't deny that."
Among their collaborators in the Simulated Universe, Screwllum was the one most like a human genius.
And yet, he wasn't human.
He was a mechanical lifeform.
...
Elsewhere, Kiana tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She thought perhaps it was because she had already slept for hundreds of years—she had slept enough—so now she couldn't sleep anymore.
She kept staring out the window. By the time she came back to herself, night had already fallen. Inside and outside the room were pitch black, with only faint outlines visible under the moonlight.
She wasn't thinking about anything.
Just staring blankly out the window, like a statue—completely motionless.
Until a knock came at the door, followed by it opening.
Only then did she snap out of it, instinctively turning toward the doorway. The corridor light spilled into the dark room, adding a bit of brightness.
Ruan Mei raised her hand and switched on the room's lights.
"You sat like this all afternoon?"
Her voice was as gentle and pleasant as ever, making Kiana instinctively feel fond of her. After sitting like that for so long, even her body—which had seemed numb—began to feel a trace of fatigue.
"Ruan... Mei..."
Ruan Mei walked over and sat beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"
Kiana nodded, then shook her head. Her gaze lingered on Ruan Mei's delicate face, somewhat dazed.
"Can't sleep? Too many thoughts?"
"I can adjust," Kiana said quickly, thinking Ruan Mei was worried. She didn't want her to worry too much.
"If it becomes unbearable, I can help you."
"I can adjust!"
Though she had no idea how Ruan Mei intended to help, she instinctively didn't want to trouble her.
Her own problems should be solved by herself.
"I don't mind if you rely on me a little more."
Ruan Mei gently stroked her hair. Though she temporarily lacked the ability to read hearts through touch here, she understood Kiana very well.
She didn't need such methods to guess what Kiana was thinking.
"After all, we're partners. Problems should be solved together. You don't need to worry about being a burden to me."
Partners...?
Kiana stared at her blankly. Her exhausted heart stirred strangely upon hearing those words.
"...I don't remember anything."
She didn't remember Ruan Mei. She didn't know how close they had been in the past, or how they used to interact.
She didn't remember Ruan Mei.
So she didn't know how to be with her.
"Then rely on me more. It's fine. As long as it's you, I won't find it troublesome."
Kiana's pupils trembled. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
There was no doubt—Ruan Mei was telling her that she could be her support.
That she could rely on her more.
That trust... that dependence... could all be placed in her hands.
"Ruan Mei..."
She softly called her name. After pursing her lips, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, as if she had regained a bit of energy.
"Calling you by your full name feels so distant. Can I call you Mei?"
"Mei?"
Ruan Mei had long been used to Kiana calling her A'Ruan. Hearing "Mei" now caught her slightly off guard.
Come to think of it...
When she had first arrived at Jarilo-VI, she had heard the name "Mei" several times from Kiana's thoughts, along with mentions of the "Era of Reset."
It was precisely because of that that Ruan Mei had formed a certain guess.
If she didn't do this, then the world would eventually reset again.
Someone else would carry it out in her place.
This world was born from Kiana's memories. The people who might appear here were likely those Kiana had repeatedly thought of—those who resembled her in some way.
Kiana misunderstood her silence and asked cautiously, "Is that not okay?"
"It's fine," Ruan Mei replied. "You can call me Ruan Mei, A'Ruan, or Mei. Or perhaps... you could call me 'dear.'"
Kiana's face instantly flushed red. "D-dear?"
At that moment, she truly felt—just a little—that she and this gentle, considerate woman before her were lovers.
Her blush spread all the way to her ears. Her face burned so much she didn't dare meet Ruan Mei's eyes.
"Maybe try saying it with less doubt—and a bit more certainty."
With more certainty?
Dear.
Such an intimate way of addressing someone!
Kiana's face burned even hotter. Her heart raced from nervousness.
"Dear."
She was willing to go along with Ruan Mei, not wanting to disappoint her—even if she couldn't remember anything about her.
"That's it."
Ruan Mei leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss onto her lips.
Caught off guard, Kiana's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her.
Had she just... been kissed?
Her already burning cheeks grew even hotter. It felt like her brain was running out of oxygen.
Everything felt hazy.
The last kiss she remembered was Herta's—tinged with the taste of rust, faintly painful.
"What's wrong, dear? Do you want more?"
Kiana covered her mouth and shook her head repeatedly. Then she realized that might seem like rejection—like she disliked it.
Worried Ruan Mei might misunderstand, she hurriedly grabbed her hand again, blushing as she said,
"Th-that's enough... next time."
"By the way, did you come to see me for something?" Changing the subject quickly was obviously the right move.
That was what Kiana thought.
But the Ruan Mei she was holding down hesitated—something she normally wouldn't do.
Should she say it now and end everything as soon as possible... or wait a little longer?
Wait until Kiana's emotions had completely settled?
"Is there something you wanted to tell me?" Kiana noticed her hesitation and thought of the real matter at hand. "Is it about this trial?"
"The Stigmata Terminal," Ruan Mei said. "In my view, the Stigmata Terminal is the key to ending this trial."
"The Stigmata Terminal?"
The miracle capable of reconstructing the past and building a Stigmata World...
Kiana did not hesitate at all. "What do I need to do?"
She remembered Ruan Mei had mentioned before that a price would have to be paid.
"To construct the Stigmata Terminal, the issue of a vessel must be resolved. It was precisely because there was no suitable vessel that you initiated this Stigmata Trial."
Kiana understood something at once.
"Is it me?"
There was no suitable vessel, yet Ruan Mei said she would have to pay a serious price.
She was a Herrscher.
And not just any Herrscher, but a very special one.
"...Yes." Ruan Mei let out a soft sigh. "The experiment stalled at the vessel stage. It was because your clone could not be put into use that this Stigmata Trial was initiated."
"Clone..."
For a brief moment, it felt as though lightning flashed through Kiana's mind.
"Our goal was to build the Stigmata Terminal. And to build it, I'm an indispensable part of the process. So we tried another approach—starting with a clone?"
"The clone did not inherit your power," Ruan Mei explained. "So it cannot become the Stigmata Terminal you require."
"So I started this Stigmata Trial?"
She still didn't fully understand why the trial could transform the clone into a suitable terminal. But Ruan Mei's deduction made sense.
If the purpose of initiating the trial was the terminal, then the answer to the trial being the Stigmata Terminal itself seemed perfectly logical.
"Does she... have self-awareness?" Kiana couldn't help asking.
Ruan Mei shook her head. "A clone created from your genes cannot develop self-awareness."
The worry in Kiana's heart dissipated.
If the clone had self-awareness, then she wouldn't be an object—she would be a living person.
"I don't know exactly what I should do," Kiana said with a smile, "but I trust you! Since we've found an answer, then let's boldly move forward."
"I'll cooperate with you."
"This may require you to pay with your life," Ruan Mei reminded her. "And... although the probability is high, I cannot guarantee that this is the correct answer."
"That's fine!" Kiana replied without hesitation. "Even if it fails, that's fine. This is just a trial, right? At worst, the trial fails again and we start over from the beginning."
"I'm the one who wanted to construct the Stigmata Terminal. How can I not pay any price at all?"
"Maybe the reason the clone can't become the terminal is because it's missing me." She smiled lightly. "And even if it's wrong, we're not gaining nothing. We can treat this trial as experience for you, Mei."
"It's a great deal, isn't it?"
It was a guaranteed profit.
At the very least, Ruan Mei now had a concrete answer that only needed verification. And even if the truth proved otherwise, as Kiana had said, it wouldn't be meaningless.
If constructing the Stigmata Terminal was something she had already resolved to accomplish, then every successful attempt would be invaluable experience.
Kiana was willing to try.
It was just dying once.
She had already died once before.
Compared to death, what she feared more was that previous ending—the one where she personally destroyed the world.
This was only a trial.
Herta had said those words to her, and she remembered them clearly.
She did not fear death.
And this was not true death.
Ruan Mei closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I knew you would give that answer. That's why I..."
That was why she hadn't wanted her to initiate experiments related to the Stigmata Terminal. Why she had halted deeper research into the Stigmata.
"This is only a trial," Kiana reassured her. "Using one simulated scenario to gain precious real-world experience—it's worth it."
Yes.
It was worth it.
"There won't be a next time, Kiana."
Suppressing the complicated emotions in her heart, Ruan Mei opened her eyes and looked at her. Her gentle voice carried a rare firmness.
"This is the last time I indulge you."
Even knowing she couldn't persuade her, she would no longer indulge Kiana after this.
This was the last time.
Not fully understanding what she meant, Kiana gave an awkward little laugh, assuming it was some kind of warning.
"Mei, you mentioned before that the Stigmata Terminal can reconstruct worlds. So could it..."
Hope flickered in her eyes.
"It's not the same, Kiana," Ruan Mei explained. "You were able to reconstruct Izumo because Izumo left behind enough Stigmata Crystals. Those crystals contained the memories of that world and could serve as a foundation. The Stigmata Terminal does not truly possess the ability to reconstruct a world from nothing. Even if it did, certain prerequisites would have to be met."
The hope in Kiana's eyes shattered.
She pressed her lips together, unwilling to give up. "Is there really no way at all?"
"I can't guarantee it," Ruan Mei answered truthfully. Then she added in a gentler tone, "When this ends, everything here will disappear. Why hold on to it?"
"If you can't guarantee it, that means there's still a little hope, right? Even a small possibility?"
Kiana grasped at the point she wanted.
"I want to try," she said seriously. "We can treat it as accumulating experience in advance."
Ruan Mei looked at her in silence.
She understood Kiana's personality well enough. But seeing her still so deeply attached to a world she herself had destroyed left her emotions in turmoil.
Jarilo-VI would need special attention.
And Kiana—Acheron would have to keep a close eye on her. She couldn't be allowed to stir up trouble again, chasing after some dream of being a world-saving hero.
With her inability to forgive herself, if someone with ulterior motives discovered that weakness, it would become a serious problem.
"I will try," Ruan Mei said at last.
"Tha—" Kiana caught herself just before saying thank you, realizing it might sound too distant. She quickly corrected herself. "Then I'll leave it to you. Don't force yourself—just do your best."
What would it feel like to be made into a Stigmata Terminal?
After becoming the terminal, would she still retain her consciousness?
Everything was unknown.
But she was willing to try.
Because things couldn't get worse than they already were.
—
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