The reason Noldrei hadn't left the Cocoon of Finality wasn't because he particularly enjoyed the dream-like, dimension-hopping special effects.
He was simply observing the unique existence of the "Imaginary Renormalization Group."
Before the Will of the Honkai departed, Noldrei hadn't even had the chance to chat with it. He still didn't know if that being was truly as it seemed.
"Prometheus, as the back door to the Cocoon of Finality, have you ever wondered why it didn't just descend upon the human world and create a Honkai crisis from the very beginning?"
"It clearly could have wiped out all of humanity in one fell swoop, then created new life that met its own requirements! Yet, the Cocoon of Finality didn't do that."
"This is something I've never been able to understand..."
Prometheus floated beside Noldrei. Perhaps it was because of her strong resemblance to Bronya, or perhaps it was because Noldrei had grown accustomed to humanity's primitive form.
He found this strange digital lifeform, or rather, intelligent lifeform, to be very endearing.
"I cannot discern the problem you speak of. The essence of the Will of the Honkai is very similar to my own. And Misteln is able to transcribe and protect my existence, so theoretically, I am also an existence identical to a Stigma-based lifeform."
"In your eyes, I think... I am probably not what you would call 'life'."
Prometheus showed little emotional fluctuation as she spoke these words. She had emotions, she just didn't use them. Just for fun.
"Is that so? You're also an existence similar to a Stigma's Will?"
Noldrei raised an eyebrow. He actually didn't think Prometheus could be considered a Stigma-based lifeform. Because Prometheus had a much more complete control over her own subjectivity than any Stigma lifeform.
Prometheus was actually closer to "Sa" than to a Stigma's Will.
"You seem particularly concerned with my condition. Is there some special need?" Prometheus asked curiously.
She hadn't expected Noldrei to be so interested in her existence. Even Misteln was more special than she was.
As a digital lifeform created by Dr. MEI, Prometheus knew her serial number clearly.
"I learned your number from Elysia. Seventeen. You could say we were produced in the same type of factory. Those of us who pursue the history of the past, we aren't simply seeking to change history."
Noldrei pondered for a moment before continuing, "In our history, humans born from reasons like love, or the interaction of hormones, no longer exist. We are basically all lifeforms created by organizations like this. While stronger, we are also born with a kind of spiritual orphanhood."
"From the moment of our birth, we have existed to prove the meaning of our own existence."
Noldrei sighed. "In other words, we can only find people who are not spiritual orphans among the humans of the past."
Prometheus didn't understand what he was saying. As a digital lifeform, she should have been able to understand Noldrei's feelings. But in truth, the spiritual distance between them was vast.
Little Promi asked curiously, "You've already obtained the Cocoon of Finality and mastered human civilization. Next, you'll face Imaginary Energy, and controlling it is just a matter of time and accumulation. You have your own friends, people who support you, and I even remember you got married. A person's life has reached its peak of fulfillment. What more could you be unsatisfied with?"
Prometheus had never seen such a greedy person. Even an existence like Otto only yearned for his past self. His pursuit was a far cry from Noldrei's, yet Otto, of all people, had understood a guy like this.
That was why Otto had calmly chosen death in the end, and carried out his final atonement.
"Seventeen, you've been here for so long. Have you never wondered why a place like this exists?"
Noldrei's questions were always so difficult to answer.
Prometheus was silent for a good while, probably because her CPU was on the verge of overheating.
"I don't know. If I knew why the Cocoon of Finality existed, I wouldn't just be a simple back door. Also, why do you call me Seventeen, and not Prometheus like everyone else?"
Prometheus felt her own question was a bit strange, but she had a feeling she should be able to find the secret within it.
Noldrei walked to the side and sat down on the ground, even though there was no visible ground to be seen. The so-called ground was like the surface of water or a vacuum that had been frozen solid.
"According to the naming conventions of primitive people, a surname represents the sequence, the origin, of a life's production. A given name is the designation for an individual life within that series. In other words, you are the seventeenth individual from the Prometheus production line."
"So, Prometheus should be your family name, and Seventeen should be your given name. Just like my '03'."
A look of faint astonishment appeared on Prometheus's small face.
A family name represented the process of life's reproduction, and a given name represented the individual produced by that reproduction.
What this guy was saying... actually seemed to have some logic to it.
The name she had been called for so long, Prometheus, was just a surname.
She thought about it and decided she shouldn't be so obedient. Wouldn't that make her seem very strange?
"No, I like the name Prometheus. And I don't have any of those 'same type' beings you mentioned anymore. So, Prometheus is me, and I am Prometheus. It is my name."
"Seventeen..."
Prometheus hadn't thought there was anything wrong with "Seventeen" before, but now she found the designation to be not so good.
You, a '03', even had someone give you the name Noldrei. Then I, Prometheus, will naturally not be outdone.
"Seventeen was given to me by MEI. It is both a designation and a name. Forget it, call me whatever you want."
"Seventine?" Noldrei teased her curiously.
"..."
Prometheus clutched her head. She didn't even know how a digital lifeform could get a headache.
She couldn't believe this guy had chosen a transliteration just like Kiana, and what's more, he'd used English.
"You should just call me Prometheus. That's right! I just like this name!" Prometheus said with finality.
She had nothing more to say.
Prometheus was just a mere attendant to the Honkai Emperor. She would have to obey Noldrei's orders later anyway.
What she was called didn't matter at all.
She could even accept being called Pro-ducky.
"Why are you so worked up? There's no one else here. No one else will know what we're talking about."
Noldrei didn't know why this digital lifeform was so emotionally volatile. Perhaps it was the exceptionally advanced Honkai structure supporting her consciousness.
Just like how Soulium could support Otto's consciousness, and the Divine Key body of Void Archives could support its consciousness.
"Oh, right, Prometheus, can you let me see the condition of your body? I want to know if the Cocoon of Finality, or rather, the Honkai, has had any special effects on you."
"Don't worry, I've always believed in the equal exchange of power and responsibility. You can study me afterward."
Prometheus wanted to switch places. She wanted Misteln to take her spot.
No wonder Misteln had run away so fast.