A vast and radiant galaxy stretched out before them, with fragmented asteroids drifting around, while swirling nebulae and spiral-shaped phenomena dominated the center.
Seeing this scene, March 7th was utterly stunned!
"Isn't this the same setting where Stelle witnessed an Aeon?!"
"Does that mean... I'm about to meet an Aeon too?"
"Will I gain a new form as well?"
She even half-expected the "Wildfire" BGM to start playing.
However, the voice that echoed wasn't music—it was the [Messenger].
"Please trust the 'Garden of Recollection.' Everything I do is for the sake of [preservation]."
In the game, her character argued back: "But you can't 'protect' someone by imprisoning them!"
"We know..." The [Messenger]'s voice was resigned. Her figure materialized in the space, walking forward slowly.
"Since you're so determined to learn about your past... come with me."
"I will show you your starting point."
"But I hope you won't seek anything beyond that. Believe me... please believe me. It will bring you no good."
The surroundings darkened, as if ink was flooding in.
A new scene emerged.
It was... herself, encased in [Six-Phased Ice].
Her body was shrouded in light, obscuring all details—only her face was recognizable.
March 7th joked weakly, "Wow, Yu Ling, you're so kind—covering everything up for me."
The [Messenger] spoke:
"This is your origin. From this moment, you began your one and only life, embarking on your journey."
"What came before holds no meaning for you. The value of your life lies not in the past, but in the present... and the future."
"A fledgling bird does not linger on the cliff it once fell from; a sailing ship does not yearn for the shallow waters it once drifted in."
"And you, my child, must understand—the past is as fleeting as mist."
"But the moments you live now will one day be etched in stone."
"It's time to say goodbye. Let this be my parting gift. Until we meet again."
Reading this, March 7th felt an unexpected sense of relief.
She hadn't uncovered any shocking truths in this space, nor had she been blessed by an Aeon like Stelle, gaining a new Path or form.
But seeing herself trapped in the Six-Phased Ice, then recalling her life since being taken aboard the Express—she suddenly realized... the past wasn't so important after all.
The present was already good enough.
Sure, she still wanted to know the secrets of her existence... but those questions no longer felt urgent or desperate.
"There's definitely more of my story in a future update!"
"This quest alone proves it!"
"In a future version, Yu Ling will definitely make me a limited 5-star character!"
"I'm part of the main crew, after all!"
Her mood brightened instantly. She decided then and there—until that day came, she'd enjoy life to the fullest!
Eat, play, explore!
Travel the stars, watch streams!
Use her camera to capture every beautiful moment!
As March made her decision, the surrounding [Memokeepers] also seemed to exhale in relief.
"You were right..." they murmured to the [Messenger].
"Yu Ling must have known that [redacted memories] would only bring harm if restored prematurely."
"This time... we worried for nothing."
"We've broken too many of the Garden's rules. Before we leave, let's make amends..."
---
Guest Cabin – Express
In their respective rooms, Himeko, Welt, and Stelle woke up in their beds.
The three met in the hallway, exchanging puzzled glances.
Stelle greeted them: "Morning, Himeko. Morning, Mr. Yang."
Welt shook his head slightly. "Wait, isn't it nighttime?"
Himeko chuckled. "Are you two alright? The Express is parked in space—there's no 'day' or 'night' here."
"Look, March is waiting for us over there."
---
Meanwhile, March 7th was wrapping up the final part of her quest.
She had returned to the Divination Commission and recounted everything that happened.
Fu Xuan nodded. "So, that mysterious figure truly was an emissary of the Aeon of Remembrance."
"Then... was it Fuli? Is the Aeon tied to my past the 'Memory' Fuli?"
Fu Xuan hesitated. "Not necessarily. It's possible a Aeon sealed your memories, but it may not have been Fuli."
"The 'protection' the Messenger spoke of might imply that restoring your memories could bring danger. The seal was placed to shield you—not out of malice."
"So... I'm back to square one," Stelle sighed.
"I wouldn't say that!" March grinned. "At least I've got the Garden of Recollection as a lead now!"
"It seems recovering your memories exceeds the capabilities of the Matrix," Fu Xuan admitted.
"That's okay! I'm still grateful for your help, Lady Fu!"
"If there's nothing else, I should go check for damages. If the Matrix is harmed, the Commission will have my head!"
"Then we'll take our leave. Come on, Trailblazer—let's scram before Lady Fu slaps us with a repair bill!"
[Total Recall – Complete]
[Fu Xuan has become an Express guest. Return to the train to encounter her.]
March let out a long breath.
"This quest was wild..."
She set her phone down, suddenly feeling drained.
Just as she was about to rest her head on the table to sort out her thoughts—
A voice rang in her ear.
"March! Spill it—which Aeon are you the reincarnation of?!"
"WAAAH—!"
March jolted upright.
Himeko, Welt, and Stelle were all staring at her with knowing smiles.
"When did you guys get back?!"
"Huh? We've been here the whole time," Stelle blinked. "More importantly—why are you up so early?"
"Early? I was just doing my companion quest!" March grabbed her phone, but the screen only showed the quest completion screen.
"Right, I remember that, but didn't we all return to our rooms at some point?" Himeko mused, a hand on her chin.
Suddenly, Stelle gasped and rushed to a nearby potted plant.
"It's gone!"
"The mirror here—it's missing!"
"The Messenger altered our memories!"
She picked up a glass-like object from the floor—not a mirror, but a Light Cone.
As everyone watched, Stelle activated it.
[...The Garden of Recollection sincerely apologizes for intruding upon the Express passengers...]
"Seriously?! They messed with our memories, left without a word, and now this?!" Pom-Pom grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he entered the cabin. "Those Memokeepers really did sneak onto the train! Unforgivable!"
March gave a rough summary of her quest. Hearing how bizarre it was, the others were stunned.
Himeko then replayed the quest on her own account. This time, no anomalies occurred.
After watching, Himeko theorized: "March, it seems your memories were sealed for a reason."
"From a purely logical standpoint—even the most traumatic memories wouldn't require an Aeon's intervention... unless those memories could affect more than just you."
"In other words, remembering might not only change you... but also those around you, even the world itself."
March paled. "That serious?!"
"Then maybe it's better left alone..."
"What if unlocking my memories awakens some terrifying entity?"
Welt laughed. "March, you're overthinking again."
"Don't worry. Yu Ling will release the story in-game first. We'll have time to prepare."
"Oh... right!" March's eyes lit up.
"Like this quest—now that we know about the Garden's tricks, we can plan countermeasures. No more memory tampering!"
To be continued…
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