Wendy's story took a lot of time. Their orders have been repeated thrice, with the cafe's owner personally serving the two. He could not put his finger to it, but he felt something different between the two. Something that reminded him of his previous plight.
Seeing their talks going smoothly, he chose not to intervene. His best support is to make good coffee. The cafe's calming ambience, coupled with the low voices from its customers, granted it life.
'Wendy… she thought of so many things.' Shi Tian thought. 'Was it wrong to leave it be?'
He wasn't some pretentious prick who acted to gain others' approval. Shi Tian never cared whether those he saved would remember him or not. Selfless acts are to be left selfless until the very end, or so he believes. He sought not others' validation, but the self-affirmation that comes after the deed.
Shi Tian thought that no one would discover that small act of his. That he took the Gem of Desire from Otto to prevent Wendy's misfortune. Nobody would discover it as it was too far-fetched. The Gem itself is precious, whether it is to create new Pri-ARMS or to power up some experimental mecha.
Unfortunately, he underestimated what someone like Wendy could do. The gears of fate pushed her towards the path of a diviner, enabling her to find clues and end up as her current self. She discovered his small act of kindness which led to her current obsession with him.
Ironically, Wendy became unrequited as much as Shi Tian's deeds went unnoticed. This complicated connection of theirs came to light right at this moment.
'...There's no use thinking about the past.'
He finished sipping his third batch of coffee. The perfect blend of cream, the bitterness of the coffee, and the bit of sweetness that came afterwards was the maker's interpretation of Shi Tian's demands.
A bittersweet reunion that ends up in true love.
'Four… no, five hundred years of complications. It is time to untangle it.'
"I am sorry."
Before Wendy could come up with something, he continued speaking:
"Part of it is my fault… and I am willing to take responsibility for it. I want to understand you better, far beyond this brief two hour talk, so… will you be my wife?"
"..."
She did not muster any reaction. Her mind blanked out completely, ceasing to operate the moment she heard those words. The glorious peak early-stage Void Refinement Realm she was so proud of—a power capable of overturning star sectors with a thought—seemed meaningless in the face of his acknowledgement.
The next second, countless emotions burst forth. Wendy barely extricated herself from the mix of reverie, surprise, and joy that ensued. She held back the urge to lock his lips with hers, because if she didn't, she would have made sure they wouldn't breath properly for at least half, no, one hour!
Her chaotic mess of a mind surprisingly translated into an understandable answer.
"...Okay."
Though Shi Tian could not read her mind, the intensity of her thoughts was heavy enough to distort the reality around them. He acted fast and ensured the others around them won't be affected by it. Once Wendy sensed his mind intertwining with hers, she gasped out in shock, followed by embarrassment. She retracted her rampaging powers soon after.
"...I'm sorry."
"It's fine." He paused for a moment, intent on breaking the awkward air around them, as he continued, "Let's talk more about you. Any hobbies you would like to share?"
"B-back in Saint Freya… I drank the Principal's bitter gourd juice and liked it."
"..."
Shi Tian's mouth hung slightly open.
'There's someone else who would like bitter gourd?'
The ensuing conversations made him laugh at times; helpless at the others. Her Saint Freya days painted Wendy as a lively and friendly girl. Five hundred years later, she turned into a certified neet who never left her cave dwellings often, save for the time Anna invited her out.
If he had heard about Himeko's retired lifestyle, he probably wouldn't have been as helpless as now. It was true that comparison is the thief of joy!
The more he heard about Wendy's peculiarities, the more speechless he became. She is the model neet who developed social anxiety after five hundred years of living alone. For instance, she liked to cook those 'instant meals' (i.e., spiritual food frozen in storage rings).
She also liked to blast special music while in a cultivation state. The existence of cultivator rock bands, singers, and divas diversified Earth's culture. Most find it boring to sit alone in silence for decades, if not centuries. This led to the creation of special music that everyone could listen to while in cultivation.
Aside from these, Wendy also had a hobby of barbequing different types of demon beast meat. To that, she published a book on ten thousand ways to barbecue them.
Everything was going well, light-hearted even, when Wendy confessed to something.
'He wants to understand me…'
It was none other than the huge thing she pulled off in response to her growing heart demons.
"Three hundred years ago…"
"Hm?"
"I divined your future."
"..!"
The coffee cup he was holding shook. Shi Tian knows the implication of having divined others' futures, more so himself. Even he himself finds his future extremely complex, yet Wendy pulled it off!
"Give me your hand."
"Ah?"
She swiftly complied with his words amidst her confusion. Shi Tian ran through his mind throughout her whole body, finding it void of any injuries.
'It's not physical. Could it be..!'
Countless techniques popped up inside his mind. He selected an appraisal technique that views one's total lifespans as well as their karma.
Hum-!
Shi Tian's vision changed. Amidst the vast starry sky, Wendy's lone back stood. What surrounded her was not one, two, or even five. But an entire eighteen Aeons staring at her!
It did not matter whether THEY were dead or alive. Wendy's divination touched upon the past, present, and future of all worlds held by the imaginary tree. Eighteen highly complex lifeforms, coupled with Shi Tian's own chaotic nature…
The cost was enough to make his heart drop.