Aponia's heart could not find peace.
She left that space and returned to the church in "Dusk Street" to pray.
The church where Aponia and Ye Feng had lived was still there.
The nun knelt in prayer, but ripples continued to disturb the calm of her heart...
Aponia recalled that flawless, pink-haired girl.
Dusk Street had fallen because of Aponia.
When she was first brought to the Flame-Chasers by Sakura, Elysia did not show fear or disgust like the others. Instead, she took the initiative to approach her with warmth and kindness.
It was this girl, who loved to laugh like a blooming flower, who pulled Aponia's mind from its cage of remorse and slowly melted the heart she had sealed away.
For the Aponia of that time, atoning in the Deepest Place was the only salvation for the rest of her life.
But she had told Elysia that the world outside was the true cage. Because Elysia was here, even while in the Deepest Place, she had already stepped into the sunlight.
"So, I don't want your 'story' to become a sealed-away past. I will remember everything about you in the Elysian Realm, poring over it through the long years, waiting for someone who shares your will to arrive."
"And then... I will look forward to the day when 'this page' is turned once more by a later generation."
Thus, after Elysia returned to the stars and moon, Aponia fused herself with the Elysian Realm, seeking only an "answer."
Aponia finally remembered.
No, she had always remembered.
It was just that...
"To turn the old page, or, to write a new chapter..."
Aponia had long since made her decision.
But whenever she thought of it, she felt herself mired in sin.
No matter how much she prayed, the fires of karma could not be quelled.
"Elysia... will you forgive me?"
Aponia's fair fingers slowly interlocked, and the church sank into the deepest darkness.
---o---
Ye Feng and Mobius's "simulation" continued.
[Time flowed leisurely. Mobius had more or less adapted to this world.]
[Although certain common sense clashed with her cognition, these were minor issues.]
[Civilization, concepts, cultural development, natural laws...]
[Mobius thought more about the fundamental nature of this world.]
Mobius felt a profound sense of "emptiness" and "falseness," as if this world were a "giant stage play."
No matter what thrilling plot the "actors" performed, they could only follow a certain trajectory; they could not deviate from the "script."
This "singular" restriction ran contrary to the "infinity" Mobius pursued.
Therefore, she was able to sense it with extreme sensitivity.
But whenever Mobius tried to probe deeper, the thought would automatically disappear.
It was like a severe internet addict suddenly being struck with cyber-impotence, losing all interest in games.
Mobius would abruptly lose interest in "deeper research," as if something had been "locked."
The clear sunlight of early spring shone through the window into the living room. Mobius lay diagonally on the sofa, her light-green hair spilling out, exuding a natural aura. Her two beautiful legs were pressed together under her skirt, their curves tracing a soft yet sexy line, showcasing her bewitching charm.
Mobius is deep in thought.jpg
"What exactly is the 'price' Aponia mentioned?"
She had already appeared here, but the "price" had yet to arrive.
Mobius didn't think Aponia was just being an alarmist.
"Forget it. It doesn't matter."
Mobius picked up a water-beaded cherry between her thumb and forefinger, tilted her head back, and held it above her cherry-pink lips.
Her tender, pink tongue darted out, first tapping the skin of the fruit, then deftly half-coiling around the cherry, slowly drawing it into her mouth.
As her inner cheeks and tongue squeezed, the cherry's juice burst forth, instantly filling her mouth with sweetness.
Her lips, glistening with juice, reflected a crystalline luster.
"Snakey, don't eat while lying down."
A gentle voice reached her. Mobius turned her head to see Ye Feng approaching. She raised her eyes slightly and said unhurriedly:
"I believe I've told you not to meddle in my affairs."
Ye Feng smiled gently. "How could anything concerning Snakey be considered a meddlesome affair?"
"..."
Mobius frowned in displeasure, her face full of impatience.
Her expression seemed to say, "You're so annoying. Can you disappear from my sight immediately?"
But at that moment, Mobius's inner thoughts were far more complex than her expression.
Deprived of love, Mobius's mother had died at birth, and her Honkai-infected father either beat or cursed her.
Her own childhood was so tragic, yet her "other-world self" had such a perfect father.
He was practically Mobius's ideal type.
An ideal... of course Mobius had fantasized about it.
But reality had dealt her a heavy blow, and she had stopped fantasizing about familial affection.
But how could someone starved for love in childhood not yearn for "love"?
Yearning, however, was one thing; a cruelly clear-headed awareness was another.
Right now, Mobius's feelings were complicated.
The more meticulous Ye Feng's care was, the more uncomfortable Mobius felt.
Honestly, she admitted she was a tiny bit jealous, but truly, only a tiny bit.
To prove this point, Mobius said calmly, "I know what I'm doing. Your 'experience,' in my view, is merely laughable. Do you need me to write a thesis on 'the feasibility of eating cherries while lying down'?"
Ye Feng said helplessly, "Don't always have your quills up. We're not enemies."
"Then don't bother me."
"...Alright. I'll probably be back a little late tonight. If you get hungry, there's your favorite strawberry cream cake in the fridge."
"Who said strawberry cream cake is my favorite... Hm? Late? Where are you going?"
Mobius wasn't concerned about Ye Feng's whereabouts.
It was just that for so many days, his daily trajectory had been almost unchanging.
Now that a "change" had suddenly occurred, Mobius was naturally curious.
She then saw Ye Feng scratch the back of his head and say evasively, "This is adult business. Little children shouldn't ask so many questions."
"Oh."
Mobius lay back down.
Whatever. It has nothing to do with me anyway.
"I'm heading out."
Hearing the sound of the door closing, Mobius immediately sat up, her hands on the back of the sofa, staring at the front door.
Mobius wasn't concerned with Ye Feng's movements; it was the "abnormal behavior" that had caught her attention.
That was all.
Mobius got off the sofa, her small, delicate feet stepping onto the cool floor.
She thought for a moment, then put on her outdoor shoes and quietly followed him.