Chapter 120: Stargazer's Feelings, A Heartfelt Confession!
TL/N : I'm crashing out..I don't understand the context of this..
[Wolfram was taken away in disbelief, leaving only allies on the battlefield now. Kiana looked at Stargazer with adoration:
"Hehe~ As expected of Father Emperor's favorite little Stargazer!
Everything went exactly as you planned!"
"Imperial Uncle remains as free-spirited as ever, unchanged through all this time."
The two fell into silence. After a long pause, Kiana still wanted to persuade Stargazer to return, but for Stargazer, sealing the aberrant beast was the top priority. Knowing Stargazer's personality and abilities, Kiana didn't press further. She whipped her horse and led the soldiers back to the city. Before departing, Kiana gave Stargazer her blessings as an elder: "The road ahead is perilous... Little Stargazer, you must return safely!"
"Mmm... I will. Imperial Uncle must take care too."]
[Kiana]: "Stargazer called me Imperial Uncle? She really called me Imperial Uncle!"
[Theresa]: "That doting expression Kiana gives Stargazer looks so awkward no matter how you look at it."
[Murata Himeko]: "How does it feel watching someone who looks exactly like you call Kiana 'Imperial Uncle'?"
[Theresa]: "This completely turns the natural order upside down!"
Theresa wore an expression as if she'd been deprived of her bitter melon juice, her face a complex mix of emotions.
[March 7th]: "This looks like such a heartwarming uncle-niece relationship. Mr. Yang, why do you all have such complicated expressions?"
[Honkai Star Rail·Welt]: "Because in our worldline, their seniority is completely reversed."
[The next night, near Riverside Pavilion
By the campfire, Stargazer was carefully arranging the final array node while Tesla busied herself maintaining her Iron Fist gauntlets.
With nothing else to do, the Captain ate the sakura mochi Stargazer had given him and silently added firewood to the flames. "I say... Tesla, do you... really have to stay here?"
"I must. This is part of [History]."
"Is there no other way?"
"That sort of thing... you know better than I do."
Silence fell between them. To ease the awkwardness, Tesla joked that next time they meet, she should buy her a drink - though by then he probably wouldn't remember anything. Noticing Stargazer still hadn't returned, Tesla suggested the Captain go look for her.]
[March 7th]: "So much information this time! What does it all mean? More riddles!"
[Elysia]: "The Captain won't remember anything when they meet next time - that would be the original Captain then♪"
[Vill-V]: "Indeed. If Tesla stays here now, then from the Captain's perspective, their first meeting with Tesla would be in the future. This completes the historical loop."
[Silver Wolf]: "We're approaching the final battle now. With no tragic moments so far, seems my mental preparation was wasted."
In a way, Silver Wolf felt somewhat disappointed about this.
[Following Stargazer's footprints, the Captain groped his way forward through the pitch-black forest. The surroundings triggered a sudden memory from his past.
The same kind of night, when he had similarly followed her footprints into unknown darkness ahead. The Captain didn't know how long he'd been walking those tracks... perhaps long enough to forget why he was moving forward at all. What led him out of that darkness had been a light - not dazzling, but warmly comforting. This time was no different.]
[Silver Wolf]: "Yes! The Captain's monologue confirms this isn't just one cycle - things just got interesting!"
[March 7th]: "Do you really want tragedy that badly? Aren't you afraid of being heartbroken?"
[Elysia]: "Why think about sad things? Isn't sweet romance much better♪"
[Following the light, the Captain found Stargazer. "So beautiful..."
Under the cold moonlight, Stargazer stood wrapped in fur-lined robes as pink-white petals drifted around her.
Gently holding a sky lantern, its pale yellow glow illuminated her porcelain face. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Seeing the Captain approach, Stargazer smiled softly: "Pity I only had enough materials left for this one lantern."
"In past Mid-Autumn Festivals, no matter how busy grandfather was, he'd always make ninety-nine sky lanterns with me to release at midnight."
"Grandfather said grandmother left before I could remember her. But she never forgot me - she became a star in the sky watching over me."
"[These carry our思念 (longing), surely delivering words to infinite distances]... Grandfather always believed this... always."
"Mmm, they definitely can!"
"Huh?" "Even if this lantern can't reach where stars dwell, the思念 within will surely travel farther than any star."]
[Stelle]: "So beautiful! The screen knows exactly what we want to see!!"
[Kiana]: "Is this really Aunt Theresa? Her face looks so divine!"
[Bronya Zaychik]: "Principal Theresa has always been beautiful - she just never dressed up properly in that nun habit."
Though even in the same outfit, she might not compare to Stargazer. Bronya quietly swallowed those words.
[Rita]: "Truly... too adorable."
As both a lolicon and Theresa-con, Rita couldn't resist Stargazer's charm. With no Stargazer in reality however,
Rita immediately wanted to get matching outfits and head to Far East Theresa - if she couldn't have Stargazer, Theresa would make fine substitute! Nearby, dumbfussed Durandal watched Rita's creepy giggling with complete incomprehension.
["Yet even so... Assassin-san, could this思念 of mine reach where you belong through such a lantern?"
"After all... that is a [Future] even I cannot touch..."
The Captain stayed silent. "That expression... heh, was I right after all?"
"Sorry..."
"Why apologize, Assassin-san?"
Stargazer's voice overflowed with tenderness: "Without you, I likely would have perished in that sea of trees long ago."
"No! I'd never let that—"
"But that was [the story that should have been], wasn't it?"
"To me, perhaps it wasn't a perfect tale, but that was..."
The Captain's voice cracked slightly: "I told you I'd never—"
"Mmm, I know... I've always known."
Stargazer gazed at him tenderly as always. "Because Assassin-san, that's simply who you are."
"You may not realize it yourself... but your eyes always hold an almost stubborn persistence."
"It's the look of someone who has lost something precious and struggled endlessly for it."
"Yet that is also what makes me feel most secure."
"No matter what hopeless situation we face, that version of you always stands before me - believing in, supporting, protecting me."
"Even when facing Orchid General that day, you risked your life..."]
[Elysia]: "This is a confession! It must be a confession! Fairy-chan loves sweet scenes like this♪"
[Kiana]: "Stargazer's so clever! She's already realized the Captain comes from the future."
[March 7th]: "But why did the Captain return to the past? Could it be... he failed to save her in the future?"
[Silver Wolf]: "I smell lifespan tragedy knives here! But thankfully we saw Stargazer on the bridge earlier - probably fine!"
[Otto]: "Tch..."
Though aware the Captain must have shared life-and-death moments with Stargazer in some future - and that Stargazer wasn't his beloved granddaughter Theresa - Love for one extended to the other. He still disliked the Captain. Who knew if seeing future events would change that?
[Stelle]: "So envious! Stargazer's confession!"
[Rita]: "Indeed."
Watching Stargazer confess under moonlight stirred indescribable feelings in Rita's heart.
[Theresa]: "This feels so weird!!"
Seeing her lookalike confess passionately to someone she didn't know gave Theresa none of that shipping joy - only awkwardness.
["Weren't you the one who stopped me then..."
"Heh, did you expect me to watch you march to death?"
"Hah? Without trying who knows who'd win..."
Suddenly intense dizziness struck.
As his vision blurred, strength drained from his legs. Using final reserves to brace against a tree trunk, he collapsed like a severed puppet string. "Heh, finally taking effect?"
"That night at the inn, I specially asked Lady Yae to prepare sakura mochi with sleeping draught - what you just ate."
"Stargazer... why..."
The Captain couldn't believe it. "To protect those I must protect."]
[March 7th]: "So that's what those sakura mochi were for!"
[Stelle]: "Stargazer drugging the Captain must mean she wants to kidnap him as *** rawr!!"
[Qingque]: "Stargazer understands her duty but has personal wishes too - wanting the Captain safe is why she won't let him fight the aberrant beast."
[Murata Himeko]: "Unless the Captain has hidden powers, his current strength wouldn't contribute much."
[Protecting this empire was Crown Princess Stargazer's duty - not the Captain or Tesla's responsibility. This life-or-death battle shouldn't involve them. "So Assassin-san, please rest well here tonight."
"If tomorrow I return safely... then..."
"Stop deciding everything yourself... you..."
The Captain struggled to rise but couldn't manage it. "Sealing that beast is my duty as [Ruler of a Nation], while protecting you is...
[Stargazer]'s duty."
He wanted to call for Tesla but Stargazer had already drugged her to sleep until dawn. "Assassin-san, this time... you've fallen into my trap again..."
"Wait, Stargazer... alone you can't..."
The Captain still tried stopping her. But Stargazer's resolve was firm: "Assassin-san, in that future you come from... I likely became one among these stars long ago?"
"When you return to your proper future... Assassin-san, if you remember me... if you still can..."
"Assassin-san, please... release such a sky lantern for me too..."
"Wait... Stargazer..."
As drugs took full effect, consciousness slipped away. "Farewell, Assassin-san..."
Stargazer bid final goodbye.]
[Stelle]: "'Your duty is protecting your nation - but protecting you Stargazer is my duty as Captain!'"
[Pela]: "These knives are coated in sugar!!"
[Kiana]: "Captain! You must stay with Stargazer!!"
[Silver Wolf]: "Dammit! I know Stargazer survives since future her is fine - why does this still break me!?"
[Stelle]: "How's that glass-fragment candy taste?"
[Silver Wolf]: "Just got sand in my eyes! Not heartbroken at all!!"
[Firefly]: "Still in denial."
6000 words served today!