Those dreamy eyes gazed upon this small town, upon every person she had known in this small town.
As for Jiang Cheng... he was a stranger.
There was nothing extra to care about.
No matter how she observed, she couldn't find any abnormalities. Her talent was only limited to a slightly special level, and he didn't exist in her memories at all. When she lived in the small town, there was no one named Jiang Cheng.
With time being very critical, extremely scarce.
The girl wanted to make up for some promises she hadn't fulfilled due to leaving too early, using the perfectly integrated simulator to compensate for past regrets.
It wasn't a conscious choice to leave, although she already had the idea of seeking her Elysium.
But the girl at that time was still a bit naive, too young.
She would never have left like that.
However, when faced with the organization that arrived, which could be called the precursor of Moth Chasing Fire, the girl, clearly realizing that she would bring disaster to this small town that should have remained peaceful and happy, could only choose to bid farewell to her friends, her caring teachers, and the orphanage that had adopted her.
This involuntary, unwilling, and unnatural act of leaving would eventually leave a mark of regret in her life.
Even if she returned on her later journey, she wouldn't be able to recapture the feeling she once had.
Promises made gradually blurred with the passage of time.
Past memories also began to distort.
Now, she finally changed all of this.
In the Valkyrie training simulator, she once again experienced her past life in the small town and once again met those familiar and intimate people.
Now, all her past regrets have been made up for.
"This time... let's leave early."
This time.
The girl could finally face her inner choice to depart.
She was not forced, nor did she have any unfulfilled wishes.
After making up for her regrets, the past was no longer a burden, slowing her steps forward, or a rope binding her with reluctance, but rather a driving force.
Reluctant to leave yesterday, yet willing to let go of the future.
At fifteen, Aili Xiya suddenly wanted to travel, even hiding it from you, planning to secretly leave alone. Luckily, you couldn't sleep that night and happened to see the girl jumping out of a second-story window.
Option 1: Choose to let Aili Xiya leave. A free flower is not something you should imprison, nor can anyone imprison her... Aili, please be happy, okay? Aili, how can I live without you?
Option 2: Stop Aili Xiya from leaving alone and tell your parents.
Option 3: My parents are the people I respect most. Your departure will make them sad... I need more money.
"Is there any need to hesitate?"
Jiang Cheng unhesitatingly chose the third option.
Option one: The only important thing at the beginning would be wasted. Even if he inherited the shop when he grew up, he would just be an ant in future disasters.
If he chose option two, he would probably waste all his favorability, and the world would fall apart even faster.
It would be better to travel the world together.
But... did Aili Xiya leave at this age?
—
The cold night wind blew, rustling the treetops. The eerie airflow wrinkled the pure white, flawless hem of her clothes. You stood still, draped in a black cloak, your blue eyes under the hooded, pretty face slightly averted.
Being discovered when one wanted to leave alone always carried a little shame, making you somewhat afraid to meet the boy's gaze.
Strange...
Originally, even if something happened, you could completely bluff your way through, so why were you specifically afraid to look directly into the boy's eyes?
In fact, you shouldn't have been unable to hide it even from the boy, yet you deliberately slowed down a bit and made a sound the moment you stepped out of the Room.
Perhaps it was this inexplicable emotion that prevented you from successfully leaving.
What could it be?
As you stood there in confusion, the boy's voice suddenly interrupted your thoughts. He didn't complain, but only hoped to leave the small town with you.
Travel with me?
How could that be?!
Aili Xiya's first thought was to refuse.
It wasn't being unkind, nor did she have any hateful thoughts; the flawless girl wouldn't refuse a request made out of concern.
It was just... not quite suitable.
This world was not safe. Aside from densely populated urban areas, some remote, uninhabited places were prone to disasters called Honkai.
If it was just travel, she could protect Jiang Cheng. Remote areas without civilization would at most have some lower-tier Honkai Beasts, and even in big cities, Emperor-class Honkai Beasts were extremely rare at this time.
Unfortunately, this was not a simple trip.
More than just travel, it was essentially about finding people or things that would have a huge impact on the future, to rewrite the future outcome in advance.
It would inevitably encounter some dangerous situations, situations where even she might not be able to protect Jiang Cheng.
But this time, there were no options to refuse.
On the screen, there would usually be at least an agree or disagree option by this point, but now it was empty, and she could only continue watching the broadcast.
"Wh-why can't I choose?"
Her pink-blue eyes almost spun into circles.
She could only watch herself playfully fawn over the boy, agreeing to his request.
For the boy's request, how could she refuse something so utterly reasonable?
You had never been separated from him, not even for a day.
"Since you put it that way... then, I'll gladly rely on you."
"Jiang Cheng Gege~?"
"Let's go on a trip together."
You clasped your hands together, blinking your eyes playfully and adorably, then casually wrapped your arms around the young man's arm.
The next day.
You conveyed your desire to travel to your parents. Perhaps because you had always been extremely reliable and had already completed your university education, they didn't say much about it.
It was only when you mentioned that Aili Xiya would also be accompanying you that their expressions became somewhat strange, showing both approval and an inexplicable sadness.
This left you a bit bewildered, unsure of what they were thinking.
But with Aili Xiya's strong insistence and support, they still patted your shoulder and agreed to the trip.
You had never seen your family's expressions become so complex, almost as if their own pig had been rooting in their own cabbage patch.