"I don't know."
Sirin's reply was blunt—because she truly didn't know. She had no idea what Raiden Mei was planning.
Just as she had said earlier.
Her relationship with Raiden Mei was currently strained. The rift caused by deceit, compounded by neither side showing any intention of reconciliation, made it unsurprising that things had reached this point.
Burdened with heavy responsibility, Sirin had neither the time nor the energy to quarrel with Raiden Mei. She had been entrusted with everything.
Though they no longer had a planet to rely on, fortunately, they had taken some Edict Edges with them, as well as some of Kiana's leftover equipment that could still be utilized.
Thus, during their long voyage through the cosmos, they had yet to encounter a threat capable of destroying the Ark.
"I don't know what she's thinking either. Finding her won't be easy. The universe is too vast—trying to locate her is no different from searching for a needle in an ocean."
No clues, no destination—finding one person among countless worlds.
It was far too difficult.
Unless fate itself guided them,
It would be impossible to find her so easily.
Rather than wandering aimlessly, it would be wiser to wait for news from the IPC—and for Raiden Mei to seek them out herself.
"...So we really have to make a name for ourselves first, huh."
Kiana murmured softly, letting out a sigh. Either she had to wait until the Penacony arc began—or spread her own name across the cosmos to draw Mei's attention.
If she relied on luck, hoping to randomly stumble upon Raiden Mei in some world, it would be just as Sirin said.
That was like searching for a needle in an ocean.
The difficulty was self-evident.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing, really."
Kiana smiled at her, then finally took a good look at Sirin now.
She didn't seem much different from before.
No—there were differences.
When they first met again, Sirin had been quite emotional. But now that she'd calmed down, Kiana could see that she had matured a lot.
At least, in her demeanor.
Mature and composed...
Thinking back to the Sirin she'd seen years ago in Izumo, Kiana looked at her with faint tenderness in her eyes.
"Himeko and the others placed their final hope on you. It must have been hard all these years, hasn't it?"
Hard?
She carried the Ark, ensuring that Izumo's legacy would not perish—but others helped shoulder that burden.
Sirin's role as their leader,
Was essentially one of deterrence—of power and protection.
She wasn't particularly exhausted. In the early days, Raiden Mei had helped her; later, others aboard the Ark grew stronger, and the weight of leadership no longer rested solely upon her shoulders.
But...
It was painful.
And lonely.
Everything she had cared about had been in Izumo—and all of it was swallowed by that Honkai Eruption.
Everything she cared for, loved, or hated...
All of it.
"It's not as hard as you think. The Ark doesn't just have me; everyone worked together to keep the name of Izumo alive."
Sirin's tone was calm. "We all did our best—together, we managed to preserve what Izumo stood for."
Kiana didn't believe it could've been as easy as Sirin made it sound. Looking at her, she asked, "Do you want to return to Izumo?"
Sirin's eyes suddenly brightened with a spark of hope. "Kiana, are you saying..."
Kiana shook her head. "I can't right now. But I'm working on it. Sooner or later... I will make it happen."
"No!"
Sirin's reaction was immediate. She jumped up and began pacing before Kiana, her tone filled with anxiety. "You can't take any more risks! Izumo... Izumo is already gone. Let it remain in the past!"
She didn't want Kiana to endanger herself again.
Izumo was already destroyed—Sirin didn't want her to repeat the same mistake, to meet the same tragic end as before.
Let things be as they were.
Kiana was still alive. The legacy and embers of Izumo still survived—that was already the best outcome she could ask for.
During their years of sailing across the galaxy, the Ark had gathered extensive data related to Nihility.
They had learned just how dangerous it truly was.
"I already have a plan. Believe me, as long as I—"
"No. I've heard enough, Kiana."
Sirin turned around, gripping Kiana's shoulders, her voice breaking with emotion. "I absolutely forbid you to risk yourself again!"
It was the first time Kiana had ever seen Sirin like this. Stunned by her sudden intensity, she froze, her tone softening.
"Sirin, I won't..."
Sirin pressed her hand gently over Kiana's mouth and said firmly, "I will not allow you to risk yourself for Izumo again. Even if Raiden Mei were standing right here, I believe she'd make the same choice as I do!"
Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of the rope.
Looking at Sirin, Kiana suddenly recalled that saying. She understood—Sirin was only worried for her, terrified that she might once again throw herself into danger and lose everything.
"I just want you to live safely."
Sirin pursed her lips and said earnestly, "Izumo... let it live only in our memories. Let it remain forever in the past."
Kiana knew Sirin was speaking out of care. She wasn't ungrateful.
But even if it wasn't for Izumo's sake,
She still had to deal with the current flaws—the bugs—between Honkai and Nihility. Otherwise, who could say what the galaxy, or even the universe itself, would become in the end?
The image of endless numbers of Galaxy-class Honkai Beasts roaming the universe flashed through her mind.
Kiana shuddered.
It hadn't even been that long since the last incident, and already a Planet-class Honkai Beast had appeared. If left unchecked, what would happen after hundreds or thousands of years? Would the universe even remain livable?
A peaceful life was impossible for her.
With such deep ties to the Honkai, she was destined to keep walking this path.
For a while, countless thoughts swirled in her mind.
Ruan Mei's words and those of others echoed within her. She... couldn't keep running away forever.
But since she had just reunited with Sirin, it was better not to bring up such heavy topics.
"Then I won't do it anymore."
Sirin, who had been watching her anxiously, finally relaxed. "As long as you understand."
It wasn't that she didn't care about their homeland. Sirin was simply afraid—afraid that if Kiana ever took another risk, Izumo might truly be lost forever.
"Do you remember when you once mentioned Penacony?"
Sirin suddenly brought up the topic, trying to lighten the mood.
"Penacony?"
Kiana raised a brow. Of course she remembered. Before crossing over, she had just finished the Penacony main story.
"I've been there," Sirin said. "A world of dreams, the planet of festivities—just like you once described."
"I've never actually gone there myself."
Kiana smiled encouragingly. "Then next time, take me with you. I'd like to see it too."
Sirin turned to her and said simply, "No need to wait for next time. We can go now."
"Now?!"
"Yes, now."
Kiana quickly waved her hands. "Not yet. I still need to say goodbye to Ruan—and there are other things I have to do. Besides, shouldn't you still be watching over the Ark?"
Sirin was supposed to be in charge of the Ark, wasn't she? It should still be around.
Hearing how Kiana addressed her, Sirin was momentarily surprised. "You mean Ruan Mei? Are you two... close?"
Kiana rubbed her chin.
Close?
She thought about their year together—about Ruan Mei's reaction when she had returned from Euphorion.
And she remembered, too, that moment days ago—when Ruan Mei had gently touched her face, not to analyze data, but simply to feel.
The warmth and softness of that touch still lingered in her heart.
"I think we're very close," Kiana said softly.
To me, she's... someone special.
Kiana didn't know what Ruan Mei truly thought.
But to her, Ruan Mei was special.
Her memories of this world were limited—and nearly all of the past year she had spent together with Ruan Mei.
Though Ruan Mei was distant—sometimes even cold enough to be described as lacking humanity—her attitude toward Kiana was undeniably different.
And Kiana understood why.
When she had no memories, she was carefree, thoughtless, and never troubled herself wondering why Ruan Mei treated her differently—whether it was interest, usefulness, or simple curiosity. Nor did she think about whether, once she became worthless, Ruan Mei would regard her with the same indifference she showed to others.
But now that she remembered everything, those thoughts returned—and brought unease with them.
Because she knew that Ruan Mei's special treatment was built upon the fact that Kiana was of value to her, that Ruan Mei was interested in her.
Still, setting all that aside—
Ruan Mei was beautiful, gentle in her own way, and had always treated her with care. After living together for over a year, their bond had become close.
If affection could be quantified,
Then after all this time, Kiana's affection for Ruan Mei would surely be at least eighty-five out of a hundred.
So how could she possibly say that Ruan Mei wasn't special?
As for what kind of "special" it was—
Kiana didn't want to dig too deep.
She felt perfectly comfortable with the way things were now—no need to take a step forward, or back.
Sirin, however, eyed her suspiciously, an uneasy feeling rising within her chest.
What did she mean by "very close"?
Could it be...
"Then compared to Raiden Mei?" Sirin suddenly asked the question that made Kiana freeze. "Who do you think you're closer to?"
Though she hated to admit it, the truth was obvious—Raiden Mei was probably the only person who could be considered truly special to Kiana.
And comparing herself to that was... strange.
"That... that question..."
Mei and Ruan Mei?
Even though neither of them was currently by her side, the question still left Kiana struggling for words.
If she had to choose—
She said, "Mei."
After all, if affection could be measured, Mei's would be at least a ninety, no less.
She was Kiana's very first friend in this world—the person she cared about and loved most.
That answer was hardly surprising.
Sirin stayed silent.
The answer itself wasn't unexpected—but the hesitation before it spoke volumes.
Back in Izumo, Kiana would have blurted out Raiden Mei's name without a moment's thought.
But now, she had paused.
That pause meant something.
The two now stood in nearly the same place in her heart.
Which was why Kiana hesitated.
Ruan Mei... how had she managed that?
If Ruan Mei could become special to Kiana, then maybe—just maybe—she could too?
The thought flashed briefly through Sirin's mind.
"Mei is very important to me," Kiana added quickly, as if to reinforce her answer.
"That's such a nostalgic response," Sirin said with a faint smile. "You're still the same as ever—still so fond of Raiden Mei."
Kiana didn't see anything wrong with that and nodded earnestly. "My feelings for Mei will never change."
Never change?
Sirin withdrew her probing gaze and said softly, "I know. You told me that before—I remember."
Told her before?
Kiana blinked, realizing she must have confessed it openly in front of Sirin before—that she liked Mei, wanted to be with her.
"I'm a little curious," Sirin continued.
"About what? Whether I ever confessed to Mei properly?" Kiana asked uncertainly.
So they had never actually been together officially?
Sirin shook her head. "You said your relationship with Ruan Mei is good... but is it the same kind of relationship as with Raiden Mei?"
"...Probably not."
Kiana paused for a long moment before answering, her tone uncertain.
Before regaining her memories, she had seen Ruan Mei as the person closest to her—and she had truly liked her.
Now, though...
She couldn't quite say what kind of relationship she wanted to have with Ruan Mei. She only wished that, to Ruan Mei, she could always remain someone special.
And as for herself—she would keep the promise she had made.
As long as Ruan Mei needed her, Kiana wouldn't leave. She would devote herself entirely to assisting with Ruan Mei's experiments.
From her reaction, Sirin could tell she'd hit on something—and smiled, steering the conversation back to the earlier topic. "What about the Ark..."
...
How many system hours had their discussion lasted?
Ruan Mei hadn't paid attention.
It must have been quite some time. After all, everyone who joined the Simulated Universe project was a genius of the Genius Society. Each specialized in a different field, and during their discussions, countless sparks of inspiration were exchanged.
The clash of knowledge was intoxicating.
The initial structural problems had already been settled during this round of talks. Once Herta completed her preparations, the project could officially begin.
For now, Ruan Mei had some free time.
Leaving the conference room, she glanced at her terminal and noticed the message Kiana had sent her a while ago.
"Still here, huh."
Seeing the message, Ruan Mei sent a short reply, then turned to find a quiet spot. She stood by the window, gazing out into the vast cosmos, waiting for Kiana to arrive.
It didn't take long.
Before much time had passed, Kiana appeared.
"Ruan~!"
Kiana ran up eagerly, her face lit with unrestrained joy.
The first thing Ruan Mei did upon seeing her was take her hand and check her life data.
Everything was normal.
No changes since their last meeting.
"Where's your next destination?" Ruan Mei asked.
"Penacony."
Kiana's answer came without hesitation—she had already made up her mind.
It hadn't originally been her destination.
Sirin had invited her to go to Penacony together, but she'd turned it down at the time. Then, just a few days ago, Robin had sent her an invitation.
An invitation to attend her concert.
Kiana had already turned Robin down twice before, and after sharing some of her worries through messages, Robin had said she wanted to talk to her in person.
Maybe she had a way to help.
So this trip to Penacony—
Was decided just like that.
"That place belongs to the Path of Harmony, doesn't it?" Ruan Mei asked, faintly recalling something.
Learning that Kiana's next stop was Penacony, she didn't ask much more.
"Yes. Penacony is under the Family's control. I plan to visit Robin while I'm there."
Ruan Mei's brows furrowed slightly.
So she was going specifically to find Robin?
Kiana wasn't trying to...?
Forget it. Ruan Mei wouldn't have the time to concern herself with such things for quite a while. Wherever Kiana wanted to go, whatever she wanted to do—it didn't matter.
"If you come across any interesting research specimens, remember to contact me."
"Don't worry, Ruan. If I find anything fascinating, you'll be the first to know!" Kiana promised earnestly.
That much, she truly meant.
Looking at Ruan Mei's calm, delicate face, Kiana suddenly realized that she might not see—or even be able to contact—Ruan Mei for a long time.
A wave of reluctance rose in her chest.
"Um, Ruan... may I... hug you?"
The question came suddenly.
Ruan Mei turned to her, a trace of quiet confusion in her eyes.