Lunelle, who had been sent tumbling by the shockwave from Bronya's head-on clash with the Honkai Beast, now slowly and laboriously opened her stunningly clear, sea-blue eyes.
The moment her vision cleared, she saw that her beloved Mei nearby had already been locked on as the target by the Templar-Class Honkai Beast—just as depicted in the comic's storyline.
The Honkai Beast raised its lance once more, the weapon transforming into the massive Honkai greatsword that had earlier sliced clean through the building floor.
"Tsk… If things go according to the plot, all I can do now is watch as this monster targets Mei, then watch as Kiana throws herself in front to take the blow for her."
"After that, my best bet is to crawl as far away as possible and pray that my current Honkai resistance is enough to survive the aftermath when the Herrscher of Thunder awakens, right?"
Just thinking about the overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation—especially for herself—filled Lunelle with a deep sense of helplessness.
For a moment, she couldn't help but fantasize: what if she hadn't been so precisely located and caught by the main trio?
Maybe then she could still be lying low in some forgotten corner of Nagazora, cautiously growing stronger in secret.
That kind of life might not have come with several beautiful girl-wives actively cuddling up to her every day, showering her with affection.
It might even have been exceptionally dull and boring.
But at least it wouldn't be like this…
Where all she could do was watch everything unfold right before her eyes!
'This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved with the main cast so soon!'
Seeing Kiana already lunging toward the stunned Mei, Lunelle knew that if the storyline held true, things would play out exactly as she expected.
The Honkai Beast's greatsword would ruthlessly tear through the skin on Kiana's back.
Then Mei, witnessing Kiana falling gravely wounded and unconscious, would emotionally break down…
And finally, the Herrscher of Thunder would awaken in response to the stress!
"Sigh… If I'd known that opening my eyes would only mean facing my own powerlessness again, I might as well have just pretended to stay completely knocked out earlier… But…"
Lunelle muttered self-deprecatingly, then took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.
It seemed she didn't want to witness the bloody scene about to unfold before her.
BOOM!!!
The terrifying slash of the greatsword slammed down.
CRACK!!!
Suddenly… a sound like shattering bone rang out.
The razor-sharp blade, carrying an intensely dense concentration of Honkai Energy, almost instantly tore through the thin nightgown and the flawless, crystalline fair skin beneath.
"As I thought… I still can't do it. Just watching my loved ones get hurt right in front of me…"
The moment she felt the greatsword's devastating strike tear into her own body, the girl who had always been most afraid of pain and taking risks felt no trace of negativity well up inside her, despite the agony.
Massive blood loss meant Lunelle wouldn't have been surprised if she died the very next second.
And in this moment, with her life nearing its end, she seemed to finally understand something. There was now one thing she absolutely had to try, no matter the outcome.
If she didn't at least attempt it, Lunelle felt that even in death, she wouldn't be able to rest in peace.
And so, just before losing consciousness completely from blood loss, she finally managed to connect with the simulator within her mind.
"See-chan, can I still start a simulation now?"
[Simulation cooldown complete. Will Host initiate the simulation?]
"Start it!"
[Host command received. Simulation initiating.]
Just before Lunelle's consciousness faded entirely, it arrived once more within the simulation space as the simulation began anew.
To put it plainly: if she didn't gain something from this simulation capable of resolving her current desperate situation, then given the critically bleeding, broken body she'd left behind in the real world, Lunelle had no doubt that the moment the simulation ended and her consciousness was forced back, she would likely die for real this time.
Yet, gazing at the familiar simulation space, Lunelle appeared unusually calm.
Or perhaps, for her now, whether she lived or died had become entirely unimportant.
The only reason she had forced the simulation open in her final moments was to see her most beloved wife, Seele, one last time before dying, and to end her life with as few regrets as possible.
The familiar simulation process advanced just as Lunelle had anticipated.
When the "Destruction" authority, originating from Finality, and the "Creation" authority, activated within her with the help of the Sea, were once again bound to her, Lunelle unexpectedly sensed something different this time.
The "Creation" authority, which had always remained dormant in previous simulations, now gave her a faint, perceptible connection.
Maybe it was because an ordinary person like her had finally found something she was determined to try at all costs, that it had stirred a hint of resonance within the Creation authority?
But as before, none of that mattered to Lunelle anymore.
After the authorities were once again infused into her, Lunelle, now within the simulation, slowly sank into her simulated consciousness space and posed a question to her inner self.
"Seele, I know a remnant of your consciousness exists within my mind. If possible, could you come out and talk with me?"
"Oh? You found me so quickly? As expected of the real 'Seele'! Since you know I—the one you hate most—still exist, have you come to erase all those disgusting memories you don't want to face?"
Faced with Lunelle's direct approach, the "Crimson-Eyed Seele," who had been lying in wait, manifested once more within Lunelle's consciousness, revealing an illusory form identical to Seele's.
"If you think that's who I am, Seele, then that's who I am…"
Hearing Crimson-Eyed Seele's voice, Lunelle merely smiled faintly from start to finish.
Even when faced with Crimson-Eyed Seele's tone dripping with sarcasm and mockery, not a trace of negativity arose in Lunelle's heart.
'Even though I should have hit a sore spot she doesn't want to confront, even the original Seele—who dumped all her negative emotions onto me—would never be as pure and flawless as this person before me.'
'Could it be… she really isn't Seele?'
Staring intently at Lunelle's clear, clean gaze—devoid of any malicious intent—Crimson-Eyed Seele felt an inexplicable, deep-seated fear when she realized Lunelle had been looking at her with such steady, gentle calm all along.
After all, as the former "trash can" for Seele's negative emotions, she couldn't stand things that were excessively pure and good.
Someone like Lunelle now—if she had too much contact with her—Crimson-Eyed Seele seriously suspected she might cease to be herself entirely.
For while filth can taint purity, purity of sufficient intensity can also purify filth in return!
Thinking this, the usually dominant and frenzied Crimson-Eyed Seele found herself, under the influence of Lunelle's gentle aura, experiencing an unprecedented, powerful urge to turn and flee in panic!
Yet, driven by her obsessive desire for revenge against Seele, she absolutely refused to show weakness in front of her.
Lunelle probably never would have dreamed that she, of all people, would be suspected of not being Seele precisely because she appeared too pure and flawless.
But for Lunelle now, there was something countless times more important than clarifying her identity that she needed to do.
So, just as Crimson-Eyed Seele was wrestling with whether to flee from Lunelle's presence, Lunelle stepped forward and gently but firmly took one of Crimson-Eyed Seele's small hands in her own.
"Eek! Y-you… What are you suddenly getting so close for? Looking to die?!"
Reacting to Lunelle's sudden approach, Crimson-Eyed Seele cried out with extreme agitation, like a little cat with its fur puffed up!
Her originally wild, enchanting face now flushed with an uncontrollable tinge of shy embarrassment from Lunelle's touch.
'Huh? How could I possibly…'
'Be blushing!???'
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.