"Can you tell me... who was the one who spoke first?"
As expected, Mei had already guessed everything. Now she was simply waiting for her to confess—giving her a chance at leniency.
The heart Kiana had been holding in suspense finally died.
"It was me."
Since Mei already knew what had happened, Kiana felt there was no need to hide anything anymore. She might as well lay everything out clearly in one go.
"I was the one who confessed to her first."
"At the time, I didn't remember anything. No—I'm not trying to use that as an excuse. It's just that back then I remembered nothing at all. I felt completely out of place in this world. I was anxious, desperate to grab onto some kind of lifeline."
"Because my Honkai adaptability was too high, I was captured and used as an experimental subject. I was sent to Herta to curry favor with her. She took me in—and she told me everything."
"But I couldn't feel it. Even after learning the truth from Herta, I didn't truly take any of it to heart."
"Herta..." Acheron's expression did not change, yet her emotions were far more complicated than her calm face suggested. "She actually agreed to you just like that?"
Fundamentally, Herta was not much different from Ruan Mei. Although she had more conscience and firmer boundaries than Ruan Mei, no matter how one looked at it, she did not seem like the type of person who would develop romantic feelings for someone.
Did Herta not know about Kiana's circumstances?
Of course she knew.
The master of the Herta Space Station—this Emanator of Nous who had thrice sought audience with the Aeon of Erudition—was, at her core, even more arrogant than Ruan Mei.
"Well... of course she didn't agree at first." The more Kiana spoke, the guiltier she felt. Embarrassed, she continued, "But you know me—I'm good at clinging on and refusing to let go."
Acheron frowned. "And then she agreed?"
Though geniuses could not be judged by common sense... but...
Forget it. With Ruan Mei as a precedent, Herta doing something like that didn't feel entirely impossible to Acheron.
Probably.
"No. She always kept her distance from me. Until she made a wrong judgment." Kiana sighed. "By that time, the world had already been destroyed by the Honkai. Only she and I were left. Herta proposed the theory that becoming a Herrscher was the key to ending the trial."
"You know that wasn't the answer. I didn't become a Herrscher the way she predicted. Instead, after the Herrscher's power was transplanted into me, I was eroded by the Honkai and died soon after."
Kiana spread her hands, her expression carrying a hint of helpless complexity. "I think... she probably responded to me because she felt guilty. She gave me an answer when I was about to die."
"You think someone like her would feel guilty over something like that?" Acheron posed the soul-searching question. Knowing it was just an experiment—would she really feel guilt?
If she were the type to feel guilt over such matters, she would never have achieved her current accomplishments, nor become a member of the Genius Society.
Kiana froze slightly, recalling the scene from that time. Lowering her eyes, she said softly, "Why wouldn't she?"
At least in her view, that was exactly what had happened. Though she too found it unbelievable—that Herta could develop such emotions over something like that.
She was Herta, after all.
But no matter how she thought about it, the truth remained the truth.
She did not believe Herta had any reason to pretend. There would have been no point.
Why wouldn't she?
Acheron fell silent for a long while. In that moment, she suddenly understood Ruan Mei's emotions back then with striking clarity.
No matter what she said now, it felt as though it was already too late.
Perhaps she could use this opportunity to teach Kiana a lesson—to correct her flirtatious habits and make things difficult for her.
But then she thought of the conversation between Ruan Mei and Herta. The Aeons. The divine war...
An observer.
Ruan Mei had already decided to participate—because someone had offered her a price she could not refuse. And once she became involved, if anything went wrong, Kiana would never stand by and do nothing.
From what they had seen, it was not that the other Aeons had failed to notice Kiana. It was simply that, for certain reasons, they had refrained from approaching her.
In the eyes of most, her power might have already reached the limit of mortals. But Acheron knew very well what kind of existences Aeons truly were.
She had once walked deep within Nihility.
If multiple beings of that level were to wage war, would she be able to leave behind even a single pure land amidst the battlefield?
"I'm sorry, Mei. I mean—I, I..." Seeing her fall silent, Kiana panicked and began apologizing in a fluster. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect to lose my memories, and I didn't mean for things to turn out like this. I'm sorry..."
Acheron sighed. Suppressing her unwillingness and dissatisfaction, she said, "What's done is done. Continuing to dwell on it is meaningless."
"...I—I can explain it to her." Kiana struggled internally for a long time, biting her lower lip as she fought a fierce battle with herself. Finally, with difficulty, she forced the words out. "It was an accident. I'll explain everything to her. Maybe she'll understand..."
Each word was hard for Kiana to say. Herta's final words were like blades scraping against her heart. She could never forget that warning.
Herta had not acted on impulse.
"And if she doesn't accept it?"
"Then I'll find other ways to make it up to her—until she forgives me." Kiana answered without hesitation.
To be honest, even though she knew Herta had not acted on a whim, she still found it hard to believe that Herta had actually agreed to her.
After all, Herta had clearly pointed out at the time that Kiana already had two lovers. Yet even under those circumstances, she had still given her a response.
Until she forgives her?
If she never forgives her—or demands something excessive—would Kiana just keep compensating her forever?
That would only make the situation worse.
"That won't be necessary."
"What?"
"As unwilling as I am, I know what kind of person you are, Kiana..." Acheron took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the turbulent emotions within her. "I won't interfere in the matters between you and her. Handle it however you think is best."
Memory loss...
It must never—never happen again.
Making things overly complicated would only deepen Kiana's guilt. And that person—Herta—as an Emanator of Erudition, was certainly not someone simple.
Moreover, she had said that a divine war was imminent.
Acheron cared deeply about their earlier conversation—especially that remark about the Aeons' attention toward Kiana. Was it that they did not wish to approach her—or that they did not dare?
If the enemy they had to face was an Aeon...
Then her strength alone would not be enough.
Ruan Mei...
She believed in Ruan Mei's feelings for Kiana. But she had no idea what Ruan Mei truly intended to do. She could not understand her.
What had happened during this trial had also planted seeds of distrust in her heart toward Ruan Mei—even though the results had ultimately proven Ruan Mei right.
She was too rational.
Acheron could no longer fully trust her.
As long as the outcome was good, Ruan Mei did not care about the process.
That was what she had seen from this incident.
Herta could balance Ruan Mei.
Since what was done was done and the outcome was difficult to change, the best course now was to go with the flow.
After all, the person Kiana loved most was still her.
That would not change.
...
What did she mean by not interfering—by letting her handle it however she wanted?
Kiana didn't feel relieved at all. Instead, panic surged through her, as if the end of the world were approaching.
"M-Mei... are you okay?"
It's over. She must be so furious she's lost her senses. They had clearly agreed something like this would never happen again, and yet the moment she looked away, Kiana had caused something this big.
Mei's mood must be terrible.
Just listen to what she was saying! If she were thinking clearly, there was no way she would say something like that!
She must be so angry she's muddled!
Kiana clasped her hands together and bowed her head as if in prayer, frantically repenting. "I'm sorry! A thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes—they're all mine! Mei, please don't make yourself sick from anger!"
Acheron froze where she stood.
"Isn't it a good thing to do what you want to do?"
"Don't abandon me, Mei!"
To Kiana, the sky was collapsing and the earth was splitting apart. For Acheron to be this easygoing—there could only be one explanation.
She didn't want her anymore.
She didn't like her anymore, so she didn't care what she did. Only then could she calmly say she wouldn't interfere and tell her to do as she pleased.
To Kiana, that was more terrifying than any horror story.
If Ruan Mei said something like that, she wouldn't overthink it. She understood Ruan Mei's personality. It would probably mean exactly what it sounded like.
But coming from Acheron...
This was apocalyptic.
Acheron's brows lifted slightly as she watched Kiana's flustered panic. The tangle of emotions in her heart warmed faintly.
If Kiana had leapt up in joy, praising her generosity and celebrating how wonderful this was, Acheron couldn't guarantee she would still be able to suppress the resentment inside her.
If that had happened...
There was a very high chance she wouldn't have held back. She would have drawn her blade without hesitation and invited Kiana to a long-overdue spar.
Kiana lunged forward without caring about her image, throwing herself down and wrapping both arms tightly around Acheron's leg.
"It's all my fault! You can hit me, you can scold me—just don't abandon me, Mei!"
Acheron reached down to pull her up, but failed to pry loose the person clinging stubbornly to her leg.
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness. "Kiana, calm down. Stand up first. I never said I was abandoning you."
If anything, wasn't Kiana the one preemptively playing the victim? In a situation like this, shouldn't she be the one feeling more insecure?
"No! You should punish me first! No matter what the punishment is, I'll accept it!" Kiana refused to let go, tightening her grip. "As long as it lets Mei vent her anger—hit me, scold me, make me do anything!"
"Kiana..."
Acheron pressed a hand to her forehead. What could she even say? Thankfully they were at home and no one else was around. Otherwise, she wouldn't know whether it was Kiana losing face—or herself.
"I'm not abandoning you!"
She emphasized her words, repeating herself in a firmer tone to make it sound more convincing.
"But... you're still very angry, right?" Kiana didn't let go, though her grip loosened slightly, no longer as if she feared Acheron would run away.
Acheron looked down at her. From this angle, she could only see the top of Kiana's head. Kiana's face was pressed against her leg, arms wrapped tightly around her.
"In your opinion, should I be angry?"
Kiana nodded rapidly like a pecking chick, without the slightest hesitation. "Of course you should! I did something that made you unhappy, so Mei... punish me!"
Acheron's hand gently settled on the top of Kiana's head as she sighed.
"When I first learned about it, I truly couldn't stay calm. I did think about whether I should do something."
Kiana fell silent, remaining in that position, feeling the gentle motion of Acheron's hand stroking her hair as she listened intently.
"But I didn't do anything."
Kiana tensed again, resisting the urge to look up at her. Instead, she hugged her tighter.
She was almost afraid to imagine what that meant.
So Mei still...
"That doesn't mean I love you any less."
Sensing her tension, Acheron paused and clarified, continuing to stroke her hair.
"Has Mei's love for me decreased?" Kiana's voice was muffled. "Because I did something that made you unhappy... and since what's done is done, so..."
Acheron's hand stilled for a moment before she said seriously, "No. My feelings for you haven't changed."
Kiana finally lifted her head, lips pressed together as she looked at Acheron. "Then why?"
"I just realized something."
"What is it?" Kiana asked anxiously.
"You're not an ordinary person. And the burdens we carry are not ordinary either. They grant us power—but they also prevent us from living peaceful, stable lives like ordinary people, from experiencing an ordinary lifetime."
Power was synonymous with trouble.
Whether it was the Nihility that had become intertwined with her too deeply for her to ever turn back—or the Honkai that existed because of Kiana, or perhaps Kiana existed because of it.
"For people like us, pursuing an ordinary life might itself be a luxury."
Ever since the Kami had shattered her once-peaceful life, she should have understood that the imagined future she once dreamed of had already dissolved into nothing but bubbles.
"Mei..."
"But I still believe my life is fortunate—because I met you." A faint curve lifted Acheron's lips. "You brought many colors into my world. You let me leave behind more colors as well."
"But I made you unhappy."
"...I'm not unhappy." Acheron paused briefly before continuing, "Compared to that, I care more about her turning you into the Stigmata Terminal."
Her slender hand rose to cup Kiana's face, tracing the outline of her features.
"It must have hurt, didn't it?"
"Not at all." Kiana caught her hand, pressing it gently against her own cheek. "You have to trust Ruan's methods. I didn't feel a thing. Just thinking that I could close my eyes, sleep, and wake up to see all of you again—it filled me with nothing but anticipation!"
She spoke half-truths and half-sweet words to coax her.
"Stand up first, Kiana."
This time, when Acheron pulled her up, she succeeded. She let out a small, silent sigh of relief.
Maintaining that posture had been far too strange—almost as if she were the one doing something improper to Kiana.
Kiana obediently stood. Much of her anxiety had dissipated, but she still couldn't help asking in a small voice, "Mei really likes me just as much as before, right?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" Acheron countered. "Shouldn't I be the one worried that you might leave?"
"How could that be?!" Kiana reacted fiercely, her answer immediate and resolute. "I would never leave Mei. I want to stay with Mei forever!"
"Mm. Me too."
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