Honkai Impact 3rd: I picked up a Seele at the start of the game.

(Continued from above)

"..."

Kiana: "In that case, I'll continue to observe the movements of the Imaginary Tree. Mei, don't go to St. Freya for teaching for a while, come watch a movie with me!"

Mei really wanted to hit her again. But Kiana was right, and if she hit her too hard, Mei would feel bad herself.

Seele said apologetically, "I need to continue maintaining the stability of the world bubble and can't leave at will. I can only ask everyone to work hard on this."

Black Seele: "I don't dare to go out casually anymore. I have to stay by Seele's side to prevent any more trouble from happening."

Life is tough, and Duck sighs every day: "Then I'll have to stop making games for Alahato..."

Kiana couldn't help but laugh: "I never thought that after so many years, we would still have to return to our Valkyrie identities, splitting up to fight side by side!"

Fu Hua pointed to herself: "I..."

Kiana interrupted her: "Class monitor, you go on your trip with Xiaoshi first! You stood her up last time, and she got so angry that she disappeared! You can get back to your work later!"

(This uses the timeline from the end of Part 1.5, but I only skipped through parts of Part 1.5 and only used the general background. It does not involve Vita, the Martians, Moriarty, etc., but Gretchen will still appear.)

Fu Hua nodded reluctantly: "Okay..."

She's just the kind of person who can't sit still.

The situation is awkward. Although Fu Hua is from the previous civilization, her heart belongs to the present civilization, but everything from the previous civilization is still irreplaceable to her... So, why not go on a trip? I'm sure Xiao Shi will help her solve her problems!

This also prevented Fu Hua from being caught in the middle.

The story of the current civilization has temporarily come to an end. They've arranged everyone's next steps—Fu Hua will go on a trip, Seele and the others will continue guarding the Twin World Bubble, Kiana and Mei will observe the Imaginary Tree together, and Bronya will go out and run errands...

Life is tough, the duck is sighing incessantly. Are they all just targeting this one duck to pluck its feathers?

As for her other old friends, such as Theresa, she should just focus on maintaining her destiny; the world can't be in chaos.

For example, researchers like Einstein, Tesla, and Changguang University are doing thorough behind-the-scenes analysis. The quantum ocean isn't a place anyone can enter; the "son-in-law of the ocean" (a reference to a famous Chinese scientist) asserts his irreplaceable status.

For example, the new generation like Susana, for the same reasons.

For example, Durandal and Rita. The latter naturally helps Theresa deal with some tricky problems, while the former is certainly powerful, but Durandal's straightforward nature makes her less suited to the current unpredictable situation.

Kiana took a moment to tell Durandal about the current situation, but said that she didn't need to get involved in the next matter for the time being; perhaps she would have her chance to appear in the future great battle.

...So, the story of the current civilization comes to a temporary end. What about the pre-civilization—or rather, the illusory pre-civilization within Erinis—is now?

……

……

At the headquarters of the Moths of Fire, in Mei's research institute.

The purple-haired girl, with heavy dark circles under her eyes, was absentmindedly performing surgery related to the Stigmata Project, her mind completely blank as she tried to analyze the data.

Because she kept thinking about what Alicia had said—

“Mei, you are a wise woman, and perhaps you have already guessed some of the truth. But it doesn’t matter, these doubts are only temporary and will soon disappear.”

"..."

"Hmph... Alicia, what exactly do you want to do?"

Alicia looked like this before. Her usual sunny, cheerful, gentle, and affectionate demeanor vanished in an instant, leaving only a chilling and eerie presence.

"Oh dear! I think I can hear the girl's heartfelt words; she's longing for Alicia!"

"Mei, what's making you look so downcast? Is it because of your feelings for Alicia?"

A lively voice rang out first, followed by Alicia's figure. The pretty girl with pink hair laughed and chatted, skillfully teasing Mei with her words.

Mei's heart suddenly raced. She took a couple of breaths to calm herself before asking, "Alice, what were you doing?"

"Hmm? I already said, we're going to save the world~"

"Don't try to brush me off with words like that. Alicia, you should understand what I mean. I need to know exactly what you've done."

Mei's gaze was sharp as a sword: "After you met with Yun Fuyu and Xier yesterday, they disappeared. You were also missing for a day after that, and only now have you appeared before me."

Thinking about it from the most straightforward perspective, could it be that Alicia killed them?!

Alicia sat down on the soft sofa, poured herself a cup of tea, her demeanor elegant, her words flippant:

"What could I do? I just shared some sweet nothings with Seele, poured my heart out to Yun Fuyu, and finally 'politely' sent them off from this world~"

Mei frowned, her mood growing increasingly gloomy: "Alice, you are now more unpredictable than the most twisted murderer in the deepest abyss. Every word you utter carries the stench of blood and mold."

Alicia's hand trembled slightly as she poured the tea, spilling some onto her exposed, smooth, white legs.

The temperature was very hot, but it couldn't warm her up.

"maybe."

She neither agreed nor disagreed, but picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

What bitterness, what sweet aftertaste—all those praises of tea's flavor were nothing but pretentious lies in her eyes.

Because that's what she did herself.

When she changed Elysian to El'yanis, things could never go back to the way they were before.

She could only continue down this path, could only use every means to protect Erinis, and could only treat those who brought about change with the appearance of "I'm doing this all for the good of the world."

Because she is not Alicia, she can only pretend to be Alicia, using Alicia's identity and story to feign nobility and do things that are neither right nor wrong.

Even if she realized this, what could she do? How many people know they are stuck in a quagmire, yet dare not break free?