Starting from the Collapse World, I became the behind-the-scenes boss

"..."

Looking at the boy's radiant smile, Yae Sakura hesitated for a moment, but after thinking about it carefully, she nodded gently and tremblingly grasped the boy's hand, which was obviously much larger and warmer than her own.

-------------------------------------

As dusk fell and night began to fall.

Carrying a white porcelain plate, Yae Sakura entered the room with a serious expression, as if she were holding a rare treasure that would break at the slightest touch.

"Sister, what is this?"

Seeing the girl's solemn expression, a cherry-haired girl with a noticeably smaller figure, lying on the bed, couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"Rin, this is a snack I learned to make from a traveling scholar in the village. It's said to be good for your health."

Smiling, Yae Sakura placed the plate in front of her younger sister.

"..."

Upon seeing the cherry blossom pink dumplings with a touch of crimson on the plate, Yae Rin couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

"Rin, have one. I've tried it, it's delicious."

Yae Sakura urged.

"That...traveling scholar, did he say what this kind of dessert is called?"

Yae Rin asked with a complicated expression.

“It seems…” Hearing her sister’s question, Yae Sakura frowned slightly, hesitated for a long time before continuing, “It’s called [Beautiful Dream], right?”

"A sweet dream..."

Softly murmuring, the girl's fingertips traced the rosy blush on the dumpling, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on her lips, as if she were truly having a beautiful dream because of it.

Chapter 113 The Boy's Redemption

On the third day after the start of the second playthrough, the festival in Yae Village was held as scheduled.

"Lord Hen, the Divine Lord requests your presence."

As the boy sitting in the outdoor corridor admiring the cherry blossoms bowed slightly, a young man dressed in coarse gray linen clothes respectfully spoke.

"Is another round of sacrifices about to begin?"

Setting down his teacup, Shihen asked the young man.

In fact, this is not a question that needs to be answered.

Even from his vantage point, he could faintly hear Yae Sakura's heart-wrenching cries.

The escape plan probably failed.

The boy wondered to himself.

In each cycle of reincarnation, Yae Sakura tries to escape the village with her younger sister.

Unfortunately, the two little girls' naive plan was meaningless to the adults, so the rituals of each cycle were to be carried out, as unstoppable as the sun rising every day.

Because this is a fact that is deeply imprinted in Yae Sakura's memory and cannot be changed.

When faced with Shihen's question, the young man simply lowered his head like an ordinary villager and said humbly, "Yes, Lord Shihen."

"Then lead the way."

He spoke softly, and Shihen stood up and straightened the corner of his clothes.

It's about time to see what kind of show the Herrscher of Corruption will put on for him.

Following the young man to the divine community domain, Shihen saw that the place was already filled with circles of villagers, and on the altar at a higher level, a petite girl with cherry-red hair was bound with hemp rope.

It looks just like a cow or sheep.

Looking at Yae Rin, who was unable to move due to being bound by ropes on the altar, Shihen couldn't help but think to himself.

"The ritual shall begin!"

The shrine master by the altar shouted loudly, handing the demon sword he usually kept in the shrine to Yae Sakura, and nudged the girl's back with encouragement in his eyes.

Below the altar, the villagers who had gathered around also stared wide-eyed at this scene, their eyes filled with longing and fervor.

In their understanding, only by offering satisfactory sacrifices to the Fox God will the Fox God bestow rain and dew, and only then will they have the right to live.

This is a tragedy of our time.

Under the oppressive gaze of everyone, Yae Sakura, wielding a sharp blade, was like a mouse caught in a pack of cats, frozen in place, unsure of what to do, and could only stare blankly at her younger sister in front of her.

"It's so good to be able to help my sister at the last minute." Despite being bound and with red marks from the ropes binding her fair skin, Yae Rin still managed to force a smile. "Sister... you must become an excellent shrine maiden..."

In an instant, as if struck by lightning, the confusion in Yae Sakura's eyes vanished, replaced by a deep sense of despair and regret in her purple pupils.

"No, no... Rin, don't do this..."

Clutching the demon sword tightly in both hands, Yae Sakura shook her head vigorously, unwilling to accept all of this.

But in the face of all the villagers of Yae Village and its centuries-old customs, a young girl's resistance was ultimately futile.

"Sakura, what are you waiting for!?"

Seeing that the young priestess still refused to draw her sword, the shaman roared angrily.

“Your Excellency, why don’t you let me lend a hand?” Stepping slowly onto the altar, Shihen said earnestly, “I am quite interested in your village’s rituals.”

As soon as the words were spoken, all the villagers turned to look at the boy, as if they had only just noticed his presence.

"..." After staring at Shi Hen's face for a while, the God suddenly smiled and waved away several villagers who wanted to rush forward, saying, "Then I'll leave it to Lord Shi Hen."

Nodding slightly, Shihen walked behind Yae Sakura and gripped the demon sword tightly together with the girl's hand.

"Leave the rest to me."

He leaned down and whispered in the girl's ear.

"Your Excellency Knight..."

Looking at the pair of large hands outside her own palm, Yae Sakura still looked somewhat bewildered.

She didn't believe the boy could stop it all.

Sacrifice is an inevitable part of every cycle of reincarnation.

To stop the ritual is tantamount to going against the entire Stigmata Space!

Without offering any further explanation, Shihen simply controlled the girl to raise the demon sword high, and then... swung it down heavily towards Yae Rin's neck.

Keng!

In a flash, wisps of black mist suddenly appeared, blocking the demon sword and stopping it on the girl's shoulder, preventing it from falling even an inch.

"Your Excellency Knight!"

Yae Sakura couldn't help but scream.

"Big brother, what are you doing?"

Looking up at the boy, [Yae Rin] also looked bewildered.

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

With a slight smirk, Shihen let out a sneer.

"Big brother, what do you mean by this?"

【Yae Rin】still looked bewildered.

"Isn't it your wish to let the ritual proceed?" Releasing Yae Sakura's hand, Shihen picked up a wisp of black mist and examined it closely. "Or have you suddenly changed your mind, Herrscher?"

Upon hearing the word "Rule Master," the Corruption Rule Master immediately realized that he had been exposed.

No longer maintaining Yae Rin's appearance, the Herrscher's body was immediately enveloped by billowing black mist, and an incomparably terrifying aura rose uncontrollably.

Even though He is a Herrscher and his power has been severely diminished over the past 50,000 years, he is still not someone to be underestimated.

However, as a result, Yae Sakura's power was fully unleashed, and her body instantly grew larger and taller, with a pair of long fox ears that had nothing to do with foxes appearing on the top of the girl's head.

As the masters of this Stigmata Space, the Herrscher of Corruption and Yae Sakura have formed a peculiar symbiotic relationship. This is why the former must lure the girl into darkness little by little, rather than physically destroying her.

As the two revealed their true forms, the dream cycle within the Sacred Mark Space naturally ceased, and the God Lord and the remaining villagers simultaneously vanished into black mist.

These are merely illusions created by the manifestation of power.

It can be said that in this Stigmata Space, apart from Yae Sakura and the Herrscher of Corruption, everything else is nothing but a dream, easily shattered.

How did you figure that out!?

A roar came from within the black mist.

Upon hearing this, Yae Sakura also turned her gaze to the boy, her expression incredibly complex.

At this moment, she had remembered everything.

But faced with that slash aimed straight at Yae Rin, she didn't know whether to praise the boy's unparalleled sharpness or to blame Shihen's cold-bloodedness.

Upon hearing the Herrscher's question, Shihen shook his head and turned his gaze to the fox-eared shrine maiden beside him: "Miss Yae, do you believe in ghosts?"

"There probably is... yes."

After frowning and thinking for a moment, Yae Sakura hesitated before speaking.

She was a priestess herself.

Even though she had already decided to defy the gods, she still believed in the existence of such things.

“Perhaps, but I don’t believe it.” Shihen shrugged, then looked at the black mist. “That’s why I asked you that when we first met.”

He never believed in ghosts or spirits.

To leave something behind after death using only Honkai energy, one would probably need to be a Stigmata Awakener.

As for Yae Rin... Shihen didn't believe that a little girl who died young could possess such power.

Herrscher of Corruption: "..."

Is a guy posing as a knight of the Church of the Sorcerer telling Him to reject superstition?

"Of course, there is another interpretation for Yae Rin."

As he spoke, Shihen glanced at the priestess beside him.

In this Stigmata Space, only Yae Sakura and the Herrscher of Corruption truly exist. Therefore, Yae Rin may also be a manifestation of the priestess's will, proof of her desire for redemption.

"Then how did you determine that I was with this girl?"

Sensing the unspoken meaning in the boy's words, the Corruptor pressed for an answer.

Since Yae Rin may have two identities, how can the other party determine that she is not Yae Sakura's will?

"Of course it's a beautiful dream."

Shihen smiled.

"Just because of a plate of desserts? But I clearly..."

The Herrscher of Corruption was stunned halfway through her sentence.

"Yes, you didn't react to it at all." Shihen added with a smile, his gaze then falling on Yae Sakura. "Miss Shrine Maiden, did you think that Dreamy Dish was delicious?"

"..."

Gripping the demon sword tightly in her hand, Yae Sakura was somewhat puzzled as to why the boy would talk about food when a great battle was about to begin.

But under Shihen's expectant gaze, the kind-hearted shrine maiden slowly nodded: "I think it's delicious."

Even though her consciousness was limited at the time, that unique sweetness still left a deep impression on her.

"Yes, it's such a delicious dish, so why doesn't anyone ask me to make it again?"

He asked softly, a faint, confident smile on his face.

After making the desserts with Yae Sakura, he didn't receive any feedback whatsoever.

Even during his leisurely strolls over the past few days, the ingredients mysteriously disappeared.

Clearly, there can only be one answer—someone is afraid of that "beautiful dream."