Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Lin Yi leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced in front of him.

He looked at Saintia for a few seconds, then suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question: "If I hadn't appeared and hadn't interfered in Abydos's affairs, what would the 'future' you see be like?"

This question caused Saintia's body to tremble almost imperceptibly.

Countless fragments of light and shadow flashed through the depths of her eyes.

Those were scenes she had witnessed countless times in her dreams, scenes that left her drenched in cold sweat upon waking.

After a long while, she slowly exhaled, her breath carrying a bitter taste.

“I…” her voice was so low it was almost inaudible, “I will fall into some kind of eternal coma. Not death, but consciousness will be trapped in endless fragments, and the body will become a living shell.”

"Mika... will be misled and manipulated by the people from the Arios branch campus, and will launch an attack on Nagisa at a crucial moment."

She glanced at Mika Seien, whose expression was frozen beside her, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "The Trinity Church will be plunged into serious internal strife and division as a result. The Sisters' Guild, the Tea Party, the Department of Realization... all factions will be drawn in, and blood will flow like rivers."

Mika Seien's smile vanished; her lips tightened, and her hands, resting on her knees, slowly clenched into fists.

“Abydos…” Saintia’s gaze turned to Hoshino, Nomiya, Serika, Ayane, and Shirako, who was still engrossed in playing games in the distance. “The debt pressure will eventually crush this place. The erosion of the sandstorm, the depletion of resources, the relentless pressure from the Caesar Corporation… you will all fall one by one.”

Her gaze finally settled on Shiroko.

"In the end, only Bai Zi survived. But the one who survived was no longer the Bai Zi we know today."

The activity room was deathly silent.

Hoshino's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, Nomiya covered her mouth, Serika's eyes widened, and Ayane's face was even paler than before.

Even Bai Zi stopped playing his game, raised his head, and looked quietly at Sheng Ya with his blue eyes.

"As for the rest of Kiwatos... Gohena will descend into even more complete chaos and self-destruction, the forbidden zone of the Millennium Science Park will spiral out of control, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons and the Classic of Mountains and Seas will be embroiled in endless conflicts, and the Valkyries will futilely try to maintain order but will be powerless... In the end, the entire Kiwatos will become a burning ruin, ending in madness and despair."

After she finished speaking, she leaned back on the sofa, closed her eyes, and her chest rose and fell slightly.

She reopened her eyes, looked at Lin Yi, and gave a smile that seemed almost relieved: "So, when you appeared, when you began to change the trajectory of Abydos, I knew... the 'future' was really starting to loosen. Even though the fragments I saw were still warning me of the danger of getting close to you, even though my body was collapsing faster because of constantly peeking at fate... I still had to drag this body to you."

“I must prevent the worst-case scenario from happening, and I must also seize what may be the only variable.”

After she finished speaking, only suppressed breathing could be heard in the activity room.

Suddenly, a soft "snap" sounded.

At some point, Kirito Nagisa pulled out another Swiss roll, this time even bigger than the previous one.

With a blank expression, she shoved it back into Mika Seien's open mouth with lightning speed.

"Well--!!!"

Mika Seien was completely blocked, waving her hands, her eyes wide, and making a mumbled protest.

But this time, Kirito Nagisa's eyes were cold, and he even pressed her in forcefully to ensure she couldn't speak for a while.

Before coming, Saintia had already told her and Mika about some fragments of the "future".

But when he heard Seiya describe so calmly the future where "Mihana would attack him," Kirito Nagisa felt a chilling anger rise from the bottom of his heart.

It wasn't directed at Mika, but at the "future" that would lead Mika to that point, at those persistent ghosts like Arius, and at myself who was powerless to change anything.

What angered her even more was that she knew Wei Hua.

This guy can be very stubborn and easily swayed or manipulated. Once he gets fixated on something, nothing can change his mind.

Given Wei Hua's personality, she is actually capable of carrying out the future that Sheng Ya foresaw.

So she was angry, angry about the future, and even angrier at her best friend who was always a worry but more important than anyone else.

Mika Seizo was almost in tears from the Swiss roll, but looking at Nagisa Kirito's cold profile and her slightly reddened eyes, Mika slowly stopped waving her hand.

She lowered her eyes and silently, with difficulty, began to chew what was in her mouth, no longer trying to speak.

Lin Yi saw all of this.

He stood up and walked towards the small locker in the corner of the activity room.

Opening the cabinet door, there were no tea sets inside, only some instant beverage packets and a few clean cups.

He took out three cups and casually brewed three cups of instant coffee—this was the highest-level "guest drink" that Abydos could offer.

"I'll have something to drink," he said, then returned to his seat.

This simple gesture broke the heavy, almost frozen atmosphere in the room.

Kirito Nagisa stared at the steaming, cheap instant coffee in front of her, paused for a moment, then bowed slightly again: "Thank you."

She picked up the cup, took a small sip, and her movements remained elegant, as if the cup contained the finest black tea.

Saintia also picked up the cup, and the warm touch through the cup wall brought some feeling back to her cold fingers.

She held the cup, feeling the slight warmth, and her pale face seemed to soften a little.

Mika finally swallowed the second Swiss roll. She picked up her own cup of coffee, gulped down a big mouthful, and then let out a long sigh, as if she had just completed some arduous task.

She rubbed her cheeks, which were a little sore from being stuffed, and glanced resentfully at Kirito Nagisa, who was sitting upright beside her, muttering under her breath, "Nagisa's temper is getting worse and worse these days, she's not cute at all like she used to be..."

The words have not yet fallen.

Kirito Nagisa pulled something out of nowhere.

That was no longer the usual size Swiss roll.

It was a giant Swiss roll, over 15 centimeters in diameter and more than two meters long, resembling a small battering ram!
The cake roll is covered with a thick layer of cream and jam, and the outer layer is a perfectly baked golden sponge cake. It is also sprinkled with a layer of fine powdered sugar. Under the dim lighting in the activity room, you can even see the luxurious gold-stamped logo printed on the side of the cake roll.

Mika Seien's eyes widened instantly, and her pink ponytail almost stood upright in shock.

Her body instinctively leaned back, and she flailed her arms wildly, trying to stop herself.

Kirito Nagisa gripped one end of the giant Swiss roll with both hands, and with a standard thrusting motion, under the despairing gaze of Seizono Mika, she struck with steady, precise, and ruthless precision—

"Well--!!!"

The entire two-meter-long giant Swiss roll was shoved into the mouth of Mika Seien, who hadn't had time to close it while complaining.

Mika Seien's neck swelled up at a visible speed, her eyes rolled back, her hands gripped the exposed portion of the cake roll about one and a half meters long, and her legs weakly stomped on the ground a few times, making a dull "thump-thump" sound.

The activity room was deathly silent.

The game console screen in Shirako's hand went dark, the ear pick in Nomiya's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," Serika's mouth was half open, and even Hoshino was completely awake, with no sleepiness left.

They watched as the previously elegant and well-spoken head of the Trinity Tea Party, now expressionless, shoved a giant Swiss roll into her companion's mouth with swift, decisive, and even... practiced, movements.
Celery was the first to come to her senses. She swallowed hard, her voice a little dry: "Um... are the 'young ladies' of Trinity... usually like this?" In her understanding and family education, the ladies of Trinity should always maintain elegant manners and speak and act in accordance with norms. Even if there are conflicts, they should be resolved through witty remarks and exchanges of benefits at tea parties and salons.

The simple, brutal, and almost physical way of silencing her completely overturned her imagination.

Saintia of Lily Garden sighed softly, raised her hand to rub her temples, as if she had long been accustomed to this scene, and was even somewhat tired.

She picked up her instant coffee and took another small sip, completely ignoring the murder scene unfolding next to her, and said calmly to Lin Yi, "Ignore them. They'll stop when they've had their fill."

Her gaze shifted to Lin Yi, steer the conversation back on track: "I've come here mainly for two things."

“First, we need to pay the remaining balance,” Shengya said, taking out a small, sealed metal box.

She placed it on the table, and with a light touch of her finger on a certain spot on the lid, the lid slid open silently.

Inside were twenty crystals radiating pure soul energy—the other ten soul crystals (complete) that had been agreed upon earlier.

As for the other ten coins, they were the deposit for this trip.

"Secondly, I would like to formally invite you to temporarily join Trinity College as a 'Special Instructor,' under... well, temporarily affiliated with the 'Classical Mysticism Research Society.' This is the identity I believe is most beneficial to your activities in Giwatos after repeated deliberations."

She paused, then explained, “I’ve simulated other roles, such as visiting researcher, temporary advisor, or even exchange student escort. But either the permissions are insufficient, making it difficult to access core information, or there are too many restrictions, hindering my actions. Only the role of ‘club advisor’ has a certain degree of independence and freedom of action within the Trinity system, while also allowing me to intervene in certain events reasonably, and at the same time, it makes it easier for us to provide you with the necessary cover and support.”

Saintia lowered her head slightly, her voice tinged with emotion: "It is thanks to your appearance and the 'variables' you brought that I finally had the courage to confess some things to Nagisa and Mika."

She glanced to the side—Kirito Nagisa had finally stopped what she was doing and was wiping the cream off her hands with a handkerchief, while Seizo Mika was slumped on the sofa, her hands clutching her swollen belly, staring blankly at the ceiling, with a bit of jam still on her lips, looking like she'd been completely ruined.

“If I continue to carry those heavy ‘futures’ alone as before, and continue to conceal and plan alone, I’m afraid that Trinity… no, the whole of Kivotos will eventually slide into the destructive trajectory I have foreseen.”

Saintia's tone was soft, yet carried a sense of relief after burning her bridges: "Now, at least we have the possibility of change."

Just then, Sand Wolf Shiro quietly walked up to Lin Yi's side.

She didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently tugged at Lin Yi's sleeve.

Those clear blue eyes looked at him quietly, clearly reflecting the question, "Are you leaving?", much like a small animal worried about being abandoned.

Lin Yi turned his head to look at her, raised his hand and ruffled her silvery-white hair; it felt nice to the touch.

"We won't abandon you."

His voice wasn't loud, but it made Bai Zi's slightly tense shoulders relax, and the tip of his tail twitched almost imperceptibly.

Lin Yi turned his gaze back to Sheng Ya of Lily Garden: "You don't mind bringing a few more people over, do you?"

He pointed to the five girls from Abydos.

Upon hearing this, Takanashi Hoshino sat bolt upright, her face showing urgency: "Wait, do you mean all five of us are going to Trinity?"

Her expression was conflicted, a mixture of unease about leaving the land they had fought so hard to protect and a subtle, instinctive aversion and wariness towards Trinity.

Saintia from Lily Garden spoke up at the opportune moment: "It's not a permanent membership, but rather a short-term 'exchange visitor.' Trinity College and Abydos High School have established a temporary academic exchange program, which will last for... tentatively three months. As a token of our gratitude for Abydos's active cooperation, and to cover any expenses that may be incurred during the exchange, Trinity is willing to provide each exchange student with a special sponsorship of 100 million Kivotos coins."

"One...one hundred million?!" Kuromi Serika suddenly jumped up from the sofa, her eyes wide like a cat's. She subconsciously started counting on her fingers, her lips moving rapidly, trying to calculate how many part-time jobs, how many delivery trips, and how many times she had to clean up ruins to accumulate this astronomical figure.

But the number was too large, far beyond her daily calculations. Her brain only worked for a few seconds before the burning smell of overload overwhelmed her, causing her to stop in her tracks, blankly repeating, "One hundred million... per person?"

Ayane Okusora looked at Nomiya Izayoi in shock, lowering her voice: "Are all the sponsorships from Trinity so... 'generous'?" She knew that Trinity was wealthy, but giving each visiting student 100 million yen was still beyond her imagination.

Nomiya gave a complex, bitter smile and replied in a low voice, "Ayane, you need to understand that Trinity College is also stratified. The families behind Nagisa, Mika, and Seia possess wealth and resources that are unattainable for ordinary Trinity College student families. One hundred million Givortos coins is a fortune that can change the fate of many primary and secondary schools, but in the top circles of Trinity College..."

"It might just be some rich girl casually donating her pocket money to a charity sale at an afternoon tea party. Or even, if a student says she 'only has 100 million left,' her friends will probably pat her on the shoulder sympathetically and comfort her, 'You'll get through this.'"

This is the Holy Trinity, a behemoth that hides a vast gap between rich and poor and a rigid hierarchical order beneath elegant etiquette and ancient traditions.

Nomiya's decision to leave was not only due to differences in ideals, but also perhaps because he was tired and weary of the pervasive atmosphere that measured people by their wealth and family background.

Although Abydos is dilapidated and harsh, it is at least a place of equality, where everyone's value lies in their own choices and efforts.

Ayane Okusora understood Nomiya's unfinished words. After a moment of silence, she looked at Hiya Yurien, who had said "one hundred million per person," with an even more complicated expression.

In the end, it was Ayane Okusora, who was the actual mastermind of the countermeasures committee, who was the first to calm down.

She glanced at Serika, whose eyes were filled with eager anticipation, then at Nomiya, who seemed lost in thought, and then at Hoshino and Shirako, who, though silent, were clearly waiting for a decision. She took a deep breath and nodded to Yurizono Seiya: “Thank you for the generous invitation from Trinity College. If the conditions are as you have stated, and if it does not interfere with our basic freedom during the exchange, the Abydos Countermeasures Committee will accept this exchange visit arrangement.”

Saintia from Lily Garden nodded slightly, not surprised by the result.

"This is just the most basic guarantee. During the exchange, all reasonable expenses incurred by you at Trinity can be charged under the project name. A budget of several hundred million is not even a fraction of the repair costs incurred by some departments in a week due to 'student activities'." She said this casually, but it once again gave the girls of Abydos a more intuitive understanding of the foundation of Trinity.

After dealing with Abydos, Saintia refocused her attention entirely on Lin Yi.

She didn't take anything else out of her small handbag, but instead pulled out a tablet and handed it to Lin Yi.

A list was displayed on the tablet. There weren't many items on the list, but each one was enough to make any contractor who knew its value take a breath away.

Soul Crystal (Complete) ×30.

Ancient Ruins Sealed Tome (Holy Spirit Level Skill Scroll) ×3
Ancient Ruins Sealed Tome (Epic Skill Scroll) x7
Lin Yi's gaze swept across the list, and the appraisal information of the Paradise of Reincarnation appeared before his eyes almost simultaneously.

Three are Holy Spirit level and seven are Epic level, all of which are relatively rare skill or knowledge scrolls.

In particular, those three Holy Spirit-level scrolls involved a very high level of power, and even with his current knowledge, he felt they were quite valuable.

Baiheyuan Shengya observed Lin Yi's expression. Although there was no change on his face, she could feel a subtle fluctuation in his gaze.

She added softly, "These ancient books are parts that I've selected from the 'fragments of the future' in my memory that you might find interesting. There are some similar collections in Trinity's 'forbidden library'."

They are wealthy, openly wealthy, and have a precise grasp of demand.

Lin Yi was indeed tempted.

Such a generous reward was only in exchange for him temporarily entering Trinity College as an instructor and cooperating with them in a "performance" for a period of time, making it an absurdly high cost-performance ratio.

He slightly opened his mouth, preparing to say something like, "Since that's the case, then it would be impolite to refuse," to maintain his expert demeanor.

Saintia of Lily Garden seemed to have anticipated his "reserve" at this moment.

Just as Lin Yi was about to speak, Sheng Ya reached out with her right hand—this time not to draw a list, but to gently pat an item onto Lin Yi's palm, which was spread out on the table.

It has a slightly cool touch, with a metallic and some warm, gem-like texture.

Lin Yi looked down.

It was a necklace.

The chain is woven from some kind of dark silver metal wire, which is delicate and tough.

The pendant is a spindle-shaped, deep blue crystal, within which a miniature starry sky seems to be sealed, with starlight slowly flowing within. (End of Chapter)