I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

It's so tiring... Just to survive... If I just ignored those sad things, if I just went along with this falsehood, and spent my life in this illusory "happiness," I could sleep peacefully and die quietly... That wouldn't be so bad.

But... I still want to go back, to return to that reality.

No matter how tragic it was there, no matter how many of her relatives and friends had passed away in reality, no matter how many of her own had been infected with Honkai disease... she still wanted to go back.

Because we need to survive, to live on their behalf.

But this... is so tiring... so painful...

“It’s bad, it’s bad.”

The voice was as soft as water, flowing into her heart, and a gentle touch came from her head, stroking her gently and calming her anxious thoughts.

"Don't be afraid... I'm here with you now, aren't I?"

Xi Wang gently hugged her, offering her some warmth and comfort.

"I... [hope], am right beside you, so... don't worry~?"

His voice carried a hint of singing, soft and gentle, like a warm breeze.

???~

She opened her mouth and softly hummed a gentle melody. Golden light flowed like a stream, outlining tangible musical notes, giving Erjia some comfort and strength.

A gentle "wind" quietly swept by, carrying the golden notes and his song into the distance... In no time, the dim and silent scene was illuminated and filled with his "song".

Then... as if reaching a certain limit, the originally dim scene gradually transformed into pale pink petals and dim yellow maple leaves, drifting away little by little, just like lifting a "curtain" to reveal the pure white space "behind the scenes," along with its figure.

"No...you...how did you do that?! How did you get here?! This should be my territory!"

It pointed at Xiwang, its face full of astonishment as it spoke.

“You use my song to exercise your power and influence others with my strength… So it’s only natural that I can influence you a little bit in return, isn’t it?”

Protecting the still somewhat bewildered Erjia behind her, golden musical notes quietly gathered around her, and Xiwang spoke softly.

"Hmph, you're pretty good, but even so, what can you do?"

It mocked.

You pose no threat to me, but I... can crush you completely!

"Really? Then...why don't you do that?"

【………】

"You can't do it, right?"

Xiwang smiled gently and said the thing it least wanted to admit.

Yes... it couldn't affect Xi Wang because his thoughts were too "heavy" and too difficult to control, even difficult to touch... like an ocean that was hard to lift, a breeze that was hard to grasp, a flame that was impossible to touch.

"Ha...it seems the images in those [fragments]...were not fake after all..."

Xi Wang sighed softly and muttered to herself.

【...So what?!】

Its voice sounded somewhat annoyed and angry.

You can't do anything here! You can't kill me! And you can't end this disaster!

[And even if you get rid of me, people's trust in you will never return! Your songs put people to sleep, your songs are being used by me, and as long as people know this, their suspicion of you will never cease. My goal has been achieved! You will ultimately be swallowed up by doubt, killed by that disgusting and inexplicable suspicion of humanity!]

[You think I didn't sense it?! That aura of decay emanating from you! You've been in contact with things from the sea, haven't you? No...no! Maybe you're something that crawled out of the sea! So what if you're wearing human skin?! You're not human to begin with, how can you expect them to accept you?!]

We should be together, we should be on the same side!

It said that.

[You see, you want everyone to listen to your songs, to like your songs... and I can totally make that happen for you. Look at their dreams, those dreams they love most, those dreams they're obsessed with... Once they experience them, they'll be completely captivated by the world I've built for them, and your songs can just happen to bring them into it...]

【Look, isn't this a perfect match? They'll be absolutely infatuated with you, crawling on top of you like maggots, begging for your singing... What's wrong with that?】

[And what wrong have I done? I merely constructed their ideal world, I merely conformed to their expectations... It was they who didn't want to leave! It's their own problem, what does it have to do with me?!]

Reality is so terrible, all I did was build a haven for them, a place where they could feel safe. What did I do wrong?!

"...You seem to be in a real hurry."

Xi Wang tilted its head, offering only this brief response to the many words it had spoken.

"It seems... you've run into trouble elsewhere... Desdovia and Aponia are giving you trouble, aren't they?"

【Huh?! Are you kidding me?! They're just two slightly capable little bugs! I could kill them with a wave of my hand!】

"Really? Looks like I have to be a little worried... cough cough... well..."

Xi Wang lowered his eyelids slightly, coughed twice, and adjusted his voice.

【…Wait, what are you going to do?!】

"Singing, well, that's all I know... Let me think, what song should I sing for everyone here... Ah, I've got it!"

Wait... no!

It suddenly understood why Xi Wang had come here… because only here could he directly access all the other [Dreams]… Damn it! This was supposed to be its safe zone, a place where it could unilaterally influence the [Dreams] of others… Damn it!!!

At this moment, it couldn't care less about anything else. It manipulated its powers and used its strength... Although it didn't know what Xi Wang planned to do with his [Song], it couldn't let him run rampant here no matter what!

It's a Herrscher who controls the spirit!

then……

tick-

It was the sound of raindrops falling softly.

【it hurts!】

Feeling the pain, it immediately withdrew its hands and looked up at the sky with a look of surprise and uncertainty.

What's going on? Why is it raining here?!

tick-

Another raindrop fell, leaving a water stain on its body while also bringing it an extremely clear pain, and... an incredibly distinct hostility emanating from the rain.

Is it him?! Is it his ability? But isn't his power non-lethal? Isn't it just [Song]? Even if it's an accessory power, it should be wind!

tick-

Rain fell again, and in an instant, the area was enveloped in rain that it could not dispel no matter how hard it tried.

call--

The gentle breeze amplified the power of the rain, instantly binding it in place, unable to move an inch.

In the rain, only Xi Wang's strange tricolored eyes were clearly visible.

"Shh—noisy audiences are annoying, you know? Besides... this is my singing time~"

Xi Wang spoke softly, her tone relaxed and gentle.

But... was it just its imagination? The gold in Xi Wang's pupils seemed to have expanded slightly, and his gaze had become somewhat strange, as if he were looking at "prey"... But upon closer inspection, his gaze was calm and gentle, even carrying a hint of tenderness, unchanged even when facing an existence like it.

"Humph~?"

Xi Wang hummed softly, her eyelids slightly lowered, immersing her thoughts and emotions in the following piece... She gently raised her hand in the rain, her fingertips moving lightly, and the sound of the piano gently rose. Golden light flowed like a stream, weaving through the rain and outlining the shape of the music.

"Surrounded by endless darkness, my vision is gradually blurring..."

"I heard the sounds of a closed world... I clenched my fists~?"

"That's right, countless times swallowed by despair~?"

"When you're in trouble, fight your way through the thorns!"

"We've been fighting here all along!"

The blowing wind was given a color, it was blue, but golden light flowed quietly, adding a few touches of golden brilliance to the verdant wind.

Surrounded and protected by numerous golden musical notes, Erja dared not speak or make a sound, and even subconsciously softened her breathing, for fear of disturbing him.

This time, she was in close proximity to his power, witnessing the brilliance he displayed.

She... wanted to write it down.

"Perhaps one day, this world will finally collapse?"

Even if all hope is lost...?

"I will not be afraid~?"

"With the tears that have flowed and the overlapping moments of time~?"

"I will move forward without hesitation."

Xi Wang's pupils opened slightly, and within them, the golden part hidden in the dark center shimmered like stars.

He had seen some of the "fragments" in the rain and could vaguely guess their tragic ending... But this time, it will be different, it will definitely be different.

All he received and gained along the way was the care and love of everyone... Therefore, he should repay those who took care of him along the way, and use his own strength and his "specialness" to bring them the morning light and hope.

Just like... his name.

Someone once said, "The night will not last forever."

"Wounds heal over time, right?"

"That smile that appears when I close my eyes... I'll never forget it~?"

"That's right, this fate that repeats itself countless times before my eyes~?"

"I have a reason to hold my head high and face this!"

"It has long been etched in my heart~?"

Xi Wang smiled, a happy smile, bathed in the rain, radiating a golden glow like a stream, like silk, carrying brilliant golden notes, and lightly taking quick steps, blending her uplifting emotions into the song, entrusting her tenderness to the wind, and ultimately conveying it to others.

He gained a lot along the way, acquired many companions, and made many friends... More importantly, he met her and them.

Eden as glittering as gold, cherry blossoms as beautiful as cherry blossoms... that was the one he loved.

Therefore, he was determined to change that tragic ending and rewrite it.

………………