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

When Mei asked her question, Xi Wang smiled but remained silent.

"...I understand, we will do our best."

Mei nodded knowingly.

“That would be wonderful, Dr. May.”

Xi Wang squinted his eyes happily.

"It's all for humanity, Dr. May."

"...Yes, it's all for humanity."

Mei repeated it again, somewhat helplessly.

...She disliked that sentence.

Chapter Seventy: Dawn/Hope has departed… (7986)

"Dawn..."

"What's wrong, Alicia? You sound unexpectedly downcast..."

"I'm sorry... I... can't help you..."

"It's alright, being [detained] is already very good. In fact, I'm very grateful for your support."

Xi Wang's voice remained as gentle and calm as ever.

"We are companions, so helping each other is only right, isn't it?"

“…Yeah, probably.”

"Xi Wang, why are you so resistant to... touching me?"

Alicia couldn't understand. As beings who were similar yet different, as beings who both loved humans, shouldn't they... help each other? Shouldn't they accompany each other? Why was Xiwang so resistant to her?

"Ha... Alicia, do you remember what I said before?"

Xi Wang sighed helplessly.

"If you had to choose between me and [humanity], what would you do?"

"I……"

“I know, Alicia, you’re greedy. Greed is the privilege of cute girls, so you want to choose both. If you can’t, you’ll do everything in your power to create an option where you can choose both.”

Xi Wang looked at her, meeting her gaze in her blue-pink eyes, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips.

"And I... am the same."

"I want to choose both, and I will do my best to achieve that."

"Ha... It's just a pity that changing the [ending] is still somewhat difficult, so... I can only take it one step at a time~"

Xi Wang smiled casually, her eyelids lowered slightly, her gaze lingering in one direction, her thoughts slightly blank.

"Besides, I'm not even sure if it will succeed..."

"Dawn..."

"Also, Alicia, actually... I'm not that good, you know? I'm actually quite selfish."

"……Eh?"

"Don't be fooled by all that I've done. My real purpose is just two things."

Xi Wang raised her head slightly and looked at her, who seemed somewhat taken aback.

He wanted to save Sakura and Rin and change their fate of dying—this was an obsession he had left behind, something he was determined to accomplish.

He wanted Eden to live—that was his only thought in this situation.

"As for other things, they are just incidental."

"But you have actually saved and helped many people..."

"But so what? In the end, it can't overcome human nature's own suspicion."

"........."

“Look at you, Alicia, even if you have actually helped a lot of people and saved a lot of people, once others know your identity, they will speculate and imagine about your so-called ‘sincerity’ and then doubt everything you have done.”

Xi Wang said slowly.

"Past kindness can turn into hypocrisy, past help can turn into ulterior motives... It's said that actions speak louder than words, but people always seem to focus on the heart when it comes to this, discussing whether it's genuine... It's quite annoying, isn't it?"

"Dawn..."

Alicia gently placed her hand on Xiwang's hand, trying to comfort him and soothe his emotions... She was so worried that Xiwang would break down, lose faith in humanity, and become like the other Herrschers, a "machine" that only knew destruction and killing.

"I'm fine, Alicia. This is nothing to me."

Xi Wang gently took her hand in return, calming her slightly flustered heart. Then, as if remembering something, he took something out of his pocket and placed it in her palm.

"Oh right, this... is for you."

"What is this...?"

Alicia looked closely and realized it was a small crystal flower hair accessory.

"I asked Vervier to make a little souvenir for you all, and you'll each have one! But don't worry, each one is different, they're all unique!"

Xi Wang spoke in a cheerful tone.

"There's also a song I left for you all inside. It's different for each person, ah... Of course, my power is also inside. It can help you if necessary, so... please keep it with you."

"I see... I will, Xiwang."

Alicia's lips slowly curved into a smile, and then she removed her current hair accessory, letting her pink ponytail fall loose.

"Then... Xiwang, can you help me?"

Alicia turned around, slightly gesturing to the newly acquired hair accessory in her hand, and then to her beautiful pink hair, and said softly.

"Okay~"

Xi Wang smiled and gently combed Alicia's hair, then picked up the crystal flower hair ornament and prepared to tie her ponytail back up.

"...Xi Wang, I'm sorry."

While Xiwang was combing Alicia's hair, Alicia, who had her back to Xiwang, suddenly said this.

She was truly sorry; she couldn't stand beside Xi Wang at that moment.

They are clearly of the same kind, and should be companions who help each other, but at this moment when Xi Wang needs help the most... she can't help him, and can't even reveal her identity to stand with him and prove anything for him.

As mentioned before... "Suspicion" has begun to spread. Even if she reveals her identity again and proves to others that even [Herrschers] are friendly beings, it will not work. Instead, it will drag her into the abyss of "suspicion" as well, and may even further provoke "Moths of Fire" to issue the order to "exterminate".

The simultaneous existence of two Herrschers, especially those lurking among people, would undoubtedly further provoke others and lead them to take irrational actions... something no one wants to see.

Therefore, whether for the sake of social stability, to appease the hearts of the "Moths of Fire," to save Xi Wang's life, or for her own safety... Alicia cannot reveal her identity at this time.

But...but...it was precisely because she knew these reasons that Alicia felt guilty and apologized.

Unlike Eden and Sakura, she didn't have a close relationship with Xiwang, so she rarely had the chance to stay by his side and comfort him.

This "kindred spirit," this "companion" who should have helped him... actually did not help him at all.

Alicia... is very sad.

"It's ok."

Xi Wang simply smiled at this.

"You just need to live your life well, Alicia."

After tying up the crystal flower hair ornament in her hand and retying Alicia's ponytail, Xiwang said softly.

"After all... everything is for the sake of humanity."

The voice remained as gentle and calm as ever.

"……Um."

Alicia instinctively tightened her grip on the old hair ornament, but in the end... she seemed to give up, slowly and weakly letting go.

She suddenly disliked that sentence... that too high-sounding... excuse.

…………

………………

Finally, that day arrived.

The crowd watched as the spacecraft took off, disappearing into the horizon with a trail of fire... taking him and the little trinkets they had left him with with it, disappearing into the sky, heading towards the "prison" on the moon.

Xiwang/Hope... has left.

At that very moment, the conflict that arose because of him instantly erupted.

…………

In the ocean far from land, the waves surged, countless bubbles anxiously floated to the surface, and the seawater rippled again and again, conveying a sense of anxiety and panic.

The seawater splashed out again and again, trying to leap into the sky and chase the flames that had disappeared into the horizon, but at this moment... it was no longer possible.

[The Ocean]...it can't feel him anymore, its beloved child...it can't feel him anymore!

This nearly drove it into a frenzy, causing countless waves to surge and try to reach the land, but in the end... it was all calmed down.

"Blood relatives would not want to see this."

It was a soft female voice.

It was an extremely attractive figure, with smooth skin, fluid and soft body lines like water, long white hair like waves, and... dangerous, predatory scarlet pupils.

Yes, she... is Skadi, who has been "reborn".

wow-

The waves gently surged.

"Please be patient... [Mother]."

Skadi hesitated for a long time before finally uttering the name.