Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

It shouldn't be...

No matter what, he's still considered a troublesome character.

If a dignified hero like Ying Jie were so easily seduced, it would be far too pathetic.

[In your conversation with Velvi, you quickly and clearly realized the essence of this young woman; she appears to be an undisputed genius, whose intelligence surpasses that of any scholar you know.]

However, only an unimaginable shadow loomed over this lovely girl.

【--self-abasement.】

When you first came to this conclusion, you even thought you were so devastated by Alicia's situation that your mind had stopped working.

[A genius of this caliber, even without boasting to you, can effortlessly demonstrate their understanding of things during conversation, showcasing their mastery of the most advanced subjects you're still struggling to learn.]

Even during a conversation, a few words spoken in a weak tone by the other person can leave a self-proclaimed genius scholar standing there dumbfounded.

The dress she was wearing, which could only be described as exquisite and gorgeous, was one she designed herself.

[How could someone so perfect, so outstanding, such an undeniable genius be associated with inferiority? Even the slightest hint of it seems utterly ridiculous.]

[But when your self-blame ends, and you clearly realize that your thinking is still normal, and the girl's demeanor is no different from, or even more severe than, that of someone with low self-esteem.]

[You've finally realized the true meaning of the saying, "The world is vast and full of wonders."]

Since the other person is a complete stranger to you, yet gave you a birthday gift—the only person besides your parents and Aielle who would do this—you decide to help Wilvi as much as possible.

At least the girl made your birthday less ridiculous, and it felt like a real birthday celebration, with people sending you their blessings.

Praising someone who lacks confidence is essentially a simple matter of giving them a compliment.

[Thanks to your time with Alicia, you are just as sincere as that girl when praising others, without a trace of hypocrisy.]

As for companionship... you're quite willing to be friends with Vilvie.

It's really comfortable chatting right now.

"You don't need to think so much. Your keen sensitivity allows you to capture other people's thoughts, which is another strong proof of your talent. Foolish people take pleasure in suppressing others, but that doesn't mean they are capable."

The boy's expression was serious, and his dark pupils revealed not a trace of falsehood or deceit.

"Eh……"

"I...I'm not that good."

The girl, somewhat bewildered by the sudden praise, could only turn her head slightly to the side, biting her lip to suppress her emotions, thus concealing her darting silver-gray eyes.

"Your ability is the proof of everything."

Jiang Cheng slightly modified the words that Alicia usually used to praise others, tilted his head, and his dark eyes were full of sincerity and seriousness.

“You really helped me. Even though I don’t consider this my birthday party, you were still willing to give me a birthday present and offer me sincere blessings. That’s the biggest help you could give me.”

"Humans are ultimately social animals and cannot truly abandon friendship. If you help me, you are one of the few friends I have. If anything happens, I will do my best to repay you and help you."

The boy's words contained no lies.

He traveled with the girl for several years, and although he went to many places with Alicia, he could hardly call them friends.

Talent and ability are not the only criteria for judging everything; personality is also extremely important.

"...But can doing just this little bit really make me a friend who cares about me? I...I really want friends I can talk to, but after all this time, I don't even have many who acknowledge me..."

Vivi was led astray and began to mutter to herself, only realizing what she had said belatedly after revealing part of her true feelings.

"It's very simple."

"I can be your friend."

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

14. Alicia felt a little annoyed.

At this moment, despite a jumble of thoughts, ideas, and emotions swirling within her, the girl felt her mind was completely empty, devoid of anything.

In her emerald green starry eyes, she could only see the boy so close to her, with his gentle, deep blue pupils, the smile on his lips, and his outstretched hand.

A scene that exists only in my imagination and that I have never even dared to dream of.

The girl was so dreamy that she gently bit her rosy lower lip, almost subconsciously and cautiously reaching out her hand.

Until the belated workings of a genius's mind.

"Okay... no!"

not good!

completely!

Absolutely not good!

These kinds of things should be discussed after spending at least a few months together.

We've only known each other for a day.

They hadn't even spent a few hours together.

This atmosphere doesn't feel like making friends at all!

……

Just as she was about to be swept away by her chaotic thoughts, Wilvi finally managed to pull herself out of her jumbled imagination. She raised her face, her eyes meeting the boy's with a mixture of shyness and confusion, and an uncontrollable blush spread across her fair and gentle cheeks.

Own……

What did you say?

Own……

What were you thinking just now?!

A certain instinctive fear of social death, originating from the depths of my heart, even momentarily overwhelmed the chaotic emotions within me.

"Ah, Mr. Jiang Cheng, please..."

Subconsciously, she wanted to yell at Jiang Cheng to show some self-respect, just like countless times before, feeling the loneliness of being alone in her room with no one to care for her—but the moment she was about to speak, Wilvi unconsciously reached out and covered her lips.

An even stronger fear than before surged through his heart, and a feeling of reluctance to lose it made his words turn into a soft, pleading plea.

"Please stop talking...give me some time, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't seem to notice your feelings. I'll pay attention next time. Thank you for the gift. I'll prepare a suitable gift for you next time on your birthday, whether you consider me a friend or not."

The boy lowered his head slightly and immediately offered his sincere apology.

Emotional intelligence may not be considered particularly high.

He wasn't entirely oblivious to social cues.

Perhaps the way he interacts with Alicia is completely unsuitable for someone with such low self-esteem; being too enthusiastic might actually frighten her.

How many years has it been since I've seen such a sincere person?

……

……

Organizing a birthday party can be overwhelming, and no matter how skilled you are at communicating with others, if the number of people involved grows infinitely, it can easily trap anyone in a whirlpool from which they cannot escape.

This leaves you with very little time to visit Jiang Cheng; you can only offer perfunctory blessings to everyone else, but you can't give one to anyone individually.

[There shouldn't be any problems, right?]

Didn't you already send your blessings yesterday?

[This shouldn't be a problem for a teenager.]

Even though you desperately wanted to push everyone away and find the boy, you still had to constantly deal with the people who kept crowding around you.

The people around were still making noise and asking questions.

After a short while, you finally found a moment of respite from the crowd, a chance to relax a little. Just as you were about to search for the boy in the crowd and strike up a conversation,...

[It seems that Jiangcheng has already been occupied by someone else.]

The boy wasn't alone; there was a girl he barely recognized, a girl he only vaguely remembered.

Even in the chat group, the girl was practically silent.

[But now, the girl who almost never speaks, and whose comments are usually limited to setting a timer or making excuses, is chatting happily with Jiang Cheng.]

The boy's face was adorned with a relaxed and cheerful smile, a smile you haven't seen much of lately.

【ah……】

【Why……】

[—Is there something strange going on in my mind?]

[A tightness settled in my heart, a kind of almost tangible sadness. Even though I wasn't that far from the boy, it felt like we were worlds apart.]

[It must be my imagination.]

[As a birthday party focused on social interaction, Jiang Cheng's ability to make new friends is a crucial, even paramount, element, allowing him to move beyond a trip limited to just the two of them.]

That's clearly what I was thinking...

The purpose was clearly to help the boy find friends.

[I should be happy to see what's in front of me.]

Why am I feeling a bit down?

It was a kind of oppression that shouldn't belong to you at all, shouldn't belong to a flawless, flower-like, beautiful fairy.

[Even though you now need to communicate with others to change the world and the organizations behind the scenes, you've even lost the will to speak up.]

……

At nineteen, your journey with Alicia continues, but this time it's not just about being immersed in spending time together, as before.