Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

Once inside, you'll find there are even more people.

[It might even make you suspect that the address is wrong, or that you've come to the wrong place; perhaps this is a networking event organized by someone with a wide network of connections.]

If this is your birthday party, why doesn't anyone seem to care about you, the main character?

[They must have taken the wrong turn.]

You try to comfort yourself, but the beautiful pink figure in the distance extinguishes this possibility, which could even be considered better.

Even in simple pink, she is still incredibly beautiful, her youthful innocence and naivety, and even her still-chubby face, are flawless and perfect.

[No need to see the whole picture; once you've seen it, even just a glimpse of its back, you can recognize it with 100% certainty.]

So perfect, so lovely, there's only that one girl in the whole world, that flawless girl who practically grew up with you.

【—Alicia.】

【…】

【she……】

The girl was surrounded by people in circles.

Inside the enormous mansion, people were conversing, but the characters they uttered seemed too distant, or perhaps simply beyond their comprehension—too profound and unfathomable.

Most people surrounded Alicia, but no one, not a single gaze, looked at her.

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

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

11. Reunited with Vervière

[You didn't walk in cautiously; you held your head high and walked with a firm stride. This is your birthday party, and while you don't expect everyone to be the center of attention, you shouldn't have walked in timidly.]

Now you're starting to regret it.

[Do I regret not being more careful?]

Your arrival was extremely abrupt; you could even clearly see the surprise on the faces of those who appeared to be attending a banquet to celebrate your birthday.

[My birthday wishes for you only appeared somewhat haphazardly after Alicia and others wished you a happy birthday.]

That's all there is to it.

After perfunctorily reciting the blessings, he went back to his own business. Even Alicia was busy with several people and had no time to pay attention to you.

……

……

……

The boy's right foot, which had been about to step out, froze in mid-air, and his right hand, which was about to greet someone, seemed to be filled with cement—because his undamaged eyes were enough to clearly see from the crowd the perfect curve of the girl's lips, without the slightest dissatisfaction or anxiety, but pure, heartfelt beauty.

Her smile is gentle and charming, though she is clearly a young girl, her allure is irresistible.

A smile or frown, unintentionally revealed, is enough to make people believe that the monarchs in history who tried to win the smile of a beauty were perhaps not simply foolish.

It's a smile that could touch anyone's heart.

She was clearly a girl so perfect she was almost like a fairy.

Even wars will inevitably cease because of this pure and perfect smile; only those who are completely inhuman and immoral would ignore it.

But only at this moment.

Jiangcheng, however, did not feel much joy.

Perhaps it's because I've seen this smile too many times, it's become too cloying, and it appears in every day of my life, not just limited to myself, but limited to the individual.

Anyone who meets this girl can enjoy this smile.

No matter how exquisite and perfect something is, it will eventually become cheap due to excessive quantity, and this is not limited to individuals.

There are no gender restrictions, no age restrictions, and not even any occupational or appearance restrictions.

She harbors goodwill towards everyone, never considering kindness a luxury, and never believes that her smile must be hidden.

……

Ultimately, it has nothing to do with him. A person's thoughts cannot be swayed by others, and no one has the right to sway a person's will.

Jiang Cheng's good mood vanished in an instant.

Gently clench your fingers into a fist.

However, they were forced to relax because they couldn't find any goals.

Looking at the scene before her, it seemed as if she had returned to her life in the small town. Alicia liked all the residents, but why did she not pay attention to her? It seemed that she was the only one who was not disliked.

Especially after witnessing firsthand how a banquet that should have been theirs was taken over by strangers...

Perhaps this is just wishful thinking.

That phrase, "a surprise prepared for myself," is probably on everyone's invitation.

After all, it was never said to be an additional banquet for him; it was just left with plenty of suspense and high expectations, but the final result was somewhat disappointing, and this disappointment was essentially just the result of overthinking.

In a sense, this can be considered the norm, a kind of... feeling that one's status is the same as that of a stranger on the street.

……

Looking at the girl who was surrounded by countless strangers.

Watching the girl casually deal with one enthusiastic fan after another.

Jiangcheng ultimately chose to leave without being impolite.

Since this is an exchange meeting and I've been invited, I might as well try it out and experience what it's like to communicate with others.

While others held similar thoughts, suppressing a strange and indescribable feeling, the boy looked up and unexpectedly caught sight of a rather eye-catching lone girl, standing alone in a corner, standing out from the crowd.

The strange girl seemed to be hesitating about something, her high-top boots that reached her calves stomping back and forth on the floor.

Perhaps because no one paid attention to him either, the boy's gaze lingered for a moment until that familiar face came into view.

"You are……"

"The lady from this morning?"

The boy frowned slightly, his dark eyes reflecting an incomprehensible confusion.

It was just a change of altitude, not enough to make him unrecognizable. That indescribable dark gold area alone was enough for him to remember.

The only problem is.

Why are you here?

Why would someone with an aura almost comparable to that of a certain pink-haired loner appear in such a lively and noisy place?

At least now we have a chance to return the hat.

The boy, clutching the top hat in his hand, unconsciously began to walk towards a secluded corner.

Without concealing their presence, in a corner where no one was around and it was so quiet it was practically deserted, the girl clearly saw their boots stepping over the wooden planks.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Cheng suddenly came here. Hearing the sound, the girl raised her head slightly and her eyes met the boy's. After confirming the other's identity, panic visibly appeared in her pinkish-gray eyes.

"Eh... Jiang Cheng?"

"How will you be here?"

Almost instinctively, Wilvi lowered her head, coping with everything through avoidance and self-isolation.

Yet, it seemed as if some question remained unanswered, causing a slight ripple in her heart. She subtly raised her beautiful eyes, and her expression became even more apparent when they were closer…

That was pure doubt.

"Although I don't seem to be that talented, I shouldn't be so bad as to not even be allowed to be here."

The boy's voice carried a hint of forgotten rudeness.

The girl in front of me possessed a beauty that was completely beyond words.

"No...no, it's just...Mr. Jiang Cheng, aren't you the main character of this birthday party?"

With her long khaki hair no longer concealed by her hat, the girl with her head down looked surprisingly docile, even a little disheveled, as if blown by the wind.

--ask.

The girl is asking a question.

If this kind of question isn't so gentle and persuasive.

"Don't panic. I'm not short-tempered or easily angered, and I wouldn't get angry over just one sentence."

Jiang Cheng shook his head calmly, his words revealing no extra emotion—provided one could ignore his slightly clenched fingers, the veins bulging slightly, and even the soft, flower-petal-like hat was slightly wrinkled from his grip.

"The only problem is, how do you know this is a birthday party? It's more like a social gathering or a fan meeting."

"If you're here for a birthday party, you've probably come to the wrong place. There doesn't seem to be another party being held around here, right?"

……

"Eh?"

It seems I was asked a question I had never thought of before.

Vilvi even dared to raise her head and show the boy the emotions contained in her starry eyes.

Confusion, bewilderment, embarrassment...

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

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

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

12. But... Alicia is indeed preparing for you...

The eyes are the windows to the soul. Some people may be able to hide their emotions very well, but the girl in front of me clearly does not belong to this category, or rather, at this moment, this girl's personality does not belong to this category.