Elegy from Another World

That day, as usual, I handled the daily affairs of Utopia within the symbiotic network—adjusting energy flows, monitoring the plantation's growth, and listening to the residents' amusing anecdotes. Suddenly, a warning signal came from Xiaobei's mind:

[Lady Liscia, there's movement at the entrance. Someone is approaching and attempting to enter the outer passage.]

I was somewhat surprised. Logically, aside from some members of Carlos's team who had returned to Valencia to report, no one outside should know the exact location of this place. Could it be an adventurer who stumbled upon it by accident?

"Stay alert," I instructed Xiaobei. "Don't make any rash moves. Try to use the outer probe tentacles to touch her, read her surface memories, and find out her intentions."

However, before the tentacles could make a move, the intruder had already entered a relatively open area on the outer edge of the maze and immediately shouted, its voice echoing through the fleshy passageway:

"Excuse me—! Is Liscia inside? I'm looking for Liscia!"

Another one who knows me? It seems I don't need Xiao Bei's confirmation anymore. I signaled Xiao Bei to lower the guard and walked forward along the passage myself.

At the intersection of a main thoroughfare, I saw the person approaching. It was a young girl who looked quite young, dressed in somewhat worn but still relatively clean travel clothes. Her face bore the weariness of a long journey, but her eyes were exceptionally bright and determined. When she saw me, she immediately showed an expression of immense excitement.

"Lady Liscia! I've finally found you!" She practically ran up to me, bowed deeply, and said, "My name is Tia! I... I've come to become your apprentice!"

"...Huh?" I was completely taken aback by her sudden request. "Become her apprentice? What do you mean? Please stand up and speak first."

Tia straightened up and explained urgently, "You may not remember me, but I will always remember you! A year ago, I was also 'goods' in the hands of a group of bandits, and you saved me like a god descending to earth! After making many inquiries and enduring a lot of hardship, I finally found out that you might be here!"

It turned out to be yet another person I had helped in the past. I sighed, "I haven't saved many people, but there's no need to dwell on it so much. Why do you want to become my disciple?"

"Because I want to become as strong as you!" Tia's eyes shone brightly, filled with longing. "Strong enough to protect myself, and even... to protect others like you!"

I shook my head, my tone calm and direct: "Tia, I refuse."

The light on the girl's face instantly dimmed, replaced by deep disappointment and confusion: "W-why? Is there something I'm not good enough for?"

"No, it's not your problem." I looked at her and said seriously, "My strength largely depends on the unique physique of this body and my ability to use magic. Physique cannot be taught, and as for magic... I can teach you some basics. But the so-called 'apprenticeship' is really unnecessary, and I don't have any advanced 'martial arts' to teach you."

"But... I'm willing to do anything for you! Just let me stay by your side, stay with you!" Tia almost pleaded.

"There's no need for that." I rejected her almost sacrificial gesture again. "You don't need to do anything for me. As for wanting to stay here... that's fine, Utopia welcomes those seeking peace."

Tia was taken aback for a moment, then her face lit up with surprise and delight, and she quickly thanked her, "Thank you! Lady Liscia!"

"Follow me." I turned and led the way, guiding her through the winding passage to the inner ring residential area. Along the way, she curiously observed the peculiar fleshy environment around her and the occasional gentle tentacles that brushed past, feeling both nervous and unable to hide her excitement.

Upon arriving at the residential area, a slender tentacle, as usual, gently reached towards her ear. Tia's body stiffened slightly, showing some surprise and hesitation.

"Relax, this is how you connect to the symbiotic network, and it's part of the communication and perception here," I explained.

A tentacle gently pierced her ear canal. Instantly, Tia's body visibly relaxed, an expression of disbelief appearing on her face. She cautiously sent a mental greeting to the other residents of the network through the newly established connection. At the same time, I quietly browsed through the relevant experiences in her surface memories.

The scroll of memory unfolded before my eyes: she was once a noblewoman, living a life of luxury, but due to a cruel power struggle within her family, she was betrayed by her own uncle, reduced to a slave, and suffered endless humiliation and torment. Until that rainy night, my appearance was like a ray of light tearing through the darkness, rescuing her from her misery. In her memory, my image was infinitely idealized, becoming the embodiment of power, justice, and hope. It was precisely because of this that she developed such a strong desire to follow me and become stronger.

At the same time, I could also clearly sense the intense, almost burning, vengeful impulse deep within her emotions—aimed at her vicious uncle.

I looked at her and "spoke" directly to her through the symbiotic network: "You want to become my disciple, but your real purpose is revenge, isn't it?"

Tia jolted, looked up at me, a flicker of panic and shock in her eyes: "How...how did you know?"

Here, everyone's memories and thoughts are, to some extent, transparently shared. I calmly replied, "I saw your past, and I felt your hatred."

She lowered her head, remained silent for a moment, then raised it again, her eyes regaining their resolve: "Yes! I will take revenge! I will make the person who betrayed my family and destroyed everything I have pay the price!"

"So, Tia," I said with a hint of seriousness, "what would you be willing to give up for revenge?"

"Everything!" she answered without hesitation. "I can give up everything! As long as I can get revenge!"

I gazed into her eyes, burning with the flames of revenge, and asked, "Does that include me? Does it include this 'utopia' that just accepted you, that might bring you peace? If the price of revenge is turning away from here, turning away from the 'light' you yearn for, would you still say 'everything'?"

Tia froze again, opening her mouth but unable to speak. The obsession with revenge and the yearning for a new life were fiercely conflicting within her.

I sighed softly, conveying a gentle yet firm warning through my thoughts: "I cannot judge the right or wrong of revenge itself. But Tia, please don't let revenge become your entire life. Don't let it slowly ignite everything you have, including future possibilities and the warmth you might receive. That kind of ending is not beautiful, and I don't want to see it."

Tia stared at me blankly, the fire in her eyes seeming to cool slightly, replaced by a hint of confusion and contemplation. She slowly nodded.

"Since you've chosen to stay here," I changed the subject, my tone softening, "then take a good rest and relax. No one here will hurt you, and you don't need to be constantly on edge. Treat this place as a place where you can temporarily unload your burdens."

She nodded again, her tense shoulders seeming to relax a little.

"Now then," I gestured to the tentacles that had been gently undulating around me, waiting for their chance, "would you like to try to really relax? They'll help you."

Tia watched the reassuring tentacles slowly approach, her body instinctively pausing for a moment. But she ultimately took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Yes, Lady Liscia."

The tentacles gently wrapped around her limbs and torso, releasing a soothing ripple. Tia's body gradually relaxed, and the tension on her face slowly melted away, replaced by a long-lost, almost trance-like tranquility.

I looked at her, lost in thought. Yet another child burdened with a heavy past had arrived in Utopia. How could I guide her, preventing her from being consumed by hatred, and helping her truly find her place and peace here? This was perhaps yet another new challenge I, as the administrator, faced.