“After everything he’s been through…
can Phainon really go back to being that carefree boy he once was?”
In the bedroom, heavy blackout curtains blocked out the moonlight.
Cyrene sank into the soft down pillow, her gaze fixed on the dark ceiling, her mind unusually active when it should have been drowsy.
Her fingertips unconsciously twirled a strand of pink hair as her thoughts drifted back to the moment of the Summoning.
When the golden light faded and that figure appeared, her heart filled with both joy and an indescribable unease.
Had she summoned “Little Phainon,” the boy who hadn’t yet shouldered the weight of the world, who would still laugh heartily while playing childish games with Mydei?
Or had she summoned “Khaslana,” worn down by countless cycles until only Divinity and duty remained?
At first, she clung to a sliver of hope.
But when she heard the System say he had once faced Destruction.
At that moment, her heart felt as if it had been squeezed tightly by an invisible hand.
It was the latter.
The Savior who, in this Hellish dungeon called “Amphoreus,” had watched his companions die again and again, restarted time countless times, and ultimately sealed away his own heart.
“With such heavy memories weighing him down…
does he even remember how to smile from the heart?”
Cyrene turned over, curling up on her side.
Even just glimpsing the tip of the iceberg of that long journey through a screen left her feeling suffocated by oppression and bitterness.
And Phainon was the one who had personally trudged through that swamp of despair for countless cycles.
She didn’t want to see him always living for others.
She wanted to soothe those invisible wounds, to see his face once again radiate a smile untainted by shadow.
This was difficult, as difficult as reaching for the heavens.
“But…
since I’m here, I have to at least try, right?”
Cyrene took a deep breath, pulled the blanket up to cover half her face, and silently clenched her fists.
Saving the world, such a grand goal, could be set aside for now.
The immediate priority was: forcing this Savior to learn how to sleep like a normal human!
“Yawn…”
Physiological tears welled at the corners of her eyes.
Cyrene rubbed her slightly sore eyes and called out softly in her mind:
“System, is Phainon asleep yet?”
[No.
Phainon is currently in his bedroom reviewing materials on modern social structures and history.
He has not fallen asleep.]
“I knew it…”
Cyrene buried her face in the pillow, letting out a muffled grumble.
That guy was practically a perpetual motion machine that never needed recharging.
“Forget it.
There’s plenty of time.
I’ll just have to train him slowly…”
Her consciousness gradually faded, and amidst a helpless sigh, she finally drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, nine o’clock.
Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on the wooden floor.
“Good morning~”
Cyrene pushed open her bedroom door, stretching lazily as she walked into the living room.
Phainon had, at some point, reappeared on the living room sofa.
At this moment, he held a thick volume of the Xinhai City Gazette.
Upon hearing the noise, his gaze lifted from the pages and settled on Cyrene.
His originally stern features softened the instant he saw the young woman.
“Good morning, Cyrene.”
Cyrene’s eyes lingered for a second on the lack of dark circles under his eyes, silently marveling at his “excellent constitution” before turning toward the kitchen.
“Just a moment, breakfast will be ready soon.”
The sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, followed by the soft click of the gas stove igniting.
Before long, the fragrant aroma of sizzling scallion oil wafted from the kitchen.
Cyrene emerged carrying a tray, placing two bowls of steaming hot noodles on the dining table.
The vibrant green scallions and bright red ham slivers made the dish irresistibly appetizing.
“Let’s eat first.
You need a full stomach to have the energy to work.”
Cyrene pulled out a chair and sat down, handing him the chopsticks.
Phainon stared at the bowl of steaming noodles before him, his expression momentarily stunned.
He subconsciously started to refuse:
“I’m not hungry.
With my physical constitution, I don’t need…”
“Oops, I accidentally made too much.”
Cyrene propped her chin on one hand and tapped the rim of her bowl with her chopsticks.
Her diamond-shaped pupils glinted with cunning as she spoke in a tone that brooked no refusal:
“See?
Two whole bowls.
How can I possibly finish them all by myself?
It would be such a waste to throw it away.
That’s practically sacrilege against food, you know~”
“…”
Phainon opened his mouth, but the rest of his words were choked off by her twisted logic.
He looked at Cyrene’s “it’s a sin if you don’t eat this” expression, sighed helplessly, and reached out to take the chopsticks.
“Alright.
Thank you.”
The rest of breakfast was rather quiet, punctuated only by the occasional slurp of noodles and the crisp clink of chopsticks against porcelain bowls.
As morning light spilled onto the dining table, the tranquility of the moment gave Phainon a fleeting, long-lost sense of what it felt like to truly “live.”
After breakfast, Phainon expertly gathered the bowls and chopsticks and headed toward the kitchen.
Cyrene didn’t stop him from finding a sense of purpose through labor.
Instead, she stood in the entryway, changing her shoes as she spoke:
“Phainon, just leave the dishes.
I’m planning to go to the Hongda Chemical Plant in the East District today.
You can stay here and continue familiarizing yourself with this world’s information.
The computer password is six eights.”
As she spoke, she grabbed her jacket from the coat rack and was about to open the door.
“Wait.”
The sound of running water abruptly stopped.
Phainon rushed out of the kitchen without even drying the water droplets from his hands.
His tall frame blocked the entryway, his brow furrowed as his tone grew serious:
“You’re going to that chemical plant?
According to the information you looked up last night, it’s highly likely infested with Xenos.
You have no way to protect yourself right now.
What if you run into danger?”
Cyrene paused while tying her shoelaces.
She looked up, blinked, and tried to brush it off with a casual tone:
“Hmm…
The authorities have had it sealed off for half a month.
Even if there were monsters, they’ve probably been mostly cleared out.
I’ll just circle the perimeter and scan with the radar.
I won’t go deep inside.”
“Besides, my luck has always been good.
I can’t be that unlucky, can I?”
“No.”
Phainon’s reply was firm and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.
His golden eyes stared intently at Cyrene, as if watching a child trying to poke a tiger.
“The danger of those things is unpredictable.
If you insist on going, fine, but I must be by your side.”
“But…”
Cyrene stood up, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
“Phainon, you need to understand, you’re an ‘unregistered person’ in this world right now.
Official personnel are definitely still patrolling that area.
If you’re discovered, how are we supposed to explain your identity?
What if they capture you for dissection and research?”
“Don’t worry.”
Phainon took a step forward, his tone calm and confident.
“As long as I don’t want to be found, no one in this world can detect my presence.
Not surveillance cameras, not human eyes.”
Seeing his “that’s not even a problem” certainty, Cyrene opened her mouth, but ultimately just sighed in resignation.
“Alright, since you put it that way…”
She knew Phainon’s personality.
When it came to her safety, the man was as stubborn as a mule.
And on second thought, with this body of mine, if something unexpected happened, I’d truly be completely helpless.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Lord Phainon.”
Cyrene tilted her head and gave Phainon a brilliant smile.
“But we have a deal, okay?
If we run into official personnel, you must hide well.
Absolutely no impulsive actions.”
“Mm, I understand.” Phainon nodded, his expression softening slightly.
With their plan confirmed, Cyrene took advantage of the moment Phainon went to change clothes and opened the System Panel again.
Looking at the values displayed, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
[Character Recall: 500 Memory Imprints/Attempt]
[Ability Recall: 200 Memory Imprints/Attempt]
Ever since she pulled Phainon out last time, the prices had skyrocketed.
“Is this what they call ‘inflation’?
System, you’re such a scammer…”
Cyrene gazed sorrowfully at her zero Memory Imprints.
With so many companions still waiting to be awakened and countless abilities to unlock, the required Memory Imprints were simply astronomical.
If she didn’t take some risks at that chemical plant and just relied on baiting people online, when would she ever save up enough resources for the next attempt?
“Sigh…
When will I finally have enough power to protect myself, so Phainon doesn’t always have to shield me?”
She shook her head, clearing her mind of the anxious thoughts.
“Forget it, no point dwelling on it.
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it!”
Cyrene took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
“Let’s go!”