“Let me tell you, I’ve gained so many followers since I started streaming!
Everyone here absolutely loves my songs!”
Aemeath eagerly shared her gains from the past week or so with Xiao Ling, like a child excitedly reporting her achievements to a parent.
Her eyes were a little red, like a little rabbit’s, but the smile on her face was spread wide.
She looked truly happy.
“Chisa and the others have also settled in really well here with my help.
The process might not have been all that smooth…
but the outcome’s good!”
“Well, isn’t that only natural?
Our Fleet Snowfluff is Startorch Academy’s beloved big star.
Becoming a big internet celebrity in this world is a piece of cake, no?” Xiao Ling fondly pinched Aemeath’s tender, dewy cheek.
Heaven only knew how guilt-ridden Xiao Ling had been when he saw Aemeath.
Back when he was playing through Wuthering Waves’ story, he’d fallen straight into a half-month depression over Aemeath’s sacrifice.
So when he met her again in the real world and saw the tears brimming in her eyes the moment she laid eyes on him, he genuinely wanted to slap and curse himself out for being such a worthless piece of trash.
He should have thought of it out sooner.
Since Denia had accidentally ended up here, others could surely arrive here too.
He could have, at the very least, be on the lookout for any suspicious news.
Yet he’d still clung to wishful thinking, until he ran into Chisa at the department store and learned everything from her.
He was such an idiot.
He’d let Aemeath face everything alone again.
A beautiful girl, alone in a strange land, stripped of all her halos — how was she supposed to integrate into this world, and even build a temporary shelter for her companions?
He truly felt she should curse him out.
No matter how harsh, he’d take it.
That would make him feel a little better.
But she didn’t.
She just buried her little pink head in the crook of his neck and sobbed quietly.
Maybe because Denia was nearby, or maybe because she didn’t want to disturb the neighbors — she didn’t want to affect them.
Back in the present, Aemeath nibbled on the slightly cooled steamed buns Xiao Ling and Denia had brought, while updating him on how the other three companions were doing.
Denia very consciously left the time to them.
She sat off to the side, aimlessly scrolling through her phone, the pale blue glow reflecting off her delicate little face.
Who knew what she was thinking.
“When I ran into Linae, she’d just been caught by an officer managing traffic on the roadside for speeding.
Never thought this world would have someone just like Mr.
SIGMA too.” Aemeath shared some amusing anecdotes about the other companions.
“She was just standing there getting lectured by the officer with a whole crowd gathered around.
She looked so awkward.”
“Moed my way through~ I’d helped the officers catch quite a few thieves before.
They all more or less knew me, which gave me just the opening to smooth things over.” Aemeath said smugly, as if saying, ‘Praise me, praise me!’
“Have you been happy here?” Xiao Ling smiled and ruffled her head.
“Back when I was living alone, even though everyone in the alley was really good to me, I still felt a bit lonely, of course.
Now that Chisa and the others live with me, I feel really happy.” Aemeath smiled, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
“But, you know, without you here it still feels like something’s missing.”
“Then did you never think of coming to find me on your own?
You should know I wouldn’t have refused.” Xiao Ling asked with feigned seriousness.
“It’s not that I didn’t think of it.
It’s that I felt it wouldn’t be right.” Aemeath explained.
“Back then, I let you go precisely because I didn’t want to cause trouble for you, the hero of Solaris.
Even though this world is very peaceful, we’re all too eye-catching.
An ordinary guy like you, with no strength to speak of, sitting on a harem of beauties — that would definitely bring huge trouble.”
Aemeath had always been so considerate.
Whether in the game or in reality, she always thought of him.
That explained why the remaining three hadn’t taken the initiative to seek him out either.
It seemed to be Aemeath’s doing.
“But now it seems my worries were probably unnecessary?” Aemeath’s eyes held a smile as she looked at Denia quietly scrolling through her phone off to the side.
“You know I don’t do things I’m not sure of.” Xiao Ling tweaked her nose.
“Haven’t you done enough things you weren’t sure of?” Aemeath glanced sideways at Xiao Ling and teased.
Xiao Ling choked.
He suddenly didn’t quite know how to respond.
Gotta say, she wasn’t wrong.
“That one beside you — that’s Denia, right?” Aemeath shifted the topic to Denia, who had been silently scrolling through her phone the whole time.
“After the final battle with Aleph-1, I heard from that shrine maiden.
At that time, the Fractsidus Overseer was controlling her and resonating with it.
She caused you all a lot of trouble.
After that, she suddenly left without saying goodbye.
I thought I’d never have the chance to see her again.
Sigrika was really down for that whole stretch of time.”
“It wasn’t exactly without saying goodbye…” Denia spoke up.
Her cherry-pink long hair veiled her eyes, making her emotions unreadable.
“I sent her everything I wanted to say through a scheduled email.”
Xiao Ling sighed softly and ruffled her head with his somewhat rough hand, like petting a cat.
“No matter what joys and sorrows, what meetings and partings happened in that world, they’re just stories of that world now.
At least here and now, we can start a new chapter.”
Well said.” Aemeath wholeheartedly agreed with Xiao Ling’s speech.
“So, Denia, when you see Siggy later, remember to comfort her properly.
Because of your departure, her grades dropped quite a bit for a while.
President Lucilla even arranged special counseling for her.”
“…Mn.” Denia nodded.
Her fingertip rested still on the phone screen, as if lost in thought.
…
Half an hour later.
“Sorry for the trouble, Linae.
You went out of your way to pick me up even though it’s not on your route.” Sigrika said, a bit embarrassed.
She’d lingered too long in the zoo’s bird section.
By the time she came back to her senses, she’d already missed the ride back to the apartment.
“We’re classmates.
No need to be so polite.” Linae winked.
“Amy said there’s a surprise waiting for us.
Wonder what it is?”
Off to the side, Chisa held her shopping bags and smiled without a word.
She, of course, knew exactly what surprise awaited them.
Tap, tap, tap.
Three light, rhythmic knocks sounded on the door.
With a click, the apartment door opened.
Sigrika, standing at the doorway, saw the person behind the door.
Her eyes instantly went wide.
“Siggy.” Denia, uncharacteristically a bit reserved, still wore that gentle smile Sigrika knew so well.
“Welcome back.”
“Ni…
Nia…”
Tears fell faster than the bag from her hands.
Sigrika embraced her dear friend like the wind, the drifting teardrops shimmering with crystalline light beneath the warm yellow glow of the lamps.
“I thought I’d never see you again — wuaahhhhhh!”
Unlike Aemeath, Sigrika was someone who wore her emotions on her face.
Even if she tried to hide them, she couldn’t.
And this long-awaited, warm reunion signaled the official revival of the Startorch Academy student crew in this world.
Comment it and let me know.