"So, Seele... do you want me to stay away from you?"
Seeing the arrogance in her wife, Seele, Lunelle's expression shifted to one of sorrow and humility, her tone softening with a trace of submission.
"...Okay, I understand."
Though Lunelle resisted the urge to pull Seele closer, she carefully released her embrace, not even waiting for Dark Seele to speak. She knew the nature of her wife all too well — Dark Seele, full of pride and anger, often spoke harshly, but Lunelle had learned to take those words seriously to keep her under control.
As expected, the moment Lunelle let go of Dark Seele, she felt a delicate, familiar body press against her back, the curves unmistakable.
"You idiot! When did I ever tell you to stay away from me? Do you... want to abandon me again?!"
Dark Seele's voice cracked as she spoke, tears threatening to spill.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Seele! I took your angry words too seriously..." Lunelle stammered, panic setting in.
Lunelle had only intended to tease, but now, she found herself scrambling. She had never imagined Dark Seele could be so stubborn, so quick to take offense, especially when "Seele" was involved.
Yet, watching Dark Seele's love — a love that only surfaced in front of her — made Lunelle feel an unexpected pang of jealousy.
For the first time, Lunelle wondered:
If I hadn't met Dark Seele as Seele, would she still be this dependent on me now?
"Idiot! Idiot Seele! Don't ever leave me alone again, do you hear me?!"
Dark Seele, now in Lunelle's arms, curled up and angrily pounded her small fists against Lunelle's chest, clearly still upset.
"Okay, okay, I'll never leave you again, Seele. After all, you're the one I love most!"
"Hmph!" Dark Seele snorted, her face flushed in embarrassment.
Maybe… it would be nice if I were really Seele.
Lunelle, who had been insisting on her identity as not being Seele, for the first time thought that perhaps being Seele wouldn't be such a bad thing. To be with her beloved wife, Seele... it felt like a natural dream.
Am I getting too deep into this role?
Snapping back to reality, Lunelle quickly pushed the thought aside. She hadn't found any indication that the simulation was affecting the real world of Honkai Impact 3rd.
Though she had only been in this world for a few days, everything was still unfolding as expected. The events hadn't deviated much from their original course.
For now, Lunelle dismissed any worries about the simulation's influence on reality.
Having reached a quiet reconciliation with Dark Seele, Lunelle was jolted by a sudden, unexpected prompt from the simulator.
[You have passively activated the Authority of [Creation], inadvertently rewriting the fate of a plot character who was supposed to die.]
[Host, would you like to save and settle this change?]
"Save and settle? What's that about, Systema?" Lunelle asked, curiosity piqued. "What happens after I save?"
["Archive Settlement" is a function triggered when the host first alters the fate of a plot character.]
[After meeting certain conditions, the host may choose to save the current simulation progress, and a talent reward will be granted based on the fate of the character you've rewritten. If you choose not to save, the talent bonus will be frozen. If you die in the simulation, the next round will start from the original point.]
"Systema? Will saving affect reality?" Lunelle asked, her mind whirring with possibilities.
[The simulations are purely virtual and will not directly affect the real world.]
"Ah, I see..." Lunelle's thoughts were clouded with doubt, but she decided to push the matter aside.
She recalled the guise she had taken on — "Seele." Even if her actions in the simulation could somehow affect reality, as long as the simulator's existence remained hidden, no one would be any the wiser. Any consequences would fall on her wife, Seele, not her.
With that thought, Lunelle's earlier hesitation melted away, and she was now ready to solidify her decisions.
But just as she thought she had everything figured out, Dark Seele began to suspect something. She'd noticed too many familiar traits in Lunelle that were eerily similar to the "Seele" she once knew. Yet, unable to pinpoint the truth, Dark Seele hesitated to voice her suspicions.
At that moment, Lunelle realized something:
The simulations… Could they be more than just a virtual process?
Still uncertain, Lunelle finally made her choice.
"Let's confirm the save, then."
Without further hesitation, Lunelle finalized the save and settlement. Her mind buzzed with curiosity about the talent reward she'd earned from altering fate.
[Save successful!]
[Simulation Evaluation: Congratulations, Host, for successfully rewriting the fate of "Seele Vollerei," a plot character destined to die.]
[Archive Settlement Rating: A]
[Simulated Settlement: You have unlocked the permanent talent [Authority of Creation]!]
[Authority of Creation (Green ~ Unknown / Growth-Type Permanent Talent): A power born from your own consciousness! You now possess the ability to control and shape life to some extent with your will.]
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