Chapter 636: Reunion, but Also Farewell

"What!"

The residual limbs were flying in the air, and Guinevere was slightly distracted. Before she even had time to feel the pain of having her arms cut off, she was roughly pressed to the ground by a large group of dolls that rushed towards her.

Thousand Herrscher seems to like to use an indescribable number of dolls to overwhelm the target. Although such a combat method is boring and monotonous, this tactic also has its unbreakable side in the face of absolutely large numbers.

At least not Kiana, who had just gained the power of space and then quickly lost it, and Guinevere, who only retained a very small amount of power of death, could resist.

The Herrscher's laughter stimulated the two of them from all directions, but Kiana couldn't even raise her head to look at Guinevere.

All he could feel on his cheeks was the cold floor tiles, his head seemed to be crushed directly by the doll, his chest had been completely crushed, broken ribs were pierced from the back, and several dolls were even stabbed to death...

But it was all to no avail.

Is it over?

Kiana's brain became dazed due to lack of oxygen. She was not used to the way of existence that stored consciousness in the core instead of the brain, not to mention that she probably couldn't do it now.

tap--

Light footsteps stopped in front of her. There was no doubt that they were the Herrscher.

What does it seem to be saying...

Ah, it seems to be saying - "I only have this ability, but it is better to deal with the traitor first than you."

The arms of the doll that were pressing the head were slightly relaxed, as if the Herrscher deliberately wanted her to witness all this.

Raising her head slightly, Kiana saw the blond doll that was about to turn around, and the torn space above its head.

However, the next moment, the Herrscher also looked over his head with confusion.

"No...what is going on!"

Everything was originally going according to the Herrscher's script, but at this moment, something suddenly interfered with it that shouldn't exist.

The Herrscher suddenly turned his head and stared at Kiana, and said with resentment:

"It's you! It must be you! Why doesn't [Domination] work!"

But when it saw Kiana's confused expression that was almost identical to its own, it quickly turned to look at Guinevere and kicked her in the face:

"It's you, the traitor! It must be you, the traitor! How did you do it! You actually took away the power that should belong to [us]!"

What's going on? Isn’t the power of the void controlled by the Herrscher? Wasn't that space rift opened by the Herrscher?

If not, then why can't Kiana herself use this power? Could it be Guinevere? No, if that were the case she would have gotten away long ago. It can't be...

It may be too late to think about this now, but it seems too early.

Everything happened within two seconds. Before the Herrscher's shouts and curses had dissipated, a roar that did not belong to humans came from the other side of the space rift——

"roar!"

It was the roar of a giant beast, but this roar, even though it was separated by a space, made the whole floor shake.

And that roar is no stranger to Kiana——

"Benares!"

The deafening roar sounded again, and the next moment, a blue-white figure poured into reality from the other end of the space. After the huge wings were fully opened, the wings had long been submerged in the darkness at the end of the sight, and the dragon's body roared close to the ground. However, a large number of dolls were thrown into the air by the air current carried by Benares, and the same was true for the group of dolls that suppressed Kiana and Guinevere. As for the doll possessed by the Herrscher, it was immediately crushed to pieces by the strong airflow.

What a great opportunity!

Guinevere realized this immediately. She climbed up from the ground with one hand, and then used her remaining left hand to take out a crimson gem from her chest pocket and threw it out without hesitation.

"Kiana!"

Before the gem was completely released, Guinevere was knocked down again by more dolls, so the trajectory of the gem was much lower than the original, as if it was tumbling in the air and rolling towards Kiana.

Although she still didn't fully understand what happened, let alone why Benares appeared here, this did not prevent Kiana from seizing this opportunity, leaping up and reaching out to grab the gem.

But as soon as he took one step, his feet were grabbed by the puppet again, making him unable to move forward. Not to mention, his whole body inevitably fell forward.

Can you catch it? Can you catch it?

The crimson gem seemed to be only an insignificant distance from the fingertips, and seemed to be separated by a long distance, completely impossible to intersect in motion.

Kiana's eyes flashed - no, she can't give up at this time, everything has not been finalized yet, even if the gem misses her fingertip, it will still roll to her hand after it falls on the ground!

"whee--"

However, a section of the doll's arm broke through the darkness and stood between Kiana and the plague gem. Then, the face of the doll with a cane smile also appeared from the darkness.

"!?"

Done!

Kiana still tried her best to reach forward. She didn't know what would happen after catching the plague gem, but it was undoubtedly the last hope.

However, the Herrscher's arm happened to block the parabola of the Plague Gem... If nothing else happened, the Plague Gem would eventually fall into its hands.

Is it just... over?

"So this is the only level of your belief? Really, after being forced into such a panic by these disgusting guys, how can I have the nerve to tell Cecilia that you are her daughter when I meet her? Tsk! ——Fortunately, I saved my life and didn’t leave in a hurry.”

Such a voice sounded in Kiana's mind, and the tone was as angry and disdainful as ever. Normally, it would definitely sound annoying, but at this moment, Kiana just shouted in her heart in surprise. That name:

"Sirin!"

"snort!"

She seemed to hear a pretentious cold snort ringing in her ears, and then, Kiana felt a cold hand, firmly holding her stretched out wrist, pushing her hand forward, and actually stepped directly over the Herrscher With his arm, he reached the plague gem.

"Ahhhhhh!"

In the Herrscher's sight, it only saw two space cracks opened on both sides of the arm that was about to touch the plague gem. The plague gem fell into the crack on one side and flew out from the other side, directly It fell into Kiana's hands.

"asshole!"

When the gem fell into the palm of my hand, it felt cold at first, but in an instant it became as hot as fire.

The Herrscher's indignant screams and resentful expression were frozen, and then everything around him, whether it was the dark theater, the intricate walls, or the countless puppets, all disappeared.

The field of vision is pure white, and the white world surrounds Kiana. There are a few outlines in the pure white. The outline seems a bit unfamiliar, but it seems quite familiar.

Kiana's body was also intact. When she got up from the ground in a daze, the blank space around her began to fill with color again.

The green of the vegetation, the brown of the masonry, the red of the teaching building, the gray of the aisle arches and imitation of ancient Roman aqueducts, and the black of shadows that are everywhere and inescapable.

"This is... St. Freya Academy?"

Kiana stared blankly at everything in front of her. She was already familiar with the consciousness space, but she still didn't understand why she came back here.

Her self-awareness does not have any tendencies or impulses, so what created this St. Freya Academy in the space of consciousness is...

"Kiana."

The call behind him was smooth and ordinary, as if it were an everyday call. It was a little unexpected, but not that unexpected.

Kiana knew why she was here.

Her vision became blurry in an instant, and she turned her head as quickly as possible. When she saw the fiery red, her eyes could no longer move.

That's...

Is that the memory left in the core?

Reason told Kiana this, because no matter how paranoid she was and didn't want to believe it, everyone around her kept telling her to accept the fact that Wuliang Tajizi was dead.

But despite this, she still hoped for a chance to see her again. Like it is now.

She still had too many unanswered questions.

There are so many thoughts I want to say but can't even be organized into words at this moment.

So she wanted to see her again, even if it was just to say goodbye.

So Kiana took a step forward.

Then the corners of Jizi's mouth moved, revealing a smile that Kiana was all too familiar with.

"Ji Zi..."

Kiana tried her best to call out the name, but after a brief pause, she neither called him by his name as rudely as before, nor did she add the suffix "aunt" behind the name as a prank.

She just read out the identity seriously and hard:

"Jiko...teacher..."

But what do you want to say further? The words were stuck in my throat, and I couldn't form them even after trying for a long time.

The figure in front of me was too familiar and too clear, as if it was still yesterday, as if she had never left.

Seeing this, Ji Zi raised her eyebrows and showed a helpless and gentle smile.

"Did I...appear too suddenly?"

Kiana quickly shook her head vigorously.

"That's good."

Jizi pursed her lips and smiled, then looked at Kiana's much thinner face and her hair tied into a high ponytail, and sighed softly:

"You have changed so much."

"Himeko-sensei hasn't changed at all."

Kiana replied casually, but soon realized something, and lowered her gaze with some dejection.

"Yeah, then I'm quite happy. After all, at my age, if I'm a few years older, I'm really going to become an aunt. It's good to [no longer change] at this time."

Kiana bit her lip.

Under what circumstances will a person's age be frozen, and his body will no longer grow, age, or undergo any changes?

"..."

There is only death.

"…………"

Kiana knew this very well.

Something as white as snowflakes floated in the air. The moment it touched my body, it felt slightly cool. But when I reached out carefully to pick it up, I felt that it was flying white petals.

"This is just an afterimage of consciousness, right?"

"Um……"

Ji Zi snorted lightly, her expression a little helpless, but she seemed to be enduring and suppressing something.

She turned to smile:

"At least time doesn't flow here."

"..."

"However, we can still have a conversation like this. ... I'm sorry that I couldn't be with you all the time and stay with you until the end."

"No...it doesn't matter."

Kiana blew her nose and answered while suppressing her tears.

However, Jizi smiled again:

"It is still related. After all, as a teacher, my duty is to do everything I can to protect the safety of my students until she becomes mature and can fly to the sky on her own... But I fell halfway. I am really not a qualified teacher..."

"No, no, Jizi teacher... Seeing you again like this, even if it is just a farewell, is enough for me."

Tears flowed silently, but she was so clear in my sight.

Jizi sighed quickly, but her smile became casual and soothing:

"Really, I'm not the only one who thinks you've changed a lot, it's only been a few days... No, it's hard to say, after all, we haven't seen each other for half a year before that. Anyway, Kiana... you have indeed grown... more mature than I could have imagined."

"If possible... I wish this maturity could come earlier..."

"No, this is good enough."

Jizi smiled quietly.

"Perhaps you have guessed that the space we are in now is located in the deepest part of the core of this Herrscher, so I can feel another change in you... You finally defeated the Herrscher of the Void, right?"

Kiana nodded proudly, but quickly shook her head.

"Something happened between her and me, so... it can't be called a [victory], but... it can be called a [hug]."

"That's good too. Since it's your mature decision, I, we will support you no matter what."

"..."

The two smiled at each other in silence, but the silence spread silently.

It was a strange feeling.

Obviously, both of them could see the urge to talk in each other's eyes, and even though they were separated by a distance, they could see the thoughts surging in each other's minds through their eyes, but when they parted their lips, they couldn't say anything.

In fact, although the two had said so much before, if you look closely, they were just long greetings.

Kiana suddenly remembered what the class leader said - "I feel more timid when I'm close to home, and I dare not ask the people who come."

Although what happened at this moment has nothing to do with returning home, the emotion of not daring to speak, there is a certain similarity.

No, maybe it's not the same.

There are indeed countless things they want to say to each other, and time here does not flow.

But no matter how many words you say, they are not really "countless", there will always be an end. Time here will not flow, but Kiana will return to reality sooner or later.

It seems that every extra word you say is like the trembling second hand on the countdown...

But it seems that it is not a solution to always remain silent.

After a while, Jizi raised her hand and pressed Kiana's shoulder, wanting to take the initiative to start a conversation.

But Kiana seemed to have misunderstood something and fell directly into Jizi's arms.

Her chest was wet with tears, and Jizi just smiled helplessly, and then gently held Kiana in her arms and patted her back gently.

"Kiana, do you miss Saint Freya?"

"Well... since that happened, we have never been back, and Mei even left us for a while... what would it look like now? Without the Valkyrie to maintain it, it might have become a ruin..."

"But it doesn't matter. Time here is still. Come on, walk around with me. It's exactly the same as in my memory - because it was originally a world shaped by my memory."

As Jizi spoke, she patiently combed Kiana's hair. She untied the hairband, combed Kiana's long hair that was frizzy because of the battle, and then tied it into a ponytail again. She even patiently shaped the small tuft of hair on her head to make it look more upright.

Then, she took Kiana's hand and invited her.

"How about it? Would you like to walk around here with me, your teacher, again?"

"Of course I do."

Kiana replied while wiping her nose.

Jizi smiled and let go of her hand. At that moment, Kiana instinctively became panic. She wanted to reach out and hold Jizi again, but she quickly put her hand down.

Children always have to grow up, birds always have to fly into the sky, and... students always have to leave their teachers and face the rest of their lives alone.

Jizi seemed to have turned her back and didn't see Kiana's little action, but the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.

She stretched her body, and in order to attract Kiana's attention, her tone was inevitably a little exaggerated:

"I really miss it! This kind of campus full of youth."

"Yeah, I remember that I always wanted to grow up quickly at that time... but I didn't expect that growing up would be such a painful thing."

"If you do it again, will your choice change?"

Walking under the imitation aqueduct, Jizi turned back and asked in the shadow of the building.

"It shouldn't be, wouldn't it be like [me]?"

Kiana's answer was not hesitant, so she and she both laughed softly.

But the smile was inevitably filled with some sadness after all.

They continued to move forward. Once time started to flow, it would not go back, but in their memories, there was a beauty that was almost like time going back.

They walked past the dormitory building and looked at the window of Jizi's dormitory. Kiana said that when she secretly took takeout in the middle of the night, she found that Jizi's room was always lit all night. She was about to be moved, but Jizi said that she was just drunk and forgot to turn off the lights. In the awkward silence, Kiana couldn't figure out whether Jizi was telling the truth or just avoiding the scene from being too sensational.

They walked through the grass that was not lush. Jizi said that Kiana always hid here when she skipped class, and she caught one every time. She asked her why she didn't find a more hidden place to hide. Kiana just said that the sunlight here was the best. As for whether this was the case, Jizi didn't force to know.

They stood on the wide road and looked at the high wall. Jizi said that Kiana always climbed over the wall from there, so Theresa raised the wall three times in a row. Kiana screamed and said that it was no wonder that it was harder to climb over each time, but she couldn't help asking why she didn't continue to raise the wall. The answer is actually very simple, "Because she was afraid that you would get hurt."

As they walked, they inevitably came to the training ground used for practical courses. Himeko jokingly said that this was the only class where Kiana would not be distracted. Kiana also said self-deprecatingly that although she liked practical training the most, she had never beaten the class leader and the others...

As they chatted, the topic shifted to the companions that both of them were familiar with.

The conversation had never been so easy, but with each sentence, Kiana's uneasiness became more and more intense. Finally, she couldn't help but ask a topic that might not be very appropriate at the right time:

"In fact, I have always known... I am the one who has received the most help from everyone... Mei, Bronya, Seele, class leader, Principal Theresa, and Teacher Himeko. I know that it is all thanks to you that I can get here and continue to go on... So... So sometimes I feel very worried."

"What are you worried about?"

"I am worried... I am not doing well enough."

Kiana took a deep breath, bent her left arm, and her forearm went around her waist, gently holding her right arm, and her head drooped unconfidently.

"If I could figure things out earlier, if I grew up earlier, if I could become more mature and stronger... Mei wouldn't have to go to the World Snake, Bronya wouldn't have to lose her legs, and you, Teacher Himeko, wouldn't have to worry about me. So sometimes, I wonder if I've let everyone down... Especially... I'm the Second Herrscher who brought disaster to the world..."

"Kiana!"

Himeko's voice became much louder, just like a roll call in class, making Kiana stand up straight consciously.

But her subsequent words became gentle again:

"Kiana, let me tell you something - something about myself."

"You probably don't know yet... Well, I didn't even have time to tell anyone, and those three didn't seem like the kind of people who would spread such things casually."

"Ah, what?"

"Kiana, I'm the same as you, a man-made person created for [a certain purpose], with a false identity and a false name."

"Huh?"

While Kiana was puzzled, Jizi blinked proudly and mischievously. This little girl's action appeared in her So it doesn't feel out of place on an old lady who is theoretically 32 years old, because...

"Well, although I started developing the model 32 years ago, it was actually born in 2005, which is only two years older than you...ah, I was 12 years old and you were 10 years old. Thinking about it, it's a good thing that all the previous blind dates fell through, otherwise those guys would probably have to step on sewing machines for the rest of their lives, right?"

"Why can you still think of these things at this time!!!"

The heavy and sad atmosphere was swept away, and Kiana shook her head with a flushed face, temporarily forgetting those life and death matters.

Ji Zi's face was slightly more serious.

"The purpose of my development is not important, so I won't tell you. I can only say that I am a clone of a warrior named Himiko from the previous civilization. However, due to this identity and the common ground between you and me, I can also tell you something that others cannot tell you."

"Hmm..."

"Listen carefully, Kiana."

Himeko leaned forward and stared at Kiana silently, neither of them looked away.

"Kiana, have you ever thought about why you are Kiana, not Sirin or K423? You can certainly call yourself by these names, but you know that your essence is different."

"I... I have thought about it, but I don't understand it."

"Then why am I Himeko? Why am I Himeko, not Himiko?"

"Uh... This seems to be the same question, right? I don't understand."

Himeko smiled and shook her head, reaching out to pat Kiana's head again:

"It's because of you, because you, Theresa, Mei, Bronya, Seele... Because in your cognition, I am Himeko, not Himiko. Because we have a common memory about [Himeko], a memory that actually happened, so I am Himeko."

"It sounds a bit complicated, but it doesn't seem difficult to understand..."

"Most things in this world are not difficult as long as you are willing to learn. I'm just afraid that some idiot doesn't want to do it himself."

Gently flicking Kiana's forehead, Himeko continued:

"It's the same with you, Kiana. You are not Celine, nor K423, because we have the same memory of [Kiana]. It is also because of this that everyone will worry about you and help you regardless of gains and losses. As you said, this logic is not complicated, and even has a sense of nonsense literature. I also understand your nervousness. The more you are trusted and helped by others, the more you will feel a burden. So you should remember even more——

"You are never alone. Nienen, who has become a partner and comrade, the school principal Theresa who always thinks about you, the reliable class monitor Fu Hua, Bronya who is not good at expressing but always takes action, Seele who takes care of everyone, and Meiyi who is gentle and strong, and even for you now... there is Celine who was once an enemy in the past but is helping you now.

"Everyone is closely around you, and the heavy sense of responsibility brought about by this is difficult to ease and eliminate, but you must also understand that no one in this world will trust another person for no reason, unless they see something in that person that is worthy of their trust and protection. This is true for me, and for everyone. We believe that you can do it, can save more people, and can make the world a better place. And you did it - don't doubt yourself. Everything you have done in Tiankong City, every drop of sweat you have shed in the past six months to control power, and everything you are doing to solve the Ruler of Domination... You have saved many people. So, trust yourself occasionally."

"I understand... Teacher Jizi, I understand."

Kiana nodded obediently. As a student, this was the first time she listened to the teacher's words so seriously and tried her best to remember, no, she must remember every word the teacher said.

But the next moment, Jizi's palm gently patted her head again.

"Okay, there's no need to take these words seriously."

"Huh?"

Smiling at the confused Kiana, Jizi ruffled her bangs and said softly:

"I should have understood it the moment I noticed your change. You now have already understood what I just said. In fact, your understanding in some aspects is deeper than mine, and the answers you get are different, and maybe even more mature. But understanding does not mean letting go. You still rely on me as a teacher, so you confide these unrelieved confusions to me. And it is precisely because I am a teacher that even if I know this fact, I have to say those words - there is no way, even if there is a possibility of helping you, I have to do it, although what I say will seem a little naive in front of you who have already got a better answer, but who makes me a teacher."

Kiana's tears flowed down again.

Yes, Jizi was right.

Those words are a little late for her now.

But the tenderness and feelings contained in those words are not false at all.

"No, I don't think it's childish... No matter what you say, Mr. Jizi, I will remember it."

"Ah--you, if you were so obedient when you were in St. Freya..."