Chapter 177 Even if Canaan shatters, I will definitely fall in love with you again (5k)
“…Then it was the farewell between me and Grey by the coast.”
“Using the ‘Library of Fools,’ I left everything I knew—whether it was various basic knowledge or all my fantasies about the future world—to that grey-haired little girl.”
The morning air was refreshing.
The pale golden morning light filtered through the glass window, casting mottled shadows on the wooden table.
Rast sat at the wooden table, softly speaking while having breakfast.
Opposite him sat Emis, quietly listening to Rast’s story.
This girl had always been accustomed to finishing her breakfast in advance, then quietly watching him eat while he enjoyed his meal… Once she saw Rast finish the dishes he prepared, Emis would display a rather satisfied expression.
The golden-hued tranquil time flowed away drop by drop.
“Strictly speaking, what I did with Leader Cisel undoubtedly had a hint of irresponsibility.”
“Handing everything that followed over to Grey, forcing her to bear the weight of human souls on her frail shoulders.”
“However, just as Leader Cisel said, I, too, sincerely believe—”
“In that new world where no legends exist, perhaps Grey will truly be able to lead people to find a bright path for civilization.”
Rast paused momentarily in his speech, finishing the last bit of thick soup in his bowl.
“That’s all…”
“That is the last story left by Guardian Rast in the Sixth Epoch.”
On the other side of the wooden table.
With Rast stopping his narration, a hint of longing appeared on Emis’s delicate white face.
“Leader Cisel…”
“And the mission called ‘Guardian’ that he left behind?”
She blinked, her sky-blue eyes still carrying a bit of heaviness.
It was as if she had come to the dark and oppressive Broken Coast with Rast, witnessing that tragic battle to the d*ath firsthand.
“That was indeed a shining ideal, as dazzling as gold.”
“But precisely because that ideal was so radiant, so brilliant…”
“It often caused those seekers of light to be blinded by its brilliance, neglecting their own happiness beneath that light.”
The golden-haired girl’s soft words mingled with the morning sunlight, carrying a faint warmth.
“Just like the previous Rast, you never knew what happiness was, so you naturally never thought of cherishing yourself.”
“And at the end of that road, there must be the Abyss named collapse.”
Just as Emis herself said—
No matter what happens, no matter how Rast changes, whether for good or evil, brave or cowardly… Emis would always stand by Rast’s side.
So, from the beginning, accompanying Rast and clearly knowing his obsession with the ‘Guardian,’ Emis would never deny or want to change that obsession of his.
What Emis could do was to guard by Rast’s side, always accompanying him, keeping a close watch on him—ensuring that even if Rast was trapped in the desperate time loop of Deep Blue Harbor, he could never willingly cross the final line, thus unable to turn back.
If the existence of Rast’s past life could be likened to a machine driven by gears, then Emis’s presence resembled a mechanical repair shop, patching up that battered and wounded shell time and again.
Over and over again, using the warmth of her soul to warm Rast’s cold and broken heart, preventing him from stepping into the abyss of self-destruction.
She knew Rast’s life had never been joyful for himself, and thus he had never cherished himself… Therefore, Emis spent her effort researching various dishes because she wanted Rast to have his own happiness in his heart.
And now, Emis’s efforts that had lasted for who knows how many years were finally yielding returns.
Once like a machine, driven by gears, only knowing to act towards the predetermined goals coded into him—the youth’s heart, akin to a steam furnace, finally ignited a yearning for his own happiness.
“To be honest, I have very mixed feelings about Leader Cisel.”
“Because if not for his instruction, then Rast, you wouldn’t have to take such tremendous risks to infiltrate the Gravekeeper and contend with an ancient Legendary Strongman.”
“However, I must also be thankful to him…”
In Emis’s eyes sparkled a faint light: “Because if it weren’t for Cisel pulling you out of the Abyss and giving you that final lesson, Rast, with your stubbornness… who knows how long you would have to wait to truly understand the importance of cherishing yourself.”
“Regardless, the outcome is good in the end.”
“If that’s the case, then it’s enough.”
The golden-haired girl’s voice brightened as she deftly gathered the dishes Rast had finished and took them back to the kitchen.
“Yeah, thankfully the ending is good.”
Rast lazily leaned back in the wooden chair, feeling the warmth rising in his lower abdomen mingling with his fatigue, spreading throughout his limbs.
At this moment, he finally felt he had genuinely escaped from the tense battle state of the Night World.
The surrounding air was no longer as oppressive as during the Battle of the Broken Coast, and the tension within his heart gradually relaxed.
For him, this small border town named Canaan, along with the blonde girl washing dishes in the kitchen with her hair tied back in a side ponytail, was a refuge for his soul.
So no matter what happened in the Night World, whether facing legends or contending with the remnants of an ancient god in the spiritual realm, Rast would never feel lost or shaken…
Because he knew that far away, there was a girl sitting in a small wooden cabin in the town, quietly waiting for his return.
“Speaking of which, I must truly be lucky.”
“Clearly, the battle in the Abyss was the first practical application of the ‘Zenith Sword,’ this forbidden weapon, yet it executed perfectly and eliminated a Legendary Strongman in one blow…”
“Should I say that Princess Ophelia, the second princess, truly lives up to her reputation as the most talented mechanic in the empire? The quality of the machines she produces is indeed guaranteed.”
This was just a casual remark made by Rast while sitting on the sofa.
However, just after he spoke, he sensed an unusual gaze coming from the kitchen towards him.
Following the source of the gaze, he saw Emis had already put the cleaned dishes back in the cupboard, pouting slightly as she looked at him.
Staring~~
“Ophelia… is that the same Miss Hiltina you mentioned before, the half-sister of Leader Cisel?”
She crossed her arms and returned to the living room, sitting down beside Rast.
“Princess sisters, huh…”
“I didn’t expect that you, Rast, would have some romantic fortune. Within less than half a year of entering the Starry University in another world, you’ve encountered a development akin to a male protagonist in a light novel with a harem.”
“So, is there a possibility—”
Rast glanced at the pouting Xiao Ai beside him and explained: “Actually, until now, I haven’t met that royal sister Hiltina in person.”
“My relationship with Ophelia is still entirely at the ‘friends of friends’ stage, mediated by Mr. Silver and Hiltina.”
“And according to Mr. Silver’s words and my own conjecture, that little one is likely a bit of a sickly sis-con… Maybe she’s currently thinking of how to get me away from her sister.”
“While that statement may be correct.”
“However, judging by your development in the dream realm and your Night Blade characteristic named ‘Library of Fools,’ I estimate that it won’t be long before things develop as I anticipated.”
Emis sighed gently, the wariness in her words not diminishing in the slightest: “Moreover, I truly don’t like this Princess Ophelia.”
“While there are reasons, if it weren’t for her self-assertive actions, Miss Akshia wouldn’t have entered the same Night World as you and would not have been forced into that grand conspiracy targeting the God of d*ath’s resurrection due to the Night World’s influence.”
“And without that, Rast, you wouldn’t have to risk everything to infiltrate the Abyss to rescue Miss Akshia, directly facing a Legendary Strongman and the remnants of an ancient god.”
“Not to mention, as it is now, you’ve ended up injured all over.”
Her sky-blue beautiful eyes, which had shown a hint of anger towards someone, quietly shifted to an indescribable pain.
When Rast previously recounted to her his experiences in the Abyss, such as when the Flesh Flower bloomed from his heart, and how he barely survived relying on the ‘Desperate Plea,’ Emis truly felt her heart empty as well.
It was as if her own heart had been torn apart alongside the blooming Flesh Flower.
“If I could meet Miss Ophelia in another world, I would definitely give her a severe warning.”
“Make her understand that even though she is a princess, Rast, you are definitely not her possession—”
“Nor should you be someone she can manipulate and scheme at will.”
Listening to Emis’s cold voice, which showed not an ounce of her aggression, Rast felt a bit surprised.
In his impression, Emis had always been gentle, as serene and beautiful as the scenery of Canaan.
But now it seems that perhaps the kindness and beauty displayed by Xiao Ai on ordinary days was not her true nature.
Or rather, that was merely a side that would be revealed when facing him.
“Alright, let’s not talk about these troublesome matters for now.”
Emis lightly clapped her hands, her voice transitioning from the earlier coldness mixed with hidden anger to a light-hearted tone.
“Let’s take a moment to shift our mood and think about what events might happen in the future.”
She got up and opened the window near the balcony in the living room, allowing the morning breeze to accompany the fresh air, rolling the curtains toward the two of them.
Through the window, one could see the shimmering lake, the slowly rotating white windmills beside it, and the lush green forests nearby.
And at the edge of the forest, the boundless blue sky above the snowy peaks.
This was indeed a beautiful scene; even though Rast had lost count of how many times he had witnessed such sights, he would still unconsciously immerse himself in it upon seeing it again.
“Your current goal, Rast, is to clear the Night World, allowing present-day human civilization to survive the impending end of each Epoch, right?”
“Just like the past Guardians have done.”
Emis’s pleasant voice made Rast think of gentle moonlight.
“So, if one day the Night World is successfully cleared… and this Epoch’s impending catastrophe is successfully overcome.”
“All threats that can endanger human civilization are completely eliminated, and the historical mission of the Guardians is wholly concluded—what do you, Rast, intend to do?”
After clearing the Night World… what would he do?
Rast couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback.
This was indeed a question he had never thought about before.
After all, in his past life, clearing the Night World, severing disasters, and pursuing the ideal known as ‘Guardian’… was the sole meaning of his existence. He had stubbornly survived in this world for that goal; besides that, his heart was utterly empty.
However, the Day of Clearing the Night World would eventually come, and the fate of the epochs endlessly cycling and restarting would also have its end.
Just like how a hero loses the meaning of existence after the final boss is slain… if the Night World were really cleared, then the Guardian would naturally have completed its historical mission, leaving no need to persist.
At that time, where would he go?
“I’m not sure… I honestly never thought deeply about this question.”
He smiled: “Perhaps I’ll continue to play various roles and professions in life, just like when I was in Deep Blue Harbor… with you, Xiao Ai, and the companions I met along the way.”
“However, when I get tired of playing, I think I will ultimately return to Canaan, just like a traveler always returns home with a weary body.”
“Is that so? But if that’s the case, our home might be a bit too small to accommodate so many people.”
Emis looked at the small two-story wooden house, her voice tinged with a little distress: “I might need to put in a bit of effort to expand it.”
“However—”
She leaned closer to the youth.
In the next moment, Rast felt a soft and delicate body gently lean against his embrace, radiating warmth.
Emis gently closed her eyes, feeling the breeze from the lake slightly tousling her pale golden hair.
“It’s so peaceful.”
The girl in his arms softly said: “If the days to come…”
“Could always be like today, that would be wonderful.”
Listening to Emis’s words, Rast couldn’t help but tremble slightly in his heart.
The confusion and anxiety that had been slightly soothed by the girl earlier surged to the surface once more at this moment.
Because he understood very well that the daily life this girl longed for was not real but likely founded upon a lie.
Just like morning bubbles, no matter how beautiful and shimmering, there would inevitably be a day of shattering.
“Xiao Ai…”
A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes as he spoke softly.
“Do you still remember what I told you before about the relationship between virtual games, NPCs, and players?”
The girl leaning against him did not respond but only gently nodded.
“If, I mean if.”
“If Canaan and everything we are in right now is a delusion, a game that may end someday.”
“Can our relationship still exist? Or would it be like in the game, where the bonds and emotions between players and NPCs exist only based on the game and disappear once it ends…”
“Rast, I’m really getting angry now.”
Sitting up straight, Emis spoke in a serious tone mixed with mild anger.
“I am not the kind of girl who easily decides on a person.”
She reached out her fair hands, gently cupping Rast’s face.
“Even if the world called Canaan is truly just a false lie, a dream, a game that could end at any moment.”
“There’s only one thing I’ve learned in my past life, that is to never give up, no matter what happens.”
Emis gently opened her arms and embraced Rast.
“I’m not sure what we would lose if this world truly perished like a game, or what difficulties and obstacles we would encounter.”
“But if that day really comes, no matter what I face…”
“Whether it’s the vast distance of a whole universe or losing the memories we made together in Canaan, even if we find ourselves in different times and spaces, you on this side of history and I on the other across tens of thousands of years—”
“I will definitely overcome all obstacles and meet you again.”
“And then…”
“I will fall in love with you again.”
Feeling the softness of the girl’s body in his embrace and listening to her candid, earnest, and unwavering words.
Rast’s final shred of hesitation dissipated.
He no longer spoke but simply lost himself in thought, quietly feeling—
The warmth conveyed by two intertwined souls.
(End of Chapter)
