Chapter 308

Chapter 308: Heart Lock, So-Called Forgetting, Forever Happy

The tall bell tower beside the little church.

Chu Yuanqing sat on the steep roof edge, she kicked off her sandals and felt the warm sunshine on her bare feet, experiencing the strange feeling of the breeze lifting her skirt.

Kirimi Miyuki sat beside her, her cherry-pink eyes sparkling, and her pure and lovely face was filled with innocent joy. It was clear she was enjoying the time spent with Honey Qing watching the town’s scenery.

It was two thirty in the afternoon.

Although the children at the orphanage were reluctant to leave, everyone obediently returned to their rooms under Sister Ellie’s gentle authority. Those who needed to take a nap went to sleep, and those who had homework began to work on it.

As for the others,

Liang Xiaoxiao was assigned to learn the most basic Meditation Method. Lin Baor, unsure if it was because of the disaster aura in her body or simply because she didn’t want to be far from her good friend, chose to join the same class.

Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu went out shopping.

Ruan Wutong, having no one to keep her company, awkwardly hovered nearby like a third wheel.

Charlotte was so popular that after the news spread, not just in this small town but even in St. Gilgen, which is across the water and known as Mozart’s hometown, people came by boat to ask for opinions about the upcoming celebration.

Chu Wang Shu took this last chance to pull Xie Qingxuan and Tang Liuli out shopping, hoping to secretly learn from the townspeople, who were very familiar with Sister Charlotte, what kind of birthday gifts they really liked.

Ellie, without needing to say much, was a very hardworking nun and mother who took care of the occasionally mischievous children at home.

Kirimi Miyuki was originally going to go out with everyone, but then Chu Yuanqing asked her for help and borrowed some power from "Tempering of the Heart."

So, with the advantage of the blessing, she successfully got to have some time alone with Honey Qing.

Hmm, even though the reason for borrowing "Tempering of the Heart" was to prepare a gift for Charlotte, which made her feel a little strange inside, thoughts of the wonderful stories from Dongliu Island kept popping up in her mind.

But kind and honest Little Sakura still didn’t say, "Honey Qing, you wouldn’t want Charlotte to miss out on her birthday gift, would you?" to threaten her or to do something too inappropriate.

Kirimi Miyuki looked down at the beautiful scenery of the little town; it was her first time seeing such a lovely place, and the colors all around were so clear and bright.

The small church was not far from the lake, with rolling hills surrounding it like waves; colorful buildings stood close together, sometimes separated by green lawns or groups of lush trees, with magnificent mountains nearby.

The water of Lake Wolfgangsee was very blue, with shimmering waves sparkling in the sunlight. A few sailboats swayed with the wind on the lake, and in the distance, you could faintly see the trees of the neighboring town, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

There were actually not many residents here, which made her quite worried about how many audience members there would be for the performance in a few days.

Kirimi Miyuki didn’t voice this concern because she feared that if she said it out loud, everyone might choose not to participate in Charlotte’s birthday celebration.

Compared to the size of the stage and the brightness of the lights, she cared more about this meeting that crosses truth and goes beyond time and space.

I believe Little Xuan and Liuli think the same way.

As for Little Shu, she was the one who should not miss this celebration the most.

The wind played with Kirimi Miyuki’s hair, and she softly said:

"The weather is so hot, but the wind feels nice when it blows."

"And this place is so beautiful; it’s truly wonderful for Charlotte to grow up in such a lovely spot."

Chu Yuanqing looked back at Little Sakura’s smiling face. After a long pause, she gently asked:

"Doesn’t Miyuki sometimes find it strange? Those memories, the past, all seem like a fate that confines freedom, the future, and emotions, perhaps making you feel like you have become a different person."

"Even though I selfishly enjoy this kind of reunion, maybe forgetting everything and letting go of it all is how Kirimi Miyuki should live anew this time."

Chu Yuanqing did not like being forgotten, and who would enjoy that feeling?

It was like a hero returning from saving the world, not greeted with flowers and applause, but with confused and unfamiliar gazes.

Your achievements go unnoticed, and your past becomes empty.

The blood spilled on the battlefield, the tears shed in the deep night, and the promises made when toasting to face death all turned to foam; all the familiar people, the buildings with stories, the potted plants at the street corner, even the words of warmth and encouragement, all vanished.

You stand alone in the steel city, watching the rare neon lights in the apocalypse; it seems the world has abandoned you, leaving behind a future that will be better, but without any traces of you.

How could one not feel sad, and how could one not feel lonely?

Chu Yuanqing experienced this feeling for 17 years, and in her slowly fading memories, she gathered the growing emptiness that made her feel thinner; she could not help but feel joy at her companions slowly regaining their memories.

But on the other hand, compared to her own feelings and happiness as someone close to death, their future was much more important.

Kirimi Miyuki was taken aback, she smiled and said softly:

"So, did Little Qing admit it? She acknowledged that there are no parallel worlds, only the future we are building together."

Chu Yuanqing did not expect Little Sakura’s first reaction to be this; her cute and charming face showed a mixture of complicated emotions.

The Savior Miss hesitated for a long time before ignoring the appearance called Pure White Succubus by Charlotte, and said with a defeated tone:

"I guess so, after all… once I remember some memories, I would eventually figure it out."

"At that time, I just didn’t want to embarrass myself, so I gave you all that clumsy excuse."

Chu Yuanqing said this and straightforwardly shared how she became a magical girl, only slightly altering the reason for joining the Dazzling Stage.

Yes, there’s no choice; in front of the idol-worshipping Little Sakura, saying that participating in this talent show was just to work for money and to deceive for insurance would be too disillusioning and shameful, not to mention it sounded very sad and pitiful, and she didn’t want the other person to feel upset because of it.

Kirimi Miyuki was not surprised by Honey Qing’s admission.

In fact, she had quietly looked at several pictures of a certain someone through Chu Wang Shu’s help and recognized him right away; he resembled the handsome boy from before, now all grown up with a hint of tiredness and the stories of life shown in his mature face.

From this perspective, the biggest flaw in Honey Qing’s lie is that cute girl who stayed in the team.

Whether it’s Liuli, Little Xuan, or myself, the first memories we recovered are mostly related to each other. Whenever we see this photo, the fog hiding the truth will be blown away by the wind, revealing the real scene.

The girl looked at Honey Qing’s serious little face. After hesitating for a moment, she asked:

"Hey, did you really join ‘Dazzling Stage’ just to take care of Little Shu? It feels a little strange."

Chu Yuanqing held back her guilt and said very seriously:

"That’s exactly why I joined. If you don’t believe me, ask Liuli. The entertainment circle in Daxia is so chaotic; who knows what dirty tricks are in the talent show."

Kirimi Miyuki pondered for a moment; she wasn’t foolish and quickly deduced that the other person was lying.

At that time, the first picture that made Honey Qing famous was of her entering the stage first in the live stream, smiling as she was bathed in the colorful ribbon effects.

Has it only been a few months? She was nearby watching then; there’s no way she could have forgotten that famous scene so quickly.

So in that situation, Little Qing might not even know if her daughter would participate. In fact, seeing Little Shu follow the other person inside might be what gives Little Qing herself the determination to join.

But knowing is one thing; she is not like Charlotte and the green-eyed cat, who are mean enough to bully Honey Qing on purpose and sometimes brave enough to use this to threaten others.

Little Sakura thought for a moment and decided not to dig into the reasons behind it.

Chu Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief and felt very touched, thinking that Miyuki was a gentle and caring girl, almost forgetting the earlier topic.

Kirimi Miyuki looked up at the birds crowded around, wanting to snuggle with someone. She routinely tossed out breadcrumbs to chase away the little animals disturbing their world and continued to say:

"Let’s return to what Little Qing said earlier."

"Putting aside other factors, from the current situation, regaining memories hasn’t limited or changed me in any way."

"You see, even if I don’t regain my memories, I would still come to Daxia to participate in ‘Dazzling Stage’, I would still meet Little Qing, and I would still fall in love with you."

Little Sakura counted on her fingers, providing sound reasons, and then said:

"And after getting my memory back, I still like my idol. The things I used to love remain the same. I didn’t lose anything because of this; instead, I gained many precious things."

"Also, without that memory, would I not choose to become a magical girl? At that time, I would just have less experience, courage, awareness, and blessings than I do now."

"This really doesn’t seem like a good thing, does it? The casualty rate has greatly increased!"

After Kirimi Miyuki finished complaining, her expression became serious. She looked at Chu Yuanqing and continued:

"I admit the past was very cruel, and I have gone through many tragedies and pains, but just like the meaning of the words, it is all in the past now."

"I believe that it is because of that shrine maiden, that Kirimi Miyuki, that I exist now, and denying that part of me is the same as denying who I am today."

The girl’s eyes sparkled, and her pink lips curled up into a calm and joyful smile:

"The most important and key thing is, Little Qing said that this worldline is something we created together, right?"

"And since that’s the case, isn’t it natural for me to continue building a new future together with everyone in this brand-new world?"

Kirimi Miyuki understood the past him and the present her.

Chu Yuanying/Chu Yuanqing must have gone through so much in the time he was not there. Whether it was recklessly using his immortality or repeatedly burning away his own self with Levatin and Embers, it was all something that could be expected.

The boy who saved the world and fought against the gods must have tasted sorrow heavier than the abyss and felt anger more intense than the sun. He has cried, been confused, wanted to give up, and even felt numb from despair…

But without exception, he repeatedly woke up and gathered himself, forcing himself to cross the impossible chasm that no one else could imagine. It was through death, awakening, and will that he reached this outcome.

Kirimi Miyuki knew that the despair of the Calamity God was immense. The shrine maiden gave every drop of her blood and tears, sacrificed her soul and self, yet she could not break the shell of Tenno-Gochu.

The shrine maiden felt great regret at the end of her life. She knew that wielding this Mythical Armament would come at a heavy and painful cost, and she understood that Chu Yuanying would remember this moment deep in his soul, never forgetting, filled with regret for life.

So despicable, isn’t it?

This way of irresponsibly pushing all burdens, all weights, and all hopes onto him forced that boy to use his regret as undying fuel, rising again and again from the pain of being shattered.

It was pathetic, so pathetic that it made her hate herself.

So, as her memories slowly returned, during a few conversations with The Last Diva, she sincerely thanked Charlotte for being with him until the end. Compared to leaving in that way, Charlotte was the best and most deserving partner.

How could Kirimi Miyuki regret remembering these memories? She couldn’t allow herself to live happily in this beautiful world, supported by him, while being completely unaware.

That would be so unfair and unreasonable. Why should she, who brought happiness to everyone, be the one to face misfortune?

Little Shu talked a lot about him, saying that Dad never looked for a stepmother, that he worked very hard every day, that he had poor sleep quality, and that he often stared blankly at the sky. She said he had spent nearly a decade living a boring and calm life, like a dusty mechanical watch that only ticked along with the hands.

Little Shu said she wanted to find out why Dad was unhappy; she wanted him to find true happiness.

Kirimi Miyuki didn’t know if she could give him happiness, but thinking about how happy she had been over the years, she couldn’t help but wonder how lonely the forgotten Chu Yuanqing must have felt during that time.

At the very least, she wanted to fill in the gaps of those 17 years, in her own way.

Kirimi Miyuki scattered the last crumbs of bread into the sky, her pure white-feathered eyes reflecting back, gazing out at Lake Wolfgangsee. Amid the flapping wings of dozens of birds, she said word by word:

"I don’t know what others think, but I am very grateful to have met Little Qing in Dazzling Stage."

"I want to be with you for a long time, long enough that 17 years becomes a small number. If that happens, the sad times from the past will be drowned out by even more happy moments, right?"

Chu Yuanqing gazed at the girl’s lovely profile, feeling the joy and certainty in her voice. Under the pure white high wall, she smiled softly and said:

"It doesn’t need to take that long; there are already more happy things than sad ones right now."

Little Sakura turned to look back and said seriously:

"It’s not good to be satisfied so easily."

"By the way, after ‘Dazzling Stage,’ let’s go to Hokkaido together? Little Qing didn’t give me a clear answer last time, but I want to take you to meet my parents and Yuki!"

Kirimi Miyuki felt excited about the future and began to plan the trip:

"Though it’s a pity we can’t have a world of just us, we should still include others."

"Liuli and Little Xuan aren’t very liked by their parents, right? But my mom and dad are very nice, and they will treat them like their own daughters."

"Charlotte’s words made me feel like she could easily win over my parents, so emotionally, I wasn’t very eager to take her with me."

Chu Yuanqing quietly listened to Little Sakura’s plans for returning home and her various imaginative ideas for Hokkaido. She was always a good listener, never interrupted, and asked questions at the right moments.

Everything was great, except that she still hadn’t directly agreed to the plan for Hokkaido.

Chu Yuanqing changed the subject and asked:

"By the way, Miyuki, did you send those things back home?"

Kirimi Miyuki responded with a hint of worry:

"I did send them, but just thinking about the disaster beast attacks becoming more frequent makes me want to bring my family here."

The impact of yesterday’s event was too big.

Although there was only one attack incident in Sapporo, Hokkaido, it was enough to make her feel nervous, so she had Dream Weaver Rabbit send back all the props she had made for *Tempering of the Heart* last night.

To prevent a tragedy from happening because her family would not use or believe in anything unusual, she asked Dream Weaver Rabbit to arrange for professionals to inform her parents about some of the events involving the disaster beast.

Finally, she described the props she made as demon-spirit tools that would be more understandable to Dongliu, repeatedly teaching them how to use it and warning them to carry it close at all times, which made her feel somewhat at ease.

Chu Yuanqing comforted her:

"You don’t need to worry too much; all the family members of the witch reserve were arranged early on to have professional protection."

But Miyuki was partly right; Charlotte’s hometown is indeed much safer than other places.

Chu Yuanqing tested the strength, and within the town, even if there were multiple Grade C Disaster Beasts, she could use shining magic to create many miraculous Decorate Phantasms, ensuring that no casualties would happen for a while, enough to hold out until the witch could rescue them.

Even Charlotte finds it difficult to casually replicate such a high level of eternal blessing; her ability to shine so brightly was greatly related to her wish to protect her adoptive mother, Sister Ellie.

Such feelings and obsessions hold great weight in idealistic magic.

To be honest, the upper levels didn’t expand houses within the range of blessings, pulling in all relatives and friends and cramming the town full because the status of the lighthouse is too high.

But…

"Miyuki can do it too."

Chu Yuanqing smiled and encouraged her seriously:

"The ability of *Tempering of the Heart* is never limited to blades. You once used blessings to imitate Liuli’s *The Wall of Sighs*, creating a similar fake, right?"

"Right now, you can definitely climb to greater heights, and maybe one day you can cover the whole world with that kind of tool."

"At that time, protecting your family from harm will be easy."

Kirimi Miyuki’s mind was opened; she had only thought about cosplaying as Shirou Emiya to create an infinite sword style but had not considered this reverse approach.

Wait, doesn’t that mean creating another [Pure White]?

Little Sakura suddenly woke up; how could relying solely on [Tempering of the Heart] possibly suppress thirteen [Calamity Gods] and the planet-level disaster aura?

Even if it could be done, it is hard to imagine how much magic power would be needed to offset the cost of the blessing.

The girl decided to ignore this ridiculous suggestion and said softly:

"Forget it, I’m already exhausted making a gift with [Tempering of the Heart] for Little Qing. Let’s not think about such unrealistic things for now."

"But Little Qing’s suggestion isn’t wrong. If we work in this direction, at least we can create some protective items for the family."

As Kirimi Miyuki said this, a curious expression appeared on her face, and she asked:

"By the way, what do you plan to give Charlotte?"

Although the blessing was borrowed, since she had handed over control to the other party, she had no idea what the true nature of the gift was while it was in the space of the Möbius strip.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yuanqing fell into an unusual silence, and her delicately perfect face showed a visible hint of unease. She suppressed her doubts and awkwardly changed the subject:

"Nothing special, just some decorative items with a few functions."

"By the way, didn’t Miyuki just say she wanted me to go with you to Hokkaido?"

"We don’t have to wait for ‘Dazzling Stage’ to finish. Afterward, we can find some time to ask Dream Weaver Rabbit for a few days off to film the show material in advance, and then we can go together."

Little Sakura’s eyes sparkled. She suddenly forgot about Charlotte’s gift, happily hugged Honey Qing’s arm, beaming a bright smile, and said:

"Yay! Yuki will be so happy. She totally admires you, the Donghong Amaterasu, and will definitely want your autograph and merchandise. Remember to prepare them in advance!"

Chu Yuanqing sighed with relief. To prevent Miyuki from remembering the gift topic, she continued to chat actively and began to ask about the other person’s parents’ personalities and likes, as if she were a pure-hearted student trying hard to find topics to talk about with her girlfriend.

Although it was to avoid an awkward situation, she really wanted to fulfill Miyuki’s expectations within her ability. Instead of waiting endlessly for a promise that was destined to be unreachable, she preferred to fulfill the wish of meeting her partner’s parents sooner.

There are countless tragedies in the world, and because she has suffered from them, she does not want her loved ones to taste this bitterness.

In her soul, pure white wisteria blossoms peacefully.

That chaotic blankness, like a person forgotten by the world, showed its true magic in the moment she smiled and spoke the lie, then quickly vanished into nothingness, like a dream.

On this peaceful afternoon, the two tried to open their hearts to each other, putting in effort to give warmth filled with love, but some things remained only lightly touched upon and were not fully expressed.

Half an hour later, Chu Wang Shu left the house with Liuli and Xie Qingxuan, breaking into the two’s world.

Everyone gathered together and returned to the White Horse Hotel, where they completed their check-in and filmed vlog material amidst teasing and laughter.

After that, the group rented a dance studio on the spur of the moment, starting to practice for their performance a few days later.

In the evening, everyone, as younger members, met Sister Ellie, Charlotte’s adoptive mother. They introduced themselves formally and enjoyed dinner at two tables in the small church, creating a lively atmosphere.

That day, Charlotte did not go back to the hotel; she stayed in this somewhat old but cozy home, chatting and being affectionate with Sister Ellie, whom she had not seen for a long time.

Miss Saintess’s affection was like the stars in the sky; once determined, it was enough to create a galaxy, filling the night sky. She embraced her adoptive mother, just like many years ago when she sat under the eaves, gazing at the stars while holding a soft teddy bear.

Sister Ellie could not see, but she sensed the warm love in Charlotte’s heart. She couldn’t help but think that even without that wonderful connection, she would still love the child who made Charlotte so happy.

The nun smiled gently, looking down, and as a mother, she stroked her daughter’s hair and whispered blessings:

"Charlotte, you and Little Qing are both very good girls. Mommy hopes you can rely on each other and live your lives with warmth, joy, and courage."

"I pray to the gods, hoping… that you will always be happy."