With her hands behind her back, Cyrene stood playfully before Fu Zhu. She leaned forward, gave him a mischievous wink, and then circled him like a curious little animal.
"Mhm, just as handsome as the Creator God in my imagination! Here, I'll entrust the rest of the story to you, my dear Lord God~"
Beaming, Cyrene brought her hands out from behind her back, presenting the exquisitely decorated book she held to Fu Zhu.
Seeing this pink-haired girl suddenly acting so familiar with Fu Zhu, March 7th felt a surge of jealousy and couldn't help but mutter under her breath.
"Isn't this the first time you've met... Why is she so familiar with him?"
First time meeting? I'm afraid not.
While Fu Zhu and March 7th's attention was focused on Cyrene, Evernight was frowning, her expression puzzled as she glanced back and forth between Mem and Cyrene.
She had detected an almost identical thread of causality on both of them. She used the word "almost" only because she couldn't be absolutely certain.
Therefore, she highly doubted that this was as simple as a first meeting, as March 7th believed.
Fu Zhu reached out and took the book, titled As I Have Written, from Cyrene's hands. He then scanned it with his JEI item management mod.
[As I Have Written]
[Item Description: It is the diary a young woman kept before meeting you, and it is the vessel that carries all the memories of this world. Like a seed, it quietly awaits to take root and sprout, growing into a new world, one written as you will it.]
Although As I Have Written had no crafting recipe, the description suggested it was a key item.
---o---
Fu Zhu temporarily stored it in his inventory for safekeeping. As for what use it might have, he could research that later. For now, the mystery Cyrene presented was far greater than just this book.
"Who told you this prophecy, that I'm the Creator God?"
The last time they were here, the village chief had said something similar when he used his ability to peek into Fu Zhu's being. He hadn't explicitly said "Creator God" back then, only that his eyes were glowing with white light.
But as everyone knows, Steve with white eyes equals Herobrine, which is synonymous with Creative Mode. And it's not a stretch at all to call a Steve in Creative Mode a Creator God.
So, who told Cyrene this prophecy? Was it Oronyx?
But when he first met Oronyx, it hadn't mentioned anything of the sort. It only felt that he was somewhat special, and that was it.
Cyrene maintained her cheerful smile as she watched Fu Zhu ponder. It was only when Fu Zhu prompted her again with his gaze that she finally spoke.
"It was you. Although your eyes were glowing white when you spoke to me back then, making it hard to see you clearly, I was certain it was you."
This unexpected answer made everyone present stare with wide eyes.
March 7th felt like her CPU was about to melt. What did she mean, Fu Zhu told Cyrene to wait for the future Fu Zhu?
"Honey, don't tell me you invented a time machine?" March 7th asked Fu Zhu, completely bewildered. At the same time, with a hint of staking her claim, she lifted her chin at Cyrene.
Cyrene paid March 7th's challenge no mind, simply continuing to gaze at Fu Zhu with a smile, as if she could never tire of the sight.
Her answer, while surprising to Fu Zhu, wasn't entirely incomprehensible. He knew full well that traveling to the past was a simple matter for him.
The problem was, why would he use Observer Mode to go back in time and say this to Cyrene? What was his purpose? He wouldn't do something so meaningless.
Had his future self become a riddle-man? Not even leaving a single clue.
The dragon slayer eventually becomes a dragon?
"So that's how it is. I understand now."
"Just... that's it? Honey, how exactly did you do it?"
March 7th was baffled. Fu Zhu's reply was no different from saying nothing at all!
Fu Zhu gave a helpless smile and asked in return, "Have you forgotten that I'm an Emanator of Finality? For Finality, returning to the past is as easy as flipping a hand."
In truth, Fu Zhu had no idea if other Pathstriders or Emanators of Finality could do this, but to make it easier for March 7th to understand, he didn't explain it using Observer Mode, but rather with a Path she was more familiar with.
"Is that so? Oh..."
March 7th nodded blankly. She understood, but not really.
Seeing that everyone had more or less grasped the situation, Cyrene smiled and tilted her head.
"Are there any other questions you want to ask me?"
Fu Zhu personally had no more questions for now. The main reason he came to see Cyrene was that he had promised Demiurge—now Mem. Seeing her now had unexpectedly unearthed even more matters.
He lifted Mem from his shoulder, held her out, and presented her to Cyrene.
---o---
"Here. This little one was the first one who wanted to see you."
"Mem! (Peaches!)"
When Cyrene saw Mem, the joy in her eyes softened into a gentle fondness. She reached out her hands and took Mem into her arms, whispering in her ear.
"You've grown up. That's wonderful."
"Mem! (Peaches is very happy, and I'm very happy too!)"
"Mhm, I'm very happy too. Since you're here, let me tell you some different stories this time."
"Mem! (Yay!)"
Watching this lovely girl whispering with the equally adorable little creature, March 7th momentarily forgot the jealousy she'd felt over Cyrene's inexplicable closeness with Fu Zhu. She let out a silly little giggle, feeling healed by the scene before her.
Fu Zhu and Evernight, however, watched the two of them with expressions of inquiry.
Although Cyrene had lowered her voice, with their power, it was no different from her speaking normally. They heard everything crystal clear.
Not to mention, Fu Zhu could understand Mem's words. The content of their conversation made him increasingly curious about Cyrene's past.
After whispering with Mem for a while, Cyrene looked up at the group again, still holding the little creature.
"It's getting late. Why don't you all rest here for the night? There happen to be two guests on their way here, and I'm sure they would very much like to see you."
The latter half of her sentence was directed at Fu Zhu. He could faintly guess that the guests she mentioned were likely two of the Chrysos Heirs, though he didn't know which ones.
Fu Zhu nodded and agreed.
March 7th, however, looked up at the dark sky.
"Now that you mention it, I just noticed... when did it get dark?"
During her time wandering Amphoreus alone, it had always been perpetual daylight. Later, when she fled to the cliffs of the Three Fates Temple, she hadn't noticed the change in the sky because it was shrouded in fog. Only now did she realize that the original perpetual daylight had turned into perpetual night!