What was a mother's embrace like?
Takatsuki didn't know.
But at this moment, he felt a similar warmth and comfort.
In his previous life, he had always carried many burdens, mostly stemming from the current difficulties of life and the path ahead.
And after transmigrating, he still carried many burdens, the essence of which was still to survive in this unfamiliar world and to create a beautiful future for this destined tragic world where he could live peacefully.
So, although he usually didn't show it, in reality, Takatsuki's heart was very anxious.
Because he didn't know how to achieve the ending he wanted, and the items drawn by the system were unstable. Without a good plan, he couldn't defeat Honkai alone.
So he wanted to unite with the people of the Honkai world, and also wanted to earn crystals to strengthen himself without affecting the original plot development of the Honkai world. The result was that he simply couldn't do both at the same time.
Although he wanted to be a refined egoist, in the end, when he thought of some future tragedies and saw the protagonists, Takatsuki still subconsciously reached out to help.
So this kind of self-inflicted pressure had always weighed on him. Even with a good routine, his spirit was extremely tired.
And this time, the unofficial sleep allowed his already tense mind to relax. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Mei's delicate face.
"Mei…"
After a few seconds of brief confusion, Takatsuki suddenly woke up, feeling the softness at the back of his head, the delicate fragrance lingering at his nose, and his current field of vision—all proving his current state.
"Are you awake? If you're tired, it's okay to rest a little longer."
Takatsuki subconsciously wanted to get up, but his head was held down by Mei. After a slight "struggle," he gave up the idea of forcing himself to sit up.
"Thank you for everything you've done all this time, but Takatsuki, I hope you don't choose to bear it alone."
Gently stroking Takatsuki's head, pressing it onto her lap, Mei spoke with a hint of sadness: "I know my strength may not be enough to help you, but I will always be by your side. If you have any worries, please tell me. I will always Stand by your side."
So, in Mei's eyes, this is how I am.
Takatsuki was silent for a moment: "Thank you, Mei. It's not that I'm unwilling to say, it's just that some things even I am unsure of."
Should he tell them that he took Bell to the Entertainment District at night? Or about future events? Takatsuki had already revealed a lot of things so far, and the future had become completely different.
"It's okay. Tell me when you feel it's necessary, Takatsuki. I'll always be here."
Just as Takatsuki was about to say something else, the door was suddenly kicked open.
"I'm back!"
Kiana, carrying a bag, kicked open the door and shouted loudly, while Bronya still maintained a poker face, following behind: "Bronya thinks Kiana is going to be scolded by Hestia."
"It's fine, it's fine. I paid attention to the force, it definitely didn't break."
Kiana said indifferently, then walked into the room.
"Mei, Takatsuki, you're both home. Didn't you go out?"
Seeing the two of them comfortably sitting on the sofa, Kiana asked curiously.
"I wanted to rest well today, and Mei just came back from shopping."
Takatsuki leaned on the sofa and said casually, not showing any abnormality. After speaking, Takatsuki looked at Bronya who had walked in.
"How's the Stand working out? Are there any side effects?"
"Eh? Bronya has a Stand too? What is it, what is it?"
Kiana immediately shifted her attention to Bronya, but Bronya had no intention of answering Kiana's question, instead looking at Takatsuki.
"Last night, Bronya dreamed of someone named Ghiaccio. Is it because of that Stand?"
"Ghiaccio, yes. White Album was originally Ghiaccio's Stand. Mei and Kiana also experienced it. If you gain the other party's approval in a dream, you can gain experience using the Stand."
After Takatsuki finished speaking, Bronya nodded: "Then Bronya probably didn't gain the other party's approval. Will there be any impact?"
"I'm not too sure about that. Probably not. Just observe for a while. If there's a problem, come find me, and I'll peel it off."
Takatsuki had confirmed with the system before that installed stigmata could be peeled off, but it required paying crystals equivalent to the amount converted into stigmata. So, if it could be avoided, it was naturally best.
"Bronya wasn't even recognized? And she called me stupid. Bronya is the stupid one."
Kiana immediately started to mock, and Takatsuki could even see a vein throbbing on Bronya's forehead, but she still maintained a poker face and retorted: "Even a slipper-like Kiana can be recognized. The original owner of The Hand must have been a similarly stupid person."
"Uh…"
Bronya was actually right. Kiana was immediately silenced. Although she didn't admit it directly, Kiana also knew that the person who kept saying she had no brain in her dream definitely wasn't a smart person.
"No, that's not true! And what's a slipper?!"
Although she tried to cover it up, everyone present could see that Kiana was trying to be tough.
Because a guess had tricked out what Kiana was hiding, the corner of Bronya's mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a hint of a smile, and then she continued to bicker with Kiana.
There were no games in this world, so daily bickering with Kiana had become one of Bronya's daily pleasures.
Takatsuki and Mei watched the two's familiar routine. It seemed that no matter when or in what world, the relationship between the few of them would not change.
The day of rest quickly passed.
When evening came, Takatsuki once again brought Bell to the Entertainment District.
Although he had been there once before, Bell still couldn't Stand the atmosphere of the Entertainment District, constantly hiding behind Takatsuki until the two arrived at the quiet attic, where Bell finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, this time Bell wasn't as resistant as he was yesterday. When Bell returned last night, Takatsuki noticed that his mood seemed to have changed quite a bit. Perhaps he had gained something from Eina.
Aisha, on the other hand, looked at the two with a look of being swindled, and only spoke to Takatsuki after Bell went inside.
"I really don't understand. You spend money to come to the Entertainment District just to chat?"
Takatsuki smiled and didn't answer directly: "You might understand later. By the way, I might need your cooperation today, a favor."