"After going through all that, can Phainon... really return to being that carefree youth from before?"
Inside the bedroom, thick blackout curtains shut out the moonlight. Cyrene sank into her soft down pillow, her gaze focused on the pitch-black ceiling. Her brain, which should have been tired, was instead abnormally active.
Her fingertips unconsciously twined around a strand of pink hair as her thoughts drifted back to the moment of the summoning.
When the golden light dissipated and that figure appeared, her heart was filled with pleasant surprise mixed with a trace of indescribable apprehension.
Was the one she summoned the Little Phainon who had yet to bear the weight of the world, who would still laugh heartily while playing childish games with Mydei, or was it the Phainon Khaslana who had been worn down by thousands of cycles of samsara until only divinity and duty remained?
Initially, she held onto a glimmer of hope.
But then she heard the System say he had once faced destruction.
In that moment, her heart felt as though it were being violently squeezed by an invisible hand.
It was the latter.
It was the savior who, in this hellish instance named Amphoreus, had watched his companions die time and time again, restarted time time and time again, and eventually frozen his own heart.
"With such heavy memories weighing him down... does he still remember how to smile from the bottom of his heart?"
Cyrene rolled over and curled up on her side. Even just catching a glimpse of a tiny fraction of that long journey through the screen made her feel a suffocating sense of depression and bitterness.
Moreover, Phainon was the one who had actually lived it, trudging through the quagmire of despair for countless cycles.
She did not want to see him always living for the sake of others.
She wanted to smooth over those invisible wounds; she wanted to see that unclouded smile overflow from his face again.
It was hard—as hard as reaching the heavens.
"But... since I am here, I have to try, don't I?"
Cyrene took a deep breath, pulled the quilt up to cover half her face, and silently clenched her fist in her heart.
She would set aside grand goals like saving the world for now. The primary task at hand was—ordering this savior to learn how to sleep like a normal human being!
"Yawn..."
Physiological tears moistened the corners of her eyes. Cyrene rubbed her slightly sore eyes and called out softly in her consciousness:
"System, is Phainon asleep yet?"
[No. Phainon is currently in the bedroom reviewing materials regarding modern social structures and history. He has not gone to sleep.]
"I knew it..."
Cyrene buried her face in the pillow and let out a muffled grumble. This guy was practically a perpetual motion machine that did not need charging.
"Whatever, there is plenty of time. I will train him slowly..."
Her consciousness gradually blurred. Amidst that helpless sigh, she finally fell into a deep sleep.
...
The next morning, 9:00 AM.
Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of the French windows, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the wooden floor.
"Good morning~"
Cyrene pushed open her door and walked into the living room while stretching.
She did not know when Phainon had returned to the living room sofa.
At this moment, he was holding a thick copy of Local Chronicles of Xinhai City. Upon hearing the movement, his gaze shifted from the book page to Cyrene.
His originally cold and hard lines softened the moment he saw the girl. He closed the book, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly:
"Good morning, Cyrene."
Cyrene's gaze lingered for a second on the area under his eyes, which showed no dark circles. She secretly marveled at how good his constitution was before turning toward the kitchen.
"Wait a moment, breakfast will be ready soon."
The sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing was followed by the light clicking of the gas stove igniting.
Before long, the aroma of scallion oil wafted from the kitchen. Cyrene walked out carrying a tray, placing two bowls of steaming noodles on the dining table. Green scallions and bright red ham slivers garnished the dish, making one's appetite soar.
"Let's eat first. You only have the strength to work once you are full."
Cyrene pulled out a chair and sat down, handing over a pair of chopsticks.
Looking at the bowl of steaming noodles in front of him, Phainon's expression froze for a moment. He instinctively tried to decline:
"I am not hungry. With my physical fitness, I do not need—"
"Oh, I accidentally cooked too much."
Cyrene rested her cheek on one hand and lightly tapped the rim of the bowl with her chopsticks. A cunning light flashed in her diamond-shaped pupils, and her tone carried a hint of being brook no refusal:
"See, there are two whole bowls. How could I finish them all by myself? It would be such a waste to throw them away. That would be a profanation of food~"
"..."
Phainon opened his mouth, but the rest of his words were choked back by this set of crooked logic.
Seeing Cyrene's expression that suggested it would be a sin if he did not eat, he let out a helpless sigh and reached out to take the chopsticks.
"Fine. Thank you."
The breakfast time that followed was somewhat quiet, leaving only the occasional sound of slurping noodles and the crisp clink of chopsticks hitting porcelain bowls.
Morning light spilled onto the dining table. This moment of tranquility actually gave Phainon a fleeting, long-lost sense of reality called life.
Breakfast finished, and Phainon habitually gathered the bowls and chopsticks to walk toward the kitchen.
Cyrene did not stop this behavior of his—seeking a sense of existence through labor. Instead, she stood at the entryway, changing her shoes while saying:
"Phainon, just leave the dishes. I plan to head to the Rongda Chemical Plant in the East District today. You stay home and continue familiarizing yourself with information about this world. The computer password is six eights."
As she spoke, she picked up her coat from the hanger and prepared to open the door.
"Wait."
The sound of running water stopped abruptly.
Phainon did not even dry the water droplets on his hands before quickly walking out of the kitchen.
His tall frame blocked the entryway. His brow furrowed, and his tone became serious:
"You are going to that chemical plant? According to the data you found last night, there is a high probability that xenogeneic are entrenched there. You currently have no ability to protect yourself. What will you do if you encounter danger?"
Cyrene's movements to tie her shoelaces paused. She looked up and blinked, attempting to gloss it over with a light tone:
"Um... it shouldn't be that serious, right? The Official has already blockaded it for half a month. Even if there are monsters, they have probably been mostly cleared out. I am just going to walk around the perimeter and scan it with the radar. I won't go deep inside."
"Besides, my luck has always been pretty good. I couldn't be that unlucky, right?"
"No."
Phainon's answer was categorical, leaving no room for discussion.
His golden eyes stared intently at Cyrene, as if he were looking at a child trying to poke a tiger's backside.
"The danger of those things is unpredictable. If you must go, fine, but I must be by your side."
"But..."
Cyrene stood up and scratched her hair, looking a bit troubled.
"Phainon, you have to realize that you are an undocumented person in this world right now. People from the Official Authority must still be patrolling near there. If you are discovered, how are we supposed to explain your identity? What if they take you away to slice you up for research?"
"Do not worry."
Phainon took a step forward, his tone calm and confident:
"As long as I do not wish it, no one in this world can discover my tracks. Not the surveillance, and not the eyes of humans."
Looking at his certain expression that suggested this was not a problem at all, Cyrene opened her mouth and finally could only let out a helpless sigh.
"Alright, since you put it that way..."
She knew Phainon's personality. When it came to matters involving her safety, this guy was as stubborn as an ox.
And thinking carefully, with her current physical condition, if she really encountered an emergency, she would indeed be helpless.
"Then I will have to trouble you, Lord Phainon."
Cyrene tilted her head and gave Phainon a brilliant smile.
"But it's a deal, okay? If we run into people from the Official Authority, you must hide well. Do not be impulsive."
"Mhm, I understand." Phainon nodded, his expression softening slightly.
With the itinerary confirmed, Cyrene took advantage of the gap while Phainon went to change clothes to open the System Panel again.
Looking at the values displayed on it, she could not help but sigh in her heart.
[Character Reminiscence: 500 Memory Vestige / Use]
[Ability Recollection: 200 Memory Vestige / Use]
Ever since she fished Phainon out last time, these prices had practically undergone predatory pricing.
"Is this what they call inflation? System, you are way too exploitative..."
Cyrene looked at the zero Memory Vestige with a hint of sorrow. There were so many partners waiting for her to awaken them later, and so many abilities waiting to be unlocked. The required Memory Vestige was simply an astronomical figure.
If she didn't go to that chemical plant to take some risks, and just relied on fishing for engagement by posting online, how long would it take to save up enough resources for the next pull?
"Sigh... when will I finally have enough power to protect myself so I don't have to let Phainon stand in front of me every time?"
She shook her head, tossing those anxious thoughts out of her mind.
"Forget it, I won't think about it. We will cross that bridge when we come to it!"
Cyrene took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
"Let's go!"