Their reunion was not filled with words.
First, because in the world of Guilty Crown, the bond between them had always been through Shu Ouma. Now that he was gone—and with the memories of him buried deep within their souls—their connection had weakened. To each other, they were merely two people from the same world, vaguely familiar but not deeply entwined. Silence between them was natural.
Second, this world they now stood in was foreign to them both. Neither truly belonged here, and a subtle rejection lingered in their hearts. Even if the other was someone from the same world, instinctive caution remained—an unconscious defense, born not from distrust but from human nature itself. Both Inori and Hare were like that.
Third, Hare had spent an immeasurable time alone in that dark space. Surrounded only by that strange device and endless silence, she had no one to speak to. Her voice could not even travel through air—only her own mind could hear it. Such isolation had made her somewhat withdrawn. It would take time and patience for her to adjust to the world again.
Fortunately, the sphere that held her had systems to counteract loneliness. Though years of solitude had shaped her temperament, her mind remained intact—her soul unbroken and her essence whole.
Without that machine's protection, by the time Chu Lian arrived, Hare might well have lost her sanity.
For anyone whose heart was not ironclad—whose mind was not like an empty cicada shell, unmoved by the world—enduring an eternity of darkness and solitude would inevitably lead to collapse.
Chu Lian and Inori both understood this. They knew that to reach Hare, they would need time—and gentle patience.
Hare's true nature was that of a kind, gentle, and perceptive girl. Even the long years of isolation could not erase her warmth. Given time, the sweet and tender "Hare" from before would surely return.
Perhaps she also understood that her attachment to Chu Lian stemmed from more than gratitude. In that dark space, she had been able to communicate freely only because the machine had fed her fragments of Chu Lian's memories and life—letting her feel as if she knew her. In her loneliness, she had begun to see Chu Lian as her anchor.
Inori, on the other hand, though also present in those memory fragments, was always by Chu Lian's side—never as the center of focus. Thus, in Hare's subconscious, Chu Lian had become the one she depended on most. Her calm demeanor now came not from rejection, but from the strange familiarity of meeting again after so long.
"This is your world's 'Japan,' isn't it, Lian?" Hare asked softly as she stepped into the sunlight. She reached out, trying to catch a ray of light in her hands—only to find it passing through her body, shining faintly on the wooden floor behind her.
After a brief silence, she smiled lightly. "I forgot… my body is gone. I'm only a spirit now. It's a good thing I'm not one of those dark, corrupted ghosts—otherwise, this sunlight would have burned me away instantly."
Her tone was casual, but the self-mockery revealed a trace of fragility. Chu Lian gazed at her back for a moment before pulling Inori closer, sitting down beside Hare, and raising her hand to shield her from the sunlight.
"Your spirit body isn't ordinary," Chu Lian said gently. "A normal spirit, even if not tainted by darkness, would still be destroyed by direct sunlight."
"Your current form… is closer to that of the Spirit Race—a being that lives through a corporeal illusion. The Spirit Race doesn't need to consume food or energy like humans do, yet in every other way, they're the same."
"They neither fear sunlight nor the power of yang, and they are unaffected by yin energy. Their bodies can only be touched by those they acknowledge—or by other spirits like themselves."
"They are a mysterious and powerful race," Chu Lian continued softly. "Unfortunately, they left this world a thousand years ago for another plane. If they were still here, perhaps this world wouldn't be plagued by so many demons and evil gods."
The Spirit Race wasn't something Chu Lian made up—it was a real existence described in ancient novels of this world. The system's records also confirmed that this race had once lived here, though their traces had long since vanished.
"Why did I suddenly become one of them?" Hare asked, her brow furrowed slightly after listening carefully to Chu Lian's explanation.
"That's connected to that space and the machine you were in," Chu Lian replied thoughtfully. "And perhaps also to the moment that mermaid girl touched you. The situation is complicated—I can't say for sure. But one thing I can tell you, Hare, is that you don't need to worry about your body. Instead, learn to make use of this race's strengths. You know how dangerous things are for us right now. If you can't defend yourself, it'll only make things harder."
Hare fell silent. She knew Chu Lian was right, but even so, she didn't like fighting. She was too softhearted—if she ever stood before an enemy, she might only become a burden. As for this new body, this new race—she would have to accept them. Everything was different now, and that meant she had to start over. Perhaps this world was now her home.
"Don't think too much," Chu Lian said softly. "When I say train, I don't mean fight. I just want you to have the ability to protect yourself. When battle comes, you can stay behind me."
Seeing the expression on Hare's face, Chu Lian could already guess what she was thinking. She stood, reaching out to gently pat the girl's head. Considering their height difference—Chu Lian being only about 1.4 meters tall and Hare standing around 1.6 meters—this was no easy task. Chu Lian even had to rise onto her toes.
Hare, momentarily dazed by the gesture, didn't realize just how endearing Chu Lian's actions were. Yet that single touch filled her heart with warmth—because Chu Lian's hand hadn't passed through her.
That meant Chu Lian was someone she had accepted—her one and only anchor in this new world.
And then, Chu Lian finished what she'd started to say earlier: "After all, you're my contractor. If I don't protect you, then who will?"
A faint blush spread across Hare's cheeks, but her smile was bright and full of warmth. Inori, standing nearby, smiled faintly as well. This girl was so much like how she herself had been when she first arrived—lost, uncertain, but gently guided by someone who gave her warmth and protection.
Thankfully, in their most uncertain, most fragile moments, they had both met that same person—Chu Lian.
As for how Chu Lian knew so much, it was all thanks to the information the system had provided about Hare Menjou:
[Hare Menjou: A character from Guilty Crown. Member of the Tennouzu First High School Image Research Club, childhood friend of Shu Ouma. Gentle, caring, and pure-hearted.]
[Once in love with him, she lost all memories of him after the world's collapse and her journey across time. Now one of Chu Lian's contracted Void users, possessing the healing Void ability.]
[Attributes: Strength 16, Constitution 40, Agility 30, Spiritual Perception 50, Spiritual Power: A]
[Abilities: Healing, Bond, Perception, Throne of the Left / Right, Ethereal Form]
[Healing: Hare's Void ability. When enveloped by her Void, all wounds are rapidly healed. Original rank: S. Current upgrade potential: SS. Usable rank: A. Activation rank depends on user's Spiritual Power level.]
[Bond: A power gained after countless traversals through time and space, infused by a mysterious force. Anyone she deems important and can touch within a radius of (Constitution / 2 + Spiritual Perception) meters will slowly recover from injuries. Unless struck by a fatal blow, they cannot be easily killed.]
[Perception: A racial ability of the Spirit Race. Within a range equal to Spiritual Perception × 2, she can sense the presence of anyone she has acknowledged.]
[Throne of the Left: A supreme ability born from the fusion of Hare's Void and her Spirit Race lineage. When activated, all allies within a 150-meter radius are rapidly healed physically and spiritually for a duration of (Spiritual Perception / seconds).]
[Throne of the Right: While the ability is active, any enemy entering the range receives damage equal to the healing given to allies until their life force is drained completely.]
[After activation, Hare's Spiritual Power decreases by one level for three days (recoverable), and she will fall into a one-day slumber (cannot be awakened early). The ability can only be used again once her power returns to or exceeds its original level.]
[Ethereal Form: A natural trait of the Spirit Race. Until acknowledged by another of her kind, she cannot be touched by non-spirits. Reduces Spiritual / Magical / Mana / Inner Power damage by 30%, and soul-based damage by 50%. Her soul cannot be enslaved, destroyed, shattered, or controlled.]
[Note: As a spiritual being, Hare Menjou will remain bound to Chu Lian for a long time. As Chu Lian's contractor, she is invisible to anyone not acknowledged by Chu Lian or below the Spirit Level. All damage dealt to her will transfer 80% to Chu Lian, who may choose to bear the remaining 20% or all of it herself.]
[Spirit Race: A race with extraordinary affinity for magic and soul-based arts. Exceptional talent in soul cultivation. Choose her future path with care.]
After reading this, Chu Lian had several thoughts:
First: "She's incredibly powerful."
Second: "I have to protect her no matter what."
Third: "I'm finally not afraid of getting hurt anymore—she's basically a walking healing fountain!"
Fourth: "Except for the 'Throne of the Right,' all of her powers are support-oriented. She must be an exceptionally kind-hearted girl."
And finally: "With a healer on the team… when are we running our next dungeon?"
Well, we can forgive her for being overly excited. As for any loss of composure or dignity… let's just pretend we didn't see it.
Morning sunlight spilled across the grand building, across the faces of Chu Lian and Inori, passing through Hare Menjou's translucent body.
It seemed symbolic—an omen of something new.
A declaration that this… was a new beginning.