"Wende... Wende..."
A soft voice called out within Wende's dream. Its voice was benevolent yet brimming with killing intent, gentle yet rugged, like a loving mother, yet like a strict father...
It called to Wende, whispering to him, speaking of something, but its words were the complete opposite of Wende's understanding, more like a direct conversation with him from the future.
And then...
He saw it. Countless stars were detonated, innumerable galaxies dissipated into the cosmos in this catastrophe. Myriads of dim white dwarfs mourned for the last remnants of life, their faint light like a dirge sung for all that had lived...
In the end, [Equilibrium] was broken, [Order] ceased to exist. Nothing more required [Destruction], no life needed [Abundance]... [The Hunt] became a moth with no flame to chase. [Preservation] no longer had anything to protect... [Erudition] lost its fundamental 0s and 1s, [Harmony] disintegrated into cosmic dust, [Elation] became a weeping mask, and [Nihility] was finally extinguished within the universe... Even the star rail of [The Trailblaze] turned into useless spider silk across the cosmos...
Finally, all of it, everything, [Remembrance] stopped recording, waiting quietly... for this universe, which once shone with infinite brilliance, to bloom once more as it was meant to...
"Can you... do it? To resist an outcome that cannot be resisted, to wish to change this predestined fate..."
"What can you even do?"
The voice posed the question, as if speaking to itself, yet also as if asking Wende.
"Sigh... fate is already set..."
The perspective shifted. An old man with time-bleached white hair sat beside Wende, sighing powerlessly.
"Guh!"
In the next second, Wende plunged into a sea. Within the water, a hand seemed to seize his throat, dragging his body down toward the seabed.
Countless colorful bubbles emerged from behind him, floating upwards...
Suffocation... powerlessness... Wende's vision grew darker and darker. The pressure of the water, the dizziness from lack of oxygen...
The salty seawater poured into his mouth and windpipe, the icy temperature numbing his limbs...
"Chaos... is the most primitive essence, and also the most difficult thing to find..."
The voice continued to echo in Wende's ear. A pair of large, invisible hands pulled him from the deep sea and threw him violently into another world.
It was a tree with no visible end, a sea with no visible shore...
Every second, the seawater submerged the branches of the tree; every second, the branches of the tree grew deeper into the sea...
Between the two, a strange [Equilibrium] was formed. Wende stood between them, a gray power swirling around him. He seemed like a god who commanded these two behemoths, one hand caressing the trunk of the tree, the other reaching deep into the ocean's currents. The [Order] of the tree and the sea converged upon his body...
Look, the extinguished stars were igniting once more. The beings who had perished were once again singing praises to the vastness of the universe... Countless wills converged and coexisted, countless thoughts clashed. There were no longer any so-called Paths, no longer any so-called gods. Even [Remembrance] was returned to life itself...
"Fate... is predestined, but fate is in your hands."
His "Master" stared at Wende with bright eyes, speaking to him gently.
"You... are the future!"
"!!!"
Wende's eyes shot open. He sat up, his entire body trembling, his purple pupils quivering with utter shock.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
Jingliu slowly sat up. Her cool body pressed against Wende's as she asked with concern.
"I... I just had a very strange dream... I dreamed of... Master? And... wait, why can't I suddenly remember the contents of the dream?"
He stared blankly at his own hands. Moonlight shone through the window, tracing the lines on his palm with its pristine light.
"If you can't remember, then don't think about it."
Jingliu gently stroked the top of Wende's head, whispering softly in his ear.
"You've probably been too tired lately. Get some proper rest."
"Mm... sigh, the reason I'm so tired lately is all because..."
"Wait!"
A thought suddenly struck Wende. He turned his head slightly, looking at Jingliu pressed against him... that delicate sensation...
When... did she get here?! This... this wasn't the room he was just in!
"Oh? You noticed? Don't worry, those two are sound asleep. I just carried you back."
Jingliu lightly tilted Wende's chin, looking very satisfied with his incredulous expression, her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"You..."
Wende was about to say something, but Jingliu pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shh... sleep."
"Oh..."
Lying in bed, feeling the embrace of the person beside him, Wende still found it difficult to fall asleep...
That dream just now... what was it...
"Wait a minute..."
He quietly smacked his lips. Tasting the same flavor as the one from his dream, Wende's eyes grew sharp.
---o---
"Mm... morning."
The next morning, March slowly sat down on the sofa in Meryl's house, looking listless.
Stelle, on the other hand, looked bright and energetic. So, getting knocked out actually gave her a good night's sleep?
"Hmph... that Wende. He promised he'd stay the night, but then he was gone first thing in the morning!"
March pouted, her tone full of dissatisfaction. She had wanted Wende to gently feed her congee this morning! Even though that medicinal stuff was disgusting, if he was the one feeding it to her, she wouldn't have been unable to drink it...
"Huh? Wende was here yesterday?"
Stelle looked at March, completely baffled.
"Uh... do you even know what happened yesterday?"
Seeing Stelle's utterly clueless expression, March's eyelid twitched as if she had realized something. She leaned in and whispered to Stelle.
"Emmmm, I think we went into Miss Meryl's mansion, and then I think I passed out for some reason? Strange, what was the reason again?"
Stelle scratched her head, looking very confused.
"As expected, she's lost her memory again."
March sighed as if this were a common occurrence. Well, it was for the best. Such a painful memory shouldn't be remembered by anyone... but why did her own body have to remember it so vividly!
"Oh my, Little March and Stelle are up so early. Would you like to try some of the breakfast I made?"
Tingyun walked over carrying a tray of food, her large tail swaying, a radiant smile on her face.
"It's Miss Tingyun! Of course, I want to try! Wait... I don't think I can eat this... By the way, Miss Tingyun, have you seen Wende today?"
March's face lit up at the sight of breakfast, but then fell as she remembered Wende's instructions. She slumped dejectedly against Stelle, then, as if remembering something, looked up at Tingyun.
"Hm? Didn't Benefactor say last night that he was going to treat the two of you and stay with you the whole time?"
Hearing Little March's question, Tingyun's white fox ears twitched, and she tilted her head in confusion.