"Oh dear, See-chan~! Why must you always leave your words hanging, hmm? But you know me... I've always had a thing for teasing.
Just pretend I never said that earlier! So, when can we get this simulation rolling?"
[...]
Watching Lunelle, who just moments ago had stubbornly refused to cooperate, now do a complete one-eighty and pull a classic 'famous last words' act the instant she learned she could choose her self-proclaimed 'waifu' as the target, See-chan the simulation spirit was utterly speechless.
Then again, Lunelle's sudden about-face wasn't without reason.
After all, even though Lunelle was a die-hard Seele fan through and through...
Was it really so wrong, while pledging her heart to main waifu Seele, to also cheer for side waifu Elysia on the sidelines?
And what about cheering for third waifu, fourth waifu, fifth waifu... surely that was just part of the journey, right?
So, a little affection among her beloved waifus—could that really be called betrayal?
It was just internal harmony!
And if the bonds between her waifus grew strong, wouldn't that just make it easier later on for everyone to snuggle under one big...
Hehehe, those who know, know.
Thinking this far, Lunelle felt a flicker of anticipation for how her simulation journey might unfold.
[Host consent to activate simulation module confirmed. Simulation module is now active.]
[As this is the host's first simulation, the Novice Gift talent package is being automatically loaded.]
[Congratulations, host. You have received the Novice Gift reward: Golden Simulation-exclusive Passive Talent: Safety Net.]
--+--
[Safety Net (Gold/Simulation-exclusive Passive): When the host's simulation evaluation falls below E-rank, you will not leave empty-handed. Furthermore, penalties for simulation failure are changed to: random binding of one special permanent talent.]
--+--
[Host, would you like to begin the simulation?]
"Huh? Wait a sec, Seele. Why is there only one golden 'Safety Net' talent? And shouldn't this simulator start with some kind of talent gacha pull?"
Seeing that the simulator panel in her consciousness had only doled out this somewhat odd Novice Gift talent before prompting her to start, Lunelle couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.
In her understanding, shouldn't the usual simulator start with pulling several talents, then picking a few that seemed halfway usable from a pile of junk before beginning?
[Host, this simulator does not provide an initial talent gacha draw.]
[However, any talents the host obtains through simulations—except those explicitly marked as exclusive to a simulation world—can be synchronized into reality without any quantity limit.]
"Huh? So I start with zero special talents? Going into a simulation like that sounds like suicide!"
Hearing Seele's reply, Lunelle felt her mind go numb.
Other people's cheat abilities at least gave some useful special powers in the Novice Gift package. No matter how useless they might become later, they should at least help during the early transition, right?
But who had ever heard of a Novice Gift that gave a talent practically useless in the real world?
Lunelle now strongly suspected her cheat ability must have come from some shady alley.
As a little shut-in who hated exercise even before crossing over, Lunelle knew exactly what she was capable of—her strength was so pitiful it could even draw disdain from girls.
With her meager abilities and now this deadweight cheat ability, how was she supposed to soar?
[Host need not worry. With the Safety Net talent, even if the simulation fails, there will be no threat to your life.]
"Seele? Hearing you say that... if I didn't have this Safety Net, would a low simulation evaluation actually put my life in danger?"
[Under normal circumstances, if the host's simulation evaluation is E-rank, the host will receive no rewards from that simulation.]
[Should the host's simulation evaluation reach the lowest possible rank of F, the host will face a severe, life-threatening penalty.]
Lunelle: "..."
Well, damn. She had only been making a slightly exaggerated comparison, but turns out it was actually real!!!
[Thus, obtaining the Safety Net talent means that as long as the host perseveres through simulations, a bright future awaits!]
"Whatever, whatever. If there's no life danger, then let's just start the simulation. Let's see what kind of rewards this Safety Net can get me."
Hearing the terrifying "truth of simulation" without the Safety Net, Lunelle, who had just thought her Novice Gift useless, quickly accepted reality.
After all, compared to potentially facing a life-threatening penalty for a low evaluation, having a Safety Net that exempted her from death's cost suddenly made the Novice Gift seem absolutely stellar!
It was as if Lunelle had selectively amnesia, completely forgetting her earlier disdain for the Safety Net's lack of real-world use.
But this shift wasn't really surprising.
After all, people are always good at finding compromises, aren't they?
[Host confirmed. Officially commencing first simulation. Deploying host consciousness, please wait...]
Once Lunelle focused her will and confirmed to start the simulation, as the simulator panel in her mind displayed a loading message, a sudden dizziness washed over her consciousness.
In the next moment, she felt as if her consciousness had been yanked into a strange, otherworldly space.
Before her, a unique simulator panel rapidly unfolded, and corresponding text and images for this simulation began to materialize one by one on the illusory screen.
[Your consciousness has successfully loaded into the 'Seele' of the Previous Era civilization worldline.]
[You open your eyes to find yourself in a decidedly ordinary room.]
[Judging by the general furnishings, this isn't the residence of someone wealthy or noble.]
[Arriving in this new world, you quickly realize your body seems to have changed into that of a young girl—not very old, but with a figure that breaks all the rules.]
[You realize you have truly become your number one waifu, Seele.]
[Out of curiosity, you desperately want to find a mirror to see just how adorable your long-cherished Seele truly is.]
[But the next moment, you suddenly feel as if something utterly terrifying has fixed its gaze upon you!]
[The Will of the Sea has taken notice of your existence.]
[The gaze of the Cocoon of Finality also falls upon you.]
[The Cocoon of Finality suddenly takes the initiative, attempting to embrace you.]
[Due to certain reasons, your impure consciousness is completely unable to withstand the erosion of the Finality's 'gift.']
[You have died!]
--+--
[Simulation Evaluation: You merely made a cameo, changing nothing and no one. Perhaps only when you are capable of bearing the Finality's gift will you have a chance to touch the future meant for the Seele of the Previous Era.]
[This simulation rating: F]
[Simulation Settlement: Host loses one finger!]
[Safety Net talent triggered.]
[Settlement modifying...]
[Safety Net modified settlement: Original penalty canceled. Host receives Safety Net reward: Minor Honkai Energy Resistance.]
[As the host's simulation rating reached F-rank, this simulation has successfully triggered and bound the permanent talent [Milky Snow Skin].]
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.