Chapter 137 - 136: Himeko's Bold Speculation - March's Memories Are Too Crucial!

Amidst the magnificent expanse of stars, fragmented asteroids orbited around a central region filled with nebulae and spiral formations. Upon seeing this scene, March 7th was instantly awestruck! "Isn't this the setting where Stars pay homage to the Aeon?" "Could it be..." "I'm about to meet the Aeon here too?" "Will I also undergo a transformation?" Even more so, March 7th wondered if the "Wildfire" background music would start playing next. However, the sound that emerged wasn't the soundtrack but the Messenger's voice. "Please trust the Garden of Recollection; everything I've done was to protect you." In the game, March 7th had retorted, "But using confinement isn't protection—it's trapping someone!" "We understand..." The Messenger sounded resigned. Her figure materialized within this space, slowly approaching. "Since you're so eager to learn about your past...follow me." "I will show you where it all began." "My hope is that you won't delve further into these matters. Trust me, please believe me...there's no benefit in pursuing them." The surroundings gradually turned dark, as if ink spreading across the scene. A new image emerged: It depicted...the moment when she was encased in Six-Phase Ice. Her entire body was obscured by a radiant glow, making details indistinguishable, but her face clearly revealed it was herself. March 7th jokingly sighed, "Well, Feathered Spirit, you sure were quite protective, shielding me from everything." The Messenger responded, "This is your beginning. From here, you embarked on your unique journey, experiencing one-of-a-kind adventures." "The events from even earlier hold no significance for you now. The value of your life lies not in what has already transpired, but in the present and the future. "A soaring eagle does not yearn for the cliffs it once fell from; a ship with unfurled sails does not long for the straits where it was once stranded." "And you, my child, must also understand that the past is as ephemeral as mist at dawn." "Yet, every moment you experience now will be etched indelibly in memory's stone." "It's time to bid farewell... Here's a parting gift for you. Looking forward to our next encounter." Upon reading this, March 7th felt somewhat relieved. She hadn't witnessed any shocking moments from her past within this space, nor had she experienced a transformative gaze from an Aeon like Stelle did, leading to a new fate path and demeanor. However, she saw herself being sealed within the Six-Phase Ice. And then observed how everyone treated her ever since they found her on their journey... Suddenly, she realized: The past truly isn't that important anymore. Living in the present is just fine... Although she still wanted to uncover the secrets surrounding her identity, But... These questions no longer felt as urgent or pressing. "In some future version, my story arc will definitely be included!" "This quest alone proves it!" "Undoubtedly, Feathered Spirit will design me as a limited-time five-star character in a future release!" "After all, I'm part of the protagonist group, aren't I?!" March 7th's mood suddenly brightened. She decided that until then, she would fully enjoy life—eating, drinking, having fun, and exploring new frontiers! Traveling through the stars while watching live streams! Capturing these precious moments with her camera. As March 7th made this decision, the surrounding Memokeepers seemed to collectively sigh in relief. They turned to the Messenger and said, "You were right..." "Feathered Spirit must also know that it's not yet time to reveal this memory." "We overreacted this time." "Having violated several Memories Chamber rules, let's do our best to rectify things before we leave..." In the Passenger Cabin: In their respective rooms, Himeko, Welt, and Stelle gradually stirred awake from their beds. The trio met up in the train's corridor, exchanging puzzled glances. "Good morning, Himeko, Uncle Yang," Stelle greeted them. Old Yang shook his head slightly. "That can't be right; I thought it was evening now?" Himeko stifled a laugh. "You two, is something wrong with your memories? The train is stationary in space—there's no concept of day or night here." "Don't just stand around, look, Little March is waiting for us over there." Meanwhile, March 7th was wrapping up the final act of her story. She had returned to the Divination Commission and recounted everything that had transpired. Fu Xuan said, "So...the mysterious figure truly was an envoy of the Heavenly Monarch Liuguang." "But then...it's Fuli? The Aeon connected to my past, 'Memory,' is indeed Fuli?" "Not necessarily," Fu Xuan responded. "We can only infer that it's highly likely an Aeon sealed your memories, but it may not be the Heavenly Monarch Liuguang." "Perhaps the 'protection' mentioned by the Messenger hinted that the Flowing Light Heavenly Monarch was not the true culprit behind sealing your memories. Their involvement might have been solely to safeguard you from harm caused by those sealed recollections..." "So, in the end, we've gained nothing," March sighed. "Well, it's not entirely bleak... At least we now have the lead of Garden of Recollection?" Fu Xuan offered. "It seems retrieving your memories may be beyond the capabilities of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima." Fu Xuan sighed. "Don't worry! I'm incredibly grateful for Master Diviner's assistance!" "If there's nothing else, I must promptly gather resources and conduct repairs... Curse it, any damage to the Matrix would break my heart." "We'll take our leave then. Trailblazer, let's make a quick exit; I fear if Master Diviner finds damages, he might send us an exorbitant repair bill." [Total Recall, Completed] [Fu Xuan has become a visitor on the train. Returning to the train will offer opportunities to encounter Fu Xuan.] March 7th breathed a long sigh of relief, unable to help but remark, "This quest sure took quite a convoluted turn." March 7th placed her phone face-down on the table. Suddenly feeling relaxed, she noticed her body had grown somewhat weary. Just as she was about to lean back against the table, hoping to calm her emotions and gather her thoughts— A voice abruptly rang out next to her ear: "March! Spill it already! Who exactly is this Aeon you're the reincarnation of?" "Ahhhhh!" March 7th jerked her head up, only then realizing that Himeko, Uncle Yang, and Stelle were all smiling at her, seemingly having arrived unnoticed. "When did you guys come back?!" "Huh? We've been here the whole time. But why are you up so early?" Stelle asked, puzzled. "Up early? I've been working on my co-op mission continuously!" March 7th picked up her phone and showed its screen to everyone. "Yes, I remember that too. But for some reason, we all went back to our rooms midway through," Himeko said, placing a hand over her heart thoughtfully. Suddenly, Stelle's mouth dropped open, as if recalling something important. She rushed over to check near the potted plant. "It's gone! The mirror here—it's missing!" "The Messenger must have altered our memories!" "What's this...?" Stelle picked up something glass-like from the floor. It wasn't ordinary glass but a Light Cone. Under everyone's watchful gaze, Stelle activated it. "...The Garden of Recollection deeply apologizes for any disturbance caused to train passengers earlier..." "Seriously?! Not only did they tamper with our memories without consent, but they also left without saying goodbye? These guys are really annoying!" Pom-Pom rubbed her eyes as she walked over from another carriage. "So those Memokeepers actually boarded the train without permission—how infuriating!" March 7th proceeded to give a brief account of her experience during the co-op mission. Hearing such a bizarre sequence of events, everyone couldn't help but feel astonished. Following that, Himeko (dammit!) used her own account to replay the co-op mission. This time, unsurprisingly, no unexpected incidents occurred. After watching, Himeko hypothesized, "March, I have a theory." "From a purely rational standpoint—no matter how traumatic an individual's memory might be, it likely wouldn't warrant intervention from an Aeon to seal it away, unless... this memory has broader implications." "In other words, this memory could not only affect you but also significantly impact those around you, possibly even the entire world." Upon hearing this, March 7th jumped with surprise. "Huh? That serious?" "Uh? I think things are fine as they are..." "What if unsealing my memories awakens some terrifying entity? That would be disastrous." Old Yang smiled reassuringly. "March, don't let your imagination run wild again." "Don't worry, Feathered Spirit will undoubtedly release related game content ahead of time. We can then devise strategies based on what unfolds in-game." "Ah... right." March 7th's eyes lit up. "Just like with this recent event, now that we know about the Garden of Recollection, we should thoroughly research ways to handle such situations. I definitely don't want my memories tampered with again for no apparent reason."