Ryn closed his eyes, hiding his red pupils, his eyelids trembling slightly.
He could have easily agreed to Durandal's request before, because both he and Durandal knew that it was just a chuunibyou joke at the time, and no one could guarantee what the future would hold.
But now, Ryn couldn't guarantee it…
The more serious Durandal was, the more she chose to believe in him…
The more afraid Ryn became of failing to live up to Durandal's expectations, of shouldering that heavy burden.
Previously, Ryn knew that Kiana would eventually become the Herrscher of Finality, so he was somewhat indifferent to the development and outcome of the Honkai. Because no matter what, it would all come to an end when Kiana became Finality.
But after experiencing the 'Fire Moth World', after encountering the Herrscher of Finality…
For the first time, Ryn discovered and understood that when the Herrscher of Finality descended, what awaited all things was not the end of the Honkai's conclusion… but the final death knell of civilization, the beginning of the countdown to destruction…
Perhaps because of the world's deviation, the difference in the Honkai, the final result would also be different. But the end of the Honkai story would inevitably be a battle called 'Finality'.
Ryn could now be certain of one thing: although the power he obtained from the Sea of Trees would be restricted on Earth, when he descended in his Tianqi form, let alone restrictions, it was as if the entire world was a plaything in his hands.
So, no matter what, he now had the trump card to flip the table.
If the end truly had to be a tragedy, then no one gets to play anymore. Ryn would directly descend as Tianqi, then detonate the Heavenly Star in his hand, and the stellar-mass black hole would instantly erupt, taking the entire solar system with it.
——————————————
Ryn opened his eyes and met Durandal's gaze.
There was anticipation, hesitation, and panic in the girl's eyes… For a moment, she lost control and spoke her truest thoughts.
Speaking her feelings so truthfully… did this count as a confession?
It probably did…
It was the girl's first confession, and her heart was filled with apprehension. She was afraid that Ryn would misunderstand her meaning and take it as an explanation of her so-called mission. She was also afraid that Ryn would understand it as a confession, only to reject her in the end…
Seeing Durandal's eyelashes tremble slightly with nervousness and apprehension, Ryn reached out and pinched her smooth, soft little cheek, then showed a sunny smile and said seriously:
"I will… It may be difficult or painful, but I will. For all the kind girls like you in this world, and for all the beautiful things in this world."
"Mhm…"
Durandal's eyes filled with joy, and she nodded happily. But then she threw a punch at Ryn, resting her fist against his chest.
"I'm very happy, Ryn, really happy! But, I won't just hand everything over to you so easily.
I will desperately chase after your footsteps, until I can finally stand with you, see the world that you see, and be with you, so that you will never be alone!"
Some words, whether true or false, can warm a person's heart and fill them with anticipation and passion just by being spoken.
*What bullshit impossibility? With the power of Tianqi, nothing is impossible for me!*
Ryn gave Durandal a wink, then jokingly asked in return:
"Durandal… some words, once they're spoken, can't be taken back, you know~
I'll give you one chance not to regret it. I'll ask you one last time, do you want to take back what you just said?"
"Do I look like I'm joking? There's no need to take it back, and no need to be afraid. Once I've decided on something, I'll charge ahead stubbornly!"
Durandal smiled faintly, like a spring breeze, evoking infinite beauty in Ryn's heart.
Her left hand remained in its original position, a fist pressed against Ryn's chest. Her right hand slowly rose, also forming a fist, and pressed it against her own chest, over her heart.
Then, like a knight swearing an oath of loyalty to her lord for all of eternity, she opened her mouth and shouted an eternal, unwavering vow to Ryn:
"I, Bianka 'Durandal' Ataegina. Hereby swear on my honor and my life. Ryn, I will always stand by your side, my lance will always be pointed at your enemies, I…"
Before Durandal could finish, Ryn raised his hand and covered her mouth, interrupting her oath.
Durandal stared at Ryn blankly. Her oath being suddenly interrupted left her at a loss for what to do, and she stood there.
"Durandal, that's not how you confess…"
Ryn gently poked Durandal's forehead with his finger, then lightly lifted her hand, knelt down on one knee before her, and looked up at the beautiful knight in white armor.
"Durandal, I am not a perfect person. I am not worthy of you dedicating everything you have to me, of you making such a solemn knight's oath.
I like you, and you like me…
But neither of us wants you or me to become a mere appendage of the other. So, don't make this kind of knight's oath… but rather…"
Ryn took out the Star gem that the shattered Star Sword had turned into, and at the same time, took out a small bit of tree bark that he had spent thousands of years scraping off the Imaginary Tree.
Using the power of Creation, he reshaped them into a ring that perfectly fit Durandal's slender fingers, and inlaid a crystal blue Star gem, as beautiful as Durandal's eyes, on top, creating a beautiful gemstone ring.
Ryn held up the ring, 'Azure Starry Sky', and presented it to Durandal.
Ryn: "Between us, it shouldn't be a knight's oath, but a sacred and beautiful, world-blessed oath of happiness."
Durandal's body went stiff, tensing up completely. Her open mouth remained agape for a long time.
Ryn took Durandal's hand, placed 'Azure Starry Sky' in her palm, then held her hand, interlocking their fingers.
"I told you, words spoken can't be taken back!
Durandal, you know? I actually like you a lot too. So, from the moment you confessed to me first, you can no longer escape from my side.
But I'm a greedy bad guy, I want to have everything…
I will hold on to your hand tightly, and I won't let you escape even if you regret it in the future!"
"I won't regret it." Durandal nodded seriously, then frantically tried to open her hand to return 'Azure Starry Sky' to Ryn, shouting in a flustered manner:
"But… this… this… isn't this… too fast! Didn't we just start confessing to each other? This is a ring, right?! A-a-a-are you proposing to me!!"