Stelle pushed open the door. The small wind chime hanging by the frame gave a cheerful ding-ling-ling.
"I wasn't sleeping!" Rozanne, who had been lying face-down on the desk, shot up straight like a spring. When she saw it was Stelle standing there, she exhaled in relief. Thank goodness it wasn't the Captain or the rest of the Nighthawk squad.
Seeing that it was just a stranger—and not her teammates—Rozanne calmed down a little. After a few deep breaths, she walked over to the girl who was peering curiously around the room.
"Hello, miss. Are you here to file a request or commission of some kind?"
"I came to play with Old Neil," Stelle said matter-of-factly. "The patch is about to end and I haven't finished my storyline yet."
"Your… storyline?" Rosanne blinked. "Uh, what does that mean? I'm not sure if I understand."
As expected.
For someone who wasn't a beyonder, her spirituality was too weak. Even with a mentor, there was no way she could perceive the truth of this world.
Stelle sighed with genuine sorrow.
Seeing her guest suddenly sigh for no reason, Rozanne had no idea why—but still felt oddly guilty.
With the casualness of someone who had known her for years, Stelle sat down on the reception sofa and patted the empty spot beside her.
"I can see it now—you don't understand anything, do you?"
"U-understand what?" Rozanne asked, flustered.
"Do you want to understand?" Stelle leaned in close, lowering her voice. Then, like a street vendor promising forbidden treasures, she pulled out her phone. "I've got something really good here."
"Good? You mean… that little square thing?" Rosanne asked, her eyes strangely drawn to it—as if some mysterious force was compelling her to sit beside Stelle.
"What square? This is called a smartphone."
Stelle placed it between them. The screen lit up. "Come on, come on. You'll get it once you see it."
A white glow bloomed from the screen, shining as though it illuminated the path before Rosanne's eyes.
Then a logo slowly appeared at the center:
Honkai: Star Barell Impact.
As the logo faded, the screen revealed a long stone corridor bathed in cool blue tones. Pale mist drifted across, and ancient stone columns lined both sides.
At the far end stood a massive metallic door glowing faintly with high-tech brilliance. It slowly slid open toward the screen. Rozanne couldn't look away—her gaze was fixed on that door as if drawn by fate.
The door opened fully.
Behind it stood… a trash can. A trash can with limbs, facing away from the viewer.
It turned around, folded its arms, and in a deep, mechanical voice declared:
"Captain on the bridge."
Rozanne's pupils reflected the trash can's silhouette. It was as though a door to an entirely new world had been opened before her.
Stelle leaned close to her ear, whispering like an eldritch god tempting an innocent soul toward corruption:
"I've got a spare phone too. Come on, I'll help you register an account."
Rozanne nodded before she even realized she was doing it.
After work, Old Neil and Leonard came up from the underground armory, chatting as they walked. Even before they entered the lobby, Rozanne's excited voice reached their ears.
"How strong is this 'Filthy Barrel Rebirth: Thousand-Barrel Hashirama'? I just hit pity at 330 pulls and got it!"
[Ain't no way the Pity is 330. Is Sis really playing FGO]
"Oh, that one's a support," Stelle replied, sounding like a seasoned gamer. "It's the dedicated pairing for Yhwaha-Barrel. Just put them together in one team—they're great for synergy. Perfect for fighting Barrel-Name Genichiro later. That boss is nasty—after you break his first health bar, he suicides and summons Solar God Monkey D. Barrel Luffy."
Neil finally stepped into the reception room—and was greeted by the sight of Xing and Rozanne sprawled together on the couch.
"Good evening, Miss Stelle," he said dryly.
"Please don't call me by my true name," Xing said seriously, lowering her phone. "If you do, I'll be banished back into subspace."
"…Right. My apologies, Miss Sampo." Neil corrected himself immediately. "May I ask what you're two doing?"
"I'm teaching Rozanne to play a game." Xing handed him the glowing device.
Leonard leaned closer too, intrigued by the mysterious object that gave off light.
Just then, Stelle's gaze drifted past Neil—meeting the eye.
A single, unblinking, lashless eye.
Stelle blinked.The eye blinked back.
Then the eye shifted toward the phone screen.For the first time, something like life seemed to flicker within its empty gaze.
-------------------------------------------------------------
That night, Klein lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Sairuis had told him earlier that he would experience a lucid dream tonight.
That thought made Klein slightly anxious—which, of course, made it even harder for him to fall asleep.
He took a deep breath and used meditation to calm his mind.
Gradually, his consciousness began to sink… deeper and deeper… until finally, sleep took him.
In the haze, he felt his awareness arrive somewhere—a dim, gray room.
The next instant, he awoke within the dream.
And floating before him were a few large words:
Simulated Universe.
(End of Chapter)