The past and the present.
Life and death.
In just a few short minutes, the story pushed all of this to the extreme.
Within visuals that felt like pencil drawings, Castorice lived out her ordinary, unremarkable life.
Some people are born yearning for greatness, longing to stand above others.
But some people pursue an ordinary life just the same. When that "little sister" who had once invited Castorice decades ago passed away… All feelings and emotions turned into the stillness of death.
Another tombstone was added to the cemetery. Beneath it lay an unknown purple flower.
Castorice stood quietly in front of it. After a moment, she slowly stepped closer to the grave.
As if reminiscing, as if lost, she finally voiced the question she had never dared to ask:
"Can hands like these... really be warm?"
No one answered. The cemetery was silent.
And yet, somehow, it felt as if the one who had passed away had already given a gentle, heartwarming reply.
Castorice let out a breath. Her exhale condensed into mist in the air.
Before she knew it, the weather had grown colder. Snowflakes began to drift again, gradually covering the cemetery in a layer of silver-white.
She turned and left, without looking back.
Not long after… A small deer, from somewhere unknown, lightly stepped into the cemetery through the snow.
It hopped about, but then stopped in front of that peculiar tombstone draped in a cloak, glancing around curiously.
It is said that deer are spiritual creatures. Perhaps it sensed something… As for what it sensed, only the deer knew.
The snowfall gradually weakened.
The little deer set off on its journey once more. For it, the strongest feeling at this moment was, it was nearly spring.
...
When the camera froze on the deer's eyes, the dazed audience finally came back to their senses.
Most of them, just like Castorice, let out a long breath.
After the shock, the bitterness, the emotion, and the lingering aftertaste, only then did they have the mental space to savor that wonderful sequence.
Thinking about it carefully, those few scenes just now were almost too simple.
There were no flashy techniques or overwhelming special effects. It was just the life and growth of a girl from childhood to adulthood.
Objectively speaking, considering Castorice's weight as a character and her past, these few minutes were actually a bit too short.
And yet, MiHoYo still managed to make it deeply moving.
Born with a gentle disposition, forced to become an executioner, the struggle, from pain, to numbness, to rebirth, everything was portrayed perfectly, no more, no less.
Not to mention the ultimate sense of texture in the storytelling.
The old deer and the young deer.
The younger sister and the older sister.
And even that unanswered invitation in childhood, which echoed at the end, completed through death.
All of these techniques were obvious enough that even the dullest viewer could see their cleverness.
But what more could one ask for? It was already enough.
With five parts technique, MiHoYo delivered ten parts impact. To the point that even now, the audience still hadn't come out of it.
...
: The sorrow and the beauty… I really can't take it anymore.
: The calmer it is, the more flavor it has. MiHoYo is getting better and better.
: Every single segment, taken alone, is full of sadness. Even that final colored scene makes your nose sting. But together, it feels like a complete life.
: Sob sob, I'm going to savor this hard.
: They're way too good at this kind of thing.
: MiHoYo really used all their tricks on us.
: And that earlier part, I still can't figure out how they came up with that!!
: That final imagery was absolutely beautiful!
: Not enough, it's just not enough!
: This segment was a surprise among surprises!
...
After the discussion, Castorice as a character had completely come alive in their hearts.
That gentleness and kindness, that cherishing of life, deeply moved the audience.
So much so that it even diluted their original expectations about her, regarding the secrets of Thanatos.
Whether it was the Death Titan or her shocking past, the audience no longer cared as much.
No matter what, they just didn't want Castorice to keep living like this anymore.
Back on screen, after Castorice's past faded away.
In the garden of the Marmoreal Palace, Castorice looked seriously at Stelle and said:
"On the day that Oronyx's Trial ended, you must have had many questions, Stelle."
"I felt just as confused. Why, as someone from beyond the sky, were you so cruelly dragged into Amphoreus's fate?"
"...I wished I could take action, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot simply interact with the living as ordinary people do."
"Even when we brushed against each other unintentionally in the Grove... and it was obvious that nothing had happened..."
At this point, Castorice couldn't continue.
Because back then, she thought her touch, her curse, that it would no longer bring sorrow.
But in reality, it was simply because the dead cannot die a second time.
Fate was still just as cruel.
But unlike before, Castorice knew that this time, the outcome might still not change. Yet she was unwilling to accept it.
Now, this was her final chance.
And after watching that story, the audience could fully understand her feelings.
It wasn't just about saving Stelle, special as she was. It was also because Castorice was, in the end, one of the Chrysos Heir.
Just like Mydei and Tribios. In the end… she too had to face her past, her fears.
"No need to be so heavy about it." Stelle was quite open-minded.
On her face, usually known for its sharp wit and mischief, there appeared a rare seriousness: "Honestly, aside from being surprised at the beginning, I didn't really think much of it afterward."
"It may sound funny, but this confidence of mine isn't because I'm special, well, I am special…"
"Ahem, what I mean is, it's because of my companions. Just like you have people you can rely on, I-"
"I think that if it ever really reaches a point where things can't be salvaged, where no matter what I do I'm powerless, they still wouldn't abandon me."
At this point, Stelle looked a little embarrassed. After all, the way that sounded made it feel oddly awkward.
So she quickly added, "Of course, I'll also do my best to struggle a little."
That bit of optimism diluted the sadness in Castorice's heart.
Although Stelle often spoke in an offbeat way, within those words, one could still glimpse the resolve and trust of someone facing everything together.
With companions like that, people you could entrust your life to, perhaps Stelle's optimism came from there.
It really made one feel happy.
Castorice felt a bit more uplifted. She stopped dwelling on those painful thoughts and instead said,
"Long ago, Trinnon read a prophecy to me: "At the end of the sea of flowers, the souls of the living shall warm thy fingertips, and after an embrace... there shall be eternal separation.""
"I found no surprise in it, for her words sounded not like a foretelling, but a perfect reflection of my past."
"Embraces in this world are born of reunions, yet my touch speaks only of farewells. In that moment, I had no doubt that this destiny would weave itself through the entirety of my life..."
"And yet things have taken a turn for the better: Now that I can finally have an audience with Thanatos, perhaps I can rewrite the meaning of that fated prophecy."
"I have no reason not to give it my all..."
"But, Let's put that aside for the moment. We've arrived."
"I want to retrieve a small gift I specially prepared for you. I made it myself, like the trinket I gave Lady Trianne... I want to leave something for everyone, if possible."
Hearing this, Stelle had no reason to refuse. In fact, she was a little expectant.
Under Stelle's eager gaze, Castorice smiled faintly and turned to look at the wooden table beside her.
The gift had long been prepared and placed there.
But when her eyes swept over the tabletop, completely empty, Castorice froze.
"Look, it's right there-"
"...Huh?"
"Where... did it go?"
Castorice grew flustered, hurriedly searching around. She didn't find the gift, but instead found a stone tablet and a gleaming coin.
"The coin of Zagreus, and a slate..."
"So it's her."
Castorice held her forehead with a slight headache.
"Who?" Stelle was completely confused.
"It's Lady Cipher, the demigod of Zagreus whom Lady Aglaea had spoken of. She's a master thief who's left legendary tales all over Amphoreus."
After explaining, Castorice let out a somewhat exhausted sigh. "So many years have passed, yet she's still announcing herself in such a... "crass" manner."
Outside the screen, the audience, upon hearing this introduction, quickly became excited.
That elusive demigod, who was teased from the beginning, was finally about to show herself!
....
: This demigod has quite an interesting personality.
: A phantom thief, huh!
: Stealing Castorice's gift before even meeting them? That's pretty bad!
: Interesting, probably a very lively companion.
: Just in time to lighten the current gloomy atmosphere...
: But stealing right off the bat, lively, sure, but definitely pretty nasty!
....
As the comments flooded past, the audience clearly hadn't realized just how troublesome this demigod truly was.
She didn't show herself immediately.
Instead, using the coin and stone tablet as bait, she set up riddles, leading Stelle and Castorice all over the place, running to the feet of a dromas one moment, then climbing up rooftops the next.
And every time they thought they were about to catch her, what they found was either a scapegoat or another stone tablet filled with mocking words.
Only after Stelle and Castorice climbed onto the roof for the third time because of the stone tablet did everyone finally get to see this troublesome demigod.
"Over here, over here! ...No, not that way. This way~" An extremely lively female voice rang out from off-screen.
The camera turned and revealed the demigod's true appearance.
She had a slender, graceful figure, dressed in a tight thief's outfit, with a hood over her head. Two fluffy cat ears poked out from openings in the hood, gently swaying atop her head.
Beneath those ears, a pair of large eyes looked at Stelle and Castorice with cunning mischief. Behind her, a cat tail swayed restlessly, as if she were constantly brewing some quirky new idea.
The audience's first impression of Cipher was, without a doubt, beauty.
Whether it was her attire or her appearance, everything about her gave off a lively, agile charm.
And beneath it all, an ever-present slyness.
....
: Eh… so, so cute!
: A cat! It's a cat!!
: The demigod of Zagreus is… a catgirl?!
: Damn, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, it really is a catgirl!
: This place, Amphoros… it really has everything. Even catgirls. But I like it!
: Now I have a reason I absolutely can't drop Amphoros.
: Ahhhh! She even has fangs! Oh my god!
: She's so pretty!!
: Cute kitty!
: Such a unique demigod, this is exciting!
: But a cat that steals things is a bad cat!
....
Cipher's appearance instantly drew everyone's attention. A lively and adorable catgirl, how could anyone not love her?
On screen, Cipher looked at the stunned, shocked Stelle and grinned.
"Relax! No need to get your hackles up. I'm not that scary, am I? Meow!"
Stelle became even more confused.
"Kid? Meow?"
Stelle's reaction greatly amused Cipher, who nodded in satisfaction.
Whoa! That upset? Calm down. I'm just putting on a show with the meowing. Some people might have been into that a millennium ago, but it's long since gone out of style."
While Cipher teased Stelle, Castorice spoke seriously, "Give me the jewelry piece first... or everything's off the table."
"Nope."
The smile never left Cipher's face as she refused cleanly, then continued:
"Now that we've broken the ice, let's get to the point - Everything I've said so far has been a joke. I'm inviting you two here for three things:"
"One, the seamstress found me and wants me to take you to Styxia to look for the Death Titan."
"Two... Ha, the Council of Elders also found me and wants me to make sure the Coreflame of Thanatos ends up in their hands."
Though her tone was light, everyone could hear the weight behind her words. This demigod, though cute, was not someone to be taken lightly.
But immediately after, Cipher spoke seriously:
"And last, but not least... I'm telling you that I'm not interested in doing either of those things."
"Don't go look for the Death Titan. The end."
Whether it was Castorice or Stelle, none of them had expected things to take this turn.
The trickster demigod, upon whom everyone had pinned their hopes, was already trying to back out?
And it didn't seem like a joke, either. Because Cipher had already started trying to persuade them.
"Aglaea offered her treasures to hire me, but I made a bet with her, I said I could make you give up on this idea."
"I want to win. So I hope you two can give up on going to Styxia. I'll give all the treasures in that room to you, and you can split it between yourselves however you want."
The audience's serious expressions turned into a mix of laughter and helplessness at this flippant persuasion.
They had overestimated things. This trickster demigod really was completely unpredictable.
It was impossible to tell whether she was serious or joking.
But Stelle, acting as the audience's voice, bluntly expressed her thoughts:
"I'm almost dead. What use do I have for money?"