As Phainon turned and walked away, a bell suddenly began to toll.
It was the bell mourning Aglaea.
After the stirring and inspiring speech had ended, the people of Okhema standing here also lowered their heads in a daze, sincerely seeing Goldweaver off on her final journey.
Yet at this moment, Phainon heard more than just the bell.
He also heard a melody he had once heard when he first came to Okhema as a child.
Perhaps Aglaea's death had deeply stirred his memories. At this moment, the tolling bell and the humming melody intertwined within his mind.
As if in a dream, he seemed to see those Chrysos Heirs who had already left him, standing by his side and watching him.
"That singing sounds so familiar!"
It was Trianne's voice, lively as ever.
"That's our song, and Snowy used to love it!"
Phainon remembered, this was the rhyme Trianne and the others had hummed when he first arrived in Okhema, anxious and uneasy.
It was said to have been passed down from the Temple of the Three Fates.
"Yes, Lady Trianne. For that child filled with anxiety..."
"...your songs always dispelled the clouds in my heart, even if just for a moment."
Phainon said silently in his heart.
"Hehe... Snowy was so cute and kind when he was little!"
"Now... hmm, you've grown so much. Maybe not as cute but still just as kind! But your light is as bright as ever. Keep it up and stay strong!"
Trianne said happily,
"See you, Snowy."
"Goodbye, Lady Trianne."
After Trianne's voice faded away, Anaxa's voice followed.
"I heard what you said. Are you suggesting the debate tactics I've taught you are nothing but sleight of hand?"
"Not at all, Professor Anaxa. Honestly, without those techniques you taught me, the Flame-Chase Journey might not have survived."
"Hmph... Good thing your head's still clear. The Chrysos Heir of Kephale... I had no idea you had it in you while I was drilling those formulas into your head in class."
"Who could have thought, Professor? By the way, I've completely forgotten those formulas now."
Anaxa's silhouette also vanished from Phainon's mind.
Then came Castorice. Castorice's voice, who was effectively dead to those living in reality, echoed softly within his mind.
"...Miss Castorice? Aren't you going to say something?"
"Lord Phainon, you... have always been so approachable."
"FEver since we first met, you've seen me as a friend... It was the first time I understood what everyday friendship was like."
Castorice's gentle voice sounded.
"To me, that's only natural." Phainon replied matter-of-factly.
"Laughing and chatting with you, I sometimes forget who I am... and for someone with my kind of power, that's a real hazard." Castorice said.
"Ah... I hadn't thought of it that way. Sorry, I forgot to consider your perspective."
Phainon finally understood.
"Please, no apologies... Despite everything, thinking back on the times we spent together makes me really happy."
"I hope that in the new world, we can meet again at the end of the sea of flowers."
"Goodbye, Phainon."
Castorice's voice and the phantom Phainon saw disappeared at the same time.
"Goodbye, Castorice." Phainon bid his farewell.
These voices, perhaps they were merely illusions Phainon saw at this moment.
Perhaps they were farewells woven from the memories of his companions that remained in his mind.
Or perhaps it was simply MiHoYo, using this dreamlike scene to bid farewell to the Chrysos Heirs.
But whether they were real or not was no longer important. Because through these farewells, whose truth and falsehood could no longer be distinguished...
The audience finally understood the meaning of that heavy prophecy. Many shall part from one, and only that one shall witness the miracle...
...
: Sigh, only now does it really hit me that the companions have been disappearing one by one...
: Many shall part from one... the truth of the prophecy is so heavy.
: These farewells really show what a warm-hearted person Little Bai is.
: In the end, he's the one who has to bear everything.
: Who could've guessed back in Episode 1 that the story would become this...
: I really thought it was going to be a classic hot-blooded hero story...
: I hope all these sacrifices lead to a perfect ending.
: MiHoYo, please have mercy!!
....
The comments streamed by. The tolling bell in Phainon's mind also grew fainter and fainter.
And the final person was Aglaea.
"Remember, Phainon... after completing the Flame-Chase, leave the decision to initiate the Miracle of Genesis to the Amphoreans."
"The Chrysos Heirs are the executors of the prophecy, yet they, the people are the true masters of this world."
Phainon responded in his heart,
"Rest assured. I always keep your teachings in mind."
After he spoke, the voice disappeared for a brief moment.
Because in Phainon's own imagination, Aglaea was never a fragile person.
But at this moment, more than anything, he wished he could hear words straight from Aglaea's heart, free of all restraint.
And sure enough, the moment he thought that, Aglaea's voice sounded once more within his mind.
This time, it felt far more human.
"Even in your imagination... I'm not one to show my vulnerable side."
Hearing that, Phainon let out a bitter smile.
Sure enough, even in his imagination, he could not picture what Aglaea had been like a thousand years ago, when she was still full of humanity.
But this was enough.
"Thank you for bringing me here, Aglaea... You saved me."
Phainon spoke sincerely to the Aglaea of his imagination.
"Heh... maybe what I wanted to save wasn't you, child... but this crumbling world."
"Goodbye, Phainon."
Aglaea also vanished from his mind.
Only then did Phainon suddenly realize that he seemed to have forgotten one person.
Mydei.
And the moment that thought crossed his mind, Mydei's voice exploded inside his head.
"Hmph... Did you forget me?"
After hearing that voice, the heaviness on Phainon's face lightened considerably.
"Ha, forget you? Like I'd ever."
"We aren't parting ways forever. You're just off to guard the gates at Castrum Kremnos. Let's not make this a tearful farewell."
The Mydei in his mind let out a cold laugh.
"Heh... you know just how to make a person uncomfortable."
"I have a feeling we'll meet again in this lifetime. Let's have another showdown then, "Deliverer.""
"See you around, Phainon of Aedes Elysiae." Mydei's words were as decisive as the man himself.
"It's a date, Mydeimos." Phainon answered firmly in his heart.
Only after every one of them had said their farewells within his mind, did Phainon finally raise his head once more.
The world before his eyes returned to reality. The sky above Okhema remained as blue as ever.
Only when they reached this point did the audience fully understand this part of the story.
These were illusions. They were the companions that existed in Phainon's heart.
Just as people sometimes imagine themselves together with their friends, Phainon was doing the same at this moment.
Some people imagine being with their companions for happiness. Phainon, however, longed for strength, and for a chance to make up for his regrets.
In his imagination, every one of the Chrysos Heirs placed great hopes upon him. And he responded to each of them in turn.
Without a doubt, this was him using his companions' words to encourage himself.
More importantly... Through his imagination, he finally said all the things he had never managed to say directly to those people.
His response to Trianne and Anaxa. His gratitude toward Aglaea.
These were all words he had never been able to speak in reality.
They were the sincerest feelings in his heart.
Interestingly enough... Because Mydei had not truly left this world, he was the last one to appear in Phainon's imagination.
...
: I'm losing my mind, why did they make this part so detailed... Waaaah.
: These details make Phainon feel even more human.
: No matter how strong someone is, deep down they still need this kind of encouragement.
: Phainon's feelings toward his companions are genuinely pure! Who wouldn't want a partner like Phainon?!
: MIHOYO, you owe me a Phainon!
: Poor Phainon... the gratitude and feelings he truly wanted to express will never have a chance to be spoken now.
: It's such a shame... I'm left feeling so empty after watching this.
: Using imaginary conversations like this to portray a character's inner world... is this really the same MiHoYo we know?!
...
Just as the viewers were immersed in Phainon's delicate emotional world, a patch of pink suddenly reflected across the sky in his eyes.
"...What a poignant, yet splendid journey."
"And it's still not over yet... is it?"
A playful voice sounded beside Phainon's ear.
"Right, Cyrene." Phainon replied softly in his heart.
"I was right. In the end, you did become the Deliverer in this story."
Cyrene said with a grin.
"A lot has changed while you were away. I've met so many people and tried so many things. I've found new resolve... and let go of some attachments."
"I'm not the same person I used to be."
There was hesitation in Phainon's voice, because even now, he wasn't sure whether those changes were good things.
Compared to his conversations with the companions in his mind earlier, this exchange touched his heart far more deeply.
It was as if, beneath this pink voice, he had finally laid down every mask and revealed his true self.
"Hee..."
"As far as I'm concerned~"
"You've never changed at all, Phainon."
Cyrene said playfully.
Hearing those words, Phainon gave a bitter smile.
He still lacked confidence. He still couldn't judge whether he was truly the same as before, nor whether these so-called changes had really changed him.
But hearing Cyrene's voice in his mind eased his heart considerably.
To the audience, however, those words sounded more like ominous foreshadowing.
....
: What does that mean?
: Why suddenly start talking about change and staying true to yourself?
: Holy crap, don't tell me this is hinting at him turning black?!
: Are they implying Phainon is going to change drastically later on?
: Is this setting up a corruption arc, telling us in advance that future Phainon won't keep holding onto these ideals?
: Don't do this to me!!!
: What do you mean "just like when we first met"?! MiHoYo, explain yourself!!
: Crap, now I'm getting nervous.
: Don't do this!
...
The viewers' hearts skipped a beat. There was only one Titan left.
Yet MiHoYo still had to mess with their emotions and leave them uneasy.
Seriously, why is MiHoYo so cruel?!
But complaints were just complaints. The journey of chasing the flame would not stop.
The screen faded to black. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
In the garden of the Marmoreal Palace, Phainon was welcoming someone of immense importance to the Flame-Chase Journey.
Cipher.
Since Styxia, Cipher had not appeared again.
The audience had no idea why she could be so heartless as to not even come see Aglaea one last time.
At this moment, Cipher was leaning against a railing, observing Kephale in the distance. Her tail swayed back and forth behind her.
After watching for a while, she smiled slyly and turned around.
"...Are you really planning to just stand there forever? Honestly, sneaking around doesn't suit you, Deliverer."
As her words fell, Phainon stepped forward with a gentle smile.
"Ahaha... I never thought I could slip past your sharp ears, Miss Cipher. I just didn't think it'd be right to interrupt when you're obviously lost in thoughts."
The corner of Cipher's lips curled upward.
"Hmph. Still as charming with your words as ever, boy. Your speech at the public baths wasn't half bad, I'll admit. It managed to touch my heart just a smidge."
The audience was instantly stunned.
What?! She had been there during the events at the Marmoreal Palace?
When the bells rang... She had been there as well, bidding farewell to Aglaea!
As expected, Cipher was definitely not a bad kitty! The audience was immediately satisfied.
Meanwhile, in the scene, after exchanging a few pleasantries, the two finally got down to business.
"Enough small talk. Tell me, what kind of trouble did you run into that you need me, the super-old-timer, to step in?"
"We've only met a couple of times, but you've always gone straight to business. I respect that about you, "old-timer," so I'll cut to the chase."
"You're probably aware that Aglaea has earned the support of the entire city for the Chrysos Heirs. Everyone believes that she died at the hands of Council members who are against the Flame-Chase, and the citizens' fury has been dragging these schemers out of the shadows one by one."
"But they didn't get everybody. To this day, we still haven't found Elder Caenis — the leader of the "Cleaners.""
As Phainon finished speaking, before Cipher could even respond, the audience completely lost it.
Caenis ran away?
...
: DAMN IT!!! HOLY SHIT!!!
: Caenis is such a freaking clown! She actually ran away????
: She really booked it fast!
: LMAO, I thought she had some backbone. This is actually making me laugh.
: This piece of trash really looted everything and bailed.
: What a scummy piece of work. Calling her a clown is already giving her too much credit...