"What's going on? Why did Wendy suddenly become the Herrscher of Wind?"
Wende was completely baffled. Logically, he should have broken Wendy's tragic fate of becoming a Herrscher, but now…
Wait, that's not right!
Looking at Wendy's relaxed posture, Wende seemed to realize something.
She… she was acting perfectly normal. There were no signs of madness or chuunibyou tendencies, nor was she looking at people with contempt… well, at home, almost no one looks at things with contempt anyway.
So why had Wendy suddenly become the Herrscher of Wind? Did something go wrong with the Gem of Desire? Did Otto pull some dirty tricks again?
Could it be that after he left, Wendy's longing for him was what caused her to ascend to Herrscher status? No, no, that reason is a bit too…
Wende's first reaction upon thinking of this possibility was to refute it, but then he couldn't help but ponder it further.
It wasn't impossible. And for Wendy, the possibility was actually quite high.
To Wendy, even though he had frequently mentioned that he would be leaving, he had clearly left an indelible mark on her heart…
If that was really the case…
Then it seemed this trip to the Honkai world was unavoidable.
A certain green-clad man once said before he died that the power of love is extraordinary.
Among all human emotions, love is the only one that can transcend the dimensions of time and space and still be perceived.
And he had proven that to the world.
Although Wende didn't know what that green-clad man was thinking now, it seemed Otto wasn't causing trouble at St. Freya, nor had he added any new eyes and ears to the vicinity… hmm, because they were all old ones.
He had no desire to use his eye to look at Schicksal Headquarters right now. Even if he spied on that person, it would be useless. The world lived in his lies, and he himself was no exception. There was no point in monitoring such a person; he might even make a wrong judgment based on a few of his words. Most importantly…
Wende felt that looking at him would just ruin his own mood.
"Hmm… what should I eat today?"
While Wende was still lost in thought, Wendy had already walked into the kitchen. Looking at the refrigerator covered in notes, she began to ponder today's lunch.
She had tried every dish, and she liked them all, but…
What she made was never as delicious as what he made…
Wendy missed Wende every single day. She had even moved into his room, falling asleep to his scent every night… She had also bought a lot of in-game Wende merchandise online, like body pillows, badges, and other miscellaneous items, which she kept neatly organized. Because he had told her to clean often and keep the house neat and tidy.
One night, her longing for Wende became so intense that she couldn't help but recall the suffering she had endured for the past three years. In her grief and indignation, the Gem inside her body seemed to react. It granted her power… and tempted her…
But in the very end, another force pulled her back from the misfortune of her past. Then, she had a dream.
In the dream, Wende gently stroked her head, listened to her words, and made a firm promise to her that what happened before would never happen again…
Now, she had walked out from the shadows of her past. But where had he gone?
He said he would come back… but she was already starting to find it hard to bear the days without him…
She made tomato and egg noodles. It was the simplest dish. She didn't follow the extra steps she had written on the fridge magnet, but instead used Wende's method to make a pot of noodles. Finally, she divided it into two bowls. The two steaming bowls were placed on the dining table in the living room—one across from her, and one in front of her.
"If Wende were here, he could taste my cooking, right? I messed it up a lot at the beginning, but now… I've probably caught up to him, haven't I?"
Wendy murmured softly, her hands tightening around her chopsticks. But she still broke apart the disposable pair and began to eat her noodles in small bites.
If she used disposable chopsticks, she wouldn't have to wash them… Wouldn't it be great if she didn't have to wash the bowls either?
As she ate, tears unknowingly welled up in her eyes. Today, she really, really missed him…
Wende just watched quietly as Wendy finished her noodles, bite by bite, and then ate the bowl she had placed in his spot until it was spotless.
At this moment, Wende's heart ached with a sour pang. He really… he didn't know what to say. Wendy…
"It seems, if possible, I have to bring Wendy back with me… I wonder if she'd be willing?"
Getting up from the bed again, Wende went straight to the Archives. To Dan Heng's confused expression, he began to discuss the various precautions for their upcoming trip to the "anomaly point." He had to find Wendy as soon as possible, at the very least to stop her from being so sad and heartbroken. He wouldn't leave without a word this time, or perhaps…
Did they need to clear out another bedroom on the train?
He hoped Stelle and March 7th would get along with Wendy. Oh, right, he would also have to tell Wendy about some of the train's rules… Would his sudden return be too abrupt? Maybe he should prepare some gifts for her?
Yes! Gifts. There was still some time. Maybe he should take a stroll around the Luofu and buy something that would make Wendy happy. So, what should he buy?
At that moment, Wende was like a father away on a business trip, excitedly plotting how to return home and give his daughter a grand surprise. But this was indeed a problem that required serious thought…
"Forget it, I'll just go to the Xianzhou and look around myself. There's still some time left. I should be able to find a gift for Wendy, right?"
Wende stroked his chin thoughtfully and patted the nearby Dan Heng on the shoulder, leaving the Archives while the latter wore a completely bewildered expression.
Somehow… Wende was acting a little strange today.
Dan Heng shook his head. It would probably be better to give the analysis results to Pom-Pom. After all, they were the one driving…
Although Pom-Pom was an "old pro," this trip required them to operate off the star rails. The more detailed the route planning, the better.
"Mm… this should do."
---o---
"Hey! March! Look! Isn't that Wende?"
Stelle, who was wandering around the Central Starskiff Haven, suddenly stopped in her tracks. She grabbed March 7th and pointed towards a distant figure in a shop who seemed to be picking something out.
"Huh? It really is him! But didn't Wende say he wasn't coming out? Why is he suddenly shopping in the Central Starskiff Haven?"