Serana was strolling through the university campus.
Unlike the previous times when someone led her to classes, now she was unsupervised, allowing her to leisurely roam.
This suited her perfectly; she casually placed the deer head in the dormitory, then slipped out of the campus gate and ran into shops to eat, drink, and have fun.
She envied Simon's memories; people were so peaceful they were almost foolish, with no deadly sources like beasts, necromancers, or magic, and war was far from them, replaced by safety and enjoyment.
She didn't understand what people were saying, but she could guess and observe.
Some were well-dressed but not entirely happy, some had missing limbs but their eyes still held strength, some were eager and greedy, some were irritable and numb, some were consistent, and some harbored ulterior motives.
What she found most peculiar was the religion here.
She had visited magnificent temples, seen the talismans people carried, and watched monks walk across the land.
But none of these were religion.
The mysterious religion was dead.
Serana really wanted to know, how do people survive without faith?
However, after observing for a while longer, she realized that religion still existed, just in a different form.
The people here believed in wealth and technology.
With this discovery, Serana breathed a sigh of relief.
That's good; how can people live without faith?
Wherever there is thought, there will be faith, there will be religion.
Those without faith are either madmen or true gods.
Now it seemed this world was not mad, just cleverly subtle.
University life passed quickly, so quickly that Serana felt regret.
One day, returning from a hearty meal, she found the dormitory empty.
There were no loud shouts from roommates, no mountains of trash, no foul smells, nothing at all.
The beds were just bare wooden planks, so clean it was as if no one had ever lived there.
In the evening, the twilight streamed in through the glass window, and the dim orange reflection on the concrete floor couldn't illuminate the surrounding shadows.
Serana took the deer head from the bed, put it in her backpack, and left, not forgetting to close the door behind her.
Walking through the city streets, she didn't know where to go.
As night approached, she had no place to stay.
She had intended to find a hotel for the night, as usual, but this time, the doorman stopped her, not allowing her to enter.
Perhaps it was because she was carrying the deer head that she was no longer an invisible person.
Serana eventually spent the night in an internet cafe.
She didn't use a computer; she just sat in a reclining chair and slept for a while.
When she woke up, her backpack was gone, and the deer head was tossed on the ground, stained with a puddle of dirt.
Serana was furious, but her sharp inquiries received no response from anyone.
It was at this moment, this very second, that she understood.
She was indeed acting according to Simon's memories, unable to change anything, like a train on a track.
It seemed there were countless tracks, but only one truly allowed her to run.
This realization truly terrified Serana.
She thought she had used Wabbajack to alter Simon's experiences, believing everything she did was to amplify the unreality of the dream, so that Simon would wake up on his own.
But that wasn't the case.
She turned to look at Wabbajack.
The staff was tucked behind her back, like a ghost, untouched by any physical object.
Even if Serana abandoned it somewhere, it would automatically reappear behind her a little later, placing its heavy pressure on her spine and opening its mouth in silent laughter.
So, Wabbajack was not a real object; it was a power, and also a burden.
Serana drew Wabbajack and abruptly unleashed magic towards the sky.
A crimson ball of light struck the clouds, dyeing the entire firmament blood-red.
The sunlight transformed into rays, like mineral crystal branches, beautiful as glazed coral.
Objects struck by it changed form: buildings became trees, people became animals, cities became nature, and nature became an abyss.
The deer head, in the red light, extended a dark yellow tongue and licked Serana's palm.
Seeing such a crazy sight, she became much happier.
She even hoped it would become crazier, more desperate, so that Simon might be startled awake.
However, this astonishing scene was gradually fading.
Serana repeatedly used Wabbajack to change the celestial phenomena, but it was all in vain.
Everything around her returned to its original state, even the deer head retracted its tongue, becoming dull once more.
She squatted by the roadside, panting.
A car stopped beside her.
Serana looked up.
In the driver's seat was a young girl.
She frowned, looked at the deer head on the ground, and asked, "Why are you sitting here?"
Serana picked up the deer head and stood in front of the girl.
She recognized her.
This girl would carry the deer head and wander around the campus and city.
The rear car door suddenly opened.
Serana paused, realizing she should get in the car instead of confronting the girl who couldn't see her.
They sped along, and when the car finally stopped, they were back at the old house in the suburbs.
Serana and the girl got out of the car together.
A man and a Woman were looking out for them at the door.
Serana was astonished.
The man had returned, and the couple had actually reconciled after so many years.
So, Serana had never truly understood marriage.
The girl bowed to the Woman and the man, and handed over a gift.
Both sides smiled.
This was an informal meeting where a prospective daughter-in-law met her in-laws.
Realizing that this girl might become Simon's wife, Serana was very unhappy.
She clutched the deer head tightly, afraid it would fly into the girl's arms.
Time flowed rapidly after this moment.
Serana seemed to stand outside a screen, witnessing Simon's love fade little by little.
It wasn't that anyone had changed their mind, but rather that both had their tempers and passion worn away by life.
Ultimately, reality defeats love.
Serana held the deer head, standing in a snow-swept train station.
She had never been here before, but there was a familiar feeling.
A train had once carried her to the university; that was a farewell.
Now, it was another farewell, Simon and Xu Yuanqi.
Serana felt a pang of sadness for the two of them.
They were actually quite suitable for each other, but both were fickle and stubbornly resilient people.
This was very much like Simon's parents; they both lacked patience with everything familiar.
The closer something was to oneself, the more fleeting it became.
Nothing is fated, not even parting lovers, if only one is willing to hold on.
Serana watched the girl walk into the crowd without looking back.
The deer head remained cold and lifeless.
The memory was coming to an end.
Sheogorath's voice came, "Look what I found.
What you are experiencing is a memory even he himself has forgotten.
Isn't it incredible?" He said, not knowing if he was referring to Simon's incredible memory or boasting about himself.
Serana watched the surrounding white world gradually dim.
She grew anxious, rushed over, and shouted at the girl, "Come back!"
But her words were like a stone sinking into the sea; no one paid attention.
"You can't change anything.
You are just a ghost in this memory.
All your actions will be corrected to the predetermined track.
When your train reaches its destination, that's the end.
This game, I win."
"No, not yet!"
Serana's face was tense.
She scooped out the trachea, pharynx, flesh, and other matter from the neck of the deer head specimen, then put the empty shell over her own head.
Sheogorath laughed heartily, "Useless! What are you thinking?! Do you think wearing this thing will turn you into that person?"
Serana's voice came from under the headpiece, muffled, "Just like this, of course, it's useless, but I can still do this!"
She raised Wabbajack high, and a red ball of light struck the sky, like a firework.
In the splendid crimson world, the train station was a large ball of grass, Xu Yuanqi was a beautiful doe, and Serana placed her limbs on the ground, stretching the deer head forward, imitating an animal's posture, and letting out a 'yo-yo' cry.
"Oh—! You found it!" Sheogorath was both surprised and happy.
For the first time, the surrounding animals heard the voice of Serana, the outsider.
The doe was about to walk onto the green centipede, but hearing the mournful deer cry, she suddenly turned around and trotted to the stag's side.
Her eyes full of affection.
They rubbed their cheeks together.
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