Capítulo 24: Chapter 24: The "Link" Mechanism
Yae Sakura, the shrine maiden from Shinano 500 years ago, now lives in solitude, completely alone, with no attachments.
There is indeed nothing in this world that she holds dear.
Living now is merely existing; she has no goals, no expectations, no longing for the future.
She simply follows the orders of her benefactor like a puppet, as she knows no other purpose in this strange world 500 years after her time.
Kallen.
Ye Feng thought of Kallen. However, there is no NPC version of Kallen here.
Perhaps if the "Schicksal Headquarters" map were activated, she might appear? He put that thought aside and returned to the present.
Ye Feng raised his hand and materialized a collar. The collar, of course, was just one form it could take. It could also be a chain, a gag, or something else entirely. Ye Feng endowed it with the ability to "link."
When it comes to "linking," there are many possibilities, such as linking consciousness or sharing sensory experiences. However, for this "link," Ye Feng only gave it the ability to "connect with this world."
"Sakura."
Ye Feng called out. The name made the Samsara Priestess hesitate for a moment, but she quickly lowered her head in acknowledgment.
"Yes."
"Put this on. If you can take it out with you, give one to Yuno."
"Yes, benefactor."
Yae Sakura took the collar, lifted her pink hair, and revealed her fair and graceful neck, willingly putting it on. The collar emitted a pink glow, transforming into a crimson mark resembling a twisted honeysuckle pattern, encircling her neck.
Ye Feng wanted to test if this "link" could pull someone's consciousness into this world. If it could... he thought with a sly grin.
---
This time, Kiana managed to learn about Yae Sakura from Ye Feng without getting sidetracked. To be honest, Ye Feng's sudden kindness made Kiana a bit uneasy.
"It feels like there's another scheme."
Regardless, she had gained information about Yae Sakura. Moreover, Yae Sakura was a communicative pseudo-Herrscher, which made Kiana very happy. Herrschers were seen as outcasts, enemies, disasters!
This made Mei's situation quite awkward.
As the Third Herrscher, the Herrscher of Thunder, Mei probably felt like the most out-of-place black sheep among a flock of white sheep. Feelings of shame and fear must have naturally arisen. If everyone knew, they would surely look at her coldly.
Mei could only cover her black wool with white powder, pretending to be a white sheep. But every time it rained, would the white powder wash off? Would someone shout, "She's actually a black sheep!"?
It must have been terrifying, making it impossible to find a moment's peace.
But she couldn't think of any other way. Kiana understood these feelings! That's why Kiana often stayed by Mei's side, causing her some minor trouble, so Mei wouldn't get lost in self-doubt and denial.
If a "kindred spirit" appeared, Mei would surely feel more at ease.
Kiana reported her findings about Yae Sakura to the principal. The short woman sat at her large desk, elbows resting on the surface, hands clasped under her chin, her eyes sparkling with wisdom.
"Wait a minute. You mean to say that Miss Yae Sakura's consciousness can also appear in your 'Stigmata Space'?"
"That's what Ye Feng said."
"Are you sure?"
"I haven't seen her myself, but Ye Feng said our entry times were always different."
Theresa stared at Kiana, scrutinizing her intently.
Kiana fidgeted under the gaze, squirming. "What's the matter, Aunt Theresa?"
"My dear niece, do you believe everything he says?"
"Well... although Ye Feng has a bad personality and underhanded methods, he keeps his word. He wouldn't lie to me."
"And you're sure of that?"
"Of course, I..." personally experienced it.
Kiana swallowed the last part of her sentence.
"And what?"
"Well, anyway, Aunt Theresa, just trust me."
"..."
Theresa was speechless as she looked at her silly niece. It seemed she hadn't realized the gravity of the situation.
"Kiana, if Yae Sakura's situation is indeed as Ye Feng described, then our previous assumptions might all be wrong. 'That world' might not be the Stigmata Space, nor a realm of consciousness, but something more mysterious and beyond our current understanding."
"Huh?"
Theresa flipped through some documents. They contained records of all Kiana's reports, though they were only verbal accounts, some clues could still be found.
Theresa continued, "Kiana, you once asked Ye Feng what kind of world that was, right?"
"Yes."
"If he truly doesn't lie to you, then he gave you the answer from the start."
"Answer..."
"You mentioned that he said: 'This world is somewhat like a game world. Now that you've entered, you're probably the "player," and I'm the "administrator." And besides us, everyone else here is just an NPC.'
An administrator of a game world... Can I interpret that as... a god?"
Kiana froze.
Was I... seduced by a god?
"No way!" Kiana quickly waved her hands. "How could someone like that be called a god?"
Theresa continued, "Didn't you say he left a 'honeysuckle mark' on you that appeared in reality the next day? Recently, I reviewed all the stigmata-related documents for comparison. That might not be a stigmata."
Kiana's mind buzzed, as if it were about to explode. She clutched her lower abdomen.
"Not a stigmata? Then what is it?"
Theresa turned her head, her gaze distant as she stared out the window. Her sky-blue eyes were deeper than ever, filled with astonishing wisdom.
The leader of the Far East Branch, former S-rank Valkyrie, heir to the position of Overseer, spoke softly:
"I don't know."
"..."
Kiana nearly stumbled, "Wait, Aunt Theresa, after all that buildup, and all you have to say is 'I don't know'?"
---
At Thousand Feathers Academy, Ye Feng sat in the classroom, staring intently at Yuno. Finally, a strange crimson pattern appeared on her neck. The pattern, a twisted and intertwining demonic design, encircled her neck like a collar.
"The 'link' was established!"
Ye Feng felt a surge of anticipation. He kept a close watch on the person in front of him. He wondered if this method could bring someone into this world. Ye Feng waited until Yae Sakura arrived, but there was still no response from Yuno.
"Did she fall asleep?" Ye Feng asked.
"We came after Yuno fell asleep."
Even though he could sense the presence immediately, Ye Feng still stubbornly checked the panel. Yuno was still listed as an NPC.
"Sigh, I guess I was being too optimistic."
Oh well, there are still other ways to play with the "link."
---
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