Chapter 329: The Choice
Sigurd presented the so-called "omnipotent wish-granter" to Zhuge Kongming—a temptation no ordinary person could ever refuse.
And yet, faced with that overwhelming allure, Zhuge Kongming merely knelt, lowering her head to the ground with the utmost sincerity.
"Your Majesty, I beg you—save Emberya Empire. No— save the billions of lives in this world! Zhuge Kongming desires nothing else. From this day forth, should Your Majesty require it, I shall give everything—no matter how many times I must die, I shall not regret it!"
Sigurd raised an eyebrow.
"Tch. Don't kneel so easily. I never asked you to. Unfortunately, even as a prototype, this core is far from perfect. It was meant to reconnect with the branches of the Imaginary Tree and draw in the fundamental components necessary for survival. But this one… this one's become a reality-warping wish machine."
He shook the orb slightly, as if in mild disdain.
"It may seem miraculous, but that's a sign of its deviation from its original design. This is a defective product. The previous civilization probably didn't have the time—or the means—to correct it."
"Then, Your Majesty…" Zhuge Kongming hesitated.
"Luckily for you," Sigurd continued, "our world also has a Durandal. Never mind her connection to your new Empress. The point is, she once successfully fused with a world core and helped her bubble world link to a branch of the Imaginary Tree. We conducted extensive experiments on that process—some of which I designed myself. Simply put… I can complete your prototype."
"Then I beg Your Majesty to grant us this mercy!" Zhuge Kongming exhaled a quiet sigh of relief.
Sigurd raised the orb and sighed, a note of gravity entering his voice.
"It's not that simple."
"Do you need rare materials? Or some specific condition? Please speak openly. The empire will give its all to support you."
"Refining the core will require changes to this world, and of course your support will be essential. But that's not the issue I'm referring to."
"Then… what is the issue?"
Sigurd's gaze sharpened.
"Once the prototype is complete, it will still need a conduit—a link between this world bubble and the Imaginary Tree. That link can only be formed through a visitor like us, from a leaf world. So you have two options: me… or Fu Hua."
He glanced at both Fu Hua and Senti.
"…Though technically, these two are the same person. They're both Fu Hua. So really, it's just one choice."
Fu Hua smiled softly and turned to look at Senti. That answer had touched something deep in her heart.
Senti, meanwhile, placed her hands on her hips and puffed up her chest in pride.
"Darn right! I am Fu Hua! Just as much as that Old Timer over there! There's no simpler or clearer truth in the world!"
Zhuge Kongming had stood once again, brows furrowed, absorbing Sigurd's explanation piece by piece.
Sigurd went on:
"The results are the same either way. The world bubble, via the life of a leaf world individual, will gain a faint—but stable—connection to the Imaginary Tree. It'll be fragile, infinitely weaker than the branches themselves, but enough to stop this world from dissolving in the Sea of Quanta. Enough for it to exist."
"However, the cost… is permanence. The world core and the host individual will fuse irreversibly. From that moment on, the world's existence will be tied to that person."
"If they live, the world survives. If they die—the world collapses."
Zhuge Kongming's pupils contracted. After a long pause, she asked the most critical question:
"…Your Majesty, surely your lifespans are not as short as mere centuries?"
Sigurd smiled faintly.
"Very sharp. You've zeroed in on a key point. But lifespan isn't something you need to worry about. Once fused with a core, the individual becomes more than just a person—they become what we call a World Anchor. Biological aging no longer applies."
"And even if it did, I've already developed methods to bypass such limits. No—the real problem is this: in our own world, a decisive war is looming. A battle that will determine whether our leaf world survives or falls—a war against the full force of the Honkai."
"No one can guarantee we'll live through it. And if we die, or if our world falls off the Tree... even if the Anchor survives, the link to your world will be severed. Your bubble world will be lost just the same."
Silence fell like a curtain.
Not just Kongming—but even Fu Hua and Senti had grown quiet, the weight of his words pressing down on them like lead.
To save a world... was never something one could do just by saying it.
To actually do it—was to confront the cruelty of fate, again and again.
Sigurd cradled the glowing orb in one hand, slowly fanning himself with the other as he leaned slightly forward. His eyes met Zhuge Kongming's, and his voice turned solemn, almost paternal.
"Before you are two choices."
"The first—forget everything you've learned and return to a normal life. As I said earlier, chances are, this world bubble still has thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of years left. Enough for you to grow old and die without regrets."
"The second—wager the entire world bubble on a single gamble. Bet that the Anchor you choose survives a battle beyond your imagination. If they fall, you fall with them."
"And even if you win that bet, it might not change anything. Only if our civilization wins its war, only if our leaf world remains part of the Imaginary Tree, will your wager bear fruit—in a future so distant, you likely won't live to see it."
"Durandal from our world chose to fuse with a world bubble because hers was already on the brink of collapse. For her, and for that world, there was no other option."
"Your world is different. You still have a choice. So… you must think it over—truly think it over—before you give me your answer. For now, return."
With a wave of Sigurd's feather fan, a soft force swept Zhuge Kongming off her feet. A spatial rift opened behind her, its darkness blooming like a silent vortex.
"Wait—Your Majesty, please, I—"
Her panicked plea was cut off as she vanished into the rift, cast out of the deep-sea altar.
Silence returned to the chamber, heavy and unmoving.
Senti, sensing the tension, didn't dare to be her usual loud self. Instead, she plopped down on the floor with an exaggerated sigh, resting her chin in her hands, and glanced around at Sigurd and Fu Hua, both now lost in thought.
Eventually—
"Sigh…"
Fu Hua let out a deep, weary breath, her face tinged with sorrow.
"So this… is why you didn't choose to save this world in the first place, isn't it?" she said quietly.
"Rather than placing it on the betting table and letting it face the same dangers as ours… letting it drift might give it more time. That reasoning… is sound."
"I'm sorry. I was selfish. I didn't know anything, yet still burdened you with my own impulses."
She gave a bitter smile.
Sigurd said nothing at first. He simply lifted the orb again, letting it dissolve back into the altar's complex structure.
Glowing specks of light floated outwards, brushing past his tall silhouette in the dim glow of the abyssal sanctum. The dreamlike sight stirred something within Fu Hua—something soft and wordless, briefly piercing her sorrow.
Then, Sigurd stepped toward her. Without warning, he gently tapped her head with his fan.
"No more of that sentimental stuff. It doesn't suit you."
"I was just trying to win your favor. So—did it work?"
"…It worked." Fu Hua smiled softly, raising a finger to nudge the fan above her head.
She looked up at him, her expression blooming like a pale orchid suddenly releasing its fragrance—calm, radiant, and captivating.
Sigurd's lips curled slightly into a small smile. With his hands behind his back, he turned his gaze upward toward the deep-blue ocean ceiling above.
"Good. Then remember to repay me. Work hard when we get back."
"Now, all we can do is wait for their decision. This is their world. How they argue, how they choose—it's no longer up to us."
Fu Hua looked at him, her voice filled with calm recognition.
"You're right. You're always right, Sigurd."
"Not necessarily," Sigurd replied with a chuckle.
"I once told Kiana that I'm a selfish man. And it's true. If you hadn't spoken up, I probably would've decided this world's fate on my own. Maybe this way is better. At least… we've given them the choice they deserve."
Fu Hua laughed lightly.
"What a coincidence. I've been selfish today too. I guess we're even now—kindred spirits in foolishness?"
Side by side, they turned their eyes to the dreamlike ocean view above, standing close in shared serenity.
Only Senti, still sitting on the floor, watched the scene unfold with increasing confusion.
She crossed her arms, tilted her head, and squinted suspiciously.
"???"
Wait… What's going on here?
Why are they suddenly standing so close?
Why does she suddenly feel… kind of unnecessary?
<+>
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