Facing One's Inner Self

Where's your face?! Where's your face?!

Fortunately, the only thing that made Liu Bai feel relieved was that Gretel didn't make the same gesture as Pardo, which involved lightly grasping her breasts... Indeed, this girl is the real good girl.

"Ahem..." Sakura, realizing the problem, showed an apologetic expression.

There's not much that can be done about it—there are only a few scenes where you can find Liu Bai, and this is the place with the highest probability of finding him.

Aponia gave Gretel a kind and warm smile.

"These topics are not really suitable to discuss here, Miss Sakura. Would you please show me around the rest of the Moth Chasers to Fire?"

Aponia has realized that whenever there are two or more adult women present with her Lord God, the conversation easily veers off-topic, and often into more adult-related topics.

Both Mobius and Sakura displayed a simple, direct, and unpretentious love.

They were practically like a harmonious old married couple... Hmm, wait, is that why Miss Sakura sometimes gives me that strange look?

—Aponia realized another layer of essence.

This way of getting along... is really quite novel.

However... indeed, I am now feeling a certain sense of disharmony in communication.

"Do you need me to stay with you?" Liu Bai asked considerately, looking at the holy nun who had lowered her eyes as if deep in thought.

After all, it had been a long time since he had taken a walk with Aponia, so he inevitably wanted to relive that feeling.

As for what happened here, it's not that important—we can always give Gretel lesson later!

"You...if that's what you want."

Aponia wasn't particularly averse to these adult topics, but she felt that discussing them in front of children might have a negative impact.

If there were no children around, Aponia wouldn't mind talking about topics like body image, or even more direct topics. Aponia might even listen attentively because they were novel.

"Then, I'll leave Gretel to you, Prometheus."

Liu Bai was still reluctant to give Gretel lessons, so he temporarily assigned the task to Prometheus —after all, Prometheus had done this kind of work before when Liu Bai was busy.

"Also, you taught Pardo, right?"

"Hey hey hey! Us?"

"Yes, it's you." Liu Bai with a straight face.

Prometheus nodded silently. Teaching one or two children was no big deal, and training pets and raising children was even less of a concern.

The problem is...

(Is this what they mean by the scene where Father is lured away by a bad woman?)

Prometheus felt that the situation was inexplicably strange and could only watch as Liu Bai led Ying and Aponia out of the room.

"My Lord God, is this how you and everyone from the Moth Chasers to Fire get along?" Once outside, Aponia softly asked the question that had been bothering her for a long time.

"Um... which one?"

"It's that kind of relationship, like lovers."

"Ah... more or less?"

Both Liu Bai and Ying blushed slightly. Liu Bai was embarrassed because Aponia had asked him such a direct question—after all, this answer did make him seem like an unserious person... Well, perhaps considering Aponia's personality, he should have been more tactful to avoid causing Aponia's faith to collapse?

Sakura did so because Liu Bai publicly acknowledged their relationship as lovers—even if it was just a group acknowledgment.

—Even if the intimacy between them had long surpassed that of lovers.

"Including men?"

"Hmm... Ah? Wait a minute? No! Not everyone, just a few individuals! And excluding men!"

Liu Bai was stunned for a moment, then realized that the previous question was also wrong—"the whole family of the Moth Chasers to Fire" was implicitly understood by him or Sakura and others to mean "a loving family".

However, in Aponia's words, it might really mean the literal meaning.

"I see." Aponia remained calm and did not react further.

"You have truly forged many bonds and walked steadfastly on the path of protection and salvation."

Aponia used the word "tough" instead of the more natural "steadfast," and it's unclear whether this was a slip of the tongue.

Am I... resilient?

Liu Bai vaguely recalled his past self: a very lazy college student whose mentality was to eat, drink, and play as he pleased, without taking risks, challenging himself beyond his capabilities, harming society, or causing trouble for others, living a carefree and leisurely life.

Liu Bai was actually quite open-minded about death. If he died, it could only mean that God thought his life had come to an end, and he should accept it calmly. This is why, after becoming a ghost, Liu Bai felt that what was really annoying was that he "died accidentally while appreciating MMD," rather than that he actually died.

It's hard to say whether this attitude is negative or positive and optimistic, but this is also why Liu Bai was able to remain optimistic in his ghost state, after all, he couldn't let down the "new life".

However... perhaps it was the first simulation that led to Aponia's death that made Liu Bai suddenly realize a certain responsibility.

He could not accept the death of others due to his incompetence as readily as he accepted his own.

So, after several journeys over nearly a century, Liu Bai unknowingly became the backbone of everyone.

"This is truly... like a dream, like an illusion," Liu Bai murmured softly, filled with emotion.

Aponia seemed not to have heard Liu Bai's mutterings, and continued, "Then, Your Lord God... do you think... a lover is better, or a believer?"

Chapter 417 Facing One's Inner Self

Aponia has realized that her past relationship with Liu Bai on Dusk Alley may no longer be applicable to the present.

No, it's not that it's unsuitable, but rather that it feels out of place.

Facing Liu Bai, whom she could actually see and hear, Aponia frankly realized... she probably also realized why she seemed so strange in Sakura's eyes.

She also sensed a subtle change in their relationship, but Aponia wasn't too bothered by it. Instead, she directly confronted Liu Bai with the issue.

If the relationship feels awkward, then you can adjust it.

After all, it's just a slightly awkward feeling that's hard to put into words, rather than a major disagreement.

It's precisely because Aponia is practically a blank slate in this regard that, if it were Mobius or Eden, they would immediately understand what this awkwardness is all about.

They acted the same way when their feelings for Liu Bai transitioned from friends/elders to lovers! That's just human nature.

However, they adjusted themselves, while Aponia left the choice to Liu Bai —in a sense, only Aponia could do such a thing.

Sakura is now stunned. Is it really okay for you to ask this question?

In Aponia's eyes, this was a very common problem, but in Sakura's eyes, it was blatant self-deception.

Today you dare to ask whether it's a lover or a believer, tomorrow will you dare to ask whether it's in bed or outdoors? The day after tomorrow will you ask whether it's normal or riding?

Although some of them are not very reserved, they have never gone this far!

In that instant, Aponia's psychological challenge to Sakura had increased by ten levels.

"Treating relationships as a multiple-choice question is not a good thing."

Liu Bai always felt like he was making choices in a visual novel game.

"Or rather, isn't this a choice that only Aponia herself can make?"

"... I feel a little lost."

A subtle sense of awkwardness lingered in Aponia's heart, which is why Aponia gave the choice to Liu Bai.

Looking at Aponia's expression, Sakura felt even more compelled to retort, "I think when faced with a multiple-choice question, one should already know what one truly desires, right?"

Although Sakura knew that if she made her point out, it might raise Aponia's "challenge level," but... what did that have to do with her, someone who didn't covet the position of first wife?

No matter how high the challenge level is, can't I just not take it?

As expected, Aponia fell into deep thought immediately after hearing Sakura's complaints.

Then, Aponia gave Sakura a grateful smile, "I was blinded by my own perspective. Thank you so much for your guidance, Ms. Sakura."

Contrary to her gentle and compassionate appearance, Aponia is not an indecisive person—indecisiveness makes it difficult to gain a foothold in Dusk Alley.

In some aspects, Aponia even possesses a decisive and efficient style that surpasses even Mei and others.

"I'm sorry, Your Lord God, I've put you in a difficult position."

Huh...? Sakura looked confused.

Shouldn't you be choosing the path of lovers? Why are you still calling for Lord God?

Liu Bai, on the other hand, remained neutral on this matter.

After all, Liu Bai had never met a "believer" like Otto who kept calling someone "Lord God" but never diminished his ambition to climb into someone else's bed.

To judge a person, don't look at what they say, but rather at what they do.

... Wait a minute, isn't it a bit odd to use this kind of language here?

"By the way, Aponia, have you ever thought about becoming Fusion Warrior?"

"... Miss Sakura?"

After a brief moment of thought, Aponia looked at Sakura.

"If it can save more people, I have no problem with it... whether it's growing rabbit ears or whatever."

"Did the rabbit ears offend you?"

Sakura rarely showed a blank expression.

Every time you talk about me, you bring up rabbit ears. That's going too far!

"My sister says my bunny ears are really cute!"

"Um... whether it's cute or not is another matter, but... aren't those fox ears?"

Liu Bai looked at Ying, who seemed a little angry, with a strange expression.

Although in my past life, I never stopped teasing Yae Sakura about her ears, saying they looked more like donkey ears than rabbit ears.

But... those are freaking fox ears.

Whether it's the Yae Sakura or the cherry blossoms in front of us, it's all the same.

Hmm, they're neither rabbit ears nor donkey ears; they're fox ears.

If the Emperor-Class Honkai Beast Yaksha were a killer rabbit, the art style of Honkai Beast would be ruined. Yaksha is a proper fox demon type Honkai Beast.

"Ah... fox ears?"

Sakura suddenly fell silent.

Oh right, it seems like I really do have fox ears on my head—but whose fox ears are that long?!

"Such long... fox ears?"

Aponia voiced Sakura's doubts on her behalf. Although she hadn't received a proper education, she could still distinguish between rabbit ears and fox ears.

If Liu Bai said these were pink donkey ears, Aponia might believe him, but a fox...

It's just that Aponia has a mild temperament; if it were someone else, they would have been stubborn long ago—"If you're so capable, go find me a fox with ears that long!"

"Hmm... maybe it's an ear-shaped fox?" Liu Bai didn't even believe his own words. "Ahem, it's Honkai creature, after all. Even an elephant can grow into a pig."

"That's because of atavism."

Mobius, who was exhausted to the point of losing his daughter, suddenly appeared beside the group.

"Parvati's image is similar to that of an elephant's ancestor, but Sakura... well, just think of it as a strange evolution of life—anyway, it's fine to think of it as rabbit ears."

Is it really okay?

"Anyway, everyone thinks these are rabbit ears, so they are rabbit ears. If you ask Mei now, Mei will definitely say they are rabbit ears too." Mobius was very calm, not feeling that he was in the wrong at all. "Look, I've emphasized Parvati so many times, but now Kevin's impression of Parvati is also that of a pig... Relax, it's a small problem."

"But Kevin doesn't have those biological characteristics!"

Mobius's words only made Sakura more annoyed. Why was it that her biological features were so obvious?

"Because Yaksha is Honkai Beast with strong physical abilities, its physical characteristics are more obvious—that's also your Fusion Warrior's superpower." Mobius said matter-of-factly.

That's actually true. Kevin's defining characteristic is the chilling aura around him, while Mobius's defining characteristic is his post-mortem resurrection. The snake eyes are just a symbol.

Is there a problem? No problem!

"Aren't rabbit ears cute too?"